What is the Pre-Wrath Rapture Theory?

What is the Pre-Wrath Rapture Theory?
By Chris Schang

The pre-wrath rapture theory is essentially the belief that the church will go through the tribulation up until the point of the sixth seal. The pre-wrath proponent takes the sixth seal as meaning that the wrath of God has started. However, there are numerous problems with this theory and we will discuss some of them here in this article. The first problem with the pre-wrath rapture timing view is that the proponents of this view do not seem to recognize the entire seven year tribulation period as the wrath of God. It is noteworthy that every time a two sided scroll is mentioned in the Bible it is indicative of judgment and wrath.

Further, the first four seals are known in Bible prophecy circles as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These four seals represent war (sword), famine, plague (pestilence), and wild beasts. Did you know that the Bible uses the same 4 judgments about 12-20 times in the Old Testament for judgment and symbols of God’s wrath? It is true. These first four seals are judgments from God as the Tribulation period begins. Ezekiel 14:21 notes these instruments as “sword and famine and wild beast and plague”. The pre-wrath rapture proponent has to ignore these facts in order to support his pre-wrath view.

Futher, the Bible is crystal clear that the church is not destined to wrath but to salvation through Jesus Christ. There are other verses that also promise to keep the church from the time and place of the Tribulation period which is described in the Bible as the hour of trial that has come on the earth. This is another reason why since the entire Tribulation period is the judgment and wrath of God, and the church will not be present for any of it.

Finally, the context of Revelation is indicative in the sixth seal that it is then that the wicked on earth finally realize that the wrath of God has been poured out on Earth. The Bible is not implying that the sixth seal is the time of the rapture or that God’s wrath begins then. We have already shown that the entire seven year Tribulation period is the time of God’s wrath. The pre-wrath rapture just simply can’t stand that challenge of letting the Bible interpret the Bible. Futhermore, since all of the seven year Tribulation is the wrath of God, there is not possible way that the church would undergo some of the Tribulation judgments. It is simply not in God’s character and past behavior to allow such a thing to happen. He has never punished the righteous with the wicked and he he is not going to start doing that in the Tribulation period.

I hope this article has been helpful and dispels the controversy around the pre-wrath rapture. This analysis proves yet again that the only rapture timing view that makes sense is the pre-tribulational rapture.

God bless