Written on 5 September 2025.

Matthew 24 and the Pre-Trib Rapture

John Rich vs. Joel Osteen

In September 2025, country singer John Rich publicly criticized megachurch pastor Joel Osteen for omitting the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew in his sermons. Rich argued that Osteen never preaches passages that make people uncomfortable, such as Matthew 24, which describes wars, famines, earthquakes, false prophets, persecution, and the unexpected coming of Jesus Christ. Rich compared Osteen unfavorably to Billy Graham, who would preach hard truths about heaven and hell before offering altar calls. According to Rich, Osteen represents a modern trend of pastors who avoid passages that challenge their congregations.

Free Grace YouTube Teachers

The Free Grace, Faith Alone, KJV movement on YouTube presents a similar avoidance of Matthew 24, but for a different reason. These preachers emphasize salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV) and eternal security (John 10:28–29 KJV). However, when questions of the rapture arise, they almost universally defend the pre-tribulation rapture.

Their pattern is consistent:

They say the rapture is not a salvation issue.
Yet they always assume the pre-trib position is correct.
They argue there is only one gospel, implying that those who disagree with pre-trib are missing something essential.
Anyone who rejects pre-trib is treated as spiritually deficient, even if still saved.

In practice, this shields their community from the warnings in Matthew 24, since they interpret the chapter as applying only to Israel or tribulation saints after the church has been raptured.

Marvin Rosenthal and Pre-Wrath

Marvin Rosenthal’s book Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church (1990) documents how central the pre-trib view has become in American evangelicalism. Rosenthal describes how, when he disagreed with the pre-trib rapture, he was pressured into resigning from his position as an elder. This shows that while leaders may say the rapture is not a salvation issue, in reality it functions as a test of fellowship and leadership.

The book presents the pre-wrath view, which sees the church enduring much of the tribulation before being raptured, directly contradicting the pre-trib claim that Christians will escape beforehand.

How Pre-Trib Protects Against Matthew 24

The pre-trib rapture doctrine functions as an escape clause in much of modern Christianity. By assuming the church will not face tribulation, believers are shielded from the direct application of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24. This has practical effects:

Christians in the West remain comfortable, believing persecution will not touch them.
Pastors and YouTube teachers can avoid teaching on difficult passages.
Disagreement with pre-trib often leads to exclusion, even if officially acknowledged as “not a salvation issue.”

The Cost of Questioning

The examples of John Rich’s criticism of Osteen, Free Grace YouTube preachers, and Marvin Rosenthal’s experience all point to the same conclusion: Matthew 24 is avoided. For prosperity preachers, it does not fit their message of success. For Free Grace teachers, it is neutralized by pre-trib eschatology. For church leadership, questioning pre-trib may lead to loss of position or fellowship.

Ultimately, Matthew 24 remains a dividing line. Its warnings are clear, but many modern preachers prefer to explain them away rather than confront their congregations with the reality of persecution, deception, and tribulation.

References

Rich, John. Interview on the Shawn Ryan Show, September 2025.
Rosenthal, Marvin. Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. Thomas Nelson, 1990.
The Holy Bible, King James Version. Matthew 24; John 10:28–29; Ephesians 2:8–9.

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