Dan McClellan & the Rapture

Dan McClellan doesn’t think the Bible teaches tge Rapture. He would be wrong. 

See how Dan McClellan speaks dogmatically about what the Bible teaches, and he clearly believes we ought to believe him?  Never forget that Dan is on record stating that when an Evangelical exegete/theologian/apologist does the same thing, we ought to dismiss what that person (or persons) said because when Evangelicals speak with dogmatic certainty they are just informing the audience about their own (confirmation) biases. 

Dan is wrong about the history of the development of this doctrine.   In truth what is describing the actually true of Ecclesiastical Tradition on the Earth relative to its popularization & its articulation as what most people understand when the term is deployed - the removal, retention, & return of people either before a travail unlike one the Earth has ever known or during that time or not long after. 

At issue is what the Bible actually teaches.   The Bible teaches that there 7 to 8 Covenants by which God governs the whole of the created order.   

In each of these certain things happen, and when put together a definite pattern emerges.  

1 - The LORD publishes or republishes the Law & Gospel. 

2 - The transitional prophet )Adam, Noah,Abraham m, Moses, Samuel, John, & David\Jude) acts as Christ’s representative relative to all 3 sets of keys & all three mediatorial offices — without being the Redeemer - Mediator.   That is reserved for Yeshua only (1 Timothy 2:5 - 6).  

The Enemy visits & attempts to tempt the transitional prophet off mission & enslave him & those whom the Prophet represents. 

4.  There’s an (evil) empire to conquer. 

5. Each prophet is alive for one or more major Day of the Lord events, and such events continue in cyclical fashion throughout the covenantal epoch in which the transitional prophet & the generations that follow minister. 

6. Angels directly &/or indirectly appear in & around the City of God.  

7 - Temple Imagery - Eden is depicted as a divine temple on a mountain.  The creation itself is apportioned into 3 tiers (Genesis 1 & 2); Noah’s ark contains 3 levels (Genesis 6:16); the tabernacle described in Exodus) has 3 courts.  Sinai is an instance of where heaven meets earth (Exodus 24). Samuel served in Shiloh, & the tabernacle appears several times in 1 Samuel.   During the Davidic Era, Solomon builds the First Temple; Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubabbel, Joshua, & others rebuild Jerusalem & construct the Second Temple; and Ezekiel prophesied a 3rd.  John the Baptist ministered in and around the Second Temple. 

8. There is a removal & retention of one or more individuals.   Enoch was removed about the same time as the Adamic Covenant gave way to the Noahic Covenant. Abraham’s vision in Genesis 17 includes heavenly imagery around his table/encampment.  In Exodus, the elders of Israel meet God atop Sinai & we see glassy cosmic see imagery, Elijah was removed but has yet to return, Zechariah includes imagery of the 2 trees set in heaven & the text implies he was removed & retained & returned.  In the NT, Christ was removed & retained & has yet to return, & the author of Revelation appears to have removed, retained, & returned. 

9. In addition, the Bible teaches God’s people are united to Christ.  Pay attention to how Christ lived out the general contours of the Covenant of Grace, & how Matthew teaches that lived out a version of Israel’s covenantal history, how the Bible teaches that every one of God’s people lives out a version of Christ’s life to one degree or another.  In truth, as to its logical order relates to the history oot the cosmos, the rapture began 2000 years ago & could resume at any given time.  

10. That’s ^ the covenantal pattern, so, yes, the Bible does teach the concept of the rapture.  Perhaps if  Mr. McClellan would study the Bible & how its Covenantal/Covenant Theology operates instead of trying to argue & establish his authority the way Mormon texts sometimes do, he’d not make such an elementary blunder.