This post will seem like I’ve got Nelson Walters’ Pre-Wrath prophecy ministry in my sights. Elsewhere, I’ve commented on his notion that Gentile believers become Israel. He uses this as an argument for Matt 24:31 being the rapture of the church. However, I now want to comment on his Rapture Civil War video as this is an ongoing issue in the world of prophecy.
He got kudos for reaching out to Jan Markell after the alleged “prewrath is satanic” video fiasco, some time ago. As a result, Walters reported that Markell’s comments weren’t based on the Pre-Wrath (PW) materials his ministry was distributing. Accordingly he wrote:
Rather it was based on several very hurtful individuals who have insulted her and Pastor Farag in videos. I viewed the hateful videos, they were not a good Christian witness.
She agrees that polite, biblically based conversations about opposing rapture positions are healthy and encouraging. Even a nation [sic] conversation as we called for in Rapture: Case Closed?
No rapture position is “satanic” That is a very good outcome. I’m glad we could clear the air.
Now Walters maintains the church is in a rapture war. He mentions a PW leader who called pretrib a satanic deception. Then a pretrib leader “got personal” and suggested the PW leader used “Nazi propaganda tactics.” This is almost certainly a reference to Rosenthal and Ice.
Rosenthal labeled pretrib a satanic deception in the very first PW book to enter the prophecy market (pp 281-282). Van Kampen (The Rapture Question Answered) followed suit, observing that pretribulationism developed during the same era as the appearance of cults (Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Unitarianism); and pretribulationism might be attributed to Edward Irving, who was regarded a heretic.
These books are PW classics. Is it any wonder converts are so zealous against pretribulationism? Note that Ice addresses the Irving issue in a TMS Journal.
Among other things, Walters tells us Marv lost his job at FOI, and Charles Cooper his position at Moody Bible Institute. Let’s look at Rosenthal. FOI’s statement of belief affirms pretribulationism. Marv promoted it for some 30 (?) years. Then he adopts a new view and wants to convert the others – because pretrib is, presumably, a deception?
Flip it around in an alternate universe where PW has been dominant. Most PW organizations wouldn’t tolerate a member suddenly changing positions and attempting to proselytize the rest. Let alone calling the old view a deception! That’s just how life works.
I’m not privy to details of Cooper’s Moody departure. There have been regrettable exchanges from all sides. Someone once suggested Hal Lindsey would have been stoned as a false prophet centuries ago. Tim LaHaye stated that those teaching the church goes through the tribulation were false teachers. Cooper responded in like. Yet it wasn’t so long ago that I heard James MacDonald talk about PW on his Moody Radio “Walk in the Word” program.
Incidentally, MacDonald is pastor at HBC and connected to David Wisen’s Harvest Spring Lake Church. Wisen is married to Van Kampen’s daughter, Kristen. The Harvest group evolved as a result of Van Kampen’s initial effort. None of the group statements of belief (I’ve seen) currently include timing of the rapture. It may still be a tenet. Perhaps they prefer not to focus on it.
Back to Walters – in the Civil War video he suddenly flip-flops and we again see Markell as persona-non-grata. Why? – Apparently it’s something Walters believes J.D. Farag alluded to about his materials. Sigh!
I once commented on the Markell fiasco in Is the Pre-Wrath Rapture Satanic? Pay attention – it isn’t! We later noticed an unusual volume of hits via Google Analytics. These were traced to a forum where someone linked to the article as an example of PW bashing. Apparently no one read it.
There’s some kind of hyper-sensitivity operating within this camp. Pretrib is fair game but responses often cause offense. The monumental 4 plus hour “Left Behind or Led Astray?” (LBLA) anti-pretrib polemic is a case in point. When Paul Wilkinson initially responded (not linked here), two contributors complained about his attitude!
Towards the end of Walters’ video he appeals to disaster preparedness. It’s a common strategy to excuse the action. The focus is to change the pretrib target audience’s eschatology, rather than encourage storage of essentials in some basement. Note these statements from the LBLA doc:
What if millions become part of the great falling away when the rapture doesn’t happen when they expect? ~ Joe Schimmel
If you’re a pastor that’s not preparing his people to face potentially the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation in that hour simply because your denomination teaches it [pretrib], personally I feel like you’re failing in your role as a shepherd and a pastor.” ~ Joel Richardson
How well would these comments fare at the predominantly amillennial church I attend? Not only does it teach the imminence of Christ’s return, but it doesn’t prepare members for the Antichrist. Shock and horror! However, what it does do – faithfully – is preach Christ’s Lordship and how Christians ought to live sold-out lives for Him.
Are we to still conclude that these folk may somehow become confused and apostatize when Nicolae Carpathia comes along? Or is it only pretribulationists who are susceptible to this satanic deception?
The so-called “Rapture Civil War” will continue until one party stops obsessing about converting others to its eschatology, as if the pretrib target audience’s eternal assurance depends on it. There are far more important areas of concern for the church today than our little prophecy spats.
Maranatha!
Sharing is caring!
