SAM ADAMS INDEPENDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH: MISREPRESENTATION OF THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. (Proverbs 18:13).

"The pre-trib and the pre-wrath positions are preposterous." Sam Adams - Pre-Wrath (& Pre-Trib) Rapture Doctrine Shattered: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b5sBaqAQ1A
http://www.independencebaptist.com/post-trib-rapture.html

I am extremely unhappy that Sam Adams has made some very irresponsible statements about the pre-wrath rapture view. Not only has he condemned the pre-wrath position as "preposterous", he goes even further, and states that the pre-wrath position is actually worse than pre-trib! Nothing could be further from the truth!  Unlike pre-wrath, the pre-trib view undermines the gospel and gives believers the false hope of escaping the great tribulation. (Ephesians 6:12). By making such a reckless statement, Adams completely fails to take into account the dire consequences of the pre-trib deception which facilitates the potential for many believers to fall away. (Matthew 24:10). Although pre-trib has been debunked repeatedly, inexplicably, many Christians are still caught up in that deception. On the other hand, far from being a "compromise doctrine", the pre-wrath position effectively passes the scriptural test of authenticity. (1 John 4:1). Since Adams has issued an open invitation for anyone to correct him, my analysis follows:

Adams first objection is that both the pre-wrath and the pre-trib rapture necessitate two separate returns of the Lord. This is to limit the Parousia, the term applied to the Second Coming of Christ, to the events initiated in Revelation 19. However, it appears that the Parousia refers to a period of time preceding Revelation 19. For instance, the harpazō (catching away/rapture) is not the earthly event described in Revelation 19, and yet the apostle Paul describes it as the Lord's Parousia. (1 Thessalonians 4:15).

Alan Kurschner makes a very interesting point:

"The presupposition is that the depiction of the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19 with Christ appearing in the sky with his heavenly armies indicates the beginning of his parousia (incidentally, this is a presupposition held by pretribulationism, as well). Yet, many posttribs recognize this causes a discrepancy because the book of Revelation shows the day of the Lord’s wrath unfolding before the battle of Armageddon during the trumpet and bowl judgments. In other words, how can the parousia begin at the battle of Armageddon but at the same time affirm that his judgment does not begin before his parousia? They also recognize the discrepancy of affirming that God’s people have been resurrected between the sixth and the seventh seal in Revelation 7 and, at the same time, claiming that the resurrection occurs in association with the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19 that they say initiates the parousia. How then do they attempt to reconcile these problems?" {1}

How exactly does Adams explain Jesus' return with his resurrected saints. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. (Revelation 19:13-14). ..fine linen, bright and pure.. fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8).

Adams claims that the reference to the "first resurrection" in Revelation 20:4-6 proves that the first resurrection occurs after Armageddon. However, in technical terms, the wording and tenses of the verbs in the Greek suggests that the first resurrection was already past, and that John was seeing the saints already ruling on thrones after having been raised.{2} The verb for "lived" (Revelation 20:4) is in the aorist tense, which refers to the whole action of being brought from death to life, not necessarily as occurring at that time.

Adams: "As is shown below, all scriptures dealing with the timing of the rapture show it to occur after the great tribulation, in particular Matt. 24:29-31, Romans 8:18-23, 1 Cor. 15:51-52, 2 Thes. 2:1-8 and Rev. 20:4-5." When exactly does "the great tribulation" come to an end?

Adams: "(1) ..the (pre-wrath) position wrongly holds that time of great tribulation that Christ spoke of (Mt. 24:21) does not include the outpouring of God's wrath, but is merely a time of persecution of Christians, and (2) the position still requires two 'comings' or returns of Christ, one before God's wrath is outpoured and another afterward, which is impossible."

Adams objection that the tribulation includes God's wrath is completely unscriptural and very misleading. I have written elsewhere that wrath (orge) and tribulation (thlipsis) are distinct terms in the scriptures and should not be confused. Indeed thlipsis i.e. affliction/distress, will come upon unbelievers after the tribulation, but the root cause of their distress will be the wrath of God, whereas the great tribulation referred to in Matthew 24:21 is obviously the persecution of believers by the Antichrist. The scriptures teach that the persecution against believers comes to an end before the wrath of God is poured out, and precedes the signs in the sun moon and stars. The scriptures are clear: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29). Matthew 24 describes the precise events described in Revelation 6 preceding "the great day of their wrath", when the sixth seal is opened:

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6 6:12-17).

AFTER THIS.. the 144,000 of Israel are sealed (Revelation 7:1-8); AFTER THIS.. the great multitude coming out of the great tribulation are in heaven. (Revelation 7:9-17). These events are followed by the 7th seal and the seven trumpet judgements and the three woes. The denial of a chronological order of events regarding the seven seals, trumpets and bowls is to reject the plain teaching of the scriptures. Where there is a numbered sequence, we must acknowledge that events will occur in the order stated. The seals, trumpets and bowls cannot be rearranged to occur out of order to suit our own presuppositions: Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals.(Revelation 6:1) We have repeated statements separating the seals: When he opened the second seal... the third seal... the fourth seal etc. (Revelation 6:3,5,7,9,12). There is a also a progression of different events. Similarly the trumpets also indicate chronology. (Revelation 8:7,8,10,12).. following which: the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow! (Revelation 8:13). The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.. Then (καί) the sixth angel blew his trumpet . (Revelation 9:12,13). Then (καί) the seventh angel blew his trumpet.. (Revelation 11:15). Need I go on? I am not sure if Adams is KJV only, in which case καί may be translated differently.{3} Nevertheless in other respects, the King James Version also indicates chronology.

Adams: "Believers will be resurrected at the same time as creation is restored. This cannot precede God's wrath being poured out on the planet. The parable of the wheat and tares indicates that the wicked are taken first."

I have never heard the argument that the resurrection of the saints and the redemption of creation will occur at exactly the same time. Adams refers to Romans 8:19-23, and in particular: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19). Doesn't this verse suggest that the sons of God are revealed prior to the emancipation of creation? The events are analogous, but nothing in this passage indicates that the two events will occur simultaneously. Randy Alcorn: "As the creation fell on our coat-tails it will rise on our coat-tails." {4}

According to Adams, the parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds) proves that the tares are burned before the wheat is gathered:

“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30).

The tares are gathered and put into bundles first, which implies that they are to be burned after the wheat harvest. The sequence indicates that the wheat, not the tares take precedence.

Later Jesus clarifies the parable to his disciples:

The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:39-43).

The phrase.. "Then righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father", does not indicate the time when believers will receive their resurrected bodies, it indicates the end result of the preceding events i.e. the resurrected saints will then be at liberty to shine like the sun, after the wicked are burned. (cf. Daniel 12:3). Adams makes the common mistake of overthinking Jesus' parables, with the result that he engages in too much speculative scrutiny.

Jesus Himself contradicts the error that the wicked will be taken first: Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.. (Matthew 24:30-31). ..Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. (Matthew 24:40-41). Matthew 24:30-44 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:5 refer to exactly the same events.

Adams assertion that pre-wrath is a new position is also erroneous. The term "pre-wrath rapture" is relatively new, and yet as well as being affirmed in the scriptures, it is also attested to in the Didache chapter 16.{5} The modern pre-wrath view was pioneered by Robert Van Kampen and later promoted by Marv Rosenthall. It is presently being defended, amongst others, by Alan Kurschner of Eschatos Ministries.{6} A comprehensive pre-wrath rapture defence by Paul Dorgan can be found on YouTube.{7} 

The Pre-Trib Hijack Of Earlier Writers:

John Gill (1748)

Gill is often cited as a pre-trib proponent. However, no time scale indicates that he was pre-trib.

"..here Christ will stop and will be visible to all, and as easily discerned by all, good and bad, as the body of the sun at noon-day; as yet He will not descend on earth, because it is not fit to receive Him; but when that and its works are burnt up, and it is purged and purified by fire, and become a new earth, He'll descend upon it, and dwell with his saints in it: and this suggests another reason why He'll stay in the air, and His saints shall meet Him there, and whom He'll take up with Him into the third heaven, till the general conflagration and burning of the world is over, and to preserve them from it.." {8} 

Morgan Edwards (1742-1744)

Morgan Edwards is also often quoted as a pre-trib proponent. However the pre-trib camp believe that the rapture will occur prior to their version of the tribulation, which they define incorrectly as a seven year period. In contrast, Morgan Edwards approximate estimate for the rapture was three and a half years before the millennium. This places him in a "mid trib" position, and not pre-trib as the pre-trib camp wrongly define the entire 70th week of Daniel. Thomas Ice's failure to mention Morgan Edwards' complex historicist view of eschatology is also very telling. Morgan Edwards believed that the tribulation had already been going on for hundreds of years, which invalidates any comparison with a pre-trib "seven year tribulation". The pre-tribbers have deceptively hijacked Morgan Edwards to fit in with their own deeply flawed position. In my view, we cannot say precisely when the rapture will occur, apart from the scriptural evidence that it becomes imminent following the sixth seal. No one knows the day or the hour.. (Matthew 24:36).

"The distance between the first and second resurrection will be somewhat more than a thousand years. I say, somewhat more--, because the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ's 'appearing in the air' (1 Thess. 4:17); 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 14:2)." {9} 

Pseudo Ephraem is yet another example of pre-trib rapture dishonesty. Pseudo-Ephraem teaches that Christians escape tribulation by death, not by rapture! "Then the Evil One will become enraged With the saints at that time; He will draw his terrible sword And sever the necks of the righteous ones." {10} 

As Dave MacPherson points out: "Not only have these (pre-trib) promoters covered up and twisted what McKibbens/Smith and Alexander have written, but they've also concealed and perverted Morgan Edwards' and Pseudo-Ephraem's own words!" {11} 

In contrast to the PTRC and the Thomas Ice's of this world, the pre-wrath camp do not need to resort to dishonest tactics and scripture twisting.

Intra-Seal is a further rapture theory that has muddied the waters in recent times. (Ezekiel 34:18). The Intra-Seal rapture theory, devised by Jacob Prasch of Moriel Ministries, is a perversion of the pre-wrath position. Prasch has mixed elements of pre-trib and pre-wrath in a clumsy attempt to jump onto the rapture bandwagon! Intra-Seal should be dismissed as the fraud that it is.{12}

Adams main problem, apart from his presuppositions, is chronology, which sad to say, is all over the place. Adams teaching is perhaps in part a rebuttal of Steven Anderson (Faithful Word Baptist Church), with whom he has some issues. I am no fan of Steven Anderson for a number of reasons, but in this particular instance his pre-wrath rapture teaching is reliable. {13} It is a pity that Adams cannot put his time to better use instead of refuting those who have put much superior scholarship into understanding the scriptural timing of the rapture! Adam's eisegeses add nothing positive to the debate concerning the timing of the rapture.. in fact, his misrepresentations, are, in my view, obtuse and a hindrance to a true understanding of the scriptures.

{1} http://www.alankurschner.com/2014/02/22/seals-trumpets-bowls-at-the-same-time-or-one-after-the-other-i-e-concurrent-recapitulation-or-consecutive-progressive/
{2} http://www.answersinrevelation.org/014.pdf
{3} http://biblehub.com/greek/2532.htm
{4} https://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Mar/22/how-will-earth-be-redeemed/
{5} http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm
{6} http://www.alankurschner.com/
{7} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiKBysLf6MQ&index=3&list=PLDS6L4dOrrh2b31rfWbTduK8Dv7LlQNlk
{8} https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/1-thessalonians-4-15.html
{9} http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/view/morgan-edwards-another-pre-darby-rapturist
{10} https://www.liquisearch.com/apocalypse_of_pseudo-ephraem/translation_of_pseudo-ephraem
{11} http://www.brotherpete.com/index.php?topic=3528.0
{12} https://www.amazon.co.uk/INTRA-SEAL-RAPTURE-DECEPTION-EXPOSED-devised-ebook/dp/B06X6N2JJT
{13} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA66405B4wU