Since the Bible is silent on this topic, as a pastor I will remain silent, too. But as just another brother in Christ I need to ask, what difference does it make to us if there is or isn't a gap?
For me, its not so much about the rapture as it is, I believe, more to do with being able in sync. There are not a lot of watchers running around with the need to be in sync. I realize. What I mean is this: Book of Revelation relevance to the believer at the tipy-top time of departure zone. We have had discussions about why the book of Revelation is important to the believer. My perspective might be more so related to the person of Christ as the Spirit of Prophecy. Whereas in general the watcher view would be about somewhat helpful details of Revelation we get wind of like this side of the end of the church age. It is on this latter point I believe is where watcher insights into Revelation would be at their peak.
As for imminence, I believe as so much contrast was coming at Israel in the 1st century, and as a transitional unprecidented historical movement of God moving His creation from an Old Testament to New Testament move, there would be a lot of moving parts. Paul would see the rapture as imminent...because the word of God was yet in transition from Old to New covenant. And the Bible was still being written. And the the scattered sense of parchment here and there (no printing press until 1500 years later) would somewhat be, I believe, the condition of the pioneering startup of church age. Thinking Christ coming back soon in years seemed to also be a sense in the first century.
But, in the way I look at it, I don't really think in terms of imminence. Is it possible, maybe even probable, that the rapture is signless and imminent? Yes. But in my senses toward how Revelation works it would seem it has an appointed season in Rev 12. The child going up is not right when it is born, but somewhere on the graph of the path associated with the woman/child imagery. On this pictorial graph line there is no gap sense. If that is a picture of the rapture it would be ironic how it is known adversely as a signless event.
But what I believe is perhaps helpful to consider in relation to the importance of a gap theory or no gap theory is being in sync with how events are forming and taking place. For exmaple we see Ez 38 with huge micro detail as far as prophecies go. That would suggest that the time that Ez 38 event is for will likely have contouers of detail that assocate with it. Which would imply syncing is "a thing" in the realm of that sociopolitical atmosphere. We might say at that juncture: "But that is for Isreal and the church wont be here." But what we do see now is enough of Ez 38 teasing us. Taunting us with its suggesting how formational under our noses it is also now becoming.
In the past I have used an example of the Abraham Accords. If enough of the church is concerned about that, it will broadcast from the internet and to its neighbors that the Abraham Accords is what the AC strengthens later. And makes it a covenant with the many. Perhaps this sort of emphasis comes on the wings other concerns watchers might see about the beast system forming, or Israel and Psalm 83, or Zachariah 12 etc. What I tend to see Pastor is that there tends to be a somewhat loud watcher market that ascerts what things are and becoming that may or may not be as linked as we believe. I guess we shall see.
Those not maybe looking at Ez 38 in certain ways will say, "It is imminent...its so close it could happen tomorrow." Yet, the Bible tells us it comes at a time Israel is at peace. Not at a time where they are in the news 24/7 waring all over the place. That is the exact opposite of sync. So the opposite of that would be what I mean by sync. It is understandable the church is excited. But we do see sensationalism likely making the most noise. Like Pastor Jack Hibbs and now Pastor Brandon Holthaus and others have implied that Christians that don't vote might not be saved. To me that is the epitome of trainwreck at the pulpit covetting relevence. The irony is that true pastors in the end times are very relevant. Just not self releveant. So I guess the more we can get away from pockets of the church imposing relevance on itself with sensationalism etc, the more we can see what things look like as genuine dust settles.
Philosphically perhaps the way end times works is somewhat the opposite of how we might have thought. 2017 - 2020 we were all pretty shocked that end times would be slow motion time released. I think most of us were thinking "peace and safety then sudden destruction" was about the world entering the tribulation. Most of us I believe were thinking the church warns of a flood coming while building an arc then bam the world gets it as we are out of here. I believe we all saw it pretty much in terror suddenly for the world. Then instead it was like we all started running underwater in slow mo. And now its like..."waaaaaaarniiiiiiiing, wiiiiiiiiiill, Rooooooooobiiiiiiiiiiiiinson, waaaaaaarniiiiiiiing" Much less exotic and cool than the movies. So what is the inverse of that mode? We become increasingly aware of what's up. John 15:15. To me, that structure ratching up for the church would likely dispose of any need of gap. Its just that if believers are down here a little longer than they think that we would be, some could panic etc. Many have already said that they are surprised that the church would be here to see so much. Almost like, "Are we also going to watch the global reset too? Eat bugs? Etc. I would think not. But I guess what might be helpful in respect to a gap theory would not be so much in trying to have our math right before liftoff...but what our understanding forms like while we can yet reach and relate to the land of the living as we are still here to do so.
In other words, I don't think there will be a gap. I believe the church is here until some blistering. And whatever might have been thought to be included in some gap theory time...I believe we likely see most of it. In saying that I say that as a pretribulation rapture guy. But how it helps is we might be here so far into a zone we never thought we might not be, it would help that we sync perhaps with reasons why or for what end necessary kind of thing. Like personally being encouraged to understand our revelvance in Christ and our sync with Jonn 15:15 what the Father is doing. And less about the sensational markets calling relevance to themselves by contrast. If that makes sense? Blessings.
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