proportion in the scholarship and writings related to the rapture doctrine. While it has certain advantages over both pretribulationism and post-tribulationism, it cre ates problems which are far greater than the benefits derived. While the midtribulational view would lend itself to some extent to a considerable treatment of the doctrine of the rapture as a separate aspect of the Christian hope, from a practical standpoint it has not done so and writers who have contributed in this area have done little to enhance the doctrine of the rapture as a whole. In comparing the theological premises of the vari ous views of the rapture, it soon becomes apparent that those who observe some dispensational distinction tend to the pretribulational rapture position whereas those who hold to covenant theology or kingdom theology tend toward the midtribulational or post-tribulational posi tion. It is not too much to say that the theological pre suppositions which enter into the study of the rapture are usually largely determinative in its outcome. Those who distinguish the program of Israel from the pro gram of the church tend to pretribulationism whereas those who merge the two consider them phases of the soteriological program of God and tend toward mid- tribulationism or post-tribulationalism. One’s view on the rapture therefore, becomes indicative of one’s theol ogy as a whole, which lends support to the contention that the rapture doctrine is, after all, important theo logically. P rophetic P rogram Not only is the doctrine of the rapture related to the theological premises and hermeneutical principles of a given theology, but a direct relationship can be established between the doctrine of the rapture and the prominence given prophecy as a whole. Generally speak ing, amillenarians and postmillenarians do not provide a large place in their systems for prophecy. One never hears of a prophecy conference sponsored by amillena rians or postmillenarians. Such an emphasis on proph ecy is almost limited to the premillenarian group. Fur ther, the same distinction can be observed between those who are post-tribulational and midtribulational, as opposed to the pretribulational position. Rarely, if ever, are prophecy conferences conducted by post-tribu- lationists or midtribulationists even if they are pre- millennial. It is almost a foregone conclusion that if a church or an institution of learning sponsors a spe cial series of studies in prophecy it is motivated pri marily by its pretribulational convictions. The promi nence given to prophecy as a whole, therefore, is linked to the prominence given the doctrine of the rapture and vice versa. Not only is there a link between emphasis on the rapture and emphasis on prophecy as a whole, but the same principle can also be observed in the practical application of prophecy to the Christian life. While all conservative points of view share to some extent the blessings of Christian hope such as our ultimate resur rection from the dead and the blessings which will be experienced by the saints in heaven, the practical appli cation of prophecy to the daily life is given additional incentive under the pretribulational position. This is an obvious deduction from its intrinsic character. The fact that Christ could come any day is certainly more arresting and dramatic than the possibility of His coming some years hence. The doctrine of imminency is inevitably related to the pointed application of certain prophecies. While even a post-tribulationist can claim that the hope of the coming of the Lord is a purifying hope, a blessed hope, and a comforting hope, it is never theless true that in proportion as the realization of the 14
hope is imminent so there is increased pertinence to the application. Hence, in John 14 where Christ tells His disciples, “ Let not your heart be troubled,” one of the reasons which He gives is “ I will come again and receive you unto myself.” In a similar way in the Thes- salonian church after outlining to them the fact that the dead in Christ will be raised just a moment before the living church is translated, Paul concludes, “Where fore comfort one another with these words.” The com fort of the possibility of reunion with their loved ones any day is certainly more pointed and more helpful than the ultimate possibility of such an event in the distant future. Of particular relevance is the purifying effect of the doctrine of the rapture. As mentioned in I John 3:3 and in the preceding verse, Christians are assured, “When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Then the application is made, “ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” While the hope of being
WHEN JESUS KNELT by Ruth Gibbs Zwall
When Jesus knelt all night to pray With Giod, the Father, listening near, The forest creatures drew more close A s if they, too, would hear. The very heavens seemed to stoop And angel legions on the air Were poised expectantly to wait, Should they be summoned there . . . But it was not for angel bands Nor beast, nor bird, the Saviour prayed: He travailed for the souls of men, By evil undismayed. And when the dawn had come, He rose Strong in the Father's holy wflj, Knowing the answered prayer must be A cross upon a hill.
like the Saviour is an incentive to purity of life regard less of when it occurs, if the event of the Lord’s return could happen at any moment, in any day, there is an urgency about the whole matter of sanctification in that one wants his life to be in order at the time that the Lord comes. Any housewife can testify to the differ ence in preparation for an expected guest depending on the expected time of arrival. If she receives a letter stating that some friend plans to visit several years hence, such a letter produces no change in the schedule of the household. If, however, a letter should come say ing a guest may be expected any day, this requires an entirely different form of preparation. Ordinary sched ules are cancelled in favor of a program of immediate preparedness. It may be concluded, therefore, that from a practical standpoint, the concept of the rapture held in any sys tem of theology has an important bearing upon its theol ogy as a whole, not so much from the standpoint of being casual, but from the standpoint of being indica tive of the theological premises and principles of inter pretation of which the doctrine of the rapture is an elo quent expression. From the new book, “ The Church in P r o p h e c y $2.95, published by Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. THE KING'S BUSINESS
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