Christine Darg interviews Oxford Bible Church pastor and author Derek Walker about the Rapture of the Church, “Our Blessed Hope,” and Derek answers objections to the pre-Tribulation viewpoint.
This interview is in lieu of a conference in Hereford, England, that was planned before the pandemic.
Next week: Part 2.
Excellent teaching. I have always believed in the Pre Trib Rapture.
I’m eagerly waiting for Jesus’ return. I wish it were soon, https://youtu.be/l2TurW_A8pI
Just finished listening to Derek Walker’s first talk. Thank you. One question though: He mentions that it says in Revelation that the people not raptured but who care for the Brethren are saved. If the Brethren have already been raptured they wouldn’t still be remaining on earth to be cared for by these special people who are to be saved during the Tribulation. Could you please, explain this to us. Maybe, I misunderstood the way Pastor Walker was explaining this.
Pastor Derek replies: When Jesus refers to ‘these My brethren’ in Matthew 25, He refers to the surviving Jews at the end of the Tribulation, who have all been saved during the Tribulation (after the rapture ‘all Israel will be saved’ – Romans 11:25-26). The Gentiles are a separate group divided into sheep and goats – some are born again (sheep) and some are not (goats). Those who are sheep have shown their faith by their works of love, especially towards the Jewish people, suffering the worst persecution at the hands of the antichrist. The main point I was making was that the rapture could not be at the end of the Tribulation, because all believers are removed from the earth in the rapture, which would leave no sheep to populate the Millennium (all the goats are removed from the earth at this point). The sheep in Matthew 25 are not last second converts because Jesus pointed to all the things they had done to show their faith. Thus the rapture must be before the Tribulation to give time for a separate soul harvest of the Jews (‘My brethren’) and the Gentiles (the sheep) in the Tribulation, distinct from the harvest of saved Jews and Gentiles from the Church Age, which is reaped at the rapture. Many (Jews and Gentiles) will be saved after the rapture – the rapture itself will be an awesome sign to the world confirming the Gospel, causing many to trust in Christ soon after the rapture.
When Jesus refers to ‘these My brethren’ in Matthew 25, He refers to the surviving Jews at the end of the Tribulation, who have all been saved during the Tribulation (after the rapture ‘all Israel will be saved’ – Romans 11:25-26). The Gentiles are a separate group divided into sheep and goats – some are born again (sheep) and some are not (goats). Those who are sheep have shown their faith by their works of love, especially towards the Jewish people, suffering the worst persecution at the hands of the antichrist. The main point I was making was that the rapture could not be at the end of the Tribulation, because all believers are removed from the earth in the rapture, which would leave no sheep to populate the Millennium (all the goats are removed from the earth at this point). The sheep in Matthew 25 are not last second converts because Jesus pointed to all the things they had done to show their faith. Thus the rapture must be before the Tribulation to give time for a separate soul harvest of the Jews (‘My brethren’) and the Gentiles (the sheep) in the Tribulation, distinct from the harvest of saved Jews and Gentiles from the Church Age, which is reaped at the rapture. Many (Jews and Gentiles) will be saved after the rapture – the rapture itself will be an awesome sign to the world confirming the Gospel, causing many to trust in Christ soon after the rapture.