SCRIPTURE READING: Daniel 9:24-27
The tribulation, a seven-year period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture. The church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names:
1) the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
2) trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah 1:1)
3) the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21)
4) time or day of trouble (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15)
5) time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)
Let’s look into scripture and see what it has to tell us about the tribulation.
Back To Daniel:
Understanding Daniel 9:24-27 is necessary in order to understand the purpose and time of the tribulation. It speaks of 70 weeks that have been declared against “your people.”, the Jews, the nation of Israel.
Daniel 9:24 speaks of a period of time that God has given “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.”
God declares that “seventy sevens” will fulfill all these things. 70 sevens of years (490 years). This is confirmed by verses 25 and 26. Daniel is told that the Messiah will be cut off after “seven sevens and sixty-two sevens” (69 total), beginning with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. In other words, 69 sevens of years (483 years) after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, the Messiah will be cut off.
Biblical historians confirm that 483 years passed from the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the time when Jesus was crucified. Most Christian scholars, regardless of their view of eschatology (future things/events), have the above understanding of Daniel's 70 sevens.
Since 483 years had passed from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the crucifixion of Jesus one seven-year period needs to be fulfilled Daniel 9:24: “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” This final seven-year period is known as the tribulation period, it is a time when God finishes judging Israel for its sin.
Daniel 9:27 “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”. The person who this verse speaks is the person Jesus calls the “abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15), “the beast” in Revelation 13.
Daniel 9:27 says that the beast will make a covenant for seven years, but in the middle of this week (3 1/2 years into the tribulation), he will break the covenant, putting a stop to sacrifice.
Revelation 13 explains that the beast will place an image of himself in the temple and require the world to worship him.
Revelation 13:5 says that this will go on for 42 months, which is 3 1/2 years. Since Daniel 9:27 says that this will happen in the middle of the week, and Revelation 13:5 says that the beast will do this for a period of 42 months, it is easy to see that the total length of time is 84 months or seven years.
Daniel 7:25 where the “time, times, and half a time” (time=1 year; times=2 years; half a time=1/2 year; total of 3 1/2 years) also refers to “great tribulation,” the last half of the seven-year tribulation period when the beast will be in power.
Revelation 11:2-3 speaks of 1260 days and 42 months. Daniel 12:11-12 speaks of 1290 days and 1335 days. These days have a reference to the midpoint of the tribulation. The additional days in Daniel 12 may include the time at the end for the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46) and time for the setting up of Christ's millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6)
Tribulation, Great Tribulation, day’s, weeks, years. What does it all mean? It’s what this world has coming. Destruction, such as the world has never seen. Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Are you certain you are going to spend eternity with Him? As I have said the past three weeks, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and what we have learned will strengthen us. I pray that by covering the topic of the Rapture and the Tribulation that you are better informed as to what scripture has to say about the subject's. May God Bless everyone. The Christmas season is upon us and the next several sermons may be an eye opener for many of you.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture Part 3
Scripture Reading: John 14:1-3
Our final look at our last theory Postribulationism. Let’s refresh our memories almost every Christian agrees with:
1) There is coming a time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen
2) After the tribulation, Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth
3) There will be a rapture from mortality to immortality for believers (John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
The only question is the timing of the rapture: when will it occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming?
Postrbibulationism:
Posttribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs at the end, or near the end, of the tribulation. At that time, the church will meet Christ in the air and then return to earth for the commencement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His Kingdom) happen almost simultaneously. According to this view, the church goes through the entire seven-year tribulation. Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, and many Protestant denominations teach a posttribulational view.
Scriptural Strengths:
When Jesus speaks of the end times He says He will return after a “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21, 29) 21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
Notice the difference in the NIV and KJV versions. The word Great tribulation is absent from the NIV.
The book of Revelation mentions only one coming of the Lord. That occurs after the tribulation (Revelation 19-20) Passages such as Revelation 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”
and Revelation 20:9 “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” These verses give support to posttribulationism in that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation.
To the posttribulationist the resurrection of the dead in Revelation 20:5 “(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.” … is called “the first resurrection.” They believe that since this “first” resurrection takes place after the tribulation, the resurrection associated with the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” cannot occur until then.
Historically, God’s people have experienced times of intense persecution and trial. Therefore, Postribulationist's say, it should not be surprising that the church also experiences the great tribulation of the end times.
In relation to this, the posttribulational view distinguishes “Satan’s wrath” (or “man’s wrath”) from “God’s wrath” in the book of Revelation.
1) Satan’s wrath is directed against the saints, and God allows it as a means of purifying His faithful.
2) God’s wrath is poured out on the Antichrist and his godless kingdom, and God will protect His people from that punishment.
Weaknesses:
The clear teaching that those who are in Christ are not under condemnation and will never experience the wrath of God (Romans 8:1) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
While some judgments during the tribulation specifically target the unsaved, many other judgments, such as the earthquakes, falling stars, and famines, will affect the saved and unsaved equally. Thus, if believers go through the tribulation, they will experience the wrath of God, in contradiction of Romans 8:1.
It must, to some extent, allegorize the tribulation. Many posttribulationists teach that we are living in the tribulation now; in fact, some say the tribulation began immediately after Pentecost in Acts 2. Such teaching ignores the singular nature of the tribulation as presented in Scripture (Matthew 24:21) “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.” i.e., that it will be a time of distress unparalleled in the history of the world.
Another difficulty is in explaining the absence of the word “church” in all biblical passages related to the tribulation. Even in Revelation 4–21, the word "church" never appears. Posttribulationists assume that the word “saints” in Revelation 4–21 means the church, although a different Greek word is used.
In closing, a final weakness of the posttribulational view is shared by the other two theories:
1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events
2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another
Three theories. All having scriptural evidence. All having scriptural disproof. Who is correct? Does it matter? Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and continue to keep that personal relationship with Him. This series was put together to give you all three theories not to convince you of any particular view. We know for certain that Jesus is returning so let us concentrate on expanding the Kingdom of Heaven by spreading His good news.
Our final look at our last theory Postribulationism. Let’s refresh our memories almost every Christian agrees with:
1) There is coming a time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen
2) After the tribulation, Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth
3) There will be a rapture from mortality to immortality for believers (John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
The only question is the timing of the rapture: when will it occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming?
Postrbibulationism:
Posttribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs at the end, or near the end, of the tribulation. At that time, the church will meet Christ in the air and then return to earth for the commencement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His Kingdom) happen almost simultaneously. According to this view, the church goes through the entire seven-year tribulation. Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, and many Protestant denominations teach a posttribulational view.
Scriptural Strengths:
When Jesus speaks of the end times He says He will return after a “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21, 29) 21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
Notice the difference in the NIV and KJV versions. The word Great tribulation is absent from the NIV.
The book of Revelation mentions only one coming of the Lord. That occurs after the tribulation (Revelation 19-20) Passages such as Revelation 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”
and Revelation 20:9 “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” These verses give support to posttribulationism in that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation.
To the posttribulationist the resurrection of the dead in Revelation 20:5 “(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.” … is called “the first resurrection.” They believe that since this “first” resurrection takes place after the tribulation, the resurrection associated with the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” cannot occur until then.
Historically, God’s people have experienced times of intense persecution and trial. Therefore, Postribulationist's say, it should not be surprising that the church also experiences the great tribulation of the end times.
In relation to this, the posttribulational view distinguishes “Satan’s wrath” (or “man’s wrath”) from “God’s wrath” in the book of Revelation.
1) Satan’s wrath is directed against the saints, and God allows it as a means of purifying His faithful.
2) God’s wrath is poured out on the Antichrist and his godless kingdom, and God will protect His people from that punishment.
Weaknesses:
The clear teaching that those who are in Christ are not under condemnation and will never experience the wrath of God (Romans 8:1) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
While some judgments during the tribulation specifically target the unsaved, many other judgments, such as the earthquakes, falling stars, and famines, will affect the saved and unsaved equally. Thus, if believers go through the tribulation, they will experience the wrath of God, in contradiction of Romans 8:1.
It must, to some extent, allegorize the tribulation. Many posttribulationists teach that we are living in the tribulation now; in fact, some say the tribulation began immediately after Pentecost in Acts 2. Such teaching ignores the singular nature of the tribulation as presented in Scripture (Matthew 24:21) “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.” i.e., that it will be a time of distress unparalleled in the history of the world.
Another difficulty is in explaining the absence of the word “church” in all biblical passages related to the tribulation. Even in Revelation 4–21, the word "church" never appears. Posttribulationists assume that the word “saints” in Revelation 4–21 means the church, although a different Greek word is used.
In closing, a final weakness of the posttribulational view is shared by the other two theories:
1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events
2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another
Three theories. All having scriptural evidence. All having scriptural disproof. Who is correct? Does it matter? Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and continue to keep that personal relationship with Him. This series was put together to give you all three theories not to convince you of any particular view. We know for certain that Jesus is returning so let us concentrate on expanding the Kingdom of Heaven by spreading His good news.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture Part 2
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
Almost all Christians agree on three things: 1) there will be a future time of tribulation, something the world has never seen 2) the second coming of Jesus Chris 3) a transition from mortality to immortality for believers, “the rapture” (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) When does the rapture occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming? Three main theories concerning the timing of the rapture are pretribulationism (occur before the tribulation begins), midtribulationism (occur at the midpoint of the tribulation), and posttribulationism (occur at the end of the tribulation). This week we will look into midtribulationism.
Midtribulationism:
The rapture occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. At that time, the seventh trumpet sounds (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The church will meet Christ in the air, and then the bowl judgments are poured upon the earth (Revelation Chapters15 & 16) A time known as the Great Tribulation. Here the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by a period of three-and-a-half years. According to this view, the church goes through the first half of the tribulation but is spared the worst of the tribulation which occurs in the last three-and-a-half years.
Scriptural Support:
Chronologically given support in (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
The order of events are as follows:
1) apostasy (abandonment of one's religious faith)
2) the revelation of the Antichrist
3) the Day of Christ.
The midtribulational view teaches that the Antichrist will not be decisively revealed until “the abomination which makes desolate” (Matthew 24:15) So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand. This occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. (Daniel 9:27) He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him
Also, midtribulationists interpret “the Day of Christ” as the rapture; therefore, the church will not be caught up to heaven until after the Antichrist is revealed.
Another teaching is that the trumpet of (1 Corinthians 15:52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed Is the same trumpet mentioned in (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The trumpet of Revelation 11 is the final in a series of trumpets; therefore, it makes sense that it would be “the last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15.
Scriptural Disproof:
The above logic fails, in view of the trumpets’ objectives. The trumpet that sounds at the rapture is “the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
The one in Revelation 11 is a warning of judgment (one trumpet is a call of grace to God’s people, the other is a proclamation of doom on the wicked).
The seventh trumpet in Revelation is not the “last” trumpet chronologically (Matthew 24:31) And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other a later trumpet which sounds at the beginning of Christ’s kingdom.
1Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The church has not been appointed “to suffer wrath but to receive salvation.” This would seem to indicate that believers will not experience the tribulation. However, midtribulationism interprets “wrath” as only referring to the second half of the tribulation (specifically, the bowl judgments). Limiting the word in such a way seems unwarranted. Surely the terrible judgments contained in the seals and trumpets (famine, poisoned rivers, a darkened moon, bloodshed, earthquakes, and torment) could also be considered the wrath of God.
Midtribulationism places the rapture in Revelation 11, prior to the start of “the great tribulation.”. There are two problems with this placement in the chronology of Revelation:
1) the only occurrence of the term “great tribulation” in the entire book is Revelation 7:14
2) the only reference to a “great day of wrath” is in Revelation 6:17
Both of these references come too early for a midtribulational rapture.
Same as last week, the final weakness of the midtribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another.
We have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized. Remember keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and the Rapture will not be as important. We don't know when Jesus is returning but we do know that He is. Next week we will look at the final theory till then may you and yours be Blessed...
Almost all Christians agree on three things: 1) there will be a future time of tribulation, something the world has never seen 2) the second coming of Jesus Chris 3) a transition from mortality to immortality for believers, “the rapture” (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) When does the rapture occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming? Three main theories concerning the timing of the rapture are pretribulationism (occur before the tribulation begins), midtribulationism (occur at the midpoint of the tribulation), and posttribulationism (occur at the end of the tribulation). This week we will look into midtribulationism.
Midtribulationism:
The rapture occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. At that time, the seventh trumpet sounds (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The church will meet Christ in the air, and then the bowl judgments are poured upon the earth (Revelation Chapters15 & 16) A time known as the Great Tribulation. Here the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by a period of three-and-a-half years. According to this view, the church goes through the first half of the tribulation but is spared the worst of the tribulation which occurs in the last three-and-a-half years.
Scriptural Support:
Chronologically given support in (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
The order of events are as follows:
1) apostasy (abandonment of one's religious faith)
2) the revelation of the Antichrist
3) the Day of Christ.
The midtribulational view teaches that the Antichrist will not be decisively revealed until “the abomination which makes desolate” (Matthew 24:15) So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand. This occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. (Daniel 9:27) He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him
Also, midtribulationists interpret “the Day of Christ” as the rapture; therefore, the church will not be caught up to heaven until after the Antichrist is revealed.
Another teaching is that the trumpet of (1 Corinthians 15:52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed Is the same trumpet mentioned in (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The trumpet of Revelation 11 is the final in a series of trumpets; therefore, it makes sense that it would be “the last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15.
Scriptural Disproof:
The above logic fails, in view of the trumpets’ objectives. The trumpet that sounds at the rapture is “the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
The one in Revelation 11 is a warning of judgment (one trumpet is a call of grace to God’s people, the other is a proclamation of doom on the wicked).
The seventh trumpet in Revelation is not the “last” trumpet chronologically (Matthew 24:31) And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other a later trumpet which sounds at the beginning of Christ’s kingdom.
1Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The church has not been appointed “to suffer wrath but to receive salvation.” This would seem to indicate that believers will not experience the tribulation. However, midtribulationism interprets “wrath” as only referring to the second half of the tribulation (specifically, the bowl judgments). Limiting the word in such a way seems unwarranted. Surely the terrible judgments contained in the seals and trumpets (famine, poisoned rivers, a darkened moon, bloodshed, earthquakes, and torment) could also be considered the wrath of God.
Midtribulationism places the rapture in Revelation 11, prior to the start of “the great tribulation.”. There are two problems with this placement in the chronology of Revelation:
1) the only occurrence of the term “great tribulation” in the entire book is Revelation 7:14
2) the only reference to a “great day of wrath” is in Revelation 6:17
Both of these references come too early for a midtribulational rapture.
Same as last week, the final weakness of the midtribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another.
We have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized. Remember keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and the Rapture will not be as important. We don't know when Jesus is returning but we do know that He is. Next week we will look at the final theory till then may you and yours be Blessed...
Monday, November 8, 2010
Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture PART 1
Tonight's Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
“Rapture” is not mentioned by name in the Bible but the concept is clearly taught in Scripture. The event when God removes all believers from the earth to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.
Described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. God will resurrect all believers who have died, give them glorified bodies, and take them from the earth, along with the believers who are still alive, they also will be given glorified bodies. “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
The rapture will be instantaneous in nature, and we will receive glorified bodies at that time. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
There are three theories about when the rapture will take place. Pretribulationism, Midtribulationism, and Posttribulationism. All supported by scripture, all rebutted by scripture. We will examine all in this series. The important issue is Jesus. Keep your eyes focused on Him and it wont make a difference when the rapture takes place.
The rapture is the glorious event we should all be longing for. We will finally be free from sin, in God's presence forever. There is far too much debate over the meaning and scope of the rapture. This is not God’s intent. God wants us to “encourage each other with these words” The words of tonight’s scripture reading. (1 Thessalonians 4:18) “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
PRETRIBULATIONISM:
Pretribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs before the tribulation starts. The church will meet Christ in the air, sometime after that the antichrist is revealed, then the tribulation begins. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by at least seven years. According to this view, the church does not experience any of the tribulation.
Scripturally, the pretribulational view has much to support it.
1.) the church is not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 & 5:9)
2.) believers will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9)
3.) The church of Philadelphia was promised to be kept from “the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10)
Note: The promise is not preservation through the trial but deliverance from the hour, i.e., from the time period of the trial.
Pretribulationism also finds support in what is not found in Scripture. The word “church” appears nineteen times in the first three chapters of Revelation. The word is not used again until chapter 22. In entire description of the tribulation in Revelation, the word church is noticeably absent. In fact, the Bible never uses the word "church" in a passage relating to the tribulation.
Pretribulationism is the only theory which clearly maintains the distinction between Israel and the church and God’s separate plans for each. (Daniel 9:24) "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.. A decreed upon Daniel’s people (the Jews) and Daniel’s holy city (Jerusalem). This prophecy makes it plain that the seventieth week (the tribulation) is a time of purging and restoration for Israel and Jerusalem, not for the church.
Pretribulationism has historical support. John 21:22-23 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" It would seem that the early church viewed Christ’s return as imminent. The rumor would not have persisted that Jesus would return within John’s lifetime. Imminence is incompatible with the other two rapture theories. A key argument of pretribulationism.
The pretribulational view seems to be the most in keeping with God’s character. Biblical examples of God’s salvation include Noah, Lot, and Rahab, who was delivered from Jericho.
(2 Peter 2:6-9) “if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.”
One perceived weakness of pretribulationism is its relatively recent development as a church doctrine, not having been formulated in detail until the early 1800s. Another weakness is that pretribulationism splits the return of Jesus Christ into two “phases”, the rapture and the second coming, the Bible does not clearly indicate any such phases.
Another weakness is the fact that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation (Revelation 13:7, 20:9) 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” 20:9 “ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” Pretribulationists answer this by distinguishing the saints of the Old Testament and the saints of the tribulation from the church of the New Testament. Believers alive at the rapture will be removed before the tribulation but there will be those who will come to Christ during the tribulation.
A final weakness of the pretribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1.) the Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2.) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another. That is why we have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized.
Next week we will look at Midtribulationism. Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and it will not make a difference when He returns. These are theories and are good for conversation. Don't allow yourself to be so fixated on the subject that you loose your focus. Till next week may God Bless you and yours.
“Rapture” is not mentioned by name in the Bible but the concept is clearly taught in Scripture. The event when God removes all believers from the earth to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.
Described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. God will resurrect all believers who have died, give them glorified bodies, and take them from the earth, along with the believers who are still alive, they also will be given glorified bodies. “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
The rapture will be instantaneous in nature, and we will receive glorified bodies at that time. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
There are three theories about when the rapture will take place. Pretribulationism, Midtribulationism, and Posttribulationism. All supported by scripture, all rebutted by scripture. We will examine all in this series. The important issue is Jesus. Keep your eyes focused on Him and it wont make a difference when the rapture takes place.
The rapture is the glorious event we should all be longing for. We will finally be free from sin, in God's presence forever. There is far too much debate over the meaning and scope of the rapture. This is not God’s intent. God wants us to “encourage each other with these words” The words of tonight’s scripture reading. (1 Thessalonians 4:18) “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
PRETRIBULATIONISM:
Pretribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs before the tribulation starts. The church will meet Christ in the air, sometime after that the antichrist is revealed, then the tribulation begins. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by at least seven years. According to this view, the church does not experience any of the tribulation.
Scripturally, the pretribulational view has much to support it.
1.) the church is not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 & 5:9)
2.) believers will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9)
3.) The church of Philadelphia was promised to be kept from “the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10)
Note: The promise is not preservation through the trial but deliverance from the hour, i.e., from the time period of the trial.
Pretribulationism also finds support in what is not found in Scripture. The word “church” appears nineteen times in the first three chapters of Revelation. The word is not used again until chapter 22. In entire description of the tribulation in Revelation, the word church is noticeably absent. In fact, the Bible never uses the word "church" in a passage relating to the tribulation.
Pretribulationism is the only theory which clearly maintains the distinction between Israel and the church and God’s separate plans for each. (Daniel 9:24) "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.. A decreed upon Daniel’s people (the Jews) and Daniel’s holy city (Jerusalem). This prophecy makes it plain that the seventieth week (the tribulation) is a time of purging and restoration for Israel and Jerusalem, not for the church.
Pretribulationism has historical support. John 21:22-23 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" It would seem that the early church viewed Christ’s return as imminent. The rumor would not have persisted that Jesus would return within John’s lifetime. Imminence is incompatible with the other two rapture theories. A key argument of pretribulationism.
The pretribulational view seems to be the most in keeping with God’s character. Biblical examples of God’s salvation include Noah, Lot, and Rahab, who was delivered from Jericho.
(2 Peter 2:6-9) “if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.”
One perceived weakness of pretribulationism is its relatively recent development as a church doctrine, not having been formulated in detail until the early 1800s. Another weakness is that pretribulationism splits the return of Jesus Christ into two “phases”, the rapture and the second coming, the Bible does not clearly indicate any such phases.
Another weakness is the fact that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation (Revelation 13:7, 20:9) 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” 20:9 “ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” Pretribulationists answer this by distinguishing the saints of the Old Testament and the saints of the tribulation from the church of the New Testament. Believers alive at the rapture will be removed before the tribulation but there will be those who will come to Christ during the tribulation.
A final weakness of the pretribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1.) the Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2.) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another. That is why we have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized.
Next week we will look at Midtribulationism. Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and it will not make a difference when He returns. These are theories and are good for conversation. Don't allow yourself to be so fixated on the subject that you loose your focus. Till next week may God Bless you and yours.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Trick Or Treat For My Children?
Scripture Reading: Romans 14
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Some Christians celebrate Halloween simply by dressing up in a costume and having fun, seeing it as innocent and harmless. Other Christians are equally convinced that Halloween is a satanic holiday established to worship evil spirits and promote darkness and wickedness. Who is right? Is it possible for Christians to celebrate Halloween without compromising their faith?
Origins Of Halloween:
Halloween, although commercialized, has almost completely pagan origins. Traditionally, it was known as All Hallows’ Eve, when the dead were remembered. Over time, it became cultural. For Americans, it has become extremely commercialized. As innocent as it may seem, it is not something to be taken lightly. Christians tend to have various ways to celebrate or not to celebrate Halloween. Some, have an “alternative” Harvest Party, for others, it is staying away from the ghosts, witches, goblins, and wearing innocent costumes. Some choose not to do anything and hide at home. With our freedom as Christians, we are at liberty to decide how we celebrate and what to do.
What Does Scripture Say?
Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision.
In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27).
The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. (Acts 8:9-24) the story of Simon, shows that occultism and Christianity don't mix.
The account of Elymas a sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to Christianity. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God.
In Acts 16 a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. What's interesting here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person.
In Acts 19 we see new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone. (Vs.19) A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Should a Christian celebrate Halloween?
Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up as a princess or cowboy and going around the block asking for candy? No...
Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker aspects of the day.
If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior should still reflect a redeemed life.
(Philippians 1:27) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.
There are many churches that hold "harvest festivals" and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. Many hand out tracts and share the Gospel along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately yours to make. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. We are to do all things as to the Lord. Whatever you choose to do be safe and blessed...
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Some Christians celebrate Halloween simply by dressing up in a costume and having fun, seeing it as innocent and harmless. Other Christians are equally convinced that Halloween is a satanic holiday established to worship evil spirits and promote darkness and wickedness. Who is right? Is it possible for Christians to celebrate Halloween without compromising their faith?
Origins Of Halloween:
Halloween, although commercialized, has almost completely pagan origins. Traditionally, it was known as All Hallows’ Eve, when the dead were remembered. Over time, it became cultural. For Americans, it has become extremely commercialized. As innocent as it may seem, it is not something to be taken lightly. Christians tend to have various ways to celebrate or not to celebrate Halloween. Some, have an “alternative” Harvest Party, for others, it is staying away from the ghosts, witches, goblins, and wearing innocent costumes. Some choose not to do anything and hide at home. With our freedom as Christians, we are at liberty to decide how we celebrate and what to do.
What Does Scripture Say?
Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision.
In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27).
The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. (Acts 8:9-24) the story of Simon, shows that occultism and Christianity don't mix.
The account of Elymas a sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to Christianity. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God.
In Acts 16 a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. What's interesting here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person.
In Acts 19 we see new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone. (Vs.19) A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Should a Christian celebrate Halloween?
Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up as a princess or cowboy and going around the block asking for candy? No...
Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker aspects of the day.
If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior should still reflect a redeemed life.
(Philippians 1:27) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.
There are many churches that hold "harvest festivals" and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. Many hand out tracts and share the Gospel along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately yours to make. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. We are to do all things as to the Lord. Whatever you choose to do be safe and blessed...
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