So are we all positive about the pre-tribulation Rapture?
Quote from havefaith on December 29, 2023, 3:37 amDispensationalist George Williams states in his Complete Bible Commentary on pages 945 and 946 about 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 “The subject of this passage is the Coming of the Lord. Two stages will mark that coming: – first: the ascension of the dead and living members of the Church to meet the Lord in the air (iv. 13-18); second: the descent of the Lord with all His saints in judgment upon the earth (ch.v. 1-11). Whether these two stages will take place on the one day, or whether and interval, long or short, will intervene, does not appear to be revealed in the Scriptures…The word (comfort) – iv. 18, v.11, and 2 Thes. ii17 – unites these passages, and suggest that there will be no interval between the two stages of the Lord’s Second Coming. He will descend from the highest heaven, meet his raptured Church in the air, and, continuing His descent, reach the earth and stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zechariah xiv.). Then will occur the judgment of 2 Thess.i.”
Of course the pretribulation rapture interpretation is that the Lord descends part of the way to earth to meet (529) his raptured Church in the air, then returns to heaven with them. The word meet (529 a friendly encounter) is used 3 other times in scripture, twice when the ten virgins “went forth to meet (529) the bridegroom.” (Mat. 25:1,6), and once where “they came to meet (529) us” (Acts 28:15), where brethren come out from Rome to accompany Paul back to Rome. Strong’s Concordance with Vines explains about this word “It is used in the papyri (Egyptian Greek Manuscripts) of a newly arriving magistrate. It seems that the special idea of the word was the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary.” The virgins welcome the bridegroom, the breathren welcome Paul, they both continue to their destination.
The George Williams Complete Bible Commentary is a book that was recommended by Les Feldick although I believe Les said he did not agree with everything in the book. Likely as a result of Les’s recommendation many of his students wanted a copy and when it went out of print Les Feldick ministers purchased 500 copies at one time so his students could get a copy (see Newsletter Oct – Nov – Dec 2008). This book also has a recommendation on the cover by a relatively well know evangelist “Williams Complete Bible Commentary is a valued volume in my library. I have always appreciated its basic commitment to the authority and inspiration of the Scriptures and found its insights to be an excellent source for sermon preparation or personal Bible study” (Billy Graham) I believe Billy Graham was also a dispensationalist and believed in a pretribulation rapture.
George Williams is clearly stating in his commentary that he concludes the rapture will occur at the end of the tribulation. The Greek word meet (529) is just one of several examples that are hard to ignore considering Greek manuscripts are also used in defining words in addition to the other places it is used in the bible. The scripture Romans 11:25 may create an even bigger dilemma for the pretribulation interpretation of scripture. “For I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part (3313 a section, portion of whole) is happened to Israel, until (891 up to + 3739 that) the fullness (4138 to fill, complete, finish a period or task) of the Gentiles be come in (1525 to enter, to go in).” (Romans 11:25) An interpretation commonly given is that the “come in” is the entering of the members of the Body of Christ into the Body through faith in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and the “until” is when the last person is saved that accomplishes the “fullness” which is the completion of the Body, which is commonly considered the time of the rapture. This verse also seems to indicate that “blindness in part is happen to Israel, until…” this fullness is complete, or in other words this blindness will be removed when this fullness is complete. The question is if the Body of Christ will be completed and Raptured before the start of the tribulation, will the blindness (Romans 11:8, Isaiah 29:10-11) of Israel be removed before the start of the Tribulation? There are many scriptures that clearly indicate the answer is no. Israel as a nation will make a covenant of peace with the antichrist at the beginning of the tribulation (Danial 9:27).
During the lifetime of George Williams there was a turning point when John Nelson Darby was credited with possibility being the first to teach that there would be a pre-tribulation rapture, D.L.Moody continued to teach a pre-tribulation rapture soon after Darby, and other dispensationalist like E. W. Bullinger presented scriptures that he believed did not support a pre-tribulation rapture. Which interpretation do you believe? The one where any day now we could be taken to heaven or the one where we all go into the tribulation? This is the same question other Dispensational teachers were asking at the time George Williams lived and we would hope the popularity of one of these alternatives could not have any effect on the interpretation because the scriptures of contention remain as strong today as they were then.
After spending months using all the books mentioned on the page link Dispensational Studies and all of Les Feldick’s transcripts I wrote the article on that page called (7) The Rapture - Romans 11:25 Until When and Into What? I did not come to a definite conclusion about the pretribulation rapture but definitely found enough to cause me to be prepared either way. Are Christians prepared if the pretribulation rapture interpretation is incorrect? Who should I believe George Williams or Les Feldick? Considering Les recommended this book I expect he would say neither one that the bible doesn’t say find a great bible teacher like George or Les and just believe what they say it says (2 Timothy 2:15) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God”. When we will be raptured is of very little importance to me because salvation is for eternity and God is in control. I didn’t write this article to start a debate on this subject many of the scriptures for both views are available in my article, in Les Feldick’s answers on the front page, and the books I listed.
I wrote this article to share the fact that not everyone interprets the scriptures to indicate a pre-tribulation rapture and some of these people are dispensationalist with a very good knowledge of scripture. I will conclude with an introduction of George Williams listed on his book:
George Williams (1850-1928) was born in Dublin, Ireland, and served in the Civil Service of the British Government at Dublin Castle. Converted at the age sixteen, Williams was an untiring Christian worker in spite of chronic health problems. His close association with the evangelical revivals of the nineteenth century, especially those of D.L. Moody in England, brought him into contact with the outstanding Bible expositors and teachers of his day. His own evangelistic ministry was conducted throughout Ireland and Europe where his proficiency in French, German, Italian, and Spanish allowed him to preach directly to the people. Following his retirement from government service, Williams devoted the last twenty years of his life to renewing his knowledge of Greek and to the study of Hebrew in preparation for writing the Complete Bible Commentary.
Dispensationalist George Williams states in his Complete Bible Commentary on pages 945 and 946 about 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 “The subject of this passage is the Coming of the Lord. Two stages will mark that coming: – first: the ascension of the dead and living members of the Church to meet the Lord in the air (iv. 13-18); second: the descent of the Lord with all His saints in judgment upon the earth (ch.v. 1-11). Whether these two stages will take place on the one day, or whether and interval, long or short, will intervene, does not appear to be revealed in the Scriptures…The word (comfort) – iv. 18, v.11, and 2 Thes. ii17 – unites these passages, and suggest that there will be no interval between the two stages of the Lord’s Second Coming. He will descend from the highest heaven, meet his raptured Church in the air, and, continuing His descent, reach the earth and stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zechariah xiv.). Then will occur the judgment of 2 Thess.i.”
Of course the pretribulation rapture interpretation is that the Lord descends part of the way to earth to meet (529) his raptured Church in the air, then returns to heaven with them. The word meet (529 a friendly encounter) is used 3 other times in scripture, twice when the ten virgins “went forth to meet (529) the bridegroom.” (Mat. 25:1,6), and once where “they came to meet (529) us” (Acts 28:15), where brethren come out from Rome to accompany Paul back to Rome. Strong’s Concordance with Vines explains about this word “It is used in the papyri (Egyptian Greek Manuscripts) of a newly arriving magistrate. It seems that the special idea of the word was the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary.” The virgins welcome the bridegroom, the breathren welcome Paul, they both continue to their destination.
The George Williams Complete Bible Commentary is a book that was recommended by Les Feldick although I believe Les said he did not agree with everything in the book. Likely as a result of Les’s recommendation many of his students wanted a copy and when it went out of print Les Feldick ministers purchased 500 copies at one time so his students could get a copy (see Newsletter Oct – Nov – Dec 2008). This book also has a recommendation on the cover by a relatively well know evangelist “Williams Complete Bible Commentary is a valued volume in my library. I have always appreciated its basic commitment to the authority and inspiration of the Scriptures and found its insights to be an excellent source for sermon preparation or personal Bible study” (Billy Graham) I believe Billy Graham was also a dispensationalist and believed in a pretribulation rapture.
George Williams is clearly stating in his commentary that he concludes the rapture will occur at the end of the tribulation. The Greek word meet (529) is just one of several examples that are hard to ignore considering Greek manuscripts are also used in defining words in addition to the other places it is used in the bible. The scripture Romans 11:25 may create an even bigger dilemma for the pretribulation interpretation of scripture. “For I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part (3313 a section, portion of whole) is happened to Israel, until (891 up to + 3739 that) the fullness (4138 to fill, complete, finish a period or task) of the Gentiles be come in (1525 to enter, to go in).” (Romans 11:25) An interpretation commonly given is that the “come in” is the entering of the members of the Body of Christ into the Body through faith in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and the “until” is when the last person is saved that accomplishes the “fullness” which is the completion of the Body, which is commonly considered the time of the rapture. This verse also seems to indicate that “blindness in part is happen to Israel, until…” this fullness is complete, or in other words this blindness will be removed when this fullness is complete. The question is if the Body of Christ will be completed and Raptured before the start of the tribulation, will the blindness (Romans 11:8, Isaiah 29:10-11) of Israel be removed before the start of the Tribulation? There are many scriptures that clearly indicate the answer is no. Israel as a nation will make a covenant of peace with the antichrist at the beginning of the tribulation (Danial 9:27).
During the lifetime of George Williams there was a turning point when John Nelson Darby was credited with possibility being the first to teach that there would be a pre-tribulation rapture, D.L.Moody continued to teach a pre-tribulation rapture soon after Darby, and other dispensationalist like E. W. Bullinger presented scriptures that he believed did not support a pre-tribulation rapture. Which interpretation do you believe? The one where any day now we could be taken to heaven or the one where we all go into the tribulation? This is the same question other Dispensational teachers were asking at the time George Williams lived and we would hope the popularity of one of these alternatives could not have any effect on the interpretation because the scriptures of contention remain as strong today as they were then.
After spending months using all the books mentioned on the page link Dispensational Studies and all of Les Feldick’s transcripts I wrote the article on that page called (7) The Rapture - Romans 11:25 Until When and Into What? I did not come to a definite conclusion about the pretribulation rapture but definitely found enough to cause me to be prepared either way. Are Christians prepared if the pretribulation rapture interpretation is incorrect? Who should I believe George Williams or Les Feldick? Considering Les recommended this book I expect he would say neither one that the bible doesn’t say find a great bible teacher like George or Les and just believe what they say it says (2 Timothy 2:15) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God”. When we will be raptured is of very little importance to me because salvation is for eternity and God is in control. I didn’t write this article to start a debate on this subject many of the scriptures for both views are available in my article, in Les Feldick’s answers on the front page, and the books I listed.
I wrote this article to share the fact that not everyone interprets the scriptures to indicate a pre-tribulation rapture and some of these people are dispensationalist with a very good knowledge of scripture. I will conclude with an introduction of George Williams listed on his book:
George Williams (1850-1928) was born in Dublin, Ireland, and served in the Civil Service of the British Government at Dublin Castle. Converted at the age sixteen, Williams was an untiring Christian worker in spite of chronic health problems. His close association with the evangelical revivals of the nineteenth century, especially those of D.L. Moody in England, brought him into contact with the outstanding Bible expositors and teachers of his day. His own evangelistic ministry was conducted throughout Ireland and Europe where his proficiency in French, German, Italian, and Spanish allowed him to preach directly to the people. Following his retirement from government service, Williams devoted the last twenty years of his life to renewing his knowledge of Greek and to the study of Hebrew in preparation for writing the Complete Bible Commentary.