Unveiling the Rapture (part 1)
©2014-2016 dr wills
About a year and a half ago, I published a book titled, "The Seven Seals in Prophecy and in History" (here). Ever since then, I've labored to get the information contained in that book into the hands of as many Christians as possible. This will be the first in a new series of essays, in which I will provide the essential truths contained in that book. The hour is very, very late; and the need is exceedingly urgent, for the Church of Jesus Christ to know the truth concerning where we actually are on the "prophetic time clock".
When I was in the process of writing my book, I found it was necessary to devote an inordinate amount of effort to refute a large number of erroneous ideas involving Bible prophecy ~ as that is commonly taught. I expect to have to do the same thing herein, albeit, I must be as concise as possible, given the constraints of this format. Before new seeds (new ideas) can be sown in an old field, it is first needful to prepare the ground, as it were.
Ordinarily, I prefer to retain as great a measure of anonymity as possible, and for a host of good reasons. Yet, I suppose it may be helpful to you my Readers, if I divulge certain relevant information about myself, at this point. For, the subject matter I am now purposed to deal with is far too important ~ and, unfortunately, it is also far too controversial ~ for me to merely cast my own ideas into the midst of what is like a veritable ocean of confusion, pertaining to End-time events, without giving you some reason to invest your valuable time to read what is likely to turn out to be several rather lengthy blogs in this series.
I have been a very devout student of Scripture for about forty years or so. Although I have read hundreds of books in my lifetime, yet, the things I wrote in my book I received by revelation of the Holy Ghost in and through my own studies of the Bible. Throughout many years as a Christian, I have found that what most people suppose the Bible teaches ~ and what the Bible actually teaches, are oftentimes two very different things.
I am very familiar with a wide spectrum of thought pertaining to Bible prophecy. At a comparatively young age, I realized that among my varied readings involving Bible prophecy, no one (as far as I then knew) had produced a convincing (that is, a compelling) case for the doctrine of a "pre-Tribulation Rapture" ~ nor for any other position vis-a-vis the Rapture. I thus began to ask the Lord to teach me, in His own Word, the truth concerning the doctrine of the Rapture. He has done just that for me, though it has taken decades.
I'm fairly confident that what you are about to read in this blog is unlike anything you have ever heard or read before, concerning what the Bible has to say about the Rapture of the Church. Yes, the Rapture is indeed pre-Tribulational. Why, then, does the question of the relative timing of the Rapture remain such a controversial one? It is because, the time for God to unveil that great End-time mystery had evidently not yet come. Therefore, no one had yet been given the keys. Those keys mainly consist in rightly understanding the true meaning of the seven seals, in the book of the Revelation.
Mainstream Bible prophecy teaching ~ a partial synopsis
I will often refer to certain ideas which comprise the core of what I call "mainstream Bible prophecy teaching" ~ or the "mainstream system of interpretation" ("mainstream system", for short). There appears to be a small percentage of professing Christians who are genuinely interested in Bible prophecy. Amongst whom there are basically two schools of thought, concerning the Rapture of the Church. The leading school of interpretation involves the pre-Tribulation view. Whereas, the so-called "pre-wrath", or mid-Tribulation, view, apparently has a smaller number of adherents. Those who insist that the Church must go through the Tribulation, however, I cannot accept that anyone holding such a view of Scripture is really a very serious student of the Word of God. For, apart from any scheme of interpretation, the plain teaching of Scripture ~ in the Old Testament as well as in the New, gives abundant assurance concerning the willingness of God to differentiate between the righteous and the wicked, when it comes time for God to mete out judgment.
Without elaborating in its entirety the "mainstream system" involving the pre-Tribulation Rapture; I will merely reiterate certain aspects of that system which relate to the seven seals. It is almost universally taught that the first of the seven seals indicates the appearance of the personal Antichrist ~ and, thus, the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation period. It logically follows, then (according to the mainstream system), that all seven of the seals necessarily belong to the Tribulation period.
Importantly, whereas the fifth seal evidently reveals a crisis, during the Tribulation (as that is supposed), whereby there shall then be a (large) number of Christian martyrs; "mainstream" prophecy teachers insist that a great Revival shall occur during the Tribulation.
That conclusion of theirs is further supported, as they believe, by the events of the sixth seal, which entails (as they further suppose) a second Rapture (the first having occurred pre-Tribulation).
Finally, the mainstream system is constrained ~ by reason of other events which must occur within the seven-year span of the Tribulation ~ to suppose that all of the events associated with all seven of the seals, must transpire with the first year or two of the Tribulation (Tim LeHaye, for instance, states that the seal judgments shall be concluded within the first 21 months of the Tribulation).
Those are the principal ideas belonging to the mainstream system of Bible prophecy teaching; concerning which I shall return, again and again throughout this series, to refute. Next, I shall introduce the subject matter of this series, by discussing certain key ideas involving the seven seals.
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The importance of the seven seals
That portion of the text which explicitly involves the seven seals, occupies fully ten percent (10%) of the book of the Revelation. Thus, emphasizing the prophetic significance of the meaning of those seals. I will demonstrate in later essays in this series, that understanding the true meaning of the seven seals is the KEY to unlock the mystery concerning the relative timing of the Rapture (proving that the Rapture is pre-Tribulation).
The meaning of the book itself ~ which was sealed
Remarkably, in the course of all my studies, I don't recall ever coming across any discussion related to the identity or the meaning of that book itself, to which the seven seals were attached and which those seals served to secure its contents. That book does not even appear, until the beginning of chapter five of the Revelation. Furthermore, that book is not yet opened and its contents finally revealed, until the opening verses of chapter eight. How is it that prophecy teaching abounds, concerning the supposed meaning of the seven seals and, yet, there is evidently no discussion regarding the meaning of that enigmatic book which was sealed? What is that fearful book ~ which no one but Christ, only, was found worthy to open that book and to reveal its contents?
That mysterious book is not the book of the Revelation (which John penned): for, the book of which I now speak is contained within John's Revelation. But that book which was sealed with seven seals is the revelation of long-hidden secrets pertaining to "the great and terrible day of the LORD"; of which the Bible has more to say than it does about any other prophetic subject.
First proof that all seven seals are pre-Tribulation
"That book" just identified as being the revelation of events belonging to the "day of the LORD" (which is commonly called the "Tribulation"), cannot at all be opened until all seven seals have been removed. Thus signifying that all seven seals necessarily occur before the Tribulation. But do not object that I am guilty of circular reasoning, by presupposing that the seals do not belong to the Tribulation. For, if it be supposed that the seals do belong to the Tribulation: what then can be the meaning of that book, which I just discussed, above? If the first seal marked the beginning of the day of the LORD (the Tribulation), what purpose would be served by sealing ~ and then opening ~ that book, in the same time period as the seals?
Whereas the sealing of that book ~ with seven seals! ~ suggests the profound mystery and importance of the book's contents (which, fact, is explicitly stated in Scripture). The point at which that book can at last be opened, however, signifies a profoundly important Event; a most important change, a transition ~ in fact, an altogether different time period (though it occurs in the normal continuum of time). In a word, the opening of the hitherto sealed book, signifies the transition-point of a radically new Dispensation (the day of the LORD ~ which is preparatory to the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom Era).
It's late. I'm tired. I will continue, in part 2, to discuss the true meaning of each of the seven seals, in succession.
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