But, there are many premillennials who hold to a pre-trib rapture, many who are mid-trib, and many post-trib. I would tend to see a post-trib rapturing of the saints as, as it appears to me, rapturing the saints pre-trib would be something against His word as we, the church, are called to go through tribulations.
When Christ states we will have tribulation while we are in this world He is speaking of our general existence here, as opposed to specific instruction concerning the timing of His return. In my view the strongest argument that the Church will be caught up prior to the Tribulation is that Paul teaches the Church in entirety, both living and dead, are glorified at the same time. The dead in Christ rise, then we that remain are changed also, and both groups meet the Lord in the air. If this takes place at the end of the Tribulation this leaves no-one to populate the Kingdom (from which those who rebel against God descend from), plus, this would leave only the Goats to participate in the Sheep and Goat judgment.
There is a necessity that there be only physically living believers entering into that Kingdom, for a number of reasons.
And there are other reasons, but that is the strongest argument I see.
I can see where this is true. Granted, I am not 'there' just yet, but working on it. Dr. James White believes that no one is in hell(gehenna), but in hell(hades), as you already stated. Yet, the rich man was in hell and was being tormented by flames. So, I am just cornfused about this.
I am in agreement with Dr. White. The primary source of confusion is that we usually read Scripture as a translation, so for us, the same English word is used for numerous words. "Hell" is used to translate both gehenna and hades, so the distinction in Christ's teaching is not clear to us as it would have been to Greek readers/hearers in the day it was taught/written down.
The Rich man goes to Hades:
Luke 16:22-23
King James Version (KJV)
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
I have given the link for the word "hell," which if you go there you can look at the way it is used in Scripture. This is one of the best methods of understanding concepts in Scripture, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, and how key words are used. Sometimes the usage varies, sometimes it helps establish a set rule. In my view the usage of Hades versus Gehenna helps us to distinguish the context of a passage, such as Hades having a primary reference to physical death (and the consequences) and Gehenna speaking of eternal punishment. When we then take our understanding of the concept of Hades into the Old Testament, where we find an equivalent concept, Sheol, it greatly helps us to understand the concept of death and its consequences.
Here is an example of Gehenna being used:
Matthew 23:33
King James Version (KJV)
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
"The lake of fire" is the final destination of those who reject God, and many, myself included, believe that when Christ is speaking about Gehenna, He is speaking about the lake of fire. When He is speaking about Hades, He is speaking about that place of the dead seen in the concept of Sheol, though He uses Hades rather than Sheol. Keep in mind that Christ teaches the story (I do not view it as a parable, but an actual event that took place, primarily because proper names of at least one known person is used) of the Rich Man and Lazarus under the period of Law. Abraham does not tell the rich man his brothers can hear the Gospel, but that they can hear the Law and the Prophets, which in my view clarifies that this event takes place under Law, as the very teaching itself did. This is significant if one takes the view, as I do, that the Just did not go into Heaven to be with God when they died, but went to Hades until they were, as the Writer of Hebrews teaches, made "perfect/complete."
One of the ways we know that there is a difference between hades and the lake of fire, and why we would distinguish between the two and come to the conclusion that Hades is a different place than Gehenna is taken primarily from Revelation:
Revelation 20:13-15
King James Version (KJV)
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Here the word Hades is used, and the picture would seem to be that those who are in Hades at this time are delivered up to stand before God, and those not written in the Book of Life are then cast into the lake of fire. This coincides with Christ's teachings concerning eternal punishment:
Mark 9:43-45
King James Version (KJV)
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
So we understand that Christ uses these distinct words in His teaching for a reason, and the general understanding would be that one speaks of that resting place of the dead where both Just and unjust went prior to the Cross, and where now only the lost go (believers now go into the presence of God immediately, according to Paul (2 Corinthians 5)). If you go to the links and see how these words are used it will help you to understand this distinction, which also is a necessary distinction in the Old Testament.
And the Old Testament is a little harder, lol, because there are many more references to Sheol, and rather than two words being used to translate one word, we have one word translated with three. But if we understand that the Old Testament in large part deals with the physical (i.e., death for sin meaning physical death), it helps us to understand when the context is speaking about someone physically dying, rather than a reference to their disposition after physical death.
Hope that helps.
God bless.
