There are two parts to this. First, it was God who shut the door of the ark:
And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him [Noah]. And the LORD shut him in. (Genesis 7:16)
But this did take place seven days before the rain started:
And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. (Genesis 7:7-10)
Great little detail that I had overlooked! This fits well as a type of the pre-trib rapture. Seven days before destruction came Noah and his family entered the arc of God’s safety. Seven years about before the destruction of the wicked the Church is removed to a place of safety.
Rich,
Where in the Scripture is it said that the Chrurch is removed to a place of safety before the destruction of the wicked? Or where does the Bible say anything about what you call “rapture”?
The word “Rapture” is not used, but if you go to 1 Thess 4:16 it says “caught up”
“Rapture” is used in place of “Caught Up” Bottom line is it means the same…a taking out, to be removed.
The Greek the word is harpazo – “to seize upon by force”, “to snatch up.” The Latin translators used the word rapturo.
Some people claim that “rapture” is not a Biblical term. That is a false statement, unless they want to say that “God” and “Jesus” are not Biblical Terms.
The English Bible is a translations of Greek or Hebrew expressions. Therefore, it is important that we take the English word back to the Hebrew of Greek to understand the full meaning of what God is saying.
One example: In the English language we say “Jesus”… YET His name in Hebrew is Yeshua, “Joshua,” which is “The Lord Saves”
In the same way, the English word “rapture” which means “to be caught up” is an excellent translation for the Greek harpazo
Hope this helped… and remember, We do not know when we will be caught up or raptured”…
post-trib, pre-trib or mid trib… However, we do know that Jesus told us to be ready.
I saw this post and although 4 years old, I’d thought I would make a couple comments on this discussion. There are two separate events here but they both are intertwined. Gen 7:16 says that God shut in Noah and his family. Apparently the door in the side of the ark could only be closed from the outside and not from the inside. This is significant as will be explained shortly. Gen 6:16 says the ark had both a window and a door. After the rain stopped (40 days) Noah removed the window covering and could see that the rain had stopped, however, the flood waters continued to rise for 150 days. If you jump ahead a year when the flood waters receded from off the earth in Gen 8:6-19 in verse 13 it refers to the covering or door which is how Noah and his family exited the ark. With the window opened Noah could not see the ground and had to rely on the Doves. God closed the door of the ark Gen 7:16 and (a year later) Gen 8:13-19 Noah opens the door from the inside and exits the ark with all the animals. Apparently the instructions God gave Noah when building the ark, the door could only be closed from the outside but opened from the inside. Gen 7:16 says God shut him in. Now this is important. At this moment the outside world (set for destruction) had been judged. The outside world had plenty of time to repent and join Noah and his family in the ark. The entire time Noah was building the ark he was warning the world of the coming destruction but in the end, only 8 souls went into the ark. When Got shut the door the outside world was doomed. Now was the time to test Noah and his family. Gen 7:4 & 10 Noah was inside the ark for 7 days and it still hadn’t rained. The world was locked out but Noah and his family were safely inside. After the first day inside the ark and nothing yet happened the taunts from the outside world most certainly began. Noah and his family hearing the ridicule from outside began to test their faith. At any given time Noah could have opened the door and left the ark but he stayed true to what God had said and Noah’s faith was tested for 7 days. For sure the taunts only grew louder and louder each passing day that nothing happened. This is very important, the outside world had already been judged and now Noah was being tested for his faith. On the 7th day the taunts were indeed drowned out by the screams of the world to be let into the Ark but it was too late for them and Noah and his family passed the test of faith and were saved.
The end times are the same as in the days of Noah. The faithful of God will enter into the Ark of Jesus Christ and will be shut in his mercy while the world will have already been judged for destruction, they will not yet know it but would have every opportunity to repent up until the time the door of the ark is again closed by God. The faithful will be tested, they will have every opportunity to open the door and leave the safely of Jesus Christ and return to the world only to be destroyed. The tribulation Rich Jackson suggests is this time where the faithful church (God’s people) are being taunted while in the safety of Jesus Christ but will still go through this tribulation. Gigi, you are right the word “rapture” is not used in this context in the scriptures but “caught up” or taken up to meet Jesus Christ in the clouds at his return. This event is the second coming of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him: and they also which pierced him: an all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. This will be a world wide event also. Those who condemned Jesus to the cross will be raised from the dead to witness his coming as the Son of God and will wail and wish for death. The “rapture” or meeting the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds will be an open event and not happen quietly. A modern false teaching is that this will be a secret event or better known as the “Secret Rapture” which is not found in the scriptures. The word “Secret” has been placed in front of this future event by modern false prophets to deceive those into thinking that they will be taken away to heaven secretly without having to have their faith tested. This puts their followers in a relaxed state where they are taught not to worry they will be saved and taken to heaven and the rest of the world will go on and suffer. The scriptures used to falsely support this are Matthew 24:40-41 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Verse 41 continues, but the idea that one will disappear all of a sudden is not what is being taught by these verses. Simply that one person is a righteous person and the other one is not. In Matthew 24: 37-39 it points back to the days of Noah and compares how the end days will be. The world is going on about and didn’t believe a flood would come despite the signs (Noah’s huge boat and Noah warning of the coming doom) and today the world is going on as in the days of Noah, God’s people move into the safety of the ark of Jesus Christ and keep their faith. When the destruction comes those outside of the safely of Jesus Christ will be lost. Gen 7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth: and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. The only way to be saved is to believe and go into the ark of Jesus Christ and have the faith of Jesus Christ and in that great day you will be lifted up above the earth to meet Him in the clouds.
nice