Sadly, the Left Behind books by Tim Le Haye and Jerry Jenkins and now this film adopt a Pretribulation rapture position which was not what the early church fathers taught nor is it what the Bible teaches.

The foundational text in the New Testament related to the specific timing of the Rapture can be found in Matthew 24:29-31. In this passage, Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms the general timeframe during which believers will be supernaturally gathered to meet Him in the air. It is “immediately after the tribulation of those days and supernatural celestial signs in the sky“.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, 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.” Matthew 24:29-31

Paul tells us that the rapture does not take place until after the Antichrist is on the scene and claims to be God. This occurs halfway through the tribulation period so the Saints are still on earth at that time.

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: We ask you, brothers, not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s sanctuary, publicizing that he himself is God.”  2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

John tells us that at the fifth seal, he sees the souls of the martyrs under the altar crying out to God when will you judge and avenge our blood? At the fifth seal, the rapture has not occurred. This is at the fifth year of the last seven years of Daniel’s 70th week.

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9-10

At the sixth seal, the supernatural celestial signs that Jesus spoke of appear in the sky and as well as “the great day of His wrath has come”.

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth... Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone…calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Revelation 6:12, 15, 16-17

It is at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal that the rapture occurs and John sees the resurrected Saints clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands praising God the Father and Jesus.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

God promises to protect us from the wrath of God, not the tribulation which He uses to purify His church prior to the Rapture.

Each of the seven churches in Revelation represents the church in each of the seven years. It is the church in the sixth year, the church of Philadelphia that is raptured

“Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Revelation 3:8, 10-11

The people in the church in the seventh year, the church of Laodicea thought they were saved but were not. Note, Jesus still stands at the door and knocks so they had not taken the Mark of the Beast and still have the opportunity to repent and be saved.

“Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” Revelation 3:15-18

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.