Wednesday 6 December 2017

Die Christen en die Markplein

Ek bespreek 'n onlangse artikel in The Economist asook my eie ervaring van die sosiale media as gespreksforum.

Ek het oor die afgelope 7 jaar verskeie essays op my blog gepos oor die uitdagings wat Christene vandag in die oë moet kyk. Ons samelewing het onherroeplik verander en baie van die metodes wat ons vroeër gebruik het om die evangelie met ons medemens te deel werk nie meer nie. In 'n donker wêreld waarin al meer mense geen sin in die lewe sien nie, is die evangelie van verlossing deur die bloed van one Here Jesus Christus so broodnodig. Maar hoe sal ons andere bereik?

One kan die plek waar ons met mense te doen kry en waar ons met hulle in gesprek gaan, die "markplein" noem. In die ou tyd het filosowe soos Sokrates op die markplein met mense gesels en Paulus het dieselfde gedoen toe hy in Athene was. Deur die eeue het die "markplein" 'n meer uitgebreide konsep geraak waarin alle soorte media gebruik word om met ander persone in gesprek te tree. Ons kan inderwaarheid van die "markplein van denke" praat – dit is die ruimte waarbinne denke oor allerlei dinge met mekaar uitgeruil word.

Image result for market place ancient painting
Die antieke markplein

In ons tyd het sosiale media tot een van die belangrikste forums vir gesprek ontwikkel. Alhoewel ander mediums steeds belangrik is – wat natuurlik eposse en sulke elektroniese media insluit – het sosiale media platforms soos Facebook en Twitter 'n totaal nuwe ruimte vir gesprek geskep. Of so sou 'n mens dink. In 'n onlangse uitgawe van The Economist (11-17 November 2017) waarin die nuuste bevindinge oor sosiale media as gespreksforum bespreek word, word hierdie gedagte egter in twyfel getrek. Ek gaan in hierdie essay kortliks die implikasies van hierdie artikel in die lig van my eie ervaring bespreek.

Sosiale media

Navorsing wat oor die afgelope 10 jaar gedoen is toon dat die sosiale media 'n baie negatiewe effek op gesonde en oop gesprek gehad het. Waar mense vroeër baie meer genuanseerd gedink het en daar heelwat gemeenskaplikheid was, is een van die belangrikste uitkomste van sosiale media dat dit mense in opponerende kampe verdeel wat 'n radikale standpunt teenoor mekaar inneem. Mense luister nie meer na ander standpunte nie – hulle stel gewoon net in hul eie siening belang. Dit sluit aan by die gedagte van 'n post-waarheid era waarin daar 'n ongemak is met die "waarheid" insoverre dit van iemand se siening verskil. Daar is dus al minder plek vir eerlike en oop gesprek waaraan mense met intergriteit deelneem. Alhoewel die artikel in The Economist op politiek in die VSA fokus, is dit duidelik ook waar van die godsdiensfront.

Ek kan hier uit ervaring praat. In my gesprekke met ateiste en agnostici (in baie verskillende forums) op Facebook, is ons bewus dat daar baie mense is wat die geprek volg. Die gevolg is dat deelnemers soos in 'n Romeinse arena die impuls ondervind om op enige moontlike wyse goedkoop punte te behaal en om ten alle koste te wen. Voor so baie toeskouers kan die deelnemers dit nie bekostig om gesig te verloor deur te toon dat hulle onseker is of nie antwoorde het nie. Daar is dus geen plek vir eerlikheid, openlikheid en 'n soeke na ware antwoorde nie. Soms sal persone doodeenvoudig net aanhoudend memes (kort slagspreuke) of skakels pos sonder om werklik met die kwessie voor oë in gesprek te gaan.

Wat ek ook vind, is dat daar sekere mense of Facebook is wie se ondersteuners soos 'n span wolwe op jag is om enige persoon wat verskil of 'n ander mening het aan te val en te beledig. Ek het 'n tyd gelede (op 4 Augustus) nogal deurgeloop nadat ek 'n ope brief aan Jean Oostuizen geskryf het (en op my en sy fb muur gepos het) waarin ek beswaar gemaak het teen die wyse waarop 'n gas in sy program "Uit 'n ander hoek" die Bybelse God beledig [1]. Soos ek dit in my skrywe aan Jean gestel het, het ek geen probleem dat diegene soos hy wat agnosties is 'n geleentheid kry (soos alle ander gelowe) om op die SAUK oor hul geloof te gesels nie: "As jou program suiwer daarop ingestel was om 'n agnostiese geloof te bely sonder om die Christelike geloof te betrek (is so iets moontlik??) soos al die ander gelowe doen en poog om verdraagsaamheid en respek teenoor ander gelowe te bevorder, sou dit 'n ander saak wees". 

Persone wat my van geen kant ken nie het my dramaties aangeval en beledig. Sommige het my karakter probeer swartsmeer en selfs van my familielede op Facebook aangeval. Daar was geen poging om werklik oor die inhoud van die brief (wat reguit maar in 'n goeie gees geskryf is) in gesprek te gaan nie – eerder net om 'n wanvoorstelling daarvan te maak asof ek vir Jean in persoon sou aanval. Alhoewel ek Jean nog altyd as 'n gawe persoon geken het (in soverre ons per geleentheid in dieselfde geselskap saam was), het hy geen moeite gedoen om my besorgdheid aan te spreek nie maar het hy my eerder van "fundamentalisme" beskuldig (ek is konserwatief/behoudend maar soos die essays op my blog toon is ek beslis nie "fundamentalisties" nie) en in gesprekke aan mense genoem dat my teologie verdag sou wees (ek veronderstel dat 'n agnostikus soos hy in 'n goeie posisie is om my "teologie" te beoordeel).

Hierdie optrede maak dat Christene baie versigtig is om hul nek uit te steek. Daar is 'n kondisionering deur vrees wat tot gevolg het dat Christene nie by sulke gesprekke wil betrokke raak nie. En ek kan dit verstaan. In sommige gevalle is diegene wat vir my opgekom het ook so swartgesmeer en hul karakter en familie op Facebook beswadder. Duidelik gaan dit lankal nie meer oor integriteit en "oop" gesprek nie – dit gaan slegs om die opponent te probeer vernietig. Ek het wel die feit dat so baie Christene die brief met andere gedeel (geshare) het waardeer – dit 'n effektiewe manier om ons stem te laat hoor. Voorts moet ek ongelukkig erken dat Christene ook soms so sonder liefde op Facebook optree en in die verlede die narratief probeer beheer het (soos in die Apartheid tyd toe die NG kerk dit vir ander Christelike denominasies en groepe baie moeilik gemaak het om hul stem te laat hoor). Baie onder ons het vandag nog letsels omdat hulle destyds selfs nie werk kon kry as hulle nie 'n brief van 'n NG predikant kon toon nie! 

Wat Jean se program betref, is daar ook 'n klagte by die uitsaaiowerheid ingedien. Alhoewel ek dink dat die klag nie baie goed geformuleer was nie, was dit nie vir my vreemd dat daar in Jean se guns beslis is nie. Hy het inderdaad nie self die godslasterlike stellings gemaak nie [1]. Dit was een van sy gespreksgenote. Tog is die program voor die tyd opgeneem (wat aan die SAUK tyd gegee het om op regstellings aan te dring) en Jean het ook niemand op die program gehad wat bekwaam was om die Christen saak te midde van sulke aantygings te stel nie (en dit terwyl die Christelike geloof baie direk en radikaal daarin aangeval is). Daar is by my geen twyfel dat die SAUK nooit sou toelaat dat soortgelyke dinge oor die Moslem geloof gesê word nie! So, dit lyk vir my ons is nou in 'n era van dubbele standaarde: die SAUK kan as forum gebruik word om die Christen standpunt aan te val maar nie die Moslems nie!

Die toekoms

Ek dink ons as Christene moet aanvaar dat die establishment media lankal nie meer vir ons vryelik toeganklik is nie. Tydskrifte en koerante soos Rapport dans gewoon na die pype van ateiste wat aggressief en aktivisties die openbare narratief probeer beheer. Dit beteken dat ons toegang tot die openbare media baie beperk is. Ook op sosiale media probeer hierdie aktiviste die narratief beheer. Hulle aggressie toon dat hulle hoegenaamd nie in enige "oop" gesprek belangstel waarin 'n baie beter narratief as hulle sin op die tafel geplaas kan word sodat mense self hulle opinie kan vorm nie. Die kenmerke van sulke interaksies ('n mens kan dit seker nie meer "gesprekke" noem nie) is woede, onverdraagsaamheid, haat en 'n totale onwilligheid om met integriteit na ander persone te luister.

Is dit hoe die toekomstige markplein daar gaan uitsien? As die samelewing al meer in sulke kampe verdeel en die Christen stem stilgemaak word in die openbare media, dan staan ons in 'n baie nadelige posisie en gaan die ateiste oënskynlik maklik veld wen. Of gaan hulle? Ek dink dat daar by baie mense 'n groot ongemak is met sulke negatiewe en barbaarse optrede. 'n Dogmatiese en ideologiese benadering maak dat mense (ateiste en Christene!) alle morele waardes prysgee om hul doelwit te bereik – maar daar is steeds baie mense wat nooit met 'n narratief wat sulke optrede goedpraat en verdedig gemaklik sal wees nie. Ek glo dat daar ook baie ateiste en agnostici is wat sulke optrede ten sterkste afkeur maar dit lyk ongelukkig of die sondebokke grotendeels in hul kader val (ek praat nie hier van net een voorval nie - alhoewel dit 'n mooi voorbeeld is - maar van verskeie gesprekke waaraan ek deelgeneem het waarin soortgelyke dinge gebeur het).

Wat van die toekoms? Ek dink dat gesprekke oor godsdiens al minder op sosiale media gaan voorkom en dat forums vir daardie doel uiteindelik gewoon die skape en bokke in hul kampe gaan verdeel. Ek dink ook nie debatte is die antwoord nie. Alhoewel dit impas by die huidige markplein as 'n gevegsone, dink ek nie dat rasionele argumente die geveg gaan wen nie. Hierdie tipe gesprekke het 'n sterk emosionele ondertoon en dit reflekteer 'n samelewing met baie innerlike wonde en seerkry.

Soos ek dinge sien sal ons as Christene op veral twee vlakke moet opleef tot die eise van ons tyd. Ten eerste sal ons moet besef dat ware Christenskap altyd impliseer dat ons Christus se liefde moet uitleef. Christenwees is om 'n gekruisigde lewe te lei – dit is 'n lewe wat volkome aan Christus oorgegee is. Dit beteken dat ons ook bereid is om vir ons Meester op te staan en te ly soos ons lees: "Salig is julle wanneer die mense julle beledig en vervolg en valslik allerhande kwaad teen julle spreek om My ontwil. Verbly en verheug julle omdat julle loon groot is in die hemele: want so het hulle die profete vervolg wat voor julle gewees het" (Matt. 5:11-12). Dit beteken nie dat ons dwaas moet optree in 'n vleeslike ywer nie; ons moet altyd onder die leiding van die Heilige Gees beweeg.

Ten tweede beteken dit dat ons as Christene op ander vindingryke wyses die markplein sal moet betree. Ons sal meer onder mekaar moet praat oor hierdie kwessies [2]. Ons sal baie meer moet saambid. Ons sal te alle tye Christus se liefde moet uitleef. En ons sal moet volhard om met integriteit aan gesprekke deel te neem. Dit gaan nie daaroor dat ons al die oplossings moet hê nie (al kan ons baie goeie antwoorde gee!) maar dat ons met eerlikheid en integriteit met ander in gesprek gaan oor die wonder van verlossing in Christus.

[1] In "Uit 'n ander hoek" op Sondag 6 Augustus 2017 op SAUK uitgesaai. Pienke: “... Hoe iemand wat rampspoed skep [i.e. God] aan moraliteit gekoppel kan word, is vir my onbegryplik. Moses en Josua, wat in opdrag van God optree, al die oorlogsmisdade, die slagtings, die honderde duisende vroue en kindertjies doodgesteek, doodgekap, slawerny en menslike offerhandes, verkragtings, die verdierliking van vroue, die ongebore babas wat uit vroue se baarmoeders uitgesny word en dan is daar nog daardie wreedaard, Abraham, wat so waar as wragtig amper sy eie kind se keel afgesny het. Al hierdie gruwelikhede word aan religie gekoppel en WEL aan die Skepper daarvan, naamlik: die Abrahamitiese God van die Bybel." [My beklemtoning]
[2] Lesers is welkom on hul gedagtes oor hierdie dinge met my te deel by ws.mcloud@gmail.com

Skrywer: Dr Willie Mc Loud (Ref. wmcloud.blogspot.com)



Sunday 5 November 2017

Revival is of the Lord

Most Christians are familiar with the idea of a spiritual "revival". I believe that what is needed today is a true revival in which God pours out His Spirit on His church. In this short essay Arjan Baan of the Netherlands gives some guidance about this very important issue.

This study deals with the blessings of revival or regeneration and about the conditions needed to see such a revival happening. About this subject is also much more to say than we can discuss in this essay. Therefore the advice is to study the Bible and church history to find out more about the times in which the Spirit of God worked in miraculous ways. Your heart will start burning in you when you hear and read about the mighty works of God and the great revivals that have taken place and still take place.

First, we want to emphasize that you cannot separate revival and prayer. There will be no revival in your church if there is no prayer.
To pray effectively for revival one should know what revival is and what it is not.

Revival is not:
– a special meeting with a special guest speaker
– an (evangelism) campaign, accompanied by all kind of special miracles and signs
– a special healing service or a great conference
– a special youth service or a special music concert
– a good Sunday morning service.

Revival is much greater, deeper, wonderful and more blessed!

The word revival or regeneration means renewal of life/resurrection. Here some statements of preachers who experienced a revival:

1. Revival is the reawakening of believers of the church. There can only be revival where there is life. It is necessary that this life will be rekindled again.
2. Revival is the revelation of God in His holiness and irresistible power.
3. Revival is a renewed awareness that God is holy and a renewed consciousness how terrible sin is.
4. Revival is a time of refreshment in the presence of the Lord.
5. Revival is a community of believers who are immersed in God.
6. Revival is the flow of godly life in a body that is endangered to become a corpse.
7. Revival is God's sovereign act to open the floodgates of heaven in His great mercy and bless His children abundantly so that the streams of living water can flow through them to unbelievers.
8. Revival is that God the Father is going to reveal His Son more clearly to all believers.
9. Revival is giving the Lord Jesus Christ the authority and honour He deserves.

In other words, revival is:
a. the extraordinary work of the Spirit of God by whom sleeping believers, whose life is arid and dry, come to renewed life again. (Ez. 37:1-10)
b. the habitation of God in His church, by which His presence and glory are intensely experienced. (Isaiah 64:1-5)
c. an extraordinary work of the Spirit of God, by which God's people undergo a deep purification in regards of specific sins. (Mal. 3:1-4)
d. an awakening of many unbelievers, caused by the burning hearts and frank testimonies of revived believers.

Who needs revival and why?
In the first place, revival is necessary for the people of God (Ps. 85:7), known as believers. When believers receive renewed devotion to the Lord, the world will become aware of this and share in the blessing. The blessing will flow to the world around us. If God’s people really experience revival, it will be used by God to bring sinners into a new life.

Revival is necessary for the following reasons:
1. Without revival, churches will lose their spiritual power more and more. They will slowly have less attendance or die spiritually.
2. Without revival, Jesus will not be glorified. Worldliness, sin and indifference will increase.
3. Without revival, churches do not have any attraction and many will not be reached with the Gospel and be lost forever.
4. Without revival, we cannot show the world in an undeniable way that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only way to God and that He has risen from the dead. (1 Kings 36-39)
5. Without revival, churches will be without prayer.

Of Whom revival comes
Revival comes from God (Ps. 85:7): “grant us Thy salvation”. It doesn’t come from prominent preachers or leaders. One cannot plan, organize or support revival. Revival doesn’t arise by applying a certain method. The Bible points out obstacles and hindrances for revival. Also how they could be taken out of the way. Nevertheless, God is sovereign to grand or not grand revival.

Hindrances to revival are:

               1. Lack of humility and no confession of sins (Jer. 29:12, 2 Chron. 7:14)
               2. Lack of fearless Spirit-filled preaching (Eph. 6:19)          
               3. Lack of continuous prayer (Matt. 21L13, Luke 11L13, Marc 9:29)
               4. Lack of faith (John 7:37, Hebr. 11:6, Matt. 21:21, 22)
               5. Lack of true Spiritual life (John 6:63, John 4:23, 24, Matt. 15:8)
               6. Lack of emphasis on sanctification (2 Cor. 7:1, Hebr. 12:14)
               7. Lack of humility and mercy that makes one honest and sincere (Rev. 3:17)

When to expect a revival
We can expect revival when we are willing to pay the price for it. We can find this price in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’

In this verse four things are highlighted:
a. Humble yourself. Bow for God, confess your sins and faults, surrender yourself to Him and die to your old self.
b. Praying. Pray continuously and persistently, in private as well with others.
c. Seek God’s countenance.  Live in continuous communion with the Lord.
d. Repent from wicked/bad ways. Restrain yourself from sins, live holy for God, obey God’s Word in all areas of life.

In times prior to revival, we see in the Old and New Testament and in church history that God calls men and goes a certain way with them. The disciples walked with Christ for three years. The same we see with men of God who are used for His glory. If you want to become a powerful instrument in God’s hand, allow the Lord to go His way with you. Before He gives revival, He will search for men, women and young people who have totally committed themselves to Jesus Christ’s dominion. These are people who cannot trust their own power and knowledge anymore. They have died to their own plans and dreams. When believers purify their hearts, they will first experience personal revival. And if they start to pray that the Spirit of God will work again like in Acts 4, revival will come. All revivals are the effect of persistent prayer! The spiritual need became pressing…

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14a).

God looks for people whom He can use as leaders: people who have fully surrendered to Christ, who are willing to live a holy and pure life and who have started praying. These are also the people who continue in prayer until the power of God will start working with new strength. This can be at school, university, church, youth club, prayer community or where ever… Praying for revival is a difficult task because by nature we like to hurry things. We should not think a new revival will take two or three months of prayer. Of course, it might be so, but the history of the church shows that often it takes a long time of prayer for revival.

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Math.18:19, 20).

There is an incredible power in a small group of people who pray for revival. Do not get depressed if you start to pray and it seems the prayer will not be answered. Keep on praying, because a very prayer that comes from the heart and is purified by the blood of Jesus will be answered in one way or another. In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells a story to make clear that you should continue praying until He answers.

william-booth3












Marks of Revival
A true revival always has these marks:
1. God reveals Himself in glory and holiness. (Is. 6) This leads to a deep and serious conviction of sin in His children. (Acts: 2:37, 19:17) They start to confess their sins and get their lives in order. This is the most prominent sign of a revival worked by the Holy Spirit.
2. Believers become, after they have purified themselves, powerful and gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:14, 4:31)
3. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus will be magnified. (Acts 19:17) People will not say: “Where is your God” anymore. There will be a great joy in the church. (Acts 2:16, 8:8, 13:52, 15:3)
4. Great numbers of unconverted people will be saved, sometimes without any human interference (Acts 6:7) and sometimes even large cities. (Acts 9:35) Every day, people will be saved. (Acts 2:41-44, 5:14, 6:7)
5. During revival one comes to true obedience to God's word. (Acts 4:18-19, 5:27-29) Believers are willing to totally submit to and bow for the entire Word of God.
6. A great hunger for God and His word arises. (Acts 2:42-46, 19:9)
7. There are unity and love among all believers. (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37)
8. Believers are filled with zeal for evangelism and an urge for missions. (Acts 4:33, 8:4, 11:19-20, 19:8-10, 8:25-40, 9:32) The gospel is spread rapidly. (Acts 12:24, 13:44-49, 19:10, 20-26, 21:20, 2 Thess. 3:1) This is because younger and older people are passionately anointed by the Holy Spirit.
9. Believers become passionate and fearless in giving their testimonies. They testify everywhere. (Mark 16:20, Acts. 5:28, 8:4, 21:28, 22:15) They testify without end. (Acts 4:20, 5:42, 14:19-21). Nothing can stop them: no threat, whipping or imprisonment. (Phil. 1:14) They testify every day. (Acts 5:42, 17:16-17) And they testify frankly. (Acts 4:13)
10. The Word of God appears to be what it really is: a hammer, fire, water, balm, bread, honey, a mirror and it will conquer! (Acts 19:20, Hebr. 4:12, 2 Thess. 3:1, Acts 12:24, Isaiah 55:10-11, 1 Thess. 1:5, 2:13). The gospel appears to be what it really is: a force of God to save. (Rom. 1:16) The Word becomes irresistible. (Acts 7) It conquers sin, evil forces, false lessons, unbelief, doubt and opponents of the gospel.
11. There will be resistance from settled and lukewarm churches. From church history, we know that revivals took regularly place outside the 'big churches'. Often these revivals are considered with suspicion or are even slandered and opposed. (Acts 4:18, 19:9, 23:14)

Arjan Baan 
Evangelist (MA Theology)
Sliedrecht
The Netherlands
email: a.baan@filternet.nl
(Ref. wmcloud.blogspot.com)



Wednesday 4 October 2017

Science and spiritual intuition

In this essay, I engage with the question: Is spiritual awareness or intuition possible? I argue that such an awareness may be conceived of as a real possibility within the context of quantum physics. This continues my presentation of a Judaeo-Christian worldview which ascribes a spiritual dimension to our world. 

The ancients believed in spirits and gods as well as some kind of spiritual intuition or awareness which connects humans with such entities. In ancient societies, spiritual guides were assigned the role of establishing contact with that world [1]. Within the Judaeo-Christian view, the Spirit of God, as well as all sorts of spirits, are operative in that world. Although communication with all spirits, including the spirits of the dead, were prohibited, they believe that God's Spirit through some kind of spiritual intuition was able to "move" the Hebrew prophets in their writing of the divine Scriptures. Traditional Christians also believe that God "speaks" to them through His Spirit in their daily lives. In general non-religious people and atheists do not believe in the spiritual world (spirit world), soul (spirit) or spiritual intuition.

The basic question seems to be: How would we know whether the spiritual realm, spirits and spiritual intuition (awareness) exist? Since these are outside the reach of our sensible intuition (and by extension, empirical confirmation), there is no way to "prove" the existence of any of these. What is possible, however, is that in the progress of science these would in time become accessible in the context of indirect empirical studies within the context of quantum physics.

Although scientists do not have empirical access to the (pre-measurement) quantum realm - once measurement takes place the entities no longer exist in that kind of quantum mode which belongs to the "quantum realm" - they have various ways to indirectly establish whether particular things exist in that realm and one may suggest that all of the above may in time come within the reach of scientific inquiry. Although there would be various metaphysical interpretations regarding such observations, the view presented here would at least have the advantage that such predictions were made beforehand. This implies that we may develop this conceptual framework into a viable hypothesis that can be brought within the scientific domain.

In my view, the existence of the spiritual realm, spirits and spiritual intuition together present the basic ingredients of a spiritual worldview in which about all religious people believe (although I work from a Judaeo-Christian perspective, these concepts are not particular to Judaeo-Christianity). I previously suggested that we use the Kantian metaphysical conception as the point of departure - using it as a theoretical model or hypothesis that may be tested insofar as the study of such things becomes possible in the framework of science [2].

In this regard, I showed that Kant's noumenal realm, which was based on the corresponding Platonic conception, originally went back to the spiritual realm [3]. In line with this perspective on the noumenal realm, Kant situates the soul in that realm and calls it the "noumenal self" [4]. I showed that all the characteristics of this realm have been confirmed in the context of quantum physics [3] and also that we may conceptualize the Kantian soul in this context as a quantum body (existing outside proper space-time) [4].

In this essay, I proceed in showing how another aspect of that ancient spiritual worldview, namely spiritual intuition, may be conceptualized in the context of quantum physics. Again, I use the Kantian metaphysics as the point of departure. Now, however, I move beyond the Kantian position which only incorporates sensible intuition (and not spiritual intuition) in his philosophy. I show how Kant's philosophical system may be expanded to include spiritual intuition and also how (as before) that may find an application in the context of quantum physics. As such I present a viable conception of such intuition which is in line with contemporary quantum physics. This may serve as working hypothesis guiding scientific research in this regard.

Spiritual intuition in philosophical tradition

The idea of spiritual intuition or awareness entered Greek philosophical tradition as early as the 6th century BC in the time of the Pythagoreans (maybe even earlier). In their view, the "higher soul" is the seat of the intuitive mind and the "rational soul", which they considered secondary, is the seat of discursive reason (they also distinguished the non-rational soul, responsible for the senses, appetites and motion). For the Pythagoreans, the word "nous" ("mind") referred to an ability of the soul. As such it did not only had reference to an intellectual ability but also - and even more importantly - to some kind of intuitive apprehension or awareness of the invisible world.

Plato also understood the soul in such terms. Although Plato's view is often taken as merely referring to our intellectual understanding of the "invisible world" of our thoughts, he seems to have had a more basic kind of perception of such a world in mind. One should not forget that Plato mentions in the Phaedo - in the context of the dialogues between Socrates and his friends - that he takes the view of the mystic Orphics regarding such an invisible world as the point of departure for his own view of that world. In fact, one may assume that this was how the "invisible world" entered Greek philosophical thinking in the first place, i.e. as originating from the idea of the spiritual world [3]. As such Plato mentions that our perception of the invisible world is through the "eye of the soul", which seems to go beyond a mere conceptualization of such a world.

What happened in Platonic philosophy (even though the neo-Platonists always accentuated this mystic side), especially in later Western tradition, is that the noumenal world and the intuition that we as humans may have of it was collapsed into an intelligible world that is grasped intellectually in some way (through an intelligible intuition). Rationalists such as Rene Descartes (1596-1650) believed that our concepts originate in the Platonic forms that exist in that intelligible world. As such concepts were considered to be the only things that are truly real. That is why the rationalists discarded empirical data as untrustworthy.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), however, rejected this rationalist view. In his philosophical system, no intellectual intuition of that world is allowed for humans. In his thinking, only God can have such an intellectual intuition of things existing in the noumenal world. Humans only have access to the phenomenal world through their senses. They may think about things that may exist in a noumenal realm, but there is no way in which they may know that such things exist because they do not have an intuition that allows for that. Kant writes in his famous Critique of Pure Reason (called the first Critique) in a section called "Phenomena and Noumena": "room thus remains for some other sort of intuition... [but] we are acquainted with no sort of intuition other than our own sensible one" (B343). For Kant, all concepts must be synthesized with sensible intuitions for knowledge to become possible - and since humans do not have an intellectual intuition, the noumenal or supersensible world (if it exists) is totally unknown to them.

I showed in another essay [5] how the move in Western philosophy to collapse the noumenal into the intellectual and taking the noumenal intuition of early Greek tradition merely as an intelligible intuition has led to a divorce between the phenomenal and intelligible realms. When reason became enthroned, the possibility of some noumenal awareness of a supersensible realm was discarded. But is this correct? I argued that this was a reductionist move which did not allow for the extreme complexity of our human existence. As such I proposed that we may actually conceptualize how such an intuition is possible - even within the Kantian conceptual framework.

Kant developed a regulative metaphysics in which we may conceptualize what the world beyond our senses may be like - even though his conceptual view was not a dogmatic metaphysics. Such a metaphysics is not established through our understanding but through reason (in its regulative role) as a hypothesis. Although Kant's purpose with the first Critique was also to establish the limits of reason (and therefore the futility of the dogmatic metaphysics as presented by the rationalists) he also allowed for the legitimate use of reason beyond our sensible reach insofar as that is only problematically considered - as regulative ideas (guiding ideas).

The question is how such noumenal intuition may be introduced within Kant's regulative conceptual system. Although Kant thought that we cannot conceive of such an intuition, he was not in principle against such a possibility. In fact, Kant mentions that we cannot assert that no such intuition exists (A255/B311). Kant just did not know how one may conceive of such an intuition in his philosophical system. Since then, our knowledge has increased a lot and another possibility that is compatible with his system did, in fact, open up. 

Noumenal intuition within Kantian philosophy

In Kant's philosophy, all our interaction with the world takes place through our senses in which empirical objects are presented within space and time. For Kant, space and time are the basic a priori "forms" of our human sensibility and all sensible intuitions are given within these forms. As such, space and time are also the "forms" of appearances, i.e. the form in which appearances (in the phenomenal world) are presented to us as humans. Insofar as we perceive the world around us, all perceptions are always within the framework of space and time. So, how would one introduce noumenal intuition in the Kantian system?

Kant distinguished between the space and time as the forms of intuition - through which we experience the world - and space and time as concepts. Insofar as (geometrical) space and time are concepts, they may be applied to "empirical space" and time in the same way that concepts (in general) are applied to empirical intuitions in his system (which allows us to make a determinate judgement whether something is such or not). Empirical space refers to the way in which empirical objects determine the form of space through their magnitudes and relations (A431/B459). The same principle applies to time. 

Many possible concepts of space may be constructed in this way and Kant did not restrict what he called "ideal" (conceptual) space/time in any way even though only Euclidean space was known to him. As such, there is no reason why his philosophy should not be compatible with non-Euclidean space (such as Riemannian geometry used in general relativity) or abstract Hilbert space used in quantum physics. In my view, we may rework the Kantian system to be compatible with general relativity or quantum physics (quantum field theory) when we introduce a space-time manifold in the context of his conception of ideal space/time. 

We may think without contradiction of any possible abstract mathematical space or space-time which may apply to the noumenal realm - which may be conceptualized in correspondence with the quantum realm. In this regard, the quantum realm corresponds with Kant's noumenal realm which is also beyond empirical reach (see [3]). In this context, the Kantian conception of ideal space/time (as mere concepts) may be applied to the quantum realm even though that realm is beyond empirical access in its pre-measurement phase. 

At this stage, I am only concerned with quantum mechanics. The unique feature of quantum mechanics is that abstract Hilbert space is combined with proper time. Within the Kantian system that would mean that ideal space (as an abstract space concept) is combined with proper time. Kant did not foresee this possibility, but there is no reason why such a concept cannot be introduced within the Kantian system. The question is: what are the implications of this for the Kantian way of thinking? How is the Kantian philosophy expanded through this reworking thereof? 

In the first place, this provides a way to bridge the gap between Kant's phenomenal and noumenal realms. The divide between these realms had always been a major drawback in Kant's philosophy since no human interaction with that realm is allowed in his system. The result was that this realm was reduced to a realm of belief - something that religious people believe in but which can never be confirmed or denied through science. In my reworking of the Kantian system, we do not only find a conceptual link between these realms (that they may be conceptualized as interwoven in certain contexts) but also that humans may have some kind of experience of that realm through noumenal intuition.

When we take the noumenal realm as the quantum realm, then from a quantum mechanical perspective this means that we may become aware of quantum entities insofar as these are presented within our time intuition (even though they are not presented in our space intuition). This would happen when our quantum bodies (souls) interact through quantum interactions with our natural bodies. We would be able to become conscious of such quantum interactions in proper time if humans have such an awareness.

Image result for god and man
God and man connecting: Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel (1508-12)
Although we do not know at this stage if humans do indeed have such a form of intuition in line with the suggestion given above, it may very well be the case. This would mean that humans have another kind of intuition than the sensible one, which would allow for some kind of spiritual experience over and above our sensible experience. Insofar as we take the noumenal realm as our first interaction with the spiritual realm [3], this would constitute a spiritual intuition. 

Although I do not prove that such a quantum or spiritual intuition exists, I show how it may be conceptualized as a real possibility. In the Kantian conceptual framework, this may serve as a regulative idea (hypothesis) that may guide scientific research into this matter. Although this idea has to be presented within a detailed conceptual framework that includes both physical and quantum bodies, the basic idea underlying such interaction is quite clear. As such this kind of intuition is no longer merely a vague idea that religious people believe in, but a philosophical concept that is consistent with contemporary science.

Within the Judaeo-Christian worldview, this opens the door for an understanding of God's revelation in Scripture that is consistent with our scientific worldview. Although the details of God's working through his Spirit in the hearts and minds of humans would probably forever be beyond our human understanding, we may at least grasp how that is possible. 

Conclusion

In this essay, I focus on spiritual intuition. If we allow that our engagement with the quantum realm is, in fact, our first scientific step in exploring the spiritual realm and that humans may have a quantum body which compliments their physical bodies and which may continue existing after death, then it seems very likely that we as humans would have some kind of spiritual intuition that allows for some kind of communication between these two spheres. Although I did not present any proof at this stage that such intuition (or even spiritual bodies) exist, I do show how we may conceive thereof in the context of contemporary science. 

Science has progressed a lot over the last two hundred years. Many of the things which Kant included in his metaphysics which was originally rejected as untenable - such as a noumenal realm governed by spontaneity instead of mechanism - have been confirmed in the context of quantum physics where determinism had been proven to break down. I believe it is just a matter of time before the existence of the soul as a quantum body which is somehow interwoven with our physical body, is also confirmed (albeit only indirectly - just like any quantum entity in its pre-measurement phase - since it is beyond the possibility of direct empirical confirmation). 

In the same way that the possible existence of a quantum aspect to our human existence (i.e. a soul) has become a viable scientific hypothesis, the possibility of quantum (spiritual) intuitions may be so the presented. Although the existence of such intuitions would be extremely difficult to establish, they would nonetheless in time come within scientific reach.

Notes
[1] Today such persons are called "mediums". In my view, they, in general, do not interact with the dead but with the psyche of those who knew such persons. In this regard, they may actually use the kind of spiritual intuition that I discuss, but only in connection with living persons.
[2] Part 3 of this series
[3] Part 4 of this series
[4] Part 5 of this series
I previously argued in essays on this blog (before 2014) that Kant's noumenal realm finds its conceptual application in the framework of the higher dimensional realm theorized by theoretical physicists. Since then I have reworked that hypothesis into a more substantial position in which the quantum realm itself is taken as confirmation of Kant's noumenal realm. The second position is much stronger because it does not only involve the quantum realm as a reality (instead of the mere theoretical possibilities presented by quantum theorists) but also because higher dimensions are just one way among others in which the quantum realm may be conceptualized. 
[6] Prof. Brian Josephson has proposed that quantum entanglement may explain telepathy. Although this is by no means confirmed to be the case, it is nonetheless an example where a form of spiritual intuition is understood in the context of quantum mechanics. My reworking of the Kantian metaphysical framework provides a philosophical framework within which these things may be understood and studied.  

Author: Dr Willie Mc Loud (Ref. wmcloud.blogspot.com)
Dialoguer

The author is a scientist and philosopher (PhD in Physics, MA in Philosophy). He writes on issues of religion, philosophy and science.

Science and God. Part 4: Science and the spiritual realm
Science and God. Part 5: In defence of the soul

Tuesday 5 September 2017

The Rapture: The different views

As so many times before, we are again hearing that the Rapture is about to take place! As such, it is appropriate at this time to reconsider what Biblical scholars mean when they refer to the "Rapture". There are various views regarding the timing of the Rapture within the broader framework of eschatological events, which I discuss. The important question is: Which view, if any, is correct? This the fifth essay in the series on Christian eschatology.

Christians who are interested in eschatology (the study of the last things), usually have strong feelings about their own position. As such, it is not easy to discuss a topic such as the Rapture without some people taking exception. The purpose of this essay is, however, not to belittle other views but to present all the main views on the topic and then critically discuss them. Although some Christians may think that they "do not believe in the Rapture", they may be surprised to find that such an event (albeit without using this word) is indeed mentioned in Scripture. The question is, however, how do we understand such passages?

The word "rapture" is derived from the Latin "rapere", which means "to take away". The most important Biblical passage about the Rapture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 where we read: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (King James Translation).

The Rapture refers to an eschatological event when the Church will be taken away from earth to meet the Lord in the air during his Second Coming. The rapture involves three aspects, namely 1) the living saints will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17), 2) these saints will be transformed when they are "clothed" with "incorruption" and "immortality" (1 Cor. 15:52-3) and 3) those saints who have died in Christ and whom he will bring with him during his Coming, will be resurrected with glorious bodies (corresponding with those of the transformed living saints) (1 Thess. 4:16: 1 Cor. 15:35, 42).

Now, if the Rapture is so clearly taught in Scripture, why all the fuzz? The reason is simple: The Rapture is often associated primarily with those who believe that this event can happen at any moment and who make predictions about the date when it will take place. They, however, represent only one group in the greater Christian community who believe in the Rapture. Others who also believe in the Rapture, see things differently. Christians have very different views regarding the meaning of Scriptural passages such as the one quoted above.

There are, very generally speaking, two distinct views regarding the Rapture [1], which concerns the place of this event in the larger picture of future eschatological events. The first group of Christians believe that the Rapture will be a distinct event which will take place sometime before Jesus Christ comes during the great battle of Armageddon (seven years or three-and-a-half years or some days earlier). The second group believes that the Rapture would be part of one single glorious event when Jesus Christ returns. In some way, the first group believes in two Second Comings and the others in only one [2].

Many of the Christians who believe in the Rapture, also believe that there will be a Great Tribulation in the period directly preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That would be the time when the final Antichrist appears, who would persecute the true believers. In this context, the first view is usually called the "Pre-Tribulation" Rapture View and the second the "Post-Tribulation" Rapture View. The first group believes that the Church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation whereas the second group believes that the Church will go through the Great Tribulation.

In this essay, I discuss these two views. I present the textual evidence which is used by the different schools to support their view. Obviously, one cannot present all possible arguments in a short essay such as this but I do discuss the most important ones. I also present some criticism - insofar as applicable - of the way in which the Biblical verses are sometimes understood.

A Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

The proponents of the Pre-Tribulation View present various arguments in support of their view, namely that Scripture teaches that the Rapture will happen when Jesus appears for the Church to take her with Him to heaven for a period before returning with them later during the great battle of Armageddon to establish his Messianic rule on earth. The period between the Rapture and the Second Coming (as these two eschatological events would henceforth be called) is determined by their understanding of a prophecy in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 9) which mentions a final period of seven years which they (and even many who hold to the Post-Tribulation View) take as referring to the final seven years before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I discuss all the views on this prophecy elsewhere [3].

The relevant prophecy in the Book of Daniel (henceforth, the prophecy of Daniel) is the one about the 70 "weeks" of years (i.e. 70 x 7 = 490 years) in Daniel 9. According to this understanding of the prophecy of Daniel, God had determined a period of 490 years over the people of Israel. This period is divided into two parts, namely one of 483 years (69 "weeks" of years) and one of 7 years (1 "week" of years) [4]. The first part commenced with the royal command to rebuild the city of Jerusalem after Israel had returned from their exile to Babylon and ended when the Messiah revealed himself as King to Israel (on Palm Sunday). This had been remarkably fulfilled [5]. The last part consisting of seven years has, however, not yet been fulfilled and will only be at the end of this era before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ during the battle of Armageddon.

The classical Pre-Tribulation View believes that the Rapture will take place at the beginning of the final seven years. The Second Coming will happen only after that period has passed. In their view, this final period of seven years concerns God's plan with Israel and not the Church. The Church will, therefore, be raptured before the commencement of the final seven years. Another, more recent view, which is sometimes called the Mid-Tribulation View [6], believes that the Rapture will happen in the middle of this final seven years, i.e. 3 1/2 years before the end. Their arguments are also concerned with things mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel as well as their understanding of St. Paul's interpretation of that prophecy (in 2 Thess. 2).

I start the discussion with arguments particular to the classical view and then proceed with other Scriptures which are used more generally by proponents of the Pre-Tribulation View.

1) The final seven years and Israel

The classical Pre-Tribulation View takes the prophecy of Daniel 9 not merely as referring to events concerning Israel in the same sense as so many other such prophecies; they believe that this prophecy has dispensational significance. In the larger context of God's plan, he has established various dispensations of grace in accordance with his progressive revelation throughout the ages. Without going into too much detail, we can distinguish between the Adamic (both before and after the Fall), Noachite, Abramaitic, Mosaic, Church and Millennial dispensations during which God entered (or will enter) into various covenants with his people.

In their view, the gap between the first 69 weeks of years (483 years) and final week of years (7 years) should be understood in terms of the Church era which commenced when Israel rejected Jesus as the Messianic King (in crucifying him) and God, as a result, postponed the Messianic Kingdom to the time after the Second Coming. In this view, Jesus presented himself as the Messianic King to Israel when he entered Jerusalem on the donkey of Palm Sunday. Israel, however, did not accept him as such and the Messianic Kingdom, therefore, did not realize.

God, who in his wisdom had foreseen this outcome, then postponed the Messianic Kingdom and replaced Israel with the Church as his instrument on earth who would henceforth proclaim the Good News of his salvation. In this view, the Church did, however, not inherit the promises made to the people of Israel. The Mosaic Covenant was now replaced with the New Covenant with the Church [7].

If the gap between the first 69 weeks of years and the final seven years coincides with the Church era, then it makes sense that the Church be raptured before the final seven years, which concerns Israel (and not the Church). In that case, the first 69 weeks, as well as the final seven years, belong to the Mosaic dispensation. The final seven years would, therefore, be a return to the Mosaic dispensation (some view the last seven years as a special dispensation).

Although this scheme seems quite neat, it is not. In the first place, the first 69 weeks obviously do not coincide with the Mosaic dispensation which commenced nearly a thousand years before the seventy weeks of years of Daniel. The end of the first 69 weeks also do not coincide with the end of the Mosaic dispensation (with the crucifixion) or the beginning of the Church dispensation on Pentecost - it ended on Palm Sunday [5]. Then there is the question regarding the final seven years: Is it not strange that God would have us return to the Mosaic dispensation in the larger context of his "progressive" revelation? And: Does not such a return to an old dispensation undermine the salvation which became available through the Cross of Jesus Christ?

It seems much better to take the prophecy of Daniel as referring to events concerning Israel without trying to force it into some dispensational framework [8, 9]. And then the whole argument for the Rapture taking place seven years before the Second Coming collapses.

2) The Church in the Apocalypse

The classical Pre-Tribulation View presents a reading of the Book of Revelation in which the Church is in heaven before all the cataclysmic events described in that book begins. In their view, the twenty-four elders who are shown before God's throne in Revelation 4-5, which precedes the seals, trumpets and vials (Rev. 6-18), represent the Church in heaven before the Great Tribulation commences. Although there is no mention in the Book of Revelation that the period of the Great Tribulation would last for seven years, they believe that this would be the period mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel. A period of 3 1/2 years, which may correspond with the second part of the seven years, is mentioned.

When one considers the outline of the Book of Revelation - without trying to present a detailed discussion - one finds that the order in which things are presented in the first part of the book is as follows: 1) Jesus appears to St. John (traditional Christians usually identify the "John" who wrote the book (Rev. 1:1) with St. John, the Apostle), 2) Jesus dictates seven letters to churches in Asia Minor which stood under St. John's pastoral care (Rev. 2-3), 3) St. John is taken in a vision to heaven where he sees God on the throne, the four heavenly beasts, the seven lamps of fire (the seven-fold Spirit of God), the Lamb (Jesus) who opens the sealed scroll and the 24 elders (Rev. 4-5).

In the view of these scholars, the seven letters to the churches should be read as a prophecy which refers to seven eras into which the Church dispensation is divided. The characteristics of the churches to whom these letters were directed are then applied to corresponding eras which belong to the Church dispensation through the ages. St. John's experience in which he had a vision of heaven (after he heard the voice of Jesus which sounded like a trumpet), represents the Rapture. The 24 elders, who are then observed at the throne of God, represent the Church in heaven. All of this happens before the seals, trumpets and vials - which means that the Church will not be on earth during that terrible period.

Again, although this interpretation seems quite neat, it is not. The scholars who belong to this school often assert the importance of a "literal" reading of prophecy but in this case, they employ an allegorical reading (although they call it a "secondary" reading, it stands central to their project). They interpret the seven letters as referring to seven Church eras even though these are merely letters similar to those which, say, St. Paul wrote to various churches.

In fact, the characteristics of all seven letters belonged to the early Church period (!), in the same way that they belonged to the Church throughout the ages as well as our own time (the Church in the West is very different from the Church in China!). Although the word "church" appears only in this part of Revelation due to the structure of the book (except for Rev. 22:16), there is no reason to believe that this signifies the Church dispensation before the Rapture takes place - the appearance of the word "church" in this part of the book merely reflects the content of the letters to the seven churches. The word "church" is never used in Revelation to denote the whole Church!

These scholars interpret Jesus's loud voice (which St. John heard twice; Rev. 1:10; 4:1) as the trumpet of the Rapture and his heavenly vision as the Rapture itself even though this is described in similar terms to those of other Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah (Is. 6). In actual fact, no trumpet is sounded and the Church is not described as being raptured - it was merely St. John's own experience!

The 24 elders can obviously represent something other than the Church since St. John himself is not included among them (say, believers who partook in the resurrection of Jesus, Matt 27:52-3). As the sealed scroll in the hand of the Lamb clearly contains the prophecies, these things preceding the opening of that scroll and the revelation of its content must be viewed as part of St. John's present and not "the things which shall be hereafter" (Rev. 1:19).

It seems much simpler to take the things mentioned in Revelation 1-5 merely as they are presented in the book, namely as events concerning St. John himself. In that case, the idea of a Rapture before the Great Tribulation again collapses.

3) Differences between the Rapture and the Second Coming

Those who hold to the Pre-Tribulation View believes that the New Testament makes a clear distinction between the Rapture and the Second Coming insofar as these are described very differently. In their view, the major difference is that passages which focus on the Rapture (John 14:3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Th. 4:13-17) do not mention the signs which precede the Second Coming whereas passages that focus on the Second Coming usually do (the Prophetic Discours; 2 Thess. 2). According to them, this implies that the Rapture would not be preceded by those signs. Many take this as implying that the Rapture can take place at any moment.

Although this seems to be correct, there is the question regarding the Rapture in the Prophetic Discours. We read in that well-known Scriptural passage which concerns events during the Second Coming that some would be taken away whereas others would be left: "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch, therefore for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt. 24:40-41). Scholars from this school, however, do not take this passage as referring to the Rapture but instead applies it to God's wrath - that those persons would be taken "away" by God's wrath. As such, it is not the Rapture that is spoken of in their opinion.

There is, however, some scholars from this school who find the Rapture in St. Luke's version of the Prophetic Discours. In that case, we read: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luk. 21:36). These scholars justify the Rapture in this passage by taking St. Matthew's version of the Prophetic Discours as applying to the Jews in end time context and St. Luke's version as applying to Christians. As such, this passage is merely a general challenge to the Church to be ready at all times since the Rapture can come at any time.

Again, one should be careful not to come to conclusions too fast. The mentioned passages in St. Matthew and St. Luke appear in about the same place in the Prophetic Discours! This means that they most probably refer to the very same things. In fact, it seems much better to accept that since the same discourse which is recounted in St. Matthew and St. Luke was given at the same time to the same people (the disciples), that it applies to the same people, namely the Church living in Jerusalem when these things happen [10].

When one accepts that these two versions refer to the same things insofar as the Second Coming is concerned, then you find that the very same people who will go through the Tribulation according to St. Matthew's version (Matt. 24:21) will also be the ones who escape all that come to pass at the end of days in St. Luke's version, which in this case would refer to the signs concerning sun, moon and stars when God pours out his wrath on earth (Luk. 21:25, 26, 35). In this case, those who are "taken" would be participating in the Rapture which would enable them to escape God's wrath during the battle of Armageddon.

So, it seems that one may find the Rapture in the Prophetic Discours after all. In fact, the similarities between typical Rapture passages and others about the Second Coming is quite substantial: In both cases do we read that the Lord comes in the air, in both cases are angels present, in both cases are a trumpet blown (the "last" trumpet) and in both cases are the elect gathered from the ends of the earth and heaven.The reason why the signs of the Second Coming are not discussed in typical Rapture passages may be merely due to the fact that the theme in those passages is the resurrection and not the signs (Th. 4:13; 1 Cor. 15:12).

Believers who distinguish between the Rapture and the Second Coming often refers to the image of a thief which comes unexpectedly as applying uniquely to the Rapture. They argue that Jesus says that this is how the Rapture would be (Matt. 24:43). The problem for their view is that this warning in the Prophetic Discours appears in the context of the Second Coming during Armageddon! We find the same in the Apocalypse where we read in the middle of the discussion of Armageddon that the Lord would come as a thief:

"For they [the three unclean spirits which look like frogs] are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walks naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Rev. 16:14-16).

Clearly, the image of the thief is applied to Jesus's Coming during Armageddon. As such, one should maybe understand it in the terms mentioned by St. Paul: "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day would overtake you as a thief" (1 Thess. 5:4-5).

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The 2014 film "Left Behind" depicts a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
4) The Church escapes God's wrath

Those who hold to the Pre-Tribulation View often identifies the Great Tribulation - either the whole period of seven years or that of 3 1/2 years - with the time of God's wrath. As such, they argue that God would not expose the Church to his wrath, which is why she will be raptured before that happens.

It is true that Scripture teaches that the Church would not come in God's wrath: "For God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9). We also find that the examples that Jesus gives in the Prophetic Discours to elucidate the time of his Coming, namely that of Noah and Lot, also involved the physical removal of his people from the place on which God poured out his wrath. The question is, however, when is the time of God's wrath? Does it coincide with the final seven years or with the last 3 1/2 years or does it happen during the battle of Armageddon? If the last is the case, then this argument does not work.

The only place where we find any clue in this regard, is in the Book of Revelation. The problem is, however, that this book is interpreted so differently. Take the seals, trumpets and vials. Do they all concern God's wrath? The breaking of the seals merely concern the revealing of the prophetic part of the book and they include the seven trumpets (under the seventh seal) as well as the seven vials (under the seventh trumpet).

One may take the events described after the first six seals were broken as a broad summary of what is to come (Rev. 6). That includes the four horsemen, the martyrs seen before the throne as well as the destruction of the world when the sun will become black as a sackcloth of hair, the moon will become red as blood, the stars of heaven will fall on the earth and the heavens will be rolled together like a scroll (Rev. 6:12-17). That means that the destruction of heaven and earth in the day of God's wrath would only take place at the end even though it is mentioned already at this early stage in the book.

Furthermore, although the seven trumpets lead to destruction on various levels, one does find that the images used (such as the description of the locusts; Rev. 9) appear elsewhere in Scripture as a symbol associated with invading armies (Joel 2:1-10). Consistent with such a view - that the trumpets describe a war and related events - we do, in fact, read that Jerusalem will be tread under foot during that time for a period of 3 1/2 years. This means that these things refer to God's indirect wrath (i.e. war) which Christians of all ages had been exposed to.

It is only in the context of the seven vials that explicit mention is made of God's wrath. Now, as these seven vials are closely identified with the great battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16), one may propose that they do, in fact, refer to the final events of this era. If the wrath of God is only poured out during the great battle of Armageddon, then there is no reason why the Church should be raptured years (or even days) before that time.

The words "great tribulation" used in St. Matthew's version of the Prophetic Discours (Matt. 24:21), as well as in Revelation (Rev. 7:14), obviously means that millions (?) of Christians would be severely persecuted during that time. It is, after all, the "Great" Tribulation! These martyrs are mentioned throughout Revelation (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 15:2-3; 20:4). They are accorded a very special place even though they are not part of the Church, who will be raptured before that time, according to these scholars! In fact, we read that God's wrath is exactly to avenge the death of these Christians (Rev. 19:1-2)! So, it seems that the "great tribulation" concerns Christians and is not part of God's wrath.

Although scholars from this school of thought interprets the passage in the Letter to the Church in Philadelphia that they would be kept from "the hour of temptation" (Rev. 3:10) as applying to the Great Tribulation, it seems more sensible to apply this to the particular circumstances of that church during the Roman persecutions. On the whole, it seems that there is no real Scriptural support for conflating the Great Tribulation with God's wrath.

5) A Mid-Tribulation Rapture?

We can now focus more particularly on the view that the Rapture will occur in the middle of the final seven years. According to this view, the Church will be raptured 3 1/2 years before the end. Of particular importance to this view is that which will happen in the middle of the final seven years, namely an "abomination" which will occur in the temple and which will leave it desolate (see Dan. 9:27). In their view, the Rapture will happen directly after this event. They base their arguments on their interpretation of St. Paul's discussion of this future event in his second epistle to the church of Thessalonica.

According to Jesus, the "abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, (which will) stand in the holy place" (Matt. 24:15) will signal that the end is at hand. The "great tribulation" will follow directly after this event (Matt. 24:21). Then, immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, the moon will not give her light and the stars will fall from heaven. Then will the "Son of man" (Jesus) appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30-31).

St. Paul also discusses this event in 2 Thessalonians 2. He says that a very wicked person will appear at that time whom he calls the "man of sin" and the "son of perdition". He will oppose God and exalt himself above all gods or forms of worship. As such, he will sit in the temple and present himself as the manifestation of God. Clearly, this refers to the final Antichrist who will appear at the end of days. Obviously, Christians (and Jews) will not worship him in this way, which explains why the Great Tribulation will follow.

How does this relate to the Rapture? St. Paul says that the day of the Coming of the Lord and of our "gathering together unto him" (the Rapture) shall not happen except there come a falling away first (i.e. from the worship of the true God) and this evil person be revealed in the way described above (2 Thess. 2:1-3). This means that the Rapture will only happen after the Antichrist has revealed himself as such through an abomination in the temple.

Although this passage by St. Paul implies that the Rapture will happen after the abomination in the temple (in the middle of the final seven years), it does not necessarily mean that it will happen immediately thereafter. In fact, we read in the same passage that Jesus Christ will destroy the Antichrist with his Coming, which may mean that this is also when the Church will be united with their Lord: "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming" (2 Thess. 2:8).

There is, however, one more issue regarding this passage to be discussed, namely the reference to one who (and that which) will withhold the Antichrist from revealing himself before the appointed time (2 Thess. 2:6, 7). A lot had been written about this. Few other Biblical passages are so unclear and had been interpreted so divergent. As such, this is not a passage that should take a central place in any eschatological view.

Nonetheless, Pre-Tribulational scholars often interpret the one who will withhold the Antichrist as the Church (or the Holy Spirit) which means that the Antichrist will only be revealed after the Church had been raptured. This, however, does not make sense for the simple reason that St. Paul refers to something as well as someone who withholds the revelation of the Antichrist. The first is referred to as something ("what") which withholds and the second as "one" who withholds the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:6, 7). Neither the Church nor the Holy Spirit is ever referred to in the Bible as something (a "what"). The Church is always "she" and the Holy Spirit "he". This means that St. Paul does not have the Church in mind in this passage!

What did he have in mind? This can obviously not be answered for sure. We do, however, know how the early Church understood this passage. They believed that "the one" who will withhold the revelation of the Antichrist is the Cesar (as he occupies his place) and that "that" which will withhold him is the Roman empire, which will be replaced by the empire of the Antichrist (for a detailed discussion, see [11]).

A Post-Tribulation Rapture?

This brings us to the view that the Rapture will happen during the Second Coming. In this view, there are not two distinct events called the Rapture and the Second Coming which will happen some time apart. Rather, the Rapture happens when the saints will meet the Lord in the air with his Second Coming during the battle of Armageddon. Jesus will take them away from earth before pouring his wrath on the nations gathered against Jerusalem. Their arguments are the following:

1) The Greek words used

Scholars from the Post-Tribulation View mention that there are three Greek words used in the New Testament by St. Paul for the Second Coming, namely "parousia" (coming), "apokalupsis" (revealing) and "epiphaneia" (appearance). If he made a clear distinction between the Rapture and the Second Coming, then one expects that he would have used one term exclusively for the Rapture and another for the Second Coming. This is not the case. What we find, is that all three terms are used for the Rapture as well the Second Coming, which implies that he did not view them as two different events.

Parousia: 1 Thess. 4:15 (Rapture); 2 Thess. 2:8 (during Armageddon)
Apokalupsis: 1 Cor. 1:7 (Rapture); 2 Thess. 1:7, 8 (during Armageddon)
Epiphaneia: 1 Tim. 6:14 (Rapture); 2 Thess. 2:8 (during Armageddon)

We also find in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-6, that well-known passage about the Rapture quoted above, that the word which is used to describe our meeting with the Lord in the air is "apantesis" which denotes a going forth to meet someone and then return from where one came. We also find the word used in Matthew 25:6 and Acts 28:15 (and extra-Biblical papyrus texts) where it has this meaning. In Acts, this word is used to describe the going forth of the brethren from Rome to meet St. Paul after which they returned with him to that city. This meaning of the word implies that the Church will meet the Lord in the air and then return with him (in their glorified bodies) to stand on Mount of Olives during the great battle of Armageddon (see Zechariah 14:3-5).

2) The Rapture in the Book of Revelation

The Post-Tribulation View asserts that there is only one passage in Revelation where the Rapture is clearly depicted. That depiction is similar to the description in the Prophetic Discours, namely that the Son of Man will come with the clouds of heaven and send his angel(s) to gather the elect from all over the earth (Rev. 14:14-16). In Revelation, the image used for the gathering of the elect during the Second Coming is the grain harvest. This is also how Jesus depicts the gathering of the saints in the parable of the tares and wheat (Matt. 13:24-30).

The grain harvest seems to include both the gathering of the living saints (Rapture) and those who had died (resurrection). The reason for thinking so is that the cutting of the first sheaf of barley early on the first day of the week directly following the Passover (and waving it before God in the temple) symbolized the resurrection of Jesus Christ - who was joined with other resurrected saints on that occasion (Matt 27:52-3). In St. Paul's discussion of the order of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, he says that this will happen as follows: first Christ as the firstfruits (the first sheaf) and then the general resurrection of the just which will take place at his coming (1 Cor. 15:23).

Now, in Revelation, we read about two harvests which are depicted one after the other, namely the grain harvest and the grape harvest (Rev. 14:14-20). These are depicted towards the end of the book and seems to be a forewarning of things that will happen towards the end. The first is clearly the gathering of the saints. The second refers to events during the battle of Armageddon which is compared to a wine press: "[the angel] gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city [Jerusalem], and the blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs" (Rev. 14:15-16). The same image is repeated in Revelation 19:11-21 where the Second Coming of Jesus Christ during the battle is described in some detail.

It seems that in the Book of Revelation the Rapture is depicted as happening at the time of the great battle of Armageddon.

3) The first resurrection

Throughout Scripture, we read that there will be two general resurrections, namely that of the just and that of the unjust (Dan. 12:2; Joh. 5:29). In the Book of Revelation, these are called the "first resurrection" and the "second death" (Rev. 20:4-6). The first resurrection is so called because there will be no general resurrection before that and the second one is so called since it would be a resurrection unto eternal damnation (called the "second death").

In Revelation, the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-6) is described directly after the great battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21). We read that the martyrs who have died at the hands of the "beast" during the period of severe persecution which preceded the Second Coming will be among those resurrected during the "first resurrection". They will reign with Jesus Christ after his victory over the "beast" (which seems to refer to the final Antichrist) during the great battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21). Clearly, the "first resurrection" cannot happen before the Second Coming as these martyrs are included at that event. This means that the Rapture, during which the first general resurrection is to take place, cannot happen before the Second Coming.

4) The Church in the Great Tribulation

There are two important passages used by Post-Tribulation scholars in support of their view that the Church will indeed be in the Great Tribulation, namely Revelation 14:13 and 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8.

In Revelation 14 we read about various angels who appear to make announcements. The first announces that the "hour of the judgment of God has come" (Rev. 14:7). The second announces that the great Babylon is fallen (Rev. 14:8) (see [12] for a detailed discussion). The third announces God's wrath upon those who worship the "beast" and his image. Then a voice was heard saying: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yes, sayeth the Spirit: that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them" (Rev. 14:13). This is followed by the depictions of the grain and grape harvest discussed above.

Now, this passage clearly refers to those Christians who will die during that period of severe persecution when the "beast" will kill many. They will receive a special reward or crown for their heroic faith and deeds during the reign of the beast. Now, we read that they die "in the Lord". This is a technical term, first introduced by St. Paul, which is used to refer to those who belong to the Church. They are "in the Lord" in the sense of belonging to his body, the Church. So, here we find an explicit reference to saints belonging to the Church who will be in the Great Tribulation.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:4-8 we read: "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer; Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble [persecute] you; And to you who are troubled rest [relieve] with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking revenge on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ".

In this passage St. Paul speaks in the expectation that the Second Coming could have taken place during his own lifetime. As such, he viewed the persecution that the Church was suffering at that time as possibly being the last and final one before the Lord returns. This means that he is talking of the Great Tribulation which will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when he will pour his wrath on those who persecuted the Church. Furthermore, he is clearly thinking that the Church will be in that tribulation as they will only be saved from that by the return of the Lord. And since he includes himself among those who will be so saved (clearly through the Rapture) there cannot be any doubt that he thought that the Church will be in the Great Tribulation.

The thrust of this passage is that the Church will get relief from the Great Tribulation by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Church will, therefore, be in the Great Tribulation.

Conclusion

In this essay, I discuss the main views on the Rapture. Clearly, Christians have very different views regarding the time of the Rapture. What is, however, important, is that one should not defend any particular view merely for the sake of defending it but should rather have an openness to be convinced by the Scriptures. Obviously, we will have only a partial knowledge of these things until the time of the fulfilment of the prophecies.

In my critical analysis of all the main arguments of the various views, I have not found any passage in support of the Pre-Tribulation View. Although one may read some passages in that way, closer scrutiny seems to suggest that such readings are not convincing. In contrast, there are some passages that explicitly place the Church in the Great Tribulation (Rev. 14:13; 2 Thess. 1:6-7). It seems that the outpouring of God's wrath at Armageddon is, in fact, in retribution for the killing and persecution of the saints who suffered so much during the Great Tribulation.

We should take heed of St. Paul's words that persecution renders the Church "worthy" of the kingdom of God. Clearly, the Christian martyrs have a very special place in God's plan. This makes the idea that the Church will escape persecution an unworthy one.

[1] The view which distinguishes between the Rapture and the Second Coming (during Armageddon), includes various schools of thought regarding the length of the period between these events. Some believe that this in-between period will last 7 years, others 3 1/2 years and still others 50 or some other number of days. There are also those who think that the Church as a whole will not be raptured, but only a selected groups of saints. The rest will be "left behind" to face the Great Tribulation on earth.
[2] Those Christians who use the word Rapture, usually believe that the Second Coming during the battle of Armageddon will lead to the Messianic reign of Jesus Christ on earth for one thousand years (called the Millennium). Christians who do not believe in the Millennium usually steer clear of the term "Rapture". Insofar as they, however, believe that the saints will be "caught up" in the clouds to meet Christ in the air during the Second Coming, they do, in fact, believe in this eschatological event. As such, the Rapture is something that all traditional Christians believe in.
[3] The period is actually divided into three parts, namely seven, sixty-two and one, weeks of years. As the first two parts are consecutive, one may treat them together as one period.
[4] The final seven years: The different views
[5] A very remarkable prophecy
[6] The term Mid-Tribulation implies that the Great Tribulation will last for seven years and that the Rapture will happen in the middle thereof. Most of the proponents of this view, however, do not think that the Great Tribulation will last for seven years but only for the last three-and-a-half years. As such, their view is actually Pre-Tribulational. Their version of the Pre-Tribulation View differs from the classical one in that they regard the duration of the Tribulation differently.
[7] The close association of the classical Pre-Tribulation View with Dispensationalism (the theory about the various dispensations) has led some scholars (especially from Covenant Theology circles) to think that this view is, in fact, what Dispensationalism teaches. It is not. It is merely one particular reading of Dispensationalism. A much more streamlined view of Dispensationalism would merely take the current dispensation as continuing until the end of this era with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
[8] In this case, one would reject the idea of a "postponed Messianic Kingdom". You would merely take the replacement of the Mosaic dispensation with the Christian one (in which the Mosaic Covenant is replaced with the New Covenant) as having been God's plan all along.
[9] Insofar as one excepts that God still has a plan for Israel (see Rom. 11:25-32) you cannot adhere to a "replacement theology" which replaces Israel with the Church even within the context of Bible prophecy. Replacement theology sees no further role for Israel in God's plan.
[10] One may view the Prophetic Discours as a multiple prophecy concerning both the events of 70 AD and those happening at the Second Coming. In that case, one may furthermore take St. Matthew's version as primarily concerned with the latter and St. Luke's version as also being concerned with the first.
[11] When can the Second Coming of Jesus Christ be expected?
[12] The final Antichrist: the different views

Author: Dr Willie Mc Loud (Ref. wmcloud.blogspot.com)
The author has written a few books on eschatology including Op pad na Armageddon, 31 bepeinsinge oor Openbaring en ander Bybelprofesieë (1995). He has a Masters in Philosophy (University of Cape Town) as well as a PhD in Physics (University of Natal). He writes and lectures on issues of religion, philosophy, science and eschatology.

If readers find the essay important for current debate, they are welcome to share it or forward it to others.

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The final Antichrist: the different views
When can the Second Coming of Jesus be expected?