Jesus Prophesies about the Future IV

Mark 13:24-31.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 11, 2020.

In our passage today, Jesus instructs us about one of the cardinal doctrines that he gave to the Church.  He will come again, a Second Coming.

The idea of him leaving and then coming back had already been revealed to them.  John 14:1-3 says this,

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  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.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  (NKJV)

It is clear that Jesus has in mind a wedding analogy.  The description of what he says completely fits a young man preparing a place for his bride on his father’s property.  Jesus had warned them that he would be leaving them, but that it was for a purpose.  He would eventually return for his bride so that they could be together.

In our passage today, he promises his disciples that this coming again would be in “power and great glory,” in order to reward the saints and remove the wicked.  Of course, there is much more to it than that, but I do not want to stray from our focus on this passage.

So, in the setting of this passage, Jesus has told his disciples that there would be a period of time from his leaving until his coming back that would be a time of labor pains for the world, a time of sorrows.  It would be a time of the Gentiles in which God would send the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  This long period (almost 2,000 years now) would come to an end in a seven-year period of difficulty called the Great Tribulation, which we discussed over the last two weeks.  Mark 13:24 begins the third stage of this prophecy, the Second Coming of the Son of Man, which basically happens on a single day, but will have repercussive events.

Let’s go through the passage.

The Second Coming of Jesus

Jesus actually refers to this event as the coming of “the Son of Man.”  He is employing a phrase that can be a way of calling someone human, but when it is used in a prophetic passage about the end of the age, it is a clear reference to the Son of Man that is prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14.

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.   ¹⁴ And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Jesus is connecting his leaving and coming back to a character of ancient prophecy, the Son of Man who would come on the clouds and receive the kingdoms of the world from the Ancient of Days.  If you read the context of these verses from Daniel, you see that the Ancient of Days has overruled the attempt of multiple “beasts,” a metaphor for Gentile Empires, to rule the world.  Instead, the God of Creation gives the kingdoms of this world to a particular human who can ride the clouds of heaven and will share his kingdom with the saints of God, rather than the powerful of this world.  This is a strange and cryptic figure.  He is clearly human, “son of man,” and yet rides the clouds, something a heavenly being would do.

Now let us look at the wording of verse 24.  Jesus says that this coming would be “in those days,” and “after that tribulation.”  He is very clear about connecting the Great Tribulation directly to his Second Coming.  This is important because we do have to watch for the tendency of prophecy to conflate events separated by long periods of time.  However, the terminology that Jesus uses states that the Great Tribulation will have come to an end (“after”) and yet, the Second Coming will be in “those” days.  On top of this, Matthew 24 uses the word “immediately.”

In fact, the Second Coming of Jesus becomes the apex or capstone to the terrible days of the Great Tribulation.  To the wicked who have chosen to worship the beast and his kingdom, it will be the final blow of the wrath of God.  To the righteous who have chosen to wait for Jesus, it will be the beginning of the Utopian age of which mankind has often dreamed.  This is the same thing as shown in Revelation 19.  At the conclusion of the Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, and Seven Bowls of Wrath, Jesus comes riding on the clouds of heaven with an army in tow.

Even at the worst time of all human history, God has a plan and has not forgotten us.  He will save humanity from itself, and from the fallen angels.  He has not abandoned us!  The Great Tribulation will be God’s last attempt to draw humans back from the abyss that we longingly push towards.

Jesus then describes some signs that would be seen in the heavens or sky.  The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars of heaven will fall.  This is then summarized as, “the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

I believe that there is a literal and metaphorical overlap happening here.  The book of Revelation also mentions the sun becoming black as sackcloth, the moon becoming like blood, and the stars of heaven falling to the earth.  Some of the devastation upon the earth is from things that are falling from the sky, whether they are asteroids, comets, or meteors is not specifically made clear.  Such events would put enough particulate in the atmosphere to obscure the light of the celestial objects.  Yet, there are cryptic references in the Old Testament to the day of the Lord’s coming that also seem to imply a supernatural reason for the lights to go out during what should be day time (Zechariah 14:6-7).  We can say that this is only metaphor, but then must deal with all the other places in the Old Testament that connects the darkening sun and blood-like moon to the Day of the Lord.  There will most likely be both natural and supernatural things going on.  Luke 21 tells us that men’s hearts will fail them for fear of the things coming upon the earth, when these things happen.

Yet, the stars and falling stars is used metaphorically to refer to angels and rebel angels respectively.  Thus, Revelation 12:12 says, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth for the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”  That book pictures the rebel spiritual forces being pushed out of the heavens down onto the earth, as well as the Abyss (a prison for fallen angels) opening up to release others.  The earth becomes the ground for the Day of the Lord’s great judgment against Satan and his forces, and those who join in league with them.  The things happening in the natural become a symbol, or picture, of those things that are happening in the spirit realm.

It is interesting that all three Gospels use the phrase, “they will see” at the Second Coming of Jesus.  At the least, it implies that the disciples in front of him will not be on the earth at his Second Coming.  It may even imply that the Church has been raptured before this point.  However, those points are tenuous from this text.  The point is that following the celestial signs will be a celestial event in which the world sees the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and great glory (described in Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19).  This is one of the main points of contrast that we looked at last week.  The false christs and false prophets of the Great Tribulation will do powerful things in order to wow humanity.  However, their coming will be nothing compared to the coming of the Son of Man, the one who rides the clouds and vanquishes his foes.  Nevertheless, the deceptive character of Satan would lead us to believe that the Antichrist will appear to put down a group of diabolical leaders as an attempt to mimic this.  Satan’s empire always has innumerable groups of diabolical leaders from which to pit one against another by means of deception.

In contrast, what a day that will be when Jesus splits the sky!  Whether you have already passed from this life, have been raptured, or are still barely surviving here on the earth in that moment, what a glorious moment that will be!  After all the turmoil and rage of the Antichrist kingdom, decreeing and executing those who do not take its mark, God sends His Son, His Savior, from the heavens to save mankind.  He is faithful to the end, even when we are faithless.

Part of the appearing of the Son of Man will be the gathering of all of his elect.  The word “elect” can also be translated as “chosen.”  Just as we will soon turn in our ballots depicting who we are choosing in November’s election, so Jesus has chosen some to be his.  Our choosing will be important, but it pales in comparison to the real question, “Has Jesus chosen me?”

He has chosen those who would turn their back on their life of sin, pick up their cross, and follow him.  He has chosen those who would continue to live in faith of his coming, and his resurrection, even in the face of a world that ridicules and persecutes them for it.  He has chosen those who are not seduced by the antichrist spirit of this age, that powerful beastly spirit, that only seduces those who choose to follow their flesh over the top of the Holy Spirit.

We are told that the angels gather the elect, the chosen, from heaven and earth.  The righteous who have physically died throughout the ages will be gathered from the heavens to come back with Christ, and those on the earth who have refused the beast kingdom, and survived the Great Tribulation, will also be gathered to Jesus.  They are to share in his reward of taking hold of the kingdoms of this world.  Amen; even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Following his description of the Second Coming, Jesus gives a parable to emphasize how closely connected the Second Coming is to the Great Tribulation.  Whether a fig tree or any other tree, the sprouting of green leaves in the spring testifies to the nearness of summer.  This lesson in the natural is intended to encourage us in the spiritual. 

Some make a big deal regarding the fig tree representing Israel.  Though the nation of Israel is an important prophetic sign, it is not exactly what Jesus is meaning here.  He makes it clear by saying “when you see these things happening, know that it is near” (Matthew says “all these things”).  It is not seeing the beginning of these things (The Time of Sorrows, which we now know lasts almost 2,000 years), but the seeing of all of these things.  Clearly, this means everything mentioned up to the Second Coming.  The events of the Great Tribulation will make it clear that his coming is near.  Jesus wanted us to know that, when it all goes down, it will happen quickly and people should not despair.  Neither should believers give up their hope in his coming, and begin to follow after the temptations of sin, especially joining the beast-kingdom via the mark.

Verse 30 is often pointed to by critics of Jesus and the Bible as proof that Jesus was a false prophet.  They assume that Jesus is pointing to his disciples and telling them that they and their generation will not pass away until all of these things happen.  Even some who claim to be Christians will waffle on this point, saying that Jesus thought it would happen in a generation, but was mistaken (i.e. everything he said is true, but he was mistaken on the timing).  I do not believe Jesus was talking about his generation.  The context is about those who see all of these things.  It is that generation that will not pass away before all things he spoke would be fulfilled, not the generation that sees some of them.  The nearness is to those who see them all, which is, more than likely, less than 3 ½ years.

Jesus finishes this section with a statement about how dependable and trustworthy these prophecies are.  They are more dependable than the continued existence of the earth and the heavens.  In light of God’s revealed intent to recreate the heavens and the earth in the future, this makes perfect sense. 

It is not the amount of hydrogen fuel in our sun that is the clock on how long humanity has on this earth.  It is the end of the times of the Gentiles, the beginning of the Great Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Jesus that helps us to know how much time we have left.

However, there is a more excellent way.  Don’t tell yourself that you can get ready if it appears that it is getting worse, or closer.  You only deceive yourself and harden your flesh against the Spirit of God.  Put your faith in Jesus today, and live with the Blessed Hope of His return in your heart every day.  That way, you no longer have to worry about how much time is left because you are always ready; semper paratus!

Christmas through Time

John 1:1-4, 14-17; Hebrews 2:14-18; Revelation 21:3-8.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on December 22, 2019.

In Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is visited by spirits that show him his Christmas past, present, and future.  Today, we are going to widen the scope beyond just the life of one person.  For you see, Christmas is far more ancient than the Christmas of your childhood, and it is further into the future than the Christmas of your old age.  It is the eternal plan of God stretching from eternity past into eternity future.

I pray that we may once again be filled with joy that the story of humanity is not just darkness and woe.  Rather, it is a story of Christmas down through the ages, a story of Christmas through time.

The Savior has come (John 1:1-4, 14-17)

At Christmas time, we recognize that the Savior of the world has already come.  It is generally obvious that Christmas is rooted in the birth of Jesus over 2,000 years ago.  However, Christmas goes further back than that technically.

In this passage, John shows us that the incarnation is rooted in eternity past, even before the earth was created.  This should remind us of Revelation 13:8. If the crucifixion is somehow rooted in that eternal past before creation then it is a logical necessity that his incarnation was too.  What does it mean for Jesus to be crucified, and therefore incarnated, before the foundations of the earth were laid?

It is part of the reality that, when God was planning creation, He also knew that those who were made to be an image of Him would fall into the slavery of sin and need saving.  It is then that He chose to do what was necessary to make salvation possible for us.  He chose to incorporate an incarnation into His plan, as well as a crucifixion.  He would enter the world and help us.  Thus, Christmas is far more ancient than that moment at a manger in Bethlehem.  It is part of the very character of God.

Everything before that moment in Bethlehem was prologue to the incarnation and later the crucifixion.  Thus, the Bible is not just a compilation of stories.  Each story is a small part of a larger story, a story of the character of God being revealed to mankind.  Everything has its place: the fall from the paradise of Eden, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the creation of nations, the Law of Moses, the nation of Israel, and its turbulent history.  All of these are important in the greater plan of God. 

This should give us confidence that we are not in the middle of a time that is unimportant.  We too are a part of this larger story that did not end 2,000 years ago.  What we see around us now is also important in the revealing of God’s good purpose for His creation, and particularly those He made in His image.

In Jesus, God stepped down into our world.  He “became flesh” as John puts it in vs. 14. He is the light of the world to illuminate the darkness of our ignorance, but more than knowledge, it says, “in him was life.”  Jesus comes to give us knowledge and even more he comes to give us life.  Yes, he gives eternal life, but this is more than just a promise of something down the road.  He also gives us life right now.  At Christmas, God came into closer relationship with humanity than was ever thought possible.  In Jesus, God says, “I see you… I know it is tough… I will help you; let me help you.”  This is what God has done in Christmas past.

The Savior is here (Hebrews 2:14-18)

At Christmas time, we also recognize that the Savior of the world is still with us here today.  Hebrews 2 focuses on what Jesus has made available to those who are believing in him.  The first of these is that he is delivering people from the slavery of sin.

Through the temptation of sin, we all fall into the trap of slavery.  It seems to promise freedom, but in the end, you are not free because freedom to do anything that I want always leads to bondage.  We become a slave to fleshly appetites that our mind knows is not good or has gone beyond proper boundaries.  The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is here today to live within each and everyone who puts their faith in Jesus.  He is working right now to convict us of sin and what is right.  

Of course, our modern world scoffs at such antiquated notions.  What we don’t understand is that there is a moral reality to this world that is every bit as real as the physical reality that our scientists study in order to build a machine that flies in the air or goes to the moon.  If I tried to build a flying machine that only conformed to my imagination and desires, it would never really fly.  I would only be able to sit in the cockpit and pretend to fly around like a little kid playing with a cardboard box in the living room.  However, if I face reality- even that which I don’t like- I can finally begin to build something that can lift off of the earth and travel around the world.  These are two very different freedoms that are innocent when we talk about kids playing and adults creating.  The first is a freedom of fantasy and the second is a freedom of reality.  In their proper settings both can be helpful.  However, morality, right and wrong, also are hardwired into this reality.  We are physical creatures and our choices and actions have physical consequences.  Be sure that your sins will find you out in the end.  It is just as reliable as gravity acting upon an object.  If you remain in a moral fantasy and live in a way that pleases your imagination then your experience will not be as innocent as a kid playing in the living room.  No, when we are young our parents give us some shelter from sinful choices and should work to teach us right and wrong.  Eventually, we grow up and leave the living room to go out into the world, where harsh realities and the school of hard knocks awaits those who refuse to wake up and deal with reality in moral matters.

Jesus comes as a baby, and babies are the most helpless of us all.  He is showing us that he understands weakness physically.  He also grew up to be tempted in order to show us that he understands weakness spiritually.  He was really on this earth in physical form, experiencing what you experience.  However, he is also really here, right now, to help us, to help you.  He hasn’t abandoned us and forgotten us.  It just feels that way because the world is a dark place, and we are afraid.

Hebrews tells us that he not only delivers us from sin, but we are told that he provides for us mercy as our faithful high priest between us and God the Father.  We can’t see that part of his work, and so it takes faith to trust that he is fulfilling his role faithfully.  When I fail, the enemy of my soul wants me to quit and say it isn’t working.  However, God’s word tells us to repent and believe in Jesus.  If we do that, he is faithful and just to cleanse us from the guilt of our unrighteousness.

Are you receiving the mercy and cleansing that Jesus is giving out today?  Or, are you still stuck in your sins wondering what God is doing, even giving up that there may even be a God to help you in the first place?  The message of this world is that there is no one to save us but ourselves.  This is the lie that will ensure our mutually assured destruction.  Jesus has come, and he is still here through the Holy Spirit and those people that he inhabits.

The Savior is coming (Revelation 21:3-8)

When the story of the Bible comes full circle in the last book, the theme is the nearness of God.  For some, the current arrangement of Jesus being here spiritually is just not good enough.  This is tragic because he has promised to come again in a physical way, as he did on that Christmas day so long ago.  It will be Christmas on earth once again.

God will dwell with us, and not just spiritually.  Jesus will step down from out of heaven as the only righteous King who can deliver this world from the darkness of its sin.  He has not abandoned us.  In fact, the passing of time is the mercy of God to give people time to change.

This Christmas that lies in our future is the greatest Christmas of all, or at least the climax of the eternal Christmas.  It will be a Christmas when we find under the tree that all of the sin and evil of this world is removed.  It is a Christmas when we find that new, unbroken things have taken their place. 

In this passage, we are told that the former things will have passed away.  The former things are things like: separation from God and each other, tears, death, sorrow, crying, and pain.  Imagine a world where none of these things exist.  Who do you believe can actually deliver such a thing?  Is your faith in us saving ourselves?  Is it in one of the fallen angels who could dare to present themselves to the world as a king, that is a solution from the spirit realm that is “other” than Jesus?  Or, is your faith in Jesus? 

We are told that new things will replace the former things.  So, what are they?  We are united with God in a life where he is visibly with us.  We are to inherit all things, and, as if that wasn’t enough, we will enter into the full status as the adult “Sons of God.”  Wow, what a Christmas!

This Christmas let us remind ourselves that the story of Christmas and the little baby in a manger is only one chapter along the ancient story of the past, the fresh story of today, and the long-awaited climax that lies before us in the future!

Christmas audio

Views of the End Times: Pretribulationism

Various Passages.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 6, 2019.

Over the last 2 weeks, we have talked about different views regarding when the Rapture of the Church will take place.  Posttribulationism says that the Church is raptured at the end of the Tribulation during the Second Coming of Jesus.  Midtribulationism says that the Rapture of the Church is an event that is separate from the Second Coming of Jesus.  In the middle of the seven-year period called the Tribulation, Christ will resurrect believers who are dead, rapture the living believers, and take them to heaven to await the Second Coming.

Our view today is the only, main view left.  Thus, we will not have a new filtering question today, but will recognize that this view is the only one that answers, “Yes,” to our last question.

Is there a rapture of the Church before the Tribulation?

Pretribulationism, or the Pretribulation Rapture view, believes that the Rapture of the Church will happen before the Tribulation begins.  Some see this as the event that starts the Tribulation and others give a gap between the Rapture and the Tribulation.  We will not get that precise as we look at this view.

Another thing to point out, before we look at this view, is that the previous challenges to the Posttribulation and Midtribulation views have strengthened the position of this view.

Here is the view of Pretribulation Premillennialism regarding the end times.  As we have stated, Christ will rapture his Church before the Tribulation begins.  Some people will come to faith in Christ after the Rapture and during the Tribulation.  These will face martyrdom and must refuse the mark of the beast to the end in order to be saved (this assumes a true, living faith in Jesus).  These are called Tribulation Saints.  In heaven, resurrected believers will be rewarded for their service, and a marriage supper of the Lamb will occur.  Then the glorified Church will return with Christ and his angels in order to remove the usurping powers, and to take control of the kingdoms of the earth.  Those who were faithful in the Tribulation will be allowed to enter Christ’s kingdom.  The Tribulation Saints who were killed will be resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ.  The rest of the view is basic Premillennialism and has been covered in our previous sermons.  Now, let’s look at the arguments used to support this view and any problems with it.

Argument 1.  The removal of the Restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 is in reference to the Holy Spirit working through believers, and He cannot be taken away from believers.  Thus, the Rapture must occur at the same time the Restrainer is removed.  If we look at the passage in question, it is clear that the Apostle Paul is trying to calm down the Thessalonian believers who had been led by some teachers to believe that the Day of Christ had already started.

To be clear, the Day of Christ is synonymous with the Day of the Lord mentioned by practically every prophet of the Old Testament.  The Day of the Lord referred to a time when the Lord would rise up in terrible power to judge the nations of the earth.  It would be a time full of judgments and is basically the Tribulation period that we have been mentioning.  They are afraid that the Tribulation has already begun. 

Yet, Paul is telling them that they are not in the foretold Tribulation, or judgment of the nations, because certain things haven’t happened yet.  The two things that must happen before the Tribulation can begin are: the falling away and the revealing of the man of sin.  It seems clear in the argument that these two things had not happened yet, and so the believers could stop worrying that they were in the Day of Judgment. 

For our purposes, we need to deal with two aspects of the Pretribulation argument.  First, in verse 5, believers are reminded that Paul had taught them these things when he was with them.  How I wish Paul had filled us in on all that he had taught them because he mentions several things without further explanation that would be extremely helpful to our understanding.  He emphasizes that something or someone is restraining the work of lawlessness on the earth.  If it was not restrained then the man of sin, or the Antichrist, would have come forward long ago.  Verse 6 refers to a thing that restrains, but verse 7 changes the grammar and refers to a being who restrains.  The Holy Spirit is uniquely qualified to fit both of these expressions.  He has the power to do so, the word “Spirit” is neuter in Greek and thus can take a neuter participle “the (neuter thing) that is restraining,” and He is a being and thus can be referenced with the personal form “the (being) that is restraining.  I know that this is a language mechanics issue that can easily cause our eyes to gloss over, but it is important.  The main point is that the most likely candidate for being a thing and yet a being who restrains the Antichrist from being revealed is the Holy Spirit.

Now that we have identified the Restrainer, the argument moves to verse 7 where we are told that the Restrainer is taken out of the way.  The Holy Spirit must be removed, and yet cannot be taken from believers.  Ergo, both will be taken together (the Rapture).  There is one problem with this logic.  It doesn’t actually say that the Holy Spirit is “taken” out of the way, or that He is removed from the earth as some say.  It literally says that He will restrain until “He becomes out of the middle of the way.”  Of course, this is not good English and requires some translation polish.  The Holy Spirit is not “taken.”  Rather, He comes to be out of the middle of the way.  He isn’t taken from the earth.  Rather, He is not standing in the middle of the way of Satan’s final plan.  This does beg the question.  If Christians are left on the earth full of the Holy Spirit, wouldn’t they still be a restraint to this guy coming forward?  The response would be that God gives him authority to have power over Christians for a short season.

The second issue with this passage has to do with verse three.  Some in the Pretribulation view have taken the word “falling away” and challenged its meaning.  The Greek word is apostasia.  All other uses of this word in the Bible refer to a defection from faith in God.  However, its main meaning is “to move away from an established place.”  Some have tried to make this about Christians moving away from the earth (the place that we have been established).  This argument has a technical genius to it that smacks of creativity more than it smacks of truth.  Either Paul used this expression as a kind of tongue-in-cheek statement, or he is simply saying that there will be a falling away from the true faith of God in the end times.  Both interpretations would fit the passage well.  However, the most natural understanding of the phrase is a defection from the faith.

So, where does this leave us?  I still think the Pretribulation view gives the best understanding of this passage, but it is not without its questions.  Are we missing something in Paul’s shorthand account that would could critically change how we view the passage?  It seems likely, but it is just as possible that that information would tilt this passage towards the Pretribulation view.  Paul didn’t want them freaking out that they were in the day of judgment.  The Holy Spirit being “out of the way” doesn’t require the Rapture, but it doesn’t preclude it either.  In this age, the work of the Holy Spirit is hand and glove with true believers, and it is possible that the Rapture would be an event in which the restraint of this world’s wickedness would be removed.  The main problem is that Paul didn’t give us all the answers that he could have due to the fact that he had already told the Thessalonians these things.

Argument 2.  The Philadelphian Church in Revelation 3:10 symbolically represents the faithful Church in the end times.  Christ promises to keep them out of the hour of trial that will come upon the whole earth.

Here, Jesus gives the Philadelphians of Asia Minor (Turkey today) the promise that they will be kept out of the hour of trial that will come upon the whole world.  He doesn’t explain how they will be kept out of it.  Will it happen during their time, but not touch them?  Or, will Christ remove them before the hour of trial begins?  Last week we mentioned two critical points about this passage.  One, the word “from” is better translated as “out of the trial.”  Second, there is a definite article with trial “the trial.”  This means that this is a very specific trial that they know is coming.  A particular trial that would come upon all the world is something that believers have known about throughout the Old and New Testament periods.  Some people try to limit this trial to the 2^nd century AD by saying it refers to the whole Roman world, but this is an artificial limiting.  The word refers to the inhabited areas of the earth, which went far beyond the Roman boundaries.  So, is it more likely that Jesus is referencing the Great Tribulation?  It is very possible since we are at a loss to find a time of trial that came upon the whole inhabited earth.

It is common among this view to see the Seven Churches of Revelation chapters two and three as being typical or symbolic of 7 Stages of the Church Age.  We don’t have time to look into the arguments of this view.  It has a certain charm because the descriptions do follow a similar path as the history of the Church.  Also, there are a few clues in the text that hint at something more going on here than just a message to seven first century churches.  The word “mystery” is used of these churches, and they represent the “things that are,” which can be extended to mean the whole Church Age. 

This view would see the sixth Philadelphian Church as the sixth phase of Christianity.  There would be a rise of faithfulness to the truth of Christ.  However, at some point the Laodicean type Church would take the ascendency within Christianity.  The last phase involves both Philadelphian believers holding on to the truth and a large group of Laodicean "believers" who are useless to Christ.  This can also give rise to the idea that only strong Christians will be raptured and the carnal Christians will be left behind.  Regardless, contextually it is not completely clear that the Seven Churches are seven phases of the history of the Church.  However, it is possible.  Also, the Great Tribulation is the best fit for interpreting “the hour of trial,” mentioned here.

Argument 3.  Christians are promised to be delivered from the wrath to come and thus must be removed before the Tribulation.  This is the same argument that we saw last week with the Midtribulation view.  It is a powerful argument that can be seen in 1 Thessalonians.  1 Thessalonians 1:10 mentions that Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come, and 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says that God did not appoint believers to wrath, but to obtain salvation.

The main objection to this argument is that these are referring to the wrath of the Lake of Fire, not the wrath of God during the Tribulation.  This is possible and the passages can be read either way.  Yet, most references to the wrath of God refer to events here on earth, and the wrath of the Tribulation is what believers would have directly in front of them more than the Lake of Fire.  Sure, we can die any day and thus the Lake of Fire is closer to us than the Tribulation.  However, in regards to God delivering the Church from the Wrath that He is going to pour out, the Tribulation is the more natural reference than the future judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20).  So, I rate this as a fairly strong argument.

Argument 4.  The promise of Jesus in John 14 parallels the Bride and Bridegroom imagery.  In John 14:1-4, we have Jesus telling his disciples that he is going away to his Father in order to prepare a place for them.  He then says that, if he goes away to prepare a place for them, he will doubtless come again to receive them to himself (literally to receive alongside oneself).  It pictures him coming to be reunited with them.  From that point, his disciples will no longer be separated from him.  Where he is, they will be.  The natural emphasis of this passage is that Jesus prepares a place in heaven, then comes back for his disciples, and then takes them to the place he prepared.

This is most likely an allusion to the Hebrew wedding practices of the day.  A bride would be betrothed to a husband.  He would then go and make a place for them within his father’s estate.  When he is finished, he would come to pick up his bride and take her to the place that he has prepared.  There would be a marriage supper, or feast, to celebrate the couple’s union. 

This gives better light to Revelation 19.  In that chapter, we are told that the wife of the Lamb has made herself ready, and then a blessing is declared.  “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”  The next scene is Christ coming with his saints and angels to destroy the beast, false prophet, and the kings of the earth and their armies.  Revelation doesn’t explicitly state that the marriage supper of the lamb happens in heaven before the Second Coming, but in view of John 14, this seems to be the most likely explanation.  John is writing to people who would totally understand the things being mentioned.  This is another strong argument to me.

Argument 5.  It makes the most sense of the passages that portray the coming of Christ as imminent.  I won’t go through all the verses.  However, many verses speak of Christ’s coming as being near, or at hand.  Only the Pretribulation view satisfies the idea that Christ could come at any moment.  All the other views have a number of years in which obvious prophesied events are happening. 

Typically, people who reject this argument do so by stating that the disciples and Jesus were simply wrong.  They thought it was near, but it was really quite far away.  Of course, then we would have a problem with the trustworthiness of the teachings of Jesus.  He is either the Word of God, and is therefore not wrong, or he is not trustworthy even in matters of salvation.  You can’t have it both ways.  I choose to trust Jesus, and to believe that the passages are intended to keep every generation on their toes.  Yes, God knew that the coming of Christ would be at least 1,900 years away, but that generation would need to know that he could come at any moment.  Such a promise, or warning, helps believers of every age to live a life that is ready for Christ at all times.  So, I find this to be a strong argument as well.

Argument 6.  The righteous being rescued before judgment is a common theme in Scripture.  However, the only safe place during the Tribulation will be in heaven itself.

This is a good argument because there are so many examples.  Enoch is removed before the flood.  Even Noah and his family enter into the safe place of God and are lifted up above the destruction on the ground below.  Lot is removed from Sodom and Gomorrah, and then destruction falls.  The children of Israel are taken through the Red Sea, and then destruction falls upon Pharaoh and his army.  The spies are helped out of Jericho and then the judgment falls on the city…and the list goes on.  The problem with such parallels is that they can only make the case that the Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation is in keeping with how God operates.  It can only support the other arguments; it can’t be a main argument itself.  There are too many other places where God protects believers through judgment and tribulation, e.g. the prophet Jeremiah.  That too is in keeping with how God operates.

As we bring this view to a close, I realize that I have only scratched the surface on all of these views.  Yet, I think what we have done over these weeks serves the issues well.  God has told us that his judgment is coming upon all the nations of the world.  It is our job to warn people to flee the wrath that is coming by getting into God’s ark, the Lord Jesus.  It is also our job to be humble regarding the prophecies that we have received regarding the end times.

We must daily encourage ourselves and one another to keep our eyes upon Jesus in the way that we live from day to day.  This is not the time to compromise and pursue sin, or at least redefine sinful things as moral.  This is the time to hold the line and love people enough to warn them. 

Whether I am dead or alive at Christ’s coming for his Church, I want to be among those who are lifted up to Christ in glorified, immortal bodies.  I want to be among those who rise up to inherit the kingdoms of the earth with Christ.  May the Lord help us to be faithful to the end!

Pretribulationism audio

Views of the End Times: Midtribulationism

Various Passages.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on September 29, 2019.

Over the last several weeks, we have looked at three views of the end times that generally employ an allegorical or symbolic approach to end times prophecy.  They were Full Preterism (see blog post on Sept. 1, 2019), Amillennialism (see blog post on Sept. 8, 2019), and Postmillennialism (see blog post on Sept. 15, 2019).  We then identified a fourth view called Premillennialism, which generally employs a literal approach to prophecy (see blog post on Sept. 22, 2019).

The differences in these previous 4 views all hinge on the relationship between the Second Coming of Jesus and the millennium.  However, within the Premillennialist camp there are some differences that hinge upon the relationship of the rapture to the Second Coming of Christ.  Parenthetically, if you are unsure about the meaning of the word “rapture” then you should see the previous blog post (Sept. 22, 2019).  Thus, last week we looked at the first of these rapture theories within the Premillennialism, Posttribulationism.  It was the view that the rapture is just one aspect of the resurrection, which only happens during the Second Coming of Jesus and after the Tribulation.  Today we are going to look at a second view within Premillennialism called Midtribulationism.  Here is a picture to get a rough approximation of the different views on the rapture within the Premillenialist group.

As you can see The Tribulation is a seven-year period of difficulty which involves the wrath of God upon the earth and ends with the Second Coming of Jesus.  Today’s view believes that the rapture is an event separate from the Second Coming of Christ at the end of The Tribulation.

Is there a rapture of Christian’s before The Tribulation?

The Midtribulation Rapture view says, “No,” to this question.  By the way, there is a minority view called the Pre-Wrath theory, which is similar to the Midtribulation view, but puts the rapture at the ¾ point of The Tribulation.  However, it is not very common and is similar to the Midtribulation view.  So, what does Midtribulation Rapture teach?

First, they believe that Christ raptures his Church in the middle of The Tribulation, which is clearly divided into two 3 ½ -year periods in Scripture.  Second, they see the first half of The Tribulation as being the same as the seven seals and the seven trumpets of the book of Revelation (Rev. 6-11).  The second half is connected to the seven bowl judgments.  Third, they emphasize that the first half of the tribulation is the wrath of man, whereas the second half is the wrath of God.

Argument 1.  Let’s take some time to walk through some of their arguments and give some kick back to them.  They typically emphasize the many places in the Scripture where 3 ½ years are emphasized in relation to end times matters.  Here are a couple of passages that give us such details. 

Look at Revelation 11:3. Here, John is told of two witnesses that will prophesy for 1,260 days and then be killed in the city of Jerusalem (vs. 8).  1,260 days is basically 3 ½ years, and represents the first segment connected to The Tribulation.  These witnesses are killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (a prison for spirit beings).  We are told that no one can touch the two witnesses until they finish their witness to the world, and then the beast will have the power to kill them.  Now, let’s go to Revelation 13 to get some more information regarding this beast character.

In verses 4-5, we see that the beast is given authority to continue for 42 months.  Interestingly, this just another way of referring to 3 ½ years.  From Revelation 19, we know that the beast will be captured and thrown into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming of Jesus.  Thus, a rough timeline of The Tribulation would be: 3 ½ years for the ministry of the two witnesses, and 3 ½ years for the authority of the beast.

Let’s dig a little deeper on these references to 3 ½ years.  Daniel 9:24-27 involves a prophecy wherein 70 groupings of seven years are determined for God’s prophetic dealings with Israel (totaling 490 years).  These groupings of seven years are broken up into 3 groups: 49 years (7 sevens), 434 years (62 sevens, and the last is 7 years (1 seven).  It is this last seven that we want to focus upon because of what it says about it in verse 27.  We are told that the previous period of 62 sevens would end with the death of Messiah.  “Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.”  So, after the death of Jesus there was only a period of seven years left for God to complete all prophecy with Israel.  We are told in verse 27 that “the prince who is to come” will strengthen and confirm a covenant with Israel for 7 years.  In the middle of the seven-year period, he will stop the sacrifices and bring in the abomination of desolation, which involves worship of a false god in the temple.  Again, a clear reference is made to a turning point at the 3 ½ year point.  This also synchronizes with Revelation 13 and the beast who has a mouth speaking blasphemies.

We are also told in Revelation 11:2 that Jerusalem will be trampled for 42 months (3 ½ years)-I would assume that this is in the second half under the beast’s authority.  Likewise, Revelation 12 speaks of the Jewish remnant fleeing into the wilderness, being protected from Satan, and being nourished for 1,260 days (again 3 ½ years).  It also describes this period as “a time (1), times (2), and half a time (½).”  This too would equal 3 ½ years.

Clearly, the midpoint of The Tribulation is an important part of the end times.  Yet, do these passages connect this midpoint to the rapture of the Church in any way?  My short answer is that most of the passages make no connection to the rapture of the Church, and the few, where a case is made, are very stretched connections.

Argument 2.  Typically, Revelation 11 and the two witnesses become a key argument.  They are killed by the beast, left to rot on the streets of Jerusalem, and then resurrected and raptured by God after 3 ½ days (Rev. 11:5-12).   These two witnesses are very reminiscent of Moses and Elijah because of what they do.  They shut the heavens so that it doesn’t rain, they turn the waters into blood, and they cause plagues.  Here is the question.  Are they actually two individuals or are they a symbol of the Church?  As you read through the passage, you can see where they could be a symbol in a few places.  However, the details are so clear and specific that it becomes increasingly harder to make it fit with a symbol.  What is symbol and what is not?  How does one make that distinction?  Are all these things symbols: the two witnesses, their death, the streets of Jerusalem, standing on their feet, their rapture, the voice, etc.  It seems a stretch to take all of this symbolic and it seems a stretch to only take the two witnesses as a symbol.  There is nothing textually connecting this resurrection of two individuals to the Church as a whole.  Will all believers on the earth lay on the streets of Jerusalem dead for 3 ½ days?  It seems not likely, especially since the passage gives no implication to this in any overt way.  It seems that these two witnesses represent the grace of God to those who are about to be tempted to take the mark of the beast and pledge allegiance to him and his system.  At this point in our history, modern man will demonstrate that it is one in spirit with the first century world, which crucified the Lord of glory.

This is the only passage that has a direct connection to a resurrection of any kind at the middle of The Tribulation, but yet falls short of a resurrection of all the Church.

Argument 3. The next argument uses 1 Thessalonians 5:9 to argue that “God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  To them, this means that God will rapture his Church before he pours out his wrath.  However, Midtribulationists view only the 2^nd half of The Tribulation as the wrath of God.  Is this a legitimate claim?  Are only the bowl judgments in the 2^nd half of The Tribulation connected to God’s wrath?  The short answer is no.

If you look at Revelation 6:15-17, we have the sixth seal broken and the people of the earth are recognizing that the wrath of God has come, not “is coming.”  By their own testimony they are looking at what is happening and saying, “Oh, No, the Bible was right!”  We can also recognize that there may be some “wrath of man” in the seal judgments (note that the first seal releases a conqueror on the earth, the second releases war etc.).  However, they are all being initiated by Jesus opening each seal.  The implication is clear and obvious.  He is removing the restraints to taking up his rightful authority over the earth.  This document proves his right and is being opened in order to do so.  These seal judgments and the Trumpet judgments later are all seen as the wrath of God.

Along with this, it is very common throughout the Old Testament to speak of events that are “the wrath of man,” and yet explain that they are primarily the wrath of God.  A case in point is the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the people of Israel.  No angels were involved in its destruction and their deportation.  However, the prophets testified that the wrath of God had come upon Israel, even though Nebuchadnezzar was his instrument.  Thus, it is a false distinction to emphasize the wrath of God against the wrath of God.

Argument 4.  It is also common to take the trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and connect it to the seventh trumpet of the book of Revelation.  Here is 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. “⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (NKJV).  Definitely, Paul connects the rapture/resurrection with the sounding of “the last trumpet.”  We can also note that the seventh trumpet is the last of the trumpets in the book of Revelation and happens right after the killing of the two witnesses, aka midpoint of the tribulation.

So, is there anything in the description of the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:17-18 that would lead us to believe that the rapture occurs here?  I don’t believe so.  The trumpet blast is followed by a declaration that the kingdoms of this world now belong to the Lord Jesus, and that he is going to rule forever.  It is then that the 24 elders who surround the throne of God in the heavens make several statements.  They do mention that the time has come that the dead should be judged, which by extension would involve resurrection.  Also, the reward of the saints is mentioned, which also would involve resurrection.  However, this passage has the sense of declaring that these things are on the horizon (have come).  The world has been waiting so long and now the time has come for these things to be accomplished, not that they have already been accomplished.  In fact, if all these things are done at this point, then the whole bowl judgments seem out of place.  Christ doesn’t come down to reign for another 3 ½ years.  How can he have already reigned, and judged the dead, and rewarded the saints?  There is no clear statement that a resurrection of the saints happens at the 7^th trumpet of Revelation.

Furthermore, It seems a stretch to think that Paul, who wrote 1 Corinthians 30 years earlier to John’s Revelation, had in mind the same thing John does.  John is revealing a vision that he has had.  Most of Revelation is stuff that has no New Testament connection.  It is a fresh revelation from God that is clearly giving information that the apostles did not have before this.  Yes, the Holy Spirit could have directed Paul to put down a phrase that he had no clue why he should include it, but this seems to run counter to what Paul is saying.  He has a clear reference in mind when he mentions the last trumpet.  On the other hand, the book of Revelation never calls the seventh trumpet, “the last trumpet.”  Yes, it is logically the last of those seven, but nowhere is it called the last trumpet.  Such, a connection is extremely tenuous, at best.

Let me reiterate that I appreciate that these views attempt to take Bible prophecy literally.  I believe that it is the approach that God would have us use.  Yet, people who hold one of the three Premillennial views of the rapture have not been very kind to each other historically.  In truth, they are often quite nasty, employ ad hominin attacks, and demonstrate extreme arrogance.  This is sad because our lord literally tells us not to do such things.  Even if you believe that a fellow Christian is wrong in their interpretation, you are still required to love them.  On top of this, no view of the rapture involves heresy that will endanger anyone’s salvation.  This is simply an over the top line of reasoning.  Our salvation is not based upon our view of the rapture.

May God help us to endeavor to be a people that will trust God regardless of what we are required to endure because there are people every day who are not in The Tribulation, and yet, they wonder if they can endure the things that they are facing right now.  They need strong Christians who can come alongside of them and encourage them with the truth of God.  Yes, God allows us to go through difficult things, but he also has a good plan for us.  He is not allowing us to suffer needlessly.  Instead, our lives are a witness to the world around us, and a witness against the fallen heavenly powers.  “We choose Jesus!  We choose to follow Him, and not the false pretenders who come to replace him!”

Midtribulationism audio