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Showing posts with label Sam Adams Independence Baptist Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Adams Independence Baptist Church. Show all posts

Wednesday 3 January 2024

SAM ADAMS INDEPENDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH: DERANGED ANTI-SEMITIC RHETORIC

(177) Scofield's Hyper-Zionists: The Useful Idiots of Talmudic Judaism - YouTube

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.. (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).

They say that in war, truth is the first casualty. In other words, facts are often distorted or suppressed during a conflict. It is virtually impossible to understand exactly what is happening between Israel and her enemies, and how much the deep state is involved. We are largely at the mercy of the media and self-appointed "experts" engaging in newspaper eisegesis. The scriptures are the only reliable source for Christians to somehow make sense of world events. 

Tragically, many dispensational pre-trib believers have been taken in by leaders promoting the false teaching of cult leader John Nelson Darby and the corrupt Scofield Reference Bible which was widely circulated during the 20th century. It is a tragedy that many have been deceived by these charlatans, and the fallout from their deception continues to damage the body of Christ. Pre-trib dispensational teachers are the worst culprits who constantly speculate about the timing of the rapture and the "tribulation" which they wrongly define as a seven-year period.1 Those "prophecy experts" who incessantly churn out end-time speculations about an imminent rapture should know better. The false hope of a pre-trib rapture is a critical issue that has divided the body of Christ. I fear this dangerous nonsense will end badly for many unless there is urgent repentance. (Proverbs 13:12; Matthew 24:10).   

There are some critical points in Sam Adams' deranged "sermon" regarding Jewish Israelis and the land of Israel that are important to reject. 

Adams' reaction to what he describes as the "hyper-Zionist manifesto" is an opinion that is difficult to corroborate! He describes the Jews as highly aggressive warmongers..

Adams: "As a result of their rightful claim to the land, Israel has a right, just as they did in the days of Joshua, to wage wars of aggression to drive out the Canaanites, now known as the 'Palestinians' to occupy and take over their land and their homes. That is basically what these people believe. No one I know will actually come out and say this is their position, but the fact is, this is their position.." Adam's views are based on pure speculation since no such thing has been stated. (1 John 4:1). (54:00 mark)

Adams further speculates: "Point 5 of the hyper-Zionist manifesto: 'Those who claim to be Palestinians should move to Jordan or to some other location, and if they refuse to move then they must actually surrender their civil liberties or convert to Judaism.' Again, most hyper-Zionists will not say this is their position.."  (56:00 mark)

Adams: "..today Israeli Jews have not even come near to the place where they will receive the Lord Jesus as their Messiah and until they come to that place which I do not believe will happen until the end of the tribulation when Christ returns in power and Glory. Until that time we can presume that their house is left unto them desolate and they have no claim to all that land. That's right and all we can also presume that Jerusalem will be trod to the Gentiles until that wonderful day comes when Jesus does return in power and glory.. (52:00 mark) And yet the Jews are beloved!  As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. (Romans 11:28).

In a previous video, Adams claims: "The Jews have no claim to that land..  not one verse in the bible that shows that the Jews will be restored to all the land before the end of the tribulation.." 2 Adams' narrative is very dangerous! No one that I am aware of is arguing that the Jews have a right to all the land of "Palestine" at the present time. As such this is a moot point. The land allocated to Israel in 1948 doubled after the six-day war in 1967. Whether the land taken during the six-day war was warranted is highly debatable - there are strong opinions on both sides. This is a very complex situation that is not helped by speculative inflammatory judgements. (2 Corinthians 13:1). Why does Adams bring this up if not to fuel Antisemitism? Are Christians to make judgments about those outside the church? (1 Corinthians 5:12-13; Luke 12:2).

The other side of the argument is that Israel's very survival depends upon her ability to defend herself against her enemies. It seems certain that Israel would be obliterated if they did not defend themselves! The slogan "Free Palestine from the river to the sea"  implicitly advocates the dismantling of Israel, and is a call for the removal or extermination of the Jewish population of the region.3

Israel's existence was determined by the United Nations following the horrors of the Holocaust. The Jews did not make an arbitrary decision to occupy the land as their "right". As many have pointed out, the land of Israel is a tiny speck compared with the vast lands of the surrounding Muslim nations in the Middle East. Before Israel’s Declaration of Independence on the 14th of May 1948, the land of Israel was sparsely populated and no one was interested in it. (Deuteronomy 28:63). This is borne out by many sources, including Mark Twain's travel book The Innocents Abroad following his trip to Israel in 1867. Twain described "a desolate country – devoid of both vegetation and human population". 

Twain: “..A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse…. a desolation…. we never saw a human being on the whole route…. hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”4 

It is clearly God's will for the Jews to return to their ancestral land at this time. God's unconditional promises to the true descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are irrevocable. I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you. (Genesis 15:18,26:3-4; Exodus 6:8 etc.). The presumption in the New Testament is that the Jews will occupy the land of Israel before Jesus' return. Ezekiel 37 describes the Jews returning to the land in an unregenerate state. Christians cannot possibly object to the Jewish occupation of the land, but inevitably their presence is objectionable to the enemies of Jesus Christ, as well as a significant number of professing Christians. 

Is Adams' hostile rhetoric about the Jews helpful to anyone at this critical time, or has he gone beyond his remit?

Adams ignorance of the scriptures

Another assumption by Adams is that Charles Spurgeon was "post-trib". I am not sure why Adams should seek confirmation from the writings of Calvinist Charles Spurgeon whose eschatology was unclear.

The Master's Seminary Journal: "Lewis A. Drummond states, "Spurgeon confessed to be a pre-millennialist."1 Peter Masters, current 1 Lewis A. Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1993) 650. 184 pastor of Spurgeon's church, The Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, stated, "Spurgeon . . . would have stood much closer to amillennialism than to either of the other scenarios recognized today"2 Erroll Hulse firmly declared Spurgeon to be postmillennial.3 2Peter Masters, 'Spurgeon's Eschatology,' The Sword and Trowel (December 1989):39. 3Erroll Hulse, The Restoration of Israel (London: Henry E. Walter Ltd., 1968) 154. Some in the 'Theonomist' movement (which holds postmillennialism as a cornerstone of its system) in their writings have implied that Spurgeon was postmillennial. See Gary DeMar and Peter Leithart, The Reduction of Christianity (Tyler, Texas: Dominion, 1988) 41. Spurgeon could not have held all these positions. However, in which, if any, did he fit? The issue is an important one, as Spurgeon continues to be one of the most popular Christian authors in print, even a century after his death. Men of different positions seek to marshal support for their prophetic interpretations by appealing to Spurgeon." 5 

Spurgeon appeared to believe that believers would go through the tribulation. However, we cannot assume that he was post-trib as he might just as easily have been prewrath. 

Adams seems ignorant of the fact that the tribulation ends with the cosmic disturbances before the wrath of God is poured out on the ungodly (the Day of the Lord). The rapture of the church becomes imminent after the cosmic disturbances and occurs before the seventh seal is opened as the scriptures indicate.  

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. 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. (Mathew 24:29-31).

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, slaved 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 6:12-17).

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Tuesday 1 August 2023

OLIVIER MELNICK: "WHAT IF WE ARE WRONG ABOUT THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE?"

 (55) WHAT IF THE RAPTURE WAS A MYTH? WHAT IF IT NEVER HAPPENS? ARE WE WRONG ABOUT ALL THIS? - YouTube

In the above video, Olivier Melnick asks the critical question: "What happens if I have been wrong about the rapture for the last 40 years? It is possible."  

Melnick is the Southwest Regional Director of Chosen People Ministries and is very popular with the pre-trib camp, often appearing as a guest of Andy Woods, Tom Hughes etc.1  

No one in their right mind wants to suffer the unprecedented persecution that will evidently take place during the great tribulation and I do not blame anyone for wanting to escape it. (Matthew 24:21). My difficulty is that there is no way around the fact that the scriptures teach that the church will indeed enter the tribulation, and as such, believers should be prepared to endure it. (Revelation 12:17; 13:10; 14:12). 

Melnick rightly points out that to deny the rapture entirely is unbiblical given the various scriptural references to it. He then turns his attention to the traditional post-tribulation view of the rapture. Melnick is right when he points out the inherent difficulties posed by traditional posttribulationists. However, it seems highly unlikely that he is ignorant regarding the critical distinctions between the prewrath rapture and traditional posttribulationism! Pre-trib believers should not be deceived by attempts to portray the prewrath position and the traditional post-trib as synonymous.

A number of traditional post-trib views do not find biblical support:

The resurrection takes place in Revelation 20
The second coming begins in Revelation 19
The second coming begins when Jesus physically comes to earth
The seals, trumpets, bowls occur concurrently
The rapture happens at the seventh trumpet
Paul’s “last trump” refers to the seventh trumpet in the book of Revelation
The great tribulation is 3.5 years long
The Day of the Lord is a literal 24-hour day
After the rapture, God’s people immediately descend to earth2

Unfortunately teachers within the traditional post-trib rapture camp refuse point-blank to tackle the theological difficulties associated with their view. I refer to teachers like Joe Schimmel (Blessed Hope Chapel) and Sam Adams (Independence Baptist Church). Teachers like Schimmel and Adams give ammunition to the pre-trib camp, and their stubborn refusal to address legitimate post-trib theological problems is a hindrance to the discussion and is injurious to the Body of Christ.

In common with other pre-trib teachers, Melnick does not make the correct distinction between the persecution of the Antichrist (tribulation/thlipsis) and the wrath of God (wrath/orgé). (Revelation 6:17; Matthew 24:29). Melnick also errs in that he espouses a "signless rapture", whereas the scriptures specifically speak of the sign of the Son of Man associated with the gathering of the elect (the rapture). The pre-trib denial of the application to believers of the Olivet Discourse and their misinterpretation of other rapture passages is very concerning. Melnick: "How could a rapture happen at the end of the period of seven years be unknown and imminent?"  Imminency is yet another flawed pre-trib doctrine. These are all very significant errors that have been addressed many times by prewrath scholars. (See Further Links)

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. 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 24:29-31).

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).

In his early days as a believer, Melnick swallowed the hype of prophecy huckster Hal Lindsey, the author of The Late Great Planet Earth in 1971.3 I believe Lindsey is now on his third or fourth wife and is disqualified from the ministry. Lindsey puts me in mind of many current pre-trib date setters who all but name the time of the rapture.4 Lindsey: "..the decade of the 1980s could very well be the last decade of history as we know it."5  It is understandable that a new Christian would believe this nonsense, but surely it is time to grow up. (1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15). I do not want to insult Melnick, but forty years of bible study does not qualify him as a prophecy expert. Many prominent bible teachers remain in significant error all their lives! No matter what the claims and boasts of various teachers, it is always necessary to test the spirits. (1 John 4:1). Even Paul submitted himself to this principle. (Acts 17:11).

I believe that if Melnick were to study the prewrath position minus his current confirmation bias, then he would recognize the pre-trib rapture as a false doctrine. 

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Sunday 13 December 2020

SAM ADAMS INDEPENDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH: PRESUPPOSITION AND ERROR

Sam Adams Independence Baptist Church
(36) Sam Adams - The Judgment Seat of Christ - YouTube

Sam Adams: "The book of Revelation is not given in chronological order.. The three series of judgements -- the seal judgements of Revelation 6, the trumpet judgements in chapters 8 through 11, and the vial judgments over in chapters 15 to 16. Those three series of judgements are actually three separate visons of the entire tribulation period. When we compare the sixth seal to the seventh trump and the seven vial judgments, they are all the same judgement, all the same event.. which ends the tribulation..  (21:00 mark)

Sam Adams does not teach the book of Revelation by exegetical principles. Instead he relies upon unverifiable assumptions, and in doing so, he imposes his own ideas upon the text. Adams is not a competent teacher of bible prophecy. If he had studied the book of Revelation at all, he would know that the great tribulation is cut short immediately before the sixth seal cosmic disturbances commence. (Matthew 24:22). Even a cursory reading of the scriptures reveals this basic information! Adams should refer to the scriptures in order to test his various skewed post-trib presuppositions. (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1).  

The sixth seal of Revelation 6, also described in Matthew 24, releases the cosmic disturbances. At this point, the wrath of God upon the ungodly becomes imminent. These events follow the great tribulation. (Matthew 24:21-22).

Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.' (Matthew 24:29). 

And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. (Revelation 6:12-14).

And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?” (Revelation 6:16-17).

The book of Revelation is chronological from chapters 4-12. Chapter 12 onwards also also follows a chronological sequence. Both of these sections include parentheses. 

When we study the book of Revelation correctly, we find that the rapture precedes the opening of the seventh seal of Revelation 8:

After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.. These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation.. (Revelation 7:9-14).  The seventh seal of Revelation 8 follows this event.. 

Let us do exactly as Adams suggests and compare the sixth seal, the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet and the seven bowl judgments:

The Sixth Seal: Revelation 6:12-17 
And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

The above verses describe a devastating global event involving a massive earthquake so severe that every mountain and island was moved from its place. Coincidentally, there appears to be a literal shaking of the heavenly bodies.

The prophet Joel describes the cosmic disturbances of Revelation 6 as portents of the coming wrath: And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord. (Joel 2:30-31 cf. Acts 2:19-20). {1}

The Seventh Seal: Revelation 8:1-2
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. 

When the seventh seal is opened God prepares the seven angels to unleash the trumpet judgements. It is therefore not the sixth seal, but the seventh seal that initiates the day of the Lord i.e. the wrath of God via the trumpet and subsequent seventh trumpet/bowl judgements. Post-trib teachers have to discard the numbering of the seals given in the scriptures in order to shoehorn this verse into their simultaneous interpretation. 

7Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass. 8Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, 9a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters. (Revelation 8:7-10).

Note: The first two trumpet judgements initiate the destruction of one third of everything living on the earth. 

12Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well. (Revelation 8:12).

Revelation 8:12 may seem to align with Revelation 6:12-17, but there are differences. Revelation 8 refers to a third of the sun moon and stars, as against the phenomena described in Revelation 6: the sun, the whole moon etc. (Revelation 6:12-17).

The Seventh trumpet: Revelation 11:15-19 
15:Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”.... 19:Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

The Seven Bowls: Revelation 15:1; 16:1-17

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. (Revelation 15:1).

Revelation 16

1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”
8The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

In Revelation 6:17 every mountain and island was moved from its place, whereas the seventh bowl of Revelation 16:18-20 describes an even more devastating earthquake: no mountains were to be found. There are no cosmic disturbances mentioned at all in the relevant seventh seal passages. (Revelation 11-16). We do see repetition in Revelation 11:19 and Revelation 16:18-21 regarding the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl, but nothing in exegetical terms identifies the sixth seal as the seventh seal/seventh trumpet/seven bowls. We have to make a considerable eisegetical leap in order to come to this conclusion. In other words, to interpret similarities and contextual analogies with precisely identical events is very poor exegesis. 

Adams appears to have made the mistake of placing his confidence in the flawed second hand teachings his post-trib mentors rather than taking the trouble to study the scriptures for himself. (2 Timothy 2:15).

When we hold a view based upon our presuppositions, and that view is problematic, then it is necessary to humble ourselves and go back to the scriptures. In this kind of situation there are two choices:

1. We can be stiff necked and resist the Holy Spirit. (Acts 7:51; Proverbs 29:1).
2. We can carefully examine the scriptures and test whether our doctrine can be defended biblically. 

The latter choice is always the right way forward in God's will. To do otherwise is to rely on our own presuppositions and to distort the scriptures at our own peril! (Revelation 22:18-19). We all have a responsibility to re-examine, and if necessary unlearn certain doctrines that do not stand the test of the scriptures. (Deuteronomy 13:3; Psalm 119:30; 1 Corinthians 11:19). The twice repeated phrase "I have this against you" in the book of Revelation should serve as a deterrent to those who think that they can rely upon their own presuppositions and distort the word of God! (Revelation 2:4, 20).

If post-trib teachers really are interested in helping those believers who are confused and/or deceived about the rapture question, then they have a responsibility to dispel confusion and provide clarity. (1 Corinthians 14:8). The repercussions for the body of Christ are weighty!

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14). 

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10; James 3:1).


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Wednesday 11 November 2020

SAM ADAMS INDEPENDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH DEBUNKED: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM # PARADISE

Abraham's Bosom: Paradise, Prison, or Purgatory
Sam Adams 9th July 2020 Independence Baptist Church Ocala, Florida. 
Bible texts: 1 Peter 3:18-20; Matthew 12:40; Luke 23:43. 

The opinionated Sam Adams spectacularly fails to demonstrate his theory regarding the complex question of where Jesus actually went after His crucifixion before he ascended to the Father, and the location of Abraham's bosom/paradise. 

Sam Adams: "A thorough study answering the question of where Christ's spirit spent the 3 days His body was in the tomb, and refuting the Roman Catholic doctrine of 'Limbus Patrum' -- as it has been adopted by most Protestants, 'Evangelicals' and even most so-called 'Baptists' today. The 'Limbo of the Patriarchs' or 'Limbo of the Fathers' (Latin limbus patrum) is seen as the temporary state of those who, despite the sins they may have committed, died in the friendship of God but could not enter Heaven until redemption by Jesus Christ made it possible." 

Sam Adams uses the King James Version of the bible exclusively. For the sake of continuity, I will also use this version. However, I will refer to the Greek text for clarification regarding what the KJV refers to as "hell" and some other details.

The main passage in question:

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:18-20). (KJV)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.  (ESV)  

1 Peter 3:18 ..but made alive by or in the spirit?
 
The Textus Receptus omits the article and has to {the} spirit. {1}
..by or in are both are insertions, hence the debate. 
Greek: ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ τῷ πνεύματι (having been made alive δὲ to spirit). 
δὲ (conjunction) ~ but, on the other hand, and.. 
1 Peter 3:19. The ESV correctly translates ἐν ᾧ (in which) from the Greek.

The proposal that Christ, by/in the Holy Spirit preached to disobedient spirits through Noah is an awkward interpretation of the above verses. A plain reading of the text suggests that Jesus preached (ἐκήρυξεν) to the spirits in prison after He was made alive by/in {the} spirit. Another translation of kérussó is "to be a herald, proclaim". In our verbiage, "preach" often indicates that a response, either positive or negative, is required, whereas to proclaim something is to make an announcement that does not require a response. 

Sam Adams has put three views forward in the above video. In fact there are at least five different views. {2}

    View 1: When Noah was building the ark, Christ "by/in the spirit" was in Noah preaching repentance and righteousness through him to unbelievers who were on the earth during that time but afterwards became "spirits in prison" i.e. people in hell.
    View 2: After Christ died, he went and preached to people in hell, offering them a second chance of salvation.
    View 3: After Christ died, he went and preached to people in hell, proclaiming to them that he had triumphed over them and their condemnation was final. 
    View 4: After Christ died, he proclaimed release to people who had repented just before they died in the flood, and led them out of their imprisonment (in purgatory) into heaven. This view corresponds with the Roman Catholic doctrine of limbus patrum (Latin: 'fathers’ limbo'), i.e. the place where the Old Testament saints were thought to be confined until they were liberated by Christ in his 'descent into hell"..  {3}
    View 5: After Christ died, he proclaimed triumph over the fallen angels in prison who had sinned by marrying human women before the flood. 

View 1: Christ "by the spirit" preached through Noah. This view is advocated by Sam Adams. It is surprising for a so called anti-Catholic teacher to support this interpretation. This view was invented by Augustine of Hippo (354-430AD) who was a false teacher and the man who is known as the Father of Roman Catholicism. This view is also found in Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, a philosopher, a Roman Catholic priest and a so called "Doctor of the Church". {4} 

Meyer: "ἐν ᾧ καὶ κ.τ.λ.] 'in which (spirit) He also went and preached unto the spirits in prison (to them), which sometime were unbelieving when,' etc. The close connection of these words with what immediately precedes—by ἐν ᾧ, sc. πνεύματι,—favours the view that ἐκήρυξε (preached) refers to an act of Christ which, as the ζωοποιηθεὶς πνεύματι (alive in the spirit), He performed after His death, and that with reference to the spirits ἐν φυλακῇ (in prison) of the unbelievers who had perished in the deluge. This is the view of the oldest Fathers of the Greek and Latin Church; as also of the greater number of later and modern theologians. Augustin, however, opposed it, and considered ἐκήρυξεν as referring to a preaching by Christ ἐν πνεύματι, long before His incarnation, in the days of Noah, to the people of that generation, upon whom the judgment of the deluge came because of their unbelief.[205] This view, after being adopted by several theologians of the Middle Ages, became prevalent in the Reformed Church.."   {5} (translation added)

Irenaeus (130-202 AD) "It was for this reason, too, that the Lord descended into the regions beneath the earth, preaching His advent there also, and [declaring] the remission of sins received by those who believe in Him." {6}

According to Tertullian (c.150-225 AD), a sanctuary for the righteous called Abraham’s bosom is located within Hades:

"It must therefore be evident to every man of intelligence who has ever heard of the Elysian fields, that there is some determinate place called Abraham’s bosom, and that it is designed for the reception of the souls of Abraham’s children, even from among the Gentiles (since he is the father of many nations, which must be classed among his family), and of the same faith as that wherewithal he himself believed God, without the yoke of the law and the sign of circumcision. This region, therefore, I call Abraham’s bosom. Although it is not in heaven, it is yet higher than hell, and is appointed to afford an interval of rest to the souls of the righteous, until the consummation of all things shall complete the resurrection of all men with the full recompense of their reward.. You have a treatise by us, 1812 (on Paradise), in which we have established the position that every soul is detained in safe keeping in Hades until the day of the Lord. {7}

Hippolytus of Rome (170-235 AD) referred to Abraham's bosom as "..the place in hades where the righteous await judgment day in delight."  {8} 

The Book of Enoch divides Sheol into four sections: "..for the truly righteous, the good, the wicked awaiting judgment at the resurrection, and the wicked that will not even be resurrected." {9}

The place known in the scriptures as Hades or Sheol is a general term for "the place of the dead".  As demonstrated above, it is probable that the early church believed that Abrahams bosom and also the "prison" referred to in 1 Peter 3:18-20 were located in separate areas within Hades. Both within Judaism and the early church, Abraham's bosom is thought to be synonymous with paradise i.e. the abode of the righteous dead. {10} The assumption that heaven itself was visible to those suffering in prison in Hades cannot be verified by the scriptures. Jesus parable of the rich man and Lazarus simply refers to those who are located in Abraham's bosom, not to heaven itself.

Abraham's Bosom

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell (hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:22-28). 
Note: verse 23 is hades in the Greek, not hell as translated in the KJV. {11}

KJV - Luke 16:26 A great gulf afar off -  In the Greek "gulf" is chasma, literally a chasm. This is the only occurrence of chasma in the NT. Broadly speaking chasma is a wide space. 

Albert Barnes makes some interesting points regarding the connection between "the spirits in prison" and "the disobedient in the days of Noah". (1 Peter 3:18-20).

"No others are specified; and if it should be maintained that this means that he (Jesus) went down to hell (Hades), or to Sheol, and preached to those who are confined there, it could be inferred from this passage only that he preached to that portion of the lost spirits confined there which belonged to the particular generation in which Noah lived. Why he should do this; or how there should be such a separation made in hades that it could be done; or what was the nature of the message which he delivered to that portion, are questions which it is impossible for any man who bolds to the opinion that Christ went down to hell after his death to preach, to answer. But if it means that he preached to those who lived in the days of Noah, while they were yet alive, the question will be asked why are they called 'spirits?'" {12}

The whereabouts of Jesus during the three days and three nights after his death, however we calculate this period of time, is not a straightforward question. 

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:40).

Meyer: "But the question as to what Jesus meant by ἔσται … ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς (will be ... in the heart of the earth), whether His lying in the grave (so the greater number of expositors), or His abode in Hades (Tertullian, Irenaeus, Theophylact, Bellarmin, Maldonatus, Olshausen, König, Lehre von Christi Höllenfahrt, Frankf. 1842, p. 54; Kahnis, Dogmat. I. p. 508), is determined by καρδία τἥς γῆς, to which expression the resting in the grave does not sufficiently correspond; for the heart of the earth can only indicate its lowest depths, just as καρδία τῆς θαλάσσης means the depths of the sea in Jonah 2:4)." {16} (translation added) 

Meyer's observations regarding "the heart of the earth" corresponds with the following scriptures:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43).

Jesus instruction to Mary Magdalene, the first person who saw Him in resurrected form, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the My Father.” (John 20:17). 

If Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father, then paradise was not located in heaven at that time. The word "paradise" translated from the Greek  paradeisos, is mentioned only three times in the Bible: Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7.

View 5: After Christ died, he proclaimed triumph over the fallen angels in prison who had sinned by marrying human women before the flood. 

Although I am not dogmatic, the fifth view appears to be the logical interpretation of 1 Peter 3:18-20. By opting for this view, I understand that there may be difficulties for those who struggle with the concept of a union between fallen angels and human women. However, despite various attempts to prove otherwise, there can be little doubt that "the sons of god" in Genesis 6:4 were fallen angels. Before Sam Adams (or anyone else) dismisses this view, I suggest that research be undertaken on the etymology of the term "sons of god" (benei ha-elohim) in the Old Testament. Additionally, only once in the New Testament does the plural word “spirits” apply to humans; actually the verse refers to righteous spirits (πνεύμασιν δικαίων). (Hebrews 12:22-24).This creates a major difficulty with the theory that lost humans are "the spirits in prison".

The connection between Genesis 6:1-4, 1 Peter 3:18-20, 2 Peter 2:2-4 and Jude 1:6 appears to corroborate the above view.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4).

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (tartarus), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:4-5). The word "hell" in the KJV in Greek is ταρταρώσας, having cast [them] down to Tartarus. The Greek word Tartarus appears only once in the New Testament. 

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6).

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:9-10).

Alford: "But that He ascended (τὸ ἀν. does not here mean, ‘the word’ ἀνέβη, (ascend) which does not occur in the text cited), what is it (does it imply) except that he also (as well) descended to the lower parts of the earth (the argument seems to be this: the Ascension here spoken of was not a first exaltation, but a return to heaven of one who dwelt in heaven—οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς τ. ἀνθρώπου ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, John 3:13, which is in fact the key to these verses. The ascent implied a previous descent. This is the leading thought. But it is doubted how far the words κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς (lower parts of the earth) carry that descent, whether to earth merely, so that τῆς γῆς (of the earth) is the genitive of apposition,—or to Hades, so that it is genitive of possession. Usage will not determine—for 1) it is uncertain whether the Apostle meant any allusion to the corresponding Hebrew expression: 2) that expression is used both for Hades, Psalm 63:9, and for earth (θεμέλια, LXX), Isaiah 44:23 (and for the womb, Psalm 139:15). Nor can it be said (as Harl., Mey.) that the descent into hell would be irrelevant here—or that our Lord ascended not from Hades but from the earth: for, the fact of descent being the primary thought, we have only to ask as above, how far that descent is carried in the Apostle’s mind. The greater the descent, the greater the ascent: and if the αἰχμαλωσία (captivity) consisted of Satan and his powers, the warfare in which they were taken captive would most naturally be contemplated in all its extent, as reaching to their habitation itself:—‘this ascent, what does it imply but a descent, and that even to the lower parts of the earth from which the spoils of victory were fetched?’ And this meaning seems to be upheld by the ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα (so that he might fill all things) which follows, as well as by the contrast furnished by ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν. This interpretation is upheld by most of the ancients, Iren., Tert., Jer., Pelag., Ambrst.; also by Erasm., Est., Calov., Bengel, Rück., Olsh., Stier, Baur (uses it as a proof of the gnostic origin of the Epistle), Ellicott, al.: that of the Incarnation merely, descent on earth, by Beza, Calv., Grot., Schöttg., Mich., Storr, Winer, Harl., B.-Crus., Meyer, De W., al.: that of Christ’s death (and burial), by Chr., Thdrt., Œc., al.: that corresponding to Psalm 139:15, by Beza (alt.), Witsius, al.)?" {13} (translation added)

Sam Adams' Proof Texts Debunked

A Psalm of Asaf - Psalm 73:24 - Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

The meaning of this verse is disputed by bible scholars. {14} 

Ellicott: "To glory.—Better, With honour, as LXX. and Vulg.; or achar may be taken as a preposition: Lead me after honour, i.e., in the way to get it."   

 "..no parallel can be quoted for the absolute use of ‘glory’ in the sense of ‘heavenly’ or ‘eternal glory.’ Elsewhere in the Psalter kâbôd is used in the sense of ‘,honour’ (Psalm 42:7; Psalm 84:11; Psalm 112:9; Psalm 149:5);"

Heaven may be represented by the term "glory". However, since the meaning of this verse is obscure we cannot take it for a definite proof text. 

Ecclesiastes 3:21: Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?  
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7:  Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it..

Above, Solomon asks a rhetorical question and differentiates between the spirits of humans and animals. He refers to the "spirit of man" i.e. the spirits of all humans, both the righteous and the wicked. These verses have nothing to do with the location of Abraham's bosom prior to Christ's resurrection. It appears that all the spirits of humans, whether righteous or wicked, are conscious of God's presence in some sense after death.  

If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (Psalm 139/8 cf. Luke 16:27-31).

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:(Hebrews 9:27). The final judgement of the wicked will happen at the great white throne judgement after the millennium. (Revelation 20:11). 

The "long home" i.e. "eternal home", referred to by Solomon is the ultimate destination of believers. (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

For Sam Adams to link his spurious "proof texts" with Paul's statement "absent from the body, present with the Lord" in 2 Corinthians 5:8 is substandard exegesis. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians was written in about 57AD i.e. after Christ's resurrection. Paul was writing about the present expectation of those who die in the Lord, not about those who had died prior to Christ's resurrection.  

 The Witch of Endor
   
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
(1 Samuel 28:8-14).

In my view, the above passage refers to the prophet Samuel himself rather than to a demonic entity as some teach. This was an exceptional event. The scriptures unequivocally condemn seeking out the spirits of the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:10-18).

Sam Adams gives the impression that he delves deeply into the subjects he purports to teach. In reality he has presented a negligent view of Peter 3:18-20, and in the process he has demonstrated that he has major problems both with sound exegesis and his own prejudice. (James 3:1). 

As a final note on the subject, it is necessary to refute the false teaching of Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Paula White and others from the wicked Word/Faith/Charismatic/NAR camp, who teach that Jesus died spiritually and went to hell in order to be punished further for the sins of humanity. This teaching is a doctrine of demons and should be rejected outright. (1 Timothy 4:1). The death of Jesus Christ on the cross sufficiently provided for our redemption. The scriptures tell us plainly that Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree.. (1 Peter 2:24). Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:21-26). Jesus last words were "It is finished" (John 19:30). 

The Rapture

I have observed in the past that Sam Adams is often too hasty to dismiss views that do not agree with his own theology. His previous onslaught against, and misrepresentation of, the prewrath rapture position is a shameful example of his unfortunate habit of condemning other views without doing the necessary spadework. {15} The post-trib view is at best unhelpful, and at worst, it produces confusion and complacency amongst believers.

Those who teach the false pre-trib rapture view will have to give an account for leading many believers into serious error. (Romans 4:12; Matthew 24:10). In a different way, I believe that those who teach the post-trib view will have to give an account for the confusion they have allowed to develop due to their exegetical inaccuracy, their lack of diligence, and in some cases their own pride. For a teacher to oppose the prewrath rapture and other views when he cannot adequately the defend difficult questions associated with his own view is insupportable. (Job 6:24). 

I challenge Sam Adams to address the difficulties associated with the post-trib rapture view as outlined by Alan Kurschner (Eschatos Ministries) in the following link:
https://www.alankurschner.com/2017/08/10/articles-for-posttribulationism-to-consider/

1.   https://www.logosapostolic.org/bibles/textus_receptus/1_peter/fpet03.htm
2.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirits_in_prison#Early_Christian_interpretations
3.   https://www.britannica.com/topic/limbo-Roman-Catholic-theology#ref222486
4.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas
5.   https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/1_peter/3.htm
6.   https://ccel.org/ccel/irenaeus/against_heresies_iv/anf01.ix.vi.xxviii.html
7.   https://st-takla.org/books/en/ecf/003/0030433.html
8.   https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Bosom_of_Abraham
9.   https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Bosom_of_Abraham
10. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/362-abraham-s-bosom
11. https://biblehub.com/lexicon/luke/16-23.htm
12. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_peter/3-19.htm
13. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/matthew/12.htm
14. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/ephesians/4.htm
15. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/73-24.htm
16. https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2018/02/sam-adams-independence-baptist-church.html

Further Links:

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward..
https://nephilimfiles.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-nephilim-were-on-earth-in-those.html

Joe Schimmel, Blessed Hope Chapel - Post Trib Rapture
Posted by at 2 comments:

Thursday 15 February 2018

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
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