Defending Prewrath – Q & A

By Ryan Habbena

At the “Defending Prewrath” Conference we had so many questions turned in that we were unable to complete the Q and A session in the time we had alloted. Therefore, I will seek to give answers to the remaining questions on this section of our website. This page will be periodically updated with new questions and answers. Also, if there are other related questions that readers would like to ask, feel free to email them via the link at the bottom of the page.

In the soon returning King,

Ryan Habbena

Question:
How do we help our friends who we believe will be raptured out before the tribulation understand the truth of the word when they either just want to argue or refuse to read the books that will help them understand prewrath – other than to just pray for them? They need to prepare themselves for persecution.

Answer:
I do think prayer is paramount. We need to pray for their endurance (as well as our own) if we enter a time of intense persecution. I do believe it is important to properly understand the dynamics leading to the end of the age, as our worldview will be clear. We will be anchored in the word of Christ and not be taken by surprise as if “something strange is happening to us.” My advice is to patiently look for opportunities to discuss these matters in gentleness and respect. If there is persistent resistance and a continual, stark refusal to even consider these things, there may come a time to relinquish your efforts to talk that individual and just commit that person to prayer.

Another avenue is to just discuss the prospects of persecution apart from their end times ramifications. Since intense persecution, martyrdom, deception, and apostasy are already at work stressing these, considering the Scriptural commands, and praying for each other in light of such, is a way to help prepare each other. Remember the example of the early church: “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:21-22

Question:
When those who are not raptured seek an explanation for the “vanishings” other than the actual truth, what possible explanations do you foresee as being embraced by those that are not caught up?

Answer:
I actually do not believe those that remain on earth will be in the dark regarding to the people the Lord both raises and raptures to Himself. I believe the whole world will see Christ coming in the clouds, they will see people raised from the dead, they will see people changed in the twinkling of an eye, they will see the glorious angels gather the recently glorified saints, and they will know precisely what is going on. Their response at the time of the trumpets and the bowls is not one of ignorance. They know Yahweh is the true and living God, they know His Son is His appointed King, and they know His people are with Him – and they hate and blaspheme Him. (see Revelation 16:21)

So in short, I do not believe there will be “vanishings” in the sense of people just “disappearing.” I see no biblical evidence for such a teaching and I believe the roots of such a teaching are in modern pop-pretribulationalism. Instead, all indications point to a very visible coming of Christ and a very visible gathering of His raised and changed people.

More to be posted soon . . .