Saturday, January 18, 2025

Irenaeus and Rapture of the Church (Dr. Svigel)

 

Charles Spurgeon and Imminence

We know that Spurgeon was an Historic Premillennialist and not a pretribulationist. He also spoke of signs associated with Christ's Second Advent. Spurgeon can be difficult to understand because he was also an historicist and held to Covenant Theology. These things affected his eschatology, though he didn't delve into it in any real detail.

For more on this, check out Michael Svigel's Go Deeper Excurses.

We do know that Spurgeon valued the attitude of imminence. You can search this blog for more. But, not only did he prize it, he also believed that Christ could come at any moment. This can be found in his sermon Looking unto Jesus.

Perhaps to-day, the hour we are assembled, Christ may come—"For of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels in heaven." Christ Jesus may, while I yet speak, appear in the clouds of glory. We have no reason to be guessing at the time of his appearing, he will come as a thief in the night; and whether it shall be at cock-crowing, or broadday, or at midnight, we are not allowed to guess; it is left entirely in the dark, and vain are the prophecies of men, vain your "Apocalyptic Sketches," or ought of that. No man knoweth anything of it, except that it is certain he will come; but when he comes, no spirit in heaven or on earth should pretend to know. Oh! it is my joyous hope, that he may come whilst yet I live. Perhaps there may be some of us here who shall be alive, and remain at the coming of the Son of Man. Oh, glorious hope!

Maranatha!