Rapture Fever
by Gary North by Gary North
Endless Unfulfilled Prophecies Produce Paralysis 25 theological discussion of why the events of his day cannot possibly be fulfillments of Bible prophecy if orthodox dispensational eschatology is correct. At most, they are shadows of things to come. But such a discussion would kill the excitement of the reader in hearing “the latest dope” about fulfilled prophecy. Scholarly books on eschatology do not become best-sellers. Oswald T Allis, a postmillennial critic of dispensationalism, commented in 1945 on this schizophrenic aspect of dispensational authors: “One of the clearest indications that Dispensationalists do not believe that the rapture is really ‘without a sign, without a time note, and unrelated to other prophetic events’ [he cited Scofield, What Do the Prophets Say?, p. 97] is the fact that they cannot write a book on prophecy without devoting a considerable amount of space to ‘signs’ that this event must be very near at hand. . . . This is of course quite incompatible with their any moment doctrine.”*4 In late 1990 and early 1991, a huge increase in the sales of “ticking clock” dispensational prophecy books once again proved him correct on this point. * 5 The addiction continues. It also debilitates. A Publishing Coup in the First Half of 1991 In 19’74, the year following the beginning of the oil crisis, Dr. Walvoord wrote one of these paperback potboilers, Armageddon, Oil and the Middle East Crisis. Eventually, it went out of print. In late 1990, it was resurrected iiom the dead.*b The headlines about the imminent war in Kuwait were too powerful 14. Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed, 1945), pp. 174, 175. 15. Scott Baradell, “Prophets of Doom: We’re a leg up on Armageddon: Dallas TinMs Heraki (Sept. 8, 1990); Edwin McDowell, “World Is Shaken, and Some Booksellers Rejoice: New Mrk Times (Oct. 22, 1990); “Prophecy Books Become Big Sellers: Christianity 7May (March 11, 1991); Nancy Kruh, “The End,” DaZkzs Momirsg News (Feb. 17, 1991). 16. I like to think of this as Dr. Walvoord’s “Lazarus” book. Paraphrasing Martha’s comment to Jesus: “But after 16 years in the tomb, it stinketh!”
26 RAPTURE FEVER a temptation. They offered him a unique opportunity to revive his career at age 80. Since the first version of the book had not cost him his academic reputation within dispensational circles (he had none outside these circles), there seemed to be no reason not to try to cash in again. Feeding frenzies must be fed, after all. Apparently publishing highly specific interpretations of Bible prophecy- interpretations that are disproved within a year or two, and possibly six months- has something important to do with spreading the gospel. So, Dr. Walvoord allowed Zondervan to republish this revised 1974 potboiler, and it sold (as of late August, 1991) 1,676,886 copies.” The theological cost of this publishing coup was high: Walvoord’s explicit abandonment of the “any moment Rapture” doctrine of traditional dispensational eschatology. Yet in the July/September 1990 issue ofllibliotheca Sac7-a, Walvoord had dismissed Gentry’s statement in House Divided that dispensationalists are date-setters: “[Vlery few of its adherents indulge in this procedure.” To complete Walvoord’s move to dispensensationalism, his publisher announced his latest book, A4ajor Bible Prophec&s: 37 Crucial Prophecies That Afect Mu Today, in August, 1991. The timing, as we shall see, was perfect. . . for anti-dispensational critics of the system. IfJohn Walvoord, who at age 80 was the last of the old-line dispensational theologians, could not resist the siren call of sensationalism in his own “last days,” then what dispensationalist can? As Dr. Wilson proves, not many dispensational authors have resisted it since 1917. Dispensationalists have been visibly addicted to sensationalism. It is an addiction that is not easily broken. The “highs” that sensationalism briefly provides during any Middle Eastern crisis are just too alluring. Gary DeMar identifies this devastating addiction as “last days mad- 17. Press Release, “Kudos: Zondervan Publishing House (August, 1991). This figure may not include returned copies which ought to be quite high, given what happened in the USSR in August.
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Endless Unfulfilled Prophecies Produce Paralysis 25<br />
theological discussion of why the events of his day cannot possibly<br />
be fulfillments of Bible prophecy if orthodox dispensational<br />
eschatology is correct. At most, they are shadows of things to<br />
come. But such a discussion would kill the excitement of the<br />
reader in hearing “the latest dope” about fulfilled prophecy.<br />
Scholarly books on eschatology do not become best-sellers.<br />
Oswald T Allis, a postmillennial critic of dispensationalism,<br />
commented in 1945 on this schizophrenic aspect of dispensational<br />
authors: “One of the clearest indications that Dispensationalists<br />
do not believe that the rapture is really ‘without a<br />
sign, without a time note, and unrelated to other prophetic<br />
events’ [he cited Scofield, What Do the Prophets Say?, p. 97] is the<br />
fact that they cannot write a book on prophecy without devoting<br />
a considerable amount of space to ‘signs’ that this event<br />
must be very near at hand. . . . This is of course quite incompatible<br />
with their any moment doctrine.”*4 In late 1990 and<br />
early 1991, a huge increase in the sales of “ticking clock” dispensational<br />
prophecy books once again proved him correct on<br />
this point. * 5<br />
The addiction continues. It also debilitates.<br />
A Publishing Coup in the First Half of 1991<br />
In 19’74, the year following the beginning of the oil crisis,<br />
Dr. Walvoord wrote one of these paperback potboilers, Armageddon,<br />
Oil and the Middle East Crisis. Eventually, it went out of<br />
print. In late 1990, it was resurrected iiom the dead.*b The<br />
headlines about the imminent war in Kuwait were too powerful<br />
14. Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed,<br />
1945), pp. 174, 175.<br />
15. Scott Baradell, “Prophets of Doom: We’re a leg up on Armageddon: Dallas<br />
TinMs Heraki (Sept. 8, 1990); Edwin McDowell, “World Is Shaken, and Some Booksellers<br />
Rejoice: New Mrk Times (Oct. 22, 1990); “Prophecy Books Become Big<br />
Sellers: Christianity 7May (March 11, 1991); Nancy Kruh, “The End,” DaZkzs Momirsg<br />
News (Feb. 17, 1991).<br />
16. I like to think of this as Dr. Walvoord’s “Lazarus” book. Paraphrasing<br />
Martha’s comment to Jesus: “But after 16 years in the tomb, it stinketh!”
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