The Bible is clear that the rapture will not happen pre-tribulation. In fact, it tells us that if we believe it will happen before a certain point in the tribulation, then we have been deceived. Don't take my word for it, take God's Word for it:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. -2 Thessalonians 2:1-10

Let's take a magnifying glass, so to speak, to the above passage, for it is a meaty one...

"By our gathering together unto him" is mentioned as a separate event from the second coming of Christ. This is referring to the rapture.

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except..." What day? The day of the rapture - our "gathering together unto him." What does the above passage say has to happen before the rapture occurs? Let's make a list:

1) A "falling away" - which is this:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." -1 Timothy 4:1-3

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." -2 Timothy 4:3-4

2) "That man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." - this "son of perdition" is the one we refer to as the Antichrist. During the tribulation, he will demand worship, placing himself as a false god. The Abomination of Desolation was written about a lot by Daniel:

"Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered." -Daniel 8:11-12

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." -Matthew 24:15-21

The Great Tribulation begins after the rapture, when God releases his full wrath on the earth. Notice the above says the Great Tribulation doesn't begin until the Abomination of Desolation. The rapture happens when the Abomination of Desolation is revealed, and we see from the above Scriptures and elsewhere in the Holy Bible, that the Abomination of Desolation is when Antichrist proclaims himself god.

The Great Tribulation is the same thing as Jacob's Trouble:

"Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." -Jeremiah 30:2-9

In 1947/1948, Jews started again returning to Israel. This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the underlined portion above. Jacob's Trouble is the second half of the tribulation. The end of Jacob's Trouble will be the battle of Armageddon, where Jesus will return, and destroy Israel's (Jacob's) enemies, and Jacob's Trouble will be over. Notice the Great Tribulation (second half of the trib) is called JACOB'S (Israel's) Trouble? This is because the body of Christ - born again Christians, will be raptured by the time the Great Tribulation starts.

As established from the above Scriptures, we can clearly see that the Great Tribulation/Jacob's Trouble, occurs after the Abomination of Desolation, but before the second half of the tribulation begins. We have also seen that Rapture cannot occur until the Abomination of Desolation occurs, which means rapture occurs sometime in the midst (toward the middle) of the tribulation. Again, don't take my word for it, take God's:

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." -Daniel 12:1-3

Yes, the rapture is also in the Old Testament, but when prophesied during those times, the rapture was still a mystery, just as Gentiles being saved was yet a mystery. Both mysteries have been revealed through the first coming of Jesus Christ, and the completion of the New Testament.

Notice the above is referring to Jacob's trouble - the second half of the tribulation, and at that time the rapture occurs. Keep the above Scripture in mind, and compare that to the middle of the tribulation in the book of Revelation, which happens to occur at the Seventh Trumpet. You'll see they are describing the same things:

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." -Revelation 11:15-18

The above says "and thy wrath is come" - at this point, He is preparing to unleash his full wrath for the Great Tribulation/Jacob's Trouble. However, this occurs after the last trumpet. At this seventh trumpet, we see "time of the dead, that they should be judged," and that the Lord will "give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name." This is the rapture.

We know that we are deceived if we believe the rapture occurs before the Abomination of Desolation, as we saw in 2 Thessalonians. We also know that this Abomination doesn't occur until mid trib. Here's further Scriptural proof of that:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." -Daniel 9:27

The tribulation week is seven years. The confirming of the covenant is the white horse rider with the bow and arrow in the first seal in the book of Revelation. In the middle of the tribulation, we see that Antichrist "shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate." - The Abomination of Desolation - clearly mid trib. Rapture, clearly mid trib, as it happens when the Abomination of Desolation occurs, but before the Great Tribulation, which is the second half of the Tribulation.

What occurs after the seventh trump in Revelation? That's right - the Seven Vials of WRATH. When these vials of WRATH are unleashed, the people left on the earth after the mid-trib rapture will see things to a degree, and actuality that have never happened before - this is clearly told us in the above Scriptures that reveal Jacob's Trouble to us.

Remember, our beginning Scripture for this article is 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10. From this Scripture, we've already learned that rapture cannot happen until a falling away occurs first, and we saw in other Scriptures what that will look like. Next, the Abomination of Desolation must occur, which we researched in all of the above Scriptures.

These are the two things that need to occur before the rapture. Then, once we are raptured, Antichrist will no longer be held back. "Now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time" - Now we know what will have to happen, before the rapture, but also that we are the withholders. You see, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed." The Mystery of Iniquity has been with us for a very long time, yet it cannot come to full power while there are Christians still on this earth. Through prayer, government, and other forms of standing up against this Mystery of Iniquity, it can only do so much work. This Great Corrupter has deceived many people - in EVERY nation, all over the world, and continues to, to this day, and will continue to, right into the Tribulation. After the mid-trib rapture, the Christians will no longer be there to hinder it (letteth is an older English word that means 'hinder,' or withhold'.) Once the withholders are raptured, Antichrist and the Mystery of Iniquity will have full reign, and God will release His full Wrath, which will lead some people to not take the mark of the beast, but to become Tribulation Saints - to become Christians post-rapture, and endure tribulation until the last half of the tribulation is over.

The withholders are part of the clay in the feet of the prophetic statue in Daniel chapter two. The feet of the statue is iron mixed with clay. The Mystery of Iniquity is the iron. It cannot be in full power until after the mid-trib rapture of the Christians, who have been somewhat holding it back, are gone. This Mystery of Iniquity is the Roman Catholic Church, which is none other than Mystery Babylon. The two feet are both run by Mystery Babylon, which is Roman Catholicism (one foot) and Islam (the other foot). Islam was born out of Roman Catholicism, but that is history you have to dig to find. My friends, the Roman Empire never ended. If the last few statements confused you, you can see my Scriptural and historical backing in my article The Roman Empire Did Not End. I love Roman Catholics, and earnestly pray for their salvation. I am not bigoted against them, nor do I hate them, or harbor any malice against them. To not speak out against the deception they are under would be to hate them. To love them is to show them they are being tricked.

In our main Scripture, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, we see next - "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." - This is the second half of the tribulation, given in a nutshell. The main topic was the rapture and then the second coming, not the tribulation itself, so its mention is minute in this passage.

Now let's look at another popular rapture Scripture:

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." -1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Notice the above says that the rapture happens "with the trump of God." Which trumpet? Let's look at another popular rapture Scripture to find out:

"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." -1 Corinthians 15:51-52

What is the last trumpet sounded, as recorded in the Scriptures? It's the seventh trumpet, which occurs in the middle of the seven year tribulation. What did we read occurs at the seventh trump? Remember - dead are raised, and saints given rewards - this matches 1 Corinthians 15 and the other rapture Scriptures, including the Old Testament rapture prophecy in Daniel 12 that we read earlier.

Now, there is a well-founded argument that the rapture will occur during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, and that that's why the Scriptures say the rapture will occur at the last trumpet. The pre-trib argument here, is that for Christians, it will be the last trumpet, because we will be raptured at Revelation 4:1, and then we will hear none of the trumpets, because we won't be on earth. I believe this view to be partially wrong.

I do agree, that it is very possible that the rapture will occur during the Feast of Trumpets, but that doesn't mean it has to occur at Revelation 4:1. Let us take a look at Revelation 4:1, and dispel a few things, shall we?

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." -Revelation 4:1

Some will say the above is the last trumpet Christians will hear. They say that the trumpet sounds, and says "come up hither." Yet this cannot be the case, because it is not a trumpet sounding. It is a blasting voice, that sounded "as it were of a trumpet talking." This was a powerful voice, not a trumpet. This voice said "Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." A trumpet cannot say that, but a voice can. This is not the last trumpet. It's not even the first one. Trumpet here, is used as a description, not as a literal blowing of a trumpet. Pay attention to every Word of God, no matter how small. That word "as," in the above passage shows us Revelation 4:1 is NOT the last trump of 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.

Some pre-trib rapturists will say that Revelation 4:1 is the pre-trib rapture, because the voice said "come up hither." Wait a minute - who was the voice talking to? Was it talking to the church? No, it was speaking to John. The voice said "Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." John said the voice gave that direction to him, specifically - "talking with me."

Next, some pre-trib study Bibles will say that the rapture must have happened at Revelation 4:1, because the word "church" isn't mentioned anymore at that point. I don't mean to be harsh, but that argument is grasping at straws. First of all, the word "church" is only in the Bible 111 times. To argue that the rapture occurred at Revelation 4:1, because "church" isn't written any more after that, would mean one could also argue that the books of Mark, Luke, 2 Timothy, Titus, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, and Jude were not to the church, because the word "church" does not appear in them at all. Obviously, to argue such a thing would be absurd.

There is a very good reason why the word "church" does not occur in the book of Revelation after 4:1. It is because Revelation chapters 1-3 are letters written to each of the seven churches of Asia. Chapter one, verse four begins with "John to the seven churches which are in Asia." Chapter two begins with "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write." Chapter three begins with "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write." The last verse in chapter three says "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

Chapter four begins a new section in the book of Revelation. The letters to the seven churches were in chapters 1-3. Chapters 4+ begin describing the seven year tribulation. In 4:1, John is called up to heaven for the tribulation to be revealed to him, so that he could write what he saw, for us to read.

Did you know that the word "Christian" only occurs in the Bible three times? It is in Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. It would be outlandish, if we were to say that the rest of the Bible isn't for Christians, because they are not mentioned elsewhere. In fact, Christians (New Testament), and the people of God (Christians in the New Testament, and Jews and others who followed the one, true God in the Old Testament) are referred to under a different title. That title is "saint." While we happily wear the name Christian, the Bible shows us that Christian is synonymous with the term "saint." The word "saint(s)" occurs in the Bible 98 times. 13 of those times are in the book of Revelation. Interestingly, the word "saint(s)" does not occur in or before chapter four. The first mention of it in Revelation is in chapter five, verse eight. The last mention of "saints" in the Bible is Revelation 20:9.

As you can see, an honest, literal look at Revelation 4:1 reveals no pre-trib rapture. It simply shows the transition from the letters to the seven churches of Asia, to John being prepared to view the future tribulation. He was called up into the third heaven to receive these revelations, as some others in the Bible had been:

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." -2 Corinthians 12:2-4

Whether this man caught up to the third heaven was Paul or someone else, the above Scripture shows us that others have also been told "come up hither, and I will shew you," just as John was. Notice the man called up hither in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 was not to write what he saw. Some of the things John saw, he was specifically told not to write:

"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." -Revelation 10:4

While the seven thunders are yet a mystery to us, other mysteries of God have been revealed to us, under the New Covenant. For example, the mystery of gentiles also becoming the people of God:

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." -1 Timothy 3:16

The mid tribulation rapture was also a mystery. While we saw it in Daniel 12, it was not understood what it was, until it was further revealed in the New Testament. The above mystery of gentiles and Christ had to be revealed in order for the rapture mystery to be understood. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 that the rapture was another mystery of God, but Paul reveals that mystery to us:

"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." -1 Corinthians 15:51-52

If the rapture occurs in the middle of the tribulation at the seventh trumpet, then there should be something else in Scripture to confirm this mystery. There is:

"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." -Revelation 10:7.

I think the rapture very possibly will occur in the middle of the tribulation, during the feast of trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). The last trump of Rosh Hashanah will eventually happen during the last trump in the Bible - the seventh trump. When that happens, rapture occurs.

However, the Bible tells us:

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." -Matthew 24:36

We don't know if the rapture for sure will be on the seventh trump, and/or during the feast of trumpets. Further, even if it does occur then, and many of us who believe this are right, we don't know for sure which year, or which day of/for Rosh Hashanah, since we aren't even sure it is celebrated on the correct day anymore, and further, "Orthodox and Conservative Judaism now generally observe Rosh Hashanah for the first two days of Tishrei, even in Israel where all other Jewish holidays dated from the new moon last only one day." (Quoted from Rosh Hashanah on Wikipedia) If Rosh Hashana is celebrated for two days, and rapture is to happen on a Rosh Hashanah, which of the two days will it be?

Now, here's a kicker... The first half of the tribulation will be nothing compared to Jacob's Trouble/the Great Tribulation. In fact, parts or all of it could possibly happen without our knowledge. Some of it may only be in certain areas of the world. Parts that do happen to us, or are global could be explained away as something else, and we therefore conclude oh, this isn't it, then..

For all we know, the first half of the tribulation could already be occurring. Do we know for sure? Many Jews rejected Jesus Christ, because He didn't fit into how they interpreted the prophecies. May not we be in the same danger? Perhaps the first half of the tribulation has been going for a while? Perhaps rapture will happen on the next Rosh Hashanah? We don't know, do we?

When viewed from this way, then it will seem pre-trib to many, because they didn't know half of the tribulation happened. Others will suspect it, and know it's mid trib. Perhaps there will be some who think the tribulation is done, and will think it's post-trib. Who knows what we'll be thinking when it happens? I expect I'll be thinking YES! My heart's desire is for the rapture.

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." -Revelation 22:20

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. -2 Thessalonians 2:1-10

Don't be deceived.

For Your Study

I. Rapture cannot be pre-trib, for the falling away and Abomination of Desolation must occur first - see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10

A. The falling away - see 1 Timothy 4:1-3 and 2 Timothy 4:3-4

B. The Abomination of Desolation - see Daniel 8:11-12, Matthew 24:15-21, and Daniel 9:27

II. The Great Tribulation and Jacob's Trouble both refer to the second half of the tribulation - see Matthew 24:15-21, Jeremiah 30:2-9, and Daniel 12:1-3

III. The Abomination of Desolation Occurs Mid Trib, right before the rapture, and then God's Full Wrath is poured fourth, via the Seven Vials of Wrath in Revelation. This is also referred to as "The Great Tribulation," or "Jacob's Trouble." See Daniel 12:1-3, Daniel 9:27, and Revelation 11:15-18

IV. Mid Trib rapture at the seventh trump - see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Daniel 12:1-3, and Revelation 11:15-18

V. Revealed Mysteries

A. God revealed the mystery of salvation to the gentiles - see 1 Timothy 3:16

B. Since the above mystery was revealed, we now have the mid trib rapture revealed at the seventh trumpet - see 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and parallel with Revelation 10:7