This is an impassioned sermon by Charles Cooper given at a prewrath conference in Crestview, Florida in January. Cooper preached on living out your prewrath theology in ominous and lawless times.
Category:
Prewrath
The Structure of the Book of Revelation – Part I
Charles Cooper
As an advocate for the PreWrath rapture view I find it unfortunate, yet necessary, that a good portion of my time is spent disproving claims. For example, the confusion about the structure of the book of Revelation naturally leads to erroneous views regarding the timing of the rapture. Any similarity, detail, parallel or whisper of a heavenly descent or ascent may present the opportunity for someone to argue for his own rapture position preference based on that particular passage. Perhaps the greatest obstacle is uncertainty about the structure of the book. Until there is a consensus about the structure of the book, little will be accomplished regarding a consensus about the timing of the rapture in the book of Revelation.
“(7) Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” (8) So I looked and here came a pale green horse! The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.” (Rev 6:7–8 NET)
Prewrath teaches that the first six seals are not the wrath of God, instead, only with the opening of the seventh seal will the day of the Lord’s wrath begin. We have argued this point in the past.
One of the common pretribulational arguments I hear is that the fourth seal must be God’s wrath since it is said that a quarter of the population of the world is killed. This is a surface-level reading for that is not what the text actually says. Let me explain.
The fourth seal shifts from the world at large to a limited scope, and it indicates an intensity of death. The final horse is pale green, which symbolizes death; and the final rider is personifying Death, with Hades following him. Authority was given to these two forces by God’s permission to kill by various means: sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts of the earth. But this authority is limited and concentrated. It is important to observe that it is said that this authority to kill is given “over a fourth of the earth.” The expression “to kill” suggests intention, not necessarily requiring accomplishment.
In contrast, the book of Revelation will actually state when such a massive amount of people are killed: e.g., “A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths” (Rev 9:18; cf. Rev 11:13).
In addition, there is authority over a fourth of the earth. The question emerges about whether it is a fourth of the earth geographically or demographically? The fourth seal does not provide us this answer. However, if the fifth seal was considered a result of the fourth seal, which the text suggests, then it would appear to be more probable that the fourth of the earth is in a population sense, but we cannot be dogmatic on that point. And this is not to assume that a fourth of the earth’s population are believers and will end up being martyrs.
Nevertheless, Antichrist will control the globe politically and religiously, but in God’s sovereignty his purposes to kill all of God’s people will apparently be restricted. So in the immediate contextual relationship we have in the fourth seal the means of killing (apokteinō), with the fifth seal as the resultant killing (apokteinō).
Cyprian (c.200–c.258)
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)
Hippolytus (c.185–c.235)
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)