- Imminency: the state of being imminent and liable to happen soon.
Passed on from the late John Walvood, your pre-tribulation rapture people have been falsely indoctrinated by this man made doctrine at the heart of pre-tribulationism “imminency” which promotes the false idea that Jesus can return at any moment because there is nothing more that needs to happen before Jesus returns for His church.
Pre-tribulationists base this man made theory upon a few hacked up scriptures taken out of context that you probably have heard by now, over-looking what Jesus actually said, to fit into their man made pre-tribulation rapture scenario.
You’ve probably read and heard from the many pre-tribulation rapture message boards and promoters and peddlers certain scriptures taken out of context from this man made doctrine specific scriptures these false teachers use to promote and peddle their doctrine of imminency deception. Below is one of their favorites. For accuracy sake, I prefer to use the KJV Scriptures:
From Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
From Matthew 24:44: “Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
From Matthew 24:50: “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,”
From Matthew 25:13: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
From Mark 13:32: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”
From the above Scriptures, any reader can easily see that Jesus never said that one could not know the general time period, or the year, or month or even the week of His return. Jesus only said that we would not know the day or the hour.
In Acts 1:7, it is recorded that Jesus' disciples, after His Resurrection, questioned him, "Lord, will thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" And Jesus answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."
It can't be any clearer, from their own mouths, that the disciples and Jesus Himself were referring to the re-establishment of the kingdom of Israel from this scripture directly above, but your pre-tribulation rapture promoters have even twisted this scripture, calling those above, and this scripture the Granddaddy of proof for a pre-tribulation rapture, when Jesus was not even referring to the "season" of His coming again, nor was a pre-tribulation rapture ever mentioned, but rather, when He would re-establish the kingdom of Israel, which is an entirely different topic of its own. Simply stated, a pre-tribulation rapture belief is mere suggestion based upon assumption from adding to and taking away from the Word of God, which is completely forbidden according to Revelation 22:18-19.
(NOTE: I can personally tell you from experience as a former participant on the above linked message board, "Rapture Ready", I attempted to discuss these points on the catching away of Christ's Church, and it was immediately discovered by "the mods"; I was questioned if I was "post trib", and was made to believe I was unwelcomed .because of intimidation and threats of being banned for "breaking the rules." I was immediately shown "board rule #15" and given a warning after my "post trib" position was suspected, being approached by three individuals on the mod squad. I subsequently asked that my name be removed from their data base as I no longer desired to be part of such a divisive group, which is not of the Lord.)
You have probably also heard and read from these same pre-tribulation rapture only message boards, promoters and peddlers of this deceptive doctrine of imminency that Jesus said His return for His church would “be a surprise.” But did Jesus really say this? What Jesus actually said was:
From Matthew 24:42 "Watch" therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
In a nutshell, because Jesus said no one knows the day or hour, ignoring everything else that Jesus said, pre-tribulation rapture "imminency" promoters think a pre-tribulation rapture can happen at any moment because there is nothing left to happen before Jesus comes for His church, or the rapture. These same promotors even ignore or avoid the Resurrection of the dead in Christ, which must happen first, according to the Apostle Paul's teachings, and according to Jesus Himself, does not occur until the last day.
If a pre-tribulation rapture is “imminent”, meaning there is nothing more to happen before "the rapture" as your pre-tribulation rapture promoters believe, then what is the reason to watch? And why did Jesus go to great lengths and tell us the signs to watch for in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 24 before His people would be caught up to meet Him in the air?
From Matthew 24:43-44: “But know this, that if the Goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” “Therefore, be ye also ready for such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”
Jesus uses the illustration of a "thief in the night"in the above scripture, denoting that if you knew there was a chance of a thief coming into your house in the night, you would be prepared and be ready to prevent the thief from breaking in by being vigilant, watching and being ready and prepared for him, based upon signs or evidence. Without any signs or evidence, how would you know what to watch for or that a thief may come into your house?
And from Luke’s Gospel Chapter 12, 39-42, Jesus said basically the very same, that we would not know the day or hour of His return, but Jesus indeed did warn His people to watch, or be vigilant, so they would not be caught off guard at His coming. Jesus even warns His followers in Revelation 3 to be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die because He has not found their works perfect before God. “
Remember, therefore how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."
Jesus is clearly telling His people who are awake and watching that His coming will not surprise them, but those unaware and not watching the signs would be caught off guard as a thief in the night sneaks upon his victim unaware. The apostle Paul confirms this same message, when speaking of the Day of the Lord and how it will come as a “thief in the night” to those who are living in darkness, or not watching. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6.
You can be assured, brothers and sisters, that we can and we will know the general time frame, or 'the season' of the Lord’s return, and we, His people, will not be surprised as people of the world will be, because we who are searching and reading the scriptures and watching the signs that Jesus gave us are not in darkness. Why would Jesus tell us over and over to keep watch if there was nothing to watch for? After giving us several visible signs to look for just prior to His return?
The Day of the Lord and the Return of Christ for His people will occur following the signs that Jesus gave us, after the tribulation of those days when the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give light, just as He said, making an "imminent" pre-tribulation rapture of His church impossible and will be no surprise or secret to His true church. Those of us alive and remain will be watching and waiting for Him to come for us. "Behold, I have told you before." (in advance, forewarn). Matthew 24:25
The bottom line, my friends, is that the pre-tribulation rapture imminency doctrine is pure fallacy and deception. On one hand, these people promoting this deception will tell you to keep watch, as most of the present day pre-tribulation rapture false teachers are "watching" the signs and writing about them in their books; and on the other hand they are promoting the false idea of a pre-tribulation rapture and that nothing needs to happen before the return of Christ for His church, which is beyond reasoning, contradictory, false and divisive, and unbiblical, and lastly, hypocritical.
No where in all of Scripture is it taught that we are to "watch" for a pre-tribulation rapture; however, it is taught to "watch" for the signs that signal the Second Coming of Christ in Matthew's Gospel 24 when Jesus' disciples specifically said to Him
"Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"at which time we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air .vs. 29-31
In closing, let the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, guide you and not some self-proclaimed "prophecy expert" and their "prophecy books" which only confuse and serve to build their foundation upon sand.
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