Postribulationism and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Dr. Mal Couch

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Introductions

From the perspective of those ofus who hold to a pretribulational rapture, posttribulationism wrecks havoc onthe Word of God, and especially the eschatological framework of events that areyet future. Advocates of posttribulationism have to work hard at re-writingwhat is obvious in prophecy, redefine, and reconfigure the meaning of biblicaltexts.

Thisstudy will attempt to answer the posttribulational arguments concerning the Dayof the Lord, its relation to the rapture, and its teaching about the Man of Sinin 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

Thispaper will cover the following:

.DefiningPosttribulationism

.Posttribulational arguments

DouglasJ. Moo

BobGundry

.Anexegesis of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

.Ananalysis of additional passages of Scripture

_________________

Defining Posttribulationism

Ryriewrites that Posttrib

teachesthat the Rapture and the Second Coming are facets of a single

eventthat will occur at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns.

Thechurch will be on earth during the Tribulation to experience the

eventsof that period.(Ryrie, 582)

Walvoorddescribes some of the workings of posttribulationism:

Generally speaking, posttribulationists are content to attack

otherpoints of view rather than setting forth their own arguments.

Actuallythe church is never found in any portion of Scripture

dealingwith the time of the tribulation, and the translation of the

churchis never mentioned in any passage picturing the return of

Christto set up His kingdom. Posttribulationism is built principally

uponthe identification of the church with tribulation saints, a

conclusionwhich is without substantiation in Scripture.

Posttribulationistscannot cite a single passage where this confusion

isjustified, and their arguments as a whole have been often refuted.

forthis reason most thorough-going premillenarians have abandoned

theposttribulation position as not being the hope for the rapture of

thechurch taught in the Scriptures. (TheMillennial Kingdom, 249-50)

Posttribteaches that the church, comprised of Jews or Gentiles, will go through this terrible period but will be spared and willescape death. The rapture will take place sometime within the tribulation, orat the end. These church saints will go up in the clouds and almost instantlyreturn with Christ to enjoy His kingdom reign. Some who hold the Posttrib viewbelieve that the parents of the millennial population come from the 144,000witnessing Jews of Revelation 7.

McAvoysays, that from Bob Gundry's writings,

It is difficult to stateprecisely [his] view concerning the

relationshipbetween the church, the outpouring of God's wrath,

andthe tribulation period. He himself makes no precise summary

statement,and in fact seems unable to make up his mind as he

vacillatesbetween positions in which are mutually exclusive. For

example,does he wrath of God fall anywhere within the tribulation

period?On the one hand, Gundry's answer is, no. On the other

hand,he places the outpouring of God's wrath after the tribulation,

andon the other hand, places it during thetribulation. (Dissertation,

251)

And,

Gundry's arguments vary,depending upon which position he is

defending.Some of his arguments are given in defense of the view that

divinewrath will be poured out during the latter part of the tribulation

andthat the church will remain on earth during that time but will receive

"shelter"or protection. Other of his arguments defend the view that

divinewrath is not poured out until after thetribulation, and that

thechurch will be raptured prior to that outpouring. (Ibid., 252)

StanleyGundry edited a book entitled Three Views of the Rapture in which Douglas J. Moo, an advocate of the Posttribposition, lists the main components of this view. Moo writes:

(1) "It is important to recognize that God's people can remain on earth while escaping the wrath." (italics mine)(174)

(2) The Day of the Lord includes the Parousia (the second coming)of Christ, along with the Rapture and the resurrection of the righteous dead.(184)

(3) The nation of Israel and the church are mixed together in thetribulation. Moo writes with double-talk:

What is important is todistinguish between prophecies

directed to Israel as a nation (and which must be fulfilled

in a national Israel) and prophecies directed to Israel asthe people

of God (which can be fulfilled in the people of God-apeople

that includes the church!). It should be noted that such an

approach is not allegorical ornonliteral; it simply calls upon

the interpreter to recognize theintended scope of any specific

prophecy. It is our contention,then, that the Great Tribulation

predicted for Israel by, e.g.,Daniel, is directed to Israel as the

people of God. It can therefore befulfilled in the people of

God, which includes the church aswell as Israel. (Gundry, 207)

(4) In the Posttrib view, imminence no longer is the Blessed Hope of the any-hour return of Christ for Hischurch. Though the doctrine of imminence should not be jettisoned, Moo writes,it simply "expresses the supremely important conviction that the gloriousreturn of Christ could take placewithin any limited period of time-the next few years." (Gundry, 208)

(5) In the Posttrib position, the contexts of the rapturepassages, such as 1 Thessalonians 4, are mixed and mingled with Christ'sstatements to a future Jewish generation to be watching and waiting forChrist's coming as king, as in Matthew 24-25. This "waiting and watching" forthe second coming, the Parousia, is then transferred over to the idea oflooking for the coming of the antichrist.

(6) In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Day of the Lord is seen as theParousia, and also the

Rapture of the church. (Gundry,188)

(7) In 2 Thessalonians 2 "Paul points to an indisputablytribulational event, the

revelation of the Antichrist, asevidence that the 'Day' has not come,

surely implies that believers willsee it (and the antichrist) when it doesoccur.

(Gundry, 189)

In 1Thessalonians 5:5-9, Moo writes that the church believers who are in thetribulation can avoid "wrath" judgment by godly living. He says, "Paul exhortsthe Thessalonians to live godly lives in order that they might avoid thejudgment aspect of the Day [of the Lord]-not that they might avoid the [very]Day itself." (Gundry, 186)

If Moo's teaching on Posttrib istypical of the modern thinking on this doctrine, it is overwhelmingly clearthat the greatest error is the confounding and co-mingling of biblicalcontexts. Context violation can be said to be the hallmark of the view.

Summingup what Moo teaches:

.The Dayof the Lord is the rapture and the Parousia of Christ.

.Matthew24-25 is tied to 1 Thessalonians 4 and 2 Thessalonians 2.

.The"watching" passages in Matthew 24 are transferred to 2 Thessalonians 2

automatically.

.Thechurch is certain to be in the tribulation and is seen together with Israel.

.The churchwill be in the tribulation wrath but will avoid the judgmental aspects by

godlyliving.

.Churchbelievers are to be looking for the antichrist before looking for Christ's

return.

In BobGundry's book First the Antichrist (Baker, 1997 ), he writes,

Sofirst the Antichrist. Only then the Christ. First the tribulation.

Onlythen the Day of the Lord. Christians aren't in the dark. They

won'tbe surprised by the Day of the Lord, the coming of

Christ.They'll know ahead of time that the Antichrist's rebellion

andrevelation signal its nearness. (22)

WhileBob Gundry commits what I consider a multitude of errors in his Posttrib views,I have isolated three that I consider violate good hermeneutical principles.These violations have to do with two passages of Scripture, and a specificconclusion he rides without letup in his book.

1Thessalonians 5:2-6. Paul reminds thischurch,

Foryou yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will

comejust like a thief in the night. While they are saying, 'Peace

andsafety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly

likebirth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not

escape.But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day

shouldovertake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light

and sons of day. We are not ofnight nor of darkness; so then

letus not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

Bob Gundryagrees with the Pretrib view that the "they" who claim peace and safety are theunbelievers. But he then reasons that the church will go into this day of wrathbut believers will be more informed. This terrible day will overtake thechurch, but not overtake believers as a thief! (v. 4).

Why willit not overtake the church as a thief? Gundry answers: because Paul told theThessalonian church when he was with them that the Day of the Lord "won'tarrive unless that evil figure 'is revealed.'" (20)

Gundryjust pulled a switch on the reader of his book! He suddenly is arguing that theDay of the Lord comes at the end of the tribulation, therefore, the church willgo through the tribulation and also see the antichrist.

BobGundry says Christians "'are not in darkness'" simply because they know thetimes and seasons. "They already know whose coming (the antichrist's) has toprecede the Lord's coming," Gundry writes. (20)

Inanswering Bob Gundry, it is important to understand how Paul begins 1Thessalonians 5. The Thessalonians did not have to be taught the doctrine ofthe Day of the Lord. Paul says they know this truth, probably from all of theOld Testament teaching on the subject, and what Paul probably taught them (v.1). Paul goes on and writes that the Thessalonians are not of darkness (v. 5).He is not referring to their knowledge about the subject of the Day of theLord, but the fact that they are of the category of those who are born again,of those who will be delivered by the rapture from the seven-year tribulationperiod. Paul adds that believers belong to the category of "sons of light andsons of day," not of the category of those who are of the night and live indarkness (v. 5). Believers are urged to live soberly (vs. 6-8) as a moralinjunction, but Paul makes no mention that this will keep them from the horrorsof tribulation judgment. Paul does not connect this sober living with the ideaof being sober in looking for the antichrist, as most Posttribers would argue! Thisidea is an assumption and a great leap of logic by Gundry and other Posttribadvocates!

Matthew24. Gundry and all of those who hold to thePosttrib view tie Christ's words to some future generation of Jewish believers,who are indeed in the tribulation, and to the church and "those in Christ." They have somehow plopped thechurch into the teachings of Christ to the Jews and to His Jewish disciples. Inthe Olivet Discourse that reveals the tribulation and the second coming ofChrist, "Of that day and hour [of the Parousia] no one knows" (Matt. 24:36),the Posttribers apply to the church and to Christians. "The elect" (v. 22) arecalled church saints with no thought for the contextual setting that isdefinitely Jewish, and with Jesus answering Jewish questions and issues!

Gundrywill argue: when the Messiah, the Son of Man, comes to earth, and is mourned byall the tribes of the earth, the "gathering together His elect" (vs. 30-31) isthe rapture of church saints.

Theallusion to the antichrist (Daniel's Abomination of Desolation) in verse 15,Gundry says will be witnessed by church believers passing through theseven-year tribulation. Gundry without hesitation transports Olivet Discourseverses directly to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and argues that the church will seethe antichrist doing his evil deeds.

Theproblem again is context, context, context! Most Posttribers cross over withouthesitation from one context to another, ignoring sound observation of what isreally going on in the passages of Scripture. They usually fail to ask what,why, who, where, and when.

Paultells Christians to be watching for the antichrist. So says Bob Gundry! This becomes his compelling point: "Christians are instructedto watch for the coming of the Day of theLord and the prior revelation of the antichrist." Gundry writes:

The Apostle Paul tells Christiansin the church at

Thessalonica,Greece, that they should be watchful for the

comingof "the Day of the Lord" (1 Thess. 5:1-11, especially

verse6: "Therefore, then, let us not sleep, as the rest do, but

letus watch and stay sober"). Paul has just described "the

coming of the Lord," which includesa catching up, or rapture,

of Christians "to meet the Lord inthe air" as he descends

(1 Thess. 4:16-17). So the Day ofthe Lord can't

arrivetill after the rebellion that Antichrist will lead during the

tribulation. Yet Christians are supposed to watch for that

posttribulationalday. (Gundry, 19, 21)

Gundrypurposely misses the point here in 1 Thessalonians 5. He argues that "watch andstay sober" (v. 6) must have an object, and that object is the coming of theantichrist. But Paul has in mind a moral and spiritual "awake-ness." He remindsbelievers that they are of the category of the saved, of those who are "sons oflight and sons of day" (v. 5). Paul is referring to a spiritual mandate and aspiritual and moral walk. The apostle continues and describes the unsaved whosleep in the night and "who get drunk at night" (v. 7). He further argues thatto be sober is to put on the "breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, thehope of salvation" (v. 8). Paul nevers says this is a call to be looking forthe antichrist. This "salvation" ("sotarias")here in context should be translated deliverance, rescue. In my opinion, spiritual salvation is not in view, but instead Paul has in mind thedeliverance through the pretribulational rapture of the church:

"For God has not destined us forwrath but for obtaining salvation (deliverance) through our Lord Jesus Christ"(1 Thess. 1:9). The Lord has not destined us "into ("eis") wrath" (v. 9), but "out from ("ek") the wrath on its way" (1:10). 1:10 can best betranslated: "to be waiting for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from thedead, that is Jesus, who will be delivering us ("ruomai," dragging away as from danger) out from the wrath that is on its way."

Comingback to 5:6, what could the believers be alert and watching for? The answerseems to be found in 1:10. They are to be waiting for God's Son from heaven!

But fromall of these verses, Gundry tries desperately to build his scenario that Paulis urges believers to be watching for the coming of the antichrist. He writes:

.TheDay of the Lord [is] an object of Christians' watching. (29)

.Thenew topic is Christians to be watchful for the Day of the Lord. (30)

.Christianswatchfulness doesn't begin till after the tribulation. (39)

.Paulis telling Christians to watch for the coming of the Day of the Lord. (46)

Mostrespected commentators do not agree with Gundry. They see the expression tobe sober in a spiritual-moral sense, not inthe sense of being soberly awaitingwhen the Day of the Lord comes, and the antichrist shows up. For example, notewhat some Greek scholars say about the words let us not sleep, bealert and sober in 1 Thessalonians 5:6:

.Christians are summoned to live up their privileges andpositions toward the Lord.

(Nicoll)

.Ethical restraint is in view. (Wanamaker)

.Sleeping shows indifference to spiritual realities in view.(Ritchie)

.Being awake means "to be calm, sober-minded." (Robertson)

."Don't go into a spiritual slumber, stay awake as to whatis happening

aroundyou, and don't lose your spiritual senses in a world of

darkness,because you really belong to the day and not to the night." (Couch)

.Believers escape God's wrath whether they are watchful ornot (1:10). This

isa powerful argument for a pretribulational Rapture. (Constable, BKC)

.Self-control, control themselves. (Millagan)

.Freedom from intoxicants, alertness, stability. (Vine)

.Paul is eager to share with his disciples theresponsibilities entailed [in]

Christianprivileges. (Lightfoot)

BobGundry is consumed with the idea that Paul is telling believers to be"watchful" for the antichrist and the Day of the Lord. He argues "watchfulnessand sobriety in view of what? The coming of the Day of the Lord." (30) Thisargument is not supportable from the full context of what Paul is trying tosay.

Gundryhas to jump back to Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse, and argue that thegeneration Jesus was speaking was both a future Jewish generation, but also afinal generation of those in the church age, who would see "the Abomination ofDesolation," i.e., the desecration of the antichrist in the temple (v. 15). Itis true this context indicates the passage is referring to a future generationof Jews in the tribulation who will see these events take place in a rebuilttemple. But again, the passage is silent about the dispensation of the churchage. Since the actual, historic figure of the antichrist did not come to thetemple in 70 AD, the words of Jesus, and of Paul, point to some far futureevent. None of the verses in theOlivet Discourse or the Thessalonian letters say the church believers will seethis prophecy coming to pass.

BobGundry cites many other arguments that I consider extremely weak, and even somethat are intellectually dishonest.

He saysthat since the words "saints," "witnesses," and "servants" are used in Acts andPaul's epistles, when these words are used in the body of the book ofRevelation, from chapters seven and on, they must be referring to thechurch.(85) Again, the hermeneutical principle of context is tossed out thewindow. These words are used frequently in the Old Testament. Should we applythese expressions to the church, in the Old Testament?

In thoseOld Testament verses it is said to the Jewish people, "Fear the Lord, you Hissaints" (Ps. 34:9), and "You are My witnesses" (Isa. 43:10), and then, "Israel,My servant" (41:8). Are these words truly describing the church in the OldTestament? While these words represent great spiritual principles that we canappreciate in their Old Testament setting, are they technical terms appliedhere to indicate church believers?

Whatwould Gundry say about these words used in the Mosaic Law dispensation? Theseare good and valid words. However, because they are used in the Old Testament,this does indicate that "the church" is there! But this is the kind ofreasoning Gundry uses to say the church is in the book of Revelation, and inthe Olivet Discourse in the Gospels.

Gundryalso uses a cold and dried up argument against the pretibulational rapture.Some older dispensationalists used Revelation 4:1 to say John's going up toheaven is symbolic of the rapture of the church. (84) Gundry sets this argumentup as a straw man, and then sets out to knock it down. (I personally neverheard of this argument until I read his book. I would not lean on this verse tosupport a pretribulational rapture.)

It is not the purpose of this paper to deal with 2Thessalonians 1:3-12. I believe this section of verses is about the secondcoming of the Lord Jesus. A paper needs to be presented on this because Ibelieve there are some issues that should be addressed from our premillennialand dispensational viewpoint. So I will confine my attention to 2:1-12 only.(Some of the material below comes from my Thessalonian commentary The Hopeof Christ's Return [AMG Publishers]. However, many new comments onthese verses have been added.)

The Outline.

Paul's Doctrinal Concern About the Day of the Lord(2:1-17)

A. "The Misunderstanding" (2:1-3)

B. The Man of Lawlessness Described (2:4)

C. The "Reminder" (2:5)

D. The Restraining of the Antichrist (2:6-9)

E. The Judgment of the Wicked (2:10-12)

The Thessalonians had received the clear teachingabout the Lord's coming in the rapture. They were blessed by this teaching, asthe apostle had reminded them in 1 Thessalonians 1:10. Their hearts and mindshad been greatly encouraged by this blessed hope. Paul had taught them thistruth when he was with them. In addition, they were told they would not undergothe day of the Lord, the wrath: "Jesus, the Deliverer (the One who snatches) usaway from the wrath that is on its way" (1:10), and "For God has not destinedus for wrath" (5:9).

Theapostle Paul calms the emotions of the new converts (1) by explaining that theyare not in the day of the Lord, (2) by showing that the man of sin must alsofirst be revealed, and (3) by using the certainty of the rapture (as describedin 1 Thessalonians) as the basis for removing their doubts. Paul's purpose willbe to show that grace will operate before judgment; the rapture will take placebefore that "dreaded day." He states the truth with warmth, affection, and theassurance of the first verse, "our gathering together to Him."

2:1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming

ofour Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

Now. With now (de) the apostle radicallychanges the subject from chapter 1. "He now turns aside (de) to correct any mistakes which his mention of this daymay have occasioned, to calm any feverish desires which it may have excited."(Lightfoot) De is "used toconnect one clause with another when it is felt that there is some contrastbetween them" (BAG)

Theapostle now moves from discussing the second coming of Christ for judgment, andthe glory He will bring in regard to His saints, to the issue of the rapture again.The now (de) has him moving back to the rapture issue he dealt socompletely with in 1 Thessalonians, but from that epistle, he wants to bringsomething back up he had previously discussed. A. T. Robertson would probablypoint to the emphatic, intensive meaningof de. The word causes thereaders to re-focus: Touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (A. T. Robertson) With de "the apostle thus passes to [his] main theme of theepistle." (Vine) The opening of the verse could read Now I really want tobring something else up I've discussed before!

Werequest. Paul is using one of the mostcommon words for ask, request (erotao, present active indicative) in a more forceful waythan is usual. Erotao is moreappropriate with exhortation and its urgency is heightened (Milligan), thoughit is also given in a kindly spirit. (Lenski) "Paul begs his readers not to bethrown into consternation or kept in a flutter of excitement over that matterof the Parousia, or 'coming.'" (PCH) Now we really want to beurging you on another matter.

Brethren. The apostle repeatedlyuses adelphos in the Thessalonians epistles, because he felt suchcomradeship with those suffering believers in that city.

Withregard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With regard (huper)to the "coming" (parousia)introduces the subject at hand. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10, Paul had writtenabout the distinction between the rapture of the church and the day of theLord, however, false prophets began confusing the Christians by teaching theyhad missed the "catching up" (4:17) and were already in the hour of terror. On huperBarnes translates the phrase bythe coming, respecting the coming of ourLord Jesus Christ.

Almostall commentators, non-dispensational and otherwise, tie this phrase and whatfollows, with 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and the rapture. "Paul is, of course,referring to the event of 1 Thess. 4:16, the Rapture." (Ritchie)

Andour gathering together to Him. Is this synonymouswith the first clause? Our gathering together to Him fits withthe rapture and not the second coming. This is the opinion of most of the Greekcommentators. Both Alford and Robertson see "the coming" and "the gatheringtogether to Him" as the same thing. The grammar probably well supports this bythe use of the one preposition huper (concerning,regarding), which controls the two nouns "the coming" and "thegathering-together." Thus it would read, "With regard to the coming of our LordJesus Christ even our gatheringtogether to Him."

"In reference to our being gathered unto Him." (Barnes) Vinestrongly concurs and writes

thearticle appears before parousia and isnot repeated before

episunagoge,indicating that these are complimentaryelements

inone event.

Ellicottsays the gathering together refers to the meeting together of the dead and thealive as found in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-15, 17. A. T. Robertson adds, "Paul isreferring to the Rapture, mentioned in 1 Thess. 4:15-17 and the being foreverwith the Lord thereafter."

Gatheringtogether is actually three words (epi-syn-ogoge)combined to make one-epi (upon),syn (together), and ago (tolead), or, "to lead upon together." Thefinal prepositional phrase to Him, Alfordsays better reads, "up to Him."

Despitebeing momentarily confused about these events, the Thessalonians had been welltaught. They knew that their suffering would be rewarded at Christ's coming forHis church. Their eyes would behold Him in the air as they are caught away fromthis sinful world. If they died before the rapture, they still had hope ofexperiencing this event and receiving a new, eternal body. Paul

beseechesthem by this event, for if their hearts could but grip the

factthat their "gathering together unto him," their being taken to

heaven,and thus being "forever with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17), meant

theywould be delivered from the coming wrath on earth, then all fear

mustvanish. (Ritchie)

2:2 thatyou may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be

disturbedeither by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from

us, to theeffect that the day of the Lord had come.

Thatyou may not be quickly shaken from your composure. The key to this entire passage may be found in that (eis to). Theeis to introduces an object clause justas it does in 1 Thess. 2:12; 3:10. The eis to states the contents of the request. (Lenski) A. T.Robertson says eis to with theinfinitive is Paul's favorite idiom for purpose, as in 1:11 (eis ho).Milligan translates the passage: "To theend that you be not readily driven away from your sober sense, as a ship fromits safe anchorage." Alford writes, "in order that you might not be shaken." Ina sense the Thessalonian believers were helpless to stop the anxiety becausethey were told by false teachers that they were in the day of the Lord.

"Quickly" could be translated "not be hastily, readily" shaken. Many ofthe believers seem to have been overwhelmed, thrown into shock. Tacheos("quickly") could also be translated "afterso short a time" (Lightfoot), that is, so quickly after Paul had taught them onthese matters. Some false teachers must have tossed the assembly literally intoa spin.

Fromyour composure actually means "from yourmind" (apo tou noos). Noos refers to the "mind, reason, sobersense, composure" or "wit." They were losing their minds, their reasoningability was shaken in regard to their thinking they were in the Day of theLord. "This came as a shock to the mind and then left them in the greatestmental agitation. Note that Christians are to keep their heads against errorand fanatic notions." (Lenski)

Or bedisturbed. This is the most emotional wordPaul uses in this discussion. Disturbed (throeo, present passive infinitive) is a strong and powerfulword in Greek that is used only here and in two other places in the NewTestament (Matt. 24:6; Mark 13:7). It means "to cry aloud" as in pain ortumult. With the present tense and passive voice it can be translated "to beput in[to] a state of shock" as if the Day of the Lord is going on now(Robertson). They were continually disturbed, shaken, but they were not to bealarmed so easily. (NTC) It is interesting that the word throeo is used in Mattew 24:6 and Mark 13:7 in the samecontext about the tribulation, or the Day of the Lord, with the same warning byChrist that Paul uses. "It seems fair to conclude that Paul is practicallyquoting Jesus [here in Thessalonians]." (Lenski)

Tothe end that the Day of the Lord has come.Vine puts it this way:

tothe end that-these words are to beconnected with "we beseech

you."In the previous letter he had reassured them concerning the future

oftheir departed [loved ones and the rapture], here he reassures them concerning

their own present experiences; the afflictions they were enduringwere

not evidence that the day of the Lord had set in.

Despitetheir troubles (1:4) these new believers were not in the Day of the Lord asthey thought and as they were told. It is important to properly understand theexpression "being gathered together to Him." This indicates that they could notbe so entangled with that awful period, that they were being left behind in it."In fact, their 'being gathered to him' will be the event that signals the[beginning of the Day of the Lord]." (EBC)

Theday of the Lord has come. Has come isthe perfect active indicative of enistemi ("put in place"). It is interesting that Paul here uses the perfecttense. The question that I would raise is: how far can the force of the perfecttense be taken here? Could it be part of the key in understanding the problemwe are addressing with the posttribulationists?

Dana andMantey remind us that "It is bestto assume that there is a reason for the perfect [tense] wherever it occurs."(200) They add,

The perfect is the tense ofcomplete action. Its basal significance is the progress of an act or state to apoint of culmination and the existence of its finished results. That is, itviews action as a finished product. It implies a process, but views thatprocess as having reached its consummation and existing in a finished state. In the indicative the perfect signifies action as complete from the point ofview of present time. (200)

Theperfect tense here with the verb enistemi shouldbe noted carefully. We may read the verse, along with the thoughts that follow:Do not think that the day of the Lord has been progressively coming intoplace, and has finally arrived, with tribulation events falling upon you. Paul'sstatement clearly demands a negative answer. It has not!

2:3 Because [the Day of the Lord] cannot [come] [except, unless] the falling awaycomes first, and [then] the unlawful man [the Rebel, Ellicott] should be revealed forth.

Unless the falling away comes first isa third class subjunctive with the negative condition, and the aorist tense."It expresses that which is not really taking place but which probably willtake place in the future." (Summers) The apostasy (the rapture, or thereligious apostasy), has not yet taken place. This is yet future. Neither hadthe unlawful man arrived.

Lightfoot says the order of things here is important. "The [Coming]of the Lord will not take place unlessthere come the Apostasy first." When will this happen?

The time of this apostasy fromChrist of which the apostle speaks

isnot indicated. The centuries since the words were written have not

producedthe person here described as displaying fully the

characteristicsof the apostasy. The conclusion that the prophecy awaits

fulfillmentseems inevitable. (Vine)

Putting all of this section together it could read:

Nowwe urge you, brothers, with reference to the [subject] of the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,even our gathering together up to

Him,that you be not shaken thinking that the terrible Day

ofthe Lord had arrived already! It has not!

Or,

Weurge you not to be shaken in thinking that the day of the Lord

hascome, because when we told you before about the coming of the

Lordto take you home, we indicated that you would not go under

thewrath that would follow!

2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or

objectof worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,

displayinghimself as being God.

The self-exaltation will take place halfway throughthe tribulation. This unlawful one, or rebel, the beast of the book ofRevelation 13, will speak arrogant and blasphemous words (v. 5), blasphemeagainst God, His name, and His temple, and all who are in heaven (v. 6). Whilehe makes his move against the world and against God halfway through thetribulation, it must be remembered that he starts this terrible period when he,described as "the prince" in Daniel 9:26, makes the seven year covenant thatturns out to be the seven year period of tribulation (v. 27).

Theantichrist then is right up front when the covenant is made. This covenant, Ibelieve, is the seven-year tribulation, and the Day of the Lord. Therefore, thechurch will not see any of the activities of the antichrist, nor will she gothrough the Day of the Lord, i.e., the tribulation and the wrath. It must alsobe remembered that he is revealed "in his time" (2 Thess. 2:7). Or, "in theseason of him." Season is kairos.I believe the antichrist's kairosis part of the Day of the Lord Paul speaksof in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2.

Antichrist is to come at just the right and appropriate period of worldhistory, i.e., his season. The iniquityof the Gentiles will be piled up, and judgment through his evilness will be dueupon the nations. "As there was an exact season for Christ to appear, so alsois there for Satan's false christ. He is but a man; [but] God will determinehis permitted season." (Ritchie)

Again,there is no evidence whatsoever that believers "in Christ" (the technicalexpression for the church) will see the antichrist in action, though we may seehim soon as some charismatic and talented military or political world figure.But before the rapture of the church I do not believe we will recognize hisreal identity.

There isno evidence whatsoever that the church will experience the period of theseven-year tribulation. Try as they may, posttribulationalists cannot maketheir scheme work.

Thearguments above make sense to most premillennialists in demonstrating the factthat the church will not go through the "wrath" of the tribulation, therefore,church saints will not see the revealing of the antichrist and the tribulation.However, these arguments are not sufficient for posttribulationalists becausethey do not observe carefully enough the contextual settings of Matthew 24 andthe Olivet Discourse. This is also true of how they see the issue of the"saints" on earth, and the "saints" in heaven, in the book of Revelation, andas well, the prophetic events described that are going on in the two Thessalonianletters.

Theissue of context becomes one ofthe most important tools for answering posttribulationism.

The Contextual Issues

Bob Gundry wants to make a distinction between God'swrath and the seven-year tribulation. He argues that "No saved person cansuffer [God's wrath]--that much is clear. So whoever they are [in the book ofRevelation], saints of the tribulation won't have the bowls of God's wrathpoured out on them. the wrath will fall only on unbelievers." (51) Byarguing this way, Gundry can state that the church will not be raptured untilthe tribulation is complete. However in his view, the church will avoid thewrath.

But thenGundry goes silent. He makes no honest effort to explain how all this worksout. He has no argument as to why there are no passages in the Pauline writingsthat tell us how to be prepared for the devilish deeds of the antichrist.Gundry simply fights with all of his might against pretribulationalism, as wespeak of it, and then comes to a dead end as to what the tribulation will belike for the church.

Besides placing the church in Matthew 24, Bob Gundrysees the church in the tribulation of the book of Revelation. He writes, "TheBook of Revelation puts saved people in the tribulation. Lots of them, infact." (47) By this he means the church saved. He then cites Revelation 7:9-10,11-17 and adds, "Elsewhere the Book of Revelation calls these people 'saints'(see especially 13:7, which reports that the Beast will make war against thesaints and conquer them, that is, persecute them to the point of martyrdom;also 5:8; 8:3, 4; 11:18; 13:10; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:8)." (48)

BobGundry continues to mix apples and oranges and refuses to see, in thisRevelation 7 context, that the church has already gone into heaven in thepretribulational rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18), before the day of the Lord(5:1-on).

Despitehow Bob Gundry argues and attempts to place the church in the period of thewrath, there is an overwhelming silence about the church being in thetribulation events of Matthew 24. (Walvoord and Ryrie have pointed this out.)By the argument of silence I mean that there is nothing that would indicatethat the church believers are being addressed in the context of the OlivetDiscourse, and in the book of Revelation. We see believing Jews there, thegeneric you, those who are caught inthe tribulation, who are enlightened and who trust their Messiah.

To me, Paul seems clear about this when he says they, implying the world, will say "peace and safety," with destructioncoming upon them (1 Thess.5:1-3). Despite what the Gundrys say, Paul does not warn the church believersthat they will see the son of destruction entering the temple and declaringhimself God (2 Thess. 2:4-9), nor does he say the church believers will bedeceived, or even be around, when the Lord sends strong delusion on them, the world (vv. 10-12).

While itis true there are saints mentioned in Revelation 6-18 (8:3, 4; 11:18; 13:7, 10;14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:8; 20:9), after chapter 3, one does not seethe expressions "those in Christ," "the body of Christ," "Christian," or theword "church."

Whilearguing from silence must be handled carefully in interpretation, silence isstill a compelling hermeneutical principle that can be taken intoconsideration. In the passages of Scripture where the posttribulationalistswant to place the church (as in: the Olivet Discourse passages; 1 Thessalonians5:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, and the book of Revelation), good hermeneuticalobservation in these passages does not come up with the church, the body ofChrist. Paul never says the church is being warned about the coming antichrist,nor are "those in Christ" seen as going under the wrath and the terrors of theDay of the Lord. Remember, the expressions "in Christ," "the body of Christ"are technical expressions for the dispensation of the church.

Paulwrites, "Yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord will come justlike a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2). Paul reminds the Thessalonian churchthat he had taught about this earlier (v. 1). In 2 Thessalonians 2:5 he adds,"Do you not remember that while I was with you, I was telling you thesethings?" The apostle goes on and writes that the Thessalonian church "knew" what was now restraining the antichrist (v. 6), andthat in his the season ("kairos") that is particular to him (v. 6b), he would be uncovered, revealed("apokalupto").

Theunlawful one will then ("tote") "at somefuture time be uncovered" after the "restrainer," who I believe is the HolySpirit, will move aside from His work of restraining (v. 7). Ellicott writes,"The Spirit shall become out of the [one] sphere into another," or "He thatwithholds disappears from the midst." Alford says, "He that hinders shall beremoved." "The Holy Spirit is present in order to save the lost during thetribulation, but He will no longer restrain sin; His restraining activity willbut cease." (Couch)

The Question Remains Will the Church Go into the Tribulation?

WhilePaul writes about the day of the Lord in verse 2, he in no way implies that the church will be living throughthis period. Here posttribulationalists use silence in reverse. Gundry wouldsay: "The church must be going through the period of the Day of the Lordbecause Paul did not say it would not!"

Bob Gundry tries to use the argument of silence against pretribulational-rapturists. He writes, "'What isgood for the goose is good for the gander': If the absence of 'church' fromearthly scenes [in the book of Revelation] were to imply an absence of thechurch down here, then the absence of "church" from heavenly scenes would implyan absence of the church up there." (84)

How dowe answer this charge?

BobGundry seems to have us in a hermeneutical chock hold! We have argued that theword "church" is not mentioned after Revelation 3, and specifically, she is notseen on earth in the chapters on the tribulation. He would argue against us,that we cannot call the great heavenly company in 5:8-14 the raptured church.

We wouldrespond back the following way:

1. This great company from every tribe, tongue, people, andnation in chapter 5 is seen in heaven before the tribulation begins in chapter 6. It is important to observe thatthis great crowd is not described as martyrs. (Though there certainly have beenmartyrs during the church age.) As the book of Revelation develops, all otherreferences to great companies of heavenly worshippers have come out of thetribulation as martyrs (7:9-8:6; 14:1-5; 15:1-8).

2. We would further add: an a priori argument is legitimate in hermeneutics. By this Imean, to settle the Revelation 5 issue with Gundry, we can go back to earlierclear and airtight rapture passages. The great rapture passages tell us thechurch will be delivered "from(away from) the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10), "will be caught up to heaven tomeet the Lord in the air" (4:17), is "not destined for wrath" (5:9), and iseven presently "looking for the blessed hope even the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior,Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13). Such verses set the direction for other latercontexts that come along, say in Revelation.

Aspretribulational-rapturists, we do not place our full weight of arguments onRevelation 5:8-14. But that this passage seems best to represent the church inheaven of those who have died, and even the raptured church; such an argumentappears to make the most sense. A sound theology is constructed by placing allthe doctrinal pieces together. The pretribulational rapture of the church seemsto make full sense when all the evidence is examined.

One ofthe greatest problems Bob Gundry and other posttribulationalists seem to haveis, they fail to fully understand the unique nature of this dispensation of thechurch. Gundry admits there are people saved in the tribulation, as allpretribulationalists do. But he then gets upset when pretribulationalists arguethat church saints will be raptured before the tribulation, but that those whobecome believers during the tribulation are not spared from the wrath, and aremartyred. He notices that they are worshipping the Lord (Rev. 7:9-17) with aheavenly tent spread over them (v. 15).

ButGundry then raises certain questions and writes: take those tribulation saints

whocome out of that period. What kind of salvation

arethey celebrating if not a salvation from God's wrath? Washed

whitein the blood of the Lamb yet suffering the wrath of God

becausethey missed a pretrib rapture? (49)

While itis true that one of the elders in heaven tells John that the robed believers"are the ones who come out of the great tribulation" (7:14), the focus of thissection of Revelation is on their martyrdom, while living in that greattribulation. The focus of the context is not that they are celebrating "asalvation from God's wrath." Revelation 8 extends the thought of chapter 7 andemphasizes the suffering of the saints below by the world. Their prayers comeup to God, and a censor is filled with fiery wrath that is thrown to the earth,accompanied with thunder and lightning, and with a mighty earthquake (8:3-7).This retribution brings on even more spectacular horror below on theunrepentant world (vv. 7-11).

In myopinion there is another area where the posttribulational teaching fails!Church age believers are those who have experienced like never before thepersonal grace of God. This dispensation is without parallel. By the witness ofthe individual, and the astounding ministry of the Holy Spirit within thebeliever, the gospel of Christ has spread worldwide. Sadly, tribulation saintswill be blessed and have a profound place in the plan of God! But they willfind themselves in the crucible and cauldron of the most cursed period in humanhistory.

Whilechurch saints have been persecuted, and still are, we are now a body ofbelievers scattered throughout the nations for a distinct purpose that will endwith the rapture. While the truth of salvation will go forth in the tribulationperiod, the great forces of sin, and evil, and calamities both human andnatural, will crush the human soul and spirit. Men will seek death, hide belowground, curse and kill, steal and numb the conscience with pharmakeia.

Believersin Christ cannot boast that we have blessed this dispensation of the church; thisdispensation of the church has blessed us!

Posttribulationalists blend church saints with tribulation saints. Theyseem to fail in acknowledging the unique features of this dispensation of God'sgraciousness in the message of the gospel. In Ephesians 2-3, we see how theapostle Paul lifts to the heights God's glorious purposes for the saintedbelievers in this age of the church, this age of grace! While these verses donot in themselves present a case against posttribulationalism, they do makethis dispensation of the church a center piece of world history, activated andenlivened by the Holy Spirit. There is no indication that this dispensationwill be placed under the terrible wrath of God. The body of Christ is also thebride of Christ and will not be "punished" under the wrath to come.

Dispensationalists certainly argue that after the church has beenraptured, and the tribulation begins, many people will be saved during thatperiod. But tribulation saints are not designated the body of Christ. And agreat host of them will die the death of the martyr. They will undoubtedlysuffer from the wrath falling from above, but that suffering is interpreted interms of a great storm of persecution.

Below is a chart that may bring light to the war overcontexts. Carefully observing contexts is important in answering theposttribulationists.

To Whom Is Jesus Speaking?

Matthew 24:3. Jewish disciples ask Christ Jewishquestions about "the sign" of His coming, and the end of the age. Theirquestions had to do with Israel and the messianic hopes. The answers Jesusgives have to do with relatively near prophecies, and with far off propheticevents.

Who Is The You In TheContext?

Matthew 24:4-on.Jesus answers the disciples questions about the destruction of the temple, andabout His far off return, by using what I call the generic You. Tosome, Jesus was speaking about near events; to others, He was speaking aboutfar distant events. The "generic" You isa pronoun that must be taken in specific contexts, and those contexts could beclose or far off.

Deuteronomy 28-30.For example, Moses tells the generation about to enter Canaan that youwill be scattered among the nations (Deut. 28:64-on), but he then says you shall be restored from your captivity (30:3).Clearly, this restoration and return is addressing another you future generation. The history of the whole nationis in view. Jesus does this also in the Olivet Discourse context. He addresses You,the generation that will see thedestruction of the temple. And He addresses You, that is another generation who will see the Abomination standing in the temple(Matt. 24:15).

1Thessalonians 5:3. Ina little different way, Paul writes something similar. He says the day of theLord will fall on Them, the lost, "and they shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:3). It is a future themand not those to whom Paul is writing.

On Whom Will The Tribulation Fall?

Matthew 24:6, 8.Speaking to the Jews, the Lord says that he beginning of the tribulation eventswill frighten (throeo)a far future generation of Jews whom He addresses as You. ButJesus goes on and says there is more: "the end is not yet" (v. 6). However,what You will see is only "thebeginning of the birth pangs" (v. 8).

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.Because of their persecutions, the Thessalonian Christians also thought theywere in the day of the Lord, theend times. These believers were frightened (throeo), but Paul reminds them that the apostasy mustcome first before the unlawful man comes (v. 3). Paul never tells theThessalonian Christians to watch for these things as if they were to see them;his silence on this issue speaks volumes-they are not to undergo the day of theLord!

The Birth Pangs and the Day of the Lord

The Prophecy: "[Israel]with pains of a womanin childbirth. Alas!

forthat day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of

Jacob'sdistress" (Jer. 30:6-7).

Matthew 24:7-8. Afuture generation of Jews will see "famines and earthquakes"

these are the beginning of birth pangs."

1 Thessalonians 5:3. "WhileTHEY (not church believers who have been raptured) are saying 'Peaceand safety!' then "sudden destruction"like birth pangs upon a woman with child and THEY will not escape." Paul never says the church isto experience these birth pangs!

The Temple Abomination

The Prophecy: The prince will make a firmcovenant with many for one week.

On the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate" (Dan. 9:27).

Matthew 24:15. "Whenyou see the Abomination of desolation standing in the holy place flee."

2 Thessalonians 2:4. "[Theunlawful one] takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himselfas God."

Paulnever says church saints will see this take place.

The Great Tribulation

The Prophecies. "Greatis that day; Jacob's distress [tribulation]" ("gad'ol tzah' rah")

(Jer. 30:6-7), and "atime of distress [tribulation, "tzah'rah"](Dan. 12:1).

Matthew 24:21. A future generation of Jews will see "a greattribulation ("megale thlipsis"),since has not occurred since the beginning of the world."

Revelation 7:14. The tribulation martyrs "are the ones continually coming (hoi erchomai, presentactive participle) out from ("ek") thetribulation the great ("tas thlipseos tas megalas")." They are init and they are coming out from it!

The Church is not seen nor represented in these verses.

PosttribulationalistsSay The Word "Elect" Always Means The Church.

They Place The Church In The Context Of Matthew And Make

Specific Verses Mean The Rapture.

Matthew 24. The elect in the context of this chapter arethe Jews who are instructed by Christ to flee on the Sabbath (v. 20), who willhear of false Christs (Messiahs) (vv. 23-24), and who will be told "the Christ"may be out in the wilderness (v. 26).

But the Son of Man(a Messianic title never used in reference to the church) will be seen by allthe tribes of earth coming from heaven. He will gather together His elect (chosen ones, eklektos) from "one endof the sky to the other" (v. 30-31). By context, this is the elect of Israelnot of the church.

The Prophecies about the "elect" of Israel who are beinggathered:

. "My elect (chosen ones, bah'gheer) shallinherit [the land]" (Isa. 65:9).

. "I Myself shallgather the remnant of My flockout of all the countries where I have driven them and shall bring them back totheir pasture; and they will be fruitful and multiply" (Jer. 23:3).

. "I will gather you[Israel] from all the nations,where I have driven you and I will bring you back to the place from where Isent you into exile" (29:14).

. Further, "Iwill gather them from the remote part ofthe earth a great company shall return here" (31:8).

. "From the ends ofthe earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you [Israel], and from there He will bring you back" (Deut.30:4).

. "He who scatteredIsrael will gather him" (Jer.31:10).

. "I shallgather them from the remotest parts of theearth they shall return here" (v. 8).

The Rapture of the Church is not in Matthew 24! The gathering

of the Electis not about the rapture of the church!

TheIssue of the Birth Pangs

The Prophecy. "On that great day of Jacob'stribulation, a sound of dread and no peace,

it is the birth pangsof Jacob" (Jer. 30:6).

1 Thessalonians 5:3. "Whilethey are saying 'peaceand safety!' then sudden destruction willcome upon them suddenly like birthpangs upon a woman

with child, and they shallnot escape."

Itis never said that the Birth Pangs fall on the Church

A Comparison of Matthew 24:13 and 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Posttribulationalists use Matthew 24:8 to argue that the church must gothrough the birth pangs. Again, they take verses dealing with a far off futuregeneration of Jews and apply these words to the church. They then quote verse13 that reads: "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved." When the birth pangs (Matt. 24:8) come tocompletion, "the one who remained under ("hupomone," aorist activeparticiple) [it], [on] into ("eis") the end ("telos"),shall in the future be saved, delivered, spared ("sozo,"future passive indicative) (v. 13).

Workingfrom Matthew 24:13, the posttribulationalists go over to 1 Thessalonians 5:9and tie the two passages together. Some then argue that the church will gothrough the tribulation but will not suffer the wrath of God. The church saintswill be spared and will be raptured just before the end, or at the very end.

But howdoes 1 Thessalonians 5:9 differ from Matthew 24:13?

In 1Thessalonians 5 we read that, "The thief comes at night (vv. 2, 4), but we arenot in night/darkness (v. 5), we are sons of light and of the day (v. 5). Sincewe are of the day, we can put on "a helmet, the anticipation (Hope) of deliverance ("sotarias")" (v. 8). By this, Paulis indicating we do not belong to the night of the day of the Lord; we will bedelivered from that day, and from the birth pangs (vv. 2, 3).

The Reason We Are Delivered

"Because God has not Himself placed, positioned* (tithemi, aorist middle indicative)us into ("eis") [His] wrath(The tempest of), but ("alla," incontrast) [He has Himself placed us] into ("eis") a kept-safe, preserved ("peripoiasin," "to make anencirclement"**) deliverance("sotarias"). This deliverance isa salvation from the wrath. Paul is notspeaking about spiritual salvation per se. He is arguing thatpresent-day saints are now, presently, placed into a safe-mode, and will by nomeans go into the period, the tempest of God's wrath and anger.

*"Appointed us not to be a prey to wrath," " akeeping-safe" (Alford)

**"Bring about, make secure, preserve." (BAG). "Keeping safe." (L & S)

We needto continually be reminded that scriptural passages about our escaping thewrath of God, must be tied together to form a total teaching. The two passagesabove must be placed in context with 1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10. From the Greek textthese verses read: "You turned from idols

tobe serving a living and true God, and to be waiting for His Son

fromheaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who

isour Deliverer (Alford) or Rescuer*(Robertson) who delivers us

fromthe wrath to come.**"

* Deliverer, Rescuer (ruomai):

."The One who is rescuing" (present active participle)

.To drag away, rescue friends (L & S)

.To draw one away from danger, evil (Vincent)

.The One who will drag us [to Himself]

(The present participle probably has the force of aprophetic future. Couch)

** Wrath to come (orgeserchomai):

.[This passages] teaches the soul to wait for Hisappearing (Barnes)

.Wrath coming(present active participle)

.The certainty of a future event (Lightfoot)

.The Wrath, the absolutely coming (Vincent)

.The wrath is on its way (Ellicott)

________________

Summary and Conclusion

Posttribulationalism teaches:

Answering Posttribulationalism:

________________________

References and Abbreviations

Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament (Chicago: Moody, 1958), vol. 2. (Alford)

Barlow, George. The Preacher's Complete HomileticCommentary (Grand Rapids:

Baker,n.d.). (PCH)

Barnes, Albert. Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983), vol. 12.

(Barnes)

Couch, Mal. The Hope of Christ's Return [1 & 2Thessalonians Comm.]

(Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publications, 2001). (Couch)

Dana, H. E., Mantey, Julius. A Manual Grammar of theGreek New Testament

(New York: MacMillan, 1958). (Dana & Mantey)

Danker, Frederick William, ed. A Greek-English Lexicon ofthe New Testament

Andother Early Christian Literature (Chicago:University of Chicago,

2000).(BAG)

Gaebelein, Frank, ed. The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids:

Zondervan,1978). (EBC)

Gundry, Bob. First the Antichrist (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997). (Bob Gundry)

Gundry N. Stanley. Three Views on the Rapture (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984).

(Gundry,Moo)

Lenski, R. C. H. The Interpretation to St. Paul'sEpistles to the Thessalonians

(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1961). (Lenski)

Liddell, H. G., Scott, R. Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996). (L&S)

Lightfoot, J. B. Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul (Peabody, MS: Hendrickson, 1995).

(Lightfoot)

Millegan, George. St. Paul's Epistles to theThessalonians (Minneapolis: Klock &

Klock,1980). (Millegan)

Nicoll, W. Robertson. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988), vol.4. (Nicoll)

Robertson, A. T. Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman,

1931),vol. 4. (Robertson)

Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology (Chicago: Moody, 1999. (Ryrie)

Vine, W. E. The Collected Works of W. E. Vine (Nashville: Nelson, 1996), vol. 3.

(Vine)

Walvoord, John F., Roy Zuck. Bible Knowledge Commentary[New Testament]

(Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), quoting Constable. (BKC)

________. The Millennial Kingdom (Findlay, OH: Dunham, 1959). (Millennial

Kingdom)

Wanamaker, Charles A. Commentary on 1 & 2Thessalonians (Grand Rapids:

Eerdmans,1990). (Wanamaker)

Wilson, T., K. Stapley, eds. What the Bible Teaches[Thessalonians] (Kilmarnock,

Scotland:John Ritchie, 1983). (Ritchie)

________________

Additional Reading

McAvoy, Steven. "Posttribulationism's Appeal to Antiquity,"Part I & II The

Conservative TheologicalJournal, Couch, Mal, gen. ed. (Ft. Worth: Tyndale Seminary), Vol. 6, No. 17 (March2002); Vol. 6, No. 18 (August 2002).

_______. "A Critique of Robert Gundry'sPosttribulationalism," An unpublished doctoral

dissertationat Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX: May 1986.