What Is Imminency?
In doing some research on the doctrine of imminency, I noticed few people take the time to actually define what prophetic imminency means. First, let us look at the general definition of the key word “imminent:” “The quality or condition of being about to occur.”
Imminency, as it relates to Bible prophecy, simply means that the return of Jesus Christ for the Church can happen at any moment. No warning signs will indicate a short-term countdown. We as Christians remain on alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Doctrine of Imminency
If a wife knows her husband normally gets home from work shortly after 4:00 PM, she knows that beginning at 4:00 PM, his arrival is imminent. If the woman knows her husband has to work overtime, the imminence of his 4:00 PM return is then in doubt.
The only way for the rapture to be truly imminent is to have it transpire before the tribulation. If the Church were required to wait until after the manifestation of certain events, then there would be no doctrine of imminency.
The Granddaddy Of Proofs
The pretribulation rapture is the only view that allows for the rapture to be imminent in its timing. All the other views require a number of prophetic occurrences to take place before the rapture can be declared imminent. To be looking for the imminent return of Christ, you have to believe in a pre-trib rapture.
[bctt tweet=”The pretribulation rapture is the only view that allows for the rapture to be imminent in its timing”]
Jesus repeatedly said that His return for the Church would be a surprise. The Lord even went beyond that by saying He would return “as a thief” when believers generally won’t be expecting Him to come for them.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36).“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing”(Matthew 24:42-46 KJV).
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:13).
“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power”(Acts 1:7).
Because we have no way to refute the fact that we will not know the timing of our Lord’s return, the tribulation is a barrier to the rapture. No wonder the late John Walvoord called imminency “the heart of Pretribulationism.”
This type of “any-moment” language doesn’t fit a post-trib rapture. If Jesus were prevented from coming until after the battle of Magog, the rise of Antichrist, and the Mark of the Beast, we would have no need to watch for Him before the tribulation.
If the Church were required to go through the seven-year tribulation, you would expect the New Testament writers to have warned us to be prepared for trying times. On the contrary, the New Testament writers repeatedly tell the Church to be comforted by the “coming of the Lord” (1 Thes 4:18). The word “comfort” alone strongly implies the rapture will take place before the tribulation.
Some anti-imminency folks try to solve the problem they have with the rapture’s any-moment occurrence by redefining it as merely indicating that Christ will return soon. The speed of Christ’s advent is not the issue. If an event is required to take place before the Lord can return, there is no need to remain watchful.
If a person should make it through the tribulation until the point when the mid-trib, pre-wrath, and post-trib folks expect the rapture to occur, it would then become possible for the rapture to be classified as “imminent.” However, once you solve the problem of imminency, you create another one regarding the restrictions against knowing the timing of the rapture.
Because the duration of the tribulation is already known, post-tribbers have the hardest time dealing with the rapture’s timing. Some of them have tried to suggest that believers who make it through the tribulation will lazily lose track of the nearness of Christ’s second coming.
If a Christian has been lucky enough to survive a host of apocalyptic calamities and elude the Antichrist’s secret police for at least 3 1/2 years, I cannot imagine that he would be oblivious to the nearness of the Lord’s return at the 7-year mark. If I were reduced to the point of having to hide in a forest and forage through dead tree bark to find beetles and grubs to sustain myself, I’m certain my every thought would be focused on the Lord’s return.
Maranatha
One the strongest cases one can make for the early Church expecting an imminent return of Christ is to note their use of the word Maranatha, which was used as a greeting in those days. When believers gathered or parted, they didn’t say “hello” or “goodbye”; they would say “Maranatha!”
I’ve encountered some writings that say Maranatha is Hebrew and Greek, but it is actually an Aramaic expression. In fact, it is made up of three Aramaic words: Mar, which means “Lord”; ana, which means “our”; and tha, which means “come.”
So when you put it together, Maranatha means “Our Lord, come.” It perfectly conveys the concept that the Lord could come at any moment. Maranatha is used once in the Bible by Paul as part of a curse. In 1 Corinthians 16:22, Paul said, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema.Maranatha.” The word “anathema” means “banned,” so Paul was saying, “Let him be banned from our Lord’s coming.”
The interesting thing about Maranatha is that it comes in the form of a petition. When a Christian in the early Church would make this statement, he was actually petitioning the Lord to come. This obviously implies the belief that it was possible for Jesus to answer the appeal.
If members of the first-century Church believed that certain events needed to take place before the Savior could return, they would have been silly to greet each other with “Maranatha.” They lived nearly 2,000 years ago, and yet they seem to have had a deeper awareness of imminence than many of today’s Christians.
The Historical Record
Many of the contemporary writers who attack imminency try to promote the idea that this doctrine was recently dreamed up by men who were ignorant of the true meaning of Scripture.
One detractor states, “This frenzy [imminency] continues to survive today because of modern misconceptions about the purpose of these prophetic events and the time frame for their occurrence.”
Post-trib believers are the most vocal in their claim that the concepts of imminency and the pre-trib rapture only date back to the early 1800s. For several years, their charges went unanswered, but recently a number of men have dusted off old manuscripts and found several early Church fathers who were clearly looking for an imminent return of the Lord Jesus.
“All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins” (Pseudo-Ephraem (374-627 AD).The First Epistle of Clement, 23 (written around 96 A.D. by Clement, a prominent leader of the church at Rome who knew some of the apostles personally and probably is the Clement referred to in Phil. 4:3): “Of a truth, soon and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, as the Scripture also bears witness, saying, ‘speedily will He come, and will not tarry.'”
As early as 70 – 180 AD, The Didache, chapter 16, section 1, says, “‘Be vigilant over your life; let your lamps not be extinguished, or your loins ungirded, but be prepared, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come.”
“But what a spectacle is that fast-approaching advent of our Lord, now owned by all, now highly exalted, now a triumphant One!” (Tertullian 155 – 245 AD).
John Calvin, the reformer at Geneva during the 1500s and founder of the Presbyterian Church, made the following statements in some of his commentaries on books of the Bible: “Be prepared to expect Him every day, or rather every moment.” “As He has promised that He will return to us, we ought to hold ourselves prepared, at every moment to receive Him.” “Today we must be alert to grasp the imminent return of Christ.” Commenting on 1 Thessalonians 4, the “Rapture passage,” Calvin said that Paul “means by this to arouse the Thessalonians to wait for it, nay more, to hold all believers in suspense, that they may not promise themselves some particular time . . . that believers might be prepared at all times.”
The Westminster Confession, written by the Puritans of England during the 1600s, declared that men should “shake off all carnal security and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come.”
“I say, somewhat more because the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ’s ‘appearing in the air’ (1 Thess 4:17); and this will be about three years and a half before the millennium, as we shall see hereafter: but will he and they abide in the air all that time? No: they will ascend to paradise, or to some one of those many ‘mansions in the father’s house’ (John 14:2), and so disappear during the foresaid period of time.” (Morgan Edwards 1742-44).
I’m not much of a fan of relying on what scholarly men write about the Bible. I agree with the quotes I just cited, but I don’t really need a bunch of dead guys to tell me what is truth. I have over a dozen copies of the Good Book lying around the house, and I have the ability to read and understand each of them for myself.
History has proven that mankind is a dreadful biblical guide. The apostasy that swept over the Church caused a lack of prophecy commentary from about 450 AD until the 1600s. People stopped thinking for themselves. Their interpretation of the Bible became what the institutional church spoon-fed them.
Premillennialism largely disappeared after it was condemned as heretical by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. It wasn’t until the reform movement of the early seventeenth century that we see a rebound in the number of statements that reflect the pretribulational view.
Scripture Galore on Imminency
A host of Scriptures indicates the Church should expect an imminent return of their Lord. The opponents of imminency constantly try to pick apart each individual reference, but they should look at the big picture. An overwhelming number of verses in the Bible support imminency.
I’ve been able to easily locate 22 passages that imply that the coming of Christ remains an imminent event. All you really need is one verse to prove a point, but the weight of evidence should cause even the most hard-core imminency foes to rethink their stance.
I seriously doubt any scholar or layman could find 22 passages of Scripture that clearly indicate the tribulation or the rule of the Antichrist is the next imminent event facing the Church.
22 Scriptures That Teach Iimminency Proof Texts
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Mat 24:36).Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (Mat 25:1-6)
“Take ye heed, watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch”(Mark 13:33-37).
“Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:11-12).
“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom 16:20).
“So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:7).
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20).
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil 4:5).
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess 1:10).
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6).
“That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”(1 Tim 6:14).
“Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13).
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb 9:28).
“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:24-25).
“For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb 10:37).
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door” (James 5:7-9).
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:21).
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev 3:11).
“Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Rev 22:7).
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20).
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Regarding “imminency”, anyone can take Scripture from a book of the Bible and use for your own agenda. If the God of the Bible is a God of Order then we will know when Jesus is coming (I Thess 5:4-12; 2 Thess 2; Matt 24:4-30; etc). Unless you have Jesus coming back twice which is a false preaching.
Imminency is choas, that god is Satan! We are out before God’s wrath but not Satan’s wrath. Amazing, American preachers preach: “name it, claim it” while the US supports Islamic radicals in killing Christians in the Middle East and Africa, aborted over 60 million babies and forced Israel to hand over their God-given land to the Palestinians for a false peace, etc, etc. Then the preachers preach pre trib rapture, knowing God’s wrath is against them. Let me warn you all, God is about to hand you all over to tribulation so pray for a deep faith and a deep trust in the Lord because the christian heresy that has overwhelmed the US is about to get its payback, amen to you all.
Sure Allan, You reference 2Th 2:1
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,… “Coming” and “our gathering” are two separate events.
At the Rapture, Jesus will remain in the air or clouds (I Thess. 4:17).
At the Second Coming, Jesus will come down to the earth and stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4, 9; Matt. 25:31-32).
At the Rapture, the Church will meet Jesus in the air (I Thess. 4:17).
At the Second Coming, the Church will follow Jesus to the earth (Rev. 19:14).
At the Rapture, the Church will go up to meet Jesus (I Thess. 4:17).
At the Second Coming, the Church will come down with Jesus (Rev. 19:14).
At the Rapture, the Church will leave the earth (I Thess. 4:17).
At the Second Coming, the Church will come back to the earth (Zech. 14:4; Rev. 19:14).
There are more which we will post soon. We don’t take it personal on your convictions. We do however take the bible serious and note the differences that the bible teaches and it is not our agenda. Please examine this issue carefully. Their are many who this is all they talk about.. Prophecy nuts! I get it. However we see the scriptures listed in the original article (did you actually read them?) indicates that the Church should expect our Lord at any moment? I do and that causes us to work until that door closes. Not about the Rapture, but about leading people to Jesus in repentance and faith toward Him.
God bless, Keith @ Amos37
Thank you for your reply.
However, I dispute what you say against what the KJ Bible says on Jesus “remaining in the air”.
As I understand Scripture written in the KJ, those that are alive here on earth will meet Jesus in the air at His 2nd coming. Not up to heaven, then down again? Jesus will return with all the saints in heaven and all the angels. At the rapture the believers will be changed in an instant. To say we are raptured before the tribulation leaves many unanswered questions, like who are the “elect”. And if you say we get a second chance, then explain the parable of the 10 virgins and why then would Jesus say “be ready” and why would Jesus say, “If I did not return would I find anyone with faith?” or “even the elect would fall away”.
I was a pre trib believer until the Lord opened my eyes to the truth. Is not the rapture spoken of in Revelations 6? The church has already fallen away, liberalism entered the church in the 1960’s and has been on the slide ever since. The ones left today are the believers who trust in Jesus. How many preachers preach “self” and not Jesus or replacement theology (as on this site) and still go to heaven? I am not the judge but if you hate Israel or the Jews then forget heaven, ask Martin Luther, his last edict was “kill the Jews and all their babies and confiscate all their property”. God gave him 2 days to repent, his Romanism would not allow, so he dropped dead and off to see his Maker, a Jewish Rabbi by the Name of Jesus. God bless.
I see the Rapture in Revelation 4. Taking into account multiple references… Open door, (Philadelphia) Rev.3 …”Come up here”, I will show you things after this… Ask, after what? Seems to me it was the Church age. Rev. 4 goes onto describe the a scene I see as after the Bema Seat… Elders who are redeemed and cast their crowns.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Rev. 5:9-10 shows this is the elders from the Church…. Peter said we are 1 Peter 2. They are redeemed out of all nations, peoples & tongues. This is the sum of the Gentile Church.
What happens after this is the Tribulation which begins at the 1st Seal Rev. 6
We are in the midst of accelerated apostasy. The 10 Virgins are representation of professing Christians. The oil is the “Holy Spirit” and the CINO’s Christians in name only are not actually saved, but go into the Tribulation (outer darkness) The Day of The LORD is a day of darkness “Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?” Amos 5:20.
Jesus said we (The Church) are the light of the world. Matt 5:14
This Church (The foolish Virgins) where not ready. Rev.3:1-5 to Sardis… “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” NOTE: To those who overcome will be clothed in white found after the Rapture in Rev. 4 in the Bema Seat with the elders.
The elect is always a class of people from each economy God has used. Pre-Flood, Post Flood, Conscience, The Law, Church Age, Millennium, and some others God may have used that I’m not aware of. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your reply. Not sure if you are confused or have a vivid imagination. Bema seat in Rev 4 ? My understanding of Scripture the Elders were there from the earliest of times, well before the church age. Again, you imply 2 raptures?
If Jesus has fulfilled the first 4 Feasts of the Lord (Israel) then the next Feast is Trumpets which fall in September of the Georgian calendar. So, we will know the time period.
Rev 14 still has the saints on earth and John warns them, “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”. Also in Romans 11:22 “..if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Also in John 6:10; 14:15.
Three times in John 6 Jesus tells us when the rapture will be: John 6:39; 40; 44 and 54. Even Martha knew when the rapture would be (John 11:24).
Jesus told His followers/believers how it would pan out in Mark 13:5 – 27. As in the days of Noah and Lot which indicates the believers will not endure God’s wrath but will endure Satan’s tribulation as is currently happening in the Middle East and Africa.
Luke records what Jesus said in Luke 21:8-28.
That believers will bear tribulation is found in John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3; 8:35 and 12:12 also in 2 Cor 1:4, also in 1 Thess 3:4 and again in Rev 1:9; 2:9; 2:10 and 7:14.
Will it be a secret rapture? what does Scripture say: check Rev 1:7; 1 Thess 4:16 & 17; Mark 14:62; 13:26 & 27; Matt 24:30 & 31; Acts 1:9, 10 & 11; Luke 21:27 & 28.
The Scriptures clearly teach that the “Day of Christ” cannot happen until after the Antichrist is revealed: 2 Thess 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6.
The “Day of Christ” is referred in Scripture 7 times: 1 Cor 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6.
The rapture cannot occur until the day of Christ since that is when the good work of sanctification He begun in us will be complete, and we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Phil 1:10; 2:16; 2 Thess 2:2.
Jesus’ coming will not be a thief in the night to those who are saved: 1 Thess 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Finally, where in the Scriptures do you find the rapture will happen before tribulation? Before God’s wrath, yes. God bless.
Alan we will discuss this when we see you in heaven. For me, you have too many issues to sort through. You keep missing the point. NO ONE said 2 Raptures.
The 24 Elders tell us who they are! “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Rev. 5:9-10”
The answer is in the text. This shows this is the elders from the Church…
The Rapture has happened, then judgement begins. For now we will disagree.
See my audio series (nearly complete) on the Rapture.
https://amos37.com/category/prophecy/rapture-series-audio/
I go through some of the Greek in 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
We see the Rapture in Typology in Is 26, Enoch before the Flood, Lot before the destruction of Sodom.
Also in Rev 6 it is the unsaved who even note that it is Gods wrath. We won’t disparage you for your position, but we can defend ours from clear exegesis. Doesn’t mean where right, but its not pie in the sky. The body of the site answers most of your questions. Simply use our google box.
We have a nearly full Theology Section and Evangelism. Prophecy is only part of our ministry.
Peace brother. Some day we will sit in glory with Abraham, Isaac & Jacob and laugh at this. But we have souls to win NOW!
In Christ, Keith
Thank you for your reply Keith.
Regarding the elders, everyone in heaven got their by the blood of Jesus, for at His crucifixion the graves were opened.
So, yes, I agree there with you.
On the rapture timing we agree to disagree and also, check you in the Millennium here on earth?
Also agree, our work is to evangelise and pray for the lost.
God bless and thank you for your time and discussion.
Allan
Actually, in EVERY single case, when Christ talked about His coming being like a thief, it was to bring the Day of the Lord judgments upon the ungodly. It is upon UNBELIEVERS and “believers” who are not watching that this coming will arrive like a thief. In 1Thess 5, Paul states that believers are of the day, so that the Day of the Lord will not overtake us like a thief.
Now there is lots of Scriptural evidence that the Day of the Lord begins at the sixth seal of Revelation. There is also many scriptures which place this seal after the rise of Antichrist. Furthermore, the theory of imminency is nowhere supported by Scripture.
If you are willing to consider what Scripture really says, without all the fast talking, check out my FREE ebook. It can be found on the documents tab of my published books webpage at http://theprewrathrapturebook.webs.com
There is much to agree on the pre wrath position. I have studied it and it misses in my estimation on some technical points.
Failure to distinguish between Israel and the Church! This is why we are working to post a complete and comprehensive study on Dispensationalism. While not perfect when looking into the future. I believe it accounts for the best look at the over all plan of God through the ages. For our ongoing study with Dr. Dean: https://amos37.com/category/theology/dispensationalism/
The fact is, when Jesus gave His explanation of future events, known as the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24 and 25), the Church had just been announced (Matthew 16:13-18 ), but it’s composition and destiny, including the Rapture, was still a mystery. This information would later be revealed to the Apostle Paul. If Christ had discussed the course of the Church age and the Rapture, it would have been very confusing to the disciples at that time. The Church came into existence on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and little by little, the organization took shape. All of the early believers were Jewish, and the new Church was seen as a continuation of their Old Testament Beliefs.
The “mystery” of the Church was revealed to the Apostle Paul, and described by Him in numerous passages of Scripture. In Romans 11:25 he used the word to describe the temporary “hardening” of Israel: “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”
The word “mystery” (Greek musterion) meant a “secret,” or something formerly hidden, but now revealed. Paul used it in various places to describe aspects of the Church and its mission. (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9-10). The Rapture itself is called a mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51-58. In Ephesians 3 the Apostle explained in greater detail that the mystery of the Church was part of God’s purpose all along to make Gentiles heirs together with Israel. See more here: https://amos37.com/2011/08/10/pre-trib-or-pre-wrath/
There is no pre-tribulation escape. Even one of your quotes says ‘three and a half years before the millenium’. Daniel says the saints will be persecuted by Antichrist. These are not Left Behind or Tribulation believers. When the pre-trib escape was taught in China and persecution came. No escape. And to be saved from Wrath? Wrath starts at the sixth seal recorded in Revelation not at the start of the tribulation.
Craig, Thanks for your comment. There is a difference between “Persecution” which has been here since Cain & Abel.
Your use of the word “escape”… Jesus used this word when speaking in “context” of the Future time of the finals Generation in conjuction with ‘All These Things’…
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:32-36
It will be far worse… Fully 50% of the world population will perish by the 6th Seal.
Did not the Apostle Paul address this persecution and correct the erroneous idea that The Thessalonians thought they had missed
the Harpazo?
Confusion over Confusion: 2 Thes 2:1-6
Because Paul, in 2 Thessalonians, said the Antichrist would be revealed before the Day of the Christ, post and pre-wrath adherents frequently try to cite this passage as one that refutes the pre-trib rapture.
To quell the Thessalonian’s misunderstanding that they had somehow entered the tribulation, Paul told them the Antichrist must first be revealed. By telling them they had no reason to panic, Paul is clearly disputing the idea that the Thessalonians could someday find themselves facing the tribulation hour.
I’m constantly being irked by Post-trib and pre-wrath folks’ consistent, or better yet deliberate, failure to accept the simple fact that the pre-trib doctrine calls for a rapture and a second coming. Because they only glean the prophetic word for one event–the second coming–they’re unable to recognize pre-trib rapture passages.
Of course, when you fuse the two advents together, you end up with verses that appear to contradict each other: 1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” and Revelation 13:7, “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” See more at https://www.raptureready.com/rr-pre-trib-rapture.html
As a believer I roll my eye’s and shake my head when I hear somneoe state something, some new Bible secret the rest of us have never read before, such as Camping and His ilk have. Most Christians I spoke with agree as well.My common response is that just because you go to Church your no more a Christian than being in a barn makes you a farm animal.But I will say, I am more of a supernatural believer, so scripturaly speaking regarding 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Yeah, I’m all about that. ;)Best!