Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man. - Luke 21:36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man. - Luke 21:36
Introduction: Why IS the Lord's Soon Coming So Important?
What is the Pretribulation Rapture?
Common Proofs for the Pretribulation Rapture Refuted
I will name six reason why we are at the end of this age, if only a few of those reasons are valid, it is reasonable to expect the Lord's imminent return. All Christians look forward to that day with joy. Yet, what is going to happen during the seven years immediately preceding his coming, or the Great Tribulation period? This time-period includes the world's anger toward God, led by the antichrist and his false prophet, and God's punishment of the earth for all their abominations.
Would you do things differently if you did not expect a pretribulation rapture? Have you ever thought about how you might continue to be a light shining in the coming time of darkness?
The appearance of the antichrist is the next event in Bible prophecy. Though Jesus advised us not to set any dates, I think the end is near and the time of the infamous antichrist is soon. However, because of the widespread belief in a pretribulation rapture, the Christian community will be totally unprepared for the most important event in modern history.
When the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture is examined closely, problems with the proofs will become evident. In the Spirit of truth, I ask you to look at these proofs. If you have only understood the pretribulation rapture through the eyes of someone who is trying to promote it, you have never been shown any of its problems. If you enjoy studying the Scripture, please take a moment to examine the scriptural proofs for a pretribulation rapture closely. My challenge to you, is to search the Scriptures, like the Bereans in the book of Acts, see if evidence for a pretribulation rapture really exists. If so, believe it; if not, you will have a better understanding of the future and be able to more properly prepare for it.
Note: All bold fonts are my stress points. All the words in [brackets] are my additions.
I have felt a sense of urgency in preparing this study. Without spending much effort trying to defend the evidence, here are six reasons why this may be the end of the age, the time prophesied for the antichrist to appear.
For nation 1 shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom - Matthew 24:7a
Today wars and racial violence are occurring all over the world. While it may seem peaceful in the USA, we have been involved in every major war and have had American troops deployed on most continents for the last sixty-five years.
There shall be famines, - Matthew 24:7b
An estimated 923 million people in the world are malnourished. There is a threat of famine in North Korea that will rival the one in the 1990s which killed 2.5 million people. In developing countries, nearly 16 million children die every year from preventable and treatable causes. Sixty percent of these deaths are from hunger and malnutrition. 2
And pestilences, - Matthew 24:7b
A pestilence is any virulent and highly infectious disease that can cause an epidemic or even a pandemic. This word is commonly used to describe parasites that cause large-scale sickness and death. 4
Newspaper headlines in 2009 said that the flu vaccine does not work against the current strain of flu virus. In February of 2008, hospitals in Arizona were shipping patients to the surrounding states, because their emergency rooms were overflowing with flu patients. The winter of 2009-2010 does not look any better; the Swine Flue is, nearly every night, making headlines in the news.
STDs are occurring in epidemic proportions in the United States, while aids is devastating Africa. Many viruses are becoming resistant to antibiotics, and because of these antibiotics, humans are losing their natural resistance to many diseases.
And earthquakes, in divers places. - Matthew 24:7c
On December 26, 2004, an earthquake hit Indonesia, causing a tsunami along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean. The waves, some of up to 100 feet high, killed more than 225,000 people in eleven different countries.
In August 1999, an earthquake registering 7.4 on the open-ended Richter scale, hit Turkey, killing more than 15,000 people. The next month, an earthquake registering 7.6 hit Taiwan. Later in the same month, an earthquake registering 7.4 hit Mexico. In November, an earthquake that registered 7.2 hit Turkey again.
The USGS Earthquake Information Center locates 12,000 to 14,000 earthquakes each year. About 60 earthquakes per year have a magnitude of 6.5 or higher, or cause casualties and considerable damage. About 19 earthquakes per year are higher than 7.0. The largest earthquake ever recorded occurred in Chile in 1960; it had a magnitude of 9.5. 3
Many shall run to and fro [travel], and knowledge shall be increased. - Daniel 12:4b
We now have the knowledge, or technology, to fulfill all the events mentioned in the book of Revelation. Here is a little bit of modern technology that the Bible prophesied about the last days:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. - Matthew 24:14
Have the Christians preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations? The apostles reached most of the Islamic world (the countries close to Israel) in the first century A.D. Today Christians cannot worship openly, and are often persecuted, in most Islamic countries. This is evidence that Muslims have both heard and rejected the Gospel.
The same goes for the Hindus. The Apostle Thomas reached India with the Gospel in the first century. Today the Christians in India suffer major persecution and even martyrdom. This is evidence that Hindus have both heard and rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This sad fact goes for much of the 10/40 window. 8
The seven Asian churches that the Apostle John wrote to were in what is now the modern day Turkish Republic, a country which is 99% Muslim. Do we need to preach the gospel there again? Or is the situation the same for these countries as it was for the church to whom the Lord said, "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."?
It is true that today, in many countries, there are still tribal groups that do not have one verse of scripture in their own language. However, most these countries do have trade languages, and their trade languages do have translations. While I am not qualified to say that the Gospel has been preached to all nations, there is the possibility that we may be much closer than many think.
Our Christian forefathers wanted their independence so that they could worship God according to their own conscience. Today the world's push is for interdependence, with regional governments. Take a look at the European Union and NAFTA. Along with interdependence, the world now looks at Christianity, with its exclusivity, as a bigoted religion.
Many people are afraid and tired of terrorist activity. Environmentalists tell us that there are problems that we can solve only if we deal with them on a global scale. If the United States recession brings down the world's economy, conditions could be similar to what gave Hitler control of Germany. The world is ready for a leader, someone who could promise peace and safety while uniting the world.
If you are familiar with the United Nations, you know that a New World Order is their goal. Their own proponents say that this means a one world government, a world leader and one religion.
The USA may have been a restrainer of evil at one time, and today is known as the global policemen. However, the question must be asked, can we, as Americans, tell right from wrong?
In chapter three of his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote about our mentality in the last days. Here is his list:
Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. - 2 Timothy 3:2
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one quarter of the adult population is suffering from a mental disorder at any given time. Instead of going to God for help, we are turning to mind altering drugs. These drugs are a multibillion dollar a year industry (the largest lobbying group in Washington) and growing. Drug use will probably mushroom again, once we have national healthcare.
The occult is now an acceptable religion. Not only are high school students fascinated with it, every night the television is preoccupied with the entire spiritual realm that Moses condemned.
We are entering a global recession. The United States is taking many other economies down with it. History tells us that the world will elect a man, even a morally bankrupt one, if he can make them believe that he will solve this problem.
Honesty is lost to this generation. To do regular bank transactions, we often need to submit thumbprints. Banks must verify every credit card transaction because of stolen credit cards. There is an epidemic of identity theft. The Mark of the Beast may soon be the only solution to this problem.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. - Matthew 24:32-34
Since everyone who has set a date for the Lord's return, from the apostle's time to the present, has been wrong in his calculations, this conclusion is not be used as an infallible proof. It is only to provoke our thought:
Then with a little math, we have the year 1948 plus 70 years for one generation, which equals the year 2018 for the coming of our Lord. If we then subtract seven years for the Great Tribulation, the antichrist could make his appearance before 2012. If these calculations are close, it is reasonable to expect the antichrist to appear at any time, even if my calculations are off (I would not take my date setting to seriously.)
For over sixty years, the gentiles have been parting up Israel, giving it to the Muslims. Yet what saith the Scripture?
[referring to the Lord's indignation toward all nations] For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. - Isaiah 34:8
AND
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.
Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame. - Ezekiel 36:2-7
AND
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. - Joel 3:1-2
The whole world, through the United Nations and the media, condemns Israel for trying to exist. Even so, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel and Zechariah (and other Old Testament prophets) have all said not only that these conditions would exist, but also that God will intervene on Israel's behalf.
The number one reason why I believe that we are in the end days is because of the epidemic of terrorism in Israel. While their enemies rejoice over the murder and mayhem of innocent children and elderly, the rest of the world ignores Israel's plight. Do not think that God will allow this terror in His Holy Land to go unpunished forever.
For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. - Isaiah 34:8
In preface, let me state that, before God, I did not deliberately misrepresent those who believe in a pretribulation rapture nor did I try to create any straw-man arguments to discredit them.
Let us start by defining what the pretribulation rapture is.
Pretribulation: An event that takes place before the Great Tribulation, the last seven-year period of this age.
Rapture: To seize, or carry off by force, to claim for one's self eagerly, to snatch out or away. 5
God will eagerly catch the church away, by force, and claim her for Himself before the Great Tribulation starts. This teaching includes the following points:
We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. - 1 Thessalonians 4:17
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. [By being taken out of the way Paul means, that the church is raptured.] And then shall that Wicked be revealed.
- 2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8a