I am new to this site because I am searching for answers. In the last few days I have had several friends try and get me to believe the the rapture theory is not correct and that the church has been misled. Guys a new movement has arisen and I feel it is part of the falling away.
There is a pastor in Texas by the name of Steve Wohlberg. He is a 7th day adventist. He has written a book and it is making people doubt the rapture. Below is a commentary that was sent to me and it is why I am sharing it with you all. Please read it and help me refute this guy.
Another welcome, Archer.
Wolhberg is a proponent of "replacement" theology, which simply says that Israel has not been set aside, they have been dismissed, put away, forgotten, eliminated, and have been completely replaced by the Church, or Body of Christ. The Church is now the "true" Israel.
It is funny that he tries so hard to tie dispensationalism to a secret plot by the Jesuits, when replacement theology itself was first propounded and then seized upon by the RCC in the mid-350's. Replacement theology is the brainchild of Augustine.
He also fails to examine scripture itself, instead making a lot of generalizations, using the broad brush of "guilt by association" in tying together a string of people with Ribera.
Further, his contentions rest solely upon a belief that we currently are in, and have been in for over 1500 years, a "tribulation" period, which of course does not play well with the 7 years spoken of in Daniel and Revelation....nor does it match up with the Millennial Kingdom.
He also contends that such a thing as a "rapture" does not take place, and has no place in the thought or writings of the early church. I'll just leave you with this excerpt from a sermon by Ephraem the Syriac, Bishop of the Syrian Church in the late 200's/early 300's. The title of his sermon was "On the Last Times, the Anti-Christ and the End of The World".
"We ought to understand thoroughly therefore, my brothers, what is imminent or overhanging. Already there have been hunger and plagues, violent movements of nations and signs, which have been predicted by the Lord, they have already been fulfilled (consummated), and there is not other which remains, except the advent of the wicked one in the completion of the Roman kingdom. Why therefore are we occupied with worldly business, and why is our mind held fixed on the lusts of the world or on the anxieties of the ages? Why therefore do we not reject every care of worldly business, and why is our mind held fixed on the lusts of the world or on the anxieties of the ages? Why therefore do we not reject every care of earthly actions and prepare ourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ, so that he may draw us from the confusion, which overwhelms all the world? Believe you me, dearest brother, because the coming (advent) of the Lord is nigh, believe you me, because the end of the world is at hand, believe me, because it is the very last time. Or do you not believe unless you see with your eyes? See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: "Woe to those who desire to see the day of the Lord!"
For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. It is rather clear from Ephraems words that he, at least, believed that:
1. There was a coming tribulation period.
2. That there was a coming anti-christ.
3. That the Chuch (saints and elect) will be removed BEFORE that tribulation.
Finally, casting the RCC as the arch-type of the Anti-Christ spoken of in scripture requires one to follow a hermeneutic of allegory and spiritualization. Whereas scripture refers to the anti-christ (or beast) as a specific person in numerous places, allegorization allows this to be set aside, and replaced with an organization. Were we to do that, then one should also consider the JW's, the Mormons, Islam, Shinto, etc. etc. as candidates for the A/C. Possible? Yes. Plausible? No, not in light of the entirety of God's Word. And certainly not unless one is willing to throw away all common sense.
Good luck.
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