^“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:10)

^“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:9)

^“For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1Thessalonians 1:9-10)

Also See: 1Thessalonians 1:10 & 5:2-9

Paul used the word ‘deliver’ indicating being taken out of the way, not protected through that period, but removed prior to the commencement of the coming Wrath of God on the unrighteous. For God’s Wrath is fixed on the men of disobedience, as we read in:

“Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” (Colossians 3:6)

Also See: John 3:36, Romans 1:18, 2:5 & 13:4 & Ephesians 5:6

Furthermore, neither riches nor one’s reputation or popularity will be able to save anyone, as we read in Proverbs 11:4:

“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.”

A parallel to this, not coincidentally, is found in the Book of Revelation:

^“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—” (Revelation 3:17)

The Lord is referring to those IN the Tribulation (7 years of God's Wrath poured out on the world) in the above verse in Revelation, but believers are not appointed to His Wrath, as we read in Romans 1Thessalonians 5:9:

^“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Moreover, as Jesus declares in Matthew 24, life will be going on as per usual when Jesus Returns, much like in the days of Noah. This is indicative of a pre-Tribulation Rapture, for if this verse was referring to a post-Tribulation Rapture, Jesus would be describing the time of the Tribulation when things will be anything BUT normal:

^“For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:38-39)

The remainder of that passage is a yet another illustration of the Rapture, in which Jesus encourages His followers to watch for His Coming, which reads:

^“Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:40-44)

Another clue that the church will be taken before God’s Wrath is poured out is readily seen through the layout of events in the Book of Revelation; the church is addressed in the first chapters, John is told to “come up here” in chapter 4 indicating the Rapture’s occurrence prior to the Tribulation, which is paralleled in Daniel’s Prophecy, as his vision of the Tribulation does not mention the church. (See Revelation 3:10 & 4:1 & Daniel 9)

God has planned His Wrath for a specific period of time against all evil. See Romans 9:22 & Revelation 16:19.

Scripture also tells us that Jesus will Return with His saints in the Second Coming (after the 7 years). How can that be the case if believers were not previously taken up to Heaven?

^“so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” (1Thessalonians 3:13)

There are at least 3 passages of Scripture that provide varying details of the Rapture Event:

“ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

^“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thessalonians 4:13-18) (***The dead in Christ rising from their graves also occurred when Jesus was Resurrected in Matthew 27:50-52)

^“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1Corinthians 15:51-54)

Also noteworthy, Jesus teaches that believers ought to be watching for the Rapture:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Jesus’ ominous Warnings are worthy of great attention, as in John’s Vision we see that being crushed by a mountain would be preferable to His Wrath:

"and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:16-17)

One final prophetic note, this passage in Jeremiah references Jacob’s Trouble: the name God assigned to the Tribulation for the Jews, not only speaks of the usual horrors that are mentioned, but even highlights the state of man’s depravity in the Last Days… (the time in which we are currently living):

“Ask now, and see,
Whether a man is ever in labor with child?
So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins
Like a woman in labor,
And all faces turned pale?
Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:1-7)

NKJV

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.