These are strong arguments against a traditional post-tribulation rapture, but they do not successfully support a pre-tribulation rapture.
“A careful study of related Scripture will demonstrate that an interval of time between the translation of the church and the coming of Christ to establish the millennial kingdom is absolutely necessary.”
Correct. But when is this interval? It is certainly the Day of the Lord which comes AFTER the Great Tribulation.
The article shows evidence for two distinct events regarding the return of the Lord. And it does show that a period of time is required between them. But it does not support that the period of time is the Great Tribulation.
Rather, the rapture of the church will take place after the Great Tribulation but not at the end of Daniel’s seventieth week because these are two DIFFERENT events at different times. The Great Tribulation will begin, not at the opening of the seals, but at the abomination of desolation in the middle of this “week.” And it will end with signs in the heavens, followed immediately by Christ’s return for His bride, the Church, made up of both Gentile AND Jewish believers. Then the Day of Wrath begins and includes the seven trumpets, seven thunders, and seven bowls of judgment in Revelation.
“The best answer to the problem of who will populate the millennial earth is an obvious one. If the church is translated before the tribulation period, there is ample time for a new generation of believers to come into being from Jew and Gentile background to qualify for entrance into the millennial kingdom at the second coming of Christ.”
Not the best, nor the correct answer. The author leaves no plausible explanation for what is clearly described in Matthew 24 regarding Christ’s return:
Matthew 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
When does this “coming” of Christ occur? It is clearly AFTER the Great Tribulation. But how can the preceding events be reconciled with Revelation?
Christ said the Great Tribulation will be immediately followed by signs in the heavens, including the sun and moon being turned dark. But this does not happen in Revelation at the END of the trumpet and bowl judgments. It happens BEFORE them at the opening of the sixth seal.
Paul clearly ties the rapture of the church to the onset of the Day of the Lord (which is the Day of Wrath for unbelievers and Day of Christ for believers).
1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:10
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Notice that both the return of Christ and the Day of the Lord are said to happen “like a thief in the night.” Further, Christ describes His return AFTER the Great Tribulation with these same words:
Matthew 24:43-44
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Please study the Day of the Lord. You will find that it clearly FOLLOWS the signs in the heavens. The Great Tribulation precedes those signs.
The Great Tribulation is a time of unprecedented trouble which affects ALL flesh. The Day of Wrath only affects unbelievers.
The Day of Wrath is a period of destruction. Daniel’s Seventieth Week includes much destruction but begins with peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
Some of us believe there will be a very large war in Israel which marks the 7 year period of the Tribulation...
Notice that both the return of Christ and the Day of the Lord are said to happen “like a thief in the night.” Further, Christ describes His return AFTER the Great Tribulation with these same words:
Matthew 24:43-44 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Similar, but not at all the same...In the Rapture Jesus comes for his church...In the scripture described in Mat. 24, Jesus comes for the tares, not the wheat...