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Jay's avatar

I was a Plymouth brethren. John Nelson Darby was their prophet. Went to their bible college. I thought that if I went to school I’d be closer to God. Didn’t happen. Several years later as I wrestled with this dispensationalism etc. It was so deeply entrenched in my mind I had a hard time sorting it out. Now 30 years later its clear to me how false it is. There’s something about a system that is so appealing to our nature. Very much appreciate your article. Thank you.

Frank S. Scavo's avatar

Can you provide a link to Part 1 on this topic? I can’t find it

Daniel Rushing's avatar

The series is on differences I have with the Church of God, the denomination I grew up in. Here is part 1:

https://www.danielrushing.blog/p/why-i-dont-believe-in-the-verbal

Frank S. Scavo's avatar

Oh thank you, I saw that but the title threw me off.

Daniel Rushing's avatar

I can see how the title might throw you off. I will be writing a follow up to this blog, though, responding to the feedback.

Kent Houston's avatar

"I used to lie awake at night, terrified that the sky might rip open and my parents would vanish—raptured into heaven—leaving me behind to face the Antichrist. I had recurring nightmares. As a child, I remember running inside from playing outdoors, just to check if my parents were still home. It wasn’t wonder or worship that shaped my faith in those years. It was anxiety. Fear was the engine, and rapture theology was the fuel."

I have never heard anyone articulate this historical version of my young life so perfectly. I would call Mom sick and throwing up at school because the Baptist church across the street would be packed because they were having a program but I thought the rapture had happened and people were flocking to the church trying to get right because that's what the preachers said would happen.

At 50 years old in 2018 I finally had rest and relief from this debilitating anxiety when I was converted. Reading and listening to John Piper helped me understand the election of God. It's taken several years to toss the dispensational and premil garbage. The calmness that permeates my eschatology is absolutely beautiful.

Glad you are on this journey.

Daniel Rushing's avatar

Thank your for sharing your experience. Every time I share those memories I find they resonate with others, especially those 35-50 years old. We all felt so alone in our experience, we didn’t realize other kids were dealing with it as well.

Jonathan E Thomas's avatar

What if we screwed up on what the word “Rapture” actually means?

Michael D. Warden's avatar

Yes! Thank you for laying it all out so clearly.

JanG's avatar

Great article. A dear friend and I differ on this topic, so for ‘fun’ last week, I asked AI to provide supporting arguments for both sides and include bible study questions for each. The results were fascinating and fuzzy 🤣. I’m glad it’s in God’s hands and not ours.

Christophoros Durham's avatar

Check out the Augsburg Confession on this an related subject sometime, friend!

https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-christs-return-to-judgment/

Daniel Rushing's avatar

Fascinating! I will.

Carl Thomas's avatar

Amen and amen.

Such a great article. Isn't it funny there is no lion in the book of Revelation? Just Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah. Not an actual lion, a title.

Also, Revelation tells us who it was written to, the seven churches in Asia Minor. Not to us 2,000 years later. It was written to a specific people in a specific time. Yes, we can apply the lessons, but no, it was not to warn us about the rapture and the antichrist 2,000 years later.

Last but certainly not least, I think John does not name the beast for a reason. The goal is not to have one person who is the personification of evil that everyone can point to and say, "there goes the evil one." It's to see what of that evil is in our lives and how much of Babylon we have conformed to.

You got me preaching, sorry. Great article. Sorry for what it to come from those who feel threatened by it.

Daniel Rushing's avatar

Oh man, I am so glad to see this resonate so deeply with you. I love everything you say here and agree. Now, go and preach it my friend! The good news is still the good news.

David Loney's avatar

Finally. A way to see it all that actually adds up. I’ve spent my life being forced to “go on faith” and being discouraged from wrestling too much with the myriad loopholes and unanswerable dilemmas within dispensational theology.

Daniel Rushing's avatar

Dispensationalism doesn't add up. Literally. I am glad this resonated with you. We are not alone in our thinking.

Kent Houston's avatar

BTW Great article!

j2d2's avatar

There are more than half a dozen “theories” on end-times. All have points. All have problems. It will end the way God planned it. Believers should know we have more in common than things that separate us.

Daniel Rushing's avatar

I concur. Some do more harm than others. I would put dispensationalism on that list.

Allen Daves's avatar

Revelation 9:11 And they had a king over them..angel of the bottomless pit,.....Abaddon, but in the GREEK.tongue hath his name APOLLYON.

"THE ANTI-THESIS"- APOLLO THE DESTROYER = 7yrs war of AD70

(1COR 10:20/ REV 9:20)

1. Favorite God of ceaser

2. The SON of god

3. The GREAT PHYSICIAN/ spiritual healing

4. Lego 15 Apollionus legion of Titus

5. The god of JUSTICE & LOCUS ( Rev 9:3,7

Isaiah 54:16 .... and I have created the WASTER TO DESTROY....)

6. God of TRUTH, LIGHT, way of PEACE

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O LUCIFER, son of the morning!.., which didst weaken the nations!

6A) WHICH GOD OF PEACE?

Isaiah9:6.... A SON IS GIVEN:... and HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED ... THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

John 14:27 PEACE I leave with you, MY PEACE I give unto you:...

💥" THE LAST DAYS" WERE A PERIOD coverd by 70 yrs from birth of Christ to AD 70. TOTAL PERIOD OF TIME LASTED 666YEARS. BEGAN WITH A 70 YEAR PERIOD UNDER BABYLON & ENDED WITH A 70 YEAR PERIOD UNDER ROME

596BC.....................70AD

[...........666yrs...........]

[70yr)-------------(70yrs]

1) 42 MONTHS ( REV 11:2)= 1260 DAYS = 3.5 YRS = HALF A TIME because AD 70 was half way through that war that lasted for 7 years.

WAR DIRECTLY OUTLINED IN DANIEL👇

Luke 4:18/ Isaiah 61:1 continued… TO PROCLAIM acceptable YEAR OF THE LORD and THE DAY OF 🚨VENGEANCE🚨

👆👆Isaiah 35:4...YOUR GOD WILL COME WITH 🚨VENGEANCE🚨, EVEN GOD WITH A RECOMPENCE; HE WILL COME AND 😇SAVE YOU.😇 (Lk 21:22-24 & 28-31)

Daniel 9:26 .... shall DESTROY .THE END .... THE END .... WAR DESOLATIONS .. DETERMINED.

Daniel 9:27 .. for ONE WEEK:(7) and in the MIDST OF WEEK (3.5yrs or days of Rev)

... DESOLATE, ... CONSUMATION,.... DETERMINED ....DESOLATE.👇

Lk 21:20. And WHEN YE SHALL SEE JERUSALEM COMPASSED WITH ARMIES, THEN KNOW THAT THE ⚠️DESOLATION⚠️ THEREOF IS NIGH .... 22. THESE BE THE DAYS OF 🚨VENGEANCE🚨,, that ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULLFILLED.(Acts 3:21); 28 ...your 😇REDEMPTION😇 DRAWETH NIGH

DANIEL 9) (note A* goes with A* & B- goes with B- all of it about war of AD70)👇

(A*)….. ⚠️DESTROY⚠️ THE CITY AND THE SANCTUARY (AD70) and THE END THEREOF SHALL BE WITH A 💦FLOOD💦 (This war is also THE 💦FLOOD💦 refereed to in Mat 24:39 et al) (Isaiah 54:9 For THIS IS AS THE 💦WATERS💦 OF NOAH...)

(B-) …UNTO THE END OF THE WAR ⚠️DESOLATIONS⚠️ ARE DETERMINED. 27. And he shall ✝️CONFIRM THE COVENANT✝️ WITH MANY FOR ONE WEEK: and

(A*) …IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK (AD 70) HE SHALL CAUSE THE SACRIFICE AND THE OBLATION TO CEASE……he shall

(B-) …MAKE IT ⚠️DESOLATE⚠️, EVEN UNTIL THE 💢CONSUMMATION,💢 (1 Cor 13:10... when 💢THAT WHICH IS PERFECT IS COME💢

LATTER DAYS👇= 70 years from Christ birth ,till war AD70

Acts 2:5.. dwelling at Jerusalem JEWS, devout men, OUT OF EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN.... (⏰Heb 1:2; LAST DAYS⏰ Acts 2:16-17 THIS IS THAT⏰)

DANIELS 70 WEEKS VISION IS OUTLINED AS 3.5 TIME PERIODS THAT END WITH 3.5 YEARS OR "HALF A TIME" = "42 MONTHS" or 1260DAYS or "HALF AN HOUR"

6th Seal trupet vial are all the same thing = first 3.5 years or first half of that war that lasted for one week or 7 years

7th Seal Trump vial are all same thing = last half or 3.5 yrs or half a time = half an hour of the war that lasted for 7 years

AD70 was "THE MIDST OF ONE WEEK"

TIME 1 + TIMES.->2 = 3 + HALF A TIME

3.5 TIME PERIODS THAT END WITH 3.5 YRS

👇

HALF A TIME = HALF A WEEK = 42 MONTHS= 3.5 YEARS

👇🔥🔥🔥COMMING- VENGENCE🔥🔥🔥👇 JEWISH WARS BOOK 6, CHAPTER 5, SECTION 3:... AT THE SAME FESTIVAL ALSO, A HEIFER, AS SHE WAS LED BY THE HIGH PRIEST TO BE SACRIFICED, BROUGHT FORTH A LAMB IN THE MIDST OF THE TEMPLE. .... Besides these..: I SUPPOSE THE ACCOUNT OF IT WOULD SEEM TO BE A FABLE, WERE IT NOT RELATED BY THOSE THAT SAW IT, ... FOR, BEFORE SUN-SETTING, CHARIOTS AND TROOPS OF SOLDIERS IN THEIR ARMOR WERE SEEN RUNNING ABOUT AMONG THE CLOUDS, AND SURROUNDING OF CITIES. Moreover, at that feast...THEY FELT A QUAKING, AND HEARD A GREAT NOISE, AND AFTER THAT THEY HEARD A SOUND AS OF A GREAT MULTITUDE, SAYING, "LET US REMOVE HENCE."....But, what is still more terrible, ...

https://www.scribd.com/doc/305366745/Revelation-the-First-Gospel-of-the-Kingdom

https://www.academia.edu/23464127/REVELATION_THE_FIRST_GOSPEL_OF_THE_KINGDOM

Daniel Rushing's avatar

😵‍💫 😵‍💫😵‍💫

Allen Daves's avatar

The real problem is that people have absolutly no real idea what the gospel is.....dont belive it?

THE GOSPEL JESUS PREACHED WAS NOT DEATH BURIAL & RESURECTION ...HE HARDLY EVER MENTIONED IT!🤣🤡🌏🤣

Many point to verse such as 1 Cor 15:1-4. The first mention of the term "THE GOSPEL" is way back in CH 1!👈💥& Ch 15 itself is about the return of Christ & the resurection of the dead!! 🤣

💥1 Cor 1:6. Even as THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST WAS CONFIRMED IN YOU: 7. … WAITING FOR ⚡⚡THE COMING OF OUR LORD⚡⚡ Jesus Christ:  

💥2 Thess 2:1....WE BESEECH YOU, brethren, 💥BY💥 ⚡⚡THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM⚡⚡, … 14. Whereunto he called you ⚡⚡BY OUR GOSPEL⚡⚡ .  

💥2Thess 3:5. And the Lord DIRECT YOUR HEARTS into the love of God, AND INTO THE PATIENT ⚡⚡WAITING FOR CHRIST.⚡

 Rev 1:2 Who bare record of (1) THE WORD of God, and of (2) THE TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ, and of (3) all THINGS THAT HE SAW. (Rev 19:9..These are THE TRUE SAYINGS of God. .10…for the TESTIMONY of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.)

THE OLD SONG OF MOSES v THE NEW SONG OF THD LAMB......"GET IT" YET?!?

SONG OF MOSES:

Deut 4:26 ye shall soon UTTERLY PERISH ... but shall UTTERLY be ⚠️DESTROYED⚠️...30 When thou art in 🚨TRIBULATION🚨 and ALL THESE THINGS COME UPON THEE, even in ⏰THE LATTER DAYS⏰...   

Deut 30:1.....WHEN ALL THESE THINGS ARE COME.. THE 🎯BLESSING🎯 and THE 🚨CURSE🚨,....19. Now therefore WRITE YE 🎶THIS SONG🎶... .20. ....and break my covenant. 21.when many evils and 🚨TROUBLES🚨 ...🎶THIS SONG🎶 SHALL TESTIFY AGAINST THEM AS A WITNESS; ...: 22. MOSES THEREFORE WROTE 🎶THIS SONG🎶 the same day.

Deut 31 :29..EVIL .⏰THE LATTER DAYS⏰ 

Deut 32:17. They 👹SACRIFICED UNTO DEVILS👹, (PS 106:35-37 & Rev 9:20) ..43. REJOICE, O ye nations,.. for HE WILL AVENGE THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS, and will RENDER 🚨VENGEANCE🚨(Luke 21:22)..... 44..Moses.. spake 🎶ALL THE WORDS OF THIS SONG🎶

THIS IS WHY THEY PERSECUTED JESUS. THEY DID NOT PERSECUTE JESUS BECAUSE HE PREACHED "DO GOOD DEEDS"

WHAT DID CHRIST PREACH? 👇  

Luke 4:18/ Isaiah 61:1… The spirit of the Lord is upon me ......TO PROCLAIM acceptable ⏰YEAR OF THE LORD⏰ and THE DAY OF 🚨VENGEANCE🚨

Lk 21: 20. And WHEN YE SHALL SEE ⚠️JERUSALEM COMPASSED⚠️ WITH ARMIES, THEN KNOW THAT THE ⚠️DESOLATION⚠️ THEREOF IS NIGH .... 22. THESE BE THE DAYS OF 🚨VENGEANCE,🚨 that ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE 💪FULLFILLED💪... 28 ....for your 🎯REDEMPTION🎯 DRAWETH NIGH

They thought Messiah was going to kill everyone who was not a Biological jew in Israel, but Gods "humor" was to destroy all biological jews & START ANEW WITH JUST JESUS "THE SEED" (💥 Rembember God wanted to start over with just moses at Mt Sini But Moses pleaded with God.💥)

⛔DANIEL 9) CONFIRMATION CONSUMATION & LAW CHANGED⛔

👉(💥A💥).. ⚠️DESTROY⚠️... CITY . SANCTUARY... THE END THEREOF SHALL BE WITH A 💦FLOOD💦 💥 (Mat 24 :39 ..until the 💦FLOOD💦 CAME ...so shall.. coming of..Son of man)

Nahum 1: 2... LORD REVENGETH; ....WILL TAKE 🚨VENGEANCE🚨...5. 🔥🌏THE MOUNTAINS QUAKE ...THE HILLS MELT, AND THE EARTH IS BURNED.. THE WORLD, AND ALL THAT DWELL THEREIN🔥🌏...7..IN 🚨THE DAYOF TROUBLE;🚨 ...8...AN OVERRUNNING 💦FLOOD💦... MAKE AN UTTER ⚠️END OF THE PLACE⚠️...10 ...THEY.. DEVOURED AS STUBBLE FULLY DRY...15... THE FEET OF HIM THAT BRINGETH 😇GOOD TIDINGS, THAT PUBLISHETH PEACE!😇

1 Peter 4:7...🔥🌏END OF ALL THINGS IS ST HAND🔥🌏....17 TIME IS COME that JUDGMENT must BEGIN (not end)

👉1 Corinthians 10:7 Neither be ye 👹IDOLATERS👹,.. 11...they are written for our admonition, upon whom 🔥🌏THE ENDS OF THE WORLD ARE COME🔥🌏20 ... the Gentiles sacrifice, they 👹SACRIFICE to DEVILS👹

👉(💥B💥) …UNTO THE END OF THE WAR ⚠️DESOLATIONS⚠️ ARE DETERMINED. 27.. shall ✝️🎶CONFIRM THE COVENANT🎶✝️ WITH MANY FOR ONE WEEK:

1) Rev 1:7.. cometh with clouds.👁👁EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM.. THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM👁👁... (Acts 2:5) THE EARTH SHALL 💧WAIL💧 BECAUSE OF HIM.

Zech 12:1.. ⚠️WHEN THEY SHALL BE IN THE SIEGE⚠️.. 6. IN THAT DAY....👁👁THEYSHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED👁👁, THEY SHALL 💧MOURN💧 ..11. A GREAT MOURNING IN JERUSALEM...INTHE VALLEY OF ☢☠MEGIDDON*☠☢

Rev 16:14 For they are the 👹SPIRITS OF DEVILS👹 working miracles, ... to☢☠GATHER THEM TO BATTLE☠☢of ⏰THAT GREAT DAY⏰ Almighty. 15. I COME AS A THIEF. .. 16. And HE GATHERED THEM....☢☠ARMAGEDDON☠☢

Zech 14:1. THE ⏰DAY OF THE LORD⏰ COMETH, .. 2.... GATHER ALL NATIONS....⚠️THE CITY SHALL BE TAKEN⚠️

👉(💥A💥) …IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK (AD 70)... CAUSE THE 🎶SACRIFICE🎶 AND.. ⛔🎶OBLATION TO CEASE🎶⛔

Heb 7 :12..the PRIESTHOOD being ⛔CHANGED,⛔ there is made of necessity a ⛔CHANGE⛔ also of the LAW...

THE SONG OF THE LAMB

Psalms 40:3...he hath put ✝️🎶A NEW SONG✝️🎶 in my mouth,..6 ⛔Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; .. burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.⛔ 7....Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

👉(💥B💥) …MAKE IT ⚠️DESOLATE⚠️, EVEN UNTIL THE 🎯CONSUMMATION🎯

👉1 Cor 13:8  PROPHECIES.. FAIL.. TONGUES,.. CEASE....10 🎯WHEN THAT WHICH IS PERFECT IS COME🎯, then that which is in part shall be done away

FURTHER, IF HEAVEN & EARTH HAS NOT PASSED AWAY THEN THE LAW OF MOSES IS STILL REQUIRED & IN EFFECT NOW!?!

Mat 5:18.....🔥🌏Till HEVEAN AND EARTH PASS🔥🌏 one jot...shall in no wise pass from the law, 💪TILL ALL BE FULLFILLED💪

The earth that burned up & pass away was a people-> Israel NOT a planet!! Man is made of EARTH..... Its not UR world or world of the Maya that was to burn up melt & pass away with a great noise... Popular ideas of Jesus return & "the last day" is from theological Nimrods.

There is exactly 666yrs between Nebecarnezars 1st year over Isreal 596BC and it's final total complete destruction in AD70....

Daniel 9:11 ....therefore THE CURSE IS POURED UPON US, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. .....24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,..........

This fact is also irrespective of peoples ideas of the AD/BC date line which ironically is also proven to be correct..

PERIOD OF THE CURSE LASTED 666Yrs IT. BEGAN WITH A 70 YEAR PERIOD UNDER BABYLON & ENDED WITH "THE LAST DAYS" = A 70 YEAR PERIOD UNDER ROME

596BC.....................70AD

[...........666yrs...........]

[70yr)-------------(70yrs]

The mark his name, the number of his name is TRANSGRESSION, OR BLASPHEMY OR SIN

THE LAST DAYS" = 70 yrs from birth of Christ to AD 70.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/305366745/Revelation-the-First-Gospel-of-the-Kingdom

https://www.academia.edu/23464127/REVELATION_THE_FIRST_GOSPEL_OF_THE_KINGDOM

Jason Knorr's avatar

I’m with you brother.

mark's avatar
Mar 20Edited

I don’t believe in the rapture either https://youtu.be/1LXuNpF6NVg?si=uWFEp9XBMW0-Qzbz

The idea of a rapture dates to the 19th century.

in terms of the anti-Christ, scripture teaches that there are “many anti-Christs” (1 John 2:18-29). Anti-Christ is simply someone who denies Jesus and his teachings.

Matthew Fox has a book titled “Trump and the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ” which explores their denial of Christ and his teachings.