Post Tribulation Rapture -The Resurrection Day

Transcription

1 "Design Creation, Silenced" - Order at Amazon.com Post Tribulation Rapture -The Resurrection Day The Scriptures alone must settle theological differences about the Rapture. The time when the Christians leave the surface of the earth and go up through the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus Christ has always been called the rapture. The apostle Paul wrote: for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with 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. This is a certainty that has been accepted and taught by all Christians since 54AD. Paul never gave us the date, but he did give us a number of signs to be looking for. He gives 4 signs that must occur before Christ Jesus returns and these are listed in the following verses. Let no man deceive you by any means except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God For the mystery of iniquity doth already work only now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-7. To avoid the teaching of these four warning signs is a serious blunder. The pre-tribulation rapture that has been taught for the last 150 year has stated that the rapture could occur at any time since AD 100. This is impossible because none of these warning signs promised has occurred. The Antichrist or the Beast cannot enter the Temple in Jerusalem until the Temple is rebuilt. The post-tribulation rapture originated from the church fathers in AD and as it was handed down through the ages, it was called The blessed hope. The following passages from the Scriptures support this doctrine of the catching up of the bride or the Saints to meet Jesus Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Titus 2:13, Matthew 24:38-44, 2 Peter 3:10 and 1Thessalonians 4:14-17 all support the teaching of this doctrine of the rapture. In the 1830s a well-known minister named Rev J N Darby, helped to start the pre-tribulation rapture theory and he was followed up by other supporting teachers, such as Dwight L Moody and CI Schofield with their writings, books and papers. They taught that the church would not have to go through the great tribulation as spoken of in the book Revelation. The Church fathers, however, taught that the believers, saints, Jews and gentiles, and sons of God, were all the same children of God and would be raptured collectively together. They did not differentiate between the words saints and church members. The main point of pre-tribulation rapture has been about the word church not being found written after Revelation 3:31 However, in Revelation 6, the story of the pale horse or, that hell followed him and power was given him to kill with a sword. It says in verse 6:11, their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. These are Christians in

2 the middle of the tribulation. In Revelation 11:12, they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them come hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them And the remnant were afraid and gave glory to God. These also are Christians in the middle of the tribulation. In Revelation 4:1, after a door was opened in heaven John said, a voice as a trumpet talked with me and said, come up hither. The Scripture does not say that the voice talked to the church to come up. This is contrary to logical thinking of the other 10 times where Christians or Saints or fellow servants are found in the rest of the tribulation. Since both of the phrases, come up hither are in reference to the rapture, it appears they are one and the same and they both occur in the middle of the tribulation. 1. Jews and Gentiles become one In Jeremiah 31:27 God says that he plans to put the seed of Abraham into and combine it with the genetic seed of the gentiles (humanity), "I will sow the house of Israel with the seed of beast. (Gentiles). God says, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts... I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sins no more (new covenant- the cross). 2. Christians, Saints, and church is one tree In Romans chapters 9-11, Paul says, that the Gentiles, like as a branch in the olive tree, will be will be grafted into Abraham's seed line (family) as believing Christians (Church). Romans 9:30, says, that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness hath attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith. In Romans 11:11 again, "through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles And if some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them. Of the root and fatness of the olive tree, The branches were broken off that I (gentiles) might be grafted in. In Galatians, chapter 3, Paul says: "Know ye that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham and verse 9, then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. In Hebrews 11:40, God says, God having provided some better things for us (Christians, Saints or the church) are one and the same and are to receive better things than that of Israel his chosen. 3. One bride-jews and Gentiles John, in Revelation 21:2, 14, is referring to the bride of Christ or the lambs bride and the glory that they will receive when the new Holy City comes down from heaven, and he equates the word church with the apostles of the new testament: I John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" verse 14. In the wall of the city, it had 12 foundations and in them, the names of the 12 apostles of the lamb, (church apostles are the same in equality, as the Jewish apostles, linking them together). 4. The word church found in the Old Testament Matthew 16:17-19, Peter, God s apostle, was promised by God that he would receive the Holy Ghost at [Pentecost]. He uses the word church twice in this passage referring to Jewish Saints or believers or Church, interchangeably in meaning. Notice how the word church is used in Verse 16, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them,

3 tell it the church, if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man for a publican. 5. Saints are the same as the church Christians or the church are called Saints nine times in this book of Ephesians. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:19-20 now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and of the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Some of the other names for the church are: household of God, one new man, to reconcile both unto God, one body by the cross, we both have access by one Spirit unto the father, and Gentiles in the flesh 6. Many titles but same body In First Peter 2:9:10, there are numerous titles given to the church or the Christians or The Saints in the Scriptures. These being, sons of the living God, Israel of God, holy priesthood, chosen people, peoples of God, holy nation, peculiar people, chosen generation circumcision, spiritual house. This is because there are so many different names that refer to the Church like: body of Christ, sons of God, the Saints, assembly of believers and many others, it seems to be a rather weak position to hold. The word church does not appear in Revelation after 3:31 for another reason and the word saint being used instead. The word saint appears in the Old Testament more than 100 times and yet it refers to the assembly of believers like Daniel, Shadrach, David, Solomon, Abednego and Samson and they all will be resurrected. The great tribulation is the last seven years of Daniels 70 th week and is on the Jewish timetable and therefore saint being used for the church seems fitting to the end of the Jewish dispensation. 7. Jews are the Old Testament saints The Septuagint version of the Old Testament was the translation of the Hebrew Bible that was written about 250 years before Christ, and was translated into the Greek language, later on. The word ecclesia was translated into the word church or a congregation for God or the Saints, about 100 times 8. From means to go through not to escape out of Some pastors use the reference for the support of the pre-tribulation rapture, by referring to Revelation 3:10. This passage is in reference to the sixth church of Revelation or the church of Philadelphia. God writes, Because you have the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold I will come quickly, hold fast that which thou has that no man take thy crown. These verses are referring to the seven years of tribulation and the word from has been defined as meaning by the pre-tribulation believers, that no born-again Christians will go into the seven years of tribulation at all. They teach they will be raptured or snatched up by Christ into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and go to the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven and they will not go into the tribulation of all. The Greek word Ec is translated into the English word from and it means to keep you throughout the tribulation not to take you out of the tribulation. This meaning of the word from is supported by many of the leading English translators 9. Visual Signs must appear and precede the tribulation

4 Many Pre-tribulation Christians believe in a secret rapture of the church, however this is not taught in the Bible. Many different kinds of visual signs are to be shown before the great coming of the day of God. These have been given prophetically in the Scriptures. The coming of blood moons, prevailing darkness of the eclipse of the sun, the powers of the heavens will be shaken, planet shattering earthquakes, major deception, murder, drugs, drunkenness and the world government requiring a mark in your hand will be seen, before a man on the white horse appears in Revelation 6. The two trumpets that are blown in 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 1Corinthians 15:52, most likely will be at the same time or be one in the same. This is the gathering of the elect and the divine judgment spoken of in Matthew 24:29-31, 43-44, by Christ. 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 man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn 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 and they shall gather his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. but that if the Goodman of the i house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up, therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh. 10. Fellow servants, brethren, martyrs, and souls of church member missing the wedding supper? Revelation 6:4-8 and there went out another horse that was red take peace from the earth Kill one another A great sword Death and hell followed The fourth part of the earth to kill with a sword, hunger and death. This is the time found in the middle of the great tribulation. Why are the brethren, martyrs and souls of church members missing the wedding supper of the Lamb if the pretribulation rapture had occurred? Rev 6:9-11 says, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God they cried with a loud voice how long? These fellow servants of God were anxious to be avenged and they wanted to know why they had to wait during the tribulation. It was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren should be killed as they should be fulfilled. We see in Revelation 18:18-19, the same thing about believing Christians still in the tribulation time. Why is that so if the pre-tribulation rapture was valid? And they cry when they saw the smoke of her burning. Thus with violence shall the great city be burned down. Revelation19:7-9, Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is to come write blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is clear that Christian brothers are referred to by many different names and these brothers that have been killed for the word of God are not permitted to leave heaven in their resting place to enjoy the marriage supper, simply because the marriage supper has not begun and the pre-tribulation rapture did not occur. It is clear that death and destruction has occurred throughout the tribulation and the whore of Babylon has been destroyed, before the marriage supper in heaven will begin. There are several other places that support the post tribulation conclusion, where brethren, Saints, martyrs and church member to go through some part of the seven years of tribulation before they are snatched up as a thief in the night. We have written this article to encourage born-again believers to be ready for the tough days ahead that are described throughout the book Revelation. If we are raptured before the tribulation starts, we won t be concerned with this controversy, however, it is far better to be prepared for the worst than to support a doctrine which tends to make us carefree and a little unconcerned about our lost family and friends.

5 Please share this article with a friend. I appreciate your reading and prayers and I hope God will help you to understand his words. Shalom, Dr. Ray C Nichols raycalvinnichols@gmail.com.