I have heard it taught lately that the Book of Revelation only talks about the Church in the first three Chapters and then never mentions her again, and that is evidence that she will be removed before the Great Tribulation begins. However, a careful reading of the book itself shows this is clearly not the case. Chpater 1 of Revelation starts out right away by saying read and keep the prophecies of the book...all of them. how can you keep them if you arent present for them?! Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. The truth is, the greatest fulfillment of the great commission happens THROUGH the tribulation, which culminates with the great tribulation, the last 1,260 days. John was shown that a multitude without number would come out in a great harvest through the great tribulation: Revelation 7:9-14 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. People will not get saved, according to the Bible, unless the people Jesus commissioned do their part. The great commission was given to Jesus Bride. She is the only one who can do it. She will become pure and spotless THROUGH the tribulation as the trouble drives her to actually live like those first disciples, forsaking worldly life for an all in thrust of harvest laboring: Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” There are also direct references to the Bride being present on earth through the great tribulation...the last 1260 days, or 42 months: Revelation 13:5-7 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Again, Revelation is clear that the preaching of the Gospel will continue by the saints right through to the end, when the harvest is reaped: Revelation 14:13-16 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. The is the same thing Jesus said numerous times. Look at one of the greatest parables of the harvest...Jesus doesnt say the wheat is leaving first! No! in fact, he gives the timing...it is the tares that are dealt with first, and the wheat will inherit the earth. Heaven is coming here, not the other way around: Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” This means that we will be here for the most intense season the earth has ever seen, called the harvest. That is why Jesus said over and over be ready. You dont need to be ready to die. You dont need to be ready to get raptured. Neither of these two things require any assistance from you. You need to be ready to gather in the harvest by speaking truth in love in a time of persecution...just like those first disciples did...you know: Peter, James, John, Paul...the ones we love to read about. Jesus looked at them and said that He wanted you to live just like them: John 17:15-21 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. There is a better story for our lives than being removed at the time that Jesus kingdom overtakes darkness once and for all. Acts II is about to be written starring you and me IF we will get ready! John wants to be one with us...do we want to be one with him?! Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Daniel 12:1-3 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:06:06 +0000
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