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Day of the LordPretribulationism

A Biblical Response to Eric Douma – Part 3

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

I am responding to Eric Douma’s sermon on April 3rd 2011, “The Day of The LORD: A Look at the Imminent Day of Salvation and Judgment.” We continue.

In this part, I will respond to Douma’s repeated error of equating the “thief” imagery with “imminence.” In part one I responded to this misunderstanding as it relates namely to Peter’s usage. Even though most of what I need to say is in part one, I want to briefly respond to Douma’s claim as it relates to Paul’s use of the thief imagery. The text reads:

“For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.” (1 Thess 5:2 NET)

Douma equates this statement with an “imminent rapture” because he says since we do not know when a thief comes, it follows that there are no prophetical events that must occur before the day of the Lord.

Douma is making a category error by not reading Paul accurately.

The thief imagery is intended to teach spiritual watchfulness, not physical watchfulness as some newsflash on CNN. This is shown in the remaining passage where Paul’s thrust is exhorting believers to stay spiritually awake and not be spiritually caught off guard when Christ comes back.

Hence, the reason Paul says that Christ is not coming back as a thief to those spiritually prepared!

“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would” (1 Thess 5:4).

Why Douma wants to teach his people that Christ is coming back as a thief to them is beyond me. As Christians, God wants us to be spiritually prepared so that he will not come back as a thief for us because we are “not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.”

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Church HistoryHistoricismImminencePreterismPretribulationismPrewrath

Cyprian (c.200–c.258)

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

Cyprian (c.200–c.258)

For you ought to know and to believe, and hold it for certain, that the day of affliction has begun to hang over our heads, and the endof the world and the time of Antichrist to draw near, so that we must all stand prepared for the battle; nor consider anything but the glory of life eternal, and the crown of the confession of the Lord; and not regard those things which are coming as being such as were those which have passed away. A severer and a fiercer fight is now threatening, for which the soldiers of Christ ought to prepare themselves with uncorrupted faith and robust courage, considering that they drink the cup of Christ’s blood daily, for the reason that they themselves also may be able to shed their blood for Christ. (Epistle 55, 1)

Nor let any one of you, beloved brethren, be so terrified by the fear of future persecution, or the coming of the threatening Antichrist, as not to be found armed for all things by the evangelical exhortations and precepts, and by the heavenly warnings. Antichrist is coming, but above him comes Christ also. The enemy goeth about and rageth, but immediately the Lord follows to avenge our sufferings and our wounds. The adversary is enraged and threatens, but there is One who can deliver us from his hands. (Epistle 55, 7)

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Church HistoryPreterismPretribulationismPrewrathUncategorized

Hippolytus (c.185–c.235)

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

Hippolytus (c.185–c.235)

When the times are fulfilled, and the ten horns spring from the beast in the last (times), then Antichrist will appear among them. When he makes war against the saints, and persecutes them, then may we expect the manifestation of the Lord from heaven. (On Daniel, II, 7)

[I]n order that when those things [Antichrist’s mark of the beast] come to pass, we may be prepared for them, and not deceived. For when the times advance, he too, of whom these thing are said, will be manifested. (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 50)

Now, concerning the tribulation of the persecution which is to fall upon the Church from the adversary . . . . That refers to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days (the half of the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute the Church. (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 60, 61)

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Tertullian (c.145–c.220)

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

Tertullian (c.145–c.220)

Heresies, at the present time, will no less rend the church by their perversion of doctrine, than will Antichrist persecute her at that day by the cruelty of his attacks, except that persecution make seven martyrs, (but) heresy only apostates. (The Prescription Against Heretics, IV)

[A]nd that the beast Antichrist with his false prophet may wage war on the Church of God. (On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 25)

Now the privilege of this favour [be alive when Christ comes back] awaits those who shall at the coming of the Lord be found in the flesh, and who shall, owing to the oppressions of the time of Antichrist, deserve by an instantaneous death [i.e., raptured/translation], which is accomplished by a sudden change, to become qualified to join the rising saints; as he writes to the Thessalonians [1 Thess 4:15–17]. (On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 41)

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Church HistoryHistoricismImminencePreterismPretribulationismPrewrath

Irenaeus (c.120–c.202)

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

Irenaeus (c.120–c.202)

And they [the ten kings who shall arise] shall lay Babylon waste, and burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the Church to flight. (Against Heresies, V, 26, 1)

And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.”For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption. (Against Heresies, V, 29, 1)

It is therefore more certain, and less hazardous, to await the fulfillment of the prophecy [Antichrist], than to be making surmises, and casting about for any names that may present themselves, inasmuch as many names can be found possessing the number mentioned; and the same question will, after all, remain unsolved. . . . But he indicates the number of the name now, that when this man [Antichrist] comes we may avoid him, being aware who he is­­. (Against Heresies, V, 30, 3, 4)

For all these and other words were unquestionably spoken in reference to the resurrection of the just, which takes place after the coming of Antichrist . . . . [A]nd [with respect to] those whom the Lord shall find in the flesh, awaiting Him from heaven, and who have suffered tribulation, as well as escaped the hands of the Wicked one. (Against Heresies, V, 35, 1)

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