Fire On Your Head

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

When I was younger and worked at a day camp, we were given Scripture verses we had to memorize in order to know how to share the Gospel with kids who may be interested in giving their lives to the Lord. I think memorization is a good idea for helping get the Word in us, and therefore I’m not against having an understanding of where the Word of God says certain things we base our hopes and understanding on.  However, I usually hear the concept of Jesus standing outside, “knocking at the door of our hearts” used in an evangelistic sense towards unbelievers. It’s not.

Though I’m not discounting its meaning for the unbeliever to enter into that relationship and let Christ in, I think there’s such a deeper meaning to it than just ‘letting God in’ as if He’s lonely and wants us to let Him in so He can have some company–as though Jesus is a loner and giving our lives to Him is a favor we’re doing Him like letting him sit at our table in the cafeteria during lunch.

We have to remember that Christ was speaking to seven churches, and in this specific context was saying this to the Church of Laodecia.  Previously we’re told the Lord found them lukewarm and would spit them out of his mouth ( 3:16), and that He finds them wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (v.17) despite their perception of themselves to be rich and lacking nothing.  He goes on to state “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (v.19-20)  Interesting how leaving that verse in its context helps shed clear light, but I digress.

I stated in a previous article that I recommended reading the book of Revelation right after reading the Song of Solomon, and therefore I’m of the opinion that what this passage is really talking about is displayed in the fifth chapter of that Song.  We’re gleaning heavily from S.J. Hill’s “Song of Solomon: Rich Language For a King’s Devotion To His Bride.”

I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking.”Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?  My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.  I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.

(Song of Solomon 5:2-6)

The Bridegroom’s knock here refers to the initiative God takes in bringing His Bride into new dimensions of His Spirit.  Jesus’ purpose in knocking is to get her to open up completely to Him.  He wants all of us.  The context–being in bed and having expected that Her Bridegroom would be there as well–demonstrates that she is in a place of mature obedience, and not one of refusing to get out of bed and answer the door for Him.  Sleep speaks of being in a place of rest.  The Bride has complete confidence in the Lord, and she is resting–but her heart is ‘awake’ in the sense that she is willing to walk in obedience without any conscious area of compromise, without any hesitation.  She was at a point where normally, He was there next to her, but on this occasion, she awoke to find He was gone, but calling her–knocking from outside.

“I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again?”

Her robe (garments) speak of her own works (see Rev 19:7-9).  She’s simply saying, “I’m not standing before You on my own merits.  I’ve taken off my robe and I’ve put on Your robe of righteousness.” Her statement “…I have washed my feet, how can I defile them?” is not reflective of her refusing to obey Him, but instead, a commitment to avoid spiritual defilement.  How could she defile herself by disobeying Him in light of the great love He had for her?  She is simply saying “I’ve done it my way.  My feet were dirty with my own walk, but now they have been cleansed by the Lord.”

The ‘hand’ of the Beloved on the latch of the door, signifies the grace of God (see Acts 11:21-23).  The “latch of the door” itself representing the door of her heart.  The Bride’s heart yearned for Him as she heard His voice, and she arose instantly in response to open the door of her heart to Him.  This depicts Her full obedience. Her response was not one of compromise, lethargy or lukewarmness.

“…my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.”

Myrrh in Scripture speaks of suffering and death.  This is a picture of the Bride opening up her heart so the Cross will touch every area of her life.

This is also the type of fellowship Christ–the Bridegroom–is seeking and looking for.  He is standing at the door of our hearts, knocking and seeking for the same response and reaction as He obtains from His Bride in the Song: immediate and unquestioning obedience and loyalty.  “I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” We are to respond to this call, not just let Him carry the relationship.  We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). He longs for a people whose heart skips a beat at the thought of Him.  He is looking for a people whose breath is taken away at the sound of His voice, not out of fear and trembling alone–though an appropriate response–but out of delight and fascination.

I recently learned that when a Jewish man wants to take a wife, the girl’s father instructs her to prepare a meal for a man who wants to marry her, but he does not tell her who. On the appointed day, the girl has been cooking all day and the man comes and knocks on the door. She opens the door, and he asks, “May I come in and eat with you?” if she does not want to marry the man standing there, she shuts the door in his face. If she lets him in, she is accepting his proposal. They eat the meal together, then the betrothal covenant is read and to enter into the covenant, they drink wine from the same cup and eat off the same piece of bread. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20).  John–”the one who Jesus loved”, raised in Jewish tradition and custom–must have recognized Jesus’ words as a proposal to His Bride–the Church! Some say that communion is reminiscent of sharing the bread and cup in the betrothal covenant as well.

Jesus Christ delights in us, His people.  He is fascinated with you and I, and it is true that He longs for the same passion to be reciprocated towards Him.  He longs for a people He can have fully to Himself.  Not out of fear, or out of religious obligation, but out of holy fascination that He is worthy of such instant obedience.  From a place of delight and joy, not out of fear of punishment or reprisal for not measuring up to a religious standard.  He’s looking for a people He can rest with.  The Son of God is looking for a people who are not bored with Church, but consumed with a passion for Him and His presence.

There is much ministry and activity going on today in the Body of Christ.  The statistics of pastors burning out annually and dropping out of the ministry are staggering.  The amount of ministers who continue plugging away at church endeavors, and running programs for the people–though good and noble, but yet void of the presence of God–is higher than it ever should be.  No ministry, church, or leader will ever produce any fruit except it come from the secret and intimate place with the Lover of their soul.  Jesus longs to work through, and live in a people who will let Him.  Not just to bless our programs that we run and ask Him to be involved in as an after thought, but to allow Him to have all of us.  There will be no earth shaking revival fire spreading across the earth without a people who are wholly consumed with Him.

He’s looking for, and seeking…you.  Will you answer Him?

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he says to me, ‘Write blessed is those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he says to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ -Revelation 19:7-9 (Read vv7-16 for context.)

The State of the Church at Christ’s Coming

“Nothing else has to happen. All the prophecies have been fulfilled. Christ can come back at any moment.” I was taught eschatological statements such as these early on in my Christian experience. If the quote is true, then the verse is not. Read it. We know that the Word is exactly as it is entitled; the Word of God. It is true. Therefore, we must ask this question, “Does the body of Christ, the church, reflect, resemble, or even remotely compare to the Bride, mentioned here, clothed in white linen, bright and clean-being her righteous acts? Honestly? Unless you are hard, and have already written this off; then the answer should be clear. As of now, the case is that she is not ready.

[All right, with that said: This is not an exegesis on the passage, with intrinsic and extrinsic analysis, and language, time, and transliterated study of this passage. Nor is it an eschatological dogmatic discourse. This is a study with a view (Eph 1:10 NASB) of getting the church ready and moving forward for what is to come. Yes, this is a remark that differs from modern “pre-trib” rapture theology--term used for the sake of identifying my theology, but an explanation is needed because the term itself may still imply differences in my theology. This is not a debate on the subject nor is it an end.]

Prepare the Bride

What is Jesus returning for? A better question would be; whom? His bride. Therefore, as we all know, multi-culturally, (especially in Hebraic context), that the bride has to prepare herself for The Wedding. As Esther (Esther 2:12), she must prepare herself. How does she prepare? According to this apocalyptical passage, the answer is righteous acts. This is not my opinion; this is what the Scripture says.

…the bride has made herself ready… to clothe herself in fine linen… the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints

Righteousness?

No, we are not righteous in ourselves. It is grace that gets us in, and able to be righteous. Read the book of Romans, this is very clear, that we become righteous in him, and from this new state, we are now able to perform the acts of righteousness. We do not get in the kingdom by works, but once we are in, we are required to work to advance it. Read James, after Romans and you will see, not a contradiction, but an understanding of this. This is a demonstration of the “Obedience of the Faith,” (Rom 1:26; 16:15). This is our purpose, to bring the nations into the obedience of the faith. When we live righteous through Christ, then we will be able to perform these righteous acts, making the bride clean. And the cleaner she is, the more ready she will be for her wedding day. Much of the church is still wearing filthy garments, even though it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen. Yes, they are saved, but just clinging to salvation.[1] Not to mention the lack of service (Eph 4:13). We are individually saved, but we must act as a body in righteousness, to make the whole church clean. We need a revival to get the sin out! We need a revolution, to perform the acts of righteousness from that clean state! Part of preparing the way of the Lord is by preparing ourselves to meet Him.

Each man’s work will become evident; for the day it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire. -1 Corinthians 3:13-15

Do not be one of those that waste your life either by just looking for a “rapture,” to occur, or by not building anything in righteousness for the kingdom. Why barely escape the flames of hell, when you could have an eternity full of rewards for the righteous acts that you accomplished here on earth?  The next passage hits the nail on the head:

Therefore do not let sin rein in your mortal body so that you do not obey its lust, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. -Romans 6:12-14

The Discussion

Now let us back up and take a closer look at our main text (Rev 19:7-16). I have a good friend whom I study Scripture with. When we first met, he mainly leaned toward pre-trib theology, and now he is solidly post-trib. We still discuss pre-trib theology for a better understanding of both positions. Also, so we know that our doctrinal stance is sufficient in Scripture.[2]

This passage is usually divided into two main sections, which most Bibles subtitle. The first is; The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The next is; The Coming Christ. Pre-trib doctrine mainly teaches that because the marriage supper is mentioned first, and then the coming of the Lord, the church must have been raptured beforehand.[3] And this was my friend’s question; how can this be true, and post-trib still be the correct eschatological understanding?[4]

He stopped me in my tracks. How would this work? The aforementioned interpretation of the verses is the way that I had always understood it as well. I told him that I had no conclusion as I just kept rereading the passage.[5]

The Pre-Tribulation Spectacles

Often in examining apocalyptic Scripture, we may have a prefabricated mindset (such as the interpretation that was mentioned). This may be due to previous teaching we may have heard on the subject. This perspective, however, may not be in correct context, interpretation, or application of the passage. I call this reading the Scripture while “wearing pre-trib glasses”. You are looking at the Scripture wearing the spectacles of a mindset of and existing teaching, which may prevent you from seeing the actual section in context of the Word.[6] And I was wearing them as I read the passage.

Context-Context-Context

As I kept rereading the section, I started to read it for what it said, not what I thought it said. Pre-trib states that vv7-9 is the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Scripture does not say that. It says that the time has come but does not mention the actual ceremony. Next it says blessed are those who are invited. How can they be invited to something that has already happened? What you have in context here is this: An announcement that the time for the wedding has come, an exhortation of the invitation, and then in vv 11-16, you have the Bridegroom going forth with His armies to gather his bride and separate from them those who are not invited. So what this is essentially saying is that the time has come for Jesus to return for His bride and judge the earth. She is now ready, because of her righteous acts and able to marry the Bride-groom.

White Linen, Bright and Clean

She will not be raptured before she is ready, this would not make any sense, specifically in contextual light of this verse. He is coming for a pure church, a spotless bride. She does not go to heaven and get white linen. Its given to her here, the ability to make herself ready by performing righteous acts. Fine linen is the righteousness carried out. Being righteous is the clothing of the church in white. It is not a future heavenly event that we get at the wedding feast. We are already wearing white when He comes to get us.

Righteousness is a state of being that comes about by acting righteously. This spiritually materializes into the fine linen, the bright and clean garments. When the worldwide body of Christ, the church, walks in this, and it is increasing (2 Peter 1:8), the more ready we will be, and the closer we will be to the wedding day.

[Please do not be offended by my comments, we are still brothers and sisters in the Lord, even if we disagree. Do study what I write; if you hold to pre-trib, then this should strengthen that stance, if it is indeed right. Just have an open mind and consider, as I was forced to do when re-examining this passage.]

Yes! Christ’s Return Actually Depends on You!

Yes, He can do anything, whatever He wants. He wrote the passage. He chose to do to do it this way. He is not trying to deceive us. And I am not trying to deceive you; I am just reading this passage for what it says. Just looking for Him and not acting does not demonstrate a life of faith. If you just waiting for Him to show up, then your entire life will pass you by, and you will have nothing to show for it. You still may get to heaven, yet as [one] through fire. Why be one that barely escapes the flames of hell, when you can have an abundance in heaven, an eternal life with the reward of the testimony of having done righteous acts here on the earth? I am not going to enter into all the little facts of this looking argument. I am going to stay on the point, and the point is this: Acting will bring it to pass and in grace, accomplish the kingdom.

In these last days, this new Jesus age, the church is supposed to shine with all the glory of God, showing the world that Jesus is Lord with all signs, wonders, and miracles.

But all things become visible, when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says; ‘Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.’ –Ephesians 5:13-14

The church must be awake in the last hour, if she is going to wake up the world. Awake is acting in righteousness. Not only must she be awake, but she must be here. Her leaving, in context with this Scripture, is a lie from hell, sent to hypnotize the church into thinking that she is ready, and all that she has to do is wait. She needs to wake up from this spell of sleep, which has been cast upon her. The church thinks that it is OK, but when that light shines, the darkness of the lie is exposed, and she must embrace truth if she is to move on.[7]

The State of the Church

So let us examine the state of the church now; and that which is described, which He is coming back for. Let us be honest and understand that we are not there yet. Let us pray that the Lord will reveal what it takes to be that perfect bride that He is looking for. If America was as full of as many Christians as she says she is, then the state of the union would reflect the state of the church. But now, it is obvious that the state of church reflects the state of the union. We can perform acts of righteousness and reverse this, and save a nation for God!

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[1] No, I do not subscribe to Calvinistic doctrine either. I do not care what prayer you may have prayed, some number of years ago; if you no longer live for God and deny him, and then you will be denied from the Father, when you stand before Jesus. Yes there is unlimited grace and mercy, but if you ultimately forsake it and still expect to live forever, you are absolutely wrong!  Prayer is the entrance into a magnificent life, and not an excuse to live in sin, and still think you are alright. Repentance means turning from your sin and living for God for the rest of your life. Salvation is both an experience and a walk. So, I encourage you to walk it out with peace and joy, in Jesus name.

[2] You can be solid in your doctrinal theological beliefs and still consider other points of view on Scripture to help you grow, without shifting back and forth, in an unstable faith. Read Eph 4:11-16.

[3] Many refer to this as a hidden meaning in Rev 4:1. No, I do not think John was raptured here. I am not going to discuss it; I am just making the point. For those of you who study eschatology, you know this study could escalate, so I am going to stay on tract of the theme of this inquirer.

[4] It was more of a question of how it applied, not: if there is no post explanation he would become pre again. We all as believers must challenge each other and seek the knowledge of God for the things that we have yet to understand about Him. Now we have to look at every verse in context to find the plumb line of truth that stretches through out the Word.

[5] This will happen for any serious Bible student. When it does, consider it. Do not hide from it and pretend that is not there. Say “I don’t know.” If you are seeking truth, then, no matter what the outcome, (remaining solid in your faith of course), then the Lord will show you His way and truth. Wait on Him, the answer may be swift or slow, but it will come.

[6] One thing that I learned in Ministry School was to look at the verse in context. There are many teachings out there that pull verses out of context that create theologies that are not Biblical. Read the verse for what is says, not for what someone else has told you it says. We do need teachers, be we have a responsibility to study Scripture accurately on our own.

[7] Not all who subscribe to this doctrine are asleep. They are acting in righteousness, preaching the Gospel to the ends of the earth. I am making the point because the majority of the American church believes this, and will all the hundreds of millions that profess this; they don’t seem to be accomplishing much. I am not attacking you if you subscribe to this; I am challenging you with a new perspective.

I placed all the relevant passages that deal with the “rapture,” with specific regard to their chronological order (the order that they were originally written in) and cross examined them. This is what I came up with. If you find your beliefs challenged, I encourage you to re-examine them in the light of the scriptures interpreted in simple, chronological order.

The Tribulation

The scriptures foretold that there would come a season of unparalleled trouble for the people of Israel and also
the rest of the world. Moses wrote a prophetic song about this final time of affliction in the Song of Moses, Deut 32:1-
43. This affliction is the final time of God judging Israel’s sin. This is a necessary for the reason being that God must be faithful to his covenant. This covenant demands that God bless Israel with Abraham’s blessing, Gen 12:1-3. However, Israel’s sin is a hindrance form these blessings being fully realized in Israel. For this reason, God sent Jesus to atone for Israel’s sin upon the cross. Now that this is legally secured, Israel must repent and willfully submit to the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood. God will demonstrate his wrath and mercy to Israel and the nations when he finally draws the remnant of Israel fully back to himself in repentance. It was this concept that the prophets inevitably would always come back to in their writings, when they had prophesied about the final time that God would judge Israel’s sin and bring them to repentance.
Daniel 12:1
12:1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time…

Mat 24:21-22
21 For then there will be great trouble, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Daniel 12:1b-3
But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

These scriptures show that the “tribulation” spoken of in Daniel 12:1-3 is the same one that Jesus referred to in Mat 24:21-22.

The Resurrection
As written of by Daniel, Jesus and Paul, side by side

Daniel revealed that there will be a resurrection at that time of the deliverance of the elect from that time of great trouble. Jesus was quoting directly from Daniel 12. Daniel 12 was directly quoting from Jeremiah 30:7.

“7 Alas! That day is so great
there is none like it;
it is a time of distress for Jacob;
yet he shall be saved out of it.”

Now we can understand why Paul placed a resurrection “at his coming,” speaking of Jesus’ second coming to the earth, when he wrote this, here in 1 Cor 15:21-25:

“21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then (after the millennium) comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”
Here, Paul said that there will be a resurrection of those in Christ, “at his coming.” This is another connector showing that the gathering Jesus spoke of in Mat 24:31 also will include the resurrection of the righteous, though the resurrection is not specifically mentioned by Jesus.

29 “Immediately after the tribulation (the time of trouble that Jeremiah 30:7 and Daniel 12:1 foretold) of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, 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 out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Mat 24:29-31.
1. Daniel put the resurrection after the tribulation, in Dan 12:1.

2. Jesus quoted from Daniel 12:1 and put the gathering and redemption of the elect at the end of the “trouble of those days” in Mat 24:31.

3. Paul ( 1 Cor 15) put the resurrection of the righteous at the “coming” of the Lord in 1 Cor 15:23. Jesus said that this would happen “immediately after the tribulation.”

4. Therefore, Paul, borrowing information from Daniel, wrote that the resurrection would take place after the tribulation. Jesus added that the living righteous would be “gathered… immediately after the tribulation.”

The Rapture

Paul then combines the two elements into one event in 1 Thes 4:13-18, the famous rapture passage. The gathering (rapture) of the living elect and the resurrection of the dead elect all happen at once, “immediately after the tribulation of those days” and at the “coming of the Lord” according to 1 Thes 4:13-18 and Mat 24:31.

“13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep (dead in Christ), that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord (directly referring to Mat 24:31), that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, (Mentioned in Dan 12:1) and with the sound of the trumpet of God (Mat 24:31). And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up (by the angels in Mat 24:31) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thes 4:13-18.

Who Are The Elect in Matthew 24:31?

When Daniel was writing his book, the “mystery of the church” was not revealed yet. That is why there is no specific mentioning of the church in the Old Covenant prophets’ writings.

“4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs (with the believing Jews) , members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Eph 3:4-6.

After Pentecost, the gentiles were welcomed into the New Covenant made with Israel and thus, they also became “the elect.”

Since the blood of Messiah was shed on the cross, there is no division in God between believing Jews and believing Gentiles. We are all in one body. Think about this:

“11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph 2:11-22.

Therefore, in light of this, we can see that Paul’s idea of “the elect” was the church consisting of believing Jews and believing Gentiles. So Paul would have naturally understood that “the elect,” whom Jesus said would be gathered “immediately after the tribulation,” are the church of believing Jews and Gentiles, not just Jews alone. There is simply only one “elect.” The “elect” are now the new phenomenon of spiritually united Jews and gentiles that the New Testament calls the church. See Paul’s use of the word “elect” here: Romans 8:33, 9:11, 11:7, 11:28, 1 Timothy 5:21, 2 Timothy 2:10, and Titus 1:1.

Conclusions

So, in closing, we see a definite (commonly termed) rapture of the living saints taking place at the “coming of the Lord,” “immediately after the tribulation” and immediately after “the dead in Christ… rise first,” when we all “together” will “meet the Lord in the air” at “the coming of the Lord.”

Why Does It Matter?

No one knows if the end will come in our lifetime or not. It is fruitless to speculate that the Lord will likely return in our generation because we can not have any idea when he will return until the Antichrist is here wrecking havoc on the earth.

“3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2 Thes 2:3-4.

The reason that I wrote this article was not to get into a fruitless debate with anybody. Although, debate is not always necessarily fruitless at all. I raise the issue because I believe that there are very vital, connected issues that will not be considered at all by anyone who is decidedly pre-trib (the rapture happening before the tribulation) in the views of the end times.

“11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?” Romans 11:11-15.

These verses are some that together tell us the whole purpose of the church age. The pre-trib view asserts that the purpose of the church age is two fold:

1. The purpose of the church age is judgment against the unbelief of the majority of Israel.

2. The purpose of the church age is to give all the gentile nations a fair chance to hear the gospel and be saved before God turns back to Israel and Israel turns back to him, before the millennial reign of Christ begins. Essentially, this current age is one of God simply tallying up the numbers of saved Gentiles until it reaches a certain, unknown number, and then the rapture will happen and then… well, you know the rest. The “blessed hope” is painted to be a rapture before this time of trial and trouble for unbelieving Israel and the nations.

These two ideas rest upon the unscriptural notion that Israel and the church are entirely separate peoples with two separate plans of God, one for each of them. Consider the following in regard to that idea:

“11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:11-22

The church is the new phenomenon of Gentiles being grafted in alongside with the particular Jews who have faith in the Jesus, the Messiah, through the New Covenant God made with Israel (Jer 31:31). This was accomplished through Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension. Believing Jews and Gentiles are now one people- the church. Jews are still Jews and Gentiles are still Gentiles, but we are spiritually united similar to a marriage’s physical union.

This phenomenon of Jews and Gentiles being spiritually united as one people in Messiah is both a judgment on Israel’s unbelievers and also a blessing to them.

“28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” Rom 11:28-32.

You see, it is true that God has hardened the unbelievers of Israel right now. But this has been done, “for your sake.” This is the purpose of the church: to be an effectual witness to unbelieving Israel until they turn back to the Lord. When they turn to the Lord, there will be “life from the dead” or simply put, a resurrection. We know that the Antichrist is set to attempt to destroy the people of Israel and those who follow Jesus. Pre-tribbers delegate these saints to those who will repent after the pre-tribulational rapture. This effectively removes any thoughts about the church’s purpose and calling to be the witness to Israel until they turn to God, which is prophesied to happen to the surviving remnant of Israel. The bottom line is this:

1. Israel cannot repent without the church being Jesus’ witness to her.

2. The church cannot witness to Israel if we are all gone into heaven because of a rapture.

3. The dead in Christ are to be raised at the rapture or “gathering of the elect.” This cannot happen until a very significant number of the remnant of Israel is repenting to Jesus. As Paul asked in Romans 11:15, “What will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?”

So, I am very concerned about all this widespread passion for the pre-trib rapture here in the west. It is definitely a distraction for the church from considering all the vast purposes God has for their being a church age at all in the fist place. Besides, as Dr Michael L Brown says, “The reason that I don’t believe in the pre-tribulational rapture is because it is not found in the Bible.”

It is not a matter of simply being ready to meet the Lord at any moment in the rapture. That idea is honestly a new one that was first taught by certain Bible teachers from Scotland, in the 1830s. It is a great idea to live ready to meet the Lord at any moment. But this has always been true, before Jesus came and still today after he has come and gone. What the rapture should call us to now is to understand God’s purpose of this church age. It is a matter of understanding the ways of God himself. It is a matter of understanding what is means for God to be a faithful God of his covenant to Abraham. It is a matter of knowing and understanding God, as he, in fact, is.

The church has no covenant with God. Israel does have a covenant with God.

““Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,” Jer 31:31

The fact that most of us are gentiles and we are in a saving relationship with God is meant to humble us before the mercy of God. God intends that the church begin to see his majestic purpose in the church age. The church is a new phenomenon designed out of the faithfulness of God to Abraham, Gen 12:1-3. God has raised up the church to turn Israel back to God, on the positive side of things. No one knew that, through the Messiah, gentiles would be united together with the faithful in Israel as one new people- the church. God’s original intention was for Israel to be a light to the nations. It was not known that this call would begin to be fulfilled through a predominantly Gentile church, consisting of countless people of the nations, that was birthed by the remnant of Israel in the first century.

I ask you to seriously consider, just for a moment, that this is what the scriptures do, in fact, teach. When we place the scriptures together, in the order that they were written in, a picture emerges. This picture is what theologians call “historic pre-millennialism.” This means that there will be a time of trouble, with the Antichrist, coming ahead. At the end of this season, Jesus will return. The saints will be caught up by angels to meet the Lord in the air. At that time the dead in Messiah will also be resurrected. Then Jesus will establish a theocracy in Israel. It will be a long period of peace, prosperity and salvation for Israel and many people in the nations. This has direct bearing on our lives today. It shows us why we have been chosen to live in the generation that we live in. This shows us what the goal of the church’s existence is. We are living in a time period of transition. Indeed, all of history is a time of transition. In the end, God will renew the entire creation into the glory that he has always intended for it. The universe will be totally filled with God’s image in the person and character of Jesus.

This was the second post by my friend Avi on eschatology; specifically, the rapture concept. I feel there is a need for the Body of Christ to re-examine this doctrine and consider the implications of simple waiting for Christ’s return versus the impact we can have with a correct scriptural understanding, that His return actually depends on us revealing and bringing the kingdom of heaven to the kingdoms of this world. David E

For more posts on this subject of eschatology click here.

There’s a misconception many evangelical Christians believe–whether subtly or overtly or just without really thinking about it: that the 7 churches John writes to in Revelation 2 and 3, are not just literal churches being written to, but are actually representative of church “ages”, the last church therefore representing the age the church is allegedly currently living in.

I’ve heard the late Leonard Ravenhill whom I respect immensely teach it this way; at a Promise Keepers event I went to, the president came on and shared about the time of history we’re living in, and not that he quoted much or any Scripture when sharing-touched on the ‘age John wrote about’ in passing; numerous preachers when teaching on end times events as I was growing up would teach this as so. I’m not a big end times buff, I say instead of waiting for the rapture to happen, let’s go get us some more souls to get raptured whenever that event happens–which I believe is after the tribulation, but if you disagree with me and I’m wrong, then that means I’m going home earlier than I thought. If I’m right and you’re wrong, then let say It’s safer to be wrong about my position.

Since I’ve heard over and over again “we’re living in the Laodicean age” of the Church, I thought I’d take the time to quickly take a look at this topic since statistically speaking, most people reading this will probably have been taught the same thing–that the 7 churches of Revelation are church ages, and therefore the end of church history is terrible. But is that true exegetically, and even logically?

Nope.

There are several reasons why this doesn’t hold up.

Problem number 1:

There’s no hint or suggestion that we’re to interpret these things as anything other than 7 actual churches John is writing to, like Paul, Peter, etc…wrote when they wrote to churches in the New Testament. Likewise the apostle John here is writing letters to actual churches in this part of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Does anyone realize that’s the title of the last book in their Bibles?  It’s a revelation of Jesus, not of just end times events–but while I’m saying so, I read it like the “part two” of Song of Solomon.

Is there no application to apply to our day and age from these writings? I’m not saying that at all; we apply the teaching here as the shoe fits just like we do with other things written in the New Testament that may not be culturally relevant to us. But the idea that John is writing about ages or epochs of future history to unfold is pretty far fetched and unscriptural.

Problem number 2:

How do we know where we stand in church history? Do you think the church 1000 years ago had any idea there was 1000 years of history to go still? Every generation thinks theirs is the last or close to the return of Christ! The Church in the year 1000 would have thought they were the church of Laodecia, and same with the church during the Reformation.

The way we divide up history in order to make this fit the ‘church descriptions’ idea doesn’t add up properly. If I had a pie, and invited several friends over, I wouldn’t know how to cut the pie until they’ve all arrived and I see who they each brought or if anyone declined my invitation and isn’t going to show.

If I began to cut the pie into 6 pieces, and eight friends showed up, I’d have a mess on my hands trying to remedy the way the pie needs to be divided in order for everyone to have an equal share. So I would be smart to just wait and see who all would show up, and then cut it accordingly. Likewise, let’s pretend these are literal church ages–then we won’t know how to properly apply them to history and our current generation until the end has actually taken place, for only then will we have seen how things were supposed to go.

Problem 3:

Even if they were 7 church ages, it’s not so bad because Jesus has wonderful promises for this church “age”, and let me paste the passage in question in its entirety since I didn’t do it at the beginning:

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”(Revelation 3:14-22)

Notice Jesus doesn’t give up on them, but counsels them in what to do.

And secondly, it could be said this church is made the greatest promise of any of the churches written to-if anyone [of them, or any person gleaning from reading this] hears his voice and opens the door, he will come in to him and eat with him and he with him. Interesting for a write-off church as it’s commonly taught in our churches.

And second observation, maybe I interpret it wrong, I’m for the possibility of that, but read that last bit as encouragement to persevere and be conquerors and sit with him on his throne. Whatever exactly that means, but I won’t sit here in front of my laptop and speculate. Just let the text say what it says, and it definitely says they were lukewarm, and so on… and Jesus counsels them as to what they are to do.

Problem 4:

It is arrogant and small minded to apply these verses to over 2/3 of the modern church because most of the Church (besides North American and Europe) is under heavy persecution, not living in affluence like the church spoken of in this passage.

How can these verses be applied to the persecuted underground church in China? The church of Smyrna fits the description of most of the Church around the world today, or the church of Philadelphia, but not the Laodicean church, which again, like the rapture teaching altogether, is another thing that seems to me is taught in the Western church that is not going through any form of persecution or trials.

If the description DID fit, the church that Jesus most strongly rebukes, is the one Jesus promises the greatest blessings to.

There could be more reasons by just using logic and from reading the Scriptures for what they say, but I felt these suffice it since I didn’t want to lengthen this entry unnecessarily.

At any rate, let’s kill this sacred cow and stop believing and teaching others that we’re in the last days by pointing to Scriptures like this one.

If we are in the last days, please don’t tell each other something that happens in the news or our culture is evidence we’re “living in the Laodicean church age”, because we’re not.

I just finished reading a book by David Ravenhill, son of the late revivalist Leonard Ravenhill (who I’ve posted numerous quotes from on this blog.)

I purchased a copy of his book The Jesus Letters at Summer School and when I had time, gradually read it in the last month. At first I had a hard time getting into it because it’s clearly a different tone and style than the works of his father, but this man is clearly a gifted teacher. He was a guest at last year’s FIRE Holland Summer School, and I’m told that he may not have been a very animated preacher, but he spoke with such authority. I can easily say that shows in his writings from this book and the other one I read a few years back, They Drank from the River and Died in the Wilderness.

My purpose in sharing about this is not a book review, and I hardly will wind up posting book review type of blog entries every time I read a book that I like. Listed on the right hand column are books I generally think are good for believers everywhere to have given a read. Exepct of course The Message is just a suggestion.

In it The Jesus Letters, Ravenhill, takes the seven letters to the churches in Revelation and gives them a modern day context. If you don’t like being challenged and convicted in your walk with God, then don’t bother reading this book. Otherwise, things that caught my attention are just what is meant by the teaching of Balaam, and just what exactly a spirit of Jezebel really is, and they are both things that, according to the author, are not what is popularly taught.

So if you have the desire for a good challenging read, on issues that are relevant and not just the latest winds of doctrine going around in the Body of Christ, then please do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this book. For those of you who see us regularly, FIRE Holland has it and sells copies of it in our “store” and I strongly urge you to consider buying one, and for others I’m sure it can be obtained easily either through online bookstores or your local Christian bookstore.

Tot ziens

Much Reading For Those Left Behind

These days there is lots of talk of “the Rapture” in the Body of Christ. A huge market in Christian books and movies has developed in recent years following this concept. The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is something Christians have been looking forward to for nearly 2000 years. But is this idea of a pre-tribulation ‘rapture’ actually a biblical concept? Will Jesus really return in secret for his chosen faithful ones and leave behind the rest to judgement and tribulation for seven years before returning for more saints? This paper is an attempt to delve into this controversial topic and demonstrate, by looking briefly at the history of the Church’s stance on the Lord’s Coming, and by carefully examining a select few “rapture passages”, that the answer is actually no. These passages will be used to demonstrate that the Rapture and the Second Coming are indeed the same event that are not separated by a seven year period contrary to popular opinion.

There are numerous other things to consider when discussing the rapture but due to the brevity of this study, will not be covered. Therefore focus will be made mostly on select passages that those in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture camp hold on to as foundational for belief in the rapture, and study on where the view originated.

History of the Rapture Theories

The idea of Christ returning for his people prior to the Great Tribulation, the rise of the antichrist to world power, and the details of the last days as outlined in the book of Revelation, are not new concepts by any means. However, the predominant views regarding the chronology of these events can be regarded as fairly recent in origin.

Pre-tribulation Rapture represents the belief that Christ will come snatch away true believers before the Tribulation period begins. As an established view, it can be traced back to John Darby, leader of the Britain-based Plymouth Brethren movement in the 1830s. Some biblical researchers can trace the view back further than this, but a widely regarded possibility is this view even being originally attributed to a charismatic visionary woman named Margaret MacDonald, two years prior to Darby. Champions of the Pre-Trib Rapture theory include Dr. C.I. Scofield, W.E. Vine, Dr. John F. Walvoord, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie and numerous others.

The Post-Tribulation Rapture, the view this paper favors, is possibly the oldest view, as careful study of the Olivet Discourse in the Gospel accounts (key passages Matt 24:29-41, Mark 13:24-31, Luke 21:25-28), and a few of the Pauline epistles (1 Cor 15:50-58, 1 Thess 4:13-18, 2 Thess 2:1-12), demonstrate that the early church was expecting to see these events of the last days unfold themselves. Scripture doesn’t indicate the idea that they felt they would be absent when the events of the last days unfolded. Contemporary advocates of the Post-Trib theory include Dr. George E. Ladd, J. Barton Payne , Dave Macpherson, Larry Simmons, William Arnold III among others.

There is another camp, the Mid-Tribulation Rapture theory, which is even more recent in origin than Pre-Trib. Proponents of the Mid-Trib rapture theory believe that the Body of Christ will go through some or part of the Great Tribulation and be raptured up three and one-half years into the Tribulation. A major advocate is Norman B. Harrison, and other scholars such as J. Oliver Buswell, Harold J. Ockenga, Gleason Archer also championed this cause. Many of its followers see this as a mediating position between the post and pre-trib theories. Some of its advocates can find no clear reasoning or definite Scriptural basis for neither a post-trib rapture or a pre-trib rapture.

Examination of Key Scripture Texts

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 “The Dead in Christ Shall Rise First”

This is the only “rapture” passage in the Bible. In fact the word “rapture” doesn’t even occur in the Bible at all. Previously in Paul’s letter to the church in Thessolonica, Paul had spoken about the second coming of the Lord Jesus (2:19), and the believers had no doubt that this would take place. Paul proceeds to address things here that had come up in their midst since he had departed, such as the fact that many had died. Verse 15 gives the impression Paul, and subsequently the believers he was writing to; were expecting to see the Lord’s return in their lifetime, so the believers were wondering how this could take place if some were already dead. In this passage Paul is explaining that those dead will rise first (v. 16), and those alive at the second advent of Christ will be caught up together to meet them in the air. So far so good. The meeting in the air with both those dead and those alive is something both pre and post- tribulationists agree on. However, a plain literal reading of this text in no way indicates that the coming of the Lord and the “catching away” of those alive and dead in Christ are two separate events. The only way the text can suggest such an idea is for it to be imposed on it with a pre-supposed view that they are separate events. Paul does not teach the separation of the Rapture and the Second Coming with any amount of time elapsing between the two.

The trumpet being sounded–spoken of in verse 16, is an Old Testament concept linked with the Day of the Lord, with His arrival or coming to His people (Ex 19:16, Isa 27:13, Joel 2:1, Zc 9:14), and is linked elsewhere with the return of Christ (Matt 24:31, 1 Cor 15:52). The Greek Word for coming used here is parousia, which means “presence, coming, advent” and in the New Testament was usually used regarding Christ’s return. It also was used in the technical term for the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary, and it is suitable in the context here (see Matt 25:16, Acts 28:15). Appropriately, a plain reading of this passage shows that when Christ returns, that is the moment when we are raptured, and we proceed to escort our King to the earth at that moment which He arrives to judge the earth and set up His earthly Kingdom. This passage does not demonstrate two separate comings, one for Christ’s church, and the other for judgement of the earth. But rather the Lord’s return is described as a singular event, not plural.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 “The Great Apostasy”
In this passage Paul dispels erroneous ideas that the believers in Thessolonica had learned about the Second Coming and is supplementing what he’s already told them in person. The saints were not fearful necessarily that the Rapture had occurred and that they had missed it, but that they were already in the Day of the Lord. They were being heavily persecuted and it was very easy for them to think the things that were to accompany the Tribulation were already upon them. The first and second verses of this chapter indicate it is a false teaching Paul is trying to correct, and that it’s possible someone had forged a letter pretending to be Paul, and thus the idea spread that Paul taught the Day of the Lord had already begun.

The wording in verse 3, where Paul proceeds to tell the saints why the Rapture had not happened–is the clearest denial of an “any moment” Rapture as one could imagine: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” There really is not much upon which to expound. This passage speaks for itself. The case for immenency–an any moment Rapture, hence an incentive for holy living and the key component of the whole pre-trib theory, is clearly not able to be derived from this key passage, since wording like “…that Day will not come unless…” have a connotation of being patient until the events described take place first. Paul then proceeds in verses 3 and 4 to describe the ‘falling away’, or the wholesale abandonment of Christianity–a complete rejection of the faith, followed by or resulting in a man of sin arising and exalting himself above God who is worshipped in the temple of God. In other words, Paul is telling them “the Day of the Lord has not happened yet, and this is evidenced by the fact all these other things have not taken place yet.” Also worth considering, Paul’s strong exhortation in verse 3 to let no one deceive them, is pretty interesting language for him to use if the Church were going to be raptured prior to all the events he was about to describe. Why would Paul warn them of what to look for if he and the believers believed they wouldn’t be around to see these events take place?

The “restrainer” mentioned in verse 6 and 7 is of much controversy. It is commonly espoused to be the Holy Spirit, but the argument that the Holy Spirit is removed along with the Christians He indwells at the Rapture only holds up if an actual Rapture takes place. Since this paper does not favor that interpretation, let’s proceed to discuss other views. In verse 6 the restrainer is described in an impersonal way, but then in verse 7 it is a person. Common views as to the identity of this restrainer include (1) the Roman Empire, (2) the Jewish State, (3) Satan, (4) the principle of law and order as found in human government, (5) God, and (6) the true Church as indwelt by the Spirit. Since verse 7 refers to the restrainer as a type of person, it’s necessary to assume this is some form of person or angelic being. This idea that the restrainer is the archangel Michael therefore is not at all unfeasible. Christian and Jewish scholars both recognize Michael as having a special guardian relationship to Israel (Dan 10:12-13), and in relation to Israel, he is called “Michael, your prince” (Dan 10:21). The beginning of Daniel chapter twelve indicates Michael stands over “the sons of your [Israel’s] people”. Also Revelation 12 describes a war that occurs in heaven (Rev 12:6, 13-14) precisely in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week—the period of time referred to as the 7-year Tribulation. We see in Jude 9 the interaction that takes place between the devil and Michael, indicating the archangel’s role in keeping Satan from doing harm to the body of Moses. Therefore we see the one who had the job of hindering the Antichrist will step aside at this time prior to the Lord’s return; that is Michael the archangel will no longer be a restraint between the Antichrist and those the Antichrist is persecuting.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 “The Twinkling An Eye”
This passage and 1 Thessalonians 4:17 are probably the two most common passages people think of in relation to the Rapture. We often hear it said that we will be caught up “in the twinkling of an eye” (verse 52). However, the Rapture is mentioned nowhere here. All it states is that a trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised and we will be changed. That’s it!
Worth noting is how Paul begins this discussion with his statement about how the living will inherit the kingdom (v. 50) which takes place at the second coming. In other words, Paul is saying, “Even the living will be changed in order to enter the kingdom in glorified bodies.”

In this entire chapter, Paul is discussing the resurrection. Paul stated already that one must first die in order to receive the glorified body (vv. 35-38, 42-44). Verse 50 explains how you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven with a corruptible body, so the Corinthians no doubt were wondering what would happen to those believers who were still alive physically at Christ’s return. Paul told them that those who are still living will not have to die to receive a glorified body but will be transformed while they are still alive—that not everyone will have to die first, but everyone will be changed (v.51).

As already mentioned, this passage does not say anything about the Rapture, although a plain reading of the text does indicate that Paul is describing what will happen to the bodies of that generation who is alive on the earth for the Lord’s return. The only reason people associate this verse with the Rapture is because of the similar events described in 1 Thess. 4:13-17, except one has to impose a Rapture and Second Coming distinction on this passage. A clear case for this distinction is not exegetical from either this passage or 1 Thess. 4. Therefore, these events cannot be used to describe the chronology of the events surrounding a rapture if the case has not been established that there actually is a rapture. Before discussing what kind of clothing the men on Mars wear, one must first establish that there is life on Mars.

Matthew 24:29-31 “The Son of Man Coming on the Clouds”
This entire chapter in Matthew lines up in perfect harmony and chronology with Revelation 6. Also, this passage here seems pretty indicative of the idea the church goes through the Tribulation, considering the statement “immediately after the tribulation…then the Son of Man will appear in heaven” (v.29-30)

One reason pre-tribulationists deny that Jesus is talking about the Rapture here is the claim that Jesus was talking specifically to the Jews in this instance, and that this passage does not apply to the Church. This claim is true to some extent, Jesus was talking to the disciples who were Jewish (Matt. 24:3). Naturally, the gospel had not been given to the Gentiles yet, so most everything Jesus said was to Jews. If Jesus talking to Jews makes a passage inapplicable to us, then so are the various blessings that Jesus spoke to them that we the Gentile church partake in—we can’t have it both ways.

In this instance, Jesus was talking specifically to the disciples in private (v. 3). These men were the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20). It does not seem reasonable to think that this was not really the coming they were to look for. Why answer them with a description of the Great Tribulation followed by a description of his coming in the clouds–with the sound of a great trumpet and the gathering of his elect–if really they were going to miss all this by means of a pre-tribulation rapture? That would be suggesting that Jesus Himself was inaccurate of the information He Himself was providing or that He was deceiving his hearers. However, the signs are more directional in nature than chronological. They tell the disciples which way the Lord’s coming will take place, rather than what time.

Application
I’ve personally never concerned myself much with when the Rapture would occur, but always assumed that when the time of Great Tribulation came, that I was on the first train out of here. The more I became interested in studying the Word of God as the basis for forming my opinions, the more questions I had regarding the events of the end times. While contemplating doing some thorough investigation into this matter, I had to ask myself “how come I believe this theory?” I personally was brought to a place where I had to admit that I had just believed what I was told without questioning it or scrutinizing it in the light of God’s authoritative Word. Sadly, I think a lot of believers today are just twiddling their thumbs waiting for the Rapture simply because they believe what they’ve been told.

Certainly the idea that we ourselves won’t have to go through any difficulty or face any suffering is a comfortable doctrine, but the very fact it brings comfort to us should be the first red flag that there may be something wrong with this view. Jesus told us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He told his followers things like “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for my sake.” The straightforward Gospel is pretty harmful to our flesh, and if our lives are going to be patterned after His, then clearly, we need the purification that the Great Tribulation will bring to us as a body of believers.

Paul told Timothy “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.” (2 Timothy 4:3 NKJV). Surely, the pre-Trib Rapture is a doctrine for itching ears. Today, countless believers tenaciously cling to it, not because of any basis in Scripture, but simply because that’s how they hope the end-times will unfold. Clearly the pre-trib view is not as much of an incentive for holiness as pre-tribbers would have you think. If you told a professional football team to practice for the big play-off game–but they were not actually gonna play in the big game, but instead be benched seven minutes before it started–they certainly would not be as prepared as they would if they thought they were going to play.

Conclusion
From a plain literal approach to interpreting the Scriptures often cited to prove the pre-tribulation Rapture theory, we can see that in no place is the Coming of the Lord described as a plural event, but a singular. It’s safe to assume that the pre-trib Rapture is not actually a biblical concept, and there is clearly no distinction between the Rapture and the Second Coming. If there is no distinction, then there is no 7-year interval either. The fact that the pre-tribulation view is fairly recent in origin should help indicate that it may not be biblical and that the early Church didn’t believe in it. Rather, the pre-tribulation view is an idea birthed out of lack of desire to face intense persecution, and is fueled by the comfortable notion that people desire not to go through anything bad, and is a view that cannot be proven exegetically.

End Notes

1 Rosenthal, Marvin The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc. c. 1990, p. 53
Macpherson, Dave, The Unoriginal John Darby, http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/post/davem12.htm In this brief article, Macpherson shows why Darby was not necessarily the key figure in the birth of “pre-millenial dispensationalism” and that he likely copied and plagarized ideas from others and was indeed not the first to teach most of his ideas, including the pre-tribulation rapture.
Duffield, Guy P. and N.M. Van Cleave, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, L.I.F.E. Bible College, Los Angeles, c. 1983 p. 531
Ibid, p.529
Rosenthal, Pre-Wrath Rapture, 56-57
Arnold III, William, The Post Tribulation Rapture, http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/post/link2.htm
Morris, Leon, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, ed. William B. Eardmans, Grand Rapids, 1984, p.92
Strong, James, Strongest Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, Grand Rapids, Zondervan, Strong # 3952
Morris, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, p.94
Ibid, p.125
MacDonald, William, Believer’s Bible Commentary, ed. Art Farstad, Nelson, Nashville, c.1995, p.2053
Arnold III, William , The Post Tribulation Rapture, http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/post/link2.htm
MacDonald, William, Believer’s Bible Commentary, ed. Art Farstad, Nelson, Nashville, c.1995, p.2053
Ibid, p. 2054
Rosenthal The Pre-Wrath Rapture, p. 256
Ibid, p. 257
Arnold III, William, The Post Tribulation Rapture, http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/post/link2.htm
Simmons, Larry Unmasking Pre-Trib Fallacies
Arnold III, William, The Post Tribulation Rapture, http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/post/link2.htm
Rosenthal, The Pre-Wrath Rapture, p.97