David Reagan: Texas-Sized Copycat Artist of Pre-Trib Rapture Rhetoric by Dave MacPherson

Truthful prophecy writers are needed as much as truthful politicians - and I'm thinking of the successful so-called prophecy commentator Dr. David R. Reagan (pictured above), a Texan who profits more by repeating eschatological errors than by researching facts that already verify who started the "Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven" doctrine. Reagan is the Senior Evangelists for Lamb and Lion Ministries.

I'm honored that my decades-long research on pre-tribulation rapture history is part of Joe Schimmel's fantastic new DVD titled "Left Behind or Led Astray?" However, my documentation soon became a lightning rod attracting angry rebuttals from British pretrib defender Paul Wilkinson and even more recently from American, pretrib promoter, David Reagan whose response is titled "In Defense of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture: Left Behind or Led Astray?"

But something is missing. Reagan's response isn't Texas-sized. It isn't even Rhode Island-sized. And much of his "research" is merely his copy-catting and repeating of totally groundless - and malicious - gossip from other hired premillennial gunslingers including some from Texas. Here's an example:

My article "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" - appearing on the net since 2009 - states:

"Thomas Ice's article 'Inventor of False Pre-Trib Rapture History' states that my book 'The Rapture Plot' is 'only one of the latest in a series of revisions of his original discourse....' And David Reagan in his article 'The Origin of the Concept of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture' repeats Ice's falsehood by claiming that I have re-published my first book ["The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin"] 'over the years under several different titles.' " (Google "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" to see how I expose their deliberate prevarications.)

Since my research used a "microscope" for close-ups on the pretrib origin (unlike many others who used a "telescope" covering so many centuries before and after the origin they somehow missed the exact origin itself!), allow me to comment on some points Reagan brought up.

Because he saw older writers like Ribera, Edwards, and Lacunza as possibly being part of the pretrib origin search, I invite interested readers to Google "Catholics Did NOT Invent the Rapture," "Morgan Edwards' Rapture View," and "The Real Manuel Lacunza," and, no, neither Ribera nor Lacunza "believed the Rapture would occur 45 days before the end of the Tribulation," as Reagan, foolishly copying others, asserted.

Re Margaret MacDonald (the real pretrib rapture theory originator), Reagan described her as a "hyper-Charismatic"who had "emotional trances in 1830 which are portrayed as demon-induced."

For the record: I have never said (or even thought) that "demon" or "demonic" should ever be applied to her, or have ever believed she experienced anything like a "trance"!

Her 1830 pretrib "revelation" (or "vision") was merely her INTERPRETATION of scripture, no matter what any pretrib "straw" men want to project!

Reagan quotes "Rapture Ready" founder Todd Strandberg who says he can't recall ever hearing any speaker say "I believe in the Rapture because Margaret MacDonald told me so." What Todd doesn't want to recall are my Google pieces titled "Open Letter to Todd Strandberg" (dated 2001) and "The Rapture Index (Mad Theology)" (dated 2006).

When Hal Lindsey's books write about "the one taken and the other left" before the Antichrist is "revealed," everyone knows he's expressing pretrib rapture doctrine. But when Reagan looked at Margaret's words saying the very same thing in the same order (in lines 58-63 in her 117-line pretrib discovery account), he had the audacity to declare that "not one trace of that [pretrib] doctrine could be found in the vision MacPherson presents as proof!"

Naturally Reagan would never want anyone to Google "X-Raying Margaret," "Margaret MacDonald's Rapture Chart," "Margaret MacDonald's Main Point" (which shows Wilkinson and Ice deviously omitting all or part of her main point in order to dishonestly declare that she wasn't teaching pretrib!), and "Pretrib Rapture's Missing Lines."

Reagan then discussed early Church Fathers. Since he evidently loves copying and repeating more than researching, you may be wondering about the much-repeated "Pseudo-Ephraem" claim. But instead of wondering, feel free to Google "Pseudo-Ephraem Taught Pretrib - Not!" Other related Google items would include "Grant Jeffrey's Apocalypse Debacle" and "Wily Jeffrey."

Reagan also talks about John Darby. Since many - including Darby idolizer Paul Wilkinson - still (wrongfully) view Darby as the "father" of pretrib dispensationalism, I invite all to Google "The Unoriginal John Darby," "John Darby Did NOT Invent the Rapture," and "Edward Irving Vs. John Darby."

Since Reagan doesn't overlook Thomas Ice - the No. 1 pretrib "bulldog" or maybe "pit bull" - I hereby draw attention to these Google articles: "Pretrib Rapture Pride," "Walvoord Melts Ice," "Edward Irving is Unnerving," "Thomas Ice (Bloopers)," and "Be Careful in Polemics - Peripatetic Learning."

Finally, one can wonder why David Reagan, with his background as an educator, is so taken up with the 186-year-old pretrib rapture. Perhaps it's because there's more profit in eschatology than there is in education!

(By the way, if you love being educated in things that matter concerning the return of Jesus Christ, be sure to Google the website and book  The End Times Passover written by notable journalist and Bible scholar Joe Ortiz.)

Dave MacPherson. What People are saying






What They Are Saying About ... THE RAPTURE PLOT!

Gary DeMar (President American Vision): "A majority of prophecy writers and speakers teach that the church will be raptured before a future tribulation period. But did you know that prior to about 1830 no such doctrine existed. No one in all of church history ever taught pretribulational rapture. Dave MacPherson does the work of a journalistic private investigator to uncover the truth....The Rapture Plot is the never-before-told true story of the plot - how plagiarism and subtle document changes created the 'mother of all revisionisms.' A fascinating piece of detective work." 

Robert H. Gundry (Professor Westmont College): "As usual MacPherson out hustles his opponents in research on primary sources. 

C. S. Lovett (President Personal Christianity): You don't read very much of Dave MacPherson's work before you realize he is a dedicated researcher. Because his work has been so honest and open, his latest work The Rapture Plot has produced many red faces among some of the most recognized rapture writers of our time. When their work is compared to his it is embarrassing for them to see how shallow their research is." 

R. J. Rushdoony (President Chalcedon): "Dave MacPherson has been responsible for major change in the eschatology of evangelical churches by his devastating studies of some of the central aspects thereof. In The Rapture Plot MacPherson tells us of the strange tale of 'rapture' writings, revisions, cover-ups, alterations and confusions. No one has equaled MacPherson in his research on the 'pretrib rapture.' Attempts to discredit his work have failed...."

About the Author: Born 1932 of Scotch/English descent Dave MacPherson is a natural for British historical research. His calling was journalism. Receiving a BA in English in 1955 he spent 26 years as a newsman reporting and filming many notable events persons presidents and dignitaries.