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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Prophecy Article Today: "'Seven Approaches to Bible Prophecy " - Rapture Ready

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by Todd Strandberg

Below are seven common approaches to interpreting Bible prophecy. Although man has composed a number of positions and definitions regarding prophecy, nearly everyone observes prophecy from one of these seven angles. It should be noted that though people may employ different approaches at different times, each individual's understanding is likely to be dominated by just one of the following perspectives.

Literal

Literalism involves interpreting a passage in its plainest sense. People who hold to a literal approach to understanding Bible prophecy would agree with this statement: "Simply believe what you read."

Some scholars claim that the Bible's inclusion of a number of symbols, parables, and metaphors to express meaning makes literalism impractical. However, in most cases, every symbolic passage in the Bible is followed by a full explanation.

Despite the claims of some scholars, 2 Timothy seems to indicate that God didn't intend Scripture to be taken subjectively: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).

The key to making a literal approach work is not to add individual biases and beliefs to what the Bible says.

Because there are so many schools of thought regarding the same Scriptures, many Bible scholars agree that a strict guideline for interpreting God's Word is the most prudent option to follow.

PROS:
This method has the Rapture Ready seal of approval for the best approach to Bible prophecy.

CONS:
Some folks find that literalism interferes with their personal interpretations of prophecy.

Current Events

This approach involves using current events to define the meaning of prophetic Scripture. Most current event commentaries are formulated by simply reading the latest news, and then cross-referencing the news with Bible prophecy.

Current event-focused reporting is an effective method of warning people. If we are getting very close to the advent of final end-time events, it is natural to expect these events to begin appearing in the news.

Sometimes a big headline will grab the attention of the prophetic community, even though the event has nothing to do with prophecy. A good example was the death of Princess Diana: It was a big story, but it had zero linkage to Bible prophecy.

PROS:
Referencing current events is an excellent way to make people aware of predicted end-time events.

CONS:
Because adverse situations have occurred many times throughout history, it can be risky to jump the gun by saying a certain news item fulfills Bible prophecy. A particular current event may, for a short period, resemble a predicted end-time prophecy. But because situations can easily change, caution should always be exercised.

Numerology

By studying the meaning of numbers and their supposed influence on Bible prophecy, numerologists hope to discover dates for key end-time events.

When it comes to predicting the rapture, the second coming, and other end-time dates, numerology is the most widely used method of determining these dates.

Because numerology has no set formulas, and the Bible offers a wealth of numbers with which to work, any year can be determined to be suspect.

Here are some numerology workings for the year 1998: Some observed the fact that 666 X 3 = 1998; others note that America will be 222 years old, and 2+2+2 equals the devil's number 6; and the UN will be 51 next year, 5+1 also equal 6. If you're still not convinced, according to one person, 4003 BC was the starting point for mankind; count off 6 millennia and you come up with 1998.

PROS:
Because numerology-minded people are constantly working with numbers, I'm sure most of them have exceptional math skills.

CONS:
Just about any group of numbers can be made to mathematically predict any predetermined date.

Conspiracy

Because the Antichrist will someday control all world governments, some look for him to come to power by means of a shadow government.

Conspiracy-minded people will tell you all aspects of society are controlled by "the powers that be." Their understanding of prophecy is generally filtered through the notion that secret organizations are guiding and controlling world affairs.

Conspiracy buffs may claim that all aspects of society are controlled by unseen powers. If the mailmen linger too long in front of their homes, they think the postal carriers are spies working for the Illuminati.

Some of the claims by conspiracy seekers are incredibly outlandish: UFOs are abducting people and turning them into mindless robots; every Christian leader in America is part of the conspiracy; concentration camps are being set up for Christians; and all disasters are caused by the government.

PROS:
When the Antichrist takes over, conspiracy buffs will be ready to flee to the mountains.

CONS:
You wouldn't be able to go anywhere because your friends and family already will have had you committed.

Divine Knowledge

Some Christians base their entire understanding of Bible prophecy on messages received supernaturally from God.

A prophetic interpretation can be made very tempting if it's preceded by, "Thus saith the Lord...".

A true test to determine whether one who claims to be a prophet of God really is a prophet of God is found in the 18th chapter of Deuteronomy: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him" (Deut. 18:22).

Historically, some Christians have been lacking discernment over the issue of false predictions. Many so-called prophets of God have repeatedly set dates that have failed to come to pass.

PROS:
If God said it would happen, then you can be absolutely sure it will take place.

CONS:
The believer should maintain a healthy skepticism about those who claim divine revelation, and immediately reject those who contradict sound Bible doctrine.

Intellectual

The intellectual approach involves finding deep and often-hidden meanings of prophecy. This approach may also rely heavily on historical writings, which may help counteract modern doctrinal heresies.

Unfortunately, errors can creep in as prideful men strive beyond the "limited" thinking of our early church fathers. The intellectual approach appeals primarily to those who are well educated or very familiar with prophecy.

PROS:
If an intellectual makes an obscure prophetic doctrine claim that is false, most people will never understand the error.

CONS:
Grievous errors in the composition of one's hermeneutics can lead to more arduous discernment of malefactions among adherents of eschatology. Also, it makes it more difficult to understand prophecy. Another problem with this approach: It makes it difficult for the common Joe to understand prophecy.

Allegorical

The allegorical approach takes the view that frequently expresses or explains one thing while actually referring to another. Those who hold to this approach look for hidden or symbolic meanings in prophetic Scripture. They often say, "It says this, but what it really means is this."

Allegorical interpretations of passages can often be found to conflict with other parts of the Bible. Jehovah's Witnesses allegorically believe the Lord Jesus returned secretly in 1914, yet the Apostle John wrote, "every eye shall see him" (Rev. 1:7).

Many people who view Bible prophecy as a threat use an allegorical interpretation of prophecy to alter it to their liking. Subjects like the Antichrist, the tribulation or the mark of the beast are either eliminated or made harmless by allegorical definitions.

PROS:
Allegorical scholars get to let their imaginations run wild.

CONS:
With no set rules or standards for the interpretation of prophecy, it may be difficult to find two allegorical scholars who agree with each other.

 


 Yes! Jesus is Coming!


 

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Monday, May 30, 2011

Prophecy Article Today: "'The Master Plan " - Rapture Ready

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30 May, 2011

The Master Plan Gets a Good Trial Run

Bible prophecy has been very active in the news, thanks to Harold Camping's misguided judgment-date prediction. I was just amazed at how much coverage the liberal media gave to Camping. Normally, the press ignores any subject related to Christianity. Tim LaHaye's "Left Behind" book series had to sell over 30 million copies before the liberal media was willing to acknowledge its existence.

The press seems to have an endless fascination with Mr. Camping. Even after the May 21 date passed uneventfully, a horde of reporters showed up at Family Radio's headquarters to report on the new date of October 21 of this year.

It quickly became obvious to Terry and me that the liberal media had an agenda behind its coverage of Camping. Because we are the largest prophecy site on the net, the media comes to us for comment whenever they do decide to report on eschatology. Normally, this only happens when oddball subjects come up, like, "Is Obama the Antichrist?" or "Does the Bible have anything to say about the Mayan prophecy for 2012?"

This time around, the press only gave us limited coverage because we wouldn't play ball with the narrative they were trying to establish. We did interviews with newspapers, explaining how Camping was wrong, and none of our comments made it to print. If we were telling people to sell their worldly possessions and climb to the top of the nearest mountain to meet the Lord, I'm sure we'd have our pick of prime-time interviews.

Rapture Ready's traffic, however, has benefitted greatly from the coverage. Because we are the top-ranked site on the subject of prophecy, we have had a record amount of traffic. It only took us 19 days into the month of May to smash the 294,000 unique visitors record set just two months ago. Right now, as I'm writing, we have over half a million visitors.

I have access to a very complex readout of how people find Rapture Ready. Most people come to the site by doing their own searches. When Time magazine featured us in 2002 as part of its cover story article on "Left Behind," most people came to RR by following dozens of links from news organizations that parroted the story. Today, people don't need the media to find information. They can search for it themselves.

Another major difference between 2002 and now is our ability to handle traffic. Back then, we had to struggle to accommodate 60,000 unique visitors. At one point, I had to direct some of the traffic over to our mirror sites: tribulation.us, and rr-rapture.com. Today, even with a ten-fold increase in traffic, our server was still able to handle the load.

In the 24 years I have been working on Rapture Ready, I have always followed a plan for the site's progression. Right now, I am down to one final goal that I call the "master plan," and I even created two articles on the site related to it. The "master plan" is this: Getting Rapture Ready on a server network that is so powerful it allows an unlimited number of people to access the site's data.

I strongly believe the Rapture will generate the greatest panic for information in human history. When millions of people realize that they have been left behind, they will get out their laptops, smart phones, or iPads, and search for all things related to the end times.

Even though the bandwidth of the average server has made an incredible leap in its ability to feed out information, we are still far short of my goal. The problem is not just the numbers. The post-Rapture traffic surge would involve people spending hours looking at dozens of articles. Last week, the average visitor only read one page. Since this is the first time we have been able to easily handle a traffic surge, I'm very hopeful about us reaching the point of unlimited bandwidth.

I doubt the Lord Jesus is going wait around until every web surfer on the planet can access our domain all at once. It greatly pleases me that we've now reached the point that our network of mirror sites will allow millions to draw upon our resources.

I’m very thankful to everyone who has stood with us in helping to fund the site. Camping has a profoundly negative impact on our finances by causing most people to sit on their hands, waiting to see what will happen. What happened is that our opportunity to contribute to the Kingdom of God continues.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

-- Todd

 

"Rapture" at Center of End-Times Storm

The couple of weeks just past bring in focus–for me, at least—stark reminders of the times in which we find ourselves, in relationship to Bible prophecy.

Geophysical disturbances wreaking death tolls in the central United States are part of events engendering the sense of the lateness of the hour, prophetically speaking. The tornado that tore apart Joplin, Missouri, killing more than 100 and injuring hundreds, certainly adds to the sense of this being a prophetic hour. Studies show that records for devastating storms, earthquakes, and other such phenomena seem to be falling with each month that passes.

I personally had my life touched by the most recent outbreak near Oklahoma City, when one of my closest friends in ministry lost everything he owns, while thankfully he, his wife, and neighbors were safe in a storm shelter. (Please see my note below this commentary.)

We have written many times in these commentaries--and others have written in their commentaries--about the frequency and intensity with which so many things that appear to be end-times indicators are storming upon a world ripe for God’s judgment. The birth-pang convulsions are front and center of our daily, even hourly, headlines.

World economic crises continue to mount, but are pushed to the back burner so far as headlines are concerned, because things of more immediate import crowd them out for the moment. Still, the global economic meltdown continues. The U.S. is in a position out of which it looks impossible to ever emerge. The rest of the world, particularly Europe, is in even worse fiscal condition. The powers that be, the global monetary gurus, seem to have become calloused to the truly monumental seriousness of the situation. It is as if they believe they can indefinitely delay the inevitable payments coming due.

The monetary manipulators have their eyes set on a completely changed economic order as the solution, no doubt. They need a crisis of major magnitude--I’m convinced they believe—in order to galvanize all of their elements of aspiration into rearrangements which they can completely put under their collective controlling thumb.

At the same time, things are heating up that involve the U.S. and the world dealing with the nation Israel. There is no more profound signal of where this generation stands on God’s prophetic timeline than things going on in this arena of geopolitical activity.

The American administration speaks out of both sides of its mouth, in one breath betraying Israel in doing things like selling arms to Israel’s enemy Arab states, but denying arms sales to the Jewish state.

Over the last year, the United States refused to approve any major Israeli weapons requests. Government sources asserted that the refusal represented a White House policy to link most arms sales to Israel to progress in the U.S. plan to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank.

At the same time, Obama has approved more than $10 billion worth of arms sales to Arab League states, including Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. ("Israel's Netanyahu Keeping Mum about Obama's Virtual Arms Embargo," World Tribune, Feb 10, 2011–thanks to Jonathan Stettin)

In the next breath, President Obama demands the impossible of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then, after receiving so much negative backlash, backtracks on his declaration that Israel must give the Palestinians land so the 1967 borders can be reestablished–claiming the U.S. is an unmovable friend of the Jewish nation.

Israel’s being at the center of the vital issues of peace and security for that Jewish state and for the world cannot be overemphasized. This is the number-one signal that we are bumping up against the very end of this dispensation–the Age of Grace.

This fact and all of the other things of prophetic significance we write about week after week are overwhelming in the weight of evidence they present, telling the discerning student of Bible prophecy and observer of the times that Christ’s shout “Come up here!” must be near indeed.

And, this brings me to the interesting thing I would like to point out at this most crucial hour. Thanks to Harold Camping, I believe the world has moved forward a significant notch in the matter of nearing the end of the age. One news media scoffer reported the following:

When the world did not end at precisely 6 p.m. yesterday, Doomsday prophet Robert Fitzpatrick's fragile grasp on reality crumbled.

"I don't understand why nothing is happening," said Fitzpatrick, flipping through his Bible for clues to why Rapture failed to show up on time. "It's not a mistake. I did what I had to do. I did what the Bible said," he said, looking increasingly disheveled and confused as he stood in Times Square before mocking crowds.

Fitzpatrick is a follower of Harold Camping, 89, an Oakland, Calif., evangelist who promised that on Judgment Day the righteous would be sucked up to heaven while sinners--even children--were to rot among fires, earthquakes and tsunamis engulfing the Earth. (Heather Haddon and Doublas Montero, "Doomsayer Confused as World Doesn't End," New York Post, 5/22/11–thanks to Chris Mangan)

Now, I said above that, thanks to Harold Camping, I believe the world has moved forward a significant notch in the matter of nearing the end of the age. The scoffers are fully out of the woodwork, that’s for certain. Camping’s failed prediction–and all of them, Camping’s and others, have failed—brings 2 Peter 3:3-4 into focus as never before: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

Todd and I have received some proof of this on an up-close-and-personal basis via email. Here are but a few examples.

“How is it up in heaven?”

“We’re enjoying hour after hour laughing our [posteriors] off at the great stuff you have on your web site. (on our off time, of course) Keep up the great work…what a bunch of kooks!”

“You don't really actually believe in this garbage do you? Well I guess we can just all wait and see soon that you are all crazy and full of crap. LOL! What a crock! Aaaahahahahahahahahahahahah huuuuuuuuuuuh AAAaaaahahahahahahahahahaha Now will you get a life?”

“Really--are you retarded? Did you experience brain damage in an accident? You idiots... Taking money from common people... You will roast if there is a god.”

“You are all idiots, really.... Congratulations on the brilliant predictions. You are retarded, you are a moron. You should be poor and homeless soon. Happy rapture day – you [expletive deleted].”

Well, you get the drift of the comments that make Mr. Camping’s failed prediction of Rapture out to be ours as well.

Yes, 2 Peter 3: 3-4 is most assuredly in the process of being fulfilled. But, that’s nothing new. We have seen such scoffing for…well, decades.

Here is the thing I want you to see that I find so fascinating. With all of the obvious prophetic indicators in play every hour of every day at present, we now have the word “Rapture” in the middle of it all! People now know what the Rapture is by definition, at least to some extent.

Whereas the “Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins made some aware of the word "Rapture," Camping, through demonstrable media hatred for anything truly Christian, has made the word practically a household term. Mocking or not, the ubiquitous use of the term has left most–within the U.S. and much of Europe, at least—without excuse.

The Lord of heaven never brings His judgment and wrath without sufficient warning. The world is hearing the sirens…

Special note from Terry James I wanted to draw your attention to the dire needs of a wonderful personal friend. one of the Lord’s most faithful servants in the area of Bible prophecy and his wife suffered the complete loss of their home and all belongings in the massive tornado that struck near Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 25. Dr. Larry Spargimino and his wife, Jennifer, thankfully, were able to get to a storm shelter, and are physically unharmed. The complete loss of their home, vehicle, clothing and all other possessions, however, means hardship for them in the coming weeks. In addition to the many prayers that we hope will be going before the Throne of God for them, we are asking if possible that you make a financial donation to help them more easily get through this ordeal. Donations can be sent to them at: Larry and Jennifer Spargimino, Southwest Radio Ministries , 500 Beacon Drive , Oklahoma City, OK 73127.

May God Bless you for opening your heart to a true champion of Christ’s prophetic Work in this crucial hour.

--Terry


 Yes! Jesus is Coming!


 

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Prophecy Article Today: "'What is the Pretribulation Rapture? " - Rapture Ready

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By Todd Strandberg

 

 

What is the Pretribulation Rapture?

The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Jesus will come in the air, catch up the Church from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church. The Apostle Paul gave a clear description of the rapture event in his letters to the Thessalonians and Corinthians.

"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 Thess, 4:16-18).

"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 Cor. 15:51-53).

The timing of the rapture is not known. From the Word of God and from sound reasoning--something Jesus used quite frequently--I hope to prove the reality of the pretribulation rapture.

The word "rapture" comes from Paul's "caught up" remark in verse 17. The words "caught up" are translated from the Greek word harpazo, which means "to carry off," "snatch up," or "grasp hastily." The translation from harpazo to "rapture" involved two steps: first, harpazo became the Latin word raptus; second, raptusbecame the English word "rapture."

 

Scriptural Evidence for the Pretribulation Rapture

 

 

The Unknown Hour
When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4). This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation (Dan 9:27). Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation. In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later.

 

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
In Luke 12:36, the Word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Revelation 19:7-8, we read about the marriage itself. The marriage supper takes place before the marriage. According to Jewish custom, the marriage contract, which often includes a dowry, is drawn up first. The contract parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our Savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When it's time for the wedding, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced. She comes out to meet him, and then he takes her to his father's house. This precisely correlates with the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus, the Groom, comes down from heaven and calls up the Church, His Bride. After meeting in the air, He and His Bride return to His Father's house, heaven. The marriage supper itself will take place there, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation will be playing out. After the marriage supper of Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This corresponds to the time when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev 19:14).

 

What They Didn't Teach You in History Class 
Many groups try to discredit the pre-trib rapture by saying most of the end-time events in the Bible have already taken place. A group of people called preterists claims that the Book of Revelation was mostly fulfilled by 70 AD. If the events described in the Book of Revelation took place in the past, I'm at a loss to explain some of the current situations I see around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100-pound hailstones fell from the sky, and the sea turned into blood (Rev 8:7-8, 16:21). I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre-trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred.

 

The People of the Millennium 
If Christ were to come back after the tribulation, rapture all the saints, and slay all the ungodly, who would be left to populate the earth during the millennium? Only the pre-trib viewpoint can account for this post-trib problem. The Church is raptured before the tribulation, a vast number of souls are saved during this seven-year time frame, and those who make it through the tribulation go into the millennium while the unsaved are cast into hell.

 

The Saint U-Turn
In the pre-trib scenario, after we rise to meet the Lord in the air, we will go to heaven and abide there seven years. At the end of that period, Christ will come down to earth, defeat the Antichrist, and cleanse the temple. In a post-trib rapture, we would rise in the air to meet the Lord, then do a 180-degree U-turn and come back down to earth. Revelation 1:7 states that Christ will appear out of the clouds and come down to earth. Zechariah 14:4 says that His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. If He's already headed our way, why would we need to be caught up to meet Him?

 

"Come Up Hither"
Many pre-trib writers cite Revelation 4:1, which says, "come up hither," as a prophetic reference to the rapture of the Church, leaving Revelation chapters 1 through 3 as a description of the Church Age. After the shout to "come up hither," the Church is not mentioned in Scripture at all. The attention of Scripture switches from the Church to the Jews living in Israel.

 

Armies in Fine Linen
When Jesus returns (Rev. 19:18), an army follows Him. The army's members are riding on white horses, and they are clothed in fine linen that is white and clean. In Revelation 19:8, we are told that the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. If the saints of God are returning with Christ to wage war on the Antichrist, then it is not possible to have a post-trib rapture without us running into ourselves as we are coming and going.

 

The Time of Jacob's Trouble
In several passages, 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. Jeremiah 30:7 says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people. The final week of Daniel's 70th week is yet to take place. An angel told Daniel that, "70 weeks are determined unto thy people" (Dan 9:24). Scripture never mentions that the tribulation is meant to be a time of testing for Christians. However, some post-tribbers try to claim that they are the ones being tested during the tribulation. To make this so, they need to spiritualize the 144,000 Jewish believers in Revelation 7:2-8 who receive God's protective seal. Placing the Church dispensation into the same time frame as the seven-year Jewish dispensation, as the post-tribbers do, raises one good question: Can two dispensations transpire at the same time? In the past, God has only dealt with one at a time. Having both present during the tribulation would have to be an exception.

 

"He" That is Taken Out of the Way 
Before the Antichrist can be revealed, Paul said a certain "He" must be taken out of the way. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:7, the "He" that must be removed is widely thought to be the Holy Spirit. It has been promised that the Holy Spirit would never leave the Church, and without the working of the Holy Spirit remaining on earth, no one could be saved during the tribulation. The removal of the Church, which is indwelt by the Holy Ghost, would seem the best explanation for this dilemma. The working of the Holy Spirit could go on during the tribulation, but His influence would be diminished because of the missing Church.

 

War or Rapture
(Rev 19:19-21) When Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation, He will be coming for battle. For those who believe in a post-trib rapture, it would be strange to meet your Lord and Savior just as He's rushing into battle. The idea that war and rapture could occur together is difficult to imagine, especially since they transpire at the same moment.

 

The Five Foolish Virgins
The wedding story that Jesus gave in Matthew 25:2-13, I believe, is a parable of the rapture of the Church. It explains how some will not be ready. Jesus clearly states that a group of people will miss out on an event, and will cry out to God to let them into the place where He resides, heaven. Although some try to put this parable in a post-trib context, it doesn't fit very well. The ones left behind in a post-trib rapture will not need to seek the Lord because they'll immediately be confronted by Him and His army of angels.

 

God Hath Not Appointed Us to Wrath
In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. This wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers interpret this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning that God will protect Christians during the tribulation and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Revelation 13:7, in which the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of being protected from the guns and swords of that day. Today, when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's impossible to expect that same kind of protection. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during World War II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic church. Everyone who was in the center of the explosion died--both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath is by viewing 1 Thessalonians 5:9 as the bodily removal of the Church from this world.

 

The Salt of the Earth
Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13). When the believers are supenly removed, the earth will be plunged into spiritual darkness. When this happens, the Antichrist will then be free to control the world.

 

God Takes an Inventory
In Revelation 7:3, an angel descends to earth and seals the servants of God. Two bits of information about this sealing highly disclaim a post-trib viewpoint. The first item is the number of people sealed: 144,000. The second one is that all those who are sealed are from the 12 tribes of Israel. For the events in Revelation 7:3-8 to be true in a post-trib interpretation, either the Church has turned against God or God has turned against the Church. A post-tribber could write a thousand-word commentary about why the Church doesn't need to be sealed. Instead of trying to argue about why the Church is not mentioned or sealed, a pre-trib proponent could just say, "We're already in heaven."

 

Noah and Lot as Examples 
The tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus in Luke 17:28. Most people argue over whether the time frame Jesus was talking about in that passage was pre-trib or post-trib. In doing so, they miss an important point. The two circumstances that the Noah and Lot situations have in common are the removal of the righteous and the judgment of the unbelievers. From these two accounts, we see that God prefers to remove His own when danger is involved.

Common-Sense Reasons for Believing in the Pretribulation Rapture

    The World Test
    One way to check the soundness of a doctrine is to see how the world reacts to it. One company put out a questionnaire that was used to screen prospective employees. One of the questions was, "Do you believe in the rapture?" If you answered "yes," your chances of getting hired would not be good. Some internet sites do not allow the topics of Rapture or Second Coming. They do allow topics such as sex, gays, and drugs. The only time the news media mentions the rapture is when someone sets a date and is proven to be wrong.

     

    That Old-Time Religion
    It used to be a rule of thumb that when one was visiting a church or listening to a preacher, one could assume the preacher believed in repentance, prayer, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost if he taught the rapture doctrine. It was also true that the churches on fire for God worshipped out of storefronts. Today, many of those storefront churches have moved into marble palaces and have strayed from their principal doctrines.

     

    Birds of a Feather Flock Together
    Whenever I look at all the groups that teach false doctrine and are highly focused on end-time events, I cannot find any that support the rapture theory. Some organizations, the Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, teach a false gospel and are heavily into Bible prophecy. Why, then, don't Jehovah's Witnesses teach a false doctrine that would be right up their alley? Could it be that the demonic forces that influence these groups know something that Christians opposed to the rapture don't know? The list of prophetically minded cults that reject the idea of a rapture goes on and on. Here are some more: the Mormons, the Worldwide Church of God and the Moonies, as well as leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh.

     

    The Church Would Rebuke the Antichrist
    If the Antichrist came to power with the Church still here, I do not see how he could operate. When Hitler was fighting to take over England, a number of Christians were praying for victory. Hitler made mistake after mistake, and England outperformed its enemy at every stage of the conflict. It is difficult to measure the impact of intercessory prayer in physical warfare. Little is known of how great a role praying saints played in the defeat of Nazi Germany. If the Church were to reside on earth during the tribulation, I am sure she would give the Antichrist fits. In Revelation 11:3, the two witnesses alone give the Antichrist enough headaches. Millions of Christians who know their Bibles well would recognize the man of sin and pray fire down on his head. The post-trib view would have to plan on the Church just rolling over and playing dead the whole seven years.

    We should all remember one thing: Knowing the Antichrist's mother's maiden name isn't the primary goal. Knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and having your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life should be your number-one priority. The jailer asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" The answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:30-31).


 Yes! Jesus is Coming!


 

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Friday, May 27, 2011

Prophecy Article Today: "'My Fascination With The Pre-Trib Rapture " - Rapture Ready

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By Todd Strandberg

In this article, I hope to briefly explain why after more than 20 years of study, I remain captivated by the pre-trib rapture doctrine.

My Fascination With The Pre-Trib Rapture

Ever since the early 80s, I've maintained a deep fascination with the pre-trib rapture. I don't recall when I first heard of the rapture, but I do know I instantly realized that this event would someday demand the world's attention.

Modern-day society has witnessed some rather distressing events over the past century. We've seen the assassination of world leaders, national and international wars, and disasters of every sort. All of these events have left deep scars on the psyche of humanity. However, I think these events will pale in comparison to the panic that will be caused by the pre-trib Rapture.

The rapture will someday give a new meaning to the word "shock." For the U.S., the attack on Pearl Harbor and the September 11 terrorist attacks currently rank as the most startling events in our nation's history. When the rapture takes place, I am convinced it will be 100 times more shocking than Pearl Harbor and September 11 combined.

In the past, no single event has managed to touch each individual on a personal level. For example, very few people in 1941 had even heard about Pearl Harbor, let alone knew someone involved in the incident. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon fall into the same category. Everyone saw the calamity on television, but it's unlikely that more than 1% of the US population knew any of the victims who worked in the Twin Towers or the Pentagon, or who were aboard the commercial airliners hijacked by the terrorists.

On the other hand, after the Rapture takes place, everyone left behind will know someone who was mysteriously taken away. It could be a neighbor, a distant cousin, or a person's entire immediate family.

Some prophetic commentators have tried to predict that there will only be a few halfhearted questions like, "Where did everybody go?" Simple logic dictates that the people who find themselves left behind will be absolutely terrified by what has taken place.

I can only guess at the level of interest the press, government, and public will pay to the rapture, but I'm sure it will be immense. As a result of the catching away of the Bride, I believe many individuals will turn to Christ and become numbered with the tribulation saints.

It's So Near

If it looked like the pre-tribulation rapture was going to transpire 100 years from now, there probably wouldn't be a pressing need for me to quickly assemble a website devoted to the subject. However, I believe we are getting very near to the end of what is called the Church Age, so I have been rushing to put together a comprehensive site on Bible prophecy.

Because the rapture is an event that will take priority over all other aspects of our life, it is very important for us to be mindful of its nearness. Death is the only other comparison one could use to describe the type of impact the rapture implies.

The rapture has always been an imminent event, but we now have the luxury of being able to look at history and realize there were a number of key end time prophesies that required several years to evolve into where we see them today. Before May 15, 1948, we only had hope that Israel would once again become a nation. It wasn't until the late 1990s that China gained the ability to field a 200-million-man army. Jan 1, 2002 stands as the date the Revived Roman Empire reestablished the practice of having a common currency.

I keep a close watch on dozens of prophecy-related categories and in the last few years I've noticed an exponential increase in the rate of prophetic progression. In many cases, I can clearly see we have already arrived at the point of fulfillment--no waiting or further development is really required. The final implementation of those end time factors is the only thing lacking.

 

The Great Transformation

When describing the rapture, most prophetic writers like to focus on the negative consequences of the event. Yes, if the driver of a car were to suddenly vanish, the vehicle would spin out of control. The tribulation is said to be a time of unparalleled distress, so I doubt a few traffic accidents will amount to any lasting significance.

As believers, we will have more important things with which to concern ourselves. Our main focus should be on the heavenly realm. Once we get to glory, we will be confronted with a world of absolute splendor.

Jesus said each believer will receive his own heavenly mansion. If we each have a spacious estate waiting for us, I see no reason for a Christian to strive to build an earthly mansion. I find it rather odd that so many well-known preachers spend large sums of money on ritzy housing and fancy cars. If they had a true understanding of eternal value, you would think they would buy modestly so that they could reinvest their financial gains into the spreading of the Gospel.

"But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him'" (1 Cor 2:9).

"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" (John 14:2).

 

Losing Everything; I Mean Everything

I once took a tour of the United States Air Force's Strategic Command Post at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The center is charged with tracking the movements of anything that could deploy nuclear weapons: missiles, aircraft, or ships. It's the first layer of command that would order a nuclear counterattack. The command center would obviously be the prime target of any potential enemy.

While I was in the control room, I asked the sergeant giving us the tour, "What would you folks do if you knew a missile was headed in your direction?" His reply was, "I guess we'd open the snack bar up to all takers." I was struck by how true it would be in that situation in which money would have no value. A standard 10-megaton nuclear device exploding over the base would leave nothing but a giant hole in the ground.

For Christians, the rapture will bring devastation similar to that wrought by a nuclear war. When the trumpet sounds, all followers of Christ will instantly lose all of their worldly belongings. As a believer, you might have $20 million in the bank, a fancy home, a yacht, or your own prosperous business, but come the rapture, you can wave all that stuff goodbye as you soar skyward.

The Christian community holds wealth that is easily valued in the $1 to $2 trillion-dollar range. Knowing the total funding for global evangelization efforts amounts to a few hundred million dollars each year, our priorities are certainly in need of reevaluation.

I can testify that I have personally put my own money where my mouth is. During the most recent one-year period, I estimate I've spent $4,000 on this Rapture Ready site. Because I know the money I allocate to the site is being deposited in my eternal bank account, I view the funds as going to a blind trust fund.

I don't expect to be around to see Social Security, so it doesn't trouble me whether or not predictions of its distant future insolvency turn out to be true. Whenever oil prices zoom up, many people worry that we're going to either run out of gasoline or that it will become prohibitively expensive. At the end of each episode, however, the supply and the price always manage to return to more reasonable levels.

Because we don't know exactly when Jesus is coming for the Church, I believe it is wise to make long-term plans. The key, I believe, is not to allow ourselves to be distracted by trivial issues. We should concern ourselves mostly with today, and let tomorrow take care of itself.

When the catching up takes place, I expect to be flooded with a number of regrets over things I should have accomplished. It's the realization that our good deeds are the only possessions we will take with us that motivates me to keep pressing ahead.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Mat 6:19-20).

 

The Benefits Of Being Rapture Ready

One of the most obvious benefits of being ready for the rapture is not having to suffer through the tribulation. Here are four passages that indicate that believers will not be left to suffer the outpouring of God's wrath:

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36).

"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).

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

"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 3:10).

If you're included in the rapture, you will be taken to heaven--the place that is a synonym for happiness. The Bible tells us that in heaven there are no health problems, moral failures, economic hardships, or marital difficulties.

The most important benefit of being included in the rapture is the chance to finally meet the Lord of Lords face to face. It's hard to envision what that experience will be like, but seeing one';s Creator certainly has to be the ultimate fulfillment of a person's existence.

"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 Tim 4:8).

"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).

 

Mockers And Detractors

Whenever an unbeliever sends me an email message that attacks or mocks the pre-trib rapture, I always think of the irony they are imposing upon themselves. Someday, the rapture will take place, and these folks will be dumbfounded.

Even when I get some rather nasty letters that condemn me to the fires of hell or that label me as a raving lunatic, it doesn't bother me because I know it would be punishment enough for anyone to miss the rapture. I see no need to take the attacks personally. I think after the event, these folks will be blaming me for not trying hard enough to convince them of their folly.

Once the big event takes place, there will be no more arguments over the rapture's validity. I try to set people up to be reachable after the Church is taken home to glory. Because I believe most of my detractors are still searching for truth, I don't return fire by saying things like, "Say hello to the Antichrist for me" or, "Save me one of those 100 lb. hailstones in your freezer. When I get back, I'd love to see what one looks like."

End time scoffers are actually doing me a valuable favor. The Bible says doubters will be one of the signs of the last days. Their strong opposition is what helps drive my fascination with the rapture.

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Pet 3:3-4).

 

Get Ready, Jesus Is Coming

You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing. In the Book of Luke, Jesus used a weather analogy to highlight how people failed to use simple logic to recognize the time in which they were living.

The folks who lived in the early part of the first century failed to realize that they were about to witness the revelation of the Messiah. Their error resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Today, people are making an even bigger mistake by not comprehending that this is the generation that will see the fulfillment of the end times.

I've always found it interesting how the salvation issue, both before and after the rapture, is so well balanced. Before the rapture, people need to use faith to overcome the lack of physical evidence for that event. After the rapture, there will be plenty of physical evidence of the event, but then a person will need faith to overcome the trials of the tribulation.

"And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" (Luke 12:54-56).

"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:34-35).

If you would like to know more about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, or if you want to know for sure that you belong to Him, you can go to my page, How one becomes a follower of Jesus.


 Yes! Jesus is Coming!


 

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