BASIC PRINCIPALS OF THE PREWRATH RAPTURE

1. The Bible teaches that there is a still-future seven-year

period to occur. Within that period the Antichrist will arise,

the Great Tribulation will occur, the church will be raptured,

and the Day of the Lord wrath will commence. That time frame is

called the seventieth week of Daniel, never the Tribulation.

2. The Bible teaches that there are three major sections to the

seventieth week: the beginning of sorrows (Math 24:8), the Great

Tribulation (Math 24:21) and the Day of the Lord (Math 24:30-31).

3. The Bible teaches that the Great Tribulation ("time of Jacob's

trouble") begins in the middle of that seven-year period but does

not continue until its end. The Great Tribulation is cut short

and followed by cosmic disturbance (Math 24:22, Mark 13:24-25).

4. The Bible teaches that Elijah (or one like him, if preferred)

must appear before the Day of the Lord commences. If he appears

before the seventieth week, there can be no pretribulational

doctrine of imminence. If he appears after it begins, the Day of

the Lord cannot start at the beginning of the seventieth week, as

pretribulationism normally insists.

5. The Bible teaches that that apostasy and revealing of the man

of sin must precede the Day of the Lord (2 Thess 2:1-4). The

apostasy and revealing of the man of sin occur within the

seventieth week. Therefore, the Day of the Lord cannot begin

before the first five seals are broken or at the beginning of the

seventieth week.

6. The Bible teaches that the cosmic disturbance immediately

precedes the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31). The cosmic disturbance

begins with the opening of the sixth seal. That occurs sometime

within the second half of the seventieth week.

7. The Bible makes it clear when the Day of the Lord commences.

There is no guesswork. It will commence with the opening of the

seventh seal. John wrote, "For the great and terrible day of his

wrath is come" (Rev 6:17).

8. The Bible teaches that the Day of the Lord is a time of

unprecedented judgement upon the whole earth. It will also be a

time of purifying Israel.

9. The Bible teaches that there is only ONE second coming of

Christ - not one for the Rapture of the church at the beginning

of the seventieth week and another seven years later at its end,

as pretribulationism sometimes contends.

10. The Bible teaches that the second coming of Christ (parousia)

speaks of coming and continuous presence to accomplish a number

of divine purposes. It will begin with the Rapture and be

followed by the Day of the Lord wrath and the Lord's literal

return to the earth.

11. The Bible teaches that the END or the END OF THE AGE is the

time for final harvest (Matt 28:20). The final harvest is the

time of separation between the righteous (wheat) and unrighteous

(weeds or tares).

12. The Bible teaches that the church is to remain on the earth

until the END (matt 28:20). The END is always a reference to the

end of the age (Matt 13:39-40). The END occurs inside the

seventieth week, not immediately prior to its beginning.

13. The Bible teaches that the END ("then shall the end come,"

Matt 24:14) commences with the opening of the seventh seal. The

righteous (the wheat) are raptured (harvested into God's barn),

and then the unrighteous (the weeds) are judged (harvested and

burned) during the Day of the Lord, concluding with Christ's

physical return to the earth.

14. The Bible teaches that at Christ's return, a surviving

remnant of Jews will be gathered to Israel and saved. God's

covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be literally

fulfilled (Matt 24:31, Rom 11:25-26).

15. The Bible teaches that in connection with Christ's return,

the nations will be judged (Matt 25:32) and Christ's millennial

kingdom will be established.