The Timing of the Rapture

PREFACE

The impetus for writing this book is based on certain phenomena I have observed over the last few years with respect to how the Body of Christ responds to prophetical warnings.  A few years ago, I wrote a book entitled Is the United States Mentioned in Bible Prophecy?  My answer was and is 180 degrees opposite of the vast majority, if not the entirety, of the major names in Bible prophecy teaching.  The majority view is that the United States (US) is not mentioned specifically but, at best, peripherally through parallels to Israel and God’s judgment on it.  Some of the more well-known prophecy teachers are very stalwart about the majority view.  From their perspective, as a nation, we are tracking right along with how the Israelites tracked before their judgment as a nation, first with the northern tribes under the Assyrians and then the southern tribes under the Babylonians, but they add that the Bible does not mention the US.

There is another view, British Israelism, propagated by the cultish Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong, that Great Britain and the US are populated by descendants of the lost 10 tribes of Israel, i.e., the northern tribes carried away into captivity by the Assyrians.  These folks see certain terms in Old Testament (OT) prophecies as cryptic language for the US; but considering the source of this view, their overuse of allegory, and big stretches of imagination, I put little stock in their position.  I do not deny that some strong research conducted by others indicates that descendants of the tribes, particularly Dan, inhabit Europe and the US in sizeable numbers, but it breaks the rule of context to apply passages that speak directly to Israel as allegorical for the US.  So, within orthodox, evangelical circles (mainly Protestant), the dominant view remains that the US is not mentioned in Bible prophecy.

I disagree.  Daniel 7 uses symbolism that previously has been understood to be prophecy about the Babylonians to the Romans to the antichrist’s final kingdom.  I, however, believe strongly that the order of nations presented in Daniel 7 is the Anglo-American alliance; the Russians with their partners the Turks, Iranians, and Syrians; the Asians composed of China, Japan, the Koreas, and India; and finally, the antichrist’s kingdom.  Every day the news supports this view in light of the descent of both the US and Great Britain in military power, wealth, global influence, and morality; the ascent of Russian military might, influence, and cash reserves, plus Russia’s alliance with the above-referenced, Muslim nations; and the same kind of ascent for the Asians.  To list the supporting evidence is too time consuming and, for me personally, too mind-numbing.  Should someone deny these truths about the state of these nations, I would respond that they are either being willfully ignorant of current affairs or stubbornly clinging to an outdated and unsupportable eschatology.  Is it irritating or annoying to say that?  I would respond that it works both ways, because I find it troubling that well-trained theologians ignore both modern nations and current events that match the symbols and events in Daniel 7 to a T.  Prophecy is being played out before our eyes, and the majority of the Church - or at least the Western faction of it - is asleep at the wheel.

This brings up the phenomena I mentioned previously.  One phenomenon is that the idea that the US is mentioned in Bible prophecy has generated little interest; and even among those who have agreed with this view, little effort is made to further the message.  In short, the response to my proposed revision to the Daniel 7 interpretation has been a collective yawn.  I am utterly mystified as to why.  To know the playbook that describes the destruction of our country and the rise of nations leading to the antichrist and, beyond that, to the return of Christ is, in my mind, of tremendous value.  After all,

2 Peter 1:19

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Proverbs 22:3

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Hebrews 11:7

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Revelation 1:3

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The value of prophecy is, at the very least, one of informing the audience to pursue preparation.  As the Apostle Peter tells us, it is like a light that illuminates the way ahead of us, presumably to help us in safe passage along the trails and trials of life.  It allows us to foresee the difficulties ahead and take cover, as King Solomon informs us.  Moreover, the Apostle John tells us that to read and heed prophecy is to receive a blessing.  To ignore prophecy is to do so at one’s own peril and to miss the blessing.  Noah foresaw the day of evil; it frightened him to the point that he felt compelled to build a very big boat, and he received the blessing of a fresh start and induction into the Faith Hall of Fame.  And I would add, how would it have worked for Joseph and the Egyptians had he not gathered food during the seven years of abundance before the seven years of dearth?

A second phenomenon is, as I discuss with Christians current events in light of prophecy, the not-infrequent comments from them about the rapture.  The comments generally run along the lines of, Well, I’m not going to be here anyway, since the rapture will happen before everything gets really bad.  I don’t plan on being here during the Tribulation.  This is an interesting thought, considering millions of Christians around the world are already being severely persecuted.  To a Christian being lined up for slaughter by ISIS, it seems to me that nothing in the Tribulation could be much worse.  The hope of missing all the bad stuff via the rapture would sound rather hollow, I would think, to such a Christian.

I am not alone in my observation.  My friend and colleague, Mark, recently relayed to me comments from a couple of men at his Bible study group who were discussing the decaying state of the world.  As they were departing to head home after the study, their concluding remarks were that the decaying state of affairs aren’t really going to affect them, since they aren’t going to be around here anyway by virtue of the rapture.  Add to that, one of my nephews, Jordan, recently commented to me in one of our discussions, …what I hear from my Christian friends (is), ‘It doesn’t matter to me. I know where I’m going.’ Why did Jesus say to acknowledge the signs if Christians are just going to say, ‘Oh well, I’m going to heaven’?

My thought on these cavalier mindsets is that they probably are not perceived favorably by the Lord, given His rebuke to the religious hypocrites of His day…

Matthew 16:1-3

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. ² He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. ³ And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

…and by His instructions to the followers of His day:

Mark 13:33-37

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. ³⁴ For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. ³⁵ Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: ³⁶ Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Judging by the content of