Review of The Blessed Hope: We're Almost Home by Rowley

A friend of mine asked me to read the online book by Dave Rowley, entitled: The Blessed Hope: We're Almost Home.

(This book can be found online at: http://www.sounddoctrine.com/blessed_hope.htm )

I not only knew what the book was about, I also met the author years ago, and we discussed a little about the topic. I further learned that many Christians have read his book, and have decided to follow it and it's doctrinal teaching that the tribulation has only 3 1/2 years left to go. With that in mind, I'd like to review this work and give my thoughts on the book. I also suggest you read it for yourself, and to DISCERN it. My father taught me how to discern things, and I would stress to others to do the same. Study for yourself and come to a logical conclusion. Don't just take a man's word on anything, mine included!

As I began reading the book, I couldn't chuckle at the title words, "We're Almost Home," especially after the author wrote that he started the book in 1973, and completed it in 1996. It is now 2010, so I don't know what his definition of "almost" is, but to me, that's pretty far off from "almost!"

The author starts with: "The coming of Christ for His Church is a subject close to the heart of God's people. Notwithstanding, the Church has been derelict in its charge to discover the details of that remarkable event." I'm sure that's true today, as more and more ministers depart from teaching sound doctrine, but I remember being in many a church in my lifetime and hearing much preaching and teaching about the RAPTURE when I was younger. I even remeber that before I was saved, I was scared to death to miss the rapture! I wasn't even saved, but I could have taken you to the verses and showed you where they were (I'd heard about it that much!)

As Rowley continues, he quotes people who say we can't know the date of the rapture, therefore we shouldn't talk about it. And, like the author, I agree they are wrong. 1 Thess. 5 tells us we are not in darkness, and that we can know the times and seasons.

The author does a great job showing the difference between the "Day of the Lord" and the "Day of Christ." Something I'm grateful I was taught in Bible School, as most fundamentalists colleges try to reject the notion and follow "Bible Correctors" and "the Critical Texts" to prove they are not different. The truth is they are!

He further speaks about the "immenincy doctrine" of the rapture, and how it can come at any time. I've always believed this, that is, until I got saved and read the Bible. And, it's clear that in Thessalonians, the Lord can't come back until the anti-Christ first be revealed. (Then, as soon as he is, then we'll immediately be called out!)

Up until then I enjoyed reading the book, and agreed with it readily, realizing most of it was taken from notes we were taught in Bible School (the author graduated from the same Bible School as I did). But I had problems with his teaching of what he called a "mid-week" rapture. (He made sure not to call it a Mid-Trib. rapture). He further states that the term "Great Tribulation" applies to the entire tribulation, and it consists of only 3 1/2 years. I have a great problem with this. The following verses from Revelation below show us otherwise:

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

The verses above in Rev. chap. 11 show Jews worshipping in their temple, and then they are cast out so that the Gentiles can occupy it for 42 months (3 1/2 years). Logically then, the Jews must have been there for 3 1/2 years before. How can this happen if their temple isn't rebuilt yet in our day?

In the verses above in Rev. 13, we see the anti-christ ruling, and then power is given him to continue 42 months. That means he must have been ruling already if he's going to "continue" to do so. (Interestingly enough, Rowley quotes this verse too, but omits commenting on the small little word "continue.")

From my studies, the term "Great Tribulation" refers only to the last 3 1/2 years of the seven year Tribulation, while "tribulation" refers to the entire seven years. I would challenge you to look up the verses on the "Great Tribulation" to see if that makes sense.

The author does a great job of showing how Christ's coming was conditional upon his being accepted or rejected by the nation of Israel, and how God's "times and seasons" were moveable, based upon their decision. Had Israel accepted their Messiah, then the tribulation would have taken place after Jesus' resurrection, and then Armageddon would have been later. But because the nation as a whole rejected their Messiah, then Jesus allowed the church age to come into fruition, and it will end with the rapture, the tribulation, and then Armageddon.

He continues by breaking up the train of thought by giving examples of Babylon the Whore, and taking about diet, but then he comes back to the point he's trying to make in chapter four under the title of "Seven or Three and One Half?"

Rowley then runs to Daniel 9:27, and makes the second word "he" refer to Jesus Christ instead of to the main-stream view of the verse speaking about the anti-christ. (Something that is interesting and worthy of further study!) But then he tries to make the tribulation only 3 1/2 years, by saying the verse doesn't give us any specific information on when the week (of seven years) is divided into two periods of 3 1/2. And, he openly states that for him, there is only 3 1/2 years left, for the "covenant" in Daniel 9:27, was the Abrahamic covenant (which he claims Daniel mentions in verse four), and Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Daniel 9:27, when he came to the earth and died on the cross, and after his resurrection, all is desolate in Israel. Thus, he says 3 1/2 have already passed, and 3 1/2 are still future.

In Rowley's own words he theorizes, "I constructed a chronology (see appendix) which runs from the decree of Cyrus King of Persia until the beginning of the public ministry of Christ. That puts the end of the 483 years of the prophesy not at the death of Christ, but at the beginning of His public ministry which lasts approximately 3½ years."

In other words, to Rowley, the first 3 1/2 years of the seven years of tribulation have already taken place in Jesus' earthly ministry!

This is very hard to swallow! Rowley must have forgetten to read verse 26, in which Messiah is "cut off" (i.e. CRUCIFIED) after 62 weeks. This still leaves seven years AFTER Jesus is crucified.

So, it appears hard to make the arguement that half of the tribulation is already over and it was completed in Jesus' earthly ministry. (One would do better in my book in trying to prove that half of the tribulation was fulfilled in the time right after Jesus' death and resurrection in which the Apostles preached with signs and wonders.)

Rowley finishes his treatise in chapter five talking again about the rapture and makes some valid points.

SUMMARY

It all boils down to whether or not there are only 3 1/2 years left or a full 7 as stated by the book of Daniel. If 3 1/2 years of the tribulation were already fulfilled in the book of Daniel, then there are only 3 1/2 left. (Which is Rowley's theory). However, what if Rowley is wrong? What if the tribulation is a full seven years still in the future? Would not Rowley's teaching then deceive people into thinking they are not in the tribulation if indeed the rapture comes and they are left behind? That's a scary thought!

I enjoyed ready Rowley's work and discerning his arguements. It was very thought provoking. However, I still don't see only 3 1/2 years of tribulation coming. I see a full seven! If you get a chance, go back and read the book of Revelation again all the way through, and see if you don't come up with the same teaching of seven years still future in which the anti-christ rules as a man for 3 1/2 years and then dies and then comes back as the son of perdition to reign for another 3 1/2 years. Also, reread Daniel. For in chapter 9, it's clear the Messiah must be "cut off" before the seven years begin. How on earth could you get Jesus' earthly ministry being half of the tribulation??? I mean, I can see how it's possible that 3 1/2 years could have passed already after Jesus died and rose again in the ministry of the apostles, but even then I'd have a problem lining that up with the book of Revelation.

What do you think about it? How about some comments?