Thread: More On the Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church: Part One
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More On the Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church: Part One
Posted : 25 Oct, 2010 07:53 AM
More On the Origins of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church: Part One
On http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/18518.htm
Ernest L. Martin says:
"The Newness of the Doctrine: It may come as a surprise to many Christians, but the doctrine of the Rapture is not mentioned in any Christian writings, of which we have know...ledge, until after the year 1830 A.D. Whether the early writers were Greek or Latin, Armenian or Coptic, Syrian or Ethiopian, English or German, orthodox or heretic, no one mentioned a syllable about it."
Apparently there were no Protestants who taught a pre-tribulation rapture of the church before John Darby in about 1830. But there are claims that a Catholic Jesuit, Emmanuel Lacunza, did teach a pre-tribulation rapture.
On http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Ribera
it says: "Francisco Ribera (1537�1591) was a Jesuit doctor of theology, born in Spain. He began writing a lengthy (500 page) commentary in 1585 on the book of Revelation (Apocalypse) titled In Sacrum Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij, and published it about the year 1590."
Ribera proposed a futurist interpretation of the Book of Revelation, apparently to counteract the Protestant interpretation that the Anti-Christ and beast were the Pope.
Then on http://www.israelect.com/reference/WillieMartin/The_Millennium.htm
they say: "Emmanuel Lacunza, (a Jewish Spanish Basque 1731‑1801 A.D.) also a Jesuit priest, built on to the other Jesuits' teachings, adding new ideas of his own in his book, 'The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty' published first in 1812 (after Lacunza's death) in Spanish and then translated into English by Rev. Edward Irving and published in London in 1827. This book also had the first hint of a two‑stage second coming of Christ separated by a stated period of time of an intervening period of judgments, with 45 days between the Rapture and the descent of Christ to the earth for the judgements on the earth to take place." (The Millennium, John L. Bray, p. 57). "
But - the Catholic Church has never and does not now follow the pre-tribulation rapture theory proposed by Jesuit Emmanuel Lacunza.
On http://www.catholic.com/library/Rapture.asp
they say of the Catholic doctrine that: "As far as the millennium goes, we tend to agree with Augustine and, derivatively, with the amillennialists. The Catholic position has thus historically been "amillennial" (as has been the majority Christian position in general, including that of the Protestant Reformers), though Catholics do not typically use this term. The Church has rejected the premillennial position, sometimes called "millenarianism" (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church 676). In the 1940s the Holy Office judged that premillennialism "cannot safely be taught," though the Church has not dogmatically defined this issue. "
The New Testament in Matthew 24: 29-30 and in I Corinthians 15: 51-52 shows clearly that Christ will appear after the tribulation. And the Bible has no verse saying that Christ will appear twice, the first time in secret to catch up the church and the second time to judge the world.
So the pre-tribulation rapture is false teaching. How, then, did this false teaching become accepted by so many Christians in the church, especially by the evangalicals in the U.S. in the period after about 1890. American missionaries then spread the false doctrine of the pre-trib rapture of the church to Christians around the world. The Niagara Bible Conference, held from 1876 to 1897, was in part responsible for the spread of Dispensationalism and the pre-trib rapture idea in the U.S.. Most of the speakers at this conference were dispensationalists, and the Niagara Bible Conference introduced many evangelical Protestants to dispensationalism.
How Cyrus I. Scofield and other classical American dispensationalists were so successful in spreading dispensationalism is another chapter in this story. They had some help from the elites, many of whom were not Christians.
The questions are "How did the doctrine of the pre-trib rapture begin," and "Why was it accepted by so many American Christians."
Going back to the site, http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/18518.htm
Ernest L. Martin says, in part, about the origins of the doctrine that "The result of a careful investigation into the origin of the Rapture has been recently published. The book is an excellent one which deserves to be read by all people interested in the subject. Its title: �The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin� by Dave MacPherson. He catalogs a great deal of historical material which answers the doctrine�s mysterious derivation. We wish to review the results of his research. In the middle 1820′s a religious environment began to be established among a few Christians in London. England which proved to be the catalyst around which the doctrine of the Rapture emerged."
According to Ernest L. Martin on the above site, in London during the mid eighteen twenties, a movement in Presbyterian minister Edward Irving's congregation began involving speaking in tongues.
Irving was thrown out of the Presbyterian church, but continued his ministry, which may have contributed to the early origins of Pentecostalism.
In 1830 an outpouring of the Holy Spirit supposedly happened among some people in the lowlands of Scotland. Ernest L. Martin says "On one particular evening. the power of the Holy Spirit was said to have rested on a Miss Margaret Macdonald while she was in a state of illness at home. She was dangerously sick and thought she was dying. In spite of this (or perhaps because she is supposed to have come under �power� of the spirit for several successive hours during which she experienced the manifestations of �mingled prophecy and vision.� The message she received during this prophetic vision convinced her that Christ was going to appear in two stages at His second coming � and not one! The emanation revealed that Christ would first come in glory to them that look for Him and again in a final stage when every eye would see Him."
"The studies of Mr. MacPherson show that her sickness during which she received her visions and revelations occurred sometime between February 1 and April 14, 1830. And by late spring and early summer of 1830, her belief in the two phases of Christ�s coming was being mentioned in praise and prayer meetings in several towns of western Scotland. In these meetings some people were speaking in �tongues� and other charismatic occurrences were in evidence. These extraordinary and strange events in western Scotland so attracted John Darby that he made a trip to the area to witness himself what was going on. Though he did not approve of the ecstatic episodes that he witnessed. it is nonetheless significant that Darby, after returning from Scotland, began to teach that Christ�s second coming would occur in two phases. MacPherson shows good evidence that Darby had even visited Miss Macdonald in her home. There can hardly he any doubt that the visions of Miss Macdonald are the source of the modern doctrine."
"While it is possible that visionary revelations can come from God, it is always prudent to be cautious in such matters. Near the same time that Miss Macdonald was receiving her visions, Joseph Smith in America was experiencing his apparitions which brought Mormon doctrines to the world. John Wilson also had his dreams which were the spark that started the false teaching of British realism. Not long afterwards Ellen G. White received her visions that resulted in many Seventh Day Adventist teachings. And remarkably, all these individuals received revelations of doctrines which were much at variance with one another. Such incidents bring to mind the warning that God gave to Moses."
�If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" Deuteronomy 13: 1-3
Dispensationalists do not like the idea that the pre-trib rapture doctrine had its origin in the visions of Margaret Macdonald. They try to discredit the work of Dave MacPhearson and others who have agreed with him.
More On the Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church: Part One
Posted : 26 Oct, 2010 03:31 AM
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The "raising of the dead" (verse 16) is known as the "RESURRECTION," and when the Saints rise up into the air to meet the Lord, or are "caught up," (verse 17) this is known as the "RAPTURE." According to this passage, both of these things happen together simultaneously as one big event! The words "caught up" come from the Latin word "Raptio" from which we get our modern word "Rapture." Well this SAME "RESURRECTION EVENT" is spoken of in verse 5 of Revelation 20:4-6.
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 worshiped 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. 5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 6) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the FIRST RESURRECTION: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Notice that this "FIRST RESURRECTION" (verse 5) comes AFTER these people were BEHEADED by the antiChrist, for refusing to take the "mark of the beast!?" (verse 4) That means that they were obviously STILL HERE during this coming horrendous time, and were not Raptured out beforehand!? If the Rapture and Resurrection occur together simultaneously in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 & 17, then they must also occur together simultaneously HERE in Revelation 20:4-6 at THIS RESURRECTION!? And since Revelation 20:5 says that this is the "FIRST" resurrection, then there could not have been any "pre-tribulational" one before it, right!? Otherwise it would not be the FIRST!?
It ALSO speaks here of a "JUDGMENT OF THE SAINTS" occurring at this Resurrection, in which they are rewarded for remaining "faithful unto death," during the anti-Christ�s persecution. (verse 4) It appears that they are raised from the dead in the Rapture, and then Judged and rewarded by the Lord accordingly!? Well THIS VERY SAME "JUDGMENT EVENT" is spoken of in Revelation 11:15-18, as coming at the blowing of the 7th and LAST TRUMPET of the TRIBULATION PERIOD! This, therefore, places the RAPTURE & RESURRECTION at the BLOWING OF THE 7TH and LAST FINAL TRUMPET OF THE TRIBULATION: (see verse 18 below)
Revelation 11:15) And the SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDED; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever. 16) And the four and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, 17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned. 18) And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, AND THE TIME OF THE DEAD THAT THEY SHOULD BE JUDGED, AND THAT THOU SHOULD GIVE REWARD UNTO THY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS, AND TO THE SAINTS, AND THEM THAT FEAR THY NAME SMALL AND GREAT; and should destroy them which destroy the earth.
So by linking these verses all together by the association of the same events involved in each one; we see that this "Rapture / Resurrection / Judgment / and Rewarding of the Saints" comes here at the blowing of the LAST TRUMPET! This is exactly what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52 - "Behold, I show 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 TRUMP: for the TRUMPET shall sound, AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, and we shall be changed."
You will notice that there is also mention of a TRUMPET being blown in
1 Thessalonians 4: 16 & 17 above. There is also mention of a TRUMPET being blown at the Second Coming of the Lord in Matthew 24. As a matter of fact, these SAME THREE ELEMENTS that are found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 & 17 above: (The Coming of the Lord - A Trumpet being blown - and the Rapture, or "Raising up of the Saints" to meet the Lord in the air) are ALSO found in Matthew 24:29-31, as well, describing what is very obviously this SAME EVENT:
Matthew 24:29) IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30) AND THEN SHALL APPEAR THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, AND THEY SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. 31) And He shall send His angels with a GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET, and they shall GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM ONE END OF HEAVEN TO THE OTHER.. (A big "meeting" of the Saints with the Lord IN THE AIR!)
Notice also that in Matthew 24, this "Rapture" or "Gathering Together" occurs IMMEDIATELY "AFTER" THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, and not "BEFORE"??? (verse 29) This is all very strong Scriptural evidence AGAINST a "Pre-Tribulational Rapture" of any sort. In fact, it makes this all quite plain, in BLACK & WHITE!?
These verses CANNOT be taken any other way than to mean exactly what they are saying! Most of the verses in the Pre-Tribulational teaching, though, CAN be taken another way, and interpreted to mean that, instead of being Raptured out prematurely, we are merely, "kept" by the Lord and protected RIGHT HERE ON THIS EARTH, until He returns to take us out! This is what Jesus said in John 17: 15, "I pray NOT that Thou shouldest TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD, but that thou should KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL." This event of the "Gathering Together" of the Saints or "Rapture" is even spoken of in the Psalms!
Psalms 50:3) Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: A fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.. 4) He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that HE MAY JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. 5) "GATHER MY SAINTS TOGETHER UNTO ME; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
Notice the "Coming of the Lord," (verse 3) and the "Judgment" of the Saints, (verse 4) and the "Gathering Together" of the Saints to meet the Lord?" (verse 5) All are elements in other passages above that occur at this same time. Remember how
1 Thessalonians 4:16 says that the Lord will "descend from heaven with a shout?" Perhaps Psalms 50:4 & 5 tell us WHAT He will "shout" when He returns!? (See this same event also in Daniel 7:9-14)
This same "Rapture" term, "Gathering Together" is ALSO used in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, and like Revelation 20:4-6, this chapter states very plainly and clearly that the anti-Christ must come FIRST before Jesus comes to "Gather us Together" unto Himself!!! This IS in fact; and I hope you will see, the whole reason that this chapter was even written in the first place; to make this one point!
2 Thessalonians chapter 2:1-13:
1) "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, and by OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM." (From this introduction we can see that this chapter is going to deal with that particular "Coming of the Lord" in which we are "gathered together unto Him.") (That would be "the Rapture!")
2) "That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." (Someone falsely wrote the Thessalonians and told them they had missed the Rapture, and signed Paul�s name to the letter) (So now Paul tells them not to believe any such false reports, because before Jesus returns to "gather" us unto Himself, the ANTICHRIST MUST COME FIRST and sit in the temple claiming to be God; causing a great falling away from the Christian Faith:)
3) Let no man deceive you by any means: FOR THAT DAY SHALL NOT COME EXCEPT THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST, AND THAT MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, THE SON OF PERDITION; 4) WHO OPPOSITE AND EXALT HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THAT IS CALLED GOD, OR THAT IS WORSHIPED; SO THAT HE AS GOD SITS IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.
"THAT DAY," according to verse 1, is the day of Christ�s coming and our subsequent "gathering together unto Him," or "Rapture!" And these verses make it very clear that, "THAT DAY"� "SHALL NOT COME," until the anti-Christ, or "son of perdition" comes FIRST!!!
More On the Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church: Part One
Posted : 26 Oct, 2010 10:01 AM
You are right in everything you say. Actually the entire rapture theory (deception) was invented in order to draw in more congregants with a false promise of eternal security and avoidance of suffering. This of course is patently false in that in order to reign with Him you must suffer with Him.
The theory lulls Christianity into a passivity that is always waiting for something to happen rather than making it happen. It is one more clever (but not so clever) way Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and hides himself in religion as a purported minister of righteousness. Thank God he does not deceive everybody because scripture says many will be deceived except the very elect who cannot be deceived. As God said "they will be seeking peace and safety and sudden destruction will come upon them".
If the rapture deception is right try selling that to the early church whose members were tortured, fed to lions, burned to death and otherwise murdered in countless numbers. Where was the rapture? The fact that we will be removed from the very thing that seals our salvation is indescribable nonsense
