Lecture for 26 June: Rapture of the Church  The Rapture of the Church comes from a Premillennial view of the Parousia/Second Coming of the Messiah/ King/ Lord Jesus Christ (vs. Postmillennial or Amillennial)

Rapture of the Church  Rapture is taken from Latin words meaning “rapid” & “we shall be caught up”, & is used to represent the concept of the resurrection/catching up of the Church (Body of Christ).  It is represented by the Greek word harpazo in 1 Thess 4:17, and allasso (to change the form or nature of a thing) in 1 Cor 15:51-2, at sometime during the Parousia (all the events surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus)

 But the question remains: When during the 7-year Tribulation Period (Daniel’s 70 th week)—Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulation— does the Rapture take place?  Pretribulationalism  Pretribulationalism = o End of the Church Age, o Immediately before the antichrist appears and the 7-year Tribulation Period starts— o Separate and distinct from Second Coming o 2 separate purposes—see Hindson’s chart below

 Pretribulationalism (continued)  Related scriptures that support a Pretribulational Rapture include: o the foreshadowing of the Rapture in Ps 7:6-7, Joel 2:28-32, & Zeph 2:1-3; o the raptures of Enoch (Gen 5:21-24), Elijah (2 Kgs 2:10-12), and Jesus Himself (Acts 1:9-11); o Luke 21:36; John 14:2-3; Rom 8:22-24; 1 Cor 15:20-26; Phil 1:6; 3:20- 21; 1 Thess 5; 2 Thess 1:7 – 2:17; Titus 2:11-13; Heb 9:28; Jas 5:7-8; 2 Pet 3; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 20-23; & Rev 4:1; 12:5

 The following Early Church Fathers and Writings seem to support a Pre-Tribulation Rapture: o The Shepherd of Hermas 4.1-2; o The Didache , n.14, n.16, n.17; o Irenaeus’ Against Heresies 5.5.1; 29.1; 30.4; 31.2; 32.1; o Victorinus’ Commentary on the Apocalypse 6.14; 15.1; o Clement of Rome’s First Epistle to the Corinthians 23, 24, 34, 35; o Polycarp’s The Epistle to the Philippians 2, 5, 6; o The Epistle of Barnabas 4, 16, 21; o Tertullian’s A Treatise on the Soul 50; o Cyprian’s Treatises of Cyprian 7.21, 22, 23, 25; o Chrysostom’s Homilies on Ephesians 3 & Homilies on 1st Thessalonians 8/2nd Thessalonians  John Nelson Darby’s Dispensationalism (ca. 1830) further refined Pretribulationalism  Pretribulationalism (continued)

 Midtribulationalism  Occurs halfway thru Tribulation (3 ½ years), before Antichrist creates the Abomination of Desolation in the 3rd Temple (Dan 9:27), the Great Tribulation starts and the wrath of God is poured out (Rev 11)—in conjunction with the 7th seal of Revelation 8:1 and Matt 24-25

 Posttribulationalism  In conjunction with: o the Resurrection of the Just o Judgment Seat of Christ o Battle of Armageddon o And the Second Coming  Matt 24; Mark 13; Luke 21 & Rev 11:15-18; 1 Cor 5; Luke 14:14  Therefore, the Rapture of 1 Thess 4-5 is just an amplification of Jesus’ words in the Apocalyptic Discourse about the Second Coming, and not a separate/distinct event

 Posttribulationalism (continued)  The following Early Church Fathers/Writings seem to support the Post-tribulation position: o Hippolytus’ Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 60, 61, 64, 66; o Cyril’s The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril  Partial Rapture Theory  Only those “watching/waiting”(prepared) will be raptured (10 virgins of Matt 25)

 See Hindson’s Chart (Rapture vs. Return) following slide  Revisit Post-tribulational View in conjunction with Postmillennialism  After the Rapture of the Church:  On earth: o Antichrist is revealed o 7-Year Tribulation begins  While in heaven o The Church undergoes the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom 14:10-12; 1 Cor 3:9-15; 2 Cor 5:10) o And the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-9)

Contrast between the Rapture and the Return Rapture Return 1. Christ comes for His own (John 1. Christ comes with His own (1 Thess. 14:3. 1 Thess. 14:17; 2 Thess. 2:1) 3:13; Jude 14; Rev. 19:14) 2. He comes in the air 2. He comes to the earth (Zech. 14:4; (1 Thess. 4:17) Acts 1:11) 3. He claims His bride 3. He comes with His bride (Rev. (1 Thess. 4:16-17)19:6-14) 4. Removal of believers 4. Manifestation of Christ (1 Thess. 4:17)(Mal. 4:2) 5. Only His own see Him5. Every eye shall see Him (1 Thess. 4:13-18)(Rev. 1:7) 6. Tribulation begins 6. Millennial kingdom begins (2 Thess. 1:6-9)(Rev. 20:1-7) 7. Saved are delivered from wrath 7. Unsaved experience the wrath of God (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9)(Rev. 6:12-17) 8. No signs precede the rapture 8. Signs precede the second coming (1 Thess. 5:1-3)(Luke 21:11, 15)

For next time:  Read Geisler, pp , ;  Study for devotion:  Luke 16:19-31; 23:42-46;  2 Cor 12:1-4;  Rev 6:9-11  Bring Eschatological/Exegetical Paper to turn in at beginning of class