Let Jesus challenge our end-times traditions.
Jesus taught that His Return would be like the flood of Noah. And Paul added that we would meet the Lord in the air at His return. This has been the prevailing view of Christians for the last 2,000 years.
But in recent history, particularly in the 1820s and 1830s, a new development and misunderstanding occurred. This is very recent compared to the last 2,000 years. It’s a relatively new doctrine.
There is a lot of speculation and assumption going on in the Charismatic and Evangelical Christian world today. For a relatively short period of history, the last 200 years or so, a new doctrine appeared on the scene in Britain and Scotland. It’s the idea of a 2-stage rapture/return of Christ. It’s not more than 200 years old. This concept was built upon older teachings from the 1500’s called Futurism. But very few took note of it back then.
Preachers of the early 1800’s like John Darby and Edward Irving started introducing this idea of a 2-stage return of Christ. And they revived the doctrines of futurism. So these were all new ideas to Protestant circles, less than 200 years ago.
Irving in particular was influenced by the earlier views of a Counter-Reformation Roman Catholic Jesuit named Manuel Lacunza. Lacunza, and another Spanish Jesuit named Francisco Ribera is generally credited with formulating the basis of what we now call “Futurism” in modern-day circles. It was the foundation of today’s dispensational futurist teachings that say the antichrist is not revealed until some point in our future, and that the return of Christ must be a “rapture” composed of two separate comings. The first coming is supposed to be silent and secret, removing the saints from earth. The second is supposed to be the loud and literal return of Jesus.
Most evangelicals today are not aware that their beloved Futurist theology is based on counter-reformation teaching meant to protect the popes of the 1500s and 1600s. This counter-reformation movement was started in an effort to stop the ideas of Luther and the Reformation from spreading.
Rather than use Edward Irving and John Darby to understand the Return of Christ, let’s return to the Source, Jesus Christ Himself.
I think all Christians agree that Jesus is a better source for our views of end times than Edward Irving. Indeed Jesus is the Truth, and so no authority is greater than His. And Jesus’ teachings are much, much older than Irvings or Darby’s. Even Lacunza’s and Ribera’s teachings are much younger than Jesus’ Words.
So to understand the Return Of Christ, we must read Jesus, and His Words and understand them. Let’s see what He DOES say, and take off our futurism glasses for a moment.
May the Holy Spirit grant us each more insight and revelation of the Scriptures in Jesus’ Name. Sola Scriptura!
I will be focusing on two passages (plus some cross-references) for today, to keep this article from becoming too voluminous. By doing this, we can strip away assumptions that turn out to be wrong. And remember many of these assumptions are “young” compared to the teachings of Christ.
Jesus tells us all about His Second Coming.
Let’s look at the Words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37–42 in one of my favourite translations, the Geneva Bible. This is the popular Protestant version of the Bible that the pilgrims brought with them to America, on the Mayflower. Its original translation was in 1560, making it 51 years older than the King James Bible.
Matthew 24:37–42 (1599 Geneva Bible)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so likewise shall the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days before the flood, they did eat and drink, marry, and give in marriage, unto the day that Noah entered into the Ark,
39 And knew nothing, till the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then two shall be in the fields, the one shall be received, and the other shall be refused.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill: the one shall be received, and the other shall be refused.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your master will come.
So here we have one of our main texts from the mouth of Jesus Himself. If you’re a Protestant like me, then you’ll agree that Scripture has the higher authority, not the traditions of man, like Irving’s or Ribera’s traditions. Even my traditions, if wrong, must bow to the Word of God.
We must be willing to let God’s Word change our thinking, even if we have been pastors or ministers for 20+ years! The best pastors and Christian leaders can let the Holy Spirit teach them and change their thinking, to conform it to Christ.
So let’s break this teaching down. Jesus compared His Second Coming directly to the flood of Noah’s day. This gives us some major clues that there is a problem with the new doctrine of a “2-stage return”.
So let’s look at the passage Jesus is referring to in Genesis. Here is the cross-reference:
Genesis 7:13–24 (1599 Geneva Bible)
13 In the selfsame day entered Noah with Shem, and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them into the Ark.
14 They and every beast after his kind, and all cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth and moveth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, even every bird of every feather.
15 For they came to Noah into the Ark, two and two, of all flesh wherein is the breath of life.
16 And they entering in, came male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
17 Then the flood was forty days upon the earth, and the waters were increased, and bare up the Ark, which was lifted up above the earth.
18 The waters also waxed strong, and were increased exceedingly upon the earth, and the Ark went upon the waters.
19 The waters prevailed so exceedingly upon the earth, that all the high mountains, that are under the whole heaven, were covered.
20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail, when the mountains were covered.
21 Then all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, both fowl and cattle and beast, and everything that creepeth and moveth upon the earth, and every man.
22 Everything in whose nostrils the spirit of life did breathe, whatsoever they were in the dry land, they died.
23 So he destroyed everything that was upon the earth, from man to beast, to the creeping thing, and to the fowl of the heaven: they were even destroyed from the earth. And Noah only remained, and they that were with him in the Ark.
24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
So now we see that in both Genesis and Matthew, the word “day” (Gen. 7:13, Mat. 24:38) is used to describe the two cataclysmic events. It is clear that the earth will never be the same after these two events.
Jesus makes this comparison because His listeners would have been familiar with the flood account of Genesis. So let’s put some of Irving’s and other futurists’ assumptions to the test, shall we? Let’s also compare Noah with Jesus and Paul and see what similarities we can find.
1. Is the Flood of Noah a 2-stage event, with the first part being secret, removing Noah, his family, and the animals from the earth?
No. According to Genesis, there was only one literal “day” when Noah and His family entered the Ark. That was the day the Lord “shut” them inside that Ark. Noah may have been hidden in the Ark, but he was never removed from the earth.
Jesus uses this Biblical understanding of “day” to illustrate exactly the nature of His Day. According to Jesus, and contrary to man’s tradition, Jesus returns in a single day, that everyone notices, that all can see. That day will remove the wicked and exalt the righteous (those justified in Christ by Grace through Faith). And according to Jesus, “no one” knows that day or that hour except the Father in Heaven. (See Mat. 24:36)
Noah and his family and the animals with him were the only ones left on earth after that day. Only those who believe God remain to inherit the earth. Contrary to these newer traditions of futurist teaching, the righteous are not removed from the earth. Jesus says the meek and righteous inherit the earth. (See Mat. 5:5). The wicked are the only ones God ever promised to remove from the earth completely, as Noah’s story shows us. See also Proverbs 2:21–22. God owns the earth, so this makes sense Biblically.
So the return of Jesus is a one-stage event, a single catastrophic Day, according to Scripture. It will be a permanent catastrophe for all who rejected Jesus and His Gospel. There will be no unbelievers “left behind” to repent.
2. Is The Flood Of Noah a Secret or Invisible Event?
No. There was nothing secret or hidden about it. All those who were watching Noah build his ark for God knew what he was preaching. On the Day of the flood, every non-believer was surprised and washed away. But all of them had been previously warned by Noah, the preacher of righteousness.
2 Peter 2:5 (1599 Geneva Bible)
5 Neither hath spared the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person a preacher of righteousness, and brought in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly,
What do you think will happen on the Day of The Lord? God promised not to flood the earth with water a second time. So I believe it will be a flood of His glory! And that glory will wipe out all ungodly people on earth on that Day. The same glory will exalt the believer like the flood lifted Noah and his family in the ark.
I’m led to believe this “flood of glory” is coming with the literal return of Jesus. That’s because Habakkuk told us the following revelation in the Old Testament:
Habakkuk 2:14 (1599 Geneva Bible)
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
3. Did Noah get lifted into the air?
Yes, according to Genesis 7:17, the Ark was “lifted above all the earth”. This is comparable to the “meeting in the air” we will experience as believers at Jesus’ return.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (1599 Geneva Bible)
17 Then shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Note that meeting in the air does not mean “disappearing”. I know we were all trained to think that way. (I know I was). But I had to “unlearn” that concept because the Scripture does not tell us this.
Paul does not contradict Jesus. Jesus said the Day of Christ would be visible, and affect the entire earth all at once, in one day, like the global flood of Noah’s time.
Paul agrees with this and adds to it by saying we will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds of the air. This agrees with the concept of an Ark riding on the waves of the flood above the mountain tops, as Genesis described. The focus of this passage is the appearing and returning of the Lord, not the disappearance of the saints. Note also that the Lord was with Noah and his family in the Ark. Just like the Ark of the Covenant had the presence of the Lord with it, so did this Ark. So shall we ever be with the Lord!
If you want to do a word study on the phrase “caught up”, you can find that here. The word means to “catch away”, “pluck” or “seize”. There is nothing about “disappearing” in this word. That concept of vanishing was added in the 1800s and is a relatively recent idea when compared to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Noah never disappeared, but he was indeed “caught up” in the air, riding the waves of the flood above the mountain tops, inside the safety of the Ark.
4. When the flood waters receded from the earth, and Noah was brought back down to earth, did he inherit the earth?
Yes! Noah and his family inherited the earth from the Lord. There were no wicked non-believers left. They all perished according to Genesis 7. The only people left were the 8 souls who came off the Ark.
This is what the Lord promises us His children. We are royal inheritors in the Kingdom.
1 Peter 2:9 (1599 Geneva Bible)
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a people set at liberty, that ye should show forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,
We shall inherit the earth at Christ’s return, just like faithful Noah did.
Romans 8:17 (1599 Geneva Bible)
17 If we be children, we are also heirs, even the heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Not only are we joint heirs with Jesus, but we are made kings and priests to God, after the order of Melchisedec. Jesus is the High King and High Priest!
Revelation 5:10 (1599 Geneva Bible)
10 And hast made us unto our God Kings, and Priests, and we shall reign on the earth.
This goes along with what the Old Testament has been teaching all along. God has not forgotten His word. The book of Revelation agrees with the Old Testament and should be compared with it for context and understanding.
Proverbs 2:21–22 (1599 Geneva Bible)
21 For the just shall dwell in the land, and the upright men shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressor shall be rooted out of it.
I hope this study has been informative and thought-provoking! Let’s challenge our assumptions and traditions, especially the newer ones that are less than 200 years old. I’m on a journey of learning, as we all should be. I don’t have all the answers. But I am excited to have the Lord show me these Biblical truths and to be able to share them with you.
Let us go back to the Source, Jesus Christ, and study His inspired Word. Let His Holy Spirit bring revelation to our minds.
Suggested books to read: (these are not affiliate links)
“End Time Delusions” by Steve Wohlberg
“Whose Right It Is” by Kelley Varner
“Final Day” by Richard D Wiles
And finally my own Book that shows that the Antichrist is not "future only". Futurism is a flawed, counter-reformation doctrine. History holds the key to understanding End Times and the mark of the beast. The Mark of God destroys the mark of the beast.
I earn royalties for every purchased copy of this book: "The Mark Of God: Your Victory Over The Mark Of The Beast" by Curtis J Alexander. Thank you!
