“A Tribulation Map” (A Review)
The second tract given to one of our members recently was titled, “A Tribulation Map,” written by Leon Bates. The front panel says that it is “an explanation for those who miss the rapture.” Many have provided fictional accounts of what “the rapture” will be like—people are missing from the earth, cars suddenly have no drivers in them, people are in a state of panic, etc. The whole concept is fictional since the Bible teaches none of it.
The Word Rapture
The first thing people ought to know, which Bates does not tell whoever reads this tract, is that the word rapture does not appear anywhere in the Scriptures. Not one of the major translations uses the word. Does that omission not suggest that something is wrong with this entire theory? He says rapture is “a term used for years to identify an event promised in the Bible (John 14:2, 3; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52; 1 Thes. 4:16, 17).”
Well, that seems impressive—this list of Scriptures—but do they have anything to do with the alleged “rapture”? In John 14:2-3, Jesus promised His disciples that He was leaving to prepare a place for them and that He would surely come again to receive them. Yes! He spoke of a second coming—but not a rapture. The second coming is Biblical; the rapture is fiction.
Likewise, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 also describes the second coming—in which the dead in Christ shall rise first and those who are alive shall be changed. 1 Thess. 4:13-17 also describes this second coming. It will be a noisy event: 1) The Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout; 2) The voice of an archangel will be heard; and 3) The trumpet of God shall sound forth. If this referred to the so-called rapture, it would serve as a clue as to why everyone would shortly be missing.
Notice that Christ does not set one foot on the earth. He remains in the air, where the resurrected dead and His followers on earth (yet alive) arise to meet Him in the air. They are “caught up” to be with Him in the air, where they will always be with Him. Nothing is said about them or Jesus returning to rule on earth in Jerusalem. This is the only verse that uses the verb translated “caught up,” which many construe as the “rapture,” but remember no translation uses that term. They all have been “caught up” or “caught away.”
The subject in these three passages is the saved. Jesus had already spoken of both the righteous and the evil. He clearly taught that a day was coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice “and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). Jesus will be executing judgment on all at this time (v. 27). Consider carefully some points taught in this text.
First, all who are in the graves will hear Him. If what Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the “rapture,” many graves will not have any bodies in them since they would have been “caught up” previously. Second, both are coming forth—the good and the evil. Both have remained in graves until Jesus’ second coming. But if the “rapture” was true, the good would be already gone. Third, how many judgments will Jesus render? If the “rapture” were true, the saved would have been “caught up,” but the evil would have remained on the earth. So, are there two judgments? Of course not.
Peter also describes the second coming of Christ. The heavens will pass away with a great noise; the earth and the various elements will be dissolved. But God’s people will be given new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (2 Peter 3:10-13). This description fits in with John 5:27-29—but not the “rapture” theory.
The Word Tribulation
The word tribulation does occur in the Scriptures—but not the way premillennialists define it. Of the 22 times the word appears in the Bible, it usually refers to general difficulties (Rom. 2:9; 5:3; 8:35; 12:12) or a particularly difficult specific time period—such as before the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24:21, 29).
Of the six times John used “tribulation” in Revelation, four are used in the general sense. John refers to an ongoing tribulation in 1:9. Twice the tribulation of the church in Smyrna is mentioned (2:9-10). They would be persecuted for a ten-day period, which is probably symbolic. Some would face a great tribulation in Thyatira—unless they repented (2:22). The only other mention is in Revelation 7:14. These all refer to Christians—not to people left on earth when a fictitious “rapture” occurred.
Let’s return to the tract. Bates informs his readers that the rapture will occur precisely before the tribulation (Rev. 3:10)! No doubt the reader will want to turn immediately to Revelation 3:10 to examine the proof for this claim. It reads: “Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Hmm. So, what does this passage NOT say?
It does not mention a seven-year period of tribulation.
It does not mention the “rapture.”
It does not mention a judgment of any kind.
It does not mention anyone being “caught up” prior to a seven-year period of tribulation.
The passage is addressed to the church at Philadelphia in the first century. Nineteen centuries have come and gone since then. Those brethren have long since died. How can they be preserved from a worldwide tribulation that has not yet occurred?
Signs
The very next claim that Bates makes is that there are certain events that have occurred, which indicate “the return of Christ” is “getting closer.” Whoa! Wait a minute! Jesus taught there would be signs that occurred before the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70 (Matt. 24:1-35)—but that there will be no signs of His second coming. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:36). So, how can there be signs preceding the second coming of Christ?
The first event that most premillennialists refer to is the re-establishment of Israel as a state in the Middle East, which occurred in 1948. In fact, Hal Lindsey prophesied back in the ’60s that the “rapture” would occur by 1988. Whoops! 76 years have come and gone; yet still there has been no rapture. Premillennialists always seem to forget that Jesus said there would be no signs.
But Bates did not begin with 1948, as his predecessors did for decades. He begins with June, 1967. Why? That was the year that Israel, in the Six-Day War, “regained Jerusalem and their prayer wall. This was necessary before building a new Tribulation Temple (Rev. 11:1-2).” Well, here’s another Scripture reference; the reader probably cannot wait to read this one.
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot forty-two months.
Notice that the text does not mention the year 1967, nor does it say a word about a Six-Day War. Nothing can be found about building a new temple. It already exists, and John is told to measure it, reminiscent of Ezekiel 40-42. Nothing is said about the Jews or their regaining a prayer wall. Does this temple refer to the one built by Solomon, the one rebuilt after the return from captivity, or does it stand for the church (1 Cor. 3:17)? Bates’ claim has no substantial basis.
Another alleged sign is that Israel suffers threats from surrounding nations. That will probably be the case until the Lord returns. It cannot be seriously regarded as a “sign.” Then Bates shifts from what has happened to what might happen: “Food and water pollution may contribute to the coming of starvation of millions during the Tribulation (Rev. 6:5-8). How did that come about in the book of Revelation? We leave the throne room of heaven described in chapter 4-5.
Chapter six begins seven seals. Nothing has been said about Jesus returning, or there being a tribulation. Bates is just pulling verses out at random, hoping that no one notices that they are not connected to his premillennial theory. Revelation 6:5-8 does not mention a time frame, nor does it focus on the nation of Israel.
The last sign mentioned is that the people on earth will reject “God’s Word and Christ’s love.” Also, “immorality and sexual perversion” will increase. Those things will help people prepare “for the worldwide ungodliness coming in the Tribulation (2 Tim. 3:1-4; Rom. 1:21-32; Rev. 9:20-21).” Once again, these are interesting passages to cite—especially since not one of them mentions the word tribulation. One would think, from reading the tract, that everything fits like a hand in a glove with what the writer attempts to convince the reader of. What we discover is that the glove was designed for eight fingers, and it is full of holes as well.
The one in 2 Timothy begins with these words: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (v. 1), which is followed by a list of sins. Bates stopped with verse 4. Keep reading; Paul says that all those people he has been describing have “a form of godliness but” they deny “its power. And from such people turn away” (v. 5). This passage is not describing people who live past the year 1967; Paul is describing the first century. But what about the phrase, the last days? We have been living in the last days since the first century (Heb. 1:1). Jesus began speaking to us in the last days. That Paul refers to the first century is evident when he tells brethren to turn away from such men. Does anyone wonder why Bates did not include verse 5 in his reference? Verses 6-7 confirm these things were already happening.
That Bates would refer to Romans 1:21-32 is as ironic as it is humorous. Paul has no intention in this passage of predicting the future; he is describing the past—what had already occurred. He demonstrates how and why men turned from monotheism to idolatry. The reason is that they desired to practice immorality. Bates might as well have quoted Genesis 6:5: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This verse and the Romans passage do not prophecy of the future but pertain to the past.
Revelation 9:20-21 does describe a similar pattern to previous rejections of God. People refused to repent of their evil works. We have seen such attitudes prior to the Flood, after the Flood, at the Tower of Babel, and before the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. Apostasies and immoralities have abounded in several other centuries; how many times have people pointed to such occurrences as being the end? Although increased wickedness is significant, it has hardly proved to be a “sign.”
While acknowledging that no one knew when the “rapture” would come, somehow all Christians were ready for it. They disappeared, and it has left the world in “crisis, confusion, and panic.” Lawlessness prevails. Bodies are missing from graves. Liberal religions and cult members are seeking answers from their ministers (now that’s funny). But no one seems to have heard the Lord shout, the voice of the archangel, or the sounding of the trumpet of God. When these things occur, the saved will be gone from the earth, Bates says and closes this section by saying: “IT IS TOO LATE NOW TO PREPARE FOR THE “RAPTURE”. YOU HAVE BEEN LEFT.