April 12, 2007

Another Prewrath Story...

Al Hotchkiss says,

It was church summer camp in Colorado and I was 12 years old. The speaker that afternoon shared with us the promise that, as Christians, we would be taken up to meet the Lord in the air when he came back to earth. Well, I was not about to be the only kid left behind if Jesus decided to return that night or even the next day. As I sat among the trees, I made the decision to ask Christ into my life and to make him my Savior.

It was suggested that we select a verse that would best characterize our heart and our relationship with Jesus. The rapture of the church was at the forefront of my mind and so I chose I Thessalonians 4:17 as the verse for my life. I had no idea at the time that the rapture and eschatology would become a lifelong interest.

The Evangelical Free Church raised me to believe that we will be ‘in the mezzanine watching’ when the ‘tribulation period’ begins. In order to pass the Bible Instruction Class, I of course, never questioned what I was being taught. It seemed to make sense that God would not allow us to experience his wrath and the tribulation period was definitely a time of wrath. In fact it was quite comforting to take that position. Looking back I now realize that scripture never promises us that we will not experience tribulation. In fact, Paul actually teaches us that we will experience tribulation and that we are better for the experience. Romans 5:3

Fast forward to dinner one night with friends, the subject of the end times and specifically the timing of the Rapture came up in the conversation. There were a number of questions that were raised that night and I found myself struggling to justify the beliefs that I had been taught. It was strange to hear myself say things out loud and then have my brain say ‘Wait a minute, that doesn’t really make sense based on what you said two minutes ago.’

The host of the dinner party that night shared with me a book that he had recently read and found to be very interesting. It was The PreWrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal. The host was not sure that he bought into this different approach but he definitely found it interesting.

I took the book home and devoured the information that Rosenthal presented. Once I finished reading the book, I immediately re-read it with my Bible open beside me. It was very thrilling to see verses of scripture brought to light and revealing what God has told us will take place at ‘His second coming and the end of the age’. Even more significant was that none of the timing was forced. I have always felt that there are key issues with Pre-Trib where the proponents tend to force their point even though serious questions still remained unanswered.

There was no turning back for me after the third time thru the book. I finally had scriptural answers to my questions that came together effortlessly. I no longer had the warm fuzzy reassurance that Pre-Trib offers, in that I will not be in the mezzanine watching as the seals of Revelation are being opened. However, I do still have the reassurance that I will be kept from the wrath of God. After all, famine, war and pestilence are all events that Christians have endured over the centuries. It is the events that start with the first trumpet that are truly frightening.

God has allowed me a number of great occasions to sit and share with other Christians what scripture says. I do know of one individual who has come on-board and now believes that PreWrath is truly what the scripture teaches. He has also become an advocate and speaks up whenever the opportunity arises.

My heart has a real burden that the church today needs to hear and understand this message. If they do not, they will likely turn from the church and declare the things they have been taught as fraudulent if they witness the confirmation of the covenant with the AntiChrist. I suspect that I would be offended if I had been told that I would be in the mezzanine watching and now I discover that the 70th week of Daniel has begun. I have asked a number of pastors how such an occurrence would effect their congregation and they assure me that it would not matter, that God is in control.

I like the Ben Franklin close:

- If Pre-Trib is wrong and we see that covenant confirmed, there is a great deal of the church at risk since they have been told otherwise for so many years. A pastor may have to answer for the teaching that was incorrect.

- If PreWrath is wrong and Jesus decides to Rapture the church prior to the 70th week, Praise the Lord!