Raptured? When? Part B

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

     The Scripture indicate that there are two major purposes to the
accomplished in the seventieth week.

     The first purpose is stated in Revelation 3:10, "I also will keep thee
from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try
them that dwell upon the earth." Apart from the question involved as to who
will be in this time of testing there are several important considerations
in this verse. (1) First of all we see that this period has in view "them
that dwell on the earth" and not the church. This same expression occurs in
Revelation 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6 and 17:8. In its usage it is not
giving us a geographical description but rather a moral classification.
Thiessen writes:

     Now the word "dwell" used here (KATOIKEO) is a strong word. It is
     used to describe the fullness of the Godhead that dwelt in Christ
     (Colossians 2:9); it is used of Christ's taking up a permanent
     abode in the believer's heart (Ephesians 3:17), and of demons
     returning to take absolute possession of a man (Matthew 12:45;
     Luke 11:26). It is to be distinguished from the word OIKEO, which
     is the general term for "dwell," and PAROIKEO, which has the idea
     of transitoriness, "to sojourn." Thayer remarks that the term
     KATOIKEO has the idea of permanence in it. Thus the judgment
     referred to in Revelation 3:10 is directed against the
     earth-dwellers of that day, against those who have settled down
     in the earth as their real home, who have identified themselves
     with the earth's commerce and religion [Henry C. Thiessen, WILL
     THE CHURCH PASS THROUGH THE TRIBULATION?, (New York; Loizeaux
     Brothers, 1941), pp. 28-29].

Since this period is related to "earth dwellers," those that have settled
down to permanent occupancy, it can have no reference to the church, which
would be subjected to the same experiences if it were here. The second
consideration to be noted here is the use of the infinitive PEIRASAI (to
try) to express purpose. Thayer defines this word, when God is its subject,
"to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the
steadfastness of his faith." [Joseph Henry Thayer, GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT, (New York: American book company, 1889), p.498]. Since
the Father never sees the church except in Christ, perfected in Him, this
period can have no reference to the church, for the true church does not
need to be tested to see if her faith is genuine.

     The second major purpose of the seventieth week is in relation to
Israel. In Malachi 4:5-6 it is stated:

     Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of
     the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the
     heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
     children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a
     curse.

The prophet states that the ministry of this Elijah was a ministry to
prepare the people for the King who was shortly to come. In Luke 1:17 it is
promised that the son born to Zacharias would "go before him in the spirit
and power of Elias" to preform this very ministry and "to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord." Concerning the coming of Elijah which was to
have been a sign to Israel, the Lord states:

     And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and
     restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man,
     that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say
     unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him
     whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him (Mark 9:12-13).

     The Lord was showing the disciples that John the Baptist had this
ministry of preparing a people for Him. And to remove all doubt, the word in
Matthew 11:14 is conclusive, "if ye will receive it, this Elias, which was
to come." John's ministry was a ministry to prepare the nation Israel for
the coming of the King. It can only be concluded then that Elijah, who is to
come before the great and terrible day of the Lord, can have only one
ministry: that of preparing a remnant in Israel for the advent of the Lord.
It is evident that no such ministry is needed by the church since she by
nature is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but is holy and without
blemish.

     The two purposes, the testing of earth dwellers, and the preparation of
Israel for the King, have no relation to the church whatsoever. This is
supporting evidence that the church will not be in the seventieth week.

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