Authored By Patrick Brixen
My question is, after reading and studying the bible enough to have a really full grasp of what the scriptures speak to us in context on most subjects, would you come to a pre tribulation rapture conclusion of the end time scenario?
Next question, after a full grasp of the scriptures, you are told of a belief in a pre tribulation rapture before the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and they point out several verses to proof text their position of the end time scenario, and you study it out as they describe, would you come to the same conclusion as a sound doctrine?
Well, I didn’t and I still don’t after 35 years, yet many Christians do believe in a pre tribulation rapture, where, to whit, on an unknown day Jesus will come and take the church up into heaven for seven years before His official second coming. Jesus Himself said,”I will come again,” but I have yet to find in the bible where He says or even implies coming twice. The funny thing is that, as believers in Jesus Christ and students of the scriptures, we all study to show ourselves approved, a workman rightly dividing the word of truth, yet on this subject there are 3 distinctive positions pre, mid and post tribulation. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this should not be. Please read this in its entirety, before you make the call, with your bible in hand.
The 3 differences of opinion on the subject of the Coming of our Lord are effected by error, make no mistake about it. 30+ years ago I prayed, Lord, they cant be all correct, which one is the right one and the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me and said,”Study the trumpets”. I did and found also that when the trumpet sounds its not to announce Jesus’s appearing at His second coming but to loose the angles to execute the harvest, with a separating of the saints for salvation, from the sinners for wrath on judgment day, at His second coming. This is a key point that seems to be mostly overlooked. All bible quotes are from the NKJV.
Some have said that you can make the bible say what ever you want, but not by the Leading of the Holy Spirit. There is another spirit the bible warns us saints to be aware of, the spirit of error. I’m not talking about an honest mistake in the understanding of a verse but a serious error in a theological doctrine with some erroneous conclusions that leads to a false coming of out Lord Jesus Christ. These conclusions are contrary to established doctrine and the clear understanding of the scriptural text to support them, this pre tribulation rapture doctrine must be challenged for it validity. I dare you to take my challenge.
In this study, I am expressing the truth that has been revealed to me on what I read in the bible text to refute the pre- tribulation coming of our Lord (and the mid trib for that matter) position, which has become a doctrine.
This is in no way a point of contention or division, don’t take it personal. What do the scriptures say?
Chapter 1 Error
There is error in the air and its been around for a long time. Many don’t see it for what it really is. Its not my intention to do an in-depth theological study here but to refute key quoted verses of the teaching of the pre- tribulation rapture, and challenge its conclusions with scripture. There are several points that just don’t ring true to me as I have studied the scriptures. Let me point them out.
In dispensational theology, where they claim a literal interpretation of prophecy, there is a distinction between Gods dealing with “The Church” and “Israel”, in particular, during the end times scenario, in this dispensation of time. In effect, a day will come when God is finished with the church age and the church “has” to be raptured out of the earth for God to fulfill all the prophesies and promises to the nation of Israel during the last seven years of earths history known as the tribulation.
This theology on the surface seems to be creditable but when its end time conclusions lead to a false teaching, that has become a doctrine, of the coming of our Lord. This theology is not to be trusted as truth, but for what it is, a teaching of men.
The text of Romans chapters 9- 10-11 speaks of Gods goodness to the Jews and gentiles and Israels rejection of the gospel, and 11v25…until the fullness of the gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved…
Does Paul even hint of a removal of the church from the earth in these chapters or the entire book, for all of Israel to saved in the end? NO.
The dispensationalist lead you to this conclusion that’s not in the scriptures. It is a connect the dots theology with a fine sounding story with logic and reason, that leads you to this conclusion, yet it does not acknowledge some basic foundational doctrines that refutes the pre trib rapture.
Consider this, its not about the church or Israel, though they are indeed included, as its about The Son of God conquering sin and death for all of us, by Gods grace through faith in the blood of Jesus and His resurrection, with the gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life for all who receive Him by faith with repentance. In other word, its Gods plan to conquer death, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Speaking of resurrection, this is one the foundational doctrines apparently misunderstood. For there to be a catching up(rapture) there has to be a resurrection, right. This is the thesis of this book, Hebrews 6v1-2. Foundational doctrines.
V2…of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. These last two are what I will use to put this pre -tribulation rapture teaching to the test of soundness, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Established doctrine from the beginning of the church.
What Jesus taught His apostles is what the apostles taught the church as doctrine, with the scriptures. I will show from scripture that the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment happen at the same event, at the second coming of Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Let the bible speak for it self, what do the scriptures say…
Chapter 2 The Last Day
Jesus says in the book of John,
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3v16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
v17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
v18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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5v24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life
v25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. (Lazarus)
v26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
v27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
V28 Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which “ALL” who are in the graves will hear His voice (emphasis mine)
v29 and come forth- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
Resurrection of life, first resurrection. Resurrection of the condemnation, the second resurrection a thousand years later.
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6v39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should loose nothing, but raise it up at the “LAST DAY” (emphases mine)
v40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
V44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
V54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day.
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11v23 Jesus said to her,” Your brother will rise again.”
v24 Martha said to Him,” I know that he will raise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
v25 Jesus said to her,”I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
V26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die, Do you believe this?”
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12v48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him- the word that I have spoken will judge him at the last day.
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Heb 6v2…resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. How is it that these scriptures are plain enough for a child to understand yet theologians with doctorate degrees, miss this foundational truth that is so contrary to their theology. Are they educated beyond common sense? I believe that this is a yeast that has leavened the whole lump. I will show, later on in this work, how pretribulation rapture theology has leavened the true view of the Coming again of our Lord and has effected the interpretation of the verses used to proof text the pretribulation position that clearly are taken out of context with a fine sounding story to support their view. Please keep an open mind, I am going to show you where and how.
Chapter 3 THE TERRIBLE PARABLES
Jesus spoke of this last day, in parables, also called the harvest, the end of the age.
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Matt 13v36-43 and v47-51 text
v36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house, And His disciples came to Him, saying,” Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” (Matt 13v24-30 the wheat and the tares)
v37 He answered them and said to them: He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man
v38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
V39The enemy who sowed the is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
V40Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
V41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and all who practice lawlessness,
v42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
V43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear let him hear.
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The good seed are the sons of the kingdom, the elect of God, take out of the kingdom are the tares, the sons of the world-the devil. On the last day, at the end of the age, when the world becomes the kingdom of God (Rev 11v15-18), angels throw the tares into the furnace…hell, eternal judgment.
Q. do you really need to see written here a trumpet blast or resurrection or Jesus in the clouds to understand that Jesus is describing. In this parable is His second coming and the kingdom.
The same angels in this parable are also the ones in Matt 24v31 that gather the elect, just as it is written in 1 Thes 4v 16- the first resurrection and judgment day happening at the same event.
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V47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
v48 which when it is full, they draw to shore; and they sit down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.
V49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
v50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
v51 Jesus said to them,”Have you understood all these things?”They said to Him,”Yes Lord.”
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There is a separation of the just and the wicked at the harvest and not before. The just are gathered into vessels (Rom 9v22-23, 2 Cor 2v3) resurrected bodies into the kingdom but the wicked are killed and thrown into the fire.
Matt 16v 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and He will reward each according to his works.
In the pre trib rapture scenario, the resurrection of the just dead is 7 years before Jesus’ second coming because we are not appointed for wrath. No where does it say the church is resurrected and taken out of the earth before this last day, end of the age event. There is no 7 year time lag, its a one Day event.
I also think that this clears up the one is taken and the other is left debate too, its not us but them.
Chapter 4 -A MYSTERY
NOT SO MYSTERIOUS
Rev 10
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v5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his hand to heaven
v6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,
v7but in the days of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to his servants the prophets. (Dan, Joel, Isaiah, John)
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The mystery for us in Jesus Christ is the day of His second coming, to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
Matt 24v29-31 (also Mark 13 and Luke 21)
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v29 Immediately after the tribulation of these days (what part of after don’t they understand?) the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
V30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will morn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
V31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ( MARK 13v27…His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven. Luke 21v34-35…v34 and that Day come on you unexpectedly. V35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.)
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You notice, there is the black out event, then all will see the glory of Jesus in the clouds of heaven, then He sends His angles with the trumpet call.
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1 Thes 5v1-4 text
v2For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night
v4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, as so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
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Look at v1, Paul says, concerning the times and seasons that are just before that Day. The Day of the Lord is not a season, but a singular event as described by the scripture text I have quoted and the texts I will quote.
I shared this book with a pastor and one of his arguments was that a day is not always a 24 hour day. Well look at the context, is a thief in the night event a time or a season, No, its an event that will happen while the evening and morning progress into a full 24 hour day. The thief in the night concept used to proof text a pre -tribulation rapture, in 1 Thes 4v17 is miss applied, out of place. Its in context in 1 Thes 5v2 and I will deal with this text later.
It means, suddenly, expectantly, one day Jesus returns. Examine the thief in the night text. Matt 24v36-44. The concept is the same as in Matt 24v38-39 as it was in the days of Noah, one day, suddenly the end of the world, and the same in Luke 17v28-29; one day Sodom gets nuked …of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angles of heaven but My Father only. To pick a date of the coming of the Lord is foolishness, my effort here is to show from scripture that the second coming is on the last day and no phantom rapture before the 7 year tribulation. The bible teaches a continual tribulation of the saints, with persecution of the church, up to the end of days.
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Again, 1 Peter3v10 says the same thing as 1 Thes 5v2. 1 Peter 3v7-13 text.
V10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the knight, in which the heavens will pass away…
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Peter and Paul are teaching us that the day of the lord, the second coming of our Lord Jesus, the thief in the night event, is the day of judgment for the ungodly, salvation for the elect, at the harvest, on the same last day, the end of days. Any questions? Call 1 800 RAPTURE
The dispensational definition of the term elect has an impact on the pre trib rapture thinking. To them the elect is the nation of Israel. The elect are the saints, the righteous in Christ, the believers in the Son of God, the seed of Abraham, Jews and gentile together make up the elect. The elect is not the nation of Israel in and of it self separate from the church of Jesus Christ. The elect are the chosen ones.
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Rom 8v33 Who shall bring a charge against Gods elect? It is God who justifies.
Rom 9v6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but ”In Isaac your seed shall be called”
v11(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls).
Rom 11v1-35 text
v7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (Righteousness by faith, the seed of Abraham.)
V25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery…
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Again, there is no mention of the church being taken out of the earth for God to save all Israel, but it does say we are going to be in the earth together til the end.
Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, called the people of Israel, saints, in his prayer. 1 Ch 6v41.
Chapter 5 THE TRUMPETS
Jesus said in Matt 24 that there will be a trumpet blast before He sends His angles to execute the harvest.
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1 Thes 1v4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Paul is speaking to the gentile believers.
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Eph 2v11-16 text,
v15 …having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
v16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (the one new man-a saint, into the body of Christ, the elect, Jews and gentiles)
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Mark 13v 19-20
v19 For in those days there will be tribulation , such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
V20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
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1 Cor 15v20-26
v20 But know Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
v21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
v22 For in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
v23 But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
v24 Then comes the end(the end of the age), when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts and end to all rule and all authority and power.
v25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
v26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
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1 Cor 15v51-56 text
v51 Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep but we will be changed-
v52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed
v54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruptible and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.
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The only resurrection of the elect or the saints, in the scriptures, is at the end. End of days. The end of this world as we know it. Recall Heb 6v2, its also judgment day for the unbelievers.
Recall also Rev 10v7, when the seventh angel is about to sound the trumpet… the mystery of God would be finished…
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Rev 11v15-18
v15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.
v16 and the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped,
v17 saying: We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
V18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.
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Heb 6v2 is seen here in v18 -wrath and reward and Dan 12v2 – life and contempt.
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2 Tim 4v1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; v2 Preach the word!…
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The last trumpet is the seventh trumpet, yet the pre- tribulation rapture folks seem to not see them as the same. They believe in 2 comings of the Lord, and chose one verse for the pre-tribulation rapture and the another for the second coming. Their minds have been persuaded by a connect the dots theology with fine sounding logic and reason to believe this.
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]1 Thes 4v16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.( Matt 24v31)[/dropshadowbox]
Is this trumpet, here in this verse, being blown by God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit or and angle of God blowing a trumpet of God? Some folks cant seem to identify who’s honking the horn here.
Chapter 6 Wrath
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]1 Thes 1v10, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.[/dropshadowbox]
One of the most quoted verses is 1 Thes 5 v9 to proof text their position of the pre-tribulation rapture. “For God did not appoint us to wrath”. But this is only half a verse. The rest of the verse says, “but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”.
This is absolutely the truth of the scriptures. But they believe that this “wrath” is the wrath that is poured out upon the earth during the last 7 years, as the book of Revelation details, before the second coming of Jesus, and not the wrath of eternal judgment.
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Matt 3v7 John the Baptist says, Brood of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come. [/dropshadowbox]
Q. Is John talking about the destruction of Israel in 70 A.D., or the 7year tribulation in the last days, or eternal judgment at the last day.
I believe the latter. The “who” John is talking about are Isaiah 13v9-13, Zephaniah 3v8, and Malachi 4 v1; to name a few.
The church has been caught up/ raptured into heaven to spare us from this wrath that the nation of Israel must endure, as part of Gods redemption process, yet the book of Revelation no where makes this claim at all; its not there. Some have said that the church is not mentioned after Rev chapter 3 as a proof, which really is no poof at all. Its true because the church not mentioned? But the saints are.
Lets take a closer look at the context. The context, which is the second coming of the Lord, written by Paul, starts in 1 Thes 4v13 and goes to chapter 5v10 with v 23. From rapture to wrath, the coming of the Lord. What are you misunderstanding here?
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4v13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
V14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
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I want to point out right here in this verse, that only the dead in the Lord will God bring with Jesus at his second coming, there are no resurrected glorified bodied saints returning from heaven with Jesus at His second coming.
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]V15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who sleep.[/dropshadowbox]
The word remain, in this verse, in the Greek, Strong’s # 4035 means survive ie, we who are alive and survive.
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V16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.(the same as Matt 24)
V17 Then we who are alive and remain (survive) shall be caught up (raptured) together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
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This is not a pre tribulation rapture as so many believe and I will prove it. Its the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to resurrect the dead in Him, on the last day, the harvest, and execute His wrath of eternal judgment on the sinner. The rest of the context will show the eternal judgment of Heb 6v2 in this text, on the same day, you just have to read and understand the whole text and not just quote a partial verse here and there as a proof text.
Don’t get caught up in being caught up before you understand completely what happens in this text. Do you see here in this text any proof that the Lord turns around with the church and goes back into heaven? That’s the story the pre tribulation rapture teaching adds into the context right here. Its not in the text, only in there minds.
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5v1 Now concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
V2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
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Many believe that this thief in the night event is the pre-tribulation rapture. Some even believe that this event is a secret coming of the Lord to rapture the church out of the earth just before the 7 year tribulation begins. Its not, read Rev 16 v12-17, in particular v15.
At the time of the 6th bowl of wrath is poured out Jesus says,” Behold, I am coming as a thief.” The context is at the time of the end during the great tribulation, just before the battle of Armageddon. Pre trib- I don’t think so!
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]V3 For when they say,” Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.[/dropshadowbox]
Who are the they and them? At the thief in the night event, who shall not escape?
Paul, in 2 Thes 2v2-10 makes it quite clear who they are.
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V7and to give you (saints) who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
v8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
V9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
v10 when He comes, in that Day, to be admired among all those who believe…
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These are the ones appointed for wrath in 1 Thes 5v9 and not salvation, at the separating on the harvest, the Day the Lord, the second coming. Matt 13 parables. Back to 1 Thes 5
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v4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
V5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor the darkness.
V6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
V7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
V8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
V9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, v10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
V23 …at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Rom 5v9 Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are clear in this text and shows that the proof texts for a pre-tribulation rapture is in error to support a false teaching that has spread through the Body of Christ like yeast in a lump of dough.
The seals, trumpets and bowls of plagues are with out question judgments and wrath, poured out on the lawless. To be delivered from this time of judgments, and wrath before the second coming of Jesus is desirable but its not scriptural. One last point to consider in this chapter.
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Rev 20v 6 Blessed and holy is he who takes part in the first resurrection, over such the second death has no power.[/dropshadowbox]
There is only one first resurrection, the saints at the last day, at the harvest, at the end of days, at the second coming, when death is conquered for ever!
Rev 20v11-15 text The Great White Throne Judgment
This text informs us of the second resurrection, its a thousand years after the first. Not 7 years.
Am I missing anything?
Chapter 7 – The Wedding
Many times I have heard,“after we get raptured, we will partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven.” There’s only one problem with this story, the marriage supper is not in heaven, before Jesus second coming.
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Rev 19
v6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty thunders, saying, Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!(sounds a lot like Rev 11v15)
v7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory for the marriage of the lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready.
V8 And to her was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
V9 Then he said to me,” Write: Blessed are those who are called the marriage supper of the Lamb…
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This text says that the time has come, the wife has made herself ready and blessed are those called, but no marriage supper happens.
Note the next text at v11-16…and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war…
It appears that Jesus is about to descend to make war which means that His wife, who has made herself ready, are the dead saints in heaven that have not been resurrected and received their glorified bodies as yet.
It doesn’t clearly state where the marriage supper takes place, but consider this.
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Matt26v29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Fathers kingdom.
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Isa 25v6-9
v6 And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees.
V7 And He will destroy on the mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all nations.
V8 He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.
V9 And it will be said in that day” Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, and He will save us. This is the Lord, we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation”
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Isa does not speak of a wedding but a feast, when the Lord destroys death forever.
I think the marriage supper is in the kingdom of God on earth after Jesus establishes His throne.
Chapter 8 -THE WAR ON THE SAINTS
When a theology has a noticeable flaw in its reasoning, there needs to be a rethink on how to get it to blend and still maintain its central thesis. There has been an invention of a class of Christians to blend an erroneous void of reasoning in the pre tribulation rapture theology, like, Who are these who have come out of the great tribulation- Rev7v14. They are called “The Left Behind”,like magic, problem solved.
The reasoning goes something like this; after the pre trib rapture there will be uncommitted believers or luke warm believers or on the fence believers, you know, the religious folks, with all the unbelievers still left on the earth. The left behind believers are believed to be able to get truly saved because now they have a second chance, because they see what is happening is in the bible. Jesus is now done with building His church corporate in the earth and now focuses on the redemption of the nation of Israel.( That wasn’t in the movie)
I could go on but you get the picture.
As I have shown from the scriptures, this left behind concept is a fable. If the resurrection at the pre- tribulation rapture is not scriptural, and its not, and the wedding supper of the Lamb is in heaven and its not, and the thief in the night rapture to spare us from an appointed wrath that is mistakenly out of place in the first place is wrong and it is, then the prophetic end time dispinsational theology that has born all this is flawed, along with the invented left behind.
The Prophets and Apostles teach us of a war on the saints and the saints are the elect, the seed of Abraham (righteousness by faith) who are Jews and gentiles.
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Rev 13v1-10 text
v7 Its was granted to him to make war on the saints and overcome them…
v10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints.
Rev14v8-13 text (mark of the beast)
v12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and faith in Jesus.
V13 …Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.
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Dan 7v21 I was watching; and the same little horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, v12 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
Dan 12v9-13 text
v10 Many shall be purified, made white and refined,…
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The belief that the church is not going to go through the tribulation of the end days is a big mistake.
There is no question that they are sincere in what they believe to be truth, yet sincerely wrong.
Chapter 9
MAGIC THINKING
Another pre trib rapture proof text is
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Luke 21v 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.[/dropshadowbox]
This word escape is magically understood to mean raptured, does it, no. The Greek word Strong’s#1628 ekpheugo; escape means to flee, flee out, escape.
This word is derived from the word #5343 pheugo; run away.
In the military the concept is called escape and evade, If a POW escapes from a camp he is not caught up into the clouds, or if a guy robs a bank and escapes with the money he is not caught up into the clouds. This is the same word used in1 Thes 5v3; “and they shall not escape.” You get the point! This is an example of magic thinking.
Paul, speaking to the Galatians 3v1, used a word, Strong’s #940 baskaino defined as, to malign ie. fuscinate (by false representations)- bewitched.
I did a study on the word fuscinate, I recommend you do to, very interesting. To charm, enchant, exert influence over. Latin and French word for witchcraft…bewitched.
The same magic thinking is also exhibited in Rev 3v10; Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. The “keep you from” is magically understood to mean a pre tribulation rapture. Was the Philadelphian saints raptured out of this trial that came upon the whole earth in their century? I think common sense and the literal meaning of words must not be compromised. Strong’s # 5083; tereo, means to guard (from loss or injury), by keeping an eye upon.
Do you really think that Jesus is prophesying to the church at Philadelphia about the end times tribulation, which includes the antichrist and the mark of the beast. Like magic the church of today is also included in the promise of pre tribulation rapture. Jesus gave them and us about a 2000 year heads up…ya right!
The context is that the church is persevering as commanded and admonished to continue as a trial will come upon the whole world, at this time in history, in which Jesus will keep/guard them in this trial.
Don’t you think common sense would tell you that Jesus was talking about the current century that the church of Philadelphia was active at that time, as was the other 6.
I have shown several examples of this kind of thinking. I am sure most people are not so broke that they cant pay attention to the meaning of words. O foolish pre tribber, who has bewitched you.
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Here is another example, 1 Thes 4v15-18 text
v16, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven…
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The context of the text is absolutely unmistakeable as I have shown, yet descending from heaven is not enough to proof text a pre tribulation rapture here and they do it right here. In their fine sounding story, they add into the context that Jesus turns around and reascends back up to where He just descended from, with the church, for a marriage supper. I have personally seen and heard this in church and on TV, men who have Dr. degrees say this exact thing to defend their rapture, and confess that they are dispensationalists.
And if you say to them they take scripture out of context, They will argue that they are not taking the scriptures out of context. In their mind they are convinced their belief in the pre trib rapture is truth. I am going to invent a new word, rapturemagicthinker, patent pending. Well, have they proved their point with sound bible interpretation or is it an invented fable?
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But wait, there’s more 2 Thess 2v1-3
v3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed…
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This context is clearly saying, that Paul in v2 is addressing a false teaching about the Day of the Lord. That He has already come. Paul says don’t be deceived either by spirit(error) or by word(teaching) or by letter(Books).
The teaching I have heard on TV and in church is that the word in verse 3 means depart, but they did not say what word, leading me to believe that the word for falling away, apostasy is also defined depart, when in reality this definition is from a completely different word. I looked it up in my Strong’s concordance.
The word; falling away, in the Greek text, Strong’s#646; apostasia; apostasy, defection from the truth, fall away, forsake.
Also noted in Strong’s, #646 is the same as, #647; apostasion; separative, i.e. divorce, which is a derivative of the word #868; aphistemi; to remove, instigate a revolt, desist, desert, depart, draw(fall) away, refrain, withdraw oneself.
The rapturemagicthinkers change the definition of the word from falling away(apostasy, defection from the truth) in v3 and say the word means depart. That one of the definitions of the derived word- #868; depart, is the word in this verse, which it is not, and claim this is the correct definition of the word used in v3 to understand the context. So they read into the verse depart or a departure.
Poof, like magic, a pre tribulation rapture proof text. The church departs, before the man of sin is revealed. When in reality the context speaks of a defecting, a departing from the truth, a forsaking from the truth, a falling away before the man of sin is revealed. Read the rest of chapter 2v4-15. Does not this text identify the difference between us and them in v10 and v13 before that Day comes; the love of the truth is the divider.
Don’t be deceived by any means hasn’t changed its meaning either!
I believe what is being shown here is the effect of another spirit operating in the church. These men want to prove a rapture teaching, to the point of twisting the scriptures. I understand that this is a serious charge but they seen to not see what they are doing. They change the wording of scripture to validate a pre tribulation rapture, or add to the narrative of the context what is not there.
Why is this?
Dispensational theology and the effect it has on their thinking. Bewitched –fuscinated by a false representation. Think about what has been shown here in this little book, I think you need to rethink how you think about the pre-tribulation rapture. Truth or fable… The Word has spoken for itself.
I come to understand that this teaching, how it is presented, is just like some of the false teachings that have arisen out of pseudo-christian cults. Its more then just the subject taught, its how they teach it,. Like I said, its a connect the dots with a fine sounding argument that’s reason and logic that leads you to a conclusion that’s false. If the root is false, the fruit will be false.
This belief in the pre-tribulation rapture is not a teaching that puts salvation at risk but its the bus that is not going to show up on time, that can. And that’s what can lead to a falling away, when the persecution and tribulation prophesied to happen becomes reality here. Whats coming in the future is going to engulf the entire world but it still remains to be seen how it will all come to pass but its coming. You can see it coming if you watch, the signs of the times are all ready here. Endure to the end.
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f8fafc” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]In Rev 16 v15;Jesus says,” Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.’ (This is the sixth bowl)[/dropshadowbox]
Jesus has not come as a thief in the night, yet. Not until after the 7th bowl is poured out and “It is done” is proclaimed.
Recall 1 Thes 4&5, Jesus descending, the resurrection, wrath and salvation, as a thief in the night on the lat day…this is the true rapture. The other is a fable.
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Matt 16v25 For whoever desires to save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matt 28v 20, Jesus said,”…I am with you always, even to the end of the age” Amen.
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Patrick Brixen