The Rapture
of the Church
Pretribulationalism
This
view was first known as "the secret" or "any moment
rapture." It is a relatively new position which was first taught
by the founder of the
Catholic
Apostolic
Church
,
Edward Irving in the late 1820's. It was then picked up by Plymouth
Brethren pastor John Nelson Darby, and he first preached on it in 1843.
It came to
America
in the late 1800's and was popularized by C.I. Schofield when he
revised his Bible notes in 1917. Pretribulationists teach that the
return of Christ has been imminent since the days of the early church
and that the church will be raptured sometime before the seventieth
week of Daniel begins. Although they have no Scripture that in so many
words teaches it, they teach that there are no signs that precede the
rapture, so could take place at any moment. The seventieth week of
Daniel is therefore considered to be a seven-year period of God's
judgmental "tribulation" (hence the term pretribulation).
This position generally views the seventieth week as the day of the
Lord's wrath from which the church is excluded. It is important
to live in a state of readyness - for no one is promised
tomorrow. It is because we could die at any time that we should
live in a state of being ready to meet our Lord.
Midtribulationalism
This
view emerged in 1941 with the publication of the book, "The End:
Rethinking the Revelation" by Norman B. Harrison. They believe
that the Rapture of the Church will occur at the mid-point of the
seventieth week of Daniel. They see the second half of the seventieth
week as the wrath of God and as a result the church will not be here
when God pours out His wrath on the earth.
Posttribulationalism
There
are a number of views in the posttribulation camp. Some
posttribulationalists see the church in tribulation since its
beginnings and do not view the seven year period as futuristic. The
most prevalent view today is that the seven year period is yet in the
future, and that although the Church will experience this time of
tribulation, it will be sheltered by God's protection before the second
coming. George Ladd in his book "The Blessed Hope" and Robert
Gundry in his book "The Church and The Tribulation" both
teach that the church will experience the seven year period which will
conclude with the rapture of the church.
There are some early writings that hold to this view as well as infer
the next view, ‘pre-wrath’.
Chapter
XXVI.-John and Daniel Have Predicted the Dissolution and Desolation
of the
Roman Empire
,
Which Shall Precede the End of the World and the
Eternal
Kingdom
of Christ. The Gnostics are Refuted, Those Tools of Satan, Who Invent
Another Father Different from the Creator.
1.
In a still clearer light has John, in the Apocalypse, indicated to the
Lord's disciples what shall happen in the last times, and concerning
the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now
rules [the earth] shall be partitioned. He teaches us what the ten
horns shall be which were seen by Daniel, telling us that thus it had
been said to him: "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. These have one mind, and give their
strength and power to the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb,
and the Lamb shall overcome them, because He is the Lord of lords and
the King of kings." It is manifest, therefore, that of these [potentates], he who
is to come shall slay three, and subject the remainder to his power,
and that he shall be himself the eighth among them. 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.
Chapter
XXX.-Although Certain as to the Number of the Name of Antichrist, Yet
We Should Come to No Rash Conclusions as to the Name Itself, Because
This Number is Capable of Being Fitted to Many Names.
Reasons for This Point Being
Reserved by the Holy Spirit. Antichrist's Reign and Death.
4.
But he indicates the number of the name now, that when this man comes we
may avoid him, being aware who he is: the name, however, is suppressed,
because it is not worthy of being proclaimed by the Holy Spirit. For if
it had been declared by Him, he (Antichrist) might perhaps continue for
a long period. But now as "he was, and is not, and shall ascend
out of the abyss, and goes into perdition," as one who has no
existence; so neither has his name been declared, for the name of that
which does not exist is not proclaimed. But
when this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this world, he
will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the temple at
Jerusalem; and then the Lord will come from heaven in the clouds, in
the glory of the Father,
sending this man and those who follow him into the lake of fire; but
bringing in for the righteous the times of the kingdom, that is, the
rest, the hallowed seventh day; and restoring to Abraham the promised
inheritance, in which kingdom the Lord declared, that "many coming
from the east and from the west should sit down with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob."
Chapter
XXXV.-He Contends that These Testimonies Already Alleged Cannot Be
Understood Allegorically of Celestial Blessings, But that They Shall
Have Their Fulfilment After the Coming of Antichrist, and the
Resurrection, in the Terrestrial
Jerusalem
.
To the Former Prophecies He Subjoins Others Drawn from Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and the Apocalypse of John.
Comment: Iranaeus makes no reference
to a resurrection or rapture prior to the arrival of antichrist and
since he has already clarified that he believes that the church will
see the persecution of the antichrist, as seen in the quoted chapters,
it is suggested that in this chapter as well, he views the church as
part of the "resurrection of the just, which takes place after the
coming of Antichrist."
Quoting
Paul
For
when they shall say, `Peace, 'and `All things are safe, 'then sudden
destruction shall come upon them." Again, in the second epistle he
addresses them with even greater earnestness: "Now I beseech you,
brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, nor be troubled,
either by spirit, or by word," that is, the word of false
prophets, "or by letter," that is, the letter of false
apostles, "as if from us, as that the day of the Lord is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means. For that day shall not come,
unless indeed there first come a falling away," he means indeed of
this present empire, "and that man of sin be revealed," that
is to say, Antichrist, "the son of perdition, who opposeth and
exalteth himself above all that is called God or religion; so that he
sitteth in the temple of God, affirming that he is God. Remember ye
not, that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things? And now
ye know what detaineth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now hinders must
hinder, until he be taken out of the way." What obstacle is there
but the Roman state, the falling away of which, by being scattered into
ten kingdoms, shall introduce Antichrist upon (its own ruins)?
"And then shall be revealed the wicked one, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of His coming: even him whose coming is after the working of
Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish."
Chapter
XXV.-St. John, in the Apocalypse, Equally Explicit in Asserting the
Same Great Doctrine.
In
the Revelation of John, again, the order of these times is spread out
to view, which "the souls of the martyrs" are taught to wait
for beneath the altar, whilst they earnestly pray to be avenged and
judged: (taught, I say, to wait), in order that the world may first drink to the dregs the
plagues that await it out of the vials of the angels, and that the city
of fornication may receive from the ten kings its deserved doom, and
that the beast Antichrist with his false prophet may wage war on the
Church of God;
and that, after the casting of the devil into the bottomless pit for a
while, the blessed prerogative of the first resurrection may be
ordained from the thrones; and then again, after the consignment of him
to the fire, that the judgment of the final and universal resurrection
may be determined out of the books.
Chapter
XLI.-The Dissolution of Our Tabernacle Consistent with the Resurrection
of Our Bodies.
Now
the privilege of this favour awaits those who shall at the coming of
the Lord be found in the flesh, and who shall, owing to the oppressions
of the time of Antichrist, deserve by an instantaneous death, which is
accomplished by a sudden change, to become qualified to join the rising
saints; as he writes to the Thessalonians: "For this we say unto
you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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 too shall ourselves 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."
Treatise
VII. On the Mortality.
For
he who wars for God, dearest brethren, ought to acknowledge himself as
one who, placed in the heavenly camp, already hopes for divine things,
so that we may have no trembling at the storms and whirlwinds of the
world, and no disturbance, since the Lord had foretold that these would
come. With
the exhortation of His fore-seeing word, instructing, and teaching, and
preparing, and strengthening the people of His Church for all endurance
of things to come, He predicted and said that wars, and famines, and
earthquakes, and pestilences would arise in each place; and lest an
unexpected and new dread of mischiefs should shake us, He previously
warned us that adversity would increase more and more in the last
times. Behold, the very things occur which were spoken; and since those
occur which were foretold before, whatever things were promised will
also follow; as the Lord Himself promises, saying, "But when ye
see all these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is
at hand."
Comment: He applies the teaching of
Matthew 24 ("But when ye see all these things come to pass. .
.") to the church.
The Early Church father; Victorinus wrote the
following commentary in A.D. 270: "Seven
angels having the last seven plaques, for in them is completed the
indignation of God. And these shall be in the Last Times, when the
Church shall have gone out of the midst" Victorinus
was talking about the "Catching
Up" the Rapture of the Church.
http://www.theshepherdstrumpet.com/Studies/Topical%20Studies/RaptureStudies/rapt-c5.html
There are certain names, looking back through the centuries, that
stand out in Messianic history such as John Wyclif, John Huss, Martin
Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, Hulreich Zwingli, William Tyndale,
Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, John Foxe, Edwin Sandys, John Calvin,
John Knox, King James, Isaac Newton, Thomas Newton, John Wesley. It is
of clear knowledge, that none of these men believed that Messiah
would return in two phases -the rapture and then later the revelation. None
of these men believed the church would be taken out before the
appearance of Antichrist. In fact, to the contrary, they understood
that the church would suffer at the hands of Antichrist and the career
of the man of sin, the Son of Perdition, would be ended by the coming
of Messiah at the end of the age.
Jeffery says in his book, "Final Warning, pgs. 306, 307,
309, 310, that in the On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End
of the World, a writing of Ephraem, the Syrian, A.D. 373,
"...all saints and the elect of the Ruler are gathered together before
the tribulation which is to about to come and are taken to the
Ruler in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which
overwhelms the world because of our sins." Jeffery states this is
"a very clear statement about the pre-tribulation return of
Messiah to take His elect saints home to heaven to escape the coming
tribulation."
We mention the Jeffery's quote above of Ephraem's only because it
is an isolated teaching by one obscure man and is NOW being used to try
and prove that the Secret Rapture doctrine was generally and always
taught as truth before 1827. However, all the rest of the Ante-Nicene,
Nicene and Post- Nicene fathers never, never, taught such a secret
rapture doctrine. There are several reasons why these writings of
Ephraem, the Syrian, should not be accepted. First, he taught the
worship of Mary as divine and as the Mother of Elohim, which was
"foreign to the original spirit of Messianicism." Second, he
prayed to departed saints [this is worship of familiar spirits -demons,
shades of the witch of Endor]. Third, he wrote only in the Syriac
language, clearly having no knowledge of the Greek or Hebrew languages.
Further, he did not interpret text from the original Hebrew or the
Greek, but from the old Syriac translation, the Peshito. Fourth,
he is quoted as being unlearned, uneducated and lived as a hermit in a
cave outside the city of
Edessa
, now in
Turkey
. Fifth, it was reported that he was out of his mind (probably
due to demonic influences, author). History of the Christian
Church, pgs. 422, 423, Schaff.
Last of all, regarding Ephraem's commentary statement
"...all saints and the elect of the Lord are gathered together
before the tribulation which is to about to come" is not what our
Savior taught as recorded in the Book of Matthew chapter 24. Messiah
said in verses 29, 30, 31, we quote: "Immediately
after (after, after AFTER) the
tribulation of those days...And then shall appear the sign of the Son
of man in heaven: ...and they shall see the Son of man COMING in the
clouds of heaven...And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a
trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect..." This
establishes Ephraem's teaching as false. Therefore Ephraem's writings
can not be taken as true to the scriptures and must be disregarded.
George Ladd, seminary professor, after making a survey of Church
history says: "Every church father who deals with this subject
expects the CHURCH to suffer at the hands of Antichrist: ...we can find
no trace of pre-tribulationism in the early church: and no modern pre-tribulationist
has successfully proved that this particular doctrine was held by any
of the church fathers or students of the Word before the nineteenth
century." The Blessed Hope, pg. 31, George Ladd. This is a very
comprehensive statement, but one which we believe will stand up under
our investigation. We shall look at some of the statements of other
Messianic writers in the early centuries.
"The Didache", written after the New Testament,
is considered to be one of the earliest pieces of Messianic literature,
stated that the Antichrist would come, that many would be offended and
be lost, and that this time of woe would be followed by the
resurrection of the just. The Blessed Hope, Pgs. 20,21, Ladd.
The Epistle of Barnabas, written about the same time as "The
Didache", says: "When the Son comes, he will destroy the
time of the wicked one and will judge the godless." This writer of
this epistle did not believe in a coming of Messiah before the time of
the "wicked one", nor did he believe in the any-moment
theory, for he expected the
Roman Empire
to fall first. Ante-Nicene Fathers -Barnabas, Vol. 1, pgs. 146,
138.
Irenaeus (130-202 A.D.) spoke of "the resurrection of the
just, which takes place after the coming of Antichrist."
"But when this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this
world ...then the Ruler shall come from heaven in the clouds, in
the glory of the Father, sending this man and those who follow him into
the lake of fire; but bringing in for the righteous the times of the
kingdom." He spoke of kings who "shall give their kingdom to
the beast, and put the church to flight. After that they shall
be destroyed by the coming of our Ruler." "In the end
the church shall be suddenly caught up" and having overcome, will
be "crowned with incorruption." It is evident that Irenaeus
did not believe in a pre-tribulation. Against Heresies, Chap. 35:1;
30:4, 26:1; 29:1, Irenaeus.
Tertullian (160-240 A.D.) believed that Antichrist would rise to
power and persecute the church. He affirmed it was customary for
Christians to pray for a part in the resurrection to meet Messiah at
the end of the world. On The Resurrection of the Flesh, Chap.22,
Tertullian.
Tertullian wrote:
"That the beast Antichrist with his false prophet may wage war on
the Church of God. . . . Since, then, the Scriptures both indicate the
stages of the last times, and concentrate the harvest of the Christian
hope in the very end of the world" (On Resurrrection of the
Flesh, xxv; cf. Scorpiace, xii).
Hippolytus (170-236 A.D.) spoke of the dreaded Antichrist who
would persecute the church. He believed the Second Advent would
be the time that the dead would be raised, Antichrist destroyed, and
the saints glorified. Treatise on Messiah and Antichrist, Chapters
66,67, Hippolytus.
Bob Gundry, in his book, "First The Antichrist" (pp
148-149), states,
"Early in the third century Hippolytus wrote,
"'Now concerning the tribulation of the persecution which is to
fall on the church from the enemy [he has been speaking about the
Antichrist and about the Antichrist's persecution of the saints and
continues in the same vein]. . . . That refers to the 1,260 days
(the half of the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and
persecute the church (Treatise on Christ and the Antichrist 60-61).'
"Then in chapters 62-67 Hippolytus quoted biblical passages
extensively that describe the tribulation and Jesus' subsequent return
(Daniel 11-12; Matthew 24; Luke 21; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 20),
tied these passages to the future experiences of the church, and
equated the return with Paul's description of the church's rapture in
1 Thessalonians 4."
Cyprian (200-258 A.D.), a Messianic bishop and martyr, believed
that Antichrist would reign, after which Messiah would come at
the end of the world. Epistle 55, Cyprian.
Lactantius (260-330 A.D.) believed that the Antichrist would
reign over the world and afflict the righteous, but Elohim would
send a Great King to rescue them, to destroy the wicked with fire and
sword, to raise the dead and renew the world. The Divine Institutes,
Vol.7, Lactantius.
Cyril (315-386 A.D.), bishop of
Jerusalem
, wrote: "We believe in Him, who also ascended into the
heavens, and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and shall come
in glory to judge the quick and dead ...at the end, and this
created world is to be re-made anew." He wrote in such a way that
we know he believed the Antichrist would come to power before
the Second Coming and would persecute the church. The Catechetical
Lectures of St. Cyril, Lecture 15.
Rapture – What Scripture Teaches us…
Walvoord, in The Rapture Question, pg. 148
says that neither pre-tribulation nor post-tribulation rapture is
taught in scripture. I
agree, and that leaves us with the pre-wrath rapture view!
Dr. Richard Mayhue, who teaches at Masters
Seminary and believes in a pre-trib rapture states this in his The
Prophets Watchword, the Day of the Lord, pg. 181-182, “perhaps
the position of pre-tribulationism is correct although its proof at
times has been logically invalid”
Again, I agree.
So what is the logical teaching of scripture?– It looks to be
the pre-wrath view.
(Tit 2:13)
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory (the
Glorious appearing) of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
(Act
2:20
)
'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
What is the ‘Day of the Lord’ – will we see it?
(1
Thessalonians 5:2)
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will
come just like a thief in the night.
(1
Thessalonians 5:4)
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that
the day would overtake you like a thief;
The
day of the Lord begins with the Rapture and ends with the white throne
judgment.
Acts
2:20
tells us the sun will be darkened before
the day of the Lord comes!
(1Co 1:8)
who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Mal 4:5)
"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before
the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.
(Act
2:20
)
'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
(1Co 1:8)
who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1Co 5:5)
I have decided to deliver
such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(2Co
1:14
)
just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your
reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
(1Th 5:2)
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will
come just like a thief in the night.
(2Th 2:2)
that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be
disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to
the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
(Jam 5:7) Therefore
be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits
for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it
gets the early and late rains.
(Jam 5:8) You
too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is
near.
(2Pe
3:12
)
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God!
(1
Thessalonians 5:4)
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would
overtake you like a thief;
(Mat 24:29)
"But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE
SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE
STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be
shaken.
This
precedes the day of the Lord!
(Acts
2:17
) 'AND IT SHALL BE
IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON
ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR
YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
(Acts
2:18
) EVEN ON MY
BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR
FORTH
OF
MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy.
(Acts
2:19
) 'AND I WILL GRANT
WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE,
AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
(Acts
2:20
) 'THE SUN WILL BE
TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND
GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
(Acts
2:21
) 'AND IT SHALL BE
THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.'
70th week of Daniel – (7 year ‘tribulation’)
(Dan 9:27)
"And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one
week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and
grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction,
one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."
(Revelation
13:7)
It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to
overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and
nation was given to him.
–
Antichrist comes to power and makes war with the saints
– this is not the Jews – he makes peace with the Jews.
He makes war with the church!
However, we will endure – to the end – the
rapture!
Matthew
10:16-23
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst
of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
(17)
"But
beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
(18)
and
you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a
testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
(19)
"But
when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say;
for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.
(20)
"For it is not you who speak, but it
is
the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
(21)
"Brother will betray brother to death, and a
father his
child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be
put to death.
(22)
"You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who
has endured to the end who will be saved.
(23) "But
whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I
say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of
Israel
until the Son of Man
comes.
Mat 24:8-22
"But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
(9)
"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will
kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. [this has not happened yet]
(10)
"At that time many will fall away [this
is the apostacy II Thes. 2:1-3] and will betray one another and
hate one another.
(11)
"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
(12)
"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love
[Agape] will grow cold.
(13)
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Enduring to the end – this is talking to the church!
(Mar
13:13
)
"You will be hated by all because of My name, but the
one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
(Rev 2:7)
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life
which is in the Paradise of God.'
(
Rev 2:11
)
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'
(
Rev 2:17
)
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give
him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one
knows but he who receives it.'
(
Rev 2:26
)
'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end,
TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;
(Rev 3:5)
'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and
I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his
name before My Father and before His angels.
(
Rev 3:12
)
'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of
My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him
the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new
Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
(
Rev 3:21
)
'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on
My throne, as I also
overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
(Rev 21:7)
"He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be
his God and he will be My son.
(14)
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the
whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will
come.
(15)
"Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy
place (let the reader understand),
(16)
then those who are in
Judea
must flee to the mountains.
(17)
"Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the
things out that are in his house.
(18)
"Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
(19)
"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are
nursing babies in those days!
(20)
"But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a
Sabbath.
(21)
"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has
not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
(22)
"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would
have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut
short.
2Th 2:1-3
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
(2)
that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be
disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to
the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
(3)
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not
come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of
lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
Rev 14:9-12
Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a
loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and
receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
(10)
he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels
and in the presence of the Lamb. (11) "And the
smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day
and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever
receives the mark of his name."
(12)
Here is the perseverance
of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in
Jesus.
The saints here (using
expositional consistency in the NT, must be the church).
The Jews will think the
antichrist is the messiah and have a peace with him.
When he breaks the treaty at the abomination, they will be
sealed (144,000) or taken to the wilderness and protected!
Dan 12:1-3
"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people,
will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred
since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people,
everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
(the sealing and protecting in the wilderness)
(then we have two resurrections):
(2)
"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will
awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
(3) "Those who
have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of
heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars
forever and ever.
Revelation
20:4-6
Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given
to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and
those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came
to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(5) The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were
completed. This is the first resurrection.
(6)
Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will
be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand
years.
John
5:28-29
"Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming,
in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,
(29)
and
will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds
to a resurrection of judgment.
Day of the Lord – Wrath – Time of the end
1Th 1:9-10
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we
had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living
and true God, (10) and to wait for
His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the
wrath to come.
1Th 5:8-10
But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith
and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
(9) For God has not
destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord
Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us,
so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Rev 3:10
'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep
you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell
on the earth.
When does the fullness of the Gentiles come in?
(Acts
1:8)
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in
Jerusalem
, and in all
Judea
and
Samaria
, and even
to the remotest part of the earth."
Mat
24:14
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end
will come.
After we complete the great commission – which we have not
done yet! Then the fullness
of the gentiles come in:
Rom 11:25-26
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this
mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the
Gentiles has come in; (26)
and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS
FROM JACOB."
When does
Israel
acknowledge Jesus Christ as Messiah?
After the Abomination of Desolation!
That is when
Israel
is saved, not before. Meaning
God is still looking to His church to complete the great commission.
(Act
13:47
)
"For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A
LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE
EARTH.'"
(Mat
10:22
)
"You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is
the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
(Mat 24:13)
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Mat 24:14
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the
whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will
come.
(Mat 28:20)
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the age."
(Mar
13:13
)
"You will be hated by all because of My name, but the
one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Pretribulationalism
This view was first known as "the secret" or "any
moment rapture." It is a relatively new position which was first
taught by the founder of the
Catholic
Apostolic
Church
, Edward Irving in the late
1820's. It was then picked up by
Plymouth
Brethren pastor John Nelson
Darby, and he first preached on it in 1843. It came to
America
in the late 1800's and was
popularized by C.I. Schofield when he revised his Bible notes in 1917.
Pretribulationists teach that the return of Christ h
