I have heard and maybe you have too, from congressmen, who have seen some of the Jan 6Th evidence videos, which have not yet been released for public viewing; stating that they reveal deception due to the facts involved. They tell of things in them, which expose the deception permeating the Jan 6Th events.

But this post is not about the politics of our day, but about doctrinal misrepresentation, which blocks truth and unity.

John the Apostle who wrote 5 books of the Bible is credited with explicitly teaching two concepts upon which, the pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine is based or given its credence. The first of these has to do with the fact that John has let the word “Church” out of his writing of the Revelation following Revelation chapter 3. What adds to the face of this argument is the fact that chapters 2 and 3 are written to churches.

The second argument has to do with John’s use of the phrase “after these things”.

Misunderstandings usually involve creating a concept in the mind of the hearer or in this case reader, which when thoroughly examined may just not be true. So let’s review John’s wording or use of these foundational features to see what they may speak to us.

John actually only speaks once of a church (not the Church) and that is in the 4th book that he wrote prior to his writing of the Revelation. He never makes use of the “Church” implying the universal body in any of his writing. Not even in his gospel or the Revelation.

Neither his gospel nor his first 2 epistles will be found to contain the word for “Church” in the original. In 3rd John he speaks about “the local church” (not the Universal Church). This was where Diotrephes was conducting himself in what John refers to as being evil in verse 11 in a local church setting. So to say that John’s elimination of the word “Church” after Revelation chapter 3 would mean that there is no Church on earth is just plain wrong. For never does he mention Christ’s body as being the Church not even in heaven. It therefore is truly a misrepresentation of facts to say that it is not mentioned in chapters 4-19 of Revelation. So this is a misrepresentation of John’s writing style and of the facts themselves.

These same scholars also claim that the phrase “after these things” would imply that everything occurring after chapter 3 has separated the Church on earth from the earth in the Rapture. Thus it is to be representing a moving on from what is called the Church age. Thus, implying that what John saw afterward was the Church in heaven. But if John is to be seeing the Church in heaven, why does he not call her by that name?

But again should we examine John’s use of the phrase (after these things) we find that it does not for him imply another age but a subsequent event in the progression of time or events which are taking place. In John’s case it represented the next happening in the sequence of the visions or encounters themselves.

Here are some samples of John’s usage of this phrase:

John 3:22 (After these things) Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. (NASB1995)

John 5:1 (After these things) there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (NASB1995)

John 6:1 (After these things) Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). (NASB1995)

Here are other examples of John’s usage of After these things:

John 7:1

John 19:38

John 21:1

This is what the Holy Spirit told John to write:

Revelation 1:19 “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place (after these things). (NASB1995)

◦ These were all things which John had already seen and that he was seeing and which he then would be seeing after these things. So John after he was given the message to the churches recorded (After these things “I” looked and behold another vision:

Revelation 4:1 (After these things) I looked, and behold [another vision and message], a door [standing] open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like [the sound] of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place (after these things).” (NASB1995)

So the question becomes: does this statement to John mean that everything before John 4:1 was for the Church on earth and that everything after was for Israel on earth, and for the Church in heaven; even though we have no evidence that the Church is there in heaven by name?

If the seven churches would represent the entirety of the “Church age”; then why is Church age never mentioned here or anywhere else in Scripture? And If that is to be believed to be the case why then did Jesus say this?

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” (NASB1995)

If God’s dealings with the Church on earth was complete in chapter 4:1; then why was all of what was recorded in the Revelation for them and stated as “these things for the churches”? Why was it stated as “these things for the churches and not for the Church” (which would support their claim that this message could end the time of the Church on earth. So, If John used many different terms in his writings before Revelation was written to describe the Church universal, but never the word Church; then why do we dismiss “they overcame him (Satan) with the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony” as not being representative of the Church on earth during this time of Tribulation, which will lead to Messiah’s coming? Is the Church in Revelation really missing from the earth? The Church universal will rule with Christ, and we see Tribulation’s saints, who are raised in the first resurrection after Christ’s return in chapter 19, and they are to be ruling with Christ. That is what the Church will do in its future as the bride of Christ on earth.

Dispensationalist teaching requires those saved during the Tribulation to be ruled over by Christ. This is a foundational requirement of a pre Trib rapture understanding. Yet, these tribulation saints rule with us, who went before them. So, there is no required pre Trib rapture, within Revelations teaching.

Revelation 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And [I saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (NASB2020)

Everything that I point out here implicates this one group within the Church to be guilty of at the very least a misunderstanding of Revelations meaning, doesn’t it?

Jesus prayer in John 17, asks the Father to unite us in the truth, not in the differences in understanding taking place today. Allow the Holy Spirit in you to be the Judge of truth Vs deception. That requires discernment. Consider these things of which these passages speak. As a Church body we are to in love excuse any untruths from our doctrine as the Universal Church. So doing will bring an answer to Jesus prayer for unity. Doctrine is essential to unity, for doctrine is truth.

1 Timothy 4:16 Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I’ve told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you. (GOD’S WORD)

Yes, truth is just that important Paul says: to follow what he has taught us concerning his teaching (doctrine or truth).