~ Pre - Trib, Mid - Trib, ~
Post - Trib, No - Trib.....?
" Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. "
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 K.J.V.
" 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 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. "
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. " 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 K.J.V.
The Rapture ...
" Rapture " ... This controversial word brings indescribable hope and joy to some ...
and confusion and even dread to others ... But the event we are going to discus known as the
Rapture ... should be nothing less then the ultimate Blessed Hope and eager expectation of every true
Christian. It is what the early church longed for and through the centuries has continued to be the hope of many.
While others have decided it is something too good to be true and abandoned such thoughts .... obviously they have forgotten that
everything about our Lord Jesus Christ is too good to be true - YET IT IS!
The word " Rapture " does not appear in the English Bible - It comes from the Latin Vulgate.
In God's Word it was the Apostle Paul who explains the Rapture to us.
He describes it as a "Mystery." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
The word in the original Greek is " Mysterion. "
Which meant he was revealing a new truth, not known before.
This mysterious event is most clearly represented in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ...
In this passage the English phrase " caught up " translates the Greek word HARPAZO, which means " to seize upon with force " or " to snatch up. "
The Latin translators of the Bible used the word " rapturo, " the root of the English term " Rapture. "
At the Rapture, living believers will be " caught up " in the air, translated into the clouds, in a moment in time to join the Lord in the air.
The Rapture is a signless event that could always have occurred imminently !
The signs that we are given in the Bible are that of the Tribulation period which proceeds the Second Coming of Christ.
So, with all of these signs even before us NOW - How much closer must the Rapture be !
I believe that the Rapture could take place sometime in the near future !
For many reasons - some of which are listed below -
I believe that there is a PreTrib Rapture.
(i.e; That the Rapture occurs before the beginning of the seven year Tribulation.)
The Tribulation = (aka ; Daniel's 70th week, Time of Jacob's Trouble ... more on this below)
officially begins with the 'confirming of a covenant' between the Antichrist and Israel.
Daniel 9:27. I believe the Rapture occurs prior to this event
... Maybe immediately prior - maybe by some distance.
A common assumption is that the Rapture itself " triggers" the start of the Tribulation period ... However,
in Daniel we read that the actual trigger is the " confirming of the covenant " itself.
So, while it seems logical to believe the two will coincide closely - there may be an lapse of time between the two.
This timing of the Rapture has long been the subject of much debate among Christians. When the Rapture will occur is NOT the most important issue.
Knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and being ready
WHENEVER it may occur is what is most important.
So, although I do not wish to have any debates with anyone over their
Rapture view ... I would like to share with you what I believe and just some of the
reasons why. Hopefully at the very least it will give you some food for thought.
The Different Views
First, let's quickly review some of the views
concerning the timing of the Rapture.
Pre - Trib...
Where Christ will Rapture the church BEFORE the Tribulation even begins.
Mid - Trib...
Where Christ will Rapture the church at the MID-POINT of the Tribulation.
Post Trib...
Where Christ will Rapture the church at the END of the Tribulation.
Pre - Wrath...
Where Christ will Rapture the church JUST BEFORE the Battle of Armageddon.
Partial - Rapture...
Where Christ will Rapture those WHO ARE READY and leave the rest to go through the Tribulation.
Pan - Trib...
Clueless - think it will " All pan out in the End "
Imminency !
God's Word clearly teaches imminency. To always be ready!
Matthew 24:44 ... Mark 13:35-37 ...
Revelation 3:3 ...
Matthew 25:1-13 (The parable of the 5 foolish virgins) ... etc.
Only with the Pre - Trib view can the doctrine of imminency be adhered to.
With the other views certain things have to occur FIRST before we can even begin looking for the Lord's Return !
The Mid - Tribbers believe they will be here for the rise of Antichrist
but then be Raptured prior to the second half of the Tribulation
referred to in Scriptures as the " Great Tribulation. "
(i.e; When Anti-christ breaks the treaty with Israel...Commits the Abomination of Desolation
...Makes War with the Saints...Enforces the Mark of the Beast etc ...
The last half of the trib is also when the WORST in a series of Judgements - as listed in Revelation -
will be poured out !)
One of the problems with this, is that the first half of the Tribulation looks to be no picnic either !
Although much of the world will be deceived into thinking the Antichrist
is a wonderful Saviour who will bring peace and prosperity to all.
Many terrible things will be occuring in this time frame as well.
Remember this will be the world " without the Restainer present " (more on this below !)
With the Post - Trib view countless problems arise - but in this section we will address the
imminency factor alone.
" Posties " would know the EXACT DAY of Jesus' Return, because in Daniel we read;
" And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,
there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. " Daniel 12:11 (KJV)
In the above verse we see that from the Abomination of Desolation - which occurs at the half way mark of the Tribulation -
Daniel 9:27
- there will be 1290 days left until the Second Coming.
(That cannot be reconciled with verses such as" No man knows the day nor the hour..." ) This would make all the passages in God's Word speaking of the need for " keeping watch "
and " being alert " a non issue.
This would also leave them with absolutely no need,
hope or expectation to look for Jesus Christ to come anytime prior to the completion of the Tribulation. WOW.....that's Bleak !
The bottom line is that with both the mid trib and the post trib view
(as well as prewrath etc.) they would look for the Anti-christ to show up before Jesus Christ. We are to be looking for Jesus Christ !
These views destroy imminency. Scripture clearly teaches it.
I feel this alone is ample reason to believe pre trib. But I will give more ...
" Watch ye therefore : for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning : Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. "
Mark 13:35-37 K.J.V.
" Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. "
Matthew 24:44 K.J.V.
The Restrainer
Before the Anti-christ CAN EVEN BE REVEALED Paul said, " that which is Restraining Him " must be taken out of the way.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7.
The only thing that fits this description is " the Holy Ghost indwelling the Church." [ the body of the believers ]
The Unique And Hindering Presence
" There is an indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost which has been upon the earth since Pentecost.
Old Testament saints had the Holy Spirit with them and as an anointing upon them. That presence, however, could be taken away. The Holy Spirit did not indwell believers prior to Pentecost as an abiding presence that would never leave them. This indwelling is unique
to the church, a fact that is clear from many Scriptures. This new presence, which was unknown before
Pentecost, can only be removed by removing the church - those in whom the Holy Ghost dwells.
David prayed, " Take not the Holy Spirit form me " (Psalm 51:11), a prayer that would be meaningless
today and would reflect inexcusable unbelief. Christ said to His disciples, referring to the Holy Spirit,
" He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17).
John tells us that when Christ was still here upon earth, " the Holy Ghost was not yet given,
because ... Jesus was not yet glorified, He sent the Holy Ghost " from the father" (John 15:26)
to be with His church in a new way that had been unknown up to that time.
It is this unique presence of the Holy Ghost in the church which will be removed at the rapture,
allowing the Anti-christ to be revealed and to have free rein to rule the world.
Of course, the Holy Ghost, being omnipresent, will remain here to convict sinners of the truth
of the gospel and to win multitudes to Christ during the tribulation period.
These are the tribulation saints who will be martyred for their faith."
(Dave Hunt, from " In Defense of the Faith " pg's 258-259)
God Has Not Appointed Us to Wrath
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life :
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. "
John 3:36 K.J.V.
" For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; "
Romans 1:18 K.J.V.
" Let no man deceive you with vain words : for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. "
Ephesians 5:6 K.J.V.
" Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him "
Romans 5:9 K.J.V.
In the above verses we see a very clear distinction between;
who will taste of God's wrath and who will not.
Please Note : Paul assures us that God has not appointed us unto wrath ...
" And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even
Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. "
1 Thessalonians 1:10 K.J.V.
" For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ....."
1 Thessalonians 5:9 K.J.V.
This wrath being ; God's anger that will be poured out during the Tribulation.
Please don't get this confused with the John 16:33 that reads: ".....In the world ye shall have tribulation....."
This is in reference to the trials and tribulations that this world brings.
We certainly have our sufferings here - some more than others. But this is not the same as the Great Tribulation where God pours out His wrath ..... That time will be unparallelled by any !
" For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. "
Matthew 24:21 K.J.V.
" 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. "
Matthew 24:29 K.J.V.
" And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand ? "
Revelation 6:16-17 K.J.V.
" 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.
Revelation 11:18 K.J.V.
More;
Rev 14:10, 14:19 /
Rev 15:1, 15:7 /
Rev 16:1, 16:19 /
Rev 19:15 /
War With The Saints
The Antichrist will be given authority " to make war with the saints, and to overcome them "
Revelation 13:7. This could not happen to the Church because Jesus promised that the " gates of hell shall not prevail against it " Matthew 16:18.
Pre-tribbers...believe this to mean; True Christians will be removed from the earth before the tribulation even starts ... and taken to the Father's House. John 14:2
Mid-tribbers...believe they will plucked out right in the nick of time.
Post-tribbers...believe this means God will supernaturally protect Christians during the Tribulation, and pour His wrath out on the unbelievers alone.
However, anyone who undertakes a serious study of Revelation almost immediately would notice that chapters 2 and 3 are dealing specifically/exclusively with the Church. (The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches)
Then suddenly after these chapters the Church is noticeably absent !
Claiming Supernatural protection during this time period .....Some try to make themselves the group from Revelation 7:3.
This is when an angel descends to earth and " seals the servants of God. " The number of people sealed are 144,000. These are all from the 12 tribes of Israel.
That is what is says - That is what it means .....!!!!!!!!!!
This group is not the church !
The Time of Jacob's Trouble // Daniel's 70th Week
" Alas ! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. "
Jeremiah 30:7
In a number of places, the Bible refers to the Tribulation as a time of trouble for the Jews. The phrase " Jacob's Trouble " pertains to the descendants of Jacob. In the above verse it says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people.
The Tribulation is the 70th week of a prophecy given to the prophet DANIEL !
70 weeks =
The " week/weeks " mentioned in this prophecy are " weeks of years. "
These are Sabbatical years ... The Sabbath for the land was ordained in:
Leviticus 25:1-22, 26:33-35 ... Deuteronomy 15 ...
It was the failure to keep the Sabbath of the land that was the basis
of the 70 years of Captivity.
Seventy Sevens - as we see in Daniel's prophecy:
Daniel 9:24-27 imply these same weeks of years.
(Another example of this appears in; Genesis 29:27 et al.)
In this infamous passage in Daniel 9:24-27 we see:
70 Weeks - Were decreed for his people ... ( Daniel's people = Jewish people )
.....and for the Holy City ( Jerusalem )
.....to finish transgression
.....to make an end to sin
.....to make atonement for iniquity
.....to bring in everlasting righteousness
.....to seal up vision and prophecy
.....and to anoint the most holy place!
* Highly Recommended;
for further study of Daniel's Prophecy :
" Daniel's Seventy Weeks " Briefing Package from Koinonia House
-->click here
The Scripture's never say that the Tribulation is meant to be
a time of testing for Christians. However some post - tribers try to claim
they are the ones being tested during the Tribulation.
The Church was NOT here for Daniel's first 69 weeks ...
The focus of the entire prophecy was Israel. Daniel 9:24
The Church is the mysterious INTERVAL between the 69th and 70th week. Daniel 9:26
Another example of such an interval: Luke 4:18-20
Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up to read ...
He reads Isaiah 61:1 ... And he closed the book and sat down.
Then he declares to His listeners; " this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. "
However ... if you take a careful look at Isaiah 61:1, you will find that Jesus only read the first part of the verse ! He STOPPED at the comma ... He was at that time fulfilling the first half of Isaiah's prophecy -
( That comma has lasted close to 2000 years so far ! )
He is yet to fulfill the rest of it. This is the same thing we find with Daniel's 70 week prophecy.
Here are more implications of an interval or temporary interruption in God's plan for Israel.
Isaiah 54:7 ...Hosea 3:4-5 ... Acts 15:13-18... Micah 5:3 etc.
This interval has a terminus on it - Israel - God's Time Piece'
The Tribulation - the Last Seven Year Period - will be the final fulfillment of an
Ancient prophecy to Daniel. It will also be God's time of venegence and wrath upon the wicked.
Many Gentiles - given their final chance to accept the Lord and repent - will
come to Jesus during this time of trouble as well ...
These will be the Tribulation Saints. Revelation 7:14
An Open Door & A Hiding Place
Revelation 4:1 ... Starts off with these words
" After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:
and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. "
In the verse above John is taken from the Island of Patmos to a
A Scene in Heaven - many believe this is an allusion to the Rapture.
Jesus promised the church of Philadelphia :
"...behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it : for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. ... Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. "
Revelation 3:8 & 10 K.J.V.
" Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee :
hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth
for their iniquity : the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. "
Isaiah 26:20-21 K.J.V.
" For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. " Psalm 27:5 K.J.V.
" Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment;
seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger. "
Zephaniah 2:3 K.J.V.
Rapture and Second Coming = Two very Different Events !
We are often surprised at how many do not realize there are distinct differences in God's Word between the description of the Rapture and that of the Second Coming of Christ. These are two totally different events. Often people refer to them as one & the same. Here are just some of the obvious differences:
T h e R a p t u r e ...
- - -Seen Only by Believers ... 1 Corinthians 15:52
- - -It's a Mystery - revealed by Paul in the New Testament ... 1Corinthians 15:51-53
- - -In a Twinkling of an Eye ... 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
- - -We are Going " UP " - Meeting Jesus in the Air ... 1 Thes 4:15-18
- - -A Thief in the Night.... 1Thessalonians 5:2
- - -Christ Comes for His Own ... 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
- - -Believers taken to Father's House ... John 14:3
- - -No reference to Satan ...
- - -Earth not judged ...
T h e S e c o n d C o m i n g ...
- - -Every Eye Will See Him ... Revelation 1:7 19:11-16 and Matthew 24:30
- - -Not a Mystery - Foretold in Old Testament ... Daniel 12:1-3 and Zech. 12:10; 14:4
- - -He will be Coming "DOWN" to the Mount of Olives ... Zechariah 14
- - -He Comes With His Own ... Revelation 19:14 *
- - -Satan bound ... Revelation 20:1-3
- - -Earth judged ... Revelation 20:4-5
*Revelation 19:14 speaking of the Second Coming reads;
" And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean. "
At the Second Coming, He is not coming alone.
Rather those who had been raptured earlier are coming back WITH HIM!
In Jude 1:14 ... Enoch also, prophesied about this saying;
"...Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints. "
Interesting that Enoch was also Raptured !
(Genesis 5:24)
In a post-trib rapture scenerio, we would rise in the
air meet the Lord, then turn do a 180 back down to earth ...
Zech. 14:4 tells us His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.
If He is already headed our way ... why would we need to be caught up to meet Him ?
Are we Going Up or Coming Down ?
The Jewish Wedding
Jesus describes His returning for the church in terms relating to a Jewish wedding ceremony.
" In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. "
John 14:2-3 K.J.V.
First the Betrothal ( shiddukhin ) ...
The prospective groom travels from his father's house to the home of the prospective bride, pays the purchase price - and establishes the marriage Covenant ( ketubah ). This is usually arranged by the parents.
The groom then returns to his father's house and remains separate from his bride, during which time he prepares the living accomodations for his bride in his father's house.
The groom then comes for his bride at an unexpected, unannounced time !
She lives in expectation until he surprises her ... She awaits his " imminent" return !
The Wedding Ceremony ( huppah ) is to consumate the marriage and to celebrate the wedding feast for the next seven days - during which the bride remains closeted in her bridal chamber.
The church is likewise described as the virgin bride waiting for her bridegroom's
return. 2Corinthians 11:2 ...Ephesians 5:22-23, 32
The church is engaged to Him - even though we have not seen Him.
1 Peter 1:8
One day our groom ( Jesus ) will return to take us (His bride) to His Father's House ( Heaven ).
John 14:1-6 ... 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Then after these things the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This matches the time when Jesus returns to earth, accompanied by an army clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:14
In Luke we are told that when Jesus returns ... He will be returning FROM a wedding !
" And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. "
Luke 12:36 K.J.V.
In Revelation we read about the marriage itself.
" 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. 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. 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. "
Revelation 19:7-9 K.J.V.
This parallels the pre-trib rapture view exactly !
The groom does not pour out His wrath on His bride prior to their marriage.
Coming For Battle !
The first time He came as a Suffering Messiah:
Isaiah 52:13-15 and Isaiah chapter 53.
But the Second Time He comes as the Conquering King !
" And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. "
Revelation 19:11-16
When Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation .....
He will be coming for BATTLE ! From the post trib view, it would
be a strange time to finally meet your long awaited Lord and Savior while He is rushing into Battle !
" And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming....."
2 Thessalonians 2:8
" And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. "
Revelation 19:20-21 K.J.V.
These verses' above also remind us that when Jesus comes back at His Second Coming the world will be under the control of the Anti-christ.
- - - Whom Jesus will CONSUME with the Brightness of His coming !
The world will NOT be under the control of a Super Church who has 'taken dominion over the earth'- - - which is assumed by many in the; Kingdom Now, Reconstructionist, Dominionism groups. Those beliefs have no Scriptural backing whatsoever ! They sure sound great, optimistic, appealing, even spiritual.....which explains why so many are drawn to that type of belief.
But that certainly does not make it true !
God did give man dominion - but it was over sea and land animals !(Genesis 1:26-28)
That dominion was even reconfirmed to Noah after the flood. (Genesis 9:1-3)
and we still have that !
The kind of victory they are attempting comes ONLY when Jesus Christ ( the Victor ! )
personally takes charge !
" Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God,
even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. "
1 Corinthians 15:24-25 K.J.V.
Revelation 19:15
" Out of HIS mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it HE should smite the nations and HE shall rule them with a rod of iron
and HE treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. "
A Matter of History ? ..... Check Again !
There are many that are trying to discredit the pre-trib rapture because they believe most of the end time events in the Bible had already taken place by 70 AD.
They see just about all of the Apocalyptic scriptures as being already fulfilled.
How they explain away the world's current situation and it's detailed unfolding in Scripture is beyond me.
.....the Rebirth of Israel - 1948 ( first KEY sign the End Times has begun )
Jeremiah 30:3,10,11 ... Jeremiah 31:8-10 ... Isaiah 43:5,6 ... Ezekiel11:17
Ezekiel 28:25 ... Isaiah 11:11 ... Ezekiel 37
'Israel - God's Time Piece'
.....the Rise of the European Union / Revived Roman Empire.....
Daniel 2:41-44...Daniel 7:8...Daniel 7:24&25.....Revelation
.....the Wars & Rumors of Wars ...
Matthew 24:6-7...Mark 13:7-8...Luke 21:10
.....Russia & Allies taking shape - eventually to come against Israel
Ezekiel 38 & 39
.....Signs in the Heavens & in the Earth
Matthew 24:7 ...Mark 13:8 ... Luke 21:11
.....the Great Apostasy from within the professing church
2Thessalonians 2:3 ... 1 Timothy 4:1-2 ... 2 Timothy 4:3-4
.....the rise of False Prophets, False Christs, Lying Signs & Wonders
Matthew 7:15 ... Matthew 24:11 ... Matthew 24:23-25 ... Mark 13:22
2Corinthians 11:13-15 ... 2 Peter 2:1-3 ... 2Thessalonians 2:9-11... I John 4:1
I could go on & on..... But you get the my point !
Just to name a few of the Questions that would arise -
for one who claims that prophecy has been all or mostly fulfilled :
- - -When did the battle of Gog & Magog occur ? Ezekiel 38 & 39
- - -When was Damascus taken away from being a city
and turned into a ruinous heap ? ...Isaiah 17, Jeremiah 49:23-27
- - -The demise of some of Israel's neighbors ? ... Psalm 83, Zech 9, Zep 2,
- - -When was the third Jewish Temple Built ?... Daniel 11:31 ... 2 Thes 2:4
- - -At what time in history were a third of the trees burned up ?... Rev 8:7
- - -When were the 100 LB hailstones falling from the sky ? Rev 16:21
- - -When did the sea turn to blood ? ...Rev 8:7-8, 16:21
- - -When was the mark of the beast enforced ? ...Rev 13:17
- - -And when was the Anti-christ here ? ( causing ALL to worship him ! ) ...Rev 13:12
- - -When did a third of the population die ?... Rev 9:18
- - -When was Babylon destroyed ? Rev 19
- - -When did the Antichrist and his armies gather
together to make war with Jesus ? ...Rev 19:19-20
There are too many things that would not work with this Historical or " Preterist " view. They have to throw out an EXTREMLY LARGE portion of Scripture and Allegorize the rest. They must assume most of the Bible is not to be taken seriously. WOW, thats scary, huh ?
For more info on this view read :
Has Bible Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled? by; Thomas Ice
Noah & Lot
This coming Tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus.
" And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. "
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [ them ] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. "
Luke 17:26-30 K.J.V.
Both Noah and Lot lived in very wicked times. God needed to judge this evil.
Noah = Genesis ch. 6-7
Lot = Genesis ch. 19
In both of these accounts God chose to REMOVE the righteous prior to
the judgment of the unbelievers.
In Genesis 7:13-16 ...
We see that the very same day (vs. 13) that
Noah and His family enter the ark ..... God shuts the door ..... (vs. 16 ".....and the LORD shut him in. " ) and the flood begins !
We see in Genesis 19:22
that the angels could not even DO anything till Lot and his family were safely out of there ! God in His own Righteousness and Honor could not bring this judgment on Sodom until the righteous were delivered.
Millennium People
The post-tribulation view has difficulties with who will populate the Millennial Kingdom if the Rapture and the Second Coming occur at essentially the same time.
Since all believers will be translated at the Rapture ...
("...we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. "
1Corinthians 15:51-53 K.J.V.)
..... and all unbelievers are judged (because no unrighteous shall be allowed to enter Christ's Kingdom )
then WHO would be left in mortal bodies to populate the Millennium ?
A post-trib view is also not able to explain the Sheep & Goats judgment after the Second Coming in Matthew 25:3- 46.
Who are those believers in mortal bodies if they were all raptured at the Second Coming ?
And In Conclusion
Those are some of the reasons I believe as I do.
You will usually find that those who take a literal view of Scripture
believe a pre-tribulation / pre-millennial position.
This is the view I take.
It has been said that the golden rule for interpretation is :
" When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense,
seek no other sense. "
As with eveything be a Berean and Study the Scriptures for yourself !
Acts 17:11.
Remember the most important issue is that you know Jesus !
And your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Then whenever He shouts " Come Up Hither "
you will be ready for Him !
This is our " Blessed Hope " and it should be something that excites every true Christian!
" Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; "
Titus 2:13 K.J.V.
" Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. "
2 Timothy 4:8 K.J.V.
" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. "
1 John 3:2-3 K.J.V.
Revelation 22:20 K.J.V.
" Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. "
More on this subject :
Does it Matter? ... Dave Hunt - Berean Call
The End Times ... Dave Hunt - Berean Call
The Great Snatch? ... Chuck Missler - Khouse
The Rapture of the Church ... Ron Graff & Lambert Dolphin
FOLK'S, JUST REMEMBER THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS BEEN
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