He could come at any moment?

During years of studying the Bible and this topic, I have searched web sites and books to find every Bible verse used by the teachers of the pre-tribulation rapture theory to prove that Christ will rapture His Church at any moment, without any needed events taking place first. If the pre-trib theory is as clear as the teachers would have us believe, the imminent, any moment rapture teaching should be clearly portrayed in the Bible. Below are all of the pre-trib foundational verses for the any moment rapture teaching. Consider them for yourself. Are they clear, or does it take assumptions to find in these passages what our teachers have told us?

All scripture quoted is from the NIV unless otherwise noted.


"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Matthew 24:36).

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come (Matthew 24:42).

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words (1 Thess. 4:17-18).

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3).

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts1:11).

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed (1 Cor. 1:7).

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…(Phil. 3:20).

…and to wait for his Son from heaven…(1 Thessalonians 1:10).

…while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…(Titus 2:13).

…he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:28).

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 21).

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory…(Col. 3:4).

…to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time…(1 Timothy 6:14-15).

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:13).

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28).

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (1 John 3:2–3).

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed(1 Cor. 15:51–52).

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5).

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door (James 5:7-9)!

I am coming soon (Rev. 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20)!

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled (1 Thess. 5:6).

If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord (1 Corinthians 16:22)!


I ask you—Do any of these passages say that Christ could come at any moment? Is it as clear as the pre-trib teachers tell us it is?