Today, we are going to examine the post-Tribulation view—the belief held by some that the Rapture occurs only after the Tribulation has ended. When studying the Rapture and the Second Coming, the Bible must be our primary and final authority; we should rely on Scripture far above any human interpretation. With that in mind, let’s look at what the Word says regarding the Second Coming of Christ:
Revelation 19:14-21 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (17) And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; (18) That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (19) And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (20) And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 19 is the only place in Scripture where these three descriptors—’fine linen, white, and clean’—appear together. To understand the meaning behind this, we should let the Bible provide its own definition:
Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Notice how the fine linen worn by the Saints is described as clean and white—symbolizing the righteousness granted to them. This isn’t a righteousness we earned ourselves, but one we received as a gift from Jesus Christ! In Him, we find our complete sanctification and the joy of our redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Because the Church is clothed in Christ’s own righteousness rather than its own, we are the ones who will accompany Him during the Second Coming. We see this confirmed in Revelation 19:14, which describes the saints returning from heaven alongside their King.
According to Revelation 19:21, the ungodly are slain when Christ returns. If the Rapture happened at that same moment, all believers would be transformed into glorified bodies, leaving no one in a natural state to fulfill the prophecies of a populated Millennial earth. Because there would be no mortal humans left to dwell on the earth, the post-tribulation viewpoint proves to be inconsistent with the requirements of Scripture.
The pre-Tribulation timeline perfectly explains who will inhabit the earth during Christ’s thousand-year reign. While the Church is already in glorified bodies, a new generation of believers will emerge during the Tribulation—led to salvation by the Holy Spirit through the 144,000 and the two witnesses. Those who survive until Christ’s return will populate the earth in its restored state. This also includes the remnant of Israel, who will look upon their Messiah and be saved at the moment of His return.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
The conclusion of the age brings two very different outcomes: entry into the thousand-year reign for the faithful, and eternal separation in Hell for those who aligned themselves with the beast by taking his mark.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Does this settle this viewpoint in your heart, reader? It surely does me! To the one who is not saved, it is a different story. There is no peace to be found for the one who enters the Tribulation. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
