It is widely taught and believed that all faithful Christians will be raptured from the earth before the great tribulation takes place. This is known as the pre-tribulation rapture, and it is possibly the most popular end-times teaching in the church today. However, despite its popularity, there is not a single verse in the entire Bible that says all faithful Christians will be raptured or taken out of the earth to heaven before the great tribulation begins. You may never have considered this, but it is true. In fact, a key biblical passage commonly used to support the pre-tribulation rapture actually says the very opposite.
What Does Scripture Actually Say?
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4, we read: “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” Paul begins by clearly stating his subject in the very first verse: “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” This directly refers to Jesus’ appearing, the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of the church. Paul had already introduced these to the Thessalonian church in his first letter. Therefore, we cannot ignore or redefine what he explicitly says he is addressing.
Paul’s Words Cannot Be Reinterpreted
It would be deceptive for Paul to explicitly state the topic he intends to address only to immediately abandon that topic when he begins his message. If Paul had done that, then Paul and the Scriptures would have misled us, and we would have no firm basis for trusting the Bible absolutely. But the Bible affirms, “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4) and “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). Therefore, when Paul says he is addressing the coming of Christ and our gathering to Him, that is exactly what he continues to explain.
The Timing: What Must Happen First
Paul goes further and describes this event as “the day of the Lord”, which also translates as “the day of Christ,” based on the original Greek. What specific day was Paul referring to? He identified it at the very outset of his letter: the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, i.e., Jesus’ appearing and the rapture of the church. Consequently, it is erroneous to ignore the meaning Paul assigns to “the day of the Lord” in this passage and equate it with the wrath of God as described in other parts of Scripture. The phrase must be understood within its immediate context; it is not a one-size-fits-all expression.
He then gives a clear sequence – the coming of Christ and the gathering of believers will not happen unless: the apostasy (falling away) comes first and the man of lawlessness (the antichrist) is revealed. Yet this very biblical passage is commonly read and used to teach that the church must be raptured before the antichrist can be revealed. But the passage actually says the direct opposite.
A Sobering Warning & Final Question to Consider
This passage explicitly warns believers not to be deceived into thinking that the coming of the Lord and the gathering to Him can happen before these events. Thus, the passage clearly identifies any teaching which places the rapture of the church before the revelation of the antichrist as deception.So, if the church will be on earth to witness the revelation of the Antichrist according to 2 Thessalonians 2, will the church be raptured at the very moment the antichrist appears, or will the church remain on earth through part or all of the great tribulation? We will explore this in subsequent posts.
A Very Important Message:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Therefore, If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to put your faith in Him. Pray the prayer below to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour: “I come to you God in Jesus’ name and surrender my life unto you. I repent of my sins and I ask You to forgive me all my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe with my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. I thank you God for saving me, in Jesus name, Amen”. If you sincerely prayed this prayer, believe and be assured that you are saved, because the Bible says, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:31). Find a Bible believing church to attend so that you can be taught and trained to grow in the ways of God. God bless you.