Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-23; and Luke 21:20-24 are the recorded words of Jesus prophesying the coming of a Time of Great Tribulation on earth. That time is a period of seven years. The book of Revelation gives two periods of 42 months (3 ½ years each for a total of 7 years) or into two periods of 1260 days (7 years). Matthew 24:22 speaking of those days says: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened”.

There is much confusion in the churches today concerning the church during the tribulation.  Some say it will be taken out before that terrible day; some say it will go through half of it. This is called the Mid-Tribulation Rapture. Some say the church will go though it all. So what does the Bible say? Will it be a pre-tribulation rapture, a mid-tribulation rapture, or a post-tribulation rapture?

A study of the passages of scripture mentioned in our opening paragraph points a very dark picture of the end of this age; but I believe it to be a realistic picture, and one that is taught throughout the entire Bible. One might ask: Is their no hope? The answer is yes, there is hope, a wonderful hope, sometimes called the Blessed Hope. It is the promise of our Lord that before that awful time is here, He will come back in the clouds to take His church out of this world.

Just a couple of examples are: Genesis 5 records the life of Enoch, the father of Methuselah.  Genesis 5:24 says “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him”. Hebrews 11:5a says “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death”. This happened before the flood that destroyed the whole earth except for Noah and his family. Also in Genesis 19 we have the record of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God sent two angels to warn Lot to get out of the cities before He destroyed them. Verse 22 God says: “Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” God’s man had to be out before He would destroy the cities.

In the New Testament I Corinthians Chapter 15 is known as the Resurrection Chapter. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 speaks of a time when Jesus will come in the air to bring up those who have died in Christ and those who are still alive and catch them up on the air to be with Him.  This is suppose to be a comfort to us. The next place I want to point out is found in the book of Revelation. Chapters 2 and 3 is the whole history of the church age that began at Pentecost and will end at the Rapture. Revelation 4:1 opens with these words: “After this (the church age) I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in Heaven; and the first voice which I heard was a if it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said Come up hither; (The Rapture of the Church) and I will show thee things which must be hereafter (The Tribulation Period)”.

The pre-tribulation rapture is The Blessed Hope!