 is a pre-tribulation rapture biblical. I won't be able to go into all the elements of the end times, all the elements of eschatology, but for this video, I'm gonna show and say why I believe a pre-tribulation rapture is biblical. Hey, welcome back, smart Christians. There aren't many topics that get people more emotionally involved and riled up like discussing the end times. Particularly, at least with this video, is is there going to be a pre-tribulation rapture? Now, there are other views where there are a mid-trip, post-trip, and then there's what's called a kind of a three-quarter pre-rath, a tribulation. And then there are some that don't believe there will be a rapture at all. Now, just for this though, I'm gonna say why I believe that a pre-tribulation rapture is biblical. Now, there are some arguments against it, and I think those arguments are pretty much unfounded. You'll hear people say that there are no scriptures to say the church will miss the tribulation, but on the flip side, and I'll cover this even more, there are no passages that say that the church will enter into the tribulation. Similarly, there are people that say that Daniel's 70-week prophecy does not mention that the church will not go through that, but then again, I think that fails just like the other argument because there's no passage that says that the church will be in the 70th week. There are those that also kind of confuse what wrath is versus the wrath, or what a tribulation is versus the tribulation. Again, we won't be able to get into all the different arguments, but I'm gonna tell you why I believe that a pre-tribulation rapture is biblical. Now, let me say this. You may agree, you may disagree, but if you're going to disagree, let's remember to disagree in a godly fashion. Let's be disagreeable in our differences. We should not treat believers like unbelievers because we differ in our understanding on how the end times are gonna be. If we share the same father, that's all that matters. Amen? When we discuss whether there's gonna be a pre-tribulation rapture, first we need to discuss why there's even a tribulation to begin with. In Jeremiah 37, the scriptures say, alas, that day is so great that there is none like it. It is a time of distress for Jacob, yet he shall be saved out of it. And so the focus is on Jacob, his people, who is that? That's Israel. So just by the plain understanding, now remember, I read the scriptures in a literal fashion. When it tells me not to, I don't. I will read them in a literal fashion until the Bible gives me an indication not to do so. And so here when he tells me who this time of distress is gonna be for, it's gonna be for Jacob, that's Israel. That has nothing to do with the church. And now me, you need to understand, I believe there is a distinct difference between Israel and the church. Here's what I mean. I do believe that every believer, every person who is in the body is a part of the church. However, not all members of the church are part of Israel. God has a special or a specific thing that he is going to do with Israel. Israel is like most people. God has worked with Israel and Israel has shown themselves to be disobedient, unfaithful, untrustworthy, but he has prophesied specifically about them that he is going to deal with them harshly and bring them back. That's the whole purpose of the tribulation. We're gonna see that in some more scriptures. And so to me, it's clear that this passage here in Jeremiah 30 is specifically regarding Israel. Now it is important to remember who Jeremiah is prophesying to. He is not out there prophesying to just anybody. He's prophesying to Israel. Now in this case, specifically the Southern Kingdom, but still Israel as a whole. And so to make it as though he's prophesying to someone else or he's speaking to someone else, that just would not be good exegesis, good understanding, good hermeneutics. On our part, we will be applying something that is intended for Israel for everyone else. Now when we go to Daniel, Daniel has this concern for his people. Daniel is a prophet to whom? To the Jews when? During the exile. They have been exiled out of their land for how long? 70, 70 years. Why? Because of their disobedience. God had prophesied to them that in their disobedience that he would punish them. And he also said that he would bring them back. Now, is he gonna bring them back? Did he bring them back? Well sure, so that prophecy has been fulfilled. Now remember, we believe that because all of this other prophecies that have been fulfilled, they've been fulfilled literally. What does that mean? Well if all the other prophecies have been fulfilled literally, what reason is there to expect that the rest of the prophecies will not be fulfilled literally? We believe that also, we believe that those prophecies that are yet to come, they will also be fulfilled literally. This is exactly what Israel is expecting. They've seen all the other prophecies be fulfilled literally. And so too will the remainder. And so since Daniel is concerned about his people, he prays. And then his answer to his prayer comes. However, it's not what he was really hoping for. He's dealing with this 70 year exile. Then another set of 70s come. What is he told? In Daniel 9-24 we read, 70 weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for an equity, to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. So who do we think this prophecy is for? This prophecy is clearly about Israel. Now when it says 70 weeks, the word there is 77s. And so the math adds up. And so if we just count the first 69 weeks, we find ourselves to the cross. There is a pause between 69 and 70, between weeks 69 and 70. What is that pause for? That is for the fullness of the Gentiles, the time of the Gentiles. And the Bible tells us that when the fullness of the Gentiles has ended, then that 70th week will start. Then what God is going to do is He's going to bring about this punishment and not for punishment sake. God is not in the business of just punishing just for the sake of it, just for kicks and giggles. He's doing so to bring Israel back to Him. But before that happens, He is going to, He is bringing in Gentiles. How many, what's the number? We don't know. Only God knows what that number is. And when that time is up, when that time is fulfilled, then the 70th week begins. That 70th week is what we call that last seven is what we call the tribulation. In another video, I'll discuss why or what these 70 weeks actually mean and the numbers involved and so forth and how do we get the math, but understand what God is doing. He's saying what He's going to do for Israel and why He's doing it to Israel. He wants to bring about what He's always wanted, this reconciliation. He's going to deal with punishment and with sin and to usher in a new regime, if you will, with Israel and make them also part of this body with the church. In Daniel 12, seven, we read this. And I heard the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the stream. He raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time that's seven years, guys, after counting, time is three, time is three and a half. Time is a year and a half, which brings us to seven years. And what, when the shattering of the power of the holy people come to an end, all these things will be finished. So he's kind of resummarizing or kind of putting a nice little bow on this whole tribulation period because of what he's trying to do. Now, when we go and look at the tribulation period, there are three distinct periods. The first three years, the second three years, and then there's one and a half year period. And that's what he's alluding to here. Again, we won't get into it totally right now. We're just gonna talk about the pre-trib rapture or being caught up. And so right now, we're simply just talking about why the tribulation has to happen. And that is to kind of cause Israel to afflict Israel to come back to God. Now, is all of Israel gonna come back? No, and God even states so. We see that as Paul states it in Romans. So again, the question is who or what is the tribulation for? The tribulation is specifically for Israel and to bring them back. Now, does that mean that only Israel will be convicted, will feel the full blunt, the wrath of God, and will return or come to God? No, they're not the only ones. There will be even non-Jews who will come to God during this time as well. But it needs to be clear what the purpose is. And if I'm correct that this is the purpose of afflicting Israel and bringing people, causing people to come to him, why would he need to afflict the church if we are already in him? And so every passage that you can find dealing with this tribulation, dealing with this wrath, the one group that's missing out of it is the church. You never find a passage where God is afflicting the church where he's bringing his wrath upon the church. And again, who is the church? Those people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ in the atoning work of Christ on the cross. That's the church. Now, who's the church made up of? Again, Gentiles and Jews. But who is Israel made up of? Only Israel, only Jews, not Gentile believers. Are you with me? Now, there are passages that also talk about the church specifically avoiding this wrath, avoiding this tribulation this time. In 1 Thessalonians 1-10, we read, And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. So it's told that we will be delivered from the wrath to come. Who's being delivered? Not Israel, but us, the church. Similarly, we read in chapter five of 1 Thessalonians verse nine. He says, For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, who's he talking about? The church. Who is he not talking about? Ethnic Israel. 2 Thessalonians chapter two, seven, verse N eight says, For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and to bring nothing by the appearance of his coming. The question's going to be then, who is the one that's restraining? What's this restraining force that's keeping the lawless one out? Well, I believe it's kind of twofold. Now, some folks will say it's the Holy Spirit. Some folks will say it's the church. I believe it's both. I believe it's the Holy Spirit in the church. Again, who does the Holy Spirit reside in? The believers. Now, does that mean that the Holy Spirit will cease to exist once this restraining force is gone? No, the spirit is going to still be. There's no where that you can go. What did David say? Even if I make my bed in hell, you'll be there. Your spirit is there. And so even once that's gone, I think the restraining power of the church, let's see if this makes sense. If the restraining power is the Holy Spirit in the church, once we're gone, then the lawless one can come. Now, how big of a number will be here at the time of this rapture? I don't know. We do know this, though. The number of people who call themselves believers, that number is dwindling. And remember, the number of people who call themselves believers isn't the actual number. It's obviously going to be much smaller. Again, in America, 67% of the people in America call themselves Christians. Well, we know that's not true. However, so whatever this number is, this dwindling number, it's going to be smaller and smaller and smaller. So it may be, I don't know, I'm speculating here, but it may be that when it happens, the number of Christians is going to be probably so insignificant that maybe we won't be missed. I don't know, but let me get back to this. Here's something interesting in 1 Thessalonians. So back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 18. Paul says, I won't read the whole passage, really going from 13 to 18. I won't read the whole thing, but wouldn't it be odd to say encourage or to comfort one another with these words if we are getting ready to go through the worst period in human history? Well, the point of this is to show that we are not going to go through this. And remember, these are the passages where he's writing the church of Thessalonica to say that we are going to be caught up. And so that the comforting, the encouraging portion of that is that we won't have to go through that. Now, you better make sure that you're a part of the body when this time happens or else you're going through it. Now, when we get to Revelation chapter 3, something interesting sticks out. You need to see this. In verse 10, it says, because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth. Now, he's writing to the churches. And because in this case, you've kept my word, what will happen? I will keep you from that hour. What you need to make sure that you understand is that in the first three chapters of Revelation, the word church, the term church, the church is mentioned about 19 times. How many times is it mentioned between chapters four and 19, the time of the tribulation? Not once. We don't see or hear any mentioning of the church. Now, do you know who we do see and hear mentioned? Israel. We see them mentioned and what God is gonna do to them, but we don't see the church being mentioned. Why do you think that is? Well, could it possibly be because the church has been taken away? Paul says in verse nine of chapter five in Romans, he says, since therefore we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Well, what is the wrath of God? And he's not speaking about hell. He's speaking about, it's a deafness. So it's a point in time, a deafness of something that's gonna happen, this wrath of God that he keeps speaking of. Now, going back to Revelation, I wanna point something out. Now remember, he's telling John to write the things that you have seen, the things that are happening now, and then the things that are to come. And the things that are to come, we're not in those things as it relates to the tribulation. But I want you to pay attention to something that I think kinda gets missed. Revelation is 27. In Revelation 27, he says, and when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison. Verse eight, and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle, their number is like the sand of the sea. Now, I want you to think about something for a second, and see if a mid-trip, post-trip, pre-wrath rapture makes sense. He says that at the end of 1000 years, Satan will be released, and who's he gonna gather? He's gonna, he will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth. At the end of the tribulation, who's gonna be there? Well, you're gonna have the people that were raptured, then you're gonna have the people who, through the tribulation, who were saved through the tribulation, Jews and Gentiles. But when Satan is released, there are gonna be people there who are deceived, or who are able to be deceived. Where do these people come from? Now, it cannot be the people who were raptured, who were caught up, why? Because they were given, according to 1 Corinthians, a glorified body. And we know that those people in the revelation neither marry or are given in marriage, according to Jesus' statements. And so we've got people there who have a glorified body, and then we've got some people who have made their way through the tribulation, which means there are some people over this period of time that were born during this 1000 year period of time who were not believers. Think about that. You've got the people with the glorified body, and then you've got the people who did not have a glorified body, who were still able to marry, and who are given and married, because they didn't go through the resurrection, who could possibly be the people who Satan can come out and deceive. And he says, and their numbers are like the sand of the sea. Who could these people possibly be, except for the people who made their way through the tribulation, and then made it into the 1000 year reign, but were still able to procreate? So now, let me recap that. You've got the people who were raptured, given a glorified body, they ascended. They experienced this resurrection, and they received the new body. And Jesus mentioned that these people neither married, nor are given in marriage. And then you've got the people who made their way through the tribulation, who were not resurrected, and do not have a glorified body, and therefore they are still able to procreate. Their children, who may not, who aren't saved, who don't believe, they themselves end up being the ones who Satan deceives. And then there is this big battle at the end. If the rapture is at the end, then everyone who is raptured, therefore everyone who's in this 1000 year period, these are people who received a glorified body, and they are not able to procreate. And then there is no one who the devil could deceive at the end of this 1000 year period, because there was no one born through this 1000 year period of time. The only way that there could have been someone born through this 1000 year period of time is that they must not have had a glorified body and were able to procreate. That could not be the people who were raptured. So do y'all get that? Just wanna make sure that I'm clear. If no one can procreate during this 1000 year period of time, then there can be no one born during this 1000 year period of time. If there's no one born through this 1000 year period of time, who is not a believer, and has to be that way because all the other folks were believers, then how could Satan deceive anyone? There's no one for him to deceive. And we see that he is, and the number of those folks are as the sands of the sea. So now, for those reasons, guys, and again, you may agree, you may disagree. That's fine. It won't be a point of strife and contention. Hey, this guy believes, this guy believes. That's fine. I could be wrong. I don't think I am. Because there, and we're just gonna be consistent here. Because the scriptures don't say it, then I won't go along with it. The scriptures are clear in who it says are going to be in this tribulation. It speaks about who is specifically for initially in the prophecy regarding Israel. The church has never mentioned, at one point ever in the scriptures is a church mentioned in relationship to this impending wrath, or having suffered this wrath or going through tribulation. And when it's talked about it even in revelation, there is no mention of the church to it. And I think that is a glaring omission. And I think that says a lot. So for that reason, guys, I believe that a pre-tribulation rapture is without question, in my opinion, biblical. What say you? If you disagree, please go ahead and send it in the comments. Maybe we'll have a robust conversation in the chats. Maybe not, but that's what I believe. But here's the most important thing. Whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, mid-trip, post-trip, whether you believe, or whether you are a millennial, it doesn't matter. The one thing that's most important, no matter what your eschatology is, no matter what your end time beliefs is, is that you at least know that in order to be saved, you must have faith in Christ. And if you haven't done so already, you need to make the day that day. Amen.