I’m getting really frustrated, so I can only imagine how Jewish people living in and around the Temple Mount must feel!  Imagine being told that you cannot go to the Temple Mount to pray; an area that was Jewish long before Muhammad happened on the scene.

Yet in today’s world, Jews are not allowed up there most of the time, and if they are allowed there, they are watched like hawks in case they start trouble.  Trouble to the Palestinian Arab police officers who guard the Temple Mount usually means praying.  Wow, imagine that, if a Jew goes to the Temple Mount to pray, it will cause trouble!

The question is, why will it cause trouble?  It will cause trouble because Muslims now believe the Temple Mount to be holy for them.  They believe the Dome of the Rock (also on the Temple Mount) is the very place where Muhammad “ascended” to heaven without dying.  So, they have built a mosque over an area they consider to be sacred.

Because this area is sacred to them, Jews (and even Christians) who go there to possibly pray are considered a threat.  This is at least one reason why Arabs hurl rocks at Jews who attempt to go up to the Temple Mount.  Then, to make matters worse, the Jews are usually arrested, or nothing is done to the Arabs who throw the rocks.

Of late, even Christians have been kept off the top of the Temple Mount, while Muslims come and go as they please.  Why is this allowed?  Because so far, Israel has been afraid to flex her muscles, especially now that she can no longer count on the USA for support.

Of course, our own president has stated that virtually all Jewish settlements on the West Bank will go, that there will be two states and that Jerusalem will be divided, with the eastern portion (containing the Temple Mount), going to the Palestinians, with the western portion going to Israel.  Of course, the eastern portion of Jersualem will become the Palestinian state capital.

Isn’t it interesting how, in spite of what the United Nations gave to Israel in 1948, the clock is being turned back.  Now, the Palestinians (I’m still waiting to read about the specific culture, language and religion of Palestinians, as it differs from the rest of the Arab population), seem to have the world on their side all of a sudden and will apparently get what they have been clamoring for, long before Yassar Arafat allegedly died of AIDS.  For the Arabs, this is a dream come true.  The only thing that could be better would be for the Arabs to be able to expel every last Jew in the Middle East.

A day or so ago, a Jewish father and his betrothed daugher were visiting the Temple Mount (wow, how did THEY slip by the police?!).  During their short visit, an Arab police officer “knew” that the father was “praying.”  How did he know this?  Because the man was “moving his lips.”  Of course, the police officer could not hear what the man was saying, but the fact that he was moving his lips meant that he was, without doubt, praying!

Let this be a lesson to all Jews out there – when you are on the Temple Mount, do NOT move your lips when you speak!  In fact, the better you are at ventriloquism, the better your situation will be, while visiting the Temple Mount.  Yes ladies and gentlemen, learn the dying art of speaking without moving your lips, in order to fool your friends, coworkers and the Arab police officers on the Temple Mount.  Amaze your friends, too!  They’ll wonder how you do it.  You’ll be the talk of the neighborhood and the toast of the town!  Feel free to read more about this absurd incident here:  Jewish Father and Daughter arrested.

I cannot imagine spending a ton of money to go to Israel, only to be forbidden from going up to the Temple Mount.  That would be extremely frustrating to say the least.  My problem is that I would likely make my frustration known, which would only make matters worse.

What is absolutely amazing now is not only that virtually the entire world now stands against Israel, but many are starting to demand that only the pre-1967 borders will be recognized.  This is in spite of the fact that Israel was attacked, and she merely defended herself.  Within two weeks, Israel gained what she lost, and added to her borders.  Since then, Israel has constantly had to defend these borders.

Now, led by the Swedish president and the EU itself, Israel is being told that the post-1967 borders do not count.  However, I cannot help but wonder if the Arab nations that originally attacked Israel in 1967 had increased their borders, would they now be told that they must return the land to Israel?

This rhetorical question needs no answer since it is obvious what the answer would be.  Israel is being hijacked by a world that could care less about protocol and legalities.  We are seeing aspects of Ezekiel coming to fruition before our very eyes.

One almost imagines that the Northern Invasion will occur any day now, as stated in Ezekiel 39:3-6

I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.  Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;  Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes— many peoples are with you.

The above words are from God Himself.  Notice that He is the One who will entice/cause Gog (the leader of the armies from the north), to turn toward Israel.  Gog will then gather his troops, and with a multitude of people, will attempt to swoop down on Israel.

It is difficult for me not to believe that the Antichrist is not alive and walking this earth.  I have no clue as to his identity, nor do I know when he will be revealed as the world leader.  To believe somehow that he is not alive and working behind the scenes now is, in my opinion, naive.  How much more time needs to go by before this man of sin comes to the forefront of the world’s stage, offering Israel a deadly deal; a deal, which he will ultimately break three and a half years into the Tribulation (70th week; see Daniel 9:24-27)?

Everything seems to point to the fact that we are at the very threshold of the start of the Tribulation.  Certainly, the time is drawing short, so what does this mean for authentic Christians?  Two things:

1. our redemption draws nigh
2. we are still to continue evangelizing the lost

We are to continue working until the Lord calls us home, either through our death, or the Rapture.  We are not to sit on our rears, acting like couch potatoes, who have not a care in the world.  People are dying, heading into eternity without Christ.  They are Jewish and they are Gentile.  Authentic Christians need to be pressing the point home to all people; whether they listen or not.  Are you?

Even a cursory search of the Internet for “Nephilim” results in a ton of web sites, with information that could be real, some that is clearly not real, and others where no one knows for sure because there is nothing to corroborate anything.

Most are aware that Genesis 6 introduces us to the Nephilim, the offspring of the union of human women with…what?  Biblical scholars of course, disagree about just what exactly happened way back then.  Did actual angels fall to the point of being willing (and able!) to impregnate human women, with the resultant offspring called Nephilim?  Or maybe these fallen angels possessed human men, and then they cohabitated with human women, with the result being Nephilim?  Could it be that the term “sons of God” does not refer to angels at all, but to fallen men?

What we see in Scripture is something that causes us to blink.  We blink because we are not really sure what happened and we cannot be dogmatic about it.  We shrink from the idea that angelic beings could actually find a way to have physical relations with human women.  Not only is that disgusting, but it goes beyond our ability to grasp and understand.  We do not like the idea of angels (fallen or not), having their way with human women and producing something that would obviously turn out to be part angel/part human.  How does that even work?  More to the point, if that was possible, do we assume that because the offspring is part angel, then they cannot receive salvation?

One thing is clear to me about this situation.  We will not know for sure until we see Jesus and ask Him.  If He is willing to tell us, then we will know for certain.  Since it is in the Bible, it is worth knowing, and hence, worth asking.

That aside though, what is true about these Nephilim creatures – the Bible uses the term Nephilim, which means “earthborn” – is that they are not right.  They are not what God created, nor did He ever intend to create.  Whatever the Nephilim were, is something that Satan did, in his attempt to destroy.  He wanted to destroy God’s creation any way that he could.  Of course, we know that he began with the angels, and unfortunately, one-third of them followed him in his rebellion.

Tossed out of heaven (though still having access to it), he set his sights on God’s earthly creation; namely, Adam and Eve.  He would set out to destroy their relationship with God and in so doing, hope either to gain forgiveness for himself, or simply ruin the relationship that Adam and Eve enjoyed with God.  We know the result of the Tempter’s work.

Later on, as we peruse through the very early chapters of Genesis, we arrive at chapter 6, which tells us ever so briefly about the “sons of God” and their union with human women.  The result was something horrendous.

We know that this horror was replicated throughout the entire world, except for Noah and his family.  Although, in point of fact, we only know that it was Noah who was “perfect in all his generations.”  We can either assume that this extends also to his wife, his sons and their wives, but we do not know for certain.  If one of the sons’ lineage had been corrupted, then there is a case for believing that the line of Seth is what perpetrated these Nephilim monsters much later, when the Israelites arrived at the borders of the Promised Land the very first time, as seen in the book of Numbers.

In the Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24 (and also in Mark 13 and Luke 21), Jesus speaks of the fact that “as it was in the days of Noah,” it will also be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.  Now, if we simply look at the fact that people were so evil, so brutal, and so unredeemable, that God had no choice, but to destroy them in a global flood, we must note that Jesus seems to be saying that toward the end, during the time just prior to His Second Coming, people will be the exact same way.  Does this mean that the Nephilim will appear once again?  It could very well be, however, they may not appear to be as they did during the time prior to the flood of Noah’s time.

What is fascinating to me is what we have been seeing in society with people in the past number of decades.  People have consistently and continually become more violent, lacking in social graces, care about one thing, which is usually themselves, and are generally could care less about the well-being of others.  I also note that the level of violent thought, speech and actions have really ramped up in society and it seems to have happened so quickly.

I was watching a show on PBS the other day, which highlighted songs from the 60s.  It was fun to watch clips from the old Ed Sullivan show and to see groups like the Beatles in all their innocence.  Listening to many of those songs, which were hits then, do not even compare with what passes as song today.  The Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and others like them were completely innocent, yet parents were up in arms because of this “boy” band from England, with their pointed shoes, their bangs covering their foreheads and the fact that John was a wisenheimer with the press.

Things changed though and it was not long before the world was introduced to “Sgt Pepper” and other strange things from the minds of these four guys from Liverpool.  Not only that, but much of the music took a bit of a weirder, and even darker edge.

However, if we segue to today’s music, it seems as though nothing at all is held back.  The gates opened and in came the music from the pit.  It’s all the rage and it’s what kids (and adults alike) listen to today.

In the early 80s, I remember hearing Metallica for the first time at work (it was a manufacturing plant).  I thought it was really pushing the limit of good taste then.  Now however, it seems as though Metallica is child’s play to some of the groups that are out there now! 

It’s not merely music, but other areas as well; TV, movies, advertising and all the rest.  Everywhere you look, or whatever hits your ear is filled with a type of vitriol that does nothing more than distill anything good out of people.  Society the world over has become evil, and there is no getting around that fact.  Attitudes have changed, people have changed and there is no going back.

What I think characterized the people of Noah’s day was the fact that evil had absorbed them.  There was obviously no place in the world that one could go and not experience some sort of evil, if we understand Genesis literally.  The world is fast becoming like that again.  Society has veered off the path of morality, good taste and common sense, giving into the darker aspects of life, that are constantly being whispered in the ear.

Where do we go from here?  There really is only one direction – a continued downward spiral.  The only thing that will allow anything or anyone to be salvaged at all is the return of Christ.  I hope you know Him.  Knowing Him is not just saying a quick “sinner’s prayer.”  It is entering into a living, viable relationship with Jesus, just as people enter into viable, living relationships with other human beings.

You do not invite someone into your life with a few words, and then do nothing to support that relationship.  You work at it, you endeavor to know the other person and grow together as time goes on.  This is what is meant when we talk about being a Christian.  I hope that’s you, because this world is not getting better and we can know that it will get much worse before the Lord returns.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad apparently has “documented evidence” that the United States is doing all it can to keep the hidden Imam from appearing.  This Imam – the Mahdi – is believed to the “ultimate savior of mankind.”

Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying, “We have documented proof that they [U.S.] believe that a descendant of the prophet of Islam will raise in these parts [Middle East] and he will dry the roots of all injustice in the world.”

That’s interesting, isn’t it?  Here I was, thinking that the United States has lost its clout, but apparently, we are still strong enough to keep something supernatural from occurring!

Also according to the Iranian president, he has evidence that indicates both the east and west are planning to annihilate Iran.  I’m not sure where he gets his information, but it would seem to be a bit off base.  I mean, our government cannot even decide if we are going to remain in Afghanistan, and then when it does decide to remain by sending additional troups, the message is immediately followed with the decision to pull out all troops within 18 months.

A third and final (for now), accusation from Ahmadinejad is that the United States is nothing without Iran, and all of our government’s rhetoric is merely meant to send up a cloud of fog to confuse everyone.

I have to ask, why is the United States being blamed on keeping the Mahdi from appearing?  While Israel is the “little Satan,” the United States is the “big Satan” and because of that, it is Iran and every other hard-line Muslim nation that wants to see the United States overthrown.

Why has this not happened yet?  Maybe it has more to do with the fact that without the United States, much of this world would not exist as it does.  Think of the United Nations – would there be one without the United States and the money that is pumped into that organization?  Iran has no foundation upon which to make her claims against the United States or anyone else.

Look, if the United States is in Iran’s way, or anyone else’s way for that matter, why has no one declared war against us?  War has been declared against us and it was clearly highlighted on 9/11.  That act of war, dragged us into a situation that we did not want to be involved in, but seemed to have no choice, but to engage the enemy, wherever we could find them.

I am always amazed at the rhetoric of people like Ahmadinejad.  He’s a guy who is likely possessed; certainly he’s not in his right mind.  Hatred can do that to a person.  His hatred runs deep.  He hates Jews and he hates Israel.  He also hates anyone who has ever sided with Israel.  This hatred of his, blinds him to the truth.  He does not even realize how ridiculous he sounds.  Right, the United States is able to keep this alleged Mahdi from appearing.  That makes a lot of sense.

I thought it was the Muslim’s job to join in the jihad against countries like the United States?  In fact, I was under the impression that Islam will not be content until every last person who is not a Muslim, either becomes one, or dies.  This is their mantra.  This is their belief.  This is what they live for, and what they strive to achieve.

In the meantime, the world as one, stands against Israel.  The last time this happened, Hitler slaughtered millions of Jews in his attempted ethnic cleansing.  We are moving toward a time – and are likely already there – when the truth will appear to be a lie, and lies will become the new truth.

Whether it’s Ahmadinejad lying about the alleged power of the United States to keep the Mahdi from appearing, or all the world attempting once again to make Israel the scapegoat for the world’s problems, it’s all the same and it all stems from the same source.  That source is absolutely the coming Mahdi, however, he won’t be the savior everyone thinks he will be.  He is the Antichrist, coming to destroy all semblance of loyalty to the only wise and true God of the Bible.

There is nothing about the coming Antichrist that is truthful.  Nothing.  He will do whatever it takes to gain leadership ultimately over the entire earth.  That’s right – the globe, not merely a region on the globe.  He will lie, cheat, steal and even kill to gain access to the highest position over all the earth, a position that belongs to God and Him only.

Once the Antichrist achieves that level of “leadership,” his will quickly become a dictatorship; an Absolute Imperialistic kingdom, where he will rule with an iron fist, eliminating everyone who opposes him and his rule.

That time is coming and is here now.  I cannot imagine that the Antichrist is not alive on this planet right now.  Too many signs and signals have come into play and lined themselves up.  They all point to him and his public appearance cannot be that far off.

Whether this coming “Mahdi,” is the Antichrist, or will merely act as his False Prophet sidekick, remains to be seen.  One thing is for certain though.  The lies will continue to be fed to the masses until they are accepted as truth.  Once this new “truth” takes hold, all bets are off and it will be every man for himself.

This is the reality that we are facing.  This is the path that will lead to the climax of world history.  This is what everything in the Bible leads to – Jesus Christ and His Second Coming, when He slays the Antichrist with the breath of His mouth and when He takes control of a world that has been, for too long, ignoring Him and His Word.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

It could happen…

It would appear that the entire world is coming against Israel.  There is more and more talk about dividing Jerusalem into two parts, and giving East Jerusalem to the Arabs.  For those who do not know, East Jerusalem is considered to the be the old part, or the historical part, and includes the Temple Mount.

Recently, the World Bank decided to give 64 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority, in preparation for their statehood.  The plan is to see this statehood come to fruition within two years.  There are more details here: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3816006,00.html

The trouble is that for all practical purposes, it appears as though the entire world stands against Israel.  Certainly Obama has made his intentions clear.  He wants a Palestinian state to come into being and he wants it soon.  He is one leader who also wants to see Jerusalem divided into two sections, with East Jerusalem going to the Palestinians, to be used as their capital.

So, if Israel stands alone, what can they possibly do to counteract this, without going to war?  Chances are slim that Jerusalem will be divided without any military action occurring.  In fact, even if it was determined that Jerusalem should be divided, with “laws” passed to that effect, who is going to enforce the law?  For those who believe that military action would be able to enforce it, how could it possibly occur without a military incursion into Israel?

The world does not need anymore wars, but the world also needs to support Israel’s right to exist as a state; a victory they won legally in 1948.  Things went along fine, until 1967, when out of the blue, they were attacked on a Sabbath day.  Because it was a Sabbath, they were not in the position of fighting back.  However, once they were able to fight back, they not only regained the land they lost in the first two weeks of that battle, but increased their own borders.

Because of this, neighboring Arab countries say they will not even talk to Israel unless Israel first gives up the land they gained in 1967.  History has shown that in spite of what they give up, they never gain peace.  Their enemies simply move closer, and continue lobbing rockets into Israel.

So, when all is said and done, what might be a scenario in which Israel would agree to allowing Jerusalem to be split into two, with the eastern portion going to the Palestinians to use as their capital?  At this point in time (and granted, I’m no seer), I can only see one thing that would cause Israel to even want to consider giving up East Jerusalem.  That would be if a caveat was included in this deal that granted Israel safe passage to the top of the Temple Mount and allowed the nation to build the Temple.

The chance to not only be on the top of the Temple Mount without harrassment, along with the ability to build the 3rd Temple might just be the very thing that Israel would jump at.  This and this alone may be the very thing that the Man of Sin (otherwise known as the Antichrist), offers to Israel in order to gain peace in that area.  Of course, we know that the peace, such as it is, will last a mere 3 1/2 years before the same man who gained peace, turns on the Israelites with a terror never before witnessed by the world.

Will this happen?  Only time will tell.

I spoke with a number of people at the corporate level at Bestbuy on Wednesday and interestingly enough, both folks I spoke with agreed with me about removing Christ from Christmas by not including “Merry Christmas” or not using the word “Christmas” in their advertising.

Interestingly enough, when I returned home from NC today, there was a telephone message waiting for me, from one of the individuals I spoke with at Bestbuy, who indicated that his supervisor said to assure me that they had not yet begun running their Christmas advertising, but they learned their lesson from last year.  This year’s ads WOULD include the word “Christmas” and/or “Merry Christmas”!

I’m glad some corporations still listen to consumers!  Thank you, Bestbuy!  I will continue to shop at Bestbuy stores!

Good morning, everyone.  I hope you are preparing for a very nice Thanksgiving.  The holiday season is always nice, although family dynamics can, at times, put a damper on things.  Normally, in every family, there is at least one individual who tends to create situations that are less than fun.  Take heart though, because the holidays do not last forever.  Isn’t that swell?

On another couple of notes…I have just begun writing for Prophezine.com, which of course caters to prophetic areas of Scripture, but not exclusively.  They also promote and teach the reality of Christian growth and holiness, as well as putting an emphasis on evangelism.  Prophezine is a well-rounded site, which is not myopic in scope.  They do not have blinders, but tend to see the world from a biblical viewpoint.  I would recommend that you check them out, by heading over to:  www.prophezine.com

Lastly, for this particular blog, I would like to bring something to your attention and you can decide what, if anything, you would like to do about it.  Not long ago, Best Buy adopted a policy to exclude the word “Christmas” in their advertisements (see bottom of this page).  This was brought to my attention through one of the Prophezine’s email newsletters and it prompted me to contact Best Buy to issue my complaint.  To quote from the newsletter, “A company spokeswoman – Dawn Bryant – announced they would not use the word “Christmas” in their advertising: “We are going to continue to use the term holiday because there are several holidays throughout that time period, and we certainly need to be respectful of all of them.”

That line of thinking is disturbing to me for a number of reasons, but what really disturbed me was the fact that on the heels of that announcement came an advertisement with a blurb for Muslims, and their upcoming holiday!  Go figure!  So, on one hand, Best Buy cannot use the word “Christmas,” because it is not inclusive of Muslims, I would surmise.  So, instead of adding comments and good wishes for all regarding the “several” holidays that occur during this time of year, apparently Best Buy believes it more expedient (read: politically correct), to ignore Christians, while giving props to Muslims.  Is it because Best Buy is afraid of what might happen if they do not acknowledge Muslims specifically, or because they don’t care if Christians feel ignored and/or rejected?  Do they not think that Christians actually spend money at Best Buy?  This is one Christian who will no longer participate in the practice of making purchases at Best Buy and I informed them of my decision.  Interestingly enough, both individuals I spoke with at corporate offices were in agreement with me.  Both apologized and one even said, “I agree with you, sir!  I might get in trouble for that (due to the fact that her words were recorded along with the entire phone call), but I don’t care!  They do NOT take Christ out of my Christmas!“  To that, I simply said a hearty “Amen!”

It appears to be another asinine move by a corporation.  Instead of including good wishes to all parties who celebrate some type of holiday this time of year, they remove an indirect reference to Christianity, replacing it with good wishes to another particular religious group.

If you feel like calling Best Buy to make your voice heard, feel free to contact them at: 1-888-237-8289. Apparently, according to the people I spoke with, they have been receiving a good amount of complaints.  I’m glad to hear it!

I have begun writing another book tentatively titled “The Actual Deception Ushering in the End Times Apostasy” and thought I’d post the full cover here.  It’s a fun book, which will offer my rebuttal to the arrogance espoused by those who denigrate the PreTrib Rapturist.  I hope to have that available in about a month or so.

I know it’s a bit tough to make out all the detail.  You can see a slightly larger version of it here:  http://www.rightly-dividing.com/

Also, here’s a cartoon I created that is going to be part of the book:

Know the Day or the Hour

We’ve gone over this before, but to summarize, it is largely due to the fact that Dave MacPherson has shined the light of contempt on the PreTrib Rapture position and people have bought his lies, historical revisions and questionable summaries lock, stock and barrel.  It is because MacPherson and his frenzied followers have stopped to say “What else needs to be said?!  Mac has proven the point!”  Uh, no, he has not proven anything, except that he can exaggerate like the best of them because he has an axe to grind.

So, most people who disagree with the PreTrib Rapture position rest on the fact that they believe Mac has said what has needed to be said.  He has given the Posttribber more bang for his buck; more ammunition to use against the PreTrib Rapturist.

There are really few places that a PreTrib Rapturist can go today without hearing or reading words like “apostasy,” “heresy,” “deception,” “delusion” and many others, all connected to the PreTrib Rapture.  Because people believe it to be THE (or at least, ONE of the) reason for the End Times apostasy, they feel no need to look further.  For them, the question is answered, the problem is solved.  Those who do not see eye to eye with Mac and his buds, are spiritually deluded, making it impossible for them to see with spiritual clarity.

Let’s be clear here for a moment though, all right?  Many people believe that the Pre Trib Rapture is so heinous that it cannot be anything BUT a lie.  I mean, consider what it does.  It obviously creates Christians who are carnal at best, and evil at worst.  The belief that I am on my way to hell, for instance, is something that I’ve heard too many times to count.  Yet, what IS the real problem here?  The problem seems to be not in the PreTrib Rapture position, but in the believed OUTCOME of espousing such a position.

In effect, it is assumed and believed that because I am a PreTrib Rapturist, I have simply STOPPED actively being a Christian.  Oh sure, I might go through the motions, you know, open my Bible when someone is looking, or pray when I’m in church.  I will probably make a big show of going to church, so that people SEE me and note that I am present.  But really, all of these things – praying, reading the Bible, serving Him and more – all of this is simply window dressing.  Let’s face it, because I believe that I will escape the Tribulation via the Rapture, I have no real reason to live a godly life at all.  It’s there for show and for show only.  In fact, when no one is looking, I imbibe the world’s pleasures.  ALL of my Christian friends and the members of the church I attend are all phonies.  Everything we do – serving the homeless, the shut-ins, the elderly, the widowed, the sick, and others in need – is done for man’s accolades.  The reason I spend hours in prayer and preparation for teaching Bible classes at church is to earn brownie points with people.  The reason I write and give away a ton of the books I write is because I want people to like me.  I do NONE of that because I love the Lord, because I long to see Him one day.  I do ALL of this because I want to pat myself on the back and feel good that I am contributing to something bigger than myself.  Who cares that the Lord knows I really do not care about Him or His Word?  If I can pull the wool over man’s eyes, that’s really what it all boils down to, doesn’t it?

The idea that I am going to be rescued by the Rapture before things get bad is such a cool concept, I wish I had thought of it!  Think about it.  I can do virtually nothing and STILL be saved from the evil of the Tribulation!  Isn’t that cool?  Plus, it does NOT matter at all that when I’m “rescued,” I will immediately be in His presence and of course, I would have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of, having lived my life in expectant escapism prior to the Rapture.

But wait, I’m actually getting ahead of myself, because according to many, I’m doomed to hell.  I’m self-deluded and deceived and on the fast track to the Lake of Fire.  Wow, thank God for the humble Posttribulationist who really understands what it means to be a Christian!  Phew, for a moment there, I thought that God was left without a voice in this world, but never fear, the dear, humble, spiritually mature Posttribber is standing by, ready to do battle with the Antichrist himself!

Does Jesus Actually Return to Earth Twice? ©2009 F. DeRuvo

But I have to wonder, what of the Amillennialist or anyone who does not believe that there is going to be a 7-year (or 3 1/2 year) Tribulation?  Some of these folks believe that the world is going to get better and better until the situation and time is right for Jesus to simply return.  There is NO Tribulation because it already HAPPENED.  Of course, these individuals are not deluded, nor are they deceived.  There is no question as to their love for the Lord.  They will NOT be taken by surprise when the Tribulation hits.  Nothing like that at all.  The kind of remonstrance I’m referring to is only reserved for the poor, misguided and deceived PreTrib Rapturist and no one else. 

Let’s get a few things straight, all right?  The doctrine of the Rapture is NOT part of the apostasy of the End Times.  The apostasy of the End Times is such that it will create a falling away.  A falling away from WHAT?  A falling away from the gospel of Jesus Christ.  What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?  It is believing that He is God in the flesh and that He came and offered Himself as a propitiation for MY sin.  Believing in Him means believing that He is God and that His sacrificial atonement cancels my sin.  Because I fully believe that, I am given NEW life; salvation.  This is the same salvation that Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about in John 3.  It is the same salvation that the thief on the cross received.

Salvation is not praying the sinner’s prayer, or asking Jesus “into my heart.”  Salvation is BELIEVING in Christ’s atonement and the fact that because of what Christ did, I am justified; fully declared righteous before God.  Believing here is not simply intellectual assent.  It is living, breathing KNOWLEDGE that allows me to see and understand that Christ IS who He says He is and that He did what He is said to have done.  Because of this, believing in Him means that through my faith in Him, I am united with Him in His Body.  That is FOREVER and it cannot be undone, in spite of what some would like us to believe (but that’s for another day and another blog).

So if I have salvation and I have salvation BECAUSE of what Christ did for me and because He opened my eyes so that I could see the truth, and because of that salvation, I am SEALED by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the eternal nature of my salvation, and if I have that eternal salvation because Jesus is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of my faith, how is it possible for Him to ignore me, or otherwise allow me to become so unspiritual that I am not only no good to myself, but no good to others?  I do not see how that can happen in the long run.  While it CAN happen for short periods of time, it seems clear enough that a situation which continues like this is grounds to be taken home early, according to Paul in his letters to the Corinthians.

Here is something that many within Christendom do not say much…I could be wrong about the PreTrib Rapture.  I could ALSO be wrong about the doctrine of election, or at least my understanding of it.  I could also be wrong about Dispensationalism, or the fact that I believe that God is not done with Israel yet.  There are many things that I could be wrong about, but at this point in my life, I do not believe I am wrong about them.  This does not mean that at some future date, I may have enough information which will persuade me that this view or that view that I’ve held dearly for years is not correct.  I am completely open to that possibility because I know me well enough to know that I am NOT perfect, nor do I hear the Lord perfectly (though no fault of His, of course).  Sometimes, when I read parts of His Word, it seems too complex to grasp, so I pray and leave it to Him.

Here’s an interesting thing about many people today with respect to doctrine and specifically, the PreTrib Rapture doctrine.  I have come across many people who make statements like “I USED to believe the PreTrib Rapture until the Lord got hold of me, baptized me and revealed the truth to me.”  The problem with a statement like that is that it only APPEARS to be self-deprecating, when in point of fact, it’s actually very arrogant.  People who make these statements and others like them, also now believe that it is merely them and the Lord.  They stop listening to other “men” and just go by what the Lord says to them directly.  Well then, they should probably toss their Bibles and allow God to write them a new one.  I mean, after all, why bother listening to any of the prophets or apostles?  They’re just men, who were used by God to jot His Words down.  But cannot the Holy Spirit do that again for each person?  Of course He can, and why shouldn’t he?  Cult leaders have special things written for them or through them, so why can’t God do that for everyone?

Sorry, I digress.  The reality is that there are MANY people who believe me to be deluded, and deceived.  Because of that, I will obviously be completely unprepared for the coming Tribulation.  Howwever, this errant belief completely disregards God’s sovereignty, His love, and especially His mercy. 

I can say this with absolute clarity that since I became a Christian, by receiving His salvation, the road for me has been difficult, but He has NEVER left me, or forsaken me.  The “tribulations” that I have experience thus far in life have not been easy.  Some have been of my own making, while others were sent directly from Him, for my growth and His glory.

I look back on my life as a Christian, and I can see how far I have come, only by His grace and indwelling presence.  Looking down the corridor of my past to the present is proof of His involvement in my life.  I can see the more I have relied on Him, the more He has blessed me with growth and maturity.  I can see that love for other individuals and especially those of the household of faith has grown.  I see that I have developed more of a love for His Word, and a greater degree of patience for myself and others.  However, when I compare myself with the picture that Scripture paints of Christ, I see that I continue to fall woefully short.  But if my past is anything to bank on, I know with confidence that He IS with me now, and He WILL be with me today and will CONTINUE to be with me tomorrow.

I received salvation at the age of 13.  Almost forty years later, at 52, I can truthfully say that I love Him more, I serve Him more and I seek to glorify Him more, than I did in times past.  However, I am not done yet and the reason I know I am not done yet is because I am not where my sister is now; she is with Him.  I am still here, living my life on a daily basis, going through the struggles that come with this life and leaning at times very heavily on his arms.  He has NEVER failed to carry me through a situation; never once.

If I am wrong about the PreTrib Rapture, I am fine with that.  In fact, there is a side of me that WANTS to see some of those future events taking place.  I want to see the Antichrist gain power and become the One World Leader.  I WANT to see the enemies of Israel attempt to invade that land only to be fully thwarted by God Himself.  I want to see what this “mark of the beast” is going to be and I WANT to be out there preaching to the lost during the Tribulation, just as I do NOW.

I have NO idea what the future of my life holds, except that one day, I will die.  I do not know when, but I know that is His guarantee to me is that one day in the future, I will be immediately brought into His presence through death.  He has NOT guaranteed that I will live to see and be taken in the Rapture.  There is no guarantee that the Rapture or the Tribulation will even occur in my lifetime.  The guarantee that I have is that one day I will die and see Him immediately.  When I see Him, I will be like Him.

This type of understanding does not come from someone who is deluded and spiritually deceived.  People who are only living to escape the Tribulation are probably living with their eyes on this world and this world only.  They are not really concerned about BEING a Christian, and LIVING the Christian life.  They are more concerned about satisfying their own souls.  Because of this, there is an excellent chance they are not truly saved at all.

Unfortunately for those who are so dead set against the PreTrib Rapturist, that description of what people like myself DO as Christians, is unfamiliar to me concerning ANY PreTrib Rapturists that I know of, or know personally.  The people that I know who also espouse a PreTrib Rapture position LOVE the Lord and we love Him by SERVING Him, praying to Him, praising Him and taking what He provides us in this life with the understanding that whatever He sends our way may appear to be evil, but ultimately is meant for our good.

I would greatly appreciate if all those opposed to the PreTrib Rapture would do the Lord a favor, and start focusing on the real problems that face our society and the visible Church.  It is not the PreTrib Rapture that is drawing people away from the Church and Christ.  Interestingly enough, I do not see the PreTrib Rapture (or nearly any portion of Eschatology) as qualifying for the Last Days apostasy.  What I DO see occuring today, which fully qualifies as apostasy is:

• Seeker Sensitive movement
• the Mystical Movement
• Churches Going Green
• A move from Literal to Allegorical Bible Interpretation
• Ecumenism
• Church Growth Movement
• Spiritual Formation
• Contemplative Prayer
• Emergent Church
• Kingdom Now
• Dominion Theology

Those things listed above have been occuring within, and taking over, the visible Church for decades and have grown in measure since their inception and introduction.  What they are doing is introducing “another” gospel, which Paul would say is not a gospel at all.  IF the PreTrib Rapture position is incorrect and I am alive when the Tribulation begins, WONDERFUL!  I will be privileged to see more prophecy unfold right before my eyes.  I will also continue to do what I do – pray, serve, study, seek His face – and I will do it with the same indwelling Presence then in the future, that I have now – the Holy Spirit. 

Unfortunately, some people are so myopic they cannot see the forest for the trees, believing that the PreTrib Rapture is the problem, when in point of fact, the items listed above have nothing to do with the PreTrib Rapture and are far more dangerous. 

Many of you have bought into the lie that says I’m unprepared for the coming persecution.  What about the “tribulation” of daily living?  How do you think I’m handling that?  Do you also not believe that God will provide to those who are His, the ability to withstand ANY attack from the Antichrist, should the PreTrib Rapture be a wrong notion?  And by the way, do you honestly believe that the Lord is going to provide the amount of strength and grace needed to live during those days, now?  Why would He do that, when we do not need that type of grace, strength and understanding as we live now?

The individuals who live in this world now as missionaries, and who daily face the threat of physical harm and even death, are given tremendous amounts of strength, grace and wisdom because of the amount of tribulation that they face on a daily basis.  I do not, at this point in my life, need that type of strength, or wisdom from above.  In fact, Christ said that when specific tribulation comes, we should not be at all concerned about what we will say.  I assume that He also means we should not be concerned about the tribulation itself, for He and He alone will guide us through it, just as He guides us through life now.

The idea that I am somehow banking on the PreTrib Rapture to whisk me away prior to the Tribulation is nonsense.  It is time for Christians to focus on the enemy and it is NOT the PreTrib Rapture.  The enemy is busy doing two things:

• getting Christians to castigate one another, and
• introducing movements (like those in the list above), into the visible Church which draw people away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ

Meanwhile, the mighty Posttribber and others are focused on intently fighting against what they consider to be the deception of the PreTrib Rapture.  Good luck with that, because while you are wasting your time telling me that I am deceived, deluded and even not a true Christian, the Emergent Church, Spiritual Formation, Church Growth Movement, Seeker-Sensitive Movement, the Mystical Movement, the Churches Going Green parade, Contemplative Prayer, Ecumenism, Unity in Diversity, Kingdom Now and many other “isms” have literally invaded and are taking over much of evangelicalism.  You are doing NOTHING to fight against that though, because you have broken your arm patting yourself on your back saying things like “I started a similar group called “The Pre-Trib Rapture is NOT in the Bible”. Lets get the word out there, people need to prepare themselves.”

You do that, folks.  Get the word out about how ruinous the PreTrib Rapture is in all its wayward deception, and do not for a moment, consider your own arrogance.  Keep telling yourself that your heart is breaking for the poor, deluded PreTrib Rapturist.  Tsk, tsk, you think.  Such a shame.  Sigh.

In the meantime, do NOTHING to combat the actual deception that has invaded the visible Church, leaving apostasy in its wake.  Good move.  Actual lost souls will continue enter into eternity completely lost and you can go on combating the End Times apostasy of the PreTrib Rapture.  Get a clue, people.  Too many people remain lost because too many Christians are fighting the wrong fight!  It is time to wake up, pick up our swords and fight the real enemy, not the PERCEIVED enemy.

Those who would like to join me in my fight against the hypocrisy, judgment and arrogance of those who have deemed it necessary to make it their life’s mission to fight the PreTrib Rapture may do so by going here (you will need a Facebook account):

The PreTrib Rapture IS in the Bible

You’re welcome to join in, but you will not be welcome to castigate, attack, or arrogantly express your “loving” opinion about how wrong, and deceived PreTrib Rapture people are in their own minds.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled anti-PreTrib Rapture rant…

Having just received the latest Zion’s Fire, from Marv Rosenthal’s Zion’s Hope organization, I wondered how many pages I would have to turn before I came across some anti-PreTrib Rapture sentiment.  It wasn’t long.  The newsletter/magazine boasts thirty interior pages and by page number seven, Marv was taking the time to offer dire warnings for those who believe and espouse the Pretribulation Rapture.  He is in the process of discussing the Beast of Revelation chapter thirteen, and he speaks of this coming unholy trio of evil agents, bent to take God and His servants on, in what is described as a seven-year period of terror, led by the Antichrist himself.

As an aside, Rosenthal states, “I have particular concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ who believe they will be removed by a pretribulation rapture from these events before they commence.  I know what they believe the Scriptures they cite in defense of their position.  For twenty-five years I was a major advocate of pretribulation rapturism through my writing and preaching.”[1]  Whether or not he is concerned for his brothers and sisters may be true, but my question is why do people who do not espouse the PreTrib Rapture feel the need to be concerned?

Rosenthal provides us with his answer in the next section, when he states, “For pretribulation Rapturists, I fear the Great Tribulation will be a spiritual Pearl Harbor.  Believing they will be exempted from the persecution of Antichrist by rapture, they will be caught off guard and totally unprepared for what is coming on the earth.  They will be like a man taking a placebo that does not help, when nearby is medication that can strengthen the immune system to faithfully withstand the attack.”[2]

While the statement above sounds interesting, one is forced to ask, what does it actually mean?  What exactly is Marv saying?  I hear him saying that I am unprepared, as I have heard so many others say this same thing, but again, what does that MEAN?  I study my Bible, I pray to God, I seek His strength and His will in my life daily.  I seek His face, and I ask the Holy Spirit guide me and strengthen me from within, as I go about my day-to-day life.  I believe that my heart is directed toward God and I believe that I seek Him with as much of my heart as I know how.  I’m certain that there are parts of my life that are not perfect, but no one’s life is perfect here.  What does Marv mean that I am taking a placebo, when the “real” medication is nearby?  Am I not using the correct Bible?  Am I not praying correctly, or with the right amount of earnestness?

I think it’s clear what Marv means.  He apparently means that he (like so many others), are spiritually prepared, because he is not deceived and deluded like I am.  Because I am deceived (according to Rosenthal), then I cannot possibly be on the same spiritual level that he shares with many who believe as he does.  Because of my belief in the PreTrib Rapture position, there is a propensity toward lethargy when it comes to my spiritual life.  In fact, no matter what I do, no matter how much time I spend in prayer, or reading Scripture, the sad fact of the matter is that I am just not good enough, because the deception of the PreTrib Rapture position keeps me from true spiritual growth and maturity.

However, Marv is not done yet.  On the next page, he charges, “To think that during the Great Tribulation, when hell breaks loose on earth, the Church will not be present will be a grave error in judgment.  It requires embracing a position unknown for the first eighteen hundred years of church history, first aught under highly questionable circumstances and without any biblical substantiation.”[3; emphasis added]  Wow, that’s certainly interesting.  In fact, it would be more interesting if it was true, but it is not.  However, let’s say that it is true.  If you talk to an individual who espouses a Posttribulation Rapture position, they would agree with Marv’s statement, but they would go further than Marv did.  They would say that the early Church knew only a Posttribulation Rapture position and nothing else.  Where does this leave Marv since Marv is a believer in the Pre-Wrath Rapture position?  This position did not officially come to the fore until 1990.  In fact, the actual origins of the Pre-Wrath Rapture are over 100 years later than the alleged origins of the PreTrib Rapture position, yet we are to believe that the Pre-Wrath position is viable?  This makes absolutely no sense at all, and many Posttribbers and Pretribbers have written articles and books against this position.

If there is apparently no biblical substantiation for the PreTrib Rapture position, there is also none for the Pre-Wrath position.  The idea that because Christians go through part of the Tribulation somehow makes these individuals more spiritual is patently absurd.  The truth in all of this is that no one is more prepared or more spiritual because they happen to believe in a particular Rapture position.  In fact, the more people point fingers at others, the more arrogance they are actually espousing.

Meanwhile, the lost of the world are going to hell in a hand basket, and the enemy of our souls laughs his red tail off.  While a particular Rapture position does not unspiritual Christians create, I will tell you what is and has been creating apostasy within the visible Church:

• The New Age Movement
• The Mystical Movement
• Contemplative Spirituality
• Spiritual Formation
• Churches Going Green
• Kingdom Now
• Dominion Theology
• A Shift from Literal to Allegorical Bible Interpretation
• Ecumenism
• Unity of Diversity within All Religions
• A Coming One World Order
• Easy Believism Stemming from the Seeker Sensitive Movement

The list could get bigger, but the items listed above represent the type of doctrines that have wormed their way into the visible Church.  As they have done so, sound Bible teaching has gone out the door.  Look that list over carefully.  Would you agree that these things have infiltrated the visible Church in large measure, over the past number of decades?  Would you agree that they have done something that nothing else has been capable of doing?  They have opened the door to another gospel, which is really no gospel at all.  Why the focus on one very minor aspect of Eschatology, when the above bulleted list of items have literally inundated evangelicalism?  Today more than ever, people are hearing what they want to hear about the gospel, God, salvation and Jesus Christ.  They are being told that salvation is different than what they have been taught for centuries.  They are told that it is not important to believe that Jesus Christ was and remains God and that He came to die, by shedding His precious blood, in order that we might live.  They are being told that if they are Buddhists, they do not need to stop being Buddhists to be “Christian.”

There are many things that have been and are attacking the Church in this generation, but one thing that has not been part of that is belief in the PreTrib Rapture. That’s nonsense and people like Marv Rosenthal should know better.  During the days I attended Philadelphia College of Bible, he was part of that board and he knew the men who taught daily at that school.  He knew their commitment and saw their lives.  Is he now saying that those men were/are unspiritual, carnal, lazy and in danger of being fully deceived?  He must be saying that, because that’s ultimately what he is saying about himself and anyone who believes the PreTrib Rapture position.

Rosenthal is on very shaky ground.  He pretends the ground underneath him is firm, but it is not.  The idea that people continue to repeat what Dave MacPherson and others have claimed to be truth is pitiful and needs to stop.  I will say it again…if believing the PreTrib Rapture position has caused me to become spiritually illiterate, then believing that my death could occur at any moment should do the same thing.  What’s it gonna be folks?  Are we going to continue to play the devil’s game of pointing fingers and arrogantly stating that the PreTrib Rapturist is deceived and unspiritual, or are we going to focus our attention on the real problem facing the Church today?  I think we had better take the time to consider the fact that the lost continue dying.  Have you talked to any of them?  Have you witnessed?  Have you explained to them their need for Christ?  That is infinitely more important than arguing over the veracity of a particular Rapture viewpoint, don’t you think?

[1] Zion’s Fire, Vol 20, No. 5, September/October 2009, p 7
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid, p 8 

Having just received the latest Zion’s Fire, from Marv Rosenthal’s Zion’s Hope organization, I wondered how many pages I would have to turn before I came across some anti-PreTrib Rapture sentiment.  It wasn’t long.  The newsletter/magazine boasts thirty interior pages and by page number seven, Marv was taking the time to offer dire warnings for those who believe and espouse the Pretribulation Rapture.  He is in the process of discussing the Beast of Revelation chapter thirteen, and he speaks of this coming unholy trio of evil agents, bent to take God and His servants on, in what is described as a seven-year period of terror, led by the Antichrist himself.

As an aside, Rosenthal states, “I have particular concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ who believe they will be removed by a pretribulation rapture from these events before they commence.  I know what they believe the Scriptures they cite in defense of their position.  For twenty-five years I was a major advocate of pretribulation rapturism through my writing and preaching.”[1]  Whether or not he is concerned for his brothers and sisters may be true, but my question is why do people who do not espouse the PreTrib Rapture feel the need to be concerned?

Rosenthal provides us with his answer in the next section, when he states, “For pretribulation Rapturists, I fear the Great Tribulation will be a spiritual Pearl Harbor.  Believing they will be exempted from the persecution of Antichrist by rapture, they will be caught off guard and totally unprepared for what is coming on the earth.  They will be like a man taking a placebo that does not help, when nearby is medication that can strengthen the immune system to faithfully withstand the attack.”[2]

While the statement above sounds interesting, one is forced to ask, what does it actually mean?  What exactly is Marv saying?  I hear him saying that I am unprepared, as I have heard so many others say this same thing, but again, what does that MEAN?  I study my Bible, I pray to God, I seek His strength and His will in my life daily.  I seek His face, and I ask the Holy Spirit guide me and strengthen me from within, as I go about my day-to-day life.  I believe that my heart is directed toward God and I believe that I seek Him with as much of my heart as I know how.  I’m certain that there are parts of my life that are not perfect, but no one’s life is perfect here.  What does Marv mean that I am taking a placebo, when the “real” medication is nearby?  Am I not using the correct Bible?  Am I not praying correctly, or with the right amount of earnestness?

I think it’s clear what Marv means.  He apparently means that he (like so many others), are spiritually prepared, because he is not deceived and deluded like I am.  Because I am deceived (according to Rosenthal), then I cannot possibly be on the same spiritual level that he shares with many who believe as he does.  Because of my belief in the PreTrib Rapture position, there is a propensity toward lethargy when it comes to my spiritual life.  In fact, no matter what I do, no matter how much time I spend in prayer, or reading Scripture, the sad fact of the matter is that I am just not good enough, because the deception of the PreTrib Rapture position keeps me from true spiritual growth and maturity.

However, Marv is not done yet.  On the next page, he charges, “To think that during the Great Tribulation, when hell breaks loose on earth, the Church will not be present will be a grave error in judgment.  It requires embracing a position unknown for the first eighteen hundred years of church history, first aught under highly questionable circumstances and without any biblical substantiation.”[3; emphasis added]  Wow, that’s certainly interesting.  In fact, it would be more interesting if it was true, but it is not.  However, let’s say that it is true.  If you talk to an individual who espouses a Posttribulation Rapture position, they would agree with Marv’s statement, but they would go further than Marv did.  They would say that the early Church knew only a Posttribulation Rapture position and nothing else.  Where does this leave Marv since Marv is a believer in the Pre-Wrath Rapture position?  This position did not officially come to the fore until 1990.  In fact, the actual origins of the Pre-Wrath Rapture are over 100 years later than the alleged origins of the PreTrib Rapture position, yet we are to believe that the Pre-Wrath position is viable?  This makes absolutely no sense at all, and many Posttribbers and Pretribbers have written articles and books against this position.

If there is apparently no biblical substantiation for the PreTrib Rapture position, there is also none for the Pre-Wrath position.  The idea that because Christians go through part of the Tribulation somehow makes these individuals more spiritual is patently absurd.  The truth in all of this is that no one is more prepared or more spiritual because they happen to believe in a particular Rapture position.  In fact, the more people point fingers at others, the more arrogance they are actually espousing.

Meanwhile, the lost of the world are going to hell in a hand basket, and the enemy of our souls laughs his red tail off.  While a particular Rapture position does not unspiritual Christians create, I will tell you what is and has been creating apostasy within the visible Church:

·         The New Age Movement

·         The Mystical Movement

·         Contemplative Spirituality

·         Spiritual Formation

·         Churches Going Green

·         Kingdom Now

·         Dominion Theology

·         A Shift from Literal to Allegorical Bible Interpretation

·         Ecumenism

·         Unity of Diversity within All Religions

·         A Coming One World Order

·         Easy Believism Stemming from the Seeker Sensitive Movement

The list could get bigger, but the items listed above represent the type of doctrines that have wormed their way into the visible Church.  As they have done so, sound Bible teaching has gone out the door.  Look that list over carefully.  Would you agree that these things have infiltrated the visible Church in large measure, over the past number of decades?  Would you agree that they have done something that nothing else has been capable of doing?  They have opened the door to another gospel, which is really no gospel at all.  Why the focus on one very minor aspect of Eschatology, when the above bulleted list of items have literally inundated evangelicalism?  Today more than ever, people are hearing what they want to hear about the gospel, God, salvation and Jesus Christ.  They are being told that salvation is different than what they have been taught for centuries.  They are told that it is not important to believe that Jesus Christ was and remains God and that He came to die, by shedding His precious blood, in order that we might live.  They are being told that if they are Buddhists, they do not need to stop being Buddhists to be “Christian.”

There are many things that have been and are attacking the Church in this generation, but one thing that has not been part of that is belief in the PreTrib Rapture. That’s nonsense and people like Marv Rosenthal should know better.  During the days I attended Philadelphia College of Bible, he was part of that board and he knew the men who taught daily at that school.  He knew their commitment and saw their lives.  Is he now saying that those men were/are unspiritual, carnal, lazy and in danger of being fully deceived?  He must be saying that, because that’s ultimately what he is saying about himself and anyone who believes the PreTrib Rapture position.

Rosenthal is on very shaky ground.  He pretends the ground underneath him is firm, but it is not.  The idea that people continue to repeat what Dave MacPherson and others have claimed to be truth is pitiful and needs to stop.  I will say it again…if believing the PreTrib Rapture position has caused me to become spiritually illiterate, then believing that my death could occur at any moment should do the same thing.  What’s it gonna be folks?  Are we going to continue to play the devil’s game of pointing fingers and arrogantly stating that the PreTrib Rapturist is deceived and unspiritual, or are we going to focus our attention on the real problem facing the Church today?  I think we had better take the time to consider the fact that the lost continue dying.  Have you talked to any of them?  Have you witnessed?  Have you explained to them their need for Christ?  That is infinitely more important than arguing over the veracity of a particular Rapture viewpoint, don’t you think?

[1] Zion’s Fire, Vol 20, No. 5, September/October 2009, p 7
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid, p 8

Interestingly enough, I ran across another anti-PreTrib Rapture site, run by Posttribbers who offer the same worn out extra-biblical arguments that you see everywhere:

• believing the PreTrib Rapture creates spiritually dead Christians, who are unprepared for the Tribulation
• the PreTrib Rapture fosters complacency and an escapist attitude
• because PreTrib Rapturists believe they will escape the Tribulation, they have no reason to continue to do the work of the Lord, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum

What I find constantly amusing is how many individuals firmly believe that the PreTrib Rapture position is high on the list of deceptions that will usher in the last days prior to the Tribulation and beyond.  In fact, some are so convinced that the PreTrib Rapture is born of diabolical origins, that they believe it to be THE main deception of the Last Days. 

So focused are some folks on broadcasting their belief that the PreTrib Rapture is THE deception that they are unable to see anything else.  For instance, there are any number of high-profile deceptions that have been making their way into the Church for a number of years now.  Jan Markell has taken the time to point out some of these deceptions:

• SeekerSensitive/Church Growth Movement
• Mystical Movement
• Churches Going Green
• Kingdom Now/Dominion Theology
• Moving Away from Taking the Bible Literally
• Contemplative Spirituality/Spiritual Formation

If you look in the list above, you should notice that there is nothing that is really directly related to Eschatology.  It’s all a spiritualizing of God’s Word, which brings about an errant viewpoint.  In fact, the very thing that the items above have in common is their propensity toward the mystical, or seeing God in everything.

In many ways, the movements above are spelling disaster for the Church because they are creating an atmosphere within the visible Church that resembles the New Age Movement.   In fact, if you notice the photo above, also from Jan Markell, it highlights a symposium on combining Budhism with Christianity.  While there is no clear way to do that, apparently people believe that there is and it is to that end that they work.

I would be willing to bet that in this symposium, the Rapture is never mentioned, nor is Eschatology in general discussed.  What is discussed is how, through meditation, to achieve a “holiness” that supercedes anything found within Budhism or Christianity separately.

The deception that is being foisted upon the world today has nothing to do with the Rapture.  The deception that is being foisted on the world is seen in the New Age Movement.  The deception that is overtaking the visible Church is a “Christian” version of the New Age Movement.

The end goal for Satan and his minions is to deceive the world, by pulling them AWAY from God.  What he wants to do for those within the visible Church is the exact same thing.  However, these individuals will not be deceived that easily.  They will have to be woo’d away by religious-sounding terminology and verbiage.  The visible Church will reject the “Christ Consciousness” for instance, but  it won’t necessarily reject the idea of a unity of religions, for the good of mankind and to glorify God.

So, while many Posttribbers are wasting their time and breath warning the Church about the PreTrib Rapture, people both outside AND inside the visible Church are falling prey to the devil’s schemes.  Those schemes involve clever-sounding religious dogma, but in truth, they are nothing less than New Age thought, wrapped in Christian wrapping paper.

A belief in the PreTrib Rapture does not create lazy, unspiritual Christians.  What creates lazy and unspiritual Christians is listening to, and heed to seducing spirits, who preach another gospel.  That other gospel is found within the New Age Movement, which has surrepticiously made its way into the visible Church.

Funny how something like the New Age Movement can be in plain site, yet still able to hide from too many Christians.