Scott Pruitt and His No-Pretrib Fallacies – Part 2

SCOTT PRUITT AND HIS NO-PRETRIB FALLACIES – Part 2

As a rule, it’s a very good thing to cross-refer to passages in the Old Testament when you want to emphasize and substantiate certain New Testament truths. However, you ought to make very sure that your cross references harmonize with the things you wish to verify, especially when your name is Scott Pruitt.

Scott Pruitt does indeed cross-refer to the Old Testament but seems to have missed the fact that his cross references miserably disprove his position on the Post-Tribulation Rapture. Let us now examine his cross reference with regard to his article “3 Reasons Why There Cannot Be A Pre-Tribulation Rapture,” in the light of Scripture. He tries very hard to substantiate his No-Pretrib diatribes in his second reason why there cannot be a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

SCOTT PRUITT’S REASON #2

Pruitt writes:

Exodus: A parallel to the coming of God’s Judgement and Deliverance. Moses himself said that God was going to send someone after him
that was like him, speaking of Jesus. Pharaoh held God’s people in slavery for generations but the time came when God said enough, I will judge those who oppressed My People. He sent Moses to stand before Pharaoh telling him to repent, and each time Pharaoh ultimately refused. So God sent terrible plagues on the land of Egypt, very similar to the plagues mentioned in the book of Revelation. In Exodus God made a distinction between His people and the people of Egypt when it came to how the plagues affected them, but still they remained in Egypt as God’s judgement rained down.

It was after the plagues and judgments that God caught up His people and took them out of Egypt, but only those who were covered by the blood of the Passover lamb. When Pharaoh pursued them God Himself took Pharaoh and his army and drowned them in the depths of the sea. In the same way, the book of Revelation states that after God’s judgement and deliverance he binds Satan for a thousand years casting him into the abyss. Sound familiar? It was after that that God literally dwelt in the midst of his people. In the same way when we are caught up to be with God we shall always be with Him. These are the things Paul said we should comfort one another with. When do we need comfort? When we are suffering.

The internal protective power of God in Exodus cannot possibly be used as a cross reference or an example of how God is allegedly going to protect the saints (the Jews and Gentiles who are going to be saved) during the seven-year tribulation from the assumed wrath of Satan and Antichrist, which allegedly is going to transpire during the first 6 seals in the book of  Revelation.

Many passages in Scripture affirm that the entire gamut of the seven-year tribulation will be the time of God’s wrath (judgments) and will not, as Jacob Prasch states, first commence when the seventh seal is opened, whilst the first six are respectively Antichrist’s and Satan’s wrath. (i.e. the Pre-Wrath Rapture)

SCRIPTURE THAT PROVE GOD’S WRATH WILL RUN THE ENTIRE SEVEN- YEAR TRIBULATION

Isaiah 24:1; 26:21; Joel 1:15; Zephaniah 1:18; Revelation 6:16-17); 11:18; 14:7, 10, 19; 15:4. 7; 16:7. 19; 19:1-2).

These passages prove beyond any doubt that the entire period of the seven-year tribulation is eminently the time when God’s wrath and judgments will be poured out on the entire world. Therefore, it is not as the Pre-Wrath and Post-Tribulation Rapturists believe, the wrath of Satan and his Antichrist or of men, except as God may use these agencies as channels for the execution of his will.

Satan cannot do a thing without God’s permission which means that his and the Antichrist’s wrath against those who are going to be saved during the seven-year tribulation will transpire only when God permits them. Hence the statement in Revelation 13:7.

⁽⁷⁾ And it was given unto him [Antichrist] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him [Antichrist] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

An Old Testament example of God’s permissive will is that of Job. Let’s go there.

Job 2:3-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)

³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered and reflected on My servant Job? For there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God [with reverence] and abstains from and turns away from evil [because he honors God]. And still he maintains and holds tightly to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to destroy him without cause.” ⁴ Satan answered the Lord, “[Skin for skin! Yes, a man will give all he has for his life. ⁵ But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh [and severely afflict him]; and he will curse You to Your face.” ⁶ So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life.”

The only difference between Job and the tribulation saints is that God is going to allow Satan to kill most of the saints during the seven-year tribulation whilst He forbade Satan to murder Job.

This completely debunks Scott Pruitt’s Exodus parallel and the assumption that God is going to protect the saints from Satan’s and his Antichrist’s wrath during the seven-year tribulation which makes his comparison with Israel’s divine protection in Goshen look rather silly. God is NOT, I repeat NOT going to protect the saints during the seven-year tribulation in the same way He protected Israel in the land of Goshen in Egypt.

LIKE THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE, POST-TRIBULATIONISM IS BASED ON DENIALS.

1. POST-TRIBULATIONISM DENIES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND ISRAEL

The fact that Scott Pruitt likens the Post-Tribulation Rapture to God’s protection of Israel in Goshen when He poured out his wrath and judgments (ten plagues) on Egypt, after Israel had been enslaved for 430 years, exemplifies his failure to distinguish between the church and Israel.

First of all, if it had been true that the church (Bride of Christ) were to go through the seven-year tribulation, it won’t be because Antichrist – like Pharaoh who held Israel in bondage in Egypt – is going to hold them in bondage on earth during the full range of the seven seals so that they cannot escape his clutches.

If, as the Pre-Wrath and Post-Tribulation adherents believe, the purpose of their tribulation and persecution will be to purify Christ Jesus’ Bride, it would obviously be God who wills them to go through the tribulation and not Satan or Antichrist. Why? Because the latter two varmints have no desire to purify the church. Therefore, there is no reason whatsoever to believe that – like Pharaoh – Antichrist is going to hold the believers in bondage to the earth until he submits to God’s command “Let my people go, and least of all to purify the church. That’s ridiculous, to say the least.

Secondly, God is not going to send someone to stand before Antichrist in the same way he sent Moses to Pharaoh and command him to repent. Neither are the plagues (judgments) in the book of Revelation going to be poured out on the entire world because Antichrist, like Pharaoh, is going to refuse to let God’s people go. As already indicated, God is going to allow Antichrist to slaughter the saints (those who are going to be saved during the tribulation), and primarily to persecute and slaughter the Jews (saved and unsaved; Jeremiah 30:7).

God is not going to pour out his judgments on the entire world because of Antichrist’s alleged refusal to let God’s people go. God’s judgments are going to fall on all the nations of the world, including Israel because of their stubborn rebellion, iniquities, and sin.

⁽²¹⁾  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:21)

Note carefully that in the very same chapter and verse 9, which I have referred to in my previous article, we find the reason why God is going to allow his people, the Jews, to be persecuted during the seven-year-tribulation.

⁽⁹⁾  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

⁽¹⁰⁾  Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. (Isaiah 26:9-10).

At this point, it is necessary to remind ourselves what the essence of sin is.

⁽⁸⁾  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁽⁹⁾  Of sin, because they believe not on me; (John 16:8-8)

Scott Pruitt makes it look as if Antichrist is going to try and prevent the Pre-Wrath or Post -Tribulation Raptures from happening, via his persecution of the Jews because, not unlike Moses, he is going to refuse to let Israel go and to be caught up by God. Only when God’s judgments fall on him and his cohorts will he (Antichrist) trigger the rapture, in much the same way Pharaoh allowed Israel to go when he no longer could stomach God’s severe judgments.

Really? Rubbish!! Can any man, let alone Antichrist, postpone or prevent the Pre-Wrath or the Post-Tribulation Raptures by refusing to let Israel go, assuming, of course, that there are either a Pre-Wrath or Post-Tribulation Rapture?

2. POST-TRIBULATIONISM, LIKE THE ADHERENTS TO THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE, DENIES THE DOCTRINE OF IMMINENCE

Paul who disclosed the mystery (musterion) of the Rapture, believed that it could occur at any moment, even in his own lifetime. It was partly his teaching of imminence that caused the Thessalonian Christians to believe that the Rapture had already occurred and that they were in the midst of the tribulation.

Imminence is an indispensable necessity of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Not knowing when it will occur, motivates saints to be ready at all times, to live lives that are holy and well-pleasing to the Lord and not to get involved in worldly dainties that defile them.

Moreover, the most important reason for an imminent return of our Lord and Savior, and why the exact date of his return at the Pre-Tribulation rapture is not disclosed, is to prevent unbelievers from saying, “I will repent and receive Jesus as my Savior close to his coming at the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. I first want to enjoy my life here on earth and do as I please” or “I still have so much work I need to finish that I cannot think of repenting and receive Jesus as my Savior right now. I will do so close to his return on such and such a date.”

Remember this?

Luke 14:16-24

⁽¹⁶⁾  Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

⁽¹⁷⁾  And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

⁽¹⁸⁾  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

⁽¹⁹⁾  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

⁽²⁰⁾  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

⁽²¹⁾  So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

⁽²²⁾  And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

⁽²³⁾  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

⁽²⁴⁾  For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper (Christ’s Millennial reign of peace on earth).

I sincerely believe the reason why the five foolish virgins won’t have enough oil in their lamps when Jesus returns at his Second Advent to the earth (not the Pre-Tribulation Rapture) will be because they are willfully and deliberately going to procrastinate to repent and be saved, thinking that they can do so the moment He comes back.

Whereas the Pre-Tribulation society do not know when Jesus is going to return due to its imminence, and therefore dare not wait until He appears with a view to turn to Him for the forgiveness of their sins and salvation, the seven-year tribulation earth dwellers, will know when He returns by virtue of the many signs during the seven-year tribulation. Knowing when his return at his Second Advent will occur, they will probably procrastinate to the very end, surmising that they may safely wait until his return is at the very door, and then ask the five wise virgins who will have enough oil to share some of their oil with them. Alas, it will be too late for them.

Matthew 25:1-13

⁽¹⁾  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

⁽²⁾  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

⁽³⁾  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

⁽⁴⁾  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁽⁵⁾  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (Discerning the world: Surely the latter cannot refer to normal sleep and slumber. Had it been normal sleep and slumber, it would mean that the five wise virgins never slept and slumbered in order to distinguish them from the foolish virgins. Therefore, it can only refer to procrastination or a postponement to be saved. No wonder it is said that procrastination is the very last stepping stone to hell.).

⁽⁶⁾  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

⁽⁷⁾  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁽⁸⁾  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

⁽⁹⁾  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. (Discerning the World: Salvation is not transferable or transmittable to others.).

⁽¹⁰⁾  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

⁽¹¹⁾  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

⁽¹²⁾  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

⁽¹³⁾  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Scott Pruitt and his cronies have this silly notion that beheadings, martyrdom, imprisonment for your faith, floggings, crucifixion and other gruesome bodily injuries like the cutting off of hands, arms, and feet, boiling in hot oil and burning at the stake is the sum total of persecution and tribulation.

Wake up gentlemen, this is not the only way to persecute God’s children. Listen up, Messieurs Scott Pruitt, Jacob Prasch and Joe Schimmel, when you summarily banned me from your sites, blogs and Facebook pages, just like the infamous Calvinists who banned me from theirs, you persecuted me. Nevertheless, let God be the judge who judges righteously.