Book--Who Will Be Left Behind and When?--review and strongly recommended

Table of Charts:

Comparison of Matthew 24 and 1, 2 Thessalonians
Daniel’s 70 Week Timeline
Fifth Chapter Scroll
Comparison of Revelation 6 and Matthew 24
Christ’s Parousia
The Structure of Revelation

The whole question of when the rapture occurs (catching away of believers) in the end-times 7 year period, really does matter. Yes, all pre-millennial rapture adherents believe that the rapture occurs before the 1000-year millennium begins (and post-millennial and amillennial have no basis in truth except for those who refuse to read the Bible literally). And yet..... this lively debate about when the "catching away" of believers occurs, affects how well-prepared a person is for possible end-times problems. Mr. Bussard presents a compelling answer in Who Is Left Behind and When?, and does it scripturally.

A taste of the book from the Introduction:

Did you know that there are 8,352 Bible verses related to prophecy?1 I recently read that Billy Graham has found 380 references to the Second Coming in the scriptures!2 And my wife has informed me that, according to Max Lucado, 23 of the 27 books in the New Testament refer to Christ’s return. It must be important!

Here are some other things you might not know about end-times prophecy:

•Did you know that, despite the popularity of the pre-tribulation rapture teaching, there is only one verse (Rev. 3:10) in the entire Bible that even appears to say we might be raptured before the 70th Week of Daniel (what most call the seven-year Tribulation)?

•Did you know that most people think we will be raptured before Daniel’s 70th Week because the Bible says we are not destined for God’s wrath, but for salvation; and yet there is not one verse in the Bible that says the entire 70th Week of Daniel is God’s wrath? (In fact, there are many passages that say something quite different, therefore setting aside the need for the Church to be raptured pre-tribulationally.)

•And did you know that, while almost all of us believe that the rapture will come like a thief in the night and take us by surprise, Jesus and Paul tell us that it will not surprise the believer, that we will know when the time is near, and that it will surprise only the nonbeliever?

I’m sure you’ve heard that Christ could come at any moment because nothing has to happen before His return. And yet, there is not one passage that says this! In fact, there are many scriptures that tell us there are certain events that must happen first.

I understand that these statements may be difficult to swallow, and at first might sound like false teachings for many, but have patience, a desire for truth, and read ahead to find firsthand that the majority isn’t always right. ......(continued in the book)

People are asking questions about whether we are in the end-times 7 year period?, whether what is taking place in the Middle East portends another destructive world war?, and specifically how would we know if the biblical end-times period begins? Even non-christians are intensely interested in these questions. We as believers should be able to provide an answer to them and Dave Bussard's book will help prepare you to answer the questions. It is written in an easy to understand manner, without the dryness of an intensely academic tome meant to impress fellow academics.

Do I personally agree with every point in Mr. Bussard's book? No, there is one point we disagree on. He states that the antichrist, this future ruler given over to satanic inspiration, will initiate or make the peace treaty between Israel, the Palestinians, and the surrounding Arab nations. My own view is that the antichrist is only allotted 1260 days (42 months) of power, and his power ends at the end of the 7 year period when the Messiah comes to reign on the earth. Therefore, the antichrist cannot be the initiator of the peace treaty at the beginning of the 7 year period. In my view, the KJV has translated Daniel 9:27 most correctly by saying "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week;...". The KJV gives the sense that the antichrist confirms an already existing treaty. This is borne out by use of the Hebrew verb "higbir" which is Hifil 3ms perfect, a causitive active verb. The root verb in Hebrew is "gavar" which means "he prevailed"; and in Hifil as a causitive verb would be "he caused to prevail". Higbir (he caused to prevail) gives the sense that the antichrist agrees with and enforces a previously signed treaty much as president Bush caused to prevail (or not) treaties signed by previous administrations.

However, although Dave Bussard and I disagree on the issue of whether the antichrist brings about the peace treaty beginning the end-times 7 year period, there is little else in the entire book we disagree on. That's why I can heartily give this book my highest endorsement and urge people to buy the book and read it.

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