Why do we not at once get rid of these ridiculous, illogical, unscriptural myths and preach the one Kingdom of God for a witness to all nations? The Christian churches are not nearly prepared for the age of moral horrors that is on the horizon, and part of the reason is that we do not understand new-covenant grace, believing it to be some sort of ticket that insures our entrance into Paradise when we die. New-covenant grace is the power that transforms the sons of Adam into sons of God so that soon they will be able to descend from Heaven with the Lord Jesus and drive Satan and all wickedness from the earth.

Another unscriptural teaching:

The view that the Lord will "rapture" Christians to Heaven so they will not suffer during the great tribulation or at the hands of Antichrist. Can you picture Jeremiah promising the elect that they will be spared tribulation by being caught up to Heaven to live forever in a mansion?

There are four great types in the Old Testament: the days of creation; the feasts of the Lord; the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan; and the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Each of these types is made up of seven parts. Each of the seven parts reveals some aspect of the Divine plan of salvation.

In addition to the four comprehensive types there are a multitude of other types, symbols, and shadows, such as the restoration of the Temple and the surrounding wall, Gideon's three hundred, the fall and final victory of Samson, and many more.

No type of the Scripture, no prophecy of the Scripture, portrays a pre-tribulation catching up of the believers in order to escape Antichrist and the great tribulation. Yet, as we have pointed out previously, those of us who are preaching today are supposed to be declaring that which was given to the patriarchs and prophets of Israel.

Those who teach the pre-tribulation rapture claim that the new covenant is a parenthesis in God's work, a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament. But the New Testament itself declares that it is the fulfillment of that which was declared in the Old.

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8)

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ. (II Timothy 3:15)

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (I Peter 1:10,11)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy [the Old Testament Scripture]; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (II Peter 1:19)

To claim that the new covenant is a special mystery not appearing in the Prophets of Israel is clearly contradicted by the New Testament itself.

God's way, as Jeremiah knew well, is not to remove His saints from trouble but to deliver them in the midst of it.

To be continued.