For the last three centuries, believers and non-believers alike, have been taught that true believers will be raptured up before a seven-year tribulation, and that true believers will escape the "tribulation". The "seven year tribulation" is just a theory, a speculative interpretation of two little words found in Daniel 9:27. Those two words are "one week".
'The entire "Seven-year period of tribulation" theory is a massive mega-myth. It may even go down in history as the greatest evangelical misinterpretation of all time." Steve Wohlberg
Daniel 9:27 says absolutely nothing about any seven-year tribulation, antichrist, or a rebuilt Jewish temple. I'll tell you who came up with this seven year theory in a moment, but first, during my research I discovered that historically, the vast majority of Bible scholars never applied Daniel 9:27 to a seven-year period of tribulation. As a mater of fact, such a theory or idea never existed until the mid 1800's
Historically, this scripture was always applied to Jesus. Take a look at the interpretation of Daniel 9:27 by world-famous Bible scholars, before the mid 1800's:
- Matthew Henry: "By offering himself a sacrifice once and for all he (Jesus) shall put an end to all the Levitical sacrifices."
- British Methodist Adam Clarke: Jesus Himself would, "Confirm or ratify the new covenant with mankind."
- In 1846 the Presbyterian Board of Publication in Philadelphia, commenting on the final week of Daniel 9:27 stated, "Sometime during the remaining seven, he (the Messiah) was to die as a sacrifice for sin, and thus bring in "everlasting righteousness."
Their interpretation of Daniel 9:27 was recommended and endorsed by the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist ministers, including official representatives of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Note: For a 10 point logical and convincing evidence that Daniel's famous 70th week has no application to any future seven-year tribulation, see "Rapture Delusions" by Steve Wohlberg
As I said in my book, Clever Lies and Assumptions, a lie is an untruth, it empowers the one telling it and deceives those who believe it.
So who is the source of the "End Time" schemes?
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| John Nelson Darby |
In the mid 1800's, there was a man, a pastor, evangelist, lawyer and theologian who was so influential in the Christian Church that by the early 1900's, his ideas about the chronological order of the rapture, changed the truth about the rapture. Much of what we have been taught about the “rapture” is based on an idea of this one man, many years ago. This man was so influential that his theory, which has now become the dominate thinking of many Christian denominations today, was and has been adopted by many of today's well known "End Time" preachers. It was the basis of the book series and movie, "Left Behind", and injected into Cyrus Scofield’s legendary Scofield Reference Bible. This one man single handedly changed the chronological order of events concerning the rapture.
On July 1, 2002, on page 46, Time magazine featured an article entitled "The End: How it Got That Way" by David Van. It is about a man by the name of John Nelson Darby who lived in England in the 1800s. The article talked about, "The Man with the Plan". The man who introduced British and American Christians to "a radical new eschatology," or end of the world theory. This plan included "a seven year Tribulation."
Ladies and gentlemen, the source of the "End Time" scheme was the man you see in the picture. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) wielded great influence in the Christian church. Not only was he a pastor, evangelist, lawyer, and theologian but "the leader of a group called The Plymouth Brethren. Darby wrote at least 53 books on Bible subjects. Darby's contribution to the development of evangelical theology has been so great that he is even universally credited as being "The Father of Modern Dispensationalism."
Ladies and gentlemen, the source of the "End Time" scheme was the man you see in the picture. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) wielded great influence in the Christian church. Not only was he a pastor, evangelist, lawyer, and theologian but "the leader of a group called The Plymouth Brethren. Darby wrote at least 53 books on Bible subjects. Darby's contribution to the development of evangelical theology has been so great that he is even universally credited as being "The Father of Modern Dispensationalism."
The article goes on to say, "Darby's most striking innovation was the timing of a concept called the Rapture, drawn from the Apostle Paul's prediction that believers would fly up to meet Christ in Heaven. Most theologians understood it as part of the Resurrection at time's very end, Darby repositioned it at the Apocalypse's very beginning, a small shift with large implications. It spared true believers the Tribulation, leaving the horror to non believers and the doctrinally misled...Darby's scheme became a pillar of the new Fundamentalism."
For more information, please read The Rapture Delusions as well as, End Time Delusions by Steve Wohlberg and, The Rapture Plot and The Incredible Cover-Up: Exposing the Origins of Rapture Theories by Dave MacPherson
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