Search Results

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) In addition to the two-fold nature of the future Day of the Lord that we examined in the previous article, an equally important awareness is that it also has a “double sense” – it is both broad and narrow in terms of its duration. The broad sense refers to an extended time period that begins with the Rapture (a key insight that lies outside of the scope of this article series), and then covers the post-Rapture/pre-Tribulation gap period, the Tribulation period, and the Millennium. The narrow sense refers to one specific and climactic day of ultimate significance – the day that involves Christ’s actual physical return to the earth at His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. We’ve also provided the following chart in order to present a visual aid of both the Day of the Lord’s two-fold nature (darkness/judgment + light/blessing) and double sense (broad + narrow). This key and fundamental insight of a “double sense” is often ignored, misunderstood, or overlooked by many Biblical commentators. However, we should point out that for the present context of our study, it will be an essential concept to understand correctly. So, let’s begin to carefully examine this issue. First, we must recognize that just as we today often use single words in a variety of ways in common language, single words in scripture are also used in a variety of ways. For example, consider all of the ways the word “apple” may be used in English. You may be referring to an actual fruit. You may be referring to a computer (the brand Apple, Inc.). You may be referring to New York City (nicknamed the “Big Apple”). Or, you may be using the term figuratively (the “apple” of your eye). You may even be referring to the laryngeal prominence on the front of the human neck (called the “Adam’s apple”). Word usage in the Bible is no different. We understand how a word is being used by the context. Furthermore, a basic hermeneutical (interpretive) guideline is that the Bible is the best interpreter of itself. We can often rely on scripture itself to define the parameters of how a given term is used, and therefore, how we are to understand it. This is especially true of the term “day,” and therefore, by extension, “the Day of the Lord.” Concerning this issue, Walvoord writes: The word “day” is used in the Bible in various ways. Sometimes it is used to refer to daylight; for instance, the hours between dawn and sunset. Sometimes it is used to refer to a twenty-four-hour day. The Jewish day began at sunset and continued to the next day at sunset. That also is referred to as a day. Sometimes the word day is used in the Bible as a period of time, just as we use it in English. We speak of the day of our youth; what do we mean by that? We do not mean that we were young only one day, but we mean the extended period of time in which we were young. [1] So, we should recognize that the word “day” in scripture has both a narrow sense (meaning an actual twenty-four-hour day, or sometimes even just the daylight period of it) and a broad sense (meaning an epoch or extended period of time). Genesis 1:5 is a clear example of the narrow sense of the word “day.” And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. -Genesis 1:5 This verse speaks of the daylight period of a literal twenty-four-hour day, and also the evening and morning, or darkness and light segments of a literal twenty-four-hour day. If you continue reading Genesis Chapter 1, the verses to follow tell us about the next six days of creation in which God brought His work to completion. But then in Genesis 2:4, we read the following summary. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made. -Genesis 1:5 As we clearly see in the verses between Genesis 1:5 and 2:3, the text informs us that God performed the creation in seven literal twenty-four-hour days. Yet, Genesis 2:4 sums up these “narrow-sense” creation days as a “broad day” period. In other words, it refers to the whole creation week period figuratively, as a “day.” Psalm 59:16 is another example of “day” being used in a more unconstrained, figurative sense, as to mean “a period of time.” But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. -Psalm 59:16 Here, the Psalmist was not trying to convey that his trouble was confined to a literal twenty-four-hour period, but rather that God has been his defense and refuge during any and all periods of trouble in his life. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary confirms this understanding, providing the following definition of the Biblical word day (the Hebrew word yom). Day, used both in the particular sense of a natural day, and in the general sense of a set time or period of time. … Day is often used by sacred writers, in a general sense, for a definite period of time – an era or season, when something remarkable has taken place or is destined to do so. [2] Many modern prophecy commentators are quick to recognize the narrow sense of the Day of the Lord, understanding the obvious scriptural emphasis on the climactic, literal twenty-four-hour day that will involve Christ’s return. On this culminating day of the judgment phase, He will return to the earth with His bride the Church, defeat His enemies, and rescue the righteous remnant of Israel. However, these commentators often miss the broad sense of the Day of the Lord, not recognizing that scripture clearly uses this term to describe a wider period of time that encompasses all of the major eschatological events the Bible foretells (from the Rapture to the end of the Millennial Kingdom). This usage is similar to the way we might use the term “Christmas” in our modern culture. Christmas has both a broad sense and a narrow sense. When referring to Christmas, we often mean the entire Christmas season. But yet, there is also that one, specific, climaxing day – Christmas Day, December 25th. A somewhat similar Biblical example is the Passover. According to Leviticus 23:5, the specific day of Passover is to be the 14th day of the first month. However, we also learn that the Passover season as a whole involves a broader period that involves the selection of a Passover lamb on the 10th, the Passover Seder that takes place on the 15th (which begins the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread), and the Feast of First Fruits that takes place on the first Sunday following Passover. These can all connotatively be referred to as the Passover season – and yet, there is that one denotative, specific day of Passover, which is the 14th, when the lambs are killed. In fact, a study of the Passion Week chronology in the gospels reveals that the Bible also uses the term “Unleavened Bread” in this way also. Sometimes it denotatively refers to the actual day when the feast or Seder took place (the 15th), but other times it is used more connotatively to refer to this entire festival week. Many commentators have ended up in error by not maintaining a precise understanding of the connotative and denotative usages of Biblical terms – and as a result, the Bible will appear contradictory. Like the two-fold nature of the Day of the Lord, this understanding of the double sense of the Day of the Lord is also a concept well-recognized by scholars of all eschatological persuasions. For example, John Walvoord recognized the broad period of the Day of the Lord as beginning with the Rapture and extending until the end of the Millennium. When the rapture occurs, this work of God [the Church] will be brought to its close and the Day of the Lord will begin. … the period in general would extend from the rapture until the end of the millennium. [3] Renald Showers also noted the broad and narrow sense of the Day of the Lord. We should note that the biblical expression “the Day of the Lord” has a double sense (broad and narrow) in relationship to the future. The broad sense refers to an extended period of time involving divine interventions related to at least the 70th week of Daniel and the thousand-year Millennium. … The narrow sense refers to one specific day – the day on which Christ will return to earth from heaven with His angels. [4] In similar fashion, A.B. Davidson stated: Though the “Day of the Lord,” as the expression implies, was at first conceived as a definite and brief period of time, being an era of judgment and salvation, it many times broadened out to be an extended period. From being a day it became an epoch. [5] So, again, we should recognize that the Day of the Lord’s double sense is not some new or deviant belief. Rather, it has been long recognized by careful Bible interpreters. In the previous article of this series, we examined a number of prophetic passages from the Old Testament prophets that demonstrated the reality of the Day of the Lord as a prolonged period consisting of a darkness/judgment phase and a light/blessing phase. That understanding also substantiates the claims of this article, in which the double sense is our current topic. In that article, we showed scriptural evidence that the Day of the Lord in one sense is broad in its duration. But we will now focus our attention on the scriptural support for the other sense – a narrow period of one specific day of culmination. The existence of a specific climaxing day is clear in light of a careful examination of the prophetic body of scripture. Many scriptures can be presented that focus on this day that we call the Second Coming, the climax of the darkness/judgment phase, in which the Lord returns to destroy His enemies. Let’s examine several. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. -Zechariah 14:1-4 This excerpt seems to clearly focus its identification of the Day of the Lord on the events of the narrow sense (the literal twenty-four-hour day in which the Second Coming proper occurs and the Lord defeats the enemies of Israel). A similar example is found in Joel 3. In this chapter, it is obvious that Verses 12-16 focus on the narrow period of the Day of the Lord (the actual twenty-four-hour day of Christ’s return). It reads: Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: -Joel 3:12-16 We also find a prime example in Amos 5:18-20 (which we also noted in the previous article), in which the text explicitly denies that there is any light found for the wicked during the Day of the Lord. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? -Amos 5:18-20 Clearly, this refers most specifically to the narrow sense of the Day of the Lord, as it focuses on darkness and judgment. We’ve just spent time showing the many Biblical mentions of the light/blessing phase of the broad period. Either the Bible is contradictory, or this passage in Amos must be understood to be focusing specifically on the wicked who experience the narrow sense of that Day. This turns out to be a potent confirmation that scripture uses two senses to describe the Day of the Lord. Clearly, this context of darkness is addressed to a specific audience, which Verse 1 of this chapter demands to be the unbelieving nation of Israel on earth during this time of judgment. We can also note that the Old Testament has a special term used to describe this narrow period. We find this term in Joel 2:31, as Joel foretells the darkening of the heavenly bodies prior to the coming of the “great and terrible Day of the Lord.” The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. -Joel 2:31 This also is a potent confirmation that the Bible speaks of two senses when it describes the Day of the Lord. A reading of Revelation and other prophetic passages foretell the celestial phenomena (such as that which is mentioned in this verse) that will take place during the Day of the Lord. Since Joel here described the Day of the Lord as following these celestial events, are we to then believe that they, as well as the other judgments are not part of that Day? Without recognizing the double senses of the Day of the Lord, one would be forced to adopt such a conclusion. It is clear that the “great and terrible Day of the Lord” is a special term the Old Testament uses to specifically describe this narrow period – the climaxing day of the Second Coming. We find a similar expression in Malachi 4:5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: -Malachi 4:5 Similarly, when Malachi writes that God will send Elijah before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord, it should be understood to mean that Elijah would return prior to the narrow Day – not prior to the broad Day. Elijah will likely return as one of the Two Witnesses in Revelation (11:3-12, et al.), which takes place during the Tribulation period (part of the broad Day). The understanding that this term (“the great and terrible/dreadful Day of the Lord”) is a reference to the culminating day when Christ returns to earth in power and glory goes all the way back to the interpretation of the ancient Jewish rabbis, as preserved in The Babylonian Talmud. Tractate Shabbath, Folio 118a tells us plainly: This is understood to refer to the advent of the Messiah. [6] Referring to the Joel 2:31 passage, Bible scholar E.W. Bullinger rightly observes that this “great and terrible” day is the narrow day, or the culminating day of a broader period. It is called “the great and terrible day of the Lord,” as though it were the climax of the whole period known as “the day of the Lord.” [7] Similarly, Renald Showers wrote: We should note that the Scriptures apply the expression “the great and terrible day of the Lord” to the narrow Day, not the broad Day. The implication is that the narrow Day will differ from the rest of the broad Day, not only in duration, but also in significance. Although the earlier part of the judgment phase of the broad Day will involve a great outpouring of divine wrath upon the domain of Satan and mankind, the narrow Day will be the grand climax of that judgment phase. [8] And so, we should understand that the narrow period of the Day of the Lord (the great and terrible Day of the Lord) is the grand day of climax of the judgment phase of the wider broad Day period. Conclusion Throughout our three-part review of the Biblical presentation of the Day of the Lord, we have noted several important aspects that will be critical for us to understand this subject. First, we noted that the Day of the Lord refers to the times of God’s divine interventions into the course of human history in order to judge sin, judge His enemies, accomplish His purposes for mankind, and display His sovereignty as the God of the universe. Second, we recognized that the Day of the Lord is applicable to past historical events in which God intervened in history, but even more notably to a future grand climax of human history in which this final and ultimate Day of the Lord is anticipated. Unlike the past events where God primarily intervened by using human instruments, this final eschatological Day of the Lord will climax in the actual, physical return of Jesus Christ to earth to judge and defeat His enemies. Third, we noted that the future Day of the Lord has a two-fold nature. First, there will be a phase characterized by darkness and judgment. This phase will involve the time period beginning with the Rapture, the post-Rapture gap period that follows it, the Tribulation period, and will culminate with the Second Coming. A significant recognition is the fact that the Rapture is the opening event of the broad Day of the Lord (which is outside the scope of this article series). While the saints are being raptured in glory, the darkness/ judgment phase of the broad Day immediately falls on the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Following this darkness/judgment phase, there will be a second phase characterized by light and blessing. This phase will involve the Millennial reign of Christ on earth. Figuratively, this compares to an actual twenty-four-hour day in the sense that it involves a period of darkness followed by a period of light. Fourth, we then noted that the future Day of the Lord has a double sense in terms of duration. In its broad sense, it refers to a prolonged period beginning with the Rapture, the post-Rapture gap period that follows it, the Tribulation period, and the Millennial Kingdom. But in its narrow sense, it refers to a specific day of culmination in which Christ returns in glory to judge His enemies. This narrow period is sometimes called “the great and terrible Day of the Lord,” referring to the time immediately surrounding the Second Coming. It is the climactic day that separates the darkness phase from the light phase. At the root of most misunderstandings of eschatology is a deficient understanding of how the Bible self-defines its own terms. Since the Day of the Lord by definition describes God's program for the end times, then understanding all of these aspects is invaluable for equipping us with a sound understanding of the chronology of Biblical eschatology. It will help us avoid the common pitfalls that so frequently hinder a sound understanding of the end times. [1] John Walvoord, “The Day of the Lord,” Jan. 1, 2008, Bible.org. (https://bible.org/seriespage/5-day-lord - Retrieved 3/27/22) [2] Merrill F. Unger, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, ed. R.K. Harrison, Chicago: Moody Publishers, rev. 1988, pp. 1283, 1286. [3] John Walvoord, The Nations, Israel, and the Church in Prophecy, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1988, p. 86. [4] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 35. [5] A.B. Davidson, “The Theology of the Old Testament,” in International Theological Library, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1936, p. 381. [6] The Babylonian Talmud, London: Soncino Press, 1938, “Shabbath,” 118a, in footnote, p. 580. [7] E.W. Bullinger, The Apocalypse or “The Day of the Lord,” London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1935, p. 248. [8] Showers, pp. 36-37.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) In the previous article, we examined the Biblical Day of the Lord, understanding that it has both historical applications as well as a future, ultimate fulfillment. This and the next article will both focus on the future, ultimate eschatological (end-times) Day of the Lord. The next thing we need to recognize about the future Day of the Lord is that it has a two-fold nature – including a period of darkness and judgment as well as a period of light and blessing. This basic understanding is often overlooked even by good Dispensational scholars, resulting in the inability to accurately and precisely understand much of what scripture communicates to us further ahead in the New Testament. The darkness/judgment phase will occur first, and will characterize the total nature of the Day of the Lord from the standpoint of God’s enemies. They will not enjoy the subsequent phase that involves light and blessing. This gloomy phase of the Day of the Lord includes what Christians often call the Tribulation (the final seventieth week of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy), and culminates with the Second Coming of Christ to issue decisive defeat to His enemies, introducing His earthly kingdom reign. Let’s take a look at several scripture passages that depict this darkness/judgment phase. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. -Isaiah 13:9 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains…. -Joel 2:1-2 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? -Amos 5:18-20 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, -Zephaniah 1:14-15 All of these passages clearly depict the judgment phase, describing it as being a day of wrath, trouble, distress, desolation, darkness, gloominess, woe, clouds, thick darkness, and fierce anger, where even mighty men will cry bitterly. It describes it as a time when God will destroy sinners. But the subsequent aspect of the Day of the Lord involves a phase of light and the outpouring of God’s blessing under the rule and reign of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This takes place during the Millennial Kingdom. As we will see, it directly follows on the heels of Christ’s return to defeat His enemies, which will conclude the darkness/judgment phase. We will also find that this pattern of the prolonged period of the Day of the Lord takes place in similar fashion to an actual twenty-four-hour day – a period of light that follows a period of darkness. In all of the eschatological passages we will examine, the Biblical writer first describes the Day of the Lord by that name, foretelling its initial phase of darkness/judgment. The passages then continue on to discuss the light/blessing phase that follows – denoting it’s inclusion in the same prolonged period by using the phrase “in that day”. In other words, the phrase “in that day” continues the foregoing narrative, and should be understood to refer to its antecedent – the Day of the Lord. So then according to the text, the Day of the Lord does not end with the climax of the darkness/judgment phase. It continues on into the light/blessing phase, as indicated by the continuing usage of the phrase “in that day.” It is not describing a different day, but rather a different phase of the same day (similar to how a phase of daylight follows a phase of darkness in an actual twenty-four-hour day). Let’s now take a look at several scripture passages that clearly depict this. A passage we just looked at, Joel 2:1-2, depicts the darkness/judgment phase, which continues to be the subject of the remainder of that chapter – although it also discusses elements that likely will follow in the blessing phase (such as the outpouring of the Spirit upon Israel). Joel Chapter 3 then refocuses on the culmination of the darkness phase, which involves the gathering of the enemies of God against Jerusalem. It foretells the fierce judgment that will be executed upon them at what we now know is the time of the Second Coming of Christ. But in Verses 16-21 of Chapter 3, we see a clear transition taking place, as Joel then begins to foretell the subsequent Millennial period of great divine blessings that will occur following the judgment phase – with that period still being referred to as “in that day.” Let’s examine this notable shift from darkness/judgment to the positivity of this subsequent light/blessing phase in Verses 16-21 of Joel 3. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion. -Joel 3:16-21 Note: For clarity, we of course recommend that you go back in your own Bibles to fully examine these chapters and note the features we are identifying. As we can see, after Joel discusses the darkness/judgment phase, the prophetic narrative then shifts to discuss the light/blessing phase, in which events that take place during the Millennial Kingdom are described. Yet, it continues to describe these events with the phrase “in that day,” showing the continuation of the Day of the Lord throughout the Millennium (the light/blessing phase). Similarly, in Zechariah Chapter 14, after foretelling the darkness/judgment phase when the nations gather for war against Jerusalem, culminating in the Second Coming of Christ to destroy these enemies, Zechariah then begins to detail a subsequent time where the darkness will turn into light. He tells us of a number of great blessings that will be poured out “in that day” as God establishes His reign over the earth in the Millennium. In other words, the first part of “that day” will be darkness, but the latter part will be light – just like an actual twenty-four-hour day. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The Lord; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. -Zechariah 14:6-9, 20 So, like the previous example in Joel, we find this passage in Zechariah first discussing the darkness/judgment phase but then moving on to discuss the light/blessing phase, with both clearly described as being “in that day” (or in the Day of the Lord). Likewise, the book of Zephaniah starts out by describing the coming darkness/judgment phase of the Day of the Lord (another passage we read earlier). But then, midway through Chapter 3, the focus begins to transition from the judgment of God’s enemies at the end of the darkness/judgment phase to the blessing, regathering, and restoration of Israel during the light/blessing phase – all still being described as “in that day.” Let’s make note of this positive shift beginning here in Verse 11. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord. -Zephaniah 3:11-20 And so, from all of these clear scriptural examples that provide us with a detailed prophetic description of the future Day of the Lord, we can readily understand that this period includes first a darkness/judgment phase then followed by a light/blessing phase. Furthermore, it is clear that, just as is true in a literal twenty-four-hour day, the darkness phase will be followed by the light phase. This plain reality has been acknowledged by theologians of various interpretive camps for years. In the Dispensational camp, leading scholars have long noted this two-fold nature and its figurative similarity to a literal day. For example, John Walvoord writes: In 1 Thessalonians 5 the Day of the Lord is used in the sense of an extended period of time, but having the characteristics of a twenty-four hour day. That is, it is a day which begins at midnight or in the darkness, advancing to dawn and then daylight. It will close again with another period of darkness after daylight has passed. That apparently is the symbolism involved in the Day of the Lord. … The Day of the Lord, according to the Old Testament, is a time of God’s judgment and a time of God’s dealing with the world in its sin. … The Millennium – the whole kingdom reign of Christ on earth – in which Christ personally directs the government of the world, is also included in the Day of the Lord. [1] Similarly, Renald Showers asserted: The Day of the Lord in the future will be at least twofold in nature. Just as each day of creation and the Jewish day consisted of two phases – a time of darkness (“evening”) followed by a time of light (“day”) [Gen. 1:4-6] – so the future Day of the Lord will consist of two phases, a period of darkness (judgment) followed by a period of light (divine rule and blessing). [2] Likewise, Tony Garland notes: The phrase “Day of the Lord” is uniformly connected with darkness and judgment, whereas the phrases “this day” and “that day” do appear to be associated with the positive era subsequent to the initial dark elements of the day. The two-fold nature of the day is characterized by a time of intense darkness followed by incredible blessings. This dual nature results from both a sequential division (judgment bringing in the Kingdom of God on earth followed by the blessings of the millennial reign of Christ) and a spiritual division (the enemies of God will experience only the judgment whereas the people of God will experience the blessings of the millennial reign). [3] Many non-Dispensational scholars have also recognized this two-phased construction of the Day of the Lord. For instance, J. Barton Payne noted a period of judgment that is followed by a period of restoration. [4] Likewise, A.B. Davidson stated: Hence the “Day of the Lord” acquires a double-sided character. It is a day of salvation and judgment, or a day of salvation through judgment … a day of salvation behind this. Sometimes one side is prominent and sometimes another … Sometimes both sides of the Divine manifestation are brought forward, as in Joel. [5] John A.T. Robinson also admits that this period has both a judgment and a victory component. In itself, “the Day of the Lord” is a general and comprehensive expression for the consummation of God’s purpose, alike in victory and in judgment. [6] In addition, we should note that the scriptural teaching about God’s nature is that He is light, and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5, et al.). If this is the case, then it would seem inconsistent to imagine His day (the Day of the Lord) consisting entirely of darkness, and having no periods of light. Further yet, it is difficult to imagine a future Day of the Lord that does not include His direct rule over the earth – which will only take place during the Millennium (the light/blessing phase). The Millennium is certainly part of the “consummation of God’s purpose,” as noted in the previous quote by Robinson. And as we’ve mentioned a number of times, this understanding aligns perfectly with the typology of an actual twenty-four-hour day, which consists of both dark and light phases. Thus, we should recognize that the two-fold nature of the future Day of the Lord is neither a new doctrine, nor a fringe, irrational doctrine. Rather, it is a basic insight of a careful and thorough exposition of the Bible – one that is and has been held by Christian scholars across the interpretive spectrum. [1] John Walvoord, “The Day of the Lord,” Jan. 1, 2008, Bible.org. (https://bible.org/seriespage/5-day-lord - Retrieved 3/27/22) [2] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 33. [3] Tony Garland, Revelation Commentary, under “2.13 - Related Passages and Themes,” PreceptAustin.org. (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-intro-parallels (Retrieved 3/21/22) [4] J. Barton Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962, p. 464. [5] A.B. Davidson, “The Theology of the Old Testament,” in International Theological Library, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1936, pp. 377-378. [6] John A.T. Robinson, Jesus and His Coming, Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1979, p. 19.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) The Day of the Lord is a Biblical term that, within Bible prophecy discussion, is often either not defined at all, or is defined in a way that limits its scope in a way inconsistent with its actual usage in scripture. What is the basic definition of the Day of the Lord, according to its scriptural usage? Put simply, the Day of the Lord denotes God’s times of intervention in human history. As the Creator of the universe, God had specific purposes in mind for its creation – and as a result, when the sinful tendencies of mankind interfere with the sovereign plan of God, there is a point at which He intervenes in order to accomplish these purposes. Old Testament scholar and theologian J. Barton Payne described the Day of the Lord as follows. The comprehensive phase, by which the Old Testament describes God’s intervention in human history for the accomplishment of His testament is yom Yahwe, “the day of Yahweh.” … The “day” is thus characterized by an observable accomplishment of the general aims of divine providence. It refers to that point in history at which the sovereign God lays bare His arm on the behalf of His testament and of its heirs… [1] Similarly, theologian Renald Showers defined the Day of the Lord in the following way. In the Scriptures the expression “the Day of the Lord” (together with other synonymous expressions, such as “that day,” “the day of God,” etc.) is strongly related to God’s rule of the earth and, therefore, to His sovereign purpose for world history and specific events within that history. The Day of the Lord refers to God’s special interventions into the course of world events to judge His enemies, accomplish His purpose for history, and thereby demonstrate who He is – the sovereign God of the universe. [2] The scriptures clearly indicate that its mentions of the Day of the Lord (like much of the Bible’s prophetic content) often focus on a near-term or local application, as well as a future ultimate eschatological sense. In an article on the Day of the Lord in The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy, Richard L. Mayhue writes: A survey of the prophets indicates the term [Day of the Lord] was used in reference to both near historical fulfillments and far future eschatological events. [3] We can take note of these usages in the Old Testament books of the prophets where the term “Day of the Lord” appears – including Obadiah, Joel, Amos, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Malachi – showing how these authors spoke of the Day of the Lord in both a near-term historical sense but also a far-term future eschatological sense that clearly transcended any immediate local application. In the past “Days of the Lord,” God typically used foreign nations to execute His sovereign interventions against His enemies – in the form of war and military invasions. For instance, He raised up Assyria to invade, conquer, and exile the apostate Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 700s BC, as we see in, for example, Amos 5:18-20. God also similarly raised up Babylon to bring His judgment against the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the centuries to follow – as we see in passages such as Lamentations 1-2, Ezekiel 7:19, 13:5, and Zephaniah 2:2-3. He also used Babylon to bring judgment against Egypt and its allies in the 500s BC, as shown in Jeremiah 46:10 and Ezekiel 30:2. In similar fashion, Medo-Persia was later used to judge Babylon for its wickedness, as we see in Isaiah 13:6 and 9. But these past historical interventions are just foreshadows of the future ultimate Day of the Lord – in which God will intervene not only by using human instruments to execute His divine wrath, but He Himself as the risen Messiah, Jesus Christ, will actually arrive on the scene and fight against His enemies, bringing about His earthly reign – the Millennial Kingdom. George Ladd wrote: The prophets viewed the immediate historical future against the background of the final eschatological consummation, for the same God who was acting in history would finally establish his Kingdom in the future. [4] When we get to the New Testament, we then see that the New Testament writers consistently interpreted these Old Testament prophetic “Day of the Lord” texts in light of this ultimate eschatological fulfillment to take place in the future, and connected them with the noteworthy end-time events that Christians today refer to as the Tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom. These both are major eschatological events that consummate the age of human rule over the earth and usher in the judgments and blessings of God as He brings about His sovereign purposes for the earth. Showers provides a number of scriptural indicators that require the Day of the Lord to apply most ultimately to this future culminating time period where God brings about one final intervention in human history. First, Isaiah 2:10-22 describes a Day of the Lord that will involve the sixth seal described by the Apostle John in Revelation 6:12-17. Because this sixth seal will take place during the [future] 70th Week of Daniel 9, the Day of the Lord that will involve that seal must also take place during that future time period. Second, Isaiah 34:1-8 and Obadiah 15 describe a Day of the Lord when God will judge all nations or Gentiles of the world. None of the past Days of the Lord involved divine judgment of all the nations. Up to this point in history, there has not been a judgment of all nations during the same time period. In light of this, we must conclude that the Day of the Lord of Isaiah 34 and Obadiah must be future. Third, Joel 3:1-16 and Zechariah 14:1-3, 12-15 refer to a Day of the Lord that will involve God’s judgment of the armies of all the nations of the world, when those armies gather in Israel to wage war against that nation and the city of Jerusalem and when the Messiah comes to war against them. According to Revelation 16:12-16, those armies will not begin to gather until the sixth bowl is poured out during the [future] 70th Week of Daniel 9. In addition, Revelation 19:11-21 indicates that Christ will wage war against them when He comes from heaven to earth. This, too, forces the conclusion that the Day of the Lord of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 is future. Fourth, in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the Apostle Paul referred to a Day of the Lord that was future beyond the time when he wrote his epistle and that would bring sudden, inescapable destruction upon the unsaved of the world. That Day of the Lord had not taken place before Paul wrote his Thessalonian epistle, and it seems evident that nothing of its nature has transpired since. Thus, the Day of the Lord of 1 Thessalonians 5 is also future. [5] It is also crucial for us to recognize that just as the historically-fulfilled “Days of the Lord” were not necessarily literal, twenty-four-hour days (but rather periods of judgment), our interpretation of the future ultimate eschatological Day of the Lord also cannot be limited to a twenty-four-hour day. Rather, scripture clearly describes it in its broadest sense as a prolonged period of time. John Walvoord, one of the most prominent Dispensational scholars of the twentieth century wrote: According to the Bible, the day of the Lord is a time when God deals in direct judgment of the world in contrast to a time of grace when he does not. There were frequent days of the Lord in the Old Testament when God dealt with Israel because of their straying and would bring in an invader or would introduce drought or famine or some other catastrophe. These periods had a beginning and an ending, but obviously were more than a twenty-four-hour day. It was an extended period of time, long or short, depending on the circumstances. [6] And so, we can readily understand the ultimate eschatological nature of the Day of the Lord in scripture. It has both past historical and ultimate future applications – but always refers to the periods of time when God Himself intervenes in history in order to bring about His sovereign plan for the world. In the next several articles on this topic, as we uncover deeper nuances of how this concept is expressed in the Bible, our concern will not involve the past historical applications, but instead will look deeper into the future, ultimate, eschatological Day of the Lord. [1] J. Barton Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962, pp. 464-465. [2] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 30. [3] Richard L. Mayhue, “The Day of the Lord,” in The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy, eds. Tim Lahaye and Ed Hindson, Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2004, p. 73. [4] George Ladd, The Presence of the Future, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974, p. 68. [5] Showers, pp. 31-32. [6] John Walvoord, “The Day of the Lord,” in Journal of Ministry and Theology, 4:2, Fall, 2000, p. 10.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) In a previous article, we detailed a number of reasons that strongly point towards the generalized timing of the Rapture as being pretribulational (meaning it takes place prior to the Tribulation, or Daniel’s seventieth week – the final seven-year “week” of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophetic outline). While that appears certain in scripture, what is not certain is the length of time by which the Rapture precedes the Tribulation. In other words, does the Rapture take place immediately prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, or is there a period of time in between? And if the latter is true, is it a long time (a number of years or even decades) or a short time (a period of weeks or months)? We will examine these questions in this article. The notion of the Rapture taking place immediately prior to – or at the beginning of – the Tribulation does not appear to be a Biblically sustainable view, most simply due to the fact that the Rapture fundamentally is an imminent and unpredictable event, while the Tribulation has a definite beginning point that clearly relies upon at least one Biblically-prominent prerequisite sign or event. Logically, if God’s whole idea for the Rapture is to be an imminent event of unknown timing, ready to befall at any moment, why would He tether it to the beginning of the Tribulation, which does have a well-identified beginning point, and seems to follow at very least one definite preceding sign? Since the fundamental makeup of these two events are in opposition to one another, it does not make much sense to conjoin them. What prerequisite sign or event does the Bible seem to describe as preceding the Tribulation? We will discuss that shortly. But first, before delving deeper, our first order of business must be to identify the definitive beginning point of the Tribulation. The Beginning Point of the Tribulation At the outset, let's keep in mind that the Tribulation is a subset within the broad Day of the Lord (the broad Day begins with the Rapture, ends with the Millennial Kingdom, and includes everything in between, such as the Tribulation and the post-Rapture gap period – see chart). What is the Scriptural marker for the beginning of the Tribulation? The Bible tells us clearly that the beginning of the Tribulation, or Daniel’s final (seventieth) week, is initiated by the confirmation of a covenant by the Antichrist (presumably with Israel). This is made clear in Daniel 9, as the angel introduces to Daniel the prophetic scaffolding for God’s future program concerning Israel – the prophecy outlining seventy weeks of years. Dispensationalists agree that in this prophecy, each “week” describes a period of seven years. After detailing the first sixty-nine weeks, the angel then specifies the marker that will initiate the final seventieth week (which we often call the Tribulation). And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:27 The identification of the pronoun “he” in this verse has been the topic of much debate. While some believe it refers to the “Messiah the Prince” originally mentioned in Verse 25, most dispensationalists believe it refers to the “prince that shall come” mentioned toward the end of Verse 26. In normal laws of reference in language, a pronoun refers back to the last preceding person mentioned (the antecedent). In this case, the antecedent is “the prince that shall come” in Verse 26 (See a previous article for more information). Pentecost summarizes this as follows. It is evident from Daniel 9:27 that the seventieth week begins with a covenant that is made with "many" for one week, or for seven years. This "one week," following the method of interpretation established for the sixty-nine weeks, demonstrates the fact that the period in question will be of seven years duration. The question that must be faced is the identity of the one who makes the covenant that marks the inception of this seven year period. Daniel identifies him as "he" in 9:27. This must refer back to the "prince that shall come" in the previous verse. McClain, identifying this individual, writes: … there are two different princes mentioned: first, "Messiah the Prince"; and second, "the prince that shall come." The expression "prince that shall come" cannot possibly refer to "Messiah the Prince" for the simple reason that it is "the people of the prince that shall come" who are to destroy Jerusalem after the death of Messiah. And since it is now a matter of history that Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Roman people, not by the Jewish people, it follows that "the prince that shall come" cannot be the Jewish Messiah but is some great prince who will arise out of the Roman Empire. Concerning this individual, Arno Gaebelein says: "Out of the Roman empire there shall arise in the future a prince. This prince or chief of the fourth empire is identical with the little horn of Daniel 7." He is further to be identified with the "king of fierce countenance" of Daniel 8:23, with the "wilful king" of Daniel 11:36, with the "man of sin" of 2 Thessalonians 2, and with the "beast out of the sea" of Revelation 13:1-10. … This covenant deceives many in Israel into believing that this "man of sin" is God (2 Thess. 2:3). It is the proclamation of this false covenant that marks the beginning of the seventieth week. [1] As mentioned, the identification of this confirmation of a covenant by the Antichrist is a well-established marker among dispensationalists. Does this give us any clues concerning the potential for a post-Rapture gap period? The Day of the Lord Events that Precede the Tribulation We will now pick up with our earlier question concerning the existence of a prerequisite sign or event that the Bible seems to describe as preceding the Tribulation, yet taking place during the broad Day of the Lord (necessarily locating it as a post-Rapture/pre-Tribulation event). In this subsection, we will show that there of necessity must be a post-Rapture gap of time in which at least one such event will occur that helps to set the stage for the beginning of the Tribulation period. While we will focus our attention on the one event that we consider scripturally conclusive, we will follow our discussion of that event with a number of additional potential events that may also fall into this gap. The Antichrist’s Emergence The arrival of the Man of Sin onto the world scene clearly takes place after the Rapture, but before the Tribulation – yet during the Day of the Lord. This convincing point illustrates one of the most fundamental and obvious reasons why a gap must occur. Consider the logical conclusion demanded by the following facts (each of which are commonly accepted in dispensational thought): The emergence of the Antichrist can only take place after the removal of the “Restrainer” of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (when the indwelling presence of the Spirit in the hearts of Christians is removed from the world at the Rapture). The emergence of the Antichrist onto the world scene and his subsequent rise to power is pictured in the going forth of the white horseman of the First Seal Judgment in Revelation 6:1-2. These Seal Judgments are events that take place during the broad Day of the Lord, and not the Church Age – confirming the first bullet point. The emergence of the Antichrist (the First Seal) must precede the beginning of the Tribulation (his confirmation of a covenant), since the confirmation of that covenant logically requires the Antichrist to already exist in a position of power necessary to perform this confirmation. The logical conclusion demanded by the sum of these facts yields the following chronological chart: The conclusion of these facts demands that since the emergence of the Antichrist takes place after the Rapture but before the Tribulation, there must be a gap period that intervenes between these two points – and this gap must be within the broad Day of the Lord. For a logical walk through the above bullet points, consider the following review. Since the Antichrist’s confirmation of the Daniel 9:27 covenant is the marker that begins the Tribulation, then the Antichrist’s emergence onto the global scene and his legendary rise to world power must precede this marker. The Antichrist of course does not confirm this covenant on “Day 1” of his political career. He instead must be given sufficient time to ascend to the position necessary to wield the influence required to be the authority looked to by the parties of this covenant. This rise is pictured in the First Seal. Walvoord affirms the likelihood that the Antichrist’s rise will take place prior to the Tribulation. It is probable that the person who heads the revived Roman Empire [the Antichrist] comes into power before the beginning of the entire seven-year period of Daniel 9:27, and as such, enters into covenant with the Jewish people. [2] This is indicated by the text of Revelation 6:1-2 (the opening of the First Seal), which, as discussed earlier in this study, most dispensationalists agree pictures the emergence of the Antichrist onto the world scene and his rise to power. Of course, this is not an instantaneous event, but rather depicts a protracted period of time, as is made evident in the text. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. -Revelation 6:1-2 The phrase “he went forth conquering, and to conquer” describes the Antichrist embarking upon his infamous rise to power (a protracted period), which eventually places him into the position to confirm the covenant that marks the beginning of the Tribulation. Obviously then, this opening of the First Seal must precede the Tribulation, but must take place during the Day of the Lord, since it is part of the unleashing of the wrath of God on the earth. Revelation describes Jesus Christ in heaven opening the sealed scroll, releasing these judgments – and the Church is pictured as being there with Him as He’s doing so (represented by imagery including John, the Golden Lampstands, and the Twenty-Four Elders) – another confirmation that this follows the Rapture. Another reason why this First Seal could not take place prior to the Rapture centers on “the Restrainer” of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8. Paul teaches the Thessalonians about the present unnamed force in the earth that currently restrains the emergence of the Antichrist – and will do so until He is “taken out of the way.” And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: -2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 As discussed in an earlier chapter, dispensational scholars normally identify this “Restrainer” as the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Christians (or in other words, the current presence of the Church on earth). When the Church is removed at the Rapture, the restraining activity of this force will also be removed, thereby allowing the subsequent rise of the Antichrist. If we understand Paul’s words, then we must recognize the impossibility of the Day of the Lord’s onset while the Church (along with the Spirit’s indwelling presence) is still present on the earth. In order for the end times scenario to kick off, allowing the commencement of the broad Day and the emergence of the Antichrist (the First Seal), the Church must first be removed. Hence, Paul described this as yet another reason that the Thessalonians could rest in the assurance of his earlier teachings that this dark period would not overtake them (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4). So, scripture makes it obvious that the emergence of the Antichrist onto the world scene and his subsequent rise to power is a protracted occurrence that must take place after the Rapture but before the beginning of the Tribulation. Therefore, there must be an intervening gap period between the Rapture and the Tribulation where the Antichrist’s emergence and ascendance to world power transpires. And since the Antichrist’s emergence is the First Seal Judgment (a Day of the Lord event), then this gap period must also be a subset within the broad Day of the Lord. So, we are confident that the emergence of the Antichrist is one of the necessary prerequisite signs or events that must take place prior to the Tribulation. However, there are a number of others that also will likely (or at least potentially) take place during this intervening period. While we are less dogmatic on these points (to follow), we will list several more, and provide a brief description of each. The Rise of the Final World Kingdom In Daniel Chapter 7, we are given a glimpse into the development of the world’s final kingdom (commonly recognized by dispensationalists as a revived Roman Empire) before the Second Coming. This fourth and final Gentile kingdom will initially emerge as a global government that will “devour the whole earth” (Verse 23). We are then told that “ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise” (Verse 24). This verse continues on to tell us that these ten kings will then be followed by the Antichrist (“and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings”). Let’s read through this passage. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. -Daniel 7:23-26 It seems clear from this excerpt (cf. Revelation 13 and 17) that the Antichrist emerges out of this final one-world kingdom. If the Antichrist can’t rise to prominence until this final kingdom is in place, but the Antichrist arises prior to the confirmation of the covenant, then that is potentially another indicator of a gap period. In other words, the Antichrist will not be in a position to confirm the covenant with Israel until after the establishment of this world system, and after he uses this system to rise to prominence. All of this will take time to develop. The question is, how much of this final world empire can come into existence prior to the Rapture? The Rise of the Harlot World Religious System Another development that may begin during the post-Rapture gap is the rise of the Harlot world religious system, which is described as “riding” the beast (or Antichrist) to the height of its power. In Revelation 17:3, we find the Harlot sitting on the beast (the Antichrist). In Revelation 17:7, we find the Antichrist carrying the Harlot. This suggests that the Antichrist, prior to his time as the supreme world ruler, plays somewhat of complimentary or even subservient role to the Harlot. In other words, the Antichrist and Harlot appear to have somewhat of a symbiotic relationship as they both climb to the heights of their power. At some stage, the Antichrist and the ten kings of the final world empire will turn on the Harlot and consume her, and will then assume full power over the world under the supreme rule of the Antichrist (Revelation 17:16-17). While some of this will likely play out during the Tribulation, there is a good chance that its beginning and formative stages will take place during the gap period. Again, this entire scenario will take some time to develop and much of it could certainly precede the Antichrist’s confirmation of the covenant. Bill Salus gives a good summary of our conclusions. Revelation 6:2 says that the Antichrist goes forth "conquering and to conquer." The dual usage of the word conquer implies that the Antichrist embarks upon a process, which eventually over an unspecified time-period, accomplishes his three-fold career. This conclusion is further supported by Revelation 17:3, 7, which predicts that at the initial stages of the Antichrist’s career, he forms an unholy alliance with the Harlot world religion. These verses denote that the Antichrist allows the Harlot to "sit" on him, while he "carries" her to the heights of her position of the predominant world religion. The Antichrist plays a subservient role to the Harlot, until he is ready to exert his dominance over the world. As the Antichrist ascends to the heights of his political career, at some point along the way he earns the respect of Israel and the other party to the false covenant. They entrust him with the important responsibility of "confirming" the covenant between them. It is not until then, that the seven-years of tribulation begins. [3] Some Other Potential Gap Events For your further consideration, several other events that could potentially take place within the post-Rapture gap period may include the following: The Psalm 83 war (if it is in fact a prophecy and not just an imprecatory prayer) The Isaiah 17 conflict with its destruction of Damascus The Iran disaster of Jeremiah 49:34-39 The Magog invasion of Ezekiel 38 The rebuilding of the Third Temple in Jerusalem The potential rebuilding of the literal city of Babylon on the Euphrates River and the beginning of its rise to end time prominence The sealing and beginning of the ministry of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists The Second Seal Judgment The Third Seal Judgment The Fourth Seal Judgment The martyrdom of the Fifth Seal saints (who are apparently unaware of any covenant being confirmed, as is evident in their “How long, O Lord” question in Revelation 6:10) Though not taking a dogmatic position on any of these, we mention them as additional Biblical events that could potentially take place within this gap period. It would seem unreasonable to propose that all or many of these events, in addition to the later events of Revelation (later Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgments), could all be squeezed into the seven-year Tribulation. Many of these are portrayed in Scripture as clearly requiring some time to develop. Hence, the consideration of a gap period provides a more realistic timeframe for these events to play out. How Long Could the Gap Last? What could be the duration of this post-Rapture/pre-Tribulation gap period? Will it last for just a few months, or could it last a number of years? While we can’t be sure of its exact length, an educated guess would seem to suggest that it could last for years, or potentially even decades, since it will likely take some time for world events to unfold, preparing the way for the events of the seventieth week. While we can’t be certain of this timing, Scripture does seem to give us a solid bookend to the upper limits of this period’s potential duration. If we look at Jesus’s Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, we see how in the first half of the chapter, Jesus extensively detailed the sequence of signs that would characterize the chronology of the judgment phase of the broad Day of the Lord (His Parousia, or “coming”), from its inception until its climax at His Second Coming to the earth. After concluding His description of this protracted series of signs, Jesus then gave the following overview that provided the answer to the disciples’ “what will be the sign of your coming” question in verse 3. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. -Matthew 24:32-34 (ESV) Jesus used the parabolic figure of a fig tree’s seasonal maturation to communicate to His disciples that once this designated sequence of signs begins, its concluding event (Christ's Second Coming to the earth in glory) is not far off. He specifies that the same generation that witnesses the beginning of these signs will also be there to witness their conclusion (Jesus says this terminal generation will see “all” these signs). By saying this, He is limiting the duration of this period to less than one generation. Therefore, since all of the signs Jesus spoke of take place after the Rapture and during the broad Day of the Lord, then we may confidently conclude that the post-Rapture gap plus the seven-year Tribulation will last for less than one generation of time. Darryl Bock writes: The generation that sees the beginning of the end, also sees its end. When the signs come, they will proceed quickly; they will not drag on for many generations. It will happen within a generation. [4] How long then is a generation? The Bible provides several different intervals to define a generation, depending on the context (typically forty years, but may be as many as eighty). It may be interesting to note that the period between the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 (the beginning of the Church Age) and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was about forty years. Some may consider this historical period to act as a one-generation transition or overlap period between the beginning of the Church Age and the final closing of the previous dispensation under the Mosaic Law (the final destruction of the Temple system, etc.). If this idea is valid, could a similar period take place marking the transition from the Church Age back to Israel’s final week of that former dispensation? Could this period also involve the rebuilding of the Temple-based system of Judaism, just as the aforementioned period involved its dismantling? While these are only interesting speculations, they may provide us with an educated guess as to the upper limits of this total period (the post-Rapture gap plus the Tribulation), eliminating any conjecture that this period could last for hundreds or thousands of years. The total potential duration between the Rapture and Second Coming will be less than a generation. [1] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1964, pp. 249-250. [2] John Walvoord, Revelation, rev. and ed. by Philip E. Rawley and Mark Hitchcock, Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2011, p. 207. [3] Bill Salus, The Next Prophecies, La Quinta, CA: Prophecy Depot Publishing, 2018, p. 53. [4] Darryl L. Bock, “Luke Vol. 2, 9:51-24:53,” in Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Baker Academic, 1996, pp. 1691-1692.

(From the study "Understanding The Distinction Between Israel And The Church") In our previous article, we focused on understanding the identification of the pronoun “he” in Daniel 9:26 and 27 (part of Daniel’s famous “seventy weeks prophecy” in Daniel 9:24-27). We concluded that this figure refers to Titus Vespasian and his destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. However, we noted how, especially in Verse 27, the identity of this figure clearly transcends Titus Vespasian, and in a more ultimate sense, refers to the character many know as the Antichrist – and his final act of desecration (the abomination of desolation) in the future rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem during the final seventieth week (or the Tribulation). When we look at this while enjoying the benefit of the other clarifying parallel passages in scripture, we can clearly see that the actions of Titus may, at most, act as a mere shadow of this ultimate and final evil figure. And this abomination of desolation that this ultimate figure causes, is clearly in the context of a future end-times event that occurs prior to Christ’s Second Coming. As a review, Daniel 9:26-27 reads: And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:26-27 We are told that this future Antichrist character will confirm or enforce a covenant, presumably with Israel, since the context of the seventy weeks is the Jews and Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24). We don’t know exactly what this covenant, or treaty, is, but we know it marks the beginning of the final week. Many believe it has something to do with the Temple, since we’re told that in the middle of the week, he will cause the “sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” In other words, be breaks his covenant. This of course, implies that the Jews will be back in the land (this part already is being fulfilled, and has been for the last century with the Jews returning to Israel). It implies that the Jews will have rebuilt the Temple and have returned to the Levitical system of sacrifices (these things have not yet been fulfilled, but are well under way). This expectation of the Temple being rebuilt in the final seventieth week aligns with the rest of prophetic scripture, as Jesus, Paul, and John all allude to its existence at that future time. Verse 27 also tells us that “for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Although we touched on this in the last article, let’s delve into it further here, but this time connecting it with the words of Jesus, who described a future event that will transpire in similar fashion. Many Christians are surprised to find out that the New Testament actually refers to the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. This reference is found in John 10:22 – called the “feast of dedication” in the winter, which refers to Hanukkah. Scripture seems to assume that its readers should be familiar with this event. Why? Because this rededication of the Temple was a pivotal event in “recent” Jewish history at the time the New Testament was written. Previously, we had referenced the abomination of desolation committed by Antiochus Epiphanes (the Greek-Seleucid ruler) in 167 BC. Among many of his other actions of persecution toward the Jews, He most famously erected an idol to Zeus in the Holy of Holies and sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple. As we also mentioned, the near-term fulfillment of this abomination of desolation event was prophesied of by Daniel in Daniel 11:31 several hundred years before it took place. Then, around two hundred years after the events of Antiochus’s desolation, Jesus makes reference to the abomination of desolation in a prophetic briefing (which we call the Olivet Discourse) given to His disciples, as recorded in Matthew 25:15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) -Matthew 24:15 Jesus was referring back to the events surrounding Antiochus’s desecration of the Temple – which any Jew, especially in His day, would have been intimately familiar with. Yet, Jesus spoke of it in a future eschatological context, allowing us to understand that the ultimate fulfillment is still to come. Jesus was answering the disciples’ question of, “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” in Verse 3 of Matthew 24. Daniel doesn’t only mention the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11:31 and 9:27, but he also mentions it in Daniel 12:11, in which it’s used as a marker for this time period near the end of the age. The context of Daniel 12 is clearly the eschatological future Tribulation and Second Coming. So, there should be no confusion about the fact that Jesus’s discourse in Matthew 24 was focusing on end time events that will occur during the judgment phase of the broad period of the Day of the Lord, of which the seventieth week of Daniel (or the Tribulation) is the concluding and culminating subset. The actions of Antiochus that occurred two hundred years before Jesus made this statement were simply the shadow, or type of an ultimate fulfillment, or antitype. Jesus was telling His listeners that there will be an ultimate abomination of desolation in the future seventieth week, perpetrated by the Antichrist. This interpretation also aligns with the other parallel passages describing this event and time period – such as Daniel 7, 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 13. So, we understand from the words of Jesus that this future leader will evidently repeat (ultimately fulfilling) the “abomination of desolation” event performed by Antiochus in 167/168 BC – and possibly in some ways also foreshadowed by Titus Vespasian in 70 AD. But as we discussed in the previous article, the actions of Titus do not perfectly fulfill what Jesus spoke of, as for one thing, he did not erect an idol inside the Holy of Holies in the Temple, nor do anything even remotely similar. History records that he did not even want the Temple to be burned and destroyed. [1] [2] In fact, this prophetic event that Jesus described has not yet happened since the time He predicted it – which is another reason we know the seventieth week has not yet occurred. However, a Roman emperor did once unsuccessfully try. This was Caligula in 40 AD, who instructed his general Petronius to erect his image in the Holy of Holies. Petronius refused, knowing this would result in a Jewish revolt. Before Petronius could be executed for his refusal, Caligula died, letting him off the hook. [3] It would seem God would not allow this type of desecration to happen again until the seventieth week, as predicted by Daniel and Jesus. Let’s now look further into the timeline and events of this future and final week. There are around thirty-three titles for the Antichrist in the Old Testament, and thirteen in the New. For example, he’s called the “Beast” in Revelation Chapters 11 and 13. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul calls him the “Man of Sin” and the “Son of Perdition;” then in Verse 8, he calls him the “Lawless One.” John calls him the Antichrist (or pseudo-christ) in 1 John 2. We understand from Daniel 9:27 that this Antichrist or Beast will confirm a covenant for seven years, but in the middle of this week (or three and a half years into this final seventieth week), he will put a stop to the daily sacrifices and will commit the abomination of desolation. Revelation 13 gives us a clue as to what this abomination entails, as it explains that the Beast will have an image of himself that all are required to worship – and that the image will in some way become animated. Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. -Revelation 13:14-15 Daniel 11:31 seems to imply that this image will be placed in the Temple, similar to how Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol of Zeus in the Temple. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. -Daniel 11:31 2 Thessalonians 2 tells us the Antichrist will also himself sit in the Temple, as if he was God, requiring the world to worship him. 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 [the Antichrist]; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. -2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 This aligns with the statement by Jesus in Matthew 24:15, saying that the abomination of desolation would “stand in the Holy Place” in the Temple. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) -Matthew 24:15 Revelation 13:5 says that this will go on for forty-two months, which is three and a half years. Since Daniel 9:27 says that this will happen in the “middle of the week,” and Revelation 13:5 says that the Beast will do this for a period of forty-two months, it is easy to see that the total length of time in this “week” is eighty-four months, or seven years. Also see Daniel 7:25, which mentions “time, times, and half a time” (time = one year; times = two years; half a time = half a year; giving a total of three and a half years). What happens during this three and a half year period? Daniel 7:25 describes it as the period that Tribulation saints are given into the Antichrist’s hands. Daniel 9:27 describes it as the period between the breaking of the Antichrist’s covenant with Israel and subsequent abomination of desolation, and the establishment of Jesus’s earthly Kingdom. Daniel 12:7 describes it as the duration of the worst “time of trouble” for Israel. Revelation 11:2 describes it as the period that the holy city will be tread underfoot by Gentiles. Revelation 11:3 seems to describe it as the period of ministry for the Two Witnesses, though some believe this takes place in the first half of the week. Revelation 12:6 and 12:14 describes it as the period that the remnant of Israel is preserved by God in the wilderness. Revelation 13:5 describes it as the duration of Antichrist’s authority to rule, persecute and blaspheme. So, taking all these together, we are obviously dealing with the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week – a time repeatedly described in scripture with more detail than any other time in human history. In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us that the abomination of desolation that occurs around this mid-point of the seventieth week is a marker for the beginning of “great tribulation” – the name we now commonly apply to this final three and a half year period (the Great Tribulation). He also tells the Jews living in Jerusalem at that time that when they see this event take place, it will be their sign to immediately flee, as it will initiate a time of unparalleled distress for Israel. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. -Matthew 24:15-21 So, let’s review. From the passages we’ve examined – and a few that we only referenced in passing – that all describe this abomination of desolation (which the reader is commanded by Jesus to understand), we see that it includes the following elements: It occurs in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:4). It marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation, or the latter three and a half years of the final seventieth week of Daniel – the worst persecution against the Jewish people in history (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15, 21). It seems to involve the Antichrist setting up a statue or some sort of image of himself so that he may be worshipped in place of God (Daniel 11:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15). The image is made to come to life or become animated in some way (Revelation 13:14). A worship system of this false god is thus inaugurated (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15). The Antichrist himself sits in the Temple claiming to be God and demanding worship (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The abomination results in the cessation of the regular sacrifice (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). At the end of this time period, the Antichrist who commits the act will himself be cut off (Daniel 9:27). [1] Ray C. Stedman, “What’s This World Coming To?” (An expository study of Matthew 24-26, the Olivet Discourse). Palo Alto, CA: Discovery Publications, 1970, Ch. 1. [2] Joseph Jacobs and Samuel Krauss, Jewish Encyclopedia, entry “Titus (full name, Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus)” JewishEncyclopedia.com. (http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14412-titus - Retrieved 11/3/20) [3] “Petronius, Publius,” Encyclopaedia Judaica, Encyclopedia.com.(https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/petronius-publiusdeg - Retrieved 11/2/23)

(From the study "Understanding The Distinction Between Israel And The Church") Within the famed “seventy weeks prophecy“ found in Daniel 9:24-27 exists an often debated conundrum in Christian eschatology. This debate surrounds the mysterious shift between Verses 26 and 27, focusing on Verse 26’s reference to “the prince that shall come“ which is followed by Verse 27’s opening phrase “and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.“ Does this pronoun “he“ refer to the Messiah, Titus Vespasian, or a future Antichrist figure? Understanding Daniel's Prophecy In order to begin to answer this question, we must understand more about this prophecy as a whole. The context concerns Daniel while he was in Babylon during the Babylonian exile of the Jews (605-536 BC). Daniel understood from reading Jeremiah’s prophecies that the exile would last for seventy years (Daniel 9:2; Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10). He recognized that Israel's national restoration depended on their national repentance (Jeremiah 29:10-14), so Daniel personally interceded for Israel in prayer. He prayed specifically for the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple, as they had been destroyed by the Babylonians (Daniel 9:3-19). Daniel apparently expected the immediate and complete fulfillment of Israel’s restoration with the conclusion of the seventy-year captivity. However, in these verses of Daniel 9, the future of the Jews and Jerusalem was shown to him by the angel Gabriel (who gave him the seventy weeks prophecy), revealing that Israel’s restoration would be progressive and only ultimately fulfilled at the time of the end (see also Daniel 12). Through this prophecy, God decreed that He would complete His Messianic redemption of the Jews and Jerusalem over the course of a seventy-week period (which as we now understand, includes both advents of Christ). This prophecy in Daniel 9 describes seventy “sevens” (or weeks) of years – in other words, 490 years that would be designated for the Jews and Jerusalem in order to complete six key objectives related to this full Messianic redemption (essentially, to wrap up this age of human history and introduce the Messianic Kingdom). Let’s begin by reading this passage in Daniel 9, beginning with Verse 24 and ending with the last verse of this chapter – Verse 27. We have added some parenthetical inserts in order to help you understand what each part of this prophecy is saying within the context of our topic here. We will then go over each verse in more detail to make sure it’s clear. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city [meaning the Jews and Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy [basically meaning “to finish this age”]. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks [7 + 62, equaling a total of 69 weeks, or 483 years since each week is 7 years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks [in other words, after the 62 weeks that follow the 7 weeks, or put another way, after the entire 69 weeks, or 483 years] shall Messiah be cut off [this happened in 33 AD with the crucifixion of Christ], but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined [this happened in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem]. And he [the topic of this article] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [speaking of the final seventieth week]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:24-27 In order for us to properly engage the issue of the mysterious “he“ in Verse 27 and how it relates to the “prince that shall come“ in Verse 26, a verse-by-verse analysis of this entire prophecy is in order. Due to the constraints of space and time in this article, we will attempt to reduce our summaries of the preceding verses to the bare basics. Let’s begin. An Analysis of Verse 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. -Daniel 9:24 Verse 24 makes it clear to us that seventy weeks of years (70 x 7, or 490 years) are designated by God for the future of the Jews and Jerusalem in order to complete six key objectives. Since these objectives were not explicitly defined for us, it leaves the interpreter to find a plausible explanation of what they point toward. We believe it is clear that they point towards the culmination of the major Biblical themes of this age – judgment of sin, atonement, forgiveness, and spiritual restoration. It is critical to recognize that all of these objectives have not yet been fully completed. When we look at these themes while using the backdrop of Old and New Testament prophecy, it becomes clear that although some may have been fulfilled – or have begun being fulfilled – it is clear that in the ultimate sense, these events will be brought to complete fulfillment when Israel is brought to spiritual restoration and revival at the time of the Second Coming of Christ and the inauguration of the future Millennial Kingdom. An Analysis of Verse 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. -Daniel 9:25 As we pointed out earlier, we have a total of seventy weeks of years, or 490 years. However, Verse 25 focuses on the first sixty-nine weeks of years, separating them from the seventieth. It breaks them down into a first seven weeks of years followed immediately by sixty-two weeks of years (or threescore and two weeks), totaling sixty-nine. It tells us that these sixty-nine weeks of years would be a countdown that begins with a commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and culminates with the appearance of the Messiah to Israel. It’s a countdown to the arrival of the Messiah, or what Christians would call the “First Coming.” In the our study entitled “The Daniel 9:25 Prophecy – An Exact Timeline For the Arrival Of The Messiah”, we conclusively proved in great detail that this sixty-nine week countdown began during the Hebrew month of Nisan in 444 BC with the decree of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 1 and 2), and ended on March 30th of 33 AD at the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Several days following His Triumphal Entry, He was then crucified on April 3rd – a key element which we will see anticipated in the next verse (Verse 26). So, we should recognize that the sixty-nine weeks have concluded long ago. If you have any doubts about this, or would like to understand the evidence for yourself, feel free to consult the aforementioned study. An Analysis of Verse 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. -Daniel 9:26 Verse 26 discusses the events that occur after the completion of the sixty-nine weeks, which we said terminated on March 30th of 33 AD – the day of the Triumphal Entry, the day Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem. So, as stated earlier, we should recognize that the sixty-nine weeks have concluded long ago. So, this verse discusses the events that would follow the termination of the sixty-ninth week. It says that after the sixty-nine total weeks, the Messiah would then be “cut off,” and that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed by a prince who would come. These events happened exactly as this prophecy predicts. First, as we have shown in the aforementioned study, several days following the Triumphal Entry, Jesus (the Messiah) was cut off. The Triumphal Entry took place on Monday, ending the sixty-nine weeks, and then Jesus was crucified on Friday of that same week – in 33 AD. Let’s briefly discuss this term “cut off” so there is no confusion. The Hebrew term for “cut off” here, is karath (Strong’s # H3772). This word literally means to be “cut off, cut down, or cut asunder,” and is often used to mean that one would be executed or killed. [1] Interestingly, this word also is used to imply the “cutting of a covenant,” in which two people would literally cut off a piece of animal flesh and pass between the pieces while making vows – as was done during the giving of the Abrahamic Covenant by God to Abraham in Genesis 15. [2] Is there any word that better summarizes the work of Christ on the cross? He was “cut off” and rejected by His people, the Jews, and was then executed. But this act of laying down His life was the cornerstone upon which the New Covenant was based! So, there should be no confusion regarding this expression “cut off.” It means the Messiah would be executed after the conclusion of the sixty-nine weeks – which, as we have shown in our companion study, Christ was (four days – as we count – following His Triumphal Entry). Second, Verse 26 then predicts that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed by a prince who would come. This was fulfilled precisely as spoken in this Verse, as the city and the sanctuary were indeed destroyed by a prince who would come about thirty-seven years later in 70 AD. Our knowledge of the history of this time is well-preserved and well-known. History records in detail the actions of the Roman prince and general, Titus Vespasian, who led the assault on Jerusalem and the Temple, destroying them in 70 AD. [3] For more information on this, feel free to consult our companion study entitled, “The Luke 19:43-44 Prophecy: The Destruction Of Jerusalem Foretold”. During the Jewish rebellion against Rome in the late 60s AD, Titus’ father Vespasian, also formerly a general, had now become the emperor of Rome. He put Titus in charge of carrying out the assault on Jerusalem, which he accomplished in 70 AD – resulting in the massacre and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. [4] So, Titus Vespasian had just become a prince, since his father had just become the emperor – exactly as the prophetic text required. And like the prophecy states, the end came for Jerusalem in its destruction in 70 AD, and following that, war continued with its desolations, as history has confirmed. The entire countryside was leveled, as recorded in the writings of Josephus, and beginning at that time, the Jewish people over the next century would be sent into a worldwide Diaspora. [5] The fulfillments of this prophetic verse are very clear. At this point, we have discussed the first through sixty-ninth weeks, as well as the events that took place after the sixty-ninth week. We have not yet discussed a seventieth week. An Analysis of Verse 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:27 Verse 27 seems to make an unusual jump to describing the beginning of the mysterious seventieth week, but gives no description of how the events following the sixty-nine weeks link into the seventieth. Our understanding of the previous verse is clear that the sixty-nine weeks were completed, and tells us of events that would occur after their completion – forcing us to recognize a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks. The sixty-nine weeks concluded on March 30th, 33 AD at the Triumphal Entry. Then after that, Jesus the Messiah was “cut off” four days later. Then still even further after that, the city and sanctuary were destroyed almost forty years later in 70 AD. So, any way you cut it, this passage mandates a gap of time following the sixty-nine weeks. But when we look at Verse 27 and notice its description of the final seventieth week, the question is, when should we understand this final week to occur? Did it occur in 70 AD? Or, is it yet future? The only point of continuity or linkage with the previous verse is the use of the pronoun “he,” which would seem to refer back to the antecedent – “prince that shall come” in Verse 26. We are told that a covenant will be confirmed (or enforced), which would appear to be the marker for the beginning of the final seventieth week – “and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week”. We are then told of a marker that would appear to designate the middle of the seventieth week – “and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease…” There is often much confusion as to whether these events have already happened, or if we should understand them to be future events. Does the "He" in Verse 27 Refer to the Messiah in Verse 25 or "the Prince That Shall Come" in Verse 26? As mentioned at the outset, the identification of the pronoun “he” in this verse has been the topic of much debate. While some believe it refers to the “Messiah the Prince” originally mentioned in Verse 25, others believe it refers to the “prince that shall come” mentioned toward the end of Verse 26 (which we have already identified with Titus Vespasian). In normal laws of reference in language, a pronoun refers back to the last preceding person mentioned. In this case, the antecedent is “the prince that shall come” in Verse 26. Those who instead argue that “he” means the Messiah face a number of difficulties. For example, if this is taken to mean Christ confirming the New Covenant (as some have suggested), it immediately runs into major problems, as the New Covenant is obviously longer than seven years in duration. Further, those who apply this to Christ often apply the first half of the final seven years to Jesus’s earthly ministry. However, doing that would overlap the seventieth week with the sixty-ninth week, which we showed in our companion study to have been still in progress until 33 AD. Further yet, there are no noteworthy events to designate as markers that would conclude the seventieth week if you applied this to the years following 33 AD. Another eliminating factor for the “Messiah view“ is the reality that we know Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, not the Jewish people – and therefore the “he” in Verse 27 cannot refer to the “Messiah the Prince” in Verse 25. Dwight Pentecost, quoting Alva McClain, writes: The expression "prince that shall come" cannot possibly refer to "Messiah the Prince" for the simple reason that it is "the people of the prince that shall come" who are to destroy Jerusalem after the death of Messiah. And since it is now a matter of history that Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Roman people, not by the Jewish people, it follows that "the prince that shall come" cannot be the Jewish Messiah… [6] But the most problematic issue for a “Messiah view“ is probably the great number of parallel prophetic passages (to be mentioned shortly) that clearly identify the seventieth week as a future time period that terminates with the Second Coming of Christ – a period often called the Tribulation. Since the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ are clearly and obviously portrayed in scripture as future events, then this requires a futurist interpretation of this prophecy. This is the view that we of course embrace. So, we find that the better interpretation of the pronoun “he” is in reference to the “prince that shall come.” How Can the "He" in Verse 27 Refer to the Future Antichrist if We Already Identified Him With Titus Vespasian? The next obvious question becomes, if the pronoun “he” refers to “the prince that shall come,” who we already identified as Titus Vespasian, how can this prophecy be yet future, and how can it refer to the Antichrist? Let’s begin to explore the answer to this question. Many interpreters (especially Preterists) have interpreted Verse 27 to have already been fulfilled in the first century AD with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Preterism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets the end times prophecies of the Bible as being events which have already been fulfilled in the past, mainly in the first century. [7] The term Preterism comes from the Latin praeter, meaning “past.” Preterism is directly opposed to futurism, which sees the end times prophecies as having a still-future fulfillment. Another typical aspect of Preterism is the belief that Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian Church following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. [8] In other words, this view falls into the camp of Replacement Theology, the idea that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s program. Preterists generally attribute the complete fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 to the actions of Titus Vespasian and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Many Preterists have noted the similarities between the actions of Titus and the content of Verse 27 – “he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate.” Titus put an end to sacrifice and offering by destroying Jerusalem and the Temple. The Romans set up their pagan emblems on the eastern wing of the Temple and offered sacrifices to them. The Jewish/Roman historian Josephus, who was there, records all of this in The Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 6.3. [9] At quick glance, and when isolating this passage from the rest of the Biblical commentary on the seventieth week, this interpretation may appear convincing. Yet, when we utilize a systematic, precise, literal reading of all of the parallel Biblical passages that also discuss the seventieth week, we find that this Preterist view is indefensible. We must recognize that numerous future end times discourses in the New Testament were given based upon this template of Daniel 9:24-27. Jesus’ Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Paul’s teaching on the eschatological “Day of the Lord” in 2 Thessalonians 2, and the apocalyptic prophecies of Revelation 6-19 are all prime examples. Although we can't delve into an exploration of those in this article, any simple investigation will reveal that these passages all act as parallel or clarifying Biblical commentary on the events of the seventieth week, expounding upon this particular verse (Verse 27). Their plain, literal readings necessitate a future context of interpretation – meaning the events that Verse 27 describes cannot have found ultimate fulfillment in 70 AD, or any other time up until the present. These parallel prophecies, as well as other passages that clearly depict the seventieth week, describe it as a future end-times period that will involve the desecrating actions of the figure often called the Antichrist. The only Biblically coherent way to understand the seventieth week described here in Verse 27 is through the futurist interpretation. But let’s focus our attention on the question we posed earlier. If the pronoun “he“ in Verse 27 refers to the “prince that shall come,“ who we already identified as Titus Vespasian in Verse 26, then how can this prophecy be yet future? In order to further answer this question, we need to make note of several key peculiarities that we repeatedly note in prophetic scripture. First, we shouldn’t be surprised that between Verse 26 and Verse 27 exists a gap of time (if there is a significant gap here, then by that fact alone we cannot understand the “he“ in Verse 27 to refer to Titus Vespasian who is referred to in Verse 26). It is somewhat common in scripture for a prophecy to, in the course of a single line, or even in the space of a comma, jump from one fulfillment event to another, being hundreds or even thousands of years apart. We may refer to these as hidden intervals or gaps in prophecy. This is a common occurrence in Bible prophecy, often due to the hidden nature of the Church Age in prophetic God’s program. In an earlier article, we discussed how the Church was a mystery entity hidden throughout the Old Testament. Some have illustrated this concept as a series of mountain peaks, separated by a valley that lay in between. The first mountain peak represents the events of the First Coming of the Messiah, and the next taller mountain peaks represent the events of the Second Coming and then the Millennial Kingdom that immediately follows. In between the first two peaks sits a valley encompassing the Church Age, which was below the line of vision for the prophets. They could see the mountain peaks in the distance, and from their view, they seemed to follow each other sequentially without gaps or interruptions. But from their vantage point, they couldn’t tell that between the mountains was a valley. In other words, they couldn’t know that there was a two thousand-or-more-year Church Age that separated the events they saw. All of these things were beneath their line of sight. Their prophecies often discuss events fulfilled at Christ’s First Coming and seemingly flow right into events that will take place at His Second Coming (two prophetic “mountain peak” events). Through the benefit of hindsight, we can now see that they skip over the several thousand years we’ve experienced so far in the Church Age. If while initially reading them, you didn’t already know there was a mystery gap period (the Church Age) inserted in between, you’d think they were all continuous and uninterrupted prophecies. A prime example of this is the clear gap between Zechariah 9:9 and 9:10. Verse 9 is a clear prophecy related to Jesus’ First Coming, describing His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem several days prior to His crucifixion. Verse 10 then immediately moves to a Second Coming context, prophetically describing the glorious return of Christ as the conquering Messiah who will defeat His enemies and establish His Millennial reign on earth. Verse 9: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Verse 10: And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. -Zechariah 9:9-10 From an Old Testament perspective prior to Christ, one would be hard-pressed to recognize a prophetic gap that separates these two verses. But by virtue of hindsight, the gap becomes clear. Between the events of Christ’s two comings lies the Church Age, a mystery intercalation in God’s program. Scholar Warren Wiersbe writes: The entire age of the Church fits between Zechariah 9:9 and 9:10, just as it does between Isaiah 9:6 and 7 and after the comma in Isaiah 61:2. [10] As Wiersbe notes, this prophetic gap is also obvious in Isaiah 9:6-7. Note how clearly the beginning of Verse 6 refers to the First Coming, but then immediately shifts to Second Coming events. Verse 6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Verse 7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. -Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah’s prophecy of a child being born and a son being given obviously refers to Jesus’ Incarnation at His First Coming. But then the passage immediately transitions to a Second Coming context in everything that follows. While Wiersbe suggests that the transition takes place between the two verses, we must point out that the government has never yet been upon Jesus’s shoulder. This will not take place until He establishes His earthly reign following His Second Coming. Jesus has also never been called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” by the Jewish nation to which He was sent and to whom this prophecy was given. This will not occur until all of Israel is brought to faith around the time of the Second Coming and establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. Therefore, the gap is actually located in Verse 6 between the phrases “unto us a son is given” and “and the government shall be upon his shoulder.” Verse 7 then continues to describe the establishment of Christ’s earthly reign in the Millennial Kingdom, which follows the Second Coming. So, again, without the benefit of hindsight, it would seem as if these prophecies flow together. But because we can look back on them with the clarity of New Testament revelation, it becomes obvious that a mystery time-gap separates them. Wiersbe also mentions Isaiah 61:2, possibly the most classic example of this “hidden gap” phenomena in all of scripture. Jesus Christ Himself interpreted this for us in Luke 4:16-19. This passage records how at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus stood up in the synagogue when it was His turn to read, and opened to the book of the prophet Isaiah. He proceeded to read Isaiah 61:1-2, proclaiming His mission at His First Coming. He finishes with His mandate: “To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” What you probably wouldn’t realize without going back to Isaiah to read the original prophecy, is that Jesus stopped reading right in the middle of the sentence! The rest reads, “and the day of vengeance of our God…” Jesus stopped reading at the comma that preceded “and the day of vengeance of our God…” He left that last segment out. Why? Because we now understand that after that comma, the prophecy jumped from the time of the Messiah’s First Coming to some several thousand years or more into the future – past the present time in which we are now living, to the time of His Second Coming. The “day of vengeance” was not part of His mission during His First Coming, but it will be fulfilled at His Second Coming. So, in the original prophecy in Isaiah, we see that one comma separated several thousand years of history (to date), but this gap would have been unknown and undetectable to the original readers. This is exactly what we also see happening in Daniel 9:26-27, as thousands of years separate the two verses – and yet, from a casual reading, they seem to flow together. This explains how the timing context of Verse 26 can involve the first century, while the timing context of Verse 27 can involve the future seventieth week. But how can the personal context shift from Titus Vespasian in Verse 26 to the future Antichrist in Verse 27? If the “he” in Verse 27 refers back to the antecedent (Titus Vespasian, the prince that shall come) in Verse 26, then how can we say the Antichrist is meant? In scripture, there are also many examples of multiple reference prophecies. In these prophecies, it’s clear who the original subject is, but then at some point in the text, the prophecy clearly begins to transcend that local person and point to a person of far greater significance who will act as the ultimate fulfillment. One example of a multiple reference prophecy is found in the Book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 28:12-19), which gives a description of someone called the King of Tyre. Although there was an actual historical person who was the King of Tyre, the description the Bible gives of this person at some point seems to go far beyond just describing this human leader. Though in context, Ezekiel was first speaking about the historical King of Tyre, at some point in the prophecy, he seemingly moved into the dateless past with a description of the original fall of Satan – the true power behind the earthly King of Tyre. This also seems to be happening here in Daniel 9:26-27. Verse 26 obviously refers to the actions of Titus Vespasian, and yet we understand from the many other parallel prophetic passages in scripture that the events of Verse 27 are yet-future. And so, even though the pronoun “he” from Verse 26 is carried into Verse 27 without any obvious change in context, we understand from these other parallel supporting texts that the “he” in Verse 27 clearly transcends Titus – and instead, refers to the coming Antichrist in the eschatological seventieth week. Furthermore, it is even possible that the events of Verse 27 as a whole do find a typological near-term fulfillment in the events of 70 AD. In other words, Titus Vespasian and the events of 70 AD may be in some ways a prophetic type (like a prototype) of the Antichrist and his future actions. And as usual with typology, the type is not identical in all ways to the antitype. That is perfectly compatible with the futurist interpretation, as futurists recognize the routine usage of multiple-stage fulfillment or multiple-reference prophecies in scripture, as we just outlined. You may also hear many of these simply referred to as dual reference or near/far-term fulfillment prophecies. Sometimes the event being prophesied of ripples forward many times in history before it is ultimately fulfilled – but only the ultimate fulfillment event perfectly mirrors the Biblical description. For instance, we find something similar in Daniel 11:31, another place in which the term abomination of desolation is referenced, which futurist scholars understand to have both near-term and far-term fulfillments. This is the essence of prophetic typology, and there is no limit to the number of types that can occur. It is often a reoccurring pattern that has the purpose of prefiguring an ultimate future far-term fulfillment event. In the near-term sense, this passage (Daniel 11:31) refers to the events that took place in 167 BC, in which a Seleucid-Greek ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol of Zeus in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem – and also sacrificed a pig on the altar. This historical abomination of desolation is the event that lead to the Maccabean Revolt, in which the Greeks were expelled from Judea, and the Temple was then cleansed and rededicated. This historical event is commemorated by the Jews each year at Hanukkah. But in the far-term sense, this passage in Daniel 11 also appears to transcend this and find ultimate fulfillment in the actions of the Antichrist during the future seventieth week. This is made clear for us in many ways, but maybe most obviously in the fact that Jesus referenced this event in Matthew 24:15 and spoke of it in the future tense. In other words, He implied that this historical event would be recapitulated in a final abomination of desecration that will constitute the ultimate fulfillment. Further yet, this future understanding is also confirmed in the fact that the Daniel 11 narrative (which flows into Daniel 12), like the Matthew 24 narrative, ends with the Second Coming of Christ. In other words, this chapter in Daniel is yet another example of a prophecy that begins to transcend the local near-term application and end with a far more significant and ultimate event that is clearly in the future. And like Daniel 9:26-27, you will find that Daniel 11 also skips over several thousand years of the Church Age, culminating in the Second Coming event described early in Chapter 12. This concept alone refutes the Preterist view that “all of this has already happened.” If it already happened, when did the Second Coming take place? Scripture is clear that these seventieth week events end with the Second Coming of Christ. So, this prophecy of an abomination of desolation that we see described in Daniel 11:31 did describe an actual historical event that has occurred in the past, yet we also understand it to be a type or a shadow of an ultimate fulfillment yet to come. Like we said, this may also be the case in Daniel 9:27 with the actions of Titus Vespasian in 70 AD. But at most, they only act as a shadow (a prophetic “ripple“) of something yet-future that will occur in the seventieth week. And as is the case in many of these instances, the near-term fulfillment doesn’t perfectly fit the prophecy. In other words, a shadow is hazy and indistinct. The actual object casting the shadow is detailed and well-defined. Even if we ignore the host of parallel passages necessitating an end times context, there are a number of other reasons why Daniel 9:27’s ultimate fulfillment could not have been found in the events of 70 AD. The most obvious reason is that the abomination of desolation refers most specifically to the desecrating action of a Gentile outsider erecting a false god in the Holy of Holies – and Titus did not do this. He did not even step foot into the Temple until it was already on fire and about to be destroyed. In fact, history records that Titus had actually ordered his men to preserve the Temple. Yet, due to their anger against the Jews, they disobeyed the order of their general and set fire to the Temple, destroying it and pillaging it of its gold. [11] The Jewish Encyclopedia records this ancient historical account, telling us: One of the Roman soldiers, weary of fighting, threw a burning piece of wood into the Temple. In vain did Titus give orders to extinguish the flames; his voice was drowned in the uproar. Titus himself, impelled by curiosity, entered the Sanctuary, but the smoke forced him to withdraw; and thus the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem became associated with his name. [12] So, in some ways you can make the argument that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was a type of an abomination of desolation event, and yet it doesn’t completely fit the bill regarding everything the Bible tells us about the ultimate and final desolation. Parallel prophetic passages in the Bible tell us that the ultimate future abomination of desolation will involve the Antichrist physically standing in the Holy of Holies claiming to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). It is therefore impossible to apply the full and ultimate fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 to Titus Vespasian and the events of 70 AD. At most, it can represent a partial near-term fulfillment or a type that will be ultimately fulfilled by the Antichrist in the future seventieth week – the Tribulation. And so, although it can be confusing to read Daniel 9:26-27 in isolation and without the benefit of other clarifying parallel passages, we should not allow this to cause us to misinterpret the text as Preterists and others do. Along with the host of additional insights presented, we do also have the other clarifying passages that clearly detail this final week, and we must not view Daniel 9 in isolation. We must take into account the entire corpus of Biblical commentary on this subject before formulating our conclusion. [1] James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Updated and Expanded Ed., Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2007, p. 1517. [2] Ibid. [3] Kate Lohnes, article “Siege of Jerusalem, Jewish-Roman war [70 CE],” Aug. 29, 2018, Encyclopedia Britannica. (https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Jerusalem-70 - Retrieved 2/18/19) [4] Guy Edward Farquhar Chilver, article “Vespasian, Roman emperor,” Sept. 22, 2022, Encyclopedia Britannica. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vespasian - Retrieved 2/18/19) [5] Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, in Josephus, The Complete Works, trans. William Whiston, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998. [6] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1964, pp. 249-250. [7] Wikipedia contributors, “Preterism,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism - Retrieved 2/25/19) [8] Ibid. [9] Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, VI, 6.1, p. 891. [10] Warren W. Wiersbe, “Zechariah” in The Bible Exposition Commentary: The Prophets, Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2002, pp. 447-476. [11] Ray C. Stedman, “What’s This World Coming To?” (An expository study of Matthew 24-26, the Olivet Discourse). Palo Alto, CA: Discovery Publications, 1970, Ch. 1. [12] Joseph Jacobs and Samuel Krauss, Jewish Encyclopedia, entry “Titus (full name, Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus)” JewishEncyclopedia.com. (http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14412-titus - Retrieved 11/3/20)

(From the study "Understanding The Distinction Between Israel And The Church") In previous articles on the Rapture, we have defined the Rapture, alluded to the different views regarding the Rapture’s timing, and discussed the Rapture’s imminence. In all of these articles, we've advocated that scripture describes the timing of the Rapture as pretribulational (meaning it takes place prior to the Tribulation, or the final seven years that are characterized by God’s eschatological wrath). In this article, we will seek to go deeper into the numerous Biblical reasons that suggest the certainty of this doctrine. We believe that there is more than enough evidence in scripture to form a strong opinion on this issue and to rest in complete assurance that this is a Biblical truth. We will offer seven convincing proofs of the pre-tribulational timing of the Rapture. 1 – The Mutual Exclusivity of Israel and the Church When a literal or plain interpretation of scripture is consistently applied, a downstream result is the understanding that national Israel and the Church are distinct entities in God’s prophetic program. We can also then understand that God deals with them mutually exclusively. Our outline for this perspective is given in Daniel 9. This chapter records how in the mid-500s BC, the prophet Daniel was given the seventy-weeks prophecy, which declared seventy weeks or heptads of years that would take place for national Israel and Jerusalem. It is critical that we recognize that according the text, these seventy weeks are specifically designated for the Jews and Jerusalem – not the Gentiles or the Church (Verse 24 – “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city”). These seventy weeks amount to a total of 490 years (70 x 7). This acts as the framework for all future Bible prophecy. A beginning point and ending point are provided for marking the first through the sixty-ninth weeks of years. The sixty-ninth week of years ended with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in 33 AD, just days prior to His crucifixion. According to the prophecy, it is clear that this prophetic time-clock for national Israel stopped with the completion of the sixty-ninth week, leaving one future week – the seventieth week – to still be completed. But after the sixty-ninth week, something “unexpected” happened. After Israel killed her Messiah, rejecting His offer of the Messianic Kingdom (which had been promised and prophesied of throughout the Old Testament), this prophetic seventy-week program of God for Israel was paused, and God instead introduced an interim program called the Church, as the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost of that same year – 33 AD (Acts 2). Subsequently, the gospel was to be spread to all nations, as God’s focus temporarily shifted from that of national Israel to His new work called the Church, which focused on all nations. And so, at the Triumphal Entry, the time-clock for Israel’s seventy-week countdown was paused and a gap period we call the Church Age was inserted. In 70 AD, the final harbinger of this shift took place as Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were eventually scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth in what is termed the Diaspora. The Church Age has been in effect since 33 AD, and will last until the closing event of this age – the Rapture, or supernatural catching away of the Church to heaven described in scripture (Romans 11:25; I Thessalonians 4:14-18; et al.). We understand that God’s time clock for the Church will stop with the Rapture, and either immediately or soon after, His time clock for national Israel will again begin, as there remains one final week of years – the seventieth week – to be completed. During this time, Israel will once again become the primary focus of God’s plan during this final seven-year “week” of time often called the Tribulation, or Daniel’s seventieth week. This final week for Israel, the Tribulation (Revelation 6-19), will be a time of great trouble for the world as God’s wrath is poured out – but will be especially focused upon Israel, especially the second half of this seven-year period. One primary purpose of the Tribulation is to drive the nation of Israel to repentance through great affliction. Sometimes God has to knock us down in order to get us to look up at Him – and that’s what’s happening to Israel during the Tribulation. Through this experience of unimaginable distress, Israel will finally be brought to faith (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25). When Christ does return to the earth at the end of the Tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him as their Messiah. This now-righteous remnant of Israel will be rescued from the nations that have gathered to destroy her, and Christ will set up His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom on earth (Zechariah 12:2-3; Chapter 14). How does all of this inform our perspectives of the timing of the Rapture? We see that when the first sixty-nine weeks for Israel were active, the Church was not on the scene. But the same year the sixty-nine weeks ended – 33 AD – the Church then began almost immediately after on Pentecost. Israel’s clock stopped and the Church’s clock began. The Church was God’s interim program that He inaugurated after national Israel rejected her Messiah. This is the time we are living in presently – which we call the Church Age. Again, the Rapture of the Church will be the event that stops the Church’s clock - permanently. But as we’ve discussed here, when the seventieth week begins, Israel’s clock will resume until its completion at the Second Coming – which will take place at the end of the seventieth week. So, the first sixty-nine weeks and the seventieth week (in other words, all seventy weeks) are designated specifically for Israel, and have nothing at all to do with the Church. In fact, the Church and the seventieth week are completely incompatible. They are mutually exclusive according to this prophetic calendar. This itself is one of the reasons that necessitate the pretribulational removal of the Church from earth in order for God to begin Israel’s final week. God will not reinitiate His program for Israel until His program for the Church has been concluded (at the pretribulational Rapture). No other Rapture view makes a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. 2 – The Church is Exempt From Eschatological Wrath The Tribulation is the culminating subset within the judgment phase of the broad Day of the Lord. The idea of this whole period being the wrath of God is shown most plainly in Revelation 6, as the Sixth Seal opens and even the wicked earth dwellers finally recognize that they’ve been experiencing God’s wrath. The people of earth cry out in fear. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? -Revelation 6:16-17 The wrath (the judgment phase of the broad Day of the Lord – which includes the Tribulation) didn’t just begin with the opening of the Sixth Seal - it began with the opening of the First Seal. Why? Because Jesus is the one in heaven opening the seals and releasing these wrathful judgments (Revelation 6 and following)! They are all part of the “wrath of the Lamb.” But here is what we’re really getting at: the Bible clearly teaches that believers escape before the time of God’s wrath. They don’t experience any of the judgments of this period. In other words, the Church is caught up in the Rapture prior to any of the judgments of God’s wrath that get poured out upon the earth. Consider the following points. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, Paul tells the Church that Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come. 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 Thessalonians 1:9-10 Notice that this says Jesus delivered us (past tense) from the wrath to come (future tense). When we were saved and we entered into the body of Christ or the Church, that salvation brought with it an exemption from the coming time of wrath. It doesn’t say God will bring us through the wrath in the future – it says He has already saved us from it altogether. Then, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul says: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, -1 Thessalonians 5:9 So, we again find it clearly taught that we are not appointed to wrath. The Tribulation is the culmination of God’s time of wrath for those that dwell on the earth (as we will see even more clearly in the following passage). If we are not appointed to wrath, then our being on earth during the coming time of wrath is irreconcilable. And most convincing yet, in Revelation 3:10, the Lord Himself promised to keep us from the time of the Tribulation altogether. Jesus, speaking to the Church at Philadelphia says: Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. -Revelation 3:10 There’s simply no way to interpret this to mean God will preserve us through the Tribulation. It specifically says God will keep us from even the time of the Tribulation. We won’t be here to experience it. Notice also that it says the hour of trial is coming on the whole world and will affect all those who dwell on the earth. The only way then for the Church to be untouched by this hour of trial is for them to be removed from the earth prior to it. Of course, the Church – like anyone else – will endure normal tribulations of life (lowercase “t”), but the Church is exempt from the Tribulation (uppercase “T”) – and the entire judgment phase of the broad Day. We will experience none of it. 3 – The Rapture is a Comfort In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, after giving us the promise of the Rapture in the previous several verses, Paul then follows this up by saying: Wherefore comfort one another with these words. -1 Thessalonians 4:18 We find that the Rapture is intended to be a comfort to us. Only a pre-tribulational Rapture is truly a comfort, since it is the only view that includes a rescue of the Church out of this world prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath during the broad Day of the Lord. This will be a time of unparalleled distress on earth. If the Rapture doesn’t take place until sometime during this period of Tribulation, or especially until the end of the Tribulation, how could it provide us with any comfort? It would be like saying, “Be comforted that those of you who endure through the worst distress in all of earth’s history, who do not get decapitated by the Antichrist, will get raptured at the end of it.” Obviously, that’s not a comforting promise at all - nor does it make any sense. And so, this description of the Rapture as a comfort supports the earlier passages that detail our exemption from this coming time of wrath altogether – all requiring a pretribulational Rapture. When we study the Tribulation in the broad Day of the Lord, we can all be comforted by the teaching that we will be rescued prior to it. We will experience none of its judgments. All other Rapture views require Christians to participate in at least part of this time period. 4 – The Church is Not Mentioned in Revelation Chapters 5-19 The Church is conspicuously absent from the portion of the book of Revelation that discusses the eschatological judgments taking place on the earth during the broad Day of the Lord (Chapters 5-19). However, before this, the word “Church” is prominently mentioned (twenty-two times in Chapters 1-3). It’s not mentioned again (in the context of being on earth during God’s wrath) for the remainder of the book. Revelation 1 provides for us an outline of the book as a whole. John is told to: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; -Revelation 1:19 This allows us to recognize the three divisions of the book. It is divided into the “things which thou hast seen,” the “things which are,” and the “things which shall be hereafter.” David Hocking writes: In Revelation 1:19 we have an outline of the book given to us: "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." This threefold outline includes the vision of our resurrected Lord in chapter 1 as "the things which thou hast seen"; the messages to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 as "the things which are" (meaning – existing in John’s day); and from chapter 4, verse 1, to the end of the book – "the things which shall be hereafter." The word "hereafter" (Greek: meta tauta) or "after these things" (following the "things which thou hast seen" and the "things which are") is an important clue to the order of things in this book. We read in Revelation 4:1: "After this" (Greek: meta tauta) and at the end of the verse the word "hereafter" (Greek: meta tauta). It would appear, therefore, that the third part of the outline of the Book of Revelation begins with Revelation 4:1 and continues to the end of the book. These events follow the "things which are" or the messages to the seven churches existing in John’s day. [1] Revelation 4:1, where the apostle John is “caught up” to heaven at the sound of a trumpet, seems to be a type or shadow of the Rapture. John, as a representative of the Church at large, was brought up into heaven to see what would take place meta tauta, or “after these things.” After what things? After the “things which are,” or the Church Age. In other words, he’s shown what takes place after the Rapture. What happens after this in Revelation is the beginning of the broad Day of the Lord, and that’s what John records. From heaven, John and the elders are able to witness the judgments of this period occurring “below” on earth. Chapters 6-19 describe the judgments of the Day of the Lord, and the Church is completely absent of mention. Further, the Twenty-Four Elders, which many Biblical scholars conclude can only be a picture of the glorified Church, is already in heaven in Chapter 4 before the seven-sealed scroll is opened, producing the Day of the Lord judgments that begin on earth. [2] So, we continue to find that the concept of the Church on earth is incompatible with the broad Day of the Lord and Tribulation period. Some have mistakenly concluded that the various mentions of “Tribulation saints” in these chapters of Revelation are equivalent to the Church. This is not the case. There will be saints present during the Tribulation in the same way that there were Old Testament saints present before the Church existed. This does not refer in any way to the Church. Again, the Church is nowhere mentioned by name after Chapter 3, yet is mentioned many times by name in the first three chapters. One point that helps clarify this distinction is that Jesus told us the gates of hell would not prevail over the Church (Matthew 16:16-17). Yet, in the Tribulation, Satan’s man of the hour – the Antichrist – is said to prevail over the saints on the earth at that time and conquer them (Daniel 7:21; Revelation 13:7). Clearly, either the Bible is contradictory or the believers being discussed in these two passages are different. There will be many who come to faith in Jesus during the Tribulation, but they should not be confused with the Church, and Revelation never refers to them as the Church. The explicit mentions of the Church abruptly stop at Chapter 3. 5 – The Imminence of the Rapture The Rapture is continuously described in the Bible as an imminent event – meaning it can occur at any moment, with no preconditions. There are no signs or warnings – it takes place suddenly. This logically requires that nothing has to happen before the Rapture can take place. If there were necessary preconditions or events, it couldn’t be truly imminent. This is why scripture constantly tells us to wait and watch for the Rapture, and gives us the impression that it can happen at any moment. It is always to be seen as the “next event” on the prophetic horizon concerning God’s end-times program. Renald Showers gives an excellent overview of the scriptural usage of the term “imminence.” The English word "imminent" comes from the Latin verb "immineo, imminere," which means to "overhand" or "project." In light of this, the English word "imminent" means "hanging over one’s head, ready to befall or overtake one; close at hand in its incidence." Thus, an imminent event is one that is always hanging overhead, and is constantly ready to befall or overtake a person. Other things may happen before the imminent event, but nothing must take place before it happens. If something else must take place before an event can happen, that event is not imminent. The necessity of something else taking place first destroys the concept of imminency. [3] This characteristic of imminency demands that the Rapture take place prior to the broad Day of the Lord (which the Tribulation is a subset of). If on the other hand, the Rapture couldn’t occur until the middle or end of the Tribulation, then that would contradict this characteristic of imminence since other predicted events must take place first. Wayne A. Brindle writes: The term "imminence" (or imminency) as applied to the Rapture of the Church means that Christ may return at any moment for His Church, and no biblically predicted event must necessarily precede it. Those who believe that Christ will return for His Church before the Tribulation normally hold that the Rapture is imminent – that it may occur at any time and that it is the next predicted event in God’s prophetic timetable. [4] Just a few of the many “imminency passages” in the New Testament include the following. The Bible says that Jesus’ return is at hand, and we are to wait eagerly for it (Romans 8:19-25; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 4:5; Jude 21). “At hand” conveys the idea of imminence. If other events (such as the Tribulation and the arrival of the Antichrist) had to occur first before the Rapture could take place, then imminence language such as “at hand” could not be used to describe it. James encourages us to “be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8). Revelation 1:3 and 22:10 also say that “the time is near.” Again, “near” is another example of imminence language. If the Rapture could not take place until the end of the Tribulation, for example, then it could not be described as being “near,” or able to befall at any moment. Other prophetic events would have to precede it chronologically. Much more can be said on this issue of imminence, which is taught all throughout the New Testament. (We addressed this subject of imminence more deeply in our previous article.) The pretribulational 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 events to take place first before the Rapture can occur. To be looking for the imminent return of Christ on an “any day” basis (as the New Testament teaches), you have to believe in a pretribulational Rapture. Think about that for a moment. No other Rapture view believes that Jesus can come back today. 6 – The Many Scriptural Differences Between the Rapture and the Second Coming Many unreconcilable distinctions exist between the Bible’s description of the Rapture and its description of the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. These distinctions indicate that the two are different events happening at different times, which would specifically contradict the idea of a posttribulational Rapture. The central passages dealing with the Rapture are John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The central passages dealing with the Second Coming to earth are Zechariah 14:1-21, Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-27, and Revelation 19. A careful examination of these texts will show that there is enough reason to conclude that the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth are not the same event. Let’s examine a brief list of some of the major points of contrast. Meeting Christ in the air versus returning with Christ The Rapture verses say that when Jesus comes, He comes in the air. Believers are caught up from the ground into the air to be with Christ, and are taken to the Father’s house in heaven. But in the Second Coming verses, the opposite order occurs, with Jesus coming down to the earth while bringing His saints with Him, and His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives. Furthermore, let’s look at the location of believers during these events. In the Rapture verses, the believers are brought up from the earth to heaven to be with Jesus. But in the Second Coming verses, when Jesus comes back to earth from heaven with the believers with him, there are believers (Tribulation saints) still on the earth. If the Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event, then if Jesus brought all the believers up at the Rapture, how could there be believers still on the Earth at the Second Coming? A significant time lapse would’ve had to occur between the Rapture and Second Coming for so many people to come to belief in Jesus as Savior. So, again, these contradictory descriptions force us to understand these to be two separate and distinct events. A mystery event versus an event known and expected throughout Old Testament Prophecy In the Rapture verses, the catching away or gathering of the saints to Christ is described as a mystery that Paul was revealing. In John 14 (the “Upper Room Discourse”) and possibly even in a vaguer sense in His Olivet Discourse, Jesus had introduced the basic concept of the Rapture in “seed form.” He expressed it as a rescue of the righteous, who would be brought to the Father’s house in heaven prior to a time of imminent distress. But it was Paul who later expounded upon this promise, revealing it as a doctrine that we can now more fully understand. Paul described the full unveiling of this Rapture doctrine as a “mystery” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). A mystery in the Greek Biblical sense means a concept that was previously unknown, but now revealed (Strong’s # G3466 – mustérion). [5] Post-tribulationists suggest that Jesus's description of a future “gathering of His elect” at His Second Coming (in Matthew 24) refers to the Rapture. Many people confuse this gathering of the elect with the Rapture, as the language sounds similar. But if Paul, who wrote much later on, was the first to reveal in detail this mystery doctrine of the gathering of the Church at the Rapture, than the gathering described by Jesus at the Second Coming would seem to be referring to something else. Paul couldn’t have revealed it as a mystery if it was already described in detail by Jesus long before. It turns out that this gathering of the elect described by Christ in Matthew 24 is a familiar prophetic event to anyone who knows their Old Testament well – it refers to the re-gathering of Israel in faith in preparation for blessing after the Tribulation as the Millennial Kingdom is about to be established (cf. Isaiah 27:12-13; 43:5-7; et al.). And so, the mystery nature of the Rapture of the Church contradicts the well-known nature of the prophetic gathering of Israel at the Second Coming, helping us recognize their distinction as separate events. These are just a few of the many Biblical differentiators between the Rapture and the Second Coming, helping us recognize that they are two different events happening at two different times. 7 – Confirmation in Typology While we do not use Biblical typology to determine doctrine, it can be a powerful voice of confirmation when it aligns with and supports a clear Biblical teaching. This is certainly the case concerning the prominence of pre-tribulational Rapture typology in scripture. One of the most powerful examples is found in the ancient Hebrew wedding, whose rituals God instituted. All throughout the Gospels, Jesus relied on the ancient Jewish wedding pattern for many of His parables, climaxing in His "Bridegroom's promise" in the Upper Room in John 14 (as reviewed in our previous four-part article series on this topic). We will provide a brief synopsis of the relevant points that align solely with a pre-tribulational Rapture timing. First, when the prospective bridegroom was of age, he would begin the process of finding a bride. Once he found a young woman of interest, the young man would leave his home and travel to the home of the prospective bride’s father. There, he would work on the details of the proposal and agreement. When the agreement was reached, and the father consented, the prospective bride would be offered a cup of wine by the prospective bridegroom. If she drank from the cup, she was accepting his marriage proposal. If she refused it, she was refusing him. After drinking from the cup, a legal contract between the two would be in place (the ketubah). At this time, they were called husband and wife, although it was only yet the betrothal period and the actual wedding ceremony and consummation had not yet taken place. Their official status was “betrothed,” and not yet fully married. After this was done, the bridegroom made the statement to his bride-to-be that he would leave her to go back to his father’s house and prepare a place for her. This addition onto the father’s house was referred to as the cheder, meaning the bridechamber, but could also be called the chuppah, a bridal canopy. His promise was that he would one day return to receive her. During this period of betrothal, the bride was considered sanctified, consecrated, and set apart for her future husband, as she had been bought with a great price. This price to the Jews did not signify that the bride was purchased as an item like a piece of furniture or a servant, but rather that by the exchanging of something of value, a change of status was conferred upon her. In other words, she goes from single to betrothed-to-be-married. During this time of betrothal separation, which typically lasted about one to two years, the bride spent her time preparing for her wedding and awaiting her bridegroom’s promised imminent return. She would faithfully keep watch, lest he returned while she was unaware and unready. Meanwhile, the bridegroom returned to his father’s house and began construction of the bridechamber, which was typically a room added onto his father’s house. The construction is examined and approved only by the father. When the father was satisfied with the construction, he would give his son permission to go and receive his bride. When it was time for the bridegroom to go and receive his bride, there was great celebration and rejoicing. The groom would select several of his trusted friends to act as the “friends of the bridegroom,” or what we today would call the “best man.” They would act as the witnesses required for the marriage to be legal. The bridegroom and his friends would form a wedding party to travel to the home of the bride, along with virgin bridesmaids that would run ahead. In the form of a torchlit procession, typically at night, they would approach the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the exact time of his coming. To maintain her readiness, she may keep an oil lamp lit throughout the night. As the procession approached the home of the bride, at a distance, a shofar (a ram's horn trumpet) would be blown, and there would be shouts to alert the bride that “the bridegroom cometh!” She would be prepared and ready, and would use these last moments to gather her belongings and be ready to immediately leave with her bridegroom. The arrival of the groom at the bride’s house signaled his intention of “taking her to wife.” This act of “taking” or in a sense romantically abducting the bride was referred to as nesuin, which literally means “taking.” She would be lifted up, placed onto a bridal litter, and carried off to the bridegroom’s fathers house with great joy and celebration. Once back at the father’s house, the ceremony was performed. Many guests would be assembled for the week-long wedding celebration. On this day, the bridegroom and the bride would be treated like a king and queen at their coronation. Every expense was taken to ensure their joy. Following the ceremony, the bridegroom and his bride would retire in seclusion to the bridechamber, where they would consummate the marriage through sexual intimacy. When the marriage was consummated, the friend of the bridegroom would joyfully deliver the news to the guests outside, and the week-long wedding celebration would begin. The new couple would emerge at the end of the seven-day celebration feast and the bride would be unveiled for all to see, as she is introduced to the community. Throughout the scriptures, the terminology and themes of the ancient Jewish wedding ritual are consistently applied to the relationship between the Messiah and His bride the Church. We can say that the ancient Hebrew wedding is a type of the ultimate wedding – the one between Jesus Christ and the Church. Let’s explore these similarities in parallel to what we just went through. Jesus, like the prospective bridegroom, left His Father’s house (in heaven) and travelled to the home of His prospective bride (He came to earth in the form of a man – the Incarnation). And just like the bride did not initially choose the groom, we did not choose Christ (John 15:16). At the Last Supper meal, Jesus presented a cup of wine, and assuming the position of a Bridegroom, He told His bride-to-be that by the drinking of the cup, she is agreeing to His marriage proposal (1 Corinthians 11:25-26). He established this tradition of the Lord’s Supper to commemorate and celebrate the marriage covenant. And just as the earthly bridegroom would leave after the bride’s agreement, in order to go prepare a place for her, and then later return, our heavenly Bridegroom instructed us to do this in remembrance of Him until He returns for us. Then, Jesus, before His crucifixion, made the promise of a bridegroom to His disciples who would soon become the foundation of His future Church. He had been warning the disciples of His coming departure and death, and gave them a comforting promise. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -John 14:1-3 This was Jesus’ first explicit promise of what the disciples would later learn to recognize as the Rapture, or the nesuin – the romantic abduction or snatching away of the bride – and He presented it using the phraseology of a Bridegroom. The word “mansion” here in Greek refers to a lodging, a dwelling-place, or a room, as in the room that would be added onto the father’s house. When asked about the timing of His return, like any Jewish bridegroom, Jesus said: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. -Matthew 24:36 In other words, like the bridegroom, Jesus promised to go back to His Father's house, prepare a bride-chamber, and then return at an unknown time to receive His bride. She must be ready on an ongoing basis, as His return remains imminent. Like the Hebrew brides who would await their bridegrooms during the betrothal period (typically one to two years), the Church has been eagerly awaiting the return of her Bridegroom for about two thousand years. Just as the bridegroom would come for the bride at any time, often at night, and with a shout and sound of a trumpet, in like manner, the Lord will return as a Bridegroom for the Church. Jesus’s parable in Matthew 25 emphasizes the practice of the Hebrew bridegrooms often approaching at night, with a cry or a shout alerting the bride of His arrival. And at midnight there was a cry [or a shout] made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. -Matthew 25:6 Many of these same idioms are included by Paul in his description of the Rapture in the following passage. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. -1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Like the ancient Hebrew brides who would remain hidden away in the bride-chamber for the marriage week, scripture describes a bridal week for the Church in which we will be in the wedding chamber with our Bridegroom, Christ. As we described earlier, there remains a final seven-year period of time (the Tribulation) that is connected with the Jewish people specifically (Daniel 9). As we know, the doctrine of the pre-tribulational Rapture advocates that the catching away of the Church will happen prior to this seven-year period. So, according to that pattern, while the Jewish people’s final “week” is taking place on earth, we (Jesus and His bride, the Church), will celebrate our marriage “week” in our heavenly chuppah (or cheder), hidden away from view! Of course, only a pretribulational Rapture would align with this pattern! Though the Church was unknown to the Old Testament audience, we find some interesting prophetic allusions that may refer to the heavenly chuppah or cheder. The theme of the Lord returning in power and glory to visit judgment on the earth is spoken of in Joel 2, referring prophetically to the “Day of the Lord.” It then speaks of a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and a bride from her chuppah. And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? … Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet [chuppah]. -Joel 2:11, 15-16 And just as every Hebrew wedding celebrated with a great wedding feast, in like manner, following the seven years in our heavenly chuppah while the Tribulation was taking place on earth, Jesus Christ will return to earth (at the Second Coming) with His unveiled bride – the Church – to also celebrate with a marriage supper. At this time, the angels will gather the scattered remnant from all over the earth who had survived the Tribulation, and they will enter the Kingdom and celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Christ, and His bride (Revelation 19:9, 11-14). It is astonishing to recognize that everything that God has said about His marriage to His bride, the Church, was anticipated thousands of years earlier in the institution of these customs. As you can see, only a pretribulational Rapture can fit in with this prophetic patterning. Conclusion These were only seven of the many proofs that can be offered in favor of a pretribulational view of the Rapture's timing. Many more can can be presented, but time and space limit our ability to fully explore them here. This understanding arises from the consistent application of a literal, plain interpretation of the Bible. All other views end up compromising a consistent literal interpretive method at some point. As the eminent theologian John Walvoord said: The only view that interprets prophecy literally and consistently is that of the pretribulational, premillennial position. [6] Maranatha! [1] David Hocking, “The Rapture In Revelation,” Pre-Trib.org. (https://www.pre-trib.org/pretribfiles/pdfs/Hocking-TheRaptureinRevelati.pdf - Retrieved 8/20/19) [2] Ibid. [3] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 127. [4] Wayne A. Brindle, “Imminence” in The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy, eds. Tim Lahaye and Ed Hindson, Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2004, p. 144. [5] Strong’s Concordance, entry “3466, mustérion,” BibleHub.com. (https://www.biblehub.com/greek/3466.htm - Retrieved 7/12/19) [6] John F. Walvoord, Prophecy in the New Millennium, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2001, p. 122.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) Christians often use the words “imminent” or “imminence” to refer to the Biblical concept of the Rapture (the supernatural catching away of the Church from earth to heaven, which we examined in a past article). What do these words mean, especially within this Rapture context? Bible scholar Renald Showers gives an excellent overview of the scriptural usage of the term “imminence.” The English word "imminent" comes from the Latin verb "immineo, imminere," which means to "overhand" or "project." In light of this, the English word "imminent" means "hanging over one’s head, ready to befall or overtake one; close at hand in its incidence." Thus, an imminent event is one that is always hanging overhead, and is constantly ready to befall or overtake a person. Other things may happen before the imminent event, but nothing must take place before it happens. If something else must take place before an event can happen, that event is not imminent. The necessity of something else taking place first destroys the concept of imminency. [1] So, the concept of imminence refers to the definite occurrence of a specific future event, but with a completely unpredictable onset. The event can take place at any time. There are no signs or preconditions that must take place first in order for the event to occur. A requirement of prerequisite or preceding signs is contradictory to the meaning of imminence. An imminent event is one that can occur at any moment, suddenly, and without warning. Christians have long recognized that the New Testament clearly applies this concept of imminence to the Rapture of the Church (contrary to the frequent assertions of opponents of dispensationalism, who often claim it to be a relatively new doctrine that arose with a man named John Nelson Darby in the 1800s). Countering this assertion, J. Dwight Pentecost writes: This doctrine of imminence, or "at any moment coming," is not a new doctrine with Darby, as is sometimes charged, although he did clarify, systematize, and popularize it. Such a belief in imminency marked the premillennialism of the early church fathers as well as the writers of the New Testament. … This same view of imminence is clearly seen in the writings of the Reformers, even though they had different views on eschatological questions. [2] Many modern scholars – even including those not in agreement with a premillennial dispensational outlook – have recognized the Biblical teaching of the imminence of Christ’s coming. For instance, J. Barton Payne concluded that: In fact, no natural reading of Scripture would produce any other conclusion. [3] J.G. Davies, the Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology at the University of Birmingham likewise concluded that the Christian anticipation of Christ’s “imminent coming” is “so vivid in the New Testament.” [4] The concept of an imminent Rapture has been recognized by premillennial dispensational scholars as a foundational pillar of evidence demonstrating the New Testament’s clear teaching of a pretribulational Rapture. For instance, Wayne A. Brindle writes: The term "imminence" (or imminency) as applied to the rapture of the church means that Christ may return at any moment for His church, and no biblically predicted event must necessarily precede it. Those who believe that Christ will return for His church before the Tribulation normally hold that the rapture is imminent – that it may occur at any time and that it is the next predicted event in God’s prophetic timetable. [5] The Rapture is an event that can occur at any time. No prophesied event must precede it. If this is true, then logically the Rapture must be pretribulational as concerning its timing. Any other Rapture viewpoint violates this teaching of imminency, as they claim that other definite prophetic events must precede it in sequence. As we will see, the New Testament uses a number of noteworthy terms or phrases to refer to the Lord’s imminent coming. Although this “imminence language” is often overlooked by readers, it will be important for us to be aware of as we continue. The Lord’s coming is routinely referred to as being “near,” “soon,” “at hand,” and “at the door.” He is spoken of as coming “quickly” and “like a thief in the night.” It is said that His coming “draws near.” These are just several of the many ways the New Testament communicates the imminence of Jesus’s coming. They are all equivalent expressions that express imminence. In addition, there are also an abundance of passages that, when the original Greek language is understood, clearly teach Rapture imminence. These passages are laced throughout the gospels, epistles, and Revelation, making Rapture imminence one of the most well-established teachings of the New Testament. John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -John 14:1-3 Here, in the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus Christ issues what many consider to be His first clear disclosure of the Rapture of the Church – but it’s only in the original Greek language that the element of imminence is obvious. Robert L. Thomas writes: Imminence is part of the verb form "I will come," the Greek word erchomai. Used in 14:3 in parallel with the empsomai, which means "I will receive," the present tense erchomai is clearly a futuristic use of the present tense, a use of that tense that strongly implies imminence. The sense is, "I am on my way and may arrive at any moment." [6] Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; -Philippians 3:20 (NASB) Here, we find Paul referencing the Church’s earnest expectation of Christ’s imminent coming – and he even includes himself as one also holding that expectation. Showers comments: We should note that Paul included himself among those who had this attitude toward Christ’s coming. Thus, Philippians 3:20 indicates that the expectation of Christ’s coming was so intense for Paul and the other Christians of the New Testament times that it was the primary focus of their concentration. Would it have been so if there was no possibility of an any-moment coming? [7] 1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema. Maranatha! -1 Corinthians 16:22 In this passage, Paul pronounces anathema – or the status of being accursed – upon those who love not the Lord Jesus Christ. He then uses the Aramaic word maranatha as a petition to call for the Lord’s imminent return. If he expected that Tribulation events must precede the Rapture, then Paul could not have used this word. It serves as a warning that Christ could return at any moment. Brindle writes: Maranatha is an Aramaic word meaning "our Lord, come" – a petition to Christ that He should return now – at any moment. Paul used it in this letter to Greek-speaking (mainly Gentile) Christians in Corinth because it expressed an idea that had become universal in the early church. Christ could return at any moment, and Christians called upon Him to do so. [8] Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. -Philippians 4:5 In this passage, Paul’s exhortation to the Church is based on the expectation that the Lord’s return could happen at any time. He uses an expression of imminence (“the Lord is at hand”) to convey this. Concerning this passage, F.W. Beare wrote: The Apostle is not speaking of the nearness of the Lord in his abiding presence with us, but of the imminence of his coming. [9] Alfred Plummer adds that the Philippian church was to maintain the expectancy that “at any moment they may have to answer for their conduct.” [10] 1 Thessalonians 1:10 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 Thessalonians 1:10 This is the lone New Testament passage where the specific Greek word anamenó – here translated “to wait for” – is used. According to W.E. Vine, this word “carries with it the suggestion of waiting with patience and confident expectancy.” [11] Concerning this passage, D. Edmond Hiebert said: In 1 Thessalonians 1:10, the Thessalonian believers are pictured as waiting for the return of Christ. The clear implication is that they had a hope of His imminent return. If they had been taught that the Great Tribulation, in whole or in part, must first run its course, it is difficult to see how they would be described as expectantly awaiting Christ’s return. Then they should rather have been described as bracing themselves for the Great Tribulation and the painful events connected with it. [12] James 5:8-9 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 5:8-9 James’ exhortation makes it clear that the coming of the Lord and the judgment that His arrival will bring should be a matter of importance to his readers. His statements that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” and “the judge standeth before the door” are both meant to convey imminence. Regarding these verses, Showers says: The second important thing to note about James 5:7-9 is that the Greek verbs translated "draweth nigh" (v. 8) and "standeth" (v. 9) are in the perfect tense and indicative mood, meaning that each of these verbs refers to an action that was completed before James wrote his epistle and that continues on in that completed state. The implication is that Christ’s coming drew near before James wrote his epistle, and His coming continues to be near. In addition, Christ as judge began to stand before the door before James wrote his epistle, and Christ as judge continues to stand before the door. In other words, Christ’s coming was imminent in New Testament times and continues to be imminent. James wanted to impress his readers with the fact that Christ could come through the door at any moment and cause them as Christians to stand before Him at the Judgement Seat of Christ. [13] These were just a few of the many instances in which the New Testament writers convey the Lord’s coming as an imminent event. The reality is that the New Testament writers and the early Church maintained a fervent expectation of an any-moment return of Christ. These passages not only reveal the mentality of the early Church, but also inform us of the identical expectancy that should be held by believers today. This doctrine of imminence then acts as a prominent reason necessitating a pretribulational Rapture for the Church. [1] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come! Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995, p. 127. [2] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1964, p. 203. [3] J. Barton Payne, The Imminent Appearing of Christ, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1962, p. 102. [4] J.G. Davies, The Early Christian Church, Garden City, NY: Anchor Books, 1967, p. 132. [5] Wayne A. Brindle, “Imminence” in The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy, eds. Tim Lahaye and Ed Hindson, Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2004, p. 144. [6] Robert L. Thomas, “Imminence In The New Testament, Especially In Paul’s Thessalonian Epistles,” in The Master’s Seminary Journal, Vol. 29, No. 1, Spring 2018, p. 75. [7] Showers, p. 132. [8] Brindle, p. 145. [9] F.W. Beare, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians, London: Adam & Charles Black, 1959, p. 146. [10] Alfred Plummer, A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians, London: Robert Scott, 1919, p. 93. [11] W.E. Vine, entry “anameno,” in An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. IV, London: Oliphants Ltd., 1940, p. 194. [12] D. Edmond Hiebert, The Thessalonian Epistles, Chicago: Moody Press, 1972, p. 205. [13] Showers, p. 136.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) One of the most controversial issues related to the Rapture has to do with its timing. Within Christian circles, there is great disagreement over when the Rapture will take place in relation to the eschatological events the Bible foretells. Most of this discussion is related the timing of the Rapture in relation to the Tribulation (the final seven-year period of God's wrath), resulting in three main views: the pretribulational view, the midtribulational view, and the posttribulational view. The pretribulational view advocates that the Church will be raptured sometime prior to the seven-year Tribulation period, also called the seventieth week of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy (the future, remaining, final week of Israel’s seventy prophetic weeks that were revealed to Daniel). The midtribulational view holds that the Church will be raptured around the midpoint of the Tribulation period. The posttribulational view teaches that the Church will be raptured immediately after the ending of the Tribulation period when Christ returns at the Second Coming. There have also arisen other variations, such as the prewrath view, which, like pretribulationists, teach that the Rapture takes place prior to the wrath of God. However, the pre-wrath view differs by maintaining that the wrath doesn’t begin (and therefore the Rapture doesn’t take place) until sometime between the middle and end of the Tribulation (in other words, around three quarters of the way through). It is important to understand that one’s view of the timing of the Rapture is generally an outworking of the method of interpretation they use to understand the Bible – or, as the well-known Bible teacher Chuck Missler used to say, your hermeneutics will determine your eschatology. [1] Dispensationalism and the Timing of the Rapture At this point, we need to define another key term that, if embraced, is of great influence on one's view of the Rapture's timing. This term is dispensationalism, or premillennial dispensationalism. Premillennial dispensationalism is the name given to the belief system that results from a consistent literal-grammatical-historical-contextual, or plain interpretation of the Bible. The label “premillennial” derives from the fact that when one interprets the Bible in this way (without trying to allegorize the meaning of the text), the end-result is the recognition of a future literal Millennium of time in which Christ will physically rule the earth from Jerusalem, as the scriptures plainly foretell. The name “dispensationalism” comes from the scriptural recognition that God has dealt with mankind in a number of different ways throughout history. We call these different periods “dispensations,” meaning different ages or economies, characterized by, among other things, the different covenants God has made with man throughout history. In other words, dispensationalism is the understanding that God administers His plan for mankind in various stages, or dispensations. It recognizes how God has done so as He brings His ultimate plan for the redemption of mankind and the earth to completion. Two of the essentials of dispensationalism, as noted by scholar Charles Ryrie, [2] are as follows: Consistent Literal Interpretation This means consistently interpreting the Bible using the normal or plain meanings that the text is communicating, instead of spiritualizing or allegorizing the meanings. Israel and the Church are Distinct Dispensationalists recognize that the Bible teaches that God’s single program for human history includes a distinct plan for national Israel and a distinct plan for the Church. The Church is not Israel, and Israel is not the Church. The Church Age is an intercalation in Israel’s seventy-week prophetic timeline. Why is all of this relevant to our examination of the Rapture? It’s relevant because this fundamental recognition of the correct method of interpreting scripture has a direct impact on one’s understanding of the timing of the Rapture. We believe that a consistent application of a careful, sound, and literal exposition of the scriptures will always ultimately result in a pretribulational view of the timing of the Rapture. When one views the scriptures through a lens of consistent, literal interpretation, it results in the understanding that Israel and the Church are two distinct entities in God’s plan. It brings to light the recognition that the seventy prophetic “weeks” (or heptads of years) in Daniel 9:24-27 were specifically prophesied for the Jews (or Israel) and Jerusalem, and have nothing at all to do with the Church. Therefore, if the Tribulation is the seventieth week, it is completely antithetical to the Church. Just as the Church was not present on the earth for the first sixty-nine weeks of this prophetic calendar, it also cannot be on the earth for the seventieth. The Church must then be removed prior to this final week (pretribulationalism). Premillennial dispensationalists recognize that when Israel as a nation rejected their promised King Messiah, Jesus Christ, their promised Messianic Kingdom then had to be postponed. You cannot have the Kingdom without the King. At that time, the seventy-week prophetic timeline for Israel was paused. When this took place, God then introduced His interim plan for humanity: the Church. If this is true, then the Tribulation, which is the seventieth week – the future, remaining, final week of this prophetic timeline – clearly has nothing to do with the Church. In fact, the Tribulation and the Church are mutually exclusive. They are scripturally antithetical concepts. Many Christians are dispensationalists without even knowing it. Put simply, if you consistently interpret the Bible literally and believe Israel has a future, you view the Bible dispensationally. But for those who are unfamiliar with all of this, we will undertake a brief jog through the premillennial/dispensational understanding of eschatology (the study of the end times). A Dispensational Overview of Eschatology Correctly understanding the timeline for eschatology goes hand-in-hand with understanding God’s future program for Israel, as well as understanding how God has operated within the theater of humanity for the past four thousand years of human history. As we’ve already mentioned, our basic outline for this understanding is given in Daniel 9. This chapter records how in the mid-500s BC, the prophet Daniel was given the seventy-weeks prophecy, which declared seventy weeks of years that would take place for Israel and Jerusalem. This refers to a total of four hundred ninety years (seventy times seven). A beginning point and ending point are provided for marking the first through the sixty-ninth weeks of years (which was a prophetic countdown to the Messiah's First Coming). The sixty-ninth week ended with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in 33 AD, just days prior to His crucifixion. According to the prophecy, it is clear that the time-clock stopped with the completion of the sixty-ninth week, leaving one future week – the seventieth week – to still be completed. After Israel killed her Messiah, rejecting His offer of the Messianic Kingdom (which had been prophesied of throughout the Old Testament), this prophetic program for Israel was postponed (Matthew 23:37-39), and God instead introduced an interim program called the Church, as the Holy Spirit would be poured out around fifty days later on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). So, at the Triumphal Entry, the time-clock for Israel’s seventy-week countdown was paused and a gap period we call the Church Age was inserted. Subsequently, the gospel was to be spread to all nations, and God’s focus temporarily shifted from that of national Israel to His new work called the Church, which focused mainly on the Gentile nations. In 70 AD, the final harbinger of this shift took place as Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews, over the next century, were scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth in what is termed the Diaspora. Dispensationalists understand that God’s time clock for the Church will stop with the Rapture, and either immediately or soon after, His time clock for Israel will again restart, as there remains one final week of years – the seventieth week – to be completed (as prophesied in Daniel 9:26-27 and expounded upon throughout the Old and New Testaments). During this time, Israel will once again become the primary focus of God’s plan during their final seven-year “week.” In this way, God’s programs for Israel and the Church are operating similar to a chess clock. In formal chess matches, there is a clock for each of the two players. When one player’s clock is running, the other’s is automatically stopped – and vice versa. This is exactly what scripture implies is happening with Israel and the Church (Romans 11:25-29, et al.). This final week for Israel, the Tribulation, will be a time of unprecedented trouble for the world as a whole, as God’s wrath is poured out. Scripture says that the Tribulation begins with the Antichrist enforcing a covenant. Around midway through the seven years, he perpetrates an event known as the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). After this midpoint abomination, the latter three and a half years of the Tribulation will be a time of unparalleled distress in human history, particularly for the Jews (Jeremiah 30:7; Zechariah 13:8). In fact, Jesus calls it the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24:21-22. One of the primary purposes of the Tribulation is to drive the nation of Israel to repentance through great affliction. Sometimes God has to knock us down in order to get us to look up at Him – and that’s exactly what happens to Israel during the Tribulation. Through this experience of unimaginable distress, a remnant of Israel will finally be brought to faith (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25). Scripture informs us that Israel turning toward her true Messiah – Jesus Christ – acknowledging Him as such, and petitioning His return, is actually a precondition for the next event – the Second Coming of Christ, which will end the Tribulation, or the seventieth week (Hosea 5:15; Matthew 23:39). When Christ does return to the earth at the end of the Tribulation, Israel will finally be ready to receive Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). This now-righteous remnant of Israel will be rescued from the nations that have gathered to destroy her, and Christ will set up His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom on earth (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14). The Church will have returned with Christ at the Second Coming (Revelation 19:14) and will then rule and reign with Him as His bride for a literal thousand years, along with the other First Resurrection believers (Revelation 1:5-6; 20:6; et al.). Strong support for a future literal Millennium is found in the clear teaching of Revelation 20:1-7, where it says six times that Christ’s Kingdom will last for one thousand years. Scripture tells us that during this thousand-year period, the Lord will establish His physical Kingdom on this earth with Jerusalem as its capital. With Christ reigning as King, Israel will be the prominent nation on earth, after being restored spiritually and physically. Representatives from all nations will come to Jerusalem to honor and worship the King – Jesus Christ – who will reign on the throne of David, fulfilling a multitude of Old Testament “Kingdom prophecies” (Isaiah 60; Zechariah 8; Micah 4:2; et al.). Then, following the Millennium will come the Eternal State, as God’s dispensational plan for the redemption of mankind will have been realized (Revelation 21-22). Both the Old Testament and the New Testament support a premillennial/dispensational understanding of God’s plan for Israel. It is essential to understand that the Church has not replaced Israel in God’s plan. The two entities are distinct. The Church’s role is to be the beloved bride of Christ! Believing Jews who are saved between Pentecost and the Rapture are of course part of the Church, in which there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile (Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 3:1-6) While God’s time clock has temporarily shifted to focus on the Church for the past two thousand years (the Church Age), He has not forgotten Israel and will one day restore them to His intended role as the nation He has chosen (Romans 11). God’s attention will turn back to Israel for their final week, but only after He removes His Church from the earth at the pretribulational Rapture! Maranatha! [1] Chuck Missler, “The Seven Myths of Eschatology,” Koinonia House. (https://www.khouse.org/articles/2012/1072/print/ - Retrieved 4/02/22) [2] Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism, rev. and exp. ed., Chicago: Moody, 2007, pp. 46-48.

(From the book The Missing Key in Dispensational Eschatology) The English word “rapture” refers to a state or experience of being carried away. In other words, it means to be carried away in spirit or in body. [1] There are a number of different “raptures” or “catching aways” spoken of in the Bible, such as when Enoch and Elijah were each taken up to heaven without experiencing death (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:1, 11). In addition, Jesus Christ was caught up to heaven in His ascension after His death, burial, and resurrection (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 12:5). The apostle Paul also wrote of a man (probably referring to himself) who experienced a type of rapture when he was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Another rapture is predicted to take place in the future Tribulation period when the Two Witnesses are caught up into heaven after being resurrected from death (Revelation 11:3; 11-12). But the rapture that is relevant to our purposes in this article is the most well-known future rapture event of all – the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture of the Church refers to the literal carrying away of the Church from earth to heaven by God. Scoffers often point out that the word rapture is not in the Bible, and therefore it is not a true Biblical teaching. This reasoning however is nonsensical. While it is true that the word rapture itself is not in the English Bible, the concept is. Rapture is simply a label modern Christians have given to this Biblical teaching of the supernatural removal of the Church. We must keep in mind that the word "Bible" itself is not in the Bible. Are we then to conclude that the Bible is invalid? As you hopefully can see, this is terrible reasoning. Furthermore, while the word rapture is not in the English Bible, it is in the Latin Bible. In fact, this English term rapture is derived from the Latin usage, which is used to describe the catching away of the Church in the Latin Vulgate. The original New Testament manuscripts were written in Greek, but later translated into Latin, English, and other languages. Jerome (c. 347-420 AD) translated the Greek Bible into Latin. The English word “rapture” comes from the Latin raptus, the past participle of rapere, meaning “to seize, or carry off.” Jerome used this Latin word to translate the original Greek word harpazó (Strong’s # G726 – meaning, “to pluck up, to seize, to catch away”) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and other passages. [2] [3] So, the English word “rapture” simply comes from the Latin translation of the Koine Greek word harpazó in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and other places. Almost all modern Bibles translate this word as “caught up.” The English word “harpoon” comes from this Greek word harpazó. [4] The harpoon is the tool used by whalers to catch a whale and bring it up out of the water. At the Rapture, we will be supernaturally “harpooned” – plucked up by force out of this world by the Lord Jesus (but without the metal hook of course). There are three key New Testament passages that give us our foundational understandings about this concept of the Rapture of the Church: John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Let’s take a look at each. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -John 14:1-3 This was Jesus’s first clear disclosure of what that disciples would eventually come to recognize as what we today call the Rapture. He promises to one day return to take away His believers to be with Him forever. The apostle Paul later expounds on this concept, describing in even more vivid detail what will take place at this time when Jesus returns to gather His bride, the Church. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. -1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Here, Paul is clear that not all Christians will experience death (“we shall not all sleep”), but all will experience the glorification of the body (“we shall all be changed … this mortal must put on immortality”). The next excerpt is most explicit concerning the actual “catching away” aspect. In Verse 17 (as referenced earlier), Paul uses the Greek word harpazó to describe this event. 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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [harpazó] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. -1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 These three passages reveal that at a sudden moment in time, a resurrection will take place in which the souls of dead Church saints will descend from heaven with Christ, and will be raised with glorified bodies that are immortal and incorruptible. The bodies of the Church saints who are still alive at that time will then be instantaneously transformed into this same kind of glorified body. Both the resurrected and transformed Church saints will be “raptured,” or caught up from earth to meet Christ in the air. They will return with Christ back to the Father’s house in heaven and dwell in the “mansions,” or rooms that He has prepared. Then, at His Second Coming proper, they will return with Him to the earth to rule and reign during His Millennial Kingdom. From the time of the Rapture on forward, we will forever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17), thus ending the period of the Church Age on earth. This knowledge of the Rapture is intended to be a comfort to the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Titus 2:13 calls the Rapture the “blessed hope” of every Christian. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; -Titus 2:13 In other words, the Rapture is the next event every believer should be looking towards, as the Lord's imminent appearing will bring with it this "catching away" experience. Since we know it is a promise of bodily glorification, reunification with Christ, and rescue from the impending judgment coming on the world (the Day of the Lord), the Rapture truly is our blessed hope and earnest expectation! [1] Merriam-Webster, entry “Rapture,” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapture - Retrieved 1/10/18) [2] Thayer and Smith, Greek Lexicon entry “harpazo,” in The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon, BibleStudyTools.com. (https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/harpazo.html - Retrieved 1/10/21) [3] Harper, Douglas, “Etymology of rapt,” Online Etymology Dictionary. (https://www.etymonline.com/word/rapt?ref=etymonline_crossreference - Retrieved 1/10/21) [4] 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 Commentary, PreceptAustin.org. (https://www.preceptaustin.org/1thessalonians_417-18 - Retrieved 1/10/21)

(From the study "Should Christians Support Israel?") So far in "Part 1" and "Part 2" of this article series, we have already demonstrated from scripture that Israel’s first worldwide regathering in unbelief must be the modern regathering in the current State of Israel. We have witnessed this return over the past century or so. But in order to recognize even more fully just how much modern Israel really is a part of God’s plan, we will now focus our attention on several Biblical characteristics of this regathering. Doing so will enable us to appreciate this with precise detail. So, we will shift our focus back to the first regathering that we have witnessed in recent times involving the modern Jewish State. #1 - Israel's First Worldwide Regathering Will be Through Persecution and For Judgment A key prophetic aspect that we need to be aware of regarding the current State of Israel and their present-day regathering has to do with the way in which this regathering has occurred. The Bible even gives us the specifics on the stimulus for this regathering. It tells us that they will be regathered through the means of being “fished” and “hunted” – or in other words, through persecution. This is outlined for us in Jeremiah 16:15-16. But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers [or fishermen], saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. -Jeremiah 16:15-16 Here, Jeremiah predicts a worldwide regathering of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel through the means of persecution. In Verse 16, this means of persecution is metaphorically described as involving “fishermen” and “hunters” whose actions will essentially chase the Jewish people back to their land. These pursuers, said to be sent by God, have been used to force the Jewish people to return back to their land in preparation for the events of judgment that will result in their final restoration. In an article entitled “Is the Modern State of Israel Prophetically Significant?” author and scholar Randall Price concludes: The modern history of Israel reveals that persecution has been the leading cause of the Jewish return to the Land. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries czarist pogroms and Polish economic discrimination in Eastern Europe motivated the creation of the Zionist Movement. During the Second World War, the attempted genocide of Jews during the Nazi holocaust encouraged international sympathy for the Jewish plight and led to the creation of the State of Israel. The Arab-Israel war of 1948-49 then forced Jews from Arab lands and later Soviet repression forced over a million Jews to immigrate to Israel. Over fifty years Israel has had to fight five major wars with its Arab neighbors for its survival and wage an on-going war of attrition with the Palestinians that during last decade Jews has resulted in a growing hostility in the international community toward Israel and provoked a renewed anti-Semitism in Europe. These "fishermen" and "hunters" continue to drive otherwise complacent Jews from the Diaspora to find safe haven in the Jewish State. If this modern history of events has occurred as these prophetic texts have predicted, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [1] #2 - Israel Will Be Regathered to the Land in Stages Those who deny the prophetic significance of the modern return of the Jewish people often point out that the return has been only partial (meaning it has included only part of the Jewish people returning to only part of the land). In addition, some also object by saying the return is secular, and not spiritual in nature. However, we should understand that these objections are invalidated by scripture (as we've already shown in the previous two articles of this series). It is a misconception and a non-scriptural idea to expect that all of the Jewish people would return to the land immediately, all at once, when the process of national regathering began. It’s also a misconception that the regathering would be only spiritual in nature. To the contrary, as we’ve seen in the first two articles, the Bible prophetically reveals that the regathering would take place in two stages – a regathering before the Tribulation and a regathering before the Millennium. Furthermore, this is also clearly depicted in Ezekiel’s well-known vision of Israel’s restoration. Recorded in Ezekiel Chapter 37, this vision uses the imagery of a valley of dry bones (referring to Israel’s state of physical and spiritual deadness) that slowly and through several stages begin to experience restoration to life. It portrays a progressive physical restoration that ultimately ends in spiritual restoration. Professor Michael Rydelnik writes: The bones come to life in stages: first sinews on the bones, then flesh, then skin, and finally, breath of life (Ezekiel 37:6-10). Then God told Ezekiel that "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (Verse 11) and their restoration is a picture of the way God will bring them "back to the Land of Israel" (Verse 12). [2] Through this vision, we can recognize a prophetic pattern that reveals sequential stages of restoration: first a progressive physical regathering to the land, followed by a spiritual regathering to the Lord. Since this first regathering takes place in spiritual unbelief, then of course we should expect it to be a regathering characterized by secular and political means. That is exactly what we observe with the modern re-establishment of the secular Jewish State. So, this is not a reason to deny the prophetic significance of the modern regathering. Clearly, the opposite is true. Scripture requires it to be this way. Additionally, we would totally expect that a regathering of this nature (secular and political) would only result in a partial physical regathering. Total restoration cannot take place without a spiritual movement. Further, since this regathering is partial, it leaves the remainder of the Jewish population still living outside of the land. This is a necessity since the Bible teaches two regatherings. If the initial regathering was total, then how could there be a second one? There would be no Jews remaining to be regathered. So, again, this idea of a partial regathering is not unscriptural. Rather, it is a Biblical requirement. But even with the initial regathering being only partial, it still remains in perfect harmony with the prophesied pattern of a worldwide regathering. Geographically, we can see that Jews have returned from “the four corners of the earth,” just as Scripture anticipated. Randall Price concludes: The second regathering, then, which would follow a time of worldwide Jewish persecution in the Tribulation will result not only in Israel’s seeking deliverance physically but also spiritually in a time of national repentance (Luke 21:25-28). Therefore, just as the Jewish dispersion occurred in successive stages over time (722 B.C., 586 B.C., A.D. 70, A.D. 115, et. al), so the Jewish regathering can be seen to occur in stages modern and future (before the Tribulation, e.g. 1897, 1948, 1967, and at the end of the Tribulation). If the regathering is in stages, and the first regathering of the Jewish people to their Land is the historic modern regathering, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [3] #3 - Modern Israel Parallels the Israel Expected to Exist During the End-Times In his article, Price observes that historically, Christians embracing a futurist and a consistent literal view of eschatology fully expected that at some point in history, the following would occur: the Jewish people would have to return to their ancient homeland, “the land of Israel” they would have to regain their national status as “the people of Israel” they would again be in an adversarial position with the Gentile nations Interestingly, all of these expectations have currently been fulfilled! Why did futurists and literalists always expect these conditions to come about? The simple answer is that they are all required by clear scriptural prophecies describing Israel in the end-times. Anyone who reads these prophecies from a literal perspective (and does not try to allegorize or spiritualize them away) could recognize the requirement of their future literal fulfillment. The prophecy of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel Chapters 38-39 is a good example. Price notes: Set in an eschatological context (Ezekiel 33-48), the text specifically states that its fulfillment "will come about in the last days" (38:16). At this time "the people of Israel" are described as living in "the cities of Israel" in "the Land of Israel" (38:14, 18-19; 39:9). According to Ezekiel 37:25 this Land is "the land that I (God) gave to Jacob (Israel) My servant, in which your fathers lived." Ezekiel 38:8 also states that the Jewish People who had retuned to the Land had been "gathered from many nations" (a worldwide regathering). The regathering of Jews from exile in 538 B.C. had only been from one nation (Babylon). Only in our modern period have we witnessed a regathering of Jews to Israel from "many nations" in accord with this prophecy. Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog prophecy also speaks of "the mountains of Israel" (39:2, 4, 17). This mountainous region that extends the length of the country did not become a part of the modern State until after the Six Day War of 1967. Only then could this region again be properly called "the mountains of Israel." Before this date it was under a succession of foreign rulers until wrested from Jordan (who last controlled it from 1948-1967). This is in harmony with Ezekiel 38:8, 12 which states that this mountainous land, before being restored to Israel, had been under "the sword" (foreign dominion). The text further states that the Land had been "a continual waste." History affirms that under foreign domination, and especially under the 400 years of Ottoman Turkish domination, the once fertile mountain region (particularly in the north) had been denuded and had eroded into a wasteland. [4] As Price notes, some have attempted to claim that the restoration being spoken of was the one that occurred in the 530s BC as the captive Jews were allowed to return to Israel after seventy years of Babylonian exile. However, a careful reading of this prophecy eliminates that return as being the fulfillment spoken of, as it was only a migration from one nation (Babylon). The prophecy requires the return to be worldwide, from “many nations.” Only in modern times have we witnessed a regathering of this kind. The many points of similarity between the conditions required by Ezekiel 38 and those of the modern regathering make it clear that this is the one intended. Price concludes: Therefore, Ezekiel 38-39 demonstrates that an Israel with the conditions presently experienced by the modern State was predicted to exist before final prophetic fulfillment would be possible. Other texts also reveal that the Israel of the end time will have conditions that parallel those existing in the modern Jewish State. Daniel 9:27 depicts Israel in the Land, in possession of the Land, and in the city of Jerusalem when the seventieth week of Daniel starts. It also speaks of a "covenant" being made between the Jewish leadership ("the many") and a foreign leader ("the prince that shall come," verse 26). In order for any covenant to be legally binding and enforceable, both parties must be recognized entities that have the authority and power to fulfill the terms of the agreement. Since this verse implies that the covenant has something to do with the restoration of the Temple and the sacrificial system, it is understood that the Jewish leaders have a control in the city that qualifies them as partners in the contract. Matthew 24:16 likewise implies that Jewish law (the Sabbath) is being observed in the Land, another factor that indicates Jewish control of the city or at least freedom from foreign rule that would restrict the free exercise of the Jewish religion. Today, the modern Jewish State fulfills all of these conditions, including having sovereignty (whether fully exercised or not) over the Temple Mount. If the modern State of Israel parallels the Israel of the end times, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? [5] After examining all of this evidence, our overall conclusion is simple: the creation of the modern Jewish State in 1948 has the prophetic significance of beginning the process of the regathering of Israel from the nations (the first regathering in unbelief in preparation for end-times judgment), which will be followed by a further regathering (the second regathering in faith) after the Tribulation, in preparation for the time of Israel’s full physical and spiritual restoration in the Millennial Kingdom. This is the result of a plain, literal reading of scripture, and it aligns perfectly with what we can observe in real time as we've watched the nation of Israel emerge back onto the world scene. So then in conclusion, if modern Israel is prophetically significant, and we know that God’s plan is to ultimately use this process to bring them to national salvation, then it should be clear what the attitude of the Bible-believing Christian should be towards Israel as well as the Jewish people. Our viewpoint towards them should mirror the mind of God – He still loves them, has plans for their future, and ultimately will get them back! Our attitudes as Christians should be in line with this. [1] Randall Price, “Is the Modern State of Israel Prophetically Significant?” Pre-Trib.org. (https://www.pre-trib.org/articles/dr-randall-price/message/is-the-modern-state-of-israel-prophetically-significant/read - Retrieved 11/10/20) [2] Michael Rydelnik, Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Chicago: Moody Press, 2004, p. 119. [3] Price. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid.

(From the study "Should Christians Support Israel?") In "Part 1" of this article series, we examined the clear Biblical teaching regarding the two worldwide regatherings of Israel – the first being a partial regathering in unbelief prior to the Tribulation, and the second being a full regathering in faith after the Tribulation. The first regathering (the one we've witnessed over the past century or so) has been in preparation for the divine discipline of the Tribulation, while the future second regathering will be for the purpose of receiving blessings in the Millennial Kingdom. By recognizing this clear teaching from the scriptures, it becomes obvious that the modern regathering we have witnessed is a divinely preordained event. Therefore, the logical conclusion we are brought to is that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant. We will now examine a number of the Biblical passages that prophetically detail these two worldwide regatherings of Israel. As we examine each, you will begin to see this concept more clearly. Israel's First Worldwide Regathering in Unbelief Let’s begin by examining Israel’s first or initial worldwide gathering – which we will see is the modern-day regathering we’ve been witnessing over the past hundred years or so. Numerous passages appear to speak of this initial regathering in unbelief prior to the Tribulation period. One of the clearest examples is found in Zephaniah 2. Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. -Zephaniah 2:1-2 This passage depicts a regathering of the nation clearly described as taking place before the outpouring of God’s discipline upon Israel in the Tribulation – helping us to recognize this as a first regathering passage. As we continue to go through these examples, it will become clear that there is one regathering prior to the Tribulation and one directly after the Tribulation, as the Millennial Kingdom is being introduced. It is also evident that when this first regathering takes place, the nation is still in unbelief, since they’re described as a “nation not desired” (Verse 1), or as the NASB puts it, a “nation without shame.” In other words, they are shamelessly in sin. Clearly, this indicates that they haven’t yet repented, and are in unbelief at the time of this regathering. For this reason, they are threatened with judgment when the Tribulation arrives (as we see in Verses 2-3). Therefore, this passage unmistakably shows a regathering of the nation in unbelief prior to the Tribulation – through which they will be brought to national repentance. We should also note the contrast presented one chapter later in Zephaniah 3:11, which speaks of the later Millennial Kingdom, saying, “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings.” Rather than conveying a condition of shamelessness while in sin (as before), the nation at this point will have repented and been redeemed, thereby removing their shame. This further clarifies for us that this regathering in Zephaniah Chapter 2 was the regathering in unbelief prior to the discipline that would lead to their repentance and the removal of their shame. So, this first regathering is a regathering in unbelief in preparation for the judgment and discipline of the Tribulation. This is just the first example, and we already see how clearly Biblical it is that Israel will be regathered first in a state of unbelief – which refutes the arguments of those who oppose the modern State of Israel on the basis of its formation taking place while in unbelief. Unbelieving Israel is part of God’s plan, according to these Scriptures! This is part of the process whereby God will bring them into faith. Before they can be brought to faith, they of course will be in a state of unbelief. Their unbelief does not mean God isn’t working to move them to a state of faith. This is exactly what we, as saved Christians also experienced. Before we came to faith, God was moving in our lives to draw us to Him in faith. And so, it should not be difficult to understand this same concept at work in the case of national Israel. But let’s continue on to examine a second example. Another incredible portrayal of unbelieving Israel’s initial regathering for judgment is found in Ezekiel Chapter 22. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst therof. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you. -Ezekiel 22:17-22 Some have incorrectly attributed the fulfillment of this prophecy to the historical return of the Jews from Babylonian Captivity around 538 BC. But a careful reading of the context of this passage demands that this prophetic regathering is speaking of the current regathering we’ve witnessed in the modern State of Israel over the past hundred years or so. For example, this can be seen in the fact that the Jews’ return around 538 BC was in belief, not unbelief, and was in restoration, not judgment. Ezra 1:5 makes it clear that those 49,897 Jews that participated in the return from Babylon were those “whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.” By contrast, in the above passage in Ezekiel, it’s stated that the Lord will gather them in “anger” and “wrath” and will “pour out His wrath” on them. The purpose of this judgment, described by the imagery of smelting metal in a furnace or a foundry, is to bring Israel to national repentance and regeneration, as seen in the words “you will know that I am the Lord” (Verse 17, cf. Verse 22). In other words, at the time of this regathering, the nation was in rebellion and unbelief. But through God’s discipline of fiery wrath and judgment (here described as a furnace), they will be brought to faith. So, we easily see that this is a return in unbelief prior to a time of God’s wrath being poured out upon Israel. This future period of wrath clearly refers most specifically to the last half of the Tribulation (the Great Tribulation). This is the time of the consummation of the outpouring of God’s wrath and indignation described throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is the time of unparalleled distress for national Israel, which Jeremiah 30:7 describes as being a time unlike any other, calling it the “time of Jacob’s trouble.” It’s at this time that the invasion of Jerusalem by the international armies of the Antichrist will take place (Revelation 11:2; Zechariah 12:2-3, 9; 14:2a), and there will be a battle for the city, in which half of its Jewish population will be exiled, while the rest remain in a condition of siege (Zechariah 14:2). As a result of this purifying experience (cf. Zechariah 13:1), many Jews in Jerusalem will join in a national repentance (Zechariah 12:10-14). And so, going back to Ezekiel 22:17-22, we can see how that regathering depicts the first or initial regathering of Israel in unbelief in preparation for this time of discipline during the Tribulation. In addition to these clear and specific passages, there are also many other passages that depict the Jews inhabiting Jerusalem towards the end of this present age. The prophetic corpus of Scripture takes this for granted. This is significant to our current discussion because the entire context of end-time events focuses around an unrepentant Israel in the land being cast into the fiery discipline of the Tribulation. This entire context logically requires an initial regathering in unbelief. In other words, since we know they were dispersed out of the land in 70 AD and following, how could they be described as being in the land in these end-time passages, which we know take place before the final regathering that takes place after the Second Coming? It logically implies an initial regathering phase prior to all of this, while they are still in a state of rebellion. So, to summarize our progress so far in this article series, we have seen from Isaiah 11:11-12 (discussed in "Part 1") that there can only be two worldwide regatherings of Israel. The next several passages we looked at in this article (Zephaniah 2:1-2 and Ezekiel 22:17-22) clearly depict the first regathering – a regathering of the nation of Israel in unbelief prior to the Tribulation, through which the nation will be brought to repentance. Therefore, if we have witnessed the Jews being regathered to the land of Israel for the first time in history since their worldwide dispersion among the nations, returning in unbelief to form the modern secular State of Israel, just as these texts have foretold, how can we not say that the modern State of Israel is prophetically significant? Israel's Second and Final Worldwide Regathering in Faith Let’s now begin to examine some of the numerous second regathering passages found in scripture. The far more frequent mentions of Israel being regathered do refer to her second and final regathering after the end of the Tribulation in preparation for entering the Millennial Kingdom. We will find that this ultimate regathering of the Jews around the time of the Second Coming of the Messiah is one of the most talked-about events in all of Bible prophecy. We will examine a handful of them. Incredibly, we find that as early as Deuteronomy, this entire prophetic picture is revealed in detail. Deuteronomy Chapter 30 foretells in advance that Israel would disobey the Mosaic Covenant that had just been given to them (most ultimately by rejecting the Messiah to whom it was designed to lead them towards). They would then be scattered globally among the nations. But in the end, they would ultimately repent and God would then regather them in faith. Following this, He would then fulfill for them the promises of His many Old Testament unconditional covenants – one of which guaranteed their full possession of the Promised Land, stretching from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:18). They will one day possess this land in its entirety. Israel will also receive spiritual restoration under the New Covenant at this time, although this final covenant wouldn’t be revealed until the later prophets (mainly Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Joel). But the entire canvas of this prophetic portrait is detailed all the way back in Deuteronomy, by Moses! Let’s see this in Deuteronomy 30. And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. -Deuteronomy 30:1-6 We know this refers to the final regathering because Verse 2 describes a worldwide regathering in faith (the Jews turning back to God) – or in other words, in repentance, finally acknowledging Christ as their true Messiah. Obviously, this would not be an accurate description of the first worldwide regathering in the 1900s. Furthermore, it describes a return from the uttermost parts of heaven, which points to a global regathering. This eliminates any possibility that the passage could refer to the return from Babylonian captivity. Further yet, Verse 6 (referring to circumcision of the heart, etc.) is a clear reference to the New Covenant later described in the prophets (cf. Ezekiel 36:24-28; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 2:29), which Israel as a nation will receive in the Millennium. Let’s look at another passage that describes this final regathering – this one being found in Isaiah Chapter 43. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. -Isaiah 43:5-7 Again, this passage quite clearly refers to the final regathering, as the previous chapter (Chapter 42) describes the Tribulation in Verses 15-16, and the context of Chapter 43 involves the ultimate redemption and restoration of Israel – events that have no immediate connection to the modern-day regathering. We can also see this as depicting a global regathering (meaning it cannot refer to the return from Babylon), as the passage is clear in its reference to the four cardinal directions (east, west, north, south), and its description as a regathering “from the ends of the earth”. Another important final regathering passage is found in Isaiah Chapter 27. In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. -Isaiah 27:12-13 (ESV) We can see that the second national regathering of Israel is accompanied by the blowing of a “great trumpet.” Although this passage only makes specific mention of Jews being regathered from Assyria and Egypt, there are a number of clues that positively identify it's context with the Day of the Lord, and therefore, the second and final regathering. First, there is the double mention of “in that day,” which generally refers to the eschatological Day of the Lord, which more broadly encompasses the Tribulation period; but in the narrower sense, focuses specifically on the day of the Second Coming – the event that will occasion the second and final regathering. Second, this passage describes a regathering associated with faith rather than unbelief, as we can see from the mention of Israel worshipping the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. And third, the sound of the "great trumpet" is associated with the time of the final judgment. There was no trumpet associated with the modern regathering. This speaks of an eschatological event. We see this same concept described in Matthew 24 as well, as Jesus states that at the blowing of a great trumpet, people would witness His return, and His angels would gather the elect (this being the second regathering of Israel – the righteous remnant who had survived the Tribulation and turned to faith in Christ as Messiah). They will be regathered and brought to Jerusalem in preparation for blessings in the Millennial Kingdom. Furthermore, Matthew 24 also gives the same “directional” language as many of the regathering passages we’ve already read, which allude to the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Let’s review this parallel passage in Matthew 24 and observe the obvious language that places this event after the Tribulation, at the Second Coming of Christ. 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: 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. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. -Matthew 24:29-31 We can see here the same language that was used in the last several Old Testament passages we've examined that also describe this final regathering of Israel: a great trumpet blast and a worldwide regathering of the elect (Israel) from the four cardinal directions under heaven. And when will this final regathering occur? It occurs “immediately after the Tribulation." After the Tribulation, Christ returns, and then the regathering occurs. Many people misunderstand this statement of Jesus in Matthew 24 to refer to the rapture of the Church. But if you know your Old Testament, and understand the concept of the two end time worldwide regatherings of Israel, it should be easy to recognize that this statement in Matthew 24 speaks of Israel’s second and final regathering in faith after being brought to repentance through the divine discipline of the Tribulation. At this time they will be led into the Millennial Kingdom that has been promised to Israel throughout the Old Testament. Another passage, Ezekiel 20:33-38, describes a future judgment of national Israel (during the Tribulation) that will lead a remnant of Israel to national repentance and restoration – in connection with a regathering. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. -Ezekiel 20:33-38 Here, we can see that the Lord will regather Israel in connection with the outpouring of His fury and wrath (the Tribulation), as He purges the rebels from the people. Zechariah 13:8 says two thirds of the Jews will perish at this time. He will then bring a repentant remnant into the bond of the New Covenant and will rule over them during the Kingdom Age. Everything about this describes the final regathering as Christ initiates the Kingdom. We see this same sequence being consistently repeated throughout the Bible when speaking of these events. These same prophetic themes are further detailed in Jeremiah 31. For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. -Jeremiah 31:7-11 We can see that this is a worldwide regathering, as it references the north country and the coasts of the earth. We also see that this is a regathering in faith, as those being gathered are described as the righteous remnant returning with much weeping and supplications, or repentant prayers. This account is then elaborated on for the next twenty verses. Following this, we’re then shown the prophetic promise of the outpouring of the New Covenant upon Israel in Verses 31-34. So, the context reveals that Israel will receive this New Covenant after their second and final regathering in the Kingdom Age. Verses 31-34 say: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. -Jeremiah 31:31-34 God would continue to give more details about this through the inspired insights of other prophets. For instance, we see that Ezekiel Chapter 36 also foretells the worldwide regathering of Israel in preparation for receiving this New Covenant. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. -Ezekiel 36:24-28 Again, the ultimate redemption and spiritual restoration of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom is the clear context of this passage, helping us to understand that this prophecy speaks of the regathering that occurs directly prior to it. Notice how this regathering implies a newly-repentant Israel, which is a scriptural requirement for the outpouring of the New Covenant (in the context of national Israel). Scripture tells us that God will not pour out the New Covenant upon an unrepentant Israel – but will pour it out upon the repentant remnant when they are regathered at Christ’s Second Coming (as all of the other verses clearly agree). And so, the prophetic timeline laid out in scripture is consistent and clear. It is repeated over and over, as we see from this examination. When we're aware of Israel’s two worldwide regatherings, their significance as a modern and future national entity in God’s program becomes abundantly clear. We get all of this straight from the actual and literal meanings of the scriptural text. We did not have to change or allegorize anything in order to insert a new meaning. Instead, when we let God's Word speak for itself, we can only conclude that modern Israel is prophetically significant!