2 Thessalonians 2

Four Common ViewsThe Pretribulation Rapture

The Partial Rapture

The Midtribulation RaptureThe Midtribulation Rapture

The Postribulation Rapture

The Pre-Wrath Rapture

Partial Rapture Viewed

Like a continual rapture

Great Tribulation Period

The Partial Rapture View

• Only SOME will be removed.• Only those who are “worthy” are

taken.taken.• Others will be raptured

throughout the Tribulation.• The Tribulation will “purify” the

Christians and they are called “overcomers.”

What passages are used?

Matt 25:1-13

Based on the parable of the ten virgins


1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as

Seen as a

requirement in

order to be

raptured

1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as

do others; but let us watch and be

sober.Again, a

conditional

rapture view.


• 1 Thessalonians 1:10• 2 Timothy 4:8• 1 Corinthians 15:23• 1 Corinthians 15:23• Philippians 3:11• Hebrews 9:28• Luke 21:36

The Midtribulation Rapture

Adherents to this view believe that the church believe that the church will be raptured at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation period.

The Midtribulation Rapture

• Another view similar to this view is know as the Pre-Wrath Rapture.

• This view is only a slightly modified version of the Midtribulation Rapture view.

Midtribulation Rapture Viewed

Taken out after 3

½ Years of Trib.


What Passages do they use?

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that

will live godly in Christ Jesus Their thinking is that the church is will live godly in Christ Jesus

shall suffer persecution.Their thinking is that the church is

promised tribulation and must

therefore, go through the first 3 ½

years of that period.

What Passages do they use?

1 Cor. 15:52 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 dead shall be raised incorruptible, and

we shall be changed.

They believe the

trump of the

angel and Christ

are the same .

no distinction is made between Israel

and the church. Corinth, a local

church, was told of a coming time

when all the believers would be

“changed.”

The Posttribulation Rapture

Its proponents believe that the church will endure Daniel’s 70th

week and will be raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation. end of the Great Tribulation.

They believe that the rapture and the second coming of Christ are the same thing.

The Posttribulation View

• Most posttribulationalists teach that events of the Tribulation are not to be taken literally or futuristically, for the church has futuristically, for the church has always undergone tribulation since its inception and is in the Tribulation now.

The Posttribulation View

• Others teach that the church will go through the Tribulation but are unclear on the sequence and literalness of the events leading up to Christ’s Coming.events leading up to Christ’s Coming.

• They mix literal and allegorical interpretations of the Scripture.

The Post tribulation View

Rapture at the end of the Trib.


The Pretribulation Rapture

• This view is widely held by Christians.

• The church will be removed from the earth before the seven-year Tribulation of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan 9:24-27).

The Pre tribulation Viewed

“To meet the Lord

in the air…”


What do Pretribulation Rapturists Believe?

The Rapture is imminent.• It could occur at any moment.• It could occur at any moment.James said, “the coming of the

Lord draweth near (is at hand)….behold, the judge standeth before the door” (Jas. 5:8-9).


The Rapture is imminent.• Paul taught, “that we who are

alive and remain unto the alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep” (1 Thess 4:15).


The Rapture and the Second Advent are Separate Events.

• The rapture is in the air to meet • The rapture is in the air to meet the Lord

• The Second Coming is with Christ to come back to the earth.


• A division of time must exist between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

• Believers are in their prepared places • Believers are in their prepared places (John 14: 1-3).

• The Bema Seat Judgment (2 Cor. 5:10).• The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev.

19:7-9).


The church will NOT experience any form of God’s wrath.

• Paul said, “For God hath not • Paul said, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath” (1 Thes 5:9) for Jesus has, “delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thes 1:10).


The church will NOT experience any form of God’s wrath.

• To the church, John said God would “keep thee from the hour of would “keep thee from the hour of temptation (testing), which shall come upon all the world” (Rev 3:10).


The Church and Israel are NOT identical.• The church and Israel have two

separate programs.• This is indicated by Daniel 9: 24-27, a • This is indicated by Daniel 9: 24-27, a

key passage giving an overview of the Tribulation.

The Pre tribulation Viewed

The coming of the Lord

COMING OF THE LORD FOR THE SAINTS

1.The.4: 16

The judgment

seat of Christ

The rewards

The marriage

of the lamb

COMING OF THE LORD WITH THE SAINTS

(2.The.1: 7)

R

A

P

T

U

R

E

Living (changed) TRIBULATION PERIOD ON EARTH (70th week)

R

E

V

E

L

A

T

I

O

N

Dead in Christ rise rraise

TRIBULATION SAINTS (RAISED)

Verse 1. "Now we request

you, brethren, with regard

to the coming of our Lord

2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 2

to the coming of our Lord

Jesus Christ and our

gathering together to

Him,"

Verse 2. "that you not be quickly

shaken from your composure

or be disturbed either by a

2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANS2 THESSALONIANSCHAPTER 2

or be disturbed either by a

spirit or a message or a letter

as if from us, to the effect that

the day of the Lord has

come."

Verse 3. "Let no

one in any

way deceive

you, for it will 1. Great

you, for it will

not come

unless the

apostasy

comes first,

1. Great Apostasy

Verse 3. "Let

no one in

any way

deceive

you, for it

and the man

of lawlessness

is revealed,

the son of destruction,"you, for it

will not

come

unless the

apostasy

comes first,

destruction,"

2. Antichrist

1 John 2:18-19, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have already heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really from us, but they did not really belong to us. For I they had belonged to us, they would have remained in us; but their goingshowed that none of them had belonged to us.”

2. Antichrist

Wrath of Antichrist

• Dan. 11:36, “He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what is determined will take place.”

• Rev. 13:7, “He was given power to make• Rev. 13:7, “He was given power to makewar against the saints and to conquer them.”

• Dan 8:10, “It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.”

France

Italy

England

Spain

Verse 4. "who

opposes and exalts

himself above

every so-called

god or object of Italy

ÁFRICA

worship, so that he

takes his seat in

the temple of God,

displaying himself

as being God."

Verse 5. "Do you not Verse 5. "Do you not

remember that while I

was still with you, I was

telling you these things?"

Verse 6. "And you know

what restrainshim now, so that in

his time he will be his time he will be

revealed."

Verse 7. "For the

mystery of

lawlessness is

already at work; only

HE who now Verse 3. "Let

no one in

any way

3. RESTRAINER

HE who now

restrains will do

so until HE is

taken out of the

way."

any way

deceive

you, for it

will not

come

unless

France

Italy

England

Spain

Verse 8. "Then that

lawless one will

be revealed whom

the Lord will slay Italy

ÁFRICA

with the breath of

His mouth and

bring to an end by

the appearance of

His coming;"

Verse 8. Then that lawless one

will be revealed

whom the Lord

will slay with the will slay with the

breath of His mouth and

bring to an end by the

appearance of His coming;

Verse 9. "that is, the one

whose coming is in

accord with the activity of

Verse 9. "that is, the one

whose coming is in

accord with the activity of accord with the activity of

Satan, with all power and

signs and false wonders,"

accord with the activity of

Satan, with all power and

signs and false wonders,"

Verse 11. "For this reason God

will send upon them a deluding

influence so that they will

believe what is false,"

Verse 10. "and with all the

deception of wickedness for

those who perish, because

they did not receive the love

of the truth so as to be of the truth so as to be

saved."

Spiritual

2 Thessalonians 2