Commentaries

Historically, the doctrines relating to the return of Christ and attempts to predict His return have been the cause of more fable than faith. Men with more knowledge than I have failed to be correct. John Nelson Darby first came up with the doctrine of pre-millennial (secret) rapture of Christian believers in 1827. This was popularized by the publication of the Schofield Reference Bible in 1909. The doctrine is part of a much wider doctrine of ‘dispensationalism’.  Dispensationalism rigidly applies a compartmentalization of Scripture into "dispensations," and a dichotomy between Israel and the Church. Dispensationalists believe "this present world system . . . is now controlled by Satan" (not by God) and will end in failure and apostasy.  I don't agree with John Darby’s theories. Many learned and Holy men have attempted to predict the return of Christ. Even John Wesley predicted the return of Jesus would occur in 1836. These attempts were not limited to Holy men and Theologians, John Gribbin, science editor of "Nature" magazine, and Stephen Plagemann of NASA's Goddard Space Center in Maryland, predicted the world would end in the latter part of 1982.

   Home | Contact Tim | About | Links