Question:
I have a friend who insist that the doctrine of the rapture started as the result of a vision by a Scotish girl by the name of Margaret McDonald in the spring of 1830. Do you know where I can find out when this doctrine started to be taught? Let me say now that I am a pre-tributlational rapture believer because I believe that this is what the Bible teaches. What I would like is something to open the eyes of my friend. Something that proves that this Biblical teaching start much earlier.
Answer:
I have never heard this excuse from anyone, as to why he would not accept the teaching of the Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Millennial Rapture, but I would not worry about using outside sources to prove what the Bible clearly teaches. There is nothing as powerful as Bible verses to prove the truth. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The devil would like nothing better than to get us to drop our true Sword, the Bible, and to pickup other books which have no power to convict the soul. Forget the other books, just keep giving the person clear Bible verses, and let the Holy Spirit do His work. Jeremiah 23:28,29 says, “…he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”