The American Rapture


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The American Rapture

Or, How God Will Deliver Christians Worldwide When America Is Destroyed

"God is no respecter of persons"
(Acts 10:34).

by Tom Stewart

Preface

hy call a prophetic event with a nationalistic title? Because the shoe fits. Since the destruction of the United States of America is the backdrop for this particular event, the phrase "American Rapture" is only a convenience for identification. To be identified as Babylon the Great (Revelation 18) is no more of an honor for America, than to identify a Rapture event with the destruction of this nation. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2Corinthians 10:12).

Which Rapture?

uch of the controversy in modern Christian prophecy hinges on the timing of the Rapture, i.e., Pre-Tribulational, Mid-Tribulational, Post-Tribulational, Pre-Wrath, etc. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1Corinthians 1:10). It would be as monumental for all these prophetic positions to come to agreement and consensus as it would be for Calvinism (sovereignty of God) to see eye to eye with Arminianism (free agency of man). Charles H. Spurgeon once noted that the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism was like each was looking out of one eye and not the other. He recommended that we open both eyes to see clearly! "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you" (12:21).

I believe that there will be more than one Rapture event-- multiple fulfillments of the same idea, i.e., specifically, the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, American Rapture, Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture, and Pre-Wrath Rapture. The "consummation" (Daniel 9:27) of the age will demonstrate that the High and Lofty One That Inhabiteth Eternity (Isaiah 57:15) is in control of the program of the ages. The God of Love and Peace (2Corinthians 13:11) not only manifests His love (John 14:21) to His lovingly obedient children through the Rapture, but the LORD of the Harvest (Luke 10:2) allows His children a "way to escape" (1Corinthians 10:13) from the tribulations of Daniel's 70th Week, while progressively harvesting His crops. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).

The Pre-Tribulational Rapture must occur before the Beginning of the Tribulation Week, to fulfill the promise of escaping "ALL these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). The Pre-Wrath Rapture differs from a Post-Tribulational Rapture by only 8-9 days, but thereby misses the "vials of the wrath of God" (Revelation 16:1). The Resurrection of the Just occurs at the Pre-Wrath Rapture, rather than the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, i.e., "For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD" (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). Also, the Pre-Wrath Rapture comes at the sounding of the Last Trump (1Corinthians 15:52), which is also the 7th Trumpet Judgment, when the "mystery" (Ephesians 5:32) of the Church "should be finished" (Revelation 10:7). [See an article I wrote when I was only aware of two Rapture events, "The Seventh Trumpet and the Second Rapture", for an explanation of the Pre-Wrath Rapture concept. It is accurate-- as far as it went.]

"A Prophetic Dream of Rapture" (February 15,1993) by Armin A. Wolff explains what I believe is a Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture. The setting for the dream is right before the Mark of the Beast at the Middle of the Tribulation. "And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the 70th Week, which equals 7 years]: and in the midst of the week [1,260 days into the Tribulation] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate" (Daniel 9:27). This prophetic dream points out that our Deliverer (Psalm 70:5) will look out for the Tribulation Saints as well as the Pre-Tribulation Saints. [See our article, "The Middle Rapture", to see how God has much more than a Pre-Tribulational Rapture in His plans.]

What Do You Mean By the American Rapture?

t was Dumitru Duduman, a Romanian born Christian, who ministered as a modern prophet to the United States of America. Judgment and not Rapture was this prophet's message, i.e., "America will burn". His prophecies point to what appears to be a 1998 nuclear destruction of America. Although, Duduman does not address the Rapture question specifically, he does make special mention of the deliverance of Christians at the time of America's destruction. "The LORD knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2Peter 2:9).

The Pre-Tribulational Rapture precedes the American Rapture-- both before the Beginning of the Tribulation Week. The Pre-Mid-Tribulational Transformation Rapture occurs in the middle of the Tribulation Week, while the Pre-Wrath Rapture occurs 8-9 days before the End of the Tribulation Week. "But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His Coming" (1Corinthians 15:23). To think that we have uncovered all of God's program for the Tribulation Week is ludicrous. We know that He told the Apostle John not to record what the "seven thunders uttered" (Revelation 10:3), i.e., God still has sealed war plans for the Tribulation Week. Hallelujah!

God Loves Even the American Christians

adly, the reason that brother Duduman's prophecies speak of Christians being delivered at the time of America's nuclear holocaust, is:

(1) Those particular American Christians were in a sinfully unprepared condition, i.e., "Why call ye Me, LORD, LORD, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46),

(2) Those Christians missed the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, i.e., "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD" (Hebrews 12:14),

(3) They subsequently repented, i.e., "Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in Thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son" (Luke 15:21), and

(4) Those penitent Christians would then be qualified to experience every blessing of deliverance available to every Saint at any time, i.e., "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3:17-18).

But, specifically, this would be the occasion for the American Rapture. Since America's destruction will be rapidly followed by warfare in Europe, Christians across the world will be in need of deliverance at this time. Hence, the American Rapture is the deliverance of Christians worldwide-- as in the Pre-Tribulational Rapture-- on the occasion of America's nuclear annihilation. [See the article, "Understanding of the Times", to get an idea of the events following the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. It was written before I began to understand Duduman's deliverance as the American Rapture, and when I thought that Pentecost May 31st 1998 was the exact time of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. Everything holds true, otherwise.]

Michael, the Angel of the LORD, told Dumitru Duduman ("America Will Burn")-- WILL BURN-- "They [a total of 8 nations including Russia and China] will bomb the nuclear warehouses [of America]. When they explode, America will burn! 'What will you do with the Church of the LORD? How will you save the ones that will turn toward you?' I [Duduman] asked. He [the Angel Michael] said, 'Tell them this: how I saved the three young ones from the furnace of fire, and how I saved Daniel in the lion's den, is the same way I will save them.'" God knows how to deliver even those who were not ready for the Pre-Tribulational Rapture-- after they have newly repented. "The LORD knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2Peter 2:9). After their deliverance, those future penitent Christians will be able to say with the Apostle Paul: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the LORD shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His Heavenly Kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2Timothy 4:17-18).

Conclusion

f the LORD Jesus throws a life preserver to you labeled "American Rapture", would you reject it as embarrassing, nationalistic, or poor theology? Or, would you lunge for it, as a sinking man? God's way is outlined in His Word, i.e., "And thine ears shall hear a Word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21). All we can do is beg the LORD to quicken us by His Spirit, that we may see and understand His Word about the coming days. "Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law" (Psalm 119:18). All we can do with our understanding is to act according to the best light that we have. "O send out Thy Light and Thy Truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy Holy Hill, and to Thy Tabernacles" (43:3).

If the LORD were to provide a multitude of Raptures, who are we to object? "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" (Daniel 4:35). What we can all agree upon is that God's people will need His deliverance in the coming days. May all His people seek and find that deliverance. "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the LORD shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His Heavenly Kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2Timothy 4:17-18).

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