The rapture of the believers is a great matter in the Bible, and it directly relates to the believers’ future. While worldly people do not know about this matter, many newly saved brothers and sisters also do not know. However, the Bible clearly says that when the Lord Jesus returns, He will rapture those who are saved and belong to Him. This is a promise given to all who belong to the Lord. Therefore, it is a blessed hope to us.
Throughout the centuries Bible readers and expositors have held differing views concerning the rapture of the believers. Consequently, this matter has been a source of unending arguments among believers. Views concerning the rapture can be divided into three schools. One school argues that all the believers will be raptured before the great tribulation. This school has the greatest number of adherents, including J. N. Darby and those with him. C. I. Scofield, D. L. Moody, and R. A. Torrey also share this view, which is the most common among believers today. Another school argues that all believers will be raptured at the end of the tribulation. This school has the fewest adherents, but among them are George Müller, B. W. Newton, A. J. Gordon, and A. B. Simpson, the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The view of these brothers is not held by many. A third school argues that overcoming believers will be raptured before the tribulation, but defeated believers will pass through the great tribulation and be raptured at the end of the tribulation. This school includes Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, R. C. Chapman, Robert Govett, and D. M. Panton. The co-workers among us also believe this. We need to look at the Bible to see that this is the correct view.
1. “At that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall by any means ever occur” (Matt. 24:21).
Matthew 24:21 speaks of a time of great tribulation upon the earth. Based on verse 15 of this chapter, this time of tribulation will occur during the second half of the last seven years before the return of the Lord Jesus. Verse 15 speaks of what is prophesied in Daniel 9:27. At that time Antichrist, who is the prince (of Rome) in verse 26, the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, and the beast in Revelation 13:1-8; 17:11-14; and 19:19-20 will oppose the Lord and stand against God. He will set up an abominable idol in the temple in Jerusalem, an image of himself. He will force people to worship him, and he will do as he pleases on the earth for forty-two months, or three and a half years. This will be a time of great tribulation on the earth, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall by any means ever occur again.
2. “That day come upon you suddenly as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling on the face of all the earth” (Luke 21:34-35).
The day of the great tribulation will come in upon all those dwelling on the face of the earth as suddenly as a snare. All those dwelling on the face of the earth will fall into the great tribulation, just as birds fall into a snare. No one will be able to escape. Today man regards the earth as a safe place for dwelling, but he has little realization that a great tribulation will suddenly come upon all those dwelling on the face of the earth. Revelation 8:13 speaks of those dwelling on the earth, saying, “Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth!” However, believers are not dwellers but sojourners. If we are like those who dwell on the earth, it will be as difficult for us to escape the great tribulation as it is for the others who are dwelling on the earth.
3. “Trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3:10).
The day of the coming great tribulation will be a trial for all who dwell on the earth. Those who dwell on the earth will be tried by the great tribulation, and none will be able to escape. Those who are in the midst of a war want to find a safe place to dwell, but when the great tribulation comes to the inhabited earth, there will be no place of escape.
4. “When they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, just as birth pangs to a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape” (1 Thes. 5:3).
Today people are seeking peace and security, but when people say, “Peace and security,” sudden destruction will come upon them, just as birth pangs to a woman with child, and they will by no means escape.
5. “Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you and has great rage, knowing that he has only a short time” (Rev. 12:12).
Based on the context of Revelation 12:6 and 14, the devil will come down with great rage at the beginning of the last three and a half years before the Lord’ s return. At that time the devil will know that he has only a short time, and he will come down in a great rage to harm people, creating all kinds of destruction upon the earth. Therefore, verse 12 says, “Woe to the earth and the sea.”
6. “The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 12:17).
The woman spoken of in verse 17 is composed of all those who belong to God from both the Old Testament and New Testament ages. The rest of her seed refers to the people of God who will be left on the earth during the great tribulation. Some of these keep God’s commandments; they are the remnant of the Jews. Others have the testimony of Jesus; they are the believers who are left on earth at the time of the great tribulation. During the coming great tribulation, the devil, the cruel dragon, will fight with these two groups of people on the earth to torment them and to cause them to suffer.
7. “Permission was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Rev. 13:7).
Antichrist will do what he wills during the great tribulation, and God will give him permission to make war with the saints and to overcome them. This is a kind of destruction to the believers left on earth during the great tribulation.
The preceding verses show that a great tribulation will come upon the earth, such as has never been seen before and will never occur again. There will be a pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth, the devil’s violence and cruelty on the earth, and the killing and persecution of saints by both the devil and Antichrist. These calamities and sufferings speak of the need to be raptured in order to escape the tribulations that will come upon the earth.