Addressing the Theological and Spiritual Issues of the Broad Messianic Movement
Responding to: “9. In contrast to midtribulationism, the pretribulational view provides an adequate explanation for the beginning of the great tribulation in Revelation 6. Midtribulationism is refuted by the plain teaching of Scripture that the great tribulation begins long before the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11.”
Responding to: “8. None of the New Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church (Matt. 24:15-31; 1 Thess. 1:9-10, 5:4-9; Rev. 4-19).”
Responding to: “7. None of the Old Testament passages on the tribulation mention the church (Deut. 4:29-30; Jer. 30:4-11; Dan. 9:24-27; 12:1-2).”
Responding to: “6. The great tribulation is properly interpreted by pretribulationists as a time of preparation for Israel’s restoration (Deut. 4:29-30; Jer. 30:4-11). It is not the purpose of the tribulation to prepare the church for glory.”
Responding to: “5. Pre-tribulationism maintains Scriptural distinction between the great tribulation and the tribulation in general which precedes it.”
Responding to: “4. Only pre-tribulationism distinguishes clearly between Israel and the church and their respective programs.”
Responding to: “3. Pre-tribulationism is the only view which allows literal interpretation of all Old and New Testament passages on the great tribulation.”
Responding to: “2. The detailed development of pretribulational truth during the past few centuries does not prove that the doctrine is new or novel. Its development is similar to that of other major doctrines in the history of the church.”
Responding to: “1. The early church believed in the imminency of the Lord’s return, which is an essential doctrine of pre-tribulationism.”
The reasons we have just provided in the previous chapter are only the common reasons given why pre-tribulationism is supposedly a valid belief. There are, of course, many more reasons that pre-tribulationists will supply. In this chapter, we respond to fifty specific supports given by the late John F. Walvoord (1910-2002) in his book The Rapture Question. While we certainly recognize that we could address many more reasons, Walvoord’s position as former chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, and his vast influence over many other pre-tribulationists, speaks for itself.
