Why would God take the Church off of the earth before the Tribulation when that is when He needs them on the earth the most?!!! That does not make any sense!!!!! -Christine O.
I assume the rationale behind this question is that God needs the Church to evangelize during the Tribulation.
What we think or feel about something does not matter one bit. We base our beliefs on what is found in Scripture. Basing beliefs on opinions is a slippery slope that will gain us a lot of faulty thinking, disappointment, and maybe even embarrassment.
I grew up in a prophecy-rich environment at church, school, and home. I have been interested in prophecy ever since I came to know the Lord at 7 years old. I will turn 53 this month. I have spent approximately 80 hours this year on just the Rapture alone. I see no Biblical evidence of the church on earth in the Tribulation. Having diligently sought the Lord on the Rapture and end times, I firmly believe the Bible teaches the Church will be dwelling in Heaven for those seven years.
God is omnipotent. That means all-powerful. He says nothing is too hard for Him to do. Matthew 19:26. Can God fulfill His purpose in the Tribulation without the Church on earth? There is no doubt in my mind that He can.
What do you think will happen when the Church is taken from the earth? (link) Think about it, there are a lot of people, even in our churches, who have head knowledge who have not repented. Don't you think many of them will cry out to the Lord and be saved? Can the Lord use these Tribulation saints to grow His kingdom? I believe He will.
If you read the Bible understanding that God has a plan for Israel and one for the Church, it clarifies a lot of things. As a parent, I mostly correct each child individually but sometimes I deal with them in groups because of their ages, genders, abilities, or who is involved in a situation. The nation of Israel rejected Christ, but the Church accepted Him. Wouldn't He deal with them differently? Are angels (God's creation) and humans (also God's creation) treated differently? Yes, they are. A one-plan-for-all approach does not work because a lot of prophecy Scripture doesn't fit. But, if you believe that God has a plan for Israel and one for the Church, suddenly those verses make sense. The Rapture will end the period of grace known as the Church Age. The Tribulation is going to test those who have not made a choice for Christ and will bring out the character of those left dwelling on the earth. The Church has already been tested by daily living. Every day, the Body of Christ makes choices to honor the Lord or satisfy the flesh. Every day, our character is being revealed by surrendering or rebelling to His ways.
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If one believes:
- Jesus' work on the cross was complete John 19:30
- We (the Church) are not appointed to wrath I Thessalonians 5:9
- that He will keep us from the hour of testing Revelation 3:10
How does one also believe the Church will be in the Tribulation?
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Food for thought regarding Revelation 3:10:
Posttribulationalists say that “from” (ek) refers to the protection of the church within the Tribulation. Pretribulationlists understand it to mean preservation by being absent from the time of tribulation. One is internal protection (while living through the Tribulation); the other is eternal protection (being in heaven during that time). Which meaning does 'from” )ek) support? The answer is either if the preposition is considered alone. But, for the record, let it be said that ek does denote a position outside something without implying a prior position inside and then emergence from within. The pretribulationalist understanding of ek is supported by a number of verses that have nothing to do with the rapture and therefore do not beg the question.” Charles Ryrie What You Should Know About the Rapture, Current Christian Issues. (#amazonaffiliate “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”)
Because I am asked very frequently lately:
No. I do not think we are in the end times because the Rapture has not occurred. I do believe the stage is being set for the Tribulation so when the Paraclete (aka Holy Spirit, Restrainer) is removed things can quickly fall into place. Pay attention: The evil ones of this world know what time it is, and they are telling us by their behavior.
Dear Reader, If you were on a boat that was sinking, would you help hand out life preservers? If you are a Christian, I encourage you to take every opportunity you can to share the gospel. There are many, many ways to do this both directly and indirectly. You can't claim to love Jesus (John 14:15) and have a careless attitude about people. If you are not a Christian, I encourage you to accept Jesus' free gift today. My love to all!
