This was a comment given concerning a pre-Trib rapture message by Terry James entitled, “History’s Most Stunning Headline”. Ed Woods is a contributor and author of Books offered by Olive Tree ministries.

not, they were ignored at least, beaten or killed at worst.

Jesus himself related how Jerusalem itself was guilty of that when he said:

Matthew {23:37} O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!

The Bible clearly tells us what course of history will take and the only way to escape the dark times which are already upon us, but just like all those other civilizations, the message is generally being either ignored or actively ridiculed – along with those who are delivering it.”

So Ed here speaks of escaping the dark times (which is the Tribulation in Terries message which he is commenting on). And one is supposed to accept that Terry and the other Terries are the messengers of our day. One might want to question just what message you think it is that allows this escape which is being ignored? It would seem that our escape is accomplished in the pre-Trib rapture message that constitutes a warning, as it seems when reading this entire comment. But should the escape not be Christ’s salvation? The real question is — is there even an escape from Tribulation taught? For this Tribulation is certainly coming?

Ed continues and has this to say about ignoring the warnings:

“That shouldn’t be a surprise either:

2 Peter {3:3} Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, {3:4} And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.”

What Ed seems to be saying is that everyone who believes differently about the timing of the Rapture is not only not involved in warning the people of what is coming in the future, but that they are scoffers walking after their own lust. When in fact if you examine this scripture and the prophets of the Bible, what you find is that it is those very prophets warning Gods people (not the world in general) of a coming calamity, and the warnings to His people call forth repentance and the giving up of their lukewarm approach to scripture. Whereas the verse he uses above speaks of a worldly scoffing at Christ’s coming. We in the church know that He is coming soon, because we are not in darkness as Paul says it in 1Thess. 5.

In fact the scoffers of which Peter speaks would be more than likely men and women not listening to God or to His word. But when considering the prophets of old, what we find among the true prophets is an accompanying but larger group of “prophets” giving forth a message that most of the people really do want to hear. So this group of prophets is feeding those with itching ears. The true prophets have sent forth warning to God’s own people; while the false teachers and prophets prophesied of good things for His people when in fact His words prophesied warnings or just the opposite, and most often when there were prophets with mixed messages, it would turn out, that difficult times were ahead instead of escape from those times.

Ed says:

“Since God has already shown us these things, doesn’t it seem quite possible that believers will also be given a last “heads-up” just prior to the Rapture? After all, Noah received a warning before the flood and the reason he and his family survived was because he believed and acted upon it. I think that it may be like that this time.”

So, what were warnings in Noah’s day are a heads up for us. But what is our warning telling us today Ed, and why would we need a warning as believers from the prophets, if we as Christians are about to escape all that will come to trouble the world. I should think that a warning would be more appropriate should we not be about to escape grave trouble, or Great Tribulation.

Ed continues:

“The whole world may hear that last trump, but only those who believe will know what it means when it sounds and be saved by that very belief, while the ‘scoffers’ are left behind to try to figure it all out.”

So Ed, thinks it is that Christians will be (saved) raptured before Tribulation because they believe this doctrine, while everyone who does not find this doctrine scriptural, I guess, will be left as scoffers are left behind. A very interesting teaching. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and then. .. Where does it say and those who believe a pre-Trib rapture shall rise to meet them in the air?

Let’s let Ed continue:

“It is true that some of them will come to believe, despite great personal risk, during those last hellish seven years of this age, but most of the human race will never “get it” before it is too late.”

Ed is correct on this age; for the tribulation is the last 7 years of this age. But what then will those that come to believe actually believe? Well they believe that the rapture has already occurred and that this fact will save them or will they believe that Jesus is their savior, and that He is their blessed hope? And will some of them die for that belief, and if scripture is correct will they who die in Christ during this time of Great Tribulation not need to rise in the first resurrection before the Rapture, because that is the promise given for believers in this age? Isn’t this what Paul tells us in 1Thess. 4?

Ed continues:

“Never were Paul’s words more relevant than they are today:

2 Corinthians {6:2} (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)”

So we need to ask Ed if these words are going to evaporate or disappear from the pages of scripture after the Tribulation begins; because they say that this offer is gone after Christ comes, and another gospel is reintroduced.

One last point that I want to make and it’s more about Terry’s article. In it he says that in the Rapture we leave behind our clothes. Yet listen to what Jesus says about that.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (KJV)

With this verse there is a much better rendering done in the God’s Word Translation:

Revelation 16:15 “See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.” (GOD’S WORD)

When we do go in this Rapture, we will “go as we are” apparently. This verse is a description of the Rapture. Notice where it is announced.