Rapture Fever

Foreword xix
rather, the gates of hell will not prevail against God’s Church
(offensive imagery).
Glfl #3: Our Victory in History
Did Jesus triumph over Satan when He rose from the dead?
Of course. Did He triumph over history when He ascended
into heaven to sit at God’s right hand? Of course. Jesus is not a
loser in hzkto~. But if this is true, then we have to conclude:
neither are His eatihty semants. That means us!
Jesus extends His rule in history through His Church. He
extends his rule re@serztatiuely, just as Satan does. Satan does
not need to sit on an earthly throne in order to extend his
kingdom; neither does Jesus. Nothing can stop this extension of
His kingly rule in history. David wrote:
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his
wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their
trust in him (Psalm 2:11-12).
This Old Testament commandment is fulfilled in Christi
But now is Christ risen ffom the dead, and become the firstfruits
of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order:
Christ the first.fkuits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his
coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up
the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put
down all rule and zdl authority and power. For he must reign, till
he bath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is death (I Cor. 15:20-26).
Jesus Christ must continue to reign over history until all His
enemies are put under His feet. That is what the text says. But
we know that He sits today at His Father’s right hand. Thus,