Days & Counting!
The Rapture Before the Tribulation
Why the day of the Lord cannot be when the church is raptured.
"The Lord is at hand"
- Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
- - Philippians 4:5
- Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
- - James 5:8
We have already seen from above scriptures that the Apostles taught that the appearing of the Lord for the church could come at any time. Paul said to the church at Philippi, "the Lord is at hand".
James said to the believers dispersed abroad from Jerusalem,"the coming of the Lord draws nigh"
Jesus Christ said to the the Angel of the church at Pergamos, "Repent; or else I will come quickly". To the Angel of Sardis, "Be watchfull" unto his appearing. To the Angel of Philadelphia, "Behold, I come quickly". To the Angel of Laodicea, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock". The church was encouraged to look unto his appearing. However, Paul taught that the day of the Lord by contrast must be preceded by a series of events.
Consider what prophecy says of the following:
The Roman Empire (the legs of Iron on Daniel's image) in the days of the early church would either need to be conquered or become self dissolved (It did dissolve and took hundreds of years to do so). Why would this need to be? Because after the Roman Empire (the legs of iron) there is to arise from the beast ten horns which are ten kings (the feet of ten toes mixed with iron and clay), these ten kings are prophesied to continue a "short space". The prostitute religion who rides the beast that has the ten horns causes all the kings to be intoxicated with her deceptions (this also takes time). The ten kings eventually do away with her destroying her false religious system. Then after, from among one of the ten horns, a successor will come, that is, the little horn, the Antichrist. He would need time to subdue three other of the kingdoms that are to be "plucked up" by him. He and the other three will make four. Then, the remaining six kingdoms render their power to him. The Antichrist would be revealed, desecrate the temple in Jerusalem (which will have to be built), impose the mark of the beast system onto the world, persecute and kill tribulation saints, and emass a great army for a war at Armegeddon.
Afterward, and only afterward, would come the day of the Lord.
So thus, if all this must happen before the day of the Lord, then how could Paul say that "the Lord is at hand"? Remember, that St. Paul was in the Roman empire of the legs of iron of Daniels image.. this being the sixth kingdom of Revelation 17:10,11 . If St. Paul knew about the "little horn" who sitteth in the temple... he must also know of the ten horns on the head of the beast. These ten kings would be the future seventh kingdom followed by an eighth kingdom of the Antichrist. Yet, the Apostle says, "the Lord is at hand". Because here in this case, he spoke of the imminent rapture of the church that could happen at any time and did not mean the day of the Lord. But the false teachers in II Thessalonians 2:2 said, "the day of the Lord is at hand." Not true said St. Paul ... "Let no man deceive you by any means."
Consider otherwise ... If the Thessalonians were taught by Paul that the rapture would happen at the day of the Lord, Paul would not say the Lord is at hand mimicking the false teachers teaching. For Paul, made it doubly clear that the day of the Lord was not at hand and those who teach such are deceivers. For, a number of things, and a number of kings (and future kingdoms) needed to take place beforehand.
We conclude that a post-tribulation view is what the false teachers were believing and that view did not follow suit with what Paul taught the church. We further conclude that the post-tribulation view is not a historical view but a historical deception that denies the blessed hope of the church. We also conclude that the rapture of the church will take place before the tribulation of the events that must precede the day of the Lord. This is why Paul could confidently say of the rapture when he said to the church, "the Lord is at hand".
Pretribulation Rapture from St. Irenaeus and the Shepherd of Hermes (what the early church really believed)
This section will be written soon.
The Temple
The Jews spoke to Jesus about the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said to the Jews, "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up". But, he spoke of his body. The church is the body of Christ and we are temples of the Holy Spirit. During this dispensation, the church is the temple of God. Thus, there is no temple in Jerusalem while the temple that is to be "raised up" is here in the world, but not of it. The church... the temple of God is truly the body of Christ. If so, the Antichrist ... the false Christ, cannot be here so long as the the true Christ is here.
Remember, that wicked one is not just a false prophet, he is not just an apostate, or a deciever ... he is specifically the Antichrist. He is the antithesis of the true Christ. Even as matter and anti-matter cannot mix without there being a combustion ... so likewise the Antichrist will be destroyed by the brightness of the true Christ's coming as both Christs cannot occupy the same space. Thus, we believe the Antichrist cannot be revealed until the body of Christ is taken away in the rapture. And, the tribulation temple (the future third temple) cannot be built under the Antichrist until the the true temple of God, that is, the church, the body of Christ is taken away.
Why All the Tribulation Saints are Martyred
Where do we read in the book of Revelation that the tribulation saints are to be alive and remain and caught up to meet the Lord in the air? On the contrary ... they are to be put to death as martyrs as they do not receive the mark. The blood of those martyred saints cry unto the Lord in heaven asking ... "when will our blood be avenged?" The reply from heaven is not ... "you will be avenged after the remaining of your living and remaining brethren are raptured to meet the Lord in the air." Rather, the reply is "that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." This means that the remaining saints in the tribulation are to be martyered and nothing is said of any exceptions.
- And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain
- for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
- And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge
- and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
- And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they
- should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should
- be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
- - Revelation 6:9-11
This does not refer to the church for if it did ... there would be no church remaining alive to be raptured at the coming of the Lord. The church is not mentioned during the tribulation because it is raptured before the tribulation begins in Revelation 4:1.
In the tribulation, the only group spoken of to be caught up are the sealed 144,000 Jews who are the manchild, not the church, and the manchild is distinct from the saints who have "the testimony of Jesus Christ" who are to be martyred for their testimony. Why are they identified only by their external testimony? Because the church is gone. As for the two witnesses, they are not raptured but are killed and then after three days their dead bodies are resurrected to heaven.
We conclude that the church, the body of Christ, is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and is "in Christ" as St. Paul teaches. By contrast, the 144,000 Jews are sealed externally on their foreheads and the "tribulation saints" have their external "testimony". By contrast, those of the church who died "in Christ" are not told to wait until the rest of their brethren are martyred. But rather, the church who are still alive and remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The church therefore is raptured before the time of tribulation. Whereas, the "souls" who cry out who have died in the tribulation time are those who are identified not as the body of Christ or the Eklessia, but the "souls of them who are slain for "the Word of God and the testimony which they held."
Sequence
Post-tribulation teaches that all God's people are resurrected all at once and together at the second advent at the end of the tribulation ... thus completley negating any sequential order. St. Paul however, does not teach this. Christ's resurrection (Christ the first fruits) > church raptured (THEN WE (the church) IN OUR ORDER... the dead rise first then those who are alive and remain will be caught up with them) > The tribulation: 144,000 Jews raptured in first 3 1/2 years > mid point, two witnesses killed and resurrected > last 3 1/2 years, the saints who have the testimony of Jesus Christ are martyred > the Lord returns at the end of the seven year tribulation.
St. Paul writing to the church (not the 144,000 Jews or tribulation saints) said ...
- But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
- - I Corinthians 15:23
No Word of Warning and No Protocol Taught to the Church Concerning the Future Tribulation
It is amazing to see post-tribulation teachers to give severe warning to the church concerning the future tribulation. Interesting that they do not teach as the Apostles did. One post-trib teacher actually sells buckets of add water to dried food pouches, safety kits, generators, etc. You just call their 1-800 number as shown at the bottom of the TV screen. New age post-trib cults who claim to follow the bible have built multi-million dollar underground housing for bunkers with enough supplies to last seven years. They have mistakenly entered those bunkers due to false predictions by their leaders only to find out that Armegeddon did not happen.
The tribulation is a time of God's wrath. The first 3 1/2 years is called "The wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:16,17). The last 3 1/2 years is called "The wrath of God" (Revelation 16:1). If the church was appointed to go through the tribulation... you would think that the Apostles would give protocol to the church as to what to do. At least something. They don't. Instead, St. Paul writing to the church says, "you have not been appointed unto wrath but to obtain salvation, wherefore comfort one another with these words".
- and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers
- us from the wrath to come.
- - I Thessalonians 1:10
Before the tribulation of wrath. Jesus will deliver the church "from" (not through) "the wrath to come" by the rapture and take them to their heavenly citizenship. The Lord will return in his second advent in "flaming fire" AFTER this wrath is poured out to judge those who obeyed not the gospel says St. Paul (II Thessalonians 1:8).
Also, the tribulation is a time of Satan's wrath.
- Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth
- and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that
- he has a short time.
- - Revelation 12:12
"Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!" This is the church in heaven. Angels don't require such consolation. If the Angels rejoice ... they do so for those servants of God who are now come home.
"Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!" Notice he does not mention the church but rather "the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!"
Jesus says that when the Antchrist abominates the temple ... then those WHO BE IN JUDEA are to flee into the mountains. He did not say the church in New York City, Barcelona, or Toronto. He is speaking of those Jews who will see the temple confiscated by the Antichrist as predicted by Daniel the prophet. Daniel was a prophet to Israel ... not the church. And, Jesus taught concerning Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24 previous to the day of Pentecost which marked the beginning of the church age when the Holy Spirit came to infill believers making them the body of Christ and the great comission to go to all nations.
The Apostles were sent to all the nations to build the church. Jesus appears in the air to receive his church "when the fulness of the Gentiles come in." But, Jesus in his first advent made it clear that he was sent "to the lost sheep of Israel". He told his people.. the Jews... they would see him again when they shall learn to say "blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." This will be fulfilled after the tribulation (Daniel's 70th week) when Messiah comes to rescue his people (thy people) and Jerusalem (his holy city) at the day of the Lord (Daniel 9:24).
It is important that we do not confuse the plan of God and blend everything all together in one perspective or in only one phase of God's plan. Isreal must recognize the day of their visitation as must also the church as did also Noah and the patriarchs. God made various covenants with many at different times (Hebrews 1:1). But they are all fulfilled by one and the same Jesus Christ. We must therefore correctly divide the word of truth.
- Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
- dividing the word of truth.
- - 2 Timothy 2:15
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