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The sun shall be turned into
darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Joel 2:31 |
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The Post-Trib Pre-Wrath Rapture
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Level 1. Terms and Definitions Definitions and Terms In order to understand end time events it is important we understand the definitions of terms used in the Bible referring to key events or people. Pre-trib and Post-trib agree and disagree on several of the terms used in the Bible, including the timing, the character, and they're importance. Below are a few of the most important terms, a short description, and the difference of opinion each view has of them. Each of these will be delt with in more detail in the following pages. Click on the Hyperlinks below, or if this is your first time, I suggest just scroll down the page to read the definition of each term. Day of the Lord The Day of the Lord is referenced
many times throughout the Bible, both in the old and the new Testaments. Behold, the day
of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land
desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and
the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be
darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her
light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked
for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low
the haughtiness of the terrible.
Pre-trib and
post-trib have differing views of the tribulation, both agree that the tribulation is a
period of time where the Anti-Christ persecutes believers. Pre-trib also teaches that
God’s wrath will be poured out during this time in the form of the seven vial and
trumpet judgments. Post-trib, on the other hand, believes that God’s wrath comes after the tribulation, following the darkening
of the sun and moon. Because of this,
pre-trib believers have a difficult time distinguishing wrath from God, with tribulation
from Satan. Also, we sometimes refer to the
tribulation as lasting for seven years, this is not entirely acurate. The seventieth week
of Daniel lasts for seven years, the Great Tribulation lasts for three and a half years.
Both post-trib and pre-trib sometimes, out of ignorance,
The Great Tribulation is defined by both pre-trib and post-trib as occurring at the midpoint of Daniel's seventieth week when the Anti-Christ breaks the covenant he has made with Israel. At this point the Anti-Christ is aggressively attempting to put believers to death. Both pre-trib and post-trib agree with the concept and timing of the Great Tribulation, but Post-trib does not agree that God's wrath will be poured out during this time.
In Matthew
chapter 24 the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of his coming, notice they
said sign singular, not signs plural. The sign
that he gives is the Darkening of the Sun and Moon, this event is central to understanding end time events. Matthew 24:3 "what
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:"
Daniels 70th Week & Abomination of Desolation In the following verses we see that the abomination of desolation occurs in the middle, or in the midst of the seventieth week of Daniel. This event marks the beginning of the great tribulation. According to these verses and others, the Temple will be defiled by the Anti-Christ by placing himself or some idol in the holy place. "When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,
(whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the
mountains…For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of
the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. The Ryrie study Bible says, "At the midpoint of the tribulation period the Antichrist will desecrate the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem by placing himself there to be worshiped. See note on Matt. 24:15. This will be the climax of man's great sin of self-deification, in open defiance of God"
"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him
an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
The identity of the "Elect" are not agreed upon by Pre-trib and Post-trib; and Pre-trib scholars are themselves divided over the identity of this group. This group of people will be discussed in more detail in later pages.
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Copyright © 2003 Post-Trib Research Group
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The
Post-Trib, Pre-Wrath Rapture