Biblical Integrity: Running From The Rapture: $$$$$$

God himself is my running mate. We had a frank discussion and he agreed to live by my rules. He should be good for a few votes. At the first sign of any inappropriate hijinks (typhoons, plagues, clergy sex scandals) he'll be gone.

The plague of blasphemy is spiralling out of control. Most of us Christians are aware of that. Unfortunately, an increasing number of believers are falling away from Biblical truth. The culprits vary; from heathens trying to make a buck on any new angle they know will attract the convicted away from their conscience, to leaders attempting to increase, or keep, their church numbers. For whatever reason, it is all Satan's grand design... to build his army of heathen followers for the Tribulation.

The newest revolution building against the integrity of God's Word, is not very new, but, growing at an astonishing rate. I was unaware just how far the reach of certain individuals pushing their new religion had extended. I had chalked it up to nothing more than babel to sell a few books. I thought certainly no real Christian would fall for this rhetoric and they would fade away from the public realm. Not so. I recently was led to a website which glorifies the ramblings of the apostate which appears to be in the forefront of this new Oprah type religion. It's the post Tribulation rapture believers.

His name is Dave MacPherson. Many will recognize the name from the dozen or so books which attack the whole idea of the pre-Tribulation rapture. I will not name one of them, it is not worth it to draw attention to the heresy. I will say that each and every book is the same material with a few changed up words and phrases. He goes on and on, assaulting a list of Theologians and dedicated men of God. He calls them heretics and scammers, as they teach and write of the rapture.

MacPherson does not rely on a lot of scripture on his page to make his case, as he knows if he showed what a kook he was there, it would not sell a book. He has a link back to the web site which promotes several of his articles and claims to be "powered by Christ", in an effort to enlighten misled Christians. I was troubled by his statement of faith page, however, as it made no mention of his view on the rapture. I was tickled when I observed the most ironic thing at the bottom of his page. A link and support statement devoted to Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron (Left Behind Movies).

MacPherson's books targets some of the most respected names in Bible Prophecy, such as:

Chuck Missler, Koinonia House Online

Todd Strandberg, Rapture Ready

Dr. David Reagen, Lamb and Lion Ministries

Tim LaHaye, Tim LaHaye Ministries and Bible Prophecy School

Hal Lindsey, The Hal Lindsey Report

David Jeremiah, Turning Point

There were more, much more, but, this is enough to get started. From here I wound up at a blog posted by a Roger Armstrong. Here, Mr Armstrong states he attended an end times conference, where three pastors pointed out passages from the Bible regarding the rapture. Armstrong rambles with various passages he uses to show there is no pre-Trib rapture, but, that we are raised up at the end of the Tribulation.

Armstrong uses John 6:39, 40, 44, and 54 to say that Jesus mentions 4 times we will be raised up on the last day. This is true, but not the way Mr Armstrong was hoping in his ramble. Jesus referred to himself first, as He was raised after His last day, on earth. His dying to this world. He was not revealing end time prophecy, he was explaining we will be with the Father, just as he would be with the Father, when we die.

Armstrong then goes on to use Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. This is what most post-Trib believers rely on. In Paul's first letter, he tells the Thessalonians the coming of he Lord is at hand. When Paul found out they had quit working and expected Jesus to return any second, he scrambled to get off the next letter when he was in Corinth. Paul was troubled that they misunderstood, and wanted to assure them certain signs first had to be fulfilled. He explained that when those days come we are with the Lord and the evil one will be revealed. There was never expressed proof, one way or another, of Paul stipulating a timeline or sequence of events.

Jesus does not even know when He will return. If we knew our rapture was at the end of the seven year reign of the Antichrist, would we not have one up on Jesus? Is God playing us for favorites? Instead, It is told over and over, He will come like a thief in the night. Two will be in the field, one will be taken, and one left behind. If it is the final judgement day and all hell is breaking lose on earth, why oh why would people be working in a field? Why would one be left. Is there another shuttle coming for the second one?

When Jesus returns, He will not walk among us and see how we feel about life. The Heavens will open and all His enemies will be crushed and that will be the end of the world as the heathens knew it. Now, we will RETURN, with the Lord forever, in a new earth. Why would we return to reign on the new earth unless we were already gone? The Lord does not want us to know of when he will take His elected to be with Him until we RETURN after the great judgement. He wants that we are always ready.

The very last paragraph of Armstrong's babbling article states he knows when our Lord is returning. Yep! That pretty much killed his argument. But, I still was fascinated what compels these people to believe we are already in a Tribulation. I know, with some it is to sell their wares on skeptic or unknowing victims. Then I found Mr Armstrong's attack on the Left Behind movie, which he seems to hold Kirk Cameron personally responsible.

I will recite his ridiculous message, exact, so you can determine...

.__"Left Behind" Lets take a hypothetical situation
where the pre-trib rapture happens and we are on the "Glory
train" going to heaven. Most of us will have loved ones that are
"left behind", and assuming they survived the mass killing that
takes place at the pre-trib rapture, (cars and planes crashing, etc.) are we really going to be happy, while family and friends are in these dark times facing the anti Christ? And facing him with limited knowledge of end time events, and fall for his deception and be forever lost, when instead we could be there guiding them, doing what the church was built for.

Yes, Mr Armstrong, that exactly what it means. and that is why instead of wasting time luring people in the wrong direction... go get them saved; convince them of the need to be prepared, or, what makes you think you will be leaving them behind? If I were you, I would pray my pilot is a heathen, also. It is agreed, there is no definite proof in the Bible pointing to either a pre-trib or a post-trib rapture. There are even some whom believe in a mid-trib rapture. I will rely on what I know, and what so many Theologians and Biblical scholars rely on.

Rev 3:10, Because you have kept my Word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole earth.