Rapture History and Theology:Lift off or Let Down?- A Trinitarian/Christocentric Study

PART 1

The Rapture has in its history split and destroyed fellowships and churches as it can become a sticking point between Christians.  In some cases it has driven a wedge between those who believe they will be taken and others they think will be left behind.  Unfortunately some make acceptance of their view a kind-of litmus test for correct understanding of the Bible, and in far too many cases a division occurs between and among Christians.  This should not be so.  Why do Christians divide?  A simplistic answer is because they all maintain that their view is “In the Bible!”

But Pastor, It’s in the Bible!

Over the years that I have been a Pastor, I have had individuals come to me making assertions over a host of views.  Some of the views were that Christians need to keep the Saturday Sabbath.  Another view asserted that Christians are bound to keep the 10 Commandments.   One man held his bible up and triumphantly told me that “women should not be ministers”.  Another quoted the view that “we need to do good works and build character”.  While another told me “We need to preach about the end of the World.   All this Jesus stuff is not the Gospel.”  Others have said “we need to be involved in politics or social issues.”   All the views were undergirded with the phrase, “Because it’s in the Bible.”  Some would punctuate their views with a hand slap on the cover of their Bible while proclaiming to me that they “Believe the Bible!”  The unmistakable implication was that if I did not agree with them, then I did not “believe the Bible”.

These conversations have included the idea of Pre-Adamic civilizations; that angels are more important than we think; the inter dimensional existences of God; that ; that you have to know what the “Key of David” is to have salvation or rightly understand the Bible.

And each one of them have told me that “They Believe the Bible”.  With these and many other ideas, Scripture taken out of context allows the interpreter to read into them what they want to see, hear of believe.  Trinitarian theology does not have this luxury.  Doctrines need to be seen and provable through the reality of who Jesus is.

The Rapture is the view which this series will address.  In doing this study, let’s ask ourselves a questions.  If we were not already familiar with the rapture, would we see it in Scripture by virtue of its presence alone, or do we need to believe it is there in order to see it there?  That is a good first question to ask.  Yet, in another sense, the popular, attention getting question being asked is not if Jesus will come (We have Jesus’ own word that He is come and will come) but rather the question is when will He return; what is the Rapture’s placement in the flow of Salvation History?  Is it a Pre-Tribulation Rapture or a Mid-Tribulation Rapture or is it the more widely understood Second Coming that is visible and literal with the defeat of all evil and the deliverance of the people of God, Christians and Jews alike?

What I can plainly see in Scripture is the confirmation of Jesus’ coming in power and great glory at the last trumpet, 1Corth:15:50-58.   And in this coming the risen dead are gathered into the heavens and descend with Him onto the Mount of Olives at the culmination of this current troubled world which is in its last years. Jude: 14, Zechariha: 14:3-6, Job: 19:25-29

Bear in Mind that in the Trinitarian Christocentric understanding of Scripture if one embraces the Rapture that is their personal choice; if one rejects the Rapture that is their personal choice.  They have the freedom to hold that belief or not.  In practical terms that means that the embracing or rejection of this common belief can be held side-by-side by individual members in any Trinitarian Christocentric congregation without causing division.

The salvation, unity and preservation of Christians are not found in what we think and believe regarding an "event" but what we think and believe about the Person of Jesus Christ. Grace, respect and fidelity to what each one understands or believes should be kept in mind. Nonetheless, the Rapture is not the Gospel.  Jesus is.  One thing is true and this can be found wherever the Rapture is preached, controversy always arises, ether brought on by those who wish it taught or those who oppose it being taught.  In this series we wish to avoid that.

It is impossible to treat all the evidence for ether view of the Rapture in a short paper. When considering this question it is possible to find very well written studies, some rather lengthily focusing on various aspects of the question.  And they prove their point of view extremely well.  The most important things for us is - what is in the Bible?  There are some subjects that are clearly illustrated in Scripture and are universally agreed upon by all Christians.  And there are views that the Scriptures do not expressly illustrate.  At times when the Bible does not provide all the answers clearly there can be a temptation to embellish or slant a view.  This has been done many times by well meaning and even godly men throughout the history of the church.

Other times some have come to see a particular truth that has long been concealed or not understood and wish others to embrace their view.  Some, however see long discarded truth and wait in faith for the Holy Spirit to speak to the leadership of the fellowship.  The experience and history of our fellowship has and continues to be that Scriptures is approached with the highest and deepest reverence. 

We acknowledge that we do not have a perfect understand of all that is found in the pages of the Bible.  With that understanding, Grace Communion's leadership attempts to address various views fairly and prayerfully.  We know that others hold different positions on different subjects and doctrines.  They differ one from another on these issues as we do with them.  It is alright that we hold different positions, as long as those positions do not create division within our fellowship or in the Body of Christ at large.

Salvation is not ours because of a correct view of the Rapture, but is a realty based upon who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us.  The Rapture, belief in or unbelief in, is not the means of Salvation; Jesus is.

Each collective denomination and individual Christian has to examine these views and come to a prayerful decision as to what they will believe and teach according to their current understanding of the Scriptures.  The leadership of Grace Communion  is open to the Holy Spirit, but again we are aware that we have not gathered all truth and complete understanding of all things to ourselves.  In time God will lead all to the truth.  In the interim we are to wait on God and be faithful to the truth that we have.

Before looking at Scriptures and History, I wanted to make an observation regarding both sides of this issue.  I have studied what many theologians, pastors, authors and even lay members from each side of the question have written and or said.  Both sides typically, but not always, take a very ungracious view of the other’s opinion.   

Those who oppose the Rapture often will accuse the proponents of the Rapture, of sloppy Theology; twisting Scripture to make it say what it does not say of itself; of believing a satanically constructed lie, and will be sadly embarrassed when the Rapture does not occur.  Those who believe the Rapture, accuse those who do not, of rejecting Scripture and revelation of the Holy Spirit and conclude that they will be “Left Behind” to suffer the Tribulation.

It is true, that in these current times there are some who’s teaching lack serious study or Biblical foundation.   It is also true that there are many very powerful ministries led by the Holy Spirit.  Either way, as Paul said “Christ is preached”.  Setting aside preconceived ideas, heartfelt emotions, or ecclesiastical traditions, let us consider what history has to teach about the Rapture Doctrine.

A Very Brief History

One of the earliest known accounts or mention in ecclesiastical history of the Rapture of the church is found in 1827. A young 15 year-old woman named Margret MacDonald, who was a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church in Scotland, had a dream, while she was sick with a high fever ,  that Jesus Christ came and removed “certain Christians” from the Earth just prior to a time of great distress, the Tribulation. To be accurate, Margret believed in a “Partial Rapture” that is some Christians would be left; but “certain Christians” would be taken, at least that was her dream.

Margret began to tell others of her dream and many became convinced that the dream was of divine origin, apparently Margret was a woman of high Christian character and not given to wild speculation, Margret, as well, even spoke prophetically of the Rapture in a public setting in 1830.  Copies of her prophecy are found in the Book “The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets in the Catholic Church” by Robert Norton which was published in 1840.

As the belief circulated it found support in 1828 from a Scottish pastor named Edward Irving, a pastor in the Church of Scotland, who was an associate of  Margret MacDonald. 

Irving had visited with the MacDonald family after Margret had her vivid dream. Irving was so impressed with the dream that he declared that it was inspired and a revelation.   

Irving was a very popular and powerful preacher who publicly proclaimed the Rapture at an open air meeting that was attended by 10,000 people.

Darby

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who was a Deacon in the Church of Ireland ,part of the Anglican Communion ,he had been trained as a lawyer, and had an opportunistic,  argumentative and combative divisive personalty.  Darby became familiar with the Rapture teaching sometime around  1827. Darby however, changed it to be more inclusive to all Christians, not just “certain ones” as was in Margret’s dream.  Darby  wove the teaching into a theme of Human history called “Dispensationalism” that is, a theology that divides human history into seven separate times in which God deals with humanity in a unique way in each time period called a “dispensation”.

Historical research of the Church reveals an earlier record of the rapture doctrine than that of Margaret McDonald and  Irving.  There was a counter Reformation movement initiated by Papal Rome in the 16th century after Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517.   Pope Leo X then authorized three Jesuit Priests to reinterpret Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy, the Book of Revelation, and parts of Ezekiel.   

The goal of these Jesuits was to take the  pressure  of the Reformation away from the papacy and the Church of Rome.   The three Jesuits were:  

  

1. Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) of Salamanca - futurists/rapture.  

2. Luis de Alcazar (1554-1621) of Seville - praeterism  

3. Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine (1542-1621) - followed Ribera's school of thought. 

 The Rapture doctrine originated and was submitted by Francisco Ribera in 1585.  His  Commentary was on  Babylon and the  Anti-Christ which is  called the futurists or rapture doctrine. Ribera's published work was called "In Sacram Beati Ionnis Apostoli & Evangelistate Apocoalypsin Commentari” (Lugduni 1593). You can still find these writings in the Bodleian Library in Oxford England.    

 Francisco Ribera

Ribera's idea was simple , preach to the masses that the "end was to come"  but promise  them escape. This escape, however , would be mediated by and through the Church of Rome excursively. Escape is the true focus of all Dispenstaional Theology.

There is not time or space for great detail, but suffice it  that Ribera's  interpretation disturbed  the Protestant Churches, and the Church of Rome as well.  Therefore  Pope Leo X,   knowing that for 1800 years of Church history there was no such teaching regarding the Rapture, and having received an explanation from Ribera that the Jesuit priest simply created the idea ,  ordered the manuscript  to be placed in the archives of the Vatican.  

 S. R. Maitland

 200 years later a librarian of the Archbishop of Canterbury  named  of Dr. S. R. Maitland (1792-1866) was named as  the Keeper of the Manuscripts at Lambeth Palace, in London, England.  Dr. Maitland came across Francisco Ribera’s futurists/rapture teaching and  had it published  in early 1826 with follow ups in 1829 and 1830. 

This ,  along with  Tracts that were published in 1833 to try and “diprotestantize” the Church of England.   John Nelson Darby (A co founder and a Leader of the Plymouth Brethren) became a follower of S.R. Maitland’s prophetic teachings.   Darby had developed a concept that human history was divided into seven time periods which he called Dispensations.

Darby had submitted his Dispensation theory to the leadership of the Anglican Church which ,  lacked in Spiritual vitality  but had vast scholarship and academic ability,   The Anglican Church therefore rejected Darby's views but, did affirmed that there was some truth in it as well.

Darby knew that his Dispensation Theory had many problems, historically and above all Scripturally.  Darby was also very aware that  his view  and interpretation of Scripture  never existed until he formulated it in the 1800s.

 Darby stated several times that he needed something to "make it work", that something was the Rapture which he quickly embraced then claimed that he was the originator of this "revelation". In letters written from that time period Darby claimed that the Rapture was his "new idea".

Darby also found 1Corth:15:50-58 problematical . Darby  correctly understood that the Resurrection would occur at the last Trumpet of seven Trumpets as is found in the book of Revelation,  , at the Return of Jesus Christ  when all eyes would see him. This is when Paul say's that the dead are raised and the living changed. Darby's Dispensational view  however , added an eighth  trumpet, claiming that this event was a Trumpet heard only by those who were to be Raptured and would be occurring before the Seconded Coming of Jesus Christ at the seventh Trumpet.

The implication was and is, that all of Dispensational Theology  must collapse if the Corinthian verses were taken "literally"  ,  and Darby knew this to be true and sought to re-interpret the Corinthian verses  to make it work with his Theology. which he knew did not work in light of these verses.

With Dipensationalism Theology the focus is on "Prophetic events" rather than upon Jesus Christ, this focus on "prophecy"   relegates Jesus to a mere participant in these events.  When the focus is off Jesus this diminishes Jesus' importance and a legalism will emerge.

Charles Spurgeon,

While in London England Darby was publicly confronted by Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who rebuked Darby and his Dispenstaional Theology. Spurgeon also cited that a form of legalism emerged out of Darby's Theology which negated the vicarious humanity of Jesus Christ. 

Darby, due to Spurgeon status with the people , conceded that he knew his Dispinsationalism was seriously flawed, however,  after Spurgeon departed Darby returned to his Dispensational teaching with renewed vigor. 

Darby knowing that the Apostolic Church and the years  following it, did not teach his views therefore he resorted  to a form of logic that went like this "I know that it is true because I believe it, and since I believe it I know that it is true" .

Darby’s influence in the seminaries of Europe combined with seven tours of the United States changed the eschatological(end time) views of some ministers and began to  trickle down  into the churches.  Darby’s/Ribera’s teachings were embraced radically in America by Cyrus Scofield (1843-1921).  Scofield adopted Darby’s/Ribera’s  prophetic thought into the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909 which was called as the “book of books”.  

 

 Emmanuel Lacunza

Another contributor to the  teaching of prophecy came through Emmanuel Lacunza (1731-1801), a Jesuit priest from Chile.  Lacunza wrote the “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty” around 1791. It was later published in London in 1827. 

Lacunza's book was attributed to a fictitious author name Rabbi Juan Josafat Ben Ezra. Reverend Edward Irving (1792-1834) contended that it was the work of a converted Jew and "proved" that even the Jewish scholars embraced a pre-tribulation rapture line of thought. It wasn’t long until he had persuaded others to follow this focus on prophetic events  which gave rise to the Teaching espoused by Edward Ivring and his supporters  .   

In March 1830, in Port Glasgow, Scotland, Margaret McDonald  spoke of her visions. Robert Norton published Margaret’s visions and prophecies in a book entitled, “The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets in the Catholic Apostolic Church” (London, 1861).   The modern day view of every believer being taken away in a rapture is different from all of the thoughts that came before it.

 Lacunza would come to asserted that only those believers that partake of the sacrament of the Eucharist would be raptured; but  Margaret McDonald said the rapture would only take those that were filled with the Holy Spirit; and Norton claimed that only those that had been sealed with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands would be raptured. 

There was ,and is  , a great deal of  confusion surrounding the rapture doctrine .   John Darby became  acquainted with Edward Irving and there is reason to believe that Darby had visited Margaret McDonald during the time of her visions.  Combined with the knowledge he had gained from S. R. Maitland/Ribera’s teachings and the  push from Irving/McDonald/Lucunza’s teachings, Darby used the Rapture theory to depart from the lethargic Church of England.   Ribera’s and Lacunza’s teachings find a meeting point in John Nelson Darby. The effects of this are still dominant today in some Christian churches even to this very day.

To be Continued

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

 The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.

Washington, Pennsylvania.   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard  on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com