This is not a joke, but factual history. Prior to John Darby's teaching of a Pre-tribulational Rapture theory in a Christian Church in 1830's Great Britain, the Christian Church had always held to a Post-tribulational coming of Jesus and gathering of His Church.
Some associate some of Morgan Edwards writings as where Darby got the pre-trib rapture theory. Edwards was a preacher from Wales in the 1740's that preached in the Isles and then immigrated to the Americas and became a preacher in Philadelphia. But it was Darby who would take the idea and develop it by 1827. Darby had been a lawyer and then left that field to become a priest of the Anglican Church. Darby left the Anglican Church after refusing to swear allegiance to the king of England. Darby and others then would create the Plymouth Brethren movement against the Anglican Church. His studies convinced him of a Biblical distinction between Israel and the Church, which produced the movement called Dispensationalism.
If you look for the doctrine's origins on the web, you'll find many conflicting histories about it, which suggests there are propagandists involved.
What it all boils down to though, is the Pre-tribulational Rapture doctrine actually written in God's Word?
No, it is not written. Many would argue against me on that, but I have it on ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY from Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that His future coming and gathering of His Church is on the LAST DAY of this present world, which is AFTER THE TRIBULATION...
Matt 24:29-31
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
KJV
Mark 13:24-27
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
KJV
That leaves no room for debate, no room for wishful thinking of being raptured prior to that day, no arguing with Lord Jesus Who is our Absolute Authority on that, IF... ye remain in Him and are one of His disciples.
Some associate some of Morgan Edwards writings as where Darby got the pre-trib rapture theory. Edwards was a preacher from Wales in the 1740's that preached in the Isles and then immigrated to the Americas and became a preacher in Philadelphia. But it was Darby who would take the idea and develop it by 1827. Darby had been a lawyer and then left that field to become a priest of the Anglican Church. Darby left the Anglican Church after refusing to swear allegiance to the king of England. Darby and others then would create the Plymouth Brethren movement against the Anglican Church. His studies convinced him of a Biblical distinction between Israel and the Church, which produced the movement called Dispensationalism.
If you look for the doctrine's origins on the web, you'll find many conflicting histories about it, which suggests there are propagandists involved.
What it all boils down to though, is the Pre-tribulational Rapture doctrine actually written in God's Word?
No, it is not written. Many would argue against me on that, but I have it on ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY from Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that His future coming and gathering of His Church is on the LAST DAY of this present world, which is AFTER THE TRIBULATION...
Matt 24:29-31
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
KJV
Mark 13:24-27
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
KJV
That leaves no room for debate, no room for wishful thinking of being raptured prior to that day, no arguing with Lord Jesus Who is our Absolute Authority on that, IF... ye remain in Him and are one of His disciples.
