Shalom Dear Friends,
Raptured!
This month I would like to share a few comments about an important prophetic event: the Rapture of the Church. Before I go any further, let me share some background material. The events of the Rapture of the Church are described in three sections of Scripture. The Promise of the Rapture is revealed in John 14:1-3. The Process of the Rapture is described in 1 Thess. 4:13 18. Finally, the Physical Change associated with the Rapture is described in 1 Cor. 15:50-58. There are those in the Church who deny that a literal rapture of the saints will occur. At HaDavar we are oriented to the “plain sense” of Scripture and accept a literal rapture as the teaching of the Word of God.
In addition to the details of the event, we need to consider the timing of the Rapture. On this issue there are three basic positions, all relating to the relationship of the Rapture to the Tribulation period. Will the Rapture occur: 1) before the Tribulation period (pre-Tribulation Rapture), 2) at the mid-point of the Tribulation period (mid-Tribulation Rapture) or 3) at the end of the Tribulation Period (post-Tribulation Rapture). There is more to the doctrine than this short overview, but this will suffice for the purposes of this newsletter.
At HaDavar, we believe that the Scriptures teach a literal pre -Tribulation Rapture. I have encountered people in the past who accuse those of us who hold this position of “escapism.” My motives for believing in a pre-Tribulation Rapture have been personally challenged and presumed upon with this accusation, “You believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture because you are afraid of the Tribulation persecution and you want to be gone, to escape.” Hardly! My belief is developed from what the plain meaning of the biblical text teaches. My position is not based on fear, but on biblical fact. OK, enough of that.
What I want to talk about today is a new criticism of the pre- Tribulation Rapture position. This position accuses those who believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture of abandoning Israel. Here are some of the arguments.
- Embracing the pre-Tribulation Rapture means that we are planning to abandon the Jewish people just when they need us the most.
- We boast about the doctrine. Therefore, the Jewish people must think we are a bunch of traitors and hypocrites.
- The pre-Tribulation Rapture position makes our love for Israel conditional. How can we confess unconditional love and be ready to abandon them “in the twinkling of an eye.” We only love them until the times get tough.
- The pre-Tribulation Rapture is the creation of John Nelson Darby. He taught that the Jewish people would be returned to the Land and rebuild the Temple. Then they would re-establish the Mosaic Sacrifice. This would be incompatible with the Dispensation of Grace. His solution, the Rapture.
One advocate of the these arguments, Brian J. Hennessy, in The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition, June 2010, pages 18-19, explains his interpretive position that leads to these objections:
“… if Christian Zionism is anything, it is a deep emotional and spiritual identification with Israel and the Jewish people, an identification that surpasses theology [the emphasis here is mine] or rationalization.”
I have lots of concerns with his position. To begin with, it is not based on solid, literal exegesis of the text, but rather an “emotional and spiritual identification … that surpasses theology.” By “theology” I assume that he means the teachings of the Bible. Therefore, I understand him to mean that our emotional state is the basis for exegesis and trumps the plain meaning of the text. That is a dangerous position to take. Why? Let me quote Jeremiah 17:9—“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Our emotions are “deceitful and desperately sick.” I am not going to trust my understanding and practical application of the Bible to the guidance of my emotions. Objections #1 and #3 fall into the category of emotionalism, not exegesis of the text.
Objection #2 falls into the category of fear. Those who hold this position do so because they are afraid of what a Jewish person might be thinking. Let’s remember Proverbs 29:25— “The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” This is another dangerous position to be in. We need to stand by the plain meaning of the text even though it is an unpopular position to take.
Objection #4 is simply an “ad hominem” argument. It is an argument “against the man” not against the issue. In this case it is associating the Pre-Tribulation Rapture with a particular individual and claiming it is invalid because the individual is questionable or wrong. It is an appeal to prejudice, special interest or emotion rather than to intellect or reason. Instead, a critic needs to develop the text and explain the issue.
In summary:
- The Bible teaches a pre-tribulation rapture. If you feel that the Jewish people are being thrown to the wolves at the time of critical need, you need to take that up with God and not with those who adhere to consistent, grammatical, historical, cultural interpretation.
- Our understanding of the Bible is not determined by what we fear other people might think of us. It is determined by the plain meaning of the text, not by our various emotions, especially the emotion of fear.
- Attacking people is not a valid approach. We are to deal with the issue, which is the text of the Bible.
In closing, let me share that there will be support for the Jewish people during the Tribulation Period. That support will come from those who are saved during the Tribulation. We learn this from the “sheep and the goats judgment” of Matthew 25:32 46. The “sheep gentiles,” on the Messiah’s right, are blessed because they supported the Jewish people during the Tribulation. In contrast, the “goat gentiles,” on the Messiah’s left, are cursed because they persecuted the Jewish people. The Jewish people will not be abandoned by God due to the Rapture of the Church. The entire argument is based on a faulty and incomplete view of Scripture.
Thanks for being part of our ministry team.