Republished from FB "Prophecy Watchers" page
No doubt many of you have seen the anti-rapture book that consistently draws rave reviews on Amazon's review page, The Rapture Verdict. Sadly, biblical ignorance rules the day and much of the church today. We're not interested in bashing author Michael Snyder, who seems like a genuinely nice guy with good intentions, albeit with a survivalist and social Gospel mentality. But when bad theology is being taught to the masses we feel some obligation to try and do what we can to avert the confusion. I do not know the pastor who penned this response to Michael's book, but it is spot on target with no personal agenda, or monetary motivation. I hope it reaches out to the many confused people who are preparing to endure the wrath of God, even wearing it like a badge of honor. I might add that the subject of Israel's role in the end times is nowhere to be found in this book. But that is no surprise. It fits the modus operandi perfectly.
"The "Rapture Verdict" is not only biased, it does not speak accurately about the Word of God. It misrepresents a basic concept the Bible teaches and that so many writing books on prophecy, a subject they have little understanding of - that being God's love and grace. Few seem to understand that Israel and the Church are distinctly different subjects of the Biblical message. Misunderstanding that critical distinction you can count on falling into the trap that the author of the "Rapture Verdict" has and where the blind end up leading the blind. The author has much to learn about God's Word. For example, God uses many different grammatical devices to communicate His Word such as parables, metaphors, analogies, similitudes, types, and shadows. There are roughly 200 linguistic and grammatical devices used in the Bible. Proverbs 25:2 states that God has hidden truths for our discovery. That should serve as a hint to the reader there is more here than you think.
While the author does not recognize Bible Dispensations, his lack of understanding of Bible basics '"101" fails to take into consideration that the Bible is also structured on God's Covenants with man. He violates the common over-simplification of most churches by treating the Bible as a two-covenant book, i.e., Old and New Covenants (Testaments). The Bible identifies eight covenants in his dealing with man. His lack of understanding results in his failure to distinguish between Israel and the Church and misleads his readers.
The topic of "Typology" was all but lost a century ago and it serves as a guide to know that God does not always declare doctrine in the simplistic of ways. If you believe the Bible is the Word of God, and it is, it can be proven by at least a dozen ways that God is the Author and used humans as instruments to record His message. There are many ways to study and discern the Bible, two of my favorites are "thematically" and "typologically". The theme of "Deliverance before Judgment" is directed to the born-again believer in Jesus Christ. This theme is imparted throughout the Bible. The first example that I can think of is found in Genesis 19:12-22. Read that and you will never read the Bible or the book of Revelation the same way again. The author states that after you read his book you will never read Revelation the same way again. The author has so much to learn about God's Word.
The theme of "Grace" is found 170X times; the theme of "Mercy" is found 276X times; and the theme of "Deliverance" is found over 600X times. Those who read this can be assured that if you are a believer, you will not go through "THE TRIBULATION" of Daniel 9:24-27. The author is certainly not a Greek scholar since the Biblical word for "rapture" is "HARPAZO" and it means "to carry off, take by force, snatched away, catch up, caught up, seize by force". In all of its New Testament grammatical forms, a total of 13X times, the message is amply clear that the person, object, etc., is being "removed" with great force, like grabbing a child on the railroad tracks from an oncoming train.
While the Apostle Paul the first to teach the Rapture "Harpazo" in the New Testament, the reader might want to know that the Rapture theme can be found in the Old Testament as well, meaning "to be saved, to extricate, to rescue, to deliver". The Hebrew word is "NATSAL" and it appears 213X times throughout the Old Testament. The central point to consider here is that God offers "Deliverance before Judgment". It is a foundational tenet of the Bible so many seem to overlook.
What perturbed me about this book is the author cherry-picked church history, and names 3 early church fathers to support his position against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. I can name a dozen early church fathers who held the opposite position in support of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Then the author predictably assigns the Pre-Trib. Rapture doctrine to a young Scottish girl by the name of Margaret MacDonald, and then by Charles Darby as originator of the teaching.
Critics of the Pre-Millennial Pre-Tribulation argue its was a new doctrine but they do not understand that beginning with Constantine and Augustine, in the early 4th century, the church snuffed out dissident thinking and teaching. Scholars either towed the Catholic doctrine or were eliminated from the scene. So there was little in print about the Pre-Tribulation doctrine until after the Reformation.
When I stated "predictably", he follows the pattern of all the rest following this scripted attacks on the Pre-Trib. doctrine it comes from ignorance [lack of knowledge] or lack of a theological education. Anti-Pre-Tribbers don't know their Bible and they don't know church history and they don't know theology! You can verify this is not the case by searching the topic "Pre-Tribulation Truth", a multiple-part series on the Pre-Tribulation teaching on the internet that offers the Bible reader incontrovertible proof for the Pre-Tribulation teaching. Just google the "Pre-Tribulation Truth". Paul was the first to teach the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and the Bible teaches that truth.
The author like most of those that attack the Pre-Tribulation position mislead their readers on the facts, and leave out facts which reveals their lack of understanding on theology in general, and lack of any scholarship when it comes to the Bible. This comes from a pre-disposition against the modern-day State of Israel. Their sell-out to "Replacement Theology" and failure to see the larger picture of the Bible makes a clear delineation between Israel and the Church and thus blinding them from seeing the truth in the Bible. The Bible makes it clear the believer in Jesus Christ will be kept from the day of God's wrath! God's wrath was on the cross for believers!
The Bible mentions the Lord's Second Coming 325X times in the New Testament. It also notes at least 15X times specific contrasts or differences that define the Rapture as being entirely different than the Second Coming. There are at least 23X times that identify the Rapture phase, and another 35X times that identify the Second Coming phase. One does not have to twist or manipulate the text as the author so states to conclude the validity of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The core of the teaching is found in five passages: John 14:1-3; 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1st Corinthians 15:50-56; 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12; and Revelation 4:1-2.
The Tribulation, Daniel's 70th Week, Daniel 9:24-27 is reserved for Israel and a disobedient and disbelieving world. IT IS NOT FOR THE BORN-AGAIN BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN! The subject of "The Tribulation" is well defined 49X times in the Prophets, and 15X times in the New Testament.
Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom is not going to take His bride and commit spousal abuse and then turn around and say, "Me and this girl want to get married". The reading of the Greek text for the five noted passages does not support spouse abuse. To do so would violate God's love, grace, and mercy. The author and others like him usually get their doctrine "proof text" from Matthew 24:29-31, but they do not get the point that the flow of the dialogue between Jesus and His disciples is less formal; its not laid out neatly like in a schedule program where each detail follows neatly one after the other, as if it was a program guide for a World Series baseball game.
As 2nd Peter 2:1 points out, many false teachers will come in the last days. They will not only eat your lunch, they will devour your Joy! Their heresies are damnable, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. I have been a "born-again" Christian for 51 years, a student of prophecy for 49 years. I was a computer programmer on the team that first computerized the KJV Bible in 1963/64, and later went to Bible college and seminary and became a pastor as of that privileged experience. There is much more in the Bible that the author could learn, not the least of about judging his brothers and sisters in Christ. But when it comes to the "Rapture Verdict", the judge should dismiss this case for lack of evidence beyond a shadow of doubt! Do your homework by checking out the "Pre-Tribulation Truth" series on the net, millions have had their hope restored. It will not cost you a dime either.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be shaken by this shallow attack on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The late Hilton Sutton once said, "when the bombs are descending, the saints will be ascending". The author is no authority on the Bible, and he is a good voice for the "woe is me" as we close in on the End of Days. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is closer than most realize and his posts on the economic collapse merely serve to support my contention we are going home very soon. He is correct when it comes to the economic collapse and it really is a reminder that as believers we are to be alert, awake, and at work to reach anyone that we can identify as unsaved!
For the bystander not knowing what to believe about the subject of the Rapture, I'm not selling a book, I am giving you the truth of the Bible freely and want you to go with us in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. There is nothing to be gained to stay behind in the hell that will follow in the period we refer to as Daniel's 70th Week. There is so much you don't know, and you have been misled by the false teachers that work on behalf of Lucifer. God will speak to your heart and mind and tell you I am right.
Rev. Robert H. Reid
No doubt many of you have seen the anti-rapture book that consistently draws rave reviews on Amazon's review page, The Rapture Verdict. Sadly, biblical ignorance rules the day and much of the church today. We're not interested in bashing author Michael Snyder, who seems like a genuinely nice guy with good intentions, albeit with a survivalist and social Gospel mentality. But when bad theology is being taught to the masses we feel some obligation to try and do what we can to avert the confusion. I do not know the pastor who penned this response to Michael's book, but it is spot on target with no personal agenda, or monetary motivation. I hope it reaches out to the many confused people who are preparing to endure the wrath of God, even wearing it like a badge of honor. I might add that the subject of Israel's role in the end times is nowhere to be found in this book. But that is no surprise. It fits the modus operandi perfectly.
"The "Rapture Verdict" is not only biased, it does not speak accurately about the Word of God. It misrepresents a basic concept the Bible teaches and that so many writing books on prophecy, a subject they have little understanding of - that being God's love and grace. Few seem to understand that Israel and the Church are distinctly different subjects of the Biblical message. Misunderstanding that critical distinction you can count on falling into the trap that the author of the "Rapture Verdict" has and where the blind end up leading the blind. The author has much to learn about God's Word. For example, God uses many different grammatical devices to communicate His Word such as parables, metaphors, analogies, similitudes, types, and shadows. There are roughly 200 linguistic and grammatical devices used in the Bible. Proverbs 25:2 states that God has hidden truths for our discovery. That should serve as a hint to the reader there is more here than you think.
While the author does not recognize Bible Dispensations, his lack of understanding of Bible basics '"101" fails to take into consideration that the Bible is also structured on God's Covenants with man. He violates the common over-simplification of most churches by treating the Bible as a two-covenant book, i.e., Old and New Covenants (Testaments). The Bible identifies eight covenants in his dealing with man. His lack of understanding results in his failure to distinguish between Israel and the Church and misleads his readers.
The topic of "Typology" was all but lost a century ago and it serves as a guide to know that God does not always declare doctrine in the simplistic of ways. If you believe the Bible is the Word of God, and it is, it can be proven by at least a dozen ways that God is the Author and used humans as instruments to record His message. There are many ways to study and discern the Bible, two of my favorites are "thematically" and "typologically". The theme of "Deliverance before Judgment" is directed to the born-again believer in Jesus Christ. This theme is imparted throughout the Bible. The first example that I can think of is found in Genesis 19:12-22. Read that and you will never read the Bible or the book of Revelation the same way again. The author states that after you read his book you will never read Revelation the same way again. The author has so much to learn about God's Word.
The theme of "Grace" is found 170X times; the theme of "Mercy" is found 276X times; and the theme of "Deliverance" is found over 600X times. Those who read this can be assured that if you are a believer, you will not go through "THE TRIBULATION" of Daniel 9:24-27. The author is certainly not a Greek scholar since the Biblical word for "rapture" is "HARPAZO" and it means "to carry off, take by force, snatched away, catch up, caught up, seize by force". In all of its New Testament grammatical forms, a total of 13X times, the message is amply clear that the person, object, etc., is being "removed" with great force, like grabbing a child on the railroad tracks from an oncoming train.
While the Apostle Paul the first to teach the Rapture "Harpazo" in the New Testament, the reader might want to know that the Rapture theme can be found in the Old Testament as well, meaning "to be saved, to extricate, to rescue, to deliver". The Hebrew word is "NATSAL" and it appears 213X times throughout the Old Testament. The central point to consider here is that God offers "Deliverance before Judgment". It is a foundational tenet of the Bible so many seem to overlook.
What perturbed me about this book is the author cherry-picked church history, and names 3 early church fathers to support his position against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. I can name a dozen early church fathers who held the opposite position in support of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Then the author predictably assigns the Pre-Trib. Rapture doctrine to a young Scottish girl by the name of Margaret MacDonald, and then by Charles Darby as originator of the teaching.
Critics of the Pre-Millennial Pre-Tribulation argue its was a new doctrine but they do not understand that beginning with Constantine and Augustine, in the early 4th century, the church snuffed out dissident thinking and teaching. Scholars either towed the Catholic doctrine or were eliminated from the scene. So there was little in print about the Pre-Tribulation doctrine until after the Reformation.
When I stated "predictably", he follows the pattern of all the rest following this scripted attacks on the Pre-Trib. doctrine it comes from ignorance [lack of knowledge] or lack of a theological education. Anti-Pre-Tribbers don't know their Bible and they don't know church history and they don't know theology! You can verify this is not the case by searching the topic "Pre-Tribulation Truth", a multiple-part series on the Pre-Tribulation teaching on the internet that offers the Bible reader incontrovertible proof for the Pre-Tribulation teaching. Just google the "Pre-Tribulation Truth". Paul was the first to teach the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and the Bible teaches that truth.
The author like most of those that attack the Pre-Tribulation position mislead their readers on the facts, and leave out facts which reveals their lack of understanding on theology in general, and lack of any scholarship when it comes to the Bible. This comes from a pre-disposition against the modern-day State of Israel. Their sell-out to "Replacement Theology" and failure to see the larger picture of the Bible makes a clear delineation between Israel and the Church and thus blinding them from seeing the truth in the Bible. The Bible makes it clear the believer in Jesus Christ will be kept from the day of God's wrath! God's wrath was on the cross for believers!
The Bible mentions the Lord's Second Coming 325X times in the New Testament. It also notes at least 15X times specific contrasts or differences that define the Rapture as being entirely different than the Second Coming. There are at least 23X times that identify the Rapture phase, and another 35X times that identify the Second Coming phase. One does not have to twist or manipulate the text as the author so states to conclude the validity of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The core of the teaching is found in five passages: John 14:1-3; 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1st Corinthians 15:50-56; 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12; and Revelation 4:1-2.
The Tribulation, Daniel's 70th Week, Daniel 9:24-27 is reserved for Israel and a disobedient and disbelieving world. IT IS NOT FOR THE BORN-AGAIN BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN! The subject of "The Tribulation" is well defined 49X times in the Prophets, and 15X times in the New Testament.
Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom is not going to take His bride and commit spousal abuse and then turn around and say, "Me and this girl want to get married". The reading of the Greek text for the five noted passages does not support spouse abuse. To do so would violate God's love, grace, and mercy. The author and others like him usually get their doctrine "proof text" from Matthew 24:29-31, but they do not get the point that the flow of the dialogue between Jesus and His disciples is less formal; its not laid out neatly like in a schedule program where each detail follows neatly one after the other, as if it was a program guide for a World Series baseball game.
As 2nd Peter 2:1 points out, many false teachers will come in the last days. They will not only eat your lunch, they will devour your Joy! Their heresies are damnable, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. I have been a "born-again" Christian for 51 years, a student of prophecy for 49 years. I was a computer programmer on the team that first computerized the KJV Bible in 1963/64, and later went to Bible college and seminary and became a pastor as of that privileged experience. There is much more in the Bible that the author could learn, not the least of about judging his brothers and sisters in Christ. But when it comes to the "Rapture Verdict", the judge should dismiss this case for lack of evidence beyond a shadow of doubt! Do your homework by checking out the "Pre-Tribulation Truth" series on the net, millions have had their hope restored. It will not cost you a dime either.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be shaken by this shallow attack on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The late Hilton Sutton once said, "when the bombs are descending, the saints will be ascending". The author is no authority on the Bible, and he is a good voice for the "woe is me" as we close in on the End of Days. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is closer than most realize and his posts on the economic collapse merely serve to support my contention we are going home very soon. He is correct when it comes to the economic collapse and it really is a reminder that as believers we are to be alert, awake, and at work to reach anyone that we can identify as unsaved!
For the bystander not knowing what to believe about the subject of the Rapture, I'm not selling a book, I am giving you the truth of the Bible freely and want you to go with us in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. There is nothing to be gained to stay behind in the hell that will follow in the period we refer to as Daniel's 70th Week. There is so much you don't know, and you have been misled by the false teachers that work on behalf of Lucifer. God will speak to your heart and mind and tell you I am right.
Rev. Robert H. Reid
Michael Snyder needs to stick to his legal and financial stuff. He is smoking some religious weed. Why does Snyder appoint himself to be the expert of the experts, with this notion that he has the verdict of all eschatology? This is laughable and pathetic.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Michael Snyder think he has the verdict of all eschatology? Is he saying he has now replaced all the "experts and has become the expert? There is no way this book can be the infallible interpretation of the end times. Prophecy is not for speculation. It is for confirmation. Jesus told his followers,"Behold, I have told you before hand, so that when it comes to pass you will KNOW and BELIEVE". See John 14:29 Prophecy is never fully understood until it has come to pass.
ReplyDeleteThis is the finest critique I have read debunking the Pre-Trib bashers! Thank you so much! This topic is exposing so many false teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing! Big name pastors, evangelists. So many 'tough' guys out there who almost look forward to going through the Tribulation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rick for your visit! I can´t remember all the arguments used to prop up his anti rapture bias, but I was not impressed by his lack of scholarship, of theology and facts that will not succeed in convincing a serious and impartial student of the Bible using the correct established rules of hermeneutics to change his or her position.
ReplyDelete