All:

 

Any efforts to get a handle on Mark Wohlberg's theology is like trying to pick up or handle mercury. 

 

In my first "Standing in the Gap" piece, I elected to address Steven Wohlberg as "Mark" Wohlberg.  I was being facetious by calling him "Mark" largely because of how he handles the "Mark" of the Beast in his book 'Truth Left Behind'. 

 

Trying to understand Mr. "Mark" Wohlberg will confuse you and even the best of Christian scholars give up trying to understand his theology.  Do not expect to understand Steven's babble.  His spiritualizing and allegoricalizing of Scripture will have your mind in a spiritual merry-go-round.

 

Most of the Christian world consider the SDA church a "cult" and Mr. Wohlberg, like the SDA church/cult is as elusive as picking up mercury.  He tells his audiences the Bible gives only three definitions of truth, and if we accept all three we will not be deceived.  Steve defines truth as "Christ" (John 14:6); the Bible (John 17:17); and ALL "Ten Commandments" (Psalm 119:151).  In his own words, if you reject Christ, the Bible, or ANY of the Ten Commandments, you have only partial truth and are, by definition, deceived.  However, his sermons, writings, and books echo much more as to the SDA's spiritual leader Ellen G. White's beliefs and teachings.  The SDA church/cult is the epitome of confusion, and the antithesis of sound Biblical theology.

 

I have listened to Steve "Mark" Wohlberg, Doug Batchelor, Robert Van Kampen, the SDA Voice of Prophecy, the SDA unofficial 3ABN television network, and "It Is Written".  I have a copy of Marvin Rosenthal's book on the Pre-wrath Rapture.  I have read it six times and you need to know that Marvin Rosenthal was inspired by Robert Van Kampen to write the book

 

Interestingly, all of the above named individuals claim to have been former Jews, which just might  explain their obsessing with Sabbatarianism.  Ellen G. White even contradicted Jesus Christ!  When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus reply was to "Love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mid.   This is the First and Greatest commandment."  -(Matthew 22:37-38).   Ellen G. White said it is observing the Sabbath.  I have been taught the Sabbath was made for man as a day of rest.  Read Mark 2:27, where Jesus is quoted about the Sabbath. 

 

Make no mistake about it, the SDA church/cult is a "CULT".  They masquerade as being Christian.  It teaches another "Jesus" and another "Gospel" that is "similar" or "like" the genuine.  Recall what I said previously about "counterfeits".  I could go on and on about the deceptive Scripture-twisting of these men masquerading as Christians that continue to either "add to" or "take away" from the Word of God.  In terms of "Salvation" the SDA church/cult are a "works-righteousness" gospel.  They do not hesitate to put Ellen G. White's works on a level equal to Scripture.  I have a lot to say about their bait and switch tactics.

 

Before returning to points in my first piece on "Standing in the Gap -1", it is important to know that Steve "Mark" Wohlberg is NOT an expert on Judaism, as the History Channel once stated he was.  He is NO expert on Judaism, Biblical or any other understanding of the Jewish faith.  He has no roots in Jewish culture, beliefs, or tradition.  At best he was a Jew in name only.  He states as much in one of his earliest writings, a tract entitled From 'Hollywood to Heaven'.  His tract tells how his home was void of faith!  The only books he read as a kid were Dr. Seuss.

 

Wohlberg and others named in this post are "Replacement" theology advocates.  In essence, they are part of the church that says God has done away with the Jews, also known as "Supersessionism".  This errant theology began with Roman Catholicism and has continued down to the modern era through "Covenant/Reformed" theology-based churches.  They spiritualize or allegoricalize Scripture to fit their understanding and belief constructs.  Wohlberg and the rest believe the Jews had their chance and they blew it big time.  Before you buy into their way of thinking you need to study Paul's Epistle to the Romans, in particular, chapters 9, 10, & 11. 

 

Steve "Mark" Wohlberg and all of the rest that I have named, and there are some that I did not name, "cherry pick" Scripture to suit their agenda.  They do not teach the whole counsel of God!  The Pre-Wrath and Mid-Trib crowd have been deceived by their own errant "isegesis" instead of sound "inductive exegesis". 

 

I recently came across a book offering forty ways to study the Bible.  I have a special interest in books that address the study of the Bible.  While many are interesting it begs the question as to which is the correct method?  After all a broken clock will be correct twice a day.

 

In my first "Standing in the Gap -1" post, I noted ten statements by Marky.  I will address the first two now.  Steve "Marky" Wohlberg has stated:

 

** He believes the entire 70 weeks should be taken to mean 70 weeks that run consecutively, with no break.

 

** He believes there is absolutely no break between the 69th and 70th week, otherwise the 70th week should be called something else.

 

Those two statements are very similar in meaning.  He claims that there is no place in any other portion of Scripture in which a time period stops then resumes again.  Additionally, he states that all Biblical references to time periods are consecutive and that we could also take that to mean that tings in the Bible are chronological.  I dealt with that issue last time, citing there are more than 24 examples of this in the entire Bible.  The problem though is that his statement is not entirely true.  Even a cursory reading of Revelation shows things to be out of order, such as for example, the Olivet Discourse.  Not everything is so neat and nice as Steven "Mark" Wohlberg would have us believe.  If they were, he might have a solid argument, but since he is actually incorrect, his argument does not stand.

 

It cannot reasonably be argued that because time is constantly moving forwards, all of God's plans and purposes are in the same timeline.  Yet, this is what Steven expects us to believe; that things happen one after the other in perfect succession.  Because of this, he sees a problem where someone states there is some type or gap between areas of Scripture (represented in real time).  This cannot be, he says.

 

I cited last time my first reference where Jesus reading from Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:16-20.  I also noted there are at least 24 specific examples found in Scripture that illustrate a stop and later restart again in Scripture. 

 

Steven "Mark" Wohlberg categorically states on his web site 'White Horse Media', "There is no example in Scripture (or anywhere else!) of a time period starting again.  All Biblical references to time are consecutive: 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:41), 400 years in Egypt (Genesis 15:13), etc."

 

The problem though is that in areas where prophecy was uttered, time lines are not necessarily provided in specifics, nor does that prophetic utterance provide all the details.  Steven "Mark" Wohlberg points to 40 days and 40 nights, but what does this actual time have to do with areas of prophecy?  The two cannot necessarily be equated, as oranges with apples, connected or paralleled, yet Wohlberg seems not to differentiate between the often far-future look of prophecy, and the everyday occurrences of real time, in a linear fashion, such as God's Creation.

 

A quick look in Revelation 8 also shows us that an interlude takes place in God's prophetic timetable.  Where does this interlude occur?  According to the text of Revelation 8, it occurs in heaven.  The interlude lasted for roughly one-half hour (confirmed in Revelation 8:1).  Did that same interlude occur on the earth?  Did everyone on earth stop what they were doing and listened and waited?  Not at all.  In fact, when we see things occurring in heaven, the scene is often completely different from what we see occurring on earth.  The time (compared to earth), could also be different, since heaven is outside the bounds of time.

 

Consider Revelation 12 where everything is cruising along nicely in the book when we arrive at chapter 12, and it seems out of place.  It is not so weird once it is understood to be an overview of sorts, of redemption, beginning with the history of Israel from birth to the arrival of Jesus at His First Advent.  Verses one through five start from the birth of Israel, to the birth of Jesus Christ, and Satan's attempt to destroy Him.  From there, we see that this child (Jesus Christ), who came from the nation of Israel, is literally caught up in heaven and will ultimately rule the nations with a rod of iron.  This speaks of Jesus Christ's death, resurrection and ascension.  Verse six picks up with Israel in the wilderness where she will be nourished for 1,260 days.  This verse speaks of an event, which has not occurred yet. 

 

In my next post of "Standing in the Gap -3" I will dethrone Steven "Mark" Wohlberg's babble. 

 

Those hanging their hat on the Pre-Wrath or Mid-Trib Rapture and holding to a consecutive contiguous 70 week time period not only have a problem with their eschatology, they have a bigger problem in their ecclesiology.  The Pre-Wrath and Mid-Trib are guilty of intermixing Scripture, and confusing the history of the church with the history of Israel.  Because they do not recognize there is a distinction between Israel and the Church, other than the fact they believe the Church replaced Israel, they abuse proper exegesis of the text. 

 

Seventy weeks are determined UPON THY PEOPLE AND UPON THY HOLY CITY.  The 490 years pertain to the Jews and to Jerusalem, not to the church.  Of the 490 years, the last seven years are yet unfulfilled and have been unfulfilled for nearly 2,000 years.  Gabriel was speaking to Daniel!

 

The Pre-Wrath and Mid-Trib positions are a direct consequence of "Replacement" theology, known as "Supersessionism" and its failure to differentiate between the Church and Israel.  It leads to the misconstruing and misapplication of Scripture.  The Apostle Paul told us that "blindness in part is happened to Israel UNTIL, the fullness of the Gentiles be come in."  -(Romans 11:25).   

 

When Israel rejected the Messiah, the Nation (Israel) was blinded.  -(Matthew 13:14-15; John 12:37-41; Acts 28:25-28) but after the Church is Raptured, Israel will turn to the Lord and "the veil shall be taken away"  -(2 Corinthians 3:16). 

 

The veil covers the eyes of the Jews, and when you think about it for a while, that veil blinds those buying into "Replacement" Theology as well.  The Church has to be removed BEFORE Israel turns to the Lord.  Only then will "all Israel be saved"  -(Romans 11:26).  James stated in Acts 15:14-16, "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name..... AFTER THIS I will return, and will build again the Tabernacle of David." 

 

The Rapture will be Pre-Tribulation and be "SEVEN" years before the Second Coming of Christ Jesus!

 

"Dispensationalism" teaches the "whole" counsel of God and does not "cherry pick" to fit a particular view of any individual man which is not the case for the slippery-tongued SDA's and those they deceive.

 

Have a blessed Resurrection!

 

Pastor Bob