The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-J, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 12."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1980. All Rights Reserved.

Question

On July 31, 1980 Israel annexed Jerusalem as its capital, which made a lot of the Moslem nations upset. And I was wondering if that was one of the prophecies, and are there any more prophecies that need to be fulfilled before the rapture or Great Tribulation takes place?

Answer

I don’t think that specifically, the annexation of Jerusalem as the capital city fulfills a prophecy. They could make the capital city any city they wanted, and it still wouldn’t affect the fact that Jerusalem is the main city in that country. That’s simply a technicality. You see, because the Jews know that Jerusalem is the holy city. The Jews know that Jerusalem is the place of promise, that Jerusalem is the apple of God’s eye, and so I think this just shows that. But specifically, I don’t think prophecy necessitates that Jerusalem be the official capital. It certainly will be the capital of the Millennial Kingdom.

Now, insofar as are there any prophecies that need to be fulfilled before the rapture? There’s only one, just one, and that’s the trumpet and the shout. That’s it. And when that happens, we’re gone. There are no prophecies to be fulfilled before the rapture. That‘s why we say the rapture is imminent. The prophecies begin to be fulfilled after the rapture. If prophecies were to be fulfilled prior to the rapture, the rapture would be determined then, wouldn’t it, by what we see going around us? But no man knows that, and that means it’s imminent. He can come at any moment. Once the rapture happens, then the explosion of prophecy fulfillment takes place.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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