Bible Study Pages
Go Back to Faith Refuge's Home Page
To His Elect of Matthew 24:31,
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ. As I was reading ahead in our Sunday School
Book 'Word Aflame Adult Teacher' from the Expository Series by the UPCI
(United Pentecostal Church International), this upcoming Sunday's lesson
stood out to me. It makes several statements which should be questioned and
challenged. The lesson is entitled 'The Call of Heaven.'
First I noticed this statement...
"The sequence of events surrounding the coming of the Lord has been divided
into three major camps of thought: pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and
post-tribulation. These terms are used to identify the relationship of the
Rapture to the Great Tribulation. Each of these positions has a battery of
impressive arguments to support its viewpoint. Since no one knows when the
Lord will return for His church, one should consider all views as
speculative prognostications..."
The writer of this lesson makes this statement, and then goes on in the
lesson to attempt to establish his pre-tribulation position as the truth.
Guess he went on in the lesson to give us his very own 'speculative
prognostication!' He calls his own pre-tribulation rapture doctrine a
'speculative prognostication!' Very interesting.
Can you as a Truthseeker believe this statement? Three different doctrines,
each directly contradicting the other, are all to be believed as having a
'battery of impressive arguments' to support them?
We know that the Bible does not support three doctrines which directly
contradict each other. This is IMPOSSIBLE. The Bible is saying one thing,
not three things. If the Pre-Tribulation doctrine is true, then the Bible
supports it. If the Mid-Tribulation doctrine is true, then the Bible
supports it. If the Post-Tribulation doctrine is true, then the Bible
supports it. The Bible does not support them all. This statement by the
Sunday School lesson is a smokescreen. Hopefully it will not blind you.
There is a true doctrine concerning the Lord's Coming. The Bible does teach
about the timing of the Rapture in relationship to the Great Tribulation.
The Bible says that the Resurrection and Rapture of the Saints will happen
at the Lord's Coming (1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:15).
The Bible says also that the Lord's Coming is immediately AFTER the Great
Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31), according to the very words of Jesus
Himself. Therefore, the Resurrection and Rapture of the Church happen at
the Lord's Coming, which is immediately AFTER (Post) the Great Tribulation.
The Truth is very simple and does not need dispensational rhetoric and
theory to be explained and understood. All you need is to hear the true
message, and use the Holy Ghost and the Scriptures to verify the true
message.
Is there a 'trinity' of end-time rapture teachings (pre, mid, and post),
each not the other, separate and distinct from the other, each with a
'battery of impressive arguments' to support them?
I'm sure that trinitarians THINK that they have a 'battery of impressive
arguments' to support the trinity doctrine. Just ask them and they will
tell you!
However, upon closer examination, their 'proof' is easily 'disproved' by the
Scriptures. Their 'evidence' is not really 'evidence' at all. This also is
the case with any false doctrine. The people who believe in false doctrines
have reasons for believing in them, but those reasons, 'proofs,' and
'evidences,' are easily proven false by the Truth.
So seek the Truth. Don't become complacent by the 'battery of impressive
arguments' used to support false doctrines and as a result think that one
cannot know the absolute Truth on an issue.
Truth is Absolute, and either Jesus is Coming back BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER
the Great Tribulation for the Church. Pre, Mid, or Post. Jesus did say
that He was coming back 'after' the Great Tribulation to gather together His
Elect at the great sound of a trumpet. This is written in Matthew 24, Mark
13, and Luke 21. Will you believe Jesus?
No where is it written that Jesus comes back BEFORE the Great Tribulation to
gather His Elect. No where is it written that Jesus comes back DURING the
Great Tribulation to gather His Elect.
If you are a pre-tribulationalist or a mid-tribulationist, then produce your
proof!
The weekly bread this week deals with a 'proof' of the pre-tribulation
rapture doctrine. Evaluate this 'proof' to see if it is a part of the
'battery of impressive arguments' to support the dispensationalists'
pre-tribulation doctrine. Let us try this spirit (1 John 4:1)!
PROOF OF A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE IN REVELATION 4:1?
Revelation 4
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the
first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which
said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Here John begins to see a heavenly vision. The Pre-Tribulationalist who
wrote the Sunday School Lesson believes that this is the Church being caught
up together to meet the Lord in the air. Is Revelation 4:1 evidence of the
Pre-Tribulation Rapture Doctrine?
One must first ask the question, what exactly is the Rapture?
Let us go to 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 for more detail.
The word 'Rapture' literally means 'catching away' or to be 'caught up,' and
it is used to describe what happens to those Christians who are alive and
remaining when the Lord Comes Again.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
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.
This 'caught up' is believed to be symbolically referred to in Revelation
4:1. Is this true?
The answer is no. This is because we don't read anything in Revelation 4:1
about the Resurrection.
The Resurrection of the Saints happens BEFORE the Rapture. Stay in 1
Thessalonians 4.
1 Thessalonians 4
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:
Understand that the event that we know as the 'Rapture,' includes more than
just the Saints who are alive and remaining and get 'caught up' when Jesus
comes back. The 'Rapture' also includes the Resurrection of the Saints!
The 'dead in Christ' shall rise FIRST. THEN (1 Thessalonians 4:17) we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up.
If Revelation 4:1 is symbolic of the Rapture of the Church as this pre-trib
preacher is teaching, then we should see some hint of the Resurrection in
Revelation 4:1. Do we? No. Therefore Revelation 4:1 is nothing more than
a heavenly vision and does not reference the Rapture at all. You cannot
have the Rapture without the Resurrection! In fact, the dead in Christ rise
BEFORE the catching away! The Resurrection of the dead happens BEFORE the
catching away of the then living!
WHAT ABOUT THE VOICE AS IT WERE OF A TRUMPET?
The 'voice as it were of a trumpet' in Revelation 4:1 actually spoke words.
The Rapture passages in the epistles say that the Trumpet of God shall
sound, however these texts say nothing of a 'voice as it were of a trumpet'
speaking any words. This distinction is key, and lets us know that the
references are not talking about the same thing.
Compare Revelation 4:1 with 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, and
Matthew 24:31 for starters. You will see that the last three texts
concerning the Rapture mention the 'sound of a trumpet,' and not a voice 'as
it were of a trumpet' as in Revelation 4:1.
IS THE CHURCH MENTIONED AS BEING ON EARTH DURING THE TRIB. IN REVELATION 4
THU 22?
The next point of the 'battery of impressive evidence' for the
pre-tribulation rapture doctrine in the Sunday School Book deals with the
allegation that the Church is not mentioned as being on Earth from
Revelation 4:1 to Revelation 22. Therefore, the Church cannot be present
here on Earth during the Great Tribulation which is elaborated on in the
middle chapters of Revelation. Is this true?
I can show you that the Church IS MENTIONED as being here on Earth during
the Great Tribulation. The Church is referred to several times during the
middle Chapters of Revelation.
#1
Revelation 12:17 - And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Now who has the testimony of Jesus? The Book of Revelation itself will tell
us that it is the Church!
Revelation 1:2 - Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of
Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. (John was one who bare record
of the testimony of Jesus, and he was definitely in the Church! Who but the
Church has the testimony of Jesus?)
Revelation 1:9 - I John, who also am your brother, and companion in
tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the
isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ.
#2
Revelation 13:7 - And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and
to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues,
and nations.
(Who are these 'Saints' that the beast makes war with? We all know that
Christians are the only 'Saints,' for we have been born again! If you
believe that these 'Saints' are not the Church, then you must also explain
what other plan of Salvation that these went through to be recognized as
'Saints.' How can anyone who has not been 'baptized into His death' as in
Acts 2:38 be a 'Saint?' How can anyone who is not the Body of Christ, the
Church, be a 'Saint?')
#3
Revelation 16:15 - Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth,
and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Who does Jesus tell to keep their garments? Who does Jesus tell to watch?
Why, His Church of course! Also who is Jesus still coming for if by
Revelation 16:15 He has allegedly already gathered His Church in the
Revelation 4:1 'allegorical pre-tribulation rapture?'
Revelation 3:4 - Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled
their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
The Church is to keep their garments, by keeping them from becoming defiled.
The defiling here is sin. He is coming back for a Church without spot,
wrinkle, blemish, or any such thing (Ephesians 5:25-27). Jesus is coming
back for a pure and sinless Bride, a chaste virgin. Also, Jesus tells His
Church to WATCH.
Revelation 3:2 - Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that
are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Now compare Revelation 16:15 with Revelation 3:3 and see if you can deny
that Revelation 16:15 is Jesus talking to the Church. Since from reading
its surrounding context, Revelation 16:15 is 'during the Great Tribulation,'
and Jesus still says that He is coming at that time, obviously Jesus did not
come before the Great Tribulation! Comparing Revelation 16:15 with
Revelation 3:3 shows yet another flaw in the pre-tribulation rapture theory.
Focus on the 'watch' and 'coming as a thief.'
Revelation 16:15 - Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth,
and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Revelation 3:3 - 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.
(Written to the Church at Sardis)
The ENTIRE book of Revelation was written as an epistle to seven Churches.
All that is in the Book of Revelation then, relates to the Church of Jesus
Christ, just like any other epistle written to the Churches relates to the
Church. In that respect, the book of Revelation is no different than any
other epistle written to the Churches. All of the epistles were written by
the Apostles to the Churches. All that is in them relates to us, especially
the book of Revelation.
CONCLUSION
We conclude then that a symbolic interpretation of Revelation 4:1 to refer
to the pre-tribulation rapture is a false doctrine. False because #1 there
is no mention of a Resurrection in Revelation 4:1, and you cannot have the
'Rapture' without the 'Resurrection of the dead in Christ.' False because
#2 Revelation 4:1 mentions a voice 'as it were of a trumpet' and not a
'trumpet' itself.
A Scripture referencing a heavenly vision where a voice 'as it were of a
trumpet' spoke words is clearly not referring to an event where an actual
trumpet sounds, the dead are raised, and the living are caught up in the air
to meet the Lord Jesus.
John is not recorded to have been 'caught up into heaven.' Instead John
simply writes 'I was in the Spirit' (Revelation 4:2) and saw a throne in
heaven, and one sat on the throne. John was able to visualize the heavenly,
in a vision. He was in the Spirit and in the Spirit was able to be in
heaven to see the vision.
This was a common experience to many of the prophets and holy men before
John. Ezekiel was shown heavenly visions, among other holy men of God, and
yet we would not say that their visions are symbolic of the 'pre-tribulation
rapture.' It is likely that John saw all of the heavenly vision while still
physically on the Isle of Patmos. Likely he was in a dream or in a trance.
In John's vision, he is in heaven. At the Rapture, the Saints are not
caught up to heaven to meet the Lord, but instead meet the Lord in the
'air.'
Be blessed and seek the Truth of God with all your heart, soul, mind, and
strength...
Ye shall find absolute Truth...
Under the throne of David,
Minister Johnson
A Contender for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints