Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Countering Post-Trib Rapture: It Happens at the Last Trumpet
The two most common positions on the rapture by a large margin is the Post-Tribulation and the Pre-Tribulation. Logically, by proving the Post-Tribulation stance wrong, you strengthen the Pre-tribulation stance. This is one of a series of articles to counter some of the Post-Tribulation arguments.
One of the most common arguments made by Post-Tribulation believers is that the rapture must happen at the sound of the last trumpet.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NASB)
51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Post-Tribulationists claim this is referring to the 7th Trumpet of Revelation.
Revelation 11:15 (NASB)
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Since the 7th Trumpet is the last of the Seven Trumpets, and is about the victory of the Lord and it says the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, it is assumed that the rapture then must happen when the Lord returns. Logically this would be a clear argument if one does not dig any deeper. However, if you do a little digging, you learn something. Paul wrote that the rapture happens at the Last Trumpet, well before John wrote Revelation. So that means Paul would have had to be referencing something that was not taught yet.
Naturally that does not prove He was not referencing the Seventh Trumpet, but what seems more logical to you? That Paul was referencing one of the 7 Trumpets that had not even been taught yet? Or that Paul was referencing the same kind of trumpet he himself had already written about only one chapter earlier?
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul was teaching about speaking in tongues and how it should be done in a way to benefit others, and he references the trumpet sounded by an army.
1 Corinthians 14:6-8 (NASB)
6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching? 7 Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
Paul was referring to the trumpet sounded by an army that calls its soldier to prepare for battle. Or in some cases it sounds to gather them for battle. So one chapter later, when he mentions the last trumpet, it is only logical that he was referring to the same kind of trumpet.
Think about it. When the rapture happens, we are all taken to heaven to be married to the Lamb.
Revelation 19:7-8 (NASB)
7 Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Notice how the bride is described? She is wearing "fine linen, bright and clean". It is especially important to understand why they wear fine linen. It is the "righteous acts of the saints". Then just a few verses later, the Lord is preparing to return in the Second Coming.
Revelation 19:11-14 (NASB)
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
Take special notice to the last verse. The armies "which are in heaven" will follow Him back on white horses. Notice how it describes that army? Wearing "fine linen, white and clean"! Since the fine linen are the righteous acts of the saints, there is no question that the army which is in heaven, which follows the Lord back on white horses is the Bride, which is the church!
So when the last trumpet is sounded at the rapture, it is quite literally the last time God will sound a trumpet to gather His army. It actually has nothing to do with the Seven Trumpets in Revelation.
Now some will say that is just my interpretation. They choose to believe the interpretation that it is the 7th Trumpet in Revelation. Who is to say who is wrong. Right?
This is in fact true. You can believe either, but only one can be true. The question is which one? My point is not that this proves the Post-tribulation argument wrong. My point is that the argument by the Post-Tribulationists is not near as solid as they think. It very well could be as I have stated and in fact, it is more logical than the theory that Paul was writing about a Trumpet that had not even been revealed yet!
Return to Pre-Trib Rapture Articles
One of the most common arguments made by Post-Tribulation believers is that the rapture must happen at the sound of the last trumpet.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NASB)
51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Post-Tribulationists claim this is referring to the 7th Trumpet of Revelation.
Revelation 11:15 (NASB)
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Since the 7th Trumpet is the last of the Seven Trumpets, and is about the victory of the Lord and it says the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, it is assumed that the rapture then must happen when the Lord returns. Logically this would be a clear argument if one does not dig any deeper. However, if you do a little digging, you learn something. Paul wrote that the rapture happens at the Last Trumpet, well before John wrote Revelation. So that means Paul would have had to be referencing something that was not taught yet.
Naturally that does not prove He was not referencing the Seventh Trumpet, but what seems more logical to you? That Paul was referencing one of the 7 Trumpets that had not even been taught yet? Or that Paul was referencing the same kind of trumpet he himself had already written about only one chapter earlier?
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul was teaching about speaking in tongues and how it should be done in a way to benefit others, and he references the trumpet sounded by an army.
1 Corinthians 14:6-8 (NASB)
6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching? 7 Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
Paul was referring to the trumpet sounded by an army that calls its soldier to prepare for battle. Or in some cases it sounds to gather them for battle. So one chapter later, when he mentions the last trumpet, it is only logical that he was referring to the same kind of trumpet.
Think about it. When the rapture happens, we are all taken to heaven to be married to the Lamb.
Revelation 19:7-8 (NASB)
7 Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Notice how the bride is described? She is wearing "fine linen, bright and clean". It is especially important to understand why they wear fine linen. It is the "righteous acts of the saints". Then just a few verses later, the Lord is preparing to return in the Second Coming.
Revelation 19:11-14 (NASB)
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
Take special notice to the last verse. The armies "which are in heaven" will follow Him back on white horses. Notice how it describes that army? Wearing "fine linen, white and clean"! Since the fine linen are the righteous acts of the saints, there is no question that the army which is in heaven, which follows the Lord back on white horses is the Bride, which is the church!
So when the last trumpet is sounded at the rapture, it is quite literally the last time God will sound a trumpet to gather His army. It actually has nothing to do with the Seven Trumpets in Revelation.
Now some will say that is just my interpretation. They choose to believe the interpretation that it is the 7th Trumpet in Revelation. Who is to say who is wrong. Right?
This is in fact true. You can believe either, but only one can be true. The question is which one? My point is not that this proves the Post-tribulation argument wrong. My point is that the argument by the Post-Tribulationists is not near as solid as they think. It very well could be as I have stated and in fact, it is more logical than the theory that Paul was writing about a Trumpet that had not even been revealed yet!
Return to Pre-Trib Rapture Articles