I do not believe in a rapture of Christ before the tribulation, but after it. I believe the rapture of believers occurs at the same time as the resurrection of their bodies. I believe it occurs "at the last trump" (I Cor. 15: 52), after the seven trumpets of the Apocalypse have sounded. I believe that the rapture and resurrection of the just takes place "on the last day," and not seven years before the last day. (John 6: 40) I believe that there is but one additional coming of Christ, a second, and this second coming is singular. There is not a third coming of Christ. Neither can I affirm that the second coming of Christ has two stages, each being called the coming of the Lord. However, I do believe that the coming of Christ a second time, like his first coming, takes in more time than a single twenty four day.
I believe that the bible gives us signs of his coming, and which would include signs of the coming rapture and resurrection. I believe, as Paul taught, that two things in particular that must occur before the coming again of Christ are "the falling away" and the "revelation or coming of the man of lawlessness," the "son of perdition" (elsewhere called "Antichrist," and "the beast," and "the little horn"). I believe, as Christ taught in his Olivet discourse, that it is "after the tribulation" that Christ gathers together his elect. (II Thess. 2; Matt. 24)
The above words of Revelation 3: 10 speak of "time of great tribulation" that Christ spoke about. This time of great tribulation is alluded to in many prophetic texts. (Dan. 12: 1; Matt. 24: 21; Rev. 2: 22, 7: 14; Amos 5: 18-20) It will come upon all the world and particularly upon the nation of Israel, called the "time of Jacob's trouble." (Jer. 30: 7) It is also called a day of destruction, a day of vengeance and wrath, an evil day. (See my posting on this here)
This time of testing and trial is for the purpose of revealing who is judged to be wicked and who judged to be righteous. However, in the coming global tribulation the Lord promises that he will "keep from" it those who have persevered as the Lord commanded. To those who believe in a resurrection and rapture of the righteous before the day of great tribulation the words "keep from" means to be removed from the place where those troubles occur. I rather believe that it alludes to being preserved in the midst of those troubles. I believe we have an example of this in the Exodus of the chosen people out of Egyptian bondage.
The Exodus of the chosen people from slavery in Egypt is a type of the coming Exodus of the elect (from both Jews and Gentiles) from this world (age and condition) to the world to come. Who can deny that the "catching up" (rapture) of believers (in connection with their resurrection) will be a great Exodus? In the story of the Exodus from Egypt God brought a day of evil, a day of wrath and vengeance, a day of great tribulation and judgment, upon the Egyptian people and nation. When did he do this, before or after the departure from Egypt through the Red Sea? Before. The tribulation or day of testing and trial, for both the Egyptians and the Israelites, occurred in the land before Israel's departure. And, what happened? Were the Israelites "kept from" those troubles? Let us see.
"But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” (Exo. 3: 19-22)
Notice that the snatching away of the elect from Egypt (the Exodus) occurred in the midst of the land while still occupied by Israelites. It is only "after" the various judgments (tribulations) have come upon the land of Egypt that Israel exits.
"And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” (7: 3-5)
The bringing out of the chosen race was preceded by the judgments upon the land. The judgments were against "the land of Egypt," against the Egyptians, and not against Israel. So too in the coming global tribulation, the great tribulation, the evils sent will be against the wicked inhabitants of the world and not against the Lord's people (although many of them will tested and tried too). Said the prophet:
"And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (Dan. 12: 9-10)
The coming time of tribulation that will come upon all the world will serve to purge the visible professing church of all hypocrites and pretenders.
"And the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between My people and your people." (8: 20-23)
I expect this to be the same way it will be in the days of the coming tribulation. God will sever the places where his people live and are gathered together so that they are "kept from" such evils. Notice that the evil of the swarms of flies was intended for the wicked Egyptians, the non elect.
"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, behold, the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” (9: 1-4)
I expect this to be the norm in the tribulation for the genuine believer, although some will be chosen to become martyrs for Christ at that time.
"And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail." (9: 25-26)
"But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel." (11: 7)
May the Lord make the same difference with regard to us who will live to see the great tribulation!
When the death angel passed through the land of Egypt, he "passed over" the houses of the chosen people, who were in their houses which they had marked with the blood of the Passover lamb. Let us be "holed up" in our houses (booths or tabernacles) when the day of testing comes and let us make sure that we have had the blood of Christ applied to us.
"Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you;
Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.
For behold, the LORD comes out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain."
(Isa. 26: 20-21)
No comments:
Post a Comment