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In Revelation 3:10 the Bible states thus: "Because you have guarded and kept My word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth." (Amplified Bible)
Many in the church today believe that this is talking about the rapture, but it is not. It only says that God will "keep you safe from" the hour of testing or trial that is coming on this earth. Did not God protect Daniel through the hour of testing during his day when he chose rather to suffer affliction than to bow down to any false gods? He was thrown into a lion's den, but God shut the lion's mouths so they would not harm Daniel. God did not take Daniel to heaven so he would not have to go in the lion's den, did He? So why should any one think that God will take the church to heaven before the 7 year tribulation period and before we have to face the persecution of the antichrist's government and the mark of the beast? |
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Congrats on your great "Bridegroom Cometh" blog. You might enjoy Googling "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty," "Pretrib Rapture - Hidden Facts," "Pretrib Rapture Secrecy," and "Stamping Out Harold Camping." George
ReplyDeleteAn informative Google article ("Famous Rapture Watchers") shows how the greatest Greek scholars of all time have interpreted Rev. 3:10 - and they agree with you. Thanks for your wonderful and truly timely blog! Arabella
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Lord is coming soon also, but before He comes for us, there will be a 7 year tribulation period, where the two witnesses spoken of in Revelation 11th chapter will be prophesying and giving our testimony of Jesus for 3 1/2 years before the antichrist government subdues (killed or jailed) the believers. We are told the identity of the two witnesses by the Word of God. The candlestick is a symbol for the church made up of gentiles most likely (see Rev. 1:20). The olive tree is a symbol for Israel or Jewish believers (see Jeremiah 11:16). The two witnesses cannot be Elijah and Moses because the Bible does not say that Moses is to come back to earth before Jesus returns and the Lord called John the baptist Elijah because he had the spirit and anointing of Elijah to preach and witness for Jesus (see Matthew 17:12,13).
ReplyDeleteHere is a prophecy given by the Lord to Ezekiel that I believe refers to the two witnesses spoken of in Revelation 11:
ReplyDelete"Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand." Ezekiel 37:19
We can interpret the "stick of Ephraim" to be a reference to the modern descendants of Israel who have not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and interpret the "stick of Judah" to born again believers who have submitted themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
There are many parallels in the Bible to validate this interpretation. Historically it is said that the tribes of Ephraim, who was a grandson of Jacob along with Manasseh occupied the land at the very center of Palestine extending from the Mediterranean to the Jordan. It is said that at first Ephraim did not submit to the authority of King David, but later many of them did join David's kingdom. It is interesting to read that "there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only." I Kings 12:20
Concerning Israel we read, "Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not His testimonies...they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, He was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel" Psalms 78:56-59
ReplyDeleteWe learn that the physical (and more importantly the spiritual)division of Israel's kingdom, symbolically represented by the "two sticks" in Ezekiel's prophecy, was largely a result of Israel's rebellion against God.
"Moreover He refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which He loved. And He built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which He hath established forever." Psalms 78:67-69
God eventually chose David to be ruler of Israel after king Saul's rejection by God. However, David was first chosen and anointed to be leader of the tribe of Judah as we read in II Samuel 2:1-11.
ReplyDeleteWe can trace the descendants of Adam all the way through to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and king David. It is a fact that the Lord Jesus (through His mother Mary) is a direct descendant of David. God promised to have a king to sit on David's throne forever as we read in I Kings 9th chapter, but Israel sinned and rebelled against God and worshiped other gods, and the kingdom was allowed to go into captivity as a result. As we know, God sent Jesus Christ to restore the kingdom to Israel and to sit on David's throne, but He was rejected by Israel's rulers and crucified on the cross at Calvary.
Fortunately for Israel (and Christians everywhere) that God is not finished with His chosen people, and He will keep His promise to David in these last days, and when the Lord returns to set up His kingdom in Jerusalem for one thousand years; Israel and Judah will forever be united.
Jesus Christ will be seated on the throne of David forever, and will rule and reign in Jerusalem for one thousand years. To this fact do all the prophets agree:
ReplyDelete"The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." Psalms 132:11
"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Revelation 5:5
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David..." Luke 1:32
"Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:7
The pre-tribulation rapture theory is actually false because it contradicts what is spoken in this book of revelation. Those who believe in Christ based on the theory of pre-tribulation rapture should turn around. God Himself plan our salvation and so we cannot tell God that we must be taken away before the tribulation. Are we wiser than Him? For this reason God says, "Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay. For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding? (Isaiah 29:16)".
ReplyDeleteThose who preach and teach a theory of pre-tribulation rapture are trying to obtain salvation in their own man-made ways. They must not forget that, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 16:25)." We are the clay and God is the potter, all we are the work of His hands. He is perfect in His ways and He alone knows why the saints will be on earth at the tribulation period. We must not hold unto ourselves but we must hold unto the Word of God who is Christ Jesus.
First, let me say I agree with you completely. A post-tribulation is scriptural and logical. Recently the Lord has shown me the scripture from Isiah 57:1. 'The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.' I'm not saying this is a pre-tribulation scripture but what I am pondering is will we see a few righteous ones removed (passing on)as a sign to the church? If you can give me any insight, I would appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Bible does say that some of the saints will be removed (by the antichrist's government)by way of death or imprisonment:
ReplyDelete"And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days."
"And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." Daniel 11:33,35
I commend you on your accuracy in following the text in the book of Revelation. Clearly the Church is raptured at the last trumpet, which is the 7th Trumpet at the end of the Tribulation. I have written a three book series based on this idea, which is currently on kindle books on Amazon. You point out that the 7th Trumpet begins the Day of the Lord and releases the angels with the seven vials. One point in Revelation also states that the 7 plagues from the 7 vials occur in a single day, which is the Day of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteAt the sounding of the 7th trumpet the dead rise first just before the living saints are raptured onto the clouds where Jesus and the angels are waiting. It seems to me that rather than going to heaven at this time, the entire group will watch the destruction of the seven plagues which occur in a single day. After the seventh vials is poured out and God says that it is done, then Jesus leads the saints down to earth to deal with the remaining armies and people of the earth, which are entirely destroyed. This means there is no one left but the saints of Christ, who watch as Satan is thrown into the pit for a thousand years.
It would also seems that the judgment seat of Christ would now take place on earth outside the Temple in Jerusalem. Judgement of the saints would seem to need to take place on eath (just like the white throne judgement later on) before the saints as the Bride could enter heaven for the wedding with the Groom. This is where I ended book three, but plan to write a last post tribulation book on what happens after the judgment seat of Christ. It seems to me that there is no need for an eartly millenium as every human has been wiped out except for the saints, who are raptured. Rather, the saints spend the thousand years first on earth at the judgment seat of Christ, and in heaven at the wedding and marriage supper of the Lamb. Then, the saints help Jesus prepare for the white throne jugement which comes at the end of the thousand years. At that time, all the saints as the Bride as part the New Jerusalem descend down to earth.
Again, I feel that you have accurately interpreted the scriptures corretctly, and I simply wanted to share with you what my take is after the saints are raptured onto the clouds at the end of the Tribulation.
Blessings,
Dr. Gary Michael Epping (gepping2000@yahoo.com)