The Pretribulation Rapture Has Been Taught Throughout Christian History

THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE IN HISTORY - NOT OF DEMONIC ORIGIN

Many people sometimes wonder who has taught the Pretribulation Rapture before J.N. Darby (1800-1881). This question is often stated as an objection. These objections are often very bitter and harsh. Modern pre-tribbers have responded by citing Morgan Edwards (1722-1795), a Baptist pastor who presented a Pretribulation Rapture in the 18th century. Edwards writes:

"...the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ's 'appearing in the air' (1st Thessalonians iv. 17); and this will be about three years and a half before the millennium, as we shall see hereafter: but will he and they abide in the air all that time? No: they will ascend to Paradise, or to some one of those many 'mansions in the father's house' (John xiv. 2), and so disappear during the foresaid period of time. The design of this retreat and disappearing will be to judge the risen and changed saints; for 'now the time is come that judgment must begin,' and that will be 'at the house of God' (1st Peter iv. 17)..." (Quoted in "Morgan Edwards: Another Pre-Darby Rapturist," by Thomas Ice)

Two objections are generally made to this quote. First, it is claimed that Morgan Edwards (as a historicist) was only presenting a hypothetical case for a "term paper." Second, many argue that this obscure writing had no effect or influence on Christians in the mainstream, and that it cannot be seen as setting the stage for Darby's later rapture view. They assert that Darby got his view from someone claiming to give an inspired "revelation" in the early 19th century. After Morgan Edwards, post-tribbers have simply put forth a greater demand.

They now call upon pre-tribbers to not only present a Pretribulation Rapture before Darby, but to also present a "significant" case(s) that would have "influenced" Darby (and modern dispensational eschatology). They now demand that pre-tribbers establish a clear historical progression. Otherwise, they still maintain that Darby was influenced by an Irvingite "utterance." Wisdom often calls us to stand upon the shoulders of our forefathers. Therefore, it is not unreasonable for post-tribbers to request from us an historical chain of thought in regard to the rapture. It is, however, unreasonable for them to conclude that, simply because certain details may be cloudy, that this must mean the Pretribulation view arose from a demonic or Irvingite "revelation." The same claim was made in regard to futurism ("It is from the Jesuits"), and earlier, premillennialism itself ("It is from the Jews"), etc.


Margaret McDonald and the Irvingites

Tregelles (in 1864) made the claim that the pre-trib teaching arose from an utterance in Irving's church:

"But when the theory of a secret coming of Christ was first brought forward (about the year 1832), it was adopted with eagerness...I am not aware that there was any definite teaching that there would be a secret rapture of the church at a secret coming, until this was given forth as an 'utterance' in Mr. Irving's church, from what was there received as being the voice of the Spirit. But whether any one ever asserted such a thing or not, it was from that supposed revelation that the modern doctrine and the modern phraseology respecting it arose." (Tregelles, "The Hope of Christ's Second Coming," 1864)

Tregelles does not document this "utterance." G.H. Lang therefore writes:

"No evidence is available that any of the Powerscourt circle took the idea of a secret rapture from the Irvingite utterances, no evidence beyond Tregelles's assertion, and for this he gives no proofs." ("The Disciple," 1954)

In "The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin," (1973), Dave MacPherson does his best to make his own far-fetched idea "believable." He attempts to link the origin of the Pretribulation Rapture view with a young lady named Margaret McDonald. However, he fails considerably in offering any evidence that this young lady influenced anyone on ANY Biblical subject (other than perhaps, whether or not Apostolic gifts were reviving). To start with, she was in Scotland (not England, where Irving's church was located). As to M. McDonald's particular "revelation," she appears to teach that the "Spirit-filled" will be "kept" from deception in the MIDST of the Tribulation (i.e. the Post-tribulation view)! She has the faithful (including herself) on earth when the Antichrist is revealed:

"I saw the people of God in an awfully dangerous situation. Now will the wicked one be revealed with all power...It will be a fiery trial...Nothing but what is of God will stand...I said, Now shall the awful sight of a false Christ be seen on this earth; and nothing but Christ in US can DETECT this awful attempt of the enemy to deceive...This is the trial THROUGH which those are to pass, who will be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man...The trial of the Church is from Antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept. I frequently said, Oh be filled with the Spirit - have the light of God within you, that you may DETECT Satan..."

It is obvious that by being "kept," McDonald means Christians are kept from DECEPTION while the Antichrist is manifested!

McPherson erred by stumbling onto a book written by Robert Norton in 1861 which claimed that Margaret McDonald originated the Pretribulation Rapture view. The book was titled, "The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets in the Catholic Apostolic Church" (i.e. Irving's movement). In 1852, Norton wrote "Reasons for Believing the Lord has Restored to the Church Apostles and Prophets." By 1861, the Pretribulation Rapture view was a well-established doctrine among premillennialists. Isn't it reasonable to conclude that Norton (a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church) would greatly desire to argue that something "significant" originated from someone exercising a restored "Apostolic" gift? Notice his words in describing Margaret McDonald's supposed "revelation" of the Pretribulation Rapture (i.e. two-stage coming):

"Marvelous light was shed upon Scripture, and especially upon the doctrine of the Second Advent BY THE REVIVED SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. In the following account by Miss M.M...we see first the distinction between the final stage of the Lord's coming...and His prior appearing..." (emphasis mine; MacPherson, p.47)

Sadly, Norton (1807-1883) was simply a victim of his own wishful thinking. He read into M.M.'s "revelation" in order to argue that "marvelous light" (i.e. the pre-trib rapture teaching which was WIDESPREAD among prophecy students at the time) had come forth from his own restoration movement. Why would he need this type of prop? Because the majority of Christians at the time thought his movement was inspired by the Devil and that Norton himself was "fanatical"! How advantageous it would be to argue that the prized teaching in regard to the two stages of the Lord's Coming was first manifested by someone with a supernatural gift. Yet, he failed in offering anything other than his own assertions to validate his claims. MacPherson repeated the mistake (for different reasons).

But let us pretend that M. McDonald is indeed teaching some type of pre-trib rapture. What would this prove? It would simply show that McDonald was INFLUENCED (in the realm of eschatology) by the scholarly, prophetic teachings around her at the time and was simply coughing them back up as a self-deceived or pretended "inspired" utterance. If not, and something more diabolical was at work, Matthew 8:29 and Acts 16:17 reveal that devils often attempt to oppose truth (especially new or revived truth) by AGREEING with it, thereby attempting to bring confusion in regard to its source.

But we should read the quote by Tregelles a bit closer. Why did he use the phrase "secret rapture" instead of "Pretribulation Rapture"? It is perhaps because he knew that the Pretribulation Rapture was certainly taught before anyone in Irving's church ever uttered a word! Whether or not it is "secret" is of no consequence and depends upon what one means by "secret." The debate is over whether or not there is a PreTribulation escape. The Bible itself is the foundation for the Pretribulation teaching (see Luke 21:36, Revelation 3:10, Hebrews 11:5, etc., as well as other Scriptures that have historically been used to teach the view such as Matthew 25:10, Revelation 12:5, 14:3, etc.). This teaching is found wherever there is a revival of premillennial thought (literal interpretation). In the 17th century, premillennialism was revived in the mainstream. Therefore, we should be able to find the foundational elements of the Pretribulation Rapture scheme OPENLY presented in the 17th century.


Joseph Mede and the Rapture

Joseph Mede (1586-1638) was the most popular premillennialist of his age. Edward Bickersteth (1786-1850) called him the "father of modern interpretation." Therefore, his writings were certainly still influential in the 19th century. David Brown called Mede the "prince of Millennarians." Wilbur Smith stated:

"Probably no work on the Apocalypse by an English author from the time of the Reformation down to the beginning of the 19th century, and even later, has exercised as much influence..."

Mede's work on the Book of Revelation became the most popular book (outside the Bible itself) of that day. The main prophetic view of Mede's age (among premillennialists) was the historicist view of the Tribulation period (i.e. the judgments of the Book of Revelation are fulfilled figuratively throughout the whole of Christian history).

The literal, futurist view (that which I embrace) did not become widespread until the 19th century when many historicists adopted a "double" view of the 1260 days (e.g. T. Evill, Purdon, E. Bickersteth, etc.) interpreting them literally (i.e. as future days), and at the same time, prophetically (i.e. as years). Burgh, Govett, Darby, and many others would lead the way in abandoning the historicist view altogether. Within his historicist view, Mede suggested the possibility of a RAPTURE before the final "conflagration" (i.e. burning of the earth) in the final days immediately before the 1000-year Kingdom. This would correspond somewhat to the final age of the futurist (i.e. modern dispensational) system. Mede suggested that this particular burning would only be a purification and not a total annihilation of the earth - which he placed after the Millennium ("Works," Book III, p.617). In regard to the rapture, Mede writes:

"I will add this more, namely, what may be conceived to be the cause of this RAPTURE of the saints on high to meet the Lord in the clouds, rather than to wait his coming to earth....What if it be, that they may be PRESERVED during the Conflagration of the earth and the works thereof, 2 Pet.3:10, that as Noah and his family were preserved from the Deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark; so should the saints at the Conflagration be lift up in the clouds unto their Ark, Christ, to be preserved there from the deluge of fire, wherein the wicked shall be consumed?" ("The Works of Joseph Mede," 1672, London edition, Book IV, p.776)

Notice the word "rapture," the use of 1st Thessalonians 4, the analogy of Noah, and the "preservation" in contrast to the wicked, etc. All of these items are the very nuts and bolts of the modern Pretribulation Rapture system. There was a train of thought (from Mede to Darby) that surely influenced Darby in regard to the rapture. This suggestion of Mede's had considerable influence on other students of the prophecies. He is later actually quoted by William Cuninghame (which we will discuss shortly) as one of the earliest advocates of the Pretribulation Rapture view! Therefore, whether or not one agrees that Mede's quote is foundational in regard to the Pretribulation Rapture is beside the point. Cuninghame took it as being an early and undeveloped example of his own viewpoint and built upon it. From the point of view of the historian, Mede takes his place in history as being one of the first scholars to revive the Pretribulation Rapture concept.


Frere, Cuninghame and the Rapture

The next influential prophecy writers to continue laying the foundation for the two-stage coming of Christ (i.e. Pretribulation Rapture) were James H. Frere (1779-1866) and William Cuninghame (1775-1849):

"Faber, Cuninghame, and Frere were unquestionably the three most prominent expositors in Britain in the early part of the nineteenth century." (Fromm, Volume III, p. 279)

Both Frere and Cuninghame later participated in the Albury Park conferences (1826-1828). Some historians have noted that Irving was a DISCIPLE of Frere in regard to the prophecies. When Mede's idea of a "rapture" of believers (to escape the end-time destruction on the wicked) was added to a two-stage second coming of Christ, historicism began to look a lot like futurism at its final "head." The foundation for this two-stage coming was indeed laid by Frere and Cuninghame over a decade BEFORE the Albury meetings took place.

This teaching would be "refined" at the Albury meetings. It is therefore no wonder that after the Albury conferences had ended (1828), articles began appearing in Irving's "Morning Watch" (June-September, 1832) advocating a view that held to both the year-day and literal-day interpretations at the same time. A new breed of "historicist-futurist" scholars would arise that combined Mede's "rapture" with Frere's and Cuninghame's two-stage, end-time scenarios. From that point, this "new breed" (plus many pure historicists and pure futurists) would all begin to issue commentaries and articles advocating a two-stage coming and a Pretribulation Rapture escape. The popularity of Frere and Cuninghame in the early part of the 19th century has already been demonstrated. And it is obvious that these men (and their peers) had an influence on Edward Irving before (and at) Albury Park. Yet, let us document how these men laid an early foundation for the two-stage coming of Christ: In 1815, Frere writes:

"...the sitting of the Ancient of Days is mentioned in the 9th verse of the seventh chapter of Daniel, and precedes the death and destruction of the ten-horned Beast...The sitting of the Ancient of Days and the judgment of the saints mentioned in Daniel, must therefore CONSIDERABLY PRECEDE the sitting of the saints in judgment at the commencement of the Millennium...and must be cotemporary with a period in the Revelation of Saint John, prior to that of the battle of Armageddon...("A Combined View of the Prophecies," London: 1815)

Frere looked for the Jews to be restored to the land, followed by a time of trouble to come "such as there never was...", which would cover a period of 45 years. He saw two blessed periods for the saints; one before this trouble, and one after it (i.e. the Millennium). There is no mention of a translation; yet, the foundation for two stages is clearly being set. Many of the futurists would see a Tribulation period about that length (Seiss, Govett, Larkin, etc.) William Cuninghame actually put out his first edition of "A Dissertation on the Seals and Trumpets of the Apocalypse" in 1813. The following quotes are from his 1817 edition:

"In the interpretation of this passage, I am compelled to differ from most expositors of the Apocalypse. Bishop Newton and Mr. Faber both apply the vision of the Lamb with the one-hundred and forty-four thousand, to the state of the true Church during the reign of the Beast...They therefore consider this mystical number of one-hundred and forty-four thousand, as continuing to represent the true Church from the times of Constantine to the dawn of the Millennium...the state of these followers of the Lamb, does not at all agree with the condition of the Church during the reign of the Beast...According to the system of most writers whose works I have had access to, it does not appear what becomes of the Church after she returns from her secret retreat in the wilderness, till she is exhibited to us in the nineteenth chapter, as having made herself ready for the bridal ceremony......it may be proper, before I close the subject, to take a short view of those great events, which the prophecies both of the Old and New Testament lead us to expect...The first of these is the conversion and restoration of the Jews...their restoration is to happen during a time of trouble, such as there never was since there was a nation...The number of the elect 144,000, who are sealed, for preservation from the last awful calamities, will have been completed, by means of that final preaching of the Gospel...the elect of God shall be gathered from the four winds of heaven to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and the final judgments shall be let loose against those nations which have named the name of Christ, but have not departed from iniquity... A question will here naturally suggest itself to the mind of the reader. What is to become of the righteous in the awful period described in the foregoing prophecies? Now, the answer to this inquiry has been given, in considering the seventh chapter of the Apocalypse...This tribulation is manifestly that of the closing period of the earthquake and vials; and we are thus assured, that the righteous are to be preserved during the final display of divine wrath...a call is given to the righteous to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb...These considerations ought surely to awaken the Christian to pray more earnestly for his country, and to quicken his diligence, that he may individually be accounted worthy to ESCAPE the approaching wrath, and to stand before the Son of Man...Our Lord Himself has emphatically assured us, 'behold I come as a thief...' from these words we may certainly conclude, that He will come at a time, when few even of his own people expect it...No human power or wisdom can avert the terrific events which are approaching. But if, through faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we wash our robes, and make them white in the Blood of the Lamb, then we shall individually be numbered with that great multitude, who shall come out of the great tribulation..." ("A Dissertation on the Seals and Trumpets of the Apocalypse," 1817, pp. 273-275, 290, 334, 340, 347, 354)

Before reading the next excerpt from Cuninghame, it might be helpful to read over these words in 1813 one more time! All of the elements of the two-stage coming and Pretribulation Rapture are beginning to come to fruition in 1813-1817 (years before the Irvingite manifestations or McDonald).

In the following years, Cuninghame built upon his own views and developed a clear two-stage coming of the Lord. Cuninghame would quote Joseph Mede and some early Jewish writings as earlier sources of the Bible's Pretribulation Rapture teaching. He would also become more clear about what happens to the ready saints during the time of trouble. They would be "translated"!:

"There is a double gathering of his saints unto our Lord, during his abode in the air; first of the 144,000 sealed ones, and secondly, the white-robed palm-bearers (Rev.vii.9-17). The former is at the first moment of the Advent, and the last at a later period...There are two events selected by our Lord himself, as the special types of His Advent, and the state of the world in that day...it is manifest that the Coming of the Lord is to find the world in a state of peace...the ten virgins...are all...found slumbering and sleeping...as soon as the Lord comes and takes to himself the Wise Virgins, the torrent of calamity which is to destroy the prophetic earth shall immediately thereafter break forth...But I remark that there is another class of passages, which no less certainly indicates that his coming shall be in a season of shaking and alarm and fear..." (1836 -perhaps a later edition)

From The Kingdom Alert, #117 (6-9-01)
* * * * * * *
Pastor Joey Faust
Kingdom Baptist Church
700 Cordes Dr., Venus, Texas, 76084

What Does The Bible Mean: "Except There Come A Falling Away First"

2nd Thessalonians 2:1-10, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

There is great controversy over the interpretation of this passage of Scripture in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Let's begin by reviewing a helpful quote from one of my favorite Bible scholars, Dr. John R. Rice (18950-1980), who states in his Bible commentary on Revelation:

Note now the term “the day of Christ,” the same as “the day of the Lord,” when Christ sets up His Kingdom. It is not at hand until certain things occur (vs. 2). 

1. First, there needs to be a “falling away,” literally a departure, that is, as we understand it the rapture of the saints, the “gathering together unto him” of verse 1. The Greek word here is apostacio, so it is natural for people to think that it means a religious apostasy, a falling from grace. But it can hardly mean that. The word is sometimes used for departure, and “the day of the Lord” is the time of Christ's return to conquer and reign. It waits not on a religious apostasy but on the departure of the saints. The Man of Sin cannot appear until that time. (See the book by E. Schuyler English entitled Re-thinking the Rapture.) Dr. Ironside and other scholars agreed that the falling away here means the departure of the saints. 

2. Nothing here is preliminary to the rapture, but a regular schedule of events to follow the rapture. Since we are often warned to expect daily the rapture, the first phase of Christ's coming at any moment, “in the twinkling of an eye,” there cannot be and are not any prophesied events to come before that rapture. So before the rise of Antichrist, before Daniel's seventieth week of years can begin, before the tribulation period, must come the rapture of the saints.

3. But then Someone “who now letteth” or restrains the course of history so that the Man of Sin cannot appear—who is He? That Restrainer is the Holy Spirit. His worldwide influence through born-again Christians makes it so the restored Roman empire cannot rise nor the Antichrist appear until Christians are taken out and and thus the influence through them of the Holy Spirit is removed from its restraining power on the wicked world. 

How many men have tried to build a world empire after the decay of Rome, as such an empire! Charlemagne, the pope, 

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, “Behold He Cometh: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary On The Book Of Revelation,” pp. 134-135; Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1977

Now, I have tremendous respect and admiration for Dr. John R. Rice, but I humbly disagree with his interpretation of 2nd Thessalonians 2:3. It is my humble opinion that to say that this is the Rapture is reaching. I've read Dr. Rice say elsewhere that where the Bible is silent we should be silent. I agree with that statement. Also, Dr. Rice has said elsewhere that the best way to interpret the Bible is to let the Bible interpret itself. Again, I fully agree with that wisdom.

I would now like to quote some commentary from Halley's Bible Handbook, with which interpretation I agree:

II THESSALONIANS 

Further Instruction About The Lord's Coming 

Written, probably about A.D. 52, only a few weeks, or months, after the First Epistle. In that Paul had spoken of the Lord's Coming as being sudden and unexpected. In this he explains that it will not be until after the Apostasy. 

Chapter 1, The Day of the Lord 

The particular feature of the Lord's coming emphasized in this chapter is that it will be a day of terror for the disobedient. In 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul had said that He would descend from heaven, and, at the shout of the archangel, the Church would be caught up forever to be forever with the Lord. 

Here he adds that the Lord will be accompanied with “the angels of his power in flaming fire” (7), rendering vengeance to the disobedient. Jesus had spoken of “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41), and “unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43). In Hebrews 10:27 “devouring fire” is connected with the day of judgment. In II Peter 3:7, 10 it is stated that the destiny of the earth is to be burned with “fire” (see note on the passage).

Chapter 2, The Apostasy

The express purpose of this Epistle was to caution the Thessalonians that the Lord's Coming was not immediately at hand; that it would not be until after the Apostasy. 

What is the Apostasy? It is called the “falling away,”  in which a person called the “man of sin,” in the temple of God professes himself to be God, and exalts himself against God (3, 4). A False Church headed by an Imposter. 

The early fathers unanimously looked for a Personal Antichrist, to be manifested after the fall of the Roman Empire. 

The Protestant Reformers, being directly in touch with the awful corruption of the Church of the Middle Ages, believed the Papacy, an institution headed up in  person, usurping to itself authority that belongs only to Christ and being itself responsible for the prevailing corruption to have been a manifestation of the man of sin. 

In our own times, after 2,000 years of church history, there is still wide difference of opinion. There are many who think it refers to a period immediately before the Lord's Coming. 

The spirit of the thing was already at work in Paul's da7 (7). The story of the Church as a whole, even to this day, makes a sorry looking picture. Taking a broad general view of the visible Church, as it has existed from the first century to the present time, it is not inaccurate to call it an Apostate Church. What the final culmination is to be is yet to be seen. 

“That which remains,” (6), was general understood by the early father to have been the Roman Empire. Some take it to mean the Holy Spirit. 

Paul's Ideas of the Second Coming. It is quite common among a certain class of critics to say that Paul “had to reconstruct his ideas about the Lord's Second Coming,” that his “earlier and cruder view” contradicts his later view. This is absolutely not true. Paul's earlier view was his only view, first, last and always. The Thessalonian Epistles are his earliest extant writings. In them he specifically states that he did NOT expect the immediate appearance of the Lord, and that it would not be till after the Apostasy, which in his day was only beginning to work. It may not have been revealed to Paul what the Apostasy would be. But whatever his idea of it, it did not preclude the possibility that the Lord would come in his own lifetime, evidenced by the expression “we that are alive” (I Thessalonians 4:15; I Corinthians 15:52). First and last Paul looked for the Lord's Coming as a glorious consummation, meanwhile anticipating the eventuality of, in death, “departing to be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23); it not being any great matter whether he was in the body or out of it at the time of the Coming. In his last written word (II Timothy 4:6, 8), at the time of his “departure,” his mind was on the “appearing” of the Lord.

SOURCE: Dr. Henry H. Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, pp. 629-630, 1927

There is nothing, in my own humble opinion, in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 which indicates that this passage refers to the Rapture event, when the Church is taken out of the world. Let us review the Scripture passage in question:

2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

To be frank, we simply don't know for certain what the phrase “a falling away” means. Some Bible students think the phrase refers to the Rapture. (By the way, I always capitalize the word Rapture because it refers to a proper noun, in this case, an event.) Other Bible students think it refers to worldwide Apostasy. Search the internet for articles about "vanishing Christianity" and other similar searches, and you will find umpteen disturbing articles; such as this one.

Why Gen Z is Leaving Christianity

The Decline of Mainline Churches in America (2023)

Listen to what occultist Alice Bailey (1880-1949) said...

“The new world religion is nearer than many think, and this is due to two things: first, the theological quarrels are mainly over non-essentials, and secondly, the younger generation is basically spiritual but quite uninterested in theology. The intelligent youth of all countries are rapidly repudiating orthodox theology, state ecclesiasticism and the control of the church. They are neither interested in man-made interpretations of truth nor in past quarrels between the major world religions.

At the same time, they are profoundly interested in the spiritual values and are earnestly seeking verification of their deep-seated unvoiced recognitions. They look to no bible or system of so-called inspired spiritual knowledge and revelation, but their eyes are on the undefined larger wholes in which they seek to merge and lose themselves, such as the state, an ideology, or humanity itself. In this expression of the spirit of self-abnegation may be seen the appearance of the deepest truth of all religion and the justification of the Christian message.

Christ, in His high place, cares not whether men accept the theological interpretations of scholars and churchmen, but He does care whether the keynote of His life of sacrifice and service is reproduced among men; it is immaterial to Him whether the emphasis laid upon the detail and the veracity of the Gospel story is recognised and accepted, for He is more interested that the search for truth and for subjective spiritual experience should persist; He knows that within each human heart is found that which responds instinctively to God, and that the hope of ultimate glory lies hid in the Christ-consciousness.

Therefore, in the new world order, spirituality will supersede theology; living experience will take the place of theological acceptances. The spiritual realities will emerge with increasing clarity and the form aspect will recede into the background; the new emerging truths. These truths will be founded on the ancient realities but will be adapted to modern need and will manifest progressively the revelation of the divine nature and quality. God is now known as Intelligence and Love. That the past has given us. He must be known as Will and Purpose, and that the future will reveal.” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Alice Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, pp. 201-202

Alice Bailey was a devil. I don't know if you caught it in the preceding quote, but Miss Bailey teaches that Jesus doesn't care if people accept or reject the Gospel, just so long as they have what she terms, “the Christ-consciousness”...

“Christ, in His high place, cares not whether men accept the theological interpretations of scholars and churchmen, but He does care whether the keynote of His life of sacrifice and service is reproduced among men; it is immaterial to Him whether the emphasis laid upon the detail and the veracity of the Gospel story is recognised and accepted, for He is more interested that the search for truth and for subjective spiritual experience should persist; He knows that within each human heart is found that which responds instinctively to God, and that the hope of ultimate glory lies hid in the Christ-consciousness.” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Alice Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, pp. 201-202

In other words, Alice Bailey is teaching people to reject everything that the Word of God teaches, except for Christ's life of sacrifice for others. In the shameful, satanic, world of Miss Bailey, Christianity is summed up and limited to living for others without being born-again. This is why we often hear new agers talking about Christ's love, helping others and forgiveness; but they reject Christ's preaching against sin (John 7:7), the need for the new second birth, His command to “SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES” (John 5:39) and the Lord's teachings on everlasting Hell, fire and damnation for the unsaved (Matthew 18:8; 25:41). Effectively, new age retains the outer shell of Christianity, while hollowing out the interior and instead filling it with Luciferian doctrine. Or in other words, new age is repackaging Devil-worship in a Christian wrapper. The Bible warns us that this is how Satan normally operates...

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

My Christian brethren and sisters, what I have just shared with you ought to complete some of the missing puzzle pieces to explain what is going on in the world today. I believe this worldwide departure from organized religion, into a personal form of spirituality without Bible theology is part of the Apostasy Paul mentioned in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3. Alice Bailey's plot to build a New World Order is premised upon drawing youth away from Christianity and preparing them to embrace the Man of Sin (the Antichrist) when he comes.

Again, I humbly agree with Dr. Henry H. Halley that the intriguing phrase in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3b, “a falling away,” doesn't refer to the Rapture; but rather, to a literal Apostasy in the end times. This Apostasy, I humbly think, simply refers to the world departing from faith in the God of the Holy Bible, to follow after false religion. To accomplish this sinister plot, otherwise known as a New World Order (NWO), Satan knows that he must corrupt the inspired Word of God.

It was mentioned in the news this week that NWO kingpin, World Economic Forum (WEF) chairman, Klaus Schwab is calling for a new Bible revision that will correct the religions. Klaus wants the Bible “rewritten” by artificial intelligence (AI) to create a globalized “new Bible.” Yuval Noah Harari, the senior advisor to the WEF and its chairman Klaus Schwab, argues that using AI to replace scriptures will create unified “religions that are actually correct.” Good luck with that... lol. Dear reader, the Devil is a liar and the father of all murders, liars and thieves!!!

With approximately 900 English Bible versions today (either in part or whole), this is Apostasy. With the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation being preached in 85% of Baptist churches today, this is Apostasy. With youth worldwide leaving from the churches, this is Apostasy. The world as a whole is headed for something dark and sinister and evil, the coming of Antichrist, also known as, the “Man of Sin” (2nd Thessalonians 2:3).

Many Lost Sinners Will Be Saved During The 7-Year Tribulation

Many people will be saved during the 7-year Tribulation period. They will be saved by faith alone in Christ, just as lost sinners have always been. Some false teachers like Robert Breaker on YouTube, and the late Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1921-2016) errantly teach that Old Testament saints, and those after the Rapture during the 7-year Tribulation, get saved by keeping God's commandments (i.e., the law). These false prophets (Robert Breaker and Ruckman, and William P. Grady sadly) teach that Old Testament and Tribulation saints get saved by faith plus works. But nothing could be further from the truth. Acts 10:43, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." This Scripture passage plainly teaches that people have always been saved by faith without works.

I humbly believe that the 144,000 saints mentioned in the book of Revelation will be born-again believers, who will be Jews, and they will preach the Gospel throughout the world. Many people will be saved, likely tens of millions. I highly recommend reading some free online books by Pastor Max D. Younce...

I KNOW WHO HOLD TOMORROW:

• https://heritagebbc.com/library/i_know_who_holds_tomorrow_w_charts_web-pdf/
• https://www.jesus-is-savior.com/BTP/Dr_Max_Younce/i_know_who_holds_tomorrow.pdf

REVELATION: GOD'S FINAL WORD TO MAN:

• https://heritagebbc.com/library/the-book-of-revelation-gods-final-word-to-man-by-dr-max-d-younce
• https://www.jesus-is-savior.com/BTP/Dr_Max_Younce/revelation_gods_final_word_to_man.pdf

These are tremendous Bible study books.

Also, here is the helpful book: "SOME GOLDEN DAYBREAK" by Pastor Lee Roberson (1909-2007).

All saints, dead first, then the living, will be removed from the earth at the Rapture (1st Corinthians 15:51-58), which could happen at any time. I believe that the Bible teaches a Pretribulation Rapture, that is, the Church will be removed BEFORE the 7-year Tribulation happens. After the Tribulation, millions of people around the world will wonder what has happened. They will be confused, because MOST professed "Christians" will still be on earth, so how could this have been the Rapture? The Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Church of Christ, Lordship Salvationist Baptists and Lutherans (to name but a few cults today) will still be here on earth. They won't get raptured because they are not saved, and never were at all. So very FEW people will be taken at the Rapture.

The inspired Word of God will still be here on earth after the Rapture. Many people will read the Bible, and hear sermons left behind by fundamentalist Bible, free grace Gospel, preachers (e.g., Pastors' Ralph Yankee Arnold, Jack F. Hyles, Harry A. Ironside and Steven L. Anderson), which lost sinners will listen to and be saved. So, yes, many sinners (likely tens of millions) will be saved during the Tribulation, and many of them will be brutally martyred for their Christian faith. At present, in 2023 we just surpassed the 8,000,000,000 population mark for the planet. That number could increase much higher before Christ returns, but we don't know for sure if this is true, since Jesus could come back at any moment. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!!!

Alice Bailey Planned That Youth Would Forsake Religion

𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝟭𝟭:𝟯𝟳, "𝗡𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗱: 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀."

I humbly think that the coming Man of Sin, Antichrist (meaning: "in place of Christ," that is, an imposter) will be Jewish. This Scripture passage seems to indicate that the Antichrist will be Jewish and a homosexual. He will not regard the God of his fathers (i.e., the God of Israel). Instead, he will honour the god of forces—new age philosophies, spirituality without theology and mysticism.

Occultist Alice Bailey (1880-1949) plotted and foretold that the Luciferian New World Order would turn young people away from organized religion, and instead lead them into a form of spirituality without theology, to prepare them to receive the coming False Messiah. We see this today—youth turning away from organized religion.

Millennials lead shift away from organized religion as pandemic tests Americans’ faith

December 29, 2021

It’s not uncommon for people to seek God during times of hardship. However, the opposite appears to have happened in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic.
A Pew Research Center survey, released earlier this month, found 29% of U.S. adults said they had no religious affiliation, an increase of 6 percentage points from 2016, with millennials leading that shift. A growing number of Americans said they are also praying less often. About 32% of those polled by the Pew Research from May 29 to Aug. 25 said they seldom or never pray. That’s up from 18% of those polled by the group in 2007. 

“The secularizing shifts evident in American society so far in the 21st century show no signs of slowing,” said Gregory Smith, associate director of research at Pew Research Center.

That trend is pushing an increasing number of faith leaders to try to engage with millennials on their own turf.

SOURCE: Millennials lead shift away from organized religion as pandemic tests Americans’ faith

And so we see that Alice Bailey's written Blueprint (i.e., "The Externalisation Of The Hierarchy") to usher in Theosophy (Luciferic worship) through infiltrating and corrupting churches is now a reality. Alice Bailey said that Masonic infiltrators must maintain the outer superficial shell of Christianity in the churches, while from the pulpit propagating the new age ancient mystery religion and new age philosophies. Young people today are flocking into shallow so-called "churches" that have no dogma, no morals and no theology; it's just a big party of worldly music, secular psychology, emotionalism and entertainment.

More Young People Are Moving Away From Religion, But Why? 

January 15, 2013

By NPR Staff

One-fifth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated — higher than at any time in recent U.S. history — and those younger than 30 especially seem to be drifting from organized religion. A third of young Americans say they don't belong to any religion.

NPR's David Greene wanted to understand why, so he gathered a roundtable of young people at a synagogue in Washington, D.C. The 6th & I Historic Synagogue seemed like the right venue: It's both a holy and secular place that has everything from religious services to rock concerts. Greene speaks with six people — three young women and three young men — all struggling with the role of faith and religion in their lives.

SOURCE: More Young People Are Moving Away From Religion, But Why?

As time progresses dear reader, things will only wax worse and worse in America. Inflation will increase. It has to in a fraudulent Ponzi Scheme, which is all that the Federal Reserve (a cruel hoax perpetrated upon the American public since 1913), which will ultimately implode. And when our economy implodes and prices are insanely high, and jobs are nearly impossible to find, and wages are not enough to even pay your monthly rent, all hell will break loose in society. Our government's goal before that time happens is to confiscate and ban all guns sales, gun trades and gun purchases. With approximately 600 mass-shootings each year in the United States, the handwriting is on the walls.

Canada in October of 2022 foolishly banned the sale, trade and purchase of guns nationwide. It is a dangerous thing when only the government has guns!!! That is how liberty dies! This tyranny will come to the U.S., it is just a matter of time. Day by day the American people are getting tired of all the shooting massacres. So when the time comes they will lay down to give up their freedoms in exchange for protection from the government.

We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of the United States by criminals in high positions of power (what the Bible calls “spiritual wickedness in high places” in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”