If the chatter out there captures a trend that I have been observing, then it is encouraging to learn that more posttribbers are embracing the prewrath understanding of the second coming. And those who have yet to embrace prewrath are seriously considering it for the first time.
This was not always the case back in the day, because posttribbers typically dismissed prewrath, approaching it with their traditional framework and presuppositions, thereby preventing them from even considering the prewrath framework (e.g. prewrath teaches that the second coming does not begin with the battle of Armageddon; or, for example, prewrath teaches that “the last day” is not a literal day but denotes a unified, complex-extended period).
Recently, I have identified at least three key reasons why more posttribbers are re-examining their traditional framework and replacing it with a more biblically coherent understanding, prewrath.
First, many are recognizing that it is an incoherent reading—and even contradictory—within John’s narrative to recapitulate the day of the Lord’s wrath of the trumpet and bowl judgments before the scroll is opened. The fifth and sixth seal, as well as the two groups being physically protected before the scroll is opened, clearly signal that God’s wrath is about to be poured out—not that it has already started before the scroll is opened at the breaking of the seventh seal.
This article is helping posttribbers explain that the trumpets and bowls cannot occur before the seventh seal is broken and the scroll is opened.
Second, more posttribbers are recognizing that the resurrection, rapture, and second coming will not occur in conjunction with the battle of Armageddon. Rather, the resurrection, rapture, day of the Lord’s wrath, and the establishment of the kingdom of Christ will occur at a time significantly before the battle of Armageddon.
Third, many posttribbers are recognizing that equating the last trump in Paul’s teaching with the seventh trumpet is committing both the word-concept fallacy and the similarity=identity fallacy. Context, however, shows that the two do not refer to each other.
There are other reasons, but from what I have observed in recent years, even recent months, the reasons mentioned above are key challenges to posttrib interpretations that are being given a hearing, even convincing many over to prewrath.
