The Rapture Question: A Critique of Dispensational Futurism
QUESTION:
What about the rapture? I have been reading through the years a lot of books which all talk from a dispensationalist/futurist view. It is hard for me to understand how to understand the bible-prophecies from your viewpoint. What are the consequences for my belief? I understand there will be NO rapture, right? What does: 2 Thessalonians 2:6 – 7 mean: 6”And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” Someone/thing is holding back the eruption of lawlessness. I have always been taught that is the Holy Spirit, who lives inside believers, in the church of Jesus Christ. And the church will be taken away and that Anti-Christ has full control on the earth. Can you teach me more about the end-times, from your point of view? I am very interested. Thank you very much for your time. Hope to hear from you soon, Robert.
ANSWER:
Perusing many of the articles on our website will clarify our beliefs and strengthen your faith as a Christian. Concerning dispensationalism, it is a latter-day (circa 1830) invention that really does not fit the Scriptures. See particularly our article, “Daniel’s 70 Weeks” on our website at www.israelite.ca. For example, no matter what calendar is used, whether solar, lunar, or any other combination, dispensationalists have been unable to make the first 69 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy fit the Scriptures so that they can “cut off” the 70th week and float it off to the end of the age. The 70 weeks of Daniel are actually an undivided 490 years from the command to restore Jerusalem in 458 B.C. to the crucifixion of Christ in 33 A.D. (Note that there is no year “0” in calendar dating, so 1 B.C. is followed by 1 A.D.) This perfectly fits other Scripture time cycles, as shown in our book, “The Story Of Celto-Saxon Israel,” especially pages 47 to 56.
Regarding the rapture, we here do not say that there is no rapture of the church, but that it is not a rapture to heaven. We are to reign on earth (Psa. 115:16; Rev. 3:12; 5:10). When a dignatary comes to visit, the leading citizens go out to meet him and escort him into the community. This is old, established custom showing honor to the guest. The citizens do not meet the guest and let him take them home with him!
We recommend that you visit the website www.historicist.com and read the many good articles on the subject of the endtimes. The rapture question, rise of anti-Christ (including 2 Thess), and other articles on the end-times will absorb your interest for hours learning more about this subject. The website is run by a fine Anglo-Israel believer known to us, and you will find some good articles on the identification of Israel on the site as well. (see his site search index)
You touched on a key point of identification: Israel is a Spiritual-physical people, not just one or the other, nor can Spiritual Israel be a different people than physical Israel.
May God’s blessings be upon you as you grow in knowledge concerning these things.
