In debating with PreWrathers, I have been told that the VERY reason so many Pretribulationists and Posttribulationists are changing to PreWrath is that they recognize that Satan's wrath in the Great Tribulation is cut short during the second 3-1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week by Christ returning to rapture the Church and pouring out God's wrath in the Day of the Lord on those left behind. This cutting short amounts to the Great Tribulation being shortened anywhere from 6 months to a year and half before the end of Daniel's 70th week.
My reply to these kinds of statements is that this is the VERY door of deception many are being deceived by, and any who believe it have accepted a deception in their beliefs. The devil would love to have us believe his wrath is cut short 6 months to a year and a half before the end of Daniel's 70th week (see quotes below). That would really open the doors of a false offer of salvation for all those who would listen to the false prophets and false teachers that will rampant during this period (Matthew 24:21-29). But, it isn't true, yet those who believe the devil has been "rendered useless" during this time will be open prey for him. Those who believe this proposal by the PreWrath doctrine are falling for a big lie and there is no other way to say that. The Scriptures have been rent and twisted in order to come to this conclusion. They had to be because there is no such idea in scripture. This teaching makes the remnant of Israel look embarrassingly stupid for hiding in the wilderness FROM THE FACE OF THE DEVIL for the full 3-1/2 years if the Antichrist is "rendered useless" during this period:
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, FROM THE FACE OF THE SERPENT.
Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
And Daniel,
Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. . . .
Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.In describing the fourth beast, Daniel is told Israel will be given into his hand for the full 3-1/2 years:
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
In these verses, it is clear that the tribulation is not cut short. Yet, this belief concerning the cutting short of Satan's wrath is a crucial doctrine in PreWrath. In the face of the above Scriptures, it cannot be taken lightly.
I see any deceptive teaching as not only problematic, but also dangerous for the simple fact that a little leaven spoils the whole lump - eventually. We all see things wrong in each other's beliefs concerning the details of what will happen and we don't comment on all of those - who could? Most of the smaller issues I think will straighten out as reality hits home, but when something major is proposed to the body of Christ that outwardly, absolutely denies Christ's words and is derogatory towards Him and His word, then it is time to cry, "Wolf!" In Revelation 10, we read,
Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
Rev 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
I personally believe this is the Lord Himself, and I believe this same figure in Daniel 12 was also the Lord. If not, this person is at the least an angel who holds tremendous responsibility and standing before the Father to be given the tasks he performs regarding the culmination of God's plan. We see this same person in Daniel 12, and I will repeat it with a few more verses here:
Dan 12:5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
Dan 12:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the
waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what
shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Dan 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Dan 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
I want to add to these verses Daniel 7:25:
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Whether this personage who swore by God Himself and raised his hands to Him in an oath is Christ or a powerful angel that stands before God to do His service, he did a very serious thing: "he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half" and in Daniel 7:25 another powerful personage told Daniel that the endtime beast "shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." The saints will be delivered into this beast's hands for 3-1/2 years. And here is where I get fearful for those believing this doctrine: he raised his hand to God and swore to this because it was that serious a statement, "sware" meaning,
7650. shaba', shaw-bah'; a prim. root; prop. to be complete, but used only as a denom. from H7651; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times):--adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full [by mistake for H7646], take an oath, X straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
That means this personage, who to me is most likely the Son of God - who else would roar like a lion in the endtime scenario but the Lion of Judah (Rev. 10:3) - swore in the following fashion, and "sevened himself," meaning what he said was the equivalent of saying:
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half""I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
"I hold up my right hand and my left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half"
In the face of all of this, I am hearing things like this similar to the opening comments in this file:
"Christ will in effect 'handcuff' Antichrist and his forces and 'render him helpless' (a better translation of the Greek term rendered 'bring to an end' is given in Rotherham's Bible which translates this more precisely as 'paralyzed').(5) This restriction of Antichrist's power will happen 'at the appearance of His coming' - in other words, when 'every eye will see Him' (Rev. 1:7), when the church is gathered to Christ in the clouds and the wrath of God begins. Antichrist will be 'rendered useless' until the time of final judgment and destruction, when he will be slain [6 months to 1-/2 years later at the end of Daniel's 70th week-Ed]" (Van Kampen, "The Sign")."As we have seen, Antichrist will have been rendered GENERALLY [!!!] helpless at the return of Christ [2 Thess. 2:8], thereby cutting short his great tribulation persecution of God's elect [Matt. 24:22]." (Van Kampen).
"Satan, however, will still have spiritual rule over the earth and will, solely upon the permissive will of God, enable Antichrist to kill the two witnesses as his last act of defiance against God, before ANTICHRIST'S COMPLETE authority is taken away at the conclusion of the seventieth week." (Van Kampen).
But, look at the tremendous spiritual personages that God had deliver this message to us about Satan's wrath not being cut short, so much that it be sworn to 7 times, and if it was His Son I don't use that term with any disrespect. How can we allow anyone to convince us that what they say is true when it totally contradicts God's word and gives us not only a false picture of the antichrist, but Christ in His return to fulfill the hope that fills our hearts?