Pre-Wrath Rapture Theory Demolished! A Critique of Before God's Wrath

By Lyle E Cooper

This book is a critique, not only of the Pre-wrath rapture theory, but in particular, H. L. Nigro's version of this doctrine. If you, the reader, believe this pre-wrath doctrine is truth, you need to read this book. If you are a pastor, teaching end times scriptures, you will find this book a great asset in your teaching. If you have just heard about this doctrine and want to learn more, this book is for you also.

This pre-wrath rapture theory started when Robert Van Kampen called Marvin Rosenthal and said, "I've found it." What he had found was a huge error—he just did not recognize it as an error. Van Kampen noticed that in Joel 2, the cosmic signs in the sun and moon would come before the Day of the Lord, and in Matthew 24, what he thought was the same sign came after the tribulation of those days.

Therefore, in his mind, the proper sequence would be the days of great tribulation, then the signs in the sun and moon, and then the Day of the Lord. The truth is, these are different signs for different purposes. The sign of Joel 2, also shown at the 6th seal, will be the sun appearing black, just as it would in a total eclipse, and the moon appearing blood red, just as the moon would appear during a total eclipse. In other words, both the sun and moon must be visible for someone to recognize this sign. This is the sign of the start of the Day of the Lord.

Rosenthal and Van Kampen then added to their first error because they thought the 6th seal was the same sign in Matthew 24. The pre-wrath theory tries to warp a point in time “after the tribulation of those days” to a point in time before the tribulation. The 6th seal is before the tribulation. Nigro has just followed in their footsteps, repeating the same errors.

Pre-wrath adherents also try to move the 6th seal to “after the tribulation of those days.” This could be their worst mistake. The 6th seal is fixed between the 5th seal and the 7th seal, and cannot be moved. However, the pre-wrath crowd imagines it can be moved. My axiom on Revelation is, any theory that must rearrange Revelation’s God-given chronology is immediately suspect and will be proven wrong.

On the other hand, the sign written in Matthew 24 is the sign of the coming of our Lord, to the battle of Armageddon. Here it is written that both the sun and moon are darkened, and the Greek word behind darkened, means, for planets, a total absence of light. In other words, the sun, the moon, and the stars are invisible. This speaks of total darkness. This is what the 5th bowl of wrath brings in Revelation 16: total darkness. These are two different signs, for two very different purposes, and will be seen over seven years apart.

The pre-wrath theory must rearrange most of the book of Revelation to fit, which is a huge red flag for those that understand the Book of Revelation, and Nigro has done her share of rearranging. If you have wondered about pre-wrath theory, or if you have taken pre-wrath theory as your end-time doctrine, this book is a must for you. It pinpoints where pre-wrath theory misses the mark according to a good exegesis of scripture. There are many areas, not just the one mentioned above.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lyle E Cooper
• Release date: Oct 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986951270

Lyle E Cooper

I was around 30 years old when I first heard the voice of God. I had been asking God about a certain verse in the bible for perhaps 6 months. I don't think I missed a day in those 6 months asking Him about this verse. Suddenly one day as I began to ask Him, I heard His voice answering my question!I learned a valuable lesson then: If we are persistent, God will always answer. After all, Jesus said, "my sheep know my voice..." We all should hear His voice.I was born again when I was 7 years old, and have never changed my mind about following our Savior. I was filled with the Holy Spirit when I was 20, and would never wish to go back to life before the Holy Spirit infilling. I was not really interested in prophecy until the Holy Spirit gently pushed me into studying Revelation about 10 years ago. Once I obeyed Him, I could not read anything else for a long time. I read Daniel and Revelation many times, not trying to understand, just depositing His word in my spirit. I was determined to know nothing unless He taught me. I laid aside all preconceptions and approached Him with an empty slate.After maybe three or four years of reading, God began to speak to me about Revelation. This is how this book came about.

Book preview

PRE-WRATH

RAPTURE THEORY

DEMOLISHED!

A CRITIQUE

OF

Before God’s Wrath

If You Are Pre-Wrath, or

Wonder About Pre-Wrath

This Book is for YOU.

Author:  Lyle E Cooper

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

For simplicity, the colloquial terms of pre-trib, pre-tribbers, post-trib, post-tribbers, pre-wrath, and pre-wrathers will be used. I will also call H. L. Nigro in this critique by the last name, as Nigro wrote… or something similar. I will often use numbers, such as the 6th seal, or the 7th trumpet, rather than writing them out as the seventh trumpet. I will frequently use trib or tribulation" for the 70th week of Daniel. I will use this stretched Italic font to represent Jesus’ spoken words.These would be red letters in a paperback.

Copyright © 2021 by Lyle E Cooper.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Published as an ebook in the United States of America.

ISBN: 979-8-9869512-7-0

Self Published as an ebook.

Lyle E Cooper

8616 E 104th St

Tulsa, OK 74133

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The basis of This Book: What does the Author Believe?

Chapter 2: The exact midpoint of the week, clearly marked.

Chapter 3: Timing is where many disagree

Chapter 4: What does the Bible Say?

Chapter 5: Why the Timing Matters

Chapter 6: What the Bible Says About the Rapture

Chapter 7: Foundations of Pre-trib

Chapter 8: When does God’s Wrath Begin?

Chapter 9: Will the Church Go Through the Great Tribulation?

Chapter 10: Outline of Revelation

Chapter 11: Is the Rapture Imminent?

Chapter 12: Who is the Restrainer?

Chapter 13: The Hour of Trial

Chapter 14: Where does Pre-trib Theory come from?

Chapter 15: Matthew, Revelation, and Daniel: Same Events?

Chapter 16: When will the Last Trump be Sounded?

Chapter 17: Dry Bones Live

Chapter 18: Every Eye Will See Him

Chapter 19: Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Christs

Chapter 20: God Would Not Do That

Chapter 21: Two More Comings of Jesus

Chapter 22: Is Revelation Chronological?

Chapter 23: What’s the Hurry?

Chapter 24: Signs of the Times

Chapter 25: Appendix Passages

Chapter 1

The Basis of This Book Or What does the Author Believe?

I don’t want the readers to have to search diligently to find out the basis of this book and why I disagree with the pre-wrath theory of the rapture, so I will start here: I believe the proponents of the pre-wrath rapture theory do not know where in Revelation God begins the 70th week. They, as do most others, imagine the 70th week begins at the first seal. What was the intent of the Holy Spirit when He caused John to write?

Let’s examine the book of Revelation on these issues. First, let’s look at this verse that many people do not read correctly.

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: (Revelation 1) (Emphasis added)

Why do I say that many do not read this correctly? They assume that everything from this verse on must be future events from that point in time. In other words, they assume John wrote that he was to write only of events future to him. They limit God and imagine He cannot have John write of some events that were history to him when he saw this vision. The question is, did John fulfill this verse and write about future events? Did John do what was written that he would do? We all know he did: he wrote of many future events. But included in those future events, John wrote of some historic events.

In other words, it would be improper to use this verse to prove something later in the book could not be history, but must be in the future. The truth is, John did write of some historic events. For example, in chapter 12 John wrote of Satan taking one-third of the angels with him when he was kicked out of heaven. That was history to John, not future.

In chapters 2 and 3, John wrote messages to seven churches existing at that time. John was probably the overseer of these churches. Those churches were in existence before Jesus appeared to John in the vision, but all have disappeared.

1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.(Revelation 4) (Emphasis added.)

This is another verse that people read improperly. Again they assume an only when it is not there: they assume God said He would show John only things which must be hereafter. Did God have John write only? No. Did God show John any events of the future? Yes, certainly He did: many future events. In other words, this verse does not and cannot prove that God did not have John write some events of history along with future events. Many imagine, in error, that this verse is about Paul’s rapture. It was John called up to heaven, in the first century of the church.

What should we think about John’s phrase, after this? Many people read into these two words far more than John’s intent. They assume John meant, after the church age. Is that really what John wrote? No. The truth is, after God dictated to John what messages to write to the seven churches, then God changed directions in the vision and called John up to heaven.

John, who wrote these words down after the fact, wrote after this, because God changed the focus in the vision. John used after this as a transitional phrase to show the readers that God had changed focus or direction in the vision. John used this phrase, or a very similar one, six times in Revelation, each time as a transitional phrase showing an ending of one event and the beginning of another in the vision.

For many years pastors have taught that this verse was where John showed the rapture of the church. It is, indeed, very poor exegesis to make this verse the rapture of the church. It is John being called up to heaven for the express purpose of God showing John what was to come in the future. Tradition tells us it was around the year 95 AD when John received this vision. Was the church raptured in 95 AD? No, and it was the apostle John called up to heaven, not the church. Paul tells us the rapture will come just before the wrath of God. There is no wrath starting in chapter 4 of Revelation. Paul’s rapture does not fit in Revelation 4.

John immediately saw the throne room of heaven in this vision. Keep in mind, he did not see the real throne room of 95 AD. What he saw was in a vision. A vision can be of future events, current events, or even historic events—or all three mixed up. God can do anything He wants to do in a vision. We can be sure, here, God showed John exactly what He wanted John to see and hear. I want to emphasize this: what John saw was exactly what God wanted him to see.

2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (Revelation 4) (Emphasis added.)

Let’s think about what John saw: he saw the throne room. He saw the thone and without any doubt, Father God on the throne. He saw the 24 elders. He saw the four beasts at the throne. What is amazing is what John did not see: He did not see Jesus at the right hand of the Father. This is not what we would expect, for Stephen saw Jesus there at the right hand of the Father years before this. In truth, there are over a dozen verses that tell us that is where Jesus should have been seen.

8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalms 16)

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalms 110)

62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14)

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8)

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1)

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3)

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1)

22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3) (Emphasis added to all the above scriptures.)

This is some of more than a dozen, like verses. We have to wonder then, why did John not immediately see Jesus at the Father’s right hand, especially since this is the book of His revealing?

I will refer back to a personal experience in my life. After God had spoken to me about finding the exact midpoint clearly marked, I began to study chapters 4 and 5. (I will cover clearly marked later.) I got stuck on one verse, about the apostle John weeping much. This bugged me enough that I started asking God about it: God, why would You include this in your wonderful book? Why did we need to know that John wept, and why did we need to know he wept much? (It was truly the Holy Spirit that got me stuck on those words.) Day after day I asked God this question. Finally, He answered me: again I heard his voice and His words: It shows timing.(Note: this stretched Italic font is to represent Jesus’ spoken words.)

I spent at least two weeks, hours each day, trying to understand timing from this passage but could not see it anywhere. I must have read chapters 4 and 5 at least a hundred times, trying to find timing. I could not find it. I was slow. After these two weeks or so and hours of studying, and me asking Him, God spoke again and said, it also shows the movement of time. I heard His voice; I heard His words.

Again I searched and could not see any movement of time. I kept asking Him for help. Finally, after another 2 or three weeks of intense study, God spoke again, having great mercy on my slowness to understand:

I am going to ask you three questions about this passage; until you can answer them correctly you will never understand this part of the vision.

(Note: this stretched Italic font is to represent Jesus’ spoken words.)

Here are His three questions.

1."At the time John saw this vision, I had been back in heaven for years. There are over a dozen verses showing that I went to be at the right hand of the Father. The first question then,Why did John not immediately see Me at the right hand of the Father in chapter 4?"

2."Question two: John watched a search to find one worthy to break the seals, end in failure, and that is the very reason John wept much: no man was found worthy. However, if you read ahead, you find that I was found worthy to break the seals.Why then was I not found in that first search?"

3."Question three: if you notice in chapter 4, the Holy Spirit was still in the throne room. I told the disciples that as soon as I ascended, I would send Him down.Why was the Holy Spirit still in the throne room in chapter 4?"

I was in the spirit as soon as He spoke, but as each of these questions was asked, my spirit man answered, Lord, I can’t answer this question. He did not say more at that time. I studied diligently on that vision of the throne room, trying to answer His questions.

I could not see any timing. I could not see any movement of time. I could not figure out why Jesus was not at the right hand of the Father. I could not figure out why no man was found worthy. I could not figure out why the Holy Spirit was still there. I spent weeks studying, hours each day, and asking God for help. Keep in mind, what John saw was exactly what God wanted him to see. God wanted John to see a throne room with Jesus not seen.

Finally, after two or three weeks of intense study, I heard His voice again. Again He had mercy on my slowness to understand. He said, go and study chapter 12. I did not want to. I was in an intense study of chapters 4 and 5, and the last thing I wanted to do was to go to another chapter. However, I was obedient and flipped the pages of my bible to chapter 12. When I got my bible opened to chapter 12, He spoke again.

Chapter 12 was Me introducing John to the Dragon, and in particular what the Dragon would be doing in the last half of the week. Count how many times the Dragon is mentioned, including pronouns.

So I carefully counted, 32 times, as He waited. I replied, I see that this chapter is about the dragon. I counted 32 times. He spoke again.

"I also chose to show John how the dragon attempted to kill me as a child. Those first five verses were a history lesson for John."

I sat for a few moments, thinking about history lesson, and suddenly He said, now you can go back to chapters 4 and 5.

I flipped back to the vision of the throne room, and in just a few minutes had the answer to all three questions. I was amazed! The key I needed was a history lesson. To this day I don’t know if all I needed was His key of history lesson, or if perhaps God downloaded this information as a word of knowledge. All I know is that I suddenly knew the answer to all his questions.

I suddenly realized that John was looking into the throne room of the past, to a time perhaps just after Jesus was put in the tomb. Why was I so slow? It was preconceptions: I was thinking of the future, but God was thinking history. I have since then learned that preconceptions of scripture can block the message God meant to convey. We must learn to read without wearing preconceived glasses.

Jesus was not seen at the right hand of the father, for at that time He was still on the earth or under the earth. From eternity past to eternity future, there has only been one small period in time where Jesus was not at the right hand of the Father, and that was while He was on earth—around 32 years—out of all time and beyond time.

No man was found worthy because Jesus had not yet risen from the dead to be found worthy. It is written that He prevailed to become worthy. What did He prevail over? Death. He was the first man ever to escape from Hades—the place of departed spirits—and ascend back to his dead body by and through His own power!

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5) (Emphasis added)

Some people have asked where Jesus was when no man was found worthy thinking that Jesus was always and forever worthy. The truth is, He was not always worthy to take the book and open the seals. Before He rose from the dead, He was not worthy to take the book. That is why the first search John watched ended in failure and why John wept much.

We don’t know, because John does not tell us, but we can guess that it was the second person of the Godhead, the pre-incarnate Jesus, who sealed the book with the seven seals originally. Perhaps He wrote on the outside of the book, that only someone who had defeated death by his own power could ever be worthy to take the book and open the seals. As soon as He rose from the dead, He became the redeemer of mankind and was immediately found worthy. John does not tell us what was written on the outside of the book. It is only a guess.

Finally, the Holy Spirit was still in the throne room because Jesus had not yet ascended to send Him down. We know that as soon as He ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit down. (We will cover that soon.) He, the Holy Spirit, was on earth on the day of Pentecost. Let’s examine each part of this more in-depth.

1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. (Revelation 5) (Emphasis added.)

As we begin to read chapter 5, we see a book in the Father’s right hand. We read that John watched this angel ask who is worthy to open this book. Notice that at that time no man anywhere was found able to even look at the book; not in heaven, not on earth, and not under the earth. We can see from this that it must be a man. In other words, God could not open this book Himself; not the Father, not the Redeemer of Isaiah, the second person of the trinity, and not the Holy Spirit: it had to be a man.

John wept much: it seems he knew that it was of great importance that this book be opened. Notice the goal: It is "who is worthy to open the book. Then, no man … was able to open the book. The goal is not to open the seals; the goal is to get the book opened. Of course, since it is sealed, the seals must be opened first. The emphasis is on the book.

Already we see that whatever is written inside that book must be very important. Of course, since the book is sealed, the seals must first be opened to get the book opened. Most people concentrate on the seals and forget about the book being opened. John did not write of the book being opened, but it should be understood that when all the seals are opened then the book is opened, and what is written inside is then read.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5) (Emphasis added)

Again the emphasis is on opening the book, not the seals. John does not write that another search was begun as soon as that first search John watched had failed to find anyone worthy, but since Jesus was found worthy sometime later, we understand that another search was started. This time someone was found.

Someone came up to John and told him to stop weeping, for someone had been found worthy. Then John turned and saw a Lamb, having been slain. John got to see in vision form, the moment Jesus ascended, after telling Mary not to touch Him for He had not yet ascended. Once Mary left Him, He ascended and entered the throne room, and John got to see this moment in the vision. Then we read that He came with the Holy Spirit, who was immediately sent down to the earth. Here is the scripture.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5) (Emphasis added.)

Notice that the book is written on the outside or backside of the scroll, as well as within. John