Not long ago, a friend and neighbor passed away. Rachael was a solid, born-again Christian, yet I was not aware of underlying problems. One thing about going through a deceased person’s home is that you find hidden gems. I offered to take her Christian books and give them away to friends. Consequently, in going through them, I discovered a rare Bible Prophecy book. What made this book different is that it was written in 1920. For a book that’s 104 years old, it’s in excellent condition.
As I read it, fascinated as I am with Bible Prophecy, it occurred to me that since it was written in 1920 by Rev. Clarence Larkin from Philadelphia, PA, it was pure and uncontaminated by modern-day Bible Prophecy preachers. Face it, when reading contemporary prophecy books or watching preachers on YouTube, you don’t know who to believe! It took me years of my own personal study to feel confident in believing in “Pre-Millennialism” and a “pre-tribulation Rapture”. By the way, I’ve vetted the YouTube preachers and made a list here so you don’t have to.
Pure Bible Prophecy
Pastor Larkin was a trained draftsman, and he sketched out charts explaining Bible Prophecy as written in the Bible. To give you an idea, among the 90 charts in the book, we have…
- The Ages as Viewed from Different Standpoints
- The Mountain Peaks of Prophecy
- The Perspective of Prophecy
- 7000 Years of Human History
- Relation of Jew, Gentile, and Church to Each Other
…to name just a few.
What is Pre-Millennialism?
In a nutshell, Premillennialism is a Christian theological belief that Jesus Christ will physically return to Earth before (pre-) establishing a literal, 1,000-year kingdom of peace and righteousness known as the Millennium. (source)
The following is a reading from Pastor Larkin’s book. It is available where books are sold.
Listen on Spotify…
What is Dispensationalism?
A dispensation is a way of ordering things—an administration, a system, or a management. In theology, a dispensation is the divine administration of a period of time; each dispensation is a divinely appointed age. Dispensationalism is a theological system that recognizes these ages ordained by God to order the affairs of the world. Dispensationalism has two primary distinctives: 1) a consistently literal interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and 2) a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program. Classical dispensationalism identifies seven dispensations in God’s plan for humanity.
Dispensationalists understand the Bible to be organized into seven dispensations:
- Innocence: Genesis 1-2 (Paradise)
- Conscience: Genesis 3 (we blew it) – Genesis 4-6 (the first murder & evil abounds)
- Human Government: Genesis 9 (After the flood) – Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel)
- Promise: Genesis 12 – Exodus 19
- Law: Exodus 20 (The 10 Commandments) – Acts 1 (Jesus ascends to the Father, fulfilling the Law)
- Grace, aka The Church Age: Acts 2 (Pentecost) – Revelation 4 (The Rapture)
- The Millennial Kingdom
Related: What are the Covenants in the Bible Between God and Man?
Any Time Now!
What amazes me is that Clarence Larkin clearly understood the imminence of the appearing in the Rapture of Jesus Christ back in 1920! Yet, we’re still here. Jesus warned us in His Olivet Discourse in Mark 13, Luke 21, and Matthew 24, where He gives us a taste of what’s to come in the Last Days.
Jesus tells us…
Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately…
Matthew 24: 7b-8 NLT
8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
“So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”
Luke 21:28 NLT
Peter told us…
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.
14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.
2 Peter 3:9-15 NLT
So, knowing Bible Prophecy and that the Rapture could happen at any minute, shouldn’t you be secure in your salvation?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom, a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe and have Faith that Jesus is the Christ, and He died taking your sins away forever, and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins: In other words, stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender it all to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you, He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean, past, present, and future! And all means ALL!
- Be baptized by water baptism: Show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
This blog and podcast are dedicated to the memory of Rachael Paez. I look forward to our reunion in Heaven, our Home!
Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be The Glory!
