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Prewrath Rapture of the Church

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I was raised to believe in the Pre- trib rapture. But my reading of the Bible gave me many questions. After reading this book I have changed to Rosenthal's position. For example, one of the strong points of the Pre- Tri. stand is the removal of the 'One who restrains' in ll Thes. 2:7. They say this is the removal of the church/ Holy Spirit. But this book's explanation( that Daniel 12:1 is the O.T. background, and not that Michael 'arises' but he 'stands aside') is more compelling. Then when God tells Michael to get back in the battle for Israel he will give a victory shout (l Thes.4:16). It is sad how we tend to read our views into the Bible, rather than let it dictate to our views. It appears to me that the Pre- wrath position is the right view. I hold to this view of the rapture now even though it is hurting my attempts to find a church to pastor again. But the Bible holds my conscience captive. Thanks, Marv. You make all the Biblical data hold together.

Of all the doctrinal topics that divide evangelical Christians, the study of Eschatology ("last things" or end-times prophecy) is surely one of the most polarizing, particularly where it touches on the rapture of the church.

All but a minority of Christians agree that Jesus Christ will return to the earth someday, and that He will rapture, (i.e., physically "catch-away") His believers at some point; however, there is a great deal of disagreement as to exactly when these events will take place or, indeed, whether they truly are separate events at all. Pre-tribulationists insist that Christ will rapture His church prior to the beginning of the seven-year "Tribulation period," also known as the "70th Week of Daniel." Mid-tribulationists, as their name implies, see the rapture occurring in the middle of the 70th Week. Pre-wrath adherents see the rapture taking place at some point during the last three-and-one-half years of the 70th Week, just prior to the period of time when God will begin pouring out His wrath on Antichrist's world kingdom. Finally, post-tribulationists see the rapture taking place at the same time as the glorious appearing of Christ, which all four viewpoints agree takes place at the very end of the 70th Week.

Like many Christians, including myself, Marvin J. Rosenthal was once a card-carrying member of the pre-tribulationist school, the viewpoint which has dominated evangelical Christianity for the last century (see the best-selling "Left Behind" books for a fictionalized version of this eschatological timeline). In time, however, as he studied the topic in greater depth, Rosenthal came to believe that pre-tribulation rapturism was fatally flawed, and he began to re-evaluate prophetic teachings in search of the truth behind the rapture question. The "Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church" is the culmination of that effort; and, while I do not agree with Rosenthal's conclusions in total, I would argue that he has made a valuable contribution to the rapture debate.

Points of agreement:

The most effective aspect of "The Pre-wrath Rapture" is Rosenthal's critique of pre-tribulation rapturism, and this alone is enough to recommend the book.

Rosenthal brilliantly debunks pre-tribulation rapturism. He demonstrates that the "Day of the Lord" (the final out-pouring of God's wrath on Antichrist's kingdom) is not the entire 70th Week of Daniel (nor the Millennial Kingdom, as some contend). He does so by citing Joel 2:31, in which the Day of the Lord (DOTL) is described as beginning with very specific cosmic signs: the sun is darkened, the moon turns red as blood, and the heavens and the earth are "shaken." Rosenthal shows that these signs are the same as those described by Jesus in Matthew 24:29, and those that follow the opening of the 6th seal in Revelation 6:12, an event that takes place deep within the 70th Week. Additionally, Rosenthal points out the fact that both Christ and the Apostle Paul (see Matthew 24 and II Thessalonians 2:3) taught that four events must precede the rapture of the church, namely the "coming of Elijah," a "falling away" (an apostasy), the revelation of Antichrist (the "man of sin"), and the cosmic signs of the DOTL, thus destroying the central pre-trib pillar of "imminence," (the idea that the rapture could happen "at any moment," with no prophesied events preceding it).

Rosenthal develops these points with excellent exegesis and logic and, in my opinion, utterly devastates pre-tribulation rapturism. Toward the end of the book, he takes the time to evaluate a number of common pre-trib arguments, and does so effectively.

Where Rosenthal fails, I believe, is in his attempt to establish a pre-wrath rapture.

Points of disagreement:

Rosenthal teaches that the rapture will occur at some point during the second half of the 70th Week, immediately following a time of intense persecution known as "the Great Tribulation," and in conjunction with the signs marking the Day of the Lord (the 6th seal in Revelation), but prior to the actual out-pouring of the wrath. This, Rosenthal tells us, is consistent with the promise of scripture that Christians are not "appointed to wrath" (I Thessalonians 5:9). He presents the "great multitude" of Revelation 7 as the raptured church.

And while Rosenthal gets very close to the truth, unfortunately, certain assumptions cause him to deviate into theologically indefensible territory.

Scripture very clearly teaches one, visible second coming of Christ in glory. Rosenthal gets it right when he says, "Not once does the Bible speak of two comings -- not even by hint or implication," (p. 229); nevertheless, he maintains that the second coming includes the rapture, the DOTL, and Christ's final appearance in the clouds, all of which, in his view, necessitate a "coming" that lasts for an extended period of time. However, just as there are no passages that teach multiple comings, there are no passages that teach a prolonged coming or a coming in stages. Rather, the Bible teaches that the rapture will take place when Christ appears in glory, at which point He will be visible to the whole world.

In Matthew 24, the famous "Olivet Discourse," Christ's disciples asked Him, "What will be the sign of Your coming [singular], and of the end of the age?" (NASB) Christ proceeded to answer their question without correcting their assumption that He would come only once more. Indeed, He tells them not to be deceived but to watch for the DOTL signs (verse 29), which He says will come, "after the tribulation of those days" (if you read the passage, you'll see that this is a reference to the "Great Tribulation," the persecution that will follow Antichrist's desecration of the Jewish Temple and his demand to be worshiped as God).

Matthew 24:30-33 - "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (NASB)

Notice that Christ says He will gather His elect at His visible coming, and notice how this language compares to that of the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians 4:15-17 -

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." (NASB)

And in II Thessalonians 2:1-3 -

"Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him...Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction." (NASB)

Consider that, in both of his famous rapture passages, Paul refers to a singular coming of Christ, and how he attaches our "catching-up" and "gathering to Him" with that one event. The language of II Thess 2:1 is especially telling in its reference to "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him." According to the rules of Greek grammar, when you have two nouns of the same case (in this instance, "coming" and "gathering"), connected by the word Kai ("and" in English), and the first is preceded by a definite article but the second is not, the nouns should be grouped together (for another example, see Titus 2:13-14, where "the great God and our Saviour" both refer to Jesus Christ).

Clearly, the glorious appearing of Christ and the rapture are simultaneous events, meaning that the rapture must take place at the end of the 70th Week (thus it is post-tribulational). To argue otherwise, one has to obscure or twist the very plain meaning of the passages in Matthew 24 and II Thessalonians. For further evidence, consider that, in the account of Christ's ascension into heaven in Acts 1, the angels that appeared to His disciples told them, "This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (NASB) And in Revelation 1:7, John tells us: "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." (KJV) These important scriptures also support one visible, physical return of Christ to the earth in glory.

In regard to the wrath of God, I fully agree with Rosenthal that Christians will be exempt from it (I Thess. 5:9); however, I cannot find any teaching in scripture that says that Christians will be removed from the earth during it. Scripture teaches one, visible second coming of Christ in glory and connects the rapture with that event; no secret coming or coming in stages is taught. Nor does this promise for deliverance require the removal of Christians in order to be valid. God is able to protect His people from the effects of His wrath during the 70th Week, just as He protected Noah and his family from the great flood, and just as he protected the Hebrews living in the land of Goshen from the plagues of Egypt.

I must also disagree with Rosenthal where the great apostasy of II Thessalonians 2 is concerned. Rosenthal states that this will be a Jewish apostasy in that the nation of Israel will place its faith in the promises of Antichrist (as it once turned to Antiochus Epiphanes), whereas I believe that this passage is speaking of a general apostasy among believers. Rosenthal justifies his view with four main points: 1) that the only other time "apostasy" is used in the NT is in reference to the Jews (Acts 21:20), 2) that the Greek in II Thessalonians 2 has the definite article, thus making it "The Apostasy," and the Jews historically referred to the time when many of them allied with Antiochus Epiphanes as "The Apostasy," 3) that those Paul warns Timothy will "depart from the faith" in the latter times (see 1 Timothy 4:1-2) are not apostates but false teachers, and 4) that if believers can apostatize "then the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer in this age must be seriously questioned. And that cannot be allowed to stand." (p. 199).

In reply, I would point out the following:

1. In the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, when "The Apostasy" occurred, the Jews were the "people of God." Since then, the gentiles have been "grafted in," and thus the equation has changed. Paul does not specifically apply this future apostasy to the Jews, thus the burden of proof is on Rosenthal to prove that it only applies to them; he is not able to do so compellingly.

2. Paul used the definite article in II Thessalonians 2 because he is referring to a specific, major future event, not some "nebulous apostasy at the end of this age," as Rosenthal argues. This is one of the poorest arguments in the book.

3. The Greek word translated as "depart from the faith" in I Timothy 4:1 is "aphistemi," not "apostasia," as Rosenthal says; however, if you check these words in a concordance, you will find that they are extremely similar in meaning. Even so, there is no reason why both a genuine apostasy cannot take place in addition to the emergence of false teaching; indeed, false teachings may in part lead to the apostasy.

4. Rosenthal says that challenges to the doctrine of eternal security cannot be allowed to stand; however, I find it ironic that many evangelical Christians feel the same way about pre-tribulationism, which Rosenthal is openly challenging in this book. For that reason, it seems odd to me that Rosenthal would ask us to thoughtfully consider a challenge to pre-tribulationism, but eternal security should not be questioned at all. Not only is this intellectually dishonest but, as it happens, there are good reasons to question to the doctrine of eternal security (Google the Pristine Faith Restoration Society's position papers on eternal security for a discussion of the problems with this doctrine).

Rosenthal does address post-tribulationism on a few occasions, but his critiques are brief and seem to be based on the writings of those who don't defend it very well. For example:

First, Rosenthal claims that the fact that the church is not mentioned in Revelation chapters 4-21 is a problem for the post-trib view (p. 224). Yet, what Rosenthal does not appear to consider is that, while the church is not mentioned specifically, there are other references that are also applicable to believers, such as "saints" (Paul greets the "saints" many times in his epistles). Rosenthal views the church as being raptured in Revelation 7 (the "great multitude" passage), but overlooks other references to believers that obviously occur later in the book's chronology. For instance, in Revelation 18:4, when "Babylon" is about to be destroyed, God warns "my people" to "come out of her" lest they share in her destruction; and in Revelation 19:7, immediately before heaven is opened and Christ appears, we're told that "the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." As most Christians know, the church is often called "the bride of Christ," so why is it that the bride is not said to be ready until Revelation 19 if she has been raptured in Revelation 7? And who is God calling out of Babylon? It can't be the Jewish remnant because, by this time, they are already under God's protection in the wilderness.

Second, Rosenthal appeals to the argument that, if the Rapture occurs at the end of the 70th Week, then it would be possible to know the day of His coming (1260 days after the Abomination of Desolation), whereas Matthew 24 tells us that "no man knows the day or the hour." (p. 248) This seems like a compelling argument at first, but it falls apart under careful scrutiny:

1. If you view Matthew 24's description of Christ's "gathering" His elect as a rapture passage, which is certainly the most obvious reading, then you must also equate the glorious appearing to the rapture (since Christ said that unbelievers would see Him coming at that time, something that doesn't happen until the glorious appearing). However, in order for Rosenthal's objection to succeed, one must separate the rapture and the glorious appearing by a fairly lengthy span of time. The problem here is that Christ did not do this; on the contrary, He made it clear that the "tribes of the earth" would see Him coming and would mourn, and *then* (the text implies that it happens right away) He will "gather together His elect." He mentions no delay from the time that He becomes visible to those who dwell on the earth, until the gathering of the elect begins, and there is no natural or compelling reason (aside from the defense of doctrine) to insert such a delay in this passage.

Indeed, there is no reason to draw the DOTL out over a lengthy period of time either. Scripture gives every indication that the day is a literal 24-hour day, not an indefinite span of time. Consider Revelation 6:12-17. In this passage, the 6th seal is opened, the DOTL signs are given, heaven is opened, and the "kings of the earth, and the great men" call for the rocks and mountains to fall of them and hide them from the Lord: "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" This fits quite naturally with Matthew 24:30 and Revelation 1:7, in which we are told that the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see Christ coming in glory (an event which is, once again, connected with the rapture). Also, consider Zechariah 14:6-8, where we are told that the day of the Lord shall be "one day which shall be known to the Lord," and that "at evening time it shall be light." This language can only be applicable to a literal calendar day.

2. As Christ said in Matthew 24, it is not possible at the present time ("no man knows" - present tense) to know the day or hour of His glorious appearing; however, it will be possible to know this day in the future. Again, given the fact that the Abomination of Desolation occurs precisely at the mid-point of the 70th Week, that leaves three-and-one-half years (1260 days) until the glorious appearing. Therefore, anyone who observes the abomination will be able to calculate the date of the glorious appearing (although they still will not know the hour -- note that Christ emphasized the hour even more than the day in Matthew 24).

I could go on, but I think that the points I've listed constitute the most glaring problems with "The Pre-wrath Rapture of the Church."

In summary, Rosenthal does a wonderful job of critiquing pre-tribulation rapturism, and, I might add, does so in a humble and gracious fashion. However, he falls short of proving a pre-wrath rapture, mostly due to the fact that the Bible so clearly links Christ's appearing in glory to the "catching-up" of His saints. For more information on how the post-trib view accounts for these and other issues, Google Tim Warner's site: the Last Trumpet (c[...]). God bless.

This book is extremely well written and so easy to read. The author's message is easily understood and one is personally free and able to examine it fully in context with the Scriptures from beginning to end.

Whether the author is correct or not in his interpretation of the Scriptures, I do not feel qualified to say, but his intent is openly sincere.

I have read many, many books on Biblical prophecy over the past twenty years. Many of the interpretations offered in these books have confused me and have left me with doubts which have bred fear and uncertainty.

This book has in many ways clarified all my uncertainties. The author's interpretation of the Rapture/Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Great Tribulation puts everything into a clear context. His studies of Daniel and the Old Testament prophets, the Book Of Revelation and the rest of the New Testament present a clear portrayal of the last days.

Whether all elements of the Church follow the author's line is perhaps secondary to making sure that they are all personally aware of the possibilities of the events occurring as outlined in this book. It would be folly to find the Church and oneself proceeding headlong into the Great Tribulation without being aware of what the author has portrayed here with great clarity.

The author remains utterly steadfast in his fundamental Christian beliefs, although his interpretation of the timing and events surrounding the Rapture/Second Coming and the Great Tribulation has changed. Thus prompting his writing of this book.

I recently read another similar book by Michael John Rood, also available on Amazon, entitled 'The Mystery Of Iniquity'. I highly recommend this book too.

The events described are not far away. This is clear to even those with only a passing interest. We need to study the Scriptures relating to our times and be aware of what could possibly be facing us in a very short time. Kindest regards.

This was the first official book on the prewrath rapture, first published in 1990. Consequently, many people make every detail of Rosenthal's arguments in this book synonymous with the prewrath view itself. This puts an unfortunate amount of pressure on this book. This was the first formal presentation of the prewrath rapture, and since that time, the tangential details of this view have been refined. However, the basics outline of the view are solidly presented here, unchanged over time, and are -- in my view -- unshakeable. This is a classic volume that is a "must read" for anyone interested in various positions on the rapture.

What I like most about this book is its grace. The arguments for the prewrath timing of the rapture are extremely well presented, clear, and solid. But it is Rosenthal's grace in dissention and plea for unity among Christian brethren -- regardless of end-times view -- that is so impressive. Rosenthal himself was forced out of a position of authority based on his change in view from pretrib to prewrath and his experience has been since mirrored by many godly men and women in positions of authority. When did the timing of the rapture become a test of orthodoxy like the trinity, the blood atonment, and the resurrection? If I may borrow Paul's wise comment from two-thousand years ago, "My brethren, it ought not be so."

The prewrath rapture is the only presentation of the rapture timing that answers all of the scriptural problems associated with rapture debates while taking the scriptures in their normative meaning. Had someone recognized this timing and put it into print before the pretrib rapture was formalized in the late 1800s (and, subsequently the midtrib and posttrib views), I firmly believe neither pretrib, nor midtrib, nor posttrib would need have been developed. Prewrath is the plain, obvious teaching of scripture. After having become extremely uncomfortable with the pretrib timing presented in evangelical circles, it is the timing that I, myself, determined on my own simply by studying the scriptures. Imagine my surprise when I found out later that someone else had come to the same conclusions and put them into print, and that the timing of which I had become convinced already had a name -- prewrath.

Bravo to Marvin Rosenthal for taking the bold step to put this view into print for the first time, regardless of the personal risk. His book remains now, as it will always be, a classic in the rapture debate that has formed a stepping stone on which so many others have built.

Other presentations of the classic prewrath view (I say "classic" because there are a growing number of writers using the "prewrath" mantle but who are actually presenting a post-70th-Week view) include Robert Van Kampen's The Rapture Question Answered: Plain & Simple, Dave Bussard's Who Will Be Left Behind and When?, and my own Before God's Wrath: The Bible's Answer to the Timing of the Rapture.

H. L. Nigro, author of Before God's Wrath: The Bible's Answer to the Timing of the Rapture

As most reviewers have stated, I was raised pre-trib. However, no one could point me to the pre-trib rapture in scripture. I was also taught the Holy Spirit effectually called us to salvation. But how could tribulational saints come to Christ without the Holy Spirit? Oh, I was told, people would find bibles laying around, read them, and get saved. Heck, we can't get people to read their bible today and the Holy Spirit is with us. I even hear now organizations are making videos, for sale I'm sure, that will help "those left behind" know what has happened and get saved. I don't mean to be cruel but "how rediculous" is that?

This book answered all my questions. I did not disagree with one single point in the book and I can now say that I will be looking up for a mighty rapture and salvation from the wrath "of God" to come instead of being caught up by some secret rapture that will supposedly save me from a tribulation that the early church went through and many Christians even today around the world are going through. That is if I don't die first. Thank you Marvin Rosenthal and may God bless you for your dedication in researching and writing this book and for your obvious openness to the word of God.

Write more.

I have been a Christian for 27 years, graduated from a Bible College, served with an International Christian ministry and Pastored a church, but I have always been dumbfounded by the book of Revelation. Though taught the Pre-Trib view since becoming a Christian and having even taken a class using Dr. Pentecost's book, Future Things, I was never fully convinced. God's Spirit seemed to impress on me that the Rapture would be in the latter 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Now, having read Dr. Rosenthal's book, everything falls into place. The sequence of the prophetic events fit and the Bible text is clear. God is using Dr. Rosenthal to sound the trumpet to wake up His Church, and to warn them to prepare themselves spiritually for the Tribulation. I fear Christ's prophecy that many will deny Him (Matt 24:10) will result from people's disillusionment when they realize that what they had been taught (re. the Rapture) was false. This book is a must read. Highly recommended!!!

Marvin Rosenthal has probably drawn more criticism from pre-trib. supporters than any other Bible scholar who has ventured into the Eschatology field in recent years. After all, for years Marv publicly supported and taught the classic pre-tribulational view of the timing of the rapture, and for a man of his professional reputation to modify his views on such an important topic as the timing of the rapture mid-way through his active ministry years was to risk his credibility with his ministry peers and supporters. In spite of this professional risk, Marv followed his heart and the Holy Spirit's leading and dared to question the scriptural basis of the pre-tribulational rapture theory, resulting in "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church". As I read through this book for the first time, I learned that Marv had stumbled upon many of the same foundational assumptions that pre-trib supporters often use to support their position as I had, and put forth a sincere effort to let Scripture speak as it was intended to speak to us, and not as we want it to speak to us. It is impossible to read this book without having a Bible also at your side, since Marvin constantly refers to Scripture to support his positions. While so many Christians today are content today to just accept the pre-trib position based upon the popularity of the "Left Behind" series or because a majority of today's evangelical ministers teach it, those believers who instead choose to objectively study what the Bible really has to say about the rapture will find this book to be both refreshing and enlightening. I wish that many more pastors and Christian academics would from time to time question some of the long-held traditions of the church and the basic teachings of today's seminaries, not for the purpose of creating disunity in the Body, but to ensure that our beliefs are based upon the teachings of Scripture, rather than just men. This is what the Bereans did, and this is what we should continue to do today. To me, most pre-trib teaching today is based more upon the reputation of certain academics and popular preachers than it is upon the teaching of Scripture. Whether you ultimately agree with the pre-wrath position or not after reading this book, an objective examination of Marv's points should cause you to at least question the popularity of the pre-trib position with so many pastors and Christians today. I highly recommend this book! For those who would like to hear the pre-wrath perspective from a couple of additional sources, try H.L. Nigro or Robert Van Kampen's works.

One of the most dividing issues of doctrine in the church today is the return of our Lord. Some believe that we shouldn't worry about it at all. Others believe we should concern ourselves, only for the sake of the unsaved. Some believe we the church will be spared from the difficult times the bible calls the great tribulation. After reading several comentaries on end time events I came away more confused, it appeared Christ was coming a second and third time. It just didn't make sense.The sequence of events leading up to Christs return is the main focus of this book. Mr. Rosenthal has graciously carried this reader through the verses with the big piture in view. In my view the puzzle has now been solved, the only question now is when. The lord said that we shall not know the day nor the hour, the bible also says that, that day shouldn't over take you as a thief. After reading The prewrath rapture I have read The Sign by van campen. Which in itself is a thorough walk through all end time matters, being which the former a better stroll to understanding and grasping the subject matter at hand. Mr. Rosenthal in my view, takes the reader on a journey, discovering what the Word of God says concerning end times in regards with the rapture of His church. I highly recomend a prayful reading with hopes that, that day shouldn't over take you as a thief.

Marvin Rosenthal was a pretribulationist for thirty years and a biblical prophecy speaker. The man who Mr Rosenthal collaborated with was Robert Van Kampen - a businessman who had been looking to source an advocate for this position. His approach in this book is two-fold by necessity. First he must provide a rebuttal to the pre-trib rapture (his previous position), and then he must present the case for the belief he now espouses.

He approaches the former task by introducing the reader to classic posttribulational rebuttals to pretribulation that are interspersed throughout the book. Towards the end of the book there is also a scripted pre-trib argument and rebuttal section. I suspect that, in many cases, this will be the first time many readers would have been exposed to these arguments. I would also expect that Mr Rosenthal must have been familiar with the appropriate pre-trib responses to each of these rebuttals well before his introduction to Mr Van Kampen's pre-wrath theory.

How discovering a new theory automatically refutes every tenet of a previously held view - when all the pros and cons must have been diligently studied to arrive at a viewpoint to begin with - is never explained. In the process of attacking the pre-trib system (borrowing heavily from Gundry's post-trib), he introduces his new system.

Ironically, on page 280, Charles Ryrie is chided for devoting too much space in attempting to debunk posttribulationism in his book. Mr Rosenthal makes the valid point that refuting one system does not make another system correct. Yet this is exactly what he has tried to do in this book.

Mr Rosenthal makes a number of unusual statements. For example; on page 294 (and elsewhere) it is affirmed that the Bible speaks of ONE second coming of Christ and a continuous presence within a SINGLE advent. This is declared to refute the pre-trib "two-stage" view of a rapture followed by a visible coming. Pre-wrath proponents often myopically accuse pre-tribbers of holding to a two-stage second advent, yet the pre-wrath system actually teaches a MULTI-stage second advent. On page 245 it is stated that the fact that the church isn't mentioned between chapters 8 through 21 actually supports a pre-wrath rapture because the rapture occurs after the 6th seal. Yet in chapter 7, in a discussion between John and the elder regarding the identity of the multitude (which pre-wrath takes to be the church), the church is never mentioned.

Space and time prevents a full listing of the problems with Mr Rosenthal's assertions and others have addressed them elsewhere.

It should be noted that the author doesn't give the pre-wrath view the same critical scrutiny he has done with pre-trib. A basic tenet of pre-wrath is the idea that the great tribulation has been cut short yet no evidence or exegesis is ever offered to the reader by the author (or by anyone else). He merely asserts it. The idea is actually illogical based on the Lord's words in the verses cited and untenable based on His Omniscience, yet paramount to the pre-wrath system.

Suffice to say that there have been many thorough critiques of this book, and the system in general. See Renald Showers' "The Pre-Wrath Rapture View" for just one of them. Furthermore, all of Mr Rosenthal's alleged (post-trib) objections to pretribulationism have been capably dealt with by pre-trib scholars at high levels.

While this book was the first presentation of this theory and one might have expected certain points to have been further developed and/or clarified, no major refinements have actually been made to the basic tenets of the pre-wrath system - despite many self-published books and websites. Anyone who has read (or intends to read) this book would be well advised to do further research.

If you are looking for a good book on the pre-wrath rapture view point then do not buy this book. Unfortunately I can't tell you which one is a good one. I've been through two now and am still looking myself, but I digress.
The real problem with this book is it's age. Written in 1990 the pre-wrath view point has gone through some refinements since then. So if you read this book you are not only getting some dated material but in a few cases incorrect material.
I offer one example. In chapter 11 entitled "Elijah Must Appear First", the author writes about the two witness of Rev. 11. At least twice he refers to the duration of the two witnesses on earth as 1260 days (three and one-half years), which is correct (Rev 11:3). Then mysteriously he creates a timeline for their arrival as being well into the last 3 and one-half years of the 70th week at the point where he places the rapture and the start of the Day of the Lord (wrath of God). This makes it impossible for them to fulfill their full 3 and one-half year mission on earth as Rev 11:3 states they will. This shows in a chart on page 161 also. This is no small mistake.
Again I'm not making any statement about the correctness of this or any other "trib" view point. I'm just saying that this isn't the book you want to use to make your decision. Find a newer one.