The Secret Rapture Doctrine - Advent Prayer Warriors International ...

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The Secret Rapture Doctrine


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1. A Look At Dispensationalism

2. The Rapture Question

3. The Rapture Doctrine

4. The Secret Rapture - Is It Scriptural?

5. The Rapture?

6. Morgan Edwards and the Pre-Tribulation Rapture

7. History of Pre-Tribulation Development

8. Margaret MacDonald’s Letter

9. Edward Irving (1792-1834)

10. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)

11. The Truth About The Rapture

12. Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921)

13. Scofield: The Man Behind The Myth

14. Famous Rapture Watchers!

15. Hal Lindsey (born 1929)

16. Jack Van Impe

17. Jack Van Impe Continues to Praise the Pope

18. Tim LaHaye’s Masonic Connections

19. ‘Are You Already Left Behind?’


1. A Look At Dispensationalism

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Introduction

Dispensationalism has risen to become a very popular system of biblical interpretation. It is taught

in a large number of Baptist, Evangelical and Conservative Churches in the United States as the only

correct view. Yet it origins are very recent. This article looks at how Dispensationalism originated, and

examines the key doctrines it teaches. Paul warned Titus to ‘avoid Jewish fables’. It is my view that

Dispensationalism is in fact a revival of the type of Jewish fables that Paul warned against, having been

influenced by first century apocryphal writings and Rabbinic ideas. Indeed, no other doctrines have as good

a claim to be the ones intended by Paul’s words here. These doctrines have travelled down to us through

the Gnostic heresy which so troubled the early Church, down to the restoration of these ideas by Counter –

Reformation Jesuits, in order to destroy the great work of the Reformation, and was later enthusiastically

championed by the Irvingites, and from them, to the Plymouth Brethren, until in our day it has spread its

branches as a great tree in all directions.

This paper comes as a result of reading the book “There Really Is A Difference: A Comparison of

Covenant and Dispensational Theology” by Dispensational writer Renald Showers. A dispensational pastor

friend loaned the book to me and asked me to read it, which I did, and this paper is based upon the reply

that I gave to him. The book presents a more classic form of Dispensationalism, but the doctrine has had

many variations within it. Hyper Dispensationalism goes to even further extremes, and this paper just as

well answers that basic position. There has been a shift to a more moderate form of this doctrine, a shift

that believes that salvation has always been by faith, and this is becoming dominant in the United States.

Sometimes moderates even accept that Jesus is reigning as king now.

Showers refers to these doctrines as ‘a system of theology’ and as a ‘philosophy of history’,

(There Really Is A Difference: A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology, 1990, Chapter 1,

By Renald E. Showers). But were we to ever force upon Scripture a philosophical grid through which to

interpret it? Nor can the thinking of the carnal mind intrude itself into the great mysteries of the faith,

which are to be received by those whose hearts are right before God. It is not on the basis of learning and

intelligence, as though we could go to a Seminary or College and learn these things as we would learn

some subject. One writer says it well:

“…the apostles doctrine cannot be set out in some so-called ‘Systematic Theology’ or intellectual

form of philosophy entirely outside of scriptures” (Marks of the New Testament Church by Metcalfe).

When Paul said ‘beware of philosophy’ he was not simply warning against one particular form of

philosophy, but against the whole concept behind it of constructing systems of thinking according to the

ways of this world. For it is ‘not in words which man’s wisdom teaches’, for the ‘natural mind receives not

the things of the Spirit of God’. And so we are to ‘hold fast the form of sound words.’ No wonder he said

that God is opposed to the wisdom of men. We must beware of the cunning craftiness of men. Whether

Reformed, Dispensational, Watchtower, or the oral teachings of the Pharisees, no matter, all have their

systems of man-made interpretations that are opposed to the Truth, for Truth is not a system of theology.

The History of Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism did not exist in the early Church. While some of the Church Fathers did teach

concerning the different dealings of God under the different covenants, they did not do so in a way

markedly dispensational. In fact the early fathers taught what would now be called ‘replacement theology’.

Even the ones who believed in a literal millennium (like Justin), even those ones taught that the Church is

spiritual Israel, and that the blessings promised to Israel have been transferred to the church. They certainly

were never dispensational. Dispensationalism is modern in origin, dating to the Victorian era Plymouth

Brethren, and their prominent leader, Mr Darby.

John Nelson Darby

John Nelson Darby has been called the ‘father of Dispensationalism’. It is through him that the

system was developed. He was born in the year 1800, at Westminster in London, England, of Irish parents.



Following a distinguished education, Darby was headed for a career in law. But after becoming concerned

for his soul, Darby dropped law, against the high expectations of his father, and became an Anglican

clergyman, serving in Ireland. Darby proved faithful in little, travelling his parish by horseback, teaching

and instructing the poor parishioners, and spending what little money he had on the local schools and

charities. The people loved him, and he presided over a small revival, with Roman Catholics becoming

Protestant at a rate of 600-800 a week. But Darby grew disillusioned with the State church, and with the

state of the Church in general, comparing it to the Church as it was in the beginning. He wrote: “the careful

reading of the Acts afforded me a practical picture of the early church; which made me feel deeply the

contrast with its actual present state.”

In Ireland he met other like minded believers, including godly Anthony Norris Groves, and the

Lady Powerscourt, who had began conferences in her mansion for the study of the end times. It is from

these conferences that some have marked the beginning of the secret rapture doctrine, owing to a prophetic

word given at the Powerscourt meetings. These meetings were modelled on similar prophetic conferences

held in Surrey, under Henry Drummond and Edward Irving. Irving had translated a commentary on

Revelation written by a Chilean Jesuit priest of Spanish descent named Manuel de Lacunza. To avoid the

threat of exposure by the Roman Catholic authorities, the book was written under the guise of being

authored by a converted Jew by the name of Rabbi Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra. Lacunza’s book, which was

published in 1812, contained a futuristic interpretation of the Revelation. All of the prophecies of the book

were seen as having a future fulfilment in a short space of time just prior to the return of the Lord.

Protestants and Evangelicals of the day, and since the Reformation, and even further back than that,

unanimously interpreted these prophecies as referring to the Papacy and to the history of the Church.

Darby left the Anglican Church, and by 1828 began meeting together with others of like mind to

break bread. Independently in England, especially around Bristol and Plymouth, other believers were

becoming concerned about gathering together on the basis of the name of Jesus only, and not on some

denominational basis. One of the leaders at Plymouth, B W Newton, brought about a visit of Darby to

Plymouth in 1832. Darby was familiar with Irving’s translation and notes, which was published in 1827,

and began enthusiastically preaching these new found prophetic ideas. Darby eventually emerged as the

leader of the whole movement, which became known as the Plymouth Brethren. The Plymouth Brethren in

England felt that they were returning to a more apostolic church pattern.

There were some very good and godly men among them like Charles H Mackintosh, William

Kelly, John Butler Stoney, Anthony Norris Groves, George Müller, and others, men of exceptional insight,

godly devotion, and strong learning. The Brethren movement was a sincere effort to return to church unity,

which unfortunately soon went into error and further schism. Separation from other churches, or ‘the Ruin

of the Church’ as it was called, and meeting as brethren gathered to the name of Jesus alone, became the

testimony to which the Brethren bore witness. Darby would later split with the Plymouth assembly, when

Newton and others at the assembly refused to embrace some of Darby’s teachings on the ‘secret rapture’,

Dispensationalism, and on the ministry (for more on the Ministry see The Apostolic Ministry). Newton

believed that the conversion of the Jews would occur before the Rapture, not after. He, and others such as

Müller and Groves, rejected the Secret Rapture teaching.

The early Brethren Biblical textual critic Samuel P. Tregelles wrote that the Christian hope was

“not some secret advent, or secret rapture to the Lord, as Judaizers had supposed might be the case...”

(Premillennial Advent, The Christian Annotator, June 16, 1855, p. 190. Quoted from Dave MacPherson

‘William Kelly’s Journal’, www.lasttrumpet.com.) Tragelles believed that the secret rapture doctrine began

with a prophetic utterance in Edward Irving’s church. Newton believed that the ‘crude and mistaken

statements’ of Darby and others discredited their own views of the end times, which included belief in the

millennium (Newton, On the Prophecies Respecting the Jews and Jerusalem). However they rejected the

idea that Christ would reign on a throne literally in Jerusalem, teaching that he would continue to reign

from heaven, though Jerusalem itself would be the earthly centre of His government. From that time (1845)

the Brethren split into the Open Brethren, centred on the Plymouth and Bristol assemblies, and the

Exclusive Brethren under Darby.

Darby took on a much more authoritarian approach to leadership, resulting in an irreconcilable

division, and Darby considered the Exclusive assemblies as the only ones recognised by God. Even the

Exclusives began splitting apart, notably under Darby’s disciple William Kelly, who broke with his master.

Kelly (1820-1906) was a very able man, lecturing, writing Commentaries, and even producing a critical

edition of the book of Revelation. He loved the writings of Darby, and was responsible for editing the

‘Collected Writings of J N Darby’. Following Darby’s death the Exclusives that he had led became

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increasingly authoritarian and cultic, until under James Taylor Senior the Exclusives could no longer be

considered a Christian Church, but as an heretical and authoritarian cult (The ‘exclusive brethren’ believe

that if you wear a tie or live in an apartment, listen to a radio, or eat with someone not in the exclusives,

that you are a false Christian. More seriously, they deny the eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus). Some of the

ideas of ‘exclusiveness’ later came into the Charismatic Church through the teaching on ‘Authority’ by

Watchman Nee, whose ‘Little Flock’ was much influenced by the Exclusives.

The more moderate Brethren called the Open Brethren became a major force in British

evangelicalism up to about the 1960’s. They were the most active in evangelism and Bible study and a lot

of Christians were part of it. Then in the ‘60’s many dropped the dispensationalism and joined the British

Restorationalist or house Church movement (Centred around men like Arthur Wallace, Bryn Jones, John

Noble, Terry Virgo and Gerald Coates). Many others of the open Brethren left at the same time as a result

of the in fighting that consumed this movement, and joined other non conformist groups such as the

Baptists.

It must be remembered that dispensationalism began in the 19th century, at a time when many new

doctrines were emerging, like the Adventists, Campbellites, Cooneyites, Christadelphians, and Mormons.

England at the time saw the rise of liberal theology, and Christians were wide open to a new system that

would return to a ‘more literal’ method of translation and hold back the forces of modernism. The new

doctrine also gave the Brethren an identity which set them apart from the rest of ‘Christendom’.

Dispensationalism Arrives in the USA

Darby during his lifetime travelled very extensively ministering and establishing Brethren

assemblies in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies. Darby spent nearly seven years

between 1862 and 1877, ministering in the United States. A similar though slightly later trend towards

liberal theology was developing in the US which was to lead to the famous ‘monkey trials’. I suspect that at

the time evangelicals wanted a more ‘fundamentalist’ approach to theology to counter this tide of liberalism

that had swept over the traditional denominations. At first Darby tried spreading Brethren doctrines; that

people should leave the denominations and gather in what he called the unity of the One Body, meaning

Brethrenism. This was unsuccessful, and so by the 1870s he was limiting his teaching to Brethren

eschatology, without the call to leave the churches. This found a ready audience in an evangelicalism

already experiencing a revival in millennial teaching. His views on prophecy were adopted by James Hall

Brookes, pastor of the Walnut Street Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, A J Gordon, pastor of the Clarendon

Street Baptist Church in Boston, by D L Moody, though with reservations, Harry Ironside, pastor of the

Moody Memorial Church, and by C I Scofield.

Brookes became leader of the popular prophetic conferences, which later became known as the

Niagara Bible Conferences. The Niagara Conferences continued every summer between 1883 to 1897, and

were especially attractive to the conservative ministers battling the tides of liberalism and higher criticism.

William Bell Riley, a dispensational leader, called premillennialism “the sufficient if not solitary antidote

to the present apostasy.” The conferences came to an end after splitting into two camps, one favouring the

secret rapture teaching, and one opposing it. Gordon, Torrey, Moody and others represented some of the

most influential evangelical leaders of the day. They institutionalised Dispensationalism through the

schools they set up, such as the Moody Bible Institute (1886), the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (1907).

The future leaders of evangelicalism, coming through the schools, were thoroughly dispensational in their

theology.

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921) was an Attorney who learned Dispensationalism from

Brookes. With the backing of some prominent businessmen, Scofield started work in 1903 on his

‘Reference Bible’. The work was completed five years later in 1908, and was published early the next year

by the prestigious Oxford University Press. The notes in this Bible had a strong dispensational flavour, and

influenced hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom unconsciously accepted Scofield’s views.

A Literal Interpretation?

No one would disagree with God’s progressive method of revealing himself to man, though we

would disagree on the purpose of it. It was because God was preparing the world and people in different

ways for the ultimate plan of revealing his Messiah who would die for the sins of the world.

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Dispensationalism cannot have this as the central theme of Gods dealings, but rather substitutes a Jewish

earthly kingdom as Gods supreme purpose, and the death of the Messiah as a dispensational afterthought

following the rejection of Jesus as King by the Jews. But that is not true. God chose Abraham so that he

could make a covenant, thus establishing the legal framework through which he could bring the Messiah.

Christ was to be the seed of Abraham, and later, the son of David. Dispensationalism cannot handle the

harmony of the dispensations, just as Covenant Theology cannot handle the differences.

Dispensationalists charge others of not adhering to a consistent literal interpretation. This is not

true. The demands of the historical-grammatical method is that literature be interpreted consistently with

the type of literature it represents. I.e. it treats history books as history etc. All schools interpret passages

allegorically!!! I have yet to meet a dispensationalist who believes that a literal seven-headed beast is going

to pop up out of the ocean. Revelation was sent and signified by the angel to the apostle John. You cannot

interpret it literally! In Dispensationalism locusts, bows and arrows, and horses, become machine guns,

tanks, Fighter Jets, military helicopters and so forth. Dispensationalism interprets allegorical passages

literally and literal passages allegorically!!!!

II Thessalonians Chaps. 1 and 2 literally say that when the Lord returns, all of the ungodly will be

destroyed with everlasting destruction. Yet dispensationalists teach that whole nations will be spared this

judgment, in contradiction to the literal words of this passage. II Peter chapter three literally says that at the

return of the Lord the heavens and the earth will be burned up, and that we are to look for a new heaven

and a new earth, yet the Dispensationalism says that we are to look to being taken away for a thousand

years first. I Thessalonians Chapter 4 says we will be alive until the coming of the Lord, but the

dispensationalist reads ‘until the rapture of the church’. The same passage speaks of the shout, and the

trumpet, yet no-one hears a thing according to the dispensationalist. Jesus said that the Kingdom was at

hand, they say it was postponed and will manifest two thousand years later. He said you have to be born

again to see it. They say you have to be Jewish. The Bible says that Paul preached the gospel of the

Kingdom to gentiles; they say it will be preached to the Jews in the Tribulation.

And what of James’ ‘spiritualising’ of prophecy when he says:

“...Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a

people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, “After this I will return,

and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof,

and I will set it up; that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my

name is called....” (Acts14: 14-17).

The two major theological schools of the early Church were those of Antioch and Alexandria.

Alexandria gained a reputation for having a tendency to ‘spiritualise’ Scripture; indeed they did tend to find

in passages of Scripture strange and fanciful allegories. However the school of Antioch knew nothing of the

literalistic approach to prophecies that Dispensationalists have become known for. It was the Jewish

community of Sinope which in the second century “was developing literal approaches to reading the

Hebrew scriptures to counteract Christian allegorical claims on Jewish sacred texts.” (Christianity, A

Global History, by David Chidester, Chapter 4, p.45, Harper and Collins.)

The Secret Rapture of the Church

This teaching of a secret rapture occurring as a separate event from the second coming is contrary

to the clear teaching of Scripture and of every minister and teacher sent from God from the church fathers

onwards up until the advent of the Plymouth Brethren It was virtually unknown before the 19th century and

not popularised in the United States until the early 20th century. Paul the apostle is clear that the day of

Jesus’ second coming will be marked by the angels pouring out eternal damnation upon the ungodly, and

he plainly told Christians to look for that day, and further told them that that day (of his coming and out

gathering together to meet him) will not come until the man of sin is revealed first. See 2 Thessalonians

chapters 1 and 2.

Will the Rapture be Secret?

Nor will the rapture be a secret event, known only by the evidence of the saints disappearing. In

fact Paul says that at the rapture ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the

voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God.’ This has all of the marks of a public appearing.

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Incidentally we are told that the rapture trumpet is not the last trump, and that there will be another trump at

another second coming, as recorded in Matthew 24, and that following that there will be another seven

trumpets.

So the rapture will not be at the second coming according to this view. Yet Paul says, ‘Now we

beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord, and by our gathering together unto him…’ And what

does he beseech them? That ‘that day’ will not come until the falling away (apostasy) comes first, and the

man of sin is revealed. Yet we are told that the man of sin is revealed after. We are told that the restrainer is

the Holy Spirit. Yet the greatest revival is meant to occur after this at a time when the Holy Spirit is gone!

Historically people have always pointed toward the papacy as the fulfilment of these verses regarding the

Man of Sin, with the restrainer being the Roman power. This was the view of the Fathers, and Martyrs, the

Reformers, Anabaptists, Baptists, Methodists, and nearly all Christians until the Plymouth Brethren. The

1260 days of Revelation were believed to be 1260 years corresponding to the mediaeval period when the

papacy rose to temporal power and exercised authority over the kings of the earth and made war with the

saints with crusades and the inquisition.

We are told that the rapture is not ‘the coming of the our Lord’, yet Paul puts them both together

and calls it ‘the day of Christ’ and ‘that day.’ (2 Thessalonians2:2-3). Further Paul says ‘We that are alive

and remain unto the coming of the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4:15). So we are left with two second comings.

Twice he descends from heaven, the first time with the last trumpet and the second time with another

trumpet (presumably). Yes his coming will be as a thief in the night. But Peter adds, ‘in the which the

heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with a fervent heat, the earth also and

the works that are therein shall be burned up.’

Then why as a thief? Because it will come upon the world un-expectantly. But Paul says that that

day will not come as a thief to the saved, for they are not ignorant of the times and the seasons that that day

should overtake them as a thief. But it will overtake the wicked as a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4. Why?

Because of the wrath that will be revealed in that day as the angels destroy the wicked in flaming fire, in

sudden destruction. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. This is the wrath of God – angels coming in flaming fire taking

vengeance on those who do not know God, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. Not

tribulations. We are appointed to tribulation, but not to wrath. When will they be punished with everlasting

desctruction? Verse Ten of the first chapter of the second epistle to the Thessalonians – “When he shall

come to be glorified in his saints”

The Dispensation of the Millennium

“Obscure passages, symbolic usage, allegorical imagery, on this the premillennialists depend to

place the thin end of their wedge in the Bible. Into that (Revelation.20), they false every veiled prophecy

from the Old Testament, every strained interpretation of the book of Daniel…But this is folly, clean

contrary to the use of numbers in the book of Revelation…the book of Revelation is expressed in terms of

graphic, vivid imagery. But II Peter chapter 3 is written in the most unambiguous doctrine. Then, the

former is to be interpreted in the light of the latter…” (John Metcalfe. Premillennialism Exposed.)

Is Metcalfe being unfair? Revelation is full of imagery. Not to belittle its importance. When

understood correctly it is very important. But do we take a book of images and interpret it contrary to the

plain sense of scripture in other passages such as II Peter 3, which appears to plainly say that when the Lord

returns, the heavens and the earth will be destroyed? Does not scripture say that Jesus is reigning now, and

that he shall reign UNTIL his enemies are made his footstool? When are they made his footstool – ‘he shall

reign until his enemies are made his footstool, and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’ – so says

the apostle.

“Then cometh the end, 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. For he must reign, till he hath put all

enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

He will reign until his enemies are made his footstool. Therefore he is reigning! The last enemy is

death. It will be destroyed at his coming when we are changed:

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must

put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put

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on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O

death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin

is the law.”

As the Psalms say, Christ has ascended to the right hand of God, and the Lord has said to him “Sit

at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”, as Peter bears witness:

“Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and

buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had

sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to

sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,

neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore

being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,

he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith

himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Therefore let all the house of Israel [And all dispensationalists] know assuredly, that God hath made that

same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

His throne is in the heavens where he reigns by the inward anointing from the Heavenly Zion. And

when he returns and destroys the last enemy, the ‘end’ will have come.

Then what is the significance of the words ‘a thousand years’, and of the two resurrections? A day

with the Lord is as a thousand years. The One Hundred and Tenth Psalm, which speaks of the reign of the

Lord at the right hand of the Father says

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy

footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the

morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth”

I believe that the ‘day of his power’ represents the ‘Lord’s Day’, which is the day in which he

reigns from Zion, which is the Church (Hebrew 12:22). The Sun of righteousness being ascended into the

heavens, from whence he will descend again, bringing everlasting darkness upon the world of the wicked.

As for the two resurrections, it seems to me that John writes of these in his gospel. When he wrote

Revelation he wrote it in a way that presupposed knowledge of his other teachings. Hence the first

resurrection is a spiritual one. Just as Paul said, we have been made alive again, and seated in heavenly

places in Christ. The thrones are the same thrones mentioned in chapter 5 of the Revelation, with the 24

elders seated upon. Revelation 20 does not teach that the Jews shall reign, but the saints. It does not teach a

rebuilt Jerusalem, an earthly throne of David, renewed sacrifices and rebuilt temple, which things the book

of Hebrews says have been done away with. So is Metcalfe unfair when he further says:

“…the premillennialists undermine the cross, the judgement of the world, and the condemnation

of the flesh…they put a lie in the apostles’ mouth, who said that between Jew and Gentile, ‘There is no

difference’, by saying, There is a difference… Paul says ‘Circumcision profiteth nothing’, yet they say it

profiteth everything…Galatians 2:18 informs us that if we build again the legal covenant of works and

ceremonies, we become transgressors, destroying the work of Christ. But these make God do it, and their

excuse is that he does it in their mythical hole in time and space, though it should overturn the

dispensations, trample the gospel, reintroduce the law of commandments contained in ordinances, and

manifest again what has forever vanished away…The premillennialist will have the temple rebuilt,

sacrifices reintroduced, ceremonial law re-established, in a word, the Old Covenant returned.”

Strong words, perhaps too strong. He offers another crushing blow to this doctrine:

“Jesus said, ‘Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ But these see it,

since they are born Jews… As to righteousness coming by the law – to which the millennial Jew must

submit – if righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain… We are assured, Gal.3:7, that they

that are under the works of the law are under a curse. But in the millennium blessing and curse are

reversed.”

And so he continues. But what deep observations! We believe that God’s unfolding plan is

progressive, not regressive. We do not go back to the beggarly elements of the law. We see that both

Dispensational and Covenant theology both try to make alive again the law, one in one way and the other in

another way.

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even

we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of

the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

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Neither now nor in the future.

“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to

whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

Yet this setting aside is temporary, according to Dispensationalism, but not according to Paul’s

words. We must maintain redemption as the focus and goal of the covenants, not a Jewish political

Kingdom, with the age of Grace being a temporary afterthought following Jesus’ supposed failure to set up

the Kingdom at his first advent. Certainly the Hebrew Scriptures points toward redemption as the focus –

“...I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those

which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first

that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22-23).

The Abrahamic Covenant

Dispensationalism teaches that the Covenant made with Abraham is an earthly covenant and

concerns itself with the promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s seed. I do not deny that there is

an earthly aspect to the covenant made between God and Abraham. God promised his seed to be as the

stars of the sky and as the sand of the seashore, thus showing that there would be a spiritual and an earthly

people. But the primary focus is spiritual, and refers to the Gospel, as Paul declares.

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel

unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

And again

“Who [Abraham] against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations,

according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.” Romans 4:18

Showers completely overturns this truth, declaring that the promise to Abraham only pertained to the

physical seed. He says:

“The fact that God established the Abrahamic Covenant with the physical descendents of Abraham is made

even more clear in Genesis 17:19,21 where he said, “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou

shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with

his seed after him…But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee” (There

Really Is A Difference: A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology, 1990, Chapter 6, By

Renald E. Showers)

But Paul interprets these things the complete opposite:

“Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the

promise are counted for the seed.” Romans 9:7

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of

one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29

All of the promises given to the natural seed were fulfilled during the history of the Kingdom of Israel,

especially under Solomon as a type of Christ, when the Kingdom reached even to the Euphrates. Whether

or not the natural seed of Jacob will ever possess all this land again I do not know, but the emphasis of the

Apostolic writings is that we, the true Israelite race, we are the heirs of this promise, being the true children

of Abraham through faith.

One bible teacher said this,

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“The first great conclusion Paul presents to the Galatians is that the only true children of Abraham,

the heirs to the Abrahamic covenant, blessing and promise, are true believers, whether Jew or Gentile:

“Know ye therefore that they which be of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7). There

can be no appeal from this fundamental statement. In one sentence Paul destroys the entire dispensational,

pre-millennial and post-millennial edifice. It is foundational to all three systems that Jewish privilege and a

special Jewish future must be maintained on the basis that the Abrahamic covenant was exclusive to the

natural (i.e. Jewish) seed of Abraham.

But Paul shows in these two chapters that the “seed of Abraham” is Christ, and that they who are

Christ’s (and no one else) are “Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise”; that this “seed”

abolishes all distinction of birth or privilege, for “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor

free, there is neither male nor female: for all are one in Christ Jesus” (See Gal. 3:16,2819). Moreover, the

promise (of redemption in Christ) took precedence over the law by 430 years - the time lapse between

Abraham and Moses. The Law itself, with its apparatus of temple, priest and sacrifice, was only added

“because of transgression” to bridge the gap till Christ came Gal. 3:17-19…The conclusion of this chapter

(vv. 26-29) is the charter of the New Testament Church and the ground of her invincible claim to be the

lawful successor of Abraham, the true Israel, the true circumcision (not in the flesh but in the spirit), the

inheritor of the promises and privileges and hope of Old Testament Israel. Hence-”If ye be Christ’s, then

are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise” (v.29).

This glorious sentence winds up the Old Covenant, abolishes the law, the temple, and

circumcision, terminates the mission of the Jewish nation, ends their exclusive rights and privileges, and

provides the key to the understanding of the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets of the Old

Testament…Chapter four contains Paul’s final argument, proving these two things: (1) That the work of

“adoption” performed in the hearts of all true believers demonstrates that they are the legitimate successors

of the Israelitish church of the Old Testament. (2) He reinforces this by an allegory built upon Abraham’s

history, showing that the natural Jew is not Israel at all but Ishmael; and that the church of Jew and Gentile

believers is the true and only and exclusive Israel of God…His last word to the Galatians is, “So then

brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free” (Gal. 4:3 1). This he writes to the most

Gentile of all the churches, showing that to the Gentile church has passed the covenant, the glory, the

birthright, the privilege and the redemption hope…

Our last word is that of Paul, significantly found in the conclusion of that epistle specifically

written to deliver the Church from Jewish error and Jewish pride: “God forbid that I should glory, save in

the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in

Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as

walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:14-16).”

(Moses or Christ? Paul’s Reply To Dispensational Error by Charles D. Alexander)

The Davidic Covenant

When Christ, the rightful King, ascended to heaven, the throne ascended with him! The throne is

the authority of the King. He now reigns from the right hand of God, from the midst of the heavenly Zion.

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and

the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed (Christ), saying, 3 Let us break

their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord

shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore

displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” {set: Heb. anointed} Psalm 2:1-6

Mount Zion

Zion is not a hill in Jerusalem! Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of

the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (KJV) John 12:15 Fear

not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. He was not referring to women

born only on this one hill in Jerusalem.

The Hope Of Israel By Philip Mauro (published in 1922) says this of Zion:

“ … the housing of the ark of God in the tabernacle of David was an event of unusual importance; for it

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was celebrated by “all Israel” with demonstrations of the most impressive character… it constituted a

decided break with the levitical ordinances given through Moses, in that the ark of God’s presence was no

longer in the holy of holies of the Tabernacle of the Wilderness (which was then at Gibeon), but in the

midst of the Tabernacle of David on Mount Zion; and further that there were no animal sacrifices there,

only sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; and no priests, but only Levites, whom David appointed “to

minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record,” that is literally to make mention of, or bring to

remembrance, or in other words to proclaim or preach the mercies and the marvelous acts of God, “and to

thank and praise the Lord God of Israel” (1 Chr. 16:4). This was a very remarkable suspension of the

system of worship of the Law, and an equally remarkable foreshadowing of that of the Gospel… this

sojourn of the ark on Mount Zion is the foundation of the many references in the Psalms and the Prophets

to Zion, as the dwelling place of Jehovah, and is what gives to the terms “Zion” and “Mount Zion” their

high spiritual meaning…when God speaks by His prophets concerning things to come in the Kingdom of

Christ, He … says …”I will build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down.”…” (The Hope Of

Israel By Philip Mauro, 1922, Chap.18.)

And does not God now dwell among His people, as he dwelt on Zion hill when David brought

back the ark? Ps 74:2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine

inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

The second Psalm continues:

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten

thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth

for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s

vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear,

and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is

kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:7-12

These verses point us to the timing of Jesus’ reign – they commence at the decree “Thou art my

Son; this day have I begotten thee”. When was this? When he was begotten from the dead, for so it is

written: “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is

also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Acts 13:33, and

Colossians 1:18 “…who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.”

Having ascended into the heavens he sat down, where he reigns at the right hand of God.

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy

footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the

morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for

ever after the order of Melchizedek” Psalm 110:1-4

No wonder than that Peter could say:

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit

of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his [David’s] throne; He seeing this

before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see

corruption… For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my

Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Acts2: 30-35

The idea that Jesus has yet to fulfil sitting upon the throne of David is contrary to both the Psalms,

and the apostolic writings. It is the teaching of the Jewish Rabbi’s who taught that there would be two

Messiah’s; the Suffering Messiah, the Son of Joseph, and the Triumphant Messiah, the Son of David. Jesus

came as both, and he said that his kingdom was not of this world. Nor will it be. Jesus the King is reigning.

He is King of kings. Re 17:14 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:

for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek:

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“To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of

righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother,

without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;

abideth a priest continually.” Hebrews 7:2-3

Revelation 1:9 - “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and

patience of Jesus Christ,”

Dispensationalists claim that the “Unsaved wicked will be present during Messiah’s reign” (Showers,

p.95). Yet what of a literal interpretation of Paul’s words:

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven

with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the

gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of

the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be

admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2

Thessalonians. 1:7-10

And again

“ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at

his appearing and his kingdom” 2Timothy 4:1

The New Covenant

Dispensationalists say that the New Covenant was made with the people of Israel, and not with the

Church. This is a misunderstanding of the fact that the Church is made up of those who are Israel after the

Spirit. Consider well these words:

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the

flesh” Romans 2:28

Note he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly. The Church has been grafted in and has become

members of the commonwealth of Israel, and the natural seed have been dispossessed, though the promise

is that one day they will be brought back in though the gospel.

“For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their

unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” Romans 11:30-32

Ammillenialists have long believed that this will be fulfilled, that the nation will be saved. But this

will be by the gospel, not by keeping the law in a Jewish kingdom.

The Church Fathers and the Millennium

Many Dispensational writers attempt to create the impression that the early Church was Pre-

Millennial. It is true that some of them did hold to a Pre-Millennial view, but in a much different sense than

that of the Dispensationalists. Some were what would now be called ‘historic Premillennial’, meaning that

they did believe in a literal Millennium, but not in a Dispensational sense. While I do not agree with this

doctrine, it is something I believe that Christians can differ on. Renald Showers, in Chapter Eleven of his

book ‘There Really is a Difference”, gives a typical presentation of the evidence from a dispensational

perspective.

Papias (c. 60-130)

Papias did teach the doctrine of pre-millennialism. In fact he appears to have originated the view

among Christians. He is the influence behind Irenaeus.

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Typical is a quote given by a Dispensationalist, leaving out the parts not favourable to his point.

The passage is Eusebius, the Fourth century Church historian, relating some of the teachings of Papias.

Highlighted is the part Showers quotes on page 119 of his aforementioned book, and underlined is what I

feel is especially significant, yet not quoted:

“The same writer gives also other accounts which he says came to him through unwritten

tradition, certain strange parables and teachings of the Saviour, and some other more mythical things. To

these belong his statement that there will be a period of some thousand years after the resurrection of the

dead, and that the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this very earth. I suppose he got

these ideas through a misunderstanding of the apostolic accounts, not perceiving that the things said by

them were spoken mystically in figures. For he appears to have been of very limited understanding, as one

can see from his discourses. but it was due to him that so many of the Church Fathers after him adopted a

like opinion, urging in their own support the antiquity of the man; as for instance Irenaeus and any one else

that may have proclaimed similar views.”

Eusebius further quotes showing that Papias did not base his doctrines on the Bible but on what

was related to him:

“If, then, any one came, who had been a follower of the elders, I questioned him in regard to the

words of the elders,-what Andrew or what Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by

James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the disciples of the Lord, and what things Aristion

and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. For I did not think that what was to be gotten from

the books would profit me as much as what came from the living and abiding voice.”

Of course Showers mentions none of this. Nor does he give an example of the Papias’ extravagant

teaching:

“The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches, and in each

branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten

thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will

give five-and-twenty metretes of wine (About 225 gallons). And when any one of the saints shall lay hold

of a cluster, another shall cry out, “I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me.’ IV. (12)

Albertus Pieters claimed that Papias got his ideas from Jewish apocalyptic literature, and that the

language he used was similar to that used in The Apocalypse of Baruch, and The Book of Enoch. (Studies

in The Revelation of St. John (1939 Reprinted under title The Lamb, the Woman, and the Dragon, 1954.

p.67.)

Barnabas (Early Second Century)

All sides have claimed Barnabas. Even some Pre-millers have acknowledged that Barnabas was

probably A-Mil. The problem is that he appears to link the seventh day with the eighth day:

“This meaneth: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and

judge the ungodly, and change the sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh

day. Moreover, He says, “Thou shalt sanctify it with pure hands and a pure heart.” If, therefore, any one

can now sanctify the day which God hath sanctified, except he is pure in heart in all things, we are

deceived. Behold therefore; certainly then one properly resting sanctifies it, when we ourselves, having

received the promise, wickedness no longer existing, and all things having been made new by the Lord,

shall be able to work righteousness. Then we shall be able to sanctify it, having been first sanctified

ourselves. Further, He says to them, ‘Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I

have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is,

a beginning of another world. Wherefore, also, we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on

which Jesus rose again from the dead.”

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Whatever the case, he did not teach a millennium of rebuilt temples and renewed sacrifices, nor did he

envision any other than those who ‘God has sanctified’. He saw none other than the righteousness living at

this time. Barnabas strongly taught along the lines of the nation of Israel being set aside for the Church. He

taught that all of the Old Testament prophecies were given to the church, including the promise of

inheriting a land full of milk and honey! (Epistle of Barnabas Chap. 6)

Justin Martyr (c. 110-165)

Justin is a man I have much respect for. His writing, the Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, gives an

excellent account proving the truth of the gospel out of the Hebrew Scriptures. It is probably the best I have

ever come across in interpreting Old Testament types, shadows, and prophecies. He did believe in a literal

millennium. However Showers’ work contains a dishonest presentation! He quotes Justin, as given below

in bold, to the affect that he was “asserting that Premillennialism was the orthodox view in his day.” p.121.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Consider below the quote in context:

“And Trypho to this replied, “I remarked to you sir, that you are very anxious to be safe in all

respects, since you cling to the Scriptures. But tell me, do you really admit that this place, Jerusalem, shall

be rebuilt; and do you expect your people to be gathered together, and made joyful with Christ and the

patriarchs, and the prophets, both the men of our nation, and other proselytes who joined them before your

Christ came? or have you given way, and admitted this in order to have the appearance of worsting us in

the controversies?”

I admitted to you formerly, that I and many others are of this opinion, and [believe] that such will

take place, as you assuredly are aware; but, on the other hand, I signified to you that many who belong to

the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise.

… But I and others, who are fight-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a

resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and

enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare.” Chap. 80

Notice “but, on the other hand, I signified to you that many who belong to the pure and pious

faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise.” This is the opposite of the false impression that Showers

would attempt to create! Perhaps this writer, like many others of his school, has simply never read these

writings, knowing the quotes only from the works of others. So then why did Justin say what he did? To

distance himself from the heretics who taught a millennium. In other words, ‘there are right minded

Christians who hold to this as well Trypho, not just the heretics who call themselves Christians’:

Moreover, I pointed out to you that some who are called Christians, but are godless, impious

heretics, teach doctrines that are in every way blasphemous, atheistical, and foolish. But that you may know

that I do not say this before you alone, I shall draw up a statement, so far as I can, of all the arguments

which have passed between us; in which I shall record myself as admitting the very same things which I

admit to you… For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this

[truth], and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who

say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not

imagine that they are Christians…But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are

assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years.

Even the Rabbi Trypho seems surprised that Justin held this view! Further it must be stated that

Justin expected only Christians to live on into this rebuilt Jerusalem! Justin did not believe the Jews would

be there, unless they accept Jesus the Lord in this life:

“And you deceive yourselves while you fancy that, because you are the seed of Abraham after the

flesh, therefore you shall fully inherit the good things announced to be bestowed by God through Christ.

For no one, not even of them, has anything to look for, but only those who in mind are assimilated to the

faith of Abraham, and who have recognised all the mysteries…So that it becomes you to eradicate this

hope from your souls, and hasten to know in what way forgiveness of sins, and a hope of inheriting the

promised good things, shall be yours. But there is no other [way] than this,--to become acquainted with this

Christ, to be washed in the fountain spoken of by Isaiah for the remission of sins; and for the rest, to live

sinless lives.” Chap 45

And though I acknowledge that Justin taught a literal Millennium, yet he also taught that Christ is

reigning now, at the right hand of God:

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“This is the generation of them that seek the Lord, that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up

your gates, ye rulers; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is

this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty in battle. Lift up your gates, ye rulers; and be ye lift up, ye

everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is

the King of glory.’ Accordingly, it is shown that Solomon is not the Lord of hosts; but when our Christ rose

from the dead and ascended to heaven, the rulers in heaven, under appointment of God, are commanded to

open the gates of heaven, that He who is King of glory may enter in, and having ascended, may sit on the

right hand of the Father until He make the enemies His footstool, as has been made manifest by another

Psalm.” Chap 36

Justin did believe in a literal thousand years in Jerusalem, but he says that other Christians did not

hold to this. This shows us that the idea that Amillennialism began with Augustine in the fourth century is

erroneous. He certainly was not dispensational for he taught that the church is spiritual Israel, and that the

promises given to Israel have now been given to the church.

Irenaeus (c. 140-202)

As we have seen before Irenaeus received his teaching on this from Papias – “And these things are

bone witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John”. Irenaeus in turn taught Hippolytus, bishop of

Rome, who held similar views to his master. Irenaeus, unlike the dispensationalists, taught that the Church

is the seed, and that the church would receive the inheritance of ‘the land’ at the resurrection.

“Thus did he [Abraham] await patiently the promise of God, and was unwilling to appear to

receive from men, what God had promised to give him, when He said again to him as follows: “I will give

this land to thy seed, from the river of Egypt even unto the great river Euphrates.” If, then, God promised

him the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be,

that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the

resurrection of the just. For his seed is the Church, which receives the adoption to God through the Lord, as

John the Baptist said: “For God is able from the stones to raise up children to Abraham.” Thus also the

apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians: “But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise.”

And again, in the same Epistle, he plainly declares that they who have believed in Christ do receive Christ,

the promise to Abraham thus saying, “The promises were spoken to Abraham, and to his seed. Now He

does not say, And of seeds, as if [He spake] of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” And

again, confirming his former words, he says, “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him

for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham.

But the Scripture, fore-seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, declared to

Abraham beforehand, That in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which are of faith shall be

blessed with faithful Abraham.” Thus, then, they who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham,

and these are the children of Abraham. Now God made promise of the earth to Abraham and his seed; yet

neither Abraham nor his seed, that is, those who are justified by faith, do now receive any inheritance in it;

but they shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For God is true and faithful; and on this account He

said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Against Heresies Book 5, Chap.32

And so once again Showers does not have much to gain. And once again he has not informed the

reader of what Irenaeus taught with regard to these things. He was not dispensational. Once again also,

Irenaeus taught that the Christians would reign in the Millennium- “The predicted blessing, therefore,

belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule upon their rising

from the dead” (Chap.33).

Irenaeus was writing against the growing Gnostic influence. Though earlier groups had taught a

literal millennium, the Gnostics appear to have taught against any notion which mixed the ‘evil’ natural

realm with the ‘good’ spiritual realm. Todd Seidel adds these remarks about Irenaeus’ acceptance of this

doctrine:

“Part of the growing debate reflected a concern over the material nature of the eternal age. In a

world where Gnosticism was on the rise, it is easy to understand how a 1,000 year material reign of Christ

would serve well. Irenaeus, one of the foremost early millenarian thinkers, was also a leader in the fight

against Gnosticism – a movement whose more acetic forms proposed a radical rejection of the material

world. A future millennium situated in the material world would certainly help Irenaeus in his fight.”

14



Millenarian History: The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Neo-Christian Eschatology By Todd Seidel

Tertullian (c. 160 - c. 220)

Tertullian was another early church father who taught an earthly millennium, though like the

others he taught that it would be the saints who reign, not the Jews. And it would be from the New

Jerusalem, not the old.

There is another unfortunate historical misrepresentation by Showers in this passage. Showers

says “In a work which he wrote before his association with Montanism, Tertullian stated, “But we do

confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth…”“ p.123.

Showers does not want to admit that Tertullian wrote this after he became Montanist. The problem

here is that this quote is taken from Tertullian’s treatise Against Marcion. There is no doubt that treatise

was written after, not before his association with Montanism. How can I say that? Because in the same

book, in fact in the same chapter, on the very next line, to the one quoted by Showers, Tertullian says

“And the word of the new prophecy which is a part of our belief, attests how it foretold that there

would be for a sign a picture of this very city exhibited to view previous to its manifestation” (Against

Marcion Book 3).

Did Showers not even check his quotes? Did he not know that the ‘new prophecy’ was a reference

to Montanism? Or did he not see it? The back of the book makes it clear that he is a learned man, having a

Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Theology and a Doctor of Theology. Ought not this man be able to check his

references a little better before going into print? Todd Seidel’s comments regarding Irenaeus could equally

apply to Tertullian who wrote against the Gnostic Marcion, especially since Marcion’s doctrine taught

against the Old Testament.

Lactantius p.124-6

Yet again he taught that the saints would reign in a rebuilt Jerusalem, not the Jews.

“…it is evident that no hope remains to the Jews, unless, turning themselves to repentance, and

being cleansed from the blood with which they polluted themselves, they shall begin to hope in Him whom

they denied.” (Epitome of the Divine Institutes Chap. 48)

Brian E. Daley shares these comments:

“Lactantius presents his description of the end of history as “the teaching of the holy prophets,” a

secret tradition carefully guarded by Christians alone. Its contents, however, are a curious hybrid of

Christian apocalypticism and the speculations of late pagan “prophetic” literature – of works like the non-

Christian Sibylline Oracles, the Hermetic tract Asclepius, and the Hellenized Zoroastrian work known as

the Oracles of Hystaspes. This eclecticism is undoubtedly due in part to Lactantius’ apologetic and

popularizing intentions in writing the work, but it also represents the farthest development hitherto of what

would become a much more widespread phenomenon: the blending of biblical eschatology with the

elements of folk religion, occult speculation and late antique literary traditions, in a vividly concrete picture

of our individual and collective destinies. Brian E. Daley, The hope of the early church: a handbook of

patristic eschatology, (Cambridge1991), p.68. Quoted by Seidel.

Showers concludes this section by saying: “This examination of early Church leaders indicates that they

were, indeed, Premillennial by conviction”

Well Showers may wish that it were so, but the testimony of Justin is against him. The most he

can claim is that the early church was divided. Yet even that is far from the truth. The overwhelming

witness is that the Church by and large was against this teaching, and that it did not enter into the church

until the second century. Hegesippus lived in the first century, and parts of his writings are preserved via

Eusebius. He related how that at the time of Emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) the grandchildren of Jude, the

brother of the Lord, were brought before the King who feared the coming of Christ. Hegesippus relates

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that:

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“…he [Domitian] asked them if they were descendants of David, and they confessed that they

were. Then he asked them how much property they had, or how much money they owned. And both of

them answered that they had only nine thousand denarii, half of which belonged to each of them; and this

property did not consist of silver, but of a piece of land which contained only thirty-nine acres, and from

which they raised their taxes and supported themselves by their own labour… And when they were asked

concerning Christ and his kingdom, of what sort it was and where and when it was to appear, they

answered that it was not a temporal nor an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly and angelic one, which would

appear at the end of the world, when he should come in glory to judge the quick and the dead, and to give

unto every one according to his works. Upon hearing this, Domitian did not pass judgment against them,

but, despising them as of no account, he let them go, and by a decree put a stop to the persecution of the

Church.” (Ecclesiastical History Book 3 Chap. 20)

Even the Apostles Creed says the same, confessing that Jesus will come again ‘to judge the living

and the dead’. The Nicene Creed said “He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;

whose kingdom shall have no end.” What about the very early writing, The Epistle to Diognetus? It says:

“For God has loved mankind, on whose account He made the world, to whom He rendered subject

all the things that are in it, to whom He gave reason and understanding, to whom alone He imparted the

privilege of looking upwards to Himself, whom He formed after His own image, to whom He sent His

only-begotten Son, to whom He has promised a kingdom in heaven, and will give it to those who have

loved Him.” (The Epistle Of Mathetes To Diognetus Chap.10).

Oswald T Allis says that millennial views were extensively circulated in the Early Church through

such Jewish or Jewish-Christian writings such as 4 Esdras, Assumption of Moses, Ascension of Isaiah, and

Psalms of Solomon. (Oswald T Allis Prophecy and the Church, London 1945 p.287 n.12).

“It appears clearly that at least one of the sources of chiliasm in the early church must be found in

Jewish imagination, which originated the ‘Jewish fables’ against which the apostle Paul warns Titus

(1:14).” (Pieters quoted in A Critique of the Premillennial View of Scripture and Review of its Historical

Development with a consideration of Revelation chapter twenty verses one to six by Alan Nairne, England,

2000)

Seidel sees this link strongly. He writes

“Charges of Judaizing or pagan influence were not uncommon from millenarian opponents. Both

Origen and Jerome made such accusations as did other early writers. It is also evident, as we have already

suggested, that the connection between millenarian thinking and the Jewish concept of a 6,000 year

chronology is indicative of a strong influence from popular Jewish eschatology.”

Origen (c.185-254) described the millennial teaching of his day:

Certain persons, then, refusing the labour of thinking, and adopting a superficial view of the letter

of the law, and yielding rather in some measure to the indulgence of their own desires and lusts, being

disciples of the letter alone, are of opinion that the fulfilment of the promises of the future are to be looked

for in bodily pleasure and luxury; and therefore they especially desire to have again, after the resurrection,

such bodily structures as may never be without the power of eating, and drinking, and performing all the

functions of flesh and blood, not following the opinion of the Apostle Paul regarding the resurrection of a

spiritual body. And consequently they say, that after the resurrection there will be marriages, and the

begetting of children, imagining to themselves that the earthly city of Jerusalem is to be rebuilt… And

these views they think to establish on the authority of the prophets by those promises which are written

regarding Jerusalem; and by those passages also where it is said, that they who serve the Lord shall eat and

drink, but that sinners shall hunger and thirst; that the righteous shall be joyful, but that sorrow shall

possess the wicked…Such are the views of those who, while believing in Christ, understand the divine

Scriptures in a sort of Jewish sense, drawing from them nothing worthy of the divine promises. Those,



however, who receive the representations of Scripture according to the understanding of the apostles,

entertain the hope that the saints will eat indeed, but that it will be the bread of life…” (Origen De

Principiis Book 2. Chap. 11)

Others traced the influence of millennial teaching to Cerinthus the arch-heretic. Eusebius quotes

the words of Caius, a presbyter of the Church of Rome during the bishopric of Zephyrinus (AD 198-217):

“We have understood that at this time Cerinthus, the author of another heresy, made his

appearance. Caius, whose words we quoted above, in the Disputation which is ascribed to him, writes as

follows concerning this man: “But Cerinthus also, by means of revelations which he pretends were written

by a great apostle, brings before us marvelous things which he falsely claims were shown him by angels;

and he says that after the resurrection the kingdom of Christ will be set up on earth, and that the flesh

dwelling in Jerusalem will again be subject to desires and pleasures. And being an enemy of the Scriptures

of God, he asserts, with the purpose of deceiving men, that there is to be a period of a thousand years a for

marriage festivals.”“ Ecclesiastical History Book 2, Chapter 28

The Rise of Ammillenialism

It is often claimed that opposition to this doctrine of Pre-millennialism began with the allegorical

school of Alexandria. For example Showers says: “…a new theology, known as Alexandrian theology,

developed in the Greek Church. This new theology was formed by Origen and other Church scholars in

Alexandria, Egypt.” (Chapter 12, p.128). Is this true?

“Though the Antiochene school did hold to a more literal approach to interpretation, neither their

methods nor their conclusions had much in common with LaHaye and the dispensational variety of

literalism which he represents. Not only were leading proponents of the Antiochene school nonmillenarian,

they also held many points of agreement with the Alexandrian school. In particularly, both

schools held to a form of realized eschatology. One of the most influential members of the Antiochene

school was Theodore of Mopsuestia (c. 352-428).

He argued that Christ’s first coming had ushered in the kingdom, seeing it as a spiritual reality

which occurred through union with Christ. The final redemption would deliver believers from the “middle

position” they occupied during the present age. The age which followed was to be an eternal one, free from

corruption, and united with Christ. Mopsuestia’s successor, Theodoret of Cyrus (c. 393-466) also was a

strong promoter of the Antiochene school. He believed the Holy Spirit was a foretaste of a future where

believers share in Christ’s humanity forever. Daley comments that, “[Theodoret] makes it clear, too, in one

strongly anti-millenarian passage, that the good things promised the heirs of God’s Kingdom will not be

things ‘of a perishable or temporary kind, but the enjoyment of eternal blessings.’ (Siedel, Ibid.)

Further it is claimed that Augustine developed Ammillenialism. If this was true, why is it that one

of Augustine’s enemies, a Donatist by the name of Tyconius (d. c. 380s), also taught against this doctrine

of Premillennialism?

He “understood Revelation. 20 as representing a picture of the church age. He believed the

millennial reign is something the saints presently experience through union with Christ. Tyconius believed

that Christ was the first resurrection, and that the picture of the Saints reigning with Christ was a symbolic

portrayal of the Church age. (Seidel, Ibid.)

We should note that the Premillennialism of Augustine’s day, which he rejected, was a carnal one:

“And, this opinion would not be objectionable, if it were believed that the joys of the saints in that

Sabbath shall be spiritual, and consequent on the presence of God; for I myself, too, once held this opinion.

But, as they assert, that those who rise again shall enjoy the leisure of immoderate carnal banquets,

furnished with an amount of meat and drink such as not only to shock the feeling of the temperate, but even

to surpass the measure of credulity itself, such assertions can be believed only by the carnal. They who do

believe them are called by the spiritual Chiliasts, which we may literally reproduce by the name

Millenarians.” City of God (Book 20, chapter 7)

Augustine did however introduce a new concept. He believed that the reign of the saints is to be political in

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this world, and exercised by the Church. He thus used the literalism of a political reign and the idea of a

millennium, to bring forth a form of Postmillennialism. Like the medieval Catholic church, and like many

modern Reformed Theonomists, who both followed this theologian, he advocated physical force to be used

against anyone not submitting to the Church. His works laid a foundation that would bring forth terrifying

results in the centuries to come. But the same Jewish error was at its root, for Jesus said, “My Kingdom is

not of this world”.

Anabaptists and the Millennium

Many writers, again including Showers, attempt to paint the Anabaptists as Premillennialists too.

This is often seen as an important link, for many dispensationalists see the Anabaptists as predecessors to

the Baptists. As we have seen Dispensationalists got their doctrine from the Plymouth Brethren, not the

Anabaptists, or even the early Baptists. Let us take a look at the Anabaptists, and also of the early prophetic

views of the early Baptists. Many Dispensationalists are Baptist by name, yet true Baptist doctrine is in no

way Dispensational. Dispensationalism represents a departure from the historic Baptist faith.

The Anabaptists

It is true that the revolutionary Münsterites were millennial, with terrible consequences. But they

did not represent the majority of peaceful Anabaptists. In fact, in his complete works, Menno Simons, a

leader among the Dutch Anabaptists, calls it a ‘Jewish’ interpretation. He further says:

“Observe all of you who persecute the word of the lord and his people, this is our instruction,

doctrine and belief concerning baptism (doop), according to the instruction of the words of Christ, namely,

we must first hear the word of God, believe it, and then upon our faith be baptized (gedoopt); we are not

seditious or contentious; we do not approve of polygamy; neither do we seek nor wait for any kingdom

upon earth. Oh no! No! To God be eternal praise; we will know that the word of the Lord teaches us and

testifies to, on the subject. The word of the Lord commands us that we, with sincere hearts, desire to die to

sin, to bury our sins with Christ, and with him to arise to a new life, even as baptism (doop) is portrayed.”

(Menno, Wercken, 17).

So also did the earliest Mennonite Confessions state, such as the Confession of Faith (1617),

which in strong terms sets forth the general resurrection at the Lord’s second coming, followed by the

eternal kingdom.

The Anabaptist concept of the Kingdom was far removed from the Premillennial:

Peter Riedemann, the Hutterian leader, wrote in 1545:

“Christ, the Prince of Peace, has established His Kingdom, that is, His Church, and has purchased

it by His blood. In this kingdom all worldly warfare has ended. Therefore a Christian has no part in war nor

does he wield the sword to execute vengeance.” (Peter Riedemann, Rechenschaft unserer Religion, Lehre

sod Glaubens, von den Bruedern die Man die Hutterischen nennt, 105, quoted in The Anabaptist Vision By

Harold S. Bender, 1944)

Like many modern day Charismatics, the Kingdom was something lived and experienced. Gabriel

Ascherham, was a leader of a large Anabaptist community at Rossitz in Moravia, in the late 1520s. He

wrote:

“The apostles did not preach anything about community of goods nor order any one to keep it, in

the first church at Jerusalem. But when they heard the good news of Christ and the kingdom of God the

people believed and came to take part in the visible kingdom of the Holy Ghost. He filled them with joy

and fixed their hearts upon heavenly blessings, so that they counted earthly possessions as nothing.

Willingly, on their own and without being told, motivated only by the joy in their hearts, they went and

sold their property, bringing the money from it to lay at the apostles’ feet. Then they distributed to

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everyone according to his need. The first believers began community of goods without being told, everyone

giving out of his own free will. Community of goods, as a result, was an open witness of the kingdom of

God that had already come to them. It was not something commanded by men for the sake of the kingdom

of God.” From Vom Unterschied Göttlicher und Menschlicher Weisheit, first published in 1544. Quoted in

The Secret of the Strength: What Would the Anabaptists Tell This Generation? by Peter Hoover)

Thus one modern writer on the Anabaptists could say:

“The Jews looked for an earthly kingdom with an earthly Messiah. The Christians, after a few

centuries, went the way of the Jews. “But the kingdom of God,” Jesus said, “does not come with your

careful observation, nor will people say, here it is, or, there it is, because the kingdom of God is within

you!” (Luke 17:20-21).

For some time, right after the Dark Ages, this “inner kingdom,” the Kingdom of Heaven, came

down to touch the Anabaptist movement. It touched it with the clear light of conviction that shone from the

face of the miller’s son, only sixteen years old, who could say at the price of his life: “God does not want

me to do that.” And it led the Anabaptists . . .” (The Secret of the Strength: What Would the Anabaptists

Tell This Generation? by Peter Hoover)

While we are looking at the Anabaptists, it would be well for us to remind ourselves that the

prophetic views of the Anabaptists were radically different from today’s schemes. The Anabaptists

interpreted prophecy according to the historicist view of Bible prophecy. In fact this had been the teaching

of all of the groups of Christians who lived during the Middle Ages. The Waldensians in their treatise The

Noble Lesson, (1100 A.D.) wrote: “Antichrist, the predicted murderer of the Saints, hath already appeared

in his true character, seated monarchally in the seven-hilled city.” The Bohemian Brethren, in the

thirteenth century were said to have taught against the Church of Rome: “The first error, saith he, is that the

Church of Rome is not the Church of Jesus Christ, but an assembly of wicked men, and the whore that sits

upon the beast in the Revelation. ... They declare the Pope to be the head and ringleader of all errors”

(Allix, Ancient Churches of Piedmont, pp. 242-259). The Petrobusians, another group of true Christians

from medieval times, also considered the Pope to be the Antichrist (Allix, Ancient Churches of the

Albigenses, p. 142). And so also the Lollards, the followers of Wycliffe, taught also (Writings and

Examinations of Brute, Thorpe, Cobham, Hilton, Pecock, Bilney, and Others; With The Lantern of Light,

1842).

The Anabaptists taught that the ‘falling away’ had occurred historically at the time of Constantine

the Great, and that thereafter the ‘Man of Sin’ had taken his place in the ‘Temple of God’, the Church, and

that from there he had sat in his bishop’s seat ruling over the Church. From this seat, the Papacy increased

in power until like the beast of Revelation it held sway over the kings of the earth, as God himself, and as

Christ’s representative. For example Pope Boniface VIII said about himself:

“The Roman Pontiff judges all men, but is judged by no one.

“We declare, assert, define and pronounce: To be subject to the Roman Pontiff is to every human creature

altogether necessary for salvation...

“That which was spoken of Christ...’Thou hast subdued all things under His feet,’ may well seem

verified in me. I have the authority of the King of kings. I am all in all and above all, so that God, Himself

and I, the Vicar of God, have but one consistory, and I am able to do almost all that God can do. What

therefore, can you make of me but God?” The Bull Sanctum, Nov. 18, 1302

It is true that the earthly power of the Papacy grew out of the decay of the Roman Empire. And so

they taught that the ‘hindrance’ mentioned by the apostle, was this Empire, and that following its demise

the Papacy rose from the Church of God showing itself that it was God. That is why Menno Simons could

refer to the Pope as “the Antichrist” and as “the abomination of desolation”. This view, that the ‘hindrance’

mentioned by Paul was the Roman power, is an interpretation reaching back into the earliest ages of the

Church. Tertullian (c. 160 - c. 220) said “That day shall not come, unless, indeed, there come a falling

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away, he means indeed of this present empire...and he who now hinders must hinder, until he be taken our

of the way. What obstacle is there but the Roman state, the falling away of which, by being scattered into

ten kingdoms shall introduce Antichrist upon its ruins?” [Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, chap.

XXIV.]. John Chrysostom, who died in 408 A.D, writing in his Homily on Second Thessalonians, tells us

that there were two views prevalent in the Church of his day, one that the hindrance was the gifts of the

Spirit, and the other that the hindrance was the Roman power.

He writes “One may first naturally inquire what is that which withholds, and after that would

know why Paul expresses this so obscurely. What then is it that hinders him [Antichrist] from being

revealed? Some indeed say the grace of the Spirit, but others the Roman Empire, to whom I most of all

accede. Because he said this of the Roman Empire he naturally ... speaks covertly and darkly. For he did

not wish to bring upon himself ... useless dangers. For if he had said, that after ... a while the Roman

Empire would be dissolved, they would immediately have even overwhelmed him as a pestilent person, and

all the [other] faithful as living and [seeking] this end.” [Chrysostom, Homily IV, 1] We could continue

with the testimonies of other men, such as Irenaeus, Jerome, Justin and others, but I trust that this will

suffice for now.

For a more thorough dealing of these issues I strongly recommend the commentary on Revelation

by Fred Miller available at http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/. Also Romanism and the Reformation by Grattan

Guinness and the Horae Apocalypticae, both available at http://www.historicist.com.

The early Baptists held various different views regarding the Millennium. Some were Fifth

Monarchy men, a kind of Post-Millennial interpretation that looks to the saints taking possession of the

Kingdoms of this world. Many of these marched in Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army. Hansard Knolly,

a great leader among the early Particular Baptists represents the view held by many fifth monarchy men.

Writing on the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, he takes the coming of the Lord here to be not the

physical return of Christ to judge the living and the dead, but a “virtual, spiritual, powerful and glorious

coming in his Saints and Sanction as the Bridegroom of his Church, the new Jerusalem, who shall also

come down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband.”

He continues “This is our David’s Mystical Kingdom on Earth among his Saints, when HE shall

be King of all the Earth, and all the Kingdoms of this world shall be Christ’s. And when the Lord’s

redeemed Ones, whom He has made Kings and Priests to God, shall have the Kingdom and Dominion

under the whole Heaven given to them, and they shall reign on Earth.” Jesus he said would reign ‘In and

through His Saints’.

Judging from the early Baptist Confessions, such as the London Confessions, many early Baptists

were A-millennial, teaching a general resurrection followed by the Judgement at the end of the world at the

return of Christ. Others, centred around John Bunyan believed that Jesus would reign from a Davidic

throne in Jerusalem for ever. However all of the early Baptists believed in a historical interpretation of

prophecy. All of them identified themselves with the ‘woman in the wilderness’ who was hid of God for

1260 years of prophetic days, bearing witness against the Papal Man of Sin. Daniel King in his treatise ‘A

Way to Zion’, written in 1656 expresses the old Baptist view when he uses this truth of the woman in the

wilderness to show that there has always been a true Church even in the darkest days of Popery. And this

same view was the view of the first American Baptists.

For example Roger Williams (1603-1683) was the first Baptist Pastor in America. He spoke of the

Pope as “the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself

not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the

Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself...speaking against the God of heaven, thinking

to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition (II Thess. 2).” (Taken from The Prophetic Faith of

Our Fathers by Froom, Vol. 3, pg. 52.)

The Kingdom of God

“The kingdom of heaven! This is the theme which engrossed the prophets of old, and formed the

basis of the revelation of our Lord and his holy apostles. The rule of God’s anointed was the hope of the

former, “and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have

likewise foretold of these days” (Acts 3:24). The inauguration of that reign constituted the foundation of the

proclamation of the latter. As soon as our Lord had been immersed in the Jordan, and had grappled with the

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tempter in the wilderness, he launched into his mission. “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say,

Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). ... We may properly pray for a rule or authority

to come or start, but not for a territory or region to do so. In every case where the word is employed in

conjunction with the word “preached” it should, without exception, be translated “reign.” For example,

“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, saying, Reform, for the Reign of Heaven approaches” (Matt.

4:17)… The words translated by our English word “preach” in their original usage by the Holy Spirit,

meant something far different than the modern meaning attached to “preach.” The idea of announcing or

heralding was ever present in them...The Jewish world at that time was in a state of great expectancy. All

were looking for a restoration of the kingdom to Israel, and the ushering in of a golden age by the Messiah

of whom the prophets had spoken. Jerusalem, as the capital of the new regime, would be world famous.

The Gentiles would become tributaries and would converge upon the Jewish commonwealth with gold and

silver in abundance.

Much of the thinking centered around a materialistic and earthly speculation. Matthew’s account

was addressed to the Jews to prove that the Nazarene was the Messiah. The term “kingdom of heaven” was

employed to distract their minds from the idea of an earthly prince leading a victorious army. It was

intended to point their minds upward and to recognize a higher source of origin and a different type of

sovereignty. An appeal of a different nature was necessary to reach the non-Jewish hearers of that day.”

The Kingdom Of The Messiah by W. Carl Ketcherside

Ketcherside is right. Jesus came to bring a different type of Kingdom to that which the Jews expected:

Because of this great hope, it was a monumental declaration that day when Jesus declared to the Jewish

mentality, “You must change your way of thinking for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”…The kingdom

had come in a person - the King, spirit made flesh; and to see the spiritual kingdom they would have to be

born of the Spirit… (Dudley Hall, Out of the Comfort Zone, 1991)

Dispensationalists still hold to this earthly concept of a Kingdom. Showers speaks of God “…restoring His

Theocratic Kingdom Rule to the earth” when he returns. p.165. So what do we make of the Scriptures that

plainly teach that Christ set his Kingdom up at his first Advent?

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt.

4:17).

What can the dispensationalist do with such a verse?

“And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not

taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.” Mark 9:1

What is the clear sense of these passages? And how can the dispensationalist deny that the Kingdom was

set up?

“But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” Matt. 12:28

“Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.”

Mark 11:10

“And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of

God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.” Mark 12:34

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21

So also the conditions for entering the Kingdom were far different to what the dispensationalist says:

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter

into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:3

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“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and

Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:20

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the

will of my Father which is in heaven”. Matt. 7:21

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot

see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

According to Scripture people were pressing into the Kingdom when the Lord came to earth – “The law

and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth

into it.” Luke 16:16

Amazingly, Showers puts the fulfilment of Psalm 2: 6-9, the Messiah reigning from the heavenly Zion, in

the future! Could anyone, reading these Scriptures regarding the Kingdom, come away believing that the

Kingdom is a Jewish political Kingdom upon this earth? He further says:

“Prior to His Matthew 16:18 statement [the first mention of the Church, where Jesus says “I will

build my Church”], Jesus had been presenting Himself to Israel as its Messiah, the One who would set up

the promised Theocratic Kingdom of God. He had claimed to be the Messiah…He had preached the Gospel

of the Kingdom: “Repent; for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand…In spite of Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah

who would set up the Theocratic Kingdom…Israel was determined to reject Him and His claim…” p.180

The writer goes on to say that from that point Jesus changed his mission to that of dying, that

before this He had an option of either bringing in the Kingdom or of dying on the cross. The writer points

to the fact that Jesus began telling the apostles of his death and resurrection after the revelation of His

Church, and that they were told not to make him known as the Christ. But surely the point of this was that

Christ was giving them further indication as to the spiritual nature of the Kingdom. He was not abandoning

his original plan! What he says about the Kingdom after Matthew 16 is fully consistent with what he said

before! After he says “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall

not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:3 Did he then abandon the Kingdom as the writer would

have us believe? So also Matthew 16, right after mentioning the Church, says “Verily I say unto you, There

be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom”

The parallel account in Mark has it: “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of

them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with

power.”

There is a connection here that is not readily apparent. It is the ministry of the Son of Man to

Israel then, and the coming ministry of the Son of God from glory that He was to bring in after his

ascension. This is a not part of the purpose for this paper. But suffice for now to say that Matthew records

Jesus saying ‘Who do men say that I the Son of Man am’, with the statement from Peter that he believed

that he was ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’, followed by Jesus’ declaration regarding this being the

Rock upon which He would (future tense) build His Church. Mark however, simply records Jesus saying

‘Who do men say that I am?” with a statement from Peter that He was the Christ, or Anointed One. The

point is that Matthew was showing that the ministry as Son of Man was for the Jews, but that there would

be a coming ministry, following his death and resurrection, when He would build His Church as the Son of

God in glory. And so He began to teach them of his upcoming rejection in Jerusalem, and how He would

rise again.

Far from postponing the Kingdom for 2000 years, he declares that it would come with power in

the lifetime of some present.

This idea of a Jesus not bringing the Kingdom that he declared to be ‘at hand’ is called the

‘Kingdom offer,’ that is that the Kingdom was offered to the Jews, but that because they rejected this offer,

the Kingdom was postponed until the second coming. Presumably, had they accepted it, Jesus would not

have needed to go to the cross. And so also the church is seen, not as the purpose of history for the Lord to

redeem in one body those who he chose from before the foundation of the world, the true seed of Abraham

and heirs of the promise; but rather as a dispensational afterthought, as a new plan not previously made

known in the Scriptures.

It might well be asked of our dispensational friends today-What was it that the Lord hid from the

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wise and prudent Jews of His day and revealed only to “babes” (Matt. 11:25)? If it were “the things”

pertaining to His kingdom which He had come to establish on the ruins of Satan’s empire of sin and death,

then the “kingdom” which he “offered” to the Jews was entirely spiritual and not natural, and this is the

reason why it was concealed from all except those with eyes to see and ears to hear. The reason why the

Jews rejected Christ is the same as that for which they still reject Him today-namely, because they expected

an earthly kingdom, and Christ did not bring them this. The prevailing prophetical theories, however, insist

that Christ did in fact “offer” this kingdom to the Jews and because they rejected the offer, the gospel was

brought in as an afterthought or a substitute. What the dispensational theory is saying is that Christ offered

to the Jews the very kingdom which they expected, but they rejected Him and it! At the last, says this

extraordinary theory, Christ will relent and will in fact give the Jews the very kingdom which they crucified

Him for not establishing at His first coming…

If our friends cannot see the hopeless dilemma in which their theory involves them, we can only

marvel at the success of that error of dispensationalism by which evil powers have succeeded in well nigh

destroying scriptural exposition and understanding…The truth is that there is not a breath of suggestion that

Christ ever offered” to the Jews any other “kingdom” but the gospel: that this was in fact the kingdom

which John the Baptist came to present under the keyword “repent,” which Christ Himself presented with

the same keyword “repent,” that the Sermon on the Mount with which He formally introduced His mission

was in fact an exposition of the text- “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” In that great sermon

Christ promised or offered nothing to anyone except “the poor in spirit,” the “mourner for sin,” the “meek,”

the “brokenhearted,” and those who “hungered and thirsted” for true righteousness. (C D Alexander, Moses

or Christ)

The Church and Israel

I agree that the Church began on the day of Pentecost. The Covenant theologians are wrong when

they deny this. However the Dispensationalist is wrong in denying any continuity between the elect

remnant or true Jewish nation of the Old Testament, and the Church. The analogy of the olive tree provides

a good illustration. The Gentiles, who previously were not the people of God, were engrafted into the good

olive tree, or the Israel of God, and the natural branches, the Jews after the flesh but not after the Spirit,

were plucked out. This represents the continuity between Israel and the Church. They are not two entirely

different entities. The Gentiles have been brought into something, thus making of two one new man. It is

the bringing in of the Gentiles which creates the one new man. But there is continuity. The Gentiles were

brought into the olive tree. Therefore the olive tree existed prior to the bringing in.

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called

Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye

were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of

promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were

far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken

down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of

commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the And came and

preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have

access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but

fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” Ephesians 2: 11-19

Gentiles have been brought into the good of the Covenant. And now Jew and Gentile, have been

made one body through the Holy Spirit, as it is written - Galatians 3:14 “That the blessing of Abraham

might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through

faith.” That is the Church. Both Gentiles who were aliens to the commonwealth, and those Jews still in the

commonwealth of Israel, who remained faithful and were not cast out, they two together by one Spirit

baptised into one body. And yes it is true that this mystery was not revealed in times past as it has now been

made known. It was known before only in veiled prophecy.

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the

grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in

them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are

23



now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down

from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter1: 10-12

Is Replacement Theology True?

I have read different definitions of Replacement Theology. If by this it is meant that the Church is

Israel, and that there is no other, and that the Church has so totally replaced Israel so as to mean that there

are no promises left for the natural seed, then the teaching is wrong. Paul makes clear that the natural seed

are still beloved of God for the fathers sakes, and that the gifts and calling of God on that nation are

irrevocable. However if it means that there are two Israels, one after the flesh and one after the Spirit, and

that the Church is the true Israel, being the Israel of God, made up of those who are Jews inwardly, and that

it is this Israel, which now includes Gentiles, who are heirs according to the promise, then it is right, for it

is what Scripture says. Dispensational teachers attempt to reason, which is what gets them into trouble,

trusting in their own wisdom and intellect; they attempt to reason that Israel and the Church are not the

same. However they fail to ‘rightly divide the word of truth’ by failing to see that there are two Israels, the

natural and the spiritual. The question is this; ‘is the Church spiritual Israel, and heir to the promises?’ ‘Is

the Church the legitimate successor to the nation of Israel?’ The answer is a resounding yes to both. Paul

talks of two Israel’s, the Israel after the flesh and the Israel after the Spirit.

“For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are

they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh,

these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Romans 11:6 –

8

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29

This has been a lengthy reply to what is a powerful stronghold in this hour, a stronghold which

holds down many in a false sense of security, expecting to be Raptured and whisked away at any moment,

and before any trouble comes. It is a doctrine which leads to a pessimistic view of the end times, and of the

Church, and is the motivating force behind much of the anti-Anointing teaching which has engulfed the

mentality of many evangelicals. It is a teaching which relies upon very questionable interpretations of Bible

passages, yet it is widely received and too seldom questioned. It is a teaching which interprets Jesus’ words

by Paul rather than vice-versa. It is a teaching which opposes the restoration of the Gospel of the Kingdom

in this hour. It is a teaching which undermines the central role of the Church in God’s purposes for

summing up all things in Christ. Nor does it do justice to Israel after the flesh, the natural seed, holding out

for them a false hope of salvation without regeneration. May some come to see this system of man made

interpretation and fantastic schemes for what it is in truth – fables.

And so we conclude in the words of Paul.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as

many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” Galatians

6:15-16

Some Other Sources Used

John Nelson Darby: Defender Of The Faith by Larry V. Crutchfield

Chief Men by Pickering and Inglis

MARGARET’S REVELATION

“It was first the awful state of the land that was pressed upon me. I saw the blindness and

infatuation of the people to be very great. I felt the cry of Liberty just to be the hiss of the serpent, to drown

them in perdition. It was just ‘no God.’ I repeated the words, Now there is distress of nations, with

perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them for fear. Now look out for the sign of

the Son of Man. Here I was made to stop and cry out, O it is not known what the sign of the Son of Man is;

the people of God think they are waiting, but they know not what it is.

I felt this needed to be revealed, and that there was great darkness and error about it; but suddenly

24



what it was burst upon me with a glorious light. I saw it was just the Lord himself descending from Heaven

with a shout, just the glorified man, even Jesus; but that all must, as Stephen was, be filled with the Holy

Ghost, that they might look up, and see the brightness of the Father’s glory. I saw the error to be, that men

think that it will be something seen by the natural eye; but ‘tis spiritual discernment that is needed, the eye

of God in his people.

Many passages were revealed, in a light in which I had not before seen them. I repeated, ‘Now is

the kingdom of Heaven like unto ten virgins, who went forth to meet the Bridegroom, five wise and five

foolish; they that were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them; but they that were wise took oil

in their vessels with their lamps.’ ‘But be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is; and

be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.’ This was the oil the wise virgins

took in their vessels - this is the light to be kept burning - the light of God - that we may discern that which

cometh not with observation to the natural eye. Only those who have the light of God within them will see

the sign of his appearance.

No need to follow them who say, see here, or see there, for his day shall be as the lightning to

those in whom the living Christ is. ‘Tis Christ in us that will lift us up - he is the light - ‘tis only those that

are alive in him that will be caught up to meet him in the air. I saw that we must be in the Spirit, that we

might see spiritual things. John was in the Spirit, when he saw a throne set in Heaven. But I saw that the

glory of the ministration of the Spirit had not been known. I repeated frequently, but the spiritual temple

must and shall be reared, and the fullness of Christ be poured into his body, and then shall we be caught up

to meet him. Oh none will be counted worthy of this calling but his body, which is the church, and which

must be a candlestick all of gold.

I often said, Oh the glorious inbreaking of God which is now about to burst on this earth; Oh the

glorious temple which is now about to be reared, the bride adorned for her husband; and Oh what a holy,

holy bride she must he, to be prepared for such a glorious bridegroom. I said, Now shall the people of God

have to do with realities - now shall the glorious mystery of God in our nature be known - now shall it be

known what it is for man to be glorified. I felt that the revelation of Jesus Christ had yet to be opened up - it

is not knowledge about God that it contains, but it is an entering into God - I saw that there was a glorious

breaking in of God to be. I felt as Elijah, surrounded with chariots of fire.

I saw as it were, the spiritual temple reared, and the Head Stone brought forth with shoutings of

grace, grace, unto it. It was a glorious light above the brightness of the sun that shone round about me. I felt

that those who were filled with the Spirit could see spiritual things, and feel walking in the midst of them,

while those who had not the Spirit could see nothing - so that two shall be in one bed, the one taken and the

other left, because the one has the light of God within while the other cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. I

saw the people of God in an awfully dangerous situation, surrounded by nets and entanglements, about to

be tried, and many about to be deceived and fall.

Now will THE WICKED be revealed, with all power and signs and lying wonders, so that it it

were possible the very elect will be deceived - This is the fiery trial which is to try us. - It will be for the

purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it will be a fiery trial. Every soul

will he shaken to the very centre. The enemy will try to shake in every thing we have believed - but the trial

of real faith will be found to honour and praise and glory. Nothing but what is of God will stand. The stonyground

hearers will be made manifest - the love of many will wax cold.

I frequently said that night, and often since, now shall the awful sight of a false Christ be seen on

this earth, and nothing but the living Christ in us can detect this awful attempt of the enemy to deceive - for

it is with all deceivableness of unrighteousness he will work - he will have a counterpart for every part of

God’s truth, and an imitation for every work of the Spirit. The Spirit must and will be poured out on the

church, that she may be purified and filled with God - and just in proportion as the Spirit of God works, so

will he - when our Lord anoints men with power, so will he.

This is particularly the nature of the trial, through which those are to pass who will be counted

worthy to stand before the Son of man. There will he outward trial too, but ‘tis principally temptation. It is

brought on by the outpouring of the Spirit, and will just increase in proportion as the Spirit is poured out.

The trial of the Church is from Antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept. I

frequently said, Oh be filled with the Spirit - have the light of God in you, that you may detect Satan - be

full of eyes within -be clay in the hands of the potter -submit to be filled, filled with God. This will build

the temple. It is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.

This will fit us to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. I saw it to be the will of God that all

should be filled. But what hindered the real life of God from being received by his people, was their turning

25



from Jesus, who is the way to the Father. They were not entering in by the door. For he is faithful who hath

said, by me if any man enters in he shall find pasture. They were bypassing the cross, through which every

drop of the Spirit of God flows to us. All power that comes not through the blood of Christ is not of God.

When I say, they are looking from the cross, I feel that there is much in it - they turn from the

blood of the Lamb, by which we overcome, and in which our robes are washed and made white. There are

low views of God’s holiness, and a ceasing to condemn sin in the flesh, and a looking from him who

humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation. Oh! it is needed, much needed at present, a leading

back to the cross. I saw that night, and often since, that there will be an outpouring of the Spirit on the

body, such as has not been, a baptism of fire, that all the dross may be put away. Oh there must and will be

such an indwelling of the living God as has not been - the servants of God sealed in their foreheads - great

conformity to Jesus - his holy holy image seen in his people - just the bride made comely by his comeliness

put upon her. This is what we are at present made to pray much for, that speedily we may all be made ready

to meet our Lord in the air - and it will be. Jesus wants his bride. His desire is toward us. He that shall

come, will come, and will not tarry. Amen and Amen Even so come Lord Jesus.’’

http://www.apostasynow.com/topics/trib/pretrib08.html

2. The Rapture Question

Ah, THE RAPTURE, what an intriguing subject! Scores of untold saints have wondered with

great concern, “When will it happen? Will it be in my lifetime? Who of my loved ones will miss it and

have to go through the tribulation, and then off to an eternal hell? Or will I myself miss it, and stand below

watching the few lucky ones fly away into the clouds when the trumpet sounds?” Hmmm...

There are so many professing Christians who have their hope in the RAPTURE, it has become a

tenant of faith through much of the church system. Some go as far to say that you must believe in IT to be

saved. Such a thought places their hope of salvation on and exterior event, rather than the indwelling Christ

who died so they could be saved. In this study, there are three primary purposes in mind:

(1) To bring to light some truths the reader has possibly never considered.

(2) To confirm and clarify what the Spirit has already been speaking to many. And

(3), to shake, to pull down, and destroy, as Jeremiah wrote, a few man-made doctrines that are preventing

people from progressing in their quest for life. We then hope to plant and build up from there. If any or all

of these are accomplished, then we will be satisfied.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE RAPTURE’S ORIGIN

Let us initiate this study with the words of one of today’s most prolific and anointed writers, J.

Preston Eby. Without his diligent research of these long forgotten facts, the expose of the Rapture’s Origin

would be incomplete, to say the least. He writes:

“It wasn’t until the early or mid 1800’s that there was any significant group of believers around

the world that looked for a “rapture” of the Church prior to a seven-year tribulation period.

It may come as a shock to some who read these lines, but it is a fact, nonetheless, that the

“rapture” teaching was not taught by the early Church, it was not taught by Church of the first centuries, it

was not taught by the Reformers, it was not taught by anyone (except a couple of Roman Catholic

theologians) until about the year 1830.

At the time of the Reformation, the early Protestants widely held and were convinced the Pope

was the supreme individual embodiment and personification of the spirit of antichrist, and the Roman

Church, the Harlot System of Revelation seventeen.

This understanding was responsible for bringing millions of believers out of the Roman Catholic

religious system. It therefore became expedient for certain Romish theologians to turn the attention of the

26



people away from the Papacy, and this they endeavored to do by inventing a counter-interpretation to that

held by the Protestants. This new scheme of prophetic interpretation became known as futurism.

Rather than viewing the drama of the book of Revelation spiritually and historically, they would

consign it all to a brief period of time at the end of the age. It was a Jesuit priest named Ribera who, in the

days of the Reformation, first taught that all the events in the book of Revelation were to take place literally

during the three and a half years reign of the antichrist way down at the end of the age.

Thus, Ribera laid the foundation of a system of prophetic interpretation of which the secret rapture

has now become an integral part.

“Later, Emmanuel Lacunza, also a Jesuit priest, built on Ribera’s teachings, and spent much of his

life writing a book titled “The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty.

“Lacunza, however, wrote under the assumed name of Rabbi Ben Ezra, supposedly a learned Jew

who had accepted Christ as his Saviour. With Jesuit cunning, he thus conspired to get his book a hearing in

the Protestant world they would not even permit it in their homes coming from a Jesuit pen but as the

earnest work of the “converted Jew,” they would consume it with avid interest!

Within the pages of this elaborate forgery, Lacunza taught the novel notion that Jesus returns not

once, but twice, and at the “first stage” of His return He “raptures” His Church so they can escape the reign

of the “future antichrist.” His book was first published in Spanish in the 1812 and soon found its way onto

the shelves of the library of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London, England.

“Now, enter the name of Edward Irving. Born in Scotland in 1792, Irving became one of the most

eloquent preachers of his time, and a leading figure of the Catholic Apostolic Church of England. In 1828

his open-air meetings in Scotland drew crowds of 10,000 people. His church in London seated one

thousand people and was packed week after week with a congregation drawn from the most brilliant and

influential circles of society.

There were some among them who by prophetic declaration announced that the Lord was coming

soon, and this idea became prominent in their prophetic utterances and teachings. Out of those prophetic

declarations some began to study the scriptures in the light of a physical, literal coming of the Lord.

Up until that time the coming of the Lord was understood as coming of the Lord TO His people,

and IN His saints, and there was no sense of His fleshly coming. Irving discovered Lacunza’s book and was

deeply shaken by it, in fact, fell in love with it, translated it into English, and it was published in London in

1827. At this time Irving heard what he believed to be a voice from heaven commanding him to preach the

Secret Rapture of the Saints. Irving then began to hold Bible conferences throughout Scotland,

Emphasizing the coming of Jesus to rapture His Church.

“About this same time there began the emergence of a new movement which came to be known as

the Plymouth Brethren. The Brethren movement had its beginning in Dublin in 1825 when a small group of

earnest men, dissatisfied with the lethargic condition that prevailed in the Protestant Church in Ireland, met

for prayer and fellowship.

Soon others joined the fellowship and associated groups sprang up in various places. Though the

movement had its beginning at Dublin, it was Plymouth, England that became the center of their vast

literature outreach, thus the name Plymouth Brethren became attached.

Although there was interest from the start in prophetic subjects, the center of interest was on the

body of Christ as an organism and the spiritual unity of Christ of all believers in reaction to the deadness of

formalism of the organized church systems and the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

A man by the name of John Nelson Darby was the leading spirit among the Plymouth Brethren

from 1830 onward. Darby was from a prosperous Irish family, was educated as a lawyer, took high honors

at Dublin University, then turned aside, to his father’s chagrin, to become a minister.

“Thus Irving and Darby were contemporaries, though associated with different spiritual

movements. Another series of meetings were in progress at this time. A group of seeking Christians were

meeting in the castle of Lady Powerscourt for the study of Bible prophecy.

Many clergymen attended, and quite a few who were Irvingites. The Irvingites came to the

meetings obsessed with the ideas of the “Secret Rapture” and the “future antichrist,” imbibed from the

Jesuit teaching of the Secret Rapture and the futurist interpretation of prophecy, as well as the famous book

by Rabbi Ben-Ezra, or, actually, Jesuit priest Emmanuel Lacunza! Darby was himself a prolific writer and

from the time a constant stream of propaganda came from his pen.

His writings on biblical subjects number over 30 volumes of 600 pages each. Darby developed

and organized “futurism” into a system of prophetic teaching called “dispensationalism.” Darby’s

biographers refer to him as “the father of dispensationalism.” And the crown jewel in the kingdom of

27



dispensationalism is, of course, the so-called SECRET RAPTURE!

“The Secret Rapture teaching was introduced into the United States and Canada in the 1860’s and

1870’s though there is some indication that it may have been taught as early as the 1840’s. Darby himself

visited the United States six times. The new teaching was spreading.

A Congregationalist preacher by the name of C.I. Scofield came under the influence of Darby and

the Plymouth Brethren. The Scofield Reference Bible was destined to have a tremendous impact upon the

beliefs of may, when, three million copies were published in the first 50 years.

Through this Bible, Scofield carried the teaching of the Secret Rapture into the very heart of

evangelism. Some ignorant souls look on the notes in this Bible as the Word of God itself. I do not doubt

for one instant that many who read these lines have been influenced somewhere in their spiritual lives by

the footnotes in the Scofield Bible.

“There is one final link in the chain of the development and spread of the rapture theory that

should be mentioned in passing. I would draw your attention again to the source, the origin, of the rapture

doctrine and the chain of contact by which it has been brought down to this day. It began as a Roman

catholic invention.

The Jesuit priest Ribera’s writings influenced the Jesuit priest Lacunza, Lacunza influenced Irving,

Irving influenced Darby, Darby influenced Scofield, Scofield and Darby influenced D.L. Moody, and

moody influenced the Pentecostal Movement.

How? you ask. The Assemblies of God is today by far the largest Pentecostal denomination in the

world. When the Pentecostal movement began at the turn of the century, and the Assemblies of God held

their first general council in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, they were a small movement and didn’t have

their own publishing house.

They needed Sunday School and study materials for their churches so where do you suppose they

got it? They bought it from Moody Press and had their own cover stitched on it! So what do you think the

Assemblies of God people believed? They believed what Moody Bible Institute taught!

This had its impact on Pentecostal theology, because in the early years there were practically no

pre-millenialists in the Pentecostal movement. Most of the ministers in those early days came from

Presbyterian, Methodist, or other historic denominations men who, being baptized in the Holy Spirit and

leaving their denominations, joined themselves to the Assemblies of God or one of the other emerging

Pentecostal denominations.

That is how the Pentecostal movement became influenced and saturated with the “Secret Rapture”

doctrine by a direct chain right back to THE ROMAN CHURCH.” —End quote.

MARGARET MACDONALD’S ACCOUNT

The doctrine of the “PRE-TRIB RAPTURE” can also be credited to what began in Port Glasgow,

Scotland in 1830. A young Scottish lass named Margaret MacDonald had a revelation of the coming of the

Lord before the great tribulation. Several noted Bible teachers of that day picked up on this thought, but it

was Edward Irving and John Darby who were responsible for it being popularized in Scotland and England.

It is said of Darby that he borrowed from Margaret MacDonald’s revelation, modified her views,

and then taught them under his own name without giving her credit. He visited the U.S. at least five times,

and his dispensationalism became part of the Scofield Reference Bible (1909), as quoted above. It was the

notes in Scofield’s Bible that caused this new teaching to find favor in this country.

The following is Margaret MacDonald’s handwritten account of her 1830 revelation as it appears

in Memoirs of James & George MacDonald, of Port-Glasgow (1840) by Robert Norton, pp. 171-176; The

Restoration of Apostles and Prophets; In the Catholic Apostolic Church (1861) also by Norton, pp. 15-18;

and The Incredible Cover Up by Dave MacPherson, (1980) (The above statements were also taken from

this book):



them in perdition.

I repeated the words, ‘Now there is distress of nations, with perplexity, the seas and the waves

roaring, men’s hearts failing them for fear — now look out for the sign of the Son of man.’ Here I was

made to stop and cry out, ‘O it is not known what the sign of the Son of man is; the people of God think

they are waiting, but they know not what it is.’

28



I felt this needed to be revealed, and that there was great darkness and error about it; but suddenly

what it was burst upon me with a glorious light. I saw it was the Lord Himself descending from Heaven

with a shout, the glorified man, even Jesus; but that all must, as Stephen was, be filled with the Holy Ghost,

that they might look up, and see the brightness of the Father’s glory.

I saw the error to be, that men think that it will be something seen by the natural eye; but ‘tis

spiritual discernment that is needed, the eye of God in His people. Many passages were revealed, in a light

in which I had not before seen them.

I repeated, ‘Now is the kingdom of Heaven like unto ten virgins, who went forth to meet the

Bridegroom, five wise and five foolish; they that were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them;

but they that were wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.’ ‘But be ye not unwise, but understanding

what the will of the Lord is; and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.’

This was the oil the wise virgins took in their vessels — this is the light to be kept burning — the

light of God — that we may discern that which cometh not with observation to the natural eye. Only those

who have the light of God within them will see the sign of His appearance. No need to follow them who

say, see here, or see there, for His day shall be as the lightning to those in whom the living Christ is.

‘Tis Christ in us that will lift us up — He is the light — ‘tis only those that are alive in Him that

will be caught up to meet Him in the air. I saw that we must be in the Spirit, that we might see spiritual

things. John was in the Spirit, when he saw a throne set in Heaven.

But I saw that the glory of the ministration of the Spirit had not been known....I said, Now shall

the people of God have to do with realities — now shall the glorious mystery of God in our nature be

known — now shall it be know what it is for man to be glorified. I felt that the revelation of Jesus Christ

had yet to be opened up — it is not knowledge about God that it contains, but it is an entering into God I

saw that there was a glorious breaking in of God to be.

I felt as Elijah, surrounded with chariots of fire. I saw as it were, the spiritual temple reared, and

the Head Stone brought forth with shoutings of grace, grace, unto it. It was a glorious light above the

brightness of the sun, that shone round about me. I felt that those who were filled with the Spirit could see

spiritual things, and feel walking in the midst of them, while those who had not the Spirit could see nothing

so that two shall be in one bed, the one taken and the other left, because the one has the light of God within

while the other cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. I saw the people of God in an awfully dangerous

situation, surrounded by nets and entanglements, about to be tried, and many about to be deceived and fall.

Now will THE WICKED be revealed, with all power and signs and lying wonders, so that if it were

possible the very elect will be deceived. — This is the fiery trial which is to try us.

It will be for the purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it will be

a fiery trial. Every soul will be shaken to the very centre. The enemy will try to shake every thing we have

believed in — but the trial of real faith will be found to honour and praise and glory.

Nothing but what is of God will stand. The stony-ground hearers will be made manifest — the

love of many will wax cold. I frequently said that night, and often since, now shall the awful sight of a false

Christ be seen on this earth, and nothing but the living Christ in us can detect this awful attempt of the

enemy to deceive for it is with all deceivableness of unrighteousness he will work — he will have a

counterpart for every part of God’s truth, and an imitation for every work of the Spirit. The Spirit must and

will be poured out on the church, that she may be purified and filled with God and just in proportion as the

Spirit of God works, so will he when our Lord anoints men with power, so will he. This is particularly the

nature of the trial through which those are to pass who will be counted worthy to stand before the Son of

man.

There will be outward trials too, but it is principally temptation. It is brought on by the outpouring

of the Spirit, and will increase in proportion as the Spirit is poured out. The trial of the Church is from

antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept. I frequently said, Oh be filled with the

Spirit.

Have the light of God in you, that you may detect Satan, be full of eyes within — be clay in the

hands of the potter submit to be filled, filled with God. This will build the temple....Jesus wants His bride.

His desire is toward us. He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Amen and Amen. Even so come

Lord Jesus.” End quote.

This young Scottish lass was not only maligned and called a heretic by the church and the news

media in her day; but her credibility has also been attacked from all sides today. Those who believe in a

literal “post-trib” rapture as well as those who see it more as an inward catching away, have brought her

under fire.

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The post-tribbers have tried to discredit her, because she had said one has to be filled with the

Spirit of Christ to see the Lord coming in glory and for saying His coming to His church will be without

observation — only those with an eye (spiritual eye) to see will see Him when He appears.

Those who have the vision of an inner catching away have used her name in a negative way,

because it sounded as if she believed the saints would at that time meet Jesus in the literal air. Due to

ignoring the spiritual reality of being caught away, her vision was one of the things that helped to enforce

the concept Ribera and Lacunza founded earlier.

Both factions, the post-tribbers and the spiritual minded, have undermined the authenticity of her

vision because it did not line up with their views, and being a female, a young one at that, did not help.

After reading her account of the vision, as well as other letters she had written and what others in

her day wrote about her, we can see she had a very close walk with God and what she had seen could have

very well been by the Spirit.

The problem appears to lie with what Darby, Irving, and Scofield had done with her vision and

with her own apparent lack of understanding in what she was seeing; namely that, the soon appearing of the

Lord was speaking of His appearing in them, for in the prophecies that came through them almost always

ended with, “BEHOLD HE COMETH, JESUS COMETH.”

This would indicate He was ALREADY COMING to them at that time (JESUS COMES — A

PRESENT ACTION); but they had failed to see the spiritual reality of Him that COMES, they too were

looking for that which was outward rather than inward.

AS THE DAYS OF NOAH

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days

that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage...and knew not

until the flood came, and took them all away; Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the

other left. And...there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 24:37-40 & 51).

This is a passage of scripture that has been popularized as being foundational scriptures for

substantiating the rapture teachings. Many horrible sermons and stories have been fostered from these

words Jesus spoke some two thousand years ago. We don’t have the time, nor does space allow us to go

into the sum of what has been conceived in the minds of men concerning this subject.

Suffice it to say, the precepts were birthed out of the misleading hearts of two Jesuit priests, then

nurtured by the carnal minded, until it grew into the earth-swallowing flood that is today. Nevertheless,

truth will push back the overflowing waters and open vistas reality to those seeking it.

During the days of Noah, when he went into the ark and the flood came, who do we suppose were

the ones taken? We believe anyone who is seriously looking for the truth, when they read the verses above,

will conclude that it was the ungodly merrymakers who were taken away — not, and we repeat, N-O-T

Noah.

Noah was not taken and judged of God nor was he removed from the midst of the judgment; but

rather, he went into the ark, the protective hand of God. He did not escape the flood, but endured it.

When it had run its course he then set up a new kingdom (new beginnings) upon the earth, and the

elect will do the same at the commencement of this new age. The ones who were taken, however, were

those who God had taken and judged with the flood.

Therefore, when we read, “As the days of Noah were, so shall ALSO the coming of the Son of

man be,” we should be able to come to the same conclusion as any rational minded person and see that the

ones taken at the end of this age are the ungodly, and they will be judged accordingly.

There is one main difference — in Noah’s day the people were judged by water, but in this day IT

IS BY FIRE that they are judged, but this fire, we should know, is not the fire we cook our beans over or

warm our homes with.

When we read that two are in the field and one is taken and the other is left, and when two are

grinding at the mill and one is taken and the other is left (verses 40-41), never let it enter our formidable

minds that the ones taken are the chosen of God. There is no place in holy writ that tells us, encourages us,

or even suggests that His overcomers ever flee from the face of the enemy, i.e. by way of a “rapture” or any

other means.

The written word doesn’t even hint that God’s plan for His mighty army of overcomers are to

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sound the retreat when the Lord Himself trumpets the charging, battle cry within the recesses of our souls.

It is very common, however, to read of the victorious events that have transpired throughout all the past

ages when humble men of God were endowed with His holy spirit; and everyone of them conquered by

advancing into the camp and face of their enemies.

They did not overcome by running and hiding or flying away some where in the sky. Even the

four lepers that set the Syrian army to flight did it by advancing toward and into their camp.

“For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and noise of horses,

even the noise of a great host, and they fled for their life.” (II Kings 6:24-33 & 7:1-8). It is the same today,

we conquer by advancing when we hear the battle cry of our Lord, the Captain of our deliverance. But

never, and we repeat, NEVER do we pack our bags and withdraw from the enemy we are called to destroy.

If we should take the time to read Mt. 24:36-51, and read it very carefully, we would soon see that

those taken are the same ones who are CUT ASUNDER and their portion is that of the hypocrites. With

this being so, do we still want to be among those who are taken?

No doubt, some of us may very well be part of that company; but if we are, it would be a good

idea to be prepared for something much different than formerly assumed.

Hopefully, however, all who read these words, including myself, will be with those who are not

taken and judged, even those “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over

His household, to give them meat in due season.” (verse 45).

These faithful ones, as the context reads, are those who are not taken into judgment, and neither

are they taken and removed from the earth, but they are those who REMAIN right here on this great planet

and rule over it with righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost — which, incidentally, is the kingdom

of God. (Rom. 14:17).

I WILL KEEP THEM FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION

“Because 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.” (Revelation. 3:10).

This has been one of the primary verses used to support a physical flying away into the heavens.

Let us examine it and see if this should be.

There are four words in this verse that merit attention — WORD, KEEP, TEMPTATION and

DWELL:

WORD...in this verse is translated from the Greek word LOGOS. It is a spoken word that carries

the thought and intent of the speaker, a divine expression of the substance of God (Heb. 1:3), clarification

or explanation of something. The sacred Logos connects humanity with deity, it brings forth truth and

reality. Logos can be equated with God.

KEEP...comes from the Greek word teros, and the Latin word for teros is terracea from which we

get our English word terrace. The principle word (teros) has the meaning of to watch over, to attend to

carefully, to protect, to keep in view, to guard, to apply oneself to.

TEMPTATION...comes from peirasmos which means to try, to test, to scrutinize, to discipline, to

prove.

DWELL...simply means to reside, to cohabit, to occupy a house permanently, and it comes from

the Greek word katoikeo.

(Definitions are from Strong’s Exhaustive Conc., Theological Dictionary of The New Testament

by Kittle and Friedrich, and Thayer’s Greek - English Lexicon of The New Testament.)

Let us now take the liberty and translate Revelation. 3:10 from what we have learned about the

above words: “Because when My Word of patience, THE ENDURING LOGOS, the very essence of

Myself became a reality to you, you WATCHED OVER, PROTECTED and APPLIED YOURSELF

WHOLLY TO IT and never faltered while it was being tested and proven with fire. Likewise, in the same

manner I WILL WATCH OVER, PROTECT and APPLY MYSELF WHOLLY TO YOU in the hour when

all those whose DWELLING PLACES are that of the earth are TESTED with the fires and shakings that I

will send.”

That WORD, THE LOGOS OF GOD, is the very thing that brings us to such a place of peace. It is

not the letter that killeth which we are to keep but THE REALITY OF HIS SUBSTANCE. It is this Word,

THE LOGOS, that the Bible speaks of concerning Jesus.

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It tells us, “In the beginning was the WORD (THE LOGOS)...and the WORD (THE LOGOS)

WAS GOD...and THE WORD (THE LOGOS) WAS MADE FLESH....” (John 1:1 & 14). We are also told

that He was “...The brightness of His glory, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON (EXPRESSION

OF HIS SUBSTANCE, Grk).” (Heb. 1:3).

And let us not forget, those who overcame the dragon and his angels in that heavenly war of

Revelation twelve done so “...by the WORD (LOGOS) of their testimony.” (Revelation. 12:11). We will

notice one more verse — “If a man KEEP (TEROS) My SAYING (LOGOS), he shall never see death.”

(John 8:51).

The key to being not hurt by the wrath of God (Revelation. 19:15), the wrath of the devil

(Revelation. 12:12), or any other wrath or calamity that might befall the world, is not getting out of the

mess but by awakening to the reality of the logos of God within and becoming one with Him.

When we know who and what we are, that selfsame word (“...as He is so are we in this world”) (I

John 4:17), we can then let the storms rage and the waves roll, for in such peaceful assurance we can lie

down in the midst of it all and go to sleep, even as our Lord had done when He was with the twelve.

And if need be, we will be able to say peace be still and the winds will obey our voice. Go ahead,

you fearful, and fly away, but for me and my house, our desire is to remain and be part of the answer to

creations cry (Rom. 8:19-21).

The context and words are clear in Revelation 3:10. We were not being told of a plan God has

devised to remove His people from the face of hard times.

What He has related to us is how those who had already gone through His proving fires would be

immune to them when they came upon the whole world. He was telling us of a spiritual condition or realm

the faithful ones would be dwelling in during those days rather than being in a particular location.

When we have the King of kings and the Lord of lords residing within, and we are ruling with

Him from the heavens, from the mind of the anointing, no matter where we might be or where we

geographically go, we will be in paradise, and we will take it with us.

It is basic but very essential to understand what it means to dwell in the earth or to dwell in the

heavens. From what we have personally noticed, the number is very great who haven’t the foggiest notion

that one can have their feet on the earth but yet be living in heaven.

Jesus made this evident when he told Nicodemus that “...No man hath ascended up to heaven, but

He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13). He also said, “And

now I am no more in the world....” (John 17:11). He had His feet planted firmly upon the earth, but in

reality his place of habitation was IN HEAVEN. Beloved, that was where He lived! His home was in the

Father whose living quarters are in the realms of heaven!

If Jesus dwelled in the heavens with His Father, then what about us? Can we likewise live in such

a place today, while our feet walk life’s dusty avenues? The written word says yes: “God...hath quickened

us together with Christ, and hath RAISED US UP together, and made us SIT TOGETHER IN

HEAVENLY PLACES (in the heavens, Grk) IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

And, “If ye then BE RISEN WITH CHRIST...WHERE CHRIST SITTETH ON THE RIGHT

HAND OF GOD, set your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth (i.e. DWELL in the

heavens and not on the earth). For ye are dead, and your life IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD. Who hath

delivered us from the power of darkness, and HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS

DEAR SON.” (Colossians 3:1-3 & 1:13). (Parenthesis my own).

Therefore, in the light of this, can we not conclude, since we are IN CHRIST who IS IN GOD and

DWELLS IN THE HEAVENS, that when our affections are on those heavenly things, we LIKEWISE ARE

DWELLING IN THE HEAVENS and not the earth? Yes indeed we can and emphatically should come to

such a conclusion!

For if we don’t, we will forever be dragging our lower lips in the dirt and becoming progressively

despondent, because it looks like we are destined to live all our lives in this cruel old world and then die

before the “blessed hope” of the rapture comes. What a sad state of being to be in, but there are untold

thousands who are graphically existing in that very thing.

Christians are wanting to fly away and escape the wrath of Satan so badly that they think God

wants the same thing. They have had such a misconception of who or what the devil is and who they and

God are not, it is a wonder we don’t hear them proclaiming, “The Lord Satan Almighty.”

Well, in reality, this is what we keep hearing their imaginations declare even if it is not the exact

words coming from their lips. Christendom has not only swung into the lethargic ebbs of despondency but

also of fearfulness, and they have created doctrines to fit their fears as well as their fantasies.

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While the preachers and students of the rapture are promoting their beliefs, the written word and

God’s Spirit of reality are resounding something much differently.

Along with Revelation. 3:10, “...I will also KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION,

which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,” we also have Jesus saying, “I

PRAY NOT THAT THOU SHOULDEST TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD, but that THOU

SHOULDEST KEEP (teros) THEM FROM THE EVIL.” (John 17:15).

We read also in this same chapter of John that Jesus had KEPT (teros) the disciples from

perishing, and it was IN THE NAME OF GOD that He kept them. (Verses 11 & 12). And he said in verses

14 and 17 His WORD (THE LOGOS — the substance of God) was what had set them apart from the

world.

By the very NATURE (NAME) and ESSENCE (LOGOS) of God through Jesus were they

protected (kept) and sanctified from the drawing influence of the world.

However, after He had left the visible realm of the physical, He sent back the selfsame Spirit and

Word that had formerly protected them outwardly which was in the form of Jesus. Upon returning, and this

time into the depths of their hearts, He performed a much greater work, for now their authority and power

was not from without but from within.

Likewise, with His Spirit and word dwelling within every believer they will also be guarded and

kept, but this will not be until they have first kept that patient, enduring Word of Himself — THE LOGOS,

the very essence and reality of God. When such a Word has been nurtured (kept) unto maturity, there will

then be something of substance that will in reality be able to carry one through the most fierce storm or

raging furnace of affliction. Without it, they will be consumed like the wood, hay, and stubble that they are.

I THESSALONIANS 4:16-17

“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: 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.” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

When the above verses are read without understanding, it would appear Ribera, Lacunza, Darby, Irving,

and Scofield were right in their teachings of the rapture. We know, however, this concept came from carnal

minds dealing with things pertaining to the Spirit.

Coupled with this teaching came the heavenly Jerusalem coming down to earth (Revelation. 21:10),

assuming it was speaking of a literal city. To get the true meaning of what is being said here, it is a must to

see that it is speaking of SPIRITUAL things and not natural.

For instance, how can the heavenly Jerusalem be a natural city when Hebrews 12:22 makes it clear

that we have “...N-O-W COME...UNTO THE CITY of the living God, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM.”

It seems fairly clear that this city is not one of the natural elements, and neither is it somewhere in the

natural heavens. We are presently abiding in it, yet without manifestation from the heavens.

We are now in this heavenly city; but it is hidden from view of the natural eye, for the natural eye

sees only that with is of the earth. When that which is of the heavens descends to the earth, then the natural

eye is opened to see it. Until then, it remains hidden in the realm of the spirit. And likewise with the Lord

who descends from heaven.

Isn’t it true that He abide in us? Is He not in our own heavens? And don’t we know He is abiding

in the Holy of holies of His temple, which we are? Of course. And when He descends from that realm deep

realm within, and makes Himself known in the air of our minds, we see Him. More is said about this later.

THE RAPTURE is a term that is never used in the Bible, although, there are many words and

scriptures that do mean the same thing, and CAUGHT UP (HARPAZO) is one of those words. The World

Book Dictionary gives us this definition of the word: “rapture, A strong feeling that absorbs the mind; very

great joy.

A feeling of being lifted high in mind and spirit; being filled with and completely taken up in

feeling or delight or bliss.” With this, I believe we would be justified in teaching about being “raptured” (in

mind and spirit as the word implies), but we would err if we taught it contrary to what the scriptures and the

Spirit have to say about it.

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Let us read again 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, but incorporating the Greek and see what might lay

beneath the surface: “Because Himself the Lord IN a command, IN a voice of a Chief Messenger, and IN a

trumpet of God will come down from heaven, and the dead ones in anointed will be raised first; afterwards

we the living ones, those being left over, at the same time with them shall be seized in clouds into a

meeting of the Lord into air; and so in this manner with Lord shall we always be.”

IN a command, IN a voice, and IN a trumpet speak of THE LORD HIMSELF as being IN that

which is spoken; and in this incident we have THREE (indicating completeness) words (command, voice,

and trumpet) that denotes a word spoken.

What then, would this signify, especially since the Lord Himself is IN each of them? We are

familiar with the word LOGOS — the very ESSENCE, THOUGHT, and INTENT OF GOD IN

MANIFESTATION. Therefore, being that the Lord is IN these three words that convey a message, we

conclude that it is THE LOGOS WHICH IS SPOKEN here — the expression of the very substance of God

Himself.

It is the very thing which Jesus was declared to be! (Heb. 1:3). In other words, Jesus in the pure

and complete form of the living God is descending from the highest realm of our heavens and into the

conscious realm of our soul to give us something that will cause us to rise beyond our wildest imaginations!

What a COMMAND, what a VOICE, what a TRUMPET!

Praise God, it is THE LOGOS OF HIMSELF that our mighty Lord and chief messenger is and

will be descending with and INTO those who are his ministers of flaming fire. First, into the firstfruits and

then Christ into the world through the firstfruits. Not only does He come into His elect with the voice of a

trumpeting commander, but when they are caught up to this place of the high calling of God, they will

become that resounding trumpet of the Lord — THE LOGOS REVEALING THE FATHER OF US ALL!

IN A SHOUT — A COMMAND!

In a SHOUT (verse 16) comes from the Greek word keleuma which means, “a cry of incitement,”

and it comes from the word keleuo which means, “to urge on; hail; to incite by word, i.e. order.” (Strong’s

Exh. Conc.).

Therefore, a COMMAND TO BATTLE or A WAR CRY is what the Lord is appearing in. Let our

minds be stirred at this time with a question: If we are escaping from the enemy by-way-of a massive airlift,

just before Satan’s wrath is turned loose on the world, then why would a war cry be given to us?

When an army is incited to charge forward into battle they do not conquer by leaving the fury of

the enemy, but they win by attacking and overcoming him with superior forces.

The Holy Spirit of God tells us eight different times in the book of Revelation what the inheritance

will be to the ones who OVERCOME...not to those who run! There is a war to be won, dear saints, and the

battle fields are in the regions of our own souls.

We might as well face it, until we are apprehended by our Lord and we trumpet the victory on

every front, we will never possess the kingdom of the heavens or the earth.

IN A VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL — A CHIEF MESSENGER

There are many voices in the land today, but there is only one voice whose is the LOGOS OF

GOD, and it is the voice of THE CHIEF MESSENGER of the living God. Many are hearing the voices of

the sages of ancient times, others have their ears tuned to the prophets of old, and some are hearing the

voices from extraterrestrial beings; a few are communing with the familiar spirits of the dead, numerous

others think their own voice is that of Christ’s, but the multitudes are simply hearing the clamoring voices

of men.

However, there is only One voice that will cause one to be lifted in his soul from the realms of

dust and ascend into the heavens of Christ — the voice of JESUS. All other voices are facades that

masquerade as messengers of God. They are nothing but influential winds that move and toss the insecure

waves of the troubled sea.

IN A TRUMPET

TRUMPETS in scripture speak of a particular message of God that is being conveyed to His

people through chosen vessels of Himself. When the various notes were heard, the people understood what

they were to do.

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The command was through musical instruments. Such a message was more clear than when one

was speaking audible words. The notes were more austere and carried much farther (miles) than mere

words alone.

Today, it is the same — we can speak words from the intellect, as men, which is not all bad, but

when the word is spoken by the Spirit it is tremendous, it is overwhelming, it is life. It is then that we

resonate from Zion the high calling of our God as we become His polished silver trumpets of salvation.

In the Old Testament we see the trumpets as types of a living reality that find their fulfillment in

the Melchisedec priests of today. For example, it was the priests who were commissioned to blow the

trumpets of silver on various occasions. They were blown to assemble the people together for solemn days

as well as for occasions of gladness. They were also blown over offerings and sacrifices.

The primary thing we want to notice here, however, is the majority of the recordings concerning

the sounding of trumpets in the Bible were when the people were praising God for giving them a new king,

praising God for being victorious in battle, or they were blown JUST PRIOR TO GOING INTO BATTLE.

The latter was a covenant of the Lord to Israel, declaring that, if they would blow the trumpets

before going to war, He would remember them and give them power to destroy all their enemies. It is no

different today, for the covenant still stands; and as we trumpet the victory praise of the voice of the

archangel (Jesus the Chief Messenger) we will see it as it was in times past.

The priest blew the trumpets for Joshua at Jericho (Josh. 6) and the defended walls fell, and

Gideon’s army of 300 trumpeted at Moreh and destroyed the armies of the Midionites, the Amalekites, and

all the armies of the east (Judges 7).

When that seventh and last trumpet begins to sound in our own hearts (it should already be

sounding, for the message has been going forth for some time), remember, it is a VICTORY CRY OF

PRAISE TO OUR GOD for the great war to be won once and for all.

This praise, as it reaches its high crescendo and is in perfect harmony with the preceding six

trumpets that have already been blowing, will be the blast, the final LOGOS of TRUTH, KNOWLEDGE,

UNDERSTANDING, and PRAISE that will put Satan under our feet once and for all.

When the victory of God’s elect is secure they will sound the message of this great triumph which

will cause the whole world to be shaken off its feeble foundations of iron mingled with clay!

— But praise God, this is O.K., let it be, for there must be a shaking and removing before there

can be a planting and rebuilding! (Jer. 1:10 & Heb. 12:25-29). This is the purpose of the sons of God —

that of setting the groaning creation (ALL CREATION) into the glorious liberty of being BORN OF GOD

(Rom. 8:19-21)!

Can we not agree that we have been given the ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians. 5:18-19)

in order to set creation free (Rom. 8:19-21)? This being the case, then our cry should be one with the prayer

of our Lord Jesus: “I PRAY NOT that thou shouldest take them OUT OF THE WORLD, but that thou

shouldest keep them from the evil.” (John 17:15).

Therefore, sons of God, if ye be sons and not bastards (Heb. 12:7-8), let us not look for a way out

of tribulation; but rather, let us LOOK UNTO HIM who will give us VICTORY OVER THE EVIL, and

thereby, bring an end to tribulation for ALL MANKIND.

CAUGHT UP — SEIZED

The Greek word CAUGHT UP, as it is rendered in the King James version is harpazo, which

means, TO SEIZE and is a derivative of haireomai and its meaning is TO TAKE FOR ONESELF.

The following are the scriptures where this word HARPAZO is used:

“...and the violent TAKE IT BY FORCE (SEIZES IT).” (Mt. 11:12).

“...then cometh the wicked one, and CATCHETH AWAY (SEIZES) that which was sown in his heart.”

(Mt. 13:19).

“...and the wolf CATCHETH (SEIZES) them, and scattereth the sheep.” (John 10:12).

“...neither shall any man PLUCK (SEIZE) them out of my hand...and no man is able to PLUCK (SEIZE)

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them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:28 & 29).

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“...with fear, PULLING (SEIZING) them out of the fire. (Jude 23). “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen

years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God Knoweth:) such

an one CAUGHT UP (SEIZED) to the third heaven.” (II Corinthians. 12:3).

“...and her child was CAUGHT UP (SEIZED) unto God....” (Revelation. 12:5).

And also, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP (SEIZED) together with them....” (I

Thessalonians 4:17).

Not only from the meaning of this word do we see that IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH

DIRECTION, such as being caught UPWARDLY into the air, but by taking note of how the original

writers of the New Testament used the word also gives us definition of the word.

Therefore, seeing that the word simply is telling us of a particular STATE OF BEING one might

find himself — namely, in the disposition of being SEIZED, then it would be good for us to get our minds

off of where we thought we might be GOING and on to WHAT WE ARE DEFINITELY BECOMING.

What it boils down to, brethren, is this: When we hear the LOGOS OF GOD we will find

ourselves so completely SEIZED OF OUR LORD, and with such resurrection power, that we will never

fall to the pulling gravity of the flesh again.

Flying away into the cloudy skies would no doubt be an exciting experience, but in comparison to

what is happening inwardly (being “raptured” into and by the Spirit of the living God) causes every thing

else to pale to the paltry naturalisms they are.

If being physically raptured is our hope, oh, dear saints of God, how miserably we have robbed

ourselves, for there is something greater, yes, MUCH, M-U-C-H GREATER! Therefore, never let it be said

that we are trying to rob anyone of anything, for our desire is to give.

Hopefully, however, the myth of becoming human missiles will be removed from people’s minds.

If this is accomplished, we do hope some realities will take the place of what some would consider a great

loss. But how could it be a loss if it is replaced with the reality of the king of glory Himself? — Jesus

Christ!

IN CLOUDS

At a glance there does not seem to be anything very significant in this term “IN (the) CLOUDS”

other than the Greek omits the definite article THE. There is no apparent, hidden Greek word here to draw

from that would change or enhance the meaning of this thought (I Thessalonians 4:17).

However, there are times when it is proper to look at the spiritual meaning of various statements

recorded in the Bible to see what is really being said. We believe this is one of those times and areas of

scripture, especially when we consider the other thoughts contained in these verses that are associated with

the clouds.

We can also take note of some other scriptures that should help us in seeing what clouds in the

Bible are so often referring to: “For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto THE

CLOUDS.” (Ps. 57:10); “Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in

THE CLOUDS...The God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto HIS PEOPLE.” (Ps. 68:34 &

35); and “Who maketh the CLOUDS HIS CHARIOT.” (Ps. 104:3).

It has been made clear that our citizenship is IN THE HEAVENS (Heb. 12:22-24), and looking at

the above verses, can we not say that THE SAINTS are in fact those clouds? We should be able to, for

God’s truths are given to PEOPLE rather than to natural clouds.

His strength and power is also ascribed to PEOPLE and not literal clouds (there is indeed power in

natural clouds, but the context of Ps. 68:35 is referring to people). And most certainly, THE SAINTS OF

THE MOST HIGH make up the chariot in which God rides and manifests His power and majesty to the

world, rather than by the clouds of the blue skies above.

The clouds spoken of in I Thessalonians 4:17 are no less the same. When it speaks of being seized

in clouds, it is not speaking of the natural water clouds from which our rain comes, but it is referring to

God’s people who make up the heavenly host.

Isaiah 55:10-13 attests to this by saying that WE shall be as the rain that comes down out of



heaven (rain is condensed clouds) to water the earth which causes the whole world to come alive and to

break forth into joyous singing. Hebrews 11:40 and 12:1 also speaks of people being clouds, i.e. all the

patriarchs who have died in faith are called a CLOUD OF WITNESSES.

When we read of things in heaven — clouds, rain, lightning, hail, thunder, or even a city — it is

generally speaking of those with specific characteristics who are abiding in Christ rather than having their

minds wrapped up in the soiled garments of the earth.

When considering the clouds, we should be able to see that it is alluding to people in the same

manner as when we read, “Ye are come unto...the CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY

JERUSALEM....” (Heb. 12:22). This is a statement about PEOPLE and not buildings.

This city is mentioned again in Revelation. 21:9-10, and before it is called THE GREAT CITY it

is said to be THE BRIDE, THE LAMBS WIFE (again — PEOPLE — not buildings). This city was then

seen descending out of heaven from God, like the rain of Isaiah 55:10, which is manifested on the lower

realm to bless the earth.

Until there is a descending from the realm of the heavens of Christ’s habitation, the inhabitants of

the earth will never see the glory of God and be set into the liberty of being His offspring. It will be from

the descending rains of God that every eye of all flesh shall see His glory and be drawn to this holy city to

worship the One they sought after and came to love. (Acts 17:27, Isaiah. 55:10-13, 40 3-5. 66:23,

Revelation. 15:4, etc.).

Therefore, brethren, as it is seen by us, we will remain right here with our feet upon the earth, yet

residing in the heavens, as did Jesus (John 3:13), and become rain to a parched and thirsty world of

humanity.

Regardless of whether we are clouds or the city, which we should be both and even more, it speaks

somewhat of the same thing. With either, we first win our heavenly wars and are established in the heavens

of Christ, then we are made known to those of the dust and will minister life so they might also overcome

and live.

However, if we should really be lifted into the literal clouds, as it has been supposed, how could

we ever be of any good to the creation who awaits our appearing so they can be liberated and set free from

the bondage of corruption (Rom. 8:19-21)? Needless to say, we would be of no value at all, but it is a

different story to those who are CAUGHT UP (SEIZED — HARPAZO) as was Paul in II Corinthians. 12:2

— they will ultimately bring total deliverance to the groaning creation.

IN THE AIR — INTO AIR

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air” (I

Thessalonians 4:17). This sounds fairly emphatic, that is, when we look at it in the literal sense; but let us

take time and examine a couple of prepositions in the Greek and see if some beneficial light can be shed to

illumine our minds.

Note the underlined prepositions of the following: “We the living ones...shall be seized IN

CLOUDS INTO A MEETING of the Lord INTO AIR.” Prepositions may not seem to be important enough

to even consider, but they play a major roll in languages by showing the relationship between a noun or

pronoun and some other word in the sentence.

In this case, the word ONES of THE LIVING ONES is the noun, and the preposition IN tells the

reader what position the living ones are in with reference to the clouds. Namely, they are right in the very

MIDST OF or COMPASSED ABOUT WITH CLOUDS. There is no movement or direction involved at

all, they are simply INSIDE CLOUDS. On the other hand, the word INTO lets us know that the living ones

relationship to A MEETING and AIR is.

INTO has something to do with MOVEMENT, DIRECTION, and DESTINATION. In other

words, “We the living ones, those who are WITHIN and MAKE UP THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES

RIGHT NOW, when the trumpet is blown, will be SEIZED by the Spirit and taken INTO AN

INSTRUCTIONAL MEETING with the Lord of lords which takes place in THE REALM OF THE

CONSCIOUS SOUL (spiritually called AIR).” (My paraphrase).

The word MEETING (apantesin, Grk.) appears four times in the New testament (Mt. 25:1 & 6,

Acts 28:15, and I Thessalonians 4:17), and it carries the thought of a CONFERENCE, an ASSEMBLY, or

a CONVOCATION. It means much more than just merely coming in contact with our Lord and standing in

His presence. In essence, we are called a HOLY CONVOCATION to when the voice of His trumpet is

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heard.

This HOLY ASSEMBLY, if we will notice, has a certain “AIR” about it, and that air is certainly

not that of the sky where jet airliners fly but is speaking of a spiritual spectrum of life. All through the

Bible, it is very common to find natural elements of the earth that refers to spiritual realities in people’s

lives, especially with God’s people. This is what we have here — an analogy.

Air, as it is rendered in our study passage, comes from the Greek word AER, and according to Dr.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance it means, “TO BREATHE unconsciously, i.e. respire; by analogy to

blow; “air’ (as natural circumambient).”

The same word is used in Ephesians 2:1-2 which speaks of Satan: “And you hath He quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this

world, according to the prince of the power of the AIR, the spirit that now worketh in the children of

disobedience.”

When we look closely, we can see THE COURSE (spirit) OF THE WORLD (soul) is synonymous

with THE PRINCE (spirit) OF THE AIR (soul); therefore, the more we know about the world (the

susceptible soul of man) and its course (its ruling spirit) the more we will know about this infamous prince

and will be able to deal appropriately with him.

The air, according to the above verse, is the realm from which Satan has dominion. Does this then

mean that the only place he has any power or authority is where there is BREATHABLE AIR? If this is the

case, all one would have to do in order to escape the tempting influence of this lying ruler of darkness is to

find someplace where there is no air, like the moon, for instance.

We would, however, have to take along some air tanks in order to live; and being that he

supposedly resides in “the air,” does this mean he would be contained in the air tanks and every time we

took a breath of air he would be inhaled into our lungs? Or let us think about this:

The next time we get infuriated with someone and hatred builds up to the point we might feel like

killing them, why don’t we just go jump in the lake with all the air expelled from our lungs and lay

submerged about six feet below the surface for awhile?

This is sure to get us over our anger in a hurry, because in this location there would be no air

around us or in us for the devil to exercise his power through. Therefore, all our evil thoughts would vanish

in a flash; that is, until we came up for a breath of “fresh” AIR, and the tempter entered back into our

bodies.

Silly and foolish thoughts, aren’t they? But this “off the wall” thinking is what we could come up

with when we insist on looking at all these things only in the literal sense rather than in the spirit and truth

of the matter.

It is good that Paul wrote Ephesians 2:2 the way he did — “according to the COURSE OF THIS

WORLD, according to the PRINCE OF THE AIR — for it makes it much easier to determine what THE

AIR is referring to; namely, the SOULISH LUSTS OF THE WORLD.

The unregenerated soul moves and has its being in THE WORLD, and it is from this air of the

soul that Satan was able to gain the title, “...THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD.” (John 12:31, 14:30 &

16:11). The fact is, whoever sits upon the throne of the soul makes the earth his footstool and becomes its

prince, whether it is Christ or Satan.

Although Satan was destroyed by Jesus (Heb. 2:12), he is still sitting as a great dragon in some

form or another (probably more like an illusion) on the throne of most people’s minds, and they believe that

this monster they have magnified so greatly is much too awesome to ever be conquered. Therefore, in order

to escape such an awesome, unconquerable foe, another magnified illusion has been created called the

rapture.

However, those who have truly been “raptured” (seized) out of earthy lusts and temptations are

able to overcome all the imaginations of the mind and cast them down to establish God’s kingdom in and

upon the earth.

This victory over the enemy, rather real or imagined, is seen when the Lord of lords descends from

the third heaven of the holy of holies and into the second heaven of the holy place of the air of our minds.

In this descension He makes Himself known with a war cry which causes the sons of God to be SEIZED

INTO HIS LORDSHIP.

It is at this time that Satan is to be removed from the throne of our souls, and the apprehended

ones of Christ, those who make up the clouds of heaven, will possess that throne and rule the kingdom

within forever.

We see an example of this in Revelation 12:5-11, where the “man child” (MALE SON, Grk.) is



CAUGHT UP (SEIZED, harpazo) unto God and His throne, and as a result the war in heaven ensues and

ends in glory for those who love not their lives unto the death .

SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD

“Then we...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.” (I Thessalonians 4:17).

If the catching up, rather, being seized into the clouds of the air is to be a literal event, then we

might find ourselves in a peculiar situation. Note the word EVER: It comes from the Greek word “pantote”

which means ALWAYS. It is telling us where we will be FOREVER, which will be with the Lord (this is

good) but that locality is not so good, for it is in THE COLD CLOUDS OF THE SKY....Think about it, F-

O-R-E-V-E-R in the CLOUDS OF THE ATMOSPHERE OVER THE EARTH...to NEVER, N-E-V-E-R

leave....

This would definitely produce some problems — not only would we become very damp and bored

after awhile, but there are some scriptures we would have to rip entirely from our Bibles. Three comes to

mind at the moment: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and WE SHALL REIGN ON THE

EARTH.” “And she brought forth a man child, WHO WAS TO RULE ALL NATIONS....” “And

He...showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem (the bride), DESCENDING OUT OF HEAVEN....”

(Revelation. 5:10, Revelation. 12:5 & Revelation. 21:10).

If we are to remain in the sky always, never to return, then there is no way for us to EVER reign

on the earth; the nations which are upon the earth will NEVER be righteously ruled by the sons of God; nor

would the bride of Christ EVER descend and manifest God’s glory to the world which is to be displayed by

her radiant beauty.

But praise God, we are here to tell you, dear saints, since II Thessalonians 4:16-17 is not speaking

of natural things, WE WILL NOT BE ETERNALLY LOCKED IN THE NATURAL, CLOUDY SKIES

OUR RAIN COMES FROM!

We will, however, be forever in His company with His body which is His CLOUD OF

WITNESSES, those who are as He is. We will be eternally in the CONSCIOUS PRESENCE of our

wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Now that, dear ones, is something we can comfort one another

with, as we are told to do in the concluding verse of this promise to the saints. (II Thessalonians 4:18)

TWINKLE OF THE EYE

We will briefly touch upon something Paul said that has been used to support the rapture teaching:

“In 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.” (1 Corinthians 15:52)

We will borrow once again from J. Preston Eby:

“...’Twinkling’ is from the Greek word RHIPE meaning “a jerk’ of the eyes. RHIPE is from the

root RHIPTO, a word which indicates a sudden motion; to hurl with a rapid movement; a stroke; to toss; to

fling.

The twinkling of an eye relates not so much to time as it does to the ACTION and MOTION

involved. It is not a question of how quickly the eyelids flutter, but the fact of a movement, a jerk, a change

of direction, a SUDDEN REFOCUSING OR LOOKING AWAY.

If I were reading a book and I heard the door open, I would swiftly dart my eyes in the direction of

the door to see who is entering. I would LOOK AWAY from the book and quickly REFOCUS my sight on

the person coming through the door. This abrupt motion, this sudden refocusing of vision, this rapid change

of eye contact is what is indicated by the Greek word RHIPE.

“When our attention is unexpectedly attracted by a sudden burst of revelation and spiritual

understanding there is that instantaneous “turning away’ from our former concepts, beliefs, actions and

ways, to behold and embrace the truth and glory of God disclosed by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

This sudden change in perspective, this immediate transformation of consciousness satisfies

precisely the meaning of the Greek phrase — “in the twinkling of an eye.’ It bespeaks vision, illumination,

understanding, perception and perspective.

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Furthermore, it has absolutely nothing to do with a so called “rapture of the saints,’ or the “second coming

of Jesus.’ Plainly and unquestionably it concerns O-U-R CHANGE, O-U-R TRANSFORMATION into the

image of Christ.

It says “nothing about us being “raptured’ in the twinkling of an eye; what it does say is that “W-E

SHALL BE CHANGED in a moment (in atoms), in the twinkling (re-focused vision) of an eye.’

Yet the preachers loudly proclaim on the basis of this verse that Jesus will return in a split second,

and the saints will in a flash of time travel a trillion miles of miracle at the Rapture. It is as pure a myth as

ever entered the brain of man!” — End quote.

No Brethren, we will not be whisked off the earth and changed. There will be no bursting open of

our graves some glad day beyond the ages that will produce the change. Neither will our change come as a

result of simply believing the teachings of the rapture, or any other doctrine, for that matter. And when God

gets ready, He will not be snapping His fingers and saying, “Be mature, transfigured sons of glory.”

There are, however, some verses that do tell us how this glorious change comes. One such verse

is, “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your mind.” (Rom

12:2). The change comes, dear ones, due to the renewing of our minds, as we our attention is refocused!

The Laodicean church of today has acquired so many easy-way-out concepts and teachings that it

will take a great shaking to ever get strength built back into its body. The rapture is only one of her

weakening doctrines. Perhaps, we should all be reminded: When any teaching or belief is founded upon

one or two scriptures alone, there is no spiritual stability to build upon.

Anger is often generated when such beliefs are challenged, for this is commonly the only defense

one would have when falsehoods are dearly embraced. Any true doctrine of God will be found throughout

the entire Bible rather than in a few isolated areas that are sometimes vague.

If the teachings are not consistent throughout the written word, it can be very dangerous and

extremely painful for one to hold them too closely to oneself; for when they are touched and consumed by

God’s flaming ministers and His words of fire, they will definitely get burned.

There are a couple of other scripture passages that may seem to give strength to being physically

raptured off the earth; however, after taking a closer look, one may have to reconsider what is truly the

doctrine of Christ in this matter.

3. The Rapture Doctrine

40

Elwin & Margit Roach

P.O. Box 4004 l Alamogordo,

New Mexico 88311-4004

USA

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: 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.

It has been said that I do not believe in the “rapture” (caught up). How can that be? How can

anyone not believe that very scriptural and awaited event? What I don’t believe is the teaching of the

Dispensationalists that the “rapture” will be “pre-tribulation” or “mid-tribulation” or “post-tribulation.” No

one can believe the Dispensationalist’s rapture teaching if the “great tribulation” is about the destruction of

Judaism, Philistine, and the temple in A.D. 70 (see notes on The Great Tribulation).

I. Pre-trib, Mid-trib, or Post-trib rapture?

Briefly, here is what “pre” “mid” and “post” tribulation rapture means. Most dispensationalists

teach a 7 year tribulation (their unfulfilled week of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy--Daniel 9). These believe

the Lord will rapture the church before that tribulation, i.e. “pre”. That view is the most taught. It is

ingrained as “any moment”. Others believe the Lord will rapture the church in the middle of the tribulation,

i.e. “mid”. Some believe the Lord will rapture the church after the tribulation, i.e. “post”.



As most people are today, I was once a “pre-tribulationist”. I believed that way for many years. I was a

“mid-tribulationist” for about a year. I was never a “post-tribulationist”. Today I am of neither of those

three persuasions. The reason is after very serious and long study, I learned the tribulation that the

Dispensationalists fear has already happened. It is impossible to believe a “pre,” “mid,” or “post”

tribulation if there will be no tribulation.

1. History of the Rapture Doctrine

A. Not heard of until 1850’s

The popular, dispensational, rapture doctrine was never heard of until the 1850’s. Following are

two quotes from respected church writers who wrote earlier this century. They openly questioned the “any

minute rapture” doctrine.

Alexander Reese says, About 1830 a new school arose within the fold of Premillennialism that

sought to overthrow what, since the Apostolic Age, have been considered by all premillennialist as

established results, and to institute in their place a series of doctrines that had never been heard of before.

The school I refer to is that of ‘The Brethren’ or ‘Plymouth Brethren,’ founded by J. N. Darby.”1

Robert Cameron says,

“Now, be it remembered, that prior to that date, no hint of any approach to such belief can be

found in any Christian literature from Polycarp down.... Surely, a doctrine that finds no exponent or

advocate in the whole history and literature of Christendom, for eighteen hundred years after the founding

of the Church - a doctrine that was never taught by a Father or Doctor of the Church in the past - that has

no standard Commentator or Professor of the Greek language in any Theological School until the middle of

the Nineteenth century, to give it approval, and that is without a friend, even to mention its name amongst

the orthodox teachers or the heretical sects of Christendom - such a fatherless and motherless doctrine,

when it rises to the front, demanding universal acceptance, ought to undergo careful scrutiny before it is

admitted and tabulated as part of ‘the faith once for all delivered unto the saints.’”2

The doctrine of a rapture then tribulation then millennia was not taught prior to the 1850’s.

2. How did the Rapture-Tribulation doctrine begin?

There are three books on this subject that everyone needs to read concerning this subject. These

books are (1) Whose Right It Is by Kelly Varner published by Destiny Image; (2) Seventy Weeks: The

Historical Alternative by Robert Caringola; and (3) The Incredible Cover-Up by Dave MacPherson. These

books are extremely well documented giving proof of exactly where and how the rapture tribulationmillennia

doctrine began.

This doctrine actually began in Scotland with a vision by a 15-year-old girl. The girl’s name was

Margaret Macdonald, born January 14, 1815. Margaret was not a member of any church. She and her

brothers visited some different churches and held some house meetings, but were not credible members of

the body. Margret was a semi-invalid, confined to a sick bed and experienced frequent fevers.

One day in 1830, Margret had a vision about the Church being caught away before a time of

tribulation. Margret’s vision was an escape vision. John Darby, of the Plymouth Brethren, visited Margret.

Before long, copies of her vision were circulated as men began to preach this rapture idea as gospel.

Naturally it was preached as “any minute” and that was in the 1850’s. John Darby and the Plymouth

Brethren began to campaign the doctrine. Darby came to the United States in 1864 where the doctrine

greatly influenced the Presbyterians and Baptists. Darby’s notes were placed into the Scofield Reference

Bible in 1909 and became as if it was apostolic doctrine. Why not? It was in the Bible! Since that time the

doctrine has also been placed in the Dake Bible, Ryre Bible, Larkin Bible, etc. A doctrine never preached

prior to the 1850’s nor preached by any apostle suddenly became the gospel. Until then the gospel had been

of a glorious church that would overcome the world and prepare for the return of the King.

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Interestingly enough, the Plymouth Brethren, Presbyterians, and Baptists do not believe in visions and

prophecy. Yet, that was the way this doctrine originated.

a. Dispensationalists know its origin.

Knowledgeable dispensationalists that have studied the above will acknowledge that the doctrine was not

taught anywhere prior to the 1850’s. J. Dwight Pentecost acknowledges this, but says,

“It was not until the last century that the field of Eschatology became a matter to which the mind

of the church was turned.”3 Pentecost admits that the rapture-tribulation doctrine was not taught by the

apostles in the first century. He justifies that by saying that people were not interested in eschatology until

this century. That is not true. The earliest recorded writings express extreme interest in end-time teachings.

None the less, Margret’s vision and prophecy is the foundation of what many believe today.

3. Brief Overview of the Dispensational Doctrine

Earlier I quoted from Alexander Reese. It is worth another look. Reese said,

“About 1830 a new school arose within the fold of Premillennialism that sought to overthrow

what, since the Apostolic Age, have been considered by all premillennialist as established results, and to

institute in their place a series of doctrines that had never been heard of before. The school I refer to is that

of ‘The Brethren’ or ‘Plymouth Brethren,’ founded by J. N. Darby.”4

What did this “new school” that Reese referred to teach that was so different? What “series of

doctrines” not taught since the apostles and never heard before was Reese speaking about? It’s the

dispensational doctrine initiated by the Plymouth Brethren.

The dispensational doctrine goes something like this. According to them, we are living in the

church age of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14). It’s simply the last church before the rapture of Revelation 4:1.

Just prior to the rapture the temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and animal sacrifice instituted. The Lord

comes and raptures the church. For seven years the antichrist rules and a great tribulation takes place. At

the end of the seven years, the Lord returns again and builds another temple from which he rules from the

throne of David for exactly 1,000 years. According to Ezekiel, there will be animal sacrifices performed

and the law reinstituted. After the 1,000 years, the wicked are resurrected in a second resurrection and the

great white throne judgment takes place. The devil and all wicked people are cast into the lake of fire

forever. Above natural Jerusalem the heavenly Jerusalem will orbit as would a satellite.

Nearly all that was a “new school” never taught by the apostles and never heard before. Can you imagine

the apostle Paul preaching the reinstitution of circumcision (law)? What about Jesus acknowledging animal

blood after he gave his? Or Christ rebuilding the temple after he had said he would make it desolate?

4. Correct Biblical Teaching of 1 Thessalonians 4.

If the passage about being caught up (1Th 4:17) is not teaching about going to heaven for seven years, then

what is it about? It is about the resurrection from the grave (from grave is important).

A. The Resurrection from the grave. In 1 Thessalonians 4, the apostle Paul is comforting the people

concerning believers that had died in Christ.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 But 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.

Paul was not teaching an escape from a tribulation. A tribulation is not mentioned. Paul was comforting the

people as he taught them about the resurrection from the grave. People had died in Christ and those alive

were ignorant about the resurrection from the grave.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep

in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For 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.

(NIV) 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still

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alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Paul tells the grieving saints that their loved ones were only sleeping. They were asleep in Jesus. If in Jesus,

then when he comes back they come back. When the Lord does come, those alive will not prevent or

precede (NIV) those asleep.

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: 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.

B. The King’s Triumphal Entrance We do not see any “secret” rapture as in “suddenly the saints are gone.”

We do see the return of the King!

He comes with a shout! Jesus said, ....for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall

hear his voice, And shall come forth (Joh 5:28, 29). He comes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 with a shout! What

do you suppose he will shout? If he does what he did with Lazarus, he will say, “COME FORTH!”

He comes with the voice of the archangel. He comes with the trump of God. The archangel proclaims his

presence. The trump heralds his entrance!

Matthew Henry says,

“That the Lord Jesus will come down from heaven in all the pomp and power of the upper world

(v. 16): The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. He ascended into heaven after his

resurrection, and passed through these material heavens into the third heaven, which must retain him till the

restitution of all things; and then he will come again, and appear in his glory. He will descend from heaven

into this our air, v. 17. The appearance will be with pomp and power, with a shout-- the shout of a king, and

the power and authority of a mighty king and conqueror, with the voice of the archangel; an innumerable

company of angels will attend him. Perhaps one, as general of those hosts of the Lord, will give notice of

his approach, and the glorious appearance of this great Redeemer and Judge will be proclaimed and ushered

in by the trump of God. For the trumpet shall sound, and this will awaken those that sleep in the dust of the

earth, and will summon all the world to appear.” 5 (emphasis added)

Interesting prior to the 1850’s this passage of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 was not taught as an

escape. It was taught as the proud and loud pageantry of the returning King of kings and Lord of lords.

It is probably necessary to note that Matthew Henry was born in 1662 and died in 1714. He was

not aware there were two resurrections from the graves. Neither did he know that this was the rapture

before the tribulation. He did not know it because it is not in the Bible. He had not be leavened with the

leaven of the dispensationalist’s. Prior to the dispensational doctrine there was only one resurrection from

the grave taught. The doctrine of the rapture escape and two resurrections from the graves was from a “new

school” that came along after Matthew Henry.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul explains the grandeur as the King’s returns. The first order of business is

the resurrection of the dead in Christ. Does this not seem the way it should be when we think about it? 1

Corinthians 15 gives us this same picture.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also

through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn:

Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he

hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For

he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27

For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is

clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.

When he comes the resurrection will take place. But this is not a secret coming or a coming to return to

heaven. Paul says, Then the end will come. We just can’t find a tribulation any place in here. Neither can

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we find a millennia. After the resurrection, Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father. The

resurrection is not at the beginning of the kingdom of God. The resurrection is at the end. The millennia

does not begin at the resurrection. The millennia ends at the resurrection. The resurrection is the last day.

What we are given in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is the magnificent pageantry and procession as the King

returns. With him will come all that are his as they have met him and welcome his return joyously with

celebration.

5. Resurrection Teachings

No place in scripture do we find two resurrections from the grave (again, from the grave is important). I am

aware that Revelation 20:5-6 speaks of the first resurrection, however there is no mention of a second

resurrection. We will deal with that passage later.

A. Jesus taught one resurrection from the grave.

MATTHEW 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the

angels of God in heaven.

LUKE 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the

dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

When Jesus was asked about the resurrection by the Sadducees, in his explanation he spoke of only one

resurrection from the grave--singular, not plural.

LUKE 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at

the resurrection of the just.

The Lord clearly taught that our recompense (rewards good or bad) will come at the resurrection from the

grave. He did not say at the first resurrection from the grave or second resurrection from the grave. He said

the resurrection.

JOHN 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his

voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have

done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

This is one of the most enlightening passages about the resurrection from the grave. At the coming of

Christ (1Th 4:16) ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE, AND SHALL COME

FORTH. All in the graves, not only the saints, will hear his voice.

This is a picture of Revelation 20 and the great white throne. That is where the dead, small and great, stand

before God (Revelation 20:12). It is there we read they were judged every man according to their works

(Revelation 20:13). Jesus taught one resurrection of all that are in the graves. For the righteous, it is a

resurrection of life. For the evil, it is a resurrection of damnation.

JOHN 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus obviously had taught Martha and others about the resurrection from the grave. Martha knew exactly

how and when it was to happen. It would be the last day. There are no more days after the last day.

According to the dispensational doctrine, there are many days left after their escape rapture (7 years or 3

1/2 years, plus 1,000 years). Jesus thought he would come to execute the resurrection the last day. Perhaps

Jesus was wrong? No way.

Following are many last day resurrection from the grave passages.

JOHN 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should

lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

JOHN 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on

him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

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JOHN 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him

up at the last day.

JOHN 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the

last day.

JOHN 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

JOHN 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I

have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Jesus thought the resurrection from the grave and judgment seat would be the last day. This is exactly what

Revelation 20 explains about the great white throne judgment.

B. The Apostles taught one resurrection from the grave.

ACTS 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the

dead.

It upset the priests and Sadducees that the apostles taught the people the resurrection. They did not teach

two resurrections from the graves. They taught it exactly as they had learned it through Jesus. They refused

to be influenced by the contemporary doctrine of the day. How wonderful it would be if we were that way

today!

C. The apostle Paul taught one resurrection from the grave.

ACTS 17:18 ....because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection

ACTS 17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will

hear thee again of this matter.

ACTS 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a

resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Paul taught A RESURRECTION from the grave that included both the blessing of the just and the

judgment of the unjust. This was exactly what Jesus taught.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in

incorruption:

PHILIPPIANS 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

2 TIMOTHY 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and

overthrow the faith of some.

Obviously the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the apostles is one resurrection from the dead that will

include the just and unjust. Jesus never mentioned two resurrections from the grave. The apostles never

mentioned two resurrections from the grave. Paul never mentioned two resurrections from the grave.

D. The First Resurrection

Some will say, “But the Revelation speaks of the second resurrection.” Actually it doesn’t. It speaks of the

first resurrection and white throne judgment.

REVELATION 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is

the first resurrection.

REVELATION 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death

hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

This is the way John taught what Jesus taught in the book of John.

JOHN 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the

voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he

given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because

he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves

shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and

they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

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In John 5:25 Jesus teaches the first resurrection. That resurrection is now. Jesus said the first resurrection

NOW IS. It is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. That

obviously is not the resurrection from the grave.

John said in the Revelation that the first resurrection was for those who ruled with Christ, those who

witnessed, were persecuted, did not worship the beast or receive his mark. The first resurrection was for

those that ruled with Christ for a thousand years. Do we need to physically die to experience that? Not

according to the scriptures. We know we do not need to die to witness and to be persecuted. We do not

need to die to refuse to worship the beast or receive his mark. What about the ruling for a thousand years

upon the thrones? Do we need to die, or is that ruling a present reality?

EPHESIANS 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are

saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

REVELATION 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and

dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

REVELATION 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

When we hear his voice we are raised in the first resurrection. That is what Jesus thought. Paul thought the

same thing. This was a resurrection, but not from the grave. It was a resurrection into Christ. This

resurrection is also seen in proper water baptism. We are raised into Christ.

The passage in Revelation 20, speaking of the first resurrection, does not say anything about being raised

from the grave. However the next section does.

In Revelation 20:11-15 we are given the resurrection from the graves. This is the white throne judgment.

John wrote,

REVELATION 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:

and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in

it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according

to their works.

In the teaching of Christ about the resurrection, he first explained the first resurrection that now is (Joh

5:25). After that explanation, Jesus spoke of the resurrection from the grave and the authority he would

have in it given him by God.

John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel

not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall

come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the

resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is

just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Paul also wrote,

ROMANS 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we

shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may

receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

John follows the identical path in Revelation 20. The great white throne judgment is not only for the

wicked and evil. It is for all men. John wrote the dead small and great. Jesus said all that are in the graves

will come up for judgment. Paul said we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. There we

receive the things done in our bodies in this life.

There is no scriptural teaching about two resurrections from the grave. The first resurrection is for those

who hear the Lord’s voice and are raised from the death of sin. This resurrection is activated in water

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baptism.

COLOSSIANS 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the

operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

6. Verse Peculiarities

The passage is a peculiar passage. There is not another like it in the scriptures. We will study some of it

peculiarities in an attempt to gain some picture of the event.

A. “Caught up”

The Greek word translated caught up is harpazo (Strong’s #726). Following is a word study for harpazo.

0726 harpazo {har-pad’-zo}

from a derivative of 138

(1) to seize, carry off by force

(2) to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly

The word actually does not mean “up”. It would be better translated as “snatched”. The thought of up in

this verse is taken from the context of air and clouds. The same Greek word is found in several other

passages. From those passages we may get a thought about harpazo.

1. Paul was caught up (harpazo).

The apostle Paul tells of a time he experienced harpazo.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot

tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Paul was caught up to the third heaven, but did not leave the planet. This was a spiritual experience that the

apostle encounter.

2. Philip was caught away (harpazo)

ACTS 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that

the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to

Caesarea.

The same Greek word is here translated caught away, not caught up. Philip found himself in Azotus, not

heaven. This was not a spiritual experience. It was a physical experience.

3. Some are saved by pulling them out (harpazo).

JUDE 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the

flesh.

(TLB) JUDE 1:23 Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself.

The same Greek word is translated here as pulling them out. Here we see the word is a spiritual snatching

out of hell.

4. Jesus was caught up (harpazo)

REVELATION 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and

her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Jesus was caught up to his throne. We know this was physical.

We do not get a great deal of help in clarity from these previous passages. Is it a physical and natural

“rapture” or is it spiritual? The answer would be “Yes.”

B. Clouds

The Greek word translated cloud is nephele (Strong’s #3507). It is not clouds as plural. It is cloud singular.

Following is a word study of the word nephele (clouds).

3507 nephele {nef-el’-ay}

from 3509

(1) a cloud

(1.a) used of the cloud which led the Israelites in the wilderness

The cloud is a tremendously interesting study. The cloud always refers to the glory cloud of the Old

Testament and New Testament. It speaks of the Lord coming to protect his people and judge the wicked.

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Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by

night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Exodus 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may

hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the

LORD.

Psalm 104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who

walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Isaiah 19:1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt:

and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of

the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great

glory.

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and

coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

Mark 14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of

death.

ACTS 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received

him out of their sight.

Notice (previous) that it was when Jesus told the high priest that He would come in the clouds of heaven

that the high priest rent his clothes and said they needed no further witness (Mark 14:62-64). The cloud is

symbolic of protecting the people of God (wilderness) and destroying the enemies of God.

To you or I, the coming of the cloud means little. To the high priest who knew what the cloud meant, it was

blasphemy in the highest degree. First, blasphemy that Jesus proclaimed Himself as God, and second, that

the cloud was coming to destroy the religious system of Judah. The cloud is an imagery and “allusion link”

from both the Old and New Testaments.

The Lord comes on the glory cloud. It is there in the glory cloud the resurrected saints and the alive saints

meet the Lord.

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.

C. Meet the Lord

The Greek word apantesis (ap-an’-tay-sis Strong’s #529) is translated meet in the King James version. It is

found four times total. Three of these speaks of meeting the Lord. Once speaks of the Roman Christians

going out to meet Paul.

MATTHEW 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps,

and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

MATTHEW 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to

meet him.

ACTS 28:15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum,

and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

Notice that in each case the dignitary was met and brought back. There is no doubt that this meeting in the

air is to usher the King back in all his splendor.

D. Air

Air is the Greek word aer (Strong’s #109). It means the air of the lower atmosphere or the air that we

breath.

ACTS 22:23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

1 CORINTHIANS 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how

shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

EPHESIANS 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the

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prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

REVELATION 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke

of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

REVELATION 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice

out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

The Lord is met in the air. What ever will happen will occur within the atmosphere. That means we will not

be traveling off to a distant “heaven”. Instead, we return with the King as part of his pageantry.

7. Conclusion-What have we learned?

A. At Life Gate Church we believe in the future return of the Lord. At that time those that are his, dead and

alive, will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in his glory cloud!

B. We cannot find a tribulation “pre” “mid” or “post” associated with being caught up. What we find is the

end comes. The Lord gives the kingdom back to the Father.

C. We find that prior to the 1850’s the “rapture and tribulation followed by a millennia” was not taught.

That doctrine was brought about by the Plymouth Brethren in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. That

doctrine is a most accepted doctrine today.

D. Jesus and the apostles taught the resurrection as in one resurrection. They did not teach a resurrection for

the just and a resurrection 1,000 years later for the unjust. In the resurrection taught by Jesus and the

apostles, both heard the voice of the Son of man. The just were resurrected to life. The unjust were

resurrected to damnation.

E. We see that 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is a teaching of the pageantry and procession of the King returning

to earth with those that are his.

F. The first resurrection is not a resurrection from the grave. It is a resurrection from the death of sin into

Christ.

G. The “rapture” or being “caught up” will be glorious and unlike anything every experienced by man. It is

the resurrection. Corruption puts on incorruption. Mortality puts on immortality. Those who have died in

Jesus Christ will come out of their graves! Those resurrected along with those alive will harpazo (be

snatched) to meet the Lord in his glory cloud. We return with the King of kings and Lord of lords in

magnificent pageantry with shouting, the trump of God, and the voice of the archangel. What a party that

will be! Comfort one another with these words!!!!!!!!!

1 Alexander Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ, page 18, quoted from J. Dwight Pentecost, Things

To Come, page 165

2 Robert Cameron, Scriptural Truth About The Lord’s Return, page 72-73, quoted from J. Dwight

Pentecost, Things To Come, page 165, 166

3 J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, page 166

4 Alexander Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ, page 18, quoted from J. Dwight Pentecost, Things

To Come, page 165

5 Matthew Henry’s Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 PP6

Back

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4. The Secret Rapture - Is It Scriptural?

By Alan Campbell

ALL over the world today there is an awakening to the near return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a

growing interest in the signs of the times. As Bible believing Christians we rejoice at this phenomenon, yet

sad to say, in almost every case the doctrine of the Lord’s return has been mixed in with the teaching that

He will return first secretly and ‘rapture’ or take away His Church. Although Church History will show that

such a theory has only come into prominence over the last one hundred and fifty years, today it is spreading

like wildfire, in books, and even films, and accounts for the teaching in 90% of Full Gospel and

Fundamentalist Churches and Bible Colleges, world-wide. This being the case it is our duty as students of

God’s prophetic Word to examine this doctrine of the Secret Rapture, and ask ourselves -’Is it Scriptural?’

THE ORIGINS

When we remember that the Secret Rapture theory was virtually unheard of and untaught until

around 1830, it is essential to examine its origins first. Such a teaching was unknown to the early Church

Fathers e.g. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, who were convinced that the Christian Church would

pass through great tribulation at the hands of the antichrist system before the return of the Lord.

Furthermore the Rapture theory was not taught by the great stalwarts of the Reformed Faith - Huss,

Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Cranmer or even by the Wesley brothers in the 18th Century. Whence

came this teaching therefore and where did this novel. idea arise?

At the time of the Reformation, the first Protestants widely believed and taught that the Papacy

was antichrist, and the Roman Church the Harlot System of Revelation 17. It therefore became necessary

for certain Romish theologians to take the pressure off the Pope by inventing a new school of prophetic

interpretation now known as Futurism. It was a Jesuit priest named Ribera (1537-1591) who first taught

that the events prophesied in the books of Daniel and Revelation would not be fulfilled until three and a

half years at the end of the age when an individual world dictator called Anti-Christ would arise. Thus

Ribera laid the foundation of a system of prophetic interpretation of which the Secret Rapture has now

become an integral part.

Nevertheless in spite of the efforts of false prophets like Ribera and Cardinal Bellarmine it was not

for another two and a half centuries that the Jesuit fables began to gain acceptance by Evangelical

Christians. In the early 19th Century Futurism entered the bloodstream of Protestant prophetic teaching by

three main roads:

(a) A Chilean Jesuit priest, Emmanuel Lacunza wrote a book entitled ‘The Coming of Messiah in

Glory and Majesty’, and in its pages taught the novel notion that Christ returns not once, but twice, and at

the ‘first stage’ of His return He ‘raptures’ His Church so they can escape the reign of the ‘future

antichrist’. In order to avoid any taint of Romanism, Lacunza published his book under the assumed name

of Rabbi Ben Ezra, a supposedly converted Jew. Lacunza’s book found its way to the library of the

Archbishop of Canterbury, and there in 1826 Dr Maitland, the Archbishop’s librarian came upon it and

read it and soon after began to issue a series of parnphlets giving the Jesuit, Futurist view of prophecy. The

idea soon found acceptance in the Anglo-Catholic Ritualist movement in the National Church of England,

and soon it tainted the very heart of Protestantism.

(b) The Secret Rapture doctrine was given a second door of entrance at this time by the ministry of

one, Edward Irving, founder of the so-called ‘Catholic Apostolic Church’. It was in Irving’s London

church, in 1830, that a young girl named Margaret McDonald gave an ecstatic prophecy in which she

claimed there would be a special secret coming of the Lord to ‘rapture’ those awaiting His return. From

then until his death in 1834 Irving devoted his considerable talent as a preacher to spreading the theory of

the ‘secret rapture’.

(c) However, it was necessary for Jesuitry to have a third door of entrance to the Reforrned fold

and this they gained via a sincere Christian, J. N. Darby, generally regarded as the founder of the

‘Brethren’. As an Anglican curate Darby attended a number of mysteriously organised meetings on Bible

Prophecy at Powerscourt in Ireland, and at these gatherings he learned about the ‘secret rapture’. He carried

the teaching into the Brethren and hence into the heart of Evangelicalism. With a new veneer of being

scriptural the teaching spread and was later popularised in the notes of the Schofield Reference Bible.

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So today the three measures of Roman leaven have corrupted the Prophetic teaching of almost all the

Fundamentalist world. Well might we say of the ‘secret rapture’, can any good thing come out of Rome?

THE PROOF TEXTS EXAMINED

Whilst the Romanist origin of any doctrine is always sufficient to make it suspect, our Final court of appeal

must be to the Holy Scriptures, and so we find it necessary to examine some of the favourite ‘Proof Texts’

which are quoted by the Rapturists and see just what they really teach.

(A) Coming as a Thief

Our blessed Lord said: ‘But know this, that if the good man of the house, had known in what hour

the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered the house to be broken up. Therefore

be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not your Lord will corne.’ Matt. 24:43-44; Luke 12:39-40.

The Rapturists tell us that this shows the secret nature of the Lord’s ‘coming for’ the saints, but

does it? The only secrecy implied in the texts is in relation to the day and hour of Christ’s coming and there

is nothing to indicate that the coming itself is a secret. In fact we are told:

‘The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the VOICE of an Archangel and the

TRUMP of God.’ I Thess. 4:16. Nothing quiet about that, is there?

Again they refer us to the words: ‘I will come on thee as a thief in the night and thou shalt not know what

hour I will come upon thee.’ Revelation. 3:3. Or again:

‘Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth.’ Revelation. 16:15.

However, in both instances just quoted, the secrecy is in connection with the timing not the nature of the

event, and it is exactly the same in the other ‘thief text’.

‘The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night’ II Peter 3:10

Here again it is the element of surprise that leads to the use of the thief as a symbol. Peter himself finishes

this very same ‘thief text’ by saying that at the time of the Lord’s coming:

‘The heavens shall pass away with a GREAT NOISE’

Not much secrecy about that is there? After all did not Paul tell his readers:

‘But ye brethren ARE NOT in darkness that, that day shall overtake you as a thief.’ I Thess. 5:4.

You see, as Christians, they were studying the signs of the times as we should be doing and were ready for

Christ’s return. He will only come as a thief for those who are not prepared for Him.

Furthermore the very concept of a ‘thief’ must be called into question for, at the time when our Lord and

the Apostles spoke, a thief was much more likely to be a bandit or leader of a gang of robbers who swept

down on his victims in swift, sudden, but open and daring raids, and he was not a sneak thief or burglar, as

we have today.

(B) As in the Days of Noah

The Rapturists would have us believe that the Lord comes secretly to rescue His people before what they

call ‘the great tribulation’ or time of trouble begins. To support this idea they quote the Lord Jesus as

saying: ‘As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be ... then shall two be in the

field, the one shall be taken, the other left. Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth

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come.’ Matt. 24:37-42.

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How often we have heard this text used to challenge sinners to come to Christ and of the terrible

things that will happen when their Christian friends and relatives have been ‘raptured’. Let us not take the

text from its context to make it a pretext. The clear setting and key to the understanding of the verse is: ‘As

it was in the days of Noah’, and we all know that then it was the wicked who were taken away and the

righteous left to inherit a purified earth. Such a concept of the removal of the wicked is in keeping with the

clear teaching given by our Lord in two of His Kingdom Parables. In that of the Wheat and the Tares, we

are told that the harvest is the end of the age, when the angels will gather out of the kingdom, the tares

which represent the wicked or those who offend. Again in the same thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s

Gospel, we find the Parable of the Dragnet. In its symbolism it is the bad or evil ones who are removed out

of the Kingdom for Jesus says:

‘So shall it be at the end of the world (age), the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just.’

Matt. 13:49.

If a third witness were needed the Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us:

‘Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate, and He

shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.’

Let me ask you to consider very carefully just who the Lord will ‘rapture’ or remove. Surely it is His

intention to give this earth into the possession of the righteous as He said in His Sermon on the Mount. Did

not our Lord pray in John 17: 15:

‘I pray NOT that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil’?

Surely our Lord promised to be with us not until the ‘secret rapture’ but ‘to the end of the age.’

(C) Coming For and With the Saints

Another favourite proof text of the Rapturists is Jude v 14:

‘Behold the Lord cometh, with ten thousands of His Saints.’

Then by coupling this to first Thessalonians 4:16-17 where we are told that the saints will be

‘caught up together ... in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air’ they glibly tell us that Christ comes first for

His saints, and that He returns with the saints, after either three and a half or seven years - a period of time

which they cannot agree on.

Once again we find that all is not as simple as they would have us believe. It is indeed true that at

His Coming, the dead in Christ together with the living believers will be translated or caught up to meet the

Lord in the air, but there is no Scripture to even suggest that He takes them to Heaven where they remain

for a period of time, be it long or short, and then return with Him. Far from it, they meet the Lord in the air

as His entourage or glory train, as earthly courtiers would go out to greet their King, as He is on His way

back to earth where His feet will stand upon the Mount of Olives as the disciples were told at the time of

His Ascension. So let us look at the verse in Jude which refers to coming ‘with the Saints’. The word

translated ‘saints’ in our Bible comes from a Greek word HAGIOUS, which means Holy. Since Christ

Himself taught that:

‘The Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the Holy (HAGIOUS) angels with Him. Matt.

25:31 It seems more than likely that the word translated saints in Jude refers to angels. Since the verse

referred to in Jude speaks of Christ returning with His saints to execute judgement we would do well to

examine another similar verse of scripture which tells us the same thing:

‘The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking

vengeance on them who know not God, and obey not the Gospel.’ II Thess. 1:7-8.

It seems we need not the Rapturists’ theories, for Scripture interprets itself and one verse can often throw



light upon another. Let us also remember that the expression ‘ten thousands of His Saints’ is not only in

Jude but in Deuteronomy 33:2:

‘The Lord came from Sinai ... with ten thousands of His saints.’

There can therefore be no doubt that these ‘saints’ were angels, a fact attested to by Matthew Henry’s

Commentary, and the extra-canonical Book of Enoch. So much for coming ‘for’ and ‘with’ the saints.

(D) The Time Gap and the Greek Wording

Let us look again briefly at I Thess. 4 for here we are clearly told that at the moment the living

saints are caught up to meet the Lord the righteous dead are also resurrected. Now if the Futurists and

Rapturists are correct and there is indeed a time gap before the Lord returns, or the Day of the Lord occurs,

there is surely a grave discrepancy for Martha believed that her brother Lazarus would: ‘rise again in the

Resurrection at the last day.’ John 11:24. Job, the Old Testament saint also taught that the dead would not

rise until ‘the heavens be no more’ Job 14:10-12 or ‘the latter day’ Job 19:25-27.

The order of events in I Thess. 4:16-17 clearly shows what happens at the last day or Day of the Lord is:

a) The trump of God sounds;

b) The dead in Christ are raised:

c) The living saints are translated (not ‘raptured’).

There certainly does not seem to be room left here for a time gap of any length. In spite of this

clear sequence of events, in their determination to prove otherwise, the Rapturists will still defend their

mistaken concept of a coming in two stages, by appealing to the distinction between the two Greek words

used, in connection with the coming. These words are Parousia, which they contend is coming first to

rapture the believers and Apokalupsis which they say is open, visible coming back with the saints after a

lapse of time. In reality there are actually six Greek words used in connection with the return of the Lord.

For the sake of simplicity we shall list these words, with their English rendering and go on to show that the

inspired writers of the New Testament used them interchangeably to describe not two distinct and separate

comings but one event.

1. Parousia - This word emphasises the physical or actual personal presence of the one who comes e.g. ‘Be

patient unto the COMING (in person) of the Lord.’ James 5:7.

2. Apokalupsis - This word stresses the ‘revealing’ or unveiling of the one who comes e.g. ‘The Lord shall

be REVEALED from Heaven.’ II Thess. 1:7.

3. Epiphaneia - This word is used in the sense of the Glory or Majesty that will be manifested as Christ

returns e.g. ‘The APPEARING of our Lord Jesus.’ I Tim. 6:14.

4. Heko - This word is used to emphasise the idea of arrival at a certain point or place e.g. ‘Hold fast till I

COME (to you).’ Revelation. 2:25.

5. Erchomai - This word is used to imply the actual act or event of coming e.g. ‘Occupy till I COME (make

the journey).’ Luke 19: 13.

6. Phaneroo - This word means to render apparent e.g. ‘When He shall APPEAR we shall be like Him’ I

John 3:2.

Out of these six words, the one most used is Parousia, but never in the sense of anything that is secret. Paul

frequently used this word to refer to the physical presence of himself and others at various locations e.g. he

spoke of the ‘coming’ (PAROUSIA) of Titus to him from Corinth, II Corinthians. 7:6, and again in the

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same Epistle the ‘coming’ (PAROUSIA) of Stephanas etc. I Corinthians. 16:17. Again when writing to the

saints at Philippi, Paul said that he would be ‘coming’ (PAROUSIA) to visit them. Furthermore Paul spoke

of the ‘Coming (PAROUSIA) of the Lord and our gathering together to Him.’ II Thess. 2 as an event seen

by all after the appearance of antichrist, not in secret before the appearance of antichrist.

Not only Paul but Peter also used these words PAROUSIA and APOKALUPSIS, and actually used them to

refer to the same event, the open manifest, coming again of the Lord Jesus. To see this compare I Peter 1:13

to II Peter 3. To confirm that the two words are interchangeable, we find that Matthew in his Gospel

referring to the last days says:

‘As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming (PAROUSIA) of the Son of Man be.’ Matt. 24:37.

Yet Luke referring to the same event in his Gospel writes:

‘As it was in the days of Noah ... even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed

(APOKALUPSIS).’ Luke 17:26-30.

Surely this is proof if it is still required that the idea of two comings is at best a nonsense and at worst a

deliberate deception. Before leaving this issue we should also say that the other Greek words listed

previously can also be used interchangeably, although implying various shades or degrees of meaning.

EPIPHANEIA is used to refer to the Lord returning to destroy antichrist:

‘with the brightness of His COMING.’ II Thess. 2:8.

Certainly nothing secret about that event. PHANEROO can be found in I Peter 5:4.

‘When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’

Without doubt the crowning glory of the saints at the Lord’s return will be open and for all to see.

ERCHOMAI and HEKO are actually used in the same sentence to describe the same event:

‘For yet a little while and He that shall come (ERCHOMAI) will come (HEKO) and will not tarry.’

Hebrews 10:37.

In the light of these and many other similar verses it is apparent that the original Greek text confounds and

refutes the Secret Rapture teaching rather than confirming and sustaining it.

CAN CHRIST COME BACK AT ANY MOMENT?

Frequently coupled with the Secret Rapture doctrine is the equally misguided notion that Christ

can come back at any moment, even tonight, as we so often hear well-meaning Evangelists proclaim.

Whilst we do not doubt the Lord’s ability, we do believe that God is the author not of confusion, but of a

great plan for the ages. This being the case, and although we are well aware that no man knows the exact

day and hour of Christ’s return, it is equally certain that a number of prophecies yet await their complete

fulfilment and that not until we witness these things come to pass, can we expect the Lord at any moment.

It was this very doctrine which had come into the Church at Thessalonica and made it necessary for Paul to

write:

‘Now we beseech you brethren by (concerning) the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by (concerning)

our gathering together unto Him that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit nor by

word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand (at any moment), let no man deceive you,

for that day shall not come except there come, a falling away first and the Man of Sin be revealed.’ II

Thess. 2:13.

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Now those who believe in the Secret Rapture and that Christ can come at any moment say He will gather

the believers before antichrist appears yet the Scripture says the direct opposite.

Again like so much of their teaching it is confusion, confounded, and Scripture stood upon its head.

CONCLUSION: A CALL AND A WARNING!

Dear reader, it is our sincere and earnest prayer that this article will convince you of the

unscriptural nature of the Secret Rapture doctrine. Instead of preparing God’s people to face the

increasingly difficult days ahead, as tribulation intensifies, this doctrine has deluded millions of Christians

into a false notion of escapism, and instead of obeying the Lord’s command to resist evil and occupy until

He comes, they have been made so Rapture-minded that they no longer even resist the evil, believing not

that they will defeat it, but instead be rescued from it.

Let the Christian reader be up and doing in these last days, obeying the great commission given by our

Lord in Matthew 10:

‘Go, preach saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast

out devils: freely you have received. Freely give.’

Let the unconverted reader hear again the words of Jesus to one who was a ruler in Israel:

‘Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God ... Ye must be born again.’ John 3 v 3-7.

Then we will all meet soon at that Great Day, when our Lord translates and resurrects His saints and returns

with them to rule and reign upon the Throne of His father David in that great Kingdom that shall never end.

5. The Rapture?

We have not written on the rapture before, although we have often spoken on the subject. But

recently we have met many people who do not understand how to teach others concerning this great

subject. Controversy surrounds the doctrine. Fellowship is broken based on the doctrine. There are fractures

within those who do believe in the rapture based on whether the rapture is pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation

or post-tribulation. That particular concept is based on the thought that there is a tribulation; however, there

are some who do not believe in such. Ah, the rapture is a theology that stirs the heart of many. Someone is

right, and most are wrong.

Of the Protestant churches in the United States, the Presbyterians, Episcopals, Disciples of Christ

and many of the other major denominations do not believe in the rapture. The theology is found in

fundamental and Pentecostal churches as a rule. While the evangelicals would call the other churches

“liberal” today, in their day of founding the liberal churches were quite conservative. It is to the roots of the

major denominations that we will first turn. The fundamental and Pentecostal churches are in a minority in

their belief.

Rapture is a theological term used by many evangelical Christians who believe that they will be

taken out of the earth before the second coming of Christ. The basis for this is out of the Gospels where one

is taken and one is left as in the Days of Noah. The evangelical churches that believe in rapture teach the

saint leaves the earth. But the proof is that Noah remained and the wicked were removed. Besides, the

meek inherit the earth, the Scripture also declares.

Some evangelical churches have even integrated two events into a simultaneous occurrence. The

merging of the Second Coming of Christ with the rapture is also an untenable position. It cannot be done.

As Alan Campbell has written: “Such a teaching was unknown to early church fathers as Justin

Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertuilian, who were convinced the Christian church would pass through the great

tribulation at the hands of an anti-messiah system before the return of the Saviour. Furthermore the rapture

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theory was not taught by the great stalwarts of the Reformed Faith - Huss, Wycliffe, Luther (Lutherans),

Calvin (Reformed church), Knox (Presbyterians), Crammer or even the Wesleys (Anglican, Episcopal,

Methodists) in the 18th century.” The first mention of rapture was not until at least 1812, and most sources

seem to point to 1830 or so.

The early church fathers never preached rapture, which is different from the Second Coming of the

Lord. The word rapture is not found in the Scriptures. These two statements were the thoughts that caused

me over time to investigate the veracity of the Scriptures concerning the doctrine of the rapture and whether

or not it was true. I hope this small booklet is helpful to you.

Two Schools of Theology: Historical and Futuristic

The one school believes that most of the Bible has been completed. The other believes that most

of the Bible is yet future. The Reformation, which was a movement to change what we today call the

Roman Catholic Church, was begun in the 800’s by the Waldenese. It culminated with Martin Luther’s 96

points of suggested change on a Wittenberg Abbey door in Germany in 1517. He was followed very shortly

by other men of great caliber such as Knox and Calvin, not to mention the advent of the printing press by

Gutenberg who expedited the explosion of knowledge through the printed page, which never had been done

before.

Luther, in his writings, calls the Pope the antichrist and clearly shows why in Scriptures. As one

studies the writings of Luther he explains his historical interpretation. If one wants to study secular history

you will find that some Popes were women and had children. At one time there were two Popes fighting for

supremacy, one in France and one in Rome. If one wishes to study, we suggest the book, Two Babylons -

Papal Worship by Alexander Hislop, 1959 or Babylon - Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow. These two

books give a detailed history of why the Protestant leaders were so against the corrupt church system.

It would shock many evangelical Christians to learn that their theology comes from the Roman

Catholic church. A Jesuit, named Ribera (1537-1591) who first taught that Daniel and Revelation were

“futuristic” in their fulfillment, began a line of theological thinking that would be expanded upon. The

Roman church was losing thousands of people a day from their church as the people heard and agreed with

the Reformers. The bleeding Roman Church was trying to staunch the flow of income it was losing and

also was trying to distract people from the Roman Church by showing through a new theology that it was

not the antichrist but rather it was yet to come. Another priest, Cardinal Bellarmine, helped Ribera in his

charade.

The historical school shows how the book of Revelation is and was completed many years ago.

The futuristic school looks for a physical antichrist, one man, a seven or at least a three and one-half year

tribulation and a millennial reign of Christ. These concepts all came out of the works of Jesuits who wrote

to confound and redirect Protestant ire. We are not going to write on those subjects but it is interesting to

note that John states that the antichrist was already there in the first century!

Two books which explain why there is no seven year or even three and one-half year tribulation

are What the Bible Says About the Great Tribulation by William Kimball and The Parousia by Stuart

Russell. John Bray has written a pamphlet showing why the pre-tribulation rapture is wrong entitled The

Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching. These men refer to Ribera and a Jesuit priest, Lacunza,

who did substantial writing in the 1800’s to foster the development of a futuristic theology.

The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia has a book entitled The Coming Messiah

written by Rabbi Ben Ezra which was the pen name of Emamual Lacunza. This book had a major impact

on the Protestant move. The Protestants believed that from the Dark Ages (4th century) to the Reformation

was the reign of the antichrist. The Roman church held the idea that from 1580-1830 the antichrist was a

person yet to come.

Unfortunately, present day Protestants (any one that is not a Roman Catholic) have preached such

silly things as Mussolini as the antichrist, then Hitler, then Kissinger, then Gorbachev (some even said he

had the mark on his forehead!). Some thought and preached the social security system was the mark of the

beast in the 1930’s. Then we have heard the evangelicals state that the ten toes of the man in Daniel are

represented by the common market members. As of 1998 there are 16 members and more applying. So

goes carnal theology.

The teaching of the futuristic theology entered evangelical Christianity in the 1800’s. Lacunza, a

Jesuit priest wrote his showing that Jesus must return twice not once as Scripture states. This secret coming

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was a rapture. This way the saints could escape the coming “tribulation” and the “antichrist.” The

archbishop of Canterbury in England read the book and the idea became prevalent in the Anglican church

(USA counterpart Episcopal). However, recent research by Revelation.John Bray indicates that Morgan

Edwards was the first in 1788 (Morgan Edwards and the Pre-Tribulation Rapture by John Bray).

Secondly, Bill Britton brings out in his pamphlet The Rapture of the Church ‘what is it’? that

Edward Irving, who was the founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church, preached the idea of a rapture. This

man was a Scottish Presbyterian minister who had accepted the idea of Lacunza and then was filled with

the “baptism of the Spirit” and left the church to formulate a Pentecostal church. He, unfortunately, brought

with him some of the theology of the Roman church. His church was in London. During a service there a

young Scottish woman named Margaret Macdonald spoke in prophecy concerning a secret rapture,

although others believe it was another person (according to MacPherson’s study).

Another source was J. N. Darby, a Christian man who was considered perhaps as the founder of

the Brethren Movement. He was an Anglican and attended meetings in Ireland concerning the secret

rapture. Some sources indicate that he was involved with McDonald in some way. Scofield incorporated in

his Bible the notes of Darby on various verses, without consideration of his thoughts. Scofield’s Bible

became very popular since many people could read it and study his footnotes. People read the Bible and

footnotes and were greatly influenced in their teaching by the notes -as they are today.

These three men - Lacunza, Irving, Darby - are responsible for the premise of a rapture. But if one

has such an idea then other factors have to come into play.

The Tribulation, What About it?

John 17:15 truly answers that - “I pray not that you (disciples) should be taken out of the world,

but that you (Father) should keep them from evil.” Or consider Matthew 5 which states: “the meek shall

inherit the earth,” or even the Lord’s Prayer which states in Matthew 6: “Your kingdom come and your will

be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There are many more verses that show the saints remain, even if there

is a tribulation.

The Bible Verses Millennial Teachings by George C. Lubbers on page 237 states the following:

“We desire the reader to keep in mind that we are not interested in giving a history of Dr. Scofield’s work,

dating about 1843 (which incidentally was a time when such heresies as Christian Science, Mormonism

and Seventh Day Adventism appeared) but we are interested in some of the basic teachings and

constructions, which are today the structural teaching of Dispensationalism in America.” There are two

points here. First, the point that Scofield’s ideas of futuristic thought were new with dispensational ideas

(dispensational meaning the Bible is divided up into certain time elements as to eschatology [study of final

things]). Secondly, there was much paganism that had been created with a “Christian flavor” - Mormonism,

Christian Science and now also Scofield’s ideas which had come from Lacunza.

It is important to note that each of these other movements created or were looking for some future

kingdom to come. Mormonism looked for the kingdom to come. The Reorganized Latter Day Saints church

and Mormons have purchased a lot of land around the Kansas City, Missouri, area for the expectation that

the kingdom will be set up there. The Seventh Day Adventists were noted in 1844 for going to the

mountains and selling all they had for the literal return of Jesus. Unfortunately, the same thing happened in

Korea in 1988 and it was false, as was the book that was printed in the USA proclaiming such. Christian

Science taught that this life was unreal and that if you were active in your mind, you could deny sickness

saying that it didn’t exist. Quite metaphysical. While it is true that some sickness is psychosomatic or mindinduced,

you cannot deny its effect.

Lubbers goes on to expose the error of dispensationalism as Scofield presents it. Scofield said

there was no grace until Christ. But Noah found, as the scripture declares, “grace” in the eyes of the Lord.

Scofield limits ‘the “Promise” to the chronological time between Abraham and Mount Sinai, the time of the

‘Law giving’, he has made it impossible for himself (Scofield) to do justice to the great “Promise” as given

already by God Himself in Paradise to Adam and Eve at the very dawn of History.”(pg. 244).

Revelation. Lubbers was of the Reformed Church and preached over 50 years in the USA. His

research is highly regarded and expresses the thought of the Reformers rather than the Jesuit’s teachings.

There are many that will and can expose Dr. Scofield’s notes for their errors. Again most of his notes came

from his relationship with Darby and the Irving Movement.

The futuristic school of theology propounds the theology which includes the following: a return of

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Christ personally, a secret rapture (either before the tribulation, in mid-tribulation or after the tribulation), a

tribulation of seven or a time period of two three and one-half years, an antichrist who will rule until

overthrown, a literal millennial (meaning 1,000 year) reign of Christ, followed by the release of Satan to

rule the world and delude it again and then the lake of fire, the end of time with people either in the new

Jerusalem, seen as a literal place, and the wicked outside the city burning. While there may be some

variation along these lines of thought, these come from the major theology of the Lacunza and Tractarian

societies and the Roman Church.

The historical theological viewpoint is that the book of Revelation is spiritual and not literal since

the actual literal fulfillment has already occurred. Secondly, the historical generally expresses the point that

the numbers found in the book of Revelation and other places are allegorical or symbolical and are not for

literal interpretation. The futuristic school would contend this otherwise.

A Third View of Theology

Then there is the third school that is neither historical nor futuristic but believes that the historical

probably did occur and that the futuristic probably will not occur. The reason for such an idea is that these

people look for a spiritual fulfillment within people. They look to find Christ fully formed in the individual.

Secondly these people believe that the antichrist, the man of sin, and the false prophet are found within

each person because of the fallen nature and that each must be removed. The antichrist spirit is the spirit of

a man. The false prophet is the soul of a man. The man of sin is the actions of the body.

One of these schools is correct. Generally in the evangelical churches today there is a

preponderance of the futuristic school and little credence is given to the historical school. Even less

credence is given to the belief that both the man of sin and Christ can dwell in a person. Many saints are not

aware that there are other views and believe what is taught without any question. Most saints are not

Bereans who study to show themselves approved daily (Acts 17, 2 Timothy 2:15).

It is not our purpose to establish the viewpoints of theologians. An interested student can find a

wealth of information on the first two diametrically opposing viewpoints. Our purpose is to discuss the

concept of the rapture from the spiritual, which has historical roots from the 1830’s as we have shown.

While some of the futuristic school would indicate that 1 Thessalonians 4:15-20 shows a rapture as was

taught by Paul, this verse has to do with Christ’s second coming and not a secret rapture.

The Historical View of the “Man of Sin”

Found in 2 Thessalonians 2

The word “antichrist” is found five times in the Bible and each word is the same Greek word. In

the Greek it is “antichristos.” Anti means: instead of, in place of, in opposition to. Christos means anointed

one. Placing the two together we have the phrase instead of Christ, in place of Christ, or in opposition to

Christ. We can conclude that it means to place one in a higher position than Jesus Christ.

There are many deceivers in the land today as well as when the early disciples lived. Generally,

there is thought to be one person who will be The antichrist. Spurgeon, Finney, Guinness, Hudson Taylor,

Tyndale, Calvin, Luther, Isaac Newton, Bunyan, Huss and Wycliffe all agreed who the antichrist was.

These men lived from the 1300’s to the present day. They all, after careful study, reached the same

conclusion that the Pope was the antichrist.

The Pope’s title in Latin is VICARIUS FILII DEI. “Vicar of the Son of God” is the interpretation.

Vicar means in place of. The Latin letters of his title carry numeric meaning. Latin Roman numerals come

from the letters of their alphabet.

Adding the totals of the three columns we come up with the number 666. This is the number of fallen man,

corrupted Adam who tried to place himself as god. How fitting that the number of the beast has religious

significance. A man places himself as the religious head of the world and declares that he is the leader

above Christ.

V = 5 F = 0 D = 500

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I = 1 I = 1 E = 0

C = 100 L = 50 I = 1

A = 0 I = 1

R = 0 I = 1 total of all three

I = 1 columns is : 666

V = 5

S = 0

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There are, however, many theologians who discount the idea that the Pope is the antichrist. Nero’s

name also equals 666. These leaders in the evangelical field are futuristic rather than historical in their

interpretations of prophecy. They believe that the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation are for the future

and yet to happen. To them only Revelation chapters one through three have been fulfilled.

The men who were listed earlier in this article belong to the historical school of interpretation and

believe that most of the book of Revelation has occurred with HISTORICAL fulfillment and that the

SPIRITUAL fulfillment is yet to be revealed.

Let’s look at some of the facts available. The Waldenese people of northern Italy revolted from

popish rule in the 1200’s. Their reason was simple - they believed in being saved by faith. Huss picked up

the same train of thought a little later, but it wasn’t until the 1500’s and Martin Luther that the time of

reform became ripe. By that time Huss was dead and the Waldenese were practically exterminated by the

Pope’s soldiers in various torturous ways too ugly to describe. Luther’s advantage was that he had a strong

king who would hide him from the Pope’s forces. Luther himself declared, “If the Pope will not recall and

condemn this Bull (popish edict of 1520) then no one should doubt that the Pope is the enemy of God...the

true antichrist.”

The spirit of truth and light inspired Luther and the others to realize the Pope was the antichrist.

When papal Rome realized it could not eliminate the truth, it decided to propagate another gospel, no

matter how long it took for its lies to be accepted. This ploy was learned from the emperor Constantine who

stopped the growth of Christianity by making it a state religion. Subterfuge was a good policy.

The son of perdition is found in two places in Scripture: II Thess. 2:3, John 17:12. Perdition

means: damnation, destruction and to perish. John 17:12 strictly refers to Judas Iscariot when the spirit of

Satan entered him. Judas was a disciple, one of the twelve, called by Jesus. He was a member of the faith

until his falling away. The law of first occurrence uses the phrase “son of perdition” first here in reference

to Judas. It is a pattern that will be followed.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians uses the same phrase. Who like Judas was in the faith and then

became an enemy? Who appeared to show Christian love but denied the power thereof and turned against

the truth? Would it not have to have been one who had an apostolic office like Judas who then fell from the

faith? The popes of the Roman church fit the pattern as an enemy from within. Each vicar of Christ

considers himself to be God in the earth.

II Thessalonians 2:4 has been fulfilled naturally. The popes opposed God and they do sit down

exalted above God. According to the historical school the temple that is in the scripture of 2 Thessalonians

2 is not a Jewish temple but refers to the church. The Pope sits in the church and assumes headship. The

Pope sits above the “Host” (bread and wine) which is the physical representation of Christ which reveals he

is over Christ, according to the historical school.

The futuristic school has been greatly influenced by Scofield’s ideas. Not all of the futuristic ideas

should be discounted, but the futuristic interpretation of Scripture needs to be separated from Scofield’s

thoughts. The futurist school, as compared to the historical school, would teach that the temple applies to

the Jewish temple; hence they still look for the son of perdition. This idea of the Jewish temple being the

actual seat of the antichrist is accepted as truth in evangelical circles, the denominational daughters of the

harlot, but the idea was brought forth and developed by the Jesuits. The antichrist will not profane the

Jewish temple (there will not be one), rather the antichrist must profane Christianity and come against


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Christ.

The futurists base their ideas on Daniel 9:25-28. Here they interpret the antichrist as the man in the

middle of the week sitting in the temple. They believe that the seventieth week of prophecy is separated

from the other sixty-nine weeks and is placed in Revelation for the seven year tribulation. This is Daniel

9:24 from the Amplified Bible:

“Seventy weeks (of years or 490 years) are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city

Jerusalem to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin to purge

away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin and to bring everlasting righteousness and to seal up

vision and prophecy and prophet and to anoint a holy of holies.”

We can clearly see that this decree is going to take place in 490 years. From the time the people

were freed from Babylon to return and build again the city of Jerusalem to the time of the coming of Christ

would be 490 years. The only one who could “purge away sin” is most assuredly Jesus Christ.

Dan. 9:25 states: “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment

to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks: the street shall

be built again and the wall even in troublesome times.” (KJV) This coming of Christ accounts for His life

up to the time of His ministry. This 69 weeks is fulfilled up to the baptism by John when Jesus begins His

ministry. Now we are ready for the 70th week. Please note that Prince is capitalized here. This refers to the

Messiah. Another prince is mentioned later on that does not refer to Christ. The final place that the word

prince is used should be capitalized, again referring to the Messiah.

Dan. 9:26 states in the KJV: “And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself; and

the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be

with a flood and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be

cut off but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and sanctuary;

and the end thereof shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” Jesus was

cut off upon His birth, for Herod tried to kill Him at that time. Yet, Christ lived. The prince here is not

capitalized and this refers to Vespasian who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This completed the prophecy

here and in Matthew 24 where our Lord said judgment would come to the Jews for crucifying Him and

rejecting Him.

Dan. 9:27 states: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of

the week he shall cause sacrifice to cease and for the overspreading of the abominations he shall make it

desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” “And he

shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause sacrifice to

cease and for the overspreading of the abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the

consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” The “he” refers to Christ. For when

His ministry came forth, he did make a covenant with many for He spoke to 5000 twice, and untold

numbers believed and followed Him. In the midst of the 70th week He was cut off, for after 3 1/2 years of

ministry Jesus was slain.

The Jews, who had rejected the Father, now had rejected the Son. Jesus caused sacrifices to cease

for He was the one and only sacrifice needed. This is why the temple curtain was rent in twain, to show the

end of the law and its fulfilling in Christ. He did make the temple desolate, for He destroyed all the

customs, traditions and teachings that were false. No wonder the priestly caste came against Him. The

consummation of the judgment occurred in 70 A.D. with Titus’ destruction of the temple.

When was the 70th week completed? It was completed with the stoning of Stephen. This showed

the rejection of the administration of the Holy Ghost by the Jews. Thus, the 490 year period is complete by

the rejection of the Father (69 weeks), the Son (1/2 week of the 70th week) and the Holy Spirit testimony

through Stephen (1/2 week of the 70th week). As Jesus said in Matthew 12:32, the Jews would be cut off

for blaspheming the Holy Spirit for that age (when He was on the earth) and the age to come (the church

age), but would be brought back in later as Romans 9, 10, 11 reveals. (Matthew 12:32 “world” in KJV is

Greek “aion” meaning age).

There is a seven-year prophetic period in the book of Revelation. The futurists try to tie it into an

antichrist reign based on Daniel 9 which we have just talked about. The two are not related although they

are similar. We do not wish to digress and discuss or compare these two points of view at this time.

Personal study with sources in the bibliography of this booklet will assist in such study.



Who is the “Man of Sin” really?

It is not really important if the “man of sin” is in Jerusalem or if the “man of sin” is in the church,

ie. the Pope. Both schools direct their theology to an outward fulfillment. There is a deeper truth here that

needs to be discussed. The concern is to delineate the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. The man of sin in 2

Thessalonians is not a literal man who will appear.

The word “temple” is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 3:16, where it states that your body is

the “temple” of the Holy Spirit. The word in the Greek is “naos.” The word in the Greek used for a physical

structure such as a building is the word “heiron.” The difference between these two is important.

Paul is not writing about some literal man of sin who will appear or had appeared. I am sure there

could be cases made for many men to fulfill that role in each generational thinking - Nero, Genghis Khan,

Napoleon, Hitler etc. Paul is writing a spiritual word.

The man of sin is located in a person - each of us individually. We are the Lord’s temple. Within

us is the fallen adamic nature, it is dead (Romans 6:1-10), but some of us struggle with the corpse (Romans

7:14-16). Perhaps we should stop playing with the dead (necromancy - Deuteronomy 18:11).

The man of sin is who causes us to do idolatrous things. The man of sin causes us to divorce

ourselves from the one we love, God, and follow after the fleshly desires of self, setting oneself up as god.

The man of sin is not some literal person who leads us away like a Pied Piper, but the man of sin is the

lustful carnal mind, the adamic man, who is at enmity with God.

Who other than Adam has set himself up in the temple of God as god? Was not Adam’s sin

religious? Not wanting to have God be over him, Adam decided to become like God in his own

understanding. Thus, to accomplish his purpose Adam placed himself in the seat of authority to rule, failing

to realize that he already was in the image of God. Not realizing that, Adam dethroned his union with God,

caused a spiritual divorce from God and then proceeded to set himself up over woman and himself as god.

The man of sin is the fallen nature within the person.

The mark of the beast is the fallen nature that you had until you were saved. Now, you are sealed

with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, Revelation 7:3). Now, your life is hid in God through Christ. The sin

nature no longer continues in you (1 John 5:18, Romans 6:6).

We do not have to look very far to find the man of sin. But it is far easier to call someone else the

man of sin because then you or I do not have to deal with the man of sin within ourselves. Religion keeps

the person from dealing with the real problem - self. Religion offers solutions that make the adamic man

feel good - do good things, so many Hail Mary’s, evangelism outreach, speaking in tongues, etc.

Christianity, true Christianity, deals with the removal of the man of sin in the person by identification with

Christ and making God the God of the temple of God.

Religion focuses on the sin nature. Christianity focuses on the life of God in the individual.

Religion offers traditions, rituals, legalism. Christianity offers life and grace. Religion sets man up as the

judge. Christianity offers no condemnation. Religion offers salvation to a select few. Christianity is the

faith in the world that dies to self so others can live. Religion focuses on the outer man and his needs or as

the Hindus do - the deprivation of the outer needs. Christianity focuses on no needs but empowers by the

resurrection to rise above the natural desires or deprivations. Unfortunately those who are religious (not

necessarily Christian) think they have to go to heaven (some literal place!) before Jesus can come to perfect

them. True Christianity teaches otherwise. True Christianity is not religious.

The Second Coming - is it the Same as the Rapture?

As evangelical doctrine has evolved in the area of eschatology, the last 100 years (1883-present)

has had a rapid development. The doctrine of Pentecostalism was not a prominent truth readily available to

the saints. While there has been an historical remnant that always has walked in this experience of the

second feast of the Old Testament, the majority of Christendom was not aware of it after Paul’s time until

the late 1880’s.

There was a mass exodus from the Methodist movement twice in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

The first group to leave the Methodist churches broke because of the need for holiness and evangelism

through tracts etc. The Methodist church had become quite established from the revivals of the 1700’s and

the Great Awakening move in the 1830’s with Finney.

These ministers who left felt compelled to express the need for holiness. Where salvation

represents the brazen altar sacrifice for sin, which Jesus fulfilled for us, these men felt to get back to the

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need of holiness as Wesley preached. Their separation and rabid devotion to evangelism led to another

experience.

It was from these men and others who left later in the early 1900’s that the Pentecostal movement

sprang. The Lord blessed these followers with “speaking in tongues” and other gifts of the early church (1

Corinthians 12). Today in 2000, these Pentecostal churches of varied names are just being accepted as

mainstream Christianity.

However, these denominations and free churches, along with the older denominations teach

Passover (salvation) and Pentecost (baptism of the Spirit with gifts). They do not teach the feast of

Tabernacles which is the third feast that is experiential. If they did, they would not preach the doctrine of

rapture. We shall not discuss the third feast experience but suffice it to say that it is just as blessed as the

experience of salvation and Pentecost. Before one can experience the third feast, certain doctrines which

are not true have to be removed from the nature of the person. One of these is rapture. It seems to be the

fulcrum, the pivotal point, on which a person decides to live his faith.

The Pentecostal churches express the belief in a Second Coming of the Lord and integrate to that

concept the belief in a ‘secret rapture’ of the saints. These two points are not related but rather are separate

subjects and events, as we determine the truthful interpretation of

There are four words for “coming” in the Greek - Parousia, Epiphany and Apocalypse and

Phanero. Each has a different meaning and connotation to it. As one studies the Scriptures it is important

also to discern which word is being used rather than translating each word “Coming.”

As it was in Noah’s Day

“But as the days of Noah were so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ... and did not know

until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men

will be in the field:one will be taken and one will be left.” Matthew 24:37, 39, 40 see also Luke 17:26-37

These verses are often used to teach the rapture. There are five premises in these Scriptures. (1)

The flood came as a surprise to the unsaved. (2) The righteous were prepared. (3) The flood destroyed the

wicked. (4) The saints were protected. (5) The saints inherited the earth. Theologians agree on points (1),

(2), (3) and (4). But theologians forget that Noah never left the earth, but rather inherited the earth.

The rapture teaches that the saint is removed from the earth and is protected in a literal heaven, not

in the physical sky (heavens). The saint is thereby protected from the judgment of God which happens to

the unrighteous. The basis of the removal of the saint is found in verse 40 where a person is “taken.”

But in the days of Noah, we find that the UNrighteous were removed or “taken.” Noah was

protected but REMAINED on the earth. It is interesting to note Luke 17:27 which states God “destroyed

them all.” Judgment was given to the unrighteous, the unsaved. They died and were removed, “taken” from

the earth. The word “taken” is connected with judgment. It is not connected with the life of the saved

person. In fact, that very verse states “the all” is speaking of the unrighteous when it says “the flood came

and destroyed them all”.

The Noahic story is supported in other Scriptures also. 1 Corinthians 6:9 states: “Know ye not that

the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God?” God always removes the unrighteous.

The parable of the wheat and the tares is another example. In Matthew 13: 24-30 we find the

parable. Theologians agree that the wheat represent the saints and the tares the unsaved. Who is removed in

the parable? The unrighteous, the tares are removed. The wheat remains. Scripture consistently reveals that

the righteous remain and the unrighteous, the tares are removed.

We have written a message on 1 Corinthians 10:13. This verse in the KJV states “... who will not

suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of

escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” The word “escape” has no connection with a rapture. Rather the

word “escape” implies the concept of entering into something else while enduring the trial. That

“something else” is “Christ.” Noah entered into the ark, which is a type of Christ, not to escape the

judgment on the earth, but to ride it out. So also here in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Or perhaps we should consider the words of Jesus Himself as the ultimate authority as He prayed

to the Father in John 17:15. The Father was to keep them in the world but protected. They were not to

leave.

Our purpose is not to be taken out but to be victorious in the trial. The three men in the fiery

furnace went through the fire not tainted of smoke. Noah went through the flood untouched by the waters.

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Consider the Scripture found in Revelation 21:7 which reads:” He that overcomes shall inherit all things;

and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” One does not overcome by escaping.

While Matthew 24 is used for “rapture”, even the Assemblies of God’s official (stated on page 4)

publication, The Pentecostal Evangel states in an article about Matthew 24 on page 9: “Contrary to what is

often taught...the Rapture is not in evidence here. Those “taken” are the wicked, who are taken in judgment

- just as the wicked of Noah’s time(mentioned in the proceeding verse) were taken in judgment. Those

“left” are the righteous who remain...” (Bill Britton, The Rapture What is it?)So, even one of the largest

evangelical organizations in the USA doesn’t officially preach the rapture from this verse... yet many do.

Why? They have twisted Scripture to their own destruction.

“So unexpected will be the actual appearance of the Lord in judgment, in parallel manner to the

judgment which was suddenly unleashed upon the antediluvians, that Jesus stated that they: “knew not until

the flood came and took them away...”(Matthew 24:39) His comparison is striking. Rather than predicting a

world warned of the nearness of His coming in judgment, the converse is true.” (What the Bible Says

About the Great Tribulation, page 226).

It is important to note that the author is remarking that the Lord appeared in judgment in Noah’s

day. He Himself did not appear, but rather was manifested in judgment. Keep this thought in mind as you

begin to see how Matthew 24 has already been fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Lord appeared in judgment to

“that generation.”

Other ministers relate Enoch who was translated as an example that relates to those “who are

taken” in Matthew 24. The only problem is Enoch was not “taken” for punishment - he lived. Secondly, he

was not taken in a time of judgment. Thirdly, the stories do not relate. Again twisting of the Scriptures.

Some would say that this chapter relates to the “end-time” and must assuredly speak to us this day.

Let me address that question. As mentioned before there are many comings of the Lord and different words

are used. The word “coming” in the KJV in Matthew 24:37 is “parousia.” This means that the Lord is near

to, co-existent with, or presence is felt.

The historical school, which as we have discussed earlier believes the fulfillment has already

occurred. Consider these interesting facts. First, Matthew 24 was written to the generation of Jesus’ day. In

verse 34 Jesus mentions “this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled.” He

speaks of the generation of Jews that condemned Him to death and rejected the Father, the Son and the

testimony of the Holy Spirit in Stephen. Having rejected the Godhead’s manifestation, they had

blasphemed the Holy Spirit and their salvation was cut off for an age (Matthew 12:31-32).

They go on to state that a “parousia” of the Lord does not mean a personal return of the Lord

Himself. As an example, the Lord appeared in Noah’s day - not physically - but judgmentally with a flood.

Matthew 24 according to Josephus and the historical school states the Lord came in 70 A.D. and judged the

nation, that generation of Israel, that rejected Him. How did Jesus come? Not through an agency of a flood,

but through Roman soldiers.

In fact, verse 24:28 is interpreted by the historical school to represent the nations which had Jews

in them. The eagle was a symbol of Rome (the KJV translates it vulture but the Greek is eagle), the body is

the Jewish people scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Some even interpret that Paul wrote the

Thessalonians to warn them of the “coming” of the Lord in that town because that town had Jews and

would be touched by the Roman government because of the rebellion of the Jews in Israel.

Or perhaps we should finally consider the words of our Lord as He spoke to the disciples, who

were still there during 70 A.D. If we wanted to interpret the saying as specifically meaning that

“generation,” we should also consider the words of our Lord in a broader scenario. He said in John 17:11

“...Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father keep

through Your name those whom You have given Me...” (NKJV)

Here, Jesus is expressing the thought that the disciples will remain on the earth during perilous

times. Regardless of the situations, the disciples were to go through problems whether they be spiritual,

natural or physical. If the disciples were to remain, what about them as a pattern for us?

Even more so we should consider Jesus. He is our pattern to follow. Peter writes in 1Peter 2:21

“To this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow

in His steps.” Jesus never escaped anything. The walk of faith cost Him His life. Our walk too is not to

escape trials and tribulations, but rather to be an example of an overcoming life through the blood of Christ.

While it is not ours to go into detail on the historical school we do suggest you read and research

this area. There is no possible way that verses 36-44 of Matthew 24 refer to saints being raptured (futuristic

school) as it is out of context and even a futuristic school of theology found in the Assemblies of God says

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you cannot interpret it that way. Secondly, the historical school shows that the literal fulfillment has already

occurred. The only interpretation left is that of a spiritual nature.

If the historical school is correct, the church at Jerusalem actually escaped the carnage of the

Roman soldiers since they left the city before it occurred. Secondly, if it was historically fulfilled with the

fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 A.D., then the verse has no significance to us today in any way

eschatologically.

I Thessalonians 4:16-17

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with

the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught

up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Before we even begin the study of this verse, it is important to mention that the historical school

believes that this was already fulfilled in the judgment of Jerusalem by the Roman soldiers in 70 A.D.

While this may be contrary to the standard evangelical teaching, we would suggest the reading of the books

mentioned in the appendix of a small tract written by Kimball and Russell.

I do not consider 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 a rapture verse but truly a second coming verse. In fact,

we will interpret it “spiritually” rather than literally as the evangelical teaching does.

The rapture teaching uses this verse which deals with the Second Coming of Christ as part of its

teaching to support a secret rapture before the coming of the Lord. This is incorrect. The two events, if true,

are not interrelated. The Second Coming, which is true, has nothing to do with a secret rapture.

Secondly, nowhere do you find anyone going to heaven. The Greek word “apantesis” is translated

“to meet.” In ancient times it was a word used in conjunction with a party of people who go out and meet

an important person. Today it would be used as if you went to the airport to meet a person and bring him

back to your house. This verb implies the saints meeting Christ and escorting Him back to the earth to set

up His kingdom.

There are three other locations in Scripture that use this word “meet,” and each time the word is

used to greet and return. Matthew 25:1,6 speaks of the ten virgins who went forth to “meet” the bridegroom

and return to the party. John 12:13 speaks of Jesus entering Jerusalem where people “took branches of palm

trees and went forth to meet Him.” Then in Acts 28:15 Paul writes “they came to meet us as far as Appii

forum...” “they came to meet us as far as Appii forum...” Saints came and led him back into the city (about

43 miles). The information on “meet” has been supplied by Stephen Jones’, The Rapture of the Wicked.

The “meeting” with the Lord is contrary to the rapture concept that the saints leave the earth to go

to heaven and remain while the earth is judged. This, on the other hand, shows the saints on the earth to set

up Christ’s kingdom; whereas, the church system teaches Jesus returns from heaven with His saints to set

up the kingdom. That is a substantial difference of viewpoint.

Lloyd Willhite in his booklet, Rapture, Taking a Second Look, discusses 1 Thessalonians 4:15. On

page 12 he states the following:

“This text definitely indicates we are going somewhere. It says the “dead in Christ” rise first. It says the

“alive and remain” shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, and it says the “alive and remain”

will not go ahead of those who are “asleep.” Go ahead to where?, Rise first to where? Get caught up to

where? Traditionally we have never thought any more about it than to say we are going up into the sky or

we are going to heaven.

It is easy to understand when we say Adam fell or the Fall of Adam that we do not mean he

literally fell out of a tree or he literally fell off a building. The fall was in his character, his nature, his

relationship with God. He fell from obedience into disobedience. By the same measure, rising up or getting

caught up does not mean we have to literally leave the earth. It means He is going to raise us up above the

realm of fallen Adam. Adam fell from a realm of life into the realm of death. Jesus came into the realm of

death and destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb.2:14) and is raising His body,

the church, to immortality; and fashioning it like unto His glorious body.”

As we know, Adam was on the earth when he fell. Adam did not fall off the earth. He did leave a

heavenly state for an earthly state - spiritually speaking. Thus, his fall was not literal but spiritual. Willhite

carries the same analogy to the verse in Thessalonians. The catching up is not a literal but a spiritual

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catching up, even as Adam’s fall was a spiritual fall not a literal fall.

If the catching up were literal it would cause many problems. A man in Jerusalem could not be seen visibly

from the USA. Yet, Scripture declares every eye shall see Him. Some have said Jesus will appear on

television and people will see Him that way. Not every man in the world has a television. Truly, it was a

spiritual fall and it is a spiritual catching up.

“Caught up”

The word “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4 is the Greek word “harpazo” which means “seize” or

“to take to oneself.” This word is found only thirteen times in the New Testament and in the KJV it is

translated: take it, catch away, take, catch, pluck, caught away, caught up and pulling out.

2 Corinthians 12:2-3 Paul writes about being caught up (harpazo). He clearly mentions that it was

a spiritual experience. He did not know whether it was in or out of the body - but the body remained where

it was. The catching up was not literal. Matthew 11:12 and 13:19 both use harpazo to mean that there was a

spiritual action where the kingdom was “taken by force.” This is not a literal action because the word of

God, which is “taken away” out of a person’s heart, is also spiritual. Twelve out of 13 times harpazo means

a spiritual event. Only one time was it used with Philip and then he was transported to another location, not

translated or removed from the earth.

Could “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians mean a physical removing? Chances are one in thirteen.

Based upon the context of the verses in the first book of Thessalonians the answer should be no. Just as

Adam “fell” spiritually, the “catching up” is a spiritual event. It is the means of “escape” as in 1

Corinthians 10:13 which is an escape into Christ’s nature and thereby salvation from the judgment.

“Coming” there are 4 words for it…

One of the words for “coming” in the Greek is “parousia.” Consistently, it is used with the idea of

judgment. Judgment is not for saints; they have been judged already and now are reaping the rewards of a

Christian life. The “parousia” speaks of judgment on the world. “Parousia” does not refer to a “rapture.”

Rather it refers to the coming of the Lord.

The word “coming” in verse 15 is the Greek word “parousia.” It is used about seventeen times

with the Lord. In actuality the word means “presence”. How often we have felt the Lord in a service. Did

we not feel His presence or coming? It does not mean a literal, bodily expression of Christ. Rather the word

“parousia” found in many locations in the Scriptures means a presence of the Lord different than what is

normally conceived.

The Lord’s “presence” was seen in Noah’s day. But the Lord Himself did not appear. The Lord

was seen in 70 A.D. in judgment also, but He did not physically appear. Yet, the presence of the Lord was

seen in the result.

The parousia is found in Matthew 24 where it speaks of the Son of Man “coming” as in the days

of Noah. We never did see Jesus in the days of Noah, did we? But the Scripture relates an analogy to that

time. Thus, the coming in Noah’s day was a manifestation of judgment. We also showed that in 70 A.D.

there was a “coming” of the Lord, not personally, but in a manifestation of judgment to Jerusalem which

Matthew 24 calls “coming of the son of man” or the “parousia.”

The word “parousia” means “presence.” While some would, based on their own theological

leanings, pre-determine that the word means the literal appearance of the Lord Jesus in bodily form, it is

not necessarily interpreted that way. “Presence” can mean many things. As we saw in Noah’s day, the

“presence” of the Lord was in a judgmental way and not in a personal appearance. Also in Matthew 24 we

find the Lord’s “presence” via the Roman army destroying the enemy (Jews who were revolting at the time,

see Josephus for details).

Here in Thessalonians we find the “parousia” is used again with the concept of judgment. “Those

that are living” some translations state should be translated as those who “have survived” as in the sense of

a battle. In fact, the verse reveals some have died and are asleep. This could mean that life was lost in

terrible tribulation during the advent of the Lord. This is consistent with the use of “parousia” because the

word’s usage in many cases ties in with troubles.

We cannot disannul the understanding also that the “shout,” “the archangels,” “the trumpet of

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God” all could refer to military terms. Many times in the Bible angels are used in warfare; the trumpet is

used in the Pentateuch for warfare assembly, etc.

It is spiritual warfare when we throw down the “man of sin” who lives in the temple. In 1

Corinthians 3:16 it states that our body is the temple of God. The word there in the Greek is “naos”

meaning your body. Whereas, “heiron” means a physical structure such as a literal building. In 2

Thessalonians 2:5 where it refers to the “man of sin” in the “temple” it does not mean a physical structure

or building. The word there is “naos” meaning your body. The man of sin lives in your carnal Adamic

nature.

This too would seem to support the spiritual warfare of casting down principalities and powers and

ascending into the realm of life. As Adam fell out of heaven, spiritually speaking, so too we in Christ shall

ascend and are ascending in the new creation man which we are. For we sit in heavenly places today with

Christ Jesus.

John 14:12 states that Jesus must go “back to the Father.” Who was Jesus’ Father? John 4:21

reveals that God is a Spirit. God does not have flesh and bone. This is indicated in Matthew 16:17 and Luke

24:39 as Jesus compares Himself to God. 1 Timothy 1:17 states: “Now, unto the King eternal, immortal,

invisible....” This also tells us that God is invisible to the human eye.

Now then, if Jesus left (He was the first coming), how does He appear to us and is it just one more

time or many appearances? Again as we look at John 14:17-18 Jesus states that if He leaves, the Spirit of

Truth will come to the disciples. He goes on further to state that the Comforter (that Spirit of Truth) which

is Himself as a Spirit, will come to them (vs. 18).

When did Jesus come? At Pentecost. The Greek word for spirit is “pneuma.” It is the same word

that is used in the book of Acts used as “wind.” Jesus came and empowered the disciples. But He did more

than that. Just as salvation (the feast of Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:8) is experiential, so also is Pentecost.

These men had placed within their own vessel the “presence” or the “coming” of the Lord.

Clearly, 1 Corinthians 15:45 states that Jesus (last Adam) was made a “quickening Spirit.” The

word “quickening” means to vivify, to make that which is dead alive. So, when these men received the

Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they were “quickened” or “made alive” by the Spirit, which possessed

them. In other words the power of the resurrection, that resurrection life, which is spiritual life (Greek

“zoe”, not the Greek “bios” which means natural life) had come within them to abide.

This too is a fulfillment of John 14:21-23. Where Jesus states that when He returns to the Father

that the two of them shall make their abode in the person. Thus, heaven is not a literal place in the sense of

religious tradition which indicates that heaven is the “sky,” but rather that heaven is found where God is,

which is in you (Luke 17:21). “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit” (1 Corinthians. 6:17). We cannot

leave this thought without reviewing Ephesians 4:10 which states: “He that descended is the same also that

ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.” The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost,

which is still a viable experience for all Christendom, is part of the fulfilling of Ephesians 4:10. Hopefully

it is seen then that His coming, His presence, is a spiritual experience and we hope to show that the

“parousia” is not a one-time event but an ongoing occurrence.

So far then we have discussed, albeit briefly, a “coming” of the Lord. The problem with most

saints is that they fail to comprehend, due to religious teachings of the Babylonish church system, that we

no longer know Christ after the flesh. When the name Jesus is said there is an immediate picture of a man

about 33 years old in a robe. This is not Jesus. He has ascended and is a Spirit that has possessed His

people at salvation (a coming), at Pentecost (a coming) and at Tabernacles (a coming). Paul admonishes us

in 2 Corinthians 5:16: “Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet, now henceforth know we Him no

more.”

How do we know Him then? 1 John 4:20 states that we see His coming as we see Him in another.

For How can we love God whom we have not seen, if we cannot love our brother whom we have seen?

Loving God is loving our neighbor for He is in them as John 1:9 states. The question is how do we see Him

- as He was or as He is?

His coming is in His saints. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 states that He will be glorified “IN His saints.”

John 14:20 states that He is IN us. That is how He is glorified - by His “coming,” His “presence” in us.

There is no doubt of this for Revelation 21:3 states that “...the tabernacle of God is with men and He shall

dwell (Greek: be at home, reside in,) with them.”

Because of traditional religious teaching which emphasizes external concepts of Christianity,

many Christians have not appropriated the truth of Him who lives within. Thus, they have difficulty with

delineation of the truths found in the scriptures. As an example, most saints mix up “IN His saints” and

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“WITH His saints” as being synonymous and both dealing with a “second” coming. Nothing could be

further from the truth.

Perhaps to radically portray the coming of Christ, we should consider some verses, which show a

coming of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4 reveals Christ coming as a “shout.” Jude 14 He comes with His saints.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 He comes in His saints. Matthew 16:27 states He comes with angels. Have you

considered His coming as the Morning Star arising in your heart (1 Peter)? In Revelation He comes as the

white horse. Matthew has the Son of Man appearing as lightning. The comings of the Lord are the

manifestations of His presence - whether it be the whirlwind that Elijah saw, the donkey that Balaam heard

speak or the angels that visited Abraham.

I do hope that as a diligent Berean, you will search the scriptures for yourself to verify these things

mentioned thus far. For there are other words also used for the coming of the Lord. The nuances are

important for each reveals a greater glory of God.

A Specific Coming - l John 2:28

Not only Jesus but also John the Baptist called the people of Israel unto repentance. John the

Baptist stated the kingdom of heaven was at hand, as did Jesus (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). Jesus even told the

disciples that the kingdom of God was at hand and that they should preach such as they traveled (Matthew

10:7). Jesus warned the people of a coming judgment (Matthew 11:20-24). All these verses point to a

consummation soon to take place, but we know that it was not during the time of Jesus because it was

“nigh” meaning close but some time off - not immediate.

Now in Matthew 12:38 - 45 we find Jesus warning “this generation.” He was talking to the

Hebrews of the day and not some future generation since the time of judgment was “nigh.” The parable of

the fig tree on the historical interpretation refers to Israel and it being cut off. Jesus even states in the

parable of the tares that: “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man.” He is warning the people of the

judgment to come.

In Matthew 10:23 Jesus tells His disciples when persecution comes to flee to another city, but that

they shall not go over the cities until the Son of Man comes. Perhaps reading the following in conjunction

will show that some of the disciples would be alive at His coming (Matthew 16:27, 28, Mark 8:38, 9:1,

Luke 9:26,27). This means some of the disciples would have died before it occurs but that others would see

the fulfillment of the “parousia” of the Lord.

Ultimately, the parable of the wicked husbandmen (Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-

19) refers in the historical sense to the Hebrews who were the leaders of the nation of Israel at the time of

Christ. This parable seems to relate the destruction of Israel with the coming of the Lord (Matthew 16:27-

28).

In 70 AD came the fall of Jerusalem. The Romans overthrew the Hebrew religious/political

leaders. The Romans destroyed the temple and removed once and for all animal sacrifice for sin, which

Jesus had removed spiritually at the cross. He would return again without need for sacrifice but to establish

His kingdom scripture states.

The word “world” used in Matthew 24 refers to the whole chapter in the sense of “age” or

dispensation and not the same as “world” as we use it today. Matthew 24 reveals Jesus talking in prophecy

of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1-2) and the judgment of that particular time, the end of the

age.

It cannot be reiterated enough that “parousia” means “presence”, not a literal physical return of the

Lord. Roman soldiers were the physical presence of the Lord that came in judgment on Israel of which

some of the disciples were still alive to see.

The end of the age occurred with the judgment of Israel by the “parousia” of the Lord, just as the

Lord sent the nation of Babylon to attack Judah and to come as His “presence” in judgment on the nation of

Judah and lead the people into captivity.

The coming/parousia can be personal as in 1 Corinthians 16:17 but in most cases it speaks of a

spiritual fulfillment. Or the parousia can take on a natural sense (2 Corinthians 7:7) when an individual

comes. In 2 Corinthians this refers to the consolation that came with Titus. Perhaps we should put that in

contrast with the judgment that came with the Romans.

What we are trying to proclaim is that the “presence” or “parousia” of the Lord is not limited to

Jesus the man nor Christ Jesus our ascended Lord. In fact, the “parousia” could, with further elucidation,

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probably prove that there is no need for a physical return but rather that the “presence” of Him in a people

is a type of “coming” of the Lord.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:10 “ ‘For his letters’, they say ‘are weighty and powerful, but his

bodily presence (Greek here, parousia) is weak.’” Here we find that the word “parousia” is used with the

concept of “presence” and not really dealing with Paul’s small physical stature, although a factor, but rather

dealing with the “power of the presence” that Paul brought. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 that God

“sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the

“coming” of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be

preserved blameless at the “coming” of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “sanctify you completely; and may your

whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the “coming” of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here again,

the “presence” of the Lord is His coming to be glorified IN His saints (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

2 Thessalonians 2:1 speaks of the parousia again. Here it is in relation to the Lord’s appearance in

the temple (Greek - NAOS) which refers to the body as the temple (1 Corinthians 3:17). The word for

physical structure in the Greek is heiron which means a building. So the coming of the Lord, the parousia is

His appearing in the saint causing the man of sin in this chapter to be cast off - the fallen Adamic nature.

For those with a historical frame of reference it could be used to tie into the “presence” of the Lord with the

Roman emperor standing in the literal Hebrew temple thus defiling the physical temple, BUT this cannot be

true since the word here for temple refers to your physical body and not a building.

The key to understanding “parousia” is that it refers to the invisible power of God being expressed

through a vessel of His choosing, whether a saint or a pagan who is doing His bidding. The “parousia” does

not refer to the literal manifestation of the man Jesus nor to our ascended Lord physically returning. It can

and does refer to our Lord who appears in and through us for His glory.

John writes in 1 John that we may have confidence at His appearing/coming (1 John 2:28). Many

would interpret that to be a personal return of the man Jesus. But if 1 John 4:20 is considered with this

verse, as it should be since the letter is a “whole,” there is a deep truth. How can we love the ascended Lord

who is Spirit, if we cannot love His appearing or “presence” in a person whom we do see? The truth of the

“parousia” or “coming” of the Lord is the recognition of His “presence” in His people.

But the “parousia” is just the first part of four parts of His appearing that will be made manifest

through each saint. The “parousia” is just the first step on the path to the complete manifestation of who He

is in us. Again we see that Peter in 2 Peter 1:16 refers to the “coming” of the Lord to whom he was an eyewitness.

How did Peter know the man Jesus was the Son of God? It was the presence of God that revealed

it to him. Otherwise Jesus was not comely to look at as Isaiah foretold.

Recognizing the “coming” of the Lord as the “presence” of the Lord whether in a Roman general

or a saint is to say that we see the hand of God moving over the face of the deep. For the Lord moves

mysteriously to fulfill His purposes on a grand scale in the tides of the affairs of men and also in the

individual’s life. Recognizing the “presence” of the Lord in one’s life is a prerequisite before the student

can begin to study the second stage of the manifestation of the Lord.

There are three other words used for the coming of the Lord which are: apocalypse, epiphany and

phanero. We shall consider the apocalypse as it relates to the fulfilling of the book of Revelation. After the

“presence” of Christ in you is known experientially by the believer the next step is the awareness of the

apocalypse “coming” of the Lord in your life which the book of Revelation discusses.

The Apocalypse

The first verse in the book of Revelation states: “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” The Greek word

for the English “revelation” is “apocalypse.” This word is distinctly different from “presence.” It is first

used by Simeon at Jesus’ dedication found in Luke 2:32. The translation would read: “A light ‘unveiled’ to

the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.” For the word “apocalypse” means the “unveiling”

predominately.

Simeon was proclaiming that the Savior was now manifested, made visible, distinguished from all

others, a complete revelation of the invisible God made visible to the world. Simeon’s prophecy proclaimed

the completed manifestation of the Lord. What do we mean the completed manifestation, revelation? Just

this, the fulfilling of 1 Corinthians 15:28. For the true “unveiling” of Christ Jesus is that in the fullness of

time His victory on the cross over death will gather together all things whether in the earth, under the earth

or above the earth (Ephesians 1:10, Philippians 2:10, Colossians 1:16-17).

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The Gospels reveal a progressive revelation of Jesus Christ. The letters of the New Testament

reveal the glorious ascended Lord who has descended into His people. Luke reveals the “man” side of Jesus

where he states: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

The Lord’s path, planned from its inception, was designed to reveal to the world the fullness of God could

be manifested in a man.

As the life of Jesus is our pattern to follow (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 3:17), we find that what He

did was to learn who He was until the time of His manifestation at the Jordan River. Every step of His life

from birth until His appearance in ministry after being in the wilderness was designed by the Father to

teach Him who He was.

It is important to note while the dedication revealed who Jesus was, it did not change the blindness

of the people to who He was! For even though He was manifested then, He was not received but by a very

few and those only knew by revelation from God. Consequently, when the saint comes to the third

experience, the third feast of the faith, Tabernacles, the saint will know who he is for his identity is with

Christ not with Adam and the sin nature. But the world, even other Christians, will not recognize his

identity. The world did not recognize Jesus and the people of Israel, that household of the faith, did not

know who He was either. For they looked on the outer and not the inner.

Perhaps another way to state the concept of unveiling is the usage of an affair that is currently

done in the world today. When a famous artist or sculptor has finished his work it is transported to the

location of the dedication and covered. On the appointed day people gather and with great anticipation

strain to catch the first glimpse of this work of art as the curtain or veil is lifted off the piece of art. Thus,

the people see a finished work and marvel at the piece and the handicraft of the artist.

You may have seen the Pieta sculptured by Michaelangelo. It is so magnificent. Smooth white

marble I believe. Awe struck looking upon the piece it takes some time to begin to intimately discern the

details like the curves, the eyes, the hands cradling the Lord, etc. Seeing the overview, the big picture

overwhelms. Gradually, the details are seen when the “glare” of the first look is done. Michaelangelo had

to see the Pieta in the rock before he could chisel the revelation.

Simeon proclaimed the “glare,” the overview, of the Lord. Luke and others proclaimed the

outworking, the manifestation, the revealing of the Lord on the intimate daily basis. So, when we look at

the book of Revelation we must realize that the first verse is announcing the complete unveiling of the Lord

to all who would read its pages.

1 Peter 1:5-7 uses the word “apocalypse” twice and is generally translated as “revealing.” The

apocalypse of Jesus Christ in these verses is the faith of the saint tried by fire. Christ was revealed in Daniel

in the fire as the fourth man. This understanding also goes along with the book of Revelation in that the

verses and chapters that follow 1:1 are designed to reveal the process which is necessary for the complete

appreciation of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul writes in Galatians 1:12 that the word that he received did not come “from man, nor was I

taught it, but it came through the revelation (apocalypse) of Jesus Christ.” Paul as Saul had studied for

years and was well acquainted with the Old Testament. But he knew not God. It takes an unveiling, the

scales removed from your carnal mind, to know spiritual things. Knowledge does not make you spiritual

although it could help your spiritual walk.

In Galatians 1:16 the word “revealed” in the KJV is the Greek word “apocalypse.” So the

translation could read: “When it pleased God to manifest in me...” or “appear in me....” The coming of the

Lord is within a vessel during his lifetime. The apocalypse (The Revelation) is an allegorical book that is

fulfilled within the individual.

The following reference study is quoted from J. Preston Eby: “The Greek word APOKALUPSIS

is a derivative of APOKALUPTO. APOKALUPTO is a compound word composed of APO, meaning “off”

or “away,” and KALUPTO, meaning “to cover up.” Thus APOKALUPSIS means to take the cover off, to

uncover, unveil, reveal or disclose. It implies the drawing away or removal of everything that veils or hides,

and therefore it is always opposed to concealment or secrecy, as in the following passage: “There is nothing

covered that shall not be revealed (uncovered)” (Matt. 10:26). Our English word “revelation” has become

for many a word that signifies a strange belief or some far-out doctrine, which should be handled as

something delusive and dangerous, and avoided if possible. But this is just the opposite from the biblical

meaning of the word, and the consideration we need to give to that which is revealed. That which is

uncovered is no more a mystery, nor can it any longer be a threat. It is open to view, whether positive or

negative, and can be considered without fear since it is no longer shrouded in darkness or mystery.

“In the following texts the word related to our Lord’s appearing is from either the Greek

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APOKALUPSIS or APOKALUPTO. “Even so shall it be in the day when the Son of man is REVEALED”

(Lk. 17:30). “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall

be REVEALED in us” (Rom. 8:18). “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the COMING

(unveiling; revealment) of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians.1:7). “To you who are troubled rest with

us, when the Lord Jesus shall be REVEALED from heaven...in flaming fire...when He shall come to be

glorified in His saints” (II Thessalonians 1:7-10). “That the trial of your faith...might be found unto praise

and honor and glory at the APPEARING of Jesus Christ” (I Peter. 1:7). “Hope to the end for the grace that

is to be brought unto you at the REVELATION of Jesus Christ” (I Peter. 1:13). “Rejoice, in as much as ye

are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be REVEALED, ye might be glad also with

exceeding joy” (I Peter. 4:13). “The REVELATION of Jesus Christ ...” (Revelation. 1:1). “For the earnest

expectation of the creature waiteth for the MANIFESTATION (unveiling; revealment) of the sons of God”

(Rom. 8:19).

“Only by REVELATION, UNVEILING can we know the Christ of God or behold Him in His

ineffable glory. When the light of the Holy Spirit shines in, the mists that have hung like a cloud over our

minds, obscuring the King in His beauty, are cleared away. Then the realities which were once unseen

become clearly visible and that which was once seen through a glass darkly is now seen face to face and

that which was once known only in part is now known as we are known. The word “unveiling” is certainly

the clearest possible translation of the word APOKALUPSIS. On the basis of this “unveiling” of our

wonderful Christ, we may, then, expect the APOKALUPSIS to be understood not as a matter of His

COMING, but merely of SEEING. It is not at all a question of our Lord making some change in location,

as “coming” from high heaven back down into the atmosphere of this planet; it is, rather, the matter of Him

who is already present with and within us becoming unveiled - uncovered disclosed, revealed in the power

of the Holv Spirit that we may truly BEHOLD HIM in the fullness of Himself. It would be one thing for

you to “feel a presence” in your room, but it would be something greater should that presence become

visible, so that you SEE CLEARLY what was once veiled in obscurity.

“Since APOKALUPSIS means to reveal, or unveil, there must be something to unveil or which

may be unveiled. That something must be Present or it cannot be unveiled; and it must be hidden from sight

or it cannot be disclosed. Jesus is PRESENT and that He is hidden from sight of the natural eye because

“the Lord is that Spirit.” We are now to find that His invisible presence, parousia is to be revealed,

disclosed, uncovered, unveiled and that, too, to the whole world in due season. Are we looking for a socalled

“second coming” of the Lord? Emphatically, we are NOT looking into the sky for such a thing BUT

we most emphatically, are looking forward for the disclosure, uncovering, revealing of the Lord NOW

PRESENT BUT HIDDEN in Spirit form. Truly the APOKALUPSIS of Jesus Christ is a yet future vision

for the great mass of Christians as well as for the world, and to all of us there is yet much to be unveiled.

“We greatly rejoice...that the trial of your faith...might be found unto praise and honor and glory at

the appearing (apocalypse disclosure, uncovering, revelation, unveiling, manifestation) of Jesus Christ” (I

Peter. 1:6-7). Prayerful pondering of this scripture is all that is needed to grasp the meaning of the honor

and glory that shall be ours, not in being caught up into the starry skies out of the trials which produce the

honor and glory, nor in Jesus coming riding upon a cloud in the upper atmosphere, but when He is

UNVEILED TO THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS MANY-MEMBERED BODY OF SAINTS bringing

deliverance to the entire groaning creation through the manifestation of His grace, glory and power which

shall yet bring a larger measure of life and immortality to light through the gospel.

“Again, “So that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming (apokalupsis) of our Lord

Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians. 1:7). We are waiting for the marvelous apokalupsis, disclosure, unveiling of

Jesus Christ that which transcends HIS GIFTS, wonderful as they are, as He manifests the fullness of the

Son of God and His great, many-membered Christ body, but we are no longer gazing into the sky for His

so-called “second coming” at some indefinite future date. Praise God, we are beholding the handiwork of

our God on every hand today as He moves the nations like pawns on a chessboard in mighty preparation for

the closing events of this age and the ushering in of the more glorious age to come.

The great Italian sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini, told of receiving a block of marble with one flaw.

Because of this flaw, no artist would submit a design - except one. In the public square of Florence a fence

was built around that piece of marble, and a little shack was erected for the artist. For two years the sculptor

labored. Then on a certain day a vast multitude of the citizens of Florence assembled in the public square;

the fence was torn down, and the shack was taken away. At this unveiling all of Florence beheld the result

and marveled. Since then, Italy and all the world has marveled at Michelangelo’s “David”. In that block of

marble was a statue; others did not see it, but Michelangelo did. And, precious friend of mine, in the lump

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of clay which is you, the almighty Father sees an image too - the image of Jesus Christ! And God is

working unceasingly and tirelessly to form the image of His Son in you. No truth has come with more soulgripping

force and power to the elect of the Lord than the beautiful hope of sonship to God. Well indeed

may we yield ourselves into the hands of heaven’s skilled sculptor that HE may form His Son in us, for the

mind of omniscience has ordained that that sonship should be the HOPE OF ALL CREATION. It is for

sonship that the whole creation groans in a sort of universal travail while it eagerly waits to see the glorious

sight of the sons of God coming into their own (Rom. 8:22-23).” unquote

Revealing or Manifestation, which Coming?

The Hebrew-Greek Study Bible by Spiros Zodhiates and published by AMG Publishers of

Chattanooga, Tennessee, has this to say in the Lexical Aids to the New Testament: “Phaneroo; to make

manifest, make known…differs from apokalupto as ‘to exhibit’ differs from ‘to disclose,’ so that in relation

to each other apokalupto must precede phaneroo. Apokalupto refers only to the object revealed, but

phaneroo refers to those to whom the revelation is made.”

Remembering that apokalupto means revelation, the person, that called saint, the individual who is

called and purposed of God to be conformed to His Image and be a son of God (Romans 8:19, Revelation

21:7), has revealed to himself/herself that God is appearing and revealing Himself in that person. It is a

great revelation to know that God’s coming is occurring within you. The second word, apocalypse, has

great meaning to the individual. It is personal and exciting to see God coming within yourself.

But that is neither the end result nor the end purpose. It is not a selfish thing that God is doing just

for the individual. He is appearing within the vessel so that the individual will do the will of the Father and

show forth God Himself within the person’s lifestyle, that is, the way that the person lives his daily life. No,

the apocalypse is but a part of a larger plan - the restoration and restitution of all things (Acts 3:21).

“Phaneroo signifies also to make visible, to show, to make public” the Lexical Aid continues. The

idea behind the word is that the saint has progressed in the Lord from knowing the Lord is within and

enlarging His presence to the point that the world can now see the Lord in the saint. The Coming of the

Lord is not Jesus, the man, returning. The Coming of the Lord is more than the ascended Lord returning.

The real truth is the manifestation of the Lord in a people.

When the saints confronted the Jesuits and the Roman Catholic church and the false doctrine of

that church system, they were made martyrs. When the martyrs were burned at the stake for their

confrontation, there was a sound heard and sights were seen by the onlookers. Fox’s Book of Martyrs

brings out how many were converted to faith in God by the manifestation of God in the ones martyred. The

onlookers saw a manifestation of God, a ‘phaneroo.’

Jesus states in John 17:6: “I manifested (phaneroo) Thy name to the men whom thou gavest me

out of the world;” In other words, Jesus lived before the men the way God would live in a man. Jesus is

stating that He slept like a godly man would sleep. He ate like a godly man would eat. He spoke as a godly

man would speak. He expressed God to the men by what He did in every moment. As Jesus is our pattern,

we are to follow in similar footsteps. We are to walk as He walked, speak as He spoke and live as He lived.

This is a manifestation.

Paul reiterates the same thought in Titus that Jesus states in John 17. As the letter opens Paul

greets the saints and ties in His relationship to the Lord based upon the manifestation of the Logos (verse 3,

‘word’ also the same used in John 1:1), Who was Jesus. Paul states: “but at the proper time manifested His

word…” Paul is stating that God appeared in Paul’s proclamations to the unsaved he testified unto. God

came out of Paul’s personal expression of the Christ life and people did not see Paul but God. Is your

Christian walk able to bear such a testimony?

John, the beloved of the Lord, states in 1 John 1:2 “and the life was manifested, and we have seen

and bear witness…” Again, ‘phaneroo’ is used for manifestation. Eternal life was manifested in the flesh.

Jesus made known the very life of God which goes beyond the natural plane although the life is visible via

the natural plane. God who is a Spirit was seen, manifested, by and in Jesus. Thus, the manifestation has to

do with the saint entering into a deep relationship with Christ, not a superficial one. To have your opinions

considered ‘canon’ by God and included in the Bible is to have entered into that relationship, as Paul did.

1 John 3:5, 8 both used the word ‘phaneroo.’ The first verse states that Jesus appeared to take

away the sin of the world. He is appearing within you to do the same! He did it when you received Him as

your Savior and now He is doing it in your walk so that others might see Him and have their sin taken

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away. This is the priesthood of the believers (1 Peter 2:9) in action and why we have one Mediator, Christ

and need no other.

The other verse states that He was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil. Jesus did that

over 2,000 years ago on the cross and in the resurrection. But now, today, He is doing it within each of us.

His Coming is to remove the works of the Devil within each of us so that He is manifested to all. His

manifestation in us, as we are conformed to His Image, is so that others may see the victory over the Devil.

“By this the love of God is manifested (phaneroo) in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son

into the world so that we might live through Him.” Love is manifested in us? How? Because we live

through Jesus Christ. Our identity is in Him. Our life is hid with God in Christ. It is a living vibrant reality

that is experiential. Love is a fruit, a result of living in God. IT CANNOT BE STATED ENOUGH THAT

THE ‘phaneroo’ EXPERIENCE IS A FRUIT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT OTHERS SEE.

There are many other locations of this word, ‘phaneroo,’ but let me close with John 2:11 which

states: “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory, and His disciples

believed in Him.” The purpose of the manifestation is for others to believe in Him, Jesus, the Lord of all. Is

your life manifesting Him enough that others believe regularly and mature in Him?

The Epiphany

The last word found in the Greek for the Coming of the Lord is transliterated into the English as it

is - epiphany. It means the ‘glorious appearing.’ It is used only by Paul in his writings. Epiphany needs to

be understood in the light of the other three occurrences for Coming.

Parousia, means the presence. You have experienced that in your walk with God when you know

He is with you. The apocalypse is the unveiling to you that He has come within you, much to your surprise

and chagrin at times. Then there is the phaneroo or the ability for others to see Christ as you which many

times leads the person unto salvation, a personal encounter with God. But the epiphany is the out-raying of

the Lord, even as He was transfigured before the disciples.

Perhaps the most explosive manifestation of this word is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Here it

reads: “…whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring an end by the appearance

(epiphany) of His coming (parousia).” The man of sin, that fallen adamic nature within each person

inherited from the fall of Adam, is dispersed by breath (Greek pneuma which means spirit) of God.

Remember that Adam became a living soul when the breath of God entered him (Genesis 2:8). What this

verse is stating is that God again is building a man - one in His nature by the removing of the fallen nature

of man.

There is only one man of sin and he was found in you until you accepted Christ as your savior. He

was slain by the glorious appearing of Jesus in you. Now the dust of the old nature is being swept out of

your house by the Holy Spirit. The Coming (parousia) of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, within you

brings an end of the old by being visibly seen (epiphany).

Another major location is 2 Timothy 1:10. It reads: “but now has been revealed by the appearing

of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and incorruptibility to light through the

gospel.” Again we find two of the four words for coming used together - revealed, appearing. It cannot be

stated clearly enough that these words work in conjunction with one another and are found experientially

within the individual. The one, revealed, is phaneroo and the other appearing is epiphany. Thus, this means

that one has been declared, been an expression of God which is what phaneroo implies and epiphany means

to illuminate that truth, to shine it forth, to appear in such a manner that there is no doubt. Obviously this is

used in reference to Christ. He destroyed death over 2,000 years ago and brought it to light by revealing in

His body the glory of God. We too are called to reveal His glory (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

Paul goes on in Titus 2:13 to state: “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of

our great God and Savior Christ Jesus.” Now our blessed hope is not heaven as many teach! But as

Colossians 1:27 states: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery

among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It is the appearing, the epiphany of Christ in

you that will change the world. When death is abolished in you (2 Timothy 1:10) and you know that you

are fully alive in Christ in eternal life, living in that realm even though the body is in the natural realm, then

and only then can you reveal Him. Then you can join with Paul and say “according to my earnest

expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall

even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:20)”

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The reason Paul wrote of this ‘epiphany’ and was the only one to use this word was because of the life that

was percolating within him. He knew that the kingdom had come when He accepted Christ within Him. He

saw the working of the Lord within him. He was bitten by a venomous snake and lived. The life of God in

him swallowed up the death and turned it into life. The people called him a God (Acts 28) because no one

survived that experience. He was left for dead twice. Yet, he was resurrected. Some may say that he didn’t

die. But let me state that the Jews knew how to stone people to death because they did so regularly then at

the bequest of the priesthood. Yet, Paul was raised. Raised by an external Jesus? Or was he raised by being

one with the Lord within?

Paul and others had seen the out-raying of the glory of the Lord in their lives. They healed the

sick, cast out demons and raised the dead. This is the Coming of the Lord that God seeks. That a person

would allow the Lord to so deal with him/her that God is seen. Watchman Nee in his book, The Ministry of

God’s Word, expresses how the fullness of God can be seen in the corporal body. But it takes a crucified

life to do so.

“Clouds”

Now, in reference to the word “clouds” which is used in first Thessalonians 4:17 there is some

important information. Let me first quote Jude 12: “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast

with you without fear, serving only themselves; they are clouds without water...” “These are spots in your

love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves; they are clouds without

water...” “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only

themselves; they are clouds without water...” This is the same word used in Thessalonians. Jude refers to

people as clouds.

Hebrews 12:1 states we are “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses..” “surrounded by a cloud of

witnesses..” “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses..” This word “witnesses” in the Greek means: martyr,

record, witness. The witnesses are people. Thus, when Paul is referring to “the cloud of witnesses,” he is

talking about people. The word “cloud” within the context of Thessalonians has a spiritual meaning.

Yet, there is more truth here. Bennie Skinner uses the analogy of the school teacher and student.

The teacher descends (out of her heaven, mind or understanding) to the level of the student (who resides on

the earth level). The word (shout) that she brings (voice) to the student (saint) causes him to arise out of the

realm of his understanding (earth) and ascend into the clouds (heaven) where the teacher is. The student is

now educated and can converse with the teacher intelligently because both are on the same plane.

Revelation 1:7 states that: “He comes with clouds; and every eye shall see Him.” This does not

mean a literal, physical, appearing of the man Jesus. If Jesus literally, physically returned to Jerusalem, you

would not know it in China or the USA. You couldn’t see Him. I have had friends say all would see Him

on the news (Television). Most people in the world do not have television and I know many fundamental

Christians who do not even have that television in their homes because they consider it wicked.

But who are the “clouds”? Note that it is plural? The clouds are people, saints, who have entered

into the same realm where He is. What realm is He in right now in 2000? God is a Spirit. The Son is a

Spirit. Those clouds have entered, have been caught up into the realm where He is and are in a spiritual

state, whether in the body or out - who knows. Jesus, the man, (to differentiate from the Pre-existent Christ

and the ascended Lord) lived in heaven while He walked the earth. John 3:13 states: “No one has ascended

to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is the Son of Man who is in heaven.” He made a way

that we can walk in also.

If we are in heavenly places in our walk, we find that heaven is a realm of life, and, as Paul says,

the brethren encompass us about. The Lord has come and made His abode in us (John 14:23) and we find

the kingdom of God is within (Luke 17:21). Paul writes in Galatians 1:16 that the Son was revealed in him

and then goes on to say that it was no longer he that lived but Christ that lived in him (Galatians 2:20). This

is living in a realm where you as an individual have had the ingathering (the feast of Tabernacles, the third

experience - after Passover and Pentecost).

Paul states in Galatians that he was received as an angel, even as Christ Jesus (Galatians 4:14).

Note that Christ Jesus is different from Jesus Christ. While we have a message on that, let me summarize

that Jesus Christ refers to the man in Paul’s writing; whereas, Christ Jesus refers to the ascended Lord, after

the resurrection and ascension. Thus, Paul is saying that he, Paul, resides in a heavenly place, a spiritual

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realm, set down in heavenly places with the Lord.

Heaven is not literal in the Scriptures. Neither is Hell. Both are spiritual places because God is a

spirit. “Lo, though you make your bed in hell, I will be there with you”, Psalm 139:8 states. The Lord is

there. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. If we are in heaven, the Lord is there. God is a spirit.

It is a spiritual place. Another point is that the Lord’s Prayer states that heaven is going to be established

where? On the earth. It has to be a spiritual realm for it to be established on the earth.

“Voice”

Consider for a moment the word “voice” in 4:16 of 1 Thessalonians. In Revelation 1:13 it states

“one like unto the Son of Man.” The chapter then goes on to describe this man who is like the Son of Man,

and what his appearance is like. The key is the word “like.” It is not talking about Jesus here, but rather the

church, the corporate body of Christ, which has been conformed to His image.

We have mentioned this so that we could discuss Revelation 1:15 which describes the one “like”

the Son of Man, but before we do, it is a great study in the Bible to look at the word “like” and see it in

many verses. Verse 15 states “And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace and his voice

as the sound of many waters.”

The key to note is that voice is singular. One voice speaks of the unity of the message, the

wholeness of the word that is spoken, the very expression of the Father of lights. The sound is as many

waters. Isaiah 17:12 states in the New King James: “Woe to the multitude of many people who make a

noise (voice?) like the roar of the sea.” The parentheses are added. Revelation 17:15 states that water

represents people, nations, tongues etc.

The word “voice” is the message proclaimed by many waters or people. Consider reading some

other verses and meditate on them that the Lord would also reveal some hidden things: Jeremiah 51:16, 55;

Ezekiel 1:24, 43:2; Revelation 14:2,19:6.

What About Angels?

This “voice” is the voice of an archangel, since the word “voice” speaks of a message, a word,

delivered by many waters or people and is brought out of the “archangel.” The “voice of the archangel” is

symbolical and not literal. The “voice of the archangel” is not speaking of one but of a corporate act with

one sound coming from the very Holy of Holies, descending out of heaven, which is not the literal sky but

out of where God has His throne - in you and in others. The Christ in you is the sound of many waters

declaring a word from the throne.

In Ezekiel we find that the Cherubim, who minister only from the Holy of Holies, are archangels.

The voice of the archangel comes from the very throne of God. The key is to understand that the archangel

is not a winged creature in a white robe with a halo over its head. Jesus ministered out of the throne of God

and was a man. We are called to be in His image and to do the same thing.

There are many Scriptures which show that angels are men. Revelation 21:7 and Galatians 4:14

are two accounts. But also there are other locations. An angel comes from the Greek meaning a messenger

of good news. Many of the traditional visual expressions of angels are erroneous.

Even the teaching that is typically presented by the denominational churches concerning Lucifer,

the angel, is quite misleading. Lucifer was a man - and an angel. Isaiah 14:12 states that Lucifer, a word

found only once in the Bible, which is not a name as the KJV makes it, means “light bearer” in the Hebrew.

Adam as Luke 3:38 brings out was a son of God. Adam was a light bearer, even as we are the children of

light also (1 Thessalonians 5:5, Luke 16:8, John 8:12) when we are in Christ Jesus. Conformed to the image

of Jesus we become as He is - light. Adam was in light but lost the light. As for our booklet on Satan.

But it goes further than that. Ezekiel 28:2 (see also Isaiah 14:16), which is another chapter that is

often used to show Lucifer is Satan, is not quite an accurate truth either. For verse two states that this

person is a “man” and as we know from Scripture that Satan is a spirit and not a man

Satan masquerades as an angel of light. He fakes it because he never was and never could be. John

8:44 states Satan was a murderer from the beginning. He had no good qualities, and as the verse says there

was no truth in him. The word “beginning” means exactly that. God states in Isaiah 45:7 that He creates

evil. Satan was created by God for a purpose in the beginning. The purpose was good but the function was

evil. Isaiah 54:16 states that God created the spoiler to destroy.

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Adam was created in the image of God. He was good from the beginning but fell due to being subject to

vanity unwillingly (Romans 8:18-19). Adam was full of light. He was light bearer. Note also that the

Scripture states that the “light bearer” was a cherub (Ezekiel 28:14). Cherubim are a positive image.

NEVER are they in any way described in the negative or used for evil purposes. The importance here is

that the cherubim are found around the throne of God and are living creatures not creatures of death.

Adam was called to be the revelation of the Lord in the earth until he forsook that place and

descended. Satan never was the “light-bearer” which Lucifer means. Satan was always darkness and had no

life in him, as is seen even in the Genesis account where Satan attacks Adam, the light bearer. Satan was

already evil then in Genesis 3. Whereas, Adam, the light-bearer was in God’s image but lost the light and

began living in darkness at that point.

The Amplified Bible translates Isaiah 14:12 as follows: “How are you fallen from heaven,

lightbearer and day star, son of the morning”How are you fallen from heaven, lightbearer and day star, son

of the morning.” As we know Jesus was the Day Star (2 Peter 1:19) and here is a reference to how

“Lucifer” (light-bearer) is a day star.

Also the truth that is important is that Adam was a cherub who lost his state and God is changing

us from death and an earthly existence to life and a heavenly one. This change, which is in the process, is to

establish us as cherubim. This truth is so great that the world will rejoice at the manifestation of Christ

Jesus in a new creation man. He has called us through His Son to bear His image, be handwritten epistles

made manifest to creation so that creation might be released from the bondage of corruption. Our duty is to

be angels - which in the Greek means nothing more than messengers with good news.

The voice of the archangel is a message proclaimed by a group conformed to the image of the Son

of God. The word that they proclaim is singular, inspired and brings deliverance and judgment at the same

time. It is one word, a clear distinct sound and each proclaim the same message out of their vessel. It is a

word that comes with total purity from the very throne of God. It is a word proclaimed by men, who having

died to the self nature reveal the nature of the Father, a heavenly nature and thus become angels, divine

messengers sent to deliver an earth filled with havoc. Write for our book on angels.

Descend from Heaven

“Will descend from heaven.” The typical teaching is that heaven is a literal place. Unfortunately,

this is not so. Heaven is a spiritual place, not a literal place in the sense of the “sky” or perhaps the

“universe” etc. Jesus stated in John 14:23 the following: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word; and

my Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” The Goodspeed states:

“come to him and live with him.” The Amplified Bible states: “...to make our (abode, special dwelling

place) with him.”

This scripture must also relate to 1 John 2:24 which states: “...If what you have heard from the

beginning abides in you, you also abide in the Son and in the Father.” Heaven is not an altitude. “The Lord,

Himself, will descend” implies, as some scholars indicate, not the man Jesus coming but God manifesting

Himself. How will He come? Romans 8:19 states He will come in the “sons of God.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10

states He will be “glorified in His saints.”

He will descend out of heaven. Jesus walked the earth but lived in heaven! He did nothing save

what He saw His Father do (John 5:19) or say (John 5:30). The kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:21).

On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus was changed before the disciples. In fact the Wuest translation of

transfiguration (Greek word “metamorphoses”) states “the manner of His outward expression was changed

before them, that expression coming from and being representative of His inner being.” Heaven was made

manifest on the earth. Adam was made of the earth, was he not (Genesis 2:7)? Jesus, made in the similitude

of man (earth), revealed heaven (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

The descent of the Lord in Jesus came when on the mount, His inner nature was expressed through

his outer appearance. He descended from the realm He was living in, a spiritual place, and manifested the

life of the eternal on the outerman. The descent of the Lord will be from your spiritual place, heaven, which

is in you and will be made manifest out of you.

The descent of the Lord is from heaven, and the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven

(Revelation 21:11). But this verse clearly states that the New Jerusalem is the bride, the wife of God

(Revelation 21:9). It is not a literal city. It is a spiritual realm. The soul is generally feminine in the

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Scriptures. The Spirit is masculine. The “psuche” or mind is the soul. Adam was a living soul until he

sinned. Any soul that sins dies (Ezekiel 18:4). This is the reason for the need for atonement. Jesus offered

His soul (Isaiah 53:10) for atonement. Now we are to have the mind of Christ. When the saint has the mind

of Christ, that city which represents government will govern and be seen in the body of the individual as

the fruits of the Spirit are manifested through the vessel.

The Good News of the Third Experience

This entire booklet is endeavoring to bring out the truth of being spiritually “caught up” while still

walking physically on the earth. The rapture is not a literal, physical catching away but an experience that

is internal. Just as Paul’s was. It is a place, a realm, in which the person dwells.

The catching up is a return to the spiritual place and relationship that Adam had before the fall. He

fell from the location, not literally but spiritually. He lost the relationship with the Lord. Jesus broke down

the partition so that we might again have access to the Father. We are ascending in Him. The third

experience which follows Pentecost and Passover provides the means to live above the battles on the earth.

Christ in you is your deliverance. Not just having Him within in the Passover experience nor in the

Pentecostal but in the Tabernacles experience. Many evangelicals will speak of the “saving” experience.

Some will speak of the “baptism of the Spirit” (speaking in tongues etc). You must have the two

experiences to experience the third. This is the catching up - 2 Corinthians 12:2.

The third experience is when the saint is birthed into a realm where there is no contention with the

devil. Oh, there are still trials, even the Lord our pattern was tried/tempted by the devil. But what we speak

of is a realm where the devil can find nothing in you (John 14:30). There is no contention because you

reside in Christ and know where you are going. Nothing can remove you out of the third heavens. Those in

Pentecost or Passover might say that this is not possible, but there are those who believe and who now live

in such a realm as our Pattern did. The devil can only touch that person who has something in him left to

touch. There was nothing in Jesus. If we remain in Christ and not in Adam we too can overcome the world.

The new creation man cannot sin, only Adam can and Adam, as Romans brings out, is dead. We just have

to reckon ourselves dead to sin and Adam and live as being alive in Christ.

Paul experienced the third heavens in 2 Corinthians 12. The purpose of the experience is to

establish the individual in a realm in order to withstand any trial whether it be in the fiery furnace of

Daniel’s three friends, or the literal death of the cross of Jesus. The third experience is a realm of life which

is above the natural plane. The historical theology and the futuristic theology do not address this, nor can

they. As you the reader, have experienced Salvation in a personal encounter with Jesus Christ the Lord or

perhaps you have also experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, each experience is unique and important

to the Christian. The third experience is just as important and valid.

Each group of three is mentioned in the Bible. There is no reason for contention that the first,

Passover or as some call it salvation, is a definite experience in one’s walk in God. Some would contend

that the second experience is not valid, while verifying the first. So, fewer people have experienced the

second, Pentecost or as some call it the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Even a smaller

group will proclaim the feast of Tabernacles as an experience. Generally, those in Passover and Pentecost

will contend that there is not a third spiritual experience, failing to realize that if the first and second are

real and accurate, God’s word indicates the third is real too.

Below are some comparisons based on Scriptures.

Passover Pentecost Tabernacles

Jesus Holy Spirit Father

Way Truth Life

Spirit Soul Body

Heart Soul Might

30 fold 60 fold 100 fold

Blood on Leper Oil on Leper Vial on Leper

1st Day 2nd Day 3rd Day

Birthright Blessing Inheritance

Faith Hope Love

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Red Sea Rock of Christ Promised Land

Outer Court Holy Place Holy of Holies

Psalms Hymns Spiritual Song

Blood Water Spirit

Baptism of Water Baptism of Spirit Baptism of Fire

Historical School, Futuristic School or a Spiritual Interpretation?

The historical school holds to the position that what the futuristic school believes is erroneous. It is

not surprising that the futuristic school feels that the historical position is untenable. These two divergent

philosophies will contend until the end. While one of these is probably correct, neither is truly important.

Both focus on the natural interpretation, which is incorrect. Both focus on the literal interpretation which is

incorrect.

Any theology that is true on the natural, literal or historical plane of understanding has merit. Yet,

the real truth is often on a spiritual plane, which may or may not coincide with the natural, literal or even

historical point of view. The real key to spiritual life for an individual is not to focus one’s attention to the

“outer” view but rather to focus on the “inner” meaning.

The real truth lies within the individual. As long as theology is externalized, the accountability of

the individual is absent. As long as theology points to someone else’s actions rather than the individual’s

actions, it fails to hold the individual accountable. Corruption in the world is a horrible thing. The

corruption in government is a direct result of people receiving the leaders they deserve. Isaiah 26:9 states

that when God’s judgments are in the world people learn righteousness. God brings judgments because the

wicked still do unjustly during times of righteousness (Isaiah 26:10). Romans 13:1-4 and 1 Peter 2:13-14

suggest that people reap the leadership that they deserve. Corruption in government comes from corruption

in the people, and corruption in the people comes from corruption in the family, and corruption in the

family comes from corruption in the parents, and corruption in the parents comes from a corrupt man or

woman - individual responsibility.

Theology which is directed to an ambiguous, nebulous “something” is not well founded. If the

historical school of theology is verifiably correct, then the next step is to look for a spiritual fulfillment. If

the futuristic school is correct, then we must today look for a spiritual fulfillment before the natural

fulfillment occurs because the spiritual fulfillment in people will cause the natural fulfillment. Either way,

either theology hinges on a spiritual fulfillment.

Jesus stated that the kingdom of God is within (Luke 17:21). He also called Peter “Satan” at one

time, meaning that the kingdom of the world is found within also. Spirituality causes truth to be seen in the

natural and by that is meant within the individual person. The man of sin is found within. The man of God

is manifested from within the vessel even as the Father was manifested through Jesus at the Mount of

Transfiguration. Both the historical and futuristic schools of theology are failures. Each lacks discernment

of the real truth. They fail because the individual is not held accountable and natural interpretations are

given to spiritual truths.

Some Concluding Thoughts

Depending on your point of view, the Second Coming has already occurred (historical theology)

or is to occur (futuristic theology). The man of sin has already come (historical school) or is to come

(futuristic school). Some say there is no rapture (historical school) others believe there is a secret rapture

(futuristic school).

The failure of both schools is that the Christian becomes so caught up in the leaving of this literal

earth that living the crucified life here is not done. By crucified life I do not mean physical hardships,

mental duress etc. I do mean the removal of the man of sin in oneself and the revelation of the Son. That is

true evangelism. People came to Jesus because He revealed what they longed for and did not have.

The “apocalypse” is another Greek word which is translated “coming” in the KJV. It is different

from parousia which we have discussed and speaks of a literal manifestation in the flesh. It is not used with

the return of the Lord. It is used in Romans 8:19 and Revelation 1:1.

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Dealing with Revelation 1:1 first, we see that the whole book of Revelation is actually a revelation of the

Lord - not a revelation of the antichrist, the dragon etc. Yet, these things are mentioned along with the lake

of fire, manchild etc. If all those “evil” things are part of the revelation of the Lord, how could it be so? As

the Lord ascends in a people, His saints, He causes all the corruption in them to come forth and be dealt

with. Every facet of your life that is not in alignment with the Lord’s nature will be dealt with. As each

facet of your carnal nature is revealed - whether it be religious, carnal or fleshly lusts - the Lord in you

removes it. He comes. This is His coming IN a body (see 2 Thess.. 1:10) and He becomes greater and

greater in you.

The world groans for the manifestation of the sons of God - Romans 8:19. These are those who

have been conformed to His image, living epistles, handwritten by the Holy Spirit. These are those who

have gone deeper than the experience of salvation/Passover. These are those who have gone yet deeper than

the Baptism of the Holy Spirit/Pentecost. They have entered into the ingathering/Tabernacles. Their

identity is hid with God (Galatians 2:20).

They have slain the dragon. He no longer resides in their heavens. He has been cast down. The

man of sin has been removed because they have made their eye one. A double minded man (carnal and

spiritual) is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Their mind is one, their eye is clear for they realize that the

work of God in them has caused them to be in His image.

The catching up to be with the Lord is a spiritual experience that can occur during the lifetime of

the individual. True, Paul and the others were writing about literal things which would occur. But more

than that Paul was writing a spiritual word. A literal interpretation, a natural fulfillment was not what Paul

was concerned about. This was his concern:

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:18

The concern of this ministry is that religion has caused division among the saints based upon

dogma that has nothing to do with the Christian life. When the real focus should be found in the

development of the nature of our Lord within the person.

At least the historical school considers things “done” and then allows the saint to focus on

developing his/her personal walk and revelation of the Lord within. The futuristic school is an escape

mentality that puts off until the future the full development of the revelation of the Lord in a person.

“Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you but they

have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” 1 Samuel 8:7

When the people cried for a king, Samuel gave them Saul so that they could be like other worldly

governments. The people rejected the Lord as King in a theocracy for something far less. Religious

doctrine substantially removes from the saint the deep development of a personal relationship today with

God. Right religious doctrine becomes predominate over right relationship (kingdom developed within).

God speaks daily to those who hear. God is raising up some “sons” (little “s”) of God. These are

people who are willing to remove their false theologies, their idols, precluded ideas, to worship the

unknown God (Acts 17:23) - the god the religious man does not know.

1 Samuel 8:7

When the people cried for a king, Samuel gave them Saul so that they could be like other worldly

governments. The people rejected the Lord as King in a theocracy for something far less. Religious

doctrine substantially removes from the saint the deep development of a personal relationship today with

God. Right religious doctrine becomes predominate over right relationship (kingdom developed within).

God speaks daily to those who hear. God is raising up some “sons” (little “s”) of God. These are

people who are willing to remove their false theologies, their idols, precluded ideas, to worship the

unknown God (Acts 17:23) - the god the religious man does not know.

Bibliography

Biblical Apocalyptics, Milton Terry, 1988 Baker Book House Grand

Rapids Mi. 512 pages

The Bible Verses Millennial Teaching, Revelation. George C Lubbers, 1989

2274 Cranbrook Dr NE Grand Rapids, Mi,

Dissertations on the Prophecies, Bishop Thomas Newton, 1754

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B.Baker 13 Bell Yard London, 730 pages, resourced pages 69

He is Coming with Clouds, Bennie Skinner, 1980(?), W.Palm Beach Florida

The Incredible Cover-up, David MacPherson, 1980, Omega Publications Medford Oregon,

Memoirs of James and George MacDonald of Port Glasgow, Robert Norton, 1840

The Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching, John Bray Lakeland Fl.

The Parousia, by J. Stuart Russell, 1887 Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Mi.

The Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem by N.Nisbett, 1787, Simmons and Kirby London England

Rapture, Taking a Second Look, LLoyd Willhite, 1980, Porter, Oklahoma

The Rapture of the Saints, Dunce McDougall 1962, printed in Canada

The Rapture What is It? Bill Britton 1970(?) Springfield, Mo.

The Rapture of the Wicked, Stephen Jones, Batesville, Ark 72503

The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets: In the Catholic Apostolic Church, Robert Norton 1861

The Second Coming of Christ, William Blessing, 1981 Denver, Co.

Story of the Christian Church, Jesse Hurlburt, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mi.

Taken or Left, Maranatha Ministries 1975 Warsaw, In.

Two Babylons - Papal Worship, Alexander Hislop, 1959 Loizeaux Brothers Publishing Co

Weston Study Bible, Charles. G Weston, 1993, Jefferson, OR 97352

What the Bible Says About the Great Tribulation, William Kimball, 1983 Presbyterian and Reformed

Publishing Co.

With Clouds, Cecil DuCille, 1976(?) Ft. Lauderdale Florida

Who Said Rapture, David Ebaugh, 1979(?),Harrisburg, Pa

Bibles used:

Rotherham Bible, Campanion Bible, Moffat Bible, NKJV, KJV, Hebrew-Greek Study Bible,

Fenton Bible, Cassiers New Testament, Weston Study Bible, Amplified Bible

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Send mail to ministry@notibutchrist.org with questions or comments about this web site.

Copyright © 2000 Not I But Christ Ministries

6. Morgan Edwards and the Pre-Trib Rapture

By Tim Warner - Copyright © January 2001

It is a well know fact that John N. Darby is responsible for the spread of the modern theory of pretribulationism.

However, this does not mean Darby originated this idea, only that he popularized it.

In our article entitled, “The History of Pre-Trib Development,” we have given hard evidence that:

a) Edward Irving taught all of the essentials of dispensationalism in 1825

b) the Irvingites taught a secret rapture in 1830

c) Darby was exposed to both Irving’s “dispensationalism” and the secret rapture ideas (from Margaret

MacDonald’s visions and articles appearing in Irving’s quarterly, The Morning Watch), long before he

embraced either dispensationalism or pre-tribulationism.

Pre-tribbers in the past have been content to trace the origins of pre-tribulationism to Darby.

However, with the research of Dave MacPherson exposing the pre-trib connection to the Irvingites, with

their heresies, false prophecies, and failed date setting, modern pre-tribbers have been frantically trying to

come up with “pre-Irving” evidence of pre-tribulationism to deflect the stigma of “Irvingism.” The search

for earlier pre-trib evidence has not been totally unsuccessful. A 1788 book by Baptist Minister, Morgan

Edwards, displays a very crude form of pre-tribulationism.

The appearance of pre-tribulationism relatively late in Church history substantially weakens the

probability that it was actually taught by the Apostles. Whether Morgan Edwards (1788) or Edward Irving

(1830) was the first to publish this theory is inconsequential, both being removed from Apostlic times by

more than seventeen centuries. The fact is, there is no trace of pre-tribulationism in the early Church, or



prior to the Reformation. This fact is devastating to pre-trib.

However, the problem of a late date for pre-tribulationism is bad enough without the connection to the

Irvingites, with their weird goings-on. Such bizarre origins casts serious doubt on its viability as something

engineered by the Holy Ghost! So, pre-tribbers have felt compelled to distance themselves and their secret

rapture as far from Irving as possible! By successfully showing that Morgan Edwards wrote of a pre-trib

rapture before Irving, they at least are saved the embarrassment of Irvingite Charismania, Margaret

MacDonald’s visions, and association with heresy. ... Or are they?

Even the discovery of Morgan Edwards’ book does not eliminate the ghost of Edward Irving for

pre-tribbers. There is a clear traceable history back-tracking the development of modern pre-tribulationism

through dispensational seminaries (like Dallas Seminary), the Scofield Bible, early pre-trib prophecy

conferences, the Plymouth Brethren, J. N. Darby, and finally the Irvingites, and even Margaret

MacDonald’s visions. However, despite the earlier date (32 years earlier), there is no apparent connection

between Morgan Edwards’ (1788) “Millennium” book and modern pre-tribulationism. So, if Morgan

Edwards’ theory did not take hold in some group, or if his book did not fall into the hands of Irving or

Darby, then he might as well have developed his theory on Mars! Because, it had no impact at all on

modern pre-trib development.

Thomas Ice, in his article on Morgan Edwards, claimed that pre-tribulationism is derived from the

literal interpretation of the Bible, and points to Edwards and Darby as evidence of this, claiming they

independently arrived at their conclusions from a study of the Scriptures. But, as we have already shown,

Darby’s ideas were borrowed from the Irvingites. He had plenty of outside help in forming his ideas,

besides a literal interpretation of the Scripture. Contemporaries of Darby, like Samuel Tregelles, held to

literalism and pre-millennialism, but strongly opposed the pre-trib rapture theory. Furthermore, while

Darby did interpret Old Testament prophecy related to Israel literally, he relied exclusively on symbolism

and inference (NOT LITERALISM) to justify the pre-trib rapture [1], seeing it allegorically in the “manchild”

who was caught up to heaven in Revelation. 12! [2]. Even modern pre-tribbers, who publicly pride

themselves on their “literalism,” are also forced to resort to symbolism, finding support in John’s being

caught up to heaven in Revelation. 4, or the 24 elders as representing the raptured Church in heaven. So

much for “literalism!” Ice’s implication that literalism automatically leads to pre-tribulationism is simply

nonsense! Certainly it leads to pre-millennialism. But, there is nothing in the Bible that, when taken

literally, indicates a pre-trib rapture! It is excessive dispensationalism that leads to “pre-tribulationism,” not

consistent literalism.

Pre-tribbers may be disappointed to discover that while Morgan Edwards’ conclusions regarding

the Millennium were based on literal interpretation, he gave no (literal) biblical reason for separating the

rapture from the second coming. His only justification for this separation was his belief that it provided a

necessary interval for the judgment of believers.

Morgan Edwards’ Book

In 1788, Morgan Edwards published two essays that he had written while a student, titled, “Two

Academical Exercises on Subjects Bearing the Following Titles; Millennium, Last-Novelties.” The

“Millennium” section dealt with the tribulation, second coming, and Millennium. The “Last-Novelties”

section dealt with the end of the Millennium, New Heaven and New Earth, etc.

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T W O

ACADEMICAL EXERCISES

ON

SUBJECTS BEARING THE FOLLOWING

TITLES;


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MILLENNIUM,

LAST-NOVELTIES.

PUBLISHED BY

M O R G A N . E D W A R D S, A. M.

AND QUONDAM FELLOW OF R. I. COLLEGE.

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May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest,

is? for thou bringest certain strange things to our ears:

We would know, therefore, what these things mean.

ACTS xvii. 19. 20

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PHILADELPHIA:

PRINTED BY DOBSON AND LANG, IN SECOND STREET,

BETWEEN MARKET AND CHESNUT STREET.

M.DCC.LXXXVIII.

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Before we proceed, we need to understand that Morgan’s academic essays are not well developed

eschatological treatise. As a teen-age seminary student, he was assigned the task of writing an essay on the

Millennium by his professor. While it is apparent that young Morgan had a pretty good handle on Scripture,

he made several glaring errors and contradictions, as we shall see. Three things should be noted before

examining Edward’s essay.

1. Morgan Edwards apparently did not rely on other works. In fact, while he occasionally referred

to others, he wrote in opposition to the historicist / a-millennialism of the times. Not once did he refer to

another writer to support his rapture theory (although he did appeal to the Church Fathers in support of his

literal Millennium). That he considered his theory “new” and novel, is clear from the verse he chose to put

on the title page:

“May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? for thou bringest certain strange things

to our ears: We would know, therefore, what these things mean. ACTS xvii. 19. 20”

2. The opening statement in his essay indicates his total lack of confidence in his new theory. And,

it shows that Morgan was simply writing his essay following the instruction of his professor, to use the

LITERAL method in all cases except where that would lead to absurd conclusions. This was contrary to the

accepted Protestant way of treating prophecy at the time. Morgan also stated that his following the literal

hermeneutic was strictly for this exercise alone, and that he did not wish to be seen as a literalist. In other

words, this whole essay was hypothetical!

“And is it come to my lot to treat of the Millennium, or Christ’s thousand years reign on earth?

Thousand pities, sir, that you had not allotted the task to one of these older and abler students! But, since it

is your pleasure, I will do my possible: and in the attempt will work by a rule you have often

recommended, viz. “to take the scriptures in a literal sense, except when that leads to contradiction or

absurdity.” I need say no more to inform you, sir, that I wish to be understood as a minister of the letter

only while I treat of the said Millennium. Very able men have already handled the subject in a mystical, or

allegorical, or spiritual way: and could I rest satisfied with their sentiments, and deliver them perhaps with

applause; as that would show my reading, - and at the same time, free a novice from the affectation of

singularity and taking too much upon him, like another son of Levi.”

His statement, “I wish to be understood as a minister of the letter only while I treat of the said Millennium,”



indicates his apparent discomfort with the literal method he was required to use by his professor!

Historicists of his day saw literal interpretation as a “Jewish” thing. Paul wrote that “the letter killeth, but

the spirit giveth life.” It was common for a-millennialists to use this verse to justify “spiritual”

interpretation. Hence, Morgan equated literal interpretation with “the sons of Levi.” Later in the discourse,

after apparently months of studying his topic, young Morgan seemed to be much more comfortable with

“literalism.”

3. Morgan’s professor’s reaction to his work is very telling. Following is the closing statement of

his “Millennium” essay, followed by his professor’s assessment.

Morgan: “I wonder, Sir, if your patience be not exhausted with the length, and perhaps, nonsense

of my sermon?”

Professor: “You finished your discourse with a supposition that the length and nonsense of it had

tried my patience. If you used lightness you are to blame. But as I hope you are always in earnest when you

study the things of God, I have to assure you that the novelty and ingenuity of your attempt have

entertained me not a little. And when you are more master of time than at present, I advise you to study

your subject closely, and you will see cause to alter some parts of your plan, and correct errors of others.-

You also dropped a hint or two touching the New Heaven and the New Earth, which sounded a little

strange. Let us hear what you have to say on those subjects, when it comes your turn to appear in that desk

again.”

Morgan shortly thereafter was assigned the task of developing the “last-novelties” (New Heaven

& New Earth & New Jerusalem), which he did using the same “literal” method. This is the second part of

the book. When Morgan published his book containing both works, the publisher added a note immediately

after the professor’s remarks quoted above, (on the last page of the first “Millennium” section).

“Let me tell thee, gentle reader, that the tutor’s advice was taken by the composer of the

Millennium; and that it has undergone several alterations and corrections since the protograph was

exhibited in the said desk. Let me tell thee further, that the other advice, or rather command of the tutor was

attended to; and a discourse delivered in the same desk, on the New Heaven and New Earth. A copy of

which follows under the title, Last Novelties. And if thou like it half as well as I do, thou wilt not begrudge

the eleven-penny bit it cost thee.”

It seems Morgan’s work was published partly for its novelty and entertainment value rather than

its weight as a theological discourse! And, one is not disappointed with the second section, where Morgan

speculated that the lake of fire is in the moon, and that all the other planets in our solar system are

inhabited!

“Nor will the moon be useless though it will have no sea to govern; because, (as many suppose)

the lake of fire and brimstone is in the moon:” [p. 51]

“What sense is there in taking the sons of one globe into another, when all globes have their own

inhabitants?” [p. 52]

“I cannot help felicitating the present age on account of the knowledge they have of those heavens,

by means of modern astronomy: ... and partly because it enables us to form a comparison between our

world and the other worlds in our sight; and consequently between ourselves and our neighbors, who

inhabit those worlds.” [p. 53]

Below are what we consider the most important quotations from Edwards’ essay on the

Millennium. Several things are worth noting: Among them, on pages 16 & 21 Morgan equated the “elect”

in Matt. 24 with the Jewish nation. He seems rather confused on the length of the tribulation. On pages 19-

23 he laid out a scenario where the two witnesses prophesy for 42 months, followed by their being killed,

followed by Antichrist’s reigning for 42 more months, making a total of seven years. On page 21 he put the

rapture 42 months BEFORE the witnesses are killed, making it a full seven years between the rapture and

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Millennium. However, on pages 7 & 53 he claimed that the rapture is 3.5 years before the Millennium.

Another observation worth noting is his use of literal “days” rather than the common “year-day” theory of

the historicists. On page 20, he saw the Antichrist’s being revealed in the future, although he saw the

“mystery of iniquity” historically, as largely the papacy, with the “Antichrist” being the last pope. But in a

footnote on the same page, he seems to contradict himself, calling the Antichrist (the Man of Sin) a

“succession of persons,” implying a “historicist” perspective.

He wrote that the two witnesses will be literal men, Elijah and John the Apostle, seemingly

forseeing a “futurist” scheme. But, on page 14, he viewed the Ottoman/Turkish empire, that was presently

occupying the Holy Land, as the second Beast of Revelation 13. This may imply a “historicist” perspective.

He definitely did not hold to “imminence” (according to the pre-trib definition) because he saw the 2

witnesses appearance and prophesying “out of sackcloth” prior to their 42 month stint “in sackcloth”

(which he placed before the “abomination of desolation”). In his scheme, one would see the witnesses

prophesying prior to the rapture. He also held to the “six day theory,” where the Millennium would begin

6000 years from creation. According to Morgan’s calculations given on pages 19,33,34, the Millennium

would begin in 1996 (far from being imminent in his day). Unlike modern pre-tribbers, he saw the seals,

trumpets, and vials, as recapping and synchronous, each series concluding with Christ’s reign on earth.

While some might conclude that Morgan Edwards was the first to proclaim a pre-trib rapture

(depending on how one defines the terminology), his view was a far cry from modern pre-trib. The

hypothetical nature of his discourse indicates that Morgan himself was neither a pre-tribulationist, nor a

futurist, but only hypothesized this scenario to humor his professor! And even in his attempt to display a

literal hermeneutic, he sometimes allowed the contemporary “historicist” view to blend with his

hypothetical scenario. A “historicist” cannot be pre-trib, since he views some of the tribulation as past. So, I

think it is a bit of a stretch for Thomas Ice to claim Morgan Edwards as “another pre-Darby

pretribulationist.”

Below are the relevant quotes from Edwards’ book for your evaluation.

M I L L E N N I U M

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Revelation. xx. 4.5.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them

that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the

beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they

lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand

years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

“And is it come to my lot to treat of the Millennium, or Christ’s thousand years reign on earth? Thousand

pities, sir, that you had not allotted the task to one of these older and abler students! But, since it is your

pleasure, I will do my possible: and in the attempt will work by a rule you have often recommended, viz.

“to take the scriptures in a literal sense, except when that leads to contradiction or absurdity.” I need say no

more to inform you, sir, that I wish to be understood as a minister of the letter only while I treat of the said

Millennium. Very able men have already handled the subject in a mystical, or allegorical, or spiritual way:

and could I rest satisfied with their sentiments, and deliver them perhaps with applause; as that would shew

my reading, - and at the same time, free a novice from the affectation of singularity and taking too much

upon him, like another son of Levi. [pp 5.6]

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I. There will be two Resurrections;

For a first resurrection supposes a second; and the supposing and supposed are in my text. Paul advances

the same doctrine in his first letter to the Thessalonians- “The dead in Christ shall rise first.” (chap. iv. 16).

But more of this in another place.

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II. The distance between the first and second resurrection will be somewhat more than a thousand years.

I say, somewhat more-; because the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ’s “appearing

in the air” (1 Thessalonians iv, 17); and this will be about three years and a half before the millennium, as

we shall see hereafter: but will he and they abide in the air all the time? No: they will ascend to paradise, or

to some one of those many “mansions in the father’s house” (John xiv. 2), and so disappear during the

foresaid period of time. The design of this retreat and disappearing will be to judge the risen and changed

saints; for “now the time is come that judgment must begin,” and that will be “at the house of God” (1

Peter. iv. 17): to this refers that part of my text, “and I saw thrones; and judgment was given,” viz. the

saints were judged, and their rewards specified; of which, more hereafter. Knowing all this, the devil will

follow to accuse the brethren to judge; and will continue at it day and night in hope of preventing their

aquittance: their pleas against him will be those borrowed from the “blood of the lamb, and the word of

their testimony:” by these they will prevail in judgment; and their accuser will be hurled down to the earth

by the strong arm of Michael; and with him will come that notable voice; “Wo unto the inhabitants of the

earth; for the devil is come down among you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a

short time,” viz. three years and a half, as before (Revelation. xii. 7-11). -Add to the above, That between

the end of the millennium and the second resurrection the devil is to be let loose, and Gog and Magog’s

army to be destroyed, which will require a considerable time, tho John calls it “a little season,” (Revelation.

xx. 3.) [p. 7,8]

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“Miserable work do the Antimillennarians make of these texts. ... Literal millennarianism alone will do

justice to these texts and many others;...” [p.11]

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VII. Prelusive to the millennium, and prepatory for it, are the following events.

1. The present usurpers of the country given to Abraham and his seed will be dispossessed, vis. the Turkish

or Ottoman empire will be demolished*; for otherwise the right owners cannot posses their inheritance. The

said demolition of the Turk (or beast that started out of the earth) is exhibited at the opening of the first

seal, when a horseman with his bow issues forth conquering and to conquer, (Revelation. vi. 2): his exploits

are at the sounding of the first trumpet, (ch. viii. 7); and at the pouring of the first vial, (ch. xvi. 2).” [p. 14]

“In this united capacity they will rebuild Jerusalem in its place, and the temple in its place on mount Zion;

for in this temple will antichrist sit as god, and be the abomination* mentioned by Daniel, and referred to

by Christ, as a prelude to his coming to reign; and alarm to the Jews to flee for their lives (Matthew. xxiv.

15-35). Into the same temple will Christ come after the destruction of Antichrist, and there fix his residence

(Zech. xiv. 4.5.). [pp. 15,16]

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“3. Another event prior to the millennium will be the appearing of the two witnesses mentioned in

Revelation. xi. and Zech. iv. one of which will be Elias: this I gather from Malachi, (iv. 5,) and from

Matthew... The other witness I take to be John. My reasons for it follow: of this apostle, Jesus saith, “if I

will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee?” (John xxi. 22): now Christ did not use lightness in any of

his intimations, which would have been the case, if he did not mean that John should not die, for so the

disciples understood the matter (ver. 23): in another place he saith, “There be some standing here which

shall not taste of death till the son of man come in his kingdom” (Matthew. xvi. 28); that “coming” of his in

the “glory of the father, and with his angels” (ver. 27) is yet a thing future; and therefore there be some

alive now that were alive then, and will be alive till Christ makes his appearance in the air to raise the dead

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and change the living. But plainer than all is what the angel told John in the isle of Patmos, “Thou must

prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings,” (Revelation. ii.): this he never

did; and therefore has it to do in a future day. Add to all, That the accounts we have of John’s death are so

very fabulous, that nothing surer can be inferred from them; that the people of Ephesus knew not what

became of the old man: the truth is, he (like Elias) was caught up to paradise, which is in the third heaven,

(2 Corinthians. xii. 2.4.) and was, in all likelihood, that angel that was seen “flying through the midst of

heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people on the

earth” (Revelation. xiv. 6)-. Where these two witnesses will prophesy or preach is not hard to guess: Elias,

no doubt will minister to the Jews to take the veil off their eyes when they read Moses: and to restore his

economy to its primitive exactness both as to sentiments and practices (wherein the Jews were very corrupt;

and had been corrupt long before their dispersion) and so prepare them for the reception of their long

expected Messiah, that they may know him when he appears in the air, and may shout, “Blessed is he that

cometh in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew. xxiii. 39) -.

The other witness, viz. John, will preach to the Gentiles; for the peoples, nations, tongues, and

kings are applicable to none but them-. When these witnesses will appear is hard to say; for though their

time of prophesying in sackcloth is 1260 days or three years and a half (allowing thirty days to a month) yet

they may preach out of sackcloth long before; for the 1260 days refer only to the time that the holy city and

the outer court of the temple shalt be trodden under foot of the Gentiles (or Antichrist and his army) viz. 42

months, which make exactly 1260 days, allowing 30 to a month (Revelation. xi. 2): but the ministry of the

witnesses requires many more years to preform than the time of their wearing sackcloth; and there are no

more than about 204 years between now and their death: I would therefore expect that their appearance in

not far off. I have hinted before that the two witnesses and Antichrist will be in Jerusalem during the said

42 months: they in the temple defending it; and Antichrist and his army in the town besieging the temple:

and he will prevail notwithstanding the dreadful powers the witnesses are armed with (Revelation. xi. 5),

and will bring them out into the street of Jerusalem, and there lay them (Revelation. xi. 7.8). I say, into the

street of Jerusalem; for the street of the city where our Lord was crucified can be no other: it is spiritually

Sodom and Egypt, but literally the city where our Lord was crucified, and where the temple was which

John measured (Revelation. xi).

4. The struggling of Antichrist *(towards the mastery of the world, and his assumption of

Godhead) will also precede the millennium. Who this Antichrist will be is hard to say. I take him for the

last of them, who have plagued the world under the names of Popes; for Antichrist is to be destroyed at

Christ’s coming to reign (2 Thess. ii. 8.): and popery will last till then; and will become universal and

incontroulable, and therefore more cruel than ever: it began to strive for mastery in Paul’s time, but was

checked by the Roman empire (2 Thess. ii. 8): when that empire fell it prevailed exceedingly, till checked

again bu the reformation in Germany, and the starting up of the protestant states: it has begun to prevail

over these (for tho the power of the popes is lessening, his votaries multiply), and will prevail till checked

anew by the two witnesses mentioned in the book of Revelation: when he has slain them, the then pope will

spring up to godhead, “exalting himself above, and opposite all gods, showing himself in the temple of God

(at Jerusalem) to be the god and lord of all the earth (Zech. iv. 14. Revelation. xi. 4). Then, and not till then,

will that wicked one be revealed who has hitherto assumed no higher title than “the vicar general of Christ

on earth;” but then off goes the mask.

He will hold his godhead for 2300 days according to Daniel (ch. viii. 14); but according to John

only for 42 months; viz. 1260 days, allowing 30 to a month; the difference between these two numbers is

1040 days: and these are the days which the Lord hath shortened for the sake of the elect nation of the

Jews, lest they should all be destroyed. (Matt. xxiv. 22); so that the last and most dreadful persecution will

continue but three years and six months, instead of six years two months and twenty days. Blessed

therefore (saith Daniel) is he that cometh to the end of the 1260* days; for then Christ will begin to reign,

and Daniel will stand in his lot in his own country (ch. xii. 12.13), and Antichrist be no more.

5. Another event previous to the millennium will be the appearing of the son of man in the clouds,

coming to raise the dead saints and change the living, and to catch them up to himself, and then withdraw

with them, as observed before. This event will come to pass when Antichrist be arrived at Jerusalem in his

conquest of the world; and about three years and a half before his killing the witnesses and assumption of

godhead.” [pp. 16-21]

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And that godhead he will now assume, after killing the two witnesses, and gaining the temple. Behold then,

“the man sitting in the temple of God, showing that he himself is God,” (2 Thess. ii. 4.) Now the great

persecution of the Jews will begin; who (though bad men) cannot submit to him as God; and such a

persecution as would extirpate the whole race had not God cut off 1040 days of Antichrist’s reign, as was

before observed. Such of the Gentiles, as had so much sense as to refuse him in the character of a god,

would have shared the same fate, had they not hid themselves in the wilds and deserts for time, times, and

half a time, which measure the length of his reign as a god (Revelation. xii. 14). Nevertheless, it appears

that many of the nominal Christians, and Jews outwardly will apostasise to him, and become his idolitors

(Matt. xxiv. 10. Dan. xi. 35.)

6. Another event previous to the Millennium will be, the destroying of that Antichrist or false god.

And this will come to pass about a month before said Millennium: ... but he will maintain his godhead only

for a time, times, and hald a time, or 1260 days, as observed before:” [pp. 22,23]

7. “The last event, and the event that will usher in the millennium, will be, the coming of Christ

from paradise to earth, with all the saints he had taken up thither (about three years and a half before) to

justify, against the accuser of the brethren; and to settle their future business and rewards, The time is come

that thou shouldest give rewards to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, &c. (Revelation. xi,18.) as it

is written, “Be thou ruler over all I have - have thou authority over ten cities - thou over five - be thou ruler

over all my goods - thou over all my household - be thou judge of such a tribe of Israel - thou king of such

a kingdom - thou priest of such a parish, &c. &c. (Luke xii, 42. xix, 7.8. Matt. xxiv, 47.48).” [pp. 24,25]

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VIII. Coincident with the Millennium will be the following events.

1. Reducing to the obedience of Christ all the kingdoms and states that will refuse submission to

him, or to the viceroys that he shall appoint over them. Resistance will be made, notwithstanding the

wonders in the heaven above, and in the earth beneath, which happened but three years and a half before;

and notwithstanding the recent and awful destruction of antichrist, and the descent of Christ and his saints,

from heaven to earth, which will be fresh in all memories. ... Now begins the spiritual reign, or latter day-

glory, which the divines talk so much of, tho none of them (to my knowledge) has assigned it to its proper

time and place.” [p. 27]

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“I have now done, Sir, except expressing a wonder or two.

1. I wonder that Christ’s thousand years reign is not more thought of by modern Christians; for in

the earliest ages of christianity it was a sure article of faith, and a favorite topic of conversation: the

writings of the first three centuries are full of it, with but one exception of any note; and he discarded the

book of Revelation from the canon of scripture, which was a tacit confession that the doctrine was there.”

[p. 31]

“2. I wonder that none (to my knowledge) have written of the millennium in a simple and literal

manner; especially as that involves in it no absurdity or improbability, or any thing contrary to sound faith

and good manners: and I wonder the more, as so many parts of the bible point to the subject in that light,

and can have no meaning suitable to the words and dignity of prophets and apostles, but upon a

supposition, that such a thing will be in reality, and not in some mystical or allegorical whimsies.” [p. 32]

“3. I wonder that so many great men have taken upon them to fix the time when the millennium

and its preceding events are to take place, by arbitrary use of Daniel and John’s numbers: I say arbitrary;

for what they denominate days their commentators denominate years, and then rummage through their

histories of Rome-pagan and Rome-papal for points to begin at; and yet their gross mistakes, discovered by

time, give no warning!” ... To the above we may add the septenaries of saint John, such as the seven seals,

the seven trumpets, the seven vials, &c. for under the opening of the sixth seal, the sounding of the sixth

trumpet, and the pouring of the sixth vial (all which I take to be synchronic) we may find passages that

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exactly correspond with the near approach of Christ coming to reign; and under the seventh seal, seventh

trumpet, and seventh vial we have him and his saints on earth. Let me add, that I have not met with any of

the fathers of the three first centuries who as much as questioned the validity of the above hypothesis. I ask

their venerable leave to join issue with them; and to assert, that from the present year (1788) to the

commencement of the millennium are but two hundred and eight years. I make it out thus; from the

creation (according to the Hebrew chronology) to the birth of Christ 4004; from the birth of Christ to the

present year, 1788; these years added together, make 5792; and 208 added to these make 6000: it is true, a

late chronologer places the birth of Christ in A.M. 4007; and makes it out that Dionitius Exiguus fixed the

Christian era 3 years too late: if so, there are but 205 between us and the millennium. Time little enough to

bring forth the events we have already mentioned, viz. the destruction of the Ottoman empire; the

restoration of the Jews, and their rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple; the exploits of Antichrist towards the

mastery of the world, &c. Therefore we may expect soon to see the fig tree budding and putting forth its

leaves.

4. I wonder, Sir, if your patience be not exhausted with the length , and perhaps, nonsense of my sermon?”

[pp. 33,34]

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NOTES:

1. In Darby’s 1830 article, he wrote: “First, in prophecy, when the Jewish church or nation

(exclusive of the Gentile parenthesis in their history) is concerned, i.e., when the address is directly to the

Jews, there we may look for a plain and direct testimony, because earthly things were the Jews’ proper

portion.” “And on the contrary, where the address is to the Gentiles...there we may look for symbol,

because earthly things were not their portion... When therefore facts are addressed to the Jewish church as a

subsisting body ... I look for a plain, common-sense, literal statement.... On the other hand, as the church

was a system of grace and heavenly hopes...it is...symbolized by analogous agencies.” [p. 35]. (From Dave

MacPherson, The Rapture Plot, pp. 101,102)

2. J. N. Darby, The Rapture of the Saints (1850-65), Prop. No. 4, p. 163, “the timeless rapture of

the man-child, for the Church is one with Christ...”; J. N. Darby, Lectures on the Second Coming (1865),

Prop. No. 4, p. 246, “I have no doubt that the man-child ... includes the Church as well as Christ.” J. N.

Darby, Synopsis, Revelation. 12 “But Satan, as the open infidel enemy of God and God’s power in Christ,

sought to devour the child as soon as born, who was to have the rule of the earth from God. But the child,

Christ, and the assembly with Christ, is caught away to God and His throne.... Christ and the assembly are

all one. But the woman-the Jews, after this fly into the wilderness, where God has prepared a place for

them, for the half-week. The assembly, or heavenly saints, (as Christ, note,) go up to heaven to be out of

the way. The Jews, or earthly ones, are protected by providential care upon earth.... The child that is to have

power, in and from heaven, is previously taken up there.... The historical course of events is now pursued,

the child being supposed to be already caught up. There is war in heaven; and the devil and his angels are

cast out, and have no more place there. This brings out yet more clearly the distinction of the heavenly

saints and the Jewish remnant.”

7. History of Pre-Trib Development

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By Tim Warner - Copyright © December 2000

The story of the development of pre-tribulationism is a tangled one. From its inception in the early

1800s, there has been a deliberate attempt to cover up its origins. This has been perpetrated along two lines

of ‘revisionism.’ One was to hide the real origin of pre-tribulationism in 19th century Scotland, and

attribute it to John Nelson Darby (NJ), and the Plymouth Brethren. The other has been a recent attempt to

selectively quote and misrepresent ancient Christian documents to make it appear early Christians were


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pre-trib. The purpose of this article is to document a timeline of the major events in the development of this

relatively new prophetic viewpoint.

THE EARLY CHURCH

In our article, Eschatology of the Early Church, we demonstrated the fact that the early Church

was unquestionably “post-tribulational,” seeing a single future coming of Christ to rescue the Church from

Antichrist, judge the wicked, and set up His earthly Kingdom. They were also “futurists,” seeing the events

of Revelation as being fulfilled within a short period of seven years at the end of this age.

THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH

From the rise of Roman Catholicism (4th century), the predominant view was a-millennial. The

Church not only allegorized the Old Testament prophecies of the Millennial Kingdom, but also began to

allegorize the tribulation. Yet, they remained post-trib, seeing only a single future coming of Christ.

THE REFORMATION CHURCH

During and after the Protestant Reformation (16th century), Protestant Christians held to what is

called “Historicism,” a view of prophecy that considers the events of Revelation as occurring all throughout

the Church’s history. This was accomplished by employing the “year-day” theory — that the 1260, 1290, &

1335 days mentioned in Daniel and Revelation should be interpreted as years. It was common for

Protestants to identify the Roman Catholic Church with Mystery Babylon, and the papacy with the

Antichrist. Since historicists considered the tribulation as encompassing most of the Church age, and

viewed themselves as being in the tribulation, they were necessarily post-tribulationists. This view lent

itself to a flurry of date-setting in the first half of the 19th century, where the 1260, 1290, & 1335 days

(years) were calculated from the Roman Church’s rise to supreme power under the Roman Emperors, until

the second coming.

RETURN TO PRE-MILLENNIALISM

Morgan Edwards

Morgan Edwards was a Baptist minister in Pennsylvania in the mid-late 1700s. As a teenager and

seminary student, Morgan wrote a hypothetical essay as part of his seminary training. Morgan was assigned

the task, by his tutor, to write an essay on the Millennium using literal interpretation. In Morgan’s

hypothetical scenario, he separated the rapture from the second coming by at least 3.5 years. His work

seems to be a mixture of “futurism” and “historicism.” And, Morgan contradicted himself and made many

obvious errors. Yet, his work appears to be the very first time the rapture was seen as a separate coming of

Christ. Many years later (1788), Morgan published his essay in a book. While Morgan Edwards is

sometimes cited as a pre-tribulationist, his work indicates that he did not wish to be seen as a “literalist;” he

was content with the typical “historicist” view of the times; and that his work was hypothetical.

Furthermore, there is no apparent connection between Morgan Edwards’ essay and modern pretribulationism.

And Morgan’s other works do not display pre-trib thinking. We must look elsewhere for the

origins of modern pre-tribulationism. For those interested in an in-depth analysis of Morgan Edwards’

essay, see our article Morgan Edwards & the Pre-Trib Rapture.

Father Manuel de Lacunza

Fr. Manuel de Lacunza was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, born in Chili in 1731, and sent to

Spain at the young age of 15 to become a Jesuit priest. When the Jesuits were expelled from Spain in 1767,

Fr. de Lacunza moved to Italy. In 1790, he wrote a book on prophecy, called The Coming of Messiah in

Glory and Majesty, which was published in Spain in 1812. Fr. de Lacunza wrote under the pen name, Juan

Josafat Ben-Ezra (a converted Jew), allegedly to avoid detection since his book ended up on Rome’s

banned books list.



Fr. de Lacunza’s book promoted a return to the literal interpretation of prophecy, and the primitive

“futurist” view of Revelation. He rejected the “year-day” theory of the historicists. Consequently, he saw a

personal Antichrist and future tribulation of 1260 days, followed by the coming of the Lord. He did not

espouse a pre-trib rapture, as has been claimed.

EDWARD IRVING

In the 1820s, Edward Irving (NJ), pastored a Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) congregation in

London. Irving became aware of Father de Lacunza’s book, and was so impressed with it, he took it upon

himself to translate it into English, adding a “preliminary discourse” of his own. Irving’s English

translation was published in 1827. Some of Irving’s early prophetic views can be discerned from his

“preliminary discourse,” including, surprisingly, all the key elements of dispensationalism that later showed

up in Darby’s writings. Irving, in his “preliminary discourse,” indicated that he had been teaching these

things to his congregation beginning Christmas 1825, years before Darby is alleged to have arrived at his

dispensational ideas [1]. Click here to read excerpts from Irving’s preliminary discourse (NJ).

Irving had been preaching that God would restore Apostles and prophets to the Church, and a

great Pentecostal outpouring would come just before the soon return of Jesus Christ. Right on schedule,

rumors of healings, tongues, visions, and other manifestations began circulating in Port Glasgow, Scotland,

from the home of James and George MacDonald, and their sister Margaret. People came from England,

Ireland, and parts of Scotland to observe the supernatural manifestations in the “prayer meetings” held by

the MacDonalds.

The “revival” soon spread to Irving’s church, with “tongues” and other “manifestations” breaking

out, especially among the women. Due to the strange goings on in Irving’s church, and his heretical views

on the person of Christ, Irving was eventually defrocked by the Church of Scotland, and moved his

congregation to a rented hall, forming the Catholic Apostolic Church. (Irving taught that Jesus had a fallen

sinful nature and only kept from sinning by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is similar to the teachings of

some modern Charismatics, who see Jesus as the “proto-type Christian”). Not only were prophetic

revelations and other alleged miracles occurring in Irving’s congregation, but such “revelations” seemed to

focus on end-time prophecy concerning the coming of the Lord.

February - June, 1830

Out of the spectacle of alleged latter-day Holy Spirit outpouring in Scotland and England, and the

eschatological influence of de Lacunza’s futurist/dispensationalism, emerged the very first documented

evidence of a pre-tribulation rapture. This was first articulated in the form of a letter written by Margaret

MacDonald, sister of James and George MacDonald of Port Glasgow. In March or April of 1830, after

being ill and bed-ridden for about 18 months, Margaret claimed to have seen a series of visions of the

coming of the Lord. She wrote down these visions and sent a copy to Edward Irving. A month later (June),

Irving claimed in a private letter (NJ), that Margaret’s visions had a huge impact on him. “the substance of

Mary Campbell’s and Margaret MacDonald’s visions or revelations, given in their papers, carry to me a

spiritual conviction and a spiritual reproof which I cannot express.”

The outstanding feature of Margaret’s visions was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a elite

group within the Church, combined with a secret rapture before the revealing of the Antichrist. She saw

only these “Spirit filled” Christians “taken” to be with the Lord, while the rest of the Church without this

experience would be left to be purged in the tribulation. Click here to read Margaret’s letter describing her

vision (NJ).

September, 1830

The official quarterly publication of the Irvingites, “The Morning Watch,” had promoted a posttrib

coming exclusively through mid-1830. But, the September 1830 issue featured part two of an article by

“Fidus” describing the theory that the seven letters in Revelation actually describe seven consecutive

“Church ages.” In this article, “Fidus” clearly articulated the new idea of a partial pre-trib rapture. “Fidus”

saw the Philedelphian church being raptured prior to the tribulation, and the Laodicean church representing

the less fortunate Christians. Click here to read the “Fidus” article (NJ). This article in The Morning Watch

is the first (known) publication of a pre-tribulation rapture in Great Britain, several years before Darby

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mentioned a pre-trib rapture.

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19th CENTURY INDEPENDENT WITNESSES CONFIRM MACDONALD/IRVINGITE ORIGIN

The Morning Watch (1832)

An anonymous writer, in the December 1832 (p. 249) issue of The Morning Watch, likely referred to

Margaret MacDonald’s letters (and probably her friend Mary Campbell & Emily Cardale of London) with

the following words; “The Spirit of God has caused several young women, in different parts of Great

Britain, to condense into a few broken sentences more and deeper theology than ever Vaughan, Chalmers,

or Irving uttered in their longest sermons; and therefore more than all the rest of the Evangelical pulpits

ever put forth in the whole course of their existence.”

Robert Baxter (1833)

British Lawyer, Robert Baxter, was an early member of the Irvingites. Baxter had previously been

post-trib, but eventually adopted the pre-trib rapture views of Irving. He was involved with the supernatural

manifestations, even giving his own prophecies. He later became disillusioned with the whole movement,

and abandoned Irvingism (and pre-tribulationism). Upon his departure, he wrote an expose of Irvingism,

called “Narrative of Facts, Characterizing the Supernatural Manifestations in Members of Mr. Irving’s

Congregation” (1833) (NJ). In this book, Baxter spoke of Irving’s early pre-trib teachings. “An opinion had

been advanced in some of Mr. Irving’s writings, that before the second coming of Christ, and before the

setting in upon the world of the day of vengeance, emphatically so called in the Scriptures, the saints would

be caught up to heaven like Enoch and Elijah; and would be thus saved from the destruction of this world,

as Noah was saved in the ark, and Lot was saved from Sodom.” Baxter wrote that the coming of the Lord

was the main topic of the prophetic utterances in Irving’s congregation. Looking back, he thought they had

all been deceived by lying spirits pretending to be the Holy Ghost.

Robert Norton (1861)

Robert Norton was the author of “The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets; In the Catholic

Apostolic Church” (1861). Norton took a favorable view of the Irvingite movement, writing in the preface

that his book was offered “as proofs or illustrations of its heavenly origin and character.” Norton credited

Margaret MacDonald (NJ) as the first to proclaim the “new doctrine” of a pre-trib rapture, which was

picked up by Edward Irving.

Samuel P. Tregelles (1855/1864)

Samuel P. Tregelles was the most eminent Plymouth Brethren scholar of the 19th century. After

Darby borrowed and modified the pre-trib concept from the Irvingites, Tregelles openly opposed Darby’s

emphatic pre-trib stance. In an 1855 article in The Christian Annotator, Tregelles wrote that the true

Christian hope is the final “advent” and “not some secret advent, or secret rapture to the Lord, as Judaizers

supposed might be the case...” [2]. Nine years later, Tregelles published “The Hope of Christ’s Second

Coming.” Here he identified the “Judaizers” who first taught the pre-trib view. “The theory of a secret

coming...first brought forward...an utterance in Mr. Irving’s Church...about the year 1832” [3]. A later

Plymouth Brethren writer, William Kelly, also identified the Irvingites as “Judaizers.” He defined

“Judaizing” as Christians adopting “Jewish elements.” Kelly added, “nowhere is this so patent as in

Irvingism” [4].

JOHN NELSON DARBY & THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN

The Irish preacher, John Nelson Darby (NJ), one of the founders of the Plymouth Brethren, wrote

his first prophecy paper (NJ) in 1829 [5]. In this paper, Darby argued that unfulfilled Old Testament

prophecy concerning the restoration of Israel should be applied to the Church. He also placed the Church

on earth until the Revelation 19 coming at Armageddon. While he may have hinted at some dispensational

ideas, such ideas were already fully developed in Irving’s 1826 “preliminary discourse.” Furthermore, on



pages 6-10 & 19-21, Darby referred to Irving, de Lacunza, The Morning Watch, and even quoted some of

Irving’s works, including his “preliminary discourse!” So, while dispensationalism may have been evolving

in Darby’s own mind, clearly, these ideas were not original with him! He was reading them in Irving’s and

de Lacunza’s works!

In 1830, Darby was still defending “historicism” against “futurism” three months after the clear

pre-trib “Fidus” article appeared in The Morning Watch. In the December 1830 issue of The Christian

Herald, Darby published an article entitled, “On ‘Days’ Signifying ‘Years’ in Prophetic Language” (NJ)

[6]. Darby defended the standard “historicist” view, that the 1260 day tribulation meant 1260 years.

Consequently, he saw the tribulation as largely past, and could not possibly have been expecting a pre-trib

rapture, which requires a “futurist” viewpoint.

In 1830, J. N. Darby also visited the MacDonald’s in Port Glasgow, and observed the

“manifestations” in their prayer meetings, as Darby later recalled. Darby described the sequence of events

— who prayed, who spoke in tongues, etc. [7]. But, while he noted Margaret’s speaking, he failed to

mention the subject of her prophesying. However, John Cardale, who was also present, wrote that Margaret

“commenced also speaking ... gave testimony to the judgments coming on the earth; but also directed the

church to the coming of the Lord as her hope of deliverance,” and was heard speaking in a loud voice

“denouncing the coming judgments.” [8]. Therefore, we can conclude that Darby was fully aware that the

“pre-tribulation rapture” was a subject of the prophecies among the Irvingite Charismatics. It was nine

more years before Darby clearly espoused a pre-trib rapture in his published works.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

We have tried to be fair in this short article, attempting to avoid over-reaching the facts or drawing

unwarranted conclusions. We should put to rest the rumor that the pre-trib rapture originated in an utterance

of “tongues” in Irving’s church. While, it appears that such utterances of prophetic revelation were

common in Irving’s church, the secret pre-trib rapture was first seen by Margaret MacDonald in her

“visions,” months before she spoke in tongues. It was published in the September 1830 issue of The

Morning Watch, and only afterwards became the subject of the “prophetic utterances” in Irving’s church. It

is clear that Darby was fully aware of the goings on among the MacDonalds and Irvingites, as well as de

Lacunza’s and Irving’s “dispensationalism.” Darby cannot rightly be credited with either dispensationalism

or pre-tribulationism.

This is not to imply that Darby’s pre-trib development owes its existence exclusively to

MacDonald, de Lacunza, or Irving. The evidence supports a connection between these, and that Darby was

influenced (perhaps strongly) by the Irvingites. There may very well have been others who influenced

Darby, too.

The Irvingite pre-trib (gathering of the elite) rapture was not as much the result of the outworkings

of Irving’s dispensational leanings, but rather grew out of alleged gifts of prophecy among Scottish /

English Charismania. Darby seems to have given the whole theory a facelift, and fine-tuned a theological

system whereby a full pre-trib rapture could be sold to the public, who would naturally be skeptical of the

excesses of the Irvingites. So, while Darby did not originate the pre-trib rapture idea, he gave it some

respectability. As it turns out, Darby became its greatest salesman.

My thanks to Dave MacPherson, whose years of research turned up the original works quoted in

this article, and who provided me with extensive photocopies of the source material, so I could draw my

own conclusions.

NOTES:

1. See: Dave MacPherson, The Rapture Plot, p. 94

2. Tregelles, Samuel P., Premillennial Advent (The Christian Annotator, June 16, 1855), p. 190.

3. Tregelles, Samuel P., The Hope of Christ’s Second Coming (Ambassadors for Christ, n.d. 1864),

pp. 34,35.

4. Kelly, William, The Catholic Apostolic Body, or Irvingites (The Bible Treasury, Dec. 1890), p. 191.

5. Darby, J. N., Reflections (1829), Prophetic No. 1, pp. 1-31.

6. Darby, J. N., The Collected Writings of J. N. Darby, Prophetic No. 1, p. 40.

7. Darby, J. N., The Irrationalism of Infidelity (London: 1853), pp. 283-285.

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8. Cardale, John B., On the Extraordinary Manifestations in Port Glasgow”

(The Morning Watch, Dec. 1830) p. 870, 871, 873.

8. Margaret MacDonald’s Letter

Describing Her Spring of 1830 Vision of Christ’s Coming

The Memoirs of James & George MacDonald, of Port Glasgow by Robert Norton, (London: John F. Shaw,

1840), pp. 171-176.



them in perdition. It was just “no God.’ I repeated the words, Now there is distress of nations, with

perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them for fear - now look out for the sign of

the Son of man. Here I was made to stop and cry out, 0 it is not known what the sign of the Son of man is;

the people of God think they are waiting, but they know not what it is. I felt this needed to be revealed, and

that there was great darkness and error about it; but suddenly what it was burst upon me with a glorious

light I saw it was just the Lord himself descending from Heaven with a shout, just the glorified man, even

Jesus; but that all must, as Stephen was, be filled with the Holy Ghost, that they might look up, and see the

brightness of the Father’s glory. I saw the error to be, that men think that it will be something seen by the

natural eye; but ‘tis spiritual discernment that is needed, the eye of God in his people.

Many passages were revealed, in a light in which I had not before seen them. I repeated, “Now is

the kingdom of Heaven like unto ten virgins, who went forth to meet the Bridegroom, five wise and five

foolish; they that were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them; but they that were wise took oil

in their vessels with their lamps.’ ‘But be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is;

and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.’ This was the oil the wise

virgins took in their vessels - this is the light to be kept burning - the light of God - that we may discern that

which comes not with observation to the natural eye. Only those who have the light of God within them

will see the sign of his appearance. No need to follow them who say, see here, or see there, for his day shall

be as the lightning to those in whom the living Christ is. ‘Tis Christ in us that will lift us up - he is the light

- ‘tis only those that are alive in him that will be caught up to meet him in the air. I saw that we must be in

the Spirit, that we might see spiritual things.

John was in the Spirit, when he saw a throne set in Heaven. - But I saw that the glory of the

ministration of the Spirit had not been known. I repeated frequently, but the spiritual temple must and shall

be reared, and the fullness of Christ be poured into his body, and then shall we be caught up to meet him.

Oh none will be counted worthy of this calling but his body, which is the church, and which must be a

candlestick all of gold. I often said, Oh the glorious inbreaking of God which is now about to burst on this

earth; Oh the glorious temple which is now about to be reared, the bride adorned for her husband; and Oh

what a holy, holy bride she must be, to be prepared for such a glorious bridegroom. I said, Now shall the

people of God have to do with realities - now shall the glorious mystery of God in our nature be known -

now shall it be known what it is for man to be glorified. I felt that the revelation of Jesus Christ had yet to

be opened up - it is not knowledge about God that it contains, but it is an entering into God - I saw that

there was a glorious breaking in of God to be.

I felt as Elijah surrounded with chariots of fire. I saw as it were, the spiritual temple reared, and

the Head Stone brought forth with shoutings of grace, grace, unto it. It was a glorious light above the

brightness of the sun, that shone round about me. I felt that those who were filled with the spirit could see

spiritual things, and feel walking in the midst of them, while those who had not the Spirit could see nothing

- so that two shall be in one bed, the one taken and the other left, because the one has the light of God

within while the other cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. I saw the people of God in an awfully dangerous

situation, surrounded by nets and entanglements, about to be tried, and many about to be deceived and fall.

Now will THE WICKED be revealed, with all power and signs and lying wonders, so that if it were

possible the very elect will be deceived. - This is the fiery trial which is to try us. - It will be for the purging

and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it will be a fiery trial. Every soul will be

shaken to the very center. The enemy will try to shake in every thing we have believed - But the trial of real

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faith will be found to honor and praise and glory. Nothing but what is of God will stand.

The stony-ground hearers will be made manifest - the love of many will wax cold I frequently said

that night, and often since, now shall the awful sight of a false Christ be seen on this earth, and nothing but

the living Christ in us can detect this awful attempt of the enemy to deceive - or it is with all deceivableness

of unrighteousness he will work - he will have a counterpart for every part of God’s truth and an imitation

for every work of the Spirit. The Spirit must and will be poured out on the church, that she may be purified

and filled with God - and just in proportion as the Spirit of God works, so will he when our Lord anoints

men with power, so will he. This is particularly the nature of the trial, through which those are to pass who

will be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man. There will be outward trial too, but is principally

temptation. It is brought on by the outpouring of the Spirit, and will just increase in proportion as the Spirit

is poured out. The trial of the Church is from Antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be

kept. I frequently said, Oh be filled with the Spirit - have the light of God in you, that you may detect Satan

- be full of eyes within - be clay in the hands of the potter - submit to be filled, filled with God This will

build the temple.

It is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit said the Lord. This will fit us to enter into the

marriage supper of the lamb. I saw It to be the will of God that all should be filled. But what hindered the

real life of God from being received by his people, was their turning from Jesus who is the way to the

Father. They were not entering in by the door. For he is faithful who hath said, by me if any man enter in he

shall find pasture. They were passing the cross, through which every drop of the Spirit of God flows to us.

All power that comes not through the blood of Christ is not of God.

When I say, they are looking from the cross, I feel that there is much in it - they turn from the

blood of the Lamb, by which we overcome, and in which our robes are washed and made white. There are

low views of God’s holiness, and ceasing to condemn sin in the flesh, and a looking from him who

humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation. Oh! it is needed, much needed at present, a leading

back to the cross, I saw that night, and often since, that there will be an outpouring of the Spirit on the

body, such as has not been, a baptism of fire, that all the dross may be put away. Oh there must and will be

such an indwelling of the living God as has not been - the servants of God sealed in their foreheads - great

conformity to Jesus - his holy image seen in his people just the bride made comely, by his comeliness put

upon her. This is what we are at present made to pray much for, that speedily we may all be made ready to

meet our Lord in the air - and it will be. Jesus wants his bride. His desire is toward us. He that shall come,

will come, and will not tarry. Amen and Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus.”

NOTE: Some pre-trib authors have tried to debunk Margaret’s contribution to pre-tribulationism by

claiming she was actually post-trib. They point to the statements where she speaks of Christians being tried

in the tribulation. However, they fail to recognize that she was only speaking of a secret rapture of an elite

group of saints, and not the whole Church. Therefore, she spoke of BOTH a secret pre-trib rapture AND

Christians being tried in the tribulation.

9. Edward Irving (1792-1834)

By Stephen Sizer

1. Irving and the Revival of 19th Century Premillennialism

The development of premillennialism in the nineteenth century, and the revolution in prophetic

and apocalyptic speculation concerning the ‘rapture’ and the return of Christ can be largely attributed to the

Scottish, Edward Irving [1], also the forerunner of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. [2]

Having accepted a call in 1822 to pastor the Church of Scotland congregation at the Caledonian

Chapel, Iriving soon became a popular if controversial speaker. So much so that the Chapel proved too

small for the large numbers who wanted to hear him, and a larger church was built in Regent Square in

1827. [3]

Given his growing popularity Irving was invited to preach at the annual service of the London

Missionary Society in 1824, and a year later in 1825 to the Continental Society, in which Henry Drummond

was already influential. Irving’s address on that occasion was provocatively entitled, ‘Babylon and

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Infidelity Foredoomed’,

94


...in it Irving advanced the assertion that the Church, far from being on the threshold of a new era of

blessing, was about to enter a ‘series of thick-coming judgments and fearful perplexities’ preparatory to

Christ’s advent and reign. [4]

Irving published the address acknowledging in the foreword, his indebtedness to Hatley Frere, an

influential layman who held premillennialist views. [5]

In 1828 Irving confidently wrote to Thomas Chalmers, who had just been appointed Professor of Divinity

at Edinburgh, to ask whether he might be examined for a doctorate in divinity, as well as have further

opportunity to preach in Edinburgh on the theme of the Kingdom. In that letter he gave some indication of

his theological emphasis at that time,

The second coming of the Lord is the ‘point de vue’, the vantage ground, as one of my friends is won’t to

word it, from which, and from which alone, the whole purpose of God can be contemplated and

understood. [6]

2. Irving Views on the Gentile Church and the Jewish People

In 1826 Irving was introduced to the views of Manuel Lacunza a Spanish Jesuit who wrote a book

under the pseudonym of Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra, allegedly a converted Jew, entitled, ‘The Coming of the

Messiah in Glory and Majesty’. Lacunza interpreted all but the first three chapters of the Book of

Revelation as describing apocalyptic events about to happen.

Irving was so excited by Lacunza’s speculations, he mastered Spanish in order to translate and

publish the work in English. [7] Irving added a 203 page preface to the translation in which he presented

with great conviction his own unique prophetic speculations about the end of the world, predicting the

apostasy of Christendom, the subsequent restoration of the Jews and finally the imminent return of Christ.

When the Lord shall have finished the taking of witness against the Gentiles... he will begin to

prepare another ark of testimony... and to that end will turn his Holy Spirit unto his ancient people, the

Jews, and bring them unto those days of refreshing... This outpouring of the Spirit is known in Scripture by

‘the latter rain’. [8]

These three points of doctrine concerning the Gentile church, the future Jewish and universal

church, and the personal advent of the Lord to destroy the one and to build up the other. I opened and

defended out of the scriptures from Sabbath to Sabbath, with all boldness, yet with fear and trembling... at

that time I did not know of one brother in the ministry who held with me in these matters, and of those to

whom I broke the subject, I could not get the ear, even for preliminaries. So novel and strange a doctrine...

such uncivil and implacable language, concerning overwhelming judgments upon the very eve of the

millennial blessedness... such low and derogatory of the risen and exalted Savior, as that he should ever

again come to visit earth, and be visibly present in it for any length of time, could not fail, and certainly did

not fail, to call down upon my head all possibly forms and degrees of angry and intemperate abuse. But the

more I examined, the more I was convinced, and resolved, though alone and single-handed, to maintain

these three great heads of doctrine from the holy scriptures, against all who should undertake to uphold the

commonly-received notion. That the present Gentile dispensation was about to burst forth with the

millennial blessedness, after which, to wind up and consume all, the Lord would come in the latter end. [9]

In 1828 Irving wrote, a work of over 500 pages entitled, The Last Days: A Discourse on the Evil

Character of These Our Times, Proving Them to be The ‘Perilous Times’ and the ‘Last Days.’ The first

chapter is entitled, ‘Introductory, to prove that the Last Times and Last Days of Holy Scripture are the

Conclusion of the Jewish Captivity and the Gentile Dispersion.’ Irving was clearly convinced that the Lord

would return in his generation,

I conclude, therefore, that the last days... will begin to run from the time of God’s appearing for

his ancient people, and gathering them together to the work of destroying all Antichristian nations, of

evangelizing the world, and of governing it during the Millennium...

The times and fullness of the times, so often mentioned in the New Testament, I consider as

referring to the great period numbered by times... Now if this reasoning be correct, as there can be little



doubt that the one thousand two hundred and sixty days concluded in the year 1792, and the thirty

additional days in the year 1823, we are already entered upon the last days, and the ordinary life of a man

will carry many of us to the end of them. If this be so, it gives to the subject with which we have introduced

this year’s ministry a very great importance indeed. [10]

Unlike Hal Lindsey and later dispensationalists, Irving believed the reference to ‘Gog’ in Ezekiel 38 to be,

...a confederacy of all the nations of the East, which are left from the destruction of the Roman apostasy,

which procedeth this great congregation of nations against Jerusalem spoken of in all the prophets.[11]

3. Irving and the Prophetic Conference Movement

Irving’s premillennial and prophetic views concerning Israel came to have a profound influence

over many Christian leaders and politicians not least John Nelson Darby, the founder of the Brethren and

Henry Drummond (1786-1860), a city banker and politician, who later founded the Catholic Apostolic

Church.

On the first day of Advent in 1826, the same year Irving was translating Lacunza’s work,

Drummond opened his home at Albury Park to a select group of some twenty invited guests to discuss

matters of prophecy. These included the Revd. Lewis Way who had helped found the London Society for

the Promotion of Christianity Among the Jews, or London Jews Society, as it was more commonly named,

along with Joseph Frey. Also present was Hugh McNeile, another Anglican who, in 1830, published a book

entitled ‘The Prophecies Relative to the Jewish Nation,’ from Albury Rectory. In this book McNeile made

frequent references to ‘dispensations’ and the future national pre-eminance of Israel. [12] Some twenty men

attended the first conference and in the region of forty attended one or more of those held at Albury. The

majority were like Lewis Way and Hugh McNeile, were Anglicans, although others were Moravian,

Church of Scotland and Nonconformist ministers. [13] Irving was to write of the first such conference,

...the six days we spent under the holy and hospitable roof of Albury House, within the chime of

the church bell, and surrounded by the most picturesque and beautiful forms of nature... of which I can say

is this, that no council, from that first which we convened at Jerusalem until this time, seemed more

governed, and conducted, and inspired by a spirit of holy communion. [14]

Similar premillennial prophetic conferences were held at Albury each year until 1830. Before

proliferating, apparently under the increasing influence of J. N. Darby to other venues including the

Powerscourt Conferences in Dublin held in the 1830’s, to New York in 1868, London in 1873, Chicago in

1875, and culminating in the Bible Conference Movement and the Niagara Conferences of 1883 to 1897.

Regular topics covered included speculations on the Second Coming.

Both the method of ‘Bible readings’ and the topics of the conferences strongly suggest that the

gatherings were a result of J.N. Darby’s travels in the United States and the influence of the Plymouth

Brethren. [15]

Though already dead for fifty years, Irving is also attributed to have been the cause of the split that

occurred at the 1884 Niagara Conference over what became known as the ‘Rapture-Rupture’. [16]

4. The Origin of the ‘Secret Pretribulational Rapture’ Doctrine

Darby began publishing his prophetic speculations in 1831. Coincidentally both he and Edward

Irving began to postulate two stages to Christ’s imminent return about the same time. First, there would be

an invisible ‘appearing’ when Christians would meet Christ in the air and be removed from the earth, a

process which came to be known as ‘the rapture of the saints’. With the restraining presence of the Holy

Spirit removed from the world, the Antichrist would arise and the seven year tribulation would begin. His

rule would finally be crushed only by the public ‘appearing’ of Jesus Christ.

There is some speculation that this novel doctrine emerged as a result of the Powerscourt

prophetic conference held near Dublin in 1831. ‘Darby’s prominence at the Powerscourt meetings has led

to the supposition that he was responsible for it...’[17] While dispensationalists have been most anxious to

perpetuate this belief to ensure a measure of orthodoxy, there is much evidence to the contrary. [18] Several

have attributed the notion of a secret, pretribulational Rapture to Edward Irving. [19] Dave MacPherson

argues convincingly that the doctrine arose through a prophetic revelation given to Margaret MacDonald,

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one of Irvings’s disciples. [20]

Corroborating evidence can be found in the division the doctrine caused among dispensationalists

between pre-tribulationists and post-tribulationists at the Niagara Prophecy Conferences from about 1884.

The ‘Rapture-Rupture’ essentially had Robert Cameron, Nathaniel West, and later W. R. Erdman,

holding for a ‘Rapture’ at the very end of the age. They were to be supported by W. G. Moorehead of

Xenia Theological Seminary. An apparent majority of the Niagarans, including Brookes, Scofield,

Gaebelein, Parson, Gordon and George Needham, were holding for what has become the traditional

pretribulation view. [21]

Gaebelein, writing some fifty years later about the Scofield Reference Bible, looked back at the

Niagara Conferences and linked the controversy to Irving.

Toward the end of the Niagara meetings several of the teachers, influenced by one man, who was

considered an outstanding biblical and ecclesiastical scholar (as he undoubtedly was), began to abandon

this distinction and branded it as mere invention. One of them went so far as to say that the teaching that

the Lord would remove His true Church before the predicted Great Tribulation judgment, and that so far as

His coming for His saints is concerned that it might occur at any moment, originated in the days of Edward

Irving and his spurious gift of tongues revival. And so the blessed hope of the imminent coming of the Lord

was more or less charged to the influence of subtle demons. [22]

Gaebelein may have merely been repeating the position known to be held by Darby via Scofield

concerning Irving’s later eccentricities. Despite the obvious influence Darby and Irving had upon one

another in the early days of the Prophecy Conferences at Albury and Powerscourt, Darby eventually

disassociated himself from the fanciful prophecies of the Irvingites and the Catholic Apostolic Church.

Scofield himself denied that Irving was the source of this doctrine. Responding to criticisms from a former

colleague at the Niagara Conference, and following its demise over infighting over the ‘rapture’ he wrote

an anonymous editorial in Our Hope in 1902,

We cannot, however, in the interests of truth, allow the statement to stand that ‘until the days of

Edward Irving, who was excluded from the Presbyterian Church for heresy, no one ever heard of this

‘coming for’ and ‘coming with his saints.’’ As a matter of fact, Irving was excluded, not for heresy in

doctrine, but for his view on church order... If the editor of the Watchword and Truth will turn to Zechariah

14:4,5, he will learn of a statement concerning the coming with which considerably antedates Edward

Irving... And if, further, he will turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, he will find a revelation concerning the

‘coming for His saints’ later indeed than Zechariah by six hundred years, but still about eighteen hundred

years before Edward Irving. [23]

As late as 1976 Walvoord was still anxious to distance the origin of the doctrine of the Rapture

from Irving.

The often-repeated charge that Darby secured his pretribulationism from Edward Irving has never

been actually documented. One can hardly account for the wide acceptance of pretribulationism by

Plymouth Brethren, who are devoted students of the bible, to the offering of this view by a person who had

no reputation for orthodoxy. [24]

Canfield notes that Walvoord’s position contradicts several British historians who were closer to

the issue.

Neatby, writing in 1901, Howard Rowden in 1967, F. Roy Coad in 1968 and Iain Murray in 1971,

all find direct and reasonable links between the ideas of irving and the role of J. N. Darby. The link is so

evident that a denial, using semantics on Walvoord’s part, does not ‘wash’. [25]

5. Irving’s Legacy.

The Legitimisation of Christian Zionism within the British Evangelical Establishment

John Nelson Darby had resigned his curacy in the Church of Ireland in 1827 to form a new church, the

Brethren. Edward Irving was to do the same, leaving the Church of Scotland to form the Catholic Apostolic

Church in 1832. The circumstances of his departure, like Darby’s, had as much to do with his eschatology

and confidence in direct personal divine guidance as it did with the opposition to their views from others.

By the end of 1829 all the factors were present which were to cast such shadows over the closing

years of Irving’s ministry. His fascination for the curious and the speculative had led him to accept

conjectures on Christ’s humanity... To Irving, confident of the guidance of the Spirit and no longer bound

by ‘received traditions’, the opposition he provoked was proof of the decadence he had complained of in

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the churches since 1825. A further proof of the unspirituality of the religious world was now added. By

1829 he was convinced that the supernatural powers present in the first century should be possessed by the

Church ‘as surely and richly now as in the days of the Apostles’ . The absence of miraculous gifts was the

fruit of the Church’s long unbelief. [26]

It is an indication of Irving’s influence over Henry Drummond and the Continental Society that in

1830, the year Irving separated from the Church of Scotland because of accusations of heresy, the Society

nevertheless passed a resolution written by Henry Drummond to the effect,

That this Meeting, impressed with the thought that the day of labor is far spent, and must soon

close... do recognize the great duty and privilege of raising the cry throughout apostate Christendom.

“Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

[27]

Edward Irving’s premature death in 1834 while on a preaching tour of Scotland left the reins of

the Catholic Apostolic Church in Henry Drummond’s hands, the hope of the restoration of Israel to men

like Lewis Way and Hugh McNeile and the cause of premillennialism to be shaped and forged by John

Nelson Darby’s nascent dispensationalism alone.

Horatius Bonar was happy to write a 31 page preface to a second edition of Irving’s The Last

Days, published in 1850, 16 years after his death. In it Bonar made this assessment of Irvings life and

ministry,

My sympathies are strongly with the author, and, in the main, with his sentiments and expositions;

at least those bearing upon prophecy, and relating to the characteristics of the last days... It is a work of

power, but not of effort, giving evidence of a gifted mind, and an observant eye... Thus, ‘he being dead yet

speaks.’ He speaks to the Church. He speaks to the kingdom. He speaks as a minister of the gospel. He

speaks as an ambassador of Christ, and as a witness for his speedy coming. He speaks as a watchman, set

by his commander on the tower of some beleaguered fortress, and he speaks as a soldier, cheering on his

comrades in the day of sore and weary battle. He speaks as a patriot, in the fullness of his yearning heart, -

a patriot of the ancient type and time, uncorrupted, undegenerated, single-eyed, and fearless, - a patriot of

the truest stock, and noblest blood, that Scotland ever bore, or England reared. [28]

John Ellerton, an Anglican evangelical and young contemporary of Irving, wrote this assessment

of his influence over many clergy and laity of the Established Church after his death,

I thought of him chiefly as an open-air preacher... But the favourite, the inexaustible subject of talk

among serious people was unfulfilled prophecy. The Irvingite movement, (as people would call it) had

popularized Millenarian speculations among many who resisted steadily all belief in the new ‘Miracles’

and ‘Tongues’. Names now utterly forgotten of writers on prophecy formed the staple reading, I am afraid,

for a good many of the religious folk among whom I lived. And their speculations turned chiefly on the

chronology of the future - in what year the Jews were to be restored, Popery to be destroyed, and the

Millennium to begin. [29]

The influence of the premillennial Zionist views of men like Lewis Way and Hugh McNeile upon

other Anglican ministers can be seen in the observation made by E. B. Elliott, who wrote his own four

volume 2,500 page treaties on the Apocalypse, which was to go through five editions in 18 years. [30]

In the year 1844, the date of the first publication of my own work on the Apocalypse, so rapid has

been the progress of these views in England, that instead of its appearing a thing strange and half-heretical

to hold them, as when Irving published his translation of Ben Ezra. The leaven had evidently now deeply

penetrated the religious mind; and from the ineffectiveness of the opposition hitherto formally made to

them, they seemed gradually advancing toward to triumph. [31]

Charles Simeon (1759-1836), who was to outlive Irving by just two years was probably the most

influential Anglican leader to embrace the cause of Christian Zionism in the early 19th Century. In his

latter years Simeon was consumed with a passion for the conversion of Jews, and the establishment of the

London Jews Society, looking for ‘a full and imminent restoration of God’s chosen people.’[32]

Whilst Way and others evangelized on the Continent, Simeon at home acted as a kind of one-man

general staff, preaching for the Society, recruiting workers, spreading propaganda, collecting funds,

advising on overall strategy. He did so with even more than his usual sense of urgency. He lived to see the

work prosper remarkably. An annual income of 7000 pounds in 1815 was doubled by 1836. Episcopal

patronage was bestowed on the Society... In that progress Charles Simeon had no small part. [33]

97

This Article Was Revised In 31 August 1998.



1. Iain H. Murray, The Puritan Hope: Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy (Edinburgh, Banner of

Truth, 1971), p. 188.

2. Arnold Dallimore, The Life of Edward Irving: The Fore-runner of the Charismatic Movement

(Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 1983); Gordon Strachan, The Pentecostal Theology of Edward Irving

(Peabody, Massachusetts, 1973).

3. J.D. Douglas, ‘Edward Irving’ The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. ed. J. D.

Douglas. rev. edn. (Exeter, Paternoster Press, 1978) p.517.

4. Iain H. Murray, Puritan., p. 189.

5. M. O. W. Oliphant, The Life of Edward Irving 2 vols. (London, 1862), p. 96.

6. Oliphant, The Life., p. 255.

7. Arnold Dallimore, The Life of Edward Irving, Fore-runner of the Charismatic Movement (Edinburgh,

Banner of Truth, 1983), p. 62.

8. Edward Irving, preliminary discourse, ‘on Ben Ezra’, The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty, by

Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra a converted Jew, Translated from the Spanish, with a Preliminary Discourse

(London, L.B. Seeley & Sons, 1827), pp. 5-6.

9. Edward Irving, The Revelation. Edward Irving’s Preliminary Discourse to the Work of Ben Ezra entitled

the Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty 1859 reprint, pp. 7-8, quoted in Iain Murray, Hope., p. 190.

10. Edward Irving, The Last Days A Discourse on the Evil Character of These Our Times, Proving Them to

be The ‘Perilous Times’ and the ‘Last Days’ (London, James Nisbit, 1850), pp. 10-22.

11. Irving, Last., p. 25.

12. Dean Hugh M’Neile, The Collected Works, Vol. II. The Prophecies Relative to the Jewish Nation

(London, The Christian Book Society, [1830] 1878)

13. Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 1971), p.191.

14. Edward Irving, Preliminary Discourse., pp. 197-202

15. Bruce L. Shelly, ‘Niagara Conferences’, The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church ed.

J. D. Douglas. rev. edn. (Exeter, Paternoster Press, 1978) p. 706.

16. Joseph M. Canfield, The Incredible Scofield and His Book (Vallecito, California, Ross House, 1988),

pp. 122-130. See also Richard R. Reiter, The Decline of the Niagara Bible Conference and Breakup of the

United Premillenial Movement. Unpublished Paper, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1976.

17. Gerstner, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth (Brentwood, Tennessee, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991), p.

25.

18. John Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and The Tribulation (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan, 1976), p.

48.

19. Bass, Backgrounds., p. 41; Jon Zens, Dispensationalism: A Reformed Inquiry Into Its Leading Figures

and Features (Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Presbyterian and reformed, 1980), p. 18. Cited in Gerstner,

Wrongly., pp. 25-26

98



20. Dave MacPherson, The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin (Kansas City, Heart of America Bible Society,

1973) and The Incredible Cover-Up (Medford, Oregon, Omega Publications, 1975)

21. Canfield, Incredible., p. 127.

22. Arno C. Gaebelein, The History of the Scofield Reference Bible (Spokane, WA, Living Word

Foundation, 1991), p. 41.

23. Gaebelein, History., p. 43.

24. Walvoord, Blessed., p. 48.

25. Canfield, Incredible., pp. 129-130. See also his fn. 27, p. 132.

26. Murray, Puritan., p. 193.

27. Le Roy E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of our Fathers (1946), Vol. 3, p. 447. quoted in Murray, Puritan.,

p. 194.

28. Irving, Last., Preface.

29. Henry Houseman, John Ellerton, A Sketch of his Life and Works (1896), p. 19, quoted in Murray,

Puritan., p. 196.

30. E.B. Elliott, Horae Apocalypticae, A Commentary on the Apocalypse 4th edn. (1851), quoted in

Murray, Puritan., p. 197.

31. Elliott, Horae., vol. 4, p. 522.

32. W. Carus, Memoirs of the Life of Revelation. Charles Simeon (1847), p. 514.

33. Arthur Pollard, ‘The Influence and Significance of Simeon’s Work’ in Charles Simeon 1759-1836 eds.

Arthur Pollard & Michael Hennell (London, SPCK, 1964), p. 180.

Last modified on June 07, 2001.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

10. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)

1. Darby’s and the Origins of the Premillennial Dispensationalism

John Nelson Darby is regarded by many as the father of premillennial dispensationalism and the

most influential figure in the development of its prodigy, Christian Zionism 1 . Darby was ordained in the

church of Ireland in 1825 with a burning desire to evangelise Roman Catholics through the work of the

Home Mission. He claimed that Catholics were ‘becoming Protestants at a rate of 600 to 800 a week’

which amounted to something of a revival. 2 However, when his Bishop insisted that they also swear an oath

of allegiance to the English Crown, Darby protested that this was unthinkable because it was, ‘unscriptural,

and derogatory to the glory of Christ’. 3 His Bishop was unmoved, so Darby, remaining resolutely

consistent with his own emerging theological stance, took the logical step of renouncing the visible church,

both Anglican and Dissenting, as apostate. ‘This manifestation of the glory of Christ by the Church in unity

no longer exists.’ 4

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His analysis of the contemporary ecclesiastical scene was to become increasingly pessimistic, judgmental

and sectarian. His repeated response was to declare ‘The Church is in ruins.’ 5 He went on to insist that this

was not merely the result of denominational division but that, ‘...the entire nature and purpose of the church

has become so perverted that it is diametrically opposed to the fundamental reason for which it is

instituted’. 6

The prevailing eschatology arising from the 18th Century Great Awakening was essentially

postmillennial, inspiring great optimism and the rise of world-wide missionary endeavour 7 . This Darby,

and others like Irving, opposed strongly and vigorously. In a lecture given in Geneva in 1840, Darby

insisted,

What we are about to consider will tend to show that, instead of permitting ourselves to hope for a

continued progress of good, we must expect a progress of evil; and that the hope of the earth being filled

with the knowledge of the Lord before the exercise of His judgement, and the consummation of this

judgement on the earth, is delusive. We are to expect evil, until it becomes so flagrant that it will be

necessary for the Lord to judge it... I am afraid than many a cherished feeling, dear to the children of God,

has been shocked this evening; I mean, their hope that the gospel will spread by itself over the whole earth

during the actual dispensation. 8

During the period 1826-1828 he began meeting with a few influential friends for prayer, study and

fellowship and following the publication of his first tract in 1828 9 they established what in effect became an

informal house church. 10 Their meetings drew others disenchanted with the religious establishment and

soon developed into a close knit and exclusive connection of fellowships known as the Brethren.

To both proponents and critics, Darby was the undeniable founder and apologist for the Brethren

movement, or Darbyites as they were sometimes called. Doctrinally, he was the primary influence in

expressing and propagating what came to be the distinctive ultra literalist theology of the Brethren, forging

and maintaining a rigid, almost fanatical creed of doctrinal purity, in what he and others believed were the

final days of history.

Darby’s distinctive premillennial views were inevitably influenced by those of a similar

persuasion whom he met at the prophetic conferences held near Dublin under the sponsorship of Lady

Powerscourt in the early 1830’s, which came to be shaped by his dominating and charismatic leadership. 11

These meetings can be traced originally to the home of Henry Drummond in Albury, Surrey, which, from

1826, became ‘the centre for wild speculation’, 12 under the charismatic influence of Edward Irving.

These exclusive prophetic gatherings which focused on a pessimistic interpretation of world

events and the imminent return of Christ, confirmed both Darby’s denunciation of the established churches,

and also his own prophetic calling. Coad insists, ‘He felt himself an instrument of God, burdened with an

urgent call to His people to come out of associations doomed to judgement.’ 13

A number of influential Christian leaders were present beside Edward Irving who undoubtedly

influenced Darby. Nevertheless Darby rarely conceded, at least in writing, to the influence of others on his

own theological views, let alone quoted from them or admitted to advocating their views. There is however,

one lone reference to Irving in Darby’s 34 volumes. It is the one implicit acknowledgement of Irving’s

influence on Darby, though even here Darby is keen to stress how he disassociated himself from the

fanciful prophecies of the Irvingites and the Catholic Apostolic Church.

The largest expression of piety and holiness prove nothing. They were found in Mr Irving’s

writings, and much most blessed and precious truth too; few writings could be named where there is so

much. 14

For Darby, ‘Separation from evil was the divine principle of unity,’ 15 since doctrinal error led, so

he claimed, to ‘gross moral contamination.’ 16 On another occasion Darby admitted, ‘I prefer quoting many

passages than enlarging upon them.’ 17

Not surprisingly perhaps, Charles Spurgeon observed in Darbyism, a growing tendency to

isolationism, obscurantism and a party spirit. 18 Spurgeon regarded their hermeneutics as ‘warped’ and his

colourful description might easily apply to some contemporary Christian Zionists, ‘Plymouth Brethren

delight to fish up some hitherto undiscovered tadpole of interpretation, and cry it round the town as a rare

dainty.’ 19

Former co-labourers like George Muller, Anthony Groves and Benjamin Newton, for example,

experienced first hand Darby’s severe and intolerant autocratic leadership which led to painful and repeated

doctrinal schism within the Brethren movement. 20

Darby was a charismatic figure, a dominant personality, persuasive speaker and zealous

missionary for his dispensationalist beliefs. He personally founded Plymouth Brethren churches as far away

100



as Germany, Switzerland, France and the United States, and translated the entire Scriptures in what one

ardent supporter claimed was, ‘ ...an entirely free and independent rendering of the whole original text,

using all known helps.’ 21

The churches Darby planted with the seeds of a separatist premillennial dispensationalism, in turn

sent missionaries to Africa, the West Indies, Australia and New Zealand, so that by the time of his death in

1885, around 1500 Plymouth Brethren churches had already been founded world-wide. His views also

came to influence the Bible and Prophetic Conferences associated with Niagara and other centres in North

America from 1875. 22

During his lifetime, Darby wrote more hymns than the Wesleys, travelled further than the Apostle

Paul, and was a Greek and Hebrew scholar. His writings filled forty volumes... If Brightman was the father

of Christian Zionism, then Darby was its greatest apostle and missionary... 23

2. Darby’s Innovative Dispensational Scheme

Darby was not the first to discover ‘dispensations’ within Biblical history, nor was his own

scheme universally accepted even within Brethren circles. 24 It is significant, given the controversy over the

extent of Edward Irving’s influence upon Darby, that Irving was, already by 1828, using the term

‘dispensation’ to contrast God’s dealings between Israel and the church.

There are, and there can be, only two opinions with respect to this point: the first, that they are the

last days of the Jewish; and the second, that they are the last days of the Christian dispensation. 25

Hugh McNeile, another of those who attended the Albury Conferences in the 1820’s, referred to

three dispensations associated with Abraham, Moses and Christ, believing that Israel’s national repentance

would precede her restoration to the land. 26

George Faber, another Anglican, and a contemporary of Darby and McNeile, also wrote a number

of speculative treaties on Israel, prophecy and biblical history. In 1822, for example, Faber spoke on the

relative dating of the termination of the times of the Gentiles and the restoration of the Jewish people

preceding the millennium, at the annual gathering of the London Jews Society. 27 In his principle work on

the dispensations published in 1823, he distinguished three stages in God’s gracious dealing with mankind,

Patriarchal, Levitical, and Christian. However, unlike Darby, he did not regard them as necessarily

consecutive nor was each a remedy for the failure of the previous.

From the time of the fall down to the termination of the world, man lives under one and the same

system of divine grace, a system, which was rendered necessary for him by the very circumstances of the

fall, and which therefore at no one period can differ essentially from itself. 28

Harry Ironside, who was for years the pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, and a

dispensationalist, claimed Darby had rediscovered the apostolic teaching lost to the church,

Until brought to the fore through the writings and preaching and teaching of a distinguished exclergyman,

Mr J. N. Darby, in the early part of the last century, it is scarcely to be found in a single book or

sermon through a period of sixteen hundred years. 29

Charles Ryrie also concedes that it was Darby who systematised and popularised the idea of

dispensationalism. 30 It is significant that the term ‘dispensation’ was being used contemporaneously to

Darby by more orthodox writers simply to distinguish the Old Testament from the New. 31

The clearest expression of Darby’s thinking is to be found in ‘The Apostasy of the Successive

Dispensations.’ The following extended quotation includes every reference to the word ‘dispensation’. It

shows how vague and embryonic his views actually were, compared with later attempts by Scofield and

then Ryrie to systematise seven distinct dispensations.

The detail of the history connected with these dispensations brings out many most interesting

displays... But the dispensations themselves all declare some leading principle or interference of God,

some condition in which He has placed man, principles which in themselves are everlastingly sanctioned of

God, but in the course of these dispensations placed responsibly in the hands of man for the display and

discovery of what he was, and the bringing in their infallible establishment in Him to whom the glory of

them all rightly belonged... In every instance, there was a total and immediate failure as regarded man,

however the patience of God might tolerate and carry on by grace the dispensation in which man has thus

failed in the outset; and further, that there is no instance of the restoration of a dispensation afforded us,

though there might be partial revivals of it through faith.

101


102


The paradisaical state cannot properly perhaps be called a dispensation in this sense of the word;

but as regards the universal failure of man; it is a most important instance... Corruption, disorder, violence

were the consequences of this, until the Lord destroyed the first world created... Here dispensations,

properly speaking, begin. On the first, Noah I shall be very brief... The first account after his call we have

of faithful Abraham which as a minuter circumstance I also pass briefly over...

But to take up the point of the dispensation - obedience under the law by which life was to be:

this obedience they undertook; and Moses returned to receive the various orderings of divine appointment

as under it, and the two tables of testimony. But this dispensation which met the failure of the world...

The ordinance or dispensation of priesthood failed in like manner. Before Aaron and his sons

had gone out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, because the anointing oil of the Lord was

upon them, Nahab and Abihu had already offered stranger fire and been consumed before the Lord...

The kingly dispensation failed in the same way as did the nation under the previous ordering

which made way for the king (see Judges 2)... till the provocations of Manasseh set aside all hope of

recovery or way of mercy in that dispensation. The same is true of universal rule transferred to the

Gentiles: Nebuchadnezzar, the golden head, sets up the golden image, persecutes the faithful, and is turned

into the image of a beast for his pride.

The rejection of our blessed Lord proved that no present mercy or grace, no present interference of

God in goodness here would meet the wilful and persevering enmity of the human heart, but only showed it

in its true light. But this never being set up as a dispensation but only the manifestation of His Person (by

faith), I pass by. The last we have to notice, in a humbled sense of sin in us, is the present, where we are

apt to take our ease in the world... the dispensation of the Spirit. Much has been said, with strong

objection to it, as to the apostasy or failure of this dispensation. The results are but too plain...

But the point which is proved is that this is not merely that it is in a bad state now, but that like all

others it broke down in the commencement-no sooner fully established than it proved a failure... The

remnant have been preserved... but the dispensation was gone. We belong to a better glory...

And as he cannot desire, so neither does Scripture present the restoration of a dispensation; it never

justifies its actual condition; and though grace and faith may, as I have said, effect revivals during the longsuffering

of God, the dispensation, as such, is actually gone, that the glory of the principle contained in it

may shine forth in the hands of Messiah. The attempt to set this dispensation on another footing, as to its

continuance, than those dispensations which have failed already, not only shows ignorance of the

principles of God’s dealings...

And the close of all dispensation, and the end of all question and title of authority shall come, and

all be finished, God shall be all in all without question and without failure...

Reference to the second chapter of Galatians will confirm and establish the point historically as to

the present dispensation... In fact the Gentile dispensation, as a distinct thing, took its rise at the death of

Stephen, the witness that the Jews resisted the Holy Ghost: as their fathers did, so did they. 32

It is suggested that Darby was not attempting to devise a specific scheme of dispensations here but

rather, as his title suggests, merely showing how all attempts by mankind to find acceptance with God had

failed. It was only later in the writings of Scofield that seven dispensations became fixed within

dispensational thinking. Ryrie’s interpretation of Darby’s dispensations is actually significantly at variance

with Darby’s own writings but more consistent with Scofield. It is an understatement when Ryrie claims

Darby’s scheme is, ‘not always easily discerned from his writings’. 33 It is suggested that Ryrie has read

back into Darby’s mind, a scheme that suited his own purposes. From Darby’s own pen we may attempt to

reconstruct his dispensational chronology and compare it with Ryrie’s interpretation, together with

Scofield’s later 1909 version, itself at variance with the further revision made by Schuyler English in 1967.

Darby’s Dispensations 34 Ryrie’s Version of Darby 35 Scofield’s Dispensations 36

1. Paradisaical state 1. Innocency (Genesis 1:28)

1. Noah (Government) 2. Noah 2. Conscience (Genesis 3:23)

3. Abraham 3. Human Government

(Genesis 8:20)

2. Moses (Law)

3. Aaron (Priesthood)

4. Kingly (Manasseh)

4. Israel-

under law

under priesthood

under kings

4. Promise (Genesis 12:1)

5. Law (Exodus 19:8)



5. Spirit (Gentile) 5. Gentiles 6. Grace (John 1:17)

6. Spirit

7. Millennium 7. Kingdom (Ephesians 1:10)

When he wrote, ‘The paradisaical state cannot properly perhaps be called a dispensation in this

sense of the word... On the first, Noah I shall be very brief’, Darby clearly and unambiguously

regarded Noah as marking the first dispensation, something no other dispensationalist has held to

since. Nor is there any indication that Darby regarded there as being any future dispensation after

the present one.

B. W. Newton, a colleague of Darby interpreted the dispensations in yet another pattern, indicating that

such a scheme is not as self evident in Scripture as Dispensationalists would wish.

‘The Adamic - the Antediluvian - the Noahic - the Hagar dispensation of the Jews - the

Nebuchadnezzar dispensation of power - the Sarah dispensation of the church - all have failed.’ 37

Biblical prophecy and millennial speculation were nevertheless among the distinctive features of

the early Brethren. Within this hothouse environment Darby sought to explain the present by reinterpreting

the past. His form of dispensationalism was different in so far as he say them distinguished by a change in

the means by which God has apparently dealt with mankind. This enabled Darby to speculate about an

imminent change of dispensation in which the church would soon be ‘raptured’ to heaven and replaced by

the Jews who would be the people of God on earth during the final millennium. Despite Ryrie’s views to

the contrary, 38 Darby, himself, recognised that his ideas were novel and urged some caution in

disseminating them.

I think we ought to have something more of direct testimony as to the lord’s coming, and its

bearing also on the state of the church: ordinarily, it would not be well to have it so clear, as it frightens

people. We must pursue it steadily; it works like leaven, and its fruit is by no means seen yet; I do not mean

leaven as ill, but the thoughts are new, and people’s minds work on them, and all the old habits are against

their feelings - all the gain of situation, and every worldly motive; we must not be surprised at its effect

being slow on the mass, the ordinary instruments of acting upon others having been trained in most

opposite habits. 39

Darby defended his dispensational hermeneutic on two grounds. First, because others had not

studied the Scriptures correctly.

The covenant is a word common in the language of a large class of Christian professors... but in its

development and detail, as to its unfolded principles, much obscurity appears to me to have arisen from a

want of simple attention to Scripture. 40

The second reason Darby insisted that his interpretation was correct was because he believed the

Lord had revealed it to him personally and directly.

For my part, if I were bound to receive all that has been said by the Millenarians, I would reject

the whole system, but their views and statements weigh with me not one feather. But this does not hinder

me from enquiring by the teaching of the same spirit... what God has with infinite graciousness revealed to

me concerning His dealing with the Church. 41

But I must, though without comment, direct attention to chapter 32 of the same prophet; which I

do the rather, because it was in this the Lord was pleased, without man’s teaching, first to open my eyes on

this subject, that I might learn His will concerning it throughout. 42

In response to public reaction to his doctrine of the dispensations, he wrote,

...I believe it to be the one true Scriptural ground of the church... I am daily more struck with the

connection of the great principles on which my mind was exercised... Christ coming to receive us to

Himself; and collaterally with that, the setting up of a new earthly dispensation, from Isaiah XXXII... It was

a vague fact that received form in my mind long after, that there must be a wholly new order of things... 43

Even Coad, in his otherwise positive history of the Brethren Movement, admits that ‘For the traditional

view of the Revelation, another was substituted.’ 44 Barr is less sympathetic arguing premillennial

dispensationalism was, ‘...individually invented by J. N. Darby... concocted in complete contradiction to all

main Christian tradition...’ 45

Coad claims to trace what came to be known as this ‘futurist view’ of the end times, so evident in

Darby’s writings to the works of a Jesuit, Francesco Ribera of the sixteenth century, whose writings were

later popularised in the nineteenth century by another Spanish Jesuit, Manuel Lacunza. As has been noted,

Lacunza used the pseudonym Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra, allegedly a converted Jew, for his book, ‘The Coming

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of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty’ which Edward Irving translated into English. 46 Irving’s 203 page

preface to the translation superimposed his own prophetic speculations about the end of the world,

predicting, like Darby, the apostasy of Christendom, then subsequently the restoration of the Jews and

finally the imminent return of Christ. It is most likely therefore that Darby was aware of such writings, and

particularly Lacunza’s via Irving, since they had met with those of like mind to discuss ‘the end times’ at a

prophetic conference under the enthusiastic sponsorship of Henry Drummond at Albury in 1826. It is not

surprising, however, that Darby does not credit them with having influenced his own writings since he was

consistently dismissive of everyone’s views but his own. Referring to Darby’s dispensational ideas, Bass

concludes,

‘Such a concept is singularly missing from historic Christian theology... Darby is pointedly correct

in stating that this came to him as a new truth, since it is not to be found in theological literature prior to his

proclamation of it. It is not that exegetes prior to his time did not see a covenant between God and Israel, or

a future relation of Israel to the millennial reign, but they always viewed the church as the continuation of

God’s single program of redemption begun in Israel. 47

Darby’s contribution then, to the development of Christian Zionism and a rigid differentiation

between the church and Israel arose out of ecclesiastical expediency, his novel dispensational speculations

and an independent and rigid literalist hermeneutic. These led him to formulate two innovative doctrines

concerning the church and Israel. Both marked a significant departure from Christian orthodoxy and

evangelicalism in particular.

The first might be termed a ‘replacement theology’, although ironically, his was the opposite of

that which is so criticised by Christian Zionists today. Darby taught that Israel would soon replace the

church, rather than the church having replaced, superseded or indeed become, Israel. To accomplish this,

Darby postulated his second distinctive doctrine involving two stages to the return of Christ instead of one,

the first being to secretly gather the church to heaven in a ‘rapture’ leaving a revived and gathered nation of

Israel to rule on earth for the millennium.

3. Darby’s Ecclesiology - A Replacement Theology

Darby strong and repeated condemnation of the visible church as apostate, clearly influenced his

innovative belief that the church era was now merely a ‘parenthesis’ 48 of the Last Days. ‘Satan having

beguiled the Church, the church is in the position of earthliness and united in system with the world.’ 49

Darby regarded the church as merely one more dispensation that had failed like the previous five.

Each in turn had lost its place in the divine economy and was under God’s judgement. Just as Israel had

been cut off, so he believed the church would also be. Just as only a small remnant of Israel had been

saved, so would only a small remnant of the church be saved. The remnant taken from the ruins of the

church would conveniently be, he claimed, his own followers, also known as ‘the Assembly’. His answer to

the condition of the visible church was not to insist on the need for a new reformation, national repentance

or even a revival, since to attempt to restore or repair the ruins would actually be sinful.

We insist on the fact that the house has been ruined, its ordinances perverted, its orders and all its

arrangements forsaken or destroyed; that human ordinances, a human order, have been substituted for

them; and what merits all the attention of faith, we insist that the Lord... is coming soon in His power and

glory to judge all this state of things. 50

To those who saw things differently, Darby repeatedly asserted, ‘The house is in ruin, and you are

bad imitators acting from your own leading and wrongly.’’ 51

Because Darby insisted on there being irreversible and progressive dispensations, in which the

church was merely one such dispensation, he deduced, a priori, that there could be no future earthly hope

for the church. He argued that Scripture does not,

...present the restoration of a dispensation; it never justifies its actual condition; though grace may... effect

revivals during the long suffering of God, the dispensation, as such, is actually gone, that the glory of the

principle contained in it may shine forth in the hands of the Messiah. The attempt to set this dispensation on

another footing, as to its continuance than those dispensations which have failed already shows ignorance

of the principles of God’s dealing for the calling of God was always by Grace. 52 .

Instead he speculated that the church would soon be replaced in God’s purposes on earth by a

revived national Israel.

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The Church has sought to settle itself here, but it has no place on the earth... [Though] making a

most constructive parenthesis, it forms no part of the regular order of God’s earthly plans, but is merely an

interruption of them to give a fuller character and meaning to them (the Jews). 53

Darby, through his rigid literalist interpretation of Scripture, regarded the covenantal relationship

between God and Abraham as binding for ever, and that the promises pertaining to the nation of Israel, as

yet unfulfilled, would find their consummation in the reign of Jesus Christ on earth during the millennium.

He thereby encouraged an essential dichotomy between those promises that applied to Israel and those to

the church. In an article in the Christian Witness published in 1838, and attributed to Darby, he went further

arguing that,

There are two great subjects which occupy the sphere of millennial prophecy and testimony - The

Church and its glory in Christ, and the Jews and their glory as a redeemed nation in Christ - the heavenly

people and the earthly people. The habitation and scene of the one being the heavens; of the other, the

earth. 54

In a lecture entitled, ‘The Hopes of the Church of God’, Darby claimed that Israel was the theatre

through which God had displayed His character,

It is in this people, by the ways of God revealed to them, that the character of Jehovah is fully revealed, that

the nations will know Jehovah, and that we shall ourselves learn to know him. 55

Darby made this assertion because of his unusual, if not eccentric view of prophecy.

Prophecy applies itself properly to the earth; its object is not heaven. It is about things that were to

happen on the earth; and the not seeing this has misled the church. We had thought that we ourselves had

within us the accomplishment of these earthly blessings, whereas we are to enjoy heavenly blessings. The

privilege of the church is to have its position in the heavenly places; and later blessings will be shed forth

upon the earthly people. 56

Following his literalist interpretation of Old Testament prophecy, every promise and prediction

concerning Israel then that had not been fulfilled completely must, according to his logic, apply to the

future.

Revelation 12 presents to us the last great object of prophecy... the combat which takes place

between the last Adam and Satan. It is from this centre of truth that all light which is found in Scripture

radiates. This great combat may take place either for the earthly things... and then it is in the Jews; or for

the Church... and then it is in the heavenly places. It is on this account that the subject of prophecy divides

itself into two parts, the hope of the Church, and those of the Jews... 57

A little later Darby went further, insisting that this distinction between Israel and the church has

resulted in two separate “callings”, the grounds upon which some today teach that Jews can be saved by the

Law and Gentiles by grace.

There are indeed the called from among the nations (namely the church) but it is for the heavens

they are called. The calling of God for the earth is never transferred to the nations; it remains with the Jews.

If I want an earthly religion, I ought to be a Jew. From the instant that the church loses sight of its heavenly

calling, it loses, humanly speaking, all. 58

Darby’s rigid dichotomy between heaven and earth, the Jews and the church even had implications

for his doctrine of the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ.

The Lord, having been rejected by the Jewish people, is become wholly a heavenly person. 59

In his developing scheme, Darby therefore, laid the foundation for a dispensationalism in which

the church was seen as a mere parenthesis 60 to God’s continuing covenantal relationship with Israel. Darby

was emphatic, the Jews would remain his primary instrument of rule on earth during the millennium. With

the benefit of hindsight, modern dispensationalists differ from Darby in believing the Jews would return to

the land before the Messiah comes. Darby argued the reverse.

The first thing, then, which the Lord will do will be to purify His land (the land which belongs to

the Jews) of the Tyrians, the Philistines, the Sidonians; of Edom and Moab, and Amon - of all the wicked,

in short from the Nile to the Euphrates. It will be done by the power of Christ in favour of His people reestablished

by His goodness. The people are put into security in the land, and then will those of them who

remain till that time among the nations be gathered together. 61

What is not generally conceded by later Dispensationalists, or at least is conveniently ignored, is

that Darby took no less a favourable view of the Jews than he did of the Arabs resident in the Middle East

and Palestine, in particular. Even though he argued that the Lord would remove the Arabs from the land

between the Nile and the Euphrates and give it all to Israel, Darby did not envisage the Jews actually cooperating

with Christ or ruling on earth with him during the Millennium.

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His prognosis for the Jews was no less pessimistic than his view of the church. Indeed some would regard

his teaching as anti-Semitic since Darby taught that the Jews will rule on earth in league with Satan.

Following the rapture of the saints, Darby insisted,

The government of the fourth monarchy will be still in existence, but under the influence and

direction of the Antichrist; and the Jews will unite themselves to him, in a state of rebellion, to make war

with the lamb... Satan will then be displayed, who will unite the Jews with this apostate prince against

heaven... a remnant of the Jews is delivered and Antichrist destroyed. 62

Perceptive Jews are not surprisingly cynical of Christian Zionist support for the State of Israel

when it is realised that they largely share Darby’s dispensational views on the fate of the Jews, believing

most will not escape Armageddon in the ‘rapture’ but will be annihilated in the tribulation to follow. Hal

Lindsey, for example, on the basis of passages like Revelation 16:13-14, predicts the 200 mile valley from

the Sea of Galilee to Eilat flowing with blood several feet deep. 63 Similarly, based on the same passage,

Timothy Dailey describes Tel Aviv destroyed by nuclear warheads fired from Syria. 64

Clarence Bass summarises the novel nature of Darby’s emerging theological framework.

It is not that exegetes prior to his time did not see a covenant between God and Israel, or a future

relation of Israel to the millennial reign, but they always viewed the church as a continuation of God’s

single program of redemption begun in Israel. It is dispensationalism’s rigid insistence on a distinct

cleavage between Israel and the church, and its belief in a later unconditional fulfilment of the Abrahamic

covenant, that sets it off from the historic faith of the church. 65

Similarly, H. C. Leupold, professor of Old Testament exegesis at the Evangelical Lutheran

Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, in his commentary on Genesis 12:3 and with reference to the promise made to

Abraham, makes the following critique of Darby’s dispensationalism,

Now surely, as commentators of all times have clearly pointed out, especially already Luther and

Calvin, this promise to Israel is conditional, requiring faith... History is the best commentary on how the

promise is meant. When the Jews definitely cast off Christ, they were definitely as a nation expelled from

the land. All who fall back upon this promise as guaranteeing a restoration of Palestine to the Jews... have

laid into it a meaning which the words simply do not carry. 66

4. Darby’s Eschatology - An Imminent Secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture

It was into this dispensational scheme that Darby and his contemporary Edward Irving postulated

two stages to Christ’s imminent return. First, there would be an invisible ‘appearing’ when Christians

would meet Christ in the air and be removed from the earth, a process which came to be known as ‘the

rapture of the saints’. With the restraining presence of the Holy Spirit removed from the world, the

Antichrist would arise. His rule would finally be crushed by the public ‘appearing’ of Jesus Christ. Darby

argued that, regarding the rapture,

The Church’s joining Christ has nothing to do with Christ’s appearing or coming to earth. Her

place is elsewhere. She sits in Him already in heavenly places. She has to be brought there as to bodily

presence..

...We go up to meet Christ in the air. Nothing is clearer, then, than that we are to go up to meet

Him, and not await His coming to earth; but that this coming to receive us to Himself is not His appearing

is still clearer...

..This is the rapture of the saints, preceding their and Christ’s appearing ...so that at their rapture

He has not appeared yet... This rapture before the appearing of Christ is a matter of express revelation, as

we have seen from Colossians 3:4. 67

In commenting on 1 Thessalonians 4:15, in his Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Darby asserts,

Observe, also, that this revelation gives another direction to the hope of the Thessalonians, because it

distinguishes with much precision between our departure hence to join the Lord in the air, and our return to

the earth with Him. 68

These passages actually say nothing about any secret rapture in any dispensational sense, still less

that the church will be removed and return later to earth with Christ at His public appearing. Bass insists,

‘Only by involved exegetical interpretation can the pre-tribulation rapture be supported.’ 69

Darby’s interpretation of passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4 is a clear example of the way later

Dispensationalists read back from their presuppositional view of the church into the Scriptures. In doing so

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Darby denies what the passage teaches (the blessed hope of the church does have to do with the coming of

Christ) and affirms what it does not teach (the blessed hope is the secret going and later public returning of

the church). Darby admitted as much that his doctrine of the rapture was an innovation, the result of

‘express revelation’, indeed he seemed quite pleased with the reaction to it.

The rapture of the saints to meet the Lord in the air, before His manifestation to the earth, and the

existence of a Jewish remnant in whom the Spirit of God is graciously working before the Lord manifests

Himself to them for their deliverance, is happily attracting the attention of Christians. It has made sufficient

way to be the occasion of renewed opposition... 70

Following his literalist hermeneutic, Darby insisted that the tribulation would end seven years

after the rapture when Jesus Christ would return to Jerusalem to set up his kingdom from which he would

rule the world for a thousand years. Indeed Darby made the ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ yet one more of his

exclusive tests of Brethren orthodoxy.

It is this conviction, that the Church is properly heavenly, in its calling and relationship with

Christ, forming no part of the course of events of the earth, which makes the rapture so simple and clear,

and on the other hand, it shows how the denial of its rapture brings down the Church to an earthly position,

and destroys its whole spiritual character and position. 71

His attitude toward those who disagreed with his doctrine of the secret rapture was scathing,

...Wherever this is enfeebled, Satan is at work.... He who awaits Christ’s appearing, as the time in

which he is to go to be with Him, has denied the proper hope and proper relationship of the Church with

Christ. On this point there can be no compromise. Ignorance of privilege is one thing... the denial of it

another 72

He regarded disinterest in his teaching of the rapture as a sign that the church was apostate and his

own ‘Assembly’ elect.

The rapture of the saints before the appearing of Christ, strange as it may appear to some, has

nothing to say to the church, directly or exclusively; but as we form part of those caught up, it of course,

interests us in the highest degree. 73

Among Darby’s supporters, ‘his delineations of millennial glory dazzled the minds of his

hearers.’ 74 Despite its novelty, Darby’s belief of the ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ became central to his doctrine

of the church as well as his dispensational eschatology, and subsequently came to be ‘a foundation for

contemporary Christian Zionism’ 75

5. Darby’s Dispensationalism Criticised and Refined

Darby’s novel ideas were not left unchallenged even within Brethren circles. B. W. Newton, his

chief assistant in Plymouth, confronted Darby arguing that these views were heretical and a departure from

Biblical orthodoxy. Darby’s intransigence led to one of many splits within the Brethren movement, and

with former colleagues like Irving from the prophetic conference days in Albury. Despite holding similar

views concerning the rapture, there was no love lost for the Irvingites and their charismatic excesses.

The people called Irvingites have been plainly convicted elsewhere of so much false doctrine,

false practice, and false prophecy, and that by so many of the Church of God as to make it, when known, a

question only of preserving God’s children against the deceits and crafts of Satan. 76

In particular, Darby was scathing of their speculative prophecies concerning the Antichrist and the

lost tribes of Israel, allegedly given by the Holy Spirit.

...that spirit pronounced young Napoleon to be the man of sin; It stated an American Indian Chief, then in

London, would be converted there, and receive the work and return to America, and lead back his

countrymen, who were the ten tribes, to Palestine; but he went back unconverted. 77

Strong differences also repeatedly emerged within the Brethren movement, particularly between

Darby and Newton, as to the implications of his new doctrines concerning the rapture and the relationship

of the church to Israel. If the church had already been removed before the Antichrist could persecute them,

who then would be the remnant persecuted under his rule? For Darby, a faithful Jewish remnant would

reign on earth after the rapture and remain faithful to the Law under persecution, seeing the literal

fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies still to be realised. The church however, Darby insisted, would play

no part in this earthly reign. ‘This remnant has neither the church’s heavenly blessings nor the church’s

hopes.’ 78

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Newton and others saw Darby’s elevation of Israel above the church as ‘full-blown heresy’. 79 They

understood the church in Scripture to be made up of both Jews and Gentiles who have been made one in

Christ. Darby’s scheme, followed logically, implied two distinct and separate ways to salvation. For

Newton,

...the church included all the faithful from Abraham down. he considered Mr Darby’s dispensational

teaching as the height of speculative nonsense.’ 80

If the church were removed and a Jewish remnant were the fruit of God’s redemptive work apart

from Christ then it must be the result of ‘another’ gospel condemned by the Apostle Paul in Galatians. C.

H. Spurgeon was one of Darby’s most vociferous critics. Of Darby’s Translation of the Holy Scripture,

Spurgeon wrote,

We don’t even mention the other renderings in his new Bible, just as serious and erroneous as the

above; much less notice the transposition of tenses and prepositions, or the awkward English diction

throughout. Suffice it to say, that some renderings are good, and some of the notes are good; but taken as a

whole, with a great display of learning, the ignorance of the results of modern criticism is almost

incredible. And the fatal upsetting of vital doctrines condemns the work as more calculated to promote

scepticism than true religion-the most sacred subjects being handled with irreverent familiarity. 81

It is not clear whether Darby’s translation influenced his doctrine or vice versa. However, like his

fellow millennialist, Charles Russell, who also translated the scriptures and formed his own sect, the

Jehovah witnesses, it is true to say that there is a consistency between Darby’s translation and teaching.

Newton and others within the Brethren sought to devise alternative, less problematic

interpretations of the future to Darby’s system which, even to those favourably disposed to the Brethren,

like Coad, admitted was built on a ‘completely new structure of Biblical interpretation.’ 82

These included what came to be known as ‘the partial rapture.’ Newton expounded through the

journal, The Christian Witness, the belief that a remnant both of faithful Jews as well as Gentiles would

survive the Tribulation, while others would be raptured before hand. In 1836, for example, he contradicted

Darby’s scheme arguing, ‘Accordingly, the resurrection glory of the saints is as distinctly connected with

Israel and Jerusalem, as with the earth.’ 83

Newton also argued that the New Testament writers spiritualised the promises in the Old

Testament to the inheritance of a literal land.

It is thus that the descriptions which in the Old Testament are confined to the earthly city, are used

by the Apostles to express the glories of Jerusalem which is above; for these are the expansion and

heavenly antitype of the typical (though real) glories of Jerusalem below. They both belong to the same

system - they are different courts of the same glorious temple visibly united yet distinct. 84

Newton postulated a millennial reign whereby the dispensations were not consecutive and in

which Israel would be restored under the same covenant of faith as the church, not one in which, as Darby

claimed, national Israel would be restored and the church excluded. Newton did not see the means of

blessing as parallel and distinct but converging, both on the basis of grace through faith, and a foretaste of

heaven. 85

In 1838 Newton sought a reconciliation between Darby’s dispensationalism and more orthodox

Reformed theology. In a paper called ‘The Dispensations’ he argued that in Abraham,

In order to preserve blessing in the earth, we for the first time find ostensibly and manifestly

introduced that method of elective grace, which alone secures the perpetuity of blessing, because it is ‘not

of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.’ And hence the call of

Abraham... Here was sovereign grace calling, and sovereign grace giving and multiplying, and this is the

character of all the branches of the covenant to Abraham. And therefore nothing that could arise from man,

no subsequent arrangement even of God Himself could possibly annul it, so as to make the promise of none

effect. This covenant therefore must be everlasting, and all that ever will be effectually blessed either in

earth or in heaven, hand upon it as a covenant of promise. Upon this covenant the natural seed of Abraham,

Israel according to the flesh is secretly sustained now...

...But not only the earthly Jerusalem and the land, the Heavenly Jerusalem likewise does equally

rest upon the covenant of promise to Abraham; for the promise was not made simply to Abraham, but

equally to his seed, i.e. Christ (Galatians iii). ‘And therefore if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed

and heirs according to promise.’ 86

Like Darby, Newton believed that the church would be raptured, and that the Jews would be

restored, but instead, he brought together Darby’s views of the heavenly church and earthly Israel arguing

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this would all occur after the tribulation and return of Christ, not before, and that the remnant of Jews in

Jerusalem would be brought to faith in Messiah and so too be blessed.

The dispensation, therefore, which commenced with Abraham, is necessarily an eternal one, for

(though many earthly and temporary blessings yet to be accomplished were included in it), it had respect to

a heavenly and eternal city-Jerusalem which is above... the manifestation of Sarah blessing is altogether

future and will not be shown forth in its power until the whole family both in earth and heaven, Jerusalem

above and Jerusalem below, are alike manifestly brought under its bond of blessing. 87

Restored Israel in Jerusalem, will in many respects resemble the Church now. Not indeed, in

suffering, for that is a privilege possessed by the Church of the first-born distinctly. But as it is now said of

the Church, that they are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood; so it is written of Israel in that day, that

they shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 88

It seems inexplicable that Darby should have ignored these attempts by other Brethren leaders like

Newton to accommodate themselves to his own idiosyncratic doctrinal position, nor recognise that their

views fitted the Scriptures more convincingly than his own speculations.

Only the supposition of a mental block can explain Darby’s total failure to acknowledge that what

was proposed was a strengthening, not a weakening, of his own system. Not only did it bring his teaching

back into accord with the basic Reformed orthodoxies, without denying anything essential in it, but it also

cured the dangerous Docetic tendencies that were latent in Darby’s own vivid distinction between the

exclusively earthly hopes of Israel and the exclusively heavenly hopes of the Church. It is significant that a

tendency to Doceticism has always been a serious flaw in Darbyite thinking. 89

Friction between Darby and Newton came to a head in 1843 when Newton published his Thoughts

on the Apocalypse, and Darby felt impelled to attack it.

What Mr Newton teaches subverts the truth of Christ. If he says it does not, it only proves that he

does not know the truth which it clearly does subvert. 90

Of Newton’s attempt to show that Jew and Gentile must come to faith by the same means and

enjoy the same blessings, Darby replied in a letter dated 14th November 1844,

And it is precisely on this point... that I feel that Plymouth has lost, or for the most part never has

attained, the idea which seems to me essential to the Church - that is, which distinguishes it in its

privileges. I knew that the system, which prevails there placed the Church on the same ground as Israel in

the millennium, and it was one of the things which convinced me that the notion of the Church was entirely

wanting... But my answer to your question, Has the church any spiritual things which it has not received

through Israel? is -ALL that is properly essential to it as the Church. I admit the truth of what is stated at

Plymouth. The evil is this, that all the higher part of the truth is left out, and everything which expresses it

reduced to this level... But union with a Saviour hid in God... is of the essence of the Church, and I cannot

see that this forms a part of Israel’s privileges in the millennium... In a word, all that is distinctive to the

Church is lost in this system, for that which is distinctive to it is not the subject of promise... 91

Darby’s insistence on two dispensations, one for the church and another for Israel is the basis on

which much non-evangelistic but triumphalist Christian Zionism views Israel. It is, as shall be shown later,

the stance taken by the International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem, the Messianic Testimony, and in large

measure, Christian Friends of Israel who see their role primarily in terms of supporting and defending

Israel. Coad summarises the split between Darby and Newton.

Newton, to Darby, was depriving the Church of its glories in Christ. The simple thought that

Newton’s system did nothing of the kind, but that it rather added the glories of the redeemed Israel to the

glories of the redeemed Church, seems never to have entered Darby’s mind. 92

Darby’s response to opposition was simple. He would charge his critics with sectarianism and

excommunicate them. Darby led the ‘Exclusive’ Brethren and Newton the ‘Open’ Brethren. George Muller

and others tried to remain neutral, refusing, as Darby insisted, on excommunicating those who remained in

fellowship with Newton. Those who suffered his wrath in this way included Groves, Muller, Harris and

Newton, and by 1865 without them, and those like Bellett and Craik who had died, his hold over the

Exclusive Brethren gradually waned. 93 Darby’s Exclusive Brethren underwent further schism splitting into

three parties by 1881, known after the names of their leaders as the Darbyites, Kellyites and Cluffites. 94

Darby was hardly less sympathetic with those who failed to understand his arguments.

That he could be ungracious and scathing in his criticism is evident in the incident where, when

the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody failed to grasp a point, Darby turned to a bystander and remarked, ‘I

am here to supply exposition not brains.’ 95

Darby’s supporters, when forced to take sides, inevitably saw things differently,

109



He faced heresy in the very society originally formed by himself... and in spite of the obloquy, scorn, and

contempt of the brethren once most dear to him, he continued, even as he had begun, to esteem the

reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. The world may pour contempt on such a man;

sectarians may dip their pens in wormwood and gall for his destruction; and the eulogies of hypocrites and

liars may denounce him as a fiend incarnate; but, in our very heart of hearts, we honour and reverence him

as a true soldier of the Cross. 96

6. Darby’s Influence on the Rise of Modern Dispensationalism

Darby and his supporters clearly believed the ‘secret rapture’ would occur in their own life time

and certainly before the end of the 19th Century. Looking back, Blair Neatby, writing his history of the

Brethren in 1901 reflects,

If anyone had told the first Brethren that three quarters of a century might elapse and the Church

be on earth, the answer would probably have been a smile, partly of pity, partly of disapproval, wholly of

incredulity. Yet so it has proved. It is impossible not to respect hopes so congenial to an ardent devotion;

yet it is clear now that Brethrenism took shape under the influence of a delusion, and that delusion was a

decisive element in all of its distinctive features. 97

But the rapture did not occur. Whereas the leaders of Irving’s Catholic Apostolic church refused to

appoint successors, convinced that the Lord would return to Albury before the last one died, so that today

the church there remains empty, Darby’s dispensationalist ideas permeated beyond his narrow Brethrenism

to a new generation of evangelicals in the 20th Century.

Professor Francis W. Newman was a contemporary of Darby and offers this assessment of his

impact on those who came under his influence.

For the first time I perceived that so vehement a champion of the sufficiency of the Scriptures, so

staunch an opposer of creed and churches, was wedded to an extra-scriptural creed of his own, by which he

tested the spiritual state of his brethren. 98

...this gentleman has every where (sic) displayed a wonderful power of bending other minds to his own, and

even stamping upon them the tones of his voice and all sorts of slavish imitation. Over the general results

of his action I have long deeply mourned, as blunting his natural tenderness and sacrificing his wisdom to

the Letter, dwarfing men’s understandings, contracting their hearts, crushing their moral sensibilities, and

setting those at variance who ought to love, yet oh! how specious it was in the beginning! he only wanted

men ‘to submit their understanding to God,’ that is to the Bible, that is to his interpretation. 99

From 1862 onwards, as his influence over Brethrenism in Britain waned, Darby focused his

ministry more and more on North America, making seven journeys in the next twenty years. Sandeen has

estimated that Darby spent 40% of his time in the United States. 100 During that time he had a considerable

and increasing influence on such evangelical leaders as James H. Brookes, Dwight L. Moody, William

Blackstone and C. I. Scofield, as well as the emerging evangelical Bible Schools and Prophecy

Conferences which,

‘...set the tone for the evangelical and fundamentalist movements in North America between 1875 and

1920.’ 101

Krauss claims that by 1901, following a good deal of controversy at these prophetic conferences,

...the dispensationalists had won the day so completely that for the next fifty years friend and foe alike

largely identified dispensationalism with premillennialism. 102

Bass, in his definitive critique of Dispensationalism concludes,

The line of continuity from Darby to the present can be traced unbroken from the works of his

contemporaries, C. H. Mackintosh, William Trotter, William Kelly, and F. W. Grant, through the

intermediary works of W. E. Blackstone, James Hall Brooks, A. J. Frost, G. Campbell Morgan, Harry

Ironside, A. C. Gaebelein, C. I. Scofield, and his Scofield Bible, to the contemporary adherents of his

views... Suffice it to say that he stamped his movement with his own personality. Much of its spiritual

atmosphere undoubtedly belongs to his influence; and certainly its interpretative principles, its divisive

compartmentalization of the redemptive plan of God, its literalness as to prophetic interpretation, and its

separatist spirit may be traced to this personality. Perhaps it is too broad a summary to say that Darby’s

personality influenced directly the spirit of contemporary dispensationalism, but certainly the pattern which

he set into motion is reflected in it. 103

110


111


Similarly, George Marsden, in his history of the rise of fundamentalism between 1870 and 1930, traces the

considerable influence of Darby’s dispensationalism on the American evangelical world of Moody and

Scofield.

This new form of premillennial teaching, imported from England, first spread in America through

prophecy conferences where the Bible was studied intently. Summer conferences, a newly popular form of

vacation in the age of the trains, were particularly effective. Most importantly, Dwight L. Moody had

sympathies with the broad outlines of dispensationalism and had as his closest lieutenants dispensationalist

leaders such as Reuben A. Torrey (1856-1928), James M. Gray (1851-1925), C. I. Scofield (1843-1921),

William J. Erdman (1833-1923), A.C. Dixon (1854-1925), and A. J. Gordon (1836-1895). These men were

activist evangelists who promoted a host of Bible conferences and other missionary and evangelistic

efforts. They also gave the dispensationalist movement institutional permanence by assuming leadership of

the new Bible institutes such as the Moody Bible Institute (1886), the Bible Institute of Los Angeles

(1907), and the Philadelphia College of the Bible (1914). The network of related institutes that soon sprang

up became the nucleus for much of the important fundamentalist movement of the twentieth century.

Dispensationalist leaders, in fact, actively organised this antimodernist effort. Notably, they oversaw the

publication between 1910-1915 of the widely distributed twelve-volume paperback series, The

Fundamentals. 104

It is not inaccurate therefore to conclude, Darby’s dispensational views, like those of Edward

Irving, would probably have remained the exotic preserve of the dwindling and divided Brethren sects were

it not for the energetic efforts of significant individuals like William Blackstone, D. L. Moody and above

all, C. I. Scofield who introduced them to a wider audience in America and the English speaking world

through his Scofield Reference Bible.

revised 31 August 1998

1 Donald E. Wagner, Anxious for Armageddon (Waterloo, Ontario, Herald Press, 1995), pp. 81, 88. This is

disputed by Charles Ryrie who attempts to place the origin of Dispensationalism, unconvincingly, some

150 years earlier allegedly finding evidence in the writings of Pierre Poiret (1646-1719) and John Edwards

(1639-1716) as well as Isaac Watts (1674-1748) in Dispensationalism (Chicago, Moody Press, 1995), pp.

65-71.

2 J. N. Darby, as cited by W. Blair Neatby, A History of the Plymouth Brethren (London, Hodder and

Stoughton, 1901), p. 16.

3 W. G. Turner, John Nelson Darby (London, Chapter Two, 1901, 1986), p. 17.

4 J. N. Darby, ‘Reflections on the Ruined Condition of the Church’ The Collected Writings of John Nelson

Darby, Eccl. I, Vol. I. William Kelly, ed. (Kingston on Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, 1962), p.

201.

5 J. N. Darby, ‘On the Formation of Churches, Further developments’ The Collected Writings, Eccl. I, Vol.

1. William Kelly, ed. (Kingston on Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, 1962), p. 303. See also Eccl.

III, Vol. XIV., ‘What the Christian has amid the Ruin of the Church’

6 J. N. Darby, ‘What is the Unity of the Church?’ Collected Writings., Eccl. IV, Vol. XX. p.456.

7 Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 1971), pp. 105-185.

8 J. N. Darby, ‘Progress of Evil on the Earth’ Collected Writings., Prophetic, Vol. 1, pp. 471, 483.

9 A. H. Newman, A Manual of Church History (Philadelphia, American Baptist Publications Society, 1902)

10 ‘Considerations on the Nature and Unity of the Church of Christ’ later called ‘the Brethren’s first

pamphlet.’ by Neatby, in, A History., p. 18.

11

Clarence Bass, Backgrounds to Dispensationalism (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1986), p. 146.

12

Roy Coad, A History of the Brethren Movement (Exeter, Paternoster, 1968), p. 109.

13

Coad, History., p. 111.

14

J. N. Darby, ‘Remarks on a tract circulated by the Irvingites,’ Collected Writings., Doctrinal. IV, Vol. 15,

p. 34.

15 Turner, Darby., p. 22.

16 Coad, History., p. 122.

17 Darby, Collected Writings., Vol. 11, p. 363.


19 C. H. Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries (London, Banner of Truth Trust, 1876), p. 31.

20 Coad, History., pp. 139-154.



112


22 Joseph M. Canfield, The Incredible Scofield and his Book (Vallecito, California, Ross House Books,

1988), pp. 122 ff.

23 Wagner, Anxious., p. 89.

24 Ryrie attempts, unconvincingly, to show that the idea of dispensations were latent in the writings of the

French mystic Pierre Poiret (1646-1719); an amillennial Calvinist John Edwards (1639-1716) and Isaac

Watts (1674-1748). See Ryrie, Dispensationalism (Chicago, Moody Press, 1995), pp. 65-71.

25 Edward Irving, The Last Days A Discourse on the Evil Character of These Our Times, Proving Them to

be The ‘Perilous Times’ and the ‘Last Days’ (London, James Nisbit, 1850), p. 10.

26 Hugh M’Neile, The Prophecies Relative to the Jewish Nation (London, Christian Book Society, 1878), p.

67. (for references to dispensations see pp. 50, 53, 64, 117, 120, 128).

27 M’Neile, Prophecies., p. 64.

28 Faber, George Stanley, ‘On the peculiar genius of the three dispensations, Patriarchal, Levitical, and

Christian’, A Treatise on the Genius and Object of the Patriarchal, the Levitical and the Christian

Dispensations (London, C & J. Rivington. 1823), p. 2.

29 Harry A. Ironside, The Mysteries of God (New York, Loizeaux Brothers, 1908), pp. 50-51. Cited in

Daniel P. Fuller, Gospel and Law (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans, 1980), p. 13.

30 Ryrie, Dispensationalism., p. 67.

31 For example, Edward Arthur Litton, The Mosaic Dispensation Considered as Introductory to

Christianity. Eight Sermons given at the Bampton Lecture 1856 (London, Hatchard, 1856)

32 J. N. Darby, ‘The Apostasy of the Successive Dispensations.’ The Collected Writings of J. N. Darby,

Vol. 2, Ecclesiastical No. 1. William Kelly, ed. (Kingston on Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot,

1962). pp. 124-130 (emphasis added).

33 Ryrie, Dispensationalism, pp. 68.

34

Darby, Apostasy., pp. 124-130.

35

Ryrie, Dispensationalism, pp. 68, 71.

36

Scofield., Scofield., p. 5.

37

B. W. Newton, The Christian Witness (Plymouth, The Christian Witness and Tract Co., 1838), p. 302.

38

Ryrie, Dispensationalism, p. 69.

39

J. N. Darby, Letters of John Nelson Darby, Vol. 1. (London, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, n.d.), pp.

25-26.

40 J. N. Darby, ‘The Covenants.’ Collected Writings., Doctrine I. Vol. III. William Kelly, ed. (Kingston on

Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, 1962). p. 68.

41 J. N. Darby, ‘Reflections Upon the Prophetic Inquiry, and the Views Advanced in It’, Collected

Writings., Prophetic I, Vol. II. pp. 6-7.

42 J. N. Darby, ‘Evidence from Scripture for the passing away of the present dispensations’ Collected

Writings., Prophetic I, Vol. II. p. 108.

43 J. N. Darby, Letters of John Nelson Darby., Vol. 1. (London, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, n.d.), pp.

343-345.


45 James Barr, Escaping from Fundamentalism (London, SCM, 1984), p. 6.

46 Arnold Dallimore, The Life of Edward Irving, Fore-runner of the Charismatic Movement (Edinburgh,

Banner of Truth, 1983), p. 62.

47 Bass, Backgrounds., pp. 26-27.

48 J. N. Darby, ‘The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times’, Collected Writings., Critical. Vol. I, p. 236.

49 J. N. Darby, ‘Reply to the Remarks... ‘Our Separating Brethren,’ Collected Writings., Eccl. III. Vol. XIV,

p. 222.

50 J. N. Darby, ‘A Glance at Various Ecclesiastical Principles’, Collected Writings., Eccl. II, Vol. IV, p. 10.

51 J. N. Darby, ‘A Glance at Various Ecclesiastical Principles’, Collected Writings., Eccl. II, Vol. IV, p. 10-

11.

52 J. N. Darby, ‘The Apostasy of Successive Dispensations.’ Collected Writings., Eccl. I Vol. I, p. 197.

53 J. N. Darby, ‘The Character of Office in The Present Dispensation’ Collected Writings., Eccl. I, Vol. I, p.

94.

54 The Christian Witness, April 1838, p. 164.

55 J. N. Darby, ‘The Hopes of the Church of God in Connection with the Destiny of the Jews and the

Nations as Revealed in Prophecy,’ The Collected Writings, Prophetic I, Vol. II, p. 363.


113


56 J. N. Darby, ‘The Hopes of the Church of God in Connection with the Destiny of the Jews and the

Nations as Revealed in Prophecy,’ The Collected Writings, Prophetic I, Vol. II, p. 376.

57 J. N. Darby, ‘The Hopes.,’ The Collected Writings, Prophetic I, Vol. II, pp. 372-373.

58 J. N. Darby, ‘The Hopes.,’ The Collected Writings, Prophetic I, Vol. II, p. 378.


60 See definition ‘...the calling out of the Church takes place, extending as a parenthesis, from the Day of

Pentecost to the rapture of the saints.’ p. 217, A New and Concise Bible Dictionary, ed. William Kelly

(London, G. Morrish) - a standard Brethren work.



63 Hal Lindsey, The Final Battle (Palos Verdes, Western Front, 1995), pp. 250-252.

64 Timothy J. Dailey, The Gathering Storm (New York, Chosen Books, 1992), p. 245

65 Bass, Backgrounds., p. 27.

66 H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1953), p. 490.

67 J. N. Darby, ‘The Rapture of the Saints and the Character of the Jewish Remnant,’ Collected Writings,

Prophetic. I, Vol. II, pp. 153-155.

68 J. N. Darby, Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Vol. V. (London, G. Morrish, n.d.), p. 91.


70 J. N. Darby, ‘The Rapture of the Saints,’ Collected Writings, Prophetic. Vol. IV, William Kelly, ed.

(Kingston on Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, 1962). p. 118.

71 J. N. Darby, ‘The Rapture of the Saints and the Character of the Jewish Remnant,,’ Collected Writings,

Prophetic. IV, Vol. II, p. 149.



73

J. N. Darby, Collected Writings, Prophetic. IV, Vol. II, p. 118.

74

W. Blair Neatby, A History of the Plymouth Brethren (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1901), p. 81.

75

Wagner, Anxious., p. 90.

76

J. N. Darby, ‘Remarks on a tract circulated by the Irvingites,’ Collected Writings, Doctrinal. IV, Vol. 15,

p. 2.

77 J. N. Darby, ‘Remarks.,’ p. 21.




80 H.A. Ironside, A Historical Sketch of the Brethren Movement (New Jersey, Loizeaux Brothers, 1985), p.

32. The same quote is attributed to Samuel P. Tregelles in Charles E. Brown, The Reign of Christ

(Anderson, Ind., Gospel Trumpet Co., 1950), p. 54.

81 C. H. Spurgeon, ‘Darbyism and Its New Bible,’ The Sword and the Trowel (London, W. Macintosh,

1874) p. 18.


83 ‘Chiefly on subjects connected with the Present Church.’ The Christian Witness, Vol. III, (London,

Simpkin, Marshall & Co., 1836), p. 45

84 The Christian Witness, Vol. III, (London, Simpkin, Marshall & Co., 1836), p. 53


86 The Christian Witness, Vol. V, (Plymouth, The Christian Witness & Tract Depot, 1838), pp. 290-291.

87 The Christian Witness, Vol. V, p. 292.

88 The Christian Witness, Vol. V, p. 306.

89 Coad, History., p. 135

90 J. N. Darby, Collected Writings., Doctrine IV, Vol. XV, p. 34.

91 Letters of John Nelson Darby. Vol. III, (Kingston on Thames, Stow Hill Bible and Trust Depot, n.d.), pp.

240-2.



94 Albert Henry Newman, Manual of Church History Volume 2, Modern Church History 1517-1902

(Philadelphia: American Baptist Society, 1904), p. 713.

95 Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 27, quoting Turner, Darby., p. 21.




97 W. Blair Neatby, A History of the Plymouth Brethren (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1901), p. 3.

98 Francis W. Newman, Phases of Faith, or, Passages from the History of my Creed (London, John

Chapman, 1850), p. 29.

99 Newman, Phases., p. 33.

100 Ernest R. Sandeen, ‘Towards a Historical Interpretation of the Origins of Fundamentalism,’ Church

History 36 (1967), p. 70, quoted in Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 38.

101 Wagner, Anxious. p. 89.

102 C. Norman Kraus, Dispensationalism in America (Richmond, John Knox Press, 1958), p. 104.

103 Bass, Backgrounds., pp. 17, 63.

104 George M. Marsden. Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism (Grand Rapids, Michigan,

Eerdmans), 1991. p. 40.

11. The Truth About The Rapture

Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall

preserve it.

Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other

shall be left.

Luke 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Luke 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the

body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The above passage is frequently quoted to support a “secret” rapture, that neither the saved or the lost will

be aware of what is happening at the time. Supposedly, millions of Christians will be “taken” and simply

disappear mysteriously, leaving the world wondering where they went. Just what does this passage really

intend to teach? Well, first let’s look at a parallel passage in Matthew:

Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the

coming of the Son of man be.

Matthew 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

...

Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and

giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the

Son of man be.

Matthew 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Matthew 24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

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

Note that in verse 39, the wicked who perished in the flood are described as being taken away. The

wicked are taken first, not the righteous. Next, it tells us that it shall be exactly the same at the second

coming of the Lord. Clearly in in days of Noah, those taken first perished, and so it will be again at the

second coming. Now notice that in Luke 17, verse 37, a question is asked: “Where, Lord? And he said unto

them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together”. This answer given by Jesus

refers to the vultures gathering over the bodies of the wicked, those taken first, which are all slain at the

second coming. (See also Revelation 19:20-21) So Jesus was not teaching a silent or secret rapture of the

righteous away from the world. He was making it clear, that at His second coming, all the wicked will be

taken and slain first, before the righteous are taken to heaven. This destruction of the wicked is completely

ignored by those teaching the secret rapture.

114


The Second Coming Described

115


The following verses all show that with respect to the second coming, Jesus will indeed come quickly-

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this

book.

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as

his work shall be.

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord

Jesus.

Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the

coming of the Son of man be.

And the following verses refer to the second coming of Jesus as being like a thief for the wicked-

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.

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.

1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

It should be quite clear that all the above verses are indeed referring to the second coming of Jesus. He will

come quickly, like lightning, as a thief upon the unsuspecting wicked of the world. But is it a secret, silent

event?

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass

away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are

therein shall be burned up.

2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in

all holy conversation and godliness,

2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire

shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

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:

It will be the noisiest, most climactic event in history, not a silent, mysterious secret.

The Parable of the Tares of the Field.

Now, in the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about the end of the world, which is intended to explain

some end time events of the second coming:

Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a

man which sowed good seed in his field:

Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.



Matthew 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

Matthew 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good

seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

Matthew 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then

that we go and gather them up?

Matthew 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,

Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Jesus then explains the parable in detail to His disciples:

Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto

him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

Matthew 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the

children of the wicked one;

Matthew 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers

are the angels.

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this

world.

Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all

things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath

ears to hear, let him hear.

Note the timing of events Jesus describes, and how it compares with those taken first in Matthew 24:39-42.

At the end of the world, when the time for the harvest of humanity has come, it is not the righteous who are

gathered first, it is the wicked! The wicked are taken and dealt with first, while the people of God are still

among them. Advocates of the popular pre-tribulation rapture propose that all righteous Christians will first

be taken up by Jesus secretly, in an instant, leaving behind a totally non-Christian world in startled

ignorance of why a significant portion of the population has simply disappeared off the face of the earth.

The secret rapture theory is the reverse sequence of the parable as told by Jesus, and so can be dismissed on

this point alone! Jesus in the book of Matthew again confirms that the wicked will be taken out from among

the righteous:

Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked

from among the just,

Matthew 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The Lesson of Noah and the flood, and Lot and Sodom

The 17th chapter of Luke, which we began this study with, again makes it plain that the wicked will all

perish at the return of Christ:

Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that

Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they

planted, they builded;

Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and

destroyed them all.

Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

116



The lesson is clear. Sudden destruction comes upon the wicked at the second coming. They will all perish.

The Seven Last Plagues.

Now let me point out an interesting fact. Revelation 16 relates the last seven plagues being poured out on

the unrepentant wicked of the earth. Through verse 12 the first six of the plagues are poured out, and THEN

in verse 15-

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.

Clearly Jesus HAS NOT COME YET AT THE TIME OF THE SIXTH PLAGUE! Note that the seventh

plague then falls in verse 17-

Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of

the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Jesus at the time of the seventh plague is announcing that time for earth has come to an end, and the second

coming follows immediately. So Jesus does not come back to earth until after all seven plagues have been

poured out on the wicked. The faithful church was NOT removed at any point prior to these plagues, they

have endured them without fear of being affected by them:

Psalm 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Psalm 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Psalm 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh

thee.

Psalm 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Psalm 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

Psalm 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Psalm 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

So the wicked will suffer the 7 last plagues, while the people of God are still present with them on this

earth.

Does the Second Coming Happen Secretly?

There are two verses where Jesus himself described exactly how he would come back to this earth. These

words were spoken to the high priest of the Jews - Caiaphas:

Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the

Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and

coming in the clouds of heaven.

Jesus says that Caiaphas will be alive (resurrected) to see him return in his full glory, in the clouds of

heaven. This is a significant key to his return. It is a direct link to -

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced

him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

So as the above study shows:

(1). AFTER THE 7 PLAGUES OF REVELATION 16 FALL ON THE WICKED, AND NOT BEFORE,

JESUS COMES IN THE CLOUDS.

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(2). EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIS COMING.

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The return of Jesus (in the clouds) will be witnessed by every living person on this earth at the time. In

addition, those who had a part in the crucifixion of Jesus (pierced him) will be resurrected to witness this

glorious event as well, to include Caiaphas.

Jesus coming in the clouds is mentioned in the following texts as well. It is an important discriminator

between the genuine coming of Jesus and the impersonation of Jesus by Satan-

Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his

throne.

Psalm 104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who

walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Jer 4:13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter

than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,

and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall

reward every man according to his works.

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of

the earth mourn, and shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together

his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from

the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

(3). HE COMES IN HIS FULL POWER AND GLORY, TO THEN REWARD EVERY MAN.

If, as we have established in point (3), every eye will see him coming in all his glory, what is the fate of the

then living wicked who behold him?

Exodus 33:20 And he (God/Jesus) said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and

live.

Deu 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Deu 5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the

LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

Deu 5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst

of the fire, as we have, and lived?

Deu 9:3 Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a

consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive

them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

Psalm 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be


very tempestuous round about him.

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Psalm 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

Psalm 110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound

the heads over many countries.

Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land

desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Jer 25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end

of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they

planted, they builded;

Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and

destroyed them all.

Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from

heaven with his mighty angels,

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the

gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and

from the glory of his power;

2 Thessalonians 2:8 And 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:

Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the

body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword

proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished....

The wicked who see Jesus at the second coming will perish, because sinful man cannot look upon the face

of God in His full glory and live. Just as the parable of the wheat and tares declares (Matt 13:24-43), the

wicked will all perish first, before the righteous are gathered.

(4). THE WICKED WILL ALL BE SLAIN AT JESUS’ SECOND COMING BY THE FIRE OF HIS

RIGHTEOUS GLORY, TO BE RESURRECTED AFTER THE 1000 YEARS.

But doesn’t Isaiah 66:19-25 describe a picture of idyllic conditions during the millennial reign of Jesus on

earth? No. It is true this has to be describing conditions here on earth because it states death will still occur

in verse 20. So what is this passage dealing with? It is describing how the Jews would be living today, now

- if they had accepted the Messiah. They would be truly blessed of God, infant mortality would be

unknown, people would die no sooner than the age of 100, etc. The reason that this did not happen is

evident at the cross, the unbelief of Israel.

(5). HE COMES WITH ALL THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN.



But what of Zec 14:4, 5 and Jude 14. They both state that Jesus will come with saints. Doesn’t this prove

the saints are in heaven before the second coming? No, these are references to the third coming of Jesus,

when he does come with all the saints in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), but that is AFTER the 1000

years, for the great white throne judgment of all the resurrected wicked (Revelation 20:11).

Matthew 24 gives us the timing of the gathering or rapture of the saints - after the tribulation and after the

second coming. Verse 27 says He will come like lightning, the seven last plagues are the tribulation of

verse 29. Verse 30 is the second coming, with the angels of God gathering the righteous in verse 31. Now

notice verse 33-

Matthew 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

So clearly Matt 24 is relating events that would be happening shortly prior to the second coming of Jesus

and the gathering of the righteous, so-

(6). ALL THE RIGHTEOUS ARE GATHERED TOGETHER AFTER THE COMING IN THE CLOUDS

OF JESUS (THE SECOND COMING), THAT EVERY EYE WILL SEE - NOT BEFORE.

And in what form will Jesus return, in spirit, or in the flesh?

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received

him out of their sight.

Acts 1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them

in white apparel;

Acts 1:11 Which 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.

(7). HE WAS TAKEN TO HEAVEN IN THE FLESH, HE WILL RETURN IN THE FLESH.

What will He bring with Him when He returns?

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as

his work shall be.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For 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 [precede] them which are asleep.

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:

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.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1 Corinthians 15:52 In 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.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

(8). THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD ARE RAISED FIRST, THEN THE RIGHTEOUS LIVING ARE

TRANSFORMED, THEIR REWARD IS ETERNAL LIFE, RECEIVED AT THE SECOND COMING.

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In the Old Testament, the story of Israel’s bondage in Egypt is an example of the what will happen in the

end times.

The Plagues on Egypt

1. Exodus 7:17- Water to blood

2. Exodus 8:2- Frogs

3. Exodus 8:16- Lice

4. Exodus 8:21- Flies

5. Exodus 9:3 - Egyptian cattle died

6. Exodus 9:9- Boils

7. Exodus 9:18- Burning hail

8. Exodus 10:4- Locusts

9. Exodus 10:21- Darkness

10. Exodus 12:12- Judgment to be executed

..... Exodus 12:13- First born of Israel saved by the blood of the lamb.

....................... (the blood of the lamb represents the blood of Jesus)

The Secret Rapture Doctrine - Advent Prayer Warriors International ...

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