Pre-Tirb. Or Pre Wrath? - Study 4

"PRE-TIRB. OR PRE WRATH?" Study Three

Matt. 24:1-51

"THE DISPENSATIONAL METHOD"

Almost every person who has studied the Bible to any length is familiar to some

degree with the dispensational method of Bible interpretation. The Scofield Study Bible

gives the following definition for a dispensation: "A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God."

Three important concepts are implied in this definition: (1) There is a divine

revelation concerning the will of God that has to do with man’s conduct and actions. (2)

Man is held to be a steward of this revelation in which he is obligated to obey it; and (3)

There is a time period called an ’age’ which begins in glory and ends in the judgment of

God. " While this is not a study of dispensations, it is pertinent to understanding our

topic, so, let me name them as I understand them:

There are 7 or 8 depending on what book you read:

(1) INNOCENCE, from creation of man to the fall;

(2) CONSCIENCE (Moral responsibility) from the fall of Adam to after the flood;

(3) HUMAN GOVERNMENT; from Noah to Abraham;

(4) PROMISE; from Abraham to Mt. Sinai;

(5) LAW; from Mt. Sinai to the Cross;

(6) CHURCH; from the Cross to the kingdom;

(7) KINGDOM; the 1,000 years reign of Christ on earth.

(8) ETERNAL; (some do not consider this an age but the Bible does refer to this as

- "The eternal Ages" see Eph. 2:7 and 2:21).

In light of this, here is the reasoning of the dispensational teaching about the

pre-tribulation coming of Christ. In Daniel 9:20-27, there is the prophecy about the

seventy week (or weeks of years, or 490 years). It is the last week that has not been yet

fulfilled. In verse 24, Daniel says that these seventy weeks are determined upon thy people (the nation Israel). Therefore, since these 7 years are a part of the other 483 years and the other 483 years are under the law dispensation - then, God must revert back to the law dispensation for these last seven years. Therefore, since it is the law dispensation and not the church dispensation, the church will not be here. In other words, these last seven years pertain to the nation of Israel and not to the church.

In light of the fact that there is not one verse that teaches that the church will be taken out this is a pretty weak argument. Also, if you teach that the church did not have

its beginning before the day of Pentecost; then, you could say that all of the four gospels

are talking to the nation Israel and not to the church. So, dispensationally, Jesus was

giving instructions to Israel and not to the church in Matthew 24 & Mark 13 & Luke 21. I

do not have the time nor space in this little book to take up all the teaching of Scripture

that prove that the church did exist before the day of Pentecost and that our Lord did begin

His church during His personal ministry; so let the following points be considered: (1) The

disciples, before the day of Pentecost, performed every function of a New Testament

church. They preached the gospel, made converts, baptized those converts, observed the

Lord’s supper, and practiced church discipline. They had the offices set in the church. For

example, in I Corinthians 12:28 it says, "And God hath set some in the church: first

Apostles. second prophets. third teachers; after that miracles. then gifts of healing. helps.

governments. diversities of tongues. "

Now, it shouldn’t take someone long to figure this out; if you can find the place where

God set something in the church, then the church must have been there. What did God set

in the church first? He set apostles first (I Cor. 12:28). If we can go to the place where the

Apostles were set in the church, then, the church must have been in existence for it to be

set in it. If I set a gallon of milk in the refrigerator, it is certain that the refrigerator must

be there before I can set it on the shelf. Look at Luke 6:13, ’’And when it was

day. he called unto him his disciples (or the church); and of them he chose twelve. who

also he named apostles. " Now if Jesus set the apostles in the church here in Luke 6: 13

(and He did because the Scripture says He did) then, the church had to be there.

Another argument for the Pre-tribulation position is "The tribulation is a time of

punishment for the earth, and the Lord loves the church to much to let her suffer through