The Rapture – An Article to Knock Your Socks Off

Don’t get too excited or start to jump up and down or anything but I added you to My Watchlist of South African Christian blogs.

From what I had gleaned from your writings in the past and confirmed from the post above I had marked you as being Dispensational. Was I correct?

Deborah

No.

Anyway, I just checked and South Africa is no longer on his list.

But Benny is coming:

No.

Tribulation and wrath are not the same thing.

Deborah

Yip my socks was knocked right of and with a couple of holes in them too, lol lol

This is a very good one thanks it cleared up 1 or 2 questions I had.

Blessings

“. . .I realised that Amillennialism was completely and utterly wrong. First and foremost because St Augustine who came up with this ridiculous idea in the first place was Roman Catholic.”

This statement nearly made me laugh out loud. At the time of St Augustine (the latter part of the 4th century) there was only the catholic church, so if everything about the catholic church is un-Biblical just because it was catholic then The Church just disappeared for a couple hundred years there till Martin Luther. . . or did I completely miss your meaning??

Also, let me see if I understand your view on the rapture. You think that The Church will be raptured up at the beginning of the 7yrs? or mid-way when Saten is thrown out or Heaven? OR are you saying that Saten is thrown out at the beginning of the seven years? And at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus returns we will come with him on the clouds?

Jackson

@Amanda,

I don’t follow any New Age bloggers (although it’d be fair to say that on the list there are some who engage in New Age practises). This is as wide a scope as I have time for. I’m sure however that there are pockets of South African Christian bloggers I haven’t started tracking yet. The list is partly for others to see who’s who in the zoo and partly for me to make more connections.

mmmm, agreed Deborah. I don’t think you would ‘look’ well in this ‘zoo’.
lol!
cecilia

First, let me apolgize for posting my last comment without first fact-checking, I was lucky this time and my facts were right but I still goofed there, sorry.

I wanted to say that as soon as possible, I’ll get back to the discussion tonight when I have time.

A sorry:
Jackson

“-No the church did not disappear until Luther. In fact you missed out the Waldensians.
Besides the ‘body of Christ’ / church is made up of individual born again Christians, it’s not an institution or one special denomination who thinks they have it right.”

You mean like the institutionalized church didn’t disappear till Luther? I was referring to The Church, the Body of Christ, as you define in that latter part of that point.

“-Only Jesus Christ the Son of God is correct and the Holy Spirit who convicts people in their PRIVATE lives.”

??? Can you elaborate on that? I’m not sure I understand what your saying.

“-Who so ever adheres to the Word of God is a Christian. Whoever does not, is not a Christian, but they can fool themselves and everyone else by calling themselves Christan.”

I’d disagree, “everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should [shall] have eternal life” (Jn 6:40) If you believe in Jesus Christ you are Saved, the rest of your theology may be crazy but your still Saved. Now, if someone who is Saved can have completely wrong theology is debatable. But it’s not about adherence to the Word of God, it’s about Faith in the Christ.

“-Do you think the Holy Spirit stopped working after Jesus ascended? No. Jesus told the disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit as their councillor, comforter and they would go out and preach the gospel. How did people get saved after they heard the gospel? By the Holy Spirit. He has been around saving people since that time right until now. But you should know that……”

The answer is no, I do know that. 😉

“-How long is a millennium? 1000 years? 2000 years? 2010 years?”

“A millennium (pl. millenniums or millennia) is a period of time equal to one thousand years (from Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenium”

“-Did the church replace Israel during this time?”

“Did”? That’s past tense, I haven’t a clue what are you talking about?

“-Do you think Catholics are Christian?”

Some, maybe. I don’t think the Catholic church as a whole is, and hasn’t been for quite some time. But at the time of St Agustine the Catholic church was the only church (or if one existed I’ve never heard of it), so The Church, the Body or Christ, those truly Saved had to be part of the Catholic church. So, just because something came from a Catholic can’t be necessarily bad.

“If you don’t like my belief on the Rapture, then that’s your problem eh. And it’s strange that people get soooo UPSET when others say they hold onto Pre tribulation rapture. Why? I don’t get upset with people who care to think otherwise.”

I’m trying to find out what your beliefs on the Rapture are!!!! Your article left rather confused. I’m not ” soooo UPSET” at your views, what I’m upset about is that you (seemed to) ignored my original point and question!!! x( :p

“I think people fear thinking about a Pre Trib Rapture because they feel they are not ready, so would prefer to delay Jesus’ coming in their minds. Fortunately we don’t have a say on the matter.”

The only reason I’ve heard for mid or post trib raptures are either that the evidence best agrees with it or, that the trib is the greatest display of Gods glory, like ever. So why would he take His Church out, instead of leaving them in the world to see his fireworks. I’m inclined to agree with the reasoning of the latter, but I really don’t have a strong opinion, if I’m raptured before the tribulation then cool, God knows what’s best; If I see the trib starting around me then I’ll start the 7yr countdown and hope the “blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Tit 2:13)

Dominus Vobiscum:
Jackson

@ Jackson . . .
Knowing Jesus or as you put it “Faith in Jesus alone” is not good enough . . .Why? Because Demons also know Jesus and believe in Him BUT I don’t think it is going to help them in the end . . . please note the following scriptures:

Mat 8:28 And when he (Jesus) was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
Mat 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

They knew who Jesus was and believed in Him because they knew what he was going to do to them in the end . . . If you don’t believe in someone you will not believe that he is capable of doing that which he says/proclaims he will do . . .

Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Jam 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Now, Did you know that the Gospel of Salvation is not just believing in Jesus ?

Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Great ! I must thus also repent of my sins and only then will I recieve remission of sins . . .
Now look at the following scripture . . .

Act 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Act 16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Here we read that even the Demons know that it is a WAY of salvation . . .

The Greek word used for “way” in this scripture is -hodos- and means:
“a means, a course of conduct or a way of obtaining something through a way of life, same word in Acts 2:28; 2Pet 2:21; Sept: Prov 10:17” (Greek Word Study Dictionary; Spiros Zodhiates)

Pro 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

God never changes . . . His is true to his word and has bound himself to it,Old and New Covenant’s.
Let us NOT make our own way or method of salvation . . like the church has already done. 🙁

@ Jackson . . . Sorry, I forgot to clear up your quoted scripture:

Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Here we have the “sad” situation of the English language not being able to give one word for the Equivalent word in Greek. Like in any language the meaning of a word can change depending on the sentence it is used in… eg. the word “pot” – I use a pot to cook. I plant flowers in a pot.

Ok, in this scripture the contextual meaning of the word “believe” in Greek is:
– ho pisteou – to have faith in, to trust – indicating an action of – this word should NOT be taken as the one holding onto God constantly lest he would let loose and fall. It rather indicates that once one believes, he continues to believe. the presupposition -ho- indicates the “continuous” tense – meaning, it must carry on…
(Greek Word Study Dictionary; Spiros Zodhiates)

This word “believe” is followed by the words “on Him” (ice owtos) and means: (without no going into the Greek detail and depth) to do what he did, to live like he did.

I know you might “complain” that you don’t know Greek . . . Well that is one of the reasons we have “learned” Pastors BUT unfortunately they are not doing their job.

Back to topic:

Jesus himself said:
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

What is the Will of the Father ? For everyone to be saved ! AMEN !
How? Repent, be baptised and be filled with the Spirit of God !

Also:
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Bwhat? Bob’s my uncle? Sorry, that is Greek to me.

@Amanda,

:).

@Deborah,

You consistently shun Biblical truth that is clearly presented so that you can pass a mocking comment in my direction. You protect those who pander to you at the expense of engaging around an issue of Scripture. You have passed more jibes, sarcastic remarks and disparaging comments my way than Biblical correction.

As to the article on Mary (http://markpenrith.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/10-things-i-love-about-mary/), did you even read it?

You got me wrong so badly last time

(http://markpenrith.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/meditation-for-christians-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it/
and
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/12/17/mark-driscolls-resurgence-and-emergence-with-catholicism/).

Mark,

You have a distinct ability for annoying people.

You accuse others of shunning biblical ‘truth’ and in my case ‘willfully misleading people’, yet the exact opposite applies. You come disguised in pseudo bible-scholarly garb yet you could not exegete your way out of a paper bag. If we are the ones wanting to deceive people why are there articles posted on this site recently on how to correctly interpret scripture? Do you honestly think that the Greek/Hebrew computer program your mother bought you for XMAS gives you some monopoly on biblical interpretation?

You do realise that when readers post here it makes them to research and get thinking about biblical content – the admin’s job is not to give them pass/fail marks on grammar but rather to encourage people to think for themselves. (In fact there was nothing wrong with the grammar, you invent new ways of finding error).You dude, are like the child in the neighbourhood that has no one to play with so you prowl the neighbour’s backyards to see what toys you can destroy.

What is really going on here is that you want to play with, you think we are all playing a game of ‘finding error’ so you come and join with your perverted version of fault finding. This is not a game dude, some of the heresies exposed here are highly destructive, many of the teachings exposed here have eternal consequences.

You really have this irking quality that when you compliment someone you insult them at the same time. You talk about ‘biblical correction’ – what that really means is anyone that disagrees with your one-dimensional way of interpretation which is based on a mountain of presuppositions. It is absolutely astounding: you purposely ripped a scripture out of context in a previous post that completely changed the meaning of that verse and to divert attention from that you accuse me of wilfully misleading people because I miscounted how many times the instances on mediation/prayer were found in the bible, when that was not even the point. You fooled no one but yourself.

Dude, you were extremely childish then, this meaningless greek adventure of yours only proves my point further. You have missed the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the whole counsel of God – which is the whole point of the direction this topic took – with nonsense. Perhaps you should work on you English skills and more specifically; on expressing clear, understandable English to people before you venture into greek.

Captain, over and out.

Phew…this is interesting.

Lourens

I could not help to think about this
Quote from A Toser. It is called the Saint must walk alone.

“The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His Godgiven instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.”

Blessings

@ Lourens . . . Take heart my friend and be glad that your name is not Noah or Lot. Look at Moses . . . They where all “loners” BUT they had a relationship with God ! Paul did not have it easy either! After all his hard labor and near the end of his ministry he writes this to Timothy: 2Tim 1:15 “You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.”
The best example is however Jesus. He was forsaken by ALL men and then by God also !

If you really want to read a good book on this then go here:
http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/tozer/5j00.0010/5j00.0010.c.htm
It is a Free online book. The Book is called:
“Man: Dwelling place of God”
Awesome book and in chapter 39 the quote as quoted by Elmari appears. He then expounds greatly on this subject and really gives you something to hold onto !
Go for it!

@Jean

Well said! Thanks guys, I am learning so much from all of you.

God Bless

Yip!

Thanks guys for all the kind words. You make me feel even more lonely.. lol! 😉

Luckily I have learned all this during the last 8 years of being a lonely voice among the hundreds of “christians” I have met. The only sad part is that I only found this site about 2 months ago. It’s absolutely wonderful to see that God still keeps people informed. That’s if they want the truth!

If only more people would get down on their knees in real seriousness & ask God to REVEAL HIS TRUTH to them and not some persons opinion in a book; dvd or bible school or university theology class. Doing that will allow many people to understand this site MUCH better.

I sent out an email the other day regarding old Angus. Whew! Did I get hammered for that one. But hey: Truth is TRUTH!

Did any of you watch the “Passion of Christ” years ago? I sent out a mail on that too and it was amazing how devastatingly blind MOST “christian’s” are.

Deborah, if you like you can contact me by email and I’ll send it to you, as taking your site into consideration it will truly make for some great discussion & revelation

Cheers

Serve God with all your heart, soul and all your might!

P.s You know the creator of us all; the God of the Bible; The God who became flesh, died and rose again. Nowadays you have to be sure who we are talking about as there’s another jesus, gospel & spirit working in the earth.

Hey Deborah,

Thanks for responding. I think in some of your comments you’re trying to prove a rapture exists, I do agree with you on that, we just differ on timing. I believe there will be a rapture, we will get ‘caught up’, gathered to him…but at the end. Not pre-trib.

I also know that both of us are not going to budge on our stance, but I’m posting this for others to see why we see what we see and then it is for them to go to God with.

So, I’ll try to do my best to refute what stood out to me in some of your comments and why.

To your account about pre-trib and it’s Latter Rain roots, sorry, it is what it is, they still promote this teaching and that should give you pause.

I did say that there were no ‘special’ set of saints EXCEPT for 144,000…and these are sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel. That’s all that’s said about them. But people like to make many assumptions about more then that. I take it for what it says. The 2 witness’ as well. Do I believe that the 2 witness’ are just for Jews…no.

Not sure what you’re getting at with the church and Israel reference. When Paul says ‘we’, he’s referring to the church. So don’t tell me it’s the jews alone in some parts and us gentiles in others. Once we are believers, we are neither jew nor gentile.

Here’s the full scripture you’re talking about, Revelation 2:8-11:
8″To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

I’m sorry, but that one part “I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” Could be saying exactly what it’s saying. Jesus has experienced the slander of these so called jews. Nobody is talking about Israel, it is the reference to someone saying they are a Jew possibly in a ritual, national sense. Instead they are a pretender who’s really from the Synagogue of Satan. Honestly, I think He is referring to the Pharisees or people like them. Remember how Jesus referred to them as a brood of vipers and said they make their converts even more sons of hell than themselves. Also notice, directly after that verse, verse 10 says Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Interesting statement, considering our topic. Anyways, I’m not sure what the Latter Rain teaching is about the Church and Israel, but I know what the bible says concerning who Israel (the people, not the land) is, I think you should read Romans 11. I’ll post it for all to see: (For all reading, please read this scripture carefully so that you will not miss what the Holy Spirit is saying)

Romans 11
The Remnant of Israel
1I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3″Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”[a]? 4And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b] 5So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.[c]

7What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written:
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes so that they could not see
and ears so that they could not hear,
to this very day.”[d] 9And David says:
“May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.”[e]

Ingrafted Branches
11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27And this is[f] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”[g]

28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[h] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34″Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”[j]
35″Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?”[k]
36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

In one of your comments, you say:

“1) Paul was speaking to the Thessalonians who thought that they had already entered the tribulation and was telling them that it was no so.”

Why would paul have to tell them they weren’t in The Great Tribulation if we aren’t supposed to go through it? He would just say, “don’t worry about that, you’re not going to go through it.” Why would they assume they were to go through the Great Tribulation?

Don’t dismiss the words in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 ” According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord,”

I’ve heard the Noah reference before and it doesn’t make any sense.? He was not taken from this earth, he was protected by the Ark, but then the flood and destruction receded and everything was new again. Plus, notice everyone else was taken out by God’s wrath, not Noah. Actually, if you think about it, Noah and his family were ‘left behind’, they were delivered from the wrath, but not taken completely out of the way. The wicked people were completely wiped out and then God started over, just as he will at the very end. I get the whole, “it will be like in the days of Noah” considering the debauchery and wickedness. But it seems like people are adding to this story of God’s provision to those who follow Him and slapping on pre-trib rapture allegory.

Your reference 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” (Rev 3:10).

Do you use “hour of temptation” to refer to the tribulation? What is tempting about tribulation?? The only thing I can think that will be tempting is to take the mark so you don’t have to go through the tribulation.

The Tribulation will be hard for believers and people that don’t submit to the Beast system, but it will be peaceful for a time for the people that do take the mark. That’s why they’ll be marrying and giving in marriage..so on and so on. That’s the whole lure of the mark, don’t you get it? Take the mark and go back to your comfortable Utopian life. Don’t take the mark, well, you will be chased and hunted down like dogs, imprisoned and/or tortured/killed for what you believe. I’m sorry this doesn’t sit well with you, but Christians have been enduring persecution and tribulation for ages and will be so till the end of the age. Remember WWII. People ate and drank and married during that time, while atrocities were going on in their back yard. People do a good job of looking the other way when their comfort is at stake.

Honestly, you prove the whole motive of your stance by saying this:
“The word of God clearly states that believers will escape the tribulation that will be like HELL on earth – You guys that want to go through this persecution have no idea what the tribulation is going to be like. You have no idea what the demonic world is like. I was in the occult for many years and I have seen things that I never want to see again.”

It seems that’s why you kept searching for pre-trib loopholes. Just because I don’t want to go through the tribulation, doesn’t mean I won’t. I don’t want to go through tribulation/persecution any more than you or the next person. Who wants to go through persecution??? But, it’s necessary for what God wants to do, so I submit and pray that God will keep me from being a coward when the heat gets turned up. Just like all the refining scripture I posted in my last post, it is a necessary process.

Here’s an interesting little piece about what the refining process does:

A silversmith explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all impurities. He had to sit and hold the silver in front of the fire all the time, and watch the silver all the time. But how does the silver smith know when the silver is fully refined? The silversmith answered saying, “Oh, that’s easy – when I see my image in it.”

You’re implications about people with weak faith, are somewhat correct, although there is reference to the weaker brother, or weak faith in the bible when it comes to observing holidays, rituals, eating, works etc. Faith is a whole other topic, so I’ll try to say it this way; the ‘cultural christians’ will fall away (are currently falling away as well) because you are correct that there wasn’t a real relationship there to begin with, but they were still on the path to hopefully be convicted and receive Jesus Christ but that opportunity goes out the door when they realize that their golden ticket pre-trib rapture was a lie. Just like all the wounded sheep from the current false doctrines and false movements, many leave the faith because of the lies, never to return. That’s why truth is so important.

I don’t understand why you don’t see this debate as a real issue. Why warn people about anything (like you do on your site) if there’s not a hope for them to turn to Jesus Christ and to not be deceived? You warn about all kinds of false doctrine for a reason, yet you throw that reasoning out the window when it comes to this pre-trib stuff. Why?

The sheep should always be told to endure till the end…no matter what you experience and no matter what the persecution. That’s why pre-trib theory is dangerous, because it doesn’t do that.

Yes, we should warn till our last breath, Jesus is coming back soon. I agree with you there. But when He comes back, there will be no turning back. A pre-trib (secret) rapture, gives an appearance of warning everyone he’s coming back but partially (although scripture says everyone will see His coming). With pre-trib theory you still have 7 years to get it together if you get ‘left behind’. But if you go with pretrib rapture theory then you can’t have the Holy Spirit around for the next 7 years, so I don’t understand how anybody gets saved during that time then (because it’s the Holy Spirit that convicts). Scripture says that people are martyred for their faith during The Great Tribulation. So which is right? Pre-trib theory or scripture?

When I say “be careful what you’re promoting”, I say it because you have many people looking at your site and who listen to what you say. You have become a teacher in a public forum. Whether you say it’s just opinion, there are people that value what you say, and unfortunately because they trust your opinion, may not test everything. You are held accountable and responsible for what you feed the sheep. That is scriptural. That’s all I’m saying.

I understand Deborah, that we can go round and round with this to the point of exhaustion and elevating ego. I have my points, you have yours. I believe we’ll have to agree to disagree. But for the sake of anyone who’s reading, I think our posts should be left up for people to consider and to go to God about.

Thank you for your time.

Deborah

Yes it is great idea to post that Alan Lester open letter to Angus.

Blessings

@deborah

Sorry, you have a point, that was really out of left field for you, sorry.

When I said “leveled” I was meaning that they were addressed to me, not that they were antagonistic in any way. They were very nice comments. I did not mean to insult you, but I suppose I did. I’m sorry, I should not have posted that without finding a better way to word my opinions.

As to separating the Word of God from Jesus Christ, I don’t understand what your saying. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”, how can they be separate?

I wanted to say this, and apologize, if you’d like to remove it before publishing that’d be fine.

And, would answering Jean’s question be getting a little too off topic here?

Christians are those trying to follow the teaching of Jesus. Jesus did not believe in a PRE trib rapture. He stated the elect, the Christians, will be gathered POST “after” the great tribulation (Matt 24:29-31 gives the sequence). Paul could not possibly have believed in a pre-trib rapture in II Thess. 1. He says precisely that Christians will be relieved of their suffering only at the “revelation of Jesus in flaming fire” to punish the wicked.
In I Thess. 4 the Christians go up to meet the Lord Jesus as he comes down, and they escort him to Jerusalem for the Kingdom on earth to start.
There is only one future coming of Jesus.

Anthony B,

You are making stuff up. Please learn to interpret scripture responsibly and don’t impose meanings into scripture. I used to be a post tribber and have dear friends that still hold to that view but at least they can actually reason as to why they hold to their views. You, different story – these are doctrinal drivebys.

It appears that we have Internet problems. Please be patient and feel free to chat amongst yourselves.

Hi Debs

Perhaps your family aren’t asking you to choose them over Jesus. Perhaps they are asking you for respect, so as not to forcefeed your perception of Jesus to them?

Blessings
MH

@ Merry Helper . . .
It is clear that you know nothing about being a servant of the Living God. Why?
If you don’t respect/honor your parents you are not a servant of the living God. (Ef 6:1-3)

Regarding the speaking and proclaiming of Jesus we are taught:
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

In the sad case where our parents do forsake us, we as servants of God has a promise:
Psa 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Please note that the low activity level on this website is caused by Internet problems. DTW will be back as soon as possible.

[Quote] Please note that the low activity level on this website is caused by Internet problems. DTW will be back as soon as possible. [End of Quote]

Nice one DTW – making everybody think. Post an article about an imminent rapture then disappear.

Micheal

On Chuck Missler – K House Africa have most of his dvd’s series available. I Recently bought “God Of Wonders” from them. It is not Chucks dvd though. If you need link I could post it here if it is ok with Deborah.

Blessings

>> In the bible it mentions being ‘caught up’ – caught up in Latin is raptusa = rapture

Well in that case, Paul was once “raptured” (in 2 Cor 12) and then returned to earth. As far as I’m noncerned, Jesus told us “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” If there is nothing to endure, it will be a pleasant surprise, but if I expect to be spared the worst and things get as bad Jesus said in Matt 24:22, I might think I missed it or something. So I’d rather be prepared to suffer as much Jesus did and be ready for it (1 Peter 4:1).

>>>It’s not the word itself that can’t be found in the bible that’s important, it’s what it TEACHES.

Some think it teaches Jesus will come twice, or people believe it teaches Jesus will come once, at the last trumpet, when the dead will rise and the living will be caught up, when everyone will be judged.

>>>You have the wrong blog. No one would ever argue about the word rhythm here. No really…what for? lol

So sorry, you’re right, although there was no need to make fun of me. It was in the Watch and Pray blog, where Thomas wrote “Apart from the fact that the words “rhythm” and “rhythms” never once appear in the Word of God, Stephan Joubert uses it to express the Emergent Church’s emphasis on service rather than salvation.” () But I’m glad you don’t fall for that argument.

Most people get confused with Matthew 24 aka The Olivet Discourse. A good hermeneutic is to look at who the audience is [ look it up, it’s simple] then see how Jesus addresses this audience in both church terms and Jewish/for Israel terms [ he switches]. Endure till the end is also read as addressed to Israel, not the church. This is a long explanation and requires a lot of cross references – Chuck Missler does a masterful, job at this.

Deborah, trying to make you happy with my beliefs will be just as frustrating. But you have an attitude as if you have all the answers and everyone else is just being slow. Why if women are not allowed to preach to congregations, when there are no walls around they are the most vocal? Is it because of the church or because of women that Paul made that a rule?

A person is either ready or not ready when Jesus returns (or pulls us up) and no excuse will do. I know that much. To be born again means to live a life preserved by faith in God, regardless of physical or spiritual suffering. Like the faith of the church of Philadelphia kept them safe (Rev. 3:10) even if they were martyred physically. They didn’t need to suffer to be saved, but they were going to suffer because they were saved. I understand the difference and I hope you weren’t just trying to make me sound stupid (or Catholic *gasp*, they’re just the worst sinners aren’t they?)

I’m wary of people who want to have spiritualise something to change the meaning, as if the words don’t mean what they say or weren’t intended for the people they were meant for. So thank you for your point Michael. I see Jesus was speaking to his disciples, but Matthew asks the reader (the church?) to pay attention. There is still a period during which God’s chosen ones will be tempted (Matt. 24:24) and immediately after that (Matt. 24:29-30) Jesus will come visibly. The fact that the angels will gather “his chosen ones” (v31) from all over the world surely indicates that there will still be chosen people (people whom He chose in advance; Rom. 8:29) on the earth when he comes.

As for my point about Thomas – I meant his argument seemed to rest on the use of the word in scripture, which you told me is the wrong way to look at it. It just sounds like you’re using double standards, as if you and Thomas are justified to use words outside the Bible, but if someone else uses a “non-Biblical” word like rhythm, it’s enough to support the accusation that he’s New Age?

I’m just saying, slander makes you look bad.

Deborah

>>And YES, THEFT. I can’t right now even think of a better word! Non-Christians trying to STEAL Israels promise that God made to THEM that he would restore them to their land. And NO YOU ARE NOT A JEW.>>

Proffesor Johan Malan has long articles about the “Israel Vision” believe, It just comes to mind. Maybe I can find some for you, if you don’t already have them. Article on it could be good, what do you think?

Alot of the Afrikaners and Isreal vision people, believe they are God’s chosen nation,it is very very deeply embedded in my generation and also the older generation. The same STEALING taking place.

Deborah

I have sent you 8 articles one of them, that open letter to angus . Hope you can download. please let me know when you get them.

me grinn…..s too!
cecilia

interesting stuff. i believe in a post trib rapture,for the record.
i am seeking answers. i thought satan had already been cast out of heaven and the battle in heaven between the angels already fought.
also using the term anti-semetic about someones thoughts is too easy.
i believe gentile born again men and women are also the seed of Abraham as well as israelites.
as for Rev 3v9 which has been mentioned a few times i think it is quite clear.
95% of todays known jewery in israel and worldwide are kazar or ashkenazi, a converted heathen tribe, about 700ad,from centralish europe, converted for political reasons. they have no right to call the Holy Land their ancestral home
as their ancestors never set foot in it. but it seems whoever they are they are going to have to worship at the feet of the church of philadelphia.
where the majority of the biblical israelites are is anyones guess.doubt its the Holy Land as the number of israelites is compared to the sand on the sea shore not the few million easily accounted for worldwide.

hi Deborah
did not know what a dominionist is! looked it up, cant say i am but dont totally disagree. all i know is that i want to keep on looking at your site and learning.
i think your site is good for me. thanks.

My mind is like mashed potatoes reading all this stuff.

I have gone from Patrick Heron back to the Bible then googled then back to the Bible then John McAurthur googled back to GODS word, then found Chuck Missler, researched plenty more then back to the Bible, then Prof WA Liebenberg then back to the bible as he has now moved in with his girlfriend and says its bibical to live with her as he will marry her soon one day. So I stopped going there.
I am exhausted and I now needs Gods rest.

Hubby comes in and say Hey read this new site, its called discerning the world. Now I am back to my Bible and Google.

Thank you for setting up this site.

Always new that man in the brown hat was not right but I was scared to open my mouth. Don’t touch Gods annoinointed I was told.

Great site. I too have held onto a rapture belief even though many charismatic churches are either teaching that we are to make the kingdom of God here on earth or preach the post-trib rapture. In reality any other belief except the rapture does not make sense. We have authority over Satan, so how could the anti-Christ appear? Some claim that a rapture doctrine makes one complacent. How absurd, you could be going anyday, besides if you really love Jesus you are not just sitting around hoping the rapture is coming. Sure I would like to fight it out in the tribulation and certainly I am not going to give up hope if I see all the tribulation things come to pass. Imagine the kickoff to the tribulation with all the believers gone..talk about a housing crisis. Right now we have about 2-3% of all mortgages in default. When the Christians leave in the rapture who is going to pay their bills? If suddenly 50 million people or more leave the US look at all those extra houses..talk about instant collapse and confusion.

Anyway, God’s blessings to all who come to search on this site.

Deborah,

Thank you very much for your answer, but I have just read throught the post explaining the rapture, and I dont think I am ready to subscribe to such a docrine just yet – I am not so learned in the Word.

There are too many questions in my mind which conflict with this and I can see now that it will just lead to endless questions and answers.

For now I shall put it in the cateory “not from God” since there are too many arguments and theories (confusion) and does not comply with the simplicity of Christ in my mind.

I thank you for your time and effort, I appreciate it.

Kind regards and peace to you.

Hello Cecilia,

from this I believe most would have understood that you really understand the rapture or at least ‘know’ about the rapture?
==> Correct, I have just not been convinced(deceived??) yet.

Then here in your post on the 11th you say you are not ready to subscribe to such a doc(t)rine as yet? and remark you’ll put it in cate(g)ory “not from God”?
==>Correct, there are major factors that leads me to reject this
1: The historic evidence of the origin of this is suspect.
2: It causes major division in the Body Of Christ
3: There is no glory for Jesus in this theory.
4: It does not prepare the Christian for suffering which builds faith.

ok, I’ll just answer this in shorthand for you:
Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, no other subscription necessary => eternal life => rapture, at whatever stage of history.
==> I shall return the favour – Salvation => eternal life => Stand till the end

James 5:8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lords’ coming is near!
==>Mat 24:4
(4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

thanks Deborah! I think you’ve posted a VERY thorough explanation about the rapture, seen from all sides!
==> I disagree, it will show all sides if and only if Deborah presents this to include no rapture. I would like to suggest that Deborah(since she shows an aptitude for research), do a rebuttal of her own case. If this is done with no bias and pre-conception of rapture theory, will make for an excellent read.

Kind regards and peace to you.

silence…..

>>>Deborah, March 12th “Jesus came to save and he came to judge”
so she touches that Jesus came to save, but in the end (which is connected to the topic discussion, He’ll judge.

>>>> moscowbob, March 13th “Test 1: Jesus came to judge the world – FAILED
Joh 12:47
(47) And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

My conclusion: you read what you want/like and form your opinion there-upon. YOU failed!

Ps 96: …then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 13Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
read also Rev.18:11; 1Pe.4:1-4; 2Tim.4:1; Jhn.8:16 and more.

Revelation 22:19
I’m NOT stating this Word for you to comment back. You’ve said enough – your own words should be enough food for thought to yourself… you don’t really need anyone to argue this out against because you already had a set viewpoint from the beginning.

For dessert we should all visit Google and type in “Pretrib Rapture Diehards,” “Pretrib Rapture Secrecy,” and “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty.”
Jenn

Hi Deborah,

thanks for the great work on the website. I have a question maybe you can help with in your time studying this much debated subject.

We know in the rapture those who are in Christ who have died will be raised and then those that are alive and remain will follow right after. We know this to be a physical body resurrection for those who are in Jesus. My question is, when do the believers in Revelation 20:4 get resurrected? When are those people who become believers during the tribulation and who loose their lives, when are these believers resurrected? Is there a second resurrection at Jesus 2nd coming at the end of the tribulation.

Thank you for your help. I have asked many other people through the years about this and have never received any type of a good biblical answer about it.

God Bless,

Drew

Drew

My question is, when do the believers in Revelation 20:4 get resurrected?

I hope this also helps you let us know please 🙂 I know this is a long read but it helped me to understand beter.

The Millennium

Prof. Johan Malan, University of the North, South Africa

Abstract: The biblical teaching on the thousand-year reign of Christ after His second coming.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible except where otherwise indicated. Only very archaic terms have been substituted, between brackets, with correlating terms from the New King James Version (NKJV). All pronouns referring to the Godhead are capitalised. Edited by Bernard and Kathleen Reeves of London.
Dispensations in the Bible

The Bible clearly teaches a future, one thousand year reign of Christ from the restored throne of David in Jerusalem. This coming dispensation is referred to as the Millennium. It will be the sixth dispensation in the divine history of humanity, to be followed by eternity in the completely new heaven and new earth, which will be created after the Millennium.

The divine history of humanity is ordered within the framework of seven dispensations. It commences with the creation of Adam and Eve in Eden and culminates in the new heaven and new earth where an eternal, perfect existence will prevail. The seven dispensations are:

1. The dispensation of innocence in Eden.

2. The dispensation of the conscience after the Fall.

3. The dispensation of the law in the Old Testament.

4. The dispensation of grace in the church age.

5. The dispensation of the Antichrist’s reign.

6. The dispensation of Christ’s millennial kingdom.

7. The dispensation of perfection in eternity.

The beginning and end of a dispensation are always marked by dramatic events associated with the unfolding of a new aspect of God’s plan for the ages. They are also accompanied by intensified demonic activities as Satan then tries everything in his power to disrupt God’s plan. The main characteristics of the seven dispensations are as follows:

1. The dispensation of innocence

The very first dispensation in which Adam and Eve found themselves was that of innocence in Eden. God had forbidden them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and warned that they would surely die should they eat of its fruit (Gen. 2:17). They were innocent, as they had no knowledge of good and evil and were not ashamed of their nakedness (Gen. 2:25). With great cunning Satan deceived Adam and Eve into rebelling against God by disobeying Him. They foolishly heeded Satan’s advice and yielded to his evil influence, thus becoming sinners. Spiritual death immediately set in, while they also physically became mortal. The dispensation of innocence ended with the Fall, which was the result of Satan’s deception.

2. The dispensation of the conscience

For a long time after the Fall humanity had no law and could only distinguish between good and evil by way of the voice of conscience. Various people pursued righteousness in accordance with their inner convictions and whatever personal revelations God gave them. Some of them, like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph became preachers of righteousness. At times during this dispensation evil was so intense and pervasive that God’s anger was kindled against humankind. During the Flood all but eight people were destroyed. Through the calling of Abraham, God started to prepare a special people of His own, the nation of Israel, to live in accordance with His laws.

At the end of the dispensation of the conscience, when Israel were about to receive the law of God and move into a new dispensation, Satan launched an incredible attack against them from the kingdom of darkness. He employed all his powers of deception to avert the next unfolding of God’s divine plan for humanity. While Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai to receive the law, Israel were deceived into rebelling against Him by practising idolatry, thereby rendering them unfit to receive His law. God said He would destroy them, but Moses interceded for them. He was so shocked at the sight of the golden calf that he broke the tablets on which the law was written, but God graciously wrote them again.

3. The dispensation of the law

With the introduction of the dispensation of the law a much clearer distinction was made between good and evil. Not only in the Ten Commandments, but through a great number of other laws and decrees, God defined righteousness and sin. Satan concentrated on Israel to induce them to sin, in an effort to subvert and nullify their calling as a special people of God. His efforts were greatly intensified when the time came for the Messiah to be born. Satan must have been extremely infuriated with the announcement from heaven that the Messiah’s Name would be Jesus and that He would save His people from their sins (Mt. 1:21). Satan then took possession of Herod and incited him to massacre all male children under the age of two years in an effort to destroy Jesus. When this evil plan failed Satan then tried to tempt Jesus to sin in the wilderness and afterwards relentlessly attacked Him through the hostile leaders of Israel. He wanted to eliminate Jesus and obliterate the gospel of the kingdom of God. But the devil’s plans backfired on himself because, through His death, Jesus destroyed “him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14 NKJV). God’s divine plan proceeded unaltered.

4. The dispensation of the church

With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the church age was ushered in. The Holy Spirit was given to guide people into all truth, to convict them of sin and righteousness, to regenerate them, and also to endue them with power from on high to serve Christ in a spiritually dark world. The knowledge of good and evil was increased through spiritual discernment (we have enlightened eyes of the mind), but still not to its fullest extent: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor. 13:9). Despite Christians now having a strong weapon against Satan, his efforts to thwart God’s plan intensified as, for many centuries, he has conducted an all-out war against Christ’s church using Roman emperors, the medieval Roman Catholic Church and, later, secular humanism, communism, the interfaith and new age movements, in an attempt to destroy it – which has also failed.

We are at the very end of the church dispensation and it is once again a time of increased demonic activity with a great falling away in many churches: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). Satan intends to pervert the church of Christ, tries to prevent the virgins getting oil (type of the Holy Spirit) in their lamps and lulls them to sleep before the Bridegroom comes at midnight (Mt. 25:1-13). By establishing a false church (an ecumenical alliance of degenerate Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches with the non-Christian religions), and the promotion of a culture of sin (i.e. amorality of all kinds, e.g. promiscuity, homosexuality, abortion and crime) a climate is created which is conducive to the advent, acceptance and worship of the Antichrist as universal messiah and “man of sin” (2 Thes. 2:3).

5. The dispensation of the Antichrist’s reign

When the one who withholds – i.e. the Holy Spirit indwelling the true Church – has been taken out of the way during the rapture, the Antichrist will be revealed (2 Thes. 2:6-12). Strong delusion will prevail on earth and the masses will blindly believe the lies of the Antichrist. Evil will develop to its fullest extent and there will be no limits to blasphemous and sinful conduct. The second half of the Antichrist’s reign of seven years will be a time of unprecedented demonic activity: “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Rev. 12:12 NKJV). Towards the end of the seven years of tribulation the Antichrist and the false prophet will, under the instigation of Satan (Rev. 16:13-14), muster a great multinational force to fight against Christ when He descends to Jerusalem to defend and rescue Israel at His Second Coming. This battle will not be a long one as the Antichrist and the false prophet will be captured and cast alive into the lake of fire. The devil will be chained and confined to a bottomless pit for one thousand years (Rev. 19:19–20:3).

6. The dispensation of the millennial kingdom

During the Millennium the glorified believers will rule with Christ. They will have perfect, immortal bodies, perfect joy and perfect knowledge. But the end of this dispensation will also be characterised by tremendous demonic activity. Satan will be let out of prison to make a last desperate attempt to thwart the completion of God’s master plan. He will then act as a catalyst to the rebellious, unsaved people (and there will be many) living during the Millennium, whom he will deceive into joining him in his final battle against the kingdom of light. This vain effort will lead to the final doom of Satan, his hordes and all unsaved people of all dispensations on the Day of Judgement (Rev. 20:7-15).

7. The dispensation of eternity

This dispensation will be endless. In the new heaven and on the new earth “there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of life” (Rev. 21: 27 NKJV). The lake of fire where Satan, his demons and all lost people will be confined, will also exist for all eternity.

Methods of interpretation

The prevailing confusion among many Christians about biblical dispensations results from using wrong methods of interpreting Scripture, which often do not recognise the true meaning of the prophetic word. By so doing, they relegate many of the clear pronouncements about the future to the status of mere symbols and abstract concepts with no literal meaning, so spiritualising literal prophecies.

The thousand-year reign of peace that will, according to Revelation 20, be inaugurated after the Second Coming of Christ is, despite the evidence that has been cited, still a subject of great controversy. In terms of their divergent views, Christians are grouped into different doctrinal schools. Those who interpret the book of Revelation in a literal, dispensational way, are called millennialists. This term is derived from the Latin word for thousand which is mille. It refers to Christians who believe that there will be a literal thousand-year reign of peace on earth after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. A synonym for the term millennialist is chiliast, which is derived from the Greek word for a thousand, chilios. People who do not believe in a literal thousand-year reign are called amillennialists or antichiliasts. They are also inclined to change the meanings of many other biblical statements and concepts by spiritualising what is clearly meant to be taken literally.

Because of these controversies a number of different principles of exegesis (interpretation) are applied in regard to the book of Revelation. Some of them deviate so far from the basic meaning of the text that it seriously compromises the divine inspiration of the book. The following are the four most common ways of interpreting the book:

1. Historic Premillennialism (AD 33 – 400)

Until about the end of the 4th century, this was virtually the only view of end-time events. It held that a literal Antichrist would emerge in the end-time and that the church would go through the tribulation period. This would end with Christ’s Second Coming to raise believers who have died and catch them up with living believers, in glorified bodies, to meet Him in the air. He then immediately returns to earth with them to rescue the remnant of Israel who receive Him as their Messiah, destroy the Antichrist and his armies and establish His kingdom to rule from Jerusalem for 1 000 years. All but one church father who wrote on prophecy held this premillennial view; indeed Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) even stated that to teach otherwise was heretical!

2. Amillennialism (AD 400 to date)

This is the practice of extensive spiritualisation of biblical statements using a method of interpretation devised by the Alexandrian school of theology, led by Origen, in the third to fourth centuries. It regarded the entire Bible as an allegory to be interpreted non-literally, but Augustine (AD 354-430) restricted this method to the end-time prophecies only, Revelation being interpreted as a chronicle of the spiritual conflict between God and Satan during the present church age. A current liberal variation of this view considers Revelation as merely a symbolic representation of the concept of God’s ultimate victory over Satan, evil and human sin.

Amillennialists do not believe in a literal Millennium but spiritualise biblical statements, deny their literal meanings and replace them with other meanings. This is also called replacement theology in terms of which Israel can be taken to mean the church (a claim made by many churches), Jerusalem can become anyone’s home-town, Babylon can be applied to America or Rome, the 144 000 saved Jews of the tribulation can be applied to the millions of Christians of all ages, while the thousand-year reign of Christ, with the seven-year tribulation period, is equated with the entire church dispensation of almost two thousand years. In this way, vital Scriptural truths are often argued away to fit in with amillennialist concepts.

3. Postmillennialism (mid AD 1600’s to date)

According to this school, the world will progressively become a better place through Christianisation, thereby ushering in the Millennium of the church age. At the end of this ‘golden age’ of the Christianised world, Christ will return for the final judgement, thus closing world history. According to postmillennialists there will be no 1000-year reign of Christ on earth as King of kings, with Jerusalem as His world capital.

4. Modern dispensational premillennialism (early AD 1800’s to date)

J.N. Darby (born London, 1800), an eminent British theologian, is credited with re-establishing dispensationalism in the church. In When the Trumpet Sounds (pp. 127-8), Prof. Floyd Elmore of Ohio, USA, says that John Darby had the greatest influence on the study of biblical prophecy during the last 150 years, and was a choice servant whom God used to make a profound impact upon the church’s understanding of biblical prophecy. He adds: “Darby is the acknowledged father of systematised dispensationalism and a key modern developer of the pretribulational rapture.”

This approach is followed by conservative scholars who hold that, except for the first three chapters, Revelation describes future events. Chapters 4-18 deal with the events of the last seven years preceding Christ’s Second Coming and particularly emphasise the great tribulation of the last 3½ years prior to it. Subsequent to that momentous event, Satan will be bound and the 1000-year millennial reign of Christ will be established upon earth.

Since Christ returns before the Millennium, this view of prophecy is termed “premillennialism.” Clearly, we are not now in the Millennium and Satan is, quite evidently, not yet confined to a sealed pit – not even in a symbolic sense! Premillennialism honours the literal meaning of Scripture, except when the context clearly shows that a particular concept must be interpreted symbolically. An example of symbolism is the red dragon with seven heads, which the Bible itself identifies as the Devil. But when Scripture speaks of Israel, the great tribulation, the Antichrist, the false prophet, the battle of Armageddon, and the binding and incarceration of Satan after the Second Coming, there is no justification whatsoever for trying to explain away their obviously literal meanings by allegorising or spiritualising them. The golden rule is: When the plain sense of the word makes common sense, then seek no other sense.
Evaluation of the various millennial views

To amillennialists and postmillennialists the prophetic message of Revelation has largely lost its literal meaning and relevance due to spiritualising it. Its chronology is disregarded, as Christ’s reign of 1000 years in chapter 20 is viewed as symbolic of the entire church age of about 2000 years between His first and second coming! During this period Satan is bound, but his influence is limited so he cannot stop the spread of the gospel or eliminate the church.

To amillennialists the Millennium is Christ reigning in heaven with glorified deceased believers during the church age. But to most postmillennialists the spread of the gospel will Christianise the whole world, and the Millennium is the resulting golden age of righteousness and peace on earth with Christ reigning from heaven. Amillennialists say the Millennium coincides with continuous tribulation during the church age, that it intensified for Jews in AD 70-145, and will greatly intensify prior to the return of Christ. To postmillennialists the tribulation of Matthew 24 and the apostasy of 2 Thessalonians 2 are already past, so Revelation is largely irrelevant to our generation.

Neither amillennialists nor postmillennialists believe in the physical or spiritual restoration of Israel as a nation in accordance with Old and New Testament prophecies since they allege the church has replaced Israel, but Jews can be saved by becoming Christians. The significance of important signs of the times, such as Israel’s partial re-gathering in its ancient, promised land, Jerusalem no longer being trampled by the Gentiles, trends towards a globalised, cashless monetary system, a one-world government and a multi-faith, one-world religious body as precursors for the Antichrist’s bid for global political and religious power are played down. As a result even otherwise sound, exemplary Christians fail to recognise these signs and, lacking a biblical perspective on the unfolding fulfilment of end-time prophecy, they follow only a secular assessment of current events. So, their expectation of Christ’s imminent return as the heavenly Bridegroom and their spiritual vision of Him as “the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16) is often dimmed or lacking.

The premillennialist view places strong emphasis on the reliability of the inspired Scriptures as revealing God’s plan for the future of the world. Christians who hold this view interpret world affairs in the light of prophetic Scriptures, and seek to have spiritual discernment to understand the signs of the times in the unfolding of current events. They avoid the complacency resulting from assuming that the devil is either partly or fully bound, or the disillusionment that will inevitably follow the pursuit of the unrealistic view that they can succeed in Christianising the world before Christ’s coming, or that Christ’s coming to judge the nations is only a far distant event. Instead, they see themselves as strangers and pilgrims in a world that “lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 Jn. 5:19 NKJV), and therefore expect the struggle between the powers of light and darkness to intensify as Christ’s imminent coming draws ever nearer.

Premillennialists are aware of the extreme solemnity of the times in which they live and convinced that the church age is rapidly drawing to a close, so opportunities to fulfil the Great Commission are running out. This knowledge, and the awareness that the awesome events and judgements of the tribulation are imminent, gives real urgency and zeal to their evangelism, as they warn others of “the wrath to come” and the need to repent and believe the Gospel. They also seek to be ready to meet the Lord, the heavenly Bridegroom, when He comes to take them to His Father’s house, by seeking to live by biblical standards of holiness and by total commitment to serving Him faithfully.
Views of the church fathers

To confirm that the Millennium is not merely symbolic, but a literal period of future history, it may be helpful to establish what John the Apostle taught about the Revelation during his ministry in Asia Minor after his release from Patmos. The writings of various early church fathers who were his students throw light on this subject and confirm that it was often discussed. The following are statements made by some of them on the Millennium and related matters:

Papias, the bishop of Smyrna, was a student of John and learned firsthand about the author’s own interpretation of the book of Revelation. The teaching of this church father is very important as he is the link between the millennialist view and the apostles. Papias taught that after the resurrection of the dead there will be a reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years when He will personally sit on the throne. The earth will experience a time of unprecedented fertility and there will be great prosperity under Christ’s beneficent rule with His saints. Early in the second century, Justin Martyr wrote: “A certain man among us, whose name is John, one of the apostles of Jesus, prophesied in a revelation that he had that those who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ will be in Jerusalem for a thousand years.”

Another church father, Polycarp, who was one of the youngest students of the apostle John, was a very devoted Christian who also died as a martyr. On the authority of John he taught that the earth will be very fertile during the Millennium and yield abundant crops. Another view of significance is that of Irenaeus who was a student of Polycarp. He said that the reward of the just would be that they will be resurrected from among the dead when the world is renewed and made fertile. His view was that each of the six days of creation indicates a thousand year period, and that after six thousand years of world history have expired it would be followed by the seventh day, which would also be a thousand years.

This last-mentioned view was entertained by various church fathers, among them Cyprian, Barnabas and Lactantius. In this regard, the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia says that the general view of the fathers was that the Lord will appear at the end of the sixth millennium to establish His kingdom on earth. The general view was that this kingdom, which correlates with the Sabbath of Creation, will continue for one thousand years.
Persistence of the allegorical interpretation

Despite the clear testimonies of the apostle John, the early church fathers and the Bible’s own, very obvious message, the allegorical interpretation of biblical prophecies has permeated virtually the entire church. Theologians have deprived churches of the literal message of the Bible by wrongly interpreting it. Hamilton, an amillennialist himself, admits this problem in his book, The Basis of Millennial Faith: “Now we must frankly admit that a literal interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies gives us just such a picture of an earthly reign of the Messiah as the premillennialists picture.” The critical question is not whether the Bible teaches such an earthly kingdom – because it clearly does – but how the relevant prophecies should be interpreted.

McDonald (Dictionary of the Christian Church) defines an allegory as follows: “The use of language to convey a deeper and a different meaning from that which appears on the surface.” An allegorical interpretation must be clearly distinguished from a symbolic interpretation. The Bible often makes use of symbolic language, including in prophecy. A symbol always has a literal anti-type as it is used to explain something about a specific person or event. From the way in which it is used, it is clear that a symbol means something else. Examples of symbols to describe certain characteristics of Christ are the lamb, the lion, the light of the world, the bright and morning star, the true vine, etc.

In cases of allegorical interpretation, the relevant Scripture has a clear and obvious meaning, but for ulterior reasons the reader feels he must read something else into it, thereby assigning a figurative meaning to the Scripture. The allegorical interpretation, therefore, does not subject itself to the authority of the Bible by deriving its meaning from it, but approaches Scripture with a preconceived idea by reading that meaning into the Bible.

Angus & Green (The Bible Handbook) also refer to this danger when they say: “There is an unlimited scope for fancy, if once the principle be admitted, and the only basis of the exposition is found in the mind of the expositor. The scheme can yield no interpretation, properly so called, although possibly some valuable truths may be illustrated.”

Bernard Ramm (Protestant Biblical Interpretation) adds to this caution: “To state that the principal meaning of the Bible is a second-sense meaning, and that the principal method of interpretation is spiritualising, is to open the door to almost uncontrolled speculation and imagination. For this reason we have insisted that the control in interpretation is the literal method.”

O.T. Allis, who himself spiritualises the Bible, is keenly aware of the negative results that it may yield when he says: “Whether the figurative or spiritual interpretation of a given passage is justified or not, depends solely on whether it gives the true meaning. If it is used to empty words of their plain and obvious meaning, to read out of them what is clearly intended by them, the allegorising or spiritualising is a term of reproach which is well merited.”

One of the great proponents of allegorical interpretation was Origen (AD 185-254). He was strongly influenced by the Greek philosophy of Plato and tried to synthesise the Bible with abstract philosophical thinking. He identified the following three levels of Bible interpretation: (1) The somatic or literal interpretation, which is sufficient for the simple-minded. (2) The psychological or moral interpretation for the more advanced. (3) The pneumatic or allegorical interpretation for those who have wisdom. Such people should be able to find their way through all the symbols and ascend to the level of the mysterious. It is not difficult to see how this approach paved the way for various kinds of deception and metaphysical speculation. For example, Origen taught that “in the end not only will all human beings be saved but even the devil and his demons” (A.A. Hoekema: The Bible and the Future). It is obvious why he did not believe in a literal kingdom on earth and became the founder of allegorical exegesis and amillennial thinking. Like Augustine almost two centuries later, he regarded the church age as the dispensation of the kingdom.

Augustine (AD 354 to 430) perpetuated the serious exegetical and amillennial errors of Origen in his Confessiones and his book on the kingdom of God – De Civitate Dei. He also studied and accepted neo-Platonist thought. Augustine has the doubtful honour of having been highly regarded by prominent reformers such as Calvin and Luther, while also being venerated as the most eminent Christian scholar by the Vatican. The latter celebrates a feast to his honour on 28th August every year!

The modern church is still profoundly influenced by the heathen (Platonist) philosophy of the inter-testamental period and also by its similarly mistaken interpretational methods of spiritualising and allegorising the Bible.
The literal method of interpretation

Fortunately, there is a growing group of evangelical scholars in modern times who are reverting to sound principles of interpreting the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Dwight Pentecost (Things to Come) gives the following definition of the literal method of interpretation: “The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same basic meaning it would have in normal ordinary customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. It is called the grammatical-historical method to emphasise the fact that the meaning is to be determined by both grammatical and historical considerations.”

The strongest proof of the literal interpretation is the way in which the New Testament makes use of the Old Testament. Good examples are the many prophecies about the birth, life, work, death and resurrection of Christ that were all literally fulfilled in the New Testament.

Despite this overwhelming evidence about Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Pharisees and scribes decided to suppress the truth and lie to the people. Why did they do that? Hal Lindsey says that any person who does not realise that his most important problem is an inward, spiritual problem, prefers a political above a spiritual saviour.

It is still the same today. Many churches openly disregard the Bible’s literal message and engage in an ecumenical process of uniting church to society – inadvertently preparing for the world’s false political ‘saviour’, the Antichrist. The spiritualisation of biblical prophecies is clearly a trick by Satan to prevent people from being aware that the return to earth of the great spiritual Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ (Jn. 4:42), to defeat God’s enemies, save the remnant of Israel and establish His millennial reign is now imminent!

At Christ’s first coming most Jews, especially the hierarchy, ignored the many prophecies about Him, so failed to recognise their true Messiah. Israel paid dearly for their neglect of prophecy: “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Lk. 19:43-44 NKJV). Christ’s prophecies have and will all come true – literally!

A similar situation prevails concerning His Second Coming. Literal prophecies of His coming are either ignored or wrongly interpreted, thus depriving Christians of their proper future expectation – often leading to some focusing attention on political and social ideals. Jesus Himself said it will be as in the days of Noah and Lot. Those not truly born again will pay a very heavy price in tribulation and divine wrath by being left behind to endure the Antichrist’s reign of terror after Christ comes to take away the saints at the rapture.

To those who remain true to the Lord Jesus and expect His coming imminently, there is the real hope of returning to this troubled world with Christ when He establishes His millennial reign on earth after the tribulation period.
Prophecies about the Millennium

In Revelation 20 there are various references to the one thousand-year reign of Christ when Satan will be bound: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…” (Rev. 20:1-7).

When the Lord Jesus comes back to earth it will be as “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16). He will set up His one-world government with Jerusalem as capital: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

In a major end-time prophecy Daniel likened Christ’s Second Coming to the effect of a great stone smiting the kingdoms of the world, pulverising them to chaff carried on the wind, then becoming a great mountain filling the whole earth, replacing them with His kingdom (Dan. 2:34-35; 44-45), so “the Lord shall be King over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9). This is similar to the prophecy about the Lord Jesus reigning as King, which was given to Mary before His birth: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David” (Lk. 1:31-32).

The throne of David is not in heaven but on earth. Jesus does not now reign in a literal sense from the throne of David as this throne has, since the Babylonian captivity, been temporarily in suspension. Christ will restore this throne at His Second Coming and then reign from it: “After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things” (Acts 15:16-17 NKJV).

The elders in heaven (representing redeemed Jews and Gentiles) are aware they will return with Christ and reign with Him in His earthly kingdom, since they explicitly sing: “Thou… wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10; cf. 2 Tim. 2:12).

It is therefore clearly evident that the events of Revelation coincide with a strong proclamation of the Kingship of Jesus Christ: “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down… he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev. 12:10,12).

When Jesus, our High Priest who now intercedes for us at the throne of the Father, returns to earth, the power and influence of Satan here will be broken and the kingdom of Christ established. The devil will then no longer be the ruler and god of this present evil world (Jn. 14:30; 2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 1:4; 1 Jn. 5:19), but Christ as “king shall reign in righteousness” as “Ruler in Israel”, and “have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Is. 32:1; Mic. 5:2; Ps. 72:8).

A further proof that the millennial reign is not in heaven is that in this dispensation there will still be inherent carnality and disorderliness among the nations, which will necessitate that they be ruled with a strong hand. Although Satan will be bound and prohibited from deceiving the nations into committing rebellious deeds, they will still have fallen natures that need to be disciplined. In Revelation 12:5 and 19:15 it is plainly stated that Christ will rule the nations “with a rod of iron.” His faithful servants will also share in this rule: “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father” (Rev. 2:25-27).

The Lord (Yahweh) declares in Psalm 2:6: “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.” During the Messianic reign the throne of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem will represent heavenly rule and therefore be a centre of divine wisdom, power, authority and righteousness. Micah says: “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into [ploughshares], and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Mic. 4:1-3; cf. Is. 24:23).

Beating “swords into ploughshares” means re-using the same metal, which can only refer to earth – there are no swords in heaven, nor ploughs needed there! A complete absence of weapons, military training and war is unprecedented in history and can only refer to God’s kingdom coming and His will being “done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). The devil will, at last, be securely bound and unable to deceive, and sin will be restrained during Christ’s thousand year “rod of iron” rule. Even the animal creation will benefit and predation will cease: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9).

Jerusalem will spontaneously be recognised by all peoples as world capital and no hostility or political tension will exist between individual nations: “At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the [stubbornness] of their evil heart” (Jer. 3:17).

Laxity will be the only form of misconduct, as some nations will neglect their duty to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King. It may still be a matter of the spirit being willing but the flesh weak (Mt. 26:41). Their neglect will provoke a rebuke and disciplinary measures from the King: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain” (Zech. 14:16-17).

At the beginning of the Millennium, the remnant of the nations who survived the great tribulation and the battle of Armageddon will honour the Lord (Zech. 14:16). However, the upcoming generations will increasingly manifest their fallen nature which they will inherit from their first ancestor, Adam. These peoples will be evangelised by Israel, who will all serve the Lord with one accord, and many will be saved: “[The Lord] shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit” (Is. 27:6; cf. Zech. 8:23).

The doctrine of the two resurrections is also clearly related to the Millennium. Only those who have part in the first resurrection (Lk. 14:14; 1 Thes. 4:16), including O.T. believers and those saved during the tribulation, will rule with Christ. We should “examine” ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5) and ask God to “search” us (Ps. 139:23-24) to be quite sure we are born-again so as to qualify for the first resurrection: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).

The rest of the dead are the unsaved multitude of all centuries, and they will not be resurrected until the thousand years have ended (Rev. 20:5). They will then appear before the great white throne to be judged and condemned to the eternal lake of fire (Jude v. 7).
Characteristics of the millennial reign

Remembering the words of the prayer the Lord Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10), the following are the most important characteristics of the future reign of peace on earth:

· God will rule on earth through His King of kings, Jesus Christ. A theocratic world government will, therefore, be established (Lk. 1:31-33; Rev. 19:15; Dan. 7:13-14).

· Christ will reign on David’s restored throne in Jerusalem and Israel will be the hub of the world (Ps. 2:6-12; Zech. 8:22; Is. 2:2-3; 24:23; 33:17,20-22; Dan. 7:27). His government will be characterised by righteousness and equity (Is. 1:26-27; 32:1-2; 16-17; Jer. 23:5-6).

· Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, “the city of our God”, “the city of the great King”, will be the centre of worship for the whole world and all nations will converge there to worship God through Christ the King of kings (Ps. 48; Zech. 14:16-20; Is. 66:18-23; Rev. 19:16).

· The saved remnant of Israel will rejoice in the Lord and evangelise the entire world (Is 12:3-6; 27:6; 40:9; 51:11). They will make the world fruitful (Is. 27:6) and God will be honoured (Is. 28:5; Zech. 8:20-23).

· Satan will be securely bound so that he cannot deceive the nations (Rev. 20:1-4).

· Peace will prevail everywhere. There will be no more war or military training and weapons will be recycled for peaceful uses (Is. 2:4; 9:7; Mic. 5:4-5; Hos. 2:18).

· The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Is. 11:9-10; Hab. 2:14).

· There will be no disease (Mal. 4:2; Is. 33:24).

· People will live healthily and actively to a great age – like the antediluvians. A 100 year-old person will be regarded as a child (Is. 65:20-23).

· Nature will greatly benefit since the curse of Genesis 3:17-19 will be lifted and the whole of creation, which since then has been groaning, will be set free from the bondage of corruption into glorious liberty (Rom. 8:19-22; Is. 55:12-13; Joel 3:18).

· An agricultural or horticultural way of life is indicated and the earth will produce food so prolifically that planting the next crop will take place before the previous one has been fully harvested! (Mic. 4:3-4; Amos 9:13-15; Is. 65: 21-23; Ps. 65:9-13).

· Harmony will prevail in the animal kingdom. The wolf will lie down with the lamb and the lion will eat straw like an ox – they will “not hurt nor destroy” each other – because the Lord will make a new covenant with the animals that will change the physiology and aggressive nature of the carnivorous predators into the physiology and gentle nature of herbivores (Is. 11:6-9; 65:25; Hos. 2:18).
Israel’s position in the Millennium

Israel’s position during the coming Messianic era is frequently described in the Old Testament where it is specifically related to the day of the Lord. It will be a time of great blessing, abundance, joy in the Lord and peace on earth. Israel will fulfil its original destiny and potential as a people of God and be a nation through whom He will bless the whole earth. Paul says of them: “Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! … For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:12,15 NKJV).

Through Israel’s fall, by rejecting and crucifying their Messiah, the gospel of reconciliation with God has been offered not only to Jews but to Gentiles also. What a tremendous blessing that is to the Gentiles! How much more will Israel be a blessing to the world in the Millennium as they proclaim the Messiah’s praises among all nations! This will be the long-delayed, but grand consummation of this unique nation’s destiny and calling as the chosen people of God. The following are examples of promises about Israel’s restoration and glory in the coming Messianic era:

· “And I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them… And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them…” (Amos 9:14-15).

· “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city…” (Is. 52:1).

· “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Is. 60:1-3).

· “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the foreigner shall be your ploughmen and your vine-dressers. But you shall be named the Priests of the Lord, men shall call you the Servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame you shall have double honour, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed” (Is. 61:4-9 NKJV).

· “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34).

· “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And the [nations] shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore” (Ezek. 37:24-28).

· “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth” (Zech. 14:8-9).

· “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” (Is. 32:1).

· “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon” (Hos. 14:4-6).

· “For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: [proclaim] ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save Thy people, the remnant of Israel… Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: …this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days… I will put My law in their [minds], and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jer. 31:6-7,31,33).

· “Behold, I will bring [the city] health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against Me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against Me. And it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them; and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it” (Jer. 33:6-9).

· “…ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Is. 62:6-7).

These and many other blessings will be characteristic of the Millennium when the Messiah reigns from the throne of David in Jerusalem. His glorified saints will rule with Him and righteousness and equity will prevail on earth (Is. 32:1; Ps. 98:9; Is. 11:4; Rev. 20:6b). Israel will play a leading part in world affairs and will be God’s special representative nation among all the nations of the world.
Proofs that the Millennium is future

Irrefutable evidence that the millennial dispensation is still future is provided by the following very distinctive features of the Millennium which still await literal fulfilment:
Prophecies of Israel’s blessings not yet fulfilled!

Divine prophecies of Israel being re-gathered to their land, spiritually revived, elevated above all nations and abundantly blessed (Deut. 28:1-14; 30:1-4; Ezek. 36:24-28; Is. 60:1-22; Hos. 14:5-8; Rom. 11:26-27) have never been fulfilled. On the contrary, no nation has suffered and survived anything like the prolonged world-wide dispersion, disdain, persecution, hatred and genocide which the people of Israel have during the past two millennia. God’s promises never fail – they will be honoured in the Millennium.
A literal 1000 years!

The amillennialist claim that the six-fold mention in Revelation 20 of “a thousand years” represents the Christian era of circa 2000 years is untenable. Without doubt it is still future and will be literally fulfilled, just as the prophecy of the Babylonian captivity of 70 years was literally fulfilled (Jer. 25: 11-12). A thousand-year reign of Christ would have ended circa AD 1033, followed by Judgement day!
The binding of Satan

At Christ’s appearance the devil will be bound so “that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled” (Rev. 20:3). We know from Job 2:1-6 that Satan is ultimately limited by the supreme authority of God and can only act within the restrictions imposed on him. According to amillennialists Satan is bound and Messiah has been reigning as Prince of Peace for the past 2000 years! If those years have been peaceful we may well ask, what on earth will happen after Satan’s release? If Satan is indeed bound in prison why are we warned against his devices (2 Cor. 2:11), subtle deception (2 Cor. 11:3), wiles (Eph. 6: 11), fiery darts (Eph. 6:16), temptation (1 Cor. 7:5), snares (1 Tim. 3:7), power (Acts 26:18), persecution (Rev. 2:10), and efforts to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8)?
Kingdom theology

One of the major reasons for the theological confusion and apostasy in the end-time church is its lack of dispensational discernment. Prophecies about a future kingdom on earth are allegorised, or spiritualised, and applied to the church. In that way, the Millennium is equated with the church age and some Christians feel justified in developing and practising kingdom theology. The door has thereby been opened for the following false doctrines to be brought into the church:
Dominion theology

It is asserted that we should rule as kings, even as little gods, and take control over the world now. Because of the authority vested in us we have the power to change things in the material and spiritual realms by our words – called positive confession or word of faith. Christians will soon occupy leadership positions in politics and other areas of public life, thereby obtaining the authority to legislate for society in accordance with Christian principles.

Comment: Dominion theology is derived from the promise that we will rule with Christ in the Millennium (Rev. 5:10; 20: 1-6). Those who wrongly assume that we are in the Millennium now, mistakenly try to live up to their claim to be kings.

The binding of Satan

It is claimed that the authority vested in us in this kingdom era, empowers Christians to engage in strategic spiritual warfare against the kingdom of darkness, pulling down evil strongholds, binding Satan and stripping him of his power. Peter Wagner, George Otis, Marches for Jesus, etc., promote this practice globally, claiming to liberate cities, regions and even entire countries from demonic bondage.

Comment: The devil will only be bound at the Second Coming of Christ when the millennial age begins. It is highly presumptuous to argue that we can bind the devil now and deprive him of his territory in this present evil age of which he is “the god” (2 Cor. 4:4). Demons can only be cast out of individuals now, not from geographical areas!
Christian reconstruction of the world

Proponents of kingdom theology have a vision to reconstruct, or transform, the world in accordance with Christian principles. They are advocating a process of social, political, moral and religious transformation aimed at creating a peaceful and just Christian world. They argue that when they have achieved this vision by preaching a mixture of the true gospel with politico-social reform, then the kingdom will have come – even before the King comes!

Comment: In the Millennium, spiritual deception, war, violence, injustice and immorality will indeed vanish from the scene (Jer. 3:17). However, we are not in the Millennium now, but in an evil world which is strongly influenced by Satan (Acts 26:18; Eph. 6:12). Sadly, most people are on the broad way to hell and prefer darkness to light (Jn. 3:19).
Prosperity gospel

Many Christians get carried away by the promises of economic abundance during the Millennium and jump to the unfounded conclusion that these promises are intended for the church age. They proclaim a prosperity gospel of name it and claim it, and suggest that all who have a strong faith should be very prosperous and free of any problems or hardships in life. If you are sick, bed-ridden, poor, unemployed and without a big house and large car of your own, your faith must be very weak!

Comment: Economic abundance will indeed characterise the Millennium (Amos 9:13-14). However, in the present age we have to be content with what we have (1 Tim. 6:8), not strive for material riches (Lk. 12:15) but prepared to be poor (2 Cor. 6:10; Jas. 2:5) and to suffer for Christ (Phil. 1:29).
Signs and wonders

The advocates of kingdom theology say that we should demonstrate our superior spiritual powers by performing great signs and wonders – including sensational healing miracles. Even the most weird, mystical manifestations such as hysterical laughter, jerking, falling down when “zapped”, making animal noises, and being “drunk in the Spirit”, are irreverently ascribed to the activity of the Holy Spirit.

Comment: The signs and wonders of the last days are explicitly associated with false prophets (Mt. 24:11,24). They are paving the way for the appearance of the Antichrist, whose coming will be “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thes. 2:9). Biblical truth is not the norm, but new and dramatic experiences.
Uniting the world

Kingdom theology is aimed at the ecumenical unification of the world church in preparation for the coming of the King. Theologians and church leaders with this mindset advocate a global new world order of unity and peace. This a human-centred theology of creating a humanistic kingdom on earth before the coming of Christ. Ecumenicalists are devoted to social, political and economic change in the world, working hand-in-hand with New Age leaders.

Comment: The united world church mentioned in the Bible is described as an apostate organisation representing all the false religions. This body is identified as “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth” (Rev. 17:5). The true church of Christ cannot enter into association with non-Christian religions – nor with false teachers within the professing church.
The true Millennium

Let us eagerly expect the true Millennium that will commence after the coming of the King, Jesus Christ. Only He can save the remnant of Israel and of the nations (Zech. 12:10; Mt. 24:30-31), bind and incarcerate the devil (Rev. 20:1-3), restore the throne of David (Acts 2:29-30) and change everything on earth for the better. If we are prepared to suffer now and serve the Lord in the face of much opposition (Acts 14: 22), we will accompany Him during His triumphant return (Zech. 14:4-5) and reign with Him on earth (2 Tim. 2:12).

The deceivers and false prophets who are striving to establish a humanistic Utopia on earth before the coming of the King, are exerting themselves in a futile effort to achieve an unattainable humanist dream. There are conditions on earth that we simply cannot change before Jesus comes again! Instead we have a thrilling expectation for the future at His coming – we will not only escape the great tribulation (Rev. 3:10) by the rapture, but return seven years later to rule with Him during His millennial reign (Rev. 5:9-10)!

Above all, the most important thing about the millennial reign is that our Lord Jesus will be completely vindicated and glorified on this very earth where He “went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38), yet was so disgracefully humiliated, despised, rejected, cruelly cast out as worthless and crucified by the fallen creatures that He, as Creator, had made. God’s answer to this is that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess Him as Lord (Phil. 2:6-11).

Jesus will also be vindicated in the eyes of that very nation which was so very honoured by His first coming, yet so dismally failed and sinned in that they did not recognise Him as their true Messiah, despite His clear fulfilment of their Scriptures. Pilate’s inscription above the cross will be vindicated and fulfilled in that Jesus will reign not only as “king of kings, and lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16) universally, but also as “king of the jews” (Mk. 15:26) in Jerusalem!

http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Millennium.htm

[deleted – my arn’t you just a mean nasty person]

I got saved in 1987, joined a spirit filled Lutheran church and devoured the word of God, went to every lecture, study, and seminar that I could find, and was blessed in all my pursuits for truth. I believed in speaking in tongues, the rapture of the church before the tribulation, and was comfortable in those teachings until I started to really dig into the word. I learned how to read back to the original languages, what greek grammar rules were and why 2 thessalonians does not refer to the holy spirit being removed and thus satan having full access to mankind. I won’t go into that here, my point is you have to keep the word in context with it’s subject.

You did the very thing so many do when citing the “two women at the mill and one is taken and the other left” as proof of some rapture, when you just need to keep it in context. What did Jesus just say before that? “As in the days of Noah when the flood came and TOOK them all away and only Noah and his family were LEFT!” What took that woman? It was the flood. What does the serpent cast out of his mouth against the woman (church) in Revelation? He casts out a flood from his mouth, and what comes from your mouth? Lies come from your mouth, and thus the one taken in the field is taken in a flood of lies! She is wholly seduced, following the imposter Christ, and is one of the five unwise virgins who did not put oil (truth) in her lamp to wait for her bridegroom!

I made a video about this that you can watch here: [url removed]

The tribulation of antichrist is seduction not beheading. Be very careful for the hour is late.

Everyone thinks their view is correct, but how can you really tell, and how important is it really?

Both Jesus and Paul tell us to be careful that no man deceive you concerning this issue… Matt. 24:4, 2 Thess. 2:3. Peter tells us that those who don’t get it correct, “..twist the scriptures as the always do…” 2 Pet. 3:16. So obviously the warning stipulates that there is a lot of deception and twisting of the Word.

If you are interested in the truth, you must be willing to set aside all opinion, assumption, conjecture and speculation. If you can do this the truth will become available to you. This is not an easy task, especially if you have studied a lot of man’s opinion, and therefore see through those lenses. If you, however, are new to the study, let the Bible be your guide. Otherwise, you must be able to set aside all the movies, lectures, and ideas that may have bombarded you with man’s opinion over the years.

One certain way to understand that the Word of God has been tampered with is that certain ideas or doctrines create loose ends that must be tied up and therefore must be explained only by man. Like a child who has told a lie and must tell others to cover for the first on. These ideas create sub-doctrines that cannot be substantiated by the Word and must be explained by someone in order to be understood. You will not be able to find any explanation from the Word, because they are super-scriptural, and therefore added to the Word. For the truth to be found the idea must flow with the whole of Scripture and all “loose end” must be dealt with by Scripture, leaving no room for man to interfere.

Here is an example of a loose end or sub-doctrine: The pre-tribulation rapture view tells us that the bride is raptured seven years prior to the second coming. That is the initial idea. However it creates many loose ends that must be explained and must be addressed solely by man. One loose end is the sub-doctrine of the tribulation saints. The tribulation saint cannot be the bride, because the bride is in heaven (according to the view). This causes many problems with the whole of Scripture; “we are one body in Christ Jesus”, the promises that apply to the bride, don’t apply to the tribulation saints, etc. How can the saints be one body as a bride, and another as separate from the bride, and remain one body? Man’s explanation of this view, tells us that the tribulation saints must become eternal heavenly servants of the bride. This in effect makes the tribulation saints greater than the bride, because, “He who wishes to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven must become a servant of all.” If that is the case, it would be more desirable to be a tribulation saint than a member of the bride. There are a lot of other complications that this the concept of tribulation saints bring, and those who carry this particular view cannot agree exactly on how this all plays out. Here in lies the problem. It is super-scriptural in nature. Not explained by the Word and therefore the end result must be conjured to make sense of it all. As a result there will be many views concerning the sub-doctrines. This is a loose end that creates a sub-doctrine that is derived and conjured by man. Be careful that no man deceive you! This sub-doctrine is a secondary lie to cover the initial.

Another issue is a doctrine changing the Word of God to be able to accommodate their view. Peter addresses this… 2 Peter 3:16. In order for the doctrine to be received it must be taught to those with a shallow understanding of the Word.

Here is an example of this: Luke 21:36 tells us to pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape all that is coming upon the earth… The pre-tribulation view tells us that the word “escape” in this passage refers to the rapture. Okay if that is the case, what does this concept do with the rest of the verse? “…Pray always that you may be counted worthy…” Most have the understanding that the prerequisite to being raptured is being saved. We are saved by grace and not by works or being worthy… Eph 2:8,9. However, for the word “escape” to be the rapture, we must be raptured by our worthiness and pray always accordingly. So now we are told that only some Christians will be raptured because not all are worthy, although saved. To continue this thinking, they would also loose any bride status in order to become tribulation saints. Perhaps even having to have to face martyrdom to earn their way into heaven because Christ died for the bride, and not for them. This verse creates division among those who hold the view. Some believe there is no division of those who are saved that get raptured at the rapture and some do. Overall the understanding of salvation equating those “assigned for rapture” must be severed, otherwise we would have to be saved by works, contrary to the Word. Jesus told us the parable of the 10 virgins in Matt. 25. The five foolish were not only told, “depart from me, I never knew you,” but “go to hell” as well. What they were not told is that they would get a second chance as a tribulation saint. As you can see the Word gets changed (twisted as Peter states) to accommodate the view.

You must ask yourself, is your own desires clouding your view? Often I get asked, “Why would you want to go through the great tribulation?” As if what I want as anything to do with God’s plan. The obvious conclusion to those who ask this question is that their personal desires have clouded their perception of the truth. Is it foolish to walk directly in the direction of persecution? Peter rebuked Jesus for walking into His crucifixion. Jesus in turn stated, “Get thee behind me Satan.” Today the church spends much of their time running from taking up their cross.

If Peter tells us that those who do not get it right concerning the view of eschatology (end times), “twist the scripture as they always do.” The “as they always do” is huge. That means that your perceptions of truth concerning your “end time” beliefs exemplifies your perception of the Scriptures as a whole. This puts great importance upon the study of eschatology. We must be lovers of the truth, if not God Himself will send a delusion upon us as stated in 2 Thess. 2 at the end of chapter.

Article is very hacked up and skips verses that are key. This is common for rapture believers. Bits and pieces instead the entire thought that is given when read as a whole. When the difficult bits appear they wave the magic eraser and say “That bit of the Bible is for the jews not you, because they are saved by race, not grace”. Yuck poowee job on the article

The Day of the Lord begings when the sun, moon and stars are darkened, according to Joel and Jesus. According to Jesus, this happens “after the tribulation of those days,” and according to John, this happens at the sixth seal. The fiest four seals are NOT to end, but are only “the beginnings of birthpains.” The labor of the Church begins at the fifth seal, with persecution after the Abomination that causes desolation.
The seals span the entire Church Age and end with the Second Coming on the Day of Atonement. The trumpets span the Great Tribulation and end with the Second coming on the Day of Atonement. The Bowls of wrath span the Day of the Lord after the Great Tribulation, from the Feast of Trumpets to the Second Coming on the Day of Atonement.
The Rapture occurs during the interlude between the sixth seal/trumpet and seventh seal/trumpet, on the Feast of Trumpets, and while we are in Heaven during the 10 “days of awe” the Bowls are poured out. Christ returns with His Bride to rescue Israel at Armageddon.
The Bible says that those things that happened to Israel are type/examples and warnings for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”
Just as the two spies escorted Rahab from the destruction of Jericho AFTER the seventh trumpet within a seventh (the seven bowls of wrath contained within the seventh trumpet) so also the Two Witnessed will escort the Church out of Babylon as is it destroyed.
Just as Lot was escorted by two angels out of the persection of the men of Sodom, through God’s wrath, so the Church will be escorted out of the persecution, through the wrath of God.
Just as Israel remained in Egypt during the 10 plagues, so the Church will remain in Babylon during the seven trumpets. Just as Israel passed safely out of the Red Sea wrath of God that destroyed Pharaoh and his armies, so the Church will pass safetly out of the Bowls of wrath as they are poured out on the Antichrist and his followers. The same wrath that saves us (because it was poured out on Christ for us) will destroy unbelievers.
The Seals are not God’s wrath, nor are that the Tribualtion. They are an overview of what is contained within the Scroll, which cannot be opened until all of the seals are removed. Nor are the trumpets the wrath of God, no matter what those hiding in the rocks believe. They are the judgements of God which are menat to bring repentance. They affect 1/3 of the earth, and during this time, repentance is still offered. However, when God’s patience comes to and end, His wrath will be poured out on the unrepentant. And His wrath will be complete, final and swift. And the Door to the Ark and the Wedding Feast will be closed forever.
It is not the rapture that happens in the twinkling of an eye, but rather, the change of our bodies from mortal to immortal. Every eyes will see Christ coming on the clouds at the rapture. The New Age Antichrist may explain it as a removal of those who refuse to be part pf the paradigm shift, but God’s wrath will quickly follow.
Dispensationalism is based on the false idea that God has two peoples. Not so. During the night Jacob wrestled with the Angel, and in admitting his sinfulness, that was was as his name implied, a deceiver, he overcame and was given the name Israel. During the Great Tribulation, Jacob will again wrestle with God, and a remnant who overcomes will be grafted back into the Olive Tree. And there is only ONE Olive Tree, made up of believing Jews and believing Gentiles. There is one faith, one baptism, one Lord over all who is in all. The saints and elect mentioned in Revelation ARE the Church, the Bride, the New Jerusalem.
Just as Jesus fillfilled the Spring Feasts on the very days they were oringinally celebrated, so also the Day of the Lord will occur on the very same days as the Fall Feasts. The rapture will occur of the Feast of Trumpets and ten days later (not seven years) Christ will return woth His Bride to rule and reign over those left over from the nations that came against Jerusalem, and those who call themselves Jews but are not, will come and bow before us and admit that He loved us.
There isn’t one verse that states that the rapture will happen seven years before the Second Coming. Not one.
That John in Revelation 4 is a picture of the rapture? Not stated anywhere, but is an assumption.
That the saints and elect are not the Church, even though that is the meaning throughout the rest of the New Testament? Another assumption. The saints that return with Christ clothed in white must not be the Church either. Strange that the Book of Revelation was written to the churches, and yet very little of it has anything to do with the Church.
The Holy Spirit is the restrainer? Maybe, but not where is it stated that the Church is removed. In fact, the literal translation of the verse is, “that which withholds will continue to withhold until he is revealed in the midst.” There is absolutely no hint of anything or anyone being removed from the earth by a rapture.
The rapture occuring before the apostay and the man of sin being revealed? Not according to a plain reading of the text.
Matthew 24 only for Israel? Hmmm. How do you pick and choose whoch parts are for the Church and which aren’t?
Enoch raptured before the flood is picture of a pretrib rapture? Hmmm. Interesting that before Enoch was rapture, there was a brother (a seed of the serpent) who murdered his brother (the seed of the woman) and received “mark,” and that before he was rapture there was also a man name Lamach that boasted and blasphemed God, concerning Cain’s sevenfold judgement. It seems the typology confirms that Enoch “the seventh from Adam” confirms that Enoch is rapture, after the persecution of God’s people and after the revelation of the Antichrist. Not to mention Elijah being raptured AFTER his dealings with Ahab (antichrist), Jezebel (Mystery Babylon) and the prophets of Baal (false prophet). Noah enters the Ark, but the wrath of God doesn’t fall for seven days. And those who are safe in Christ (the Ark) for those seven days, afterwards rise above the Floodwater (poured out from the seven bowls) at the same time that the rest are destroyed.
Lot and his two daughters, the three in the fiery furnace, as well as Mary, Martha and Lazarus, are pictures of the dead in Christ, we who are alive and remain, and the remanant of Israel whom Christ returns to in order to raise from the dead after “two days.”

@Toddott you quote ( The Bible says that those things that happened to Israel are type/examples and warnings for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” – May i have chapter and verse of the Bible please.

God required a price to be paid for sin. Jesus paid it for each and every one of us through His journey to the cross. His sacrifice made on behalf of all of us is why those of us who believe in Him will someday be gathered around His throne in heaven as seen in Revelation 7:12 saying, “Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” The church has obviously been raptured before Revelation 7:12 in this case if they are seen singing around the throne.

The 24 Elders are redeemed from the earth, yet the word says that no man has been in heaven. John 3 verse 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Why are these redeemed elders then seen in heaven? long before the end of the tribulation or even mid trib.

Nobody knows if there is a gap between the rapture and the start of the tribulation so speculating has been the order of the day. Its great to debate it and often when we do we get further insight to unanswered questions which is how the Holy Spirit works with us.

There is no mention of the Angels marking the church during the tribulation. Only the 144 thousand are marked to protect them. Why not the church as well if we are here.? We know the wicked take a mark as well but somehow we are not mentioned. Is it because we have been raptured. Obviously

Lastly. Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

This verse speaks of Gods love to us. For me it’s a precious promise that I wont be going through the tribulation, being a love letter full of hope and joy.

Imagine a earthly groom allowing his bride to witness the same horrors that are coming soon to the world. The earthquake alone will be so great that islands and mountains will be moved. Never mind the satanic raping of men, woman and children. The starvation, and the torment of the demons. Yet so many Christians nod their heads and say “yes Jesus will let you experience this but will protect. Makes no sense.