Page 162 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

General Posttribulational Arguments
relating both to the Rapture and the Second Coming as if
expectancy under any situation is exactly the same. He finally,
however, admitted at the conclusion of his study that it does
not prove anything: “Since the words for expectancy do not
resolve the question of imminence one way or the other, their
contexts become decisive.”34 If this is the case, why did he go
to such great lengths to discuss this problem? While Gundry’s
arguments may seem to be impressive, actually for the person
analyzing his statements carefully, it will appear that he
begged the question.35
A fair statement of the problem is that posttribulationism
as presented by Gundry and Ladd involving clearly defined
events covering a period of years makes real imminency im­
possible. On the other hand, posttribulationists like Payne,
who hold that the Tribulation is already past or those who
believe it is almost entirely fulfilled, can with some rea­
sonableness assert that their view holds to an imminent view
of the Lord’s return. Gundry’s statement, “A tribulation
interval no more destroys expectancy than the necessary de­
lays during the Apostolic Age,”36 is just another instance of
dogmatism that is not supported by any reasonable argument.
If Gundry’s view of posttribulationism is right, the Rapture is
simply not imminent.
Argument for Posttribulational Resurrection
Alexander Reese, in his major work attacking pre-
tribulationism, used as his principal argument the resurrec­
tion of the saints as an event that follows the Tribulation.37
Reese pointed out that Darby believed the resurrection of the
Old Testament saints took place at the same time as the
translation and resurrection of the church. Therefore, if it can
be proved that the Old Testament saints are raised after the
Tribulation, it would also prove that the church is translated
at the same time. Reese stated: “Now concerning the Rapture
there are only three undisputed texts in the Bible that deal
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