October 27, 2009

Prewrath Conference Next Week!

November will soon be here, which means the Prewrath conference is upon us -- November 7. Click here for information concerning the conference.
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Schedule

Session 1: Learn
Understanding and Applying the Parable of the Fig Tree (Matthew 24:32) - Ryan Habbena

Session 2: A Compelling Connection
Understanding the Significant Relationship Between the Olivet Discourse and the Thessalonian Epistles - Alan Kurschner

Session 3: The Two Signs
Understanding the Sign of the Antichrist's Coming (Parousia) and the Sign of the Lord's Coming (Parousia)
- Charles Cooper

Session 4: Watch and Pray
Hearing our Lord's Instructions for Preparation and Faithfulness in the Last Days - Ryan Habbena

Session 5: Hall of Faith Lessons
Learning Faith and Perseverance from the "Cloud of Witnesses" - Charles Cooper

Session 6: Stand
Heeding the Lord's Call to put on the "Full Armor" for the "Evil Day" - Ryan Habbena

Session 7: Questions and Answers
Ryan Habbena, Alan Kurschner and Charles Cooper

October 21, 2009

Absolute Abandonment to God

Zephaniah is noted for having one of the most graphic portrayals of the Day of the Lord in the Bible found in chapter one. But we must not stop there for then he gives a call for anguished confession of sin and humble devotion to God so that we may escape the horrible Day of the Lord coming on this world:

"before God's decree becomes reality and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, before the LORD's raging anger overtakes you- before the day of the LORD's angry judgment overtakes you! Seek the LORD's favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the LORD's angry judgment." (Zeph 2:2-3).

October 16, 2009

Fuzzy Chronology

Pretribulational John F. Walvoord writes:

"'And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.' What is meant here is not that the day of the Lord will begin after these wonders in heaven, but that it will come to its climax when the judgment is actually executed" (emphasis mine). Posttribulationism Today, Part IX: The Rapture and the Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5," p. 7

Apparently for Walvoord, "before" means "after." And 2 + 2 = 5

The reason why Walvoord interprets it this way is because his pretribulational system requires this. That is, in Walvoord's mind, the Day of the Lord must start at the beginning of the 7 year period, so having the Day of the Lord occur after the cosmic disturbances would place the Day of the Lord for him much further into the 7 year period; hence, his blind spot when he comes to the explicit text of Joel 2:30-31.

Incidentally, it is interesting as a spectator watching the pretribulational vs. postribulational debate between Walvoord and Gundry in the 70's and 80's. Since pretribs place the starting point of the Day of the Lord at the beginning of the 7 year period, and (most) post-tribs place it at the end, both are two extreme errors. Prewrath solves this whole dilemma by recognizing that Scripture teaches that the Great Tribulation is cut short, which naturally allows for the Day of the Lord to unfold for the remaining part of the 7 year period. And it is the only view that can provide a non-strained reading of the cosmic disturbances.

So problematic is Joel 2:30-31 for pretribulationists, one professor has basically written an entire dissertation attempting to refute the prewrath interpretation of this passage! (Dr. Alan Cole, "A Critique of Prewrath Rapturism's Terminus A Quo of the Day of the Lord" (Th.D. diss., Central Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004). By the way, I provide a response to his thesis in my forthcoming book.

October 16, 2009

Archeologists Find 'Joseph-era' Coins in Egypt

"Archeologists have discovered ancient Egyptian coins bearing the name and image of the biblical Joseph, Cairo's Al Ahram newspaper recently reported. Excerpts provided by MEMRI show that the coins were discovered among a multitude of unsorted artifacts stored at the Museum of Egypt. Read more here..."

October 12, 2009

A Response to J. Dwight Pentecost on the Day of the Lord

Pretribulational teacher J. Dwight Pentecost asserts,

If the Day of the Lord did not begin until the second advent, since [the second advent] is preceded by signs, the Day of the Lord could not come as a "thief in the night," unexpected, and unheralded, as it is said it will come in 1 Thessalonians 5:2. The only way this day could break unexpectedly upon the world is to have it begin immediately after the rapture of the church (Things to Come, p. 230).

According to Pentecost the Day of the Lord is not preceded by any signs. How can such a noted prophecy teacher in his day get it so wrong? The Scriptural evidence refutes such an assertion:

"The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the LORD comes- that great and terrible day!" (Joel 2:31)

"Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD arrives." (Mal 4:5)

"Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, (2) not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. (3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction." (2 Thess 2:1-3)

Yes, the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, but not for believers. Perhaps, Pentecost should have read a little further:

"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would." (1 Thess 5:4)

October 10, 2009

Tsunamis as a Sign to the Day of the Lord? Yes!

The sixth seal informs us that there will be this "huge earthquake" accompanied by a cluster of celestial signs:

"Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red;" - Rev 6:11-12

And I don't believe this will be some regional earthquake; instead, it will be global (pole shift possibly?), since "every mountain" will be moved from its place.

Given the magnitude of this earthquake, it makes perfect sense why the Bible suggests tsunami language in two passages on the sign of the Day of the Lord:

"And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves" - Luke 21:25.

Interestingly, the Greek term for "surging waves" (salos) can mean "earthquake." Also, the text indicates that the nations on the earth are not so much distressed and anxious over the celestial signs as they are with the roaring of the sea and surging waves.

The other text is Rev 6:14b:

"and [every] island was moved from its place." Mere ten foot waves do not accomplish this.

No wonder Scripture prophecies that "people will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world."

This is a sober truth. Do not fall into the Amos syndrome, in which his audience was deceptively self-assured that they were right with God and that the Day of the Lord was for those "other people."

"Woe to those who wish for the day of the LORD! Why do you want the LORD's day of judgment to come? - Amos 5:18

Today is the day for self-examination.

October 4, 2009

Corrie's Clues — Thoughts on Tribulation from a European Perspective

Netherlands' Pastor Ton Verdam gives a moving message on stories and theology by Corrie ten Boom (The Hiding Place) and Brother Andrew (God's Smuggler). This is a session from the 2009 2nd Annual Prewrath Conference in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

I encourage everyone to listen to this entire message—it is highly instructive and edifying for the coming trials for all of us.

Here is a PowerPoint Presentation that accompanies the message.

Download as MP3

October 3, 2009

"Someone's Eschatology Does Not Affect Their Soul" — Or So They Say...

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur 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, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." (Rev 14:9-11).

Question: who will be more prepared for this test? the person who is taught that this test will be applied to the Church and thus must have faith to endure; or, the person who is taught that the Church will be swept away in bed's of ease before the Antichrist uses the mark as a test of loyalty?

October 1, 2009

November 7 - Prewrath Conference!

The one day Prewrath conference in Minnesota is just over a month away!

For information, click here.