Darby, Scofield, And Pre-Tribulation Theology

As one looks through church history, he is astounded at the nearly total silence about a "pre-tribulation" rapture. But in 1830, a single "prophecy" was picked up by one movement leader and began to spread. At about this same time, the one called the "father of modern Dispensationalism" got wind of Margaret Macdonald's dream, and paid her a visit. He listened well, then went home and made some changes, incorporating it into his own theories about the end times.

John Darby was also the father of the Plymouth Brethren movement, a church which was openly proud of what they called this "new doctrine," once they got hold of it. Brian M. Schwertley, in Is the Pretribulation Rapture Biblical? says "The Plymouth Brethren openly admitted and were even proud of the fact that among their teachings were totally new ones which had never been taught by the church fathers, medieval scholars, Protestant Reformers, or the many commentaries."

It is not clear to me about whom "prince of preachers" Charles Spurgeon was speaking in the following quote, but one wonders if it was not the "Brethren" themselves. Spurgeon lived in the day when the pre-tribulation rapture was freshly hatched. It is obvious what he thought of the idea. Hear him well:

"...there is a certain troublesome sect abroad nowadays," said he, "to whom the one thing needful is a perpetual speculation upon prophecy...They plume themselves upon an expected secret rapture , and I know not what vain imaginings beside..."

The creator of the "Scofield Reference Bible" (1917) included Darby's teachings in his notes. Seeing such things "in the Bible" emboldened many other saints to trust this doctrine as though God had said it Himself. There followed the inclusion of pre-tribulationism in the curriculums of well-known and greatly loved institutions such as Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary, and in the 1970's, a book and movie by young people's theologian Hal Lindsay.

There seemed to be no stopping it after that. Today it has permeated much of the western evangelical world. It is far from universal in the church today, and far from historical, as I have shown, but there is as we say a very "vocal minority" of believers, mostly Western/American, who swear by this doctrine.

Thankfully, history is not our final, or even our major appeal when deciding upon the truth of a teaching. History has spoken its clear word, but God Himself has spoken on this and every issue that matters to a believer. Let us hear what His Word says about it, and let all of men's theories be gone.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Rapture Or Second Coming? Final Distinctions Refuted

So is there a difference between the rapture of the church and the return of Christ to the Earth? Modern theologians have suggested that it is not proper to pray with John, "Come Lord Jesus," if we know He is not coming for seven years (at least). Thus there must be an un-announced and a clearly predictable coming, both. This seems to make

This implies that every time we pray, we are changing God's plans. Rather, when we pray, it must be in accord with God's will. That is, Jesus, I know you are coming, and you are welcome here! Your will be done, Come as you plan to come, Lord Jesus! I want it and I am looking forward to it.

Anyone who has prayed that prayer over the last 2000 years, including John the Revelator, understood that it might not be answered physically and immediately. But the prayer went up anyway, and continues to rise to Heaven. To suggest that a prayer is invalid because God has a fixed moment for its answer is to suggest that our desires should supercede His.

When we pray for healing, He hears us. Or for financial blessing. Or for deliverance. Or for the salvation of family members. He hears. But the answer may be down the road. Our knowing that we must wait upon God does not stop us from crying out to Him, yea, day and night ( Luke 18:1-5).

The Spirit and the Bride call out for these many years, Come, Lord Jesus. But He doesn't come. But He will. When it is time. For now, the world is in a mess, the world needs the Saviour, O come, O come, Emmanuel! Keep praying it saints!

One final suggestion that the rapture and return are two different events separated by seven years is that the judgment seat of Christ and the

marriage of the Lamb must take place in Heaven and with the Church present, and before His coming to earth. Yet he can offer no proof of the location and timing of these events, for, of course, such proof does not exist.

Romans 14:10 and II Corinthians 5:10 simply state that there will be a time when saints stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Revelation 19:7-8 describe not the wedding, but the announcement of same. The marriage has come. The wife is ready. Blessed are those invited. But wait! Some serious work to do first, following this announcement. Now the church descends with Jesus (Revelation 19:7-21) to the earth, taking its first step toward the announced supper. There, as described by prophets and apostles, the Kingdom is set up after Christ's victory over His enemies. Then Jesus keeps His promise to drink the fruit of the vine with His followers (Matthew 26:29). It seems to me that this is a more logical arrangement of details.

But for a "proof text" that this will happen, neither the pre- or post- people can find one. It simply is not there.

In fact, no proofs can be offered anywhere in God's Word that there is such a thing as a "pre-tribulation" rapture, that there is a rapture at all without the revelation of Christ and the setting up of His kingdom on earth, that there is any distinction between our catching away and his coming again. Thank God, much of this teaching is losing its grip, and there are many places in the world where men's books are not available, only God's. These people believe what the church believed for two millennia, namely, "Immediately after the tribulation... they will see the sign of the Son of man..."

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Bullying Awareness - How to Become Aware of & Clamp Down on Office Bullying

The 7th November marked National Ban Bullying at Work Day. As a part of this, a leading employment solicitor in the south has joined the campaign to help reduce bullying in the work place by raising awareness of this epidemic that causes companies a mind-blowing 19 Million work days every single year. Despite this there are still companies that are either unaware or ignore this problem within the work place.

Despite radical improvements over the past few years, around 40% of UK based companies have not got an explicit and effective policy on workplace bullying in-place. The head of employment law at a leading Southampton based solicitor has recently commented on that are clear policy is needed as bullying can cause a whole range of problems for any business. These can include reduced productivity and performance, poor morale, increased staff turnover and tense inter employee relations. Over 2 million people a year are bullied every day at work and the, 'come to your senses' theme of the campaign centers on reducing the fear for employees and to encourage co-workers who think that someone is being bullied to have the courage and the conviction to speak out and not to ignore the problem.

The Hampshire Solicitor has detailed some advice to anyone looking to minimize the threat of bullying in the work place: Create and implement a clear, widespread ant-bullying and harassment policy that can be read and communicated by all staff members. Ensure that this policy is zero tolerance and that any complaints made will be treated with the utmost severity and the company will investigate all cases and act accordingly. Prevent bullying from happening in the first place. Team building days and social events are always appreciated and enjoyed. This can raise staff morale, as-well-as help strengthen inter-office relationships.

Put up anti bullying posters around the office to re-enforce the message laid out by the original policy. Communication is always paramount in any company and by conducting regular meetings between management and staff, barriers can be broken down and trust increased Keep informed. Most people do not know that email bullying is one of the most common forms of bullying, therefore by taking steps to monitor and filter-out and bullying emails. If you do find yourself as a victim of bullying, it is best to remember this quote by Benjamin Disraeli. "Courage is fire, bullying is smoke."

Check out Divorce Lawyer and Family Solicitor at http://www.mooreblatch.com

The Last Words Of Daniel

Daniel's last words (Daniel 11-12). He speaks of one who will attempt to rule all, even heavenly things. There is an indication that things military will be his god. He will be attacked by Egypt and perhaps Syria. He will retaliate with great force and take over other countries. Some will escape, some will not. From the east and north come rumblings of approaching trouble, perhaps China and Russia in a united front, as they often are. In a last mad dash toward world conquest he arrives, perhaps, at Armageddon. But his time runs out. He is unceremoniously picked up "by the scruff of the neck" and thrown by King Jesus into his eternal home far from the love of God.

Much of what could be said about the specifics of antichrist's rule would be speculation. My goal here is to specify who Scripture has highlighted as the man of sin. In chapter 11 of Daniel I believe it is clear that the Spirit led Daniel to review in prophecy pre-Roman history so as to show us one man, an evil man, a man who desired but never obtained world prominence. A man who passed off the scene for many centuries but who returned, invigorated by demonic power to finish in the end time what he began earlier: the elimination of the Jewish people, and the enthronement of himself in the place of all gods.

Chapter 12 paints the added touch we need to complete this picture. The angel relates to Daniel that it is at the time of the reigning of "the king", that the unparalleled time of tribulation occurs, spoken of also by Jesus as the forerunner to His own approach.

Finally in the book of Daniel, the prophet himself needs attention. He is told to seal the book until the time of the end, in response to his many questions about the future. I am not sure how Daniel and the Spirit "sealed" this work but it is a fact that men through the ages have not had access mentally to it. It has been literally a sealed book. Incomprehensible. Under attack. Rejected. Until recently, as more and more people get a grasp of what this book really means. That could only mean that the time of the end is upon us, for that time was to be the time when the sealing would be over, and the book made available (12:9).

Lastly there is a question of timing, after which the book abruptly ends. The phrase "time of the end" blends into verse 10 and lets us understand that from the time of the abomination of desolation, the event we have been tracing at Jesus' advice (Matthew 24:15), coupled with the taking away of the daily sacrifice, which happens at the same time, until the very end of all the suffering, shall be 1290 days, a little over three and one half years. In forty-five more days, something blessed happens. By then, are we in the Millennial reign, at the wedding banquet, the Coronation? And by then, Satan is punished, the world is liberated, we come into our own.

And Daniel will be there, says the last verse of his book. Rising from the dead with the saints who are raptured from earth will be the revered prophet, his new body strong and intact, his questions all answered. And I for one look forward to meeting him! The announcement of his presence there, by the way, confirms to us that his entire prophecy was indeed about the "end of days."

What a blessed man! What a blessed book! What a blessed hope!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

New Versus Old Lumber - Structural Failure

During my 30 years of remodeling and building new homes. I have ran across quite a bit of structural framing failures. I find myself answering this question a lot when explaining to a homeowner about the structural failure I am repairing on their home, "Why Didn't They Use Better Lumber" or " Why Didn't They Use Larger Lumber." I really have a hard time answering these questions because I honestly don't know the answer.

However I can try to use some logic and reason to give these people an answer that seems to make sense to both of us. Why didn't they use better lumber, quite simply because, with most older homes that were built before the 1970s they actually do have better lumber. Now you're probably thinking how can these homes have better lumber when the lumber is old versus the new lumber used in a brand new house.

Most of the structural repairs I have made over the years has nothing to do with the lumber and whether it was new or old. A large number of these repairs were caused by neglect and poor maintenance.

The lumber in most older houses are from older growth trees. Some of these trees were extremely large and only the premium parts of the trees were used. The premium lumber is cut farthest away from the center of the tree. Now the larger the tree it makes sense that there will be more premium lumber.

A large majority of the newer lumber used in home construction comes from trees about 6 inches in diameter. Now you're probably wondering how can they cut a 2 x 8 piece of lumber out of a 6 inch tree. Of course they cannot, the larger lumber comes from larger trees.

Most 2 x 4's that are less than 8 foot long can be cut from these trees. This scrap or waste that comes from cutting these two by fours will now go into engineered building materials like particleboard, oriented strand board and engineered beams. Another name for an engineered been would be a paralam.

I hope you're starting to get the picture now when it comes to using new or old lumber. There are companies that are going into old logging rivers and retrieving old growth lumber. These were logs that sank to the bottom of the river's and were never retrieved because it was too costly.

The old growth lumber is quite expensive. Who's to say what problems we will happen in the future from the newer products created with modern day technology. When it comes to building houses it is not an exact science and as contractors we have been repairing the damage from poor engineering for years.

When I use the word poor engineering I am not pointing fingers at engineers. We now have more knowledge about home construction then we had years ago.

New versus old lumber, who wins the battle. Only time will tell.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Structural Repairs.

Personal Development

Struggling With Spiritual

I have wrestled with this thing called your spiritual side for many a year. When someone would say to me, you need to get in touch with your spiritual side I would close down. I was brought up in a strict religious, church going family. I started rebelling against the church when I was a teenager, so when someone said I needed to get in touch with my spiritual side; to me they were saying go back to church.

Now for me that was not an option. I had tried going back to a few different churches and I could never find one that I felt comfortable with. A few years ago I started re-reading the Bible, it had been at least forty years since I had even looked at one. I guess I picked up one that had been changed, because it was saying things that were different than what I had been taught as a kid. Of course it was the same bible that my folks had given me when I was about fourteen. I guess maybe because I was just reading it without any preconceived notions, or maybe because I read the whole thing and not just the selected parts.

This started me on a quest, which Ill probably be on for the rest of my life. The problem I have with most churches is that they accept the bible as the final word and wont even look at any other evidence of history. If there is anything said that might contradict how they have been told to interpret it, they just say its not possible. To me that is just not acceptable. Im sure there are those who say we dont have to look because we know this is the truth. For myself, I have found that a lot of what we thought we knew as truth, turned out to be something entirely different.

About this point your probably wondering ok where is he going with all of this, weve heard all these religious arguments before. True enough, I am just trying to establish where I am coming from. This spiritual thing is a whole new ball game for me.

OK what is this spiritual side? To me it is getting to know and accept yourself. Once you start down that path, then you start to realize, you have to also love yourself. For those of us that have been around for over a half a century that is a little hard to come to grips with. After all, men had to be tough, showing emotions was not allowed. Wonder whom the insidious jackass that came up with that was?

Lets go back to loving yourself, just what does that mean. Like any form of love putting it in words is never easy. I mean, gee whiz I want to be taller, more muscular, better looking, etc. I dont believe that is what this is about. We have to accept our inter-self, how we think, act and react. When someone cuts you off in traffic, can you just forgive them? How about when it happens apologize to them for being in the way. Wow now hes gone off the deep end. Well maybe, but I have read some who say that any negative reaction is caused by our own self and if we apologize to the person that we think created that negative reaction then both will benefit.

If we cant love ourselves then how can we love anyone else? Is love, hate too strong? Well if we are uncomfortable with who we are, isnt that going to cloud how we see others? When you look up the original word for devil in the bible, one of the definitions in Strongs concordance when translated into English is adversary. Now who is our biggest adversary? In my opinion our biggest adversary is our own ego. Does your own ego keep you from loving yourself? I think it does, because we dont want to admit that we are wrong, or something we did caused the problem, no it had to be the other person. That brings to mind a saying I heard years ago, My situation is myself. Darn I think that means Im responsible for myself.

Once we can love ourselves, we can begin to love others. Now the bible says to love your enemy, thats a tough one. Well how about when someone does something that we disagree with or is against your core beliefs. What if instead of getting mad or upset with that person or thing you stopped and thought to yourself, that poor person sure must be lacking in love. Put your love out, if you cant direct it directly to that person or thing just put love out to the universe and let it go where it will do the most good. If they will accept it good if they cant then someone else can have the benefit.

If I had heard that a few years ago, I probably have said what in the world is he talking about? Has he become one of those New Ager guys with all kinds of wild ideas? Putting love out into the universe, how can you do that? Maybe thats what this spiritual side is about. Because it makes sense to me now and I can feel love and wish love to go out from me to someone or just out to the universe for whom ever needs it. Its actually a great feeling when you do it and as the old saying goes what goes around, comes around. Now I dont know about you, but for me I prefer to have love coming back to me.

Charlie Phillips has been in construction, and has done everything from labor, carpenter, heavy equipment operator and contractor. Owned and operated of his own truck over forty-eight states and three provinces in Canada. He never attempted much writing until he came across a little tool called spell checker. There are no titles after his name, just a lot of life experiences. Website: http://www.charliephillips.net

The Sabbath - A Psalmist and a Prophet speak

The Sabbath. Is it for believers today? For sure it was for the people of God assembled at Sinai, yet they often neglected it. Here are a couple of Old Testament documents meant to encourage Sabbath-keeping.

According to the uninspired but probably trustworthy inscription above Psalm 92, we have a song written especially for the Sabbath. Here are significant portions:

Psalm 92. (1) It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to your name, O Most High. By this section we understand that Sabbath is to be a day of praise. (4-5) For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. O Lord, how great are your works! Here is the heart of Sabbath: rejoicing in the creation, recognizing the Creator, resting in His work, the only work that matters.

Isaiah the prophet lived before Nehemiah, prophesying during the times when Israel was undergoing her judgment for idolatry (before and after 721 B.C.). Notice how little the externals matter when the heart is corrupt, and that the Sabbath can be cut out of Jewish tradition, too. Anyone keeping a holy day as a religious exercise as opposed to an expression of a holy commitment to God is not part of the covenant:

Isaiah 1:13-18 [portions]. "Bring no more futile sacrifices. Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies. I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feast days my soul hates... your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice, reprove the oppressor; defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

First the heart, says Isaiah, then the outward signs. Later Nehemiah will turn the people of God to these observances, after their hearts are properly tuned. Even Isaiah, looking into Israel's future, sees a restored Sabbath...

Isaiah 56:1-2. "Keep justice and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil..."

...and, dare I share it? The following promise is also from the prophet, shattering any notion that somehow Gentile ways are going to dominate the Kingdom of God. No, even though Gentiles will be present, it is the ways of the God of Israel that will be our daily fare in that glorious day:

Isaiah 56:6-8 . "Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant, even them I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar. For My House shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says, Yet I will gather to him besides those who are gathered to him."

The Gentiles are coming. They will be added to the Jews. And together these people will experience burnt offerings, a House of God, and a Sabbath. Isaiah previews nothing less here than the Millennial Kingdom, a favorite theme of apostles, prophets, and Jesus Himself. So, Sabbath is in the past and the future of the people of God. Is it to be in our present?

In Isaiah 58 is a description of a fast that truly pleases God. Here is how it ends:

Isaiah 58:13-14. "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then shall you delight yourself in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father- The mouth of the Lord has spoken!"

a. Note here the Sabbath is called the holy "day of the Lord". This is the only Biblical time period called the "Lord's Day." Every apostle knew these passages. When they spoke of the Lord's Day, they spoke of the Sabbath. This is how they thought.

b. Here are yet more insights that Israel is given to help her understand just how profitable this weekly time can be. The idea is that the people of God are to give that Day to re-creation of the Spirit of God, not RECreation in the form of food and play. They are to cease from taking care of earthly business, their own concerns, altogether, and seek the business of Heaven.

Isaiah's final Sabbath word is in his final chapter, once more envisioning what the Millennial Day will look like:

Isaiah 66:23. "And it shall come to pass that from one...Sabbath to another all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord."

In my mind there is no question that Sabbath worship was enjoined on the people of God from creation to Christ, and will be the fare of both Jew and Gentile for the duration of the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth. That's 5,000 years of Biblical Sabbath-keeping! What about these last 2,000? Did it all change? I encourage readers to seek God on this matter.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.