[markomalley]

I thought it was interesting because I was under the impression that pre-tribulation rapture (ala John Nelson Darby) was the default position among evangelicals.

[SubMareener]

Luke 21

34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and†cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
35 "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Nelson, Thomas (2009-02-18). Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV) (p. 1023). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

So I watch and pray that I may be counted as worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass.

We are seeing a return to the "Book of Acts" level of Christian persecution. We are seeing the return of the Messianic Jewish believers. We are seeing a level of wickedness in the world that recalls the days of Noah and Sodom.

September 23, 2015 is exactly 49 prophetic (360 day) years from the date that the Jews recaptured Jerusalem. Sir Isaac Newton thought that God divided the first 69 weeks (sevens of years) into 7 weeks and 62 weeks for a reason. That the total identified Christ's first coming after the order to "restore and rebuild Jerusalem" and the 7 weeks after the order to "restore" would identify His second coming.

September 23, 1017 is the day that the Revelation 12:1-2 "great wonder in the heavens" appears. This particular arrangement of sun, moon, stars and planets has not occurred in the past 7000 years and won't happen in the next 2000 years.

On 17 August 2017 = 25th of Av, 5777 a total solar eclipse will slash across America from South Carolina to Oregon. On 8 April 2024 = 29th of Adar II, 5784 a total solar eclipse cuts from Mexico across Texas to Maine. Completing the "crossing off" of the United States? Commercial Babylon has fallen??

Previous Bible Prophecy has only been recognizable after it has occurred. The whole history of the Greek Empire in Daniel 11 was incomprehensible until after it happened. The end-time prophesy will probably not be any different.

However. if it turns out that we find ourselves in the Great Tribulation, remember this: DON'T TAKE THE MARK OF THE BEAST! It is better to loose ones head than to loose ones immortal soul to the Eternal Lake of Fire.

Romans 10
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Nelson, Thomas (2009-02-18). Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV) (p. 1100). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[60Gunner]

It is not our task to know when Christ will return, it is our task to be READY.

[Psalm 73]

"...pre-tribulation rapture...was the default position among evangelicals."

Pretty-much - but it's not like we have any choice in the timing, that's strictly up to God.
I guess it depends on what verses you use and how you interpret - both schools (all three w/ mid-trib) have valid points, but for now I'd rather the happy thought of an earlier return of Jesus.

No matter - God is in control.

[Lee N. Field]

I thought it was interesting because I was under the impression that pre-tribulation rapture (ala John Nelson Darby) was the default position among evangelicals.

Depends who's an "evangelical". There's a lot of weird fringy stuff out there, in recent years.

For a large chunk, yeah, the Darby-Schofield Koolaid Well is the place to be.

[redleghunter]

“These teachers, pastors, and students of Scripture are coming to believe that the rapture will take place after the tribulation, but before the wrath of God is poured out. In my own experience, I continually meet new pastors and leaders who have come to reject the doctrine of the ‘pre-trib’ rapture. Many of these are members of denominations that require one to believe in the pre-trib rapture – yet they inform me that many within their denomination have stopped believing in a pre-trib rapture.”

That seems to be the debate in the bolded above. Which many seem to omit in these discussions on the internet. What does the Bible teach us of 'when' the Wrath of God is poured out? Some say the end like Richardson and some look at the language used in Revelation chapter 6 where on the sixth seal broken we have:

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

The above happens before the trumpet and bowls (vials) judgements.

Sometimes it is hard to pin the "wrath" rapture theorists as it is for the pre-trib theories. What is important? What was commanded. Continue to work, preach the Gospel, watch, be ready, be approved and live holy lives until His Coming. Amen.

That was advice for all eras/ages. We would be wise to put the above first.

[Cvengr]

I’ve always observed that whenever I gave consideration to mid-trib or post-trib, and especially amil positions, they always were accompanied by a lack or erosion of faith in Christ and His work on the Cross, albeit sometimes slight.

Nevertheless, the pretrib-premil position is consistent with those who remain in faith in Christ in all things.

While the other eschatologies might have strong rational arguments to support their theology, I find myself growing more through faith and remaining along the pre-trib, premil eschatology.