Early Church was Posttribulational

 “Posttrib” believes that the Church will be “caught up” (the “rapture”) at the end of the “tribulation,” or more specifically the “great tribulation.” The “pretrib” view is that the rapture happens before what is commonly called the “tribulation,” or more accurately called the “70^th Week of Daniel”--which is the last 7 years before Christ's return or the “Second Coming.”

"One of its (the early Church) distinctive features is that it places the Rapture of the Church at the end of the Tribulation, combining it with the Second Coming as one event."

--David Reagan, Wrath and Glory: Unveiling the Majestic Book of Revelation (Green Forest, AR: New Leaf, 2001), p. 112

“The preponderance of evidence seems to support the concept that the early church did not clearly hold to a rapture as preceding the endtime tribulation period.... the early church fathers ... should be classified as posttribulational. “

--John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and The Tribulation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976)

Irenaeus:

"When in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, 'There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.' For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption." (Against Heresies, V, 29, 1)

This should be understood to mean that the “tribulation” is “the last contest of the righteous” and “in the end” of “this” the “Church shall be suddenly caught up.” – JS

“When taken within the context of all of Irenaeus’ writings, it appears that

he was not teaching pretribulationism.”

— Tommy Ice [Executive Director of The Pre-Trib Research Center]

Irenaeus (c.120-—202)

“For all these and other words were

unquestionably spoken in reference to the

resurrection of the just, which takes place after

the coming of Antichrist, and the destruction of

all nations under his rule; in which the righteous

shall reign in the earth, waxing stronger by the

sight of the Lord”

(Against Heresies, V, 35, 1)

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten

kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but

shall receive power as if kings one hour with the

beast”... And they shall lay Babylon waste, and

burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to

the beast, and put the Church to flight. After that

they shall be destroyed by the coming of our Lord.

(Against Heresies, V, 26, 1)

lrenaeus (c.130-202)

It is therefore more certain, and less hazardous, to await the

fulfillment of the prophecy [concerning the revealing of the

Antichrist], than to be making surmises, and casting about for

any names that may present themselves, inasmuch as many

names can be found possessing the number mentioned; and

the same question will, after all, remain unsolved. ... But he

indicates the number of the name now, so that when this

man comes we may avoid him, being aware who he Is.

(Against Heresies, V, 30, 3, 4)

“...the early fathers largely held to a period of

persecution that would be ongoing when the return

of the Lord takes place and most would see the

church suffering through some portion of the

tribulation period.”

—James Stitzinger, (Associate Professor of

Historical Theology, Master’s Seminary), The

Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical

Interpretation

“The Church Fathers believed that the Church

would be on earth during the tribulation period.

This is seen in the earliest writers and there is

nothing in the other writers to contradict this. They

speak of the persecution of the Church by the

Antichrist and of the Church being on earth at the

second advent of Christ.”

— Charles August Hauser, Jr., The Eschatology of

the Early Church Fathers

Hippolytus (c.185—-235)

“For when the times advance, he too, [the Antichrist]

of whom these things are said, will be manifested ...

Now, concerning the tribulation of the persecution

which is to fall upon the Church from the

adversary ... [That refers to the one thousand two

hundred and threescore days during which the

tyrant is to reign and persecute the Church.

(Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 50, 60,

61, cf. 60-67)

Justin Martyr (AD 100-165)

“...two advents of Christ have been announced: The

one, in which He is set forth as suffering, inglorious,

dishonored, and crucified; but the other, in which He

shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of

apostasy, who speaks strange things against the

Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on

the earth against us the Christians... ”

— Dialogue with Trypho, Ch. 110

The Shepherd of Hermas (c.95-c.150)

“[Blessed are] you who endure the great tribulation

that is coming on, and they who shall not deny their

own life.”

(Vision 2:2)

“Those, therefore, who continue steadfast, and are put

through the fire, will be purified by means of it.”

(Vision 4:3)

Epistle of Barnabas (c.80-—c.100)

“The final stumbling-block approaches ... That the Black

One [Antichrist] may find no means of entrance, let us

flee from every vanity, let us utterly hate the works of

the way of wickedness... Take heed, lest resting at our

ease, as those who are the called [of God], we should fall

asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, acquiring

power over us, should thrust us away from the kingdom

of the Lord.”

(Epistle of Barnabas, 4)

The Didache (c.70-c.120)

“[T]hen shall appear the deceiver of the world ...

and he shall commit iniquities which have never

been since the world began. Then shall the creation

of mankind come to the fiery trial and many shall

be offended and be lost, but they who endure in

their faith shall be saved ... Then shall the world

see the Lord coming on the clouds of Heaven.”

(Didache 16:4-8)