Page 44 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord
P. 44

The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition
               awful period of human history still ahead. Even George E.
                Ladd, in his posttribulational book The Blessed Hope and his
               Commentary on the Book of Revelation ofJohn, accepted this futuris­
                tic interpretation.
                   The Book of Revelation reveals the same major elements
                found in other passages on the Tribulation in the Old and
                New Testaments. The period is revealed to deal with Israel
                primarily and is specifically “the time of Jacob's trouble”
                (kjv). Attention is also given in these chapters to the climactic
                character of the times of the Gentiles. In chapter 19 the ulti­
                mate downfall of all Gentile power is traced to the personal
                advent of Christ to reign over the world.
                   It is notable that in this extended portion of Scripture not
                one mention of the church, the body of Christ, is found. Nor is
                there any mention of a local church in chapters 4-18 of the
                Book of Revelation in contrast to the frequent mention in
                chapters 2-3. After the message to the seven churches in Asia,
                obviously contemporary to the first century, not one reference
                is found to the church, either by the name itself or by any
                Other title peculiar to believers of this present age. While there
                is frequent mention of “saints” both in heaven and on earth,
                this is obviously a general reference that could apply to believ­
                ers in any dispensation. The church is in view in the figure of
                marriage in Revelation 19, where it is seen in heaven as the
                wife of the lamb, for whom a wedding feast is now planned on
                the earth. As such it is clearly contrasted to tribulation saints
                who are on earth.
                                 Conclusion
                   This survey of the major portions of Scripture dealing
                with the Tribulation has served to confirm the thesis that the
                church is in no way involved in this time of future trouble. It
                has further been demonstrated that, in spite of the fact that
                tribulation has characterized the warfare of the saints through
                the ages, a future time of trouble is in prospect for which the
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