Dr. Craig, [Written back in 2019]
I have been watching your Defenders Series on the End-time events. I can see that Bible Prophecy is not your field of expertise like apologetics has been. But I like very much how you field the questions put to you by others who have a different look on things than you do. I wanted to suggest a solution to the problem the rapture event brings, by clarifying the "perilous times" into two sections:
1. The Great Tribulation period. (Revelation 8-10, 11:1-12, 12:6-17, 13, Matthew 24 15-31, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 5:1-9, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Revelation 10:7)
In this view we see Jesus coming back to rescue His children immediately after the tribulation period of partial destruction spoken of in Revelation 8-10, but prior to the Wrath of God which takes place during the vials of Revelation 16. Jesus rescues the believers at the rapture and they are caught up to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb for a short period of 30 days as explained in Revelation 19:7-9, 2 Corinthians 5:10 and the time period in Daniel 12:11-12.
The Wrath of God takes place on earth against the wicked because they have rejected Christ up until this point. During the Tribulation period, the Antichrist is persecuting the church and all those that refuse to accept his biometric "mark" system. The plagues of tribulation, the trumpets of Revelation 8-10, that are poured out are only partial destruction, one-third destruction, and are not aimed at the sealed of God, but rather at the Antichrist forces.(Revelation 7:3, Ezekiel 9: 3-6)
2. The Wrath of God Is the 75 day period after the Great Tribulation Period, often spoken as "The Day of the Lord" in the Old Testament. The tribulation is found in the trumpets of Revelation 8-10 culminating which the seventh trump of Revelation 10:7 or the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51.52, Matthew 24:29-32.
The Wrath begins after the rapture has taken place. The Wrath takes place when the vials are poured out upon the wicked in Revelation 16. It culminates with the Battle of Armageddon. While the vials are being poured out on the wicked and unbelieving, the saved and raptured are with the Lord at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Revelation 19:7-9. The saved return with the Lord and His armies at the Battle of Armageddon Revelation 19:11-21 to stop the war and destruction taking place on earth.
The vials of wrath have a quite deadlier results than the tribulation plagues because God's elect have been removed from the scene. The 75 days of wrath come after the 3 1/2 years of tribulation. The true believers are raptured before the Wrath begins, confirming what Apostle Paul wrote, "For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:9), The Wrath is designed for the wicked and unbelieving, and not for the true believers in Christ.
The Church passes through the tribulation trumpets of Revelation 8-10 and is raptured at the seventh trump (Revelation 10:7, 1 Corinthians 15:51-51, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, Matthew 24:29-31). Then God pours down upon the wicked the vials of wrath Revelation 16 and 19:11-21. He is trying to get the unbeliever to repentance, those that have been rejecting Him for one reason or other. Some are servants of Antichrist, but some are Anti- Antichrist.
The Anti-Antichrists haven't received the Lord, but neither have they received the mark of the beast. It may very well be that these are they that Daniel 12:12 are speaking of. "Blessed is he that waits and comes to the 1335 days." In other words, blessed is he that lives through the 1260 days of great tribulation (Revelation 11:3,12; 12:6; 13:5; Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7), and through the wrath of God (1260 days + 75 days = 1335 days) that is poured on the wicked. Christ returns at the Battle of Armageddon to take over the world physically and will rule it for 1,000 years.
The Anti-Antichrist people will be those who are blessed because they have managed to live through that horrible period of world history. They will be given even more time to be saved and receive the Lord. Of course the true believers are those who have been truly blessed as we have received our resurrected bodies. But these unbelievers who did not worship the Beast but had not yet received Christ will be given more grace period during the millennium to accept and believe on Christ.
But all these events, to the Old Testiment prophets, looked like one event from such a far distance. They couldn't see things as clearly from that distance and didn't need to know all the details. It is like looking at a group of mountains from a distance. They look like the are tightly compacted. However, when you get closer to them you see that there are valleys between the different peaks. In other words, it's not just one event, but various events very close to one another, like different battles in a war. To the Old Testament prophets, it all looked like one event. And it is all happening at almost the same time. The 75 days of wrath is not a long period. But it is indeed the worse part of the "Day of the Lord," and in fact may be "The Day of the Lord."
The Lord Himself with Apostle John and Paul gave a few more details to fill in the gaps as we got closer to those events. Yet he reminded us to go back and study Daniel. Daniel and Revelation fit together like two hands clasped. But I think if we can understand that the Great Tribulation period is in fact the trumpets of Revelation 8-10 and the Wrath of God (Revelation 16, 19:11-21) comes afterward, we can accommodate both Rapture and The Day of the Lord as nearly the same event, especially as seen by the Old Testament prophets, and yet subsequent events.
We see then that there is no Pre-Tribulation rapture like Scofield taught, but a Post-Tribulation, and yet pre-Wrath rapture. The Church, the saints go through the horrible tribulation period of Revelation 8-10, but not the Wrath of God found in the vials of Revelation 16, etc. We also do not need to get into Scofield's, "This is for the Jews and this is for the Church" Fallacy. The prophecies and promises are for all believers whatever background or culture they come from. Only through Christ will they find their salvation whether Jew, Gentile, etc.
Dr. Craig, I hope this helps your understanding. Most Christians I find are truly confused on these events and many just conclude it's too difficult to understand. Daniel said, "Those that understand among the people shall instruct many," so it seems some of us will understand. I have written on this topic elsewhere. I will supply the link. God bless, Dennis Edwards How Short is Shortened?
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