02/12/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

I have a few articles now on scriptural evidence for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Yet, I still have plenty of notes and arguments to make in support of it. In this article I will go over three more arguments in favor of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. 

Reason 1: The Rapture is called a “Hope”

 

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 KJV

 

“looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭NASB

 

In this passage, Paul calls the Rapture a “hope.” In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Paul tells Christians to comfort one another with the truth of the Rapture. How is this a proof of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture? If the Rapture doesn’t come until the middle or end of the Tribulation, then why would it be a comfort? How could someone comfort themselves in the Rapture if they know that in order to get to it, they would have to go through mass persecution by the Antichrist and survive all the death and destruction that will take place as foretold in the book of Revelation; the plagues, pestilence, famine, drought, economic and social upheaval on a scale never seen in history to get to the Rapture? The only comfort you could gain is by hoping the Last Days were a long way off and that the return of Jesus was nowhere near. Paul’s words, such as the “blessed hope” and “comfort,” certainly connotes that the Rapture won’t happen after these events. Instead, the Rapture is assuredly comforting if it occurs prior to the Tribulation. 

Reason 2: The Church is Not Mentioned in Revelation 6-18

 

The Greek term for Church used in the New Testament is ekklesia. See my article below on this Greek term:

 

Ekklesia in Scripture

 

This term is used 19 times in Revelation 1–3, a section that deals with the historical church of the first century toward the end of the apostle John’s life (ca. AD 95). However, “church” is then used only once more in Revelation in the twenty-two chapter book, and that use is at the very end (Revelation 22:16) when John returns to addressing the first-century church. Most interesting is the fact that nowhere during the period of Daniel’s seventieth week is the term for “church” used for believers on earth (cf. Revelation 4–19).

 

It is unexpected that John would shift from detailed instructions for the church to complete silence about the church in the subsequent 13 chapters if, in fact, the church did continue into the tribulation. If the church will experience the tribulation of Daniel’s seventieth week, then surely the most detailed study of tribulation events would include an account of the church’s role—but it does not. The only timing of the rapture that would account for this frequent mention of “church” in Revelation 1–3 and the total absence of the “church” on earth until Revelation 22:16 is a pretribulational rapture which will relocate the church from earth to heaven prior to Daniel’s seventieth week.

 

Looking at this observation from another perspective, it is also true that nowhere in Scripture is it taught that the church and Israel would coexist as the centers for God’s redemptive message and yet remain mutually exclusive. Today, the universal church is God’s human channel of redemptive truth. Revelation gives indications that the Jewish remnant will be God’s human instrument during Daniel’s seventieth week. The narrative abruptly shifts from the “church” in Revelation 2–3 to the 144,000 Jews from the twelve tribes in Revelation 7 and 14. Readers may ask, “Why?”

 

Further, because Revelation 12 is a mini-synopsis of the entire tribulation period and because the woman who gave birth to the male child (Revelation 12:1-13) is Israel, then the Tribulation period focuses on the nation of Israel, not the church. How could this be? Because a pretribulational rapture has removed the “church” from the earth prior to Daniel’s seventieth week.

 

Reason 3: The Epistles Contain no Preparatory Warnings of an Impending Tribulation for Church-Age Believers

 

God’s instructions to the church through the epistles contain a variety of warnings, but never do they warn believers to prepare for entering and enduring the tribulation of Daniel’s seventieth week. They warn vigorously about coming error and false prophets (see Acts 20:29–30; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 4:1–3; Jude 4). They warn against ungodly living (see Eph. 4:25–5:7; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; Heb. 12:1). They even admonish believers to endure in the midst of present tribulation (see 1 Thess. 2:13–14; 2 Thess. 1:4; 1 Peter). However, there is absolute silence on preparing the church for any kind of tribulation like that found in Revelation 6–18.

 

It is incongruous, then, that the Scriptures would be silent about such a traumatic change for the church. If any time of the rapture other than pretribulational were true, one would expect the epistles to teach the reality of the church in the tribulation, the purpose of the church in the tribulation, and the conduct of the church in the tribulation. However, there is no teaching whatsoever. Only a pretribulational rapture satisfactorily explains this silence.

 

Perhaps some will note that John 16:33 shows that believers will go through the Tribulation:

 

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 KJV

 

However, this is not The Great Tribulation. The context of John 16:33 shows the “tribulation” should be understood as a believer's turmoil.