Role: Executive Director of The Pre-Trib Research Center |
Dr. Ice is Executive Director of The Pre-Trib Research Center. He founded The Center in 1994 with Dr. Tim LaHaye to research, teach, and defend the pre-tribulational rapture and related Bible prophecy doctrines.
Dr. Ice has co-authored about 30 books, written hundreds of articles, and is a frequent conference speaker. He has served as a pastor for 15 years. Dr. Ice has a B.A. from Howard Payne University, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. from Tyndale Theological Seminary, and is a Doctoral Candidate at The University of Wales in Church History. Dr. Ice lives in Justin, Texas with his wife Janice and is a member of the Chafer Theological Seminary faculty.
Passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:3
I believe that there is a strong possibility that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is speaking of the rapture. What do I mean? Some pretribulationists, like myself, think that the Greek noun apostasia, usually translated "apostasy," is a reference to the rapture and should be translated "departure." Thus, this passage would be saying that the day of the Lord will not come until the rapture comes before it. If apostasia is a reference to a physical departure, then 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is strong evidence for pretribulationism...
Critics of pretribulationism sometimes state that belief in the rapture is a doctrinal development of recent origin. They argue that the doctrine of the rapture or any semblance of it was completely unknown before the early 1800s and the writings of John Nelson Darby. One of the most vocal and sensational critics of the rapture is Dave MacPherson, who argues that, "during the first 18 centuries of the Christian era, believers were never 'Rapture separaters' [sic]; they never separated the minor Rapture aspect of the Second Coming of Christ from the Second Coming itself." ...
I recently received the following question: “I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church but the only post-trib argument, that almost every post-trib believer uses, that has stumped me deals with scriptures where Jesus Himself refers to raising up His followers on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54 and Mark 8:38). These verses coupled with (John 11:24) make a very strong case for a post-tribulation catching away (rapture) of the saints. . . .
Critics of the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy have often questioned the biblical legitimacy of a term we use called “the tribulation.” The truth of a worldwide time of tribulation that lasts for seven years is derived primarily from the Bible books of Daniel and Revelation, however it is used many times in other passages. I hope to demonstrate in this article the fact that the Bible does indeed teach that there will be a seven-year period known as the tribulation which will be future to our own day...
The modern state of Israel is under attack, not just from the Muslims, but increasingly by so-called Evangelicals, especially among those who are thirty-five and younger. A generation ago, it was virtually synonymous to be pro-Israel and Evangelical, however, with the arrival of so-called “postmodern Christianity” it has become more important to be relevant to the pagan culture than to be biblical on issues. And increasingly the world is finding reasons to oppose Israel at the same time when that same world is increasingly becoming more anti-Christian...