The Pretribulation Rapture Theory and Dispensationalism Revisited

Incredibly at a time when current events on the global stage are occurring at a breathtaking pace in fulfillment of biblical end-time prophecy, it has become fashionable in most circles, including among those described as Christian Evangelicals, to virtually ignore, or downplay Bible prophecy. However this may not be so surprising in light of what has been done with scripture on the subject, giving us the current smorgasbord of theories and schools of thought on the subject. Not that this is anything new, but therein lies another part of the problem, as past theories have been propagated and dogmatically preached as if they were divinely inspired fact, but have since been abandoned mostly because they involved predictions which failed to materialize. Even current theories, the most popular of which may be the Dispensationalists’ Pretribulation Rapture view, would seem to be lacking in many respects, when examined logically and biblically. While claiming to be based on what is recognizably the superior method of interpretation (if the Bible is to have any real objective meaning), the literal method, in fact a literal interpretation taking scripture in its most natural sense, is often sacrificed in the service of presuppositions associated with their preconceived theories which have become doctrines.
This work is primarily the result of an attempt to objectively analyze and evaluate this mainstream view in which the author was initially indoctrinated. The evaluation involved an unhurried, deliberate, and thorough study of all of the scripture on the subject of end-time prophecy, making a conscious effort to put aside preconceived theories and beliefs on the subject and associated presuppositions, to let the scripture speak for itself. However this study was approached from the perspective of an engineer more than a would-be theologian, with only one agenda - to get to the truth of the matter. After having completed the study of the scripture itself (and to some extent in parallel with it), a considerable amount of time and effort has been invested in further research on the subject, to considerable a wide variety of theories and views and interpretations of scripture, some of which are addressed in this work. However, the primary focus in this work was the proposed scenarios and arguments for them associated with the Pretribulation Rapture view and the Dispensational school of theology.
The book begins with laying the essential groundwork of addressing the issue of the method of interpretation being taken to scripture as a whole, and to end-time prophecy in particular. The literalist approach is compared to the allegorist method and other less literal methods of interpretation. Several of the other schools of thought regarding eschatology are briefly considered and evaluated, such as Historicism, Preterism, Amillennialism and Postmillennialism. The conclusion drawn is that the more literal futurists approach (that most of the end-time prophecy is about the future) is by far the preferred approach if we intend to let scripture speak for itself, rather than men making it say whatever they think it should say based on their presuppositions.
The attention is then focused on the Pretribulation Rapture theory and Dispensationalism, beginning with a description and evaluation of some of the major tenets of that view. As a result their approach to interpretation of key passages is exposed as being anything but strictly literal, demonstrating the tendency to alter what is actually rather clearly written, and to engage in circular reasoning to both reach and support their conclusions.
This is followed by a more in depth evaluation of a few of those key elements of their theory, which allow them to reach the conclusions they do. First is their definition of a term which is used repeatedly throughout prophetic scripture and is major significance in understanding what scripture is saying - “the day of the Lord.” At the risk of boring the reader 15 of the 23 to 25 times the expression is used (depending upon which version one is reading) is cited, demonstrating rather clearly that the definition the Pretribulation Rapturists have contrived does not come from its use in scripture. However, what is intended by the phrase is quite clear, that it is a day of judgment when Christ returns - not the whole seven year Tribulation Period much less inclusive of the 1000 year millennium, as they would have us to believe. Similarly their definition of “the day of God’s wrath” and the wrath of God as referring to the whole Tribulation Period is evaluated and refuted as neither biblical nor logical. These are cases in point of the failure to let scripture interpret scripture, despite their frequent claim to be doing so.
Associated with these definitions is subject of the destruction of the whole heavens and earth and the creation of the new heaven and earth, which most of them would tell us won’t happen until after the 1000 year Millennium and the Gog/Magog rebellion. Again the distortion of relevant scripture (such as 2 Peter 3:9-15) and the absurdity of the logic of such interpretations is demonstrated, as well as the preferred interpretation that it has to occur at the second coming event when Christ returns in judgment to set up His perfect edenic kingdom on earth before the Millennial age begins.
The next key element of their theory, which they seem to feel gives them an edge on their competition with respect to spiritual superiority, is what they call the doctrine of “Imminence.” This view is again analyzed and evaluated, especially with respect to its fidelity to what scripture literally tells us about Christ’s return, as well as the internal consistency with respect to other aspects of their view. What is demonstrated is that all those passages which imply any kind of imminence of Christ’s return are in reference to what they would call His second coming, not a theoretical coming in the clouds to rapture out the church seven years before that event. Furthermore it is demonstrated that not even they believe in their own definition - that no prophetic event needed to happen since Christ’s first advent and departure before this rapture event could occur. Every Pretribulation Rapturist points to the regathering of Israel as a nation, which only happened in the 20th century, and other recent events, as “signs of the times,” and necessary events which had to happen before the events of the Tribulation Period could occur. That there has to be an Antichrist as well as a nation Israel on the scene for the beginning of the Tribulation Period, which according to their view immediately follows this rapture of the church event, is only too obvious. That this would seem to be a glaring discrepancy undermining one of the most loudly proclaimed arguments for their view is a point made in the book.
This is followed by a chapter on the timing of the rapture itself. The proof texts for the Pretribulation Rapture view are revisited, such as 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7. Other passages and considerations are examined such as “the last trump” (1 Corinthians 15:51), the “thief in the night warnings” (especially Revelation 16:15), the judgment on Jerusalem as part of the 7th trumpet (Revelation 11:13), the presence and perseverance of saints throughout the whole tribulation period, as well as other practical issues, such as the counterproductive effect of their escapists view on believers living in those end times.
Finally the last chapter deals with the conclusions drawn, primarily with respect to what the scripture does seem to be literally saying about the rapture of the church, and the timing of that event. What is proposed is perhaps best described as and hence referred to as a Posttribulation Prewrath Rapture View, which is what seems to emerge from the entire study.