Sunday, October 5, 2008 pm
A
STUDY OF PREMILLENIALISM
The Rapture
We are in the midst
of a study dealing with the end of time.
We are studying the doctrine of premillenialism.
Having established some background principles, last week we began
examining the various events associated with premillenialism.
We studied about the antichrist.
Today we want to notice an event that is parallel to the
antichrist, at least in some views of this doctrine.
We want to talk about the rapture.
a.
The word
“rapture” – from the
Latin, “rapare” means to “take
away” or “snatch out.”
It is a belief that at some point related to the tribulation of the last
days (the tribulation being God’s wrath poured out on the ungodly world
for 7 years) the righteous will be suddenly caught up to heaven to be
with the Lord for a determined period of time (depending on when they
believe it happens) until He returns to this earth to establish His
kingdom. Most teach that
this rapture will be silent and will include the resurrection of the
righteous dead. It is this
belief that prompts the bumper stickers that say, “In case of rapture,
this vehicle will be empty.”
There is even a website where you can leave a message to be sent to
those left behind when the rapture occurs ( as with every other
generation, it indicates the belief that it will happen in our life
time).
www.raptureletters.com
The premise of this is the fact that
before God pours out His wrath as defined in Revelation He takes action
to protect His church.
Rev. 7 speaks of the sealing of the nation of Israel and
recognition of an innumerable company of the righteous who have
faithfully served Him and “came out of the great tribulation” (7:14)
after the 6th seal is opened on the scroll in heaven by the
Lord (See Rev. 5-8).
b.
The
resurrection and the rapture
– a key element of premillenialism is that there will be more than one
resurrection. There will be
at least one resurrection of the righteous (some teach two or three) and
then at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ, there will be another
resurrection of the wicked and the righteous who died during the
tribulation and 1000 year reign.
c.
Texts used to teach this doctrine
i.
Luke 21:36
when Jesus tells His disciples to watch and pray “that you may be
counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass…”
The escape is the rapture.
ii.
1 Thess.
3:13 – when the Lord is revealed with His saints.
The premise is that if the Lord is going to come with His saints,
they must have been taken to Him.
iii.
1 Thess.
4:13-18 – This is the primary text because it says that the Lord will
descend and the dead in Christ will rise first followed by those who are
alive on earth being caught up in the air to be with the Lord.
iv.
1 Cor.
15:51-55 – the primary verse in their argument is 51 which says, “Behold
I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed…” This is a passage
directed toward the righteous – therefore the reasoning is that there
must be more than one resurrection.
v.
Phil.
3:20-21 – Our citizenship is in heaven and our bodies will be
transformed. Like 1 Cor. 15
above, this points to the righteous.
Same reasoning is given – there must be more than one.
vi.
Rev 3:10 –
“I will keep you from the hour of trial”
The premise is that to keep them from the hour of trial there
will either be a rapture or God will protect them in some way. (NOTE:
This is from a website where the author believes there will be a
rapture, but he is NOT dogmatic about it.
http://www.bible-knowledge.com/The-Rapture.html
Michael Bradley. He is
right. The question is WHICH
option.)
vii.
Rev.
20:4-6 – which speaks of the first resurrection of the righteous who
would reign with Christ for 1000 years.
This texts indicates there is a second resurrection, so they
reason the first resurrection is the rapture.
This text DOES indicate at least two resurrections, but WHAT are
they? We shall see.
a.
The word
RAPTURE never found in the Bible.
As stated above it is based upon a Latin word,
rapare.
Its absence is somewhat of an indication that the concept has
manmade notions.
b.
There is
only ONE resurrection
i.
There is
no passage that speaks of two distinct times of resurrection between the
righteous and the wicked.
ii.
In fact
consider John 5:28-29 which clearly ties them together.
iii.
Also as
believed by Paul – Acts 24:14-15, a resurrection of the dead, both the
just and the unjust.
iv.
Then what
about the “first resurrection” of Revelation 20:4-6?
My understanding of the first
Resurrection is that it is spiritual.
There are two resurrections and two deaths.
|
|
Death |
Resurrection |
|
First |
Spiritual death (Separation from
God)
Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin
is death…” |
Spiritual (note context of Rev.
20 - It describes those
who overcame evil, even to death and thus lived with the Lord.) |
|
Second
Physical |
Eternal separation from God (Rev.
20:14-15, 21:8 )
John 5:28-29 |
The resurrection when the Lord
returns -
john 5:28-29 |
c.
Examining
the texts
i.
First, as
to Revelation we must UNDERSTAND who the book was written to and its
message. It is the book of
Revelation (i.e. belief that it refers to events yet future and see it
as a prophecy to be taken literally ) that causes Premillenialists to go
searching throughout scripture for other texts to give them details
about the events of the end times.
ii.
Luke 21:36 – Jesus is
answering questions dealing with His prophecy to His disciples that not
one stone of the temple would remain (21:6).
The disciples ask Him 2 questions: “Teacher, but when will these
things be? And what sigh
will there be when these things are about to take place?”
The rest of this chapter is Jesus’ answer to these 2 questions
(Note: Matt. 24 gives more details and also answers a question dealing
with the end of the age).
NOTE Luke 21:32, “Assuredly, I say
to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take
place.” He identifies
these events as occurring during their lifetimes (i.e. the destruction
of Jerusalem in 70 AD). Vs.
34-36 are designed to encourage them to watch and take action to ensure
they are not caught in the destruction.
It does NOT have call for a special rapture of the saints.
iii.
1 Thess.
3:13 – the text doesn’t say that there will be a rapture or necessitate
separate resurrections (as we have seen).
It simply notes that when he DOES return, the righteous will be
with Him – nothing more or less.
Exactly HOW they will return with Him is not known.
This is designed to be an assurance to us.
iv.
1 Thess.
4:13-18 – the premise of the context is simply an assurance that there
IS going to be a resurrection of the dead when the Lord returns.
That is CLEARLY taught in scripture.
In fact, Paul reasons the foolishness of denying the resurrection
in 1 Cor. 15 (the whole chapter).
WHERE does the text say there is going to be 2 distinct resurrections?
Read it carefully!
We will have more to say in just a moment on this as we summarize what
scriptures say about the coming of the Lord.
v.
1 Cor.
15:51 – true this text speaks of the righteous being raised.
But WHERE does it say that it is a separate resurrection from the
ungodly???? It does NOT!
Realize that Paul is writing to
Christians and his message is one of assurance to them.
He is simply emphasizing the hope of the righteous.
This can happen, EVEN IF there is only ONE resurrection.
vi.
Phil.
3:20-21 – another true statement, but where does it necessitate separate
resurrections for the righteous and wicked?????
OR multiple resurrections of the righteous?????
Furthermore, realize that we are NOW citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
We have already established that the kingdom was established in
the first century (cf. Mark 9:1, etc.)
vii.
Rev. 3:10
– the fact that the Lord would keep them from the hour of trial does NOT
necessitate rapture. God can
work in many different ways to protect those who belong to Him (cf. 1
Cor. 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9, etc.).
Furthermore, it is helpful to understand the true nature of
Revelation as you examine this text.
It is a message to suffering saints of that generation.
God knew what they were suffering and He WOULD avenge them!
viii.
Rev.
20:3-4 – already answered above.
It is spiritual and involves the redemption of the righteous who
“die in the Lord from now on…” (Rev. 14:13).
Again, keep this in context with the theme of the book of Revelation.
d.
Concerning
the coming of the Lord –
i.
The time
frame of Luke 21:36 is wrong.
Vs. 32 notes that it was during that generation.
ii.
The place
of Luke 21:36 is wrong – see vs. 20 which states this text applied to
Jerusalem.
iii.
It is NOT
silent – The very text often used to teach the rapture (1 Thess. 4)
teaches He will descend with a shout and the trumpet of God and the
voice of an archangel.
iv.
It is NOT
only 7 years – 1 Thess. 4:17 says, “”And thus we shall always be with
the Lord.”
v.
NOR are
two resurrections necessary in the texts.
Note 2 Thess. 2:8 which states that when the Lord comes He will
consume the lawless one.
Remember that this is part of the response about misunderstandings of 1
Thess. 4.