[Note: Our guest contributor, Dr. Ron Rhodes, is the founder and president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries and a beloved guest on our television program, Christ in Prophecy.]
Many today, including some Christians within the Church, have raised objections against Bible prophecy. Some criticize prophecy in general, while others specifically challenge the concept of the Rapture. In what follows, I will briefly evaluate a sampling of these objections. (My recent book, Bible Prophecy Under Siege (Harvest House Publishers), offers a more comprehensive examination of these and many other related issues.)
Sealed Until the Time of the End
In Daniel 12:9, the prophet Daniel is instructed that the prophecies given to him are “sealed until the time of the end”—meaning that no one can understand them until then. Therefore, we should not spend time or effort studying prophecy.
Why are the critics wrong?
1. The sealing of Daniel’s book does not imply that we should overlook this portion of the prophetic Word. Studying it alongside the book of Revelation offers numerous insights about the end times, as there are many parallels between the two books.
2. The sealing of Daniel’s book certainly does not stand in the way of studying other endtime prophecies in the Bible, for example, those found in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Matthew, John, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and other books. Daniel is one of many books in the Bible that contain prophecies of the end times. To dismiss all endtimes prophecy simply because a single prophetic book is “sealed” is as unwarranted as it is unwise.
3. We now live in a time when many end-time prophecies are either being fulfilled or the stage is being set for their fulfillment. An example is the rebirth of Israel as a nation (Ezekiel 37). Many prophecies seem to be converging in our day. Because of this convergence, we ought to pay more attention to Daniel’s prophecies than ever. Indeed, we are drawing near to the time when these verses will come into complete clarity.
4. In harmony with the spirit of Daniel 12:9, the past century has unveiled prophetic truths once shrouded in mystery. For the first time in history, we’ve begun to grasp the full meaning of certain endtime prophecies—particularly those concerning Israel’s miraculous rebirth and those related to the rise of various technologies that previous generations could scarcely imagine.
“No One Knows…”
Jesus said, “Concerning that day and hour no one knows” (Matthew 24:36). Once again, critics seize on this to justify scoffing at the study of Bible prophecy.
In response, notice that in the very same context (Matthew 24–25), Jesus commanded His followers to “watch,” “be ready,” and “stay alert” (24:42-44; 25:13). How can people obey those commands if they deliberately ignore His words about prophecy?
Not knowing the exact timing is the reason to study prophecy, not an excuse to avoid it. Jesus gave signs of His coming in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13 so that His people can recognize the season, even if they can’t know the specific day or hour (Matthew 24:32-33). Jesus specifically warned His followers not to be like the Jewish leaders, whom He rebuked with these words: “You don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).
The apostles clearly didn’t interpret Jesus’ words about not knowing the day or the hour as a reason to neglect prophecy. The New Testament is brimming with prophetic teaching (for example, 1 Thessalonians 4–5, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation, etc.), and the apostles urged the Church to live in light of Christ’s return (see Acts 1:6-7, 9-11; 3:19-21; 17:30-31).
It is certainly true that we cannot know the specific “day” or “hour” of prophetic events. We cannot say, for example, that the Rapture of the Church will take place on November 11, 2029, at 4:47 PM. However, based on all the prophecies of the Rapture in the Bible, we know that the Rapture is an imminent event that could occur at any moment, even today. There is not a single prophecy that must be fulfilled before the occurrence of the Rapture. The Rapture is a “signless” event—there are no signs of the times that precede it.
This is why the Apostle Paul said that “time is running out” and “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). At the end of each day, the Christian is that much closer to the Rapture. Paul thus exulted that we “eagerly wait” for the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20). We are now “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Indeed, “the Lord is coming soon” (Philippians 4:5). We “are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from Heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
I’m believing that the rapture has been misconstrued. While it is certainly no small feat to cause the resurrection of the dead, I think the phrase concerning meeting him or them in the air describes being alive on the planet again and the air is simply the difference between in the ground and on it. Is it possible that we have misunderstood the meaning?
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thes. 4:16-17)
Many False prophets are trying to bring the way of truth into disrepute just as the Lord said in 2 Peter 2:1. Matthew 15: 12 Jesus speaking to Peter. Jesus..”Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18. But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19. For out of the heart come evil thoughts…murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person
I believe as it says in Haggai 2:20 we are in the progress of the shaking. The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty fourth day of the month. Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of foreign kingdoms.
This is a precursor to what’s coming in our times as well which is the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord. God’s Kingdom alone is built on a firm foundation that can never be destroyed.
Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth but also the heavens.” 27. The words once more indicate the removing of (what can be shaken, that is created things, ….so that what cannot be shaken may remain.) 28. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for out God is a consuming fire.””
Many will run the race to the finish and not be swayed from the truth!
The new study from Dr. David Jeremiah gives powerful insight into the BLESSINGS of the Lord. I. We are chosen, II. We are Adopted, III. We are Accepted, IV. We are Redeemed, V. We are Enlightened, VI. We Obtain an Inheritance, VII. We Are Sealed, VIII. We Are Secured.