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Reply
Hi, and thanks
for the email. I'll quote your questions below and then add my
reply.
If you
believe in a pre-tribulation rapture theory, are you, in essence,
saying that Jesus is coming back at the end times two times and not
once and for all?
Yes that is correct. The disciples at the time of Jesus' first
coming were confused because they didn't realise that the Messiah
(Jesus) would come firstly to die for our sins and then later as the
reigning King from Jerusalem. A similar confusion exists amongst
those that try to make all the scriptures of Jesus' return fit into
one coming at the end of the tribulation. The Church has been
promised several times that it will not experience the wrath of God
and that is what the tribulation is. If you know of a scripture that
says that Jesus has to come 'once and for all' I'm all ears.
I thought we saints were supposed to endure
UNTIL THE END not be taken away before the real battle begins.
Can I ask what scriptures you base that on please? The Church is not
appointed to wrath but to receive salvation. The whole tribulation
period is often called 'Daniels 70th Week' (from Daniel chapter 9).
It is a time set aside by God to deal with the nation of Israel to
bring them back to Himself and to force those in the world to decide
who they will worship. This is seen in the book of Revelation which
describes the tribulation period in chapters 6-19. The only mention
of the church is where the bride is seen in Heaven, having made
herself ready before the Lord even returns.
Why is there so very much disagreement
regarding this??
Like just about any topic in Christianity, there are people on all
sides of the debate. As a generalization however, I would say that a
lot of people are confused on this topic because they don't see that
God still has unfinished business with the nation of Israel, to
prove Himself faithful to that which He has promised them, despite
their disobedience. The seven year period is the last portion of
Daniels 70 weeks that God has set aside to deal with the nation of
Israel as mentioned above.
If we are raptured out of this world before
the tribulation begins, then only unsaved people will be left - then
why battle at all?? Those people belong to Satan anyway. Why not
just let him have his way and keep Jesus out of it?
Sorry. I'm not sure I understand what you are saying or questioning
here. If you are asking why the battle in the tribulation, then the
answer is that it is the period of God's wrath upon an unbelieving
complacent world. It will bring people to a decision time... are
they going to side with the antichrist and worship Him, or are they
going to side with God and be saved. Revelation tells us that an
immeasurable number from every nation and tribe will be saved during
this time. Some believe that this is the result of the specially
sealed work of the 144,000 Jewish men mentioned in Rev 7.
All the best
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Their Reply
Thank you for responding to me email. I
was pleasantly surprised. I am not trying to be confrontational; I
really simply want to understand the Holy Bible. One of my prior
questions dealt with:
I thought we saints were supposed to endure UNTIL THE END not be
taken away before the real battle begins.
SEE SCRIPTURE BELOW:
Matthew 24:
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
ALSO
If the saints had already been "raptured" away, what does the
following verse mean?
Rev. 9:4 “They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any
plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of
God on their foreheads.”
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My Reply
Hi,
Thanks for the reply and I have added some notes below your comments
in blue...
Matthew 24:
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
It is important to read the context
of this scripture (well, any scripture!). What is it's context? It
is very Jewish in nature. We know from other scriptures that the
entire world will eventually come against Israel (See Zech chapter
12 and 14). As I have mentioned before, there is a 7 year period
still left where God will deal with Israel to bring them back to
Himself. This last seven years is split into 2 periods of 3 1/2
years each. (Daniel 9:27) Now back to Matt 24 -
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that
causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the
reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the
mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take
anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get
his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant
women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take
place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great
distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and
never to be equaled again.
Now, from Matt 24 we see that Jesus is against speaking of this
time. He is talking to those who will see the 'abomination of
desolation' as was mentioned in Daniel 9. This event is the
antichrist putting himself in a rebuild Jewish temple and
proclaiming himself to be God. (See 2 Thes 2:1-4). It is the Jews
that will see this. That is why Jesus carries on saying those in
Judea should run for their lives at this point. And also to pray it
doesn't take place on a Sabbath. This is not for the Church as we
are not under the Sabbath as a law. Those Jews that make it to the
end of the 7 year period will be saved physically by the return of
Jesus who will fight against the antichrist and the nations that
attack Israel. Zech also tells us that 2/3 of Israel will die during
this period. (See Zech 13:7-9)
It also has meaning for those that come to believe in the Lord
during the tribulation... and there will be many Revelation 7 shows
us!
ALSO If the saints had already been "raptured"
away, what does the following verse mean?
Rev. 9:4 “They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any
plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of
God on their foreheads.”
Revelation 7:1-8 tells us who these people are. They are 144,000
believers from the 12 tribes of Israel that God will use during this
time. They are specially sealed so that the plagues cannot touch
them.
All the best.
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