The Pre-Wrath Rapture A Brief Discussion of Hermeneutics Let's begin with a brief discussion of hermeneutics. What is a hermeneu- tic? Webster defines it as the study of the methods and principles of inter- pretation. As it applies to the Bible it is the study of how to understand the Bible. Most of us would agree on some basic principles regarding herme- neutics. 1) We should seek to understand the authors intended meaning. This is sometimes called exegesis. Getting the meaning out of the text as opposed to eisegesis, putting meaning into the text. We want to discover the mean- ing of the text, not determine the meaning of the text and we do that through things like context. 2) All Scripture must be taken in its proper context. This means that the in- terpretation of Scripture should be looked at in light of the verse and book in which the passage is found. The argument of the author and historical and cultural context should be taken into account. 3) Always compare scripture with other scripture. For example, If one is studying the return of Christ in one instance, then one needs to compare passages from Daniel Isaiah Ezekiel Zachariah Matthew First and 2 Thes- salonians, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation etc… Only once all relevant passages have been studied and compared can we be sure of our interpretation. 4) Determine the literal references of figures of speech that provide com- parison, substitution, and amplification. Scripture, like any serious literature, uses figures of speech. These include similes, metaphors, hyperbole, Idi- oms, and parallelisms. When the Bible wants you to allegorize or take something as a symbol it will make that clear in someway. For instance, words such as ‘like’ or, ‘as’, or ‘as it were’ are used. For instance, ‘as sack- cloth made of hair’. Clearly that is poetic language yet it is intending to con- vey some literal truth. In that case it is that the sun will be darkened just as sackcloth is also dark. Jesus spoke in parables but he was intending to convey some literal truth. 5) Recognize the near/far implications and applications of prophetic pas- sages. It is common in prophetic literature to have a both near application and far application to a certain prophecy. The letters to the seven churches for example in revelation were relevant to their immediate audience. Yet these letters also mentioned the coming of Christ and are thus relevant to the final generation that will be on earth when he returns. Another example would be the abomination of desolation. This was prefigured or fulfilled in the time between the old and new Testaments with Antiochus Epiphanies. However, Christ said that we would see it again before his coming. Mean- ing there is another fulfillment of that prophecy as well. There are no contradictions. If you have a contradiction you have the wrong hermeneutic. Justin Martyr once said, ‘Since I am entirely convinced that no scripture contradicts another I will rather acknowledge that I do not understand what is written.’ The Pre-Wrath View of the Rapture There have traditionally been three views of the rapture, pre, mid and post trib. However in 2010 the second edition of "The Three Views on the Rap- ture" published by Zondervan did away with the second position, Mid- Tribulation, and replaced it with pre-wrath. This shows that the pre-wrath position is not some fly-by-night view but can be articulated and defended from a scholarly perspective and that it has overtaken the mid tribulation view in many people's minds and I will suggest that it will ultimately end the rapture debate altogether if it could be given a fair hearing. I think this is ac- tually a good book for one particular reason. It explains the pre-wrath view more or less correctly. Unlike on the Internet where there seem to be many people claiming to critique the pre-wrath view who clearly don't appear to know what the pre-wrath view teaches, which is one of the greatest obsta- cles to a true debate on this matter in my opinion. People are unaware of what this view is actually saying. The book of Revelation gives us very vivid images of the wrath of God. It is symbolized as a scroll. There are seals that are keeping the scroll from being opened. Revelation 5:2 says, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll”. The answer is given "but one of the elders said to me 'do not weep, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has pre- vailed to open the scroll and to loose it's seven seals." Christ came the first time as a Suffering Servant, to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. The next time he will come in judgment. After all who is worthy to judge but he who has no sin. Acts 7:31 says, “because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by rais- ing him from the dead.” I will make a case later on that the seals are not the judgment itself, but only the contents of the scroll are considered God's wrath. In the last days the wrath of God will be played out during a specific time called the ‘Day of the Lord’. This day is referred to quite a lot in the old and New Testament, in fact, about 70 times. It is a time period of longer than one day so don't let that throw you off. The word for day is ‘Yom’ in the Hebrew. It is used both ways in the text, which is always determined by the context. We know that the Day of the Lord in prophecy is at least longer than five months because of the fifth trumpet which is part of the day the Lord, and that's a plague that lasts about five months. So, the Day of the Lord is at least that long, but for many reasons it is probably much longer than that and Christians will be raptured before this time. Many passages speak of Day of the Lord as an unparalleled time God's wrath. Zephaniah says, “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord's wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land..” Zephaniah 1:18 Isaiah says something interesting about the Day of the Lord as we pro- gress. He says the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughti- ness of man shall be brought low. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. In the New Testament John says that the Day of the Lord will be God's wrath in Revelation 6. It says "And say unto 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". Peter has the same idea when he says "but the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, but the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” The Promise of a Sign Because of the severity of the Day of the Lord God has promised to give the world a sign that his wrath is about to begin. The book of Joel is almost entirely about the Day of the Lord and he says, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Be- fore the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.” Joel 2:31 This is also repeated in the New Testament in the book of Acts when it says, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Be- fore the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord..” Acts 2:20 When signs in the sun, moon, and stars are given everyone will be terri- fied. Everyone that is except the righteous people who look forward to this day because it means that their redemption is drawing near. It says in Luke 21, "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” 2 Peter 3:10-13 Peter also instructs the Christians. He wrote to, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.