Wednesday, November 4, 2015
2TI 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline.
God said to the church at Philadelphia "I will take you out of the hour which is to come upon the world to test those in the world; [Those who are alive in the Tribulation period].
Inasmuch as the Church Has Been Perfected and Delivered from All Judgment (ROM 8:1; JOH 5:24; 1JO 4:17), If She Is Subjected to Judgment Again the Promises of God Would Be of None Effect and the Death of Christ Would Be Ineffectual.
REV 3:10 - John writes that when the tribulation period comes, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, we will not be here.
The Nature of the Church, which is the fact that she is holy, blameless and beyond reproach prevents such a testing."
Rev 13-18, makes it clear that all who are in the 70th week or the Tribulation period are brought into subjection to the beast and through him to Satan who gives the beast power, unless they become born-again and saved which more than likely will cost them their life.
If the church were in this period she would be subjected to Satan and Christ would either lose His place as head or because of His union with the Church, He would be also subjected to Satan's authority.
1. First of all, the great Tribulation is punishment for a Christ-rejecting world, and the nation of Israel, who rejected her Messiah, REV 6:12-17.
2. The nature of the church, and the promises of Christ forbid the church from going through the great Tribulation.
3. There must be an interval or a period of time between the Rapture and the Second Coming.
4. The scripture's which deal with the great tribulation have particular reference to the Jew, MAT 24:1-31; MAR 13:14;LUK 21:23-36.
The abomination of desolation has to do with Jerusalem and the Temple, DAN 11:31 "And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation."
The Sabbath is for the Jews only, EXO 31:16.
EXO 31:16 'So the sons of Israel [the sons of who? Israel] shall observe the Sabbath, to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations [whose generations?] as a perpetual covenant.'
EXO 31:17 "It [the Sabbath] is a sign between Me and [who?] the sons of Israel [for how long?] forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed."
LUK 13:6, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel, And He {began} telling this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, and did not find any.
The Church is never mentioned; Temple implied; abomination of desolation denoted.
5. The Tribulation is mentioned as a gross time of darkness, evil, and sin, where none have faith. ISA 60:2; JER 13:16;LUK 18:8.
6. Satan persecutes the women in the Tribulation (Israel). The church is not to come under condemnation. REV 12:1-4;ROM 5:9; 8:1; 1TH 1:10; 5:9; 1CO 15:55-57; 1TH 4:13-18.
7. The Church is not of the world. JOH 17:14; PHI 3:20; 2TI 2:3-4. The church is a spiritual extension of Jesus Christ, with promises that are heavenly related. EPH 1:3; 2:6.
8. Christ is preparing a home for His body the Church, and has promised to return and to take His bride back with Him,JOH 14:3; 1TH 4:13-17.
JOH 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also."
9. The Church has been promised deliverance from the wrath to come. ROM 5:9; 1TH 1:10; 5:9; REV 3:10.
ROM 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
ROM 5:10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
1TH 1:10 we are to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1TH 3:13 so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
10. The believer is told to watch, or have an attitude of anticipation for the Lord's coming.
In 1CO 1:7 await eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ?
TIT 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
11. God has always protected His people in unique fashion's in the face of judgment. Enoch before the flood; 2PE 2:6-8. Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah.
12. The instructions by the apostle Paul never include any preparation or warning that the church will encounter the great Tribulation.
13. If the Church goes through the Tribulation then the Jew's as well as the Gentiles of the Tribulation period would become part of the Church.
14. The church at Thessalonia would not be concerned of any disadvantage of the dead in Christ if those who were alive had to go through the great Tribulation, 1TH 1:4.
15. The message of the church is the message of the Gospel of grace, and peace which secured at the cross by Jesus the Christ. EPH 2:8-10.
The message of the great Tribulation is one of God's judgment. REV 7:4-8; 12:17; 19:10; MAT 24:14.
16. The iniquity of the anti-Christ cannot be released until the Holy Spirit, the restrainer is removed with the Church. 2TH 2:3-7 (mystery of lawlessness).
17. The church is called to pray for those in authority 1TI 2:2; if the church was on earth in the great Tribulation why would those who come through the great Tribulation pray for the destruction of those in authority? REV 6:10.
18. Christ's return for His church is unconditional, and He returns to heaven, JOH 14:1-3.
The great tribulation is conditional, and based upon the abomination of desolation. MAT 24:15-16.
19. Christ returns for His bride in the air and does not touch down upon the earth at the Rapture.
JOH 14:1-3; at the second coming he comes down to the earth.
20. The bema seat judgment takes place after the Rapture.
This represents the divine production in the Spirit or in the flesh. 1CO 3:12-15.
21. Time is needed for the bema seat, and the marriage of the Lamb, and His pure bride dressed in white, the church.
22. The Rapture is a mystery and secret, the second coming is a world display of power. 1CO 15:51-52.
23. The Rapture comes at a time of false peace and safety.
24. After the Rapture (Rev 4) the day of the Lord begins with the opening of the first seal, Rev 5.
25. The Church is never mentioned from Rev 4-19.
26. The 144,00 Jews from Twelve Tribes; the two prophet's probably Elijah and Moses and the angel witness the gospel,REV 11:3.
The hope of the Church is the return of Christ at the Rapture, who will deliver them from the greatest outpouring of judgment in the history of the universe, TIT 2:11- 13; 1TH 1:10; 4:18; 5:11.