I still don’t think any mortal has THE GREAT CATCHING AWAY all figured out accurately.
Nevertheless, my leaning is decidedly toward Pre-Trib.
I think it makes the best sense from the whole counsel of the whole of Scripture.
None of the interpretations seem to be without at least a curious complication or 3.
Evidently God wanted it that way. He will clarify it His way in His time.
We are to watch and be ready . . . and to
COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THAT BLESSED HOPE.
I have a hard time thinking of patting one another on the back as we walk into the next Auschwitz etc. as being a GREAT COMFORT or A BLESSED HOPE.
I wonder how they felt when they walked into the Roman games and sang as they turned them into human torches. We are to endure till the end is that the end of our big macs as we sit on our big back sides?
You said — Nevertheless, my leaning is decidedly toward Pre-Trib.
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Well, with the pre-trib, mid-trib and pre-wrath — they all have more common characteristics than they do differences. AND, they all are *in common* with one another — and against those who deny the Rapture as a separate event.
All three of these agree that the Rapture “pre-wrath” (none of the three positions are around when the wrath of God is dispensed on earth). All three agree that the Rapture is a separate event as compared to Jesus coming to set up the Kingdom on earth. All three agree that this message of the Rapture is to be given to other Christians as a comforting message to them.
They all stand in stark contrast to some who say that there is a “rapture” at the time of the second coming (when Christ returns to set up the Kingdom). The only problem with *this rapture* — is that everyone will be wearing “neck braces” for the “whiplash” that they’ll get from being “taken up” and then immediately “swung around” to go back down to earth again... LOL...
[... it kinda makes you wonder why Jesus Christ will waste His time bringing us up to then “whip us around” to go back down again... some people think Christ likes to “whip us around” after “beating us up” on earth, during the Tribulation... :-) ...]