Post Mill versus Pre Mill
WHAT IS THAT TO THEE, POST-MILL?
Pre-millennial, pre-tribulational bashing is now in vogue (judging from many recent books and articles). Gainsayers, against this position, cannot stand the very thought of an imminent rapture/return of Christ "FOR" His saints, which is much more appealing than an imminent tribulation and/or antichrist.
Imminent Rapture Possibility
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. – John 14:2, 3
Jesus saith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he TARRY TILL I COME, what is that to thee? -- John 21:22-23
Certainly, we can find a possibility or hint of an imminent rapture here, as we examine the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, admittedly, did not reveal very much, regarding the rapture "mystery." (Also, the brethren's propensity to get prophetic themes all fouled up can also be found here.)
Old Testament Prophetic Confusion
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. -- 1 Pet. 1:11
1st Coming: . . .O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. -- Zec. 9:9
2nd Coming: And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off . . . and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. -- Zec. 9:10
The Old Testament prophets, who penned the O.T. scriptures, were even confused about the time and also about the events. Was Christ to come as King, as many passages attest, or was He to come to suffer, as others attest, or was He to come as a servant, as yet others attest? Were these events simultaneous or separated by a span of time? Can you imagine the prophets pitting or arguing one event against another? Still, all of these events must be fulfilled somehow.
Is it any wonder that both the O.T. prophets and the N.T. saints were confused? Is it any wonder that the disciples were always asking about the kingdom being set up "NOW!” The time intervals, between the events, are veiled, until their revelation. It happens quite often; not only does it happen in Zech 9:2, 3-5; but also in Isa 9:2, 3-5, 6; Isa 40:3, 4-5; Isa. 61:1, 2-3; Malachi 3:1, 2-5. Often, events are separated by verses, other times, in the same verse, as with Isaiah 9:6.
New Testament Prophetic Confusion
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
-- Luke 12:41
New Testament brethren were confused, as to whom the end time prophecies address. Peter, at least, inquired of the Lord, in that regard, although his question was ignored and left unanswered. Unfortunately, for certain prophetic approaches, the prophetic scriptures must cover more than the U.S.A. and the now, present, current year. End time prophecies are encompassing enough to avoid a conflict between: the then living saints, the nation of Israel, the church age saints, the tribulation saints (1st half), martyred tribulation saints, tribulation saints (at Christ's glory coming), and future Israel. (Many prophecies even includes warnings to unbelievers, in their respective time periods.)
Obviously, from many prophetic disclaimers, some saints will not know when these prophetic fulfillments occur. Still, other references to the 1260 days, the 42 months (the times, time, and a half time), and the abomination of desolation, show that certain saints are supposed to know when they occur. Still, ALL groups seem urged to watch, look, wait, and be ready in their respective times.
Some saints look, watch, and wait for deliverance, via the rapture, others via death, and others, via the destruction of their enemies, at Christ's coming in glory. Post Mills are extremely silent or extremely brief, regarding the "LOOK, WATCH, WAIT, and BE READY" prophetic passages.
Jesus Knew Where to Divide the Events
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God . . . -- Isa. 61:1-3
. . . he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book . . . -- Luke 4:17-20
Jesus correctly divided the events, which seemingly were run together, but He did not reveal any rapture truth, at that time. Still, He remained accurate in every phase of the end time prophecies.
Jesus Did Not Know the When—Then
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son . . . -- Mark 13:31-32
Jesus is the Son of God! Jesus is God! Jesus is omniscient! Then how can this be? Jesus is Omnipotent, yet when He took upon Himself human flesh, He divested Himself and limited Himself, concerning certain things. He was hungry, thirsty, and tired. He even positioned Himself to grow in wisdom (Lk 2:52), although already filled with wisdom (Lk 2:40). Strange that some would dogmatically insist that they know the "WHEN," through special O.T. formulas and from the very words that Jesus spoke in the Gospels, when Jesus didn’t know the "WHEN," from His own words??? It seems to us that no one will know the "WHEN," until the abomination of desolation does his thing (Mat 24:15, 16; Dan 12:7,11; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev 13:5).
Mystery Confusion
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. -- 1 Cor. 15:51-52
. . . even we ourselves groan within ourselves, WAITING for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. -- Rom. 8:23
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we LOOK for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body . . . -- Phil. 3:20-21
And to WAIT for his Son from heaven . . . which delivered us from the wrath to come. -- 1 Th. 1:10 (1 Cor. 1:7; 1 Thess. 1:10; 4:13-17)
. . .we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
-- 1 John 3:2-3
Make thee two trumpets of silver . . . that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. -- Num. 10:2
Why were certain prophecies scrambled, run together, or veiled, to those saints, prior to Paul? Because a "mystery" must be revealed! The "mystery" of the rapture and the non dying and the glorious body change, happening in a twinkling of an eye (fast), was not revealed until Paul. It will occur at the last "trump" [a trump for the church & a trump for the Jews (Isa 27:12-13)] not to be twisted or confused with the 7th "trumpet" of the Revelation. Moreover, Paul informs us pre-mills that we are to patiently look and wait for the Saviour and that event. What is that to thee, post-millennialist?
-- by Herb Evans
NE COMES WITH JESUS from heaven until the last martyr "who must be killed" reaches His presence before He can "gather the Elect from earth and send the angels to bring them to the