LEE BRAINARD AND TOM HUGHES: PRETRIB DISHONESTY

Pre-Trib Rapture EXPOSED? The Debate That's Shaking The Church! | with Pastor Tom & Lee Brainard

Lee Brainard and Tom Hughes 'Hope For Our Times' exhibit further evidence of Brainard's bizarre thought process and flawed interpretation of the scriptures. Brainard's notions should be very concerning to students of eschatology no matter what view they hold on the rapture.    

Despite the pretrib view being relentlessly promoted by certain teachers, it is a highly problematic doctrine and fails the test of the scriptures. (1 John 4:1). Pretribulationism is based on the teachings of cult leader John Nelson Darby and defective "Left Behind" theology. Regardless of repeated claims by Lee Brainard and others, the pretrib view originated and became popular in the 18th century. There is no evidence that any early church father taught the pretrib rapture. Lee Brainard's amateurish attempts to reinterpret the writings of various church fathers have been debunked in every instance.1 

Lee Brainard's faulty definition of parousia

The noun parousia is explicitly applied to the coming of Christ in Matthew 24:27; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19,3:13,4:15,5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8; James 5:7-8; 2 Peter 1:16,3:4,12; 1 John 2:28. Prewrath scholars define Christ's parousia as a multifaceted extended event beginning with the rapture. 

Alan Kurschner: "The rapture, along with the resurrection, are the first events that will happen when Christ’s Parousia begins. Similarly, as the birth of Christ was the first event of his first Parousia, the rapture and resurrection will be the first events of the second Parousia."2 

Primarily the noun parousia refers to the coming of the Lord Jesus. It refers to Jesus coming to rapture (harpazó) His church following the great tribulation. (1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 5: 23; James 5:8; 1 John 2:28), and also to Armageddon. The context determines whether parousia refers to the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) or Armageddon. 

Brainard has taken it upon himself to redefine parousia by applying it exclusively to Armageddon. Brainard claims that the Greek word apantésis refers to the rapture and that parousia refers to Armageddon. 

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet (apantésis) the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Strongs: "ἀπάντησις: the act of meeting, to meet (a phrase seemingly almost technical for the reception of a newly arrived official)."3  Specific references to the rapture where parousia is applied are found in Matthew 24:27, 1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1. The word apantésis is found three times in the New Testament. (Matthew 25:6; Acts 28:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).  Brainard's misinformation is either staggeringly ignorant or staggeringly dishonest. To make matters worse, Tom Hughes unquestionably accepts and reinforces Brainard's false assertions. (1 John 4:1).

Brainard: "We talk in a pragmatic way about the Lord descending from heaven twice. The Bible gives us the typology of the Day of the Lord. It presents the rapture as the morning star of the day of the Lord, it presents the tribulation as the dawning of the day of the Lord, and it presents the second coming as the sunrise of the day of the Lord.."   

Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12-17 give a specific time frame "after the tribulation" for the day of the Lord: Immediately after the tribulation of those days. (Matthew 24:19). 

The dawning of the day and the morning star 

2 Peter 1:19 gives interconnected metaphors of the dawn and the morning star. This correlates with the prewrath view that the parousia is an extended event beginning with the rapture rather than the disjointed pretrib view presented by Brainard.

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19).  

Revelation 5  

Hughes "When we look at Revelation 5.. we have all these voices in heaven..  including those who have been redeemed from the earth, that's us.. pre the first seal.." (26:00 mark)  Where are "the redeemed" in this passage? Revelation 5 identifies the living creatures, the elders and the voice of many angels numbering myriads etc.  

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:11-13).

According to Brainard, those who miss the redeemed in Revelation 5 are "loose and sloppy". Brainard: "Basically they have to be loose and sloppy and ignore the clues in the passage. We see in Revelation 5:9 that the 24 elders are bought with the blood of Christ.. they are sitting on thrones and wearing their stephanos crowns.."

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:6-10). 

The book of Revelation is far too important to make careless assumptions. The twenty-four elders are often interpreted as representing the culmination of the redeemed and glorified saints, symbolizing the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the exaltation of believers in the heavenly realm. However, there is no evidence that the entirety of the redeemed are present in this passage. Brainard argues that the "stephanos crowns" and "white robes" worn by the elders in Revelation 4:4 definitively identify them as the redeemed. The "stephanos crown" often, but not always, refers to a victor's crown. (Revelation 2:10,3:11). John also used the expression "stephanos crown" to describe a crown that represents authority. (Revelation 6:2,9:7,12:1,14:14). White apparel is the characteristic dress of angels. (Matthew 28:3; Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Acts 1:10). Those who overcome will be dressed in white (leukois). (Revelation 3:5), and bright (lam-pros') linen is given to the bride of Christ in Revelation 19:8. Brainard's argument is inconclusive and by no means settles the matter. The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures perform identical roles i.e. both groups are holding golden bowls of incense (the prayers of the saints), and both groups sing the new song. The four living creatures are identified as angelic beings whereas the twenty-four elders are not identified. The identity and symbolism of the twenty-four elders have been the subject of much theological discussion and we would be wise not to be dogmatic about their identity. Interestingly, the diverse multitude from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages do not appear until Revelation 7:9. Far from being "loose and sloppy", prewrath scholars have been careful not to read anything into the passage that would distort its meaning. (Revelation 22:18-19). If we think we find a "hint" of something in a passage then we should seek to verify our theory with other scriptures. (1 John 4:1; Psalm 119:160). 

John 6:16-21 as a type of the rapture ?

When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (John 6:16-21).

Brainard: "The disciples are instantaneously delivered from the storm.. The Lord instead of allowing them to go all the way through the storm comes to them at the beginning of the storm, they receive Him into the boat and they are immediately at the land where they went. This is a picture of the Lord coming to the church at the end of the church age and immediately when He connects with us we are going to be in glory. (38:00 mark) 

If this passage is a type of the rapture, then Brainard interprets it incorrectly. The Lord does not come to the disciples at the beginning of the storm.. It was dark, a strong wind was blowing, the sea grew agitated, they had rowed about three or four miles.. This passage would indicate the prewrath rapture, not pretrib. 

Apart from the theological bankruptcy of the pretrib view, there are many troubling concerns about the teachers/ministries who promote it. (1 Timothy 4:16). Researcher and author Dave MacPherson accused pretrib scholars of dishonesty on numerous occasions. MacPherson: "When I began my research in 1970 into the exact beginnings of the pretribulation rapture belief still held by many evangelicals, I assumed that the rapture debate involved only 'godly scholars with honest differences.' The paper you are now reading reveals why I gave up that assumption many years ago."4  In common with MacPherson, I have also given up on the idea that pretrib scholars have integrity. Below are some recent examples of pretrib dishonesty.

* Lee Brainard has recently denied the core pretrib doctrine of imminence.5

* Lee Brainard's unscrupulous research into the early Church Fathers.6
* Failed marriage counselor and spiritual abuser Jimmy Evans of Daystar infamy has "transitioned" out of XO Marriage and is now channeling his dubious skills into endtimes.com full-time. I have reported on the murky world of Jimmy Evans in previous posts. Evans' uptake of the name Endtimes Ministries is a usurpation of a completely different ministry called Endtime Ministries. Evans' subsequent unethical takeover of Endtime Ministries slot on Daystar is unsurprising given his previous ungodly behaviour.
* Mark Hitchcock is closely associated with Jimmy Evans and has recently endorsed him as an "expert".7
* Mark Hitchcock's recent claim that he has discovered "new evidence" of the pretrib rapture in Irenaeus is a regurgitation of old false claims.8
* Mark Hitchcock openly demonstrates his skewed priorities. He is more interested in promoting his new book coauthored with Jimmy Evans than in the scriptural command to separate from false teachers. (Matthew 6:24).8 

* Mark Hitchcock's "subscribers only" section of his YouTube channel is unbiblical. (Matthew 10:8).

* Prophecy Watchers give a platform to false teachers such as Jonathan Cahn who claims to be "prophetic", "Reverend" Donna Howell, Nephilim "expert" LA Marzulli, "prophecy expert" and speculator Bill Salus, and of course, disgraced spiritual abuser Jimmy Evans.9
* Jack Hibbs' shocking endorsement of NAR "apostolic leader" Che Ahn and his continued support of Daystar.9

* Prophecy Watchers are closely associated with Daystar.9
* Date setter JD Farag predicted that the rapture would occur before the 25th of September 2023.10
*  It is widely known that Don Stewart 'Educating Our World' is in an adulterous marriage. Stewart is a self-appointed "prophecy expert" who continues to churn out "prophecy updates" and is a regular guest of Tom Hughes 'Hope For Our Times'11 

* Tom Hughes' and his dubious guests present a constant barrage of newspaper eisegesis at the expense of sound biblical exegesis. 

* Andy Woods credibility issues! Alan Kurschner's strong rebuttal against Andy Woods' "lies" and "evasion of significant arguments" in 2018.12

Those who oppose the pretrib rapture are concerned for believers in the final generation. (Matthew 24:10). 

False doctrines always damage the church!

1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: Lee Brainard

2. The Second Coming (Parousia) Begins with the Rapture | ESCHATOS MINISTRIES
3. Strong's Greek: 529. ἀπάντησις (apantésis) -- Meeting, encounter
4.WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: PRETRIB RAPTURE DISHONESTY BY DAVE MACPHERSON
5. Pretribulation Lee Brainard REDEFINES Imminence to Mean Signs Must Happen Before the Rapture Replying to Audio Clips from Lee Brainard’s “Imminence Under Attack”
6. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: Lee Brainard
7. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: PRETRIB RAPTURE: MARK HITCHCOCK'S FAKE DISCOVERY AND ENDORSEMENT OF JIMMY EVANS!
8. Pre-Trib Proof! | Tipping Point with Jimmy Evans
9. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: MICHAEL GRANT'S QUESTION: WHY ARE "GOOD" TEACHERS STAYING AT DAYSTAR?
10. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: CRAZED CULT LEADER JD FARAG PREDICTS THE RAPTURE BEFORE 25TH SEPTEMBER 2023
11. Scattered Sheep: January 20, 2012 Show: My Perspective on Don Stewart
12. What Andy Woods Is Not Telling You about 'the Apostasy' in 2 Thess 2:3 - Ep. 121 | ESCHATOS MINISTRIES