Monday, June 12, 2017

Dispensationalism's Doctrinal Deceptions Part 4. The Pretribulational "Rapture"

         Since the previous posting was an explanation in detail of Daniel’s “seventy weeks” and their fulfillment was at the first advent of Christ it would seem logical to deal with the alleged pretribulational rapture. The reason for that is because dispensationalists have moved the seventieth or last week to the end of the age.
           This provides them the opportunity to say the last “week” or seven years is the returning of the Lord’s dealing with national Israel to restore and then bless them after a time of trouble, i.e. a seven year tribulation completing the “seventy weeks”. We have previously proved that this theory is completely flawed so it is necessary to examine both the tribulation and the alleged “rapture “of the church from the Scriptures to establish the truth. First the seven year tribulation is destroyed if it is arrived at by superimposing Daniel’s “seventieth week” at the end of the age because that simply is not true as it has already been fulfilled.
            Let us examine a few Scriptures that prove the tribulation itself to be only three and one-half years in duration and not seven as they proclaim. First we have Daniel’s prophetic testimony as he refers to the tribulation.  A reference to the text of Daniel chapter twelve dealing specifically with the end of age reveals the duration of the tribulation to be three and one-half years.  First in verse seven we read in part:…”and sware by him that liveth forever that it will be for a time, times, and an half (3 ½ years) and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” The time is again referenced at the end of the chapter translated into twelve hundred and ninety days (3 ½ years plus one month) which includes the setting up of the abomination of desolation (see vs.11)one month before the onset of tribulation.  This time is verified by more references in Revelation, chapters 11 and 12. At 11:3-4 we read: “But the court which is without the temple leave out and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under forty two month (3 1/2years). And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three sore days (3 1/2 years) clothed in sackcloth.” Another reference to a time, times, and a half of time is cited at Revelation 12:14 to connect this passage to Daniel twelve and verse seven.  I am here not interpreting the passages but simply connecting the references to the period of the tribulation. These portions being prophetic in nature in that they occur during the tribulation are not immediately clear to the biblically uninformed.  So if this is something which catches your interest I recommend my book These Prophets and the Revelation where they are explained in detail.   My only point here is that there is not one verse in Scripture to support a seven year tribulation. It has been hypothecated by misinterpreting Daniil 9:24-27 with dispensational theology.  Now we can look at the “rapture “issue.
                 Dispensationalists rely very heavily on the passage of Scripture found at  I Thes. 4:13-17 claiming this to be the biblical account of the pretribulational rapture. The text says in part beginning at verse 15:”For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which arrive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 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.” (vss.15-17) This passage is describing not a rupture but in fact the resurrection after the tribulation. It will be proven first by the context and secondly by comparison with other Scripture describing exactly the same event. The context actually includes the first portion of chapter five (the chapter designations are artificially added). Chapter five and verses one and two tell us that the foregoing event, i.e. the resurrection leads us to the Day of Lord whereas if it were the “rapture” it should lead to the tribulation according to their doctrine. Verse two in chapter five sys: “For yourselves know perfectly stat the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night.” Read the entire context form 4:13 through 5:2.  Several other texts prove the post tribulational resurrection. A few will follow.
            Matthew 24: 29-31 precisely parallels I Thes. 4:13-17 as does Mark 13:26-27. Compare also Luke 21:27-28. The Matthew passage reads: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of main in heaven and then shall the tribes of the earth morn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds (earth) and from the ends of heaven together.” All of the above references are complimentary and verify the resurrection (not rapture) after the tribulation.
              Also we would find two places in the Book of Revelation verifying the resurrection occurring after the tribulation. These references are somewhat more obscure because most people have little or no understanding of the Revelation. Chapter six of Revelation details events that occur during the tribulation while immediately following in chapter seven is a depiction of the resurrection.  Also, in chapter eleven at verses eleven and twelve we find another short account of the resurrection after the tribulation. These Revelation passages ae not readily discerned as dispensational theology proclaims that chapters 4-19 of Revelation cover only the tribulation but they do not discover the resurrection. The result being that there exists almost a complete blindness to interpretation.
            So in conclusion we find clearly that this doctrine of dispensationalists, i.e. the pretribulational rapture of the entire church is completely false and is disproven by the testimony of Scripture. 

David Lance Dean                                     many more details of dispensational error

                                                                found in my book: Christian Zionism and the                                                                      Scofield Reference Bible

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