INTRODUCTION:
No one knew when the “Rapture” would come!!! However, the multitudes which were taken were ready. They had repented of their sins and placed 100% of their trust in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Their sudden removal has caused the mysterious world crisis, confusion and panic, such as:
Is this fact or fiction?
Can the events described above really happen?
Is it wishful thinking for the Christian and fearful concern of the sinner?
Does the Bible really teach that Jesus Christ will come again and take His Church away?
Are we headed for, or in, what is known as “The Last Days”?
I. ISSUES TO CONSIDER BEFORE GETTING STARTED
A. Avoidance of Bible Prophecy
1. Prophecy Scares Some People
2. Understanding Prophecy Requires Extensive Effort
3. There is much confusion surrounding Biblical prophecy.
B. The Importance Of Bible Prophecy
1. Old Testament Prophecy points to Christ’s first and second coming.
2. New Testament Prophecy points to Christ’s future return.
3. Biblical Prophecy edifies, builds faith, comforts Christians.
C. Some interesting facts concerning Bible prophecy:
1. * Estimated over 1845 references to the Second Coming of Christ in the O. T.
2. * 17 Old Testament books give the Second Coming prominence.
3. * In the New Testament’s 260 chapters, there are 318 references to
the Second Coming of Christ.
4. * This is one 1 out of every 30 verses! 23 of the 27 New Testament books
refer to this great event.
5. * For every prophecy concerning the birth of Christ there are 8 looking
forward to His return!
D. God has placed much emphasis upon prophecy in the Bible, so we as Christians
can discern the times and what God says about the future.
E. Miscellaneous
1. * There is a growing hunger in society to know the future - give examples.
2. * I read where 62% of Americans believe Jesus Christ will return someday.
3. * We "sense" something happening globally, supernaturally God is stirring
His people. The Rapture and Left Behind! by Dave Martin
F. Be Considerate Of Others
II. FOUNDATIONAL TERMS AND CONCEPTS TO BE UNDERSTOOD
A. Tribulation Period (Jacob’s Trouble)
The tribulation is a seven year period of great destruction and judgment upon the earth and the lost. During the tribulation Israel will turn to God nationally ending the great separation between God and His nation. Derickson’s Notes on Theology
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
B. Rapture --> The Rapture is a glorious event which God has promised to the Church. The promise is that someday very soon at the blowing of a trumpet and the shout of an archangel, Jesus will appear in the sky and take up His Church, the living and the dead, to Heaven.
Dr. David R. Reagan The Rapture of the Church: What is it and when will it take place?
I 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. 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. 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 them which are asleep. 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: 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. 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1. Post-Tribulation Rapture --> Placing the timing of the Rapture at the end of the
Tribulation Period. Some feel that the church will go through the entire
Tribulation and will be raptured out at the end.
2. Mid-Tribulation Rapture --> Placing the timing of the Rapture at the middle of the
Tribulation Period.
This teaching holds that the church will go through part of the tribulation sees the church raptured at the middle of the tribulation, just before the Great Tribulation begins. There is indication that the first half of the tribulation will be bad, but the last half will be Great. The Great tribulation will be much worse than the first half. Derickson’s Notes
3. Pre-Tribulation Rapture --> Placing the timing of the Rapture before the
Tribulation Period. Pretribulationalism teaches that the church will be raptured or taken out of the world before the tribulation.
C. Millennium --> From mille (thousand) and annum (year) = 1000 Years
1. The Millennium Defined and Discussed
a. The seventh dispensation.
b. Satan will be bound.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
c. The Government will be a theocracy. Referred to as the dispensation of
Divine Government.
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream
is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
(1) Jerusalem will be the capital of the world.
(2) Christ will reign from Jerusalem as King.
Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob [Israel] forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
(3) The Saints Will Rule With Christ
II Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also
will deny us:
Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 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 20:4 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. 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
d. War will cease.
Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
e. There will be universal worship of God.
Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 14:17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 14:18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
14:19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 14:20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts:
Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
f. Purpose of the Millennium --> According to Dake pg 970
(1) To put down all rebellion and all enemies under the feet of Christ so that God may be all in all as before the rebellion.
(2) To fulfill the everlasting covenants made with Abraham.
(3) To vindicate and avenge Christ and His saints.
(4) To restore Israel and deliver her from the nations and make her the head of all nations forever.
(5) To exalt the saints of all ages in some kingly or priestly capacity according to the promise and according to their works.
(6) To gather together in “one” all things in Christ which are in Heaven and in Earth.
(7) To judge the nations in righteousness and restore Earth to its
rightful owners.
(8) To restore righteousness and eternal government on Earth as
originally planned.
(9) To fulfill the scores of prophecies concerning the reign of
the Messiah.
2. Amillennium a- means not
Ammillennialism teaches there is no literal, real 1000 year kingdom. This teaching holds there is either no kingdom at all, or that the kingdom is going on at this time. The Devil is bound in this age and this age is not confined to a specific time limit. Derickson’s Notes
In a nutshell the position views the world ruled by the one that is in a position to do so. Adam was the ruler until his fall into sin when the Devil took over the rulership of the earth. He ruled throughout the Old Testament period. His rule was interrupted when the Lord came to earth to setup His kingdom. Not only did Christ set up His kingdom — the millennium — the Davidic kingdom — the 1000 years — but He also bound Satan for the duration of this new kingdom. Their view of Daniel is that the kingdoms that are mentioned are Satans kingdoms here on earth (Babylon, Media Persia, Greece). The 70th week, or tribulation is past and it ended in A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Jerusalem. When Christ returns to earth at the second coming he will introduce eternity in which the Old Testament will be fulfilled.
Derickson’s Notes On Theology
3. Post-Millennium
Postmillennialism would teach that the rapture and/or the tribulation will
occur after the Millennial kingdom.
4. Pre-Millennium
Premillennialism teaches that the rapture and tribulation are before the
Millennial kingdom.
D. Israel vs. The Church
We need to understand that God has one overall program designed to bring glory to Himself, while within that context He deals with different sub-programs. Two of these sub-programs are Israel and the church. God did not create the heavens and the earth and then create Israel. Israel came along much later in history. He had dealings with man long before He made His promises to Abraham which resulted in Israel. Then generations later the church came into being. The basis of dispensationalism is the difference between Israel and the church. There is a difference and that difference must be maintained as you read and interpret the Bible. If the distinction is not maintained, it will result in confusion and error. Derickson’s Notes On Theology
1. Birth
a. Israel --> Physical --> Born a Jew
b. Church --> Spiritual --> Born Again
2. Seed of Abraham
a. Israel --> Physical
b. Church --> Spiritual
3. Nationality
a. Israel --> Jewish Nation
b. Church --> From All Nations
4. Position Today
a. Israel --> God’s People
b. Church --> God’s Children
5. God’s Dealings
a. Israel --> As a Nation
b. Church --> As An Individual
6. Concerning Tribulation
a. Israel --> Will Go Through
b. Church --> Taken Out Before
7. Christ’s Return
a. Israel --> In Power And Glory
b. Church --> Quietly To Receive The Church
E. The Second Advent --> The bodily return of Christ to the earth. The term ADVENT
means simply, “arrival.” We look forward to His second advent, when He comes to take care of the program of God, and bring it to a final culmination.
III. THE KING IS COMING
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
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.
II 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, 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 1:10 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.
Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly
among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
IV. RAPTURE DEFINED
726 harpazo {har-pad'-zo} from a derivative of 138;TDNT - 1:472,80; v AV- catch up 4, take by force 3, catch away 2, pluck 2, catch 1, pull 1; 13
1) to seize, carry off by force
2) to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
3) to snatch out or away
V. EXAMPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT RAPTURES
A. Enoch Raptured?
The Rapture overview is...... ILLUSTRATED with Enoch of the Old Testament.
Gen 5:21-24; Jude 1:14 & Heb. 11:5
B. Elijah Taken?
The Lord who made the body is not hard-pressed to remake the body. Merrill C. Tenny writes: When the body of Roger Williams was exhumed for reburial, it was found that the root of an apple tree had penetrated William's coffin and had followed down his spine into a fork at the legs. The tree had absorbed the chemicals of his decaying body and had transmuted them into its wood and its fruit. The apples of this tree in turn had been eaten by people, quite unconscious of the fact that they were eating part of the long-dead Williams. The objection may therefore be raised, how out of the complex sequence of decay, absorption and the new formation is it possible to resurrect believers of past ages and reconstitute them as separate entities?" This gives no problem to the Lord!
5348 phthano {fthan'-o} apparently a primary verb; TDNT- 9:88,1258; v AV - come 4, already attain 1, attain 1, prevent 1; 7
1) to come before, precede, anticipate
2) to come to, arrive at
3) to reach, attain to
2837 koimao {koy-mah'-o}
from 2749;; v AV- sleep 10, fall asleep 4, be asleep 2, fall on sleep 1,
be dead 1; 18
1) to cause to sleep, put to sleep
2) metaph.
2a) to still, calm, quiet
2b) to fall asleep, to sleep
2c) to die
3952 parousia {par-oo-see'-ah} from the present participle of 3918; TDNT - 5:858,791; n f AV- coming 22, presence 2; 24
1) presence
2) the coming, arrival, advent
2a) the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise
the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and
gloriously the kingdom of God
