Revelation 5 and the Rapture

[1LoverofGod]

Revelation 5 and the Rapture​

Tom's Perspectives
Dr. Thomas Ice

The pre-trib rapture teaching was introduced by Jesus in John 14:1–3 and is primarily taught in the Pauline Epistles; however, since it is true and part of God’s plan, then one would expect the Book of Revelation to reflect this view. I believe Revelation does provide evidence that pretribulationism is presumed to be true and part of God’s plan for the Church. In this article I will be stating some of reasons why Revelation reflects a pre-trib scenario and then I will examine more closely the evidence in Revelation 5 for pretribulationism.

The Church’s Absence During the Tribulation on Earth​

The points I am making about Revelation and the pre-trib rapture are not proofs for the view; instead, they are observations from Revelation that I believe presupposes pretribulationism. In other words, if pretribulationism were true one would expect the church to not be depicted on earth in chapters 4 through 19, the section in Revelation covering the 70th week of Daniel. The church is referenced in chapters 4 though 19 but always in heaven, which is what one would expect if pretribulationism were true.

The first thing to notice is when the words “church” or “churches” is used and not used in Revelation. Robert Gromacki observes: “The singular "church" and the plural "churches" together occur 19 times in the first three chapters (1:4, 11, 20 [twice]; 2:1, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 12, 19; 3:1, 6, 7, 13, 14, 22). . . . However, there is a strange silence of the term in chapters 4–19. . . . The church is not mentioned during the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments because the church is not here during the outpouring of these judgments.”[1] The church is in heaven during this period of time. Furthermore, the church is mentioned again in Revelation 22:16 in the closing section of the book. This is what would be expected if pretribulationism were true.

While there are multitudes of believers depicted as alive and on earth during the tribulation, none of those believers (we call them “tribulation saints”) are ever labeled with language that identifies them as members of the church, the Body of Christ. (The Church began on the Day of Pentecost and ends with the rapture.)

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