In the Facebook group named "Rapture Discussion: Pretribulation, Posttribulation, or Prewrath?" - there seems to be a lot of reluctance toward accepting the Scriptural doctrine of Imminency. Specifically, what or who are we saying is Imminent? Looking at the whole End Times scenario - the Tribulation is not imminent, the Second Coming of Christ is not imminent, the Millennial Kingdom is not imminent, and final Eternity is not imminent.
"Bill, I have always been taught that the Second Coming of Christ is imminent. And, now you tell me it is not?"
That is true, my Friend. For all those events, anyone with Biblical knowledge can set a date for them to happen. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you, give or take a few days or weeks - when the Tribulation will begin. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you the day when Christ will return in glory at His Second Coming. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you when the Millennial Kingdom will begin and when it will end. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you when we believers will go into eternity in the presence of God.
"Okay, Bill, so what is imminent?" Glad you asked. The major gating factor for all those events, drum role please ~ is the PreTribulational Rapture. All of the Scripture verses and passages I will give you are really speaking of the timing of the Rapture. For when that happens - all the rest of the events will follow like clockwork.
In the discussion yesterday in theFacebook group named "Rapture Discussion: Pretribulation, Posttribulation, or Prewrath?" - a member told me:
Really? First, I will show you that the doctrine of Imminency is absolutely in Scripture. Then I ask you to explain why YOU will accept that the doctrine of the Trinity is taught in the Bible - even thought the word is not found in Scripture - yet, you will not accept the same Biblical proof of the doctrine of Imminency.
In Mark 13:4 the apostles ask Christ, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus Christ tells them, in Mark 13:32, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
In Mark 13 and in Matthew 24 Jesus is speaking of the coming Tribulation and of His Second Coming in glory, as the roaring Lion of Judah. These Scripture passages are not speaking of the Rapture, but of His Second Coming. However, if the Rapture is MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib - everyone can know for years prior to the event, exactly when He will return. For according to Daniel 9:27 the Tribulation clock starts ticking the moment the Antichrist and the nation Israel sign a seven year peace accord.
Does Jesus teach the Imminence of His Second Coming? Absolutely. The following Scripture passages show Jesus Himself teaching Imminence:
And, in Acts 1:7 Luke tells us, "And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.'"
Let's look at 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and what it teaches about the doctrine of Imminency.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (the Day of the Lord, i.e., the End Times) will not come unless the falling away (apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
2 Thessalonians 2:5-10, "Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what (Who) is restraining, that he (Antichrist) may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way (the church is removed via the Rapture). And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Doesn't that sound somewhat like those who teach an unBiblical MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib Rapture? No, I am not saying that our brethren who believe and teach those erroneous Rapture scenarios will be condemned - for ALL who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are saved.
But what I am saying is that, when the PreTrib Rapture does occur - there will be many with shocked looks on their faces on the way UP! For they were waiting for a MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib Rapture - and suddenly they are on the UP escalator into heaven! Regardless of which Rapture scenario one believes - we will ALL be happy to meet the Lord in the air and to have Him personally usher us all into our heavenly home.
In conclusion let me share a short video with you. In this short video, Dr. Chuck Missler gives a solid presentation of a PreTrib Rapture of the church, validating the Imminence of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
My advise to all believers is that we should stop bickering over which Rapture scenario is correct, for Christ has that all worked out. We know that regardless of which scenario we champion, that does not, in any way, affect our salvation.
However, should we stop discussing End Times prophecy? No way! There is no discussion of Biblical issues which is wasted. There are several reasons that we should be in personal study of the Word of God daily and in active group discussions of Scripture, i.e., corporate Bible studies, at the least, weekly.
The main reason: God speaks to us individually and corporately through His Word, the Bible. The next reason: As we consistently study Scripture, we mature in our knowledge of God and His Word - empowering us to take His Gospel to the fallen world. And, a great reason to have such Bible discussions, even when we disagree - is that this should motivate us to personally dig deeper into His Word so that we may know His Truths.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
"Bill, I have always been taught that the Second Coming of Christ is imminent. And, now you tell me it is not?"
That is true, my Friend. For all those events, anyone with Biblical knowledge can set a date for them to happen. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you, give or take a few days or weeks - when the Tribulation will begin. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you the day when Christ will return in glory at His Second Coming. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you when the Millennial Kingdom will begin and when it will end. Once the Rapture occurs - I can tell you when we believers will go into eternity in the presence of God.
"Okay, Bill, so what is imminent?" Glad you asked. The major gating factor for all those events, drum role please ~ is the PreTribulational Rapture. All of the Scripture verses and passages I will give you are really speaking of the timing of the Rapture. For when that happens - all the rest of the events will follow like clockwork.
In the discussion yesterday in theFacebook group named "Rapture Discussion: Pretribulation, Posttribulation, or Prewrath?" - a member told me:
"Bill, you can't just go around making up doctrine and saying it's true even if not in Scripture. You don't find imminence in the Bible, you don't find a HINT of imminence in the Bible, and you won't find imminence ALLUDED to in the Bible. You have zero Scripture to base that nonsense on, so why bother even respond?"
Really? First, I will show you that the doctrine of Imminency is absolutely in Scripture. Then I ask you to explain why YOU will accept that the doctrine of the Trinity is taught in the Bible - even thought the word is not found in Scripture - yet, you will not accept the same Biblical proof of the doctrine of Imminency.
In Mark 13:4 the apostles ask Christ, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus Christ tells them, in Mark 13:32, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
In Mark 13 and in Matthew 24 Jesus is speaking of the coming Tribulation and of His Second Coming in glory, as the roaring Lion of Judah. These Scripture passages are not speaking of the Rapture, but of His Second Coming. However, if the Rapture is MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib - everyone can know for years prior to the event, exactly when He will return. For according to Daniel 9:27 the Tribulation clock starts ticking the moment the Antichrist and the nation Israel sign a seven year peace accord.
Does Jesus teach the Imminence of His Second Coming? Absolutely. The following Scripture passages show Jesus Himself teaching Imminence:
Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
Matthew 24:42, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."
Matthew 24:44, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Matthew 25:13, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Mark 13:32-33, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is."
Luke 12:40, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
And, in Acts 1:7 Luke tells us, "And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.'"
Let's look at 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and what it teaches about the doctrine of Imminency.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
Here the apostle Paul is warning the church at Thessalonica not to entertain any teaching or teacher which offers a different Gospel or End Times prophecy which is different from what Paul had already taught them. Like Paul, that is why I take the time to post on these group discussions - to show people the Scriptural truth about the Rapture and the Imminence of His Second Coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (the Day of the Lord, i.e., the End Times) will not come unless the falling away (apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
Paul is teaching that the Day of the Lord (the seven year Tribulation period, followed by His Second Coming) has gating factors: First, the apostasy or falling away - Then the Antichrist is revealed - And after 3 1/2 years the Antichrist will sit upon the throne in the temple, declaring himself to be God.
It is obvious that Mark 13 and Matthew 24 are describing the Day of the Lord, i.e., the End Times - and according to Revelation 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, and 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - the church will already have been raptured. We will NOT experience the wrath of God nor the "hour of testing" which will come upon the earth during the seven year Tribulation.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-10, "Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what (Who) is restraining, that he (Antichrist) may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way (the church is removed via the Rapture). And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
Here Paul is teaching that before the Tribulation, through the church's (the body of believers) work on earth the Holy Spirit is restraining Satan's evil spirits and the coming of his Antichrist, the lawless one. But when the church is raptured from earth, the working of the Holy Spirit through the church will be taken out - and for a while there will be no one left on earth to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with non-believers and to point them toward Christ.
For a time during the Tribulation the working of the Holy Spirit will be gone from earth - for the church will be gone from earth. The Holy Spirit will still be on earth - for He is omnipresent (all places present). But His influence which is now shown through the church will be gone. After that God will raise up His 144,000 Jewish evangelists to share His Word. And a great number, too large to count (Revelation 7:9), will be saved, i.e., the Tribulation saints.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
And, believe it or not, here Paul begins to teach about those who would bring erroneous theologies, erroneous teachings, into the church. That, because they have blocked their ears to His Truth, God allows them to believe lies and delusions.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
Doesn't that sound somewhat like those who teach an unBiblical MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib Rapture? No, I am not saying that our brethren who believe and teach those erroneous Rapture scenarios will be condemned - for ALL who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are saved.
But what I am saying is that, when the PreTrib Rapture does occur - there will be many with shocked looks on their faces on the way UP! For they were waiting for a MidTrib, PreWrath, or PostTrib Rapture - and suddenly they are on the UP escalator into heaven! Regardless of which Rapture scenario one believes - we will ALL be happy to meet the Lord in the air and to have Him personally usher us all into our heavenly home.
In conclusion let me share a short video with you. In this short video, Dr. Chuck Missler gives a solid presentation of a PreTrib Rapture of the church, validating the Imminence of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Chuck Missler, graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis - Branch Chief of the Air Force Department of Guided Missiles - senior engineer at TRW - senior analyst with a non-profit think tank conducting projects for the intelligence community and the Department of Defense. During that time, Chuck earned a master’s degree in engineering at UCLA, supplementing previous graduate work in applied mathematics, advanced statistics, and information sciences.
As a child he developed an intense interest in the Bible - studying it became a favorite pastime. In the 1970s, while still in the corporate world, Missler began leading weekly Bible studies at the 30,000-member Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California. Through Doug Wetmore, head of the tape ministry of Firefighters for Christ, over 7 million copies of Missler's taped Bible studies are scattered throughout the world.
The Doctrine of Imminence - Chuck Missler (11 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79QjC4KLAEE
My advise to all believers is that we should stop bickering over which Rapture scenario is correct, for Christ has that all worked out. We know that regardless of which scenario we champion, that does not, in any way, affect our salvation.
However, should we stop discussing End Times prophecy? No way! There is no discussion of Biblical issues which is wasted. There are several reasons that we should be in personal study of the Word of God daily and in active group discussions of Scripture, i.e., corporate Bible studies, at the least, weekly.
The main reason: God speaks to us individually and corporately through His Word, the Bible. The next reason: As we consistently study Scripture, we mature in our knowledge of God and His Word - empowering us to take His Gospel to the fallen world. And, a great reason to have such Bible discussions, even when we disagree - is that this should motivate us to personally dig deeper into His Word so that we may know His Truths.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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