About the Pre-Wrath Rapture Doctrine

It is hard to understand how a person can create a doctrine, at least an angle on a doctrine, that acquires such following.

The "pre-wrath rapture" position, as I understand it to be, supposedly places the rapture of the present-day believers between the 5th and 6th seals of Revelation 6. That's apparently because at Seal 5 many "souls" are seen crying out under the altar of God for vengeance upon those who mistreated them, and before Seal 6, which describes the wrath of God upon sinners who have rejected Him.

I do not believe the Bible teaches those things there at all--the rapture there and the beginning of the wrath of God in Seal 6.

Here's why: 1) There is no mention of the events of the rapture, as described in I Thessalonians 4:16-17; the souls under the altar in Seal 5 are dead people. They have been murdered by the evil ones of the earth. No live saints are present, or mentioned, that is, not having arrived there alive, and in the rapture, both the alive and the dead are translated, in the twinkling of an eye. Those dead souls are those who have died at the hands of the rider of the white horse in Revelation 6 during the first five seals.

2) The idea that the wrath of God does not appear until the 6th seal is opened is an assumption based on the first appearance of the word "wrath" in Revelation 6. Reading again at the beginning of that 6th chapter, John saw one riding on a white horse, being given a crown of authority, and coming forth conquering and to conquer. The following three horses brought great suffering and devastation to the earth. They say this is the wrath of the devil and not the wrath of God, thus the idea that saints will escape the wrath of God, but be on hand to suffer the wrath of the devil.

What about the One who opens the seals, at the first, and thus starts the whole ordeal? Doesn't He initiate the wrath of the devil. At Chapter 6 of Revelation, Jesus, in judgmental mode as described in the first chapter of the book, starts the tribulation period of bringing judment upon sinful people left in the world. The buildup of that wrath starts with the four horsemen and that wrath increases to where mankind runs to hide from the increasing wrath of God upon them. There is no rapture at this point. It has already happened, and Chapters 4 and 5 tell all about it.

Marvin Rosenthal has created a rapture where there is none, and a division of the word of God which has no true basis. This is merely another type of mid-trib rapture idea, but read again all that goes on from Revelation 6 through 12--the first half of the seven years--and then make your position that all of that, or any part of it is "pre-wrath". Not reasonable at all. And, thinking of this variation in light of Satan's tactics of deception, it looks like a brilliant one that allows non-believers to think that they will still have time to decide for Christ when they see the Anti-Christ appear and begin his conquering tactics. And, for believers, the idea of living faithfully and fruitfully for Christ can be postponed, because the end is not going to be like a "thief in the night" occurance, after all, even though the Bible says so many times. Has Marvin Rosenthal played into the hands of the evil one? Have you, also?

Have you thought to ask why chapters 4 and 5 are there? They come right after Christ's messages to the churches, but seemingly have nothing to do with that series, nor of his introductions in the first chapter. Do you suppose the opening phrase of Chapter 4 may be a clue? "come up here," it reads, and follows with a description of events in heaven not previously identified, so far as I can tell. Twenty-four elders laying crowns at Jesus' feet. In all of prior scripture where do you find mention of thse things? Do angels ever lay crowns at the feet of Jesus? It seems that crowns are particularly associated with the saints who are rewarded for faithful service. Is this a rewarding by proxy, while the saints remain on earth to endure the ravages of Satan. If you think that makes sense, then rightly dividing the Word of truth is not a principle you have ever encountered, neither the integrity of God's promises to those He has redeemed.

One final passage to establish when the rapture occurs, in relation to end-time events: Luke 17:26-30, without directly saying so, clearly does it. Jesus, Himself, declares, "As it was in the days of Noah...and of Lot...so shall it be in "in the day when the Son of Man is revealed". He links those days of judgment on sin to the coming end-time events. He says it will be in the same manner.

Next, from each event in the past, he tells how it will be in our day. Normal, ordinary activities of a people not particularly aware of God or so interested, but given to self-centered activities. And, not overshadowed every day with gigantic tribulations, as described in Revelation 6 to 19. Next, the recognized righteous ones are removed from the places of judgment, and then, THAT VERY DAY, judgment came upon those who did not respond to God's offer of escape.

The believers were taken out BEFORE any judgment came--BEFORE devastation, death, suffering, hunger--sin on a rampage because the evil one has been allowed to go forward, conquering and to conquer. That means to subdue under his control, and those who refuse will be killed, as it is described in Revelation 6 and following.

The verses in Luke following the above passage reveal the "as a thief in the night" characteristic of the removal of the saints from the pathway of judgment, as it is referred to in other passages of Schrpture, as in I Thessalonians 5.

If one can find a place in Jesus' description where the saints are left to endure the judgments on sin, I would sincerely question the person's attention to the principle of "rightly dividing the Word of God" as to end-time events.

I have just finished and had printed locally a book that I've called "A Balanced End Times Scenario", where I attempt to deal with end time matters in depth. If you would like a copy, send $12 in check or money order, to include cost, postage and handling, to: Gene Lawley, 866 Harrison Street, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301, USA. I will get it to you right away.

Keep looking up,
Gene Lawley