What Saith the Scripture?
http://www.WhatSaithTheScripture.com/
The American Rapture
Or, How God Will Deliver Christians Worldwide When America Is Destroyed
"God is no respecter of persons"
(Acts 10:34).
by Tom Stewart
7-9-98
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Preface
Why call a prophetic event with a nationalistic title? Because the shoe fits. Since
the destruction of the United States of America is the backdrop for this particular
event, the phrase "American Rapture" is only a convenience for identification.
To be identified as Babylon the Great (Revelation 18) is no more of an honor for
America, than to identify a Rapture event with the destruction of this nation. "For
we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend
themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves
among themselves, are not wise" (2 Corinthians 10:12).
Which Rapture?
Much of the controversy in modern Christian prophecy hinges on the timing of the
Rapture, i.e., Pre-Tribulational, Mid-Tribulational, Post-Tribulational, Pre-Wrath,
etc. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye
be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians
1:10). It would be as monumental for all these prophetic positions to come to agreement
and consensus as it would be for Calvinism (sovereignty of God) to see eye to eye
with Arminianism (free agency of man). Charles H. Spurgeon once noted that the debate
between Calvinism and Arminianism was like each was looking out of one eye and not
the other. He recommended that we open both eyes to see clearly! "And the eye
cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet,
I have no need of you" (12:21).
I believe that there will be more than one Rapture event-- multiple fulfillments
of the same idea, i.e., specifically, the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, American Rapture,
Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture, and Pre-Wrath Rapture. The "consummation"
(Daniel 9:27) of the age will demonstrate that the High and Lofty One That Inhabiteth
Eternity (Isaiah 57:15) is in control of the program of the ages. The God of Love
and Peace (2 Corinthians 13:11) not only manifests His love (John 14:21) to His lovingly
obedient children through the Rapture, but the LORD of the Harvest (Luke 10:2) allows
His children a "way to escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13) from the tribulations
of Daniel's 70th Week, while progressively harvesting His crops. "Whose fan
is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into
the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).
The Pre-Tribulational Rapture must occur before the Beginning of the Tribulation
Week, to fulfill the promise of escaping "ALL these things that shall come to
pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). The Pre-Wrath Rapture
differs from a Post-Tribulational Rapture by only 8-9 days, but thereby misses the
"vials of the wrath of God" (Revelation 16:1). The Resurrection of the
Just occurs at the Pre-Wrath Rapture, rather than the Pre-Tribulational Rapture,
i.e., "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"
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Also, the Pre-Wrath Rapture comes at the sounding of the
Last Trump (1 Corinthians 15:52), which is also the 7th Trumpet Judgment, when the
"mystery" (Ephesians 5:32) of the Church "should be finished"
(Revelation 10:7). [See an article I wrote when I was only aware of two Rapture events,
"The Seventh Trumpet and the Second Rapture", for an explanation of the
Pre-Wrath Rapture concept. It is accurate, as far as it went.]
"A Prophetic Dream of Rapture" (February 15,1993) by Armin A. Wolff explains
what I believe is a Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture. The setting for
the dream is right before the Mark of the Beast at the Middle of the Tribulation.
"And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the
70th Week, which equals 7 years]: and in the midst of the week [1,260 days into the
Tribulation] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation,
and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate" (Daniel 9:27). This prophetic
dream points out that our Deliverer (Psalm 70:5) will look out for the Tribulation
Saints as well as the Pre-Tribulation Saints. [See our article, "The
Middle Rapture", to see how God has much more than a Pre-Tribulational
Rapture in His plans.]
What Do You Mean By the American Rapture?
Dumitru Duduman was a Romanian born Christian who ministered as a modern prophet
to the United States of America. Judgment and not Rapture was this prophet's message,
i.e., "America will burn". His prophecies point to what appears to be a
1998 nuclear destruction of America. Although, Duduman does not address the Rapture
question specifically, he does make special mention of the deliverance of Christians
at the time of America's destruction. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished"
(2 Peter 2:9).
The Pre-Tribulational Rapture precedes the American Rapture-- both before the Beginning
of the Tribulation Week. The Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture occurs
in the middle of the Tribulation Week, while the Pre-Wrath Rapture occurs 8-9 days
before the End of the Tribulation Week. "But every man in his own order: Christ
the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming" (1 Corinthians
15:23). To think that we have uncovered all of God's program for the Tribulation
Week is ludicrous. We know that He told the Apostle John not to record what the "seven
thunders uttered" (Revelation 10:3), i.e., God still has sealed war plans for
the Tribulation Week. Hallelujah!
God Loves Even the American Christians
Sadly, the reason that brother Duduman's prophecies speak of Christians being delivered
at the time of America's nuclear holocaust, is: (1) Those particular American Christians
were in a sinfully unprepared condition, i.e., "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord,
and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46), (2) Those Christians missed
the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, i.e., "Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14), (3) They subsequently
repented, i.e., "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in Thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called Thy son" (Luke 15:21), and (4) Those penitent
Christians would then be qualified to experience every blessing of deliverance available
to every Saint at any time, i.e., "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine
hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy
gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3:17-18).
But, specifically, this would be the occasion for the American Rapture. Since America's
destruction will be rapidly followed by warfare in Europe, Christians across the
world will be in need of deliverance at this time. Hence, the American Rapture is
the deliverance of Christians worldwide-- as in the Pre-Tribulational Rapture-- on
the occasion of America's nuclear annihilation. [See the article, "Understanding
of the Times", to get an idea of the events following the Pre-Tribulational
Rapture. It was written before I began to understand Duduman's deliverance as the
American Rapture, and when I thought that Pentecost May 31st 1998 was the exact time
of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. Everything holds true, otherwise.]
Michael, the Angel of the LORD, told Dumitru Duduman ("America Will Burn")--
http://whatsaiththescripture.com/Prophets/Prophecy.Duduman.America.html#AMERICA WILL
BURN-- "They [a total of 8 nations including Russia and China] will bomb the
nuclear warehouses [of America]. When they explode, America will burn! 'What will
you do with the Church of the Lord? How will you save the ones that will turn toward
you?' I [Duduman] asked. He [the angel Michael] said, 'Tell them this: how I saved
the three young ones from the furnace of fire, and how I saved Daniel in the lion's
den, is the same way I will save them.'" God knows how to deliver even those
who were not ready for the Pre-Tribulational Rapture-- after they have newly repented.
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve
the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9). After their
deliverance, those future penitent Christians will be able to say with the Apostle
Paul: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver
me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom
be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy 4:17-18).
Conclusion
If the LORD Jesus throws a life preserver to you labeled "American Rapture",
would you reject it as embarrassing, nationalistic, or poor theology? Or, would you
lunge for it, as a sinking man? God's way is outlined in His Word, i.e., "And
thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it,
when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).
All we can do is beg the LORD to quicken us by His Spirit, that we may see and understand
His Word about the coming days. "Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous
things out of Thy Law" (Psalm 119:18). All we can do with our understanding
is to act according to the best light that we have. "O send out Thy Light and
Thy Truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy Holy Hill, and to Thy Tabernacles"
(43:3).
If the LORD were to provide a multitude of Raptures, who are we to object? "And
all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to
His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none
can stay His hand, or say unto him, What doest Thou?" (Daniel 4:35). What we
can all agree upon is that God's people will need His deliverance in the coming days.
May all His people seek and find that deliverance. "I was delivered out of the
mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve
me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy
4:17-18).
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