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Zion’s Fire Magazine

Zion’s Fire is a publication of Zion’s Hope.

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JULY-AUGUST 2023

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – Part 2 A Religious Kingdom Re-Imagined

David Rosenthal

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince has “upped the ante” in his quest to be a major player in the emerging new global order.

COVER REPORT

The Great Tribulation, Part 1

Marv Rosenthal

In the first of this 2-part series, we’ll be examining what the Great Tribulation is, as well as its starting point.

A Word From the Word

Dr. Dan Hayden

In this study, we’ll look at the phrase “Through Faith” and the word “Profit.” What is the biblical importance of each?

INSIGHT FEATURE

A Perfect Passage to Hold Within Your Heart

David Eittinger

Our country is experiencing an onslaught of cultural upheavals, but take heart: Here’s a Bible passage that will lift your spirits!

INSIGHT FEATURE

Pretrib: Examining the Foundations of Pretribulation Rapture Theology

Alan E. Kurschner

A foundational pretrib theology belief is that God does not work with the Church and Israel at the same time. Is this true?

INSIGHT FEATURE

Caught Off Guard, Part 2

Marv Rosenthal

In Part 1, we examined the pretrib-rapture emphasis on imminence. In Part 2, we will look at the teaching of Paul and the Lord Jesus himself.

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SAUDI ARABIA’S VISION 2030

A RELIGIOUS KINGDOM RE-I MAGIN ED

Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia’s stunning Vision 2030 development plans (which are estimated to cost in excess of $750 billion) have garnered the attention of wealthy entrepreneurs, international corporations, and world governments. But now, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recently announced plan to build the largest modern downtown on Earth, he has “upped the ante” once again – putting the world on notice that Saudi Arabia intends to be a high-stakes player in the emerging new global order.

The New Murabba development (which is named after the historic Murabba Palace in the Saudi capital) is to be built in the suburbs of Riyadh as “a city within a city.” However, plans call for something far beyond a typical modern metropolis.

The iconic centerpiece of the Crown Prince’s new urban development will be the Mukaab, an enormous cube-shaped structure that will tower above the existing Saudi skyline. I’ll discuss the possible prophetic implications of this further on in this geoprophecy report.

The recent announcement of the Mukaab comes on the heels of a series of major development announcements by the Islamic kingdom including NEOM and its growing list of sci-fiinspired futuristic projects: The Line, Oxagon, Trojena, and Sindalah.

As I explained in the previous issue of Zion’s Fire (May/June 2023), these projects are integral to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a transformative plan initiated by the Crown Prince designed to wean Saudi Arabia from its longstanding dependence on oil revenue and reposition it as a leader in renewable energy. The underlying intent is to remake Saudi Arabia’s image and rebrand it as a global business, trade, and tourism mecca by 2030.

Now consider for a moment the immensity and volume of this new Saudi initiative: The Mukaab (which means “cube” in Arabic) will rise to a height of 1,300 feet, and will be 1,300 feet in length on all sides. Its interior volume will be so large that it could contain 20 Empire State Buildings.

New Murabba and the imposing Mukaab cube will include high-end residences, hotels, restaurants, and shopping. Plans call for more than 80 entertainment venues, museums, a major science university, and an international design center.

Within the cube, an expansive, overhead dome will showcase a continuously

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: A Religious Kingdom Re-Imagined David Rosenthal

The iconic centerpiece of the Crown Prince's new urban development will be the Mukaab, an enormous cube-shaped structure that will tower above the existing Saudi skyline.

A rendering of the Mukaab, with the skyline of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the distance.

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changing virtual sky. A spiraling, stratospheric tower in the center of the Mukaab will provide 360-degree unobstructed views of virtual landscapes that appear on the interior walls of the cube. The surrounding scenery will immerse guests in locations across the globe, the ocean depths, the planet Mars, and fictional destinations. In combination with these features, largerthan-life holographic images will enhance the altered sense of reality.

Certainly, New Murabba, and more specifically, the Mukaab will be a design marvel. But it’s not only these technological features receiving attention. Rather, the familiar cubic form of the Mukaab – in tandem with its unprecedented size and scale – is what’s raising eyebrows across Saudi Arabia and throughout the Islamic world.

The familiar cubic form of the proposed Mukaab is raising eyebrows across Saudi Arabia and throughout the Islamic world.

Nothing of this magnitude moves forward under the Saudi kingdom’s authoritarian capitalist system without the approval of the Crown Prince. Thus, with the announcement of the Mukaab, he is making a clear –and some might say – provocative statement regarding his intentions for the future of the Saudi kingdom.

A Religious Center - ReMade

The center of Islam worldwide is the city of Mecca, and more specifically, the Great Mosque with its black cube known as the Kaaba. Sacred to the adherents of Islam as the house of Allah, the Kaaba is visited by more than 2.5 million devout Muslims each year during Hajj, a prescribed religious pilgrimage required of all Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Millions more visit Mecca during Umrah, a shorter, nonmandated pilgrimage that can occur at any time throughout the year.

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, more than 20 million devout religious pilgrims visited the Kaaba to circle its iconic cube in religious observance. The Saudi government intends to dramatically increase that number, and has embarked upon a massive, $26 billion investment strategy designed to completely remake the religious city with luxury hotels, high-end residences, posh retailers, and restaurants. By 2030, attendance is expected to rise to more than 30 million. With Saudi Arabia wielding such immense power and influence over the Muslim world, why would the Crown Prince risk alienating devout Muslims and jeopardize Saudi Arabia’s influential position with the development of the multi-billion dollar, entertainment-focused Mukaab (the largest cube on Earth) in the capital city of his kingdom?

The

Riyadh is being touted by Saudi officials as the gateway to another world.

OXAGON

TROJENA

SINDALAH

Mukaab to be built in

A rendering of New Murabba and the Mukaab with an interior view of its spiral-shaped central tower.

Two Competing Visions or One Pragmatic Strategy?

Consider the following facts: The Kaaba (in Mecca) and the Mukaab (to be built in Riyadh) have similar names which mean “cube.” The Kaaba is religious and the Mukaab will be secular (at least in its initial description). The Kaaba is believed by Muslims to be the House of Allah and the metaphorical gateway to Heaven. The Mukaab is being touted as “the gateway to another world.” Both cubes will draw millions of tourists. Both cubes will have tremendous economic benefits to the kingdom.

Mohammed bin Salman’s purposes are pragmatic. With the global move from hydrocarbons to renewable sources of energy, the Crown Prince sees a closing window of opportunity to leverage Saudi oil wealth and make the dramatic changes he sees necessary to ensure the survival of his monarchy. But in order to do so, he must lead Saudi Arabia into a new era of change – to a place where old traditions and strict Islamic ideology give way to more moderate ways of thinking and modern methods of living.

Ironically, it may be these very changes, along with the decadence of his initiatives and the secularization they bring to Arabia that alienate surrounding nations such as Iran and Turkey – providing a pretext for a

war of Islamic nations against his kingdom. In fact, the announcement of Mohammed bin Salman’s Mukaab project has already provoked the ire of many Muslims across social-media platforms who clearly see the parallels to their sacred Kaaba in Mecca.

As I also mentioned in the previous issue of Zion’s Fire (see May/June 2023), the similarities between the biblical description of Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and the Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – particularly in connection to its Vision 2030 plan – are astounding.

There are many skeptics who question the economic and technological viability of recent Saudi development projects. Whether they come to fruition remains to be seen. But if these initiatives prove successful in coming years, the kingdom will solidify its growing position as a global religious and economic powerhouse – embodying the two key components which are depictive of the harlot city of Revelation. u

The Saudi government has embarked upon a massive, $26 billion investment strategy in Mecca designed to completely re-make the religious city with luxury hotels, high-end residences, posh retailers, and restaurants. By 2030, the visitor count is expected to rise to more than 30 million.

The Kaaba in the center of Mecca is believed by Muslims to be the metaphorical gateway to Heaven.

The Makkah (Mecca) Royal Clock Tower soars above the Grand Mosque and Kaaba.

Millions of devout Islamic pilgrims circle the Kaaba in Mecca during the annual Hajj.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

What is it?

When does it begin?

From our earliest days of childhood, right up until the end of our lives, we are confronted with warnings. For the youngster, it may be as simple as, “Don’t touch the stove or you will burn yourself!” For the senior citizen, it may be as basic as, “Don’t forget to take your medicine or you will have problems.”

The Word of God is filled with words of warning which carry with them serious consequences for those who disobey.

God said to Adam, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,

TRIBULATION

thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Here was a direct warning from God. Adam disobeyed and brought sin and death into the world.

Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). He warned that judgment was coming and that men should get into the ark (1 Peter 3:20). Except for eight people, men ignored the warning and perished in the Noahic flood.

Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was

warned by two angelic messengers to flee Sodom with his wife and two daughters because the city was going to be destroyed (Genesis 19:13, 15). They instructed Lot with these words: “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed” (Genesis 19:17). The account is all too familiar. Almost any Sunday school child can recite it: “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

Article by Marvin J. Rosenthal 1935–2022

The Word of God is filled with words of warning which carry with them serious consequences for those who disobey.

the Lord Jesus warned, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand [literally “standing”] in the holy place [the Temple on Mount Moriah] … flee.”

(Matthew 24:15-16, emphasis added)

Heeding legitimate warnings is important. Heeding divine warnings is imperative. Men must take God’s warnings seriously or pay the consequences.

In that vein, the Lord Jesus warned, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand [literally “standing”] in the holy place [the Temple on Mount Moriah] … flee” (Matthew 24:15-16, emphasis added).

The Lord then gave the rationale for His urgent warning to flee when the abomination of desolation occurs: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

In his Gospel, Luke, in speaking of that event, states the armies of the Antichrist are going to converge on Jerusalem. He wrote, “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh” (Luke 21:20). Evidently, the purpose for the converging armies will be the enforcing of submission to the Antichrist.

The Old Testament calls this period “the time of Jacob’s [Israel’s] trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). The New Testament calls it the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).

The Great Tribulation: What is it?

idea of pressure. It was used to describe a man who was bound, laid prone on his back, and a heavy boulder placed on his chest. The pressure of the boulder on the chest would diminish the ability to collect air in the lungs, and slowly the victim would die of suffocation. Roman crucifixion had the same effect. The weakening victim, hanging from the cross, found it increasingly difficult to pull himself up and fill his lungs with air. Slowly he would die by suffocating.

This idea of thlipsis (physical pressure) eventually came to speak of the pressures, problems, and distresses of life. Strong’s Concordance defines thlipsis as “affliction, anguish, persecution, trouble, and tribulation.”

It is crucial for an understanding of prophecy that a clear distinction be made between general tribulation (thlipsis) –which is common to all people during all ages – and the Great Tribulation which will occur for a brief time and be directed against God’s elect at the end of the age.

It is crucial for an understanding of prophecy that a clear distinction be made between general tribulation (thlipsis) –which is common to all people during all ages –and the Great Tribulation which will occur for a brief time and be directed against God’s elect at the end of the age.

One of the most frequently used words in any discussion concerning the end of the age is the word “tribulation.” It is so fundamental to the prophetic vocabulary that major views of Christ’s second coming are defined by use of the word “tribulation” and the prefix which precedes it. Men speak of “pretribulation rapturism” – the view that Christ will rapture the Church before the tribulation. They speak of midtribulation rapturism – the view that Christ will rapture the Church at the midpoint of the tribulation. And men speak of posttribulation rapturism – the view that Christ will rapture the Church at the end of the tribulation.

The Greek word thlipsis is normally translated by the English word “tribulation” (Matthew 24:21) or “affliction” (Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:19) in the Authorized Version of the Bible.

In classical Greek, thlipsis conveyed the

The Greek word thlipsis (tribulation) occurs about 20 times in the New Testament. It is used most frequently in a generic, nonprophetic setting. For instance, the Lord taught, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Paul taught, “... knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

The aged apostle John identified with his fellow believers who were going through pressure and persecution this way: “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation” (Revelation 1:9).

Since the fall of Adam and Eve and the advent of sin into the world, all men through the ages have known tribulation. No one, however rich, powerful, popular, or noble has ever been exempted. Tribulation is a malady common to all.

In contrast to the generic use of the word “tribulation,” there are a number of clear prophetic uses of the word “tribulation.” In each of these instances, thlipsis (tribulation) is associated with the adjective “great.” In each occurrence it refers to a future event.

That still-future event will be so devastating that the Lord, in describing it in His Olivet Discourse, said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

Three important truths concerning the Great Tribulation need to be emphasized.

First, Jesus, in speaking on the Great Tribulation, is not overstating the case; He is not using hyperbole. The Great Tribulation will be of such severity that it is unequaled in all annals of history.

Second, the Great Tribulation is not universal in scope. It will be directed against the “elect” of God (Matthew 24:22). They will be the specific target. It will be a time of great thlipsis for them. The cause will be their refusal to submit to the Antichrist. The effect will be unprecedented persecution – great tribulation.

BEGINNING OF SORROWS

end of the age during which time specific prophetic events will be fulfilled. However, nowhere in the Scriptures is that seven-year period ever designated “the Tribulation period.”

The technical designation “Tribulation period” has simply been superimposed upon the Scriptures, without any basis, and made to equal the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. The problem with the designation is that it creates an unbiblical bias toward pretribulation rapturism. We know the believer is not appointed unto wrath, as seen in Romans 5:9. If the final seven years are called the Tribulation Period, it is an easy leap to the conclusion that the Church is raptured pretribulationally.

In point of fact, the 70th Week of Daniel is a complex mosaic which, according to the Lord Jesus, includes the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8), the Great

THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL

First 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th Week ANTICHRIST

3 1/2 YEARS

Third, the Great Tribulation has no relationship whatever to the outpouring of God’s wrath during the Day of the Lord. The Great Tribulation will be persecution by the Antichrist directed against those who reject his authority and refuse his mark. The Day of the Lord (the time when God will rapture the righteous and judge the wicked), by contrast, follows the Great Tribulation but is not associated with it. The former (the Great Tribulation) is directed against God’s elect by the Antichrist. The latter (the Day of the Lord) is directed against the unsaved world by the true Christ.

The Great Tribulation:

When does it begin?

In almost any discussion of end-time events, Bible teachers speak of “the Tribulation period.” The Tribulation period is commonly identified with the 70th Week (a seven-year period at the end of the age), spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). It is clear from the Scriptures that God has decreed a seven-year period at the

Nowhere in the Scriptures is that seven-year period ever designated “the Tribulation period.”

GREAT TRIBULATION

Beginning at mid-point and cut short by cosmic disturbance

3 1/2 YEARS

Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-28), the Rapture of the Church, and the Day of the Lord (Matthew 24:29-31).

While on the one hand the Bible does not speak of a seven-year Tribulation period, it does on the other hand speak of “great tribulation” which will begin at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th Week. Daniel taught that in the midst of the 70th Week the Antichrist would cause the reinstituted animal sacrificial system of Judaism to be brought to a halt. He wrote of the Antichrist: “In the midst of the week [3½ years into it] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” (Daniel 9:27). He will then desecrate the Temple by demanding worship of himself (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

The abomination of desolation at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah will trigger the Great Tribulation and is the basis for the Lord’s warning to flee. u

In Part 2 of this study, we’ll look at when the Great Tribulation will end, and whom it will impact.

DAY OF THE LORD

While on the one hand the Bible does not speak of a seven-year Tribulation period, it does on the other hand speak of “great tribulation” which will begin at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th Week.

The abomination of desolation at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah will trigger the Great Tribulation and is the basis for the Lord’s warning to flee.

“And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

(2 Timothy 3:15)

FTHROUGH FAITH

– 2 Timothy 3:15

aith is not a blind leap in the dark. It is placing your confidence in some thing or someone, because that thing or person has demonstrated trustworthiness.

Contrary to popular Christian opinion, we are not saved by faith – we are saved by grace. Faith is simply the means by which we become connected to the grace of God. So, to be theologically correct, we are saved by grace through faith.

In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul encourages Timothy concerning his salvation by saying, “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

The wisdom of the Holy Scriptures with regard to salvation is that salvation is in Christ Jesus through the means of faith.

The word “through” here is the Greek preposition, dia, which truly means “through.” We have it in our English word “diameter” (the meter that goes through the circle).

Faith is like the clutch on a transmission in your car. The motor is the power that

drives the car, just as Christ is the power that effects our salvation. The chassis is the actual car (it’s what you see), so the chassis is like us (the sinner). We’re the ones that need the power of Christ to be saved.

But what is it that gets the two of these things together? It’s the clutch – or transmission. You see, the transmission allows the power of the motor to engage the chassis so that the car is able to move.

Now we never say, “Wow! What a clutch!” Rather, we say, “Wow! What an engine!” or “Wow! What a car!” The clutch is absolutely necessary, but it’s not the prominent thing. Even so, faith is not the prominent thing. The important thing in salvation is Christ. “Wow! What a Savior!”

So salvation is not by faith – it is through faith. Are you saved? Have you put your faith in Christ? Remember, salvation is through faith. u

IPROFIT

– Matthew 16:26

t is said that Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That may be an exaggeration, but it does call attention to the fact that determining value is a lost art in our society.

Jesus had a way of getting people’s attention. He knew that everybody was interested in making a profit, therefore in Matthew 16:26 He said: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

At that point His disciples’ ears were perked up and Judas had his calculator poised for action. Profit, did He say profit?

In our economically-driven world, the question of profit stirs the mind, quickens the pulse, and makes the blood run hot. We think of monetary gain and personal advantage, or perhaps a stock market surge.

Yet our Lord’s question was probing concerning the most significant investment of life: the entire world on one side and your soul on the other.

Jesus was in essence saying, Think about it. What good are all your worldly invest-

ments if, in the process, you lose your soul. Eternal loss is a bad trade for temporal gain. If you get it all here in this life and lose it all there in the life to come, you are the ultimate loser.

Jim Elliot, the missionary who gave his life for Christ in the jungles of Ecuador, put it this way: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Think about what Jesus said. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?

Nothing you invest here in this world is going to last. Consider this the next time you think about profit. u

Written by Dr. Dan Hayden

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

(Matthew 16:26)

A PERFECT

TO HOLD

Hard, Fast Change

Our nation is undergoing a cultural upheaval, and many of us are concerned. It grieves us to see the foundations upon which we were built being attacked, and there is a real sense of insecurity, of “What’s going to happen next.”

This is what happens when change comes, and comes hard and fast.

With all the uncertainty in our world, many of those whose hope lies solely in humanity often fret and panic. Whereas those whose hope is in our all-powerful God should have a sense of peace.

With all the uncertainty in our world, many of those whose hope lies solely in humanity often fret and panic, whereas those whose hope is in our all-powerful God should have a sense of peace.

Written by David Ettinger

Where unbelievers have nothing firm upon which to place their hopes, Christians have the security of our unchangeable, immovable, and faithful Sovereign in whom to place all our hopes, aspirations, and concerns.

No passage of Scripture expresses this confidence better than 1 Peter 1:3-7, making it the perfect passage for the evil and sin-sick culture in which we live.

Crucial Context

When reading 1 Peter it is crucial to understand what was happening in the Roman-controlled world at the time of its authorship. The madman Nero was the emperor, he was persecuting Christians, and the situation was horrific. Nero ordered believers to be torn apart by ravenous dogs, burnt alive as human torches, and nailed to crosses.

This, then, is the context in which Peter wrote, and it is far worse than anything Western Christians are now experiencing. In the midst of Nero’s atrocities, Peter wrote:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Note the assurance Peter gives believers, as if to say, Yes, our people are being severely persecuted, but look what God has done for us – things Nero can never take from us!

To believers today, Peter could well be saying, I know your beloved country is coming apart at the seams, but your hope is not in your country or government, but in the God who has promised you glorious things.

The Promised Glory

What are these glorious promises?

The first is that we are “begotten … unto a lively hope,” or put differently, “born again to a living hope.” The hope we have is of eternal life through the shed blood and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That Christ resides – present tense – at “the right hand of God” (Acts 2:33) means this hope has never been rescinded. Because Jesus lives, our hope in Him lives – and will be fulfilled regardless of what happens on Earth.

The second glorious promise is all of verse 4, that we have obtained “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for

PASSAGE

WITHIN YOUR HEART

you.” Heaven – wondrous eternal life with the Lord Jesus – is guaranteed. In fact, God’s part of it is a “done deal” as our eternal paradise is already “reserved” for us. The persecution and murder of Christians in Nero’s day was unable to nullify this glorious promise – and neither can anything the world throws at us today.

The third glorious promise is that we are “kept [protected] by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (v. 5). Since, as believers, we are already spiritually saved, this promise speaks of the physical salvation awaiting us in eternity – the receiving of our eternal, perfect, and imperishable bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-49).

Take Comfort

Such glorious promises should give rise to great comfort, as Peter tells us in verses 6-7:

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations [various trials]: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Based on verse 6, I ask you: Are you rejoicing right now? No, it is not the times themselves which give us cause to rejoice, but the aforementioned glorious promises –the “Wherein” which begins the verse. Furthermore, living in such times is far more than a test of endurance, but an

opportunity to see your faith be honed and refined in the fire of affliction. Great comfort does nothing to prove and refine your faith; only calamity and personal loss can accomplish this.

Take it to Heart

The present situation in America doesn’t compare to the terror and torment Christians experienced in Nero’s day. But we must face the hard truth that things will get worse as we draw nearer to the end of the age. Therefore, 1 Peter 1:3-7 is the perfect passage to hold within your heart.

As believers, let us become familiar with it, take it to heart, and use it to grow our faith and fortitude in God. May it give us a passion to reach those who have not bowed the knee to the Lord Jesus that they too may share in His glorious promises! u

Examining the Foundations of Pretribulation Rapture Theology PRE

Editor’s Note: Here are 3 key terms that will assist you in your understanding of this article:

u Pretribulational Theology: The belief that the Church will be raptured BEFORE the 70th Week of the Book of Daniel (the final 7 years of this era of human history), and will not be on Earth to encounter the Antichrist when he rises to power.

u Pre-Wrath Theology: The belief that the Church will be raptured following the opening of the 6th seal of Revelation Chapter 6, meaning the Church WILL encounter the Antichrist before being raptured sometime during the final 3½ years of the 70th Week (which is commonly, but incorrectly, labeled “the Tribulation”).

u Dispensational Theology: The belief that God deals with humanity in different ways in different periods of time throughout history.

One of the major foundations of pretribulational theology is a preconceived assumption that God does not work with the Church and Israel at the same time. This assumption is rooted in the belief by many who call themselves “dispensationalists” – that history is divided into multiple ages or “dispensations” in which God acts with humanity in different ways.

TRIB

Thus, for those who call themselves traditional dispensationalists, their foundational argument for pretribulationism rests on their view that a sharp distinction must be made between Israel and the Church. This view argues for an absolute dispensational change from God’s purposes for the Church in this present age to His purposes for Israel during Daniel’s 70th Week.

John F. Walvoord, a noted pretribulationist, once claimed that pretribulationism is based on an inference of an ecclesiastical understanding between national Israel and the Church: “[T]he rapture question is determined more by ecclesiology [the study of the nature and doctrine of the Christian Church] than eschatology [the biblical study of the End Times]” (clarifications mine).1

Shared Beliefs

I hold to a Pre-Wrath perspective, in contrast to pretribulationalism. However, Pre-Wrath eschatology shares several beliefs with pretribulationalism: 1) key biblical events will be fulfilled in the future –e.g., from the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation; 2) a premillennial theology of

the physical Millennial Kingdom waits to be established at Jesus’ return; 3) God promises to restore national, ethnic Israel to their land; and 4) the saints are promised exemption from the Day of the Lord’s wrath (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Unlike the pretribulation view, however, Pre-Wrath holds that the Rapture and the Resurrection will occur sometime during the second half of Daniel’s seven-year period. Pre-Wrath theology distinguishes between the Antichrist’s great tribulation and the Day of the Lord’s wrath, a distinction that pretribulationalism fails to recognize. The Antichrist’s great tribulation will be directed against God’s saints until it is cut short with the coming of Jesus for the Resurrection and Rapture. On that day, God will immediately begin to pour out His Day-of-the-Lord wrath against the world. This distinction is critical to a proper understanding of eschatology. Failure to recognize this distinction conflates the two events. Pretribulation interpreters believe the seven-year period is entirely God’s wrath. Thus, while “the Tribulation” is a commonly used term even among academics, I prefer to use the neutral biblical expression Daniel’s 70th Week or seven-year period.

Most pretribulationists hold to the theological system of dispensationalism.2 Traditional dispensationalists maintain that, during the Church Age, God does not work with national Israel and the Church simultaneously. Charles Ryrie states: “The essence of dispensationalism, then, is the distinction between Israel and the Church.” 3

Ryrie also writes: “Ecclesiology, or the doctrine of the church, is the touchstone of

1 Walvoord, The Rapture Question, 1st ed., 50.

2 A dispensation is a historical-redemptive administration during which God relates to humanity in a particular way that is different from other administrative periods (i.e., dispensations). For example, Charles C. Ryrie (Dispensationalism Today, 47) states, “the distinction between Israel and the Church … reflects an understanding of the basic purpose of God in all His dealings with mankind as that of glorifying Himself through salvation and other purposes as well.”

3 Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 47.

Written by Alan E. Kurschner

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS; AND WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE

– JEREMIAH 31:33

The theological framework of traditional dispensationalism directly shapes pretribulation theology and its interpretations of end-times passages, especially the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation.

National Israel is a distinct entity distinguished from the Church. But God is working out His purpose for both entities simultaneously during the Church Age.

dispensationalism (and also of pretribulationism) … The distinction between Israel and the church leads to the belief that the church will be taken from the earth before the beginning of the Tribulation … Pretribulationism has become a part of normative dispensational eschatology” [emphasis mine].

The theological framework of traditional dispensationalism directly shapes pretribulation theology and its interpretations of end-times passages, especially the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation. I agree with pretribulationism that God will fulfill His national and territorial promises to Israel when Jesus returns. Thus, I view national Israel as a distinct entity distinguished from the Church.

But I believe God works out His distinct purposes for both entities simultaneously during the Church Age. While Israel was promised national and territorial restoration when Jesus returns, God presently works with Israel during the Church Age. At Jesus’ first coming, God extended His grace to the Gentiles, while continuing to work with Israel.

God Has Worked with Israel and the Church Simultaneously in the Past

There are key Old Testament messianic prophecies given to Israel that were fulfilled during the establishment of the Church in

the first century. As such, the interpreter should not find it surprising that God will work with both Israel and the Church in the future during the seven-year period. I will identify three Old Covenant prophecies given to Israel – and about Israel – that began to be fulfilled during the establishment of the Church.

The point is to show that because God has worked with both Israel and the Church simultaneously in the past, there is no necessary theological inference to exclude the Church from existing on Earth in the future during the 70th Week.

The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall

teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

This passage states that God promised to make a new covenant with the people of Judah and Israel. It was not promised to the Church. However, in the New Testament we learn that certain benefits have been extended to the Gentiles, even though they are not part of Israel. The Church is governed under the Jewish New Covenant.4 If a traditional pretribulationist were consistent with this hermeneutic (Bible interpretation), they would need to insist that the Church cannot exist on Earth during the New Covenant, since it was promised to Israel.

I’ll conclude my point on this prophecy with George Eldon Ladd, who captures this point:

If then we have the principle clearly established that the prophecies which in the Old Testament have to do with God’s future purpose for Israel have their fulfillment both in the Church and in Israel, why should we not conclude that the prophecies about the Great Tribulation which have to do in their prophetic form with Israel will find their fulfillment both in the Church and in Israel, unless the Word of God clearly asserts the contrary? We are on Church ground, not Jewish ground in Acts 2 and Hebrews 8 even though the Old Testament predictions appear to be exclusively on Jewish ground. Why are we not also on Church ground as well as on Jewish

4 While the Church does not appear in this Old Testament prophecy, Jeremiah’s prophecy relates to the New Covenant described in the New Testament, which demonstrates that the benefits of this covenant extend to the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 7:22; 8:6; 8:8-12; 9:15; 10:16; 12:24; 13:20-21; Galatians 4:21-31; Romans 11:16-29; Ephesians 2:11-22).

5 Ladd, Blessed Hope, 133.

ground in Matthew 24 and Revelation 13? The assumption that this is exclusively Jewish ground is a human interpretation which is not supported by the Word of God.5

Pouring Out of the Spirit (Joel 2:28-31)

In Ladd’s statement above, he alluded to Acts, which mentions a second prophecy from the Old Testament in the Book of Joel:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.

This prophecy began to be fulfilled in the context of Israel and the establishment of the Church Age. Preaching at Pentecost, Peter proclaims in Acts 2:16-21:

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Why should we not conclude that the prophecies about the Great Tribulation which have to do in their prophetic form with Israel will find their fulfillment both in the Church and in Israel, unless the Word of God clearly asserts the contrary?

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.

– Acts 2:20-21

The implication is clear: Since the Church Age was established during the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy, in principle, then, the Church Age can be completed during the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy of Daniel’s 70th Week.

Peter takes the Old Testament prophecy from the prophet Joel, which was originally given to Israel, and extends it to the Church. Joel’s prophecy to Israel then began to be fulfilled during the time of Israel and during the new spiritual community composed of Jews and Gentiles – i.e. the Church. It should be clarified that, while these events were prophesied originally to Israel, the Church is not “replacing” Israel. Instead, the application of the prophecy is being extended to the believing Gentiles in the Church through the coming of the Holy Spirit. The implication is clear: Since the Church Age was established during the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy, in principle, then, the Church Age can be completed during the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy of Daniel’s 70th Week.

that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2; see also Luke 21:5-6).

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation (Luke 19:43-44).

When did this prophecy to Israel concerning Israel become fulfilled? It took place in A.D. 70 – during the Church Age.

This article is an excerpt from Alan Kurschner’s book, Pretrib: Examining the Foundations of Pretribulation Rapture Theology – and has been used with permission.

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Peter does not view Joel’s entire prophecy as being completely fulfilled at Pentecost. Peter construes Joel’s prophecy as having begun to be fulfilled. In other words, Peter’s understanding of Joel’s prophecy is likened to bookends to the Church Age. The first part occurred during the pouring out of the Spirit on all people, which revealed that God was doing a new redemptive work. At that time, the Church Age was conceived. The second part of Joel’s prophecy concerns the celestial disturbances announcing the Day of the Lord’s judgment, which remains to be fulfilled. At that future time, the Church Age will be completed (see also Luke 21:25-28; Matthew 24:22-31; Mark 13:20-27; Revelation 6:12-8:5; Joel 2:31).

God Judged Israel in A.D. 70 (Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 19:43-44)

The next Old Testament prophecy is Jesus’ prediction of the judgment on Israel. During the Old Covenant dispensation, Jesus prophesied to Israel that God would judge Jerusalem with destruction, including its temple:

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another,

Three Old Testament Prophecies Invalidate a Major Presupposition of Pretribulation Rapturism

In summary, these three biblical examples illustrate that God has worked with Israel and the Church simultaneously:

■ Jeremiah prophesied to Israel about the promise of the New Covenant that God would make with Israel, benefits that have not been replaced by, but extended to the Church.

■ Joel made a prophecy originally given to Israel and fulfilled in the context of both Israel and the Church, at Pentecost.

■ Jesus made a prophecy to Israel, and about Israel, concerning its judgment, which was fulfilled in A.D. 70, during the Church Age.

These three Old Testament prophecies invalidate the ecclesiastical presupposition of traditional pretribulationism that the Church must be removed from the earth before Daniel’s 70th Week. These Old Testament prophecies were prophesied to Israel and had fulfillments in the Church Age. There is no necessary, theological principle or hermeneutic (Bible interpretation) that would prevent the Church from being on Earth when the 70th Week (commonly referred to as “the Tribulation”) begins. u

The danger for the Church is not in being left behind, but in being

In Part 1, we explained how the pretribulational rapture emphasis on imminence–that Jesus can come at any moment – sets up the Church to be caught off guard and spiritually ambushed by the Antichrist. The pretribulational teaching that the Church can be raptured at any moment is a false hope. In truth, the Scriptures clearly teach the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. There will be one generation of believers who will enter Daniel’s 70th Week and encounter the Antichrist.

We also discussed how this is not some recent interpretation, but is the very position held by the Church fathers dating back almost 2,000 years.

In Part 2 of this study, we will look at the clear teaching of the apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus himself.

The Teaching of the Apostle Paul

During his second missionary journey the apostle Paul established a church in Thessalonica. He was in the city for only a short period of time and then had to leave because of persecution. While there, he taught that Jesus is coming again and

[Paul] taught that Jesus is coming again and believers will experience the blessed hope.

. . . some of the believers died and their loved ones thought they had missed out on the blessed hope.

believers will experience the blessed hope. However, shortly after Paul left, some of the believers died and their loved ones thought they had missed out on the blessed hope. As a consequence, they were sorrowing like the unsaved who have no hope (the blessed hope).

Because they were thinking wrongly about the status of their deceased loved ones, Paul had to correct their view on this crucial issue. He wrote: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [have died], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Whenever Paul wrote, “But I would not

ones who had died in Christ had not missed out on the blessed hope. They were to comfort one another with that truth (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

The apostle continued his discussion of the second coming by writing: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you” (1 Thessalonians 5:1). He informs that concerning the “times and seasons” (the chronology of the great epic events of history and specifically the future Day of the Lord) there is no need that he write to them. He then cites the reason he does not have to write to them: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [have died], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

have you to be ignorant, brethren,” those to whom he was writing were “ignorant.” That is, they were thinking wrongly about the subject under discussion.

Paul wrote to the church at Rome: “Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you” (Romans 1:13). They were thinking wrongly regarding why Paul had not yet visited Rome, and he had to correct their thinking.

Again he wrote to Rome: “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 is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). They were thinking wrongly concerning the blindness of Israel, and he had to correct their thinking. Israel’s blindness is “in part,” and it has a specific termination point.

The Thessalonians were thinking wrongly concerning the dead in Christ, and Paul had to correct them. He taught that at Christ’s coming the dead in Christ would be resurrected and then living believers would be raptured (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Those loved

of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

The deliberate contrast by Paul is striking. They were “ignorant” concerning the status of the dead in Christ, so he had to write and correct them. Conversely, they “knew perfectly” that the Day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night, so there was no need that he write to them concerning the issue.

Pretribulation rapturists have picked up on the statement, “as a thief in the night” and have said: “See, the Lord’s coming is signless, any-moment, like ‘a thief in the night.’” Imminence – a signless “thief-in-the-night” coming – is at the very heart of pretribulation rapturism. It saturates their writing. But is it what the apostle Paul teaches?

He continues: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The pronouns here, “they,” “them,” and “they,” are most important. In each case they are referring to the unsaved. Paul wrote, “For when they [the unsaved] shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction

cometh upon them [the unsaved], as travail upon a woman with child; and they [the unsaved] shall not escape.” With dramatic contrast, Paul continues: “But ye, brethren [believers], are not in darkness that that day [the Day of the Lord] should overtake you [believers] as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4).

...the Day of the Lord will not overtake believers as “a thief in the night.”

Paul then explains why the Day of the Lord will not overtake believers as “a thief in the night.” “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6). Believers are “day” people. Morally and spiritually we are “children of light.” We are not of the night, nor of darkness. And the Day of the Lord is night and darkness (Amos 5:18-20).

Paul admonishes believers to stay awake, watch, and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6). Nothing could be more futile than to watch for something that is any-moment and signless and which will occur “as a thief in the night.”

For the unsaved, the Lord’s coming will be as a thief in the night. For the believers, His coming will not be as a thief in the night, precisely because clear and specific events will precede His coming

The Teaching of the Lord Jesus

The prophetic teaching of the Lord Jesus in the Olivet Discourse was in response to the disciples’ inquiry. They asked, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?” (Matthew 24:3). In verses 4-31, Jesus fully answers their questions. Then, master teacher that He is, He instructs His disciples on two crucial truths related to His coming. The first is taught by parable with the use of a fig tree. The second is taught by use of the Noahic flood:

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only (Matthew 24:32-36).

In the first century, the fig tree was both cultivated and grew wild in the Holy Land. It was a familiar sight on the landscape. When its branches became tender and put forth its leaves, all knew summer was getting close.

The fig tree was a sign of approximation. It indicated summer was getting close, but did not reveal the “day or hour” of the coming of summer.

Using certain attributes of the fig tree, the Lord taught a spiritual principle: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [My coming] is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33).

The “things” to which the Lord is referring are the events associated with the “abomination of desolation” described in the immediate preceding context (Matthew 24:15-31).

approximation. When its branches became tender and put forth leaves, all knew summer was getting close.

Using certain attributes of the fig tree, the Lord taught a spiritual principle: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [My coming] is near, even at the doors”. Matthew 24:33

When certain things happened to the fig tree, men knew summer was getting close. When the events of the Great Tribulation (which surround the activities of the Antichrist) begin to come to pass, the generation then living will know the Lord’s return is getting close. The events, when they occur, like the fig tree, will be a sign of approximation. Believers, by the fulfillment of certain prophecies, will know

Article by Marvin J. Rosenthal 1935–2022

The events, when they occur, like the fig tree, will be a sign of approximation.

BELIEVERS, BY THE FULFILLMENT OF CERTAIN PROPHECIES, WILL KNOW THAT THE LORD IS COMING VERY SOON.

that the Lord is coming very soon. And then the Lord Jesus used the events surrounding the Noahic flood to teach a second important truth:

But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37-39).

In the day immediately preceding the

Noahic flood men were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. There was nothing sinful in these activities. They are the most normal and natural of activities. The problem, however, was that Noah, a preacher of righteousness, warned that judgment was coming –that men should get into the ark. Instead of heeding his message, they continued along their way, eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. The point is, they were oblivious to impending, divine judgment until it overtook them. In the words of the Lord, “[They] knew not until the flood came, and took them all away.” They were caught off guard and unprepared for the flood. And then the

Lord makes the application, “So shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:39).

Don’t Be Caught Off Guard

n In the parable of the fig tree, Jesus taught that prophetic events will indicate to His disciples that His coming is very near. The specific indicators will be the emergence of the Antichrist and the “abomination of desolation” at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th Week. The Lord’s coming for the Church will not be signless or as a thief in the night.

n In the account of the Noahic flood, Jesus taught that just as the flood caught the unbelieving world totally by surprise, so, too, the unbelieving world will be caught by surprise at His second coming. For the unsaved, the Lord’s coming will be as a thief in the night.

n The teaching of the Church fathers for 300 years, the apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, and the Lord’s teaching in the Olivet Discourse all converge at the same point with a sense of warning.

For the unsaved, the Son of God will come as a thief in the night. For the believer who is not of the night, events associated with the Antichrist will indicate the Lord’s soon coming.

DON’T BE

The acute danger of pretribulationalism is that it teaches the Church won’t be here when the indicators of the Lord’s Second Coming occur. As a consequence, those who believe in a Pretribulation Rapture will be caught off guard when the Antichrist soon steps onto the stage of history.

I have not written to discredit others. I have not written to win theological debates. I have not written because I have a penchant to be different. I have written out of love for the Lord and His Church. There are many things I am not dogmatic about concerning end-time events, and when I’ve touched on those matters, I’ve offered my best opinion. But this I strongly believe in the deepest recesses of my soul: One generation of believers will be on the earth to encounter the Antichrist and to experience the shortened Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22) before they are delivered by rapture.

You could be that generation. If the Church understands this fact, she will not be blindsided and caught off guard. If she doesn’t understand this fact, it will be as I have written elsewhere – a spiritual Pearl Harbor. I have labored, as the Lord permitted me, to warn those who choose to listen. u

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