Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

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ZNP

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There is a false doctrine called Preterism. According to this doctrine all the prophecies in Revelation that we see referring to the future they say were accomplished in 70 AD. In order to do that they must fly in the face of all Biblical scholarship which puts the book of Revelation being written around 95 AD, about 25 years after 70 AD. Because of that I am addressing the evidence that the book of Revelation is written in 95 AD and not in 68 AD which is what Preterism has to teach.

Basis for saying Revelation was written around 95 AD

Irenaeus
Irenaeus (A.D. 180), a student of Polycarp (who was a disciple of the apostle John), wrote that the apocalyptic vision “was seen not very long ago, almost in our own generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian” (Against Heresies 30). The testimony of Irenaeus, not far removed from the apostolic age, is first rate. He places the book near the end of Domitian’s reign, and that ruler died in A.D. 96. Irenaeus seems to be unaware of any other view for the date of the book of Revelation.

Clement of Alexandria
Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 155-215) says that John returned from the isle of Patmos “after the tyrant was dead” (Who Is the Rich Man? 42), and Eusebius, known as the “Father of Church History,” identifies the “tyrant” as Domitian (Ecclesiastical History III.23).

Even Moses Stuart, America’s most prominent preterist, admitted that the “tyrant here meant is probably Domitian.” Within this narrative, Clement further speaks of John as an “old man.” If Revelation was written prior to A.D. 70, it would scarcely seem appropriate to refer to John as an old man, since he would only have been in his early sixties at this time.

Victorinus
Victorinus (late third century), author of the earliest commentary on the book of Revelation, wrote:
When John said these things, he was in the island of Patmos, condemned to the mines by Caesar Domitian. There he saw the Apocalypse; and when at length grown old, he thought that he should receive his release by suffering; but Domitian being killed, he was liberated (Commentary on Revelation 10:11).
Jerome
Jerome (A.D. 340-420) said,
In the fourteenth then after Nero, Domitian having raised up a second persecution, he [John] was banished to the island of Patmos, and wrote the Apocalypse (Lives of Illustrious Men 9).
To all of this may be added the comment of Eusebius, who contends that the historical tradition of his time (A.D. 324) placed the writing of the Apocalypse at the close of Domitian’s reign (III.18). McClintock and Strong, in contending for the later date, declare that “there is no mention in any writer of the first three centuries of any other time or place” (1969, 1064). Upon the basis of external evidence, therefore, there is little contest between the earlier and later dates.

https://christiancourier.com/articles/when-was-the-book-of-revelation-written
 

ZNP

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Basis for saying Revelation was written around 95 AD (part 2)

Internal Evidence
The contents of the book of Revelation also suggest a late date, as the following observations indicate.

The spiritual conditions of the churches described in Revelation chapters two and three more readily harmonize with the late date.

The church in Ephesus, for instance, was not founded by Paul until the latter part of Claudius’s reign: and when he wrote to them from Rome, A.D. 61, instead of reproving them for any want of love, he commends their love and faith (Eph. 1:15) (Horne 1841, 382).

Yet, when Revelation was written, in spite of the fact that the Ephesians had been patient (2:2), they had also left their first love (v. 4), and this would seem to require a greater length of time than seven or eight years, as suggested by the early date.

Another internal evidence of a late date is that this book was penned while John was banished to Patmos (1:9). It is well known that Domitian had a fondness for this type of persecution. If, however, this persecution is dated in the time of Nero, how does one account for the fact that Peter and Paul are murdered, yet John is only exiled to an island? (Eusebius III.18; II.25).

Then consider this fact. The church at Laodicea is represented as existing under conditions of great wealth. She was rich and had need of nothing (3:17). In A.D. 60, though, Laodicea had been almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake. Surely it would have required more than eight or nine years for that city to have risen again to the state of affluence described in Revelation.

The doctrinal departures described in Revelation would appear to better fit the later dating. For example, the Nicolaitans (2:6, 15) were a full-fledged sect at the time of John’s writing, whereas they had only been hinted at in general terms in 2 Peter and Jude, which were written possibly around A.D. 65-66.

Persecution for professing the Christian faith is evidenced in those early letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. For instance, Antipas had been killed in Pergamum (2:13). It is generally agreed among scholars, however, that Nero’s persecution was mostly confined to Rome; further, it was not for religious reasons (Harrison 1964, 446).

https://christiancourier.com/articles/when-was-the-book-of-revelation-written


Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Why would the great city of Jerusalem be called (past tense) Sodom? This suggests that the book was written after 70 AD and not before it.
 

ZNP

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Basis for saying Revelation was written around 95 AD (part 3)

The main reason they claim it was written at the time of Nero before 70 AD

Nero Associated with 666
Some argue for an early date of the Apocalypse by asserting that the enigmatic 666 (13:18) is a reference to Nero. This is possible only by pursuing the most irresponsible form of exegesis.

To come up with such an interpretation one must:

  1. add the title “Caesar” to Nero’s name;
  2. compute the letter-number arrangement on the basis of Hebrew, whereas the book was written in Greek; and
  3. alter the spelling of “Caesar” by dropping the yodh in the Hebrew.
All of this reveals a truly desperate attempt to find a reference to Nero in the text.

Additionally, Leon Morris has pointed out that Irenaeus discussed a number of possibilities for deciphering the 666, but he did not even include Nero in his list, let alone regard this as a likely conjecture (1980, 38). Noted critic Theodor Zahn observed that Nero was not even suggested as a possibility until the year 1831 (447).

https://christiancourier.com/articles/when-was-the-book-of-revelation-written
 

ZNP

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This has good information about the Bible and the feast of new wine. His theory, which I agree with, is that Pentecost if 50 days after Shavuot. Currently Christians celebrate Pentecost on Shavuot, but if these feast days are a shadow of things to come (Paul said this in Colossians) then it is important to know when it is.

However, I want to warn you, he is pushing a phone interpretation because he subscribes to a bogus doctrine. He says that when Moses breaks the two tablets (this would have been on Pentecost) that this represents the Old Covenant being broken by Jesus. That is bogus, Jesus did not break the Old Covenant, He fulfilled it. That is a very big difference. The reason he would say something so blatantly false is because he subscribes to the doctrine that everyone who is saved and a member of the church will be raptured prior to the tribulation. In order to do that there is a very long list of verses that need to be changed. The word for apostasy is not Harpazo, the word we associate with rapture. The first time it is used is to talk about the Jews departing from the faith that was delivered by Moses. The word clearly means to depart from the faith, but many don't want to understand it that way because in their mind, if you pray to be saved by Jesus and washed in His blood then you are saved once and for all regardless of how you are living for the next 20,30 or 40 years and if you are "saved" then you will be raptured prior to the tribulation. Totally bogus. Saved by the blood of Jesus means you will not go to hell. In order to be raptured we are instructed to pray that we would be found worthy to escape. Your salvation has nothing to do with you being worthy, it has to do with Jesus' blood and His righteousness. However, to be found worthy to escape, a clear reference to the rapture, you must be found worthy. It is absurd to try and twist to that to pray that the Lord's blood would be found worthy.

This is repeated throughout the Bible. The 12 spies returned from the land and gave their report on the day of Pentecost (new wine). Two gave a good report, ten gave an evil report. As a result all the adults (except for those two) died in the wilderness and did not enter into the good land. Again, and again, and again the picture of the 8th and 9th of Av is a separating of the wheat from the tares. The good and faithful servants from the wicked ones who eat and drink with the drunken, the foolish ones who depend on others to bring the oil, and the slothful ones who have buried their talent.

I share this because it is relevant to the rapture and it is Bible based. I have said repeatedly I am not the arbiter of the truth. You are required to discern. However, I don't think this doctrine is that dangerous. Many will be left behind and when that happens they will then be clear that they were lied to about OSAS. You can be saved from hell but not get any reward in heaven and not be found worthy to avoid the wrath that is to come.


New Wine Time - With Dr Barry Awe
 

ZNP

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PROVOKE ME TO ANGER

Jeremiah 11:17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

My son, WHY DO MY CHILDREN PROVOKE ME TO ANGER? Have they not known that My love is everlasting? Yet, they have not come to know Me - but to just know about Me. My children who think they worship Me - do not. They worship man and all that he provides. My children have embraced the world and all of its fleshly pleasures.

My son, men have not changed - they still run toward evil and flee from righteousness. They have embraced the deviants of this world and call them acceptable - just as in Lot's time and city. Now, My children, who are called to separate themselves from the world, have joined them hand-in-hand, saying ALL THINGS are acceptable. I will destroy this nation - just as I did with the cities of the plain. Because you have embraced evil and PROVOKED ME TO ANGER, I will rain fire down from heaven on this nation. I have raised up enemies that will go throughout the land and slaughter those who have worshipped at the altar of Baal. Think NOT that you can escape My fury because you have been told that this nation is untouchable. Know now, My hand is no longer upon this land. THUS SAITH THE LORD - YOU HAVE RAISED THE SWORD AGAINST EVERY NATION! YOU HAVE ALLOWED THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENT! YOU HAVE EMBRACED EVERY VILE SIN OF THE FLESH AND CELEBRATE IT! I HAVE NOW REMOVED THE CANDLE FROM THIS NATION. DARKNESS WILL GROW DARKER. VIOLENCE WILL BE MORE VIOLENT AND MUCH MORE ACCELLERATED. PERVERSON WILL BE NORMAL - AND HOLINESS A CRIME. YOU HAVE PROVOKED ME TO ANGER WITH YOUR PRETEND WORSHIP AND SELF-GLORIFYING PRAYERS. I HAVE RAISED UP A HORNETS' NEST AND BROKEN IT OVER YOUR NATION. THE ENEMIES YOU FEAR ARE NOW WITHIN YOUR CITIES AND TOWNS. PREPARE!! FOR BLOODSHED WILL COVER THE LAND - AND MANY, MANY, MANY DEATHS WILL OCCUR. YOUR MONEY WILL BE WORTHLESS. YOUR HOMES WILL BE DESTROYED. YOUR FOOD WILL BE RENDERED NO GOOD. AND YOUR TIME TO REPENT HAS RUN OUT.

My son, SAY NOT to these people to turn from your evil ways! THEY WILL NOT LISTEN! SAY NOT to REPENT! For they say, We have done NOTHING TO REPENT FOR! Just as the man they elected and support says. YOU HAVE PROVOKED ME TO ANGER. NOW MY FURY IS KINDLED. BE READY!

Shalom, The Father