Did the early church fathers believed in the pretribulational rapture?

Question

Such as Irenaeus, Hypolitus, Ciprian, and others.

Answer 1

No, the doctrine came from Roman Jesuit priests. Search for "Riberia" or "Rabbi Ben Ezra" on google and you may see that he was one of the first to bring it out. It is a doctrine no more than about 150 years old. It is part of what was termed dispensational futurism. This school of eschatology was developed to take the heat off the Roman Catholic Church. ALL the reformationists were HISTORICISTS. They teach a continuous fulfillment of prophecy. We are presently in Rev. 16 and the time of the sixth vial, the three spirits are croaking. The Catholic church is predominently amillinialist, a branch of preterist eschatology. This is the reason they believe they have the right to kill off anyone that opposes their teachings. THEY STILL DO in countries they feel they can get by with it, if one but searches for this it is available. I suggest the site www.1335.com and their tape library online is free and will explain the differences in these schools and their origins in detail. Also the murders the present day Catholic Church are still getting by with. NEVER trust these devils.

Answer 2

There are 7 "raptures" in the Bible. While the word "rapture" is not in the Bible, there are 7 instances of persons being "taken up" to Heaven.

1 - Enoch

2 - Elijah

3 - Jesus being raised from the dead

4 The Two Witnessess being raised from the dead

5 The Pretribulation taking up of the saints

6 The post tribulation resurrection of the dead

7 The post millineum resurrection of the dead (rev 20:5)

Answer 3

It doesn't matter what they said.

The only early church views that matter, are those in the Bible itself. And Paul clearly taught a rapture to the Thessalonians, and Jesus spoke of it through John in Revelation.

Answer 4

The first Christians believed what Jesus said, which is that he'd come back to take them all to heaven within one generation, or not at all.