AFTER TRIBULATION RAPTURE... [ Biblical Evidence of a Post-Tribulation Rapture The apostle Paul wrote about the Rapture in two places in scripture: I Thessalonians 4:16-17 where he described the event; and I Corinthians 15:51-54 where he told us when it happens. In I Thessalonians, he said, (1) the Lord himself shall descend fromheaven with a shout, (2) with the voice of the archangel, and (3) with the trump of God. Then, the Rapture of the Church will take place. In I Corinthians, he said that the trump of God that accompanies the Rapture will take place at the sound of the last trump. He said it will be the last trumpet sound to be made. Obviously, that is at the end! Jesus spoke of the end of the world and the signs of his coming in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. If you read through any one - or all - of those three chapters in the Bible, looking for the things that accompany the Rapture: a shout of the Lord, the voice of the archangel, or a trumpet sound, you wont find anything like the Rapture until you come to the end: until immediately after the Tribulation. In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus said, Immediately after the tribulation of those days... the Son of man... shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet... and gather together his elect. This is the Rapture! This is the sound of the Last Trump - immediately after the tribulation. In Mark 13:24-27, the wording is slightly different, but the meaning in exactly the same. And Luke chose not to speak of the Rapture at all in his Gospel. In the Gospel of John, referring to the Rapture of the Church as the resurrection, or a raising up of his people, Jesus told us three times that it would be at the last day. He said, This is my fathers will... that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again at the last day (Jn. 6:39). In the very next verse, he repears his statement that he will raise him up at the last day (Jn. 6:40). And, as if we still didnt get his meaning, he says it one more time: No man can come to me except the Father... draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day (Jn. 6:44). One of the best evidences that the Church will be on earth through the Tribulation is that the Bible clearly states that - just as Irenaeus and Hippolytus taught - the Antichrist will persecute the Church after he comes to power. Since thats true, it makes sense that the Church has to be on earth for him to persecute. In the New Testament, the word saints is used over fifty (50) times; and in every instance, the word refers to the Church: the followers of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, in his prophecy of the end times, the prophet Daniel made it clear that the Antichrist will persecute those same people: the Church on earth. Speaking symbolically of the Antichrist as a horn: a person of power, he said, The same horn made war with the saints (Dan. 7:21). Later in the same chapter, he said the Antichrist shall wear out the saints of the most High (Dan. 7:25). The Book of Revelation in the New Testament confirms and verifies the words of Daniel. In the chapter that describes the Antichrist and the Mark of the Beast, speaking of the Antichrist, the Revelation says, It was given to him (the Antichrist) to make war with the saints (Rev. 13:7). Some preachers and Bible teachers say that the Church will not go through the Tribulation because - according to I Thessalonians 5:9 - the Church is not appointed to Gods wrath that will be poured out on the earth during part - or all - of the Tribulation. In that passage, Paul said, God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. However, the truth is that Paul is not talking about the Rapture of the Church or about the Tribulation in this passage. He is simply stating the Gospel message; that we are not subject to Gods punishment if we are saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church will not be subject to - or appointed to - the wrath of God that will come on the earth during the Tribulation. God will protect - and provide for - his children on earth through that time just as he protected and provided for the Children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. In the second half of Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation when the woman comes to represent the New Covenant faithful few, the Overcomers, the church on earth we are told twice that God will care for her and for the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17). In the Revelation, were told that the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God (Rev. 12:6). And, To the woman were given two wings of an eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place (Rev. 12:14). [ Historical Evidence of a Post-Tribulation Rapture The early church believed in a Post-tribulation Rapture - and held that belief for a little over 1800 years. For example, early church teachers by the names of Ireneaus (130-202AD) and Hippolytus (birthdate unknown-235AD), second and third generation disciples of John the Revelator, wrote of the rise of the Antichrist and of the coming of the Lord from a Post-tribulation point-of-view. They both taught that the Antichrist will reign on earth and persecute the Church right up to the return of the Lord in all his power and glory. In his book, Against Heresies, Irenaeus, writing about the Antichrist, said, His tyranny shall last three years and six months, during which the saints shall be put to flight (Ch. xxv.4). Later, in the same book, he said, The resurrection of the just takes place after the coming of Antichrist (Ch. xxxv.1). Hippolytus wrote a number of books; and in one called a Commentary on the Book of Daniel, speaking of the Antichrist, he said, When he has conquered all, he will prove himself a terrible and savage tyrant; and will cause tribulation and persecution to the saints, exalting himself against them (Ch. 7). In the same book, referring to the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11, he said, The two witnesses, then, shall preach three years and a half; and Antichrist shall make war upon the saints during (that time) and desolate the world (Ch. 11).
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 19:28:17 +0000
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