Please Jan tell me just how Dispensationalism can even believe, much less explain imminency as it has taught it. Dispensationalists have over their time of teaching, done, even as you say. They have Israel as their centerpiece.
Here is what you say Jan:
“Only Dispensationalism explains the imminency of the Lord’s return with Israel as the centerpiece!”
Your quote is taken from your recent article on Hal Lindsey’s passing shown below. I too had read his book early on in my Christian walk. He in fact convinced me that I was on the right path in my accepting of Jesus as my Messiah (my savior), but he left me with many questions concerning imminency and the Second Coming.
Jan I love your zeal, but you avoid the weaknesses in the pre-Trib argument. Imminency certainly is one of its major tenants, but it is also a major weakness as to being a support for the Pre-Trib argument.
Israel, in fact, could not have been a pre-Trib centerpiece back in the 1800’s when Dispensational Theology first tried to make their view popular. In fact, the imminent return has been taught over those years to have been expected even by the early church writers. This was said by Grant Jeffrey and Dave Hunt in their attempt to prove the pre-Trib rapture. Yet Jesus told us that when we see the fig tree bud we should lift up our heads. You Jan, have stated that Israel is that fig tree based upon Scriptures teaching.
Yet, there was no nation Israel back then in the 1800’s.
There was no Temple then. If the imminent return in scripture was tied to Israel alone; then a rapture could not have been possible before 1948. Our Lord’s return was not imminent before then. And it is not imminent now, because Israel was only one sign given by Jesus that we were to observe. So your statement really means nothing to your pre-Trib argument. Israel having to be present as a sign, in fact, eliminates your blessed hope argument as well. For if the blessed hope is the rapture as you and I believe it to be; then Israel being a nation is certainly a must. You and I, both, have attached Israel to this imminent event (the coming of Messiah; So, only our generation could possibly have such a hope. And that could mean that to be imminent even the Tribulation could be a sign of the Rapture and of the Second Coming, even as Jesus had taught it. And even as Paul revealed it in 2 Thess. Chapters 1 and 2.
No one in Dispensations camp will ever tell us where the pre-Trib rapture is taught in Scripture. It is said by pre-Trib advocates that neither is the post-Trib rapture taught, but that teaching is the prevailing view of Scripture. Read my post below and you too will see that I am correct. The post-Trib rapture may soon be imminent. It is tied even more closely to Israel than your view has ever been. For it requires Israel’s salvation. Her calling upon her Messiah in order for His return with His resurrected Saints to ever take place. And that event (the dead in Christ resurrection) must precede the Rapture.
And Then Messiah Shall Come 