The 'Great Escape' Misunderstanding
by Jack Kinsella of OmegaLetter.com


One of the principle misunderstandings concerning the Rapture revolves around its purpose. Critics of a pre-Tribulation Rapture deride it as some pie-in-the-sky 'Great Escape' for Christians living in the last days.

There is no such promise of 'escape' from tribulation, they argue, and (correctly) point out the Bible's promise that 'in this world ye shall have tribulation' so the pretribulational hope of a 'Great Escape' is not only delusional, it is unscriptural.

The fact is, if the pretribulational hope WAS for a 'Great Escape' from tribulation, they would be correct. There is NO promise that the Church will escape tribulation, but there is an iron-clad promise that the Church will not go through the seven years of tribulation described by Jeremiah as the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' or outlined by Daniel as Israel's '70th Week.'

There are several reasons for a pretribulational Rapture, not the least of which is the purpose of the Tribulation in God's unfolding Plan for the ages.

The purpose of the seven year Tribulation Period is two-fold. The first reason is to fulfill Daniel's prophecy of the 70 Weeks. The angel told Daniel that:

"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." (Daniel 9:24)

Note there are six elements to the fulfillment of this prophecy. First, to finish Israel’s sin – the rejection of the Messiah at the First Advent.

Then there is a skip forward in time to His Second Advent, at which time, an end will be made of sin, reconciliation will be made for Israel’s iniquity, everlasting righteousness will be introduced to Israel, Israel’s Scriptures will be vindicated by the fulfillment of all prophecy and finally, the return of Christ at the conclusion of the war of Armageddon, at which time He will be anointed and will take His seat at the Throne of David.

Between the First and Second Advents there is the Church Age, a 'mystery' unrevealed to the Hebrew prophets. That is why Daniel's outline of 490 years of Israeli history doesn't anticipate a gap between the 'cutting off of the Messiah' at the end of the sixty-nine weeks of years and the confirmation of the covenant by the antichrist at the onset of the 70th. (Daniel 9:27)

From Daniel's perspective, it is an unbroken narrative of what would befall 'his people' (the Jews) and 'his holy city' (Jerusalem), culminating with the 'anointing of the Most Holy' at the conclusion of the 70th week and the ushering in of Isaiah's Millennial Kingdom. There is no role set aside for the Church in prophecy during the 70th Week, since it is reserved for Israel's national redemption and their acceptance of the Messiah.

The Church has, by definition, already accepted the Messiah and was redeemed at the Cross.

The second purpose Scripture gives for the Tribulation Period is that it is a period of judgment against those who reject Christ and embrace the antichrist.

Since Christians who accept Christ were already judged at the Cross, there is no role set aside for the Church in the judgments pronounced because, "Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." (Revelation 9:21)

Repentance is a necessary condition of salvation, it is that repentance that causes us to seek forgiveness at the Cross in the first place. Since believers in the Church Age became believers by repenting, there is no purpose for bringing the judgment of an unrepentant world on the Church.

The Rapture isn't a 'Great Escape', contrary to popular belief. The Rapture occurs when the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is removed with the Church to allow the onset of the 7 year period of unrestrained evil that occurs during the Tribulation. (2nd Thessalonians 2:7)

The Rapture is the Blessed Hope of the Church, but it's primary purpose is not so much a 'rescue mission' as it is a necessary function of the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit's ministry of restraining evil. Since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, when the Restrainer is withdrawn, so are we, since we are His vessels.

Therefore, it is certain to conclude that the Church won't be here for the Tribulation itself, since withdrawing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit from the believing Church would leave them spiritually defenseless at a time of maximum need, something Jesus promised He would never do.

Jesus said we could trust Him that He would never forsake His Church, and His Church is defined as being composed of believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you FOREVER. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

But there is no reason to conclude the Church will be Raptured for the purpose of providing a 'Great Escape' for, as I said, the Rapture is necessary to withdrawal of the Restrainer, rather than a rescue mission to the Church.

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18)

Christians have suffered in every generation, and continue to suffer persecution and death for their faith today in places like Vietnam, China, Sudan and most of the Islamic world.

There is no promise to the Church of the last days for a 'rescue' but rather, the Rapture is the fulfilment of an EXISTING Promise Jesus made that the Holy Spirit would Personally indwell believers and guide us in all truth 'forever'.

"In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2-3)

For believers, our finite understanding of 'forever' begins with Pentecost and continues to the Rapture, at which point 'forever' takes on its eternal meaning for all believers covered under the Covenant between Jesus and the Church.

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:18)


.........................................................benny

QUOTE

There is no break in the six events of Daniel 9, Benny. All were accomplished by Christ and in the first century. Where is this gap futurists create?

The period of Tribulation was a time of judgment against those apostate, adulterous, wicked Jews of Jesus' generation--those whom he pronounced "guilty of all the righteous blood shed on the earth" (Mat. 23). Because of it, their HOUSE was left unto them desolate--AD 70!

Didn't the Comforter already come in THAT day? If not, we do not yet have Him! If He did, Jesus was clearly speaking to those disciples right there with Him about things concerning them. He would come to THEM (John 14:18). Jesus was first of all preparing mansions for THEM. That was THEIR blessed hope. That is what Paul wrote of in 2 Thes. 4. That is why he said "comfort one another with THESE words." That is the context--THEY were first and foremost to be comforted by Jesus' words. Not because He was coming back for them in two thousand years but because He was coming back for THEM in THEIR lifetimes. What hope would there have been otherwise?

Yes, there are mansions for all believers. But if Jesus did not go away and come back to THEM to take THEM unto Himself, then He lied to them! And if He did not THEN prepare a place for THEM, He has not yet prepared any mansions for us either! How do we then still say that when we die we will be in heaven with Jesus in the mansions He has prepared for us? And if He did not send the Comforter to them, then none of us has the comforter!

I find it kinda sad how people who dont understand the rapture always use a mocking tone trying to make people ashamed of there faith in Christ.

Yes Abbershay, it is unchristlike to say the least. I haven't read any of this thread except your reply, so I'm not making a judgement.

Anyway, welcome to the forum. We're glad to have you aboard.

QUOTE

Then how do you know that something is "unchristlike"--if you haven't read it? Perhaps there is a misunderstanding as to someone's "tone." How does one know that someone else is "mocking?" Even so, what about the substance of what is posted? It is an easy thing to ignore what someone says and not give an adequate response by falsely accusing the writer of "mocking."

Where is the biblical proof that there is a rapture for us?

I find it sad that there is almost no consideration given to those first-century believers and the terrible persecutions and deaths they suffered. How can we hope to make correct applications of biblical truths to our lives if we do not first understand the context of passages and their audience relevance? I find that so totally lacking in forums. Could we please first place any reference we make in its historical setting before we seek to give our understanding of it? For example, what did Paul's words mean to those first-century believers in Thessalonica to whom they were addressed? (2 Thes. 4). What did Jesus' words mean to His first-century disciples who were right there with Him when He first spoke them? (Matt. 10; Matt. 24; John 14, etc.)

Let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4).

Preterist

Due to the tone of your remarks regarding my post, I have read only the question that is asked of me, and it I will answer. I don't have to read your prior post or anything else to know that it is a shame when someone calling himself a Christian uses a mocking tone trying to make people ashamed of their faith in Christ. I will now ask you, Why are you so hostile? Did I accuse you of anything or agree with an accusation of you? I think not. I merely agreed with a statement that is true, whether or not it applies to you. My comment and greeting were directed only to Abbershay.

QUOTE

How was I hostile? I use bold letters for emphasis and exclamation points for emphasis. I think you will find that it is more frustration than anything else--frustration with people who cut and paste, quote passages without any regard to their contexts, and refuse to acknowledge clear time references and make everything about us. I will admit to frustration--not hostility. I guess I expect those who post here to use basic hermeneutical skills which includes first of all placing passages within their historical settings (sitz im leben) and understanding how the words applied to the people to whom they were first written. Do you not agree that there is almost a total lack of that approach on these forums?

I am sorry that I somehow offended you. But as long as people continue to give Scripture their private interpretations by ignoring contexts and then misapply God's Word, I guess I might still appear hostile.

Preterist