Page 84 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord
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The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition
with the living Gentiles and Israelites who are on the earth at
the time of the Second Advent.
According to Ezekiel 20:34-38, at the time of the Second
Advent a regathering of Israel is brought about. It obviously
takes considerable time—many weeks, if not months—to ef
fect, but it is carried out precisely as the prophets indicate.
Isaiah states that every means of transportation is pressed into
use; ‘“And they will bring all your brothers, from all the
nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to
the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules
and camels,’ says the Lord” (Isa. 66:20). That the regather-
ing is to be complete to the last man—obviously not fulfilled
by previous regatherings—is declared in Ezekiel 39:25-29. Il
is explicitly stated. “I will gather them to their own land, not
leaving any behind." i.e., among the nations (Ezek. 39:28).
The regathering process completed, a judgment of Israel
is described in Ezekiel 20:34-38. God declares, “I will take
note of you as you pass under my staff, and I will bring you
into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who
revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of
the land where thev are living, yet thev will not enter the land
of Israel” (Ezek. 20:37-38).
In the light of the details of this judgment, it should be
clear to any impartial observer that the judgment deals with
Israelites still in the flesh, not translated or resurrected. Fur
ther, the process takes time because of the geographic re
gathering that is involved. It is an event related to the estab
lishment of the millennial kingdom but is subsequent by some
weeks or months to the actual Second Advent. It relates to
Israel racially alone and includes both believers and unbeliev
ers. The judgment consists in putting to death all the rebels or
unbelievers, leasing only the believers to enter the Promised
Land.
This multitude of details sets this judgment apart from
the translation of the church as much as any two events could
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