The following is the first of a twelve part series I began preaching on Sunday evening at the Carr Lane Baptist Church. It is a series on the Rapture of the Church. It is sadly missing in many churches. Is it because pastors are afraid of the teaching? Because they do not believe in it? or maybe they do not believe it to be practical. Why is it when the Bible is one third prophecy that preachers neglect one third of Scripture. You will answer to God for it. Paul shunned not to declare the “whole counsel of God”, nor should you or I.The series is called, TWELVE REASONS TO BELIEVE IN THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH This is the first, after I give just a list of those twelve.
The twelve Biblical reasons for believing in the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church:
1. The Unfulfilled Promises of God To Israel;
2. The Historical/Scriptural Evidence of Previous Raptures and Typical Raptures;
3. Scoffers Who Disclaim The Promise of Christ’s Return;
4. Jesus Said He would Come Again;
5. The Church Has Not Been Appointed to Wrath;
6. The Teaching of The Imminent Return of Jesus is Maintained;
7. Emphasis Strongly Placed Upon Evangelism and Missions;
8. The Lord Has Previously Only Worked in One People Group At a Time;
9. The Rapture Is the Blessed Hope;
10. The Expectation of the Rapture Causes Us to Look For Jesus;
11. The Church Is the Temple of The Holy Spirit – The Restrainer of Evil;
12. There Are No Signs Pointing To The Rapture – Be Ready.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are most likely many other reasons, but these seem to come out more clearly. There may be some others that really come clearly, but I have not yet had them revealed to me.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is probably one of the strongest passages of Scripture for believing in the Pre-Trib Rapture of the Church. For this first message I want us to see reason number one listed above.
Our text will be taken from 2 Samuel 7:10-17.
THE UNFULFILLED PROMISES OF GOD TO ISRAEL.
“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime” v. 10 (KJV).
According to 2 Samuel 7:10, they have been promised no more affliction. They are promised a place to be “Planted”. They have a “Place appointed” them.
Being planted means they have a place to “put down roots”. A place to call their own with God as their King.
Secondly, David’s Family will be forever established (vv. 11-14). “And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:” vv. 11-14 (KJV). Nathan was giving this promise to David, from God. He is to have an established kingdom, that will stand forever.
It is established by God, and only God can keep it going. It is not because David deserved such a kingdom, or such great promises, but because of God’s name and His children’s need to give Him glory, and praise.
There are some who would say that God is finished with Israel. What does that do for us if God does not carry through with His promises to Israel. In order to say God is finished with the Nation you will begin spiritualizing everything of Scripture, and you end up spiritualizing the gospel itself.
The Third thing we must see, is the Reason Israel Has Been Scattered – God’s Sovereign Plan for Israel Romans 11:7-27 (KJV). Some may be asking, “What does any of this have to do with the Rapture of the Church?” My answer to that is; God must do something with the Church before He can accomplish His purpose in scattering Israel. That something will be taking the Body of Christ out of the way. Thus, the Rapture.
Here are some reasons God had for scattering Israel to the “ends of the earth”. It was to let the “heathen” know that God was judging them “for their iniquity”, to purify them, and make them “Know that am the LORD their God” (v. 28). The strongest theme which runs throughout the book of Ezekiel is that phrase, “That ye [Israel or they] might know that I am the LORD their God. I have counted 63 times this phrase is used in the book. It begins in chapter six and runs through chapter 39. So what is God’s reason for scattering Israel? To cause them and others to know that the LORD is their God. It is certain that God will accomplish His purposes.
God will fulfill His promises to Israel, because of His character, and because He is trustworthy we can trust Him with His promises. He will fulfill His Word.
Ezekiel 12:21-28 speaks of a proverb the people had concerning their belief that the prophecies of God would not come. They were a long time off. God says there that His promises will not be ‘prolonged’. They were saying, “The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth” v. 22 (KJV). Hear what the Word of the Lord is, “For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.” vv. 24-25 (KJV).
Just as the people of Israel could trust and believe that God’s Word would be fulfilled, so it will be for us as well. If God’s promises fail for the house of David, they will not succeed for those who profess Christ as Savior. God has, He is and He will fulfill His Word to the letter. COUNT ON IT.
The Fire and Hammer 
Sara,
I appreciate your comments, though you do say that God has forsaken Israel.
The covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was an unconditional covenant.
Like Israel, the church has often been unfaithful, undevoted, and unscruptulous; even evil at time in the name of Jesus Christ.
If God can break his promise to Israel, do we have any assurance He cannot with you or me?
Here is what the prophet Jeremiah said, “And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.” Jeremiah 33:19-26 (KJV)
Now, I find assurance and peace in those words, knowing that God is going to bring a remnant of Israel to His Son Jesus Christ. And Paul the apostle declares, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob…” Romans 11:26 (KJV)
May God increase our light as we study His Word.
T.A.
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There are some who would say that God is finished with Israel. What does that do for us if God does not carry through with His promises to Israel. In order to say God is finished with the Nation you will begin spiritualizing everything of Scripture, and you end up spiritualizing the gospel itself.
God is finished with Israel, Irael did not keep their part of the covenant that God made with them. A covanent is a promise with conditions. Israel was meant to be a light to all nations, a nation of priests speading God’s message. Israel instead keeps God’s message to themselves, misinterpreting it and even using it to their own means making it a rod for their own backs. They secluded themselves from the world and their neighbours and finally misinterpreted what the Messiah was meant to do and when he would arrive ending in sacrificing him because he threatened their very existance and political code.
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According to 2 Samuel 7:10, they have been promised no more affliction. They are promised a place to be “Planted”. They have a “Place appointed” them.
This is also promised to the remnant church who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his testimony.
We will recieve this promise once the old world has past away and the new Heaven and Earth have come when Jerusalem will descend from the clouds and God will dwell with his people. There will be no pain, sorrow or tears.
Look in Revelation for this!!!
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Eric, Gordon, and Bruce,
Thank you all for your comments, and I am not cutting off comments, but I just wanted to add a comment myself.
There is no possible way anyone with a clear mind can come to the conclusion that the devil is bound, that we are living in a millenial age, that Christ is setting on the throne in Jerusalem, without just plain ole spiritualizing everything. If you are going to do that you just as well spritualize the cross, the burial and the resurrection. “It did not really happen, you know; it is only a spiritual metaphor” What for?
I still go back to what I remember a former pastor of mine saying, “People who spiritualize, tell spiritual lies, because they do not have spiritual eyes.” To spiritualize a text you deny its basic, literal truth.
I have even heard some say, “The second coming is when Jesus comes into the heart of new born again individual”. Now that is really spiritualizing a truth, and denying the Second coming of Jesus.
Just some more of my thoughts.
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Tim, These are all excellent points and the reason that I still hold to the premillenial reign of Christ and the pre-trib rapture. I agree with Gordon that perhaps the reason so many have abandoned the teaching on the pre-trib rapture, is due to the date setting. I also think that many – especially it seems lately – are beginning to gravitate toward amillenialism is because of some of the extremes that they have observed in the dispensational camp. But to me, that is a poor excuse to throw the proverbial “baby out with the bathwater”. I appreciate many things that have been written concerning amillenialism lately over the internet. I think it helps gain an understanding of where they are coming from, though I still disagree with them. I just cannnot understand where people get that we are in the millenium now and that Satan is currently bound. It certainly seems that Satan is currently active deceiving multitudes of people. I also wonder what they do with passages such as Acts 1:6-7, where the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”. Jesus then replied to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;”. Jesus then goes on to tell them about the mission that He has for them; go and spread the gospel. Notice that Jesus does not correct them and say, “You have it all wrong; there is not going to be a literal physical kingdom.” Rather, He tells them that it will occur in the Father’s own timing. Meanwhile I have a mission for you to focus on; spread the gospel and make disciples. I just cannot swallow the amillenial position.
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Bruce,
To answer your question about going to Google or Msn; No I have not. From what I know, and have heard that is pretty much a negative on the rapture. I think, from other things that I have read, that I am familiar with most of the anti-rapture thinking. I find no point in further waste of time. I am secure in what I find in Scripture and with those who espouse the teachings of the rapture.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ; it does not matter if you believe in the rapture or not, I will see you then. I see that you never really said what you believe about it. Others have tried to point me toward those sites before. I am just not interested in negative rapture arguments. Most of them are founded in spiritualizing the text they use.
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Wondering if you have ever gone to Google or MSN and entered “Pretrib Rapture Diehards,” “Thomas Ice (Bloopers),” “Appendix F: Thou Shalt Not Steal,” “Famous Rapture Watchers,” and “Deceiving and Being Deceived”—-all written by a historian who has found many long forgotten early rapture documents in British libraries. Lord bless. B.R.
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Those are some great reasons for preaching the pre-trib rapture.
Like you, I am somewhat mystified as to why there isn’t more preaching on the rapture today. I almost wonder if all the “date-setting” that went on in the 70’s and 80’s haven’t made some a little gun-shy about approaching this topic.
It needs to be preached. God bless you for doing so.
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