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
No comments:
Post a Comment