THERE IS NO PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE

According to Scripture/The Bible, we need a word to be confirmed through the mouth of two or more witnesses?  Let us see where the pre-tribulation rapture theory started and what the Bible says.

The Origin of the Pretribulation Rapture Teaching by Brian M. Schwertley

http://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/rapture.htm

Whenever a Christian encounters a doctrine that has not been taught by anyone in any branch of Christ’s church for over eighteen centuries, one should be very suspect of that teaching. This fact in and of itself does not prove that the new teaching is false. But, it should definitely raise one’s suspicions, for if something is taught in Scripture, it is not unreasonable to expect at least a few theologians and exegetes to have discovered it before. The teaching of a secret pre-tribulation rapture is a doctrine that never existed before 1830. Did the pre-tribulation rapture come into existence by a careful exegesis of Scripture? No. The first person to teach the doctrine was a young woman named Margaret Macdonald. Margaret was not a theologian or Bible expositor but was a prophetess in the Irvingite sect (the Catholic Apostolic Church). Christian journalist Dave MacPherson has written a book on the subject of the origin of the pre-tribulation rapture. He writes: “We have seen that a young Scottish lassie named Margaret Macdonald had a private revelation in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in the early part of 1830 that a select group of Christians would be caught up to meet Christ in the air before the days of Antichrist. An eye-and-ear witness, Robert Norton M.D., preserved her handwritten account of her pre-trib rapture revelation in two of his books, and said it was the first time anyone ever split the second coming into two distinct parts or stages. His writings, along with much other Catholic Apostolic Church literature, have been hidden many decades from the mainstream of Evangelical thought and only recently surfaced. Margaret’s views were well-known to those who visited her home, among them John Darby of the Brethren. Within a few months her distinctive prophetic outlook was mirrored in the September, 1830 issue of The Morning Watch and the early Brethren assembly at Plymouth, England. Early disciples of the pre-trib interpretation often called it a new doctrine.”2

     John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who was the leader of the Brethren movement and the “father of modern Dispensationalism,” took Margaret Macdonald’s new teaching on the rapture, made some changes (she taught a partial rapture of believers while he taught that all believers would be raptured) and incorporated it into his Dispensational understanding of Scripture and prophecy. Darby would spend the rest of his life speaking, writing and traveling, spreading the new rapture theory. The Plymouth Brethren openly admitted and were even proud of the fact that among their teachings were totally new ones which had never been taught by the church fathers, medieval scholastics, Protestant Reformers or the many commentators.

     The person most responsible for the rather widespread acceptance of Pretribulationalism and Dispensationalism among Evangelicals is Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921). C. I. Scofield published his Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. This Bible, which espoused the doctrines of Darby in its notes, became very popular in Fundamentalist circles. In the minds of many a Bible teacher, fundamentalist pastor and multitudes of professing Christians, Scofield’s notes were practically equated with the word of God itself. If a person did not adhere to the Dispensational, Pretribulational scheme he or she would almost automatically be labeled a modernist.

     Today there is a whole plethora of books advocating the pretribulation rapture theory and the Dispensational understanding of the end times. Given the fact that among professing Christians the pre-trib rapture is still wildly popular, a comparison of this theory with scriptural teaching is warranted. We will see that the typical arguments offered in favor of this theory are in conflict with the Bible.

Many Pastors preach and base the whole Pre-tribulation rapture theory on one Scripture, the following;

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.[b]

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Yes, I agree, there will be a snatching away to meet our Precious Saviour in the air but let us go to Matthew 24 to see when this event will take place.  If you read the whole book of 1 Thessalonians and what Paul was saying to the Thessalonians, he was trying to encourage them in their faith.  He was encouraging them that no matter what they go through there will be a day when they will be redeemed to meet their King in the air. 

Remember we need scripture to confirm with scripture, two or three witnesses. 

Matthew 24: 2-14 – NOTE: The following verses speak of the beginning of birth pains.  Yahshua/Jesus said to His disciples that there would be earthquakes, wars, famines and the love of many would grow cold.  These events will be the event of birth pains and the start of the tribulation coming upon the face of the earth.

SCRIPTURE:

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

  

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a]these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (NOTE: notice the escalation of these events in our day)

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. (NOTE: NO pre-tribulation rapture, some believers will be killed) 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (NOTE: Why would we have to endure if the Believers were raptured out of the mess) 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24: 15-27 – NOTE: These few verses explain that the Anti-Christ will appear after the above events have unfolded and will take place according to the Book of Daniel.  The Anti-Christ is evident even now in all the world but according to Daniel, Matthew and Revelations One Man will govern the nations having created the One World Babylon System/Rome.  After the Anti-Christ and the One World System has set itself in the Holy Place of Yahweh, people must tremble and fear as great tribulation, disaster and distress will consume planet earth.  Those who are in Messiah Yahshua will not fear but have peace in the King.  Yahshua/Jesus promised His people that in Him we will have peace and we must remain faithful even unto death.

SCRIPTURE:

The Great Tribulation

  

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (NOTE: NO pre-tribulation rapture has taken place!!!). 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.

26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Matthew 24:29:31 – NOTE: These verses explain, AFTER THE EVENTS AS EXPLAINED IN VERSES 2-27 HAVE TAKEN PLACE, MEANING THE TRIBULATION HAS TAKEN PLACE, then Yahshua/Jesus will send His Angel with the sound of the trumpet and gather His elect from the four corners of the earth.

SCRIPTURE:

The Coming of the Son of Man

  

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In both Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4 it describes that a trumpet will sound and then the elect will be gathered from the four corners of the earth to meet with Yahshua/Jesus in the air.  Let us see what the two silvers trumpets were used for according to Scripture?

Below taken from www.sheepfoldgleanings.com

Numbers 10:1-10    The Silver Trumpets

The silver trumpet is the people’s instrument. “Make two silver trumpets from hammered silver.” This hammering signifies a molding process and silver indicates redemptive qualities. The Priests were in charge of blowing the trumpets. They were to be used to call the Twelve Tribes of Israel together and to signal the camp to move out.  When the two trumpets were sounded together, the whole community was to assemble at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.  If only one was sounded only the leaders, the heads of the Tribes of Israel were to assemble.  When the trumpets were sounded for moving camp different blasts were used to notify which tribe was to move out. They were also to sound the trumpet going into battle in their own land. Yahweh/God would remember and rescue them from their enemies when He heard the trumpet sound the alarm.  We are to sound the trumpets for rejoicing at the Feasts of Yahweh, the New Moon Festival/Rosh Chodesh and over our elevation and fellowship offerings.

Who are Yahweh’s/God’s Priests and leaders today?  Scripture says that those whose lives are hidden in the Messiah and who teach the gospel; the differences between clean and unclean, holy and unholy according to Scripture and keep and teach Yahweh’s Feast days, Sabbaths and New Moon Festivals are Yeshua’s/Jesus’s Priests today. Those who walk in Yeshua’s/Jesus’s holy ways are called a royal Priesthood and a holy nation. Today blowing the two silver trumpets will call together the unity of believers in Yeshua (the whole House of Israel, all twelve tribes) but if we blow one silver trumpet we summon only leaders. (Exodus 19:5-6; Ezekiel 44:23-24; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6)

NOTE: Yahshua/Jesus promised us eternal life in Him and we are to be encouraged that no matter what we go through in this life, we will have eternal peace with Him in His New Kingdom, the New Jerusalem.  He promised us that we would have peace in Him. He promised us His Holy Spirit Who would teach, lead and COMFORT US, that He would never leave nor forsake us. Yahshua/Jesus prayed and said, Father I pray that you do not take them out of the world but that you help them through it. 

Noah was hidden in the Ark but not taken out of the flood, Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s Den but he was protected.  Our faith in our King is going to be tested in the last days, we only need to stand firm even until death and receive the crown of life.

Revelation 14:12

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of YAHWEH/God and the faith of Yeshua/Jesus.

James 1:12

[Loving YAHWEH/God Under Trials] Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (NOTE: Yahshua/Jesus said, if you love Me, you will obey My Commandments)

Revelation 2:10

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

WE MUST BE FAITHFUL WHEN THESE THINGS COME UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, WE MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL TO OUR KING AND NOT DO AS ISRAEL DID WHEN THEY LEFT EGYPT.  ISRAEL EITHER WANTED TO STAND AND FIGHT, OR GO BACK TO EGYPT WITH THE EGYPTIANS OR KILL THEMSELVES BUT YAHWEH TOLD MOSES, WAIT, STAND STILL AND SEE MY HAND OF REDEMPTION.  NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FACE OR GO THROUGH, WE MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL.  NOTHING IS MORE REWARDING THEN THE KINGDOM OF YAHSHUA/JESUS TO COME AND THE PEACE AND JOY WE ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE IN HIM!!!

READ THE BIBLE, IT WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, BE FOREVER ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY AND BE SET-APART UNTO YAHWEH!  TURN AWAY FROM THE LUSTS OF THIS WORLD AND BE FAITHFUL TO THE COMMANDMENTS, INSTRUCTIONS OF OUR KING!

BLESSINGS AND PEACE TO YOU ALL!

A FELLOW SERVANT IN THE KING!

Janine