One of Peter Ruckman’s teachings is so outlandish that we didn’t hesitate to refer to it as a fairy tale in the title of the article. Ruckman’s views on this topic are very strange and hard to follow, but in the following paragraph we will summarize our understanding of his teachings on the matter as well as we can after piecing together many statements scattered throughout his writings. Then throughout the article we will provide quotes from his writings to prove we are not misrepresenting or taking Ruckman out of context (at least not knowingly). Ruckman teachings comes from a pretribulation rapture, premillennial return of Christ view, but he goes way beyond the beliefs of many who hold such views. Here are how we understand his views summarized in one paragraph:
According to Ruckman, people can be saved by works during the tribulation after the rapture; however, for those who are not martyred, there is a penalty. They will never experience the resurrection; therefore they will never receive glorified bodies. They can only gain immortality for their natural bodies by eating from the Tree of Life on their birth month. Their descendants during the Millennium will also have to be saved by works, will remain in a natural body, and must also partake of the Tree of Life on their birth month to live forever. Due to overpopulation (because of painless childbirth, no sickness, etc.) within a few hundred years of the start of the Millennium, these saved people in natural bodies will populate outer space infinitely with a new race. The Christians who are in 33 year-old male glorified bodies will be called upon to transport couples in natural bodies to other planets where these couples are placed in gardens and commanded to be fruitful and multiply. They first populate the twelve constellations or “houses” of the Zodiac and then outer space. This goes on infinitely and forever. The Bible tells us very little about those who get saved during the tribulation who are not martyred, as well as their saved descendants during the Millennium. Ruckman tries to fill in the blanks with his twisted imagination by treating them as second-class believers in eternity, who are stuck with a natural (howbeit immortal) body, continue the earthly practice of reproduction, many forced to live on other planets because of overpopulation, and in this and other manners are denied some promises and privileges of Old and New Testament saints who receive a glorified body and remain in God’s presence for all eternity. The Bible does not teach nor hint or suggest that there will be second-class believers for whom some promises of heavenly bliss in eternity do not apply. There is no biblical reason to suggest some in eternity will be forced to be involved in earthly activities that are inferior to God’s plan for us in His presence as described in the Bible. As to Ruckman’s teachings of works salvation in other ages, see Ruckman’s multiple plans of salvation for different ages.
In his own words
The most concise quote that summarizes Ruckman’s view that we could locate in his own words on this matter is as follows:
The gist of Revelation 22:2 is that on the new earth, in eternity, there are twelve nations divided off by twelve boundaries, and these nations are composed of nations who were saved during the Tribulation (Matt 25) and during the Millennium (Rev 19). These “saved nations” go into the city, partake of the “tree of life” to get their eternal life, and then they spend eternity reproducing and multiplying infinitely and going out into outer space, and populating first the twelve constellations that make up the zodiac, and then from there they move on out into outer space. (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 592)
Ruckman does not restrict his views on populating outer space to the millennial kingdom. Most, if not all who believe in a literal millennial kingdom starting with believers from the tribulation period, believe reproduction will take place during the millennium, resulting in many of the offspring rebelling against God (Rev. 20:8). However, as just quoted, Ruckman offers a Mormon-like teaching of those saved during the tribulation and millennium reproducing for all eternity in outer space.
In Ruckman’s version of serving God in eternity, it will consist mostly of transporting members of a sinless race to outer space to enable them to fulfill their commission of endless sexual reproduction:
God’s purpose, according to Deuteronomy 32:8, 4:19; 2 Peter 3:13; and Isaiah 9:7, was to populate the universe with a sinless race of Christ-honoring, God-worshipping duplicates of Adam and Eve with the commission they had (Gen. 1:28). Not one “Christian” reading this article will be involved in this endless sexual reproduction, for every one of you now will have been a sinlessly perfect male 1,000 years before this process begins (Phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:1–3). … If you “serve” God in eternity (Rev. 22:3), most of it will be universal transportation of couples to planets. (Bible Believers’ Bulletin. Jan. 2009, pp. 7-8)
If we are to believe Ruckman, what we have to look forward to in serving God throughout eternity will consist mostly of transporting couples into outer space for them to enjoy endless sex. What blasphemy! The passage that Ruckman used as a pretext to teach this was one of which he declared had an “advanced revelation” in the King James Bible.
More than one type of eternal life
In order to try to make the Bible match his predeterminations, Ruckman comes up with more than one type of eternal life. Notice his choice of words in the following quote:
But the eternal life that these Gentiles get from the Tree of Life is different from that of the Christian. Christians don’t bear children in Eternity (Matt. 22:30); these Gentiles do (Isa. 9:7; Psa. 103:17). When these children reach a certain age (probably 33 ½ years old—see 1 John 3:2), they enter into the city on the month each of them was born (Isa. 66:22-23) through the gate assigned to the nation to which each of them belongs. They then eat from the Tree of Life the specific fruit that grows on it for their nation (Rev. 22:3). As these “nations” grow in number and become too many for the earth to sustain, God transports them to one of the twelve “houses” of the Zodiac to populate outer space (see note on Deut. 4:19). (Ruckman, Peter. Ruckman Reference Bible. First edition, p. 1669)
As for Deut. 4:19, the context of the three previous verses leading up to verse 19 is all about the idolatry of things on the earth and under the earth. In verse 19 the focus then changes to warning about not worshiping what is above the earth. The stars were only mentioned in a list that included the moon, the sun, and to make it all-encompassing, “all the host of heaven.” So the context is the prohibition of worshipping objects in space. With this context in mind, when the verse ends saying “which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven,” it is giving God the credit for placing them where they are so all people everywhere can benefit from them. God is the one who has distributed them in a way that we can all benefit equally, so all worship should be directed to the One who created and divided them for all to enjoy. There is not a hint of space travel or outer space habitation in the context, but rather a prohibition of idolatry involving everything in, below, and above the earth.
Second class believers Notice in the following quotes how Ruckman continues to develop what we call a second or inferior class of believers:
Another image from Ruckman’s chart book
The indication is that the only people who get a glorified body like Jesus Christ are people in the Church Age. The only people who get a 33-year-old sinless body are people saved in the dispensation of grace. All others get their eternal life by partaking of a tree, and they go into eternity male and female, exactly like Adam and Eve were before they fell. (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 587) Only saints in the Church Age ever receive bodies like Jesus Christ, and there is no indication that any man saved in the Tribulation, or the Millennium, ever gets a “glorified body.” (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 552) Since no glorified bodies are given out after the rapture, all future saints are subject to death unless they eat of the tree of life denied to Adam. (Ruckman, Peter. Bible Study Charts and Outlines. Pensacola, FL: Bible Baptist Bookstore, 1997, p. 10) As I’ve said before, if these passages deal with eternity, it means that there will be flesh-and-blood people on the earth during eternity, and they would die unless they partook of the “tree of life,” which is how they get their eternal life—not by believing on Jesus Christ! (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 579)
Ruckman’s plan for the population of outer space
Christ is going to come back and sit down on the throne of David, and reign over a political, visible, Messianic, Davidic, earthly, Palestinian kingdom over the house of Jacob. This kingdom is going to branch out – with its branches named after the sons of Jacob – and go out to the solar system and galaxies, infinitely, and go out to the stars forever and ever and ever (Heb 1:14). This is God’s plan for the “population of outer space.” Of course, it runs contrary to everything that Cape Kennedy, Redstone, etc. plan to do. But God has no intention of populating outer space with a bunch of Christ-rejecting, Bible-denying, God-hating, drunken, slovenly, lazy, envious, jealous, self-righteous, cantankerous, griping, complaining, puffed-up, egotistical, murdering, wicked men, when He can populate it with reproductions of His Son! (See Hebrews 1:9-13.) (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 590)
2 Peter 3:12, 13 – “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Then righteousness is not just going to dwell on a new earth, but in the “new heavens,” too. The implications are staggering. It means that God is going to spread mankind out and fill out the whole universe indefinitely. (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 590)
This Scriptural passage Ruckman quotes ruins his arguments about interplanetary travel. One who takes the Bible literally would not expect the planets as we know them to survive God’s plans as described in 2 Peter 3:12-13. However, notice how Ruckman ignores this prophecy in specifying planets by name:
He is called out on trips, and these trips take him to Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, etc., transporting couples into gardens, placing them down and saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (!) (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 596)
Notice Ruckman’s science fiction approach to Scriptures in this bizarre description:
This new earth is populated by 12 nations of men who are segregated and bounded, as God originally intended (Deut 32:7, 8). Over them stands Israel, reigning supreme, in the pyramid tract of land stretching from Babylon to Cairo, and from Mt. Ararat to the base line. These all live in natural human bodies. They are born and they grow, and then at the point of 33 ½ years of age—oh brother!—they enter the New Jerusalem on the appointed month, and are healed of the old sin-cursed Adamic nature. Where any refuse to go, or rebel, they die off. Where they obey they live forever; in a few thousand years (probably 33,000), all are living forever. They reproduce, they are fruitful, they multiply, they replenish the earth. In 5000 years they over-run the earth. CALL IN THE ASTRONAUTS!!! Call in the interplanetary airlines! Call in the “Sons of God,” who as Angels, are “sent forth to be ministering spirits to them who shall be HEIRS of salvation.” Out go the earthlings, carried two at a time, each to be placed on a new home—a new “garden of Eden.” Eden, restored a million times! Ten million times! Ten billion times! One hundred trillion times! Oh, Lord my God, how great Thou art! Ruckman, Peter. The Sure Word of Prophecy, Pensacola: Pensacola Bible Institute, 1978 printing, p. 232
Ruckman’s excuse for others not discovering his teachings in the Bible
There will be men and women on the new earth (Rev. 21-22) in the Tribulation and Millennial age and they will populate outer space (Isa. 9:6-7; 2 Peter 3). But this is another one of the “unsearchable riches” in the “archaic, Elizabethan English” carefully concealed from Price, Salem Kisban, Hal Lindsay, Willmington, Hindson, Farstad, Afman, Martin, Faulkner, Newman, MacRae, and other poor, Bible-rejecting Fundamentalists who “USE” the Book because they have to and not because they believe it. (Ruckman, Peter. Bible Believers’ Bulletin. May 1986, p. 3) God’s plan is the occupation of the constellations with perfect human beings. God has a plan to populate outer space with sinless beings, which was His original intention in Genesis 1–2. Now there isn’t one scholar with a master’s degree or a Ph.D. that you ever met in your life—not one of them, including the saved ones—that knows that because they all went to the wrong place for “wisdom and knowledge.” “Wisdom and knowledge” are hidden in Jesus Christ (Col. 2:3), and He told you to “search the scriptures” (John 5:39). (Ruckman, Peter. Bible Believers’ Bulletin. March 2011, p. 3 The truth is, there are twelve constellations for twelve nations to inhabit in eternity, after the Millennium is over. Each nation has been assigned a constellation, exactly as each nation has to have a matchmate from the twelve tribes of Israel (Deut. 32:8). All of this is obscure and hidden from “the wise and prudent” (Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21) because they mess with the Book. (Ruckman, Peter. Ruckman Reference Bible. First edition, p. 290) The Body of Christ has rejected the King James Bible as the Word of God, and God has refused to show them what it says about outer space. (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 577)
Do the Scriptures back up Ruckman? A test case.
The simple reason Ruckman comes up with tired excuses why others can’t discover what he comes up with is because it comes from his imagination, not the Bible. Anyone can string together a long list of references after making a statement, but it proves nothing if the references do not clearly back up the statement, or lack an obligatory methodical explanation as to how a conclusion was reached from such references. As an example of how references Ruckman uses are weak or outright do not teach what he says they do, we provide the following paragraph in which he mentions a total of seven verses:
But the eternal life that these Gentiles get from the Tree of Life is different from that of the Christian. Christian’s don’t bear children in Eternity (Matt. 22:30); these Gentiles do (Isa. 9:7; Psa. 103:17). When these children reach a certain age (probably 33 ½ years old—see 1 John 3:2), they enter into the city on the month each of them was born (Isa. 66:22-23) through the gate assigned to the nation to which each of them belongs. They then eat from the Tree of Life the specific fruit that grows on it for their nation (Rev. 22:3). As these “nations” grow in number and become too many for the earth to sustain, God transports them to one of the twelve “houses” of the Zodiac to populate outer space (see note on Deut. 4:19). (Ruckman, Peter. Ruckman Reference Bible. First edition, p. 1669)
We don’t disagree with the statement preceding Mat. 22:30, so we will not quote the verse here. Now notice how the remaining six verses from the statement above do not say what he says they do:
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Psa 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Isa 66:22-23 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
If one can take a verse like Isa. 9:7 that is plainly teaching about Christ the King’s power and authority that will increase and know no limits (it contains keywords such as government, throne, kingdom, order, judgment, justice) and sexualize and sensationalize the verse into inhabitants procreating so much as to overpopulate the earth and forcing them off to other planets that God already said would be destroyed, it is utterly absurd and makes a total mockery of Bible interpretation!
Of six verses, Isaiah 66:22 is the only one that remotely approaches something that Ruckman says, but that verse could be subjected to diverse interpretations. Seed remaining could be interpreted as spiritual seed, but even interpreting it as physical seed, it does not specify how long, or if it will extend beyond the earth or many other details of Ruckman’s fairy tale. Notice that when Ruckman provides a reference that supposedly backs up something unusual he is saying with the Bible, he often does not quote the very verse or even a phrase or as much as a key word to exegete the Scriptures. He does not attempt to “draw out” the meaning from the Scripture. Perhaps because a balanced exegesis would reveal the weaknesses of his proof texts!
First-class believer duties in eternity according to Ruckman
The Bible would indicate that our job is inter-planetary space transportation and communication! (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 596) In this condition, the Christian throughout all eternity is in a 33 year-old male, sinless body, just like Jesus Christ, and he enjoys fellowship with God and the saints forever. He is called out on trips, and these trips take him to Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, etc., transporting couples into gardens, placing them down and saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (!) (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 596)
So different from what the Bible describes in the book of Revelation!
Dabbling with Astrology
God puts a particular fruit on the Tree of Life each month which gives eternal life to the citizens of the particular Gentile nation that enters the city that month. From there each Gentile nation is given one of the houses of the Zodiac. The astrologers at least have that part right. The second heaven is divided into twelve “houses” with a constellation of the Zodiac dominating that “house.” (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Romans: The Bible Believer’s Commentary Series. Pensacola, FL: BB Bookstore, 2003, p. 178)
God’s plan, then, must be connected with the constellations and the galaxies. As sure as there are twelve nations, twelve months, and twelve gates, there are twelve groups of constellations in the heavens called “the zodiac.” These are set for “signs and seasons” (Gen. 1:14), and have a bearing on the events that will take place on this earth. The twelve signs of the zodiac are as follows: 1. Aries 2. Taurus 3. Gemini 4. Cancer 5. Leo 6. Virgo 7. Libra 8. Scorpius 9. Sagittarius 10. Capricornus 11. Aquarius 12. Pisces You’ll find these 12 constellations in any book on astronomy or any book on astrology. They match the months, which means (and the thought is tremendous) that God has ordained on this earth twelve boundaries, with twelve nations, who are destined to leave this earth (transported by angels – Luke 16:22), and populate outer space infinitely and forever, beginning with the twelve constellations that are seen on the earth once every twelve months. We will find a confirmation of this teaching in Isaiah. (Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Revelation. 1970, 1982 printing, p. 588)
The truth is, there are twelve constellations for twelve nations to inhabit in eternity, after the Millennium is over. Each nation has been assigned a constellation, exactly as each nation has to have a matchmate from the twelve tribes of Israel (Deut. 32:8). All of this is obscure and hidden from “the wise and prudent” (Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21) because they mess with the Book. (Ruckman, Peter. Ruckman Reference Bible. First edition, p. 290)
Granted, there is much about prophecy over which good Christians disagree. However, towards the end of Revelation we are assured that believers will dwell with God, and that God himself will be with them, not spread out everywhere reproducing between the new earth and planets of outer space!
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Rev. 21:3)
What Ruckman is saying about prophecy involving space travel and reproduction –not just during the millennium but beyond into eternity– is silly and baseless, and a product of his big imagination that is not restrained by the plain teachings of the Word of God. We have noticed that even Ruckman’s biggest promoters tend to be silent about this matter. Once again, Ruckman is demonstrated to be unworthy of being taken seriously and his teachings should be discarded by those who take the Biblical admonition of 1 Jn. 4:1 seriously: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
How oddly similar to the Brhamanist caste system, Watchtower 144000, Mormonism et al. This is all a subtle & overly complex denial of the Lord of glory. Jesse Duplantis has a similar doctrine; he is really more a story-telling false prophet than a pastor in that he thinks the weak in heaven must smell the tree of life's leaves to gain strength. How in light of this is Ruckman taken seriously? This sort of unprofitable talk, this vain jangling, is so comedically mundane one wonders why this enemy of the cross Ruckman ever gained traction in his self-glorifiying.
Every now and then I like to drop in to remind you of what a loser you are Webmaster! Everything you just quoted from Ruckman was far more scriptural than anything you've ever written in your life and, as is your pathetic custom, you simply ignored the verses you quoted that Ruckman used as proof texts.
Why God let's scripture rejecting morons like you go on breathing surprises me.
See ya at the Judgment ya flake,
Nate Beck, your Brother In Christ, if you ever were in Christ to begin with…..
Typical Ruckmanite!
Well Kevin Zacher,
If by "typical Ruckmanite" you mean somebody who believes they have a perfect Bible translation and can see the same great things that brethren like Ruckman were able to see and the Webmaster cannot, then YES! I am your typical "Ruckmanite".
Why else would God created new heavens if we weren't going to inhabit them?
Of course, this is too high a thought for someone like the anonymous little upstart known as Webmaster lol
In reply to questions posted under the article Ruckman’s horrible inconsistencies: The case of Clarence Larkin. It is redirected here to stay on topic.
2 Pe. 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The verse does not say that the righteous will dwell in the new heavens.
The key word is righteousness, which is a condition. Grammatically speaking, here we have a case of personification, in which an abstract notion (righteousness) is given attributes of human nature (dwelleth). Righteousness will be a permanent characteristic of the new earth and all its surroundings.
The old world and everything around it had been polluted by unrighteousness due to unrighteous people with their sinful natures. Now in the scene in 2 Pet. 3:13 everything the righteous can see or everywhere they can go will be uncontaminated by sin.
Ruckman’s space travel and reproduction in heaven continues to be a fairy tale.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
If you are going to take every detail of the entire verse literally with no symbolism whatsoever, are you prepared to say that there will be people inhabiting the sea during eternity? Did Ruckman miss that? Did I just discover a new doctrine, that there will be believers who end up living in the ocean? Not even Ruckman taught that. In Ruckman’s Revelation commentary (1982 printing), he doesn’t even try to make a case for outer space travel/habitation of believers under his comments for Rev. 12:12.
As I understand prophecy, the events surrounding Rev. 12:12 take place before the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:1). Are you prepared to say that based on Rev. 12:12 there will be some believers who instead of remaining with Christ will be living on planets in outer space, which will subsequently get destroyed (2 Pet. 3:12, 13), but then outer space will be repopulated with the “new heavens?”
One has to be careful about not making inaccurate assumptions regarding heaven in singular and plural forms. Some might think simplistically that throughout Scripture heavens (plural) = the atmosphere/outer space; and heaven (singular) = the abode of God. That would be the case most of the time, but not consistently.
Examples where heaven (singular) does not refer to God’s abode:
Mar. 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
Luk. 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Rev. 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Examples where heavens (plural) does not refer to the atmosphere/outer space:
Heb. 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb. 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Towards the end of Revelation we are told that believers will dwell with God, and that God himself will be with them, not spread out everywhere between the new earth and planets of outer space! See Rev. 21:3
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Every sane person knows that people live on the sea all the time. There are commercial fishermen who spend most of their lives living on the sea. No one said anything about living IN the sea lol.
Furthermore, I never made any assumptions about the difference of meaning between heaven singular and heavens plural. I have never said that heaven singular always refers to God's abode. Nice dodge though lol. Moot point score for your team.
As for planets, I do agree that the current planets of Venus, Saturn etc etc. will be dissolved with fire. The Bible is clear on that. But if there is going to be no end to the Kingdom of God on Earth and if during the Millennium there will be a population boom, I can see saints inhabiting the furthest reaches of God's new creation. As for this saints not being with Christ just because they're inhabiting the heavens nonsense, that doesn't fly because, have ye never read the scripture? "Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD" Jeremiah 23:24. There will be no end to Christ's magnificent and holy reign and no space where His presence and power is not felt, both now in the heavens and in the new heavens. I understand that some of Dr. Ruckman's comments were his own ideas and ponderings, but are we supposed to condemn a Christian because he has interesting ideas that he infers from scripture? You'd make a good Dark Age Roman Catholic Webmaster. There is simply NOTHING about this whole idea from his Revelation Commentary that dishonors Christ, blasphemes Christ OR dishonors scripture. You're quite the hobbyhorse rider son.
Be ready Webmaster, because you too, hopefully, will rejoice in the heavens with Christ where you and Dr. Ruckman will finally be able to shake hands in peace.
Again, I keep waiting for one of these posts to not make it on here and it might be this one. But I know and the Lord knows what has been said here. Happy reading Webmaster 😉
“Every sane person knows that people live on the sea all the time. There are commercial fishermen who spend most of their lives living on the sea. No one said anything about living IN the sea lol.”
You make a good point. People are on the sea in fishing vessels and oil rigs, etc. But on the technicality, they don’t live there permanently. They are temporary situations. Just as astronauts have been in space, for longer periods than ever on space stations, they are temporary situations. But Ruckman is making living in space a permanent living situation for some in prophecy, when there is similar terminology in the Bible for inhabiting the seas, which he ignores. He takes inhabiting the heavens as literally living in outer space permanently, but will not apply the same to what the Bible says about inhabiting the sea.
“But if there is going to be no end to the Kingdom of God on Earth and if during the Millennium there will be a population boom, I can see saints inhabiting the furthest reaches of God’s new creation.”
There is some logic to what you say, but that is not enough to go beyond a personal belief which we can’t be dogmatic about, since it doesn’t have solid Scriptural backing (only inferences that could also be symbolic or to be consistent, applied literally to the seas, etc.). It should also be considered that the Kingdom of God on earth will be vastly different to the conditions under which the earth is now. The lamb lying with the lion (Isa. 11 & 65) and an infant not being harmed by serpents is only a glimpse of what it will be like. Much of it remains a mystery to us. Of course God could extend oxygen to outer space if he chose to, but that would be solely speculation. Anything we could consider a problem during the Kingdom of God on earth will not be a problem to God.
“I understand that some of Dr. Ruckman’s comments were his own ideas and ponderings… that he infers from scripture”
One of the big problems I have with Ruckman is he often does NOT share “his own ideas and ponderings” (to use your terminology) with a humble spirit, admitting that he can’t absolutely prove them, that some crucial elements of his theories are merely implied in the Scriptures, and that he could be wrong, that they are only a personal view or opinion he is sharing for others to consider. But such humility is a rare occurrence in his writings and teachings. He knows that there are people out there who are attracted to his characteristic style of cocky confidence. Not only will he not admit that these teachings we are discussing are merely “his own ideas and ponderings,” he will blast others for not agreeing or not being able to discover what he could find in the Scriptures. Notice:
“You’re quite the hobbyhorse rider son.”
So Ruckman spends 50+ years traveling the country writing and teaching his pet theories interspersed with Biblical things and sprinkled with insults, doting about questions and strifes of words, and I am the one singled out and accused of riding a hobbyhorse?
I am happy to see we finally have mostly agreement 🙂
You make a good point about it being bad about being proud or cocky just because we've found or think we've found scripture truths that no one else has. We should thank God and be grateful, not cocky. I also agree that Christians should make it clear when something they're writing is their own opinion and not scripture, but I also agree with Dr. Ruckman in that if a man rejects the Bible, in an accurate translation like the KJB or otherwise, that God will not show that person anything.
God keep you,
Nate Beck
On another note, I would like to thank you. You've actually shown some grace during our recent discussions. You've actually shown integrity in posting what I have to say.
I guess you're not the scoundrel I thought you were. May Christ shine in your heart and lead you to peace and more knowledge and understanding of the scriptures.
Jack Hyles interestingly also made a false dichotomy between life eternal versus life everlasting. Olam, adios & aionion all translate as either "eternal" or "everlasting."
An example of where æon\aionios\aionion or adidos appears is when Luke quotes Isaiah 49.6 in Acts 13.46-8, where eternal as well everlasting are interchangeable in their meanings.
All you addressed is you don’t agree with how he interpreted the verses and simply being astounded at the inferences he makes.
Though, rather, it’s sort of similar when Jesus makes inferences about the Psalms verse “Ye are gods” to Pharisees as meaning He is God. It’s that sort of logical jump. Because in context, there is NOTHING about Jesus in the verses in Psalms. That’s the logic behind these inferences.
Of course, people are going to make the connections to Mormonism, etc. Are you not aware of his teaching that every heresy is true, except they’re just in another dispensation?
For example, the heresy that is monism, that there is only one substance, is currently false. But there was a time when everything was one substance (spirit before Creation).
That’s how it is with this. Humanity has long desired spacefaring, and the Bible does say stars are divided among the nations under the heaven.
I didn’t merely disagree with how Ruckman interpreted some verses on this topic, I demonstrated step by step how in some cases he did not even interpret the verses, he merely listed them. I provided a demonstration and actually wrote out verses that supposedly backed Ruckman to show readers that the verses do not say what Ruckman says they do! If that wasn’t enough, I quoted the verse in the Bible that shows how these planets where Ruckman says some will be traveling to and reproducing will actually get burned up! If the Bible isn’t enough to prove Ruckman wrong, then you are following something else other than the Bible.
Man desires a sign and signs are for the old testament believers where the spirit of God falls upon man. In the church age the spirit of God dwells within believers that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior not by works of righteousness which we have done ( no works ). During the tribulation the Spirit of God falls upon man , He does not dwell in men , like He does in the new testament after Pentecost . The King James Bible teaches in Isaiah 9 : 6 + 7 henceforth the ( kingdom ) is that heaven or God ? One is physical the other Spiritual . Revelation 22:: 12 – 15 his word says they may have right to the tree of Life and enter through the gates , for (without )are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I have not read where it says every month or once a year it says they may have rights to the tree of Life .
Nothing of what you said makes an iota of sense…
The very fact that you couldn’t discuss any of the verses Ruckman brought up in particular (except in Isaiah 66 where somehow the “seed” of ALL OF ISRAEL could somehow be “SPIRITUAL”, spiritual for WHAT, I haven’t the faintest clue) shows you lack the ability or discernment even to explain those scriptures. If you can’t expound the scriptures, what are you doing condemning a brother in the Lord (whether or not you consider Ruckman one, I couldn’t care less, so don’t bore with that) for explaining verses you didn’t attempt to explain? Since you apparently have the spiritual blinders on and can’t figure out for the life of you why Dr. Ruckman brought up some of those verses for this scriptural doctrine, I’ll TRY to explain it to you very very simply (of course, it will likely still go way over your head, or else you’ll claim those verses are to be “spiritualized”, following the allegorical school of thought by Origen, all Roman Catholics, and Reformed Calvinists, instead of LITERAL interpretation of the Bible as taught in Ezekiel 20:45-49…yeah, I know, I know, that one went right over your head as well, “I don’t see how that has to do with literal interpretation” will no doubt be your cry).
Isaiah 9:7, “Of the INCREASE of his government and peace there shall be NO END”. Taken literally and plainly, this means that Jesus Christ’s kingdom is going to ALWAYS BE INCREASING. Read it slowly a few times if you still don’t get it. There is no scripture indicating Tribulation or Millennial saints are forbidden from marriage like Christians will be at “the resurrection FROM the dead” (Luke 20:35, which does NOT match the Great White Throne Judgment, I HOPE that didn’t go over your head as well. If it did, oh well. I can only do so much.), so for the kingdom to be EVER INCREASING means that one day the room on earth is going to RUN OUT (i.e. overpopulation) somewhere down Eternity. But Jesus promised that of the INCREASE of his government, there shall be NO END. Ergo, space travel. Either that or we all have to be infinitely shrinked down over time to microbes for all eternity, take your pick.
Psalm 103:17 shows that (despite you slandering it as “twisted imagination”) “TO EVERLASTING”, there will be “children’s children”, indicating that some people in Eternity are still procreating and giving birth to children, and having grandchildren.
Revelation 22:3 was obviously a typo for Revelation 22:2 (I really hoped you could have figured that out by now, if you didn’t, oh well). Please read it, it has to do with the tree of life bearing specific fruit for each specific nation in eternity, just as Ruckman said in his “twisted imagination”. If you choose to spiritualize this, I can’t help you. I can’t instill faith in the Book, I can only TRY to explain what you couldn’t figure out, anonymous Webmaster.
One thing I notice about every single article is that there are many, MANY scripture references Ruckman will give, and you simply don’t give those verses the light of day before branding Ruckman as a dangerous, ungodly heretic. Such was the case in the last quotation of Ruckman in this article. Specifically, you failed to even touch Deuteronomy 32:8 and called Ruckman’s argument “silly and baseless” without even considering the references he gave. Deuteronomy 32:8 states in plain, simple English (no “Ruckmanism” needed) that God has divided all men into twelve nations (“the NUMBER of the children of Israel”, 12 tribes, 12 sons of Jacob, etc.). In Deuteronomy 4:19 (which was referenced elsewhere in this article by Ruckman, and which you failed even to quote once) says in plain, simple English (no bias needed) that God divided the stars of heaven to the different nations. This makes absolutely no sense unless one day these nations can actually go up to the stars and inhabit their space. Think about it–the stars, “the host of heaven” have been “divided” to the nations by the Lord. What is that supposed to mean apart from Ruckman’s “silly and baseless” belief on the subject? Hmm? I’ll let you “spiritualize” it away as you’ve done with other scriptures throughout these comment threads. I’ll continue to just believe what God said.
As for the Zodiac, it has twelve sections, which is coincidentally just as there are twelve nations in God’s way of seeing things (Deuteronomy 32:8). But I’ve gone way above and beyond what you can even comprehend, so I will stop there. I anticipate a response, but I will not be responding to this. I’m not trying to “debate” (Romans 1:29), but I am trying to show you what the Bible actually says on the subject (which Ruckman referred to), but that you ignored or couldn’t even comprehend and just dismissed it out of hand without much consideration in the article. May God help your poor, blinded soul to be able to read plain 4th grade English out of a plain King James Bible, and maybe you’ll be able to understand HOW Ruckman arrives at his conclusions about 90% of the time at least.
Also, you’re *demonstrably* a hypocrite, Webmaster. “The reason a comment may not be approved could range from provocativeness”
Webmaster: “so outlandish that we didn’t hesitate to refer to it as a fairy tale…silly and baseless, and a product of his big imagination”
“going off topic”
Webmaster: “As to Ruckman’s teachings of works salvation in other ages, see Ruckman’s multiple plans of salvation for different ages.”
“lacking Christian grace, baseless accusations,”
Webmaster: “Ruckman spends 50+ years traveling the country writing and teaching his pet theories interspersed with Biblical things and sprinkled with insults, doting about questions and strifes of words,”
Um, actually, he spent those years preaching the gospel to lost souls. His “pet theories” barely saw the light of day in many a meeting. If you want an actual idea of what he preached in his traveling meetings, take a peek at his “Drawing Men to Christ” series. Most, if not all of them, are evangelistic to preach the gospel to sinners. Making this a baseless accusation that lacks Christian grace. So, with all undue respect, you, sir, are a HYPOCRITE. That’s all I have to say.
Joshua Alvarez: “The very fact that you couldn’t discuss any of the verses Ruckman brought up in particular (except in Isaiah 66 where somehow the “seed” of ALL OF ISRAEL could somehow be “SPIRITUAL”, spiritual for WHAT, I haven’t the faintest clue) shows you lack the ability or discernment even to explain those scriptures. If you can’t expound the scriptures, what are you doing… One thing I notice about every single article is that there are many, MANY scripture references Ruckman will give, and you simply don’t give those verses the light of day…”
Look at yourself. In your lengthy comment, you did not even quote a single entire verse. Ruckman is the one making allegations of space travel and habitation in the Bible. A basic rule of common sense is that the burden of proof is on the one making allegations to prove his case. I quoted Isa. 9:7 as an example that the Scriptures Ruckman lists do not match what he is teaching. You are shifting the burden of proof to me to disprove Ruckman, when he has proven nothing.
If one can take a verse like Isa. 9:7 that is plainly teaching about Christ the King’s power and authority that will increase and know no limits (it contains keywords such as government, throne, kingdom, order, judgment, justice) and sexualize and sensationalize the verse into inhabitants procreating so much as to overpopulate the earth and forcing them off to other planets that God already said would be destroyed is utterly absurd and makes a total mockery of Bible interpretation!
Joshua Alvarez: “Psalm 103:17 shows that (despite you slandering it as “twisted imagination”) “TO EVERLASTING”, there will be “children’s children”, indicating that some people in Eternity are still procreating and giving birth to children, and having grandchildren.”
Let’s see what Psalm 103:17 actually says:
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;”
The above verse contains a Godly principle. But to takes this principle to mean something along the lines of “children will continue to have children all throughout eternity and overpopulate the earth and be forced to inhabit other planets in outer space” is to go way beyond what this verse is teaching.
Joshua Alvarez: “Specifically, you failed to even touch Deuteronomy 32:8 and called Ruckman’s argument “silly and baseless” without even considering the references he gave. Deuteronomy 32:8 states in plain, simple English (no “Ruckmanism” needed) that God has divided all men into twelve nations (“the NUMBER of the children of Israel”, 12 tribes, 12 sons of Jacob, etc.).”
Deu. 32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Because there were 12 tribes somehow you are supposed to allow your imagine to run wild a-la-Ruckman and tie that into the 12 sections of the Zodiac, even though there is absolutely nothing in the context about outer space. Here you are witnessing Ruckman and his followers turning a mere inference into possibility, then mere possibility into probability, and via theological slight-of-hand turning probability into certainty.
You say that Deu. 4:19 “makes absolutely no sense unless one day these nations can actually go up to the stars and inhabit their space.”
Let’s see what Deu. 4:19 actually says:
“And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.”
If you look at the three previous verses, you will notice that the context leading up to verse 19 is all about the idolatry of things on the earth and under the earth. In verse 19 the focus then changes to warning about not worshiping what is above the earth. The stars were only mentioned in a list that included the moon, the sun, and to make it all-encompassing, “all the host of heaven.” So the context is the prohibition of worshipping objects in space. With this context in mind, when the verse ends saying “which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven” it is giving God the credit for placing them where they are so all people everywhere can benefit from them. God is the one who has distributed them in a way that we can all benefit equally, so all worship should be directed to the One who created and divided them for all to enjoy. There is not a hint of space travel or outer space habitation in the context, but rather a prohibition of idolatry involving everything in, below, and above the earth.
You are helping to make the case that Ruckmanism is a personality cult that revolves around his particular whims and fancies regardless of whether they actually match the Bible.
Joshua Alvarez: “I’ll continue to just believe what
God[Ruckman] said”God did not say anywhere anyone will be inhabiting planets outside of heaven for eternity. Ruckman said that. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater… (1 John 5:9)
2 Peter 3:13 says: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22 also state God is going to create new heavens and a new earth. I think that it can be inferred from the three verses that if God is going to create NEW HEAVENS, then He definitely has plans for those heavens! BUT the verses DO NOT say specifically what those plans are. Also, we have no idea HOW BIG the NEW EARTH will be either. So it might be big enough to “fit” all the new people.
Another point from 2 Peter 3:13 is the phrase “wherein dwelleth righteousness”, which is stated right after “a new earth”, which tells me the new earth, and not necessarily the new heavens, is where the DWELLING takes place. Revelation 21:2-3 also says that God is going to COME DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN to dwell with man on earth, so I see no space travel there either. Furthermore, we don’t even know if there will be any planets in the new heavens because it clearly says the former heavens are passed away. So, there goes Mars, Venus, Neptune etc etc. SOME speculation is okay, but not where it goes so far beyond the clear words of scripture.
Ruckman speculated so far out in left field with fancy ideas that some folks enjoy his ideas more than they do the actual scriptures and will defend them without quoting a single verse to prove their point! I have to side with the Webmaster on this one!
Another personal opinion I’d like to add in light of all this is it is clear from Revelation 21 that the Lord Jesus Christ will be King on earth. I know that He is omnipresent, but that’s beside the point. The Bible makes the POINT that His Presence is primarily on the earth. Since our Lord Jesus will be here to see, and talk to and worship, why brethren, I’m just not interested in gallivanting off to some big ball of gas and dust and ice like Mars or Venus when the Creator of the Universe is on my home planet!
There won’t be anything outerspace has to offer that I can’t enjoy right in front of me on the new planet Earth!!! And the idea that Ruckman stated about us establishing other Adam and Eve situations on other worlds is just stupid and crazy! There’s not a single verse in support of such nonsense! It’s sadly ironic that a man like Ruckman, who so fiercely defended the plain text of the King James Bible, often abandoned it for sheer lunacy!
Another damning nail in the coffin to the Gap Theory is the very phrase they ride on to support the theory: "without form and void"! Those words means formless and empty. The Gappers claim that the Gap of time and the destruction between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 is what explains the geologic remains and dinosaur fossils. If God really did destroy everything to the point of making the earth completely empty, without any form in it, then there would have never been any fossils or geologic evidence to find after Genesis 1:2 in the first place! The thing that is without form and void is the intelligence of the Gap theorists!
I'm praying for the leadership of, and those affiliated with this ridiculous website. You're tools of evil… actually , just tools. Close the site down, repent. Read the word of God and pray.
Its Obvious that Satan is your master
Ruckmanism, & all of his twisting of scripture, Gap Theory, "second inspiration", denying that the English is.. yes..Virginia, a translation also, his arrogance, pride, bragadociousness, self-congratulatory, bullying, horrible name-calling, cult mentality, bull-in-a-china-shop relentless, unneccessary roughness, merciless, accusing & beating up the brethren, apparent speaker for God & the Holy Spirit incarnate as well, & self-appointed judge of all men, his blind-following of way too many churches, men especially, & pastors, to whom he portrays himself as some sort of "role model" as a "man's man", for whom Ruckman for some reason (pride, ego) seems to appeal way too much, who are supposed to follow the Lord & be Bereans as leaders of (as opposed to lording it over) their families in order to guide, lead, & love like Christ did the church & gave Himself for it, women-bashing & degrading, all is expressly confusing, confounding, & destroying genuine Biblical truth, demoralizing, discouraging, depressing, a beating up, guilt-tripping, manipulating, & causing the lost to actually turn away from, possibly forever, from knowing Who the Lord really is, or what He is really like, & all because [some] "watchmen on the wall" dozed while they were on duty when they were supposed to be looking out for the enemies. Too many churches have been infected by his poison & it lives on even after his death by those he infected & it perpetuated itself until it comes to its inevitable, sad, & pathetic end: the destruction & rejection of the true Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ & eternally lost souls. Just one question: Where is the love that the lost can see which draws all men to Him? We shall know them by their love, & their fruits.
John 1:48 is Israel at the first coming. John 1:49 is Israel at the second coming. So, how do you deal with John 1:51. Jesus Christ will be on the earth in the millennium. Sure sounds like beyond the millennium to me. I am sealed with the Holy Spirit. In Re 22 they are sealed by having the Father's name written in their foreheads, just like the 144,000 which were sealed, I might add, to avoid physical death during the tribulation. Perhaps they are called "fistfruits" because they form a different group that will have different ressurrection bodies. Just some thoughts.