Will the
church go through the Tribulation and Great Tribulation period? The
Bible answer is No. The Church will be Raptured before this time
according to God's Word. The Church is promised deliverance, according
to (Rev. 3:10), "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I
also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon
all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." This promise
wasn't only to the Philadelphian Church in the first century, but is
also to the Church of this age. These letters written to the seven
churches in Rev. chs. 2 & 3 give a
prophetic forecast of the entire Church age. The Philadelphia Church
represents the true Church at the end of this age. The hour of
temptation speaks of the Tribulation after the Rapture. The Church is
not appointed to wrath; "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but
to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thess. 5:9). Christ
will deliver us from God's wrath, before He pours His wrath out upon
this world. The Rapture of the Church will be God's method of our
escaping His judgment upon this evil world. Only true born-again
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will be in the Rapture. If you are
not saved, you will be left behind. You can be saved, if you will only
put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and
Lord.The
doctrine of the pre-millennial and pre-tribulation coming of Christ
for the Church is but the revival of Apostolic Church. Paul, and other
men of God were definitely preaching and teaching this.
About 250 A.D., one of the
so-called Church fathers, began to allegorize and spiritualize the
Scriptures of course to suit his own belief, thus founding the 'school
of allegorizing and spiritualizing", from which the Church suffered so
very much, because believers largely ceased to look for the imminent
return of Christ, (that He could return any moment).
A preacher by the name of
Daniel Whitby (1636-1726) of the Church of England, claimed the
promises made to the Jews in the O.T. such as their restoration as a
nation, the establishment of the Throne of David were spiritual and
applied to the Church. He claimed Israel and Mount Zion represented
the Church. That the lying down of the lion and lamb together typified
the reconciliation of the old and new natures. He also taught there
would be a general resurrection of the dead, followed by a general
judgement, the earth would then be destroyed by fire and eternity
would begin.
Now, speaking of the old and
new natures, the old nature has never stopped sinning and the new
nature cannot sin, (the divine nature).
Indeed the earth will be
destroyed by fire, but not until after the Millennium (1,000 year
reign of Christ), the Great white Throne Judgment (the judgment of the
unsaved of all ages). See Rev. Chs. 20 & 21, also 2 Peter chapter 3.
Speaking of the doctrine of
Christ's personal and near coming, Dr. R.A.Torry said, "It is
transforming the lives of more men and women than almost any doctrine
I know of."
In times like these, we really
cannot afford to neglect this very, very, important study of Prophecy.
God says, "Study and rightly divide the Word of Truth". We need to
prayerfully study God's precious Word. Let's not speculate or assume,
but rather take God at His Word. God said it, that settles it,
therefore we should believe it even if we don't understand every
thing. His Word is absolute Truth.
The Day of Christ, speaks of
the time Christ will come to Rapture the Church (I Thess. 4:13-18; I
Cor. 15:51-58 & John 14:1-3). "Day of Christ is mentioned six times in
Scripture, (I & II Cor. & Phil. Chs. 1 and 2.
"The Day of the Lord" speaks of
the direct intervention in the affairs of men after the Rapture, even
though He is in control now and always has been. The Day of the Lord
covers the Tribulation period (Rev. chs. 6-19), the Millennium Kingdom
(Rev. 20:1-10), the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). The
Day of the Lord is not only a time of judgment on and of the wicked,
but also a time of great blessings for the redeemed of Israel and the
Church during the Millennium.
The Day of God speaks of the
day when the heavens pass away and the earth is renovated by fire, and
then New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. See 2
Peter 3:12-13.
Matt. 24:44, "Therefore be ye also
ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."
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