Why the Pre-trib Doctrine is Total Speculation, and Conjecture Part 2

The number one argument that draws people to the Pre-tribulation rapture doctrine that Christians will be rapture out before the Great tribulation is the fact that Christians are not assigned or appointed to God’s wrath.  The problem is that the nature of God’s wrath is assumed and defined contrary to God’s Word.  Lets look at the verse:

1 Thess. 5:9,10 (KJV) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

(NASV)9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

So we understand that …in the future….. we are not appointed, assigned, or destined to God’s wrath.  The question that needs to be asked is “what does that apply to?”  Instead many just ASSUME that it refers to a ‘temporal’ wrath on Earth.  However does it?  The answer is a resounding “NO!”  The wrath that ‘is to come’ is Hell itself.

There are two words used in the Greek language that often translates into English as “wrath.”  The one used in this passage is “thymos” it is present in only two passages in Revelation… Rev. 6:16,17, and Rev. 11:18

In Rev. 6, MAN defines the events happening to Earth as God’s wrath, but in Rev. 11:18 the 24 elders define God’s wrath as Hell, or judging the dead.

The other word in the Greek used for God’s wrath starts after Rev. 11 and is used in the bowl/vial judgements.  In Rev. 14:9-11 the angels define EXACTLY what God’s wrath is:

[9] And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
[10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
[11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Here the picture of God’s wrath is once again… ETERNAL in nature… fire and brimstone with smoke that ascends up eternally.

Okay, this is the basic argument and anyone can twist the Scriptures to suggest what they want it to suggest, so let’s look at the application.

First of all, the pretrib doctrine separates the church from the tribulation saints in the book of Revelation.  The argument is that the church/bride cannot experience God’s wrath therefore she must be raptured out of that mess.  Are you seeing a problem yet?  What about the “tribulation saints?”  Are they appointed to God’s wrath?  Does God’s Word not apply to them? In my other posts, I’ve addressed this issue in more detail.  The fact of the matter is that God’s promises apply to all of God’s people.  In order for God’s wrath to temporal, God’s Word would be a lie to the “tribulation saints.”  God’s Word does not lie, therefore God’s wrath is not temporal, but Hell itself.

So the very foundation of the pretrib doctrine has now been destroyed.  Without the speculation that states that God’s wrath is not Hell, but Earthly, any basis for placing the rapture at the beginning of the tribulation has been dismantled.  Understanding that God’s wrath is indeed Hell, leaves no Biblical argument for skipping out of the great tribulation.  Without the wrath of God being temporal, the pre-trib rapture doctrine ceases to exist.

Pre-Tribbers are unable to give answers in season or out.

Over the last year I have responded to over 250 posts from pre-trib web sites.  Although we are commanded to be ready in season and out to respond to the hope that is in us.  The pre-tribbers don’t seem to be able to do so.  In fact apart from name calling and side-stepping all issues, they are totally unable to do give and answer.

It is not that they are caught off-guard and need more time to consider.  The fact of the matter is that all questions are directed to those who teach and promote the doctrine of the per-tribulation.   Therefore they are indeed seasoned and not ignorant.  Still no answers come.

Why is that?   Kent Hovind states it best.  Kent is a creation science promoter and has debated all over the United States.  For 25 years he believed the pre-trib doctrine, before he changed his view.  Like many he believed it because that is what he was taught, and he hadn’t pursued it further, because that wasn’t his field of interest.  However, when asked the hard questions he realized that the pre-trib doctrine had the same signature as evolution.  He states that it is easy to debate evolution because truth prevails, and evolutions stumble over the truth.  Likewise the when the truth is presented to the pre-tribber, stumbling, and stuttering is all they have left.   Therefore, they have no response or resort to name-calling and the like.

Scripture makes simple statements that should not be ignored.  The pre-trib view makes a practice of ignoring a lot of the Word.  However, in it’s place man replaces it with his doctrine.  As a result the pre-trib doctrine becomes a nest of lies.  Unfortunately those who promote the doctrine are content to call Jesus a liar.  One blatent lie is concerning how He declares the nature of His return for the “second coming”, “Like a thief…”  2 Peter 3:10, and Rev. 16:15.  Although these Scriptures clearly reference a return at the end of the tribulation, the pretrib borrow the phrase “like a thief” and attempt to move it 7 years prior.  If that were the case, Jesus would be lying concerning His declaration of how He would return at the end, “like a thief.”  A rapture 7 years prior would announce the “second coming” return, destroying all element of surprise, that Jesus has designated to it.

The lies continue….

The pre-trib doctrine tells us that the “tribulation saints” are not the bride of Christ because the bride is gone during that time… totally rapture out.  If that were the case, we are not one body in Christ Jesus but several.  The pretribbers separate the body of Christ into three…. Jews, church, and tribulation saints.  Paul tells us that the walls of separtation between the Jews and the church no longer exist, creating “one new man”  …Eph 2:10-15

And continue still…

The pre-trib doctrine tells us that the wrath of God is not Hell, but temporal and Earthly.  Therefore we must escape it all via rapture prior to the tribulation.  It is absolutely true that we are not appointed to wrath… BUT to Salvation and FOREVER living with Him… 1 Thess. 5:9,10.   Our assignment is eternal and not temporal, however, God’s wrath is somehow assumed to be temporal and not the eternal Hell that it truly is.   As a result of the pre-trib view,  God’s promise to the ‘tribulation saints’ does not extend to them.  Rather, somehow, they are assigned and appointed to God’s wrath.  This is contrary to God’s Word.  Not only does this promise not extend to them many other promises due to the assumption that they are not the bride of Christ apply to them as well.  The implications become willingly conjured due to their super-scriptural nature.

These lies, when refuted, must be refuted by man’s wisdom, because there is no backbone of support in the Scriptures.  Why, because they have no foundation to begin with.  They are like a child who spoke a lie, and must substantiate their story by continue to build lie, upon lie in an attempt to rectify it’s existence.

The fact of the matter is that truth is not what is pursued, as a result God Himself places a strong delusion upon them… 2 Thess. 2:10-12

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish ; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved . 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Origins of the Pre-trib doctrine is NOT Margaret Macdonald or anything out the the last couple hundred years

Peter who learned from Jesus, taught the gentiles, warns of twisting Paul’s end time teachings….

2 Peter 3:10-16 KJV
[10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
[11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
[12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
[13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
[14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The origins of the pretrib teachings come from Paul’s writings concerning the end times. Why, because of an attempt to separate the rapture from the second coming. If the can separate Paul’s teachings for the church, and Christ teachings for the Jews, then they think they are on the something. Problem is, that Peter ties it all together. He taught the church “second coming” eschatology.