Raptured? When?

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higher-fire@prairienet.org
Subject: Raptured? When?

     It is frankly and freely admitted by amillennialists that the basic
issue in the controversy between premillennialists and themselves is the
issue of the method of interpretation to be employed in the interpretation
of prophecy. Allis says, "The question of literal versus figurative
interpretation is, therefore, one which has to be faced at the very outset."
He admits that if the literal method of interpretation of the Scriptures be
the right method premillennialism is the correct interpretation. Thus we can
see that our doctrine of the premillennial return of Christ to institute a
literal kingdom is the outcome of the literal method of interpretation of
the Old Testament promises and prophecies. It is only natural, therefore,
that the same basic method of interpretation must be employed in our
interpretation of the rapture question. It would be most illogical to build
a premillennial system on a literal method and then depart from that method
in consideration of the related questions. It can easily be seen that the
literal method of interpretation demands a pretribulation rapture of the
church. The posttribulationist must either interpret the book of Revelation
historically, which is basically a spiritualizing method, or else treat it
as yet future, but  spiritualize away the literalness of the events in an
attempt to harmonize these events with other Scriptures in the light of his
interpretation. Either explanations violates the principle of literal
interpretation. The midtribulation rapturists will apply the literal method
of interpretation to the last half of the seventieth week, but spiritualize
the events of the first half of the week to permit the church to encounter
those. This, again, is a basic inconsistency. There can not be one method
employed to establish premillennialism and another method employed in the
interpretation of the rapture promises. The literal method of
interpretation, consistently employed, can lead to no other conclusion than
that the church will be raptured before the seventieth week.

Walter Copes
The joy of the Lord is my Strength
(wcopes@communique.net)
Walter L Copes