Discerning the Last
Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit Part 4
Historical Review,
How The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Has Been Distorted
Kato Mivule
October 30, 2007
Discerning the Signs of the
Times: the Second Coming of Jesus Christ…
Matthew 16:1-4
(1)
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired
him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
(2)
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say,
It will be
fair weather: for the sky is red.
(3)
And in the morning,
It will be
foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O
ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not
discern
the signs of the times?
(4)
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and
there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the
prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
One of the most distorted teachings of Jesus Christ by false
teachers and false prophets of our day has been the teaching of
Jesus Christ concerning His Second Coming. Almost every
Christian denomination has on earth today has its own spin on
the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Take Heed that NO MAN DECEIVES
YOU…
However, as we are going to see, such distortions come from a
spirit of error and deceit, and we must stand guard against such
lies. Jesus Christ taught clearly about His Second Coming and
what would happen before He physically comes.
Jesus Christ clearly warned us that we should NOT BE DECEIVED
concerning this matter. Paul, the apostle also affirms the same
warning that NO MAN SHOULD DECEIVE US concerning this matter.
The issue is that in these last days there would be many
deceivers who would come to teach lies, error, and deceit
concerning The Second Coming of Jesus Christ…
Matthew 24:3-5
(3)
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto
him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and
what
shall
be
the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
(4)
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed
that
no
man
deceive
you.
(5)
For
many
shall
come
in
my
name,
saying,
I
am
Christ;
and
shall
deceive
many.
Mark 13:3-6
(3)
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple,
Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
(4)
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what
shall
be
the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
(5)
And Jesus answering them began to say,
Take heed
lest
any
man
deceive
you:
(6)
For
many
shall
come
in
my
name,
saying,
I
am
Christ;
and
shall
deceive
many.
Luke 21:7-8
(7)
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things
be? and what sign
will
there
be
when these things shall come to pass?
(8)
And he said, Take heed
that
ye
be
not
deceived:
for
many
shall
come
in
my
name,
saying,
I
am
Christ;
and
the
time
draweth near:
go
ye
not
therefore
after
them.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15
(13)
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which
have no hope.
(14)
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15)
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive
and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
(1)
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and
by
our gathering together unto him,
(2)
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day
of Christ is at hand.
(3)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for
that
day
shall
not
come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition;
When one accepts the Teachings of Jesus Christ concerning His
Second Coming, then they realize that they will have to deal
with the repercussions and that means accepting the fact that
certain events have to happen before Jesus Christ comes the
Second Time. These events include wars, rumors of wars, famine,
hunger, earthquakes, and to the Christian, enduring severe
persecution and tribulation.
One then realizes that the Teachings of Jesus Christ concerning
His Second Coming leaves no room for a comfortable life and no
room for the prosperity and feel-good positive possibility
thinking gospel. As such, so-called Christian denominations have
come up with their own versions on The Second Coming of Jesus
Christ to suite the feelings of their congregations while
negating the Teachings of Jesus Christ concerning this very
essential subject.
The Pharisees Missed Out on The
First Coming of Messiah…
The Pharisees and Scribes did the same mistake. If they had
carefully studied prophesies concerning the coming of the
Messiah, they would not have missed out on the visitation of
Jesus Christ during their time.
When one reads the prophesies concerning Jesus Christ from the
Prophets like Isaiah, one realizes that Jesus Christ was not
going to be born as a King but in humility and would live a life
of sufferings and sorrow up to death on the cross and then rise
again after three days. However, the Pharisees ignored such
prophesies of scripture simply because it did not square well
with their lifestyles. The Pharisees looked for a Messiah who
would deliver them from Roman Rule and also cement their
established man made religion.
The Pharisees did not want to deal with the fact that The
Messiah would have to go through sufferings. The Pharisees did
not want anything to do with the sufferings of The Messiah. They
did not want to deal with the fact that the Messiah would not
deliver them out of Roman Rule. As such they rejected every sign
of the times that pointed to the First Coming of Jesus Christ
and all signs that pointed to Jesus Christ as The True Messiah.
Christians today are repeating
the Mistake of the Pharisees…
The same thing is happening today in Christendom. It is like
history repeating itself, only this time that Christendom has
rejected all signs pointing to the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ, and if they believe in the Second Coming, they have
distorted the Teachings of Jesus Christ (in first person)
concerning this matter…
Many in Christendom will be caught off guard concerning The
Second Coming of Jesus Christ because of the false teachings
that have found their way into the church concerning this
matter. Just like the Pharisees failed to DISCERN the First
coming of The Messiah, so have many Christians today failed to
DISCERN the Signs of the Times concerning the Second coming of
Jesus Christ…
Pre Tribulation is a popular
deceptive doctrine…
The Most prevalent and popular doctrine concerning the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ in Christendom is the Pre Tribulation
Rapture Doctrine that theorizes that Jesus Christ will return
secretly to rapture the saints out of this world before the
seven year tribulation begins. They further theorize that the
saints who remain will be martyred and then Jesus Christ will
physically return the third time at the battle of Armageddon.
However, such a doctrine totally contradicts what Jesus Christ
taught about His Second Coming. It also contradicts what the
Apostles taught concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
This pre tribulation teaching also contradicts what the early
church fathers from around 100 AD to 300 AD taught concerning
the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Catholic Church Heresy…
It is interesting that with the advent of the Roman Catholic
Church in 313 AD, the Doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ was watered down or negated altogether.
The Catholic Church with the help of Augustine is said to have
introduced the Amillennialism Doctrine that Jesus Christ would
return at the end of the age to judge but there would not be a
literal 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on Earth…
"Proponents of the rapture
insist that the doctrine of amillennialism originated with
Alexandrian scholars such as Clement and Origen and was later
brought wholly into Roman Catholic dogma by Augustine. Hence,
the church up until then held to premillennial views, which see
an impending apocalypse from which the church will be rescued
after being raptured by the Lord. This is even extrapolated by
some to mean that the early church espoused pretribulationism." [1]
According to Catholic Doctrine, Amillennialism is the most
consistent with the Catholic Teachings on the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ. The Pre Millennial Teaching is rejected by the
Catholic Church. This is not surprising, that the Catholic
Church always rejects The True Teachings of Jesus Christ so as
to hold to the Traditions of Men…
“
Amillennialism – this view also interprets the “thousand years”
symbolically, but, ulike the pre and post views, not as a golden
age on earth. This view believes the millennium is the period of
Christ’s rule in heaven and on earth through His Church. This is
because the saints who reign with Christ and to whom judgment
has been committed are said to be on their thrones in heaven.
Rev. 20:4; cf. 4:4; 11:16. During this time, satan is bound and
cannot hinder the spread of the gospel. Rev. 20:3. This is why,
they explain, Jesus teaches the necessity of binding the “strong
man” (satan) in order to plunder his house and rescue people
from his grip. Matt. 12:29. This is also why, after the
disciples preached the gospel and rejoiced that the demons were
even subject to them, Jesus declared, “I saw satan fall like
lightening from heaven.” Luke 10:18. Nevertheless, during this
period, the world will not be entirely Christianized because
satan, though bound, is still in some sense able to prowl around
and attack souls. cf. 1 Peter 5:8. Of the three, this position
is most consistent with Catholic teaching (the pre and
post-millennium views have been rejected by the Church).” [2]
However, the Catholic Church rejections for the Teachings of
Jesus Christ concerning His Second Coming are very suspicious as
always. The Catholic Church did introduce among its many
heretical teachings, the doctrine that Jesus Christ would return
through the Eucharist and reign through the Catholic Church.
Eucharist or Transubstantiation Doctrine is a very strong belief
among the Catholic Church that when Christians gather to break
Bread, the ‘Bread’ is the real Body of Jesus Christ and the
‘Wine’ is the real Blood of Jesus Christ. [3]
The Catholic Church’s belief in Amillennialism was cover for
the Eucharist Doctrine that believes that Jesus Christ would
return to be manifest through the Catholic Eucharist. The
apparitions of Mary and her son Jesus that have been widely
endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church are all seen as pointing
to this time when Jesus Christ would return to reign through the
Eucharist in the Catholic Church. Therefore, this age is
referred to by Catholic Theologians as the ‘Age of the
Eucharist’. [4]
What we are seeing is a distortion of scriptures and teaching
error concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is a
clear sign of a Pharisee Spirit and a Spirit of Error. The
Catholic Church’s Head is the Pope and therefore it is not in
their interest that Jesus Christ should return or that their
members get to know the Truth about The Second Coming of Jesus
Christ. So, they distort scripture in order to support their
Traditions of Men; as such they ignore the True Bible Prophesy
‘Signs of The Times’ Concerning the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ.
The Early Church Fathers…
However, when one checks Church History, the early church
fathers before the advent of the Catholic Church did not teach
the erroneous Catholic Church Doctrines of Amillennialism and
the Return of Jesus Christ through The Eucharist. These Early
Church Fathers did not teach a pre-tribulation rapture. They did
not teach Mid Tribulation rapture but taught in line with what
the scriptures state in Matthew 24…that Jesus Christ would
return immediately after the Tribulation of those days…
Below we take a look at some of the statements that some of the
early Church Fathers made concerning the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ as evidence that the Pre Tribulation doctrine was not
taught by them… On the contrary the Early Church Fathers
strongly believed in a Post Tribulation Rapture as opposed to
the Pre Tribulation Rapture.
The Early Church Fathers Taught
The Post Tribulation Rapture…
Below is are historical quotations from the Church Fathers I
have adapted from Ed Tarkwoski of
http://www.velocity.net/~edju/Pretrib1.htm and Tim Warner of
http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/ . The Dates are adapted
from www.ccel.org/fathers.html . The bolded italic words in
brackets are added commentary by me, Kato Mivule…
However, anyone can do more research on the subject by accessing
these sources on the net concerning the writings of the Early
Church Fathers… Of course the links are provided for
information, research, and academic purposes only…I am NOT
in anyway endorsing their teachings…
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/
http://www.ccel.org/fathers.html
Justin
Martyr [110 – 165 AD], Dialog with Trypho, CX
"[T]wo
advents of Christ have been announced: the one, in which He is
set forth as suffering, inglorious, dishonored, and crucified;
but the other, in which He shall come from heaven with glory,
when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the
Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth
against us the Christians,..."
>>Justin
affirms the to the True Biblical Teaching that Jesus Christ was
to come only TWO Times, First when He came and died for our sins
and rose from the dead after three days… The Second time, Jesus
Christ is coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords… Jesus
Christ is NOT coming three or four times… Kato Mivule
Irenaeus
[120 – 202 AD], Against Heresies, Book V, XXV, 3
"'And its
ten horns are ten kings which shall arise; and after them shall
arise another, who shall surpass in evil deeds all that were
before him, and shall overthrow three kings; and he shall speak
words against the most high God, and wear out the saints of the
most high God, and shall purpose to change times and laws; and
[everything] shall be given into his hand until a time of times
and a half time,' that is, for three years and six months,
during which time, when he comes, he shall reign over the earth.
Of whom also the Apostle Paul again, speaking in the second
[Epistle] to the Thessalonians, and at the same time proclaiming
the cause of his advent, thus says: 'And then shall the wicked
one be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit
of His mouth, and destroy by the presence of His coming.'"
>>Irenaeus
points out clearly that the Antichrist will rule for 3.5 years
and heavily persecute the saints agreeing with what Daniel
taught in Daniel 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and what Jesus Christ
taught in Matthew 24 that the saints shall be persecuted…Kato
Mivule
Irenaeus
[120 – 202 AD], Against Heresies, Book V, XXV, 4
"And then he
points out the time that his tyranny shall last, during which
the saints shall be put to flight, they who offer a pure
sacrifice unto God: 'And in the midst of the week,' he says,
'the sacrifice and the libation shall be taken away, and the
abomination of desolation [shall be brought] into the temple:
even unto the consummation of the time shall the desolation be
complete.' Now three years and six months constitute the
half-week."
>>Irenaeus
agrees to Daniel’s 70th week in which the anti Christ
will cause the abomination of desolation to happen in the MIDST
of that week and persecute the Church heavily during the Great
Tribulation lasting 3.5 years…Kato Mivule
Tertullian
[145–220 AD], On the Resurrection of the Flesh, XXV
"In the
Revelation of John, again, the order of these times is spread
out to view, which 'the souls of the martyrs' are taught to wait
for beneath the altar, whilst they earnestly pray to be avenged
and judged: (taught, I say, to wait), in order that the world
may first drink to the dregs the plagues that await it out of
the vials of the angels, and that the city of fornication may
receive from the ten kings its deserved doom, and that the beast
Antichrist with his false prophet may wage war on the Church of
God; and that, after the casting of the devil into the
bottomless pit for a while, the blessed prerogative of the first
resurrection may be ordained from the thrones; and then again,
after the consignment of him to the fire, that the judgment of
the final and universal resurrection may be determined out of
the books. Since, then, the Scriptures both indicate the stages
of the last times, and concentrate the harvest of the Christian
hope in the very end of the world,.."
>>Tertullian
rightly agrees with the Book of Revelation that the Resurrection
of the Righteous happens at the end of the Tribulation when
Jesus Christ Physically Returns on Earth in All His Glory…Kato
Mivule
Hippolytus
[170–236 AD], Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 47
"For this is
meant by the little horn that grows up. He, being now elated in
heart, begins to exalt himself, and to glorify himself as God,
persecuting the saints and blaspheming Christ, even as Daniel
says, 'I considered the horn, and, behold, in the horn were eyes
like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things; and he
opened his mouth to blaspheme God. And that horn made war
against the saints, and prevailed against them until the beast
was slain, and perished, and his body was given to be burned.'
>>Hippolytus
also clearly states here that the Antichrist makes war against
the saints UNTIL the Antichrist is SLAIN…the church goes through
the tribulation…we know clearly in the Book of Revelation that
the Antichrist is slain by Jesus Christ at His Second
Coming…Kato Mivule
Hippolytus
[170–236 AD], Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 61
"That refers
to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days (the half of
the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute the
Church, which flees from city to city, and seeks conceal-meat in
the wilderness among the mountains,..."
>>Hippolytus
agrees with the Book of Revelation and Matthew 24 that the
saints or the elect endure persecutions through the Great
Tribulation…Kato Mivule
Appendix to
the Works of Hippolytus [170–236 AD], XXV
"For when
Daniel said, 'I shall make my covenant for one week,' he
indicated seven years; and the one half of the week is for the
preaching of the prophets, and for the other half of the week
that is to say, for three years and a half Antichrist will reign
upon the earth. And after this his kingdom and his glory shall
be taken away. Behold, ye who love God, what manner of
tribulation there shall rise in those days, such as has not been
from the foundation of the world, no, nor ever shall be, except
in those days alone. Then the lawless one, being lifted up in
heart, will gather together his demons in man's form, and will
abominate those who call him to the kingdom, and will pollute
many souls."
>>Hippolytus
also taught the 70th week of Daniel being 7 years and
in the Great Tribulation being half of that, 3.5 years with
heavy persecution against the saints…The Church going trough the
Tribulation…Kato Mivule
Victorinus
[- Died 304 AD], Commentary on the Apocalypse, 20:1
"The little
season signifies three years and six months, in which with all
his power the devil will avenge himself trader Antichrist
against the Church."
>>Victorinus
affirms that the Church will have to endure the Great
Tribulation just as the Jesus Christ taught in Matthew 24 and
also in the Book of Revelation…Kato Mivule
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Book VII, Sec. II, XXXII
"For in the
last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as
corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves,
and love into hatred: for through the abounding of iniquity the
love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute,
and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of
the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, whom the
Lord Jesus 'shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth, who
takes away the wicked with His lips; and many shall be offended
at Him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be
saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in
heaven;' and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the
archangel; and in that interval shall be the revival of those
that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His
saints with Him, with a great concussion above the clouds, with
the angels of His power, in the throne of His kingdom, to
condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to
every one according to his deeds. 'Then shall the wicked go away
into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into
life eternal,' to inherit those things 'which eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such
things as God hath prepared for them that love Him;' and they
shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus."
>>Though
this book’s validity, ‘Constitutions of the Holy Apostles’ is
disputed, it nevertheless gives clear evidence that the Church
in the early centuries believed in a Post Tribulation Rapture
and that the Saints would have to endure the 3.5 years of the
great Tribulation…Kato Mivule
We certainly see that the Pre Tribulation Doctrine was not
mentioned in the Early Church Writings and distortion to this
essential doctrine made its way to the Catholic Church and
slowly to the Protestant movement and then down to the
Evangelical movement.
It is imperative to note that if your doctrine on the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ is wrong, then certainly your view on
events coming to this world will be erroneous and certainly
affect and spoil your faith in Christ Jesus.
It is essential that we have the correct and right Teachings
concerning the second Coming of Jesus Christ as taught by Jesus
Christ Himself and affirmed by His Apostles in the Epistles,
otherwise we shall fall in the same error of the Pharisees in
which they failed to discern the signs of the times.
Evangelicals and the Pre
Tribulation Rapture Origins…
The Evangelicals of today have at large embraced the Pre
Tribulation rapture Doctrine that has certainly made lots of
folks rich and wealthy through the sale of books and other
related material.
It is interesting to note that the most prolific authors of the
Pre Tribulation doctrine have always sold hundreds and thousands
to millions of books as a popular online encyclopedia quotes…
In 1908,
the doctrine of the rapture was further popularized by an
evangelist named William Eugene Blackstone, whose book, Jesus Is
Coming, sold more than one million copies… The first
known appearance of the theological use of the word "rapture" in
print occurs with the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909…In 1957,
Dr. John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas Theological Seminary,
authored a book, "The Rapture Question," that gave theological
support to the Pre-Tribulation rapture; this book eventually
sold over 65,000 copies. In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost
authored another book supporting the Pre-Tribulation rapture,
Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, that sold
215,000 copies…During the 1970s, the rapture became popular
in wider circles, in part due to the books of Hal Lindsey,
including The Late Great Planet Earth, which has reportedly
sold between 15 million and 35 million copies… Lindsey
proclaimed that the rapture was imminent, an idea that he based
on world conditions at the time... In 1995, the doctrine of the
Pre-Tribulation rapture was further popularized by Tim LaHaye's
book series, Left Behind, which sold tens of millions of
copies and was made into several movies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture
The Pre Tribulation Rapture authors have no doubt benefited from
the large sales of their books. The Pre Tribulation Doctrine is
a money generating machine and as such an industry. Those that
push for it and sustain it, do it not because it is a scriptural
doctrine but because it sales. It is a doctrine that people
especially in the West love to hear…it is an itching doctrine
that surely tickles the ears of the listeners. They don’t have
to worry about suffering persecutions under the Antichrist but
will just enjoy life on earth and then go to heaven while the
sinners suffer at the hands of the antichrist.
According to Dave
MacPherson, a season researcher who has researched the origins
of the Pre Tribulation Doctrine for over 30 years and author of
"The Rapture Plot", the origins of a Pre Tribulation Rapture
begun with Margaret Macdonald and then passed on to the
Irvingites, then to the Plymouth Brethren, then to Darby and
then to present day Pre Tribulation Proponent evangelicals …
“Today's
Pre-Trib Rapture view actually sprang from a crude form of
Partial Rapturism; Margaret Macdonald was followed by the
Irvingites and then by the Plymouth Brethren during their early
days. A person can truthfully say that gold has been discovered
in a certain place even if the first gold is mixed with some
silver; it's still called a gold strike. All Darby did later on
was mill out the "silver"----and Pre-Trib teachers have been
coming up with "pure gold" since then. (Those who reject this
explanation would do well to remember that even Walvoord's
latest book classifies Partial Rapturists as Pre-Tribs. Indeed,
both schools of thought flow from the same headwaters.)”
http://www.thewordsofeternallife.com/margaret_macdonald.html
[5]
Post Tribulation View
The Roots of Pre Tribulation Doctrine can only be traced back a
few centuries ago. As we have noted above, the early Church
certainly did not hold to a pre tribulation doctrinal view that
sees the Church being raptured before the Tribulation. However,
it was Post Tribulation in Doctrine and viewed that the rapture
would occur at the second coming of Jesus Christ, after the
tribulation of those days as stated in Matthew 24.
Amillennial View
With the advent of the Catholic Church as we have noted above,
the Roman Catholics held to the Amillennial view in which they
believed that the Church was already in the Millennial Reign of
Jesus Christ. The Amillennial view is one that claims that the
1000 year reign of Jesus Christ is only symbolic and not
literal.
Historicist View
Then came the Reformation Church as labeled by Time Warner of
the Post Tribulation Research Center
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/index.html . These
‘Reformation Church’ Christians were largely ‘Historicists’ in
their Bible Prophesy view… They believed that Bible Prophesy,
especially the book of Revelation had occurred or was occurring
in the Church age… It sounded much more similar to the Catholic
Amillennialism view…
“During and
after the Protestant Reformation (16th century), Protestant
Christians held to what is called "Historicism," a view of
prophecy that considers the events of Revelation as occurring
all throughout the Church's history. This was accomplished by
employing the "year-day" theory — that the 1260, 1290, & 1335
days mentioned in Daniel and Revelation should be interpreted as
years…”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
Did Morgan Edwards Teach a Pre Tribulation Doctrine?
In the 1700s there was a young man named Morgan Edwards a
Baptist Minister in Pennsylvania USA that wrote a hypothetical
essay concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and separated
the Rapture from the second Coming by 3.5 years. This view seems
to have elements of a Pre-wrath Mid Tribulation View that
believes that the Church will be raptured in the middle of the
Tribulation before the Great Tribulation starts…
“Morgan
Edwards was a Baptist minister in Pennsylvania in the mid-late
1700s. As a teenager and seminary student, Morgan wrote a
hypothetical essay as part of his seminary training. Morgan was
assigned the task, by his tutor, to write an essay on the
Millennium using literal interpretation. In Morgan's
hypothetical scenario, he separated the rapture from the second
coming by at least 3.5 years.”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/morgan.html
However, Post Tribulation Researchers have noted that Morgan
Edwards’ essays were hypothetical and he himself did not believe
in them totally but wrote at the request of his Bible Prophesy
Professor. Morgan Edwards did not therefore endorse a Pre
Tribulation View as some Pre Tribulation Teachers claim…
“While some
might conclude that Morgan Edwards was the first to proclaim a
pre-trib rapture (depending on how one defines the terminology),
his view was a far cry from modern pre-trib. The hypothetical
nature of his discourse indicates that Morgan himself was
neither a pre-tribulationist, nor a futurist, but only
hypothesized this scenario to humor his professor! And even in
his attempt to display a literal hermeneutic, he sometimes
allowed the contemporary "historicist" view to blend with his
hypothetical scenario.”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/morgan.html
Morgan Edward further states that his writings in the essays to
the professor would bring a new doctrine… This alone should
cause alarm to any serious student of the Bible to strongly take
the teachings of Morgan Edwards with discernment…
“"May we
know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? for thou
bringest certain strange things to our ears: We would know,
therefore, what these things mean. ACTS xvii. 19. 20"”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/resources/morgan.html
Jesuit Catholic Taught a Pre Tribulation Doctrine?
Many have suggested that the Catholic Church had a hand in the
creation of a Pre Tribulation Doctrine. In the early 1700s a
Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest named Father Manuel De Lacunza from
Chili went to study in Spain and with the expelling of Jesuits
from Spain, he later settled in Italy and wrote his book ‘The
Coming of Messiah in Glory’… However, his book is said to have
been banned by Rome because of his Futurist View and Literal
Interpretation of Bible Prophesy…
“Fr. Manuel
de Lacunza was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, born in Chili in
1731, and sent to Spain at the young age of 15 to become a
Jesuit priest. When the Jesuits were expelled from Spain in
1767, Fr. de Lacunza moved to Italy. In 1790, he wrote a book on
prophecy, called The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty,
which was published in Spain in 1812. Fr. de Lacunza wrote under
the pen name, Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra (a converted Jew), allegedly
to avoid detection since his book ended up on Rome's banned
books list…Fr. de Lacunza's book promoted a return to the
literal interpretation of prophecy, and the primitive "futurist"
view of Revelation. He rejected the "year-day" theory of the
historicists. Consequently, he saw a personal Antichrist and
future tribulation of 1260 days, followed by the coming of the
Lord. He did not espouse a pre-trib rapture, as has been
claimed.”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
Father Manuel de Lacunza clearly did not teach a pre tribulation
doctrine as some folks claim. He taught a futuristic view and a
literal interpretation of Bible prophesy as Tim Warner of Post
Tribulation Research Center rightly states above. This should
have been reasons why Lucunza’s Book was banned by the Roman
Catholic Church as it went against their Amillennialism
Theology. Those who are interested in reading Lucunza’s works
can download his book as interpreted by Edward Irving at
http://lacunza.org/
. Once again I provide the link for research purposes only and
not to endorse Lucunza’s doctrines…
Edward Irving and the Father of
the Pre Tribulation Doctrine
It can be said that the origins of the Pre Tribulation Rapture
originated with the Teachings of Edward Irving and Margaret
MacDonald. According to Researcher Tim Warner, Edward Irving
was a pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the 1820s
that became fascinated by the writings of Father de Lucunza’s
book that he translated it in English. It was Edward Irving who
later wrote the “Preliminary Discourse” which he attached to the
translation of Father de Lucunza’s English translation. Edward
Irving in his “Preliminary Discourse” taught Dispensationalism…
“In the
1820s, Edward Irving…, pastored a Church of Scotland
(Presbyterian) congregation in London. Irving became aware of
Father de Lacunza's book, and was so impressed with it, he took
it upon himself to translate it into English, adding a
"preliminary discourse" of his own. Irving's English translation
was published in 1827. Some of Irving's early prophetic views
can be discerned from his "preliminary discourse," including,
surprisingly, all the key elements of dispensationalism that
later showed up in Darby's writings. Irving, in his "preliminary
discourse," indicated that he had been teaching these things to
his congregation beginning Christmas 1825, years before Darby is
alleged to have arrived at his dispensational ideas…
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/irvingpf.html
Edward Irving taught about the Pentecostal outpouring and
restoration of apostles and Prophets in the Church prior to the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ… It was at this point that Edward
Irving embraced the ‘Outpouring’ that was said to be happening
in Port Glasgow, Scotland, home to Margaret MacDonald. It was
Margaret MacDonald who then received the prophetic revelations
concerning the secret rapture of the saints… Irving was later
expelled from his church and interestingly formed the Catholic
Apostolic Church…
“Irving had
been preaching that God would restore Apostles and prophets to
the Church, and a great Pentecostal outpouring would come just
before the soon return of Jesus Christ. Right on schedule,
rumors of healings, tongues, visions, and other manifestations
began circulating in Port Glasgow, Scotland, from the home of
James and George MacDonald, and their sister Margaret. People
came from England, Ireland, and parts of Scotland to observe the
supernatural manifestations in the "prayer meetings" held by the
MacDonalds…The "revival" soon spread to Irving's church, with
"tongues" and other "manifestations" breaking out, especially
among the women. Due to the strange goings on in Irving's
church, and his heretical views on the person of Christ, Irving
was eventually defrocked by the Church of Scotland, and moved
his congregation to a rented hall, forming the Catholic
Apostolic Church. (Irving taught that Jesus had a fallen sinful
nature and only kept from sinning by the power of the Holy
Spirit. This is similar to the teachings of some modern
Charismatics, who see Jesus as the "proto-type Christian"). Not
only were prophetic revelations and other alleged miracles
occurring in Irving's congregation, but such "revelations"
seemed to focus on end-time prophecy concerning the coming of
the Lord…”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
It is at this point that some sight conspiracy that the Roman
Catholic Church had a hand in the creation of the Pre
Tribulation Doctrine to discredit those who were breaking away
from it… However, this suspicion could further be cemented by
the ‘conspiracy theorists’ with proof that Irving had become so
obsessed with Father Lucunza’s works that he even translated
them in English and wrote a “Preliminary Discourse” endorsing
the book…
Margaret MacDonald the Mother
of the Secret Rapture…
In 1830 between February and June Margaret MacDonald is said to
have received prophetic revelation which she wrote down in a
letter after being ill and bed-ridden for 18 month. She sent a
copy of the letter to Edward Irving and Irving is said to have
claimed in a private letter that he was impacted by the Margaret
apparitions…
“The
substance of Mary Campbell's and Margaret Macdonald's visions or
revelations, given in their papers, carry to me a spiritual
conviction and a spiritual reproof which I cannot express.” –
Edward Irving
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/irvingltr.html
However, it was in these Margaret visions that she claimed there
was going to be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a special
group of Christians combined with a Secret Rapture before the
revealing of the Antichrist…
“Out of the
spectacle of alleged latter-day Holy Spirit outpouring in
Scotland and England, and the eschatological influence of de
Lacunza's futurist/dispensationalism, emerged the very first
documented evidence of a pre-tribulation rapture. This was first
articulated in the form of a letter written by Margaret
MacDonald, sister of James and George MacDonald of Port Glasgow.
In March or April of 1830, after being ill and bed-ridden for
about 18 months, Margaret claimed to have seen a series of
visions of the coming of the Lord. She wrote down these visions
and sent a copy to Edward Irving. A month later (June), Irving
claimed in a private letter…, that Margaret's visions had a huge
impact on him. "the substance of Mary Campbell's and Margaret
MacDonald's visions or revelations, given in their papers, carry
to me a spiritual conviction and a spiritual reproof which I
cannot express." “…The outstanding feature of Margaret's visions
was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a elite group within the
Church, combined with a secret rapture before the revealing of
the Antichrist. She saw only these "Spirit filled" Christians
"taken" to be with the Lord, while the rest of the Church
without this experience would be left to be purged in the
tribulation…
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
It is therefore right to state that Margaret MacDonald did give
prophesies about a secret rapture and it is from this prophesy
that a Pre Tribulation Doctrine was born and heavily promoted
and endorsed by Edward Irving….
“This was
the oil the wise virgins took in their vessels - this is the
light to be kept burning - the light of God - that we may
discern that which cometh not with observation to the natural
eye. Only those who have the light of God within them will see
the sign of his appearance. No need to follow them who say, see
here, or see there, for his day shall be as the lightning to
those in whom the living Christ is. 'Tis Christ in us that will
lift us up - he is the light - 'tis only those that are alive in
him that will be caught up to meet him in the air. I saw that we
must be in the Spirit, that we might see spiritual things. –
Margaret MacDonald”
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/margaret.html
The Scriptures are clear that The Coming of The Lord Jesus
Christ will NOT be Secret but visible to all and not just the
Saints but the sinners inclusive…
Matthew 24:29-30
(29)
Immediately
after
the
tribulation
of
those
days
shall
the
sun
be
darkened,
and
the
moon
shall
not
give
her
light,
and
the
stars
shall
fall
from
heaven,
and
the
powers
of
the
heavens
shall
be
shaken:
(30)
And
then
shall
appear
the
sign
of
the
Son
of
man
in
heaven:
and
then
shall
all
the
tribes
of
the
earth
mourn,
and
they
shall
see
the
Son
of
man
coming
in
the
clouds
of
heaven
with
power
and
great
glory.
Luke 21:25-28
(25)
And
there
shall
be
signs
in
the
sun,
and
in
the
moon,
and
in
the
stars;
and
upon
the
earth
distress
of
nations,
with
perplexity;
the
sea
and
the
waves
roaring;
(26)
Men's
hearts failing them
for
fear,
and
for
looking after
those things which are coming on
the
earth:
for
the
powers
of
heaven
shall
be
shaken.
(27)
And
then
shall
they
see
the
Son
of
man
coming
in
a
cloud
with
power
and
great
glory.
(28)
And
when
these things
begin
to
come to pass,
then
look up,
and
lift up
your
heads;
for
your
redemption
draweth nigh.
Revelation 1:7
(7)
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they
also
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen.
The scriptures above were enough for Edward Irving and all the
Pre Tribulation Secret Rapture theorists to discount the Pre
Tribulation Doctrine and Margaret MacDonald apparitions.
As Tim Warner notes on his Post Tribulation Website, some Pre
Tribulation scholars dismiss any link to Margaret MacDonald’s
apparitions citing that she was rather Post Tribulationist… She
in fact did only confirm the teachings of the folks like Tim
LaHaye and his left behind series…that those unworthy Christians
who are left behind endure the tribulation…
“Some
pre-trib authors have tried to debunk Margaret's contribution to
pre-tribulationism by claiming she was actually post-trib. They
point to the statements where she speaks of Christians being
tried in the tribulation. However, they fail to recognize that
she was only speaking of a secret rapture of an elite group of
saints, and not the whole Church. Therefore, she spoke of BOTH a
secret pre-trib rapture AND Christians being tried in the
tribulation.” – Tim Warner
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/margaret.html
“This is the
fiery trial which is to try us. - It will be for the purging and
purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it
will be a fiery trial. Every soul will be shaken to the very
centre. The enemy will try to shake in every thing we have
believed - But the trial of real faith will be found to honour
and praise and glory. Nothing but what is of God will stand.” –
Margaret MacDonald
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/margaret.html
In September 1830 ‘The Morning Watch’ a Quarterly Publication of
the Irvingnites a denomination started by Edward Irving or
commonly known as the Catholic Apostolic Church, published an
article on the Partial Pre tribulation Rapture according to
documentation by Tim Warner. The article was called ‘Fidus’ and
detailed a partial pre tribulation rapture. This became the
first publication of the Pre Tribulation Theory as Tim Warner
states…
“The
official quarterly publication of the Irvingites, "The Morning
Watch," had promoted a post-trib coming exclusively through
mid-1830. But, the September 1830 issue featured part two of an
article by "Fidus" describing the theory that the seven letters
in Revelation actually describe seven consecutive "Church ages."
In this article, "Fidus" clearly articulated the new idea of a
partial pre-trib rapture. "Fidus" saw the Philedelphian church
being raptured prior to the tribulation, and the Laodicean
church representing the less fortunate Christians. Click here to
read the "Fidus" article… This article in The Morning Watch is
the first (known) publication of a pre-tribulation rapture in
Great Britain, several years before Darby mentioned a pre-trib
rapture.” – Tim Warner
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
The ‘Fidus’ article notes clearly how the Pre Tribulation
Doctrine was endorsed and promoted by Edward Irving…
“6. The
Philadelphian church expresses the period of that preparation,
until the Lord come to the air, and be met by his saints changed
and risen.
7. The Laodicean church (the
only one yet entirely future) is our sad monitor concerning the
history of the church on earth during that period of great
tribulation which shall intervene between the coming of the Lord
to the air and the establishment of his throne and rest in
Zion.” ..." [p. 510] “
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/tmw1030.html
However, it is surprising that some researchers state that the
Margaret MacDonald visions and prophetic revelations were
published in 1861 yet they don’t publish facts that the pre
tribulation rapture doctrine was being endorsed by Edward Irving
with huge influence from the 1830 Secret Rapture Margaret
apparitions…
“The rise in
belief in the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is sometimes attributed
to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret MacDonald (a
follower of Edward Irving), who in 1830 had a vision that was
later published in 1861…” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture
John N Darby and Pre
Tribulation Doctrine…
As we take a look at church history we note that the Pre
Tribulation Doctrine begun to take root in the 1800s and was
catapulted by Edward Irving who fully endorsed the doctrine and
then John N Darby.
John N Darby was an Irish preacher and founder of the Plymouth
Brethren. While some site him to be the father of
Dispensationalism, Tim Warner notes how Darby was already
influenced by the dispensational by works of Edward Irving and
Father de Lacunza since he quoted their works in his Darby
writings... In other words the Margaret MacDonald – Edward
Irving Secret Rapture trickle down effect did certainly reach
Darby…
“While he
may have hinted at some dispensational ideas, such ideas were
already fully developed in Irving's 1826 "preliminary
discourse." Furthermore, on pages 6-10 & 19-21, Darby referred
to Irving, de Lacunza, The Morning Watch, and even quoted some
of Irving's works, including his "preliminary discourse!" So,
while dispensationalism may have been evolving in Darby's own
mind, clearly, these ideas were not original with him! He was
reading them in Irving's and de Lacunza's works” – Tim Warner
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
It is also said that John N Darby did visit the Irvingnites
‘revivals’ in which Margaret MacDonald issued her prophetic
utterances. Tim Warner notes with certainty quoting from the
writings of John N Darby how he Darby had visited Glasgow and
even recorded events that took place at the revival meetings
with the presence of Margaret MacDonald…
“In 1830, J.
N. Darby also visited the MacDonald's in Port Glasgow, and
observed the "manifestations" in their prayer meetings, as Darby
later recalled. Darby described the sequence of events — who
prayed, who spoke in tongues, etc. [7]. But, while he noted
Margaret's speaking, he failed to mention the subject of her
prophesying. However, John Cardale, who was also present, wrote
that Margaret "commenced also speaking ... gave testimony to the
judgments coming on the earth; but also directed the church to
the coming of the Lord as her hope of deliverance," and was
heard speaking in a loud voice "denouncing the coming
judgments." [8]. Therefore, we can conclude that Darby was fully
aware that the "pre-tribulation rapture" was a subject of the
prophecies among the Irvingite Charismatics. It was nine more
years before Darby clearly espoused a pre-trib rapture in his
published works.” - Tim Warner
http://www.geocities.com/lasttrumpet_2000/timeline/index.html
Therefore the whole dispensational movement has strongly been
influenced by the Edward Irving and Margaret MacDonald pre
tribulation secret rapture teachings and apparitions.
The Pre Tribulation Rapture Theology that is being taught in
many churches today is a recent doctrine that sprung up in the
1800s and was alien to the early church who taught that the
saints had to endure the great tribulation under persecutions
from the Antichrist. It is my prayer that sincere saints will
review the Pre Tribulation Tradition of Men and believe in what
the Scriptures teach concerning the subject…
Pre Tribulation Theology
Generates Millions of Dollars…
However, in the 1900s many teachers arose who continued to make
popular the Pre Tribulation Secret rapture teachings while
interestingly making huge amounts of money from their book
sales…
“In 1908,
the doctrine of the rapture was further popularized by an
evangelist named William Eugene Blackstone, whose book, Jesus Is
Coming, sold more than one million copies.[12] The first known
appearance of the theological use of the word "rapture" in print
occurs with the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909.[13]
In 1957, Dr.
John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas Theological Seminary,
authored a book, "The Rapture Question," that gave theological
support to the Pre-Tribulation rapture; this book eventually
sold over 65,000 copies. In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost authored
another book supporting the Pre-Tribulation rapture, Things to
Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, that sold 215,000 copies.
During the
1970s, the rapture became popular in wider circles, in part due
to the books of Hal Lindsey, including The Late Great Planet
Earth, which has reportedly sold between 15 million and 35
million copies.[14] Lindsey proclaimed that the rapture was
imminent, an idea that he based on world conditions at the
time...In 1995, the doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation rapture was
further popularized by Tim LaHaye's book series, Left Behind,
which sold tens of millions of copies and was made into several
movies.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture
So, we see great pre tribulation teachers of our time make lots
of money out of the Pre Tribulation and Secret Rapture
teachings… The following are just a few quotes on a few sales
made by some of the greatest authors and promoters of the Pre
Tribulation Doctrine…
-
William Eugene Blackstone…
‘Jesus Is Coming’… Sold 1,000,000 plus copies…
-
Scofield Reference Bible…
‘Rapture’ made popular… Sold 10,000,000 plus copies
…interestingly the Scofield bible was heavily used by J.
Dwight Pentecost who received it as a gift from his mother…
[6]
-
John Walvoord… ‘The
Rapture Question’… Sold 65,000 copies
-
J. Dwight Pentecost…
‘Things To Come’… Sold 215,000 copies
-
Hal Lindsey… ‘The Late
Great Planet Earth’… Sold 15 to 35 Million plus copies
-
Tim LaHaye… ‘Left
Behind’… Sold 65 Million plus copies [7]
-
John Hagee… ‘Jerusalem
Countdown’… Sold 1.1 Million plus copies [8]
Amazingly the Post Tribulation authors have hardly made any
money… I have researched on sale figures for most notable post
tribulation authors and many don’t even publish those figures
because they are small and insignificant… The Pre Tribulation
Doctrine is where the money is… Left Behind-ism is what sales…
Truth offends and therefore sales not…
What the Bible says and what Jesus Christ taught…
Having dwelt on the historical origins of the pre tribulation
rapture, I will endeavor to spend much time on what the Bible
actually speaks about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and
Saints going through the Great Tribulation in the next article.
We shall take a look at the teachings of Jesus Christ concerning
His Second coming.
To be continued…
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule | |
