Wednesday, June 6, 2012

THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE IN CONNECTION TO THE TRIBULATION AND THE WRATH OF GOD


As I begin this post I would like to once more post the words of Jesus concerning the Noah and the flood.

Matthew 24:37–39 “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

The Lord is making the point that the flood didn’t come until Noah and his family were shut safely in the ark.  I am also reminded that God didn’t allow judgment to fall upon Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot and his family were safely out of harm’s way.  Paul told the Thessalonians that believers are not to experience the wrath of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”

Jesus declared in his letter to the churches that was specifically addressed to Philadelphia that they would be kept from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10)

So, does the scripture tell us when the wrath of God begins?

Revelation 6:12 & 17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal…. For the great day of his wrath is come….”

Both with Noah and with Lot scripture records that judgment fell quickly once they were in safety.  Personally, I have come to believe that the rapture happens closely connected to the opening of the sixth seal, but I still count myself a pretribulationist—not prewrath.  So, let me backtrack a bit. 

Most pretribulationist prophecy teachers assert that the rapture is pictured when John is called up to heaven at the beginning of Revelation 4.  For a long time I just accepted what they taught, but it always bothered me that Jesus was nowhere in sight.  He clearly told His disciples that when He came to take them to His Father’s house, they would be with Him forever.  We are also told in scripture that when Jesus ascended to heaven He was seated on His throne at the right hand of God the Father awaiting His glorious return.

Hebrews 10:10–13 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”

This clearly did not describe the scene that greeted John upon his arrival in heaven in Revelation 4.  Traditional prophecy teachers posit that the 24 elders seated around the throne represent the raptured church.  Others teach that they are prophets from the Old Testament and the disciples from the New Testament.  Again, this didn’t make sense to me; John didn’t recognize any of them. 

Also, John was openly grieved when no man was found worthy to take the scroll and open the seals.  Then suddenly appeared “a Lamb as it had been slain before the throne and “He” takes the book out of the right hand of God the Father on the throne.  John is obviously seeing Jesus returning to heaven after having suffered the death of the cross and emerging victorious through the resurrection.  Chapters 4-5 in Revelation are similar to other chapters in the book that provide historical background or spiritual insight to events being recorded, e.g. Revelation 12.

No student of scripture can study the first five seals of Revelation and not notice the similarity to the signs of the times mentioned in Matthew 24.  I am continually coming back to these sections of scripture and seeking a better understanding. 

Currently, I understand that the first five seals have been opened.  I think the Lord must have started opening those seals shortly after returning to heaven because I truly believe that the souls under the altar are all the martyrs of the church age.  Real persecution in the tribulation period doesn’t start until the second half after the implementation of the "mark of the beast."  Because Jesus described the signs in Matthew 24 as birth pains, it follows that these events would be a part of the world scene with increasing frequency and intensity as the time for His return nears. 

So what about the rider on the white horse?  I think the rider on the white horse represents Satan and/or his man of sin appearing as an angel of light.  He doesn’t know the time of the Lord’s return any more than we do and has had to be ever ready with his man of sin, his peacemaker, in every generation since the resurrection.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 

I think it is important to note that the time of God’s wrath against His enemies and the 70th week 7-year tribulation period are two distinct events that happen basically concurrently.  The time of God’s wrath is the time of His vengeance against His enemies, the wicked, prophesied by so many of the Old Testament prophets.  The tribulation period is intended as a purifying fire to produce a believing remnant in the nation of Israel also foretold by the prophets of old.

I think that the rapture and the recognition of the onset of the day of God’s wrath in connection with the sixth seal set the stage for the Antichrist to establish his 7-year covenant.  The world will be desperate for a leader who can instill confidence.  Remember, he will be a man of supernatural ability and will make use of lying wonders in this time of chaos and destruction.  

2 Thessalonians 2:8–10 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
I think it will also serve to open the eyes of spiritual understanding of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses who will be sealed as God witnesses on earth during the first half of the tribulation. 

It is only after this that John sees a great multitude of people from every nation, kindred and tongue standing before the throne and the Lamb clothed in white and praising God for their salvation.

Revelation 7:9–10 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

It seems as plain as day to me that this multitude represents the raptured body of believers.

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