Bernard Pyron
People who are influenced by dispensationalism are less likely to
accept the teaching that in the Tribulation God will jusge the
Christian Church for apostasy. Those who follow dispensationalism
generally believe that the Tribulation involves judgment against the
world, at the beginning of this period the Church is raptured off the
earth and God then turns his attention to creating a Jewish Kingdom.
On the web site http://www.tms.edu/tmsj/tmsj7h.pdf they say
"...the rejection, postponement, and entirely
future fulfillment of the Davidic kingdom is and has been a
consistently held view within "normative" dispensationalism.7 It
further argues that this position serves as a distinguishing feature
of dispensationalism, differentiating it from non-dispensational
theology."
C.I Scofield, an early dispensationalist, says ""The return of the
Lord to the earth is to accomplish the yet unfulfilled
prophecies of Israel's national regathering, conversion, and
establishment in peace and power under the Davidic Covenant."
See Scofield Reference Bible, note on Acts 1:11. Also note on
on John 1:17 in the 1967 revision of the Scofield Reference Bible.
L. S. Chafer, who was also a classical dispensationalist, says "The
Covenant is of an earthly throne related to a people whose
expectation is earthly...Nor is this kingdom and throne established
in heaven. It is established on earth when the Son of David
returns to the earth." L. S. Chafer, "Dispensationalism,"
Bibliotheca Sacra 93 (October-December
1936):435.
Classical dispensationalist Charles C. Ryrie says: "Because the King
was rejected, the Messianic, Davidic kingdom
was (from a human viewpoint) postponed. Though He never
ceases to be King and, of course, is King today as always, Christ is
never designated as King of the church. . . . Though Christ is a
King today, He does not rule as King. This awaits His second
coming. Then the Davidic kingdom will be realized (Matt. 25:31;
Rev. 19:15; 20).45." Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Wheaton,
Ill.: Victor, 1986) 259.
A somewhat more recent dispensationalist, J. Dwight Pentecost,
says: "David's son, the Lord Jesus Christ must return
to the earth, bodily and literally, in order to reign over David's
covenanted kingdom." J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come (Findlay,
Ohio: Dunham, 1958) 114.
On the web site given above they say "Anthony Hoekema also
acknowledged the
rejection/postponement of the kingdom as a main aspect of
dispensationalism as reflected in the New Scofield Bible:
When Christ was on earth He offered the kingdom of heaven to
the Jews of His day. This kingdom was to be an earthly rule over
Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. . . . The Jews at
that time, however, rejected the kingdom. The final establishment
of this kingdom, therefore, was now postponed until the time of
the millennium." Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979) 189.
In the classical dispensationalism of John Darby, C.I. Scofield,
Charles C. Ryrie and Lewis S. Chafer and others the offer, rejection,
postponement, and future fulfillment of the Jewish Davidic kingdom
and the church as a separate body of people is very important. This
vtheology determines the dispensationalist view of the Tribulation
and what its purpose is to be. The Tribulation is to be a time when
the Jewish Davidic kingdom is to be set up, right after the Christian
Church is raptured off the earth to heaven.
The rapture theory is a big part of the attractiveness of classical
dispensationalism popularized by Hal Lindsey,Tim LaHaye and others.
The rapture is one reason why those influenced by dispensationalism
don't want to come out of that influence. But the rapture can be
discarded by dispensationalists who will stick to their Jewish
supremacy starting place.
In part, classical dispensationalists translated Jewish Second
Temple restoration theology into a Christian end time scenario.
Very hard times may be directly ahead for members of the Multitude.
According to Zechariah
13: 8-9 one third of the "Church" will be purified of their false
beliefs when they go through a fire, which may be severe
persecution.
A few may start to wake up even before this persecution gets really
bad.
II Thessalonians 2: 10-12 tells us that those who do not have a love
of the truth, believe lies and receive a strong delusion are not
saved.
The error or strong delusion they hold on to concerns Biblical
doctrines.
II Thessalonians 2: 10-12 applied to Zechariah 13: 8-9 suggests the
reason
why two thirds of the Church is cut off and will die and the remaining
third is brought through a refining fire which is probably
persecution
during the Tribulation. It is because predominantly, by the time of
the
Tribulation,. the church is in false doctrines.
Several New Testament texts predict that in the end times Christians
will
fall into false doctrines. Here are just two of these Scriptures:
I Timothy 4: 1-2 says "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies in
hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."
Then II Timothy 4: 3-4 says "For the time will come when they will
not
endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn
away their ears from he truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
Zechariah 13: 8-9 says: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the
land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but
the third shall be left therein.
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine
them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they
shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my
people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God."
In order to be accepted by the Lord as being his, one of his people,
you have to turn away from following theologies that contradict
Scripture. God can lead you to come to know if you are following
false doctrines - if you ask him to show you.
But the dominant
theology called dispensationalism fails to tell us that a main focus
of God during the Tribulation is judgment upon those claiming to be
the people of God. Instead, classical dispensationalists claim the
Tribulation is to be about God restoring the Jewish kingdom after
the "Church" is raptured off the earth. Jewish Kingdom Theology of
the Second Temple period was translated into Christian end time
prophecy by the founders of dispensationalism.
I Peter 4: 17 says ."For the time is come that judgment must begin at
the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be
of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
Judgment is a key word in I Peter 4: 17, because some commentaries
suggest this may this may be only God's chastisement on his people.
Judgment is Strong's Exhaustive Concordance number 2917 which
means, "a decision, for or against crime - avenge, condemed,
condemnation, damnation..."
Number 2917 is translated as damnation in Matthew 23: 15. "Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses,
and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the
greater damnation (2917),"
In Romans 2: 2 number 2917 is translated as judgment." But we are
sure that the judgment (2917) of God is according to truth against
them which commit such things."
"Having damnation (2917), because they have cast off their first
faith." I Timothy 5: 12
"Of the doctrine of baptisms , and of laying of hands , and of
resurrection of the dead , and of eternal judgment (2917).Hebrews 6: 2
Revelation 17: 1 says "And there came one of the seven angels which
had the seven vials , and talked with me , saying unto me , Come
hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment (2917) of the great whore
that sitteth upon many waters :" The Great Whore is false religion.
I Peter 4: 17 is not the only New testament Scripture saying that God
will judge those claiming to be his people.
Here is another New Testament text on God's judgment of his people.
Hebrews 10: 30-31 says: "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance
belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The
Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God."
Psalm 135: 14 says: "For the LORD will judge his people, and he will
repent
himself concerning his servants."
Deuteronomy 32: 36: " For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent
himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and
there is none shut up, or left."
Deuteronomy 32: 36 says the Lord will judge his people, perhaps
meaning the entire house of God as seen in Zechariah 13: 8-9 - AND
he "repents himself" when he sees his servants, the one third who
must go through the fire, have lost their power and none are shut up
in jail or left alive. Being shut up in jail and not being left alive
are severe judgments of God on his people who have fallen into false
doctrines.
Interestingly, the 18th century Reformed preacher John Gill is on the
right track
in his commentary below on Deuteronomy 32: 36:
John Gill on Deuteronomy 32: 36 says: "...now for or on account of
these he
will repent himself, because of the evils he has suffered to come
upon them, being moved with pity, and compassion to them in their
miserable circumstances, as they will be in when the witnesses his
servants will be slain; not that, properly speaking, repentance is in
God; he never changes his mind, counsel, and purposes; he never
alters his love, his choice, nor his covenant; or repents of his
gifts, and calling of special grace; though he is sometimes said to
repent of outward good things he has bestowed, or promised to bestow
conditionality; and of evils he has threatened or inflicted; yet this
is only to be understood of a change of his outward dealings and
dispensations with men, according to his changeable will; and this
will be the case now with respect to his servants, whom he will have
suffered to be slain, and lie unburied; but repenting or changing his
manner of conduct to them will revive them, and cause them to ascend
to heaven; see (Revelation 11:11,12) ;"
Matthew 24: 9-11 confirms judgment will happen to the "Church:" "Then
shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many
be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one
another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."
Luke 21: 16 says: "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and
brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they
cause to be put to death." "Some" has been added to the King James
English in Luke 21: 16, because the Greek word "tis", or "men",
meaning some is not in the Greek Textus Receptus, from which the KJV
is translated.
"And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates,
and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or
what ye shall say:" Luke 12: 11
The reference to synagogues is not limited to Jewish synagogues.
Synagogues is Strong's number 4864, meaning "an assemblage of persons,
a Jewish synagogue, by analogy, a Christian church, assembly,
congregation, synagogue." Sunagoge in the Greek, or synagogue,
can mean a Christian church. Magistrates probably refers to judges, to
whom Christians are brought on some kind of charge, such as blasphemy
under the Noahide laws or hate speech laws.
Another possible end time scenario is that Christians of the
Multitude will be identified as "terrorists" and categorized with
Islamics as enemies of Zionism-Christian Zionism-dispensationalism
and the Neocons. The build up of prejudice for Islamics which has
been going on for several years by the government and controlled
media - and by Christian Zionists - could be extended to Christians
who have come out of the false theology of dispensationalism and are
critical of it. Those who use this scenario in having the members of
the Christian Multitude killed will think they are doing God a
service. John 16: 2 says "They shall put you out of the synagogues:
yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think he doeth
God service."
Bernard
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