Post by sesquipedalian on Nov 20, 2017 20:20:27 GMT -6
I remember reading this article at A Little Strength back in September...
Sweet Hour of Prayer
It made some pretty solid points in proposing Pentecost as a candidate date for the Rapture. I remember experiencing a little bit of cognitive dissonance at the time, because that article made a lot of sense, and September 23rd/30th dates made a lot of sense, yet they couldn't both be right. And in any case the putative last possible date for the beginning of the Tribulation was November 19th.
Well, we've passed November 19th.
So I think this is worth reminding people about, as well as bringing to the attention of those who may not have seen it yet. Let me quote from the article:
It's worth reading the whole article. It is thoughtful. builds a solid case, and might provide a bit of stability for anyone who might be floundering right now. And it is full of grace and kindness.
All that being said, I would be misrepresenting the author if I did not also refer to this part:
Food for thought.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
It made some pretty solid points in proposing Pentecost as a candidate date for the Rapture. I remember experiencing a little bit of cognitive dissonance at the time, because that article made a lot of sense, and September 23rd/30th dates made a lot of sense, yet they couldn't both be right. And in any case the putative last possible date for the beginning of the Tribulation was November 19th.
Well, we've passed November 19th.
So I think this is worth reminding people about, as well as bringing to the attention of those who may not have seen it yet. Let me quote from the article:First of all, understand that Pentecost is one of the three hags, or pilgrimage feasts (the other two being Passover/Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles), when every adult Jewish male was required to present himself before the priest at the temple in Jerusalem. It was a harvest feast, and two loaves of bread were offered as a wave offering to the Lord, along with other specified sacrifices.
What is crucial to understand, however, and I think a lot of people miss this, is that the three hags, or pilgrimage feasts that involved a gathering of the people to the temple, that is, to God, were types of resurrections. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (together with Passover and First Fruits) is a picture of Christ's death, burial, and subsequent resurrection. The pilgrimage at the Feast of Tabernacles represents the resurrection of Jews (and arguably martyred Tribulation saints) to be ushered into the Millennial Kingdom following the Second Coming. The Millennial Kingdom is what the Feast of Tabernacles is all about...and I trust you see where this is going.
What about the Feast of Pentecost?
Pentecost, as a pilgrimage feast, should also be a type of resurrection. So the pair of $64,000 questions for those who insist on pinning the Rapture (which involves a resurrection) to the Feast of Trumpets because they've checked Pentecost off their holiday shopping list are as follows:
Q1. Who was resurrected on the day of Pentecost two thousand years ago?
Q2. Why would the Rapture, which is a stage of the first resurrection, occur on a festival that is not a pilgrimage (resurrection) feast?
It seems pretty straightforward to me. Three pilgrimage feasts, three stages of the first resurrection: Jesus (the Resurrection), the Church (the Rapture), and Israel/Tribulation saints (the final stage at the Second Coming).
What is crucial to understand, however, and I think a lot of people miss this, is that the three hags, or pilgrimage feasts that involved a gathering of the people to the temple, that is, to God, were types of resurrections. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (together with Passover and First Fruits) is a picture of Christ's death, burial, and subsequent resurrection. The pilgrimage at the Feast of Tabernacles represents the resurrection of Jews (and arguably martyred Tribulation saints) to be ushered into the Millennial Kingdom following the Second Coming. The Millennial Kingdom is what the Feast of Tabernacles is all about...and I trust you see where this is going.
What about the Feast of Pentecost?
Pentecost, as a pilgrimage feast, should also be a type of resurrection. So the pair of $64,000 questions for those who insist on pinning the Rapture (which involves a resurrection) to the Feast of Trumpets because they've checked Pentecost off their holiday shopping list are as follows:
Q1. Who was resurrected on the day of Pentecost two thousand years ago?
Q2. Why would the Rapture, which is a stage of the first resurrection, occur on a festival that is not a pilgrimage (resurrection) feast?
It seems pretty straightforward to me. Three pilgrimage feasts, three stages of the first resurrection: Jesus (the Resurrection), the Church (the Rapture), and Israel/Tribulation saints (the final stage at the Second Coming).
It's worth reading the whole article. It is thoughtful. builds a solid case, and might provide a bit of stability for anyone who might be floundering right now. And it is full of grace and kindness.
All that being said, I would be misrepresenting the author if I did not also refer to this part:
It's true that I honestly disagree with good people out there who promote a Feast of Trumpets Rapture. But I'm not "promoting" a Pentecost Rapture. My real aim is to promote the only kind of Rapture that is presented anywhere in God's Word:
I'm promoting a Watch and Wait Rapture.
I merely want to get across to people that the case for a Feast of Trumpets Rapture is not the Bible lock that so many people—including Scottie Clarke—are so cocksure that it is, that's all. My point is that I can play "Pin the Rapture on the Moed" with the best of 'em, but it remains in the realm of speculation. What I really want to do is encourage people to refrain from pinning the Rapture to anything. I never get tired of saying it, and I flat out don't care anymore what anyone says to the contrary: The doctrine of imminence has not been nullified or repealed, and nobody's pet theory is going to change that.Deal with it...in my humble opinion.
We just don't know: I know many people hammer away at the doctrine of imminence, typically because it's the fly in their speculative ointment. It's true that I have stated in the past that the Rapture could happen on any day, and technically speaking that's true. But if it's true, it's only true for one simple reason:
We. Do. Not. Know.
I do tend to believe that Rapture will happen on a biblically significant day, and I for one will be genuinely surprised if it's not a Jewish feast day (OK, so I personally lean toward Pentecost, but that's irrelevant). But because we can't prove it from Scripture, and because it's not ours to know but the Father's to reveal, from our perspective the Rapture may as well be slated for Groundhog Day. Watch and wait—I don't think that's too complicated, and it's going to stay that way unless and until the Father sovereignly chooses to reveal more to us. If He does, fine. But until He does, it's watch and wait in my book.
I'm promoting a Watch and Wait Rapture.
I merely want to get across to people that the case for a Feast of Trumpets Rapture is not the Bible lock that so many people—including Scottie Clarke—are so cocksure that it is, that's all. My point is that I can play "Pin the Rapture on the Moed" with the best of 'em, but it remains in the realm of speculation. What I really want to do is encourage people to refrain from pinning the Rapture to anything. I never get tired of saying it, and I flat out don't care anymore what anyone says to the contrary: The doctrine of imminence has not been nullified or repealed, and nobody's pet theory is going to change that.
We just don't know: I know many people hammer away at the doctrine of imminence, typically because it's the fly in their speculative ointment. It's true that I have stated in the past that the Rapture could happen on any day, and technically speaking that's true. But if it's true, it's only true for one simple reason:
We. Do. Not. Know.
I do tend to believe that Rapture will happen on a biblically significant day, and I for one will be genuinely surprised if it's not a Jewish feast day (OK, so I personally lean toward Pentecost, but that's irrelevant). But because we can't prove it from Scripture, and because it's not ours to know but the Father's to reveal, from our perspective the Rapture may as well be slated for Groundhog Day. Watch and wait—I don't think that's too complicated, and it's going to stay that way unless and until the Father sovereignly chooses to reveal more to us. If He does, fine. But until He does, it's watch and wait in my book.
Food for thought.
