This Revelation Timeline Decoded post reviews a video by Joel Richardson of FAI STUDIOS, called ‘Do Jewish Wedding Rituals Prove a Pretribulational Rapture?
Video description: MARANATHA Global Bible Study // The Rapture and the Endurance of the Saints – Episode 11: Do Jewish Wedding Rituals Prove a Pretribulational Rapture?
Before I begin my review of Joel Richardson’s explanations, let me declare that I do these type of reviews, not just to expose false teachers; but to show what they teach, which you may have also been taught, so that you can see the truth and the deception.
These reviews serve as an open rebuttal of their explanations. It’s not about me, it’s about the truth of prophecy fulfillment which reveals the glory of our beloved Messiah!
People ask me if I’ve reached out to Joel to show him how his explanations are wrong. Here’s an example of his response.
I commented on Joel Richardson’s video by sharing the truth about the 70th week of Daniel 9 which invalidates the concept of an end-times 7-year tribulation period, and all Joel Richardson had to say was ‘Nope.’
Sadly, either Joel isn’t able to see the truth about the fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel 9 or he’s a deceiver.
Read The 70th Week Of Daniel 9 Decoded
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios says that Revelation points to a future time of tribulation.
Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas apply most of the prophecies in Revelation to the last 3 1/2 years, which would mean that Messiah had nothing to say about the saints who endured tribulation from the Roman emperors and popes, who caused tens of millions of saints to be tortured and killed. Read Times Of Great Tribulation In Daniel And Revelation
Tell that to the Historical Witnesses Against Antichrist who endured persecution, many times paying for their life for their witness.
The truth is that most of the prophecies in Revelation about tribulation have already been fulfilled during the last 1,900 years, which means that the pretribulation raptures series is based on false premised.
Read Revelation Timeline
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios says that Matthew 24:31 says that the saints will be caught up after tribulation.
It’s amazing how a person who makes video series about the fulfillment of prophecy, doesn’t understand the symbolic language that’s used in prophecy!
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
The Old Testament has several examples of the symbolism of heavenly bodies being darkened, which points to a leadership structure losing power. In the Olivet Discourse, Messiah is pointing to the high priest (sun), Sanhedrin (moon) and priests (stars) being killed or taken captive during the Jewish Roman War of 66-70 AD, which darkened the Jewish leadership system. Read Coming In The Clouds
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Messiah told the Jewish high priest that he would see Messiah come in power and glory. That took place when Messiah used the mighty Roman army to desolate the Jewish nation as punishment for them rejecting Him and delivering Him up to be killed. It’s not referring to Messiah’s return after all prophecy is fulfilled. Read Sun, Moon And Stars
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Messiah’s saints had heeded His warning to flee to the mountains for protection when they saw the sign of the abomination of desolation which took place in November 66 AD, when Cestius and his army surrounded Jerusalem to take it captive, fulfilling Luke 21:20-21. After the Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 AD ended and it was safe for the saints, the leaders blew a trumpet to call a gathering. Some returned to Jerusalem, some stayed in Pella and others went out into the Roman Empire to proclaim the Gospel. Read Gathering The Elect
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios cited Revelation 12:11, saying that during a future tribulation, the saints should love not their lives not unto the death.
Though that’s true, Revelation 12:11 was fulfilled by the martyrs of the pagan Roman Emperors during ten persecution periods which took place from Nero until 312 AD when Diocletian stopped them. Read Revelation 12 – The Roman Empire Beast Phase
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios cited Matthew 24:36 to proclaim that nobody knows the day and hour.
That seems to make sense, but the truth is that Messiah was telling us exactly what time of year He would return. He was using a Jewish idiom to proclaim that He would return on the fall Feast of Trumpets.
The Scriptural calendar is based on the cycles of the sun and moon, with the moon determining when a month and the year starts.
The Jews of His day did not know what day or hour the celestial new moon took place, so they would celebrate the New Moon day for two days until they cited the sliver crescent moon to confirm the New Moon day.
Messiah is pointing to New Moon Day and the only Holy Feast day which is on the New Moon day is the Feast of Trumpets which occurs in the seventh month of the year.
Messiah proclaimed that He would return at the last trump, on the Feast Trumpets after all of the prophecies in Revelation are fulfilled.
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios says that the church is never once called the bride of Christ, ever. The bride of Christ is called Jerusalem in Revelation, and Israel is the bride of God.
Does Revelation says those exact words, that the church is the bride of Christ? No, but Jerusalem is only mentioned three times in Revelation and each time it’s pointing to the Messiah’s Ekklesia of saints, His church, who are called Holy Jerusalem.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:12
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Revelation 21:10
Joel Richardson says that he’s not a dispensationalist, but his explanations prove otherwise as he has special dispensations for Gentiles and Jews.
Messiah’s church is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles. There is no separate plan for Jews.
Read Messiah’s Kingdom
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios cites Matthew 26:26-28
That’s ironic as the verse points to the fulfillment of the covenant in Daniel 9:27 that was confirmed by Messiah, which Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas proclaim has not been fulfilled and is an end-times 7-year tribulation period.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:26-28
In these words we find four things which agree with the fulfillment prophecy of Daniel 9:27:
- “the One” who was to confirm the covenant, the Messiah;
- “the covenant” itself, the renewed covenant made with Abraham;
- that which “confirmed” the covenant, the blood of Messiah;
- those who receive the benefits of the covenant, the “many” who believe in Him as their Messiah.
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios makes everything about Israel, proclaiming that pretribulation rapture people say that the saints will be raptured out and celebrating in heaven while Israel is suffering during 7-year great tribulation when the prophecies in Revelation are fulfilled.
The apocalyptic vision is not just about what happens to Jews, but to all true Israelites, both Jews and Gentiles, who have a covenant relationship with the Father through the Son.
Besides that, all of the prophecies in Daniel, Matthew 24 and Revelation about times of tribulation have already been fulfilled, so Joel’s statement is based on a faulty premise.
Read Times Of Great Tribulation In Daniel And Revelation
Joel Richardson of FAI Studios says that he’s now a heresy hunter, implying that other people are fulfilling that role.
His video series serves to dismiss the heresy of a pretribulation rapture, as he proclaims that it deceives the saints with false premises which will be problematic for them when it doesn’t happen.
The same is true of me exposing the false, futuristic explanations of prophecy fulfillment that Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas teach, as those explanations are misleading the saints about how the end-times will play out.
The truth is that the 70th week of Daniel 9, the Olivet Discourse and most of the prophecies in Revelation have been fulfilled during the last 2,000 years, and they are not future.
I pray that this posts helps wake you up, so that you can see how the enemy has deceived the end-times saints, for Messiah’s return draw nigh and you don’t want to be caught off-guard like the foolish virgins who don’t have the oil of Scriptural truth to light their way.
Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas teach a futuristic fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel 9, the Olivet Discourse and the prophecies in Revelation.
The 70th week of Daniel 9 is about Messiah’s ministry and His blood sacrifice as the Spotless Lamb to atone for our sins. It has nothing to do with the antichrist or the end times.
The Olivet Discourse foretold the events that would lead to the desolation of Jerusalem, the second temple and the Jewish nation; as punishment for the Jewish leaders continuing in rebellion against the Heavenly Father and for delivering His Son up to be killed. It has nothing to do with the antichrist or the end times.
Most of the prophecies in Revelation have been fulfilled in exacting detail during the last 1,900 years. It describes the historical narrative of the Satan-empowered leaders of the Roman beast kingdom (pagan Emperors > antichrist beast Popes > false prophet Jesuit Superior Generals) fighting against Messiah and His saints.
The explanations of Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas serve to deflect blame away from the enemy in Rome, and to mislead the end-times saints so that they’re not prepared for how the end-times will play out, and don’t know the context of Messiah’s return.
On the Bible Prophecy Decoded website you will find summary PDF’s, links to request free PDF’s on my books and links to order printed books.
#daltonthomas #joelrichardson #faistudios
