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Matthew 24:32 and the Consequences of a False Interpretation

by Charles Cooper
written by Charles Cooper

One of the earliest recorded supporters of the notion that the “Fig tree,” reference in Matthew 24:32 is a type or illustration of Israel is that of A.C. Gaebelein in his published work in 1910. He wrote, “The fig tree is the picture of Israel….[i] One year later, William Kelly echoed this position when he wrote, “The fig tree is the well-known symbol of Jewish nationality. We saw it, in chapter 21, bearing nothing but leaves.… Here it is the tree, with renewed signs of life—Jewish nationality revived.”[ii]

The fact that countless numbers of scholars have debunked this interpretation means nothing. Among the laity this position persists. With the return of the Jews to the land of Israel in 1948, new momentum gave this view a greater audience and many new converts. However, with the years passing, now 70 years and counting—certainly a generation has passed, but no return of the Lord should have dealt this interpretation a silent death.

For many who believed this false interpretation of Matthew 24:32, it is time to “fish or cut bait,” as my grandfather would say. The belief that the rapture was imminent once Israel returned to the land in 1948 and that the Lord’s return had a 40-year window (one Jewish generation) requires some soul-searching. Thus, I read with some sense of sadness, a recent article in The Guardian, a British daily newspaper with a US edition, entitled “In US Evangelical Capital, a New Progressiveness and Differing Views on Israel.”[iii]

In light of current events in the land of Israel, particularly, the move of the United States’ embassy to Jerusalem, the article begins with a short history of evangelical believers who see biblical prophetic fulfillment with many events that occur in Israel. However, the majority of the article deals with those who have become disillusioned with the whole end-of-the-world-is-near because of what happens in the land of Israel mantra.

The article introduces us to Bruce McCluggage.

“We’ve been through all this before,” said Bruce McCluggage, a former evangelical who now identifies as a “follower of Christ”. Throughout his youth, in the 1970s and 80s, McCluggage was part of the Christian movement that interpreted the signs of Israel as evidence of the last days. But for McCluggage, after a slow-burn of things not coming to pass, that conviction slowly faded.

The article also tells the readers that

“There are plenty of young millennials downtown that would call themselves evangelical, even conservative, but are a very different breed from their parents,” said Russ Ware, co-owner of the Wild Goose, who grew up evangelical but no longer identifies that way. “They’re mostly not Trump supporters; they have a spectrum of views on LGBT issues, and they’re not on board with the end times theology … There is definitely a kind of end times fatigue with this generation.”

The article concludes by introducing the reader to Christopher Stroop.

In the 1990s, Christopher Stroop was one such evangelical. He has now abandoned his faith and leads a social media campaign seeking to galvanize “exvangelicals” with hashtags like #emptythepews and #raptureanxiety. He said he had “definitely seen a lot of ex-evangelicals talking about being triggered by the Jerusalem news”.

It’s not only post-evangelicals who are dubious about the end times scenario. Kimberly Troup believes Israel will be the center of Armageddon, but she doesn’t think it’s all happening now. The author of her father’s favourite book released follow-ups that predicted ever-later dates for the Earth’s demise. She is dubious about anyone who claims to know when the world will end.

It should not be difficult to see the consequences of a false interpretation of Matthew 24:32 in what is quoted from the article. People no longer want to be called evangelical. Some Christians no longer believe events occurring in the land of Israel portend the imminent end of the world. Some Christians are abandoning the faith because a prophecy about Israel returning to the land and the return of Christ within a forty-year span has not proven true.

These are the outcomes of a false interpretation of Scripture. Matthew 24:32 never said the Lord would return within a “generation” of National Israel’s return to the land of Israel. Sadly, people believe what they want to believe and believe what sounds good. A little error can go along way. So sad!

[i] A. C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of Matthew (New York, 1910), II, 213.

[ii] William Kelly, Lectures on the Gospel of Matthew (New York, 1911), p. 451.

[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/19/evangelicals-israel-usa-end-times?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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HermeneuticsPretribulationismPrewrathSimply Silly

A Typical and Telling Defense by Pretribulational Rapturism

by Charles Cooper
written by Charles Cooper

It’s so easy to argue alone. Chances are you’ll win every time! Our goal at PRI is to proclaim and defend the PreWrath position. Yet, often we feel as if we are arguing by ourselves, because we’re the only ones arguing. Pretribulationists do not offer compelling arguments for their position.

Just once, at least, I would like to hear or read of a well-reasoned defense of the pretrib position that is based firmly upon sound exegesis. In response to my thorough disabling of the pretrib notion that Revelation 3:10 is a proof-text for their position, one person responded in the following manner:

Whats wrong with you guys? Rev chp 4 vs 1 is the rapture. Notice the church is not mentioned again till arounf chp 18 or so? Its gone.

To be fair, I am not going to judge the way this man expresses himself. After all, in this two-thumbs writing generation (texting), apocopation is the order of the day. No, I will stick with the substance of his argument.

This man presents a frequent argument of pretribbers. Instead of solid, faultless and accurate exegesis, he offers (1) a gross spiritualization (John represents the church), (2) an argument from silence (since the term “church” does not occur in chapters 4-18 or so, therefore the church must be in heaven), and (3) an appeal to logical reasoning (notice his remark: “Whats wrong with you guys?”). This is typical, shameless pretrib eisegesis that may purport to be – but isn’t – careful biblical exegesis. Now what is truly sad here is that this man is very serious. He sees nothing wrong with his defense.

No argument for the pretrib rapture in the book of Revelation holds more weighty assurance for pretribbers than their argument from silence regarding the absence of the term “church” in Revelation 4-18. So, when all other arguments have been shown to be untrue, well, not to worry! There is always the “absence-of-the-word-church” argument! The only logical conclusion to this whole line of reasoning is that the church must be in heaven, having been raptured before the events of chapters 4-18 start. Case closed! Argument won! What is next for debate? For most pretribbers, it is just that simple.

Now if we take the pretrib line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, since the term church does not appear in Revelation 20-21 either, we must conclude that the church is not on earth during the millennial reign of Christ. And since the term is absent from Revelation 21, we must also conclude that the church is not present in eternity future on the new earth. By their definition, once the term usage ends in Revelation 4, we do not see or hear from it ever again with the exception of a mention in Revelation 22:16. How is your argument from silence working out for you pretribbers?

We all understand that pretribbers have no problem identifying the church in Revelation 19, where verse 14 refers to “the armies of heaven.” This group must include the church, otherwise it does not return with Christ to fight at Har Mo’ed. Revelation 20:4 refers to “thrones and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.” If the church is not a part of this group, then she is not present on the earth during the reign of the Lord Christ.

Using the pretrib argument, we sing, “O where, O where has God’s church gone, O where, O where can she be?” Yet, when it is convenient, pretribbers find the church in Revelation 4-19. We began with one pretribber’s conviction that the church appears in Revelation 4:1—John the apostle. Pretribbers have argued ad nauseam that “the twenty-four elders” found in Revelation 5:8-10 is the church. A. Boyd Luter and Emily K. Hunter, both pretribbers, recently argued that the “great multitude” of Revelation 7 is the church.[1] Some pretribbers argue that the two “witnesses” in Revelation 11 is the church. One pretribulationist has recently argued that the “male child” of Revelation 12:5 is the church. Luter and Hunter argue that the term “earth dwellers” used in Revelation 12:12 and 13:6 is the church.[2] Others have consistently taught that the reference to “harvest of the earth” in Revelation 14:15 refers to the church.

Notice Revelation 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 all refer to the church, not by the name “church” to be sure, but indirectly. It reminds me of a saying of my grandmother, “They called me everything, but a child of God.” It seems in Revelation 4-19 that the church is called everything else, but not the church. What we need is an honest dialogue about hermeneutics. Nothing will ever come of our discussions until we agree on how to study the Bible. Until then, pretribbers and prewrathers pass in the night.

[1] Luter and Hunter write, “Since there are essentially the same three elements seen in 1:5–6 and 5:9–10 as referring to the church, it would seem virtually certain that the same group is in view in 7:9, 14–15.” Check out their article: “The “Earth Dwellers” and the “Heaven Dwellers”: An Overlooked Interpretive Key to the Apocalypse,” FM 20(Fall 2002) p 7.
[2] Ibid.
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ExhortationHermeneutics

A Rebuke of the PreWrath Rapture Community!

by Charles Cooper
written by Charles Cooper

To be frank, I had no idea how marginalized an individual in the premillennial evangelical community would be if he publically abandoned support for the pretrib rapture position. If gifted enough to speak at their Bible conferences, teach in their colleges, preach in their churches, and write for their publications – then you are a rare breed indeed! The skills demonstrated to interpret the Scriptures are celebrated, honored, and rewarded as long as they are used to support their long-held positions.

Yet, with all that capability, the minute one disagrees with them regarding a particular point of view that is cherished among the highest convictions of the pretribulationism camp; it is as if you have fallen off the earth as far as they are concerned. Now please understand, I am not complaining. I am merely stating the facts. For those who truly walk with the Lord, as old doors close, he stands ready to open new ones. I am living proof of that.

Having paid a great price to support the PreWrath rapture position, I have no regrets. The attitudes and behaviors of those who oppose the PreWrath position are not new nor are they surprising. However, what is causing me no little concern is the behavior of those who support the PreWrath position. While I am the first to admit that more intense study of the Scriptures is required and that any saint can find new insights that are yet to be found in the Scriptures regarding the PreWrath interpretation of the Bible, a word of rebuke and caution is necessary!

With the advent of the Internet, self-publishing, and social media, it is becoming much too easy for any Matthew, Mark, Tom, Dick, or Louise to introduce his or her insights concerning the Scriptures. Naïve, inane, simplistic, or just plain ignorant opinions abound. The idea that anybody can interpret the Bible flourishes with the young and naïve because they fail to recognize that the prophetic Scriptures require mature skills to get it right. A lack of maturity is seemingly little deterrent for these individuals to write and speak about issues about which they would do better to remain silent.

I recently witnessed a classic example of mishandling God’s Word: One person says that Paul wrote First Corinthians before John wrote the Revelation about Jesus Christ, so when Paul speaks of the “last trump”, he could not have been referring to the seventh trumpet, i.e., Paul did not know there was going to be a “last trump.” The other individual retorts that since the Paul’s “last trump” and John’s seventh trumpet of Revelation refer to the same event, therefore, the rapture will occur after the seventh trumpet of Revelation is blown. Neither position is true nor does either evidence an adequate understanding of biblical interpretation or exegetical skill in handling the biblical text.

While many want to get in on biblical interpretation, few want to get in on biblical application. I am personally convinced that the implication (notice the singular focus) of the PreWrath position is faith. If one truly believes that this generation or a future generation of God’s elect will face the persecution of Satan and his Antichrist, then it appears to me that such a person would have one primary compelling motivation—to develop his or her faith.

I have yet to meet an American with faith sufficient to stare down Satan and his Antichrist, that is, an American that is so convinced of his or her position in Christ and the authority given to kingdom saints that he or she will resist the devil – knowing that he will flee! While no believer should jump for joy that his country appears to be going to “hell in a handbasket”, equally, no believer should be so worried that he or she is unable to contemplate life without the security of “welfare”, “social security”, “health insurance”, or all the other so-called entitlements or safeguards the world has convinced us that we require to survive the unknown future.

Modern life, as we know it, is an illusion built on debt. There is a very real possibility that we are going to experience a political collapse in this country that is unparalleled in recent history. Millions upon millions will have no remedy. No city, county, state, or national government will have the wherewithal to do very much for its citizens. Personal debt, lack of savings, and obsession with pleasure has produced the perfect storm. Untold millions have nothing to fall back on. Sadly, many of these claim to be Christians. They have nothing to fall back on – including God.

The problem, to be sure, is not with God. He remains faithful to us. The problem lies with us. We treat him like a lucky charm. We only pray and are serious about seeking him when we are in trouble. The few prayers we pray are filled with “gimme-gimme”. In truth, we really do not know him, and thus, our trust is small. Beyond the few explicit statements in Scripture, we do not know his will. We do not know what he will do or what he will not do. Thus, we do not ask.

Rather than the constant barrage of ill-gotten juvenile insights gleaned from the surface of biblical passages based on similarities, innuendo, illegitimate totality transfers, and a whole host of other poor methods of Bible study, we should focus on praying for each other in sackcloth and ashes; encouraging one another to develop his or her faith in the Lord Jesus and his word; and rebuking each other for foolish speculations. There are far too many attempts at interpretation and far too few serious attempts at application!

The overwhelming majority of books written on the PreWrath rapture position are not worth your money. You are learning very little, but exposing yourself to error, “juke-truth,” and fodder for endless speculation and squabbles. At the end of this process, most will improve very little in the serious “followship” of Christ. Personal holiness will remain a slight “tick” on the scales of God’s divine pleasure.

My friends, we need to get serious about developing our faith so that the power of God will be on constant display in our daily lives. This is the only way you will be ready to face the “time of distress” that is about to come upon this world.

Otherwise, John 2:28 is potentially your future. John writes, “Little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” Wow! What a powerful verse! “Not shrink from in shame” in the Greek is literally, “to be disgraced.” Failure to stand before Satan and his Antichrist will result in disgrace before the Lord Jesus. Many will seek to hide until the danger is past. Others will attempt to fight under the illusion that it will be a fair fight. The only possible way of surviving is to stand in faith, in the power of God, and in God’s will.

It is unimaginable to think that after waiting for the Lord’s return for more than 2000 years, those privileged to see him descend on the clouds will want to run away rather than run to meet him. This is a very real prospect if you are not serious about your “followship” of Christ now! Grow up my friends! Grow up your faith in Jesus! It is the only way to smile at his appearing.

Please understand. I am not advocating that only the most scholarly can discover biblical truth. However, if you want to teach the meaning of biblical prophecy, please get some training in the proper methods of biblical interpretation. Otherwise, you do more harm to PreWrath than good.

Charles Cooper, PRI

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Biblical StudiesGeneral TheologyHermeneuticsIsraelSimply Silly

Psalm 83: Prophetic or Profitable?

by Charles Cooper
written by Charles Cooper

Psalm 83: Prophetic or Profitable?

It is sad to see the ongoing hysteria that some modern so-called “prophets” create and maintain by incorrectly interpreting Scripture. It is almost comical. For the last few months, Psalm 83 has been the whipping-boy for alarmists who see prophetic fulfillment in the Middle East every time the sun comes up. Unsuspecting laypersons lock on to these prognostications and fret that the end of time is about to occur.

Those who see the imminent prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 83 do so on the basis of weak similarities and the abandonment of sound Bible study methods. It is true that some nations that surround the modern State of Israel have a mentality that echoes the sentiments of Psalm 83:4, which states, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” Certain groups among the Egyptians, Iranians, Syrians, Lebanese, and Philistia chant this slogan on a daily basis. However, this does not mean that Psalm 83 is a prophetic prediction of these events.

The enemies named in Psalm 83:7–8 are known from other references in the OT. Some of the people-groups listed here no longer exist nor hold hostile feelings toward Israel. The list includes:

Edom – south of Israel (Modern day southern Jordan)
Ishmaelites – east side of the Jordan (Modern day Jordan)
Moab – east side of the lower Jordan (Modern day central Jordan)
The Hagrites – a tribe east of the Jordan
Gebal – a Canaanite and Phoenician port some twenty miles north of modern Beirut
Ammon – east side of the Jordan and north of Moab (Modern day northern Jordan)
Amalek – nomadic tribe south of Judah
Philistia – ran along the Mediterranean coast (Modern day Palestine-Gaza)
Tyre – Phoenician city north of Mt. Carmel (Modern day Labanon)
Assyria – the great power that supported hostile nations ringing Israel (Modern day Syria).
The “sons of Lot” – refers to the Moabites and Ammonites.

Even a casual observer should notice that a majority of the names on this list are part of modern day Jordan. Descendants of Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Hagrites, Amelekites, and the Ishmaelites are all a part of the modern state of Jordan. The Jordanians do not call for the annihilation of Israel. In fact, they have a treaty of peace with the Jewish state.

The Assyrians no longer exist as a distinct people group with power to influence their neighbors. For more than 2500 years, these people have not had a significant role in the affairs of humankind. Yet, Psalm 83:8 gives this people a leading role in the hatred of Israel. This fact alone should have given modern interpreters pause.

The false interpretation of Psalm 83 will make for captivating headline news, and people will buy books, tapes, and sermons that create uncontrollable fear, but nothing will come of it. When the truth of these predictions is known, those who taught the false conclusions will have moved on to the next story. Few are held accountable for their false teachings. How sad!

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AmillennialismChurch HistoryDay of the LordHermeneuticsOlivet DiscoursePremillennialismPreterismPretribulationismPrewrathThessalonians 1&2

The Didache (c.50–c.120)

by Alan Kurschner
written by Alan Kurschner

The early church consistently and vigorously taught when Christ would return he would establish his kingly millennium and rule over the nations from Jerusalem. This teaching began to be abandoned during the fourth century through the influence of the reign of Emperor Constantine, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, Augustine’s writings, and the third century theologian Origen whose allegorical system of interpretation explained away the natural reading of Old Testament prophecies of a millennium and a future for Israel. These four men laid the foundation for what would be known as amillennialism, until premillennialist theologians could emerge again without the threat of persecution by the state and church.

Another point of eschatological doctrine that the early church affirmed was that the church would encounter the Antichrist. Every early church writer in the first couple of centuries who wrote on this relationship agreed in a singular voice that the church would encounter the Antichrist (the prewrath position). One will search in vain for any writer who thought that the church would be resurrected or raptured before the Antichrist’s persecution (the pretribulational position).

The prewrath position is a refinement and development of the day of the Lord and rapture question. The essence of prewrath teaching reaches back to the early church period. In the next eight posts, I will cite eight early church writers who taught that the church would encounter the Antichrist.

We begin with what many believe to be the very first Christian document outside of the New Testament called the Didache (“The Teaching”), pronounced DID-ah-kay. It teaches that the church will encounter the persecution of the Antichrist, which will then be followed by the coming of Christ to rescue his people and resurrect his people.

The Didache is an extremely important early Christian document because it is a window allowing us to see the faith and practice of a segment of the primitive church. The date of the Didache has been estimated AD 50–120. It is agreed that it is a compositional document made up of several sources, of which the earliest of the sources were likely written before AD 70. The most probable place of origin is Syria, perhaps in the city of Antioch, which was the main Christian center at that time. The Didache contains three parts. The first is a code of Christian morals, the “Two Ways,” expounding on the way of life and the way of death. The second is a church order manual, a rules of conduct, prescribing correct practice of baptism, church polity, the Lord’s supper, etc. The final part concludes with an eschatological section of an outline commentary to the Olivet Discourse; hence, since this is the first interpretation in church history on Jesus’ teaching about his second coming, we will benefit from what it says.

The early church viewed this document as containing orthodox teaching, including its interpretation of eschatology. So important was this document that some early church fathers (albeit wrongly) accepted it as Scripture. But in the main it was used for instruction for church leaders, believers, and baptismal candidates. The eschatological section of the Didache is found in chapter 16. It states:

(1) “Watch” over your life: “let your lamps” be not quenched “and your loins” be not ungirded, but be “ready,” for ye know not “the hour in which our Lord cometh.” (2) But be frequently gathered together seeking the things which are profitable for your souls, for the whole time of your faith shall not profit you except ye be found perfect at the last time; (3) for in the last days the false prophets and the corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall change to hate; (4) for as lawlessness increaseth they shall hate one another and persecute and betray, and then shall appear the deceiver of the world as a Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders and the earth shall be given over into his hands and he shall commit iniquities which have never been since the world began. (5) Then shall the creation of mankind come to the fiery trial and “many shall be offended” and be lost, but “they who endure” in their faith “shall be saved” by the curse itself.  (6) And “then shall appear the signs” of the truth. First the sign spread out in Heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet, and thirdly the resurrection of the dead: (7) but not of all the dead, but as it was said, “The Lord shall come and all his saints with him.” (8) Then shall the world “see the Lord coming on the clouds of Heaven.”

The main gospel source that the Didache 16 uses is Matthew, particularly chapters 24–25, alluding frequently from it. The first verse contains exhortations to be ready spiritually (e.g., “Watch” over your life”). In verse 2 there is given a cause and effect warning that a lack of consistent gathering with other believers will hinder faith-readiness. Next, verses 3–8 provide us with the chronology of key events:

vv. 3–4a—false prophets, corrupters, love shall change to hate, lawlessness increaseth.

vv. 4b–5—then shall appear the deceiver of the world [Antichrist] as a Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders and the earth shall be given over into his hands and he shall commit iniquities which have never been since the world began [great tribulation]. Then shall the creation of mankind come to the fiery trial and “many shall be offended” and be lost but “they who endure” in their faith [during the great tribulation] “shall be saved” [delivered from the day of the Lord] by the curse itself.

v. 6—And “then shall appear the signs” of the truth. First the sign spread out in Heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet, and thirdly the resurrection of the dead [i.e., resurrection of the righteous].

v. 8—Then shall the world “see the Lord coming on the clouds of Heaven” [shekinah glory].

As is clearly indicated in the sequence above, the Didache understands that Antichrist will appear first before the coming of Christ to resurrect the righteous and deliver his faithful people who are alive.

Incidentally, it should be noted that in two earlier chapters of the Didache, it interprets the elect who are gathered in Matthew 24:31 as the “Church”: “so let thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth” Didache 9:4; and, “Remember, Lord, thy Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in thy love, and gather it together in its holiness from the four winds to thy kingdom which thou hast prepared for it” Didache 10:5.

It is fundamental to the prewrath position that the resurrection of the dead-righteous and the deliverance of the alive-righteous follow the Antichrist’s great tribulation. And this can be seen above in this Christian document. Our final authority is the Word of God and that is where we must find our inspired teaching for faith and practice. Even though it is not authoritatively binding, it is however wise to learn what others who have gone before us have said about the Bible. Church history can teach us a lot. Since this is the case, how much more weight carries for writings during the apostolic age such as the Didache!

 

 

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