Here are some of the writings of the early Church fathers that sounds very much like they knew and believed and taught the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture, even if they didn't articulate it explicitly in our modern terms that we use in discussion.
First, see Pseudo-Ephraem's Pre Tribulation Rapture Statement (c. 374-627)
"All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation,
which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not
see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our
sins."
In The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, dated 68AD or 97AD,
from
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-05.htm#P171_20841
Is the writer exhorting about and appealing to the truth of the pretribulation
rapture in these examples? I have picked out a few important exerpts below:
Chapter IX[Enoch is an example of the rapture. Gen 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."]
Let us stedfastly contemplate those who have perfectly ministered to His excellent glory. Let us take (for instance) Enoch, who, being found righteous in obedience, was translated, and death was never known to happen to him. Noah, being found faithful, preached regeneration to the world through his ministry; and the Lord saved by him the animals which, with one accord, entered into the ark.
[Noah, and Lot discussed below, are examples of deliverance from wrath, which are examples of the pretrib rapture. Compare with 2 Peter 2:5-9]
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person,
a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the
ungodly;
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should
live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation
of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and
hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,
and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:]
Chapter XI.While "those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God" and "bring down judgment on themselves" are an example of those who will miss the rapture to enter the tribulation.
On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodore when all the country round was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that He does not forsake those that hope in Him, but gives up such as depart from Him to punishment and torture. For Lot's wife, who went forth with him, being of a different mind from himself and not continuing in agreement with him [as to the command which had been given them], was made an example of, so as to be a pillar of salt unto this day. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations.
Chapter XIX[This wording, "free from wrath", is example of our pretrib promises as follows:]
His mighty and surpassingly great gifts and benefactions, of peace. Let us contemplate Him with our understanding, and look with the eyes of our soul to His long-suffering will. Let us reflect how free from wrath He is towards all His creation.
1 Thess 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from
the dead, even Jesus, which
delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thess 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Chapter XXII[This wording, "delivered him out of all his troubles" is like being delivered by the rapture from the time of trouble to come.]
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles."95 "Many are the stripes [appointed for] the wicked; but mercy shall compass those about who hope in the Lord."
Chapter XXIII[The doctrine of the sedition, of the double minded, was the occasion for which Clement's letter was written. The sedition was the doubting of the resurrection and the coming of the Lord, becuase it still had not yet come, "none of [these things] has happened unto us". People in the Church had begun to doubt the coming of the Lord and the resurrection in the days when the New Testament was still being written, and Peter addressed it also:]
"Wretched are they who are of a double mind, and of a doubting heart; who say, These things we have heard even in the times of our fathers; but, behold, we have grown old, and none of them has happened unto us.Of a truth, soon and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, as the Scripture also bears witness, saying, "Speedily will He come, and will not tarry; "99 and, "The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Holy One, for whom ye look."100
2Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days
scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Peter 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since
the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning
of the creation.:
[After speaking of the resurrection for two chapters, Clement continues with a statement that is clearly pretrib, "so that, through His mercy, we may be protected from the judgments to come", which is very much like Rev 3:10 "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.":]
XXVIII[Clement's last line is a paraphrase of Isaiah 26:19-21, which teaches the resurrection will be before the indignation, or wrath, or tribulation.]
Since then all things are seen and heard [by God], let us fear Him, and forsake those wicked works which proceed from evil desires; so that, through His mercy, we may be protected from the judgments to come. For whither can any of us flee from His mighty hand? Or what world will receive any of those who run away from Him? For the Scripture saith in a certain place, "Whither shall I go, and where shall I be hid from Thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, Thou art there; if I go away even to the uttermost parts of the earth, there is Thy right hand; if I make my bed in the abyss, there is Thy Spirit." Whither, then, shall any one go, or where shall he escape from Him who comprehends all things?Chapter XXXIX
But call now, if any one will answer thee, or if thou wilt look to any of the holy angels; for wrath destroys the foolish man, and envy killeth him that is in error. I have seen the foolish taking root, but their habitation was presently consumed. Let their sons be far from safety; let them be despised172 before the gates of those less than themselves, and there shall be none to deliver. For what was prepared for them, the righteous shall eat; and they shall not be delivered from evil."173Chapter L
All the generations from Adam even unto this day have passed away; but those who, through the grace of God, have been made perfect in love, now possess a place among the godly, and shall be made manifest at the revelation of the kingdom of Christ. For it is written, "Enter into thy secret chambers for a little time, until my wrath and fury pass away; and I will remember a propitious day, and will raise you up out of your graves."
Chapter LVIThe repeated references to being "hid", and "delivered" and "gathered together" and "protected" all indicate a pretribulation rapture. Hiding is a theme of Isaiah 26:20, which he just paraphrased, and the rapture, being hid in heaven, hid in the bridal chamber at the wedding, compare these verses about the rapture:
He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in the seventh no evil shall touch thee. In famine He shall rescue thee from death, and in war He shall free thee from the power of the sword. From the scourge of the tongue will He hide thee, and thou shalt not fear when evil cometh. Thou shalt laugh at the unrighteous and the wicked, and shalt not be afraid of the beasts of the field. For the wild beasts shall be at peace with thee: then shalt thou know that thy house shall be in peace, and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not fail. Thou shall know also that thy seed shall be great, and thy children like the grass of the field. And thou shall come to the grave like ripened corn which is reaped in its season, or like a heap of the threshing-floor which is gathered together at the proper time." Ye see, beloved, that protection is afforded to those that are chastened of the Lord; for since God is good, He corrects us, that we may be admonished by His holy chastisement.
Pss 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold
the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Pss 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:
in the secret of his tabernacle
shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Pss 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round
about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I
will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Zeph 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.
Chapter LVII[The sedition Clement mentions is the doubting of the resurrection, as mentioned earlier in Chapter XXIII. And he goes on to describe the fate of these of the sedition, that they will lose or miss the hope, and be cast into tribulation. The "blessed hope" is the rapture: Titus 2:13 "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"]
Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of this sedition...
Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of this sedition, submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent, bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to be subject, laying aside the proud and arrogant self-confidence of your tongue. For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people. For thus speaketh all-virtuous Wisdom: " Behold, I will bring forth to you the words of My Spirit, and I will teach you My speech. Since I called, and ye did not hear; I held forth My words, and ye regarded not, but set at naught My counsels, and yielded not at My reproofs; therefore I too will laugh at your destruction; yea, I will rejoice when ruin cometh upon you, and when sudden confusion overtakes you, when overturning presents itself like a tempest, or when tribulation and oppression fall upon you. For it shall come to pass, that when ye call upon Me, I will not hear you; the wicked shall seek Me, and they shall not find Me. For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; nor would they listen to My counsels, but despised My reproofs. Wherefore they shall eat the fruits of their own way, and they shall be filled with their own ungodliness."The reference to when "sudden confusion overtakes you", is as if a quote from 1 Thess 5:2-3, Paul's teaching about the rapture.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.And Clement's last line, "they shall eat the fruits of their own way" is such an appropriate rebuke to those who deny the pretribulation rapture. They, who teach we must endure the tribulation, will certainly have to endure it themselves.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Admitedly, the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture is never mentioned explicitly IN MODERN TERMS, but it is very strongly implied by the many examples provided of deliverance and salvation for Godly people, and the overwhelming evidence is that tribulation and wrath is stored up for those who have rejected God and scorned the doctrine of the resurrection and return of Jesus. In fact, it might be said that Clement's letter so strongly makes the point that tribulation comes to those who reject God, that he was being inconsistent with the examples of tribulation and martyrdom that came to the Apostles who died. But Clement did mention the Apostles, and martrydom, and he conclusively shows that such tribulations came from only an ungodly source, that of wicked men. This, therefore, seems to be Clement's proof that tribulation from ungodly men is different from the wrath of God that is stored up and is to come, and therefore, the experience of martyrdom for the Apostles is no proof that Christians are appointed to endure the great tribulation to come. Thanks Clement, I'll have to remember that great pretrib rapture argument the next time some post tribber starts telling me that the tribulations the Apostles faces means that I'll have to go through the tribulation to come!
From http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-11.htm#P770_145457
Chapter VIIIt seems to me that Polycarp is refuting those who deny both the coming rapture and tribulation, calling these the resurrection (rapture) and judgment (tribulation). In response, Polycarp appeals to the word of God: the key phrase in the Lord's prayer, "not to lead us into temptation" that refutes these heresies, namely, by showing there is a judgment (temptation), and that there is deliverance from it (resurrection and rapture).
"For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist; " and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning; "watching unto prayer," and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God "not to lead us into temptation," as the Lord has said: "The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.Does the word "temptation" refer to the tribulation or time of trouble to come? Of course.
3986 peirasmos {pi-ras-mos'}
from 3985; TDNT - 6:23,822; n m
AV - temptation 19, temptations 1, try 1; 21
1) an experiment, attempt, trial, proving 1a) trial,
proving: the trial made of you by my bodily condition, since condition
served as to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul (Gal. 4:14) 1b)
the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy 1b1) an enticement
to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from the outward
circumstances 1b2) an internal temptation to sin 1b2a) of the temptation
by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand
1b3) of the condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed
to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness 1b4) adversity,
affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character,
faith, holiness 1c) temptation (i.e. trial) of God by men 1c1)
rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were,
put to the proof and challenged to show themselves
A most commonly quoted verse used to support the pretribulation rapture today is Rev 3:10, which uses the same word, "temptation", the same word in the Greek, peirasmos.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.