The Rapture Question Answered: finally finished reading

This weekend, I finally got around to finishing Robert Van Kampen's The Rapture Question Answered, Plain and Simple.

As I've mentioned before, this book argues for a pre-wrath view of the timing of the rapture of the saints. Having finished the book, I can say that Van Kampen has made some very strong arguments for his position. Reading the book, I sometimes got the vibe that I was reading the writings of an amateur writer, but his biblical backing seemed sound, and he certainly seems to have done his research.

At the end of the book, he really makes the most important point, which I'll summarize for you: the reason that it is important to consider the timing of the rapture is that the saints need to be prepared , if indeed the pre-wrath view is correct. If pre-tribulationists are expecting Christ to return at any time, before the tribulation, they could end up sorely confused or unprepared when Antichrist begins his reign. Van Kampen sites various passages of scripture which refer to a reality of the end times: many "Christians" will fall away, abandoning their faith under the persecution of the Antichrist. He argues that it is important for the saints to be prepared for this time, so that when it comes, we will remain strong in our faith until the end, when Christ comes to save us before God's wrath comes upon the earth.

Even if you don't agree with the pre-wrath view, I think you ought to admit that Van Kampen has a good point. If Christians are going to suffer under the wrath of Satan (Antichrist), we must be prepared to persevere.

Van Kampen ties together passages from Matthew 24, Thessalonians, Revelation, and Daniel to show that all of them refer to the same end-times sequence of events. If you are interested in this topic, and would like to examine the pre-wrath view, this book seems to be a great place to start, as it deals with nothing more than the rapture and how it fits into the surrounding end-times events. Beyond this book, you could also take a look at Van Kampen's larger book, The Sign, which I own but have yet to read. There are also many other pre-wrath books out there.

I encourage you to do some research on this topic, as the pre-wrath view is a solid one, and it could affect the way you think and live. Even if you don't agree, at least you'll have decided why you don't agree.

The Pre-wrath view

A couple weeks ago, I posted about Robert Van Kampen's book, The Rapture Question Answered, Plain and Simple. You may be wondering what the pre-wrath view of the end times looks like. Here's a summary of how Van Kampen orders the events of the seven year tribulation period before the millennium.

1. false Christs appear


2. wars and rumors of wars


3. famines and earthquakes (beginning of the birth pangs)


4. Abomination of Desolation is seen standing in the holy place (Antichrist, according to Van Kampen)


5. Christians are killed and hated by all nations on account of Christ's name (This is Satan's wrath. During this time many people fall away from their faith.)


6. once the gospel has reached the whole world, Christ's sign appears, initiating the time of the end


7. darkening of sun and moon, stars fall from the sky


8. like lightning, the sign of the Son of Man flashes in the sky


9. Son of Man comes on the clouds with power and great glory


10. Christ's angels gather the elect


11. Antichrist's persecution is ended


12. God's wrath arrives - the end of the age

At the heart of the Pre-wrath view is the timing of Christ's second coming and the rapture. This view holds that Christians will suffer under Satan's wrath, under the reign of the Antichrist. Then, halfway through the tribulation, the most intense persecution will take place against Christians. Sometime during the last half of the tribulation, a sign in the sky will precede Christ's coming. Then Christ will come to take his followers away, ending Satan's wrath. At this time, God's wrath begins. No Christians suffer God's wrath.

The sequence of events listed above is all taken from the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. When considering this view, Van Kampen believes Jesus is addressing the church - all Christians. He says that advocates of the pre-tribulation view of the rapture believe that Jesus is here addressing Jews who become Christians during the tribulation.

What do you believe?

Is Jesus addressing Christians or Jews? That is perhaps the first thing we should address when considering this passage.

Do you agree with Van Kampen's assessment of this order of events?

I just recently finished reading Mike Wilkins' commentary on Matthew. I would like to go back and see on which points he parallels Van Kampen's interpretation.

If you'd like to do some research on the Internet:

• Van Kampen's Pre-wrath site


• free online Revelation commentary by Van Kampen and others


• recommended rapture books from Strong Tower Publishing


• other pre-wrath resources