Prewrath

The concept of a Prewrath rapture is one of several premillennial views on the end-times events among some evangelical Christians, and states that Christians will be raptured at the end of a time called the Great Tribulation (which begins at the midpoint of the seventieth week of Daniel), and before the Day of the Lord. (God's wrath). The prewrath position emphasizes the biblical distinction between Satan's wrath in the Great Tribulation (which Christians have been promised) and the wrath of God (which Christians have been promised deliverance/salvation from).

According to the Prewrath perspective, the great tribulation begins 3.5 years after the Antichrist "makes a covenant with the many" (Daniel 9:27), in the middle of "Daniel's 70th week." The 70th week is a reference to Daniel 9:24, where each day of the week corresponds to a year (for a total of seven years). After the first 3.5 years, the Antichrist will make himself known with the abomination that causes desolation, and he will reign for 3.5 years (42 months or 1260 days). The latter half of the 3.5 years is characterized by the Antichrist deceiving the world and persecuting the church.

Although the exact timing of the rapture is not known, one of the key points to the Prewrath view is that the rapture comes after the sixth seal is opened (Revelation 6:12), when the moon is turned into blood. The tribulation of God's people will then be cut short (according to Jesus in Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27) with the second coming of Christ and the rapture, and those who are left behind on Earth will face the trumpets and bowls of God's wrath (Rev 16:1); hence the term "Prewrath." [1][2]

God's wrath against the ungodly will follow for the remainder of the seven years in what is known as the Day of the Lord.[3]

Origins

This view like pretribulationism, midtribulationism, and posttribulationism falls under the larger umbrella of premillennialism was formally named and publicized by Marvin Rosenthal in his book The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, published by Thomas Nelson in 1990,[4] at the prompting of his friend Robert Van Kampen, who went on to write The Sign and The Rapture Question Answered: Plain & Simple.

Timeline

Prewrath Timeline Overview
General prewrath timeline

Much of the Prewrath view is based on a linear, chronological interpretation of Jesus’ account of the end times in the Olivet Discourse. In contrast to the traditional Pre-Tribulation view, for example, the moon turning blood red only occurs once according to the Prewrath perspective. Events subsequent to the rapture are based on face-value interpretations of the books of Revelation and Daniel.

  1. The "beginning of birth pains" start with wars, famines and earthquakes around the world (Matthew 24:19). This duration is thought to cover the first 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week, which starts when the Antichrist confirms or strengthens a seven year "covenant with the many" (Daniel 9:24).
  2. The Antichrist starts his reign with the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15) at the midpoint of the 70th week, putting an end to sacrifice and offering (Daniel 9:27). His reign, along with the false prophet (Revelation 13:11), lasts for 3.5 years.
  3. The Antichrist's rule begins the great tribulation, a worldwide distress unequaled to any across history (Matthew 24:21). At this time the believers of God face persecution.
  4. During the latter half of the 3.5 years and prior to Jesus' return, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, stars will fall from the sky (Joel 2:10, Matthew 24:29). In Revelation 6:12, this coincides with the opening of the sixth seal, when the sun turns black and the moon turns blood red.
  5. Jesus appears coming on the clouds of the sky to all, and angels will bring about the rapture of the Church (Matthew 24:30-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). In Revelation, his appearance is signified by the people calling out, "hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!" (Rev 6:12)
  6. God's wrath falls on the remaining unbelievers, called the "day of the Lord" (Joel 2:11). Since the Second Coming and the rapture of the Church occur immediately before the Day of the Lord, they occur before God’s wrath — hence, the “Prewrath rapture” of the Church. The 7th seal encompasses the wrath of the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2); the seventh trumpet may represent the seven bowls of wrath, which complete the mystery of God (Revelation 11:15).
  7. Since the Antichrist’s reign lasts for 42 months (or 3.5 years) according to Revelation 13:5, the Antichrist’s rule ceases at the end of the 70th week.
  8. At the battle of Armageddon, the Antichrist and the false prophet are defeated and cast into the lake of fire. Since the time of the Antichrist is 1290 days according to Daniel 12:11 (30 days longer than his 42-month reign), his end is then placed 30 days after Daniel’s 70th week.
  9. 45 days after the destruction of the Antichrist, Christ’s millennial reign is established. This is based on Daniel 12:11, which states, “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.” The 45 days is derived from taking 1335 and subtracting 1260 days (42 months of Antichrist's reign) and 30 days (the end of the Antichrist), or 1335-(1260+30)=45.

Proposed confirmations

Prewrath adherents affirm that Scriptures from throughout the Old and New Testaments confirm this timing of the rapture:

According to Prewrath, this passage clearly indicates that the coming of the Lord and the Day of the Lord are part and parcel of the same event, the coming of the Lord. First, Jesus arrives in the sky at His Second Coming, at which time He raptures all Christian believers, then His judgment during the Day of the Lord falls upon those who have disbelieved and rejected His lordship.

This is justified, according to Prewrath, by the fact that Jesus places His return (Matthew 24:30-31) after the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15), which occurs at the midpoint of the 70th Week (cf. Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31). Thus, if the Second Coming and rapture occur after the sixth seal, this places this event after the midpoint but before the end (seventh trumpet).

Issues

The Prewrath view contains some diversity with respect to:

However, such differences on how specific events occur within the 70th week still fall under the framework of the Prewrath timeline.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Showers, Renald E: The Pre-Wrath Rapture View, Kregel Academic & Professional (2001)
  2. ↑ Benware, Paul: Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach, Moody Publishers (2001)
  3. ↑ Rosenthal, Marv: "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church: Is It Biblical?", Regular Baptist Press (1991)
  4. ↑ Rosenthal, Marv: "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church: Is It Biblical?", Regular Baptist Press (1991)

Further reading

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