Part 2

By
Travis Bennett

This is part two of a three part discussion on the reasons why I do not embrace a Pretribulational rapture theory.

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In the last issue of the Baptist Trumpeter I began to ask some pensive questions direct to Pretribulational brethren. These question were intended to provoke consideration towards those doctrines related to eschatology that I find, after careful examination, to be lacking scriptural validly. These questions were not intended to be mean spirited in nature, but rather thought provoking and conciliatory. I wish no believer of any opposing doctrine ill will, regardless of my scriptural views and my desire for them to understand the error of their doctrinal ways. I simply ask for a fair hearing and consideration. I cannot change any one’s mind, that is the job of the truth and the Holy Spirit. But it is the intention of this series of articles to present to you logical arguments that support a Posttribulational rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. So it is with a thankful heart that those with opposing eschatological views take into consideration these most poignant, thought provoking, and important questions. May God bless you and Scripture guide you.

These articles are based on several Scripture passages and as such it necessary for the reader to examine each passage carefully. When reading articles such as this, it is often easy to skip over these passages. Yet, the point of this article is to examine the Scripture in light of a peculiar eschatological view. If one is to come to a correct understanding of a particular doctrine and what distinguishes it from another, proper examination must be based solely on a correct exegesis of the Word of God [To remain consistent throughout the article the Editor has chosen to use the King James version when quoting Scripture. This article may require using your Bible on those passages not printed but are supportive of the argument].

D. The "any moment"/ "last trumpet"....Can you say oxymoron?

A common misapplication or oversight when reading 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 is that the attention is always focused on one portion of Scripture that is taken out of context. That portion says; "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...." However, that is not all of the verse and it should not be read and meditated upon or preached about unless one understands that the latter part of the verse finishes with, "....at the last trump."

The reasoning of those who hold the opposing view, (Pretribulational) have made this a matter difficult to believe. Many Pretribulationists say things like, "That’s the last trumpet for the Church"! How they arrive at that kind of a distortion is hard to follow? The teaching that they cling to from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is all to dependant upon the placement of this trumpet. The harmony they wish to convey is breached by undeniable concession if they admit any other viewpoint than this "last trumpet" is to them the "first trumpet" Church saints shall hear? If I were Columbo, about now I would be scratching my head? This type of an answer will not satisfy the text nor the conscience. Paul clearly has in mind here something that will lend credibility to the placement of the time issue. The same idea is conveyed here as in all Scripture. Let me ask you to get your Bible and read the following passages. First take note that without being told by someone that you are going to be at "any moment raptured" or that "this passage does not pertain to you", you would hold to a Posttribulational raptured if all of these passages were properly and carefully examined. It takes a Pretribulationalist to tell you different.

New Testament Texts: Natural progression is obviously Posttribulational

Revelation 11:15-19; For context of last trumpet (Christ’s is taking His power and will reign over His kingdom). Notice what type of people are being rewarded (vs. 18), the dead and the righteousness.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Paul again makes the same reference to the (last) trumpet when this is understood in its proper context. That is to say that Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (A. D. 51) before he wrote 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (A. D. 56); there is not sufficient evidence that Paul changed his mind.

In Matthew 24 the trumpet is right where it has always been, at the end of the tribulation. Next, let us examine various Old Testament scriptures and when comparing these with what we have seen in the New Testament, clarity is given to what Christ was talking about in the Olivet discourse.

Old Testament Texts:

Psalm 47:5 - 5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

Isaiah 27:13 - 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Zechariah 9:14 - 14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Although Paul did not have the benefit of the Revelation given to John on the isle of Patmos, he did have the benefit of being a Jewish scholar who understood what a Jew was looking for in the three passages listed above. He would have clearly known that the trumpet would sound and then the dead in Christ would rise first and that this was the "rapture" and the "resurrection" all in one. Because there are no other listings in O. T. Scripture so clear and unclouded, Paul under Divine inspiration, drew the natural and inspired conclusion, that is to say a Posttribulational coming of Christ. There is only one last trumpet!

E. What do you look for in a thief like coming?

     This brings us to the larger misapplication: The Thief Like Coming of the Lord. What is it really?
     Texts to Examine:

This is a priceless portion of God’s Word. Paul is here writing to clear up some potentially harmful and ill-conceived teaching. In the process of his letter he delivers one of the core portions of Scripture concerning prophecy. Students of all ages have drawn comfort and joy from the picture of our Lord’s glorious appearing. Nevertheless, our focus will proceed into the next item in which we find disagreement with Pretribulational thought. If the "thief like" coming of Christ is really "thief like", then who is it thief like to? These passages state that, "the day of the Lord will so come as a thief in the night;" We must first then establish what the "day of the Lord" is and then we will see clearly what the "day of the Lord" is not.

First: What it is: The appointed day in which Christ will return to fight at Armageddon and the simultaneous gathering of His saints to Himself. Second: What it is not: The possible any moment rapture.

The letter here under consideration is written to "brethren", and as such these are defined as Christians, not pagans. Please read the aforementioned portions of God's infallible Word keying in on the highlighted words.

What is coming like a thief? The Day of the Lord. What is the Day of the Lord? The return of the Lord from Heaven with a shout like the voice of an arch angel and the trump of God. You and I call this the resurrection. The puzzling problem here is why the 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 passage is mostly talked about and the 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 portion rarely gets exposition in modern preaching. I think it has to do with verse one and two (notice the underlined portions of Scripture above).

Paul is saying that the Christian or "brethren" has no need of his instruction in these matters; they already knew what they were to do. They also knew what to look for and what will come as a thief, that is, the day of the Lord. Therefore, if you already know perfectly that this day will not come upon you as a thief, why are there so many people who think just the exact opposite? Most people think that the "thief like" coming is the "any moment rapture". Somewhere along the way we have made a bad exchange and now Pretribulationalist's suffer under false teaching and are greatly mislead in their understanding of the end times.

What is more striking is the verse 4 statement about how Christians "are not in the darkness, that that day should overtake them as a thief." Why would the return of the Lord overtake you as a thief? Because you are not in Christ! According to the whole of Scripture the unregenerate man is suffering from inability due to his totally depraved fallen nature. This fall has rendered him blind, lame, deaf, out of his right mind, groping as it were in total unfathomable darkness (Matt. 13:1-17; Luke 10:21-24; Jn. 8:43; Acts 17:23-28).

With that established, let's now draw out what has been spelled out. We must turn from what is clearly a misrepresentation and embrace what is clearly the truth. Give some time to prayer and study concerning these matters. Search the Scriptures and see if these things be not so.

The return of our Lord is established in sequential order by this text in two ways.

First, the clear teaching of Scripture on the timing of the Day of the Lord is found in Joel 2:31; 3:14; Zech. 14:1-20; Zeph. 1:14-16; Isa. 12-13; 2 Thess. 2:2-3; Rev. 6:17, all of which point to the end of the tribulation known commonly as Armageddon which is another way of saying the "Day of the Lord."

The second is the reference found in vs. 3-5. The only people saying peace and safety are the "they" and sudden destruction comes upon "them". The reference made by Paul in this passage is the trusting of Israel in the arm of Antichrist for safety apart from reliance upon God. The time is established by the words "sudden destruction". The "sudden destruction" which comes upon the unbelieving nation of Israel does not begin until the middle of the seven years (Dan. 9:26-27), and lasts until the final battle or Armageddon. Clearly from this passage we should not be looking for an any moment rapture due the teaching concerning the Day of the Lord.

As if that weren’t enough let me bring in two more portions of Scripture that clearly teach the timing of the thief is like the coming Day of the Lord.

Christ Himself says that He is coming like a thief at the end of the tribulation just before the battle of Armageddon. This is a valid reference to the timing and establishes the second coming without doubt. This cannot be any more plainly stated than this.

If this verse is true, and you and I both know that it is the perfect and God breathed Word, then according to most people's thinking the "thief like" coming of Christ is not at all what they thought it was. Most people will tell you that the "thief like" coming is the any moment rapture of the Church. But if that were true, then who would be left, and for what? The whole earth is on fire and who would be alive to go through the great tribulation?

Notice verse 12 says, "looking for and hastening unto"; these are good words to live by. God has called us to be about the business of bringing Him glory through the whole of our lives. The misguided time spent on the lust of the flesh and the foolishness of sin must cease. We are called to represent the Lord of glory and serve Him, so let us be found faithful in all He has appointed; faithfully awaiting His glorious return.

Note the two references mentioned later in the passage (in verses 9 and 15), which speak of God's longsuffering. Longsuffering requires one thing, time. Why should these men hasten unto the day, if the day is unknowable? Jesus has left us an incredible list of events that will proceed His return (Matt. 24) and the only thing missing is the day and hour. The believer is to live in the fullness and weight of God’s call, with a heart of contrition, by pure undeserved grace. Do we hasten the day by living in a perpetual state of gratitude and holy fear of the God of all eternity? Certainly, that is the point? To live is to be conformed to Christ’s image. That’s true sobriety; that’s what hastens the day.

The concept of expectancy found in these passages is not a license for a Pretribulational "any moment" return any more than a continual looking for the Messiah in the O. T. is an "any moment" Messianic appearing? Did God have an appearing for Christ planned in the O. T.? Yes! The Scriptures plainly testify to this. So then, what manner of persons ought we be? Bible reading, Bible believing, Bible talking, Bible thinking Christians who know and understand what God has said.

At this point let us consider Simeon (Luke 2:25-32) who knew the prophecies and was assured by God that he would remain alive until he saw the Christ? How was it that Christ’s appearing was foretold by so many prophecies and yet no one, but a select few, knew about them? That’s exactly what a "thief like" coming is supposed to look like. The startling of the thief comes on those who are not watching, who have no knowledge of the prophecies, and who have no leading by the Spirit. Simeon knew because he was warned, he understood because he heeded, he looked and hastened because he was led by God’s Spirit to do so. Where do you find yourself concerning the prophecies of the end times?

In Matt.24:43-44, Christ makes a simple but often overlooked statement that bears our consideration: "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him." This is not an admonition to laziness and ignorance (which are not safety features) but rather a prompting to stay ready and look for Christ’s signs above mentioned. Are the eyes of your heart and mind on the right thing, namely Christ and his Word? The house was plundered because of a false sense of security. Perhaps yesterday’s grace is not what is needed when today’s problems bare upon us. We need fresh God breathed and God designed plans, for family, homes, values and personal government.

Jesus said again it would be as in the days of Noah, in which he built an ark in front of everyone, as they watched daily, yet, the judgment sent by God killed them all. It came like a thief upon those who weren’t looking, right? NOT! They all watched day after day, year after year and then began to grow slack and laden with cheep sin, and as a result they scoffed. That is to say it fell upon those who could not see what they were looking at. Dear God may it never be among the Lord’s anointed. Seek Him with all your heart and love Him with your whole life.

In conclusion, this article has covered but a few of the arguments that relate to this subject. It is my sincere hope that you will seek to grasp these arguments; study their content and compare your understandings with what has here been presented in support of a Posttribulational view. As you can see, the evidence for the Posttribulational point of view is weighty and somewhat complex, and is by nature intricately dividing the spiritual "joint and morrow" of the word. It is with heart felt thanks that each of you would consider and examine what has been presented. May the time you invest in this study bring God's rich blessings to you.

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