Biblical last days prophecy includes a time when Christians will be removed from the earth and join Jesus Christ in the clouds. Along the way they are changed into their heavenly new bodies. All the believers who have died in the past will be there as well. Scripture tells us that they will then forever be with the Lord. The Apostle Paul writes about this event in the books of 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians. This is the event that is commonly called the rapture.

Christian end times prophecy also features a time of trouble in the world which will occur during the final three and a half years before the final return of the Son of God. These troubles are the fury of God being unleashed on to a Jesus-rejecting world. They include incredible natural disasters, plagues, and wars. This time is explained in the book of Revelation, the last book of the new Testament. It isn't pleasant. But we are told that it will occur, and probably pretty soon.

Therefore the obvious question is, will the the rapture happen prior to the tribulation time in Revelation. Believers hold various opinions on this point. Those who believe that the rapture will take place in advance of the last 7 years are referred to as holding the pre-tribulation rapture viewpoint. Others hold a mid-tribulation viewpoint where believers are removed only prior to the final three and a half years to avoid the really bad stuff. Of course there are folks that deny the event happening at all, and/or keep to a post-tribulation viewpoint, which is really the same point of view.

The more authorative Bible teachers, however, maintain either the pre-trib or mid-trib doctrine. This is certainly because they are the ones who have more thoroughly studied scripture, and are trained in Greek and Hebrew. There are a couple of different accounts of the return of Christ in scripture. Also, we are informed that it will take place at an unknown date and time. But scripture also gives us the exact timing of the return of Christ. The only way that this works is if the rapture occurs first on an unknown date.

The Bible informs us in no uncertain terms that believers are not appointed to wrath. There are a lot passages which let us know Christians will not experience the great tribulation. These include both Old Testament and New Testament events. In the Old Testament, Enoch was raptured before the Noah's ark flood because he walked with God. Also, Lot was raptured of Sodom before the judgment upon that city. Interestingly when Abraham bargained with God for Sodom and Gomorrah he said far be it from the God of the earth to judge the righteous along with the wicked, and God did not argue that statement. So it remains in the Bible as truth.

In the New Testament there are many statements which make it clear that believers will not be subject to God's judgments against a wicked Jesus-rejecting earth. Prominently among these verses is 1 Thessalonians 5:19 where the faithful are told that we are not appointed to wrath, but to obtain salvation in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself informs us in the gospels to pray always that we would be seen worthy to escape the coming tribulation. In His letter to the church of Philadelphia in Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 He informs them that because they were true they would be saved from the hour of tribulation. I could continue, but by now you should get it already.

It is not crucial to be sold on the doctrine of the rapture. It is important to understand and respond to the message of the gospel. Which is of course, the knowledge that Jesus is the savior who died on the cross for our sins as the one and only sacrifice that can remove them and open us entry into eternal life with God. To ignore this gift is an eternal rejection God and unfortunately there is no other place for your everlasting spirit to go than hell. You can speak a three word prayer right now to stop that. Jesus, forgive me.