Rapture: pre or post?
Barbara,
just so you’ll know, this is not directed ONLY to you, http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2008/barbarac123.htm but to anyone who is having 2nd doubts about the rapture being pre-trib! It is good to remind each other that we still have our blessed hope to
look forward to!! ~ that is what is meant by “comfort each other with the words
of our blessed hope”!! J
And
FTR, this is not getting into a big heated debate about it either ~ J but merely an opportunity to EXPLORE
Scriptures together. For you see, I
think when one takes the “pan” position (meaning it will all pan out in the
end) ~ that it can be considered a cop out because, that keeps one from
WATCHING for Jesus **NOW**!! I base
this, of course, on the many Scriptures where we are commended to keep watching
~ lest He comes upon us as a thief!!
Also
by not watching now – then is it not the same as saying in our hearts that
“Jesus delays His coming”?? And if so
~ check out the DANGERS of doing that!! [ref: Matt. 24 & Luke 12]
Plus,
in thinking the rapture is post-trib, this does nothing but inspires fear in a
lot of people…… and God’s perfect love casts out fear!! He did not GIVE us the spirit of fear!! ~ but of power and of love and of a sound
mind. [2 Tim 1:7] It’s very difficult to have a “sound mind”
when one thinks s/he’s going to have to ENDURE the worst time in all of human
history! ~ a mix of both God’s wrath & satan’s wrath all mixed together
& poured out on mankind in the tribulation.
Anyway,
the Scriptures you present: Rev 20:4-5
~ yes, those are the Christians (the ones who become Christians AFTER the
rapture!) who have to become martyrs in
order to get to heaven. That in fact,
will be extremely common during the tribulation. They will have the opportunity to “die for Him” then ~ much as we
have the opportunity to “live for Him” NOW! J
And
as far as Matt. 24:29-31 ~ I realize that can be somewhat confusing for lots of
people. The Lord talks about BOTH the
rapture AND the tribulation all combined in this one chapter & it can be
confusing until searched out. But just
like us: we will often talk about MANY
subjects in one conversation J & yet, in our minds, we see how all the
same subjects are “connected”. So when
talking about the END DAYS, it is very fitting the Lord would cover the rapture,
the 7 year tribulation, AND the gathering at the end of the tribulation all in
one conversation.
Perhaps the most misunderstood portion of
Matthew 24:29-31 is the phrase, "gather His elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other," Admittedly, I had trouble with this
statement before I searched the Scriptures. It does sound like the Rapture, at
first glance. But, if you're willing, come with me to several sites as we
explore the Bible passages that together clarify the meaning:
http://newsletters.cephasministry.com/rapture_matthew24.html
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg2371.htm
http://www.a-voice.org/library/jesus4.htm#24(23-31
Just
one last thought: when giving time to
listen to a post-trib believer/preacher like Irving Baxter, then NATURALLY he’s
going to get you believing it is post trib! Take Hank Hanegraff, for instance, ~ he dubs himself, “The Bible Answer
Man” ~ and yet, this guy does not believe in the rapture….. furthermore, he
says there will be NO trib at all!! Seems to me that the Bible Answer Man is going to have a LOT to answer
for.
There
is absolutely NOOOO WAY a person can “prepare” for the trib. Stocking food for 7 years? All it takes is one sweep of God’s breath by
a storm of any kind to knock it all out! And what about the neighbors who are starving & see others who are
not frantic with hunger? They’ll be
coming with guns – or with bare hands, they will kill someone just for a bite
of bread!!
The
trib will be horrid!! It will be like
taking the Dark Ages, the Middle Ages, civil wars, BOTH world wars &
combining them ALL INTO ONE!! Any
little kids around likely will be grabbed & eaten. [I’m not totally sold that ALL kids get
raptured….] Zoo animals ~ same
thing!
We
have faith enough in the Lord to SAVE us to start with….. can we not have faith
enough in Him to give us escape from all these things that are to come upon the
world ~ by way of the rapture being pre-trib? [Luke 21:36]
Jesus
IS coming ~ and by the signs, He will be here EXTREMELY soon!! Let’s make every moment count for all eternity…..
setting out to bring Him glory in all things: our actions, words, deeds, thoughts ~ even as something as daily &
ordinary as eating & drinking, let it be done to His Glory! [thus, my posting handle: 1 Cor 10:31!] J
As
for me & my house, we are going to be WATCHING for Him!! We are reminded repeatedly that for those
who will NOT watch, He will be coming as a thief!! [that’s a THIEF!! ~ not a “kidnapper”!!]
Watching
~ waiting ~ working ~ worshipping!! ~
TTTT!!! ßtill the trumpet
toots!}
Amen,
even so, Come Lord Jesus!!
Reva