I have decided to combine all my blogs into my one blog, which is found here:
http://bibleandeschatology.wordpress.com/
You may wish to go to that one and bookmark it, because I will eventually be removing this blog.
Regards,
Fred
The idea of a PreTrib Rapture has annoyed many for some time. People like MacPherson, and many of his ardent followers, believe that the PreTrib Rapture is merely a man-made concept, which is a false teaching of today. In fact, some believe so strongly that the PreTrib Rapture is not only heretical, but will ultimately doom millions to hell, that they believe their mission is to educate and attempt to convert people from believing this “lie” of the enemy.
But in reality, what is the difficulty with believing the PreTrib Rapture? The biggest complaint regarding the PreTrib Rapture is that it creates Christians who are woefully unprepared for the coming Tribulation/great Great Tribulation. Because of this (they say), those Christians living during the time of the last seven years of man’s history on earth, will go into this time lacking any spiritual ability to overcome the enemy. When it comes down to it, they will be completely unable to stand against the enemy, and because of it, will recant their Christianity, thereby losing their salvation and being doomed to hell.
This scenario is certainly something to consider. In considering it though, a number of questions must be asked.
- Why would authentic Christians shrink from suffering for Christ?
- How would authentic Christians be tempted to recant and deny Christ?
- Why would authentic Christians look to the PreTrib Rapture as any type of escape clause?
- Why would authentic Christians actually allow a particular end times view to modify their thinking where Christ and His return is concerned?
- Is the PreTrib Rapture position so unique (and unholy), that it cannot possibly be correct?
- Is there anything outside of Christianity that might give us a clue as to the accuracy of the PreTrib Rapture position?
- What if the PreTrib Rapture is not correct? Will it matter for the authentic Christian?
What I find most interesting is how often people parrot the ideas that Dave MacPherson seems to indicate in his eight books of the subject of the PreTrib Rapture. As mentioned, the most common notion is the idea that for those Christians who have been thoroughly looking forward to being taken in the PreTrib Rapture, it sets them up for failure. Because these Christians believe that they will be taken out of the world prior to the start of the Tribulation/Great Tribulation, this is seen as cowardly; an act of spiritual immaturity that causes them to believe this scenario; it is an idea born in hell since it gives the Christian reason to hope that they will escape the coming evil.
We could argue Scripture all day long and many have done that, to little or no avail. The problem is that normally, people come to their own understanding of the Rapture (or not), based on their own view of what the Scripture teaches. Arguing Scripture meaning does little to nothing to convince anyone that their own position is wrong. From this, many arguments often occur, with vitriol being spewed from one person to the other.
We could also discuss the circumstances surrounding J. N. Darby, Margaret MacDonald and C. I. Scofield, but would that solve the problem? Of course not, since every person approaches this history with a different viewpoint and understanding. Those who “always knew” that the PreTrib Rapture was wrong, need little convincing, so the appropriation of any information that seems to support their contentions is, to them, valid, whether it truly is or not.
What I tend to think is most convincing (aside from biblical support), are the following arguments, which when taken together, indicate a proof of the PreTrib Rapture, which goes against the grain of those who teach some other Rapture concept.
- UFOs and Aliens: It has long been known that within UFO, Alien and New Age circles, there has been talk of a “great evacuation.” No, we’re not discussing a trip to the bathroom, and the relief that occurs following that. What we are talking about is the idea that a coming evacuation of people from the face of the earth will occur sometime in the future. When will this supposedly occur and what are the details concerning it?
- It will occur because the earth needs to literally vomit the malcontents from itself, in order to evolve to the next level of spirituality. This cannot be done with all of the malcontents (e.g. Christians), because these people are keeping the earth from the next evolutionary stage in her development.
- It will occur prior to the future great awakening. Once this great evacuation occurs, the new savior of the world will be revealed, allowing him to unite the world into one; one government, one religion, one purpose.
- Supposedly, according Barbara Marciniak and others, it will occur when thousands of UFOs hover over the earth, just above our range of site, hidden by the clouds. In a moment and in the “twinkling of an eye,” (their term, not just the Bible’s term), upwards of 20 million people will be removed from this planet and taken to other spiritual planes. These people will be taken to small UFO ships, and then transported to large UFO motherships, and from there, will be taken to new homes.
It is clear that this event that has been taught within the New Age movement for decades will, of necessity, occur prior to the revelation of the new savior, and the new growth our planet is believed to undergo at that time. It cannot happen in the middle, nor can it occur at the end of this new age of “enlightenment” (which is the Tribulation/Great Tribulation).
- The Rapture and the authentic Christian: Authentic Christians do not look forward to the Rapture, as much as they look forward to being with Christ, at the end of their life, or the end of the age, whichever comes first. Authentic Christians are not enamored with the idea that Christ will come to “rescue” or provide an escape clause for His Bride prior to the beginning of the Tribulation. Authentic Christians are concerned about living for Christ, which is nothing less than dying to self, in order that He might live in and through each of His actual children.
- The PreTrib Rapture sounds wonderful to those professing Christians, who are likely Christian in name only. They are more concerned with their own welfare, their own appetite and their own likes and dislikes. They are not concerned about dying in order that Christ might live in and through them. The fact that they may find the PreTrib Rapture an intriguing concept because it will spare them from the evil that will befall this world during the last seven years of humanity’s history, simply shows what they are already made of, spiritually. It is NOT the PreTrib Rapture that prompts these individuals to be spiritually unprepared. They are already spiritually unprepared and they grab onto the PreTrib Rapture because it is in keeping with who they are, and how they live. It is no different than those who misunderstand the absolutely free gift of salvation! These individuals are likely to continue living as they have always lived, thinking that they can do what they want, think what they want, and live the way they want, because after all, they are saved. But are they? If there is no change in their life at all, once having allegedly received salvation, there is an excellent chance that there was actually no spiritual transaction, in which they died with Christ, and rose again with Him. Is their life currently hidden with Christ in the heavenlies? Only Christ knows of course, but if they have absolutely no inclination to live for Christ, then chances are very good that nothing within them has changed.
Authentic Christians have no more concern for the Rapture, than they do for the end of their life. It makes no difference how or when their life here on earth ends. What matters most is that they will not be ashamed when they stand before Christ on the day their spirit leaves the tent of their body. For those who inaccurately reason that somehow the PreTrib Rapture is wrong because it can create spiritually immature and unprepared Christians seem not to understand what it means to be a Christian, in authentic, living terms.
If the PreTrib Rapture is wrong, then oh well, I will go through it, if I am alive when it occurs. So what?! It will be the worst time of evil this world has ever known? Good! Because no matter how bad it gets, the END of that road is exactly the same for me, as if I were to die naturally TODAY. God knows I do not need to “prove” anything to Him. He sees the end from the beginning and all things in between. He already knows that I am committed to Him and He knows that I know this commitment comes only from His strength, through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That is not something He is going to take from me, in spite of what those opposed to eternal security of the believer would like everyone to believe.
Just because there are problems with the way people understand a doctrine, does NOT mean that the doctrine itself is wrong. It normally means that the individual is misunderstanding an aspect of it, as it is applied to the life of the Christian.
If eternal security is wrong, then God is a liar. Since He is not a liar, then eternal security is not wrong. If there are some Christians who wrongly believe that eternal security gives the Christian the license to sin, THAT is NOT the fault of eternal security! It is the fault of the individual person who, while stating that they are Christian, live as if they are not.
If the PreTrib Rapture position, somehow causes those who profess to be Christians, to become lazy, lackadaisical, spiritually immature and inept, THAT is NOT the fault of the PreTrib Rapture position. It is the fault of the individual who while stating they are Christian, already have no depth of spirituality within them to begin with. It is not the PreTrib Rapture position, which somehow creates that type of individual. That type of individual already exists, and seeing the PreTrib Rapture position as something that gives them an excuse to live a life that dishonors God, they continue to live thusly.
People need to realize that neither eternal security, or the PreTrib Rapture somehow turns authentic Christians into dead, or carnal ones. Authentic Christians are committed to God already and eternal security or the PreTrib Rapture is merely icing on the cake. Neither of these doctrines somehow robs the authentic Christian of his true commitment and spirituality.
This ridiculous idea that the PreTrib Rapture position was somehow born in the pit of hell, is not only incorrect, but causes those opposed to it, to be puffed up with pride. They become those who earnestly believe that they are the better, more spiritual Christian because they believe they will have the chance to suffer for Christ during the Tribulation/Great Tribulation.
One does not have to look far to suffer for Christ today. If they are truly enamored with actual suffering, and torture that may lead to death, all they need to do is pick themselves up, move out of the United States, and go to a country that prohibits Christians from evangelizing anyone else. That’s all it takes. Soon after it is discovered that this individual Christian is attempting to evangelize the lost, it will not be long before they are imprisoned and/or killed for their faith! Martyrdom is alive and well in at least ten countries throughout the world right now. Why wait until the Tribulation/Great Tribulation?!
Those who actually believe that the PreTrib Rapture position is part of the “great apostasy,” or “falling away,” need to go back and re-read those Scripture passages that apply to the great apostasy or falling away. They will find that it has everything to do with the upcoming revelation of the Antichrist, and the believe that overtakes the world at the time, allowing him to be revealed. It has nothing to do with Eschatology directly and everything to do with how the world WILL view salvation, and the salvation they believe will ONLY come through the Antichrist. It has nothing to do with a particular Rapture position (or not). It has everything to do with getting people to worship Satan through the coming Antichrist.
People need to wake up to the fact that they are arguing over stupidity, meanwhile the enemy of our souls laughs histerically at all of us, for getting off on tangents. The coming world dictator will be accepted by the world AFTER there has been a great falling away. From what? From CHRIST – the true Christ. This is already happening NOW, with the Emergent Church and its principles and concepts that have been ENLARGING the scope of salvation, as being more than simply being CHRISTIAN. The Emergent Church has been and continues to teach that salvation can come from MANY areas of religious endeavor, not simply Christianity. THAT is the falling away. THAT is the apostasy that is grabbing hold of the visible Church and leading people AWAY from the truth that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation.
People like Dave MacPherson writes eight books on the subject of the PreTrib Rapture being wrong, yet he misses what is going on in the visible Church! How does THAT happen? Because, as a Posttribulationalist, he has a burr under his saddle that simply bothers him to no end. Whether or not someone believes in a a PreTrib, Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath, PostTrib, or no-trib Rapture is completely beside the point! What matters is how people view Jesus Christ and the salvation that stems from His work on Calvary’s cross!
Too many Christians today are simply so blinded by peripheral concepts, having nothing to do with salvation, that they have become completely unaware of the forces that are coming against the Church today, in the realm of salvation! But, let’s keep arguing about this end times scenario or that one, because apparently some firmly believe that by adopting the correct view, THAT is how salvation is received and understood. Meanwhile, the Emergent Church is drawing away multitudes from the mainstream Church, and they do not even TEACH Eschatology!
Christian: wake up to Satan’s schemes!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anti-christ, anti-pretrib rapture, anti-supernatural, apostasy, as it was in the days of noah, dave macpherson, end times, eternal security, great tribulation, last days, man of lawlessness, tribulation | Leave a Comment »
The Bible offers an ever so brief look into something that has fascinated scholars for centuries: Nephilim. Just exactly what were they? Theologians, of couse, disagree over what they were, how they originated, and ultimately, what the phrase “sons of God” actually means. Christ referred to the time of Noah, stating essentially, that as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man (cf. Luke 17:26-27).
It seems a simple and innocent enough reference by Christ. He speaks of the people during Noah’s day eating, drinking, and being married and giving in marriage. Seems plain enough. No big mystery there. But this very brief statement by Christ does not offer any explanation whatsoever about the fact that everyone except Noah and his family, were so corrupt, so vile, so evil, that God saw fit to destroy them all with a global flood!
You do not destroy people because they ate, drank and married. You destroy people because all they thought about was doing evil continually. So, the question then, is why did they think about doing evil continually? What prompted them to become so morally corrupt, that the only things which suited them were things completely filled with evil?
As stated, there are many who disagree over the entire scenario; what Christ meant, what was meant by the term “Nephilim,” or the phrase, “sons of God.” But what is fact is that both Peter and Jude referenced a book that is not part of the Bible. This particular work – The Book of Enoch - was obviously revered, respected and well-read by people of Christ’s day, and before. In fact, since Jude and Peter both refer to it, by quoting from it, or referencing the situation surrounding the act by fallen angels, then it stands to reason that there is probably something in the Book of Enoch that can shed light on it for us.
Regarding the Book of Enoch, it is important to understand that while it is not considered to be inspired, valuable and useful information can still be obtained from it. Like a Bible commentary, though uninspired, may reveal information that heretofore, was not necessarily understood.
We will take some time to present a number of insights from the Book of Enoch over the coming weeks. We will determine whether or not it has anything to offer us by way of new information that sheds light on an age old problem. We will also attempt to determine, or at least offer viewpoints, regarding the Nephilim, the “sons of God,” and what Enoch terms “the watchers.” Do they play into the End Times, during the days of the Coming of the Son of Man? We will see…
Posted in Prophecy Last Days, Religion - End Times | Tagged anti-christ, anti-supernatural, as it was in the days of noah, book of enoch, daughters of men, enoch, enoch translated, fallen angels, last days, man of lawlessness, mighty men, mighty men of old, mighty men of renown, nephilim, noah's ark, noah's day, sons of god, stephen quayle, stephen quayle's giants, there were giants on the earth, tribulation | 3 Comments »
ebook cover by C H FisherWe are going to be spending some time reviewing C. H. Fisher’s ebook. Fisher’s book is fifteen chapters, in which he pointedly attacks aspects of the PreTrib Rapture doctrine, but those he believes are behind it. Frankly stated, if Scofield, Chafer and others were alive today, they would have every right to sue him for defamation of character, since everything he presents in his book amounts to little more than heresay. However, this works out fine for Fisher, since he is a Posttribulationalist.
We will begin later today with a brief outline of his book and the various theories as to the End Times; the rapture, the tribulation, the millennium and the future Eternal Order. So, hang on tight, and let’s see if we cannot get to the bottom of Fisher’s major points, related to what he considers to be, the false, deception-laced doctrine of the PreTrib Rapture! 
The review will appear here: http://bibleandeschatology.wordpress.com/
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anti-christ, anti-christian, anti-pretrib rapture, anti-supernatural, as it was in the days of noah, c h fisher, praying against the church, tribulation, truth keepers | Leave a Comment »
We find Jesus’ comment - “As it was in the days of Noah” – to be intriguing. Is there more to this comment than the fact that people during Noah’s day did the normal things that we do today, like marriage?
Chuck Missler, Stephen Quayle and others believe there is and I believe they have a good point. In Genesis 6, we read of “giants on the earth” and this is apparently due (possibly) to some of the fallen angels who kept not their first estate. Missler an Quayle believe that these fallen angels somehow managed to have sexual relations with the “daughters of men,’ in which these hybrid creatures were born; Nephilim.
Because these creatures were hybrid (human and spirit being), they had spirits and human-type bodies, but apparently the Scripture indicates that they were possibly enormous in size and strength. This would of course explain the fact of Goliath’s size of roughly 9 feet, 6 inches. Apparently, he had four brothers, all of which were taller. The reference and implication that Goliath had four brothers is found in 2 Samuel 21:18-22. In the Kings James Version, it’s a bit more clear, referencing Goliath’s brother.
Stephen Quayle in particular has been researching this entire phenomenon for the past thirty years, and his book “Genesis 6: Giants” provides some good information. Unbelievably, there have apparently been some extraordinarily large human skeletons, ranging from over 8 feet tall, to…ready? 36 feet tall! This is difficult to believe, but a number of documented skeletons have found in various parts of France during the middle ages that range from 19 feet to over 25 feet tall.
Quayle also spends a good deal of time providing commentary on Genesis 6. Regardless of your opinion about giants in general, both Missler and Quayle provide invaluable information that you’ll want to consider. Missler’s books can be found at his site here:
http://www.khouse.org/
The table of contents for Quayle’s Giants book includes:
Part 1
Introduction
Chapter 1: Creation
Chapter 2: Pre-Adamic Earth
Chapter 3: The Destruction of Angelic Civilization
Chapter 4: Pre-Adamic Science
Chapter 5: Angels and Giants
Chapter 6: Religions of Giants
Chapter 7: Once Were Giants
Chapter 8: Giants in the New World
Chapter 9: Giants in Europe
Chapter 10: Nothing New Under the Sun
Part 2
Chapter 11: Giants in North America
Chapter 12: Giants in South America
Chapter 13: Africa’s Giants
Chapter 14: Asian Giants
Chapter 15: Australian Giants
Chapter 16: British Giants
Chapter 17: Giants in Europe
Chapter 18: Giants in the Middle East
Quayle’s book can be found at his site:
http://www.stevequayle.com/books/gen.chap1.html
Posted in Religion - End Times, Uncategorized | Tagged as it was in the days of noah, chuck missler, daughters of men, fallen angels, genesis 6, genesis 6 giants, giants, global flood, mighty men, mighty men of old, mighty men of renown, nephilim, noah, noah's ark, noah's day, stephen quayle, stephen quayle's giants, there were giants on the earth | Leave a Comment »
