The rapture is one of the most misunderstood doctrines in Christianity. But the Bible isn’t unclear—if you let it speak for itself, it gives a crystal-clear picture of a post-tribulation, pre-wrath rapture.
Tribulation Is Not God's Wrath
The Bible makes a clear distinction between the tribulation we endure and the wrath God pours out.
John 16:33 – In the world ye shall have tribulation...
Tribulation is a promise for believers—it’s not God punishing His own children.
Acts 14:22 – ...we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Tribulation is part of the Christian journey, not something we escape from.
Revelation 6:10- And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
The martyrs cry out, asking God to avenge their blood. They’re victims of the tribulation, not objects of God’s wrath.
The Rapture Happens After the Tribulation
Jesus and the apostles clearly taught a post-tribulation gathering of the saints.
Jesus returns after the tribulation to gather His elect. Mark 13:24-27 mirrors Matthew 24, with Jesus coming to gather His people post-tribulation.
Revelation 7:14 – And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The great multitude standing before God came "out of great tribulation."
2 Thessalonians 2:1- Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 Thessalonians 2:2-That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2 Thessalonians 2:3- Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
The day of Christ doesn’t come until after the Antichrist is revealed.
Daniel 12:1- ...and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Deliverance happens after the tribulation.
God's Wrath Follows the Rapture
The Bible repeatedly shows God delivering His people before pouring out His wrath.
Noah and Lot are examples of this.
Luke 17:27- ...until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:29- But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Jesus, the Son of man, reaps the earth. This is symbolic of the rapture.
Revelation 14:14- And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Revelation 14:15- And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Revelation 14:16- And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
After the world is reaped (the saved are raptured), then the unsaved in the world will experience the wrath of God.
Revelation 14:17- And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Revelation 14:18- And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Revelation 14:19- And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
The Rapture is Visible
The rapture isn’t a secret or silent event—it’s a public, powerful display of God’s glory.
1 Thessalonians 4:16- For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Thessalonians 4:17- Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Everyone will see Christ at his return.
Revelation 1:7- Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Jesus’ return will be just as visible as His ascension.
Acts 1:11- Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Matthew 24:27 – For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
The Rapture will not be a quiet event.
Psalm 50:3- Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
Psalm 50:4- He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
Psalm 50:5- Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
Conclusion:
1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation...
This verse doesn’t promise escape from tribulation—it promises deliverance from wrath.
The Bible is consistent: we’ll endure tribulation, but we’ll be delivered before God’s wrath. At the second coming of Jesus, the saved will be raptured, and the unsaved will face the wrath of the Lamb.
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