Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus. Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus.
Dan 11:33 "And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.
I. Introduction
God's word gives us insight into the end times and He expects us to know what his word says. 2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. The difficulty in understanding is sometimes deciding, before studying, a method that you want to pursue in your course of study. The method chosen will then dictate the style of your study and therefore many of your conclusions. When studying scripture you must either take it literally or try to make each word take on a particular meaning that you assign to it. It is logical that you should be consistent with that meaning throughout your studies.
II. Can you take it literally?
How literal is literal?
Throughout the years men have examined the Bible in many different ways. Some try to allegorize certain passages and some say they take everything as literally as they can. Taking the words literally, as literally as possible, and only taking things symbolically that are meant to be that way in the most common sense terms is the way most people try to study the Bible.
Every subject begins to get harder to understand the deeper you look at it. For example cars seem simple enough to most people who just get in, start the engine, push the gas pedal and proceed to their destination. If you study cars closely and look at them from all angles of engines, production, marketing, international tastes, environmental concerns, labor requirements, quality control, and many other things that go into a car it quickly becomes an involved subject and requires much learning just to talk knowledgeably about it.
Now Bible study and especially the subject of eschatology is the same in many ways. Prophecy is easy enough for most people to read but those who get into the details and study it have to have clear thinking and clear rules of interpretation to understand what God is saying to us.
We must be diligent to use the scripture to back up other scriptures that we are using. We must not be tempted to bring in sources outside the Bible to verify what we are saying if we are just trying to make things work out in our favor. For example speakers can get into Jewish tradition on weddings or how they blew certain horns; authors can bring in current magazines or the latest intelligence from around the world . All these are unnecessary, since they are not the final authority--the Bible is.
In conclusion the best way to study scripture is to be consistent and as literal as possible and let scriptures verify scripture to avoid many pitfalls. Rom 3:4 ... Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged."
There are three or four approaches to the timing of the rapture:
Pre-tribulation rapture -- rapture before Daniel's last week of years or last seven years
Mid-tribulation rapture -- rapture at the mid point of the last seven years
Pre-wrath rapture -- rapture before the wrath of God begins (must define when wrath begins)
Post tribulation rapture -- rapture after the tribulation
I had always studied and believed the pre-tribulation rapture was correct. My own thinking on this has been challenged and has recently changed causing me to look at the scriptures and theories in a fresh light. We must remember the pre-tribulation rapture view is not dogma. It seems the body of Christ is beginning to rethink the pre-tribulation rapture theory and beginning to see things differently. It would be very big news if some of the recognized names in the study of prophecy today would not be so dogmatic about the pre-tribulation rapture.
III. Is there a picture of the rapture in Revelation 14?
There are some major passages that describe the rapture and give some details about it.
Mat 24:30 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. Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Th 4:15 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. 1 Th 4:16 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: 1 Th 4:17 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. 1 Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Cor 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
These are scriptures that we believe describe the rapture. Notice the things they have in common. A heavenly event, with angels, clouds, a trumpet, and the gathering of believers.
Now if we look at Revelation 14:14 we see a vision in heaven; let's look closely at it and see if it does not match the things we know about the rapture.
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
This is a scene in heaven. We see the Son of man on a white cloud sitting in a prepared state waiting on the exact timing and word from the Father with a sickle ready to reap the harvest. This matches exactly the things we know about the rapture from other scriptures.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
It is critical to picture what is happening here. The angel who comes from the temple where God the Father watches is apparently told that now is the time for the rapture. Notice that he cries with a loud voice or a shout and tells Him to reap. This is the parallel to the shout in 1 Thes. 4:16. Again this is consistent with what we know about the rapture from other verses. The rapture will occur with the shout of the arch angel. Christ said no man knows only the Father in heaven when the time should be. The shout is that of the archangel telling him that now is the time.
When we tie all these things together, we see that this is a picture of the rapture. It is interesting to note the place where these things take place in the scriptures. It is after the seventh trumpet but before the bowl judgments that are the wrath of God that is poured out. Again this is consistent with the scripture that says we will escape the wrath of God. When you define the wrath of God as being in the seven bowls then you see how all the scriptures flow together.
This is a world wide wrath that is twofold -- the wrath of justice and the wrath of vengeance. It will not be dragged out over a seven-year period. If the wrath of God was drawn out over a seven-year period he would just be toying with man and seem sadistic toward man. It will happen quickly and will be devastating to all involved. More on this idea is developed later.
IV. What is the Last Trump?
I have seen several explanations of what the last trump is in scripture. Some who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture say that the seventh trumpet in Revelation cannot be the last trump of God. To do this there has to be another explanation. One explanation is that God sounded at Sinai in Exodus 19 when he gathered his earthly people and the last trump of God will sound when He gathers His heavenly people through the Lord Jesus.
Exo 19:16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
This scripture they say is the first trumpet and the trumpet at the rapture is the last trumpet. Really this is conjecture and the scripture is not clear on this point. It makes no mention of this being the first trump or that it has a connection with any other trumpet. This is an example of using scripture the way you want to. There is no way to back this up with scripture. It stands alone as a theory with no other scriptures to go with it.
Let's take a look at the 7th trumpet in Revelation that we know for sure is actually the last trump in a series of seven. What happens when this last trump is blown?
Rev 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
This mystery is identified as the church and the preaching of Christ in the scriptures.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
God held the church and the preaching of the gospel to be a mystery throughout the Old Testament. It was revealed in full at Pentecost and now this mystery has come to a close with the sounding of the 7th trumpet.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O. Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
The scriptures that we know describe the rapture are not contradicted here but they seem to be a verification and enlargement of the rapture theme. Here is an example of scripture verifying scripture. At the seventh trumpet the twenty-four elders are praising God for rewarding the faithful Christians throughout out the ages. The dead are judged, rewards are given, and it begins the destruction of those who destroy the earth. All the scriptures flow together to show that the seventh trumpet is the end of the church age and when the rapture occurs.
V. When is the marriage supper of the Lamb?
In the pre-tribulation view of events the church is in heaven for the final seven years enjoying the marriage supper. It is troublesome to think that we are having a party and thinking nothing of the terrible events that are taking place on the earth. Martyrs are being killed and fiery trials are going on but the church is oblivious to this until we are told to gather our things and go back to earth with Christ for the final time. This does not ring true to the concern that we know Christ has for all humanity.
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
In the letters to the churches Christ promises the overcomers that He will dine with them and will give them to eat from the tree of life and He will give them some of the hidden manna to eat. I believe all the overcomers are invited to come and dine with Christ.
VI. How long does the wrath of an almighty God take?
Please study this definition of wrath carefully. It is very important to understand the difference between wrath and anger and indignation.
Definition of wrath
syn ANGER. IRE. RAGE, FURY. INDIGNATION, WRATH shared meaning element: emotional excitement induced by intense displeasure.
ANGER, the most general term, names the reaction but in itself conveys nothing about intensity or justification or manifestation of the emotional state <tried to hide his anger> <Moses' anger waxed hot --Exod 32:19 > IRE, more frequent in literary contexts. may suggest greater intensity than anger, even with an evident display of feeling <cheeks flushed dark with ire> RAGE suggests loss of self-control from violence of emotion <screaming with rage> FURY is overmastering destructive rage verging on madness <in his fury made sudden decisions which would prove utterly disastrous --W. L. Shirer> INDIGNATION stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful <behavior that caused general indignation> WRATH may imply either rage or indignation but is likely to Suggest a desire or intent to revenge or punish <rose in his wrath and struck his tormentor to the floor>
Looking at this definition of wrath suggests the final blow or destruction of someone. If God is pouring out wrath over a seven-year period is he not just toying with man? Now if it is anger and he wants them to come back to repentance that is a different scenario. But wrath suggests the final blow or knockout punch from which there is no recovery. In God's final wrath he is not only punishing the unrepentant but he is also avenging the blood of those martyrs that are under the altar. Here the wrath of God will be twofold to punish and to avenge.
If God's wrath is represented by the seals, then God is responsible for setting up the false religious system of the Antichrist in the first seal as well as the martyrdom of his own faithful saints in the fifth seal.
The stories of Noah and Sodom are the stories that Jesus said would parallel this time. The destruction or wrath of God once begun will not relent until all the people marked for destruction are destroyed.
Mat 24:37 "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Mat 24:38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, Mat 24:39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Luke 17:29 "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Luke 17:30 "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
The analogy of the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah suggest the speed with which the wrath may be poured out. In Sodom it took only one day but the flood suggests that it will take no longer than 40 days to pour out the wrath of God.
What would be the wrath of Satan compared to the twofold wrath (punishment and vengeance) of an almighty God? Would it not pale in comparison? How could the wrath of Satan even be present when the wrath of God is being poured out? It would be utterly futile for Satan to show his wrath at the same time God is showing his. It would be like spitting in a hurricane. God's wrath is going to be worldwide and awesome to behold. The scriptures tell us that Satan is present with his wrath at the 3 ½ year mark of the last seven years.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
The scriptures indicate that Satan will come with great wrath during the last half of the 70th week of Daniel. If Satan's wrath is present then does this preclude the wrath of God being present? I would argue that the wrath of God is not yet being poured out if the wrath of Satan is present. This would indicate that God's wrath would come later because as we have seen when God marks' someone for destruction he does not miss and it does not take long.
How long holy and true until you avenge our blood? This statement is from the martyrs under the altar. This cry from the fifth seal would suggest that the wrath or vengeance of God has not been yet poured out on the world. God has his reasons and tells them to wait a little longer until their number is completed. This too would indicate that the wrath of God is still to come. He will avenge those martyrs but only in his perfect timing.
VII. How many dispensations are there anyway?
One of the strongest arguments against a pre-tribulation rapture is the idea that there must be a new 7-year dispensation for the Jews in which God deals with them as He did in the Old Testament.
According to some methods of interpreting scripture there are many dispensations in which God works in a separate and distinct way. Some writers come up with many more than others. To create many dispensations and decide how God must operate in each one is to limit God and make him do as you wish. It is dangerous to bring in so many dispensations that you begin to limit God. Unfortunately some bring in a dispensation that says Israel must again be dealt with by God in the same way that He did in the Old Testament and the old sacrificial system is reinstated. In order for this to happen then the church is raptured out of the way for this dispensation. This is contrary to many scriptures.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
God did not approve of their sacrifices at all if their heart was not right.
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The sacrifices of the Jews if they were to take place today would not be pleasing to God. He is only pleased with a heart that is repentant. The sacrifice in and of itself does nothing. The fact that they have rejected Christ and refuse to accept his once for all sacrifice shows that their heart is not right. If they sacrificed from dawn to dusk every day, this would not remove one sin from their heart or be pleasing to God.
All sacrifices point to Christ and his final ultimate sacrifice when God himself gave his only Son to die for us. The Passover lamb is particularly notable for the foreshadowing it has in pointing to the sacrifice of Christ. Are we to take the ultimate sacrifice the universe has ever known or will ever know and say now we will go back to the old system of sacrificial atonement that does not atone for ones sins once and for all time but has to be repeated often? No. This is ludicrous. It suggests that God wants some Israelis not to accept His Son so that He may deal with them in the old system.
If the church and Israel need to be separated why was the church present in 1948 when Israel was again declared a nation in one day and in 1967 when Israel retook the city of Jerusalem? Should the church and Israel have been separated at this point? What about the re gathering of the Jews from all parts of the globe? God was big enough to deal with the Jews and with the church at the same time during the re gathering operation. The church is still present and God is still working with the Jews. He has no problem working with both and still having them distinct.
The great Diaspora occurred after the rejection of Jesus Christ. He did not want their sacrifices. They were a horrible odor to him because of their wicked hearts. Are we to assume then that their wickedness can be undone by sacrifices again? Would the whole Diaspora be a useless lesson?
Paul confronted Peter for trying to make the Christians observe the Jewish laws.
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
And from there he enters upon the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ, without the works of the law
Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
I put a lot of scripture in there because it is so good. It makes the point perfectly. The time for the law has ended and it is time for faith in Christ or Christ has died in vain.
Some people teach that during this seven- year dispensation or seventieth week of Daniel, people get saved by the preaching of 144,000 Jewish converts. The 144,000 are not evangelists anywhere in scriptures. Some teach that after the church is raptured then these Jews will evangelize the world. This is purely conjecture and fabrication. This idea cannot be found in the scriptures.
Some teach that the tribulation saint's testimony is sealed with their own blood.
To have the tribulation saints win their salvation after the church is gone by giving up their life is ridiculous. This would mean they were responsible for their own salvation. It is only through the blood of Jesus that we obtain salvation. It is not by works that we are saved but only through the gift of God.
VIII. Are the disciples Jewish or Christian?
It seems that the different views of the rapture sometimes boil down to the interpretation of the Olivet discourse. At times when Christ talks to the disciples the interpretation is that He is talking to them as Jews. At other times He is talking to them as Christians. There is no doubt that they were Jewish but should you break down the Olivet discourse into Jewish sections and Christian sections. The Great Commission tells us to preach the gospel to every nation and He will be with us even to the end of the age. You cannot break the Gospel down into Jewish and Christian sections. Jews can become Christians and be a completed Jew but a gentile Christian cannot become Jewish. It was the same for the disciples. They were Christians and no longer of the Jewish faith alone but of the Jewish faith completed.
IX. Conclusion. So when is the rapture?
The scriptures line up in such a way as to lead to the conclusion that the rapture is at the last trumpet or the seventh trumpet in Revelation. The wrath of God is poured out in the bowl judgments. Since we are raptured before the bowl judgments then we are not subjected to the wrath of God. Also the rapture is sudden and we know it is going to happen but we still cannot pinpoint when it is to occur. Remember even Jesus said He did not know. This is consistent with the rapture scene in Revelation 14:14 ff. If you accept this view of the scriptures, all things flow together. This view of scriptures then would be both post tribulation and pre-wrath. It is decidedly not pre-tribulation in its timing of the rapture. This view would define the wrath of God as the last seven bowls. It would not accept the dispensational view that the Church must be out of the way for God to again deal with the Jews as He did in the Old Testament.
X. How shall we then live?
A. Holiness unto the Lord.
B. Be ready to give a defense to all men.
C. Be wise and understand the times in which we live.
D. 1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
If you agree with this writing and understand the final glory and accept the idea that Christ's second coming is our blessed hope and we will live forever with Christ, then you can agree that whatever may come and whatever you may have to endure it will be worth it all, and we can agree with John in his final analysis of things:
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.