THE VIEW FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – Study #3 (Jesus’ Great Prophetic Sermon)

            

Jesus let His disciples know that the first half of the coming period of Tribulation would hit the world hard, but Israel would not be affected like others would be. He said, “you (Israel) will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars, see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end” (Matt. 24:6). It is probable that the treaty Israel signed with the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27), which starts the 7 years of the Tribulation, will afford Israel a measure of protection from these events. However, Jesus went on to say: “then they will deliver you (Israel) to tribulation” (24:9). This dramatic change will take place because of the events at the middle of the Tribulation, highlighted by the “abomination of desolation” (24:15). Half-way into the Tribulation, it becomes a very different world for the people of Israel.    

     Jesus then focused on the second half of the Tribulation and on His coming in power and glory, which will bring the Tribulation to an end. He had briefly mentioned the second half in His message, but now He would give it greater detail.                                                   

• More on the Second Half of the Tribulation – Matthew 24:16-24

• The Worst of the “Birth Pains”.  The last 3½ years of the Tribulation are far worse for Israel, but also for the entire world. The outpouring of God’s wrath, combined with the persecution of God’s people by Satan and his forces, make this a time of death unlike any in human history. Jesus said that “unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved” (Matt. 24:22). Jesus was not saying that God will suddenly realize how terrible this time is and decide to shorten them from the 3½ years to some lesser amount of time. Rather He is stating that the omniscient God limited these most horrible of days to 3½ years instead of the entire seven years, or some longer period such as 14 years (two “weeks” of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks”). The Apostle John would later reveal in the Book of Revelation that perhaps as many as 80% will perish in the Tribulation period. If the 80% figure is correct, that would mean that some 6 billion human beings will die during this 7-year period. This is, for sure, the worst of times.

• Powerful Supernatural Displays from God and Satan. One of the unique aspects of this 7-year period is the immense display of the supernatural. This will not be “business as usual” on planet earth. God’s servants will be authenticated through signs and miracles, but Satan’s servants will be able to do amazing supernatural wonders as well. Jesus observed that “false Christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (24:24). He was pointing out two basic facts about their miracle working: (1) they will be “great” miracles, not some slight-of-hand tricks like pulling rabbits out of hats, and (2) they will be deceptive, even having the potential of fooling God’s own people. It is probable that these miracles worked by Satan’s followers will resemble the miracles worked by Jesus, as recorded in the gospels. Would it not be amazing to be in a large stadium and have the Antichrist take a hotdog and glass of Pepsi and satisfy the hunger of some 75,000 people?  The Apostle Paul agrees that the Antichrist will be a miracle worker. He noted that the Antichrist is “the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders and with all the deception of wickedness” (2 Thes. 2:9-10). And John reveals that the Evil One will be the source of the Antichrist’s miracles in the coming Tribulation (Rev. 13:2). Jesus, John, and Paul agree that powerful, supernatural wonders will be performed by Satan’s followers which will deceive multitudes of people.                                      

God will be validating the message of His servants throughout the Tribulation period, as with the Two Witnesses, who have extraordinary powers, resembling those of Elijah and Moses (Rev. 11:5-6). God’s supernatural judgments will take place during the entire period. It is clear to all that these are miracles of God and not some bad set of circumstances (e.g. Rev. 16:9, 11, 21). The outpouring of supernatural signs, miracles and wonders will be so abundant that it is unlikely that any atheists or agnostics remain on the earth. The issue will not be “is there a God?”, but rather will I follow Christ or follow the Antichrist. The outpouring of the supernatural marks these days as unique in human history.

• Great Persecution of National Israel.  Jesus warned the people of Israel that when the “abomination of desolation” is set up in the Temple’s holy place, they are to quickly get out of Jerusalem and Israel (24:15-21). It is then that the Antichrist will cease being their protector, but will become their persecutor. At that same moment, Satan will be forcibly removed from heaven (Rev. 12:7-13) and will be confined to the earth where he will with great wrath begin trying to destroy Israel. As Jesus spoke about the attempt to destroy Israel, He most likely had Zechariah 12:1-9 and 14:12-15 in mind which brings the second half of the Tribulation to a climax. The world has always been plagued with antisemitism, but nothing to this degree.

• Israel Enters the New Covenant.  The main reason for the Tribulation is to save the people of Israel. And they shall be saved, not because they deserve it but because God had made an unconditional covenant with them. He committed Himself to saving Israel. As the Tribulation comes to an end, the “elect” will be gathered from all over the earth to Israel. There is a rich Old Testament background to 24:31. Israel is the “elect” and God brings these redeemed Israelites back to the Land (e.g. Deut. 30:2-10; Jer. 31:10-12, 31-40). God will fulfill His goal of saving Israel. The Apostle Paul plainly declares that “all Israel shall be saved, just as it is written, ‘the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins…the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable’” (Rom 11:25-27). Finally, two millennia after Jesus died on the Cross, Israel will look on the One who they pierced and will come to Him in faith and receive God’s great salvation (Zech. 12:10-14), fulfilling the Tribulation’s purpose. 

• The Second Coming of Christ to the Earth – Matthew 24:25-31

• Jesus’ Return in Power and Glory. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth is very different from His first coming. His first coming was quiet, without any obvious displays of power or evidence of glory. Isaiah spoke of His first coming as one who was despised, unattractive, not esteemed, without status and “like one from whom men hide their face” (Isa. 53:2-3). Aside from the experience of three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, the glory of Jesus was not seen by man. But the Second Coming will be just the opposite. Jesus said that when He comes back, there will be no doubting it, as He will come in power and great glory (24:25-27, 30). Even the worst theologians on the planet will fully understand that Jesus Messiah has come back, and this time with overwhelming displays of glory and evidence of power. 

• The “Sign” of the Son of Man. Just before and in connection with Jesus’ Second Coming, there will be a sign in the heavens. It will unmistakably point to His return and it will be seen everywhere in the world (24:30). Even the hardened unbeliever will understand what the sign means: that Jesus is now returning. They mourn because they know that their day is over. They have been weighed on God’s scale and have been found wanting. Jesus does not specifically state what the “sign” will look like. It could well be that the sign is the appearance of the “shekinah,” the glory that declares the presence of God. The “shekinah” was over the Tabernacle that Moses built, and reminded Israel that God was with them. It is very possible that the “star of Bethlehem” was an appearance of the “shekinah.” And it is possible that the glory of God is something which even the basest of men recognize. In any case, man’s day is over, and it will then be time to finally establish the long-awaited messianic kingdom. Jesus returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. What a day that will be, and we believers in Jesus will be there and part of this grand event.             Church Age                                       

FINAL THOUGHTS. In answer to the disciples’ questions, Jesus gave a brief overview of end time events, drawing on truths found in the Old Testament. His discourse is a reminder that God is fully in control of what is happening on planet earth. His plans are not thwarted and they will not be delayed by evil men or by the Evil One. He will judge the wicked and He will save multitudes of Jews and gentiles.

But Jesus’ discourse was far from completed. He was very interested that His followers take these truths of future events and allow them to adjust the way they think and live in the present. He does this by giving six intriguing parables, some of which are hotly debated as to their meaning. They are an exhortation to always be ready for His appearing, and not to become distracted by events or persons in this world. These six parables will be the focus of our final study in Christ’ “Olivet Discourse.” 

THE VIEW FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES Study #2

 

When Jesus declared that the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed, His disciples naturally wanted to know the details. The Lord Jesus and four of the disciples sat down on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem, and Jesus answered their questions. The disciples’ questions were about Temple destruction and Jesus’ Second Coming. The questions related to the people and nation of Israel. The disciples did not inquire about gentiles or the church, and in His answers, Jesus did not talk about them either.

In the first study, it was suggested that there are three interpretive matters that must be kept in mind when studying this Olivet Discourse. (1) The questions and answers found in this discourse are concerning Israel, not the church and not gentiles. (2) The word “you” which Jesus used many times always refers to Israel; Israel as represented by one group or another within Israel. (3) The events and judgments of the Tribulation are unique in their intensity, and therefore, they must not be interpreted as they occur in today’s world. With these in mind, we will approach Jesus’ teaching.

There are really three distinct parts to the Tribulation: (1) the first half of the Tribulation; (2) the mid-point of the Tribulation; and (3) the second half of the Tribulation. Our study will look at these three divisions of the Tribulation.  

• The First Half of the Tribulation – Matthew 24:4-8

• Daniel’s Prophecy of the 70 Weeks. This O.T. prophecy (Dan. 9:24-27) is the foundation on which much N.T. prophetic truth is based. In Daniel 9, the 7 final years are neatly divided into two periods of 3½ years each, but that the second 3½ years will be much worse. Jesus follows this pattern in His prophetic discourse, even calling the second half “the tribulation, the great one.”   

• The “Birth Pains.”  As Jesus began describing the judgments of the Tribulation, He referred to them as “birth pains” (Matt. 24:8).  This is a concept that is found in several of the O.T. prophets, such as Isaiah 13:8 and Jeremiah 30:7-9. “Birth pains” alert the mother-to-be that the baby’s birth is coming soon. The judgments of the Tribulation (the “birth pains”) reveal that the “birthing” of the messianic age is coming soon. There are two realities that characterize “birth pains.”  First, as the time for the birth gets closer, there is less time between the birth pains. They come faster and closer together. And second, the pains become more intense as the moment of birth approaches. Normally, the last birth pains are more severe than the first ones. This will be the case in the matter of Tribulation judgments. And this is what is seen when the Book of Revelation is analyzed. The final judgments of the Tribulation are far more “painful” than the first ones and they come closer and closer together. 

   As was discussed in the first study, the judgments of the Tribulation, such as earthquakes and pandemics, should not be understood as we experience these events now. The intensity of all these in the Tribulation will be far beyond what takes place today. Revelation 6:8 reveals that a minimum of 25% of the world’s population will die during the first half of the Tribulation. Based on the population of planet earth right now, that would be about 2 billion people who perish. There has never been anything like that in human history. 

• False Teachers and Counterfeit Messiahs.  When difficult times come, people are fearful and desperate for answers, and this opens them up for all kinds of deceptions. The Tribulation certainly qualifies as a difficult time. At that time of chaos, people will be gripped by uncertainty and fear. The result will be that they are easily fooled by those claiming to have the answers. Many will claim to be an authoritative teacher sent from God or some messiah-figure. Jesus warned Israel of their vulnerability in that future day. And even today, when the times become ominous, coming in the form of economic uncertainty, political unrest or national conflicts, there are those who deceive, claiming to have the word from God and to be God’s representative. Jesus says “watch out for them.”

• Outlined by Jesus, Detailed by John.  In this discourse, Jesus spoke in general terms of wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and great signs from heaven. These will be experienced in the first half of the Tribulation. They are the beginning of the “birth pains.” The Apostle John, who was with Jesus that day on the Mount of Olives, would be the one chosen some 60 years later to give the details of these matters in Revelation; specifically, the “seal judgments” found in Revelation 6. 

• The Second Half of the Tribulation – Matthew 24:9-14

• Great Persecution. As one looks at biblical prophecy, it is essential to remember that the Tribulation period is primarily a battle for the souls of men. God wishes to save people, and the Evil One desires to destroy them if they will not come and worship him. Those who refuse to worship Satan and Antichrist will be the targets of satanic hatred throughout the seven years. Jesus said, “then they will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you…and at that time, many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another (Matt. 24:9-10). Both Daniel and Revelation reveal that this persecution will be highly effective, resulting in the deaths of a multitude of God’s people.

• Great Salvation. The Tribulation is a time of salvation. Jesus made the interesting point that many Jewish people will be persecuted because they now identify with Jesus (24:9). Israel has long been hated and persecuted but never because they identify with Jesus Messiah. Salvation is coming to Israel in the second half of the Tribulation and will climax at the Second Coming. Also, it is important to note that during the Tribulation period the gospel will go to every person on the planet (24:14). This has never happened before, and it will result in millions of people from Israel and the gentile nations coming to faith in Jesus (see Rev. 7:9-14). God will save a multitude, making this the greatest time of salvation in all of human history.

• The Mid-Point of the Tribulation – Matthew 24:15

• The Sign: The “Abomination of Desolation”. The disciples had wanted Jesus to give them a sign that would alert them to the coming of the end time events. In 24:15, Jesus declared that “the sign” would be the “abomination of desolation” which Daniel had spoken about. This term “abomination of desolation” speaks of the ultimate defilement of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. When this desecration of the Temple takes place, then Israel will know that those end time events and the coming of Jesus are about to occur. The Apostle Paul speaks of this defilement when the Antichrist will set himself up as “god” in the temple (2 Thes. 2:4). In His discourse, Jesus spoke of many events and wonders, but the “abomination of desolation” is the one unmistakable sign. Obviously, there must be a Jewish temple in Jerusalem for this to take place. Daniel, Paul, John, and Jesus all teach that once again there will be a temple on the “temple mount” in Jerusalem. Jews, in Israel today, are preparing for such a temple. This is not wishful thinking on their part, but they are a part of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. And while we cannot say how Israel will get back the temple mount, they will. And it may be that the Antichrist will play a part in getting back that sacred piece of real estate.

• Major Mid-Point Events. Jesus’ only point about the middle point of the Tribulation was the matter of the “abomination of desolation.” However, there are other important events that will take place at the mid-point, which will dramatically change the Tribulation for Israel from unpleasant to extremely bad. These will just be listed, since they are not part of Jesus’ prophetic discourse.

• Satan is removed from heaven and confined to the earth (Rev. 12). This event will fuel the fire of Satan’s hatred for Israel and all those who follow Jesus.

• Jewish temple worship will end. It is not known how long the Jews will have had their worship in the new temple, but it will end at the mid-point.

• The end of all religions. The “great harlot” religious system (Rev. 17) and all religions will end. There will be just one worship system allowed; that is the worship of Satan and Antichrist. (Rev. 13).

• Three times it is said that the Antichrist will be killed but will return to life (Rev. 13). This return to life is not in a resurrection body, but is such an amazing event that it will cause the world to worship him. 

IN CONCLUSION. Our next study will pick up where we have left off. Jesus was quite concerned that His followers would take this truth and let it impact their lives right now. He wanted them to always be alert and prepared for His coming. He knew that we can grow apathetic and even weary. He does not want us to be caught off guard when He returns. Delay is not a denial of His return. As we live, we are to keep one eye heavenward. This is what pleases and honors the Lord Jesus. And this is what helps us keep a proper perspective in our lives today.

THE VIEW FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES (Jesus’ Great Prophetic Sermon)

All Scripture is “God-breathed” and is, therefore, valuable for teaching us and correcting us. No Scripture is more inspired than any other. We know that the words of the Apostle Paul, or the prophet Isaiah, are equally inspired as the words of Jesus. But it does seem that people sit up straighter and listen more carefully when it is Jesus that is speaking. And perhaps this is one reason why Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse” has taken on greater interest in the matter of biblical prophecy.

Our plan is to take the next few Scofield Prophecy Studies and carefully explore this important prophetic teaching given by Jesus. Jesus will give basic facts about the future, but His emphasis is on application. About 75% of this discourse is an application of His prophetic teachings, which gives us insights into the purposes of prophecy.

THE THREE BASIC PURPOSES FOR BIBLICAL PROPHECY

God did not reveal truths about future events simply to satisfy our natural curiosity about such things. There are basically three reasons for biblical prophecy. First, prophecy reminds us that God is sovereign over all creation. We can get overwhelmed by the presence and power of evil that is manifested in leaders, nations, and even the folks down the street. It seems that life today is out of control. We can have a sense of being helpless and hopeless. But that is not reality for the believer. God’s plans and purposes are set in place, and He will do what He wants to do when He wants to do it. God is not intimidated nor is He impressed by rebellious people. Psalm 2 states that “He who sits in the heavens laughs, He scoffs at them. He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His anger.” Psalm 2 goes on to say that the Father has already established the Son as ruler of the earth (Psa. 2:4-9). Those end time events are future to us but they are a “done deal” as far as God is concerned. Isaiah 40:12-26 adds to Psalm 2, giving a perspective on God’s sovereignty over the “powerful” nations of the earth. Second, prophecy is given to impact us TODAY. When we learn about future events and believe the Bible’s teachings, we develop a “two-world” view; living faithfully in this world, but with an eye on the world to come. Our decisions and choices become more in line with the Lord’s standards. We become less likely to let sin take root in our lives, but quickly confess when we do sin (1 John 2:28-3:3; 2 Peter 3:10-14). Prophecy helps us live godly lives. And third, prophecy reveals the terrible fate of those who do not accept God’s gracious offer of salvation through Jesus. The person who does not place their faith in Jesus Christ is forever separated from God, experiencing nothing of the grace of God. They will be in the condition of “eternal ruin” (2 Thess. 1:9). It will be like being eternally depressed; where life has no meaning at all and there is absolutely no hope of things changing. And, as most are aware, they will be put into a place called the “lake of fire,” which is a place of torment (Rev. 20:14-16). What they experience is terrible, and what they do not experience is terrible also. And this condition is “eternal” (Matt. 25:46). 

THE SETTING OF JESUS’ OLIVET DISCOURSE

• The Time of the Sermon in the Life of Jesus. Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse on Tuesday afternoon of the “passion week.” While in the Jerusalem Temple that day, the disciples pointed out certain impressive features of the Temple. Jesus surprisingly declared that the Temple was going to be completely destroyed. This naturally caused the disciples to raise some questions about Jesus’ comment. As Jesus and four of His disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) exited on the east side of the Temple, they went up onto the Mount of Olives where Jesus would answer their questions and would set forth in general terms, the outline of future events.

• The Spiritual Condition of the Nation of Israel. Before they left the Temple and went to the Mount of Olives, Jesus had given the most blistering denunciation of Israel’s religious leaders. Seven times Jesus charged them with being “hypocrites” (Matt. 23:1-29). (The word hupocritos, was used of actors on the stage. Actors pretend to be something they are not. The religious leaders pretended to be holy and lovers of God, but it was just an act). Jesus called them “blind guides'' since they led the people away from God and turned them into “sons of hell.” These leaders had led Israel into the rejection of their own prophesied Messiah, and so committed the greatest sin in the history of Israel. The leaders and those who followed them would now experience the judgment of God. That generation in Israel was doomed, though individuals could still save themselves from this fate. This was an emphasis of the Apostle Peter on the “day of Pentecost” (Acts 2:40). That generation was in serious trouble as the clouds of judgment were forming on the horizon. It must be remembered that this judgment was on that generation of Israelites and was not a rejection of God’s covenantal relationship with national Israel. That generation would be judged, but God would be faithful to His promises and bring about fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.

THREE KEYS IN INTERPRETING THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

1. The Questions of the Four Disciples. The gospels record the questions of the Apostles, which focused on the destruction of the Temple and on the Second Coming. Their questions assumed that they thought the Temple destruction and Christ’s coming would be at the same time. However, as Jesus answered their questions, He made it clear that those two events were separate from one another. Luke records the answer to the destruction of the Temple, which took place in A.D. 70. Matthew gives the answer to the question about Jesus’ return and the sign of that return.  What is essential to observe concerning the disciples’ questions is that they were about the future of Israel; Israel’s land, Temple and Messiah. The Apostles were not asking about gentiles nor were they asking about the church. Their knowledge of the church was almost non-existent. Months earlier, Jesus had stated: “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). But there is no indication that the Apostles understood what that meant or even that they wanted to know more. Therefore, when analyzing the Olivet Discourse, the subject matter relates to Israel alone. This will apply to the heart of the discourse as well as the six parables where application is made. This is about Israel.

2. The Constant Use of the Word “YOU.” Jesus used the word “you” many times in Matthew 23-25. Who was He talking about? Fundamentally, “you” refers to Israel, but there is more to it. It is not possible to look at every use of “you,” but the following are good examples which will lead us to an understanding of who Jesus was talking to.

• 23:34 – the evil religious leaders are the ones being spoken to. They have rejected Messiah Jesus and they will continue persecuting those sent by God.

• 23:35 – the “you” looks back centuries to the killing of God’s prophet by leaders of Israel from an earlier generation. Obviously, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not do the killing.

• 23:37 – here the “you” refers to all of the nation of Israel who were rejecting Jesus Messiah. It is not just the leaders but also the people who are following them.

• 23:39 – a future generation of Israelites will come to faith in Jesus. “You” will believe in Him, and this is the prerequisite for Christ's Second Coming.

• 24:2 – At that moment Jesus is speaking to His men; they are the “you.”

• 24:6 – Jesus is speaking about the early days of the future Tribulation when “you” will be hearing of various judgments. This is a future generation.

• 24:9 – a future generation who believes in Jesus in the Tribulation.

• 24:15, 33 – “You” will see the ‘abomination of desolation’. “You” will see all the signs of the Tribulation. Again, this is a future generation of Israelites.

In each case, “you” is speaking of Israel, as represented by different groups in Israel, over centuries of time. “You” never refers to gentiles or to the church.

3. The Uniqueness of the Tribulation Period. The O.T. prophets saw the Tribulation period as unique (see Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7; Joel 2:2). And Jesus stated the same thing. It would be the absolute worst of times (Matt. 24:21). When Jesus speaks of famines, diseases, earthquakes and even war, we must not see these as similar in intensity and/or location to what goes on in the world today. For example, earthquakes in the Tribulation cause every mountain and island to be moved out of their places (Rev. 6:15; 16:18, 20). Those earthquakes are not along fault lines but the whole crust of the earth is reshaped. Today’s famines, pandemics, earthquakes, etc. are not the same intensity of those in the Tribulation. They are distinct. This reality should keep us from thinking that the Tribulation is just more of the same or even that these things in our day are signs of the nearness of the Tribulation. They are not.  With these basic interpretive guidelines in place, our next study will be on the coming 7 years of Tribulation on this earth. You might find it profitable to read and re-read Matthew 24 and 25 before our second study.

THE COMING YEAR and THE COMING RAPTURE

 

When we hang that new 2024 calendar on the wall or door, we tend to wonder, at least momentarily, what the new year might bring. For many Bible believers, included in that wondering is whether we might exit the earth via the Rapture. Will we meet Jesus in the air sometime in 2024? And this is a good thing for us to think about. The rapture could, of course, happen in 2024 given that the world looks a lot like the world of the end of times.

     What has caught my attention this year is the number of pastors and Bible teachers who have come out to deny that there is such an event as the Rapture. In looking at their many objections to the rapture, there are four common ones. But why should we spend any time thinking about these? Partly because we need to know why we believe something and be able to give a reasonable response to these objections. We will do this briefly and then end this article with a review of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. How would you respond to these four common objections to the concept of the rapture?

1. The Bible does not teach a secret, silent coming of Christ. Their point is that Christ’s coming is one that is anything but silent and secret. It is an event that all in the world would know about. They are thinking about Second Coming scriptures. And while some who believe in the rapture event have seen it as secret and silent, the Scriptures do not teach that. In fact, Paul says (1 Thes. 4:16) that there will be three rather loud sounds in connection with the rapture: namely, the shout of Jesus, probably commanding the dead in Christ to come forth (John 5:25); the blast of God’s trumpet; and the voice of Michael the Archangel, perhaps shouting out a word of victory as the church saints pass through the air which is the domain of Satan. It is quite likely that unsaved people will be aware that something momentous has happened but they will not understand its significance. Perhaps it will be like the event on the road to Damascus when Saul met the glorified Christ. Those with Saul/Paul knew something had happened but did not understand it. Since most do not teach that the rapture is a silent event, this objection carries little weight.

2. The rapture doctrine is new and was not taught throughout the history of the church. The contention is that the rapture doctrine began around 1830 being formulated by J.N. Darby, based on a vision of one Margaret MacDonald. Darby is seen as the father of both the pre-tribulation rapture and the dispensational approach to biblical interpretation. The basic assumption is that if it is “new” then it is most likely not true. Of course, the issue is not newness but rather if a doctrine is true to the Word of God. 

This objection fails to remember that there has always been development of doctrines in the life of the church. Each era of church history has been occupied with a particular doctrinal discussion which has brought about refinement of the details within that doctrine. The discussions go on until there is clarity. As a recent example, take the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and His ministries. Around 1900, the modern charismatic movement was born and this brought about much debate on the matters of being filled with Spirit, speaking in tongues, prophesying, anointing and many other details within the area of Pneumatology. As a result, there emerged a much more defined doctrine of the Holy Spirit. In eschatology (future things), within the last century and a half there has been much attention to detail and great refinement within this doctrinal area. Many “new” subjects within eschatology have been proposed. But the issue is not is it old or new, but “is this what the Bible teaches?” 

        But getting back to MacDonald and Darby. Margaret MacDonald, whose revelation, and sanity are both suspect, was not the source of Darby’s pre-tribulation rapture view. Her rapture views are unclear and there is no evidence that Darby knew her. The idea that there was a rapture which came before the Second Coming was something seen long before Darby. It was Darby, however, who developed and refined the pre-tribulation rapture view based on his study of Scripture. There is clear evidence that others, long before Darby, had suggested that there was a rapture that was distinct from and prior to the Second Coming.

• In 1687, Peter Jurieu, in his book “Approaching Deliverance of the Church” taught that Christ would come and rapture His church out of the world before Armageddon and then would come again in glory.

• Commentaries by Philip Doddridge (1738) and John Gill (1748) spoke of the rapture as an imminent event. Both believed the rapture came before Christ’s coming to the earth at His Second Coming. The purpose of Christ’s coming for His church was to preserve it from the time of judgment.

• James MacKnight (1763) and Thomas Scott (1792) did not give a detailed chronology of future events but did see a distinction between the rapture and the Second Coming.

• Others would follow. But why were some now seeing a rapture that was distinct from the Second Coming? The answer is that the church was beginning to leave centuries of the spiritualization of Bible prophecy and to return to a literal approach in the interpretation of Scriptures. Literal interpretation leads to these observations.

• Somewhere in the 4th to 7th century, more than a thousand years before Darby, the writings of one known as “Pseudo-Ephraem” spoke of the saints being taken from the earth before the time of tribulation judgments and the Second Coming. 

So, these examples that we know about certainly tell us that J.N. Darby was not the first expositor to see a rapture and Second Coming as distinct events.

3. Jesus never taught a rapture event in His prophetic teaching. The point that is made is that in Luke 17 and Matthew 24 Jesus spoke of “two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left, two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left” (Matt. 24:40-41). These who are taken are not raptured but are taken in judgment. And in the contexts that is a correct understanding. These are not rapture passages, but passages that speak about coming judgment. At the time of this prophetic discourse Jesus had not yet spoken to His apostles about the rapture. (I believe He hinted at it in John 14, but even that was after these discourses). And when the disciples asked Jesus about future events, they knew nothing about the rapture and were asking questions about His Second Coming and what would happen to Israel. The rapture was an unknown subject at that point in time. It should be remembered, however, that Paul does say that he got his rapture teaching from Jesus (1 Thes. 4:15), probably in those years of instruction in Arabia right after his conversion.

4. The rapture doctrine has diverted Christians from seriously working to bring about God’s restoration of all things and has given them an escapist mentality. It might be true that some believing in the rapture have gone to live in their theological bunkers and have not engaged the needy world. But this objection reflects a post-millennial theology where the church will bring about the Christianization of the world and prepare the world for Jesus’ Second Coming. The church will not clean up the world and make it ready for Jesus to come again. Jesus will take care of the world when He returns. But many believers, looking for Jesus’ return at the rapture, are seriously engaged and motivated in serving Christ and sharing the gospel in this world.

A Quick Review of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

As most of our readers know, this portion of Scripture is the central passage on the doctrine of the rapture. Here are the essential teachings in these verses.

1. CONTEXT. The believers at Thessalonica were deeply concerned that the believers who had recently died (“fallen asleep”) would miss out on the rapture. They are assured that believers who had died, and were with Jesus, would be a part of the rapture, sequentially rising first.

2. RAPTURE TRUTH COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE LORD. Paul’s discussion is based squarely on that which Paul received from Jesus.

3. JESUS HIMSELF COMES TO GET HIS BRIDE (CHURCH). Following the marriage ritual of that time, Jesus, the bridegroom, comes to get His bride and to return to the Father’s house where the wedding will take place (John 14:1-3). In Revelation 19, the scene is in heaven and this is where the wedding will take place. It is before the Second Coming. The bride is there, which means that every church age believer will be there. (There is no wedding if only 2/3 or 7/10 of the bride is there!). The rapture is a very personal moment for Jesus because He comes to get His bride. The word “Parousia '' is used for this coming at the rapture (4:15). There are three primary words used in the New Testament for the Lord’s return: (parousia—“coming”); (apocalupsis---“revealing, unveiling”); and (epiphania---"appearing”). Some have tried to use these words to prove some theological point, but they are not technical terms and cannot be used that way. The text is simply saying that Jesus will come and take His bride with Him, so she may be where He is.

4. PAUL PUTS HIMSELF AMONG THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE AT THE RAPTURE. Twice Paul speaks of himself as among the living at the rapture. A plain reading of the text shows that the rapture was an imminent event, possibly occurring in Paul’s lifetime.

5. THE RAPTURE INVOLVES THOSE WHO ARE “IN CHRIST.” Being “in Christ” meant being in the church, the body of Christ. Old Testament believers and the unsaved are not “in Christ” and will not be participants in the rapture. The rapture is for believers of the church age.

6. SOUNDS OF THE RAPTURE. As noted earlier, there are three sounds (4:16) that are part of the rapture event. There is a high probability that these sounds will be heard worldwide. The rapture may be unexpected, but it is neither secret or silent.

7. THE CHURCH WILL BE “CAUGHT UP” TO MEET JESUS IN THE AIR. Jesus will snatch away His bride out of the world. The word used is “harpazo”, and it conveys the idea of a force that is suddenly exercised to snatch something away, and it is an irresistible force. The Latin word is rapturo, which is where the word “rapture” comes from. Jesus will snatch up the church to meet Him in the air but He does not return to the earth at this time. And it is in the clouds of glory, in the air, that we meet Him. No such thing takes place in passages that speak of Christ’s Second Coming.

8. BELIEVERS WILL PERMANENTLY BE WITH THE LORD. Once the rapture takes place, the church age believers will never be separated from the Lord. The marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8) pictures this permanent relationship. From the rapture onward, where Jesus goes, His bride goes.

9. THE RAPTURE TRUTH IS A TRUTH TO BRING COMFORT TO THE BELIEVER. The truth that Jesus is coming for us is designed to encourage believers. The knowledge that we are not abandoned and that we will again be with our believing loved ones brings such comfort. The rapture doctrine reminds us that our best days are yet ahead of us. As the darkness deepens in our world, this doctrine gives us perspective and is an encouragement to us to be a light for the Savior who is coming for us. And as we again think about the rapture, believers need to ask “do I love His appearing.” In other words, do we long to see the Savior?