The Rapture Shortly
The Resurrection at Christ’s Coming and the Outpouring of Wrath: A Biblical and Early-Church Perspective
One of the most persistent questions in Christian eschatology concerns the timing of the resurrection and the outpouring of God’s wrath. When are the saints raised? Do they endure tribulation or divine judgment? Are they present during the outpouring of wrath, or are they removed beforehand? Modern discussions often frame these questions in terms of pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post-tribulation rapture. While these categories are widely used, they sometimes obscure what Scripture and the early church actually teach.
When we examine the Bible carefully, and consider the testimony of early Christian writers such as Irenaeus and Hippolytus, a consistent pattern emerges: the righteous are raised and gathered at the appearing of Christ and are absent from the wrath that follows. This view does not require multiple resurrections or secret comings, and it honors the biblical principle that God’s faithful are not appointed to His wrath.
Resurrection at Christ’s Coming: The Biblical Foundation
Paul provides one of the clearest expositions of the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
Here, the resurrection of the dead and the gathering of the living believers occur simultaneously with Christ’s coming. There is no mention of a waiting period or enduring wrath. Believers are caught up to meet Him, removed from the world in anticipation of judgment. Paul reinforces this in 1 Thessalonians 5:9:
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These verses make it clear that God’s people are spared from the divine outpouring of wrath. They are delivered, vindicated, and preserved.
Peter echoes this hope in 2 Peter 3:10–13:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved… But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
The new creation is promised to the faithful, indicating that the resurrection and deliverance occur before the final destruction of the wicked.
The Trumpet as a Signal of Resurrection
The Bible frequently uses the trumpet to signal the resurrection or the gathering of God’s people. Matthew 24:30–31 states:
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
While at first glance, this passage appears to place the gathering after tribulation, the Greek word thlipsis, translated as “tribulation,” often refers to persecution or affliction rather than God’s wrath. Jesus’ emphasis is on the gathering of the elect, not their endurance through judgment.
Luke 21:36 provides clarity:
“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Standing before the Son of Man is a posture of vindication and deliverance, not exposure to wrath. The trumpet signals that God’s faithful are removed and protected, a pattern repeated in Revelation 7:1–4:
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God… Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
The sealing ensures the saints are spared from the judgments that follow, consistent with the sequence described in the letters of Paul.
Matthew 24:40–42: Taken or Left
Matthew 24:40–42 adds a critical piece of evidence:
“Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
The meaning of “taken” has been debated. Context and parallel passages indicate that those taken are removed for preservation, not destroyed. Luke 17:34–36 repeats this imagery, again emphasizing removal rather than punishment.
Placed within the context of Matthew 24, this event occurs at Christ’s appearing, signaling that the faithful are removed at the resurrection and gathering, while the others—those “left”—remain to face the judgments and wrath that follow. Verse 42’s exhortation to “stay awake” reinforces vigilance and readiness, linking preparedness directly to rescue from wrath.
Wrath Follows Resurrection
Once the saints are gathered, Scripture portrays God’s wrath as falling on those who remain outside His protection. This is consistent with both Old and New Testament patterns. For example, Noah and his family were removed from the Flood (Genesis 7:1–23), and Lot and his family were taken from Sodom (Genesis 19:15–25) before the judgment of fire and brimstone. Similarly, Enoch was translated before the Flood (Genesis 5:24; 1 Enoch), providing a pattern of pre-judgment removal for the righteous.
Revelation 19 shows Christ’s final triumph over the ungodly. Notice that the saints are absent—they have already been raised and gathered. Verse 11 states:
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.”
Judgment occurs after the resurrection of the righteous, confirming the sequence: resurrection, removal of the saints, then wrath on the wicked.
Early Church Testimony
Patristic writers confirm this pattern. Irenaeus, in the mid-2nd century, writes in Against Heresies 5.29:
“When in the end the Church will suddenly be caught up from this, then it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning.’”
Similarly, Hippolytus, a disciple of Irenaeus, explains in On the Antichrist 67 that:
“Those who hear the sound of the trumpet stand before the Lord at His coming. Then the wrath is poured out. They do not resurrect after the wrath, but before it begins.”
These sources show that the early church consistently taught that the resurrection of the saints occurs before the outpouring of wrath, directly contradicting post-tribulation models that have believers enduring God’s judgment.
Scriptural Precedents and Patterns
This sequence is deeply rooted in Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 – resurrection at Christ’s coming
1 Thessalonians 5:9 – believers are not appointed to wrath
Luke 21:36 – standing before the Son of Man implies escape
Revelation 7:1–4 – sealing of God’s servants before judgment
Revelation 14:1–5 – the 144,000 are with the Lamb before plagues
Genesis 7 & 19 – Noah and Lot removed before judgment
1 Enoch 91–93 – symbolic preservation of the righteous before judgment periods
The pattern is consistent: God preserves His people before executing judgment. Matthew 24:40–42 fits this same pattern. Those taken are preserved; those left face judgment.
Naming the Model
This model is historically and biblically sound, but what should we call it? It is:
Pre-Wrath Resurrection – emphasizing the removal of the righteous before God’s wrath
Pre-Judgment Removal – neutral, historically accurate, and descriptive
Single-Parousia, Pre-Wrath Model – technically precise: one appearing, one resurrection, saints spared from wrath
The early church often called it simply “the blessed hope”, as in Titus 2:13:
“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The focus is always hope, deliverance, and resurrection, rather than survival through judgment.
Pastoral Implications
Matthew 24:40–42, Luke 21:36, 1 Thessalonians 4, and Revelation 7 all emphasize readiness, vigilance, and hope. The resurrection at Christ’s coming is a moment of deliverance and vindication, not fear or endurance of wrath. God’s faithful are taken out of the world at the precise moment of His appearing, ensuring that the outpouring of wrath falls only on the ungodly.
For believers today, this provides both comfort and a call to faithful living. The focus is on living in readiness, being counted among the “taken,” and anticipating the blessed hope of resurrection and eternal life.
Conclusion
Careful reading of Scripture, combined with the testimony of early church fathers, reveals a clear, consistent pattern:
Christ appears (parousia)
The dead in Christ are resurrected and living believers gathered (1 Thess. 4:16–17)
Separation occurs: one taken, one left (Matt. 24:40–42)
Saints stand before Christ, absent from wrath (Luke 21:36; Rev. 7:1–4)
God’s wrath is poured out on the ungodly (Rev. 19)
This model is biblical, patristic, and coherent, restoring the emphasis of early Christian hope: resurrection, deliverance, and vindication. It aligns with Old Testament typology, New Testament teaching, and the writings of the early Church. By embracing this understanding, believers can anchor their hope in Christ, knowing that the resurrection occurs at His coming, and that the faithful are spared from His wrath.
