Understanding the End Times - Introduction

For 2,000 years, Christians have been expecting the “the last days,” “the end of days,” and “the end of the age.” Even Christ’s own disciples lingered on the Mount of Olives for awhile after his ascension, as if expecting him to turn around and come right back. Since that time, every new war, outbreak of disease, upheaval in the church, an unprecedented social trend, has brought with it a renewed flood of speculation about the end.

I grew up in the heyday of the imminent pretribulation rapture movement, when books like The Great Late Planet Earth and speakers like Jerry Falwell and Hal Lindsey had many believers thinking that the end of the world was right around the corner. I remember some pastors teaching that, at virtually any time, the United States would be taken over by a communist dictatorship and Christians would be herded off to concentration camps. I was an anxious kid, and my mind often turned to end-time scenarios as preachers and Bible teachers I heard commented on items in the news. I also struggled with assurance of salvation issues, and our church taught that if you weren’t taken in the rapture you had forfeited your chance for salvation. As you might imagine, these two elements made for an interesting mental mixture at times.

I remember an occasion when my parents went out and were several hours later coming back than they had said they would be (remember that this was the era before cell phones). Meanwhile, a terrible thunderstorm broke out, turning the sky an ugly yellow color. I was filled with a very real dread that the rapture may have happened and I had been left behind. Close to a state of panic, I called my pastor (who I was reasonably sure was a saved person, if anyone was), just to see whether he would answer the phone. He did, and my blood pressure slowly returned to normal. Meanwhile, I’m sure he was confused as to why a kid who had been attending the church longer than he had would suddenly call and ask to verify the Wednesday night service time…

It’s interesting now to look back on all of the failed rapture/second coming/end time predictions now (anyone remember 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988? – check out the reviews on Amazon for some interesting commentary). Prophecy teachers who thought they had everything figured out turned out to be totally wrong. For instance, none of them predicted the collapse of the Soviet Union. Undaunted by this miserable track record, however, more prophecy teachers have since arisen with brand new theories or tweaked variations on the old ones, and more embarrassments have resulted (the Harold Camping/Family Radio debacle in 2011 being a particularly prominent and unfortunate one).

The newest end-time theory I’ve seen relies on a teaching that was common in the early church, namely that the six creation days of Genesis represent six successive 1,000-year ages of human history, with the seventh day representing the Millennial Reign of Christ. According to this theory, 2032 will mark the end of the sixth age and the beginning of the seventh, as it is generally believed that Christ died in AD 32. Pretribulationists who hold to this theory are now speculating that the rapture will take place in the fall of 2025, likely coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Further, they speculate that the near-earth asteroid Apophis (scheduled to make a close flyby of the earth in 2029) is the “Wormwood” object referenced in Revelation. This Wormwood connection is fueled, not only by the fact that 2029 is midway between 2025 and 2032, but also by the fact that Apophis is the Greek name for the Egyptian serpent demon Apep, who was seen as a god of chaos and destruction. Pretribulationists are not the only ones looking at these dates, however. I also know of one posttribulationist group that is also interested in this timeline, as they place a heavy emphasis on the teachings of the early church fathers.

So…what about it? What do we really know about the biblical End of Days?

This has been an area of interest and study for me for quite some time. I’ve written articles and made videos on various aspects of the subject, and used to frequently discuss and debate it online. My intention here is to write a series of posts touching on various aspects of the End Times question, with the goal of passing along what I’ve learned. I don’t pretend to have everything figured out, by any means, but I do believe I have a much clearer understanding of biblical eschatology (End Times studies) than I used to. Further, I have found that these understandings dovetail nicely with the broader tapestry of biblical teaching.

I pray that at least some of you will find these studies of use, and that the Lord will receive glory as I try to share what I believe he has taught me.

The Rapture and the Church in Revelation, Part Five: Who are the Heaven-Dwellers?

This is part five in a series of articles examining pretribulationist arguments concerning the church in the book of Revelation as put forth by Dr. Robert Gromacki. See previous installments at the following links:

Part One: The Missing Church
Part Two: The Chronology of Revelation

Part Three: Who are the Twenty-four Elders?
Part Four: "Whoever has Ears to Hear..."

The “Heaven-Dwellers”

Gromacki writes:

The beast, that great political-military leader of the end time, will open his mouth “in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:6 NKJV). Who are these heaven-dwellers? They are contrasted with earth-dwellers (12:12; 13:8, 14). The earth-dwellers are both human and unsaved. Thus the heaven-dwellers appear to be human and saved. The verb “dwell” (skenountas) is the same word used for Jesus Christ’s incarnation: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14 NKJV). A similar word (skenos) is used to describe the believer’s present body as a “tent” (2 Cor. 5:1, 4). The verb (“to dwell”) or the noun (“tent”) is never used of angelic activities or bodies.

Gromacki’s exegesis is another example of theological confirmation bias in operation.

Were the rapture not an issue here, I doubt that Gromacki would have any issue whatsoever with the concept that angels “dwell in heaven.” No, the Bible does not specifically use those words, but it is nonetheless clear in scripture that they come from heaven, that it is their home as much as Earth is humanity’s home. They are referred to a number of times in scripture as “the host of heaven” and “the heavenly host” (I Kings 22:19, II Chronicles 18:18, Luke 2:13). To argue that angels should not be considered “heaven-dwellers” is really rather extraordinary, and seems forced upon this passage as a means of creating another artificial comparison/contrast to support pretribulationism.

In fact, Gromacki is setting up a direct parallelism that is not supported by the text. Note how he does this:

“The earth-dwellers are both human and unsaved.” – So far, so good. This is a natural assumption from the text. Humans dwell on the earth and those who are blaspheming against heaven cannot be saved individuals.[1]

“Thus the heaven-dwellers appear to be human and saved.” – Here is the false comparison. Simply because we’re dealing with humans on earth, why should we automatically assume that we’re dealing with humans in heaven, especially given that they do not naturally dwell there? Gromacki makes this assumption because he believes that they have been transported there by a pretribulation rapture, but it’s important to note that the text neither states nor even implies such.

This is undoubtedly why Gromakci focuses on the Greek word translated as “dwell” (skenoo/skenountas). His comments indicate that he sees this word as implying a temporary state of affairs, as in the believer’s temporary mortal body and Christ’s temporarily dwelling among men.[2] Pretribulationists would see this as significant given that their theology places the church in heaven for a period of seven years, after which it returns to the earth with Christ. Thus, they would see the “tent” reference as an appropriate comparison to the church’s temporary stay in heaven during the Great Tribulation period.

Strong’s defines skenoo/skenountas as meaning: “to tent or encamp, i.e. (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specially) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion):—dwell.” The term appears five times in the New Testament, once in the gospel of John (John 1:14, as Gromakci states), and four times in Revelation. Here are its occurrences in Revelation:

• “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle [dwelling] over them.” – Revelation 7:15. This is a reference to the great multitude that comes out of the Great Tribulation. The KJV and NKJV render “spread His tabernacle over them” as “dwell among them.” Other translations, including the NIV, NLT, and ESV render this as “shelter them” or “shelter them with his presence.” The context and various related passages make it clear that this dwelling, tabernacling, or sheltering will be a permanent state of affairs.

• “For this reason, rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” – Revelation 12:12. Most translations render skenoo/skenountas here as “dwell,” although the NET Bible renders it “reside.” The context is the aftermath of a war in heaven, in which John saw Satan and his angels defeated and cast down to the earth. John describes a proclamation coming out of heaven in celebration of the fact that Satan can no longer accuse the saints before God as he once did, and that the saints have overcome him. It is then that the call for rejoicing goes forth. This call makes much more sense in an angelic than human context here, as it was the angels who defeated Satan and his forces.

• “And he [the Beast] opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His Name, and His Tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.” – Revelation 13:6. This is the verse Gromacki quoted.

• “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4. As with Revelation 7:15, this tabernacling or dwelling of God among men is promised as a permanent state of affairs.

The uses of skenoo/skenountas in these examples (including from John 1),[3] strongly relate to the idea of dwelling in the manifest presence of God. In considering this, I’m reminded of what Jesus says in Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Here we have a contrast drawn between angels and men by Christ himself, and a corresponding reminder that angels are heavenly beings.

We see another particularly interesting reminder of this in Jude 1:6, where Jude refers to the judgment of angels: “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He [God] has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” The word “abode” is translated from the Greek term oiketerion. Strong’s defines this word as meaning “a residence (literally or figuratively):—habitation, house.” Vines Expository Dictionary comments on it as follows: “a habitation” (from oiketer, “an inhabitant,” and oikos, “a dwelling”), is used in Jude 1:6, of the heavenly region appointed by God as the dwelling place of angels.” Here the Bible tells us plainly that angels are specifically appointed to live in the heavens. By this token, there is a substantial burden of proof required to argue that we should not naturally assume a reference to “heaven-dwellers” to mean humans, who were not created to live in heaven, rather than angels, who most certainly were created to live in heaven. In my opinion, Gromacki’s evidence does not meet that burden of proof.

Of further interest on this topic, the revelation makes numerous mentions to God, Christ, and the tabernacle of God coming to earth from heaven, but beyond the two witnesses being taken up following their resurrection (see Revelation 11:1-13), it says nothing whatsoever about humans going to heaven.[4] Note the following references:

• “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…” – Revelation 1:7
• “I am coming quickly…” – Revelation 3:11
• “Behold, I am coming like a thief…” –Revelation 16:15
• “And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war…and the armies which are in heaven…were following Him.” – Revelation 19:11, 14
• “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…” – Revelation 21:2-3
• “And, behold, I am coming quickly…” – Revelation 22:7
• “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” – Revelation 22:12
• “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” – Revelation 22:20

These repeated references to God coming to dwell among men hearken back strongly to the kingdom preaching of Christ and his apostles, and in particular to the kingdom parables in the gospels. According to these consistent witnesses from scripture, the believer’s expectation is “the coming,” whereas pretribulationists have turned that expectation into “the going.”

For one last consideration on this subject of the “heaven-dwellers,” let’s take a look at the word translated “blaspheme” in Revelation 13:6, where we are told that the Beast blasphemes against them. In this instance, “blaspheme” is translated from the Greek word blasphemeo, which appears numerous times in scripture and, on a few occasions, is translated as “slandering,” “evil speaking,” “railing,” “hurling abuse,” and related terms. Strong’s defines as it as meaning: “to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme, to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at.” It is usually associated with evil speech directed toward God, but there are exceptions to this.

In II Peter 2:10-11, the apostle Peter provides us with some of the characteristics of those who will fall under God’s judgment:

“Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile [blasphemeo] angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling [blasphemos] judgment against them before the Lord.”

Here is a clear witness from scripture that it is possible to “blaspheme” against angels. It is also possible to blaspheme (speak evil against) men, however, as II Peter 2:11 indicates in the above quotation,[5] so the use of the term does not rule out the presence of humans in heaven in the context of Revelation 13:7. That said, however, the Beast has more of an evident motive to blaspheme against angels than against humans.

Think back to the three angels that John sees flying in mid-heaven in Revelation 14:6-7, and 9-12. These angels proclaim the gospel, encourage the saints, and prophesy divine wrath against the Beast and his followers. They are openly challenging the Beast and proclaiming the message of God, thus furnishing the Beast with a tremendous incentive for blaspheming against them as he also rails against God. By contrast, if there are humans in heaven at this time, Revelation does not tell us of anything they might be doing that would draw the open ire of the Beast. In my view, this is yet more evidence that the “heaven-dwellers” are indeed angels and not human beings.

* All scriptures are taken from the NASB.
** If you enjoyed this article and would like to support the author so that he can create more such content, you can donate via PayPal to rhawes73@gmail.com (or send an email to this address if you would like to donate some other way). Thank you for your support!

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[1] We should be careful to note here that, like other such references in scripture (see Luke 2:1), this does not literally refer to every single individual on planet Earth, but rather, to what is characteristic of the majority of people at the time. Even pretribulationists acknowledge that there will be saved individuals on earth at the time, although they insist that these people will not be part of the church.

[2] While it may seem that I’m nitpicking here, Gromacki’s reference to the incarnation is another example among several we’ve seen in this study as to his lack of careful exegesis. In the phrase, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” the words that refer to the incarnation are “the Word became flesh,” and these are translated from the Greek words logos sarx ginomai. The phrase “and dwelt among us” does not refer to the incarnation; it refers to the posture Christ assumed with respect to humanity after his incarnation. He was “made flesh” and dwelt among beings of flesh. Thus, skenountas, “to dwell,” does not refer to the incarnation—the taking on of flesh—at all. Further, the incarnation does not help Gromacki’s case because it was not a temporary state of affairs. Scripture is clear that Christ continues in the flesh (see Luke 24:38-40, 1 John 4:2), although his is a glorified, immortal body.

[3] One of Christ’s titles is “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.”

[4] John being “caught up” in Revelation 4 is not part of the revelation, and, as noted previously, likely did not take place physically. I’m talking about the revelation itself here, as opposed to the Book of Revelation.

[5] For another example, see Acts 6:11.

The Rapture and the Church in Revelation, Part Four: "Whoever has Ears to Hear..."

This is part four in a series of articles examining pretribulationist arguments concerning the church in the book of Revelation as put forth by Dr. Robert Gromacki. See previous installments at the following links:

Part One: The Missing Church
Part Two: The Chronology of Revelation

Part Three: Who are the Twenty-four Elders?

"Whoever has Ears to Hear..."

Dr. Gromacki observes the following:

All seven letters to the churches end with this admonition by Christ: ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (NKJv) Each individual person in each individual local church was to hear and apply the truth that Christ gave to all of the local churches. For example, a believer in the church at Ephesus could profit spiritually from what the Savior said to the churches at Pergamos or at Philadelphia

Gromacki goes on to point out an apparent inconsistency in the use of this terminology after the rise of the Antichrist:

[In Revelation 13:8] John recorded this truth about him: ‘All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’... At this point, John records the warning: ‘if anyone has an ear, let him hear’ (13:9). Period! There is no mention of “saying to the churches,” a phrase which is repeated seven times in the seven letters. If the previously mentioned churches (Rev. 1-3) could possibly be in the seven-year period to face the wrath of the beast, then why wasn’t the admonition addressed to them? The obvious answer is that they won’t be on earth at that time. There is mention of “saints” in the context (13:7,10). These saints, however, are those who get saved during the seven years after the true church has been taken into heaven.

As you can see, Gromacki insists that the saints who are referenced in Revelation 13 are not of the church but belong to a separate class of individuals who will become believers during the Great Tribulation. He states this as if it were an indisputable fact, but in reality it’s an assumption. Gromacki considers a pre-tribulation rapture of the church to be a fact; therefore, he must account for the presence of saints on the earth following the rapture. The only way to do so is to invent a new category of believers: hence, “tribulation saints.” As I’ve already pointed out, however, the term “saints” is applied to believers of the church throughout the New Testament and is carried over, without qualification, into the book of Revelation. Why should we assume that it must mean something entirely different in Revelation than it means everywhere else it’s used in the New Testament? Gromacki isn’t proving anything here; he’s simply restating his assumptions.

Remember what we have already seen in regard to how the structure of the book of Revelation changes between chapters 3 and 22. The churches are directly addressed as local congregations in chapters 2 and 3, whereas “the saints” (the holy, consecrated ones) are mentioned afterward because believers will not overcome the Antichrist as local congregations but as individuals, and it is clear that not all of those in the seven churches were holy, consecrated, and ready to be overcomers. Indeed, it is unlikely that church congregations will even be able to assemble once persecution begins in earnest and some believers turn on others, as Jesus warned us they will (Matthew 24:9-11).

Now let’s go back and look at Revelation 13:9 in context:

“It was also given to him [the Beast] to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.” – Revelation 13:7, 9-10

I think it likely that this admonition may not apply solely to the saints—those who already know the Lord; it may also be an admonition to those who are coming to faith at the time, letting them know that they will be expected to stand firm against the Beast in Christ’s service. This idea is supported by the angelic messages we see in the very next chapter.

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” – Revelation 14:6-7

A second angel follows, proclaiming the fall of “Babylon the great,” and then a third angel comes bearing this message:

“Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’ Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” – Revelation 14:9-12

Note how John tells us that the first angel is preaching the gospel message to all of mankind with a loud voice. Two more angels then follow, also making proclamations—the third with a loud voice, just like the first. The audience does not appear to change between these angelic proclamations. Note also how the proclamation of the third angel is so similar in its content to what we see in Revelation 13, including how it ends in such a similar manner:

“Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.” – Revelation 13:10

“Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” – Revelation 14:12

Both passages are painting the same picture: The Beast will be given power to make war on God’s people and will kill many of them. He will rule over all who accept his mark and worship his image, and anyone inclined to do so is warned that they will suffer the wrath of God in its full fury. The saints, on the other hand, must keep their faith in Christ and obey the commandments of God even to the point of death. These are general proclamations to all of mankind, but only those “with ears to hear” will receive them.

As you think on this, reflect on how Christ taught the multitudes during his ministry. While he taught all who came to him, he knew that not all would keep and apply his teachings, which is why he continually said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Those who truly “hear” are those who take heed to what Christ has to say and continually put it into practice. These individuals constitute the “good soil” described in the Parable of the Sower:

“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” – Luke 8:15

In Revelation, as in the gospels, the warnings and admonitions are a type of seed being sown with the good soil in mind, as it is only the good soil that will benefit the kingdom, bearing fruit “with perseverance.”

The warning concerning perseverance is also consistent with Christ’s admonition that anyone who wants to come to him must “count the cost” of discipleship:

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? – Luke 14:27-31

As a dispensational pretribulationist, Dr. Gromacki believes that the church will already be complete by the time the Great Tribulation begins, but posttribulationists believe that the church will continue to be built right up until the second coming and that all saints are part of the same bride of the Lamb. The term “church” is translated from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning “a called-out assembly.” Here, in Revelation chapters 13 and 14,[1] we see that the “calling out” continues, and on the same basis as it has since Christ first began building his church: with an appeal to those “who have ears to hear” to heed his word and continue in it to the end, even upon pain of death. In Revelation chapter 6, we see a great multitude that is said to have come out of the Great Tribulation and is described in terms that are very much in line with the promises made to the churches in chapters 2 and 3.

Only by reading doctrinal assumptions into scripture can one justify separating these so-called “tribulation saints” from the called-out assembly of Jesus Christ.

Click here for part five.

* All scriptures are taken from the NASB.
** If you enjoyed this article and would like to support the author so that he can create more such content, you can donate via PayPal to rhawes73@gmail.com (or send an email to this address if you would like to donate some other way). Thank you for your support!

*** Click here to visit my YouTube channel.

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[1] Also see Revelation 18:4 – “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues.’”

Is the Doctrine of Imminence Biblical?

The doctrine of imminence - meaning that Jesus could return for his church at any moment - is very popular today, but is it biblical?

In this video, I examine pre-tribulationist arguments in defense of imminence as offered by Renald Showers, Thomas Ice, and John Walvoord. The following points are addressed from the scriptures in detail:

Part One: Are there any biblical events that must precede the rapture of the church?

Part Two: The Prophecy of Peter's Martyrdom

Part Three: Did James teach imminence in chapter 5 of his epistle when he declared "The coming of the Lord is near" and "the judge is standing right at the door"?

Part Four: Does the early Christian saying "Maranatha!" imply imminence? What does the term mean and why does Paul use it in 1 Corinthians 16?

Part Five: Was the church at Thessalonica expecting an imminent rapture?

* If you enjoyed this presentation and would like to support the author so that he can create more such content, you can donate via PayPal to rhawes73@gmail.com (or send an email to this address if you would like to donate some other way). Thank you for your support!

** Click here to visit my YouTube channel.

Matthew 24 and the Rapture Debate, Part Two: The Rapture as a 'Mystery' revealed by Paul

The second video in my series on Matthew 24 and the rapture debate focuses on the pre-tribulationist argument that the coming of Matthew 24:29-31 cannot be the rapture because Jesus was relying on Old Testament prophecies for his teaching and the rapture is a New Testament "mystery" never revealed in the Old Testament.

Most pre-tribulationists that I've heard who hold to this belief argue that Paul first revealed the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15. I break this position down in two ways: 1) Examining what a biblical "mystery" is and how the rapture fits in with that, and 2) Demonstrating why the 1 Corinthians 15 argument ends up unraveling.

* If you enjoyed this presentation and would like to support the author so that he can create more such content, you can donate via PayPal to rhawes73@gmail.com (or send an email to this address if you would like to donate some other way). Thank you for your support!

** Click here to visit my YouTube channel.

Matthew 24 and the Rapture Debate, Part One: The Unknown Day and Hour

This video addresses two issues with regard to Matthew 24 and the rapture/second coming of Christ:

1) Should Matthew 24:36 be used with regard to the timing of the rapture?

2) Pre-tribulationists (appealing to Matthew 24:36 and the timing of the Abomination of Desolation) insist that post-tribulationists contradict Jesus when they maintain that the rapture and the second coming are one and the same event. Is this an accurate criticism? I answer this charge from the post-trib perspective.

* If you enjoyed this article and would like to support the author so that he can create more such content, you can donate via PayPal to rhawes73@gmail.com (or send an email to this address if you would like to donate some other way). Thank you for your support!

** Click here to visit my YouTube channel.

Did Jesus Really Say He Was "Coming Soon"?

"Jesus is coming soon!" is a common expression in the evangelical church; but given that it has been 2,000 years since He left, skeptics frequently throw this expression out and ask "What gives?" Even stand-up comics sometimes use this in their routines to make fun of Christians and the Bible.

So what's going on? Is the Bible wrong? Is the Second Coming of Christ just another empty religious prophecy? Or is there another answer?

Walter Martin on the Church and the Tribulation

The late, great Dr. Walter Martin on the church and the Great Tribulation: