Dr Paul Allen

All Bible-believing Christians are expecting the rapture; we all just define that event differently. 1) What is the rapture? The word ‘rapture’ comes from the Latin rapturo, meaning, “I seize, I snatch, or I carry away” which is the Vulgate’s translation of the Greek word harpadzo, meaning “I catch up, I carry away.” As a half-Greek etymology geek I can’t resist mentioning that English sailors sourced their word “harpoon” from the Greek for the implement used to snatch a large fish out the water. “Harpadzo” or “Rapturo” is rendered “caught up” in  1 Thess 4:16-17 where Paul says, For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord, (ESV).” Also, 1 Cor 15:51-53 refers to the fac...

“The Wicked (One) in his pride doth persecute the poor: the Wicked (One), through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.” (Ps. 10:2, 4) This entire Psalm is about the Wicked One. The opening verse gives the key to its dispensational scope. It contains the cry of the Jewish remnant during the Tribulation period, here denominated “Times of Trouble.” (cf. Jer. 30:7) So desperate is the situation of the true Israel, it seems as though Jehovah must have deserted them—“Why standest Thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?” (v. 1)  Then follows a remarkably full description of their archenemy, the Wicked One. His pride (v. 2), his depravity: “He abhorreth the Lord” (v. 3 margin); his blasphemy: “All his thoughts are, There is no God” (v. 4 margin); his grievous ways, (v. 5); his consuming egotism, (v. 6); his deceitfulness, (v. 7); his treachery, (v. 8); his cruelty, (vv. 9, 10); his complacent pride, (v. 11), is each described. Then the Re...

Destruction of the bodies and souls of men is another major area of demonic activity. Physical problems that demons can inflict include dumbness (Matt. 9:33), blindness (Matt. 12:22), crookedness of limbs, paralysis, and torturous diseases (Mark 3:10; Acts 8:7; Luke 13:11, 16). Mental derangement is also within their power (Mark 5:4–5; Luke 9:37–42). The moral impurities of the Canaanites seem to have been traceable to demon activity (Lev. 18:6–30; see also Deut. 18:9–14), and we know that Satan can tempt believers to immorality (1 Cor. 7:5). The war against the souls of men was illustrated by our Lord in His teaching about the worthlessness of self-reformation (Matt. 12:43–45). The believer is in a constant spiritual warfare, his enemies being Satan and his demons (Eph. 6:12). Notice that this verse teaches the organization and ranking of demons and “their world-wide way over the present … spiritual and moral darkness.”59 In the Tribulation period, the destructive power of demo...