http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_second2.php

As every new year dawns, I find myself earnestly yearning that it will be the year that will initiate the end time events that will lead to the Lord's return to this earth.

The first of those events will be the Rapture of the Church. That will be followed by the Great Tribulation of seven years, a period of unparalleled horror that will culminate in the return of Jesus to reign over all the world.

The writings of the early Church Fathers (100 to 300 A.D.) reveal that one of the earliest prayers of the Church was "Maranatha!" (1 Corinthians 16:22). That word is actually an Aramaic phrase that means "Our Lord come!"

This prayer expresses a fact that is confirmed by many other scriptures; namely, that the First Century Church had an ardent desire for the soon return of Jesus.

A Waning of the Zeal

The Twentieth Century Church seems to have lost that desire. Most professing Christians today do not pray "Maranatha!" They do not yearn for the return of the Lord. Instead of yearning, they are yawning.

Christendom at large is caught up in apathy regarding the return of Jesus. And that is sad, for the Word says that the return of the Lord is our "Blessed Hope" (Titus 2:13).

Also, we are constantly admonished in Scripture to watch for the Lord's coming and to be ready. Jesus Himself said, "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight... for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect" (Luke 12:35,40). Paul exhorted Titus to live "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13). And as Paul faced death in prison, he wrote: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." — 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Think of it, Paul says that a special reward — "a crown of righteousness," will be given to any person who lives his or her life loving the appearing of the Lord.

Are you a candidate for this reward? Do you have a zealous yearning in your heart for the Lord's soon return? Do you pray daily, "Maranatha!"?

Looking for Jesus

There are at least six reasons why every Christian should earnestly desire the soon return of Jesus:

1) Jesus: When Jesus returns He will get what He deserves — honor, glory and power.

When He came the first time, He was repudiated by the Jews, rejected by His home town, and spurned by his family. He was persecuted by the religious leaders, betrayed by a friend, denied by another friend, deserted by His disciples, and mocked by the masses. He had no place to lay His head. His only possession was a robe.

He was born in a stable, raised in poverty, nailed to a tree, and buried in a borrowed tomb. Today, people scoff at Him and ridicule Him. His name is used as a curse word.

That is not what He deserves!

It is going to be different when He returns. The first time He came as a gentle and helpless baby. He is going to return as a mighty warrior. He came the first time as a suffering lamb to die for the sins of the world, but He will return as a conquering lion who will pour out the wrath of God on those who have rejected the love, mercy and grace of God. His first coming was marked by compassion, humility, and a willingness to be judged and to die. He will return in triumph and in wrath to judge and make war against the enemies of God. He came the first time as a Servant; He is returning as a Monarch.

Jesus was humiliated in history. I want to see Him vindicated and glorified in history. And He will be because His Father has promised Him that He will reign over all the earth (Psalm 2:7-9). He has also been promised that He will manifest His glory before His saints (Isaiah 24:21-23) and before the nations of the earth (Isaiah 66:18 & Psalm 22:27-31). Paul says He is returning "to be glorified in His saints... and to be marveled at among all who have believed" (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

2) Satan: When Jesus returns, Satan will receive what he deserves — defeat, dishonor and humiliation.

I'm sick of Satan. I'm tired of his plots and schemes and lies and deceptions. I'm fed up with his sicknesses and temptations. I'm weary of his physical, emotional and spiritual pollution. I'm disgusted with his wrecking of marriages and homes. I loath his wars and terrorism. I despise His ceaseless attacks on the Church.

I often feel like the martyrs portrayed in Revelation who cry out day and night before the throne of God, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?" (Revelation 6:10) Like Isaiah, I want to cry out to God, "Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!" (Isaiah 64:1).

The fate of Satan was sealed by the Cross, but his nefarious activities will not cease until the Lord returns. At that time, the Word says that God will deal with Satan decisively. Luke 18:7 says that God will vindicate His elect who cry out to Him day and night by providing them justice. Romans 16:20 says that Satan will be "crushed." The book of Revelation says he will then be thrown into the lake of fire where he "will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10 — see also, Isaiah 14:12-17).

But Satan doesn't want to go to Hell alone. He's working overtime to take as many people with him as he can. And I want that work stopped! I want Satan to get what he deserves.

3) The Creation: When Jesus returns, the creation will receive what it has been promised — restoration.

The material universe was originally created in beauty and perfection. There were no poisonous plants or animals, nor were there any meat eating animals. There were no natural cataclysms like earthquakes and tornados. Mankind lived in perfect harmony with nature.

But when Man rebelled against God, one of the consequences of his sin was that God placed a curse on the creation. Poisonous plants and animals suddenly appeared. The animal kingdom turned against itself and Man as some of the animals became meat eaters. And the natural cataclysms began to take their toll. Man now had to strive against nature to survive.

But the moment God placed the curse on the creation, He promised that one day it would be lifted through "the seed of woman" (Genesis 3:15). That promise is repeated throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Isaiah 11, the prophet says that when the Messiah comes to reign, "the wolf will dwell with the lamb" and "the lion will eat straw like the ox." He further states that "the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra" because the snake will no longer be poisonous.

Paul reaffirms this promise in the New Testament in the eighth chapter of Romans. He pictures the whole creation as being like a pregnant woman gripped by birth pains, crying out for the moment of delivery. He says that moment will come when "the sons of God are revealed." In other words, it will occur at the resurrection when the Lord returns (Romans 8:18-23).

On the day the Lord returns, the earth will be renovated by earthquakes and supernatural phenomena in the heavens (Revelation 6:12-17). The result will be a refreshed and beautified earth. The destructive forces of nature will be curtailed. Deserts will bloom. The plant and animal kingdoms will be redeemed. Poisonous plants and animals will cease to be poisonous. The carnivorous animals will become herbivorous. All of nature will cease to strive against itself. Instead, it will work together harmoniously to the benefit of Man. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 35:1-10; Isaiah 65:17-25; Acts 3:19-21; and Romans 8:18-23)

4) The Nations: When Jesus returns, the nations will receive what they have been promised — peace, righteousness and justice.

Mankind has dreamed of world peace throughout history. Disarmament treaties have been negotiated, peace treaties have been signed, international organizations have been created, but true peace has remained elusive.

The Bible says that permanent world peace will never be achieved until the Prince of Peace, the Messiah, returns. Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied that when the Lord returns, the nations "will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks" and that "nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war" (Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3).

The hope of the world for peace will never be realized in summit conferences between heads of state. The only hope is the return of Jesus who will rule the world with "a rod of iron" (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:26-27).

5) The Jews: When Jesus returns, the Jews will receive what they have been promised — salvation and primacy.

God has made many wonderful promises to His chosen people, the nation of Israel. Most of these are unfulfilled and will not be fulfilled until a remnant of the Jews turn to Jesus and accept Him as their Messiah. The prophetic scriptures tell us this will happen at the end of the Tribulation when the Jews who are left alive have come to the end of themselves and decide to turn to God.

Zechariah says this remnant will "look upon Him whom they have pierced and will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son" (Zechariah 12:10). The prophet also says that on that day of repentance, "a fountain of salvation will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity" (Zechariah 13:1).

This believing remnant will then be regathered to the land of Israel to receive the blessings that God has promised the nation. Those incredible blessings are described in great detail in chapters 60 through 62 of Isaiah. God's Shekinah glory will return (60:2) to a rebuilt Temple (60:7). The nations will send all kinds of assistance (60:10), including their wealth (60:5). The land of Israel will be reclaimed (60:13), the nation will receive respect (60:15), the people will enjoy peace (60: 18), and the Messiah will live in their presence (60:13,19). All the ruins will be rebuilt (61:4) and the land will be filled with joy (61:7-8) and praise (61:10-11). The nation will be a beacon of righteousness, and its glory will be witnessed all over the world (62:1-3). To sum it up, Isaiah says the nation of Israel will be "a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of God" (62:3).

In effect, the world will be turned upside down regarding its relationship to the Jews. Today the Jewish people are despised and persecuted. They are the butt of jokes and ridicule. But a day is coming when all that will cease. Zechariah says that during the Lord's millennial reign the Jewish people will be so honored that when a Jew walks by, ten Gentiles will grab his clothing and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you" (Zechariah 8:23).

6) The Saints: Some of the promises to the Saints — to those who are member's of the Lord's Church — will be fulfilled at the time of the Rapture. The Rapture is an event that could occur any moment. It will precede the Second Coming.

At the Rapture, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living will be translated to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is at this time that both the living and dead in Christ will receive their glorified bodies. These will be immortal, perfected bodies — like the body that Jesus had after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42-53 and Philippians 3:21).

When Jesus returns to this earth, the Saints will come with Him and will witness His glorious victory over the Antichrist and his forces (Revelation 19:11-21). The Saints will then receive what they have been promised — a redeemed earth and ruling power over the nations (Matthew 5:5 and Revelation 2:26-27).

Jesus will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords (Isaiah 24:21-23). David in his glorified body will reign as king of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9 and Ezekiel 34:23-24). The Saints in their glorified bodies will be scattered all over the world to assist with the Lord's reign (2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 2:26-27). Some will serve as administrators (mayors, governors, presidents, and kings), others will serve as judges, but most will serve as teachers, for the entire educational system of the world will be in the hands of glorified Saints. It will be their responsibility to teach those who are in the flesh about the Lord. There will be no legislators (thank God!), for Jesus Himself will give the law. (See Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 66:19-21; Jeremiah 3:12-18; and Luke 19:11-27.)

These six reasons make it clear that every Christian should be earnestly desiring the return of the Lord. Yet apathy prevails. Why?

Yawning about Jesus

I have found four reasons for the apathy and indifference that characterize the Christian community concerning the return of Jesus: unbelief, ignorance, fear, and carnality.

Unbelief — Regarding unbelief, many professing Christians simply do not believe that Jesus will ever return. Most of these are people with a liberal view of Scripture. They have spiritualized away the meaning of the Second Coming, just as they have spiritualized the virgin birth and the miracles. To them, the Second Coming is nothing more than a fairy tale. In 2 Peter 3:3-4 we are told that the end times will be characterized by scoffers who will mock the Lord's promise to return. The tragedy is that many of these are people who profess to be Christians.

Ignorance — I think most of the Christians who are apathetic about the Lord's return are just ignorant about what will happen when He comes back. As a result, they cannot get excited about an event they know nothing about. I was in this category for thirty years. Although I attended church faithfully, my church ignored the teaching and preaching of God's Prophetic Word. I didn't have the foggiest idea about what would happen when the Lord came back, and the result was apathy about His return. But when I began studying Bible prophecy and learned what is in store for believers when the Lord returns, I started jumping pews and shouting "Maranatha!" I have never been apathetic since that time.

Fear — The apathy of some Christians is due to the fact that they fear the Lord's return. Because of that fear, they try to repress the thought that He might break from the Heavens at any moment. They fear He might return on one of their "bad" days or when they have an "unconfessed sin" on their conscience. These people are caught up in works salvation. They do not understand that they are saved by grace and that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Carnality — Finally, there are many carnal Christians who cannot get excited about the coming of the Lord because they are in love with the world. They are walking with one foot in the church and one foot in the country club. They want the Lord to come, but they want Him to come when they are 80 years old and have experienced all that this world has to offer. In other words, they want Him to come, but they don't want Him to mess up their lives.

A Seventh Reason

Let me conclude with a personal note. There is another reason I want Jesus to return. It has to do with the fact that when you love someone, you want to be with them. I love to fellowship with Jesus in worship, in prayer, and in His Word. But these forms of fellowship are no substitute for being with Him. I love Him, and therefore...

I want to be with Him.
I want to bask in the presence of His love and holiness.
I want to see the glory of God in His face.
I want to kiss His nail-scarred hands and say,
"Thank you!"
Thank you for...
dying for me,
forgiving me,
changing me,
guiding me,
comforting me,
and for giving my life meaning and purpose.
And I want to join the Saints and the Heavenly
Host in singing, "Worthy is the Lamb!"
Maranatha!

http://www.emjc3.com/proof/pretribulationrapture.htm

Case for The Pre-Tribulation RaptureThe Bible lays out a plan for human history. In this plan there will be a time called 'The Great Tribulation.' I present the following article to show that Christians will not go through The Great Tribulation. We might suffer some trials and tribulation but will be raptured before things get real bad. I offer four reasons for this --

(1) Rom 5:9 says, "We shall be saved from wrath."  I Thess 5:9 "God has not appointed us to wrath" Rev 11:18 declares, "Thy wrath is come." And Rev 6:17 says, "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"If Christians are not subject to God’s wrath and the Great Tribulation is God’s wrath, the conclusion has to be: The Church will not experience the Great Tribulation.

(2) The Great Tribulation is God's judgment upon the Earth: e.g. Rev 6:12 says those on the earth try to hide and they call for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of His [God's] wrath has come, and they question, "Who shall be able to stand?" God has never judged His people along with the unrighteous:e.g. God couldn't judge Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot was gone see Genesis 19:22.   God's judgment didn't flood the Earth until Noah and his family were on board the ark  

(3) In 1Thes 4:16-18 Paul, speaking of the rapture says, 16        For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  17        Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.18        Wherefore comfort one another with these words.The church is the Bride of Christ. God is going to marry us one day (technically, He already is married to us). Notice in verse 18 Paul says to "comfort one another with these words." Suppose we do go through the tribulation, what is comforting about saying, As the Bride of Christ we will forever be with the Lord, but first God is going to come and beat the tar out of us (during the great tribulation), comfort one another with these words.

(4) In Rev 3:10 God says, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." (NKJV)(Notice, He says He will keep you from the hour of trial, you won't go through it or even go through part of it, but you will be kept from it. You will be removed before it begins. Moreover, Thomas Ice reminds us that there are two events which are sometimes confused (the rapture, and the second coming of Christ - see chart) and gives us additional reasons the Bible supports a pre-tribulation rapture.  

The Rapture	The Second Coming of Christ
Translation of all believers	No translation at all
Translated saints go to heaven	Translated saints return to Earth
Earth not judged	Earth Judged & righteousness established
Imminent, any moment, signless	Follows definite predicted signs
Affects Believers only	Affects all men
Before the day of wrath	Concluding the day of wrath
Christ comes for His own	Christ comes with His own
Christ meets us in the air	Christ comes to the Earth
Only His own see Him	Every eye shall see Him
Great Tribulation begins	Millennial Kingdom begins

http://home.flash.net/~venzor/chapter3rapture.htm

RAPTURE

The phrase rapture (Greek-harpazo, in Latin-rapere) means to be caught up or taken away suddenly. The rapture refers to the sudden removal of God's people on the earth. In the twinkling of a eye born again Christians will suddenly be transformed out of our human bodies and will rise up into the air to join Jesus Christ. In the bible others have been taken away from the Earth like Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus when he left the Earth after his first coming.

Many biblical scholars feel that the rapture will occur prior to the Tribulation Period or Pre-Tribulation. Thus God will spare his Church from the persecutions of the Antichrist and the wrath of God which follows upon the wicked people of the earth. Other views of the timing of the rapture can be found in the links at the end of the page.

Sequence of Events

1 Lord Descends from Heaven With a Shout

2 Trumpet of God

3 Dead in Christ Rise into the Air

4 Alive Christians Change into Immortal Bodies

5 Alive Christians Rise into the Air

6 With the Lord Forever

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53 ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.

Matthew 24:40-41 ⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

• Billions of people will be left behind on this earth full of surprise and terror at the disappearances of their loved ones and friends. Who knows what kind of explanations the Antichrist will invent to explain the vanishings.

John 14:1-3 ¹Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

2 Thessalonians 2:3,6-7 ³Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

• The words falling away may have 2 different meanings.
• The first is to fall away from the faith. During our present time many Christian values and commandments are virtually ignored. Many have fallen away from Christ.
• The second meaning is to fall away from or depart. This may be a reference to the rapture. Who is "He"? There are also two opinions as to who he is? 1) He is the Holy Spirit who dwells within God's church and people and is removed by the rapture. The other opinion favored by non-pre-tribulation Christians is that he is the Archangel Michael. At the start of the tribulation he stands up therby removing his protection over Israel. Daniel 12:1 Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found in the book, will be rescued.
• After the rapture the Antichrist is revealed. The Antichrist is probably on the world scene now.

Acts 1:9-11 ⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

• Jesus will return to the Earth the same way he left; from the clouds

Promise of Delivery From the Wrath of God to Come

God promised that he would deliver his Church from the persecutions of the Antichrist and the wrath of God which follows upon the wicked people of the earth. The rapture is the fulfillment of that promise.

1 Thessalonians 5:4,9-10 ⁴But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Colossians 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Luke 21:34-36 ³⁴And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. ³⁵For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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.

• Be ready for the rapture. Escape the wrath!

Isaiah 26:19-21 ¹⁹Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. ²⁰Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. ²¹For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

• The rapture of the dead followed by his people. After the rapture the indignation or tribulation will fall upon the Earth.

Revelation 3:10-11 ¹⁰Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. ¹¹Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

• The Lord will keep his people and church out of the Tribulation.

Zephaniah 2:2-3 ²Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you. ³Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

 Imminency of the Rapture

• The Rapture and the coming of Christ can occur at any time. We must always be ready.

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

• The belief in a imminent or at any time rapture has two beneficial effects on the church

1. It encourages us to live righteously as Christ may return at any time

2. It encourages soul winning believers and missionaries to win over friends, family and the lost of the world before he returns

http://home.flash.net/~venzor/chapter4sevenyear.htm

SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD OF DANIEL

This seven-year period is also known as Daniel's 70^th week, the time of Jacob's trouble, or the Tribulation Period.

This 7-year period of Daniel begins after the Antichrist signs a peace treaty or covenant with Israel guaranteeing its security. As we read the daily news Israel is getting closer and closer to signing a final peace treaty that may begin the end times and bring the Antichrist onto the world stage.

During these seven years many multitudes of people will find Christ. Unfortunately most of these new Christians will be persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured by the Antichrist and his new world government in a time known as the Great Tribulation. In addition, those that escape this persecution may perish during God's wrath which is unleashed during the second 3 and 1/2 years of this period during the Day of the Lord.

PEACE COVENANT- False Security of Israel

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

• One week equals seven years in bible prophecy.
• Genesis 29:27-28 ²⁷Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. ²⁸And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

SEVEN SEALS

• These are the fulfillment of the signs of the end times given by Jesus.

First Seal - White Horseman of the Antichrist

• Other names in the Bible for the Antichrist: Beast, Little horn, Man of Sin, Prince who is to come, Wicked

Revelation 6:1-2 ¹And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. ²And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

• This is the Antichrist who impersonates Christ by riding a white horse as Jesus does at the second coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:3,6-8 ³Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. ⁸And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

• The Antichrist is revealed after the church, in which dwells the Holy Spirit, has been removed by the rapture.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

• The people of the Roman empire under general Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. Therefore, the Antichrist will come from the reborn Roman empire (probably the European Community or some other nation that was part of the Roman empire).

Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

• The Antichrist claims he is God/Messiah and will persecute Christians until the Day of the Lord

How does the Antichrist Rise to Power

Daniel 7:7-8, 23-24 ⁷After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. ⁸I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. ²³Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. ²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

• The fourth beast is the confederacy of former Roman empire countries. It consists of 10 nations led by kings or horns. After the 10 kings are in place the Antichrist or little horn takes over 3 of those nations and will lead the new Roman empire or fourth beast.
• The initial European Economic Community consisted of 10 nations.

False Prophet is Revealed

Revelation 13:11-15 ¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. ¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

• The false prophet performs great signs and miracles in the presence of the Antichrist causing the unbelieving people to further worship the beast and his idol. The false prophet also has great economic power and establishes the mark of the beast.

Second Seal - Red Horseman of War

Revelation 6:3-4 ³And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. ⁴And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

• Peace is removed from the earth.

MARK OF THE BEAST (666)

Revelation 11:16-18 ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

• To buy or sell (food, housing, car, job) the False Prophect will require each person to receive a mark on his forehead or right hand. No one knows what this mark may be. It is speculated that this could be a computer chip embedded under the skin that would contain a person's financial and personal records.

 Third Seal - Black Horseman of Famine

Revelation 6:5-6 ⁵And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. ⁶And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

• Food represented by wheat and barley cost more than a day's wages. While luxury goods such as oil and wine are still available to the rich.

Two Witnesses of God

Revelation 13:3-6 ³And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. ⁴These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. ⁵And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. ⁶These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

• God's prophets speak against the wicked people of the earth and the Antichrist.
• The ministries of the two witnesses must begin in the first 3 and 1/2 years because they are killed 1260 days later during the second 3 and 1/2 years by the Antichrist.
• Most bible scholars feel that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah as Moses also smited the Earth with plagues and Elijah had the power to shut heaven or cause a drought. Elijah was also predicted by Malachi before the Day of the Lord. Malachi 4:5-6 ⁵Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: ⁶And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

http://home.flash.net/~venzor/chapter2signs.htm

PROPHETIC SIGNS THAT WE ARE IN THE END TIMES IN 2000

• Six signs are given by Jesus
• Two characteristics are given by Paul
• Eleven other occurences given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age.

SIX SIGNS GIVEN BY JESUS TO INDICATE HIS COMING AND THE END OF THE AGE

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

• Jesus told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age. 

1) FALSE PROPHETS AND CHRISTS

Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

• In the last several years many people have claimed to be the Messiah like Jim Jones, David Koresh and countless others who are not as newsworthy. These false prophets are a prelude to the ultimate false Christ, the Antichrist.

2) WARS

Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

• Rumors of wars now occur frequently thanks to instant coverage by the television news media.

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

• More people been killed in warfare in the this century than at any other time in history.
• Devastating weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, and biological) are now available. For the first time in human history we now have the capacity to destroy ourselves.

3) FAMINES

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

• Famine is a constant finding in Africa, especially in Ethiopia and Sudan. A large portion of the world's 5 billion people are undernourished.

4) EARTHQUAKES

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

• The number and intensity of earthquakes this century are at a level higher than any other time in history.
• Current Earthquake Seismic Monitor (IRIS) - Link to Web site on major earthquakes in the last year. All yellow and red circles are earthquakes in the last fifteen days.
• Current Seismic Events
• By contrast in the years 1890-1900 there was only one major earthquake in the world.

5) TRIBULATIONS

Matthew 24:8-9 ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. ⁹Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

• At this time the Church is under attack throughout the world (China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Korea, Sudan). During the Tribulation the persecution of Christians will intensify even to the point of martyrdom.

Matthew 24:8 ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows.

• Unfortunately, these 5 signs will increase in intensity and severity as the tribulation approaches as the birthpangs or contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches.

6) GOSPEL PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD:

Matthew 24:14 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.

• This has been accomplished by TV, radio, missionaries, and bible offerings and translations in most languages of the world.

TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE END OF THE AGE BY THE APOSTLE PAUL

1) GODLESSNESS IN THE LAST DAYS

2 Timothy 3:1-5,7 ¹This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁷Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2) APOSTASY (FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH)

1 Timothy 4:1-3 ¹Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ²Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; ³Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

• The rising popularity of the new age movement, eastern religions, meditation, and belief in past lives and reincarnation.
• Christian denominations departing from the original teachings of the Bible.
  

ELEVEN FULLFILLMENTS OF BIBLE PROPHECY REQUIRED FOR THE END OF THE AGE

1) EXISTENCE OF A 200,000,000 MAN ARMY IN THE EAST:

Revelation 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

• At no time in history had such a large army existed until the Chinese army reached that figure in the 1960's.

2) REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (EUROPEAN COMMUNITY):

Daniel 2:32-33,40-43 ³²This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, ³³His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. ⁴⁰And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. ⁴²And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. ⁴³And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

• The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman empire according to Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The two legs are the division of the Roman empire into an eastern portion called the Byzantine empire which ended in the 1400's and a western portion based in Rome which ended in the 400's. The toes of iron may be the 10 member nations of the European Economic Community formed in the 1970's while the clay is the second tier of member nations. The nations of Europe since the Roman empire dissolved have never adhered or formed one empire but continue as separate nations.
• See the Kingdoms in Daniel chapters 2 and 7 for more information.

3) RETURN OF THE ONE PURE LANGUAGE, HEBREW, TO ISRAEL:

Zephaniah 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

• Prior to restoration of Israel in 1948, Hebrew was a dead language. Now Hebrew is spoken throughout Israel.

4) REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE/RESTORATION OF TEMPLE WORSHIP AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN JERUSALEM:

• The temple and restarting the animal sacrifices are required for several of the endtime prophecies to be fulfilled:

Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

• Building blueprints for the temple are ready. All that is delaying building now is the presence of the 3rd holiest site in Islam, the Dome of the Rock which lies over the old temple site.
• The rebuilding of the temple is therefore unlikely at the present time.

Four possible scenarios for the rebuilding of the temple:

• 1) The persuasion and performing of miracles by the Antichrist and False Prophet convinces the Islamic world to approve the rebuilding
• 2) Approval is given during the confusion and bewilderment of the Rapture
• 3) Some archeologists believe that the temple mount is actually 340 feet south of the Dome of the Rock site. If this proven true the building will begin. The court that is left out may refer to the building of the temple around the Dome of the Rock. Click for more information here.
  • Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
• 4) After God's supernatural destruction of the Russian army. This scenario assumes that this Russian attack on Israel is not the battle of Armageddon as some biblical students feel and that this attack occurs before the rapture or tribulation period begins. This destruction of the Russian and Islamic armed forces by God, will cause a outpouring of Christian worship and zeal amongst the Jewish people who will reconstruct the temple.
• A group in Israel called the Temple Mount Faithful have obtained most of the clothing, instruments and other equipment required for temple worship. Click here for more information on their current attempts to lay the cornerstone of the Temple in Jerusalem.

5) APPEARANCE OF THE RED HEIFER AFTER 2000 YEARS:

Numbers 19:2-7 ²This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: ³And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: ⁴And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: ⁵And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: ⁶And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. ⁷Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

• A Red Hiefer is required for the waters of purification. In May 1997 the first Red Heifer was born in 2000 years.

Ezekiel 36:24-25 ²⁴For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. ²⁵Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

6) INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL:

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

• More knowledge has been discovered in the last century than in all of history combined. 90% of all the engineers or scientists who have ever lived are alive today (quoted from Billy Graham).

7) RETURN OF THE ETHIOPIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL:

Zephaniah 3:10-11 ¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. ¹¹In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

• 1984 and 1991 U.S. airlifts of Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

8) RISE OF RUSSIA:

Ezekiel 38:2,4,8 ²Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, ⁴And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: ⁸After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

• Prior to the 20th century Magog or Russia was not a economic or military world power. In order for some end time events to occur Russia has to be a strong nation.

9) RETURN OF THE RUSSIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL:

Jeremiah 23:7-8 ⁷Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; ⁸But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

• 1970's and 80's exodus of Russian Jews out of Communist Russia.

10) TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MARK OF THE BEAST:

Revelation 13:16-17 ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

• Assuming the Mark is an under the skin implanted computer device, the technology is now available and patented at the U.S. Patent Office.
• Click here to access the patent. Enter 5638832 for the access number.

11) PLANS FOR THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT:

• The United Nations, World Trade Organization, Peacekeeping actions and other agencies are preliminary steps to the formation of a one world government.
• This generation is the first in history that has the communications and transportation needed to form a one world government which the Antichrist will establish.

12) INSTANT COMMUNICATION AROUND THE WORLD:

Revelation 11:3,7-10 ³And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. ⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. ⁸And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. ⁹And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. ¹⁰And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

• Television must be present for the world to see the dead prophets and rejoice at their deaths.
  

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

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The Origin of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture

The Origin of the Concept of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture From Man or the Bible? Dr. David R. Reagan �The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a johnny-come-lately idea that is too new to be true.� This is the most common argument that I encounter against the concept of the Rapture of the Church occurring before the Tribulation begins. There are several problems with this argument. The first is that it ignores the fact that the Bible teaches that end time prophecies will not be understood until the time comes for the predicted events to take place. When the prophet Daniel was given some specific prophecies about the end times, he complained to the Lord that he did not understand them. The Lord responded with these words: �Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end times� (Daniel 12:9). Jeremiah was told the same thing by the Lord on two occasions (Jeremiah 23:20 and 30:24). Waiting on Events There are many end time prophecies that can not be understood apart from historical or technological developments. For example, all of end time prophecy revolves around the state of Israel. Those prophecies were not fully understandable before the re-establishment of the state of Israel in May of 1948. Think of it for a moment � how could anyone in 1900 understand the prophecy in Ezekiel 38 that Russia will invade Israel in the end times? Israel did not exist, nor was there any prospect of Israel ever existing again. And Russia was a peaceful Christian Orthodox country. In like manner, before modern times, how could anyone understand the prophecy in Revelation 11 about the killing and resurrection of the two witnesses of God? That prophecy says that the whole world will look upon their bodies and witness their resurrection and rapture to Heaven (Revelation 11:9-12). No one could understand this prophecy before the development of satellite television communication in the 1960's. In summary, the Bible clearly teaches that the understanding of end time prophecy will be progressive in nature. We will understand more of the prophecies the closer we get to the time of their fulfillment. Waiting on Proper Interpretation In this regard, the reason the Pre-Tribulation concept of the timing of the Rapture was delayed in its refinement until the 19th Century was because the Roman Catholic Church adopted St. Augustine�s amillennial viewpoint of prophecy hook-line-and-sinker around 430 AD. In his book, The City of God, Augustine spiritualized Bible prophecy and then argued that the Millennium began at the Cross and would continue until the Second Coming. This spiritualizing approach to the interpretation of Bible prophecy proceeded to dominate theology for the next thousand years. Protestants adopted it after the Reformation and expressed it in the Postmillennial view that emerged in the mid-17th Century. Both Amillennialism and Postmillennialism are based on the assumption that Bible prophecy does not mean what it says. I grew up in a church that taught that assumption. It was a conservative, fundamentalist church that interpreted the Bible literally from cover to cover except for prophecies related to the Second Coming. The First Coming prophecies were accepted as literal. But the Second Coming prophecies were dismissed as allegorical or symbolic or apocalyptic � which, to us, meant that they had to be spiritualized. The Impact of Literal Interpretation The discovery of the distinction which the Bible makes between the Rapture and the Second Coming had to await the revival of the application of literal interpretation to Bible prophecy. I say �revival� because the writings of the Church Fathers during the first 300 years of church history (100 AD to 400 AD) reveal that they interpreted prophecy for its plain sense meaning. Accordingly, they were nearly all Premillennialists. In fact, Justin Martyr (110-165 AD) went so far as to suggest that anyone with a different viewpoint was heretical.1 The revival of literal interpretation began in earnest among the Puritans in the 17th Century, and it quickly led to an understanding that the Rapture would be an event separate from and preceding the Second Coming. Puritan leader, Increase Mather (1639-1723), argued �that the saints would be caught up into the air� and thus escape the world�s final conflagration. 2 Most people I encounter seem to believe that the concept of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture originated in the writings of C. I. Scofield, as expressed in his famous study Bible that was published in 1909. It is true that Scofield�s writing helped to popularize the idea, but he was by no means the originator of it. Historical Development Paul N. Benware, in his book, Understanding End Times Prophecy, notes that many writers in the 17th and 18th Centuries began to speak of a Rapture separate and apart from the Second Coming: 3 Peter Jurieu in his book, Approaching Deliverance of the Church (1687) taught that Christ would come in the air to rapture the saints and return to Heaven before the battle of Armageddon . . . Philip Doddridge�s commentary on the New Testament (1738) and John Gill�s commentary on the New Testament (1748) both use the term rapture and speak of it as imminent. It is clear these men believed that this coming will precede Christ�s descent to the earth and the time of judgment. The purpose was to preserve believers from the time of judgment. James Macknight (1763) and Thomas Scott (1792) taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven, where they will be secure until the time of judgment is over. Tommy Ice, the director of the Pre-Trib Research Center, asserts that the first person to spell out in detail the idea that the Rapture would occur before the Tribulation begins was a Baptist leader named Morgan Edwards. 4 This remarkable man was born in Wales and preached at churches in England and Ireland before emigrating to the United States in 1761 to become pastor of a church in Philadelphia. He proceeded to become the founder of Brown University and was recognized as the leading Baptist historian of his day. As early as the 1740's Edwards was espousing a pre-tribulational viewpoint in his writings about eschatology. The difference in his view and the modern Pre-Trib concept is that he believed the Rapture would occur in the middle of Daniel�s 70th week, about 3� years before the Second Coming. The Modern Pre-Trib View The person who crystallized the modern Pre-Trib viewpoint was a man named John Darby (1800-1882).5 Darby was born in London and was trained in the law. He practiced law for only one year before he was overcome by a deep spiritual struggle that finally led to a decision to enter the ministry. He became an Anglican priest but quickly became disillusioned when the church decreed that all converts would have to swear allegiance to the King of England. Darby considered this to be a compromise with the lordship of Christ. Darby decided to leave the Anglican Church. In the years following, he and other dissenters from the established state church inaugurated a movement that came to be known as the Plymouth Brethren. In 1826 Darby broke one of his legs, and during the long convalescence that followed, he engaged in an intensive study of the Scriptures that convinced him of the clear distinction between the Church and Israel. He also became convicted of the imminent return of Jesus. Thus, by 1827 he had developed the fundamental principles that would come to characterize a new theological system that would be called Dispensationalism. The Dissemination of the View After John Darby refined the concept, it spread rapidly throughout Europe and America. The viewpoint has always been blessed by gifted communicators. In 1878 the very first best-selling prophecy book incorporated the idea. It was Jesus is Coming by William E. Blackstone (1841-1935).6 In 1909 the very first study Bible ever published � The Scofield Study Bible � developed the scriptural arguments for the viewpoint in detail.7 Then came the amazing charts and diagrams of Clarence Larkin (1850-1924) in his book Dispensational Truth. 8 Harry Ironside (1876-1951), the popular pastor of the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, preached the concept in his sermons and books during the 1930's and 40's.9 In 1970 Hal Lindsey published The Late Great Planet Earth and once again the viewpoint was expressed in a best seller.10 The 20th Century ended with the view being espoused in the �Left Behind� block-buster series of books written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. 11 Attacks on the View Over the years there have been many attacks on the Pre-Trib viewpoint. The most sustained � and the most ridiculous � has been the one launched in the 1970's by Dave MacPherson.12 In a book he keeps re-publishing under different, sensational titles, MacPherson argued that the whole notion of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture was supposedly given to Darby when he attended a Charismatic prayer meeting in Scotland in 1830 where a 15 year old girl, Margaret MacDonald, went into a state of ecstasy during which she declared there would be a Rapture prior to the Tribulation. MacPherson asserts: �Darby borrowed from her, modified her views, and then popularized them under his own name without giving her credit.�13 The first problem with MacPherson�s assertions is that we know that Darby developed his concept of the Rapture�s timing in the winter of 1826-1827, some three years before the prayer meeting in Scotland. The second problem relates to a strange aspect of MacPherson�s book. In an appendix, he reproduces Margaret MacDonald�s handwritten account of what she said at the 1830 meeting, and there is nothing in it that even suggests a Pre-Tribulation Rapture!14 But the biggest problem with MacPherson�s assertion is that it is really irrelevant. The crucial question is not where the Pre-Tribulation Rapture concept originated; rather, the only question that matters is whether or not it is biblical. Ancient Examples of the Concept As I have demonstrated in the previous articles in this issue, the concept is completely biblical. It has always been in the Scriptures, waiting for those with a literal approach to interpretation to discover it and develop it in detail. In this regard, I think it is important to note that more and more ancient writings are being discovered that contain intimations of a Rapture separate and apart from the Second Coming. One of the early Church Fathers, The Shepherd of Hermas, writing in the early 2nd Century, makes an interesting observation about �the great tribulation that is coming.� He says, �If then ye prepare yourselves, and repent with all your heart and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and ye spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly.�15 In medieval times evidence of pretribulational thinking can be found in the recently discovered sermon attributed to Ephraem the Syrian.16 This sermon, which was written sometime between the 4th and 6th Centuries, encourages believers to prepare themselves for meeting the Lord because �all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins.� Scholars believe this text was derived from the writings of the original Ephraem who lived from 306 to 373 AD. He was one of the leading theologians of the early Byzantine Church.17 It is very likely that there were always some forms of premillennialism and pretribulational thought throughout the Middle Ages but, if so, these viewpoints had to be expressed underground because they violated Catholic dogma. Sects like the Albigenses, Lombards, and the Waldenses were attracted to a literal interpretation of the Bible, but little is know about their detailed beliefs because the Catholic Church declared their writings to be heretical and destroyed them. Concluding Observations Two final observations before I conclude. First, there is a mistaken idea that only Dispensationalists believe in a Pre-Trib Rapture. That is not so. In the 1920's the view was adopted by many Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies of God. I personally am a good example of a person who holds to the Pre-Trib viewpoint but who is not a full-blown Dispensationalist. My final observation is that I am not dogmatic about the timing of the Rapture. Unlike some of my colleagues who are downright uncompromising about the timing, I prefer to say that �I believe the best inference of Scripture is that the Rapture is most likely to occur before the Tribulation begins.� The Bible never clearly states when the Rapture will occur, and there is, therefore, legitimate room for differences of opinion.

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http://www.his-forever.com/50_evidences.htm

50 Evidences for the Pre-Trib Rapture
by Bob Syme

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Historical Doctrine of Imminency

1.               The early church believed in the imminency of the Lord's return. While it can be debated which church father said what, there is a consistency in the early church on imminency which is essential to the pre-trib position and in opposition to some other positions.

2.               The Pre-trib position is the ONLY one which truly teaches imminency.

3.               The fact that there is a greater development of the doctrine in recent centuries does not preclude it from the early centuries. In the very early years of the church you see the development of great fundamentals doctrines of Trinity, Deity, God-man, canon of Scripture, etc. Following those early church councils is a time of decline in the corporate church into great apostasy. The teaching of that time are built on many of the heresies of Augustine. When the Reformation comes, there is a period of reestablishing the foundational doctrines of salvation. Now, in these last days there is both and ability and a need in the church to better understand the doctrines of eschatology and the Spirit is continuing His ministry of guiding the church in all truth.

4.               The exhortation to be comforted by the "coming of the Lord" (1Thessalonians 4:18) is valid only in the context of the pre-trib view. It could even be a fearsome thing in a post-trib view.

5.               We are exhorted to look for the "Glorious Appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13) If there are any prophetic events  (ie: tribulation) to come first, then this passage is nonsensical.

6.               Again, we are to "purify ourselves" in view of his coming. (1 John 3:2-3)  If his coming is not imminent then the passage is meaningless.

7.                The church told *only* to look for the Coming of Christ. It is Israel and the tribulation saints that are told to look for signs.

 

Nature of the Church

(Those who do not understand the nature of the church as unique in the program of God will continually be confused about the nature of His coming for the church.)

8.               The translation of the church is never mentioned in any context dealing with the second coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation.

9.               The church is "not appointed to wrath" (Rom 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10) The church cannot enter into the "great day of their wrath."

10.           The Church will not be "overtaken by the Day of the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9) (Day of the Lord is another term for the great tribulation.)

11.           The church will be "kept from the hour of testing that shall come upon all the world." (Revelation 3:10)

12.           The believer will escape the tribulation (Luke 21:36).

13.            It is in the character of God to deliver His own from the greatest times of trial. (Lot, Rahab. Israel, Noah, etc.)

14.            It is clear that there is a time interval between the translation of the church and the Return of Christ. 
(John 14:3)

15.            Only the pre-trib position does not divide the Body of Christ on a works principle as does partial rapture does so clearly and others to a lesser extent. It becomes a climatic finale to the grand plan of salvation by grace alone.

16.            The Scriptures are adamant that the church is undivided. In this age the church is divided by the continuing old nature in the believers. When we are glorified at the coming of Christ, the church is no more divided.

17.            The godly remnant of the tribulation has the attributes seen in OT Israel and not the church. The church is not present in the prophecies of Revelation.

The pre-trib view, unlike the post-trib view does not confuse terms like elect and saints which apply to believers of all ages, as opposed to terms like church and in Christ, which apply only to those who are the body of Christ in this age.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

18.            The Holy Spirit is the Restrainer of evil in the world. He cannot be taken out as prophesied unless the church which is indwelt by the Holy Spirit is taken out.  [NOTE FROM PEGGY:  The Holy Spirit will NOT be removed from the earth, as He is omnipresent and two of His major functions are convicting people of their sins and bringing them to salvation, but He will no longer be working THROUGH the Church, because we will be in Heaven during the Tribulation... us verbal, mouthy, troublemaking Christians.  :-)  He will still be working in the 144,000 and through the 2 witnesses.  The Church indwelt by the Holy Spirit is the restrainer.]