Last week pretribulational pastor Robert Jeffress delivered an opening prayer at the Jerusalem embassy dedication. In addition, pretribulational pastor John Hagee gave the closing benediction.
Many pretrib teachers are abuzz over the recent event of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. They believe they hear the prophetic furniture shuffle behind the curtain. And that may be the case.
But here is the problem:
They think they will be only spectators in the arena. Pretrib teachers and pretrib believers think they will be raptured at any moment, which will occur before the arrival of the Antichrist’s great tribulation. They are giddy to talk about biblical prophecy from afar. Ironically, they chatter and write profusely about the Antichrist and related Bible prophecy events, all along thinking in the back of their mind that they will escape the front-line persecution of the Antichrist.
They want current events to be fulfillments, preparing the way for the “tribulation period,” a time when they think they will be raptured just before that period, ensued by the slaughter of untold numbers of Jews by the Antichrist.
The Biblical reality is that both the Church and many non-Christian Jews will suffer at the hands of the Antichrist.
The Church will not be a spectator in heaven looking down on Antichrist’s bloody arena. Rather, the Church will be the target of Antichrist within the arena among the wild beasts.
The prewrather thinks differently than the pretribber. Biblical prophecy and current events are not taken lightly. We are not giddy, but sober, for we know that before the second coming, we will become participants in the great persecution of the Antichrist against the world-wide Church. We do not wish this to come upon us; but if it does, we embrace God’s holy decree and trust in his faithfulness no matter the cost.
Perhaps, pretrib teachers should best spend their time preparing their flocks to spiritually face the Antichrist’s great tribulation, than muse over current affairs in Jerusalem.
Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Pretrib Teacher.
