1. Eschatology and Ecclesiology
Rapture Systems – Part II

2. Key Questions Is there a distinction between the Church and Israel?
When does God’s wrath begin?
How is the Church protected from God’s wrath?
Is the Church in Christ’s Olivet Discourse?

3. Review of the Tribulation
Rapture of the Church
Return of Christ
Antichrist as leader
of revived Roman Empire
Antichrist as dictator
of the world
Abomination of Desolation
3.5 Years
3.5 Years
Beginning of Birth Pangs
The Great Tribulation
Review Tribulation here, and talk about the rapture in the Scriptures. Use 1 Thess 4: This week we will look at other rapture systems, and next week we will give a fuller defense of the Pre-trib rapture

4. Different Rapture Systems
Post-Tribulational Rapture
The Church, made up of saints of all ages, is raptured at the end of the tribulation when Christ returns to the earth, beginning the Day of the Lord.
Partial Rapture
Saints are raptured progressively, after receiving the necessary discipline through the Tribulation.
Mid-Tribulational Rapture
First part of Daniel’s 70th week is not God’s wrath; Church is raptured before the Great Tribulation, consisting of the bowl judgments.
Pre-wrath Rapture
Great tribulation is cut short; Church is raptured halfway through the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, before God’s wrath in the Day of the Lord.

5. Arguments for a Pretribulational Rapture
The Church and Israel are separate entities (1 Cor 10:32; Rom 11:25-27), with separate roles in God’s program.
The stated purposes of the Tribulation do not include the Church (Dan 9:24-27; Jer 30:7).
The Church will be delivered from the wrath of God (1 Thess 1:9-10; 5:9-10; Rev 3:10). The entire period of tribulation will be a time of God’s wrath.

6. “When Christ takes the scroll and begins to break the seals (Revelation 6–8), the judgments begin to fall on the earth. This is the beginning of God’s judgments – the wrath of God.
God’s wrath is seen in all the judgments on the scroll, which includes the three series of judgments – the Seals, the Trumpets and the Bowls—in the book of Revelation” (Benware, p. 223).

7. Arguments for a Pretribulational Rapture
There is no evidence for the Church’s presence in The Tribulation.
In the Scriptures which deal with The Tribulation, no specific reference to the Church is ever found, and there are no warnings to the church to prepare for The Tribulation.
There are passages of Scripture dealing with saved Jews and saved Gentiles as national groups in The Tribulation, but none that refers to the Church in The Tribulation.

8. Differences between Rapture and Second Coming
Church saints meet Christ in the clouds.
Occurs before the wrath of God is poured out.
Christ returns to heaven with church saints.
Imminent
After the rapture, believers are removed and only unbelievers remain.
Christ descends to the Mount of Olives.
Occurs after the wrath of the Day of the Lord.
Christ descends and stays on earth.
Preceded by signs.
After the second coming, unbelievers are removed and only believers remain.

9. Are There Prophesied Events to Precede the Rapture in 2 Thess 2?
Paul is responding to those who had been mislead that the Day of the Lord had come.
He proceeds to assure his readers that the Day of the Lord was not present because two prominent parts of that period were not present.

10. Return of Christ
parousi,a
Beginning of Birth Pangs
Great Tribulation

11. Return of Christ parousi,a The Apostasy Man of Lawlessness
Beginning of Birth Pangs
Great Tribulation

12. Return of Christ parousi,a The Apostasy Man of Lawlessness
Beginning of Birth Pangs
Great Tribulation

13. The Rapture is Imminent
“Imminent” means nothing else must be fulfilled before the rapture takes place.
Note the use of the first plural pronoun in such scriptures as 1 Thess 1:10; 4:17; 5:9.
While no one knows the time of Christ’s return, He may come at any moment.
The rapture will be unannounced, largely unexpected, and likely explained away by those “left behind.”

14. An Overview of “Last” Events
Resurrection and Rapture of Church Saints (1 Thess 4:13-18)
The Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:11 – 4:5; 2 Cor 5:10)
The Marriage of the Lamb (Rev 19:9)
Unites the Church with Christ forever
The Tribulation (aka Day of the Lord)
The Second Coming of Christ to Earth
The Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ
The Great White Throne Judgment
The Eternal State – New Heavens and Earth

15. Next Week: The Biblical View of Death & The Intermediate State
Syllabus pp
Benware pp
Enns pp