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The Kingdom of Israel
John Shepard
April 8, 2002
Problems with the Mid-tribulation Rapture
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The mid-tribulation rapture of the church is not as popular as some of the other rapture viewpoints. Even so it does have support from many theologians but it does have problems. This page describes some of these problems in summary form.
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The Kingdom of Israel
Summary
The problems with the mid-tribulation (mid-trib) rapture fall into the following general categories:
- It has some of the same problems as the pre-tribulation rapture.
- There is really no reason to even consider it at all. It is presented as solving the problems of the pre-tribulation rapture but it fails to do this.
- Contradictions with the prophecies of Daniel.
- The Bible doesn't really support the rapture in its clearest sense.
- The rapture is a part of premillennialism which also has problems. Read problems with premillennialism
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Problems with the Mid-tribulation Rapture
The mid-tribulational (mid-trib) rapture scenario is within the premillennial end-time viewpoint.
- There is no reason to prefer a mid-tribulation rapture over a pre-tribulation rapture. The mid-tribulation rapture is usually presented as solving the problems with the pre-tribulation rapture but it actually causes more problems and inconsistencies.
- The Biblical passages saying that God will spare the church from wrath are interpreted as referring to the rapture. Since the severe problems in the great tribulation don't begin until the mid-point, the rapture can occur here. However, interpreting these passages in that way strains the obvious context which is the wrath of God as He judges all unbelievers in the final judgment. Believers are, of course, spared from that wrath.
- If the rapture is the event that allows Satan to begin his attacks on humanity (by removing the presence of the Holy Spirit who inhabits the church), it seems odd that the rapture wouldn't occur until the middle of the great tribulation.
- Since premillennialism is founded on the idea that the church age ends at the beginning of the great tribulation and the 70th seven of Daniel begins, this means that there would no longer be a church in the great tribulation and that God is dealing with Israel again. So what of the believers in the first half of the great tribulation who aren't yet raptured? Since they aren't raptured until the middle of the great tribulation are they still the body of Christ with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? And what about people who become believers in the first half of the great tribulation? Are they members of the church? Are they also raptured? It is generally taught that "all" believers are raptured, not just those who become believers before the great tribulation begins.
- There is no remarkable event involving the church that ushers in the great tribulation.
- The rapture only makes sense in the context of premillennialism. There are problems with the premillennial scenario which invalidate all rapture scenarios.
- The Biblical passages that are presented as evidence for the rapture are better interpreted as referring to the general resurrection immediately before the white throne judgment.
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© Copyright 2007 by John Shepard
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