In the 'end times' as famously portrayed in Revelation (last chapter of the Bible), these judgments finally unfold to start the period known as the "Tribulation" (also called the "Time of Wrath") and result in devastating wars and natural disasters, all for the purpose of bringing God's unrepentant people to repentance, and separating the good people from the wicked and corrupt of the world.
The 'Pre-Tribulation' or 'Early-Tribulation' rapture represents God taking some of his people from the Earth before the Tribulation; these are Christians in high standing with God who do not have to suffer through his judgments of wrath that come on the world.
* This article has been edited for length.
For in depth evidence of an Early-Tribulation rapture, after you read the article below, please click on:
Advanced Rapture Study
This is the idea behind the 'Post-Tribulation' rapture. Meaning, the rapture does not occur until after the Tribulation.
With this article, I try to show evidence of a Pre-Tribulation / Early-Tribulation rapture taking place, as well as another rapture at the end of the Tribulation, which is described in Matthew 24:26.
In addition, the first rapture may be shaping up fast in world events. I lay out solid evidence from scripture that will surprise a lot of people at just how imminent the rapture really is.
Notice that only the Philadelphia Church (and a number of believers at the churches in Sardis and Smyrna) is without fault and has no need to "repent". They are the only church guaranteed to be spared the 'hour of trial' (Revelation 3:10).
The remaining churches (which would mean the majority of Christians) have the need to overcome sin in order to make themselves worthy. If they do not repent and embrace full love and faith in God (as warned specifically in these letters) they MUST go through the Tribulation, a time of severe testing and persecution, "such has never been seen before or will ever be seen again".
If you believe that Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation only apply to the churches two thousand years ago, please note that each letter ends with: "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."
Why is it that Rick Warren is pushing a plan for global peace, when Jesus Christ on the other hand promises global wrath?
In the words of Jesus Christ, Rick Warren's global peace plan is destined to fail. Man will never have global peace, and Jesus made that pretty clear.
It's strange that Rick Warren thinks he can bring peace to the nations, when this world is fast approaching God's wrath, the beginning of the Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Christ – prophesied throughout the Bible.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 - "... The Day of the Lord will come just as a thief in the night. When they say "Peace and security," then sudden destruction comes on them..."
Then a few lines down, 1 Thessalonians: 5:9 reads: "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
According to Paul, when the world is saying "Peace and security", sudden destruction hits... however as then stated by Paul, believers in Christ are not 'appointed' to this wrath, which comes upon the world and starts the Tribulation, which includes the Anti-Christ ruling for 42 months and the entire period believed by many theologians to last up to 7 years.
Some important points to consider here:
Based on this, when Paul says we are not appointed to wrath, he must have been referring to the "Time of Wrath" -- what most people think of as the "Tribulation". That is very, very strong evidence that there will be a "Pre-Tribulation" or "Early-Tribulation" rapture.
Because looking at Revelation 7, the 144,000 (servants of Christ chosen by God for this time) aren't "sealed" until God tells four angels "standing at the four corners of the earth" ... "do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God" (Rev. 7:3). This passage seems to imply that the 144,000 will be "sealed" in order to protect them from any disasters that are about to take place; once sealed, they will likely go forth to commence Christ's "end times" ministry to the Earth (considering that Jewish descendants are found everywhere nowadays, the sealing of the 144,000 will likely take place around the globe; not just confined to Jews living within the borders of modern day Israel; that's my best guess on this passage, even if it's not what is commonly believed by Bible theologians over the centuries).
Those are good points -- but when I study Revelation 14:1-5, and read that the 144,000 are seen with Christ on "Mount Zion" (most likely the heavenly "Mount Zion" referred to in Hebrews 12:22) prior to a war with the forces of the Anti-Christ back on Earth, I come to this conclusion: The 144,000 go to Heaven and then return to Earth.
Said another way, they are taken in the rapture but then are sent back to Earth as part of Christ evangelizing to the world during the Tribulation. Perhaps a lot like Phillip was "translated" (transported?) to another town after baptizing the eunuch in the book of Acts. Or perhaps a lot like "ministering angels", that come and go, in regards to their work on Earth behind the scenes, as the Bible illustrates.
John 14:1-3 - "Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also."
This passage gives clear proof that God has prepared a new world for his faithful believers. Of course, this leaves us with the question: When will faithful believers be taken there?"
Are they taken early in the Tribulation / Time of Wrath?
Or late in the Tribulation / Time of Wrath?
What happens to people who don't escape God's judgment on the world, who are stuck on Earth for the period of Tribulation? Who wake up one morning and discover that people are missing?
Obviously, they have to take part in it. These are the unbelievers and Christians of half-hearted faith who finally repent and turn away from wickedness and profess full love and faith in God during the time of Tribulation.
This group must cope with the rule of the infamous Anti-Christ and refuse to worship him or his image, and refuse 'the mark' that enables people to buy and sell under the Anti-Christ's temporary new world order.
Many of these Christians are reported by the Bible to be executed for refusing the mark of the Anti-Christ – these Christians choose execution, because the alternative is eternal torment in Hell, which is the punishment promised by God if his people take the mark (so if you are left behind, whatever happens, do not take the mark).
On top of that, natural disasters will be occurring all across the world, with greater frequency and terrifying effects. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, heat waves, famine, plagues – in many places these disasters will be so widespread that the Anti-Christ may be the least of peoples' concerns.
Here, we have a passage in Luke that tells us to pray 'to escape all these things that are going to take place' AND 'be counted worthy'.
The things that are going to take place are the disastrous and terrifying events of the Tribulation, which as stated above, the Philadelphia Church in Revelation 3:10 is told it will be spared from.
If you're taking notes, Luke 21:36 and Revelation 3:10 appear to state the same thing – that at least some believers will be counted worthy to escape 'these things that are going to take place' (Luke 21:36) and be spared from the 'hour of trial' (Revelation 3:10).
This point should be clear by now. Let's move on to:
Matthew 24:22 - "For at that time there will be great tribulation, the kind that hasn't taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again! Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect."
In this passage in Matthew, we see that there are a group of believers (the 'elect') who obviously have to go through the time of Tribulation. In fact, people who believe that the rapture does not occur until after the Tribulation, cite this verse above as evidence.
However, a few paragraphs down in Matthew, it reads:
Matthew 24:37-42 - "As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. They didn't know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be: Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. Therefore be alert, since you don't know what day your Lord is coming."
What is described above, 'the days of Noah', does not sound at all like a time of Tribulation. For all we know, it could be talking about today.
Here we are told specifically that people (referred to as 'first fruits' elsewhere in the Bible) will be taken from the Earth before sudden destruction hits.
Which means early-tribulation. I believe that the sudden destruction will occur when the Fourth Seal of Revelation is opened (see Chapter 6 of Revelation) and a quarter of the world's population is killed -- which likely signifies World War III.
So, what we see in different passages of the Bible are early-tribulation and post-tribulation raptures; if you're keeping count, this means TWO raptures.
The first is the rapture of the purified church, and includes the resurrection of all dead believers throughout the ages.
The second is the rapture of the Tribulation saints, who become Christians during the Tribulation, after seeing their friends and family members suddenly disappear in the first rapture early in the Tribulation.
The Tribulation saints will be raptured at the end of the Tribulation, just before God's final wrath is poured on the world (the Seven Bowl Judgments).
The psychology of the rapture seems to be this:
Loving, obedient Christians faithful to God's ways are rewarded by being raptured before the Tribulation starts, whereas sinful Christians with half-hearted faith and unbelievers who have never found Christ, are left to go through the Tribulation, at which time they are likely to finally accept God's commands for our lives and finally come to true belief in Christ... or reject God and in the end be condemned to Hell.
Considering that more and more news sources are reporting that 'Al Qaida has nuclear weapons inside the U.S.' – smuggled in from Central America up through Mexico with a large number of Islamic sleeper agents – I'm sure the next attack on New York will make the previous attacks pale in comparison.
In the Bible, the fall of 'Mystery Babylon the Great' (a city talked about in great detail in Revelation) sounds a lot like New York City. It gets destroyed by fire in 'one day and one hour', which is what would happen to present day New York City if / when a nuclear weapon is detonated.
Revelation 17:15-18 - "...the waters you saw, where the prostitute [Mystery Babylon the Great] was seated are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are accomplished. And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth."
In the middle of describing the destruction that comes on this city, God says
Revelation 18:4 - "...Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, or receive any of her plagues. For her sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes... She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty."
Come out of her my people...
Is Revelation 18:4 a 'rapture'?
Let's compare Revelation 18:4 with the rapture of the resurrected 'Two Witnesses' -
Revelation 11:11-12 - Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
When God says "Come out of her my people" in 18:4, this is strikingly similar to what he says in Revelation 11:12 that brings the Two Witnesses up to Heaven, as their enemies watch. We know that verse 11:12 is a definite rapture. Conclusion: The similarities between passages give evidence that 18:4 is also a rapture (I believe it's the rapture of the church, as "sudden destruction"' hits the world to mark the the beginning of the Great Tribulation). Why is this the beginning? Keep reading: I show in Revelation 14:6-8 that "Mystery Babylon the Great" falls at the beginning of the Tribulation, when God's judgments begin -- yet BEFORE the reign of the Anti-Christ (the "leader" of the Beast kingdom) has started.
Ok, in Revelation 18:4 we have probably identified some kind of rapture, and it occurs either during or right before the attack on Mystery Babylon the Great.
Is this the first rapture, or the second rapture?
Hold that thought for a moment.
Further down we come to:
Revelation 18:23 - "The light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the voice of a groom and bride will never be heard in you again."
What do we gather from this? Well, at the time of Mystery Babylon the Great's destruction, men and women are still getting married.
Ok, let's go back to Matthew, and Jesus description of the pre-tribulation rapture.
Matthew 24:37 - "As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage..."
When we look at Revelation 18:23 and Matthew 24:37 side by side, the rapture occurs before the destruction of Mystery Babylon the Great. It might even happen only minutes before...
On top of that, if people are still getting married, this must be a pre-tribulation rapture.
If this seems like a stretch, you might be in for a surprise –
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Is Mystery Babylon Rome or New York City?
1) Mystery Babylon cannot be a future city where the Anti-Christ rules the world from, because in Revelation 17:15-18 the Anti-Christ destroys Mystery Babylon by fire. 2) While most of the description of Mystery Babylon in Revelation fits New York City, there are two verses in it that do not: Rev 17:6 - "...and I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her I wondered with great admiration." Rev 18:24 - "...and in her was found all the blood of the prophets, and the saints, and of all who were slain on the earth." I've received emails pointing this out, and I have to say this: There is no nation on earth that can claim the blood of all the prophets, and the saints, and all who were slain on earth, nor will there be a 'future' country that can make that claim. This must represent some kind of ideology: For example, "Power". Or, "Greed". Or "Envy". In Matthew 27:18 and 27:31, the Bible reports that Jesus is handed over for persecution because of "Envy". In Acts 5:17, the apostles are handed over because of "Jealousy". So, as an ideology, would "Jealousy" or "Envy" apply to New York City? Considering that money, power, and greed make the Big Apple everything that it is, I would say this applies. |
There are those who believe Mystery Babylon the Great is a future Rome, the home of the Anti-Christ. It is described as the greatest city on Earth, and when the apostle John wrote Revelation 2,000 years ago, Rome was the greatest city on Earth.
That's not true today. Rome isn't the greatest city, and there is no reason to believe that the Anti-Christ would want to make his home there. The Anti-Christ, who is a world leader possessed by Satan, would most likely control the world from his native homeland, where he originally begins as either a king, dictator, or president.
For example, if either the President of Iran or Russian President Vladimir Putin become the Anti-Christ, do you think they would move their headquarters to Rome? Probably not.
Now regarding Revelation 18:4, why would God only 'rapture' people who live in Mystery Babylon the Great?
Revelation 18:4 - "...Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, or receive any of her plagues... She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty."
Are there three raptures? A third rapture just for the people of Mystery Babylon the Great?
Not likely.
1) If Mystery Babylon the Great is a future 'Rome' where the Anti-Christ rules the world from during the Tribulation, why are God's people said to be living there? Why would God tell his people to 'come out of her' prior to destroying the Anti-Christ's headquarters in 'Rome' by fire?
Because I believe that Mystery Babylon the Great is NOT a future 'Rome' where the Anti-Christ rules the world from.
In fact, if you read Revelation closely, the Anti-Christ is referred to as 'the beast'; the beast and the '10 horns' are the 'enemies' who destroy Mystery Babylon the Great.
Essentially, the Anti-Christ attacks Mystery Babylon the Great and destroys it by fire.
With that in mind, considering all the descriptions given in Chapter 18 of Revelation of a 'mighty city' with an 'empire over the kings of the earth', I believe that Mystery Babylon the Great is actually present day New York City, and that the attack on Mystery Babylon the Great described in Revelation Chapters 17 and 18, which comes suddenly and unexpectedly, is the same event that is also mentioned here:
1 Thessalonians 5:2 - "... The Day of the Lord will come just as a thief in the night. When they say "Peace and security," then sudden destruction comes on them..."
Well, according to Revelation sudden destruction comes on Mystery Babylon the Great at a time this city appears to be living in "Peace and Security":
Which takes us back to the letter to the Philadelphia Church:
Revelation 3:10 - "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
Verdict – the 'hour of trial' most likely starts with the destruction of Mystery Babylon the Great – and the rapture occurs right before the 'hour of trial'.
Revelation 14:6-9 - "Then I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He spoke with a loud voice: "Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment [hour of trial] has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." A second angel followed, saying: "It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, who made all nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath."
So, as soon as the first angel announces to the world that the hour of God's judgment has come, the second angel immediately announces that Babylon the Great has fallen.
Please read that again.
If we apply this to today, and New York City is Mystery Babylon the Great in Revelation – the only thing holding back the early-tribulation rapture may be a nuclear attack by Islamic radicals.
Let me re-phrase that:
The only thing holding back a nuclear attack by Islamic radicals may be the early-tribulation rapture.
If you've been following the news, this actually is a very real threat looming over America right now.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Cheney: Nuclear attack on U.S cities 'very real'
L.A. TIMES: Bush orders contingency plans for nuclear attack on U.S.
S.F. CHRONICLE: Time to make plans for 'day after' nuclear blast
And if God calls his people out of Mystery Babylon the Great at the moment of her destruction, we just identified the general time for the first rapture.
In addition to that, the article in the San Francisco Chronicle (above) informs us that government is so sure an attack will occur, that they are making plans for the 'day after' a nuclear attack.
Those plans better include the rapture of a large number of Christians.
Update: 8/2/2007
ABC: New Al Qaida tape - Is this a signal for nuclear attack?
Most likely. Chapter 17 describes what sounds like a nuclear attack:
Revelation 17:15-19 - "...the waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are accomplished. And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth."
If this is New York City, the 10 horns and the beast who hate this city, may be Islamic radicals, as well as foreign nations in the Middle East and Latin America that are currently suspected to be helping them.
What's shocking is that the United States is currently under threat of nuclear attack by Islamic radicals; and New York City is most likely their top target.
Coincidence? Probably not.
Revelation 18:4 - "...Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, or receive any of her plagues. For her sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes... She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty."
Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, or receive any of her plagues...
Luke 17:25-28 - It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.
Thief in the Night - Matthew 24:39 - "So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be: Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. Therefore be alert, since you don't know what day your Lord is coming. But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Power and Great Glory - Matthew 24:29 - "Immediately after the tribulation of those days; The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed it's light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the celestial powers will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples on the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."
Right now it is very important that you become true to the Christian faith, REPENT of any sin still in your life, and become passionate about God's Greatest Commandment for our lives (Matthew 22:37).
Remember, just because you're a Christian does not mean that God is pleased with you. God knows hearts and minds, and he knows every detail about you. He knows where your faith is.
True faith begins with your accepting his gift of forgiveness of sins, for which Jesus Christ, his son, died on the cross.
Now as a believer in Christ, pray to God for sanctification (1 Thess. 5:23) by his Holy Spirit, so that you can escape sin, and be made holy and righteous, in the image of Christ. You must become purified by the renewing of your mind.
This doesn't mean you become a religious freak that shaves his head and only eats organic cereal. This simply means that you embrace God's commandments to love God and neighbor; that you eliminate deceit, corruption, and sexual immorality from your life, and you pursue what is good and reject what is bad.
1 Peter 1:6-7 - In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
You must read the Bible. Considering world events and that Revelation is unfolding in the world around us, I would put prayer and Bible study at the top of your daily list of priorities – and get yourself into a Fundamentalist Christian church, that believes in an early-tribulation rapture.
You will most likely hear sermons that encourage higher standards of Christian living and clear warnings of Hell as well as demands for full repentance of sin. If you don't believe God holds us to higher standards, then I suggest you read Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation. God is very clear on what he demands from us – he demands that we overcome sin.
Fear God. Love God. Obey his commandments. Embrace his Greatest Commandment.
Last, you must not want anything to do with this world, and instead look forward to the return of Jesus Christ, which Jesus told us himself to be on the alert for, as it can happen at any time.
God wants you to look forward to the world he has promised us because it is going to put this world to shame.
Jesus tells us to watch for the signs, and if you're keeping watch, these signs are happening all around us. He says that as these signs begin to happen, 'to lift up our heads because our redemption draws near'.
I believe that the first three seals of Revelation are going to be opened (Chapter 6 of Revelation), and that all believers are going to experience the early part of the Tribulation.
During this time we may be see a number of non-nuclear terrorist attacks on the West and a number of mass-killings, leading up to a 'surprise' nuclear attack on NYC, most likely from a terrorist-smuggled nuclear weapon.
At that point, I believe the rapture of the faithful church will then happen.
* This article has been edited for length.
For in depth evidence of an Early-Tribulation rapture, after you read the article below, please click on:
Advanced Rapture Study