He also invented the Rapture.
It was John Darby founder of the Plymouth Brethren and creator of
Dispensationalism that greatly popularized the Pre-Trib rapture of the
Church.
During the 1820's and 1830's Darby developed a new systematic theology
called "Dispensationalism." Dispensationalism has since become very
popular in Christendom. It is a fact that Dispenstionalism did not
exist until the nineteenth century. It has no roots in Judaism whatsoever
and did not even exist in Christianity until the 19th century.
Like most 19th century theologians John Darby was an anti-nomian, he
believed that the Law of Moses had passed away at the cross. Darby was
disturbed however with certain problems created by that theology. Darby
noticed that during the seven years of Daniel's final week the offerings
are being made at the Temple. Since the Law of Moses was clearly being
kept during this seven year tribulation, Darby concluded that the Law comes
back into effect at the beginning of the tribulation. This train of
thought caused Darby to segregate biblical and prophetic history into
compartmentalized ages. Darby theorized an age of Law that ended at the
cross and an age of grace or church age that began at the cross. Then at
the seven year tribulation the age of Law kicks back in and the church age
of grace ends. This created a problem for Darby's theory. How can the age
of Law return if the Church is still here? Darby saw the age of Law as an
age in which God dealt with Israel and the tribulation as a return to God
dealing with Israel. So what happens to the Church? Surely the Church
will not leave Grace and come under the Law of Moses. As a result Darby
adopted the idea of a pre-trib rapture.
http://www.hebroots.org/hebrootsarchive/9807/980702_g.html