Subject: Pretribulation or slightly after ? |
Bible Note: Thanks John, I stand corrected. However Seiss cites his sources and other writers throughout the book and many of these date back centuries before. I do not have the book with me, But I remember highlighting the sources so that I could bring it up when I hear these comments that make it sound like saints did not expect a catching away prior to a tribulation before the 19th century. They may not have called it by the name "rapture" but they expected the event to occur. I will have to get the book and qoute the sources when I get a chance. I do not read of any saying we dissapear though. The idea of disappearing seems to be a recent doctrine. The idea of glorification is what I see in the ancients, and what I get in reading the Bible. I am not dogmatic about certain eschatoligical views that are not made clear to man. The approach to understanding it, or that which I have faith for, is that of basing these mysteries first of all on the Prophets of the OT. I am convinced that all the NT has it's foundation on the OT prophets. So if there is a mystery that Paul had about a generation of living saints being glorified without dying then it must bee hinted at somewhere in the OT though it certainly could be hidden until Jesus came and the Holy Spirit was poured out and men like Paul were called to reveal it. So if I search the OT first on all things related to the bodily resurrection I do seem to see different events. Some that explain a resurrection of only the righteous and some that mention both the wicked and the righteous. One of the passages that I think is foundational is Isaiah 26:19-21 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. If I compare this to what Paul spoke about in 1 cor 15 I begin to get a revelation of the same mystery that Paul had. There is such an event awaiting the saints and according to Is 26 there will be a time of judgement while these saints are hidden. If we were to collect all the verses on this topic we can see why there is strong evidence for a pre-trib rapture. Though it does not really matter to me. My central focus is to live as though the Lord will come today and to be able to say I have run a good race. I believe one should live as though this was their last day on earth. This is a challenge, that requires great faith. I will admit I often have to get on my face before God and repent that I am cold and in need of being made hot again. May God Bless you in your study of His Word. |