RECAP - IN PART II of THIS SERIES ON THE HOUR OF TRIBULATION WE LOOKED AT THE CHURCH’S ‘LIGHT’ (AFFLICTION) TRIBULATION –
‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ II Corinthians 4:17
Paul repeatedly refers to the Tribulation of the Church of God, as something that may be endured, and which is to be expected by ‘all who live righteously in Christ Jesus’. In fact, he speaks so often on this point, that the absence of any discussion of how to ‘endure’ a ‘Great Tribulation’, would be a glaring omission – were the Church destined to be so afflicted. Yet he never mentions it!
We have seen in no uncertain terms that the Great Tribulation is an event that will involve the ‘unmarked by God’ of Israel, and the gentiles alive at the time.
In fact, the ‘marked’ of God is a KEY to grasping the fact that the Church will not be subject to the final and great tribulation. Consider 2 key verses in Scripture which describe a selection of Israelites that GOD marks on their foreheads:
‘And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’ Ezekiel 9:4
God’s is the first mark of any people on earth. Satan’s mark is one more example of copycatting something God has done. Now LOOK AT THIS:
Revelation 7:1-37 ‘After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree. I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, UNTIL we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.’
LOOK AT THAT AGAIN –
‘Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, UNTIL we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”
Do note that it says ‘servants’ and not ‘sons’.
Then, WHY MARK SOMEONE for no good reason - IF THEY ARE NOT SET APART - but are slated to be slaughtered with the rest?
It is a gross misunderstanding of Scripture to say - ‘God marked them to save them later or after they die’. No, He marked them to remove them at the time they are so identified.
It is the ‘innumerable’ saints of Israel, in Revelation 7:9 that are to be the martyred – those were seen by John - clothed in white robles.
Who are these? They are Daniel’s people - Israel - Daniel 11: 33 & 35
And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.’
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.’
The saints in white are the martyred of Israel., which, unlike the 144,000, will be ‘innumerable’. I.e.. not the 144,000 which have a number.
In Summary - Revelation 7 teaches that the destructions of the Great Tribulation, launched by the ‘Four Angels which have power to damage the earth’, will not begin until 144,000 of the tribes of Israel are marked and removed.
Here is further Scriptural proof:
1Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been REDEEMED FROM THE EARTH.
The marked out of Israel will be ‘redeemed from the earth’, not dead and resurrected.. REDEEMED> That is - removed before the seals open and the great tribulation begins.
SO - If the Lord will remove a remnant from Israel from the earth before he opens the seals, why would he do any less for the Church that he loves (Ephesians 5:25) and saved from the wrath to come? (Romans 5:9)
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ISRAEL’S TRIBULATIONS – THE DAY OF JACOB’S TROUBLE
As Recorded in the prophetic records written TO ISRAEL, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation.
Matt 24:21 Jesus speaking to Israel said ‘…For then shall be ‘great’ (megalithic) tribulation..’ (note there is no article ‘THE’.)
Romans 2:5 - ‘..but after the hardness of thy heart storeth up for thyself God’s wrath..’
Who was hardening their heart? Israel.. To whom Paul wrote:
“Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation IN THE WILDERNESS; When YOUR FATHERS tempted me, proved me, and saw my works FORTY YEARS. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my WRATH, They shall NOT ENTER MY REST.’
His wrath IS the opposite of His rest.
For then shall be great tribulation. When? In the Day of Wrath.
Who will be there? Israel.
Who will be absent? The Church of God, WHO CHOSE CHRIST, AND TOOK UP HIS CROSS - which is then ‘saved from the wrath to come’.
I Thessalonians 1:10 does have the article – it reads THE WRATH to come. Suggesting a specific and terrible event. Though the ‘tribulations’ have been many - YET THE Wrath to come IS to be the greatest tribulation ever.
What the world is about to see, is that → Satan’s ‘tribulations’ cannot compare to what the LORD HAS IN STORE for those who ‘oppose Him’. He has been warning men of this event for 6,000 years.
HOW LONG O’ LORD - HOW LONG?
Doctrinal verses about the Church escaping this day of Wrath:
Romans 5:9 ‘Much more then, being justified by his blood, we are ‘saved from wrath through him’.
I Thessalonians 5:9 ‘God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ’.
Of Israel, however, it is written: Daniel 7:25 - ‘.. they will be given into his hand for three and a half years’.
What was a light tribulation for the Church for 2,000 years – is for Israel a horrific tribulation for a just 3.5 years.
REVELATION’S HEBRAIC SYMBOLISM
The Tribulation described in Revelation is written to Israel. Revelation is FULL of Hebrew symbolism including:
In chapter 2 ‘..of them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes’ - all chapters in the life of Israel.
In chapter 1: 20 John defines the ‘7 candlesticks and 7 Stars, as being the 7 churches and the 7 angels of the churches. The ‘angel’ is a minister of the synagogue. These churches are the original ‘synagogue communities’ of the converted Jews.
In chapter 2:10, the ‘minister’ of the synagogue in Smyrna is being addressed. He is told that ‘some of them’ would be thrown into prison where they would have 10 days of tribulation followed by a martyrs death – which, if they are faithful to [the point of] death – they are promised a ‘crown of life’. (Life eternal).
The Church saints are already assured of life eternal in Christ Jesus.
We don’t have to ‘die for it’, since HE already DID. And as Paul said ‘not all [in the Church] shall be dead [at his appearing], rather many will be ‘alive’ and put on ‘immortality’ when the Lord calls us up to meet him in the air.
So, again, the distinctions are very clear.
In Revelation chapter 2 – verse 22 the discussion turns to Jezebel – another chapter concerning Israel, saying -‘.. I will cast them into great tribulation..’
Here we see the fate of those who commit ‘spiritual’ adultery with Jezebel will suffer GREAT tribulation,.. And the churches shall know that I am He (God) that searches the thoughts and hearts..’ and He issues rewards - based on ‘works’.
Again, decidedly different from the Church’s privilege of being saved by ‘grace’, and not by works.
The reward for those who are faithful till death (verse 16) is mentioned again here. Again - Not a requirement for the Church.
WHITE ROBES
Rev 7:14 ‘..These are they which came out of great tribulation, have washed their robes – AND MADE THEM WHITE - in the blood of the Lamb.’
What does it mean to have ‘washed their robes in the blood of the lamb’? The same in both verses 2:10 and 2:22 – These are those martyrs ‘faithful unto death’. These are NOT the saints of the Church. The people in white robes are the martyred of Israel during the great tribulation. VIZ:
What is the meaning of the ‘white robes’..? The answer is found in the writings of the prophet ‘Daniel’. Daniel was one of Israel’s greatest prophets.
In his plaintive appeal to God in prayer, in chapter 9, Daniel mentions
‘Thy People – 5 times,
‘Israel’ 3x,
‘Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem’,
‘Moses’, the ‘People of the land’, and dozens of pronouns pointing back to Israel.
The Angel answers him – ’70 weeks are determined upon THY PEOPLE’ - Placing Israel squarely in the end time – book of Revelation prophesies.
Daniel 11 provides a connection to Revelation 7.. and the ‘white robes’.
In Daniel 11:33’s prophesy of Israel[1] - “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, and by captivity, and by spoil – many days.’ (Revelation 2:10 says 10 days)
And Daniel 11:35 ‘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…’ CP with Rev 7:14 – made their garments white’.
It is this group of faithful Israelites that is talked about in Revelation. The Church is not there.
JACOBS TROUBLE – THE WRATH of GOD
Jeremiah 30:5, 6, 7 - ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.. Wherefore do I see a man with his hands on his loins – as a woman in travail – and all faces turned pale.’ (This figure of speech, is talking about a tribulation so terrible - that men are in pain and helpless as a woman in travail.)
‘Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble.. but he is ‘saved out of it’*.
(*There will still be Israel even after Armageddon, and David will still be throned).
Jacob’s trouble – IS the ‘great tribulation’. It will begin when antichrist – the man of sin – enters Palestine (what is called now Israel) and takes control of the Temple, setting himself up in it – to be worshipped as God.
This is the last 3 ½ years of the age before Christ’s return. The last half of Daniel’s 70th week. JACOBS TROUBLE LASTS ONLY 3.5 YEARS.
Again, The Church of God is not in it - The Church was never given instructions or warnings for this day of travail. Only Israel is warned, as you see here in Jeremiah, and Daniel, and all the other prophetic writings. The departure of the Church of God takes place previous to the revealing of the man of sin. Which we covered in the precious section of this series. The Church is he who ‘hampers’ him.)
To cover every point and scripture concerning the timing of the Rapture of the church could fill a book. (and has filled many)
In the next segment of this series, we will look at the timing of the Rapture and the revealing of the Antichrist.
In our final Chapter we will examine the HOUR of DARKNESS that the Church has been subject to for 2000 years.
VJCBingham