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Part 2

For the Rapture to be pretribulational, “the end” (or the harvest which occurs at Christ’s coming) must begin at the beginning of the seventieth week. But the clear, irrefutable fact is “the end of the world [age]” does not begin at the beginning of the seventieth week. The evidence for that fact is substantial and convincing.

First, the events of Matthew 24:4 and following are understood by the overwhelming majority of dispensational, pretribulational interpreters to be describing events within the seventieth week. The Ryrie Study Bible states that view succinctly. Verses 4-14 list characteristics of the first half of Daniel’s seventieth week, while verses 15-28 deal with the second half. In verse 6 (which Ryrie properly places within the seventieth week) the Lord teaches, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” The final harvest, the separation of the righteous and the unrighteous, had not yet occurred within the seventieth week. Again in verse 13 the Lord taught, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Even further within the seventieth week, there is still no final harvest - no separation of the wheat and tares.

Second, in direct response to the inquiry of the disciples concerning “the end of the world,” the Lord taught this truth: “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” (Mt. 24:14). The end had still not yet occurred, although the context is well into the seventieth week. But a new truth is added. The gospel will be preached in all the world before the end will come.

Now a new problem arises for pretribulation rapturism; namely, the Great Commission of the Church:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Mt. 28:18-20).

The Lord’s promise in the Great Commission included the fact that He would be with them “unto the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20).

In Matthew 24:14, four things are clear: (1) the Lord is speaking to the disciples; (2) the gospel is to be preached to all nations; (3) following the preaching of the gospel in all the world, the end will come; and (4) the end is within the seventieth week. By comparison, in the Great Commission: (1) the Lord is speaking to the same disciples; (2) they are commanded to preach the gospel throughout the world; (3) the Lord would be with them unto the end of the age; and (4) if “the end” in Matthew 24:14 is inside the seventieth week, then “the end of the world” in Matthew 28:20 must also be inside the seventieth week. The suggestion that the “end” or “end of the world [age]” in these passages does not refer to the same “end” ought not to be taken seriously by those who honor God’s Word. Note the following passages:

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved [literally delivered by the Rapture]” (Mt. 10:22).

“The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world” (Mt. 13:39-40).

“And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?...And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end [of the age] is not yet…But he that shall endure unto the end [of the age], the same shall be saved [again ”delivered“ by rapture]. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end [of the age] come” (Mt. 24:3, 6, 13-14).

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Mt. 28:20).

“Then cometh the end [of the age], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24).

Since the Great Commission of the Church is to evangelize the world up to the end of the age, it logically follows that the Church must enter the seventieth week of the Book of Daniel in order to fulfill its holy calling. Only then will she be raptured before the Day of the Lord judgment, because the Church, the bride of Christ, is not appointed unto the Bridegroom’s wrath, which will fall only on an unrepentant world. The Church will be raptured at the seventh seal, immediately following the Great Tribulation and before the outpouring of God’s wrath.

In an important text rarely discussed in prophetic debate, the sequence of these events is clearly outlined. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “So that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm [guarantee] you unto the end [of the age], that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:7-8). Three distinct truths are in view: (1) the Corinthian believers are waiting for the Lord’s coming (parousia); (2) He will keep them up to the end (the final harvest when the righteous and unrighteous are separated as wheat and chaff); (3) they will be found blameless and, therefore, escape the Day of the Lord judgment to enter the millennial Kingdom.

In summation, the following salient facts have been presented:

· The word “coming” (parousia) means “a coming and consequent presence.”

· Of the seventeen times the word “coming” is used in connection with the return of Christ, it is used only in the singular and always with the definite article or a personal pronoun (i.e., “the coming,” “thy coming,” or “his coming”).

· Not once does the Bible speak of two comings - not even by a hint or implication.

· It can be demonstrated that Christ’s coming (parousia) occurs after the middle of the seventieth week (Mt. 24:27).

· In no “coming” text can it be demonstrated that the coming occurs pre-seventieth week.

· When the coming (parousia) occurs, it will have among its major purposes the Rapture of the righteous and the Day of the Lord judgment of the wicked (1 Cor. 15:20-24). Thus, it is indefensible to argue that the Day of the Lord begins at the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week or later and that the Church is raptured at least three and one-half years earlier, or before the seventieth week commences.

· The phrase “end of the world” (Mt. 24:3) is more accurately translated end of the age and is speaking of the completion of this era in preparation for entrance into the next (the Millennium). The Day of the Lord will be the transition period from this age to the Kingdom Age.

· The end is clearly identified as the final harvest. Jesus taught, “The harvest is the end of the world” (Mt. 13:39).

· The final harvest is the separating of the wheat and the tares. The wheat are the righteous, who are to be harvested into God’s barn; the tares are the unrighteous, who are to be harvested and burned (Mt. 13:40-43).

· The end is unmistakably identified as occurring inside the seventieth week (Mt. 24:3; cf. vv. 6, 13-14).

· The Great Commission of the Church - the task of world evangelism - is to continue unto the end. The Lord said, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20).

Since the Church must continue unto the end, and the end is within the seventieth week, a pretribulation Rapture is impossible. On the other hand, prewrath Rapture of the Church at the seventh seal conforms to the biblical data.

I write not to criticize but to alert. I know that an article that takes issue with pretribulation rapturism is, to say the least, in certain circles very unpopular. I take no pleasure in being attacked or shunned, particularly by those with whom I agree in so many important areas of theology. But I must be true to God’s Word, as I understand it, whatever the personal consequence.

Satan is the father of lies. At the end of the last century, he inserted a falsehood into the Bible-believing Church of America. It entered deceptively, much like a “Trojan horse.” It remains inside the camp, and is now so ingrained in the mind-set of many believers that to even question its biblical basis is to subject oneself to scorn and intimidation.

I refer, of course, to the Trojan horse of pretribulation rapturism.

· Pretribulationism, with its teaching that the Church will be “out of here” before the Antichrist arises, has proffered a false hope of exemption from the Great Tribulation and the pressures exerted by Antichrist. It may sound good, but like a placebo, it will do no good.

The result of the Trojan horse of pretribulation rapturism has been to anesthetize the Church in the twentieth century. She has been robbed of a sense of urgency and spiritual preparedness for conflict ahead. No one who understands the truth of the blessed hope would suggest that encounter with the Antichrist infringes on that hope.

Perhaps, of greatest consequence, is the fact that if the Church enters the seventieth week of Daniel, having been taught that she would not be present when the Antichrist arises, she will be caught off guard and confused. If the Church was misled on this important subject, she will question where else she may have been misled. She will be vulnerable to a spiritual “Pearl Harbor.”

The only true remedy is to get the “Trojan horse” out of the camp as quickly as possible. That task is easier said than done. The giants of pride, blind allegiance, and large ministries stand in the way: “pride” on the part of many Bible teachers who have taught pretribulationism for years and don’t want to acknowledge that, no matter how well intended, they were wrong; “blind allegiance” by some who pound the pulpit in defense of pretribulationism but, if questioned, often can’t defend their position and don’t even understand the issues involved; and “large ministries” which have many supporters upon whom they are dependent and who are pretribulational. If the ministry publicly changed its view, much of the support would cease, and the ministry would be adversely affected.

Some will take issue with what I have written and be offended. But what I have written is true and needs desperately to be said.

The Trojan horse is bleeding profusely. Ever-larger numbers of believers are turning away from pretribulation rapturism. And old, worn-out tourniquets being desperately reapplied by a few of its adherents will not stop the flow.

If it pleases the Lord, perhaps there is still time to push the Trojan horse outside the camp before the Church enters the seventieth week of Daniel to do battle with the Antichrist.


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The Church’s Trojan Horse
From the Writings of Marvin J. Rosenthal
Published in Zion’s Fire Magazine in March/April, 1997

For Fair Use Discussion and Educational Purposes


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IMPOSSIBLE-TO-RESOLVE PROBLEMS FOR PRETRIBULATION RAPTURISM

If, as pretribulation rapturism maintains, the Day of the Lord starts at the beginning of the Seventieth Week and if, as they normally teach, the Rapture begins the Seventieth Week, then it must be concluded that these two events (the apostasy and the revealing of the man of sin) occur before the Rapture of the church. That glaring anomaly simply cannot be denied. One of two things should be conceded: either the doctrine of imminency, which maintains that no prophesied events can precede the Rapture , is invalid; or the proposition that the Day of the Lord starts at the beginning of the Seventieth Week must be rescinded. There is no legitimate escape from either conclusion. But those difficulties, as major as they are, only begin the impossible-to-resolve problems that pretribulation rapturism faces when examined in the light of 2 Thessalonians 2. This larger difficulty is related to the following demonstrable facts:

1) The apostasy and revelation of the "man of sin" occur within, not before, the Seventieth Week of Daniel;

2) the Day of the Lord must, according to Paul, occur after the apostasy and revealing of the man of sin;

3) the Rapture immediately precedes the Day of the Lord; and therefore,

4) the Rapture cannot possibly be pretribulational.



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WHO IS THE RESTRAINER (THE ONE WHO IS HINDERING ANTICHRIST)?

(2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-12)

First, as has been repeatedly pointed out, the Day of the Lord does not commence with the beginning of the seventieth week of Daniel. Its approach is said to be heralded by cosmic disturbances (the sixth seal, Rev. 6:12-13), and it begins with the opening of the seventh seal.

Second, the hinderer, or restrainer (whoever he may be for the moment) is not removed until the middle of the seventieth week with the occurence of the abomination that makes the temple desolate. Paul makes that patently clear. Speaking of the Antichrist, he wrote, "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" (2 Thess. 2:4-5).

It is in connection with that event which occurs in the middle of the seventieth week, not at its beginning, that Paul teaches concerning the one who hinders. (2 Thess. 2:6-9). The hindering is associated with the events of the Great Tribulation, not with the entire seven year period.

Third, of paramount importance is the identification of the one who restrains or hinders the Antichrist until "he (the restrainer) be taken out of the way." The restrainer is neither the Holy Spirit nor human government. Evidence is strained to support either of those contentions. There is, however, substantial evidence to identify the restrainer. He who restrains until "he be taken out of the way" is the archangel Michael. The following evidence will substantiate that fact.

1. The archangel Michael has long been recognised by both Jewish and Christian scholars as having a special guardian relationship to Israel (Dan. 10:21). His name means Who is like God? almost as if in contrast to Satan who desires to be "like the Most high" (Isaiah 14:14). Daniel is told that Michael is "the great prince who standeth [present continuous tense; that is, he continuous to stand] for the children of thy people" (Daniel 12:1).

2. Revelation 12 describes a war that occurs in heaven. The time for that conflict can be pinpointed at precisely the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel (Rev. 12:6, 13-14). It is described this way:

And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and [the dragon] prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven .... And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the male child. (Rev. 12:7-8. 13.)

The woman represents Israel, who gave Christ (the male child) to the world Rev. 12:5) and who will be severely persecuted during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12:13-17).

3. Speaking of this one who will hinder the Antichrist, Paul said, "only he who now hindereth will continue to hinder until he be taken out of the way" (2 Thess. 2:7). The word hindereth means to hold down, and the phrase taken out of the way means to step aside. Therefore, the one who had the job of hindering the Antichrist will step aside; that is, he will no longer be a restraint between the Antichrist and those the Antichrist is persecuting.

4. The Bible is explicit that the archangel Michael is the personage who will step aside. Daniel records that event this way: "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time" (Daniel 12:1).

It is important to note when this event occurs. The preceding verse says, "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious mountain" (Daniel 11:45). This can only refer to the Antichrist, who will establish his headquarters between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea on the glorious mountain - Jerusalem. This occurs in the middle of the seventieth week in connection with his desecration of the temple and erection of a statue of himself.

Further, that unprecedented time of trouble can only refer to the Great Tribulation. Since Daniel is told that this great trouble relates to his people - and his people are the Jews- this can only be "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7), which is a synonym for the Great Tribulation. It is at that time that the archangel Michael will stand up.

But what does the Hebrew word for stand up (amad) mean? Rashi, one of Israel's greatest scholars and one who had no concern regarding the issue and timing of the Rapture, understood stand up to literally mean stand still. The meaning , according to one of Israel's greatest scholars, would be to stand aside or be inactive. Michael, the guardian of Israel, had earlier fought for her (Dan. 10:13,21), but now this one "who standeth for the children of thy [Daniel's] people" would stand still or stand aside. He would not help; he would not restrain; he would not hold down. The Midrash, commenting on this verse, says, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Michael, 'You are silent? You do not defend my children'."

Other biblical instances of stand up (amad) meaning to be still or desist are "they... stood still (desisted), and answered no more" (Job 32:16), and again, Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people); and when he opened it, all the people stood up" (Neh. 8:5). Commenting on this verse, Rashi indicates that the people kept quiet (stood still) while Ezra read the Torah.

It is clear that the restrainer is neither human government nor the blessed Holy Spirit of God. The restrainer is not taken out of the world; he simply ceases restraining. The restrainer does not cease his activity at the beginning of the seventieth week but at midpoint. Interestingly, the identification of Michael as the restrainer is by no means a new and novel idea. Michael is mentioned as the restrainer of Satan as early as the first or second century A.D. in Greek magical papyri. (Who knows better than Satan himself?)

If one finds it hard to stand up against popular error now - imagine what it will be like when true christians will be up against an apostate church - deluded by signs, lying wonders, craving wierd unscriptural gifts, extra- biblical revelations and mega manifestations etc. How difficult it will be to resist that global mass of deceived humanity being shepherded by (false) "apostles and prophets" who will jubilantly receive (and expect you to bow down and worship) the Antichrist as if he were the True Messiah. The "church" today is already a long way down that tragic path of deception.

Finally Brethren, as we see that day approaching, let us earnestly beseech our Lord to raise up fearless, faithful overcomers on behalf of His beloved Blood-Redeemed Bride. If ever there was a time when true Christians were called upon to "come out from among them, and be ye separate (2 Cor. 6:17)", and, to enthrone Christ above all else in their lives "that I may know Him (Phil. 3:7-10)" - that moment is now!

"..But the people that do know their God shall be strong,

and do exploits." ( Dan. 11:32 )



FROM TIME TO ETERNITY

VERNON B. HANSEN

P.O. BOX 20981, DURBAN NORTH 4016, SOUTH AFRICA

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