Week #4: Why Not A Mid- or Post-Trib Rapture?
Blog Series Intention Recap
God has not destined the Church for wrath—and that truth changes everything.
This four-week series, Signs of the Times, explores the hope, clarity, and urgency that come with understanding the pre-tribulational rapture. In a world full of confusion and chaos, the return of Christ for His Bride is a promise that gives believers peace. Week by week, we’ll discover what the rapture is, why it must happen before the tribulation, how current events point toward the coming tribulation (not the rapture), and why alternative views like mid- or post-trib don’t align with Scripture. When we rightly understand God’s plan for the Church, we don’t panic—we prepare. This series will anchor your faith, fuel your mission, and help you live ready.
This page is a post in the series “Signs of the Times.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #4:
Some say the Church will go through half or all of the tribulation. But Scripture says otherwise. The pre-trib rapture isn’t just a nice idea—it’s the only view that fits every promise, every prophecy, and every word of comfort Yeshua (Jesus) and Paul gave. Anything else puts the Church in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Why it Matters:
The rapture must be imminent. No signs can come before it.
The tribulation is God’s wrath. Believers are promised escape, not endurance.
The rapture brings comfort. Expecting judgment is not good news.
The Church is not Israel. The tribulation is for “Jacob’s trouble,” not Christ’s Bride.
Go Deeper:
Scripture Focus:
Matt. 24:42, 44
Revelation 6
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
Not Appointed for Wrath, Not Left Behind to Suffer It
Why does this even matter? You may wonder, “Why does it matter when the rapture happens, as long as it does?”
Because timing affects everything:
Your understanding of God's promises
Your readiness for the future
Your message of hope to others
Your peace in the present
If we place the Church in the tribulation—whether part of it (mid-trib) or all of it (post-trib)—we replace comfort with fear, promise with uncertainty, and grace with judgment.
The Imminence Problem
The rapture is clearly presented in Scripture as something that can happen at any moment.
“Therefore stay awake… the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42, 44)
Paul never says, “Watch for the Antichrist,” or “Prepare for seven seals.” He says:
“We… who are alive… will be caught up… to meet the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
“Encourage one another with these words.” (v. 18)
Mid-trib and post-trib views require specific signs before the rapture can happen—like:
The rise of the Antichrist
The rebuilding of the temple
Global peace treaties
Massive martyrdoms
If signs must come first, then the rapture is not imminent. That contradicts everything Yeshua (Jesus) and Paul taught.
The Wrath Problem
Many people say, “Christians have always suffered. Why would we be spared now?”
But the tribulation is not normal suffering. It is the outpouring of God’s wrath on an unbelieving world.
Revelation 6:17 – “The great day of their wrath has come.”
Revelation 15:1 – “In them the wrath of God is finished.”
Revelation 16:1 – “Go and pour out… the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
But believers are told:
“God has not destined us for wrath.” (1 Thess. 5:9)
“Jesus… delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thess. 1:10)
“We have been justified… and saved from the wrath of God.” (Rom. 5:9)
If the Church is present during the tribulation, these verses become meaningless.
The Comfort Problem
In 1 Thessalonians 4:18 and 5:11, Paul says:
“Encourage one another with these words… Build one another up.”
Imagine telling a suffering believer:
“Good news! The Antichrist is coming soon, and you’re probably going to die horribly—but don’t worry, Yeshua (Jesus) comes later!”
That’s not comfort.
The rapture is meant to give peace.
Mid- and post-trib views give panic.
Only the pre-trib view allows for true hope and joy in the waiting.
The Distinction Problem
Another key issue: The Church is not Israel.
The Church began at Pentecost (Acts 2).
Israel began with Abraham.
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
Israel is God’s chosen nation.
The tribulation is described in Jeremiah 30:7 as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Jacob = Israel.
Daniel 9:24 says the 70 weeks (including the final week of tribulation) are for:
“your people and your holy city”—that’s Israel and Jerusalem.
God uses the tribulation to deal with Israel, not the Church. - The Church is removed before it begins.
Mid-Trib: Half Hope, Still Wrong
Mid-tribulationalism teaches that the rapture occurs 3.5 years into the seven-year tribulation—after the first wave of judgments, but before the most severe ones.
Problem? The whole tribulation is God’s wrath, from the very first seal (Rev. 6:1–2).
Yeshua (Jesus) opens the scroll.
Judgment begins right away.
Peace is taken from the earth (v. 4).
A quarter of the earth dies (v. 8).
Martyrs cry out under the altar (v. 10–11).
This is not just “the bad part” starting later. - It’s God’s judgment from day one.
Mid-trib still puts the Church under wrath. It denies the promise of rescue.
Post-Trib: No Time to Celebrate
Post-tribulationalism says the Church goes through the entire seven years, then is raptured and immediately returns with Christ.
So… we go up, and come straight back down?
That doesn’t match what Yeshua (Jesus) said:
“I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)
That’s a gathering to heaven, not a U-turn to earth.
Also, in post-trib theology:
There’s no time for the Judgment Seat of Christ.
There’s no time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
There’s no population left to enter the Millennial Kingdom.
It just doesn’t fit.
Visual Comparison
Here’s a quick comparison of all three views:
The Bride and the Groom
The Church is the Bride of the Messiah. Scripture uses the image of a Jewish wedding to describe our relationship with Yeshua (Jesus).
In that model:
The groom prepares a place for the bride.
He comes suddenly to take her home.
The bride doesn’t know the day.
They celebrate for seven days.
Yeshua (Jesus) said:
“I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and take you to myself.” (John 14:2–3)
Would the Groom beat His Bride before the wedding? Of course not.
The Church doesn’t face the tribulation. We face our Bridegroom.
How does this help me understand “The Signs of the Times?”
Be Anchored in Truth
Knowing the truth about the rapture keeps you grounded. You’re not drifting in fear. You’re anchored in promise.
You don’t fear the Antichrist—you long for Yeshua (Jesus).
You don’t dread the future—you trust in your Deliverer.
You don’t panic—you prepare others.
Confusion is the enemy of comfort. But truth gives peace.
Don’t just win arguments—win souls.
Understanding why the rapture is pre-tribulational should stir you, not just inform you.
Here’s how to respond:
Be clear. Don’t apologize for hope. Stand firm on God’s Word.
Be kind. Others may disagree—be gentle, not arrogant.
Be confident. God finishes what He starts. He will rescue His Bride.
Be active. Time is short. Preach the gospel. Encourage the Church.
The rapture is not a puzzle to solve—it’s a promise to cherish. It’s about rescue, not ruin. Hope, not horror. A Groom, not a tyrant. God has not destined you for wrath. He has destined you for glory. So lift your eyes, strengthen your faith, and share the hope.
Yeshua (Jesus) is coming. And He’s coming before the storm.
