Page 16 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

The Promise of His Coming

to a future Tribulation, placing the fulfillment of Scripture
dealing with the Tribulation, including the battle of Gog and
Magog, after the Millennium. Berkhof has written: “The.
words ofjcsus [Olivet Discourse] undoubtedly found a partial
fulfillment in the days preceding the destruction ofjerusalem,
but will evidently have a further fulfillment in the future in a
tribulation far surpassing anything that has ever been experi­
enced, Matt. 24:21; Mark 13:19.” 3
The amillennial view, therefore, holds to a future tribula­
tion period, but there is little uniformity concerning its exact
character. The tendency in amillennialism is to avoid specific
details in describing the Tribulation. In effect, while admit­
ting the fact of the coming Tribulation, amillenarians spiritu­
alize the sequence of events that are prophesied. This is par­
ticularly true in the interpretation of the tribulation section of
the Book of Revelation.
Premillennial attitude toward the Tribulation
In general, premillenarians interpret the coming Tribula­
tion with more literalness than either the amillenarians or the
postmillenarians. Within the ranks of premillenarians, some
hold the view that the coming of Christ for His church will be
posttribulational, that is, that the church will remain on earth
throughout the tribulation period.
Although premillenarians who are posttribulational unite
in the concept that the Rapture is at the end of the Tribula­
tion, they vary greatly in their explanation of the exegetical
and theological problems that this view raises, as will appear
in later discussion. Some, like J. Barton Payne, spiritualize the
Tribulation completely and view it as contemporary or past.4
This is similar to the view of some of the earlier church fathers
who are premillennial and accordingly is called the classic
view.
Others, like Alexander Reese, follow a semiclassic posi­
tion, spiritualizing the Tribulation somewhat, but regarding it
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