Hello, once again, this is Dr. Phil Fernandez, founder of the Institute of Biblical Defense, the academic dean of Farriston Theological Seminary. Today's lecture is lecture number one in eschatology. Lecture number one in eschatology. Eschatology is the doctrine of the end times. And our first lecture will be on premillennialism. Premillennialism. And so let's begin our lectures in eschatology, the doctrine of the end times. Before we get started though, let's take a look at the 12 lectures, the titles of the 12 lectures that we're going to be covering in this course. This is subject to change as time goes on. We may finish up quicker on one lecture or take longer on another lecture. But our overall plan for these twelve lectures is going to be the first lecture on pre-millennialism. The doctrine that Jesus Christ will return before the thousand year reign of Christ. And then we'll rule on earth for a thousand years. Then we'll begin the other eleven lectures to look at different aspects of the pre-millennial view. We'll talk about the rapture, the three views of the rapture. And we'll discuss which view we feel is the correct view. After that, in lecture number three, we'll give an overview of the tribulation period. An overview of the tribulation period. Then we'll talk about the end-time judgments, the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, and the bowl judgments found in the book of Revelation. Lecture number five, we'll talk about the apostate church, the end-time church that falls away from the faith. We'll discuss the two witnesses of Revelation chapter 11, and the 144,000 Jews that will be in the tribulation period. Lecture number 6 we'll talk about the revived Roman Empire. Lecture number 7 we'll talk about the Antichrist and the false prophet. Lecture number 8 we'll talk about the end time wars, which are World War 3 and the Battle of Armageddon. Lecture number 9 we'll talk about the return of Christ, the second coming of Christ. Lecture number 10 will talk about the millennium, the thousand year reign of Christ, what will that be like? Lecture number 11 will talk about the judgment, the great white throne judgment after the millennium and the new heavens and new earth, the eternal state after the millennium. And lecture number 12 will talk about heaven and hell, what it means to be in heaven, what it means to be in hell. So that's a brief overview of our course in eschatology, the doctrine of the end times. So now let's get started in the doctrine of eschatology, the doctrine of the end times. First off we're going to have to define our terms. We're going to need to define our terms. And the first term I'd like to define is the term the tribulation. the tribulation. What is the tribulation? Take a look at Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24 verses 21 and 22. Matthew 24 verses 21 and 22 read as follows. For then there will be a great tribulation Such has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days shall be cut short. So here we read about the great tribulation period. Verses 29 to 31 talks about what happens immediately after the tribulation period. Matthew 24, verses 29 to 31. But 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. He will send forth his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the sky to the other. So immediately preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ to the planet Earth is going to be a horrible time, a horrible period of time that is going to be worse than any other period of time on a worldwide scale and is referred to as the Tribulation Period. Now in Daniel chapter 9 Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27 we don't have time right now to turn there but in that passage it talks about a period of 70 weeks they turn out, scholars agree that they turn out to be 70 weeks of 7 days of 7 years of peace which is allowable within the Hebrew a week could either be 7 days long or 7 years long and so it comes out to 490 years and after 483 years from a specific point in Old Testament history the Messiah would come. And that was fulfilled. But the 70th week, a week of 7 years, does not begin until after a gap, an unknown, an unspecified amount of time, a gap of time, and that 70th week will begin when the Antichrist signs a 7 year peace treaty with the nation of Israel. When that 7 year peace treaty is signed, it will be a 7 year period which will be referred to as the tribulation period throughout the scriptures. Now I believe the first three and a half years, though it will be bad, will not be that that bad. It's the last three and a half years which is referred to often as the great tribulation period, and it's those last three and a half years that the book of Revelation focuses on. I think that any scholars that interpret the book of Revelation is talking about both the first half and the last half of the tribulation period. I think they're greatly mistaken. I think only the last half of the tribulation period is mentioned there in the last three and a half years. And so what is the tribulation period? The tribulation period is the seven-year period of judgment. The seven-year period of judgment which precedes Christ's return to the planet Earth. Let me repeat that. The tribulation period is the seven year period of judgment which precedes Christ's return to the earth. It's a period of judgment, a period of suffering, a period of affliction. What about the rapture? The rapture refers to Christ coming for his church. Christ returning for his church. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And verses 16 and 17. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord so the Lord is going to return in the clouds for his church and in twinkling of an eye snatch them away and bring them with him now the question that comes up about the rapture is Is the rapture synonymous with the second coming of Christ? In other words, does the rapture occur after the tribulation period, during the second coming of Christ, as the church get raptured, meet the Lord in the air, and then return with Him? Or, does the rapture occur before the seven year tribulation period starts, a separate phase to the second coming of Christ, a secret snatching away of the church, Or, does that rapture, is it a secret second phase, first phase of the second coming of Christ? Does it occur halfway through the tribulation period? And so, is the rapture separate from the second coming of Christ? Does it occur secretly before the tribulation? Or secretly in the middle of the tribulation? Or is it an obvious event that occurs simultaneously with the second coming of Christ? And I'm going to share my views on that. in the second lecture on eschatology, the doctrine of the end time. But the rapture, simplest way for us to define it is Christ return or Christ coming for his church. And then the millennium, the millennium simply means a thousand years. What it is, is it's the thousand years of peace on earth as Christ rules the earth. The one thousand years of the righteous rule of Christ as Jesus Christ returns the earth to earth brings the kingdom of God to earth and rules the planet earth and brings in peace and righteousness for 1,000 years. So that's some brief definitions of our terms. Tribulation period, seven year period of judgment and affliction which precedes Christ's return. The rapture, Christ's return for his church. And the millennium, the 1,000 years of peace as Christ rules the earth. And again, eschatology is the doctrine of the end times. It comes from the Greek word eschatos, for last, and so it's the study of the last days or the study of the end times. Before we go any further here, let's briefly discuss non-literal views about how to interpret end time prophecies. Non-literal views of how to interpret the end time prophecies. where the end time prophecies are not taken literally Albert Schweitzer Albert Schweitzer came up with a view which became known as consistent eschatology consistent eschatology and Albert Schweitzer's view simply was this Jesus taught about his literal return Jesus taught literally that the day would come when I will return to earth I will literally return to earth And Jesus taught this, no doubt about it, according to Albert Schweitzer. However, Albert Schweitzer concludes Jesus was therefore wrong. Jesus did not return. He holds the view that Jesus taught that he would return during the lifetime of the apostles, and since he did not, Jesus was wrong, he did not return. That's Albert Schweitzer's view, entitled Consistent Eschatology. Now Charles H. Dodd taught what is called realized eschatology. Realized eschatology. He taught that the future claims of the Bible were already history. Future claims of the Bible were already history. In other words, prophecy was a poetic way of recording history. The prophet would pretend, would say he was talking about the future, but in actuality he was just recording history in a poetic way. And so all these prophecies of an Antichrist and the tribulation period and sufferings, all that was done was the apostles were just writing about what occurred in the past. It was not actually predicting the future. So the future claims of the Bible were already history. Realized eschatology by Charles H. Dodd. Then Rudolf Bultmann, Rudolf Bultmann taught existential eschatology. Existential eschatology. Remember existentialism is the philosophy that teaches that subjective truth, inward feelings are more important than objective truth. And so the experience you have, the experience is more important than the objective interpretation of what that experience is. and he took his existential philosophy and saturated his interpretation of the scriptures with it so that he redefined eschatology, he redefined the study of the end times in the believer's present experience. So Rudolf Bultmann, using existential eschatology, redefined eschatology in the believer's present experience. For instance, the second coming of Christ could be viewed as a person accepting Christ and Jesus Christ coming into coming to earth and coming into the person's body. It's an existential experience. So everything is viewed from an existential viewpoint where the subjective inward experience is much more important than any object of truth such as the second coming of Christ or anything along those lines. So he would see the resurrection of the dead on the last day as just that you were religiously dead but then you had an indescribable experience with God and now you've been resurrected from the dead in your heart. Something along those lines. Then Jurgen Moltmann came up with the theology of hope. Jurgen Moltmann came up with the theology of hope where he thought that everything in the Bible is futuristic. Everything in the Bible, not just the end-time prophecies. Everything in the Bible is futuristic. Even the resurrection of Christ is the ultimate liberation of the world. It is our hope. Resurrection of Christ is the ultimate liberation of the world. It's our hope. And Christians must bring the kingdom into being. So, whereas these other guys are explaining away the end-time prophecies, this guy sees everything as end-time prophecies. It's our hope that even something like the resurrection of Christ, which the Bible teaches how it occurred 2,000 years ago, he sees that as something that's still in the future. It's the ultimate liberation of the world, and that's our hope. We must bring this kingdom into being. So those are just four different ways to interpret the end-time prophecies in a non-literal way. The end-time prophecies are not taken literally. I disagree with all four of these. I hold to a literal interpretation of them now before we get any further what we need to do is limit now we're looking at those who interpret the scriptures in a more literal fashion though in some of these views there's a lot of symbolism involved and in fact there's a lot of symbolism definitely involved in the end time prophecies but mostly some type of literal meaning behind the symbolism But the three different views of Christ's return that we need to discuss now is going to bring us to the point where we will see that premillennialism is what I believe at least the true biblical view. The three views of Christ's return are titled Postmillennialism, Amillennialism, and Premillennialism. Postmillennialism, Amillennialism, and pre-millennialism. And so we need to discuss these three. Now, post-millennialism was popular before World War I. It was extremely popular before World War I. It's also making a resurgence today. It's becoming more popular today as well. This view teaches that Christ will return after the millennium age of peace. Christ will return after the millennial age of peace. In other words, they teach that the gospel will be spread and accepted worldwide by the church and that therefore the kingdom of God is a present earthly reality. The thousand years are not literal, not to be taken literal, but they are symbolic for the time of peace. so in other words they see that the Christian church spreading the gospel worldwide so that the entire earth accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ and then what you end up with is the kingdom of God comes to earth and man lives in peace and righteousness for an unspecified amount of time, a thousand years is not literal according to these people And then at the end of that time, however long or short that time is, then Jesus Christ returns after the millennium. And so you see, post-millennialism means just what it says, after the millennium. Jesus Christ returns after the millennial age of peace. So you have post-millennialism teaching that Christ returns after the millennial age of peace then you have amillennialism amillennialism which teaches no earthly 1000 year reign of Christ the millennium is strictly symbolic the book of revelation is strictly symbolic you see in their view is that Christ could return at any moment but not to set up his kingdom on earth Christ could return at any moment but not to set up his kingdom on earth. Apparently the millennium to most of these people is just symbolic for the heavenly state. So Christ could return and take the good people to heaven and throw the bad people to hell but there really is no such thing as the earthly reign. Thousand year earthly reign of Christ. There will be no reign of Christ on the planet earth. And I would reject both of these views. Post-millennialism, Christ returning after the thousand-year reign. Amillennialism, there would be no earthly thousand-year reign of Christ. And I would hold to what is referred to as pre-millennialism. Pre-millennialism, that Christ returns before the 1,000 years of peace and righteousness on earth. Christ returns before the 1,000 years of peace and righteousness on earth. That's why it's called pre-millennialism. See, the kingdom of God comes to earth. and the earthly reign of Christ is started by Christ's return. In this view, the view called pre-millennialism, the tribulation period precedes the millennium. Seven year tribulation period precedes the millennium and Christ's enemies are brought under his control when he returns and then he reigns the earth and brings, ushers in a thousand year period of peace and righteousness called the millennium kingdom. Let's look at just a couple scriptures for this. Look at Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6. Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6. And that reads, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us. and the government will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Then verse 7 goes further. There will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to establish it with justice and righteousness. from then on forever more this yellow Lord of hosts will accomplish this and so you have a very clear reference here to the fact that the child who is to be born, the son who is to be given the Lord Jesus Christ the babe born in the manger will someday rule the planet earth he will head the government sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem in the temple and will head the government known as the kingdom of God on earth the millennial kingdom, the thousand-year reign of peace on earth. Look at Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19, verses 11 to 16. And I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and wages war. And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems. And he has a name written upon him which no one knows except himself. And he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. And he treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Now this is talking obviously about the second coming of Christ. It says in righteousness he judges and wages war. And then it says, and he will rule them. It says in verse 15, and from his mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it he may smite the nations. And he will rule them. Who? The nations. He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. So you have Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returning to earth and ruling the earth with a rod of iron. Now how long does he rule? Well look at Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 to 7. The passage that directly follows this passage. Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 to 7. And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss, as the bottom was pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who was called the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were completed. After these things, he must be released for a short time. And I saw a throne, And they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead, and upon their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison. And so we see very clearly in this passage that Jesus Christ returns to the planet earth, the second coming of Christ, after the tribulation period, and then he establishes on earth his millennial reign, his thousand year rule on the planet earth, and he ruled the earth for 1,000 years. So what have we said up to this point? Look very carefully, after defining our terms we show that there are some non-literal ways to interpret the scriptures but we reject these. One of the main reasons for rejecting the non-literal interpretations of the scriptures is the fact that many of the prophecies in the Old Testament that have already been fulfilled were fulfilled quite literally. If the Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, guess what happened? The Messiah was born in Bethlehem. They were fulfilled quite literally. Zechariah 9.9, the Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and people saying, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. It was fulfilled quite literally. The Messiah, Zechariah says that he would be betrayed. for 30 pieces of silver. He was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Not 29, not 31, but 30. So I reject the non-literal interpretation. I hold to a literal interpretation. And then when we look at the three views of Christ's return, post-millennialism, that Christ returns after the millennium, and amillennialism, where there will be no earthly 1,000 year reign of Christ, and then premillennialism, where Christ returns before the 1,000 years of peace and righteousness, And then he brings, he himself brings the kingdom of God to earth and rules the earth for a thousand years. When we look at these three different views, I think it's safe to say that pre-millennialism is the only true biblical view in this area. It doesn't mean that we can't fellowship with all millennialists. It doesn't mean that we can't fellowship with post-millennialists. Some great theologians through history were post-millennialists. Such as John Calvin and Martin Luther and Augustine. It doesn't mean we can't fellowship with him, but what I'm saying is I think it's very clear in the scriptures that the true view is pre-millennialism, that Christ will return before the thousand year reign of peace. And that Christ will literally rule the earth for a thousand years. Now, I also need to say this. Some of the people from the post-millennial camp are part of what is called dominion theology. And they believe that it's the church's job to take over the earth. That it's the church's job to infiltrate and take over every government on earth and then rule the earth for a period of time, again, a thousand years, maybe symbolic, and bring peace to earth. And then after that, Christ is going to return. So you have some people from that school of thought. But let me say this. Not all people who are post-millennialists hold to Dominion theology. But those who hold to the dominion of theology see no further use for the nation of Israel. The church has replaced Israel and they see that Israel gets in the way, we should remove her or whatever and we should take over the world and it's not the true biblical view. The true biblical view is the pre-millennial view that Christ will return after the thousand years of peace and that Christ will return before, excuse me, before the thousand years of peace and righteousness and Jesus Christ will bring the kingdom of God to earth and he will reign on the earth for a thousand years from Jerusalem. Now what I'd like us to look at right now in the final 15 minutes or so is we looked at three views of Christ's return and we decided that Jesus Christ is going to return before the millennial kingdom. Jesus Christ is going to return before the millennial kingdom. Now what I'd like to discuss is three views of the rapture. three views of the rapture, which is kind of an introduction into our next lecture where I'm going to defend the view that I hold to. So let's take a look at the three views to the rapture. The first view that I'd like to discuss is the pre-tribulation view. The pre-tribulation view. The pre-tribulation view teaches that the Lord secretly snatches the church away before the seven-year tribulation period starts. Pre-tribulation view teaches that the Lord secretly snatches the church away before the seven-year tribulation period starts. And then the Lord returns with these believers after the seven-year tribulation period. That's the pre-tribulational view. The Lord, before the tribulation starts, secretly snatches the church away. and then returns after the tribulation now some of the scriptures that are given to attempt to prove this would be Revelation 3.10 Revelation 3.10 and that reads because you have kept the word of my perseverance I also will keep you from the hour of testing that hour which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell upon the earth. Now, it's often said, well, that's the tribulation period, the hour of testing, and since the believer is going to be kept from it, that means that the rapture has to occur before the tribulation. I believe that what they mention there is God's wrath. Now, the pre-tribber would agree, however, the pre-tribber would then go on to say, but God's wrath happens during the tribulation, and therefore they're not Christians aren't going to be here for it. In fact, look at 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 9. I believe this passage is saying the same exact thing here, that Christians are going to be kept from God's wrath. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 9, talking about the day of the Lord, which is pretty much the second coming of Christ, for God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ. So 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 9 says that Christians are not destined for wrath, but for obtaining salvation or deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ. We're going to see, I am a post-tribber, and we're going to see in the next lecture, I'm going to provide evidence to show that the wrath does not occur during the tribulation period, but God's wrath actually occurs after the tribulation period. And so we're going to see that Christians are snatched away as Jesus Christ is returning and before Christ comes God's wrath. In other words, just as we read in Revelation 19 that Jesus Christ brings the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. He brings with him the seven bowls of judgment. And as he's pouring these judgments on the earth, the church has already been snatched up to be with him in the air. And they're following Christ as Christ is demolishing all that lies before him. So I don't think that this verse here would be conclusive for the pre-tribulational school of thought. Also it's mentioned that in chapters 4-19 of the book of Revelation pre-tribbers would state over and over again in chapters 4-19 there is no mention of the word church in Revelation. We're also going to refute this in the next lecture just very briefly every time the word church is used it's used of a local church such as the church in the book of Revelation such as the church of Laodicea the Church of Philadelphia, the Church of Sardis, the Church of Smyrna, the Church of Ephesus, right on down the line, it's used of a local church, or it's used of the local churches plurally. And what we're talking about there is it just says the churches. So it's not talking about the universal church in the singular, but the local churches in the plural. So therefore you're not going to find Church mentioned because you're not going to have local churches during a tribulation period you're not going to go to Trinity Bible fellowship in Bremerton, Washington And look it up in the phone book and then go worship there during a tribulation period Churches are going to be outlawed at least during the half last half of the tribulation period which is mentioned in the book of Revelation So I don't think this is conclusive either. We're going to see that the word Saints is used throughout Revelation chapter 4 through 19 Which talk about a tribulation period so the Saints are going to be there and then we're going to see how the New Testament What the New Testament means when it says Saints and we're going to see that that's referring to church age believers So the church will be honored during the tribulation period Another argument for the preacher of rapture is 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 1 to 9 and Let's take a look at this passage. Now we request you brethren with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first And the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object to worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way and then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of his coming that is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power and signs and wonders talking about the Antichrist but it says there that the Antichrist will not be revealed until the one who restrains him is removed, or out of the mist he comes. So people say, well if the Holy Spirit, and I agree with them that it is talking about the Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit must be removed before the Antichrist can be revealed, then since the Antichrist is revealed in the Tribulation period, the Holy Spirit has to come off the earth, which means believers who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit have to be removed. That's a little far-fetched, though, because the Holy Spirit as God is on my present. He's everywhere. So it's not talking about the Holy Spirit totally disappearing from the earth. It's just saying He has to come out of the midst. Out of the midst to what? Well, it's talking about the Antichrist and His being revealed. And then in between the Antichrist and His being revealed, you place the Restrainer, the Holy Spirit. And so all it's saying is the Holy Spirit has to come out of the midst has to stop blocking the Antichrist from being revealed. So once the Holy Spirit moves out of the way and allows the Antichrist to be revealed, then the Antichrist will be revealed. That's all that it's saying, and people are reading too much into the passage when they attempt to read the pre-tribulational rapture in it. So the pre-tribulational rapture view, where the Lord secretly snatches the church away before the seven-year tribulation period, and then returns after the tribulation period with believers is scripturally unfounded as far as I'm concerned. Then there's also the mid-tribulation view. The mid-tribulation view. This view teaches that the Lord again secretly snatches the church away but halfway through the seven-year tribulation period. The Lord secretly snatches the church away but halfway through the seven-year tribulation period and then again the Lord returns with believers after the tribulation period. Now, many mid-tribbers don't call themselves mid-tribbers, they call themselves pre-tribbers, because they view the tribulation period as only the last half of the tribulation period. But whatever case you would have Christ return in three and a half years, three and a half years before Christ returned, He would secretly snatch the church away. Now look at 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15 verses 50 to 52. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 50 to 52. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the parsable inherit the imparsable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet And the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. Paul is saying that the church will be raptured, the church will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and will be resurrected when? At the last trumpet. Now, there's seven trumpets in the book of Revelation. So the last trumpet is going to be the seventh trumpet. The mid-sherber agrees with the post-sherber on this. It's just that the post-sherber puts the last trumpet after the tribulation period. The mid-tribber puts the last trumpet halfway through the tribulation period. So we are going to look at Revelation 11.15 to see which is true. Revelation 11.15 to see which is true about the last trumpet. But let me state this. The pre-tribber says that the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15 occurs before the seven trumpets of Revelation. So the pre-tribber has a very big problem in that He sees the last seven trumpets after the last trumpet. He sees the seven trumpets of Revelation coming after the last trumpet, and then the question comes up, well, why does God call the last trumpet the last trumpet if there's seven trumpets after it? It doesn't seem to make much sense. I think both the mid-tribbers and the post-tribbers are right on this, but I think the post-tribbers are right that the seventh trumpet occurs after the seven-year tribulation period, and not in the middle of it, as the mid-tribbers say. So the mid-tribulation of you says that the Lord secretly snatches the church away halfway through the seven year tribulation period and then of course after the tribulation the Lord returns with these believers. But look at Revelation 11.15 And the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet, and there arose loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. Now the question is, when does the kingdom of God come to earth? When does Jesus Christ begin to rule? And the answer is, after the tribulation period. So right there, the fact that the seventh trumpet is announcing that Jesus Christ is right now, He is about to reign on earth for a thousand years, That tells us very clearly that the seventh trumpet does not occur in the middle of the tribulation period, but after the tribulation period. In fact, as we go on a little bit further, we find out about this in verse 19, we find out a little bit more about this seventh trumpet. And it states there, "...and the temple of God which is in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple, and there were flashes of lightning, and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm." Well, you're going to find this is also mentioned in Revelation 16, verses 12 to 21, one of the final bowls in the book of Revelation, which I believe are the bowls of God's wrath, which means that they come down when Christ returns. We're going to find that this occurs And the 7th seal, which occurs right after the 6th seal, and the 6th seal is when the sun is dark and the moon doesn't give its light, the stars fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens are shaking, which according to Matthew 24 occurs after the tribulation period. In other words, all these signs, according to the scriptures, if we allow the scriptures to interpret scriptures, All these signs occur after the tribulation period, and therefore, yes, Jesus Christ does return for the church at the seventh trumpet. However, that seventh trumpet, which is the last trumpet, occurs after the tribulation period. Therefore, the pre-trib position is false, the mid-tribulation position is false, and the only true position is the post-tribulational view. In other words, the rapture is the second coming of Christ. Let me repeat that. The rapture is the second coming of Christ. After the tribulational period, believers are caught up and meet the Lord in the air and then return with Christ after the tribulation period. So at this point, what I'd like to say is I am pre-millennial I believe that Christ is going to return before his thousand year reign and he will reign on earth for a thousand years but I'm post-tribulational I believe that Jesus Christ will snatch away the church after the tribulation not before it secretly not secretly in the middle but he will just obviously and out there in plain view snatch away the church after the tribulational period in the next lecture I'm going to defend that view now let me state this I've got some good friends and I'm a pastor of a local church, I wouldn't even mind having an assistant pastor who's a pre-tribber. Now I would probably have some problems if my assistant pastor was an amillennialist or a postmillennialist, though I think they could have good churches, it would probably affect too many verses for there to be a compatibility. But a pre-tribber or a mid-tribber I would have no problems either being members or assistant pastors in my church. Somebody who's a post-millennialist or I'm a millennialist, I wouldn't bother me to have them in my church. It'd be a little bit difficult to be co-pastors with them since we would be giving our people so many different messages. And so that's our introduction on free millennialism. In our next lecture we're going to defend the post-tribulational rapture view and then move on from there. Thank you and God bless you.