Bible Studies

CAN WE JUST TALK AND REASON TOGETHER

by Jeff Van Hatten
06/24/21
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Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now,” says Yahweh, “let us talk this over and reason together.”
Jeremiah 23:35 – “When you speak with your friend ask, ‘What has Yahweh answered?’ or ‘What has Yahweh said?’.”
Luke 24:15 – “While they discussed together and reasoned, Yeshua himself drew near, and went with them.”

Over the past twelve years I have made many efforts to correct some misperceptions about the rapture. Two of those are: the rapture is an instantaneous disappearing event (NOT), and nothing has to happen before the rapture takes place (NOT). Part of those efforts have been to contact well known scholars, speakers, pastors, and authors. Only a few have responded.

Kudos To Those Who Have Responded
Of the many whom I have written, emailed, or called, only a handful have responded. They are Derek and Sharon Gilbert of SkywatchTV who have confirmed several insights and the awesome folks at RaptureReady.

In the last few months of 2019 I began to email Terry James about the possibility that the rapture may be a witnessed event, rather than an instant disappearance. At first Terry was hesitant to even broach the topic, as he and his staff have always taught that the resurrection and rapture occur in a twinkling of an eye, but he assured me that if I could convince him using only scripture, then he would personally see that my articles got published. Terry was eventually convinced, was true to his word, and a series of seven articles were published by RaptureReady, beginning in February 2020 and continuing until July 2020. Special credit to Cynthia Nuara, Terry James, and Todd Strandberg for allowing my rapture insights to be published on their website, despite their struggles with some of those insights. They are awesome. We have “talked this over and reasoned together” (Isaiah 1:18).

It also appears that the folks at Prophecy Watchers may be softening to the witnessed rapture event if one of their latest videos is an indication of the stance they will be taking in the future, now that the new Co-host, Pastor Mondo Gonzales is on board. You can view the video here:
https://prophecywatchers.com/videos/gary-stearman-and-mondo-gonzales-the-rapture-and-resurrection/

or here:

We May Not Just Disappear
The series of seven articles about the Rapture are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to insights the Holy Spirit has given me about the Biblical patterns. Key to my understanding is that there are at least three Biblical witnesses to a bodily rapture being witnessed!

The raptures of Elijah (2 Kings 2:7-12) and Yeshua (Acts 1:9) were fully witnessed events. The rapture of the two witnesses of Revelation will also be witnessed (Revelation 11:12).

Virtually all agree that the Jewish Wedding Ceremony is an excellent example of Yeshua’s actions of taking his Bride. When the bridegroom’s father gives him permission to go get his bride he does not simply walk outside his newly built home, blow the shofar, shout “Wife, come here” and poof, she instantly disappears from her father’s house and appears at his feet. NO, NO, NO – he and his friends literally have to go and carry her from her house to his new home. That ride is well witnessed by all who have been awakened by the shouting and blowing of shofars of the bridegroom and his friends. No disappearing event here, either! But if you listen to some mistaken scholars – Oh No, the Bride of Yeshua according to their teaching simply disappears in an instant and does not have to be carried up to the clouds. Go figure!

The patterns are consistent. The truth that the rapture of Elijah, Yeshua, and the two witnesses was (will be) a well witnessed event is fully revealed in the Bible, no matter how assiduously anyone denies it. This lends me to believe that the rapture of the Bride of Yeshua will more than likely also be a well witnessed event, not a disappearing act. What do you say?

Those Who Still Have Not (Yet) Responded
Luke 24:15 – “While they discussed together and reasoned, Yeshua himself drew near, and went with them.”
On the other side, however, there are those who have not (“yet”) responded even after multiple attempts to contact. They include: Billy Crone, Jan Markell, Eric Barger, Barry Stagner, Jack Hibbs, Kenneth Johnson, Larry Ollison, Tommy Ice, and JD Farag. Please pray for Yahweh to open their hearts, minds, and eyes to the more consistent Rapture pattern as presented above, and in many other places on this website.

I cannot say why none of these have responded to my queries about the two above rapture patterns, but will do a little conjecturing that perhaps they do not want their misperceptions corrected! Does not scripture indicate that when we gather together to talk things over that Yeshua will be there with us? Indeed, it does (Luke 24:15).

A Recent Push Back
Job 13:6 – “Now listen to my reasoning, pay attention to how I present my dispute.”
My latest attempt to talk over this possibility listing the above examples garnered a biting reply from a well known Biblical scholar, Daymond Duck, who assumed that I was not a pre-tribulation believer. NOT so! I am so pre-trib I won’t even buy Post cereals, haha. Here was his reply: “You have given me very few reasons why you believe what you believe”, “Your points are not well taken”, and “It is best to agree to disagree and move on.”

I suppose I could spend all day standing on the pitcher’s mound trying to convince him otherwise (wouldn’t that just be ducky . . .) but his further comments saying that “I do not have the time to devote to one individual who has his mind made up and is not going to change” have me convinced he will likely not reply to any further attempts to dialogue. I chuckled at this statement thinking it sounded like a pot calling the kettle black – I can be stubborn, after all, but perhaps he is as well. I attributed this to having a bad day – I get them too, and assured him he is fully forgiven. Time will tell if he continues to email and discuss the witnessed rapture possibility.  Thus far, no replies.

Conclusions
There are those who are willing to dialogue, and those who stubbornly refuse. So, again, kudos to the staff at RaptureReady and may Prophecy Watchers also take up the baton. If only everyone was as willing to dialogue as Terry James was when I first approached the topic of a well witnessed rapture event.

I know that the witnessed rapture paradigm is substantially different from the instant disappearance model currently being taught, but Yahweh does expect us to discuss new insights with each other. How sad that the above individual was so hasty to simply dismiss and move on. Please pray that he will reconsider and begin a dialogue as did Terry.

Romans 11:8 – “Yahweh has given them a spirit of dullness – eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, right down to the present day.”
Jeremiah 5:21 {CJB} puts it this way: “Hear this, stupid, brainless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.” Ouch, double ouch! Other translations tone it down a bit and simply call them “foolish people who have no understanding”.

I kinda like the CJB; blunt, to the point, in your face and quite succinct. And how well those scriptures describe many of today’s well known scholars, speakers, pastors, and authors who are so unwilling to even hear what the Bible has to say.

Final Thought
The prophetic signs are burgeoning and not abating. The religious leaders continue to refuse to believe the Biblical patterns. Time is incredibly short – Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is coming soon – so be of great cheer, keep looking up, and keep maintaining an attitude of gratitude. Be sure you are believing The Truth, not The Lie. Be sure Yeshua is your Redeemer, King, and High Priest, and your sins are forgiven.