Resurrection, Rapture, Millennium, and Tribulation
By
Stephen M. Golden
Copyright
©
November 2, 2001 and March 30, 2012
Table of Contents
Will the end come immediately after
the resurrection?
The saints will judge the world.
This Generation Shall Not Pass Away
Other Prophecies and Scriptures
Israel restored and no longer
persecuted
David’s line will endure forever
Concerning the Return of Christ
The abomination that causes
desolation
Jesus’ feet resting on the Mount of
Olives
There are many positions held regarding
the resurrection, the rapture, the millennium, and the tribulation with much
emotion and opinion involved. It is
therefore appropriate to allow for the possibility of error or further insight
as one studies the scriptures on the subjects.
Nevertheless, we must come to conclusions along the way in order to
establish God’s word and His intent in our minds. It is with this attitude that I approach the
subjects of the Resurrection, the Rapture, the Millennium, and the Tribulation.
The reader should note this is not a
study of the book of Revelation, nor is it a complete study of Eschatology
(study of the end times). However, any
Eschatological review must address what the scriptures say regarding these four
topics.
First,
let’s consider the resurrection; how many there will be, and when they will
occur.
There
are generally two lines of thinking about the resurrection. There will either be one resurrection of all
the dead at the same time when the Lord returns, or there will be a
resurrection of the righteous dead apart from the unrighteous. So that is the question before us: Will there
be a general resurrection for all the dead at the same time, or will there be a
separate resurrection for the righteous dead before the resurrection of the
unrighteous?
Jesus
said in John 5:28-29
“…those
who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to
be condemned.”
This
passage allows for at least two viewpoints:
1. That the evil and good will be raised together, or
2. That they will both be raised; the good to one
resurrection and the evil to another.
Either
viewpoint is consistent with Jesus’ statement.
The same
is true of Acts 24:15.
“…and I have the
same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the
righteous and the wicked.”
Something
to keep in mind: Only the dead need to be raised. Jesus Himself tells us this in John 11:25-26.
Any believers alive at His return will
not be part of this resurrection, since they will have never died.
This
ties in with Paul’s words to the Corinthians in 1Corinthians 15:51, “We will not all sleep, but we will all be
changed…”
So, not
all Christians will be “resurrected,” but we will all be changed.
1Thessalonians
4:15-17 addresses the dead in Christ, as well as those who are alive...
“…the
dead in Christ will rise first. After
that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air.…”
The dead
who are not in Christ are not discussed, increasing confidence in the view that
the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the resurrection of the dead outside
of Christ are two separate events. The
passage only addresses the resurrection and rapture of Christians. It is specific: “The dead in Christ.” (Also see Revelation 3:10.)
“But the 1 Thessalonians
passage doesn’t say the word ‘rapture.’” Will there be a rapture? The Greek word used in the passage translated
as “caught up” is “harpazo” which means “to seize, carry off by force, to claim for
oneself, to rescue from danger, to transfer from one place to another
marvelously and swiftly.”[1]
In other
words, a rapture.
Jesus
Himself tells us in Matthew 24:31 His angels will gather His elect, indicating
a resurrection and rapture. Paul speaks
about the coming of the Lord and our being gathered to Him in 2Thessalonians
2:1-2.
Jesus
also clearly indicates a rapture of those who are His in Matthew 24:40-41 and
Luke 17:34-35 by saying “one will be taken, and the other left.” This is a rapture of the righteous living. The unrighteous are left behind. Where will they be left except on earth? For what are they left? They are left for a separate event of
reckoning.
Since we
have already seen that the righteous living will not precede the dead in Christ
(1Thessalonians 4:14-17), this strongly indicates
a resurrection of the righteous dead separate from the unrighteous — the first
resurrection.
Jesus
Himself validates the conclusion of separate resurrections when He refers to
the resurrection of the righteous in Luke 14:14. If all are raised at the same resurrection,
why would Jesus qualify it with the phrase “of the righteous?”
Jesus
also refers to the “resurrection from
the dead” for those who are worthy in Luke 20:35-36 instead of a “resurrection of the dead”. Jesus is saying only the righteous, God’s
children, will be taking a part in this resurrection, which clearly indicates
two resurrections.
In Luke 14:14,
Jesus again indicates a separate resurrection of the Godly from the ungodly by
using the phrase, “of the righteous.”
As
mentioned previously, the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:11 there is to
be a resurrection from the dead. Paul
desires to attain to this resurrection.
One doesn’t have to attain to, or seek to be included in, the
resurrection of the dead if all
are raised unto judgment.
Resurrection FROM the
Dead:[2]
If Christ is coming to raise the
righteous 1000 years before the unrighteous, it would be natural and imperative
that the former should be called a resurrection from the dead, or out of the
dead, —the rest of the dead are left.
W. E. Blackstone relates that the
resurrection nekron
or ton nekron
(of the dead) is applied to both classes because all will be raised. But the resurrection ek nekron (out of the dead) is not once
applied to the ungodly. The latter
phrase is used 49 times, always with the idea of out of the dead.
Philippians 3:11 is used in a
remarkably significant manner. The NIV
renders it ‘resurrection from the dead,’ which is closer to the meaning than
the KJV which renders it ‘resurrection of the dead.” The Greek preposition ek is used in duplicate form.
The phrase is teen exanastasin teen ek nekron,
and the literal translation is “the out resurrection from among the dead.” This particular
construction gives special emphasis that this is the resurrection “out
from among the dead.”
In
2Timothy 2:17-18, Paul describes Hymenaeus and Philetus
as destroying the faith of some by teaching that the resurrection has already
taken place. He reaffirms the existence
of this false belief in 2Thessalonians 2:1-2 and reassures the Christians there.
1
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him,
we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some
prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day
of the Lord has already come.
This
false teaching would not have been possible if there were no prior
understanding that the righteous, dead and living,
would be taken out of the world, leaving the rest behind. The truth of the rapture therefore is implied
by Paul in this passage.
Notice
that the Christians referenced in Revelation 12:11-12 are with the Lord since “They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb”, yet a woe concerning Satan to those
who remain on the earth follows. This
indicates someone is still on the earth.
Something is to happen to those left on the earth. Satan’s time is short, not ended.
Paul
gives us a little more information on the subject by indicating a sequence of
events.
1Corinthians
15:22-26 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each
in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then,
when he comes, those who belong to him.
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father
after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and
power. For he must reign until he has
put all his enemies under his feet. The
last enemy to be destroyed is death.
All who
are in Christ will be made alive. That
certainly is a resurrection for those who are dead in Christ. However, these “turns” do not immediately
follow each other. Note how the
statement about making “those who belong to Him” alive is as separate from “the
end will come” as the “first fruits” are from “those who belong to him.” We have the “first fruits,” then “those who
belong to him,” then the end.
These
are distinct events in sequence, and not necessarily occurring close
together. The point of Paul’s statement
is the order, not the proximity in time (“each in his own turn”). We know more than
2000 years have passed between Christ’s Resurrection and now. Yet His return has not occurred. While it does not require a similar time
span, it does not logically follow that the end will come immediately after
Christ takes out those who belong to Him.
Even the
last trumpet is not the last event. The
Last Trumpet mentioned in the book of Revelation is not the same “last trumpet”
understood in the Jewish tradition representing the final event. John’s prophecy, written around 95AD, was
unknown to the Jews of Jesus’ day. From
the Jewish perspective, the references to trumpets refer to the feast of
trumpets, in which the last trumpet was a long swelling final blast
representing triumph, and was the close of the feast
of trumpets. This feast of trumpets was representative of Jewish history, and
the last trumpet signified the joyous triumphal conclusion at the end of the
ages.[3]
Therefore,
the end does not come immediately after the resurrection of the righteous
dead. It comes at some point after Jesus
destroys all dominion, and reigns until it is complete. The final event in this creation is the
destruction of death itself. (1Corinthians 15:24-26)
What is
the first resurrection? Although some say the first resurrection occurs at
baptism, this is difficult to reconcile.
While
Paul tells us we “have been raised,” in Colossians 3:1,4
and Ephesians 2:6, he also indicates in Romans 6:4-5 that we have not been resurrected. Our resurrection is still in the future. Therefore, these verses cannot be used to
justify saying, “The first resurrection is when we are ‘raised to walk in newness
of life’.” Instead, Paul tells us our
resurrection is in the future.
In
Romans 6:8, Paul says “we will also live
with him,” which projects our life with Christ into the future. Christ will
give life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). For at this moment, we still have our mortal
bodies. It can hardly be said we have
been resurrected while we are still in our mortal bodies. Paul makes the statement that since Christ
was raised from the dead, he cannot die again.
Romans 6:9 For we know that since Christ
was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over
him.
The same
is true of our resurrection, since a comparison is
clearly being made. This conclusion is
reinforced in Revelation 20:6 which says that over those who are part of the
first resurrection, the second death has no power.
As we’ve
seen before, Paul tells us in Philippians 3:11 there is to be a resurrection
from the dead and that he desires to attain to this resurrection. That means it was yet to occur from his
perspective.
Revelation
20:4-5 clearly tells us that the idea of the ‘first resurrection occurring at
baptism’ is wrong. “They
came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life
until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.”
John
specifically says this is the first resurrection, which correlates very well with
1Thessalonians 4:14-18.
If the
first resurrection occurs at baptism, the first death must precede it. If that is the case, there is no theological
consideration for physical death, because the second death has no power over
us. (Revelation 20:6) If one asserts that the second death is
physical death, and that it indeed has no power over us, then you have a
conflict with scripture.
John
tells us in Revelation 20:14-15 and 21:8 the
second death is the lake of fire.
Therefore, if the first death is at our conversion, and the second death
is the lake of fire—eternal death, where is physical death? It would have to mean no one who has been
baptized will physically die because the first death would have preceded their
first resurrection, and the second death is the lake of fire which has no power
over them. Clearly then, the first
resurrection does not occur at
baptism.
Also, if
the first resurrection did occur at baptism, the resurrection referenced by
1Thessalonians 4:15-17 must be the second resurrection. The resurrection of the unrighteous dead must
be yet a third resurrection.
For the
first resurrection and rapture, Jesus does not come down to the earth. The passages Matthew 24:27; 24:30-31 and Luke
17:24 simply indicate it will be visible.
He is
seen in the sky; it’s like a flash across the world. He gathers His own to Himself, and as
1Thessalonians 4:17 says, we will meet Him in
the air. This will be no “secret
coming,” as some detractors of the rapture have described it. This will be like a flash of lightning, and
just as quick. The world will indeed see
Him, but those who disbelieve will explain it away as they did when God spoke
audibly to His Son [John 12:29], and when he rose from the dead. Man has an incredible ability to rationalize
and explain away the evidence for the existence of the Almighty God. Just consider the pervasiveness of the belief
in Evolution — that all things created themselves — in the
midst of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Before
we go further, it’s appropriate to relate some important truths about
prophecy.
1. God
doesn’t give all the details of a prophecy to any particular
person. Throughout history,
especially concerning the end times, only partial details were entrusted to
various prophets: Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and others. But in His Word, he has revealed to us more
detail through his prophets and writers collectively. As we examine God’s Word, we begin to see a
more complete picture.
2. Some
prophecies speak of events separated by thousands of years in the same
sentence. For example, Jesus read from
Isaiah 61:1-2 in the Synagogue at Nazareth as recorded in Luke 4:19. He stopped at the comma in verse two and sat
down. Then He said “…This day is this
scripture fulfilled in your ears.” The
portion of the scripture after the comma, the part Jesus did not read, is yet
to be fulfilled today. Clearly, the day
of vengeance of our God has not yet come.
This is but one example of how two events of prophecy in a single
passage can be separated by more than a thousand years.
In
another instance, Zechariah 9:9 is fulfilled by Matthew 21:4-5 when Jesus rides
into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Whereas Zechariah 9:10 remains
unfulfilled to this day.
10
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from
and the battle bow will be broken. He
will proclaim peace to the nations.
His
rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the
earth.
3. Some statements
of prophecy have relevance to more than one event. For example, The Jews consider Hosea 11:1
“Out of Egypt I called my son” to have been fulfilled in Moses leading Israel
out of Egypt. However, Matthew ties this
to the events surrounding the birth of Christ in Matthew 2:15.
4.
Whenever we consider prophecy, we must keep in mind that passages of greater
information shed light on passages of lesser information. But passages of lesser information can not and must not overshadow or limit passages of
greater information. That is to say less
specific passages should not limit or restrict the meaning of more specific
passages. The goal is to make all the
passages harmonize.
John
goes into the greatest prophetic detail of the end times in his discussion of
the resurrection in the Book of Revelation.
Therefore, it tends to shed light on all other prophecies.
According
to 1Thessalonians 3:13, Jesus is going to come with “all His saints,” “all His
holy ones,” or “all those who belong to Him,” depending on the translation.
Are we
not His saints, His holy ones? Do we not
belong to Him? Some might say the above verse
is not talking about coming to earth.
What else from Paul’s perspective could "coming" mean than
coming to earth? Now see Zechariah
14:4-11 and note that the Lord comes with His saints/holy ones (v.5 “Then the LORD my
God will come, and all his holy ones with him.”).
Jude
(Jude 1:14-15) refers to Enoch who prophesied that Jesus comes with ten
thousands of His saints to execute judgment on all who are ungodly.
Is not
the Church called "His saints?"
Are there other saints to whom this verse could possibly refer? Perhaps these are the Christians who have
already died. Even so, their
resurrection had to have preceded this event, if it is going to take place at
all, for Him to come with them to execute judgment.
According
to 1Corinthians 6:2-3, the saints will judge the world. Revelation 2:26-28 says we will rule the
nations with an iron hand.
2Thessalonians 2:12 says we will reign with Christ, and Revelation 20:6
says it will be for a thousand years.
If there
is only one resurrection of the dead, and everything happens at that time, when
do all these things take place?
Revelation
20:2 tells us there will be a time when Satan will be bound for a thousand
years. Some say Satan is currently bound and that we’re reigning with Christ
now. Does Christ reign in this world
today? Hardly. Is Satan bound? Certainly not. No one can legitimately say Jesus reigns on
earth today. Satan is currently Lord of this world. See Luke 4:5-6; John 12:31; and 1Peter 5:8.
It is
interesting to note that in Luke 4:5-6, Jesus did not take issue with Satan
when he said he had been given authority over the kingdoms of the world. And in John 14:30 and John 16:11, Jesus confirms
that Satan is still here and still prince of this world.
Paul
calls Satan the ruler of the kingdom of the air in Ephesians 2:1-23 and John
tells us the whole world is under the power of the evil one in 1John 5:19. If the devil prowled around like a roaring
lion in Peter’s day (1Peter 5:8) then he does so today. Satan is as active as he ever was. The binding of Satan for a thousand years
is an event in the future.
Paul
tells us that the man of lawlessness will be revealed and will exalt himself
over all that is worshipped. This is not
a “conceptual man,” but a specific entity who sets himself up in the temple[4]
to be worshipped as God — if God’s Word means what it says.
2Thessalonians
2:3-4 "Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for
that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to
destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is
called God or is worshiped, so that he
sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming
himself to be God."
According
to 2Thessalonians 2:1-10, the Holy Spirit — or
some agent of God who now holds lawlessness back — must be taken out of the
way before the lawless one is revealed.
How do we conclude the one who holds back lawlessness is the Holy
Spirit? First of all, we know Jesus sent
the Helper (the Holy Spirit) to earth after He ascended (John
16:7).
But is “the Helper” conclusively the Holy Spirit? Jesus, in John 14:26, says He is.
Jesus
said the Holy Spirit would not come unless He went away (John
16:7-8), indicating a real presence on this
earth that would be in conflict in some way if Jesus remained here. So, the Holy Spirit is now here on
earth.
If the
one who holds back lawlessness is not
the Holy Spirit, then it would have to be another righteous entity about whom
we have no information at all. Paul
would be referencing this unknown entity for which there is no other reference
or knowledge. This seems highly
unlikely.
Do
Christians not have the Holy Spirit today?
The New Testament has many passages that indicate the Holy Spirit is
here for us. He lives within Christians
who are His temple. Jesus promised Him
to us. Since this is true, when will He
be taken out of the way? This is yet to
happen, and it must happen before the
man of lawlessness is revealed.
Therefore, the man of lawlessness will not be revealed until all
Christians are removed from the earth, because Jesus would not take away the
comforter promised to Christians while Christians remain on the earth. The
man of lawlessness will not be revealed until after the rapture. There will be
no Christians—those to whom the Holy Spirit was promised, the Bride of
Christ—on the earth after the rapture.
Revelation
20:1-8 tells us Satan will be bound for a thousand years and we will reign with
Christ for a thousand years, after which, Satan will be released for a while.
This is known
as The Millennium. By the way, for those
who say “millennium” is not found in the Bible, neither is “omniscient” or
“omnipresent.” Millennium simply means
“thousand years” — mille = thousand, annum = year.
Again, I
ask,
if there is only one resurrection of the dead, and everything happens at that
time, when do all the events mentioned in Revelation 20:3-9 take place? From where do the “rest of the dead” (v.5)
come when the thousand years are finished?
Scripture tells us there will
be a reign on this earth (Revelation 5:10 and 20:4). Paul also indicates this in 2Timothy 2:12.
In
Daniel 9:24-27, the Anointed One is cut off at the sixty-ninth “week” [or
“sevens”], that is, seven sevens plus sixty-two sevens. This is the crucifixion of our Lord. Discussion about the seventieth week follows
in the prophecy. However, the prophecy
does not demand that the seventieth week follow immediately, and the concept of
the Anointed One being “cut off” implies that it does not. (Daniel 9:27)
Daniel
9:24 indicates the final week will bring an end to sin, and will bring in everlasting righteousness. Obviously that has not happened yet.
There is
much discussion about Jesus’ saying “this generation shall not pass away before
these things come to pass” (Mark 13:24-30 and Luke 21:32).
Some say
this means the generation of those who were hearing Jesus’ voice, others say
this means this age in general.
However,
these explanations do not match reality.
The times of the Gentiles are still active, we have not seen startling
signs in the sun, moon and stars, there has not been perplexity over the
tossing of the sea, and the heavenly bodies have not been shaken. (Luke 21:24-26)
Jesus
then says, “At
that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the
nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the
clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will
gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31
and Mark 13:27) Surely, this has not
happened.
Still
others say “this generation” means the Hebrew race.
An
option to those explanations is that the
generation seeing those things come to pass will not pass away until all those
things take place. Some in recent
times have suggested that the time for this was 1988; using 40 years as a
"generation," since Israel took back nation status in 1948 and
several other events took place then.
The Lord did not return. These
people have been severely chastised for their erroneous predictions.
While I
do not intend to predict the day of the Lord’s return, this viewpoint is worth
a second look, but with a modification.
While using 40 years as a generation might be valid for computing “how
many generations” in other Biblical references, in this case, the scripture says
the generation “will not pass away.” This
indicates anywhere from 70 to perhaps up to 120 years, or however long any
human born at that time [1948] might live.
The Lord’s return under such an interpretation of prophecy could be as
late at 2068.
Some say
the beast is the man of lawlessness. He
will set himself up as God (2Thessalonians 2:3-4; Daniel 11:36; Revelation
13:7-8). The “mark of the beast,” the
taking of which will be on the right hand or forehead, and without which no one
will be able to buy or sell, must come before the beast and false prophet are
cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 14:11).
Then comes the Millennial reign, after which Satan is released to make
war on God's People.
Who are
those clothed in white robes? (Revelation 7:13-14) According to one of the elders by the throne
of God, these are the ones who have come out of The Great Tribulation, “…They
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…,” and John
didn’t know who they were. This implies
they were not Christians who had lived up to that point, so no tribulation that
had occurred up to 90 AD (the estimated date the book of Revelation was
written) could have been “The Great Tribulation.” It also indicates some in The Great
Tribulation will be made pure by the blood of the Lamb.
Daniel
11:35 tells us there will be believers (“the Wise”) who will stumble so that
they may be purified. Some believe this
indicates Christians will go through the Great Tribulation. However, the prophecy was given to
Israelites, and is just as likely speaking of Jews rather than Christians, or
even possibly Gentiles who have come to faith after the Church is taken out.
In the
New Testament, Luke 21:36, 1Thessalonians 1:10, and Revelation 3:10 give us an
indication at least some if not all
Christians will be spared from The Great Tribulation. While the passage in Luke may be referring to
the Jewish people, the other passages certainly refer to Christians. Revelation 20:4 also indicates believers will
suffer at this time because, to praise some believers for not receiving the
mark, they would have to have been given the opportunity to receive it. On the other hand, if this is to apply to all
Christians, it must occur before the man of lawlessness, or the beast, is cast into the lake of fire, as we discussed before.
Some say
The Great Tribulation occurred in 70 AD when Rome sacked Jerusalem. But, Jesus said in Matthew 24:2 the temple
and its surrounding structures will be utterly destroyed. “…not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Was the 70 AD
destruction of Jerusalem what Jesus meant?
There are stones from the temple and temple area (“all these things”)
still standing on each other even today.
The
disciples asked when these things would take place, and Jesus responded in
Matthew 24:7 that “Nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various
places.”
But that “…All these are the beginning of birth
pains.” (v.8)
Jesus tells us in Luke 21:9-11 that these things do not happen
immediately.
From the
time Jesus said this until 70 AD, the many wars, famines, and earthquakes had
not had time to take place. Jesus
followed this by saying these were just the beginning of birth pangs. He then said in Matthew 24:14 that the gospel
will be preached to the whole world before the end will come.
Jesus
says in Matthew 24:29-30 “Immediately after the distress of
those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the
stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see
the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.”
Last I
checked, the sun and the moon still shine, and stars were still there. Even if Jesus meant only for a short period,
as in an eclipse, there is no historical record of these events associated with
the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. The
Son of Man did not appear in the sky, and the nations of the earth did not
mourn over the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem.
Most nations weren’t even aware of the destruction of Jerusalem. Additionally, if 70 AD was the time of
tribulation Jesus meant, He would have already come, and we would have been
born too late.
In Luke
21:20, Jesus said armies (plural) would
surround Jerusalem. In 70 AD there was
essentially only one army involved — the army of Rome. However, there are armies surrounding Jerusalem today. The part of this passage that speaks of the
Jews being taken captive and dispersed to other nations seems to have happened
(verses 23-24). Nevertheless, signs were
not seen in the sun, moon, and stars, the nations were not perplexed at the
raging of the sea, and the heavenly bodies have not been shaken indicating this
part of Jesus’ statement is yet to take place.
It is likely Jesus was speaking of two different times.
The hour of trial
that will come upon the whole earth.
Jesus
said in Luke 21:35 and Revelation 3:7-10, the tribulation would come upon all
who are on the earth.
The
events of 70 AD did not come upon all who live upon the face of the whole
earth. The 70 AD destruction of
Jerusalem did not even cause trial for a large part of the world known to the
Biblical writers of the day.
Also,
the Apostle, John, wrote the book of Revelation around 95 AD — about twenty-five years after the 70 AD “destruction of
Jerusalem.” So if the events recorded in
the book of Revelation are in the future, The Great Tribulation of which
he wrote could not have been 70
AD. It was yet to come.
Some try
to discount the teaching of The Great Tribulation by quoting such verses
as John 16:33, Romans 2:9, Romans 5:3, Romans 8:35, Romans 12:12,
1Thessalonians 1:6, and Revelation 1:9 which speak of tribulation and trials in
the Christian life.
Using
these passages, they point out that all Christians suffer tribulation. Yes, there is tribulation. John even mentions his own at the beginning
of the book of Revelation. However, John
records the words of God’s servant, one of the four elders by God’s throne, who
goes out of his way in Revelation
7:14 to distinguish those
tribulations from the one he is describing.
He calls it “the great tribulation” — using both the definite
article “the” and the qualifying adjective “great.”
If The
Great Tribulation is simply the tribulation we all must undergo, John’s
revelation reveals nothing. The Elder
would then be saying “these are those who suffered what most Christians
suffer...” and the point being made is either lost, or irrelevant. The question remains: Who are these ones in
robes?
In
Revelation 6:9, John is shown those who had been slain and whose brethren would
join them in a short time.[5]
Then,
after that short time passes (Revelation 20:4) John sees the entire number
together.[6]
All of
these who had not worshipped the beast and
those mentioned in 1Thessalonians 4:15-17, who are those given authority to
judge, as mentioned in the first clause of Revelation 20:4, combined, comprise the
first resurrection. This carries
with it one of two implications. Either
the first resurrection takes place after the tribulation, or the souls who were
murdered for their testimony of Jesus during the Great Tribulation join those
already resurrected and raptured. This
“Testimony” is not necessarily that
of the Church.
Jesus
speaks specifically of being ready in Luke 21:36, and indicates that through
prayer we can escape this tribulation.
This contradicts the belief that the general tribulations are this one.
Furthermore,
the use of the Greek word harpazo (catching up) would not have been chosen if
Christians were not to be saved from at least part, if not all, of the
"great time of testing." (See
definition of harpazo previous.)
Jesus
will save those who persevere “…from the great time of testing that will come
upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.” (Revelation 3:10)
—At least those of “the church in
This
time of testing and tribulation is also known as Jacob’s trouble. Jeremiah 30:7,11ff
One view
regarding the tribulation is that all of it takes place after the Church is
taken out, and does not involve the bride of Christ, the Church.
Many who
disagree with this position call it a “second chance,” and try to refute it by
saying, “there is no second chance.”
However, it’s always easier to fight a straw man than to address an
issue squarely. No pre-trib-pre-millennialist I have ever read or heard maintains
there will be any “second chance.” There
is no “second chance” to become a part of Christ’s Church.
“When the Church is taken out,
there are no more entries. This is His
Bride. There will be guests at the
marriage supper, but there will be the bride, i.e. The Church. The fact that many Israelites will come
through the tribulation and be with Jehovah at the end does not disturb me, nor
does it disturb the plan and Word of God.
Even if you believe (as does Brother. [Dr. E.E.]
-W.R.Golden, Evangelist
This is
not a “second chance.”
“Who would want to contemplate
suffering through World Church & Government and 'the mark' just for a
second chance? ...Revelation 7:9 reveals those saved after the Church era
[could include] ... Gentiles.”
-W.R.Golden, Evangelist
The
Church is not therefore an afterthought in this scenario, as some contend; it
is the Bride of Christ. This fits well
with the vision of the New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem described by
the Apostle John in the last two chapters of Revelation. John reveals a distinction between new
Jerusalem’s residents (the bride of Christ) and those who enter into it
temporarily (the Nations).
To
maintain that the only ones God can save from now on are those who are part of
Christ’s Church, even after the Church is taken out, and even in the light of
promises to Israel, is both egotistical and arrogant.
Paul
tells us in Romans 11:11-32, God can, and will, graft Israel in again. If God could graft us into the tree in the
first place, and graft Israel back into the tree in the second place, who are
we to put our limitations on His saving grace by prescribing what God can and
cannot do? (Romans 11:23-36) God can
save all who put their faith in Him. (Romans 11:32) Think of the faith it would require to put
your trust in the Almighty God during the ridicule, torment, and torture of The
Great Tribulation.
Jesus
said in John 10:16 there are sheep from more than one pen. We (Christians) are included in the other
sheep, but Jesus has not limited His other sheep to “Christians.” He has left
it open to include all whom He might choose to include. Remember the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43)
was not a Christian, but Jesus saved him.
In Acts
18:9-10, the Lord tells Paul to not be afraid because He has many people in the
city of Corinth. This suggests a
relationship between God and specific individuals that was outside the
Christian framework. While not
necessarily a “saving” relationship, it is an example of God working directly
with men as He chooses.
Under
the current age, for you to invoke the saving grace, you must come through
Jesus (John 14:6) and belong to the body of Christ (Acts 20:28; Ephesians
5:25). In the tribulation, faith in
Christ as God’s Son may still carry a saving grace. Either way, no man comes to the Father but
through Jesus.[7] Who are we to limit God’s grace? (Matthew 20:1-16; 1Timothy 2:2)
The
Jewish clock has been paused until God harvests the Gentiles and the times of
the Gentiles are fulfilled. As mentioned
above, this period is when Jesus brings in the sheep from His other flock. (See Luke 21:24, Ezekiel 30:3, Romans 11:23,
Romans 11:25, and Revelation 11:2.)
Prophecy
says Israel will be restored and no longer persecuted. God says the wicked will not oppress them any
more (2Samuel 7:10-11) and that Israel will be restored to their land.
(Jeremiah 30:3) All of Israel will be made alive again. (Ezekiel 37:11-12)
These
prophecies have never been fulfilled.
These conditions have never happened.
Are they meaningless prophecies, or will the events yet occur? Some say they refer to the restoration in
Ezra, but that restoration only involved the house of Judah. The scripture clearly states “the whole house
of Israel” (all 12 tribes) will be restored.
(Ezekiel 39:25 and Ezekiel 37:21-22)
See also Ezekiel chapter 38 and Amos 9:11-15.
Are
these just the wishful desires of a downtrodden people, or are they promises of
God?
Israel
has never returned (Jeremiah 29:10), only fractions of Israel at different
times. The gathering we see today is the
closest the world has seen to Israel’s return to Jerusalem.
Jeremiah
30:8-9 says the LORD will raise up “David”, and we understand this to mean
Jesus Christ. The prophecy concerns a
time after Christ’s resurrection, so the restoration cannot refer to any Old
Testament event. On the other hand, if
“David” does not refer to Christ, when did the LORD raise up David?
Finally,
Romans 11:26 clearly indicates God still has a plan for
Perhaps
we’re a bit too egotistical when we believe the Church is God’s entire
plan. Do we believe God has told us
everything? How much do you think God
has not told us? Everything God has told
us is true, and it will occur just as He said, but He has not told us
everything. Let us not be presumptuous
in our conclusions.
As we
pointed out before, Jesus said there are sheep from more than one pen. (John
10:16) Since we (the Christians) are
included in the “other sheep,” it easily allows for the Israelites to still be
considered part of the flock.
Daniel 9:24-27
24
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish
the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for
iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to
restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven
weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the
wall, even in troublous times.
26
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for
himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end
of the war desolations are determined.
27
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
(KJV)
In case that seems a bit obscure, here
it is from the NIV:
24
"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish
transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in
everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the
most holy.
25
"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven
'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench,
but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will
be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will
destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will
continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a
covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an
end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an
abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out
on him."
J. R. Clark on the Seventy
Sevens:[8]
Daniel
thought this 70 years was just about over and began prying
to God.
70
weeks decreed …to
finish transgression, to make an end of sin.
(Daniel 9:24) The Hebrew word
here for weeks means “sevens” (like our word “dozen”).
This is not units of weeks, i.e. 490 years is meant. Gabriel comes to him and clarifies this. God has decreed that seven times seventy
years will elapse before the promised blessing (six blessings are promised in
v.24). Daniel is then told that from the
restoring of
Then
Gabriel breaks up the 70 weeks into 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week. Nehemiah chapter 2, the rebuilding of
Jerusalem is initiated and the 70 weeks begins.
69 weeks were to take “unto
the anointed one, the prince”
—Christ
483 years counting from 445. Prophetic
years being reckoned as 360 days, this takes us to Jesus' Triumphal Entry in
Luke 19.
· Do
the weeks run consecutively? What is
their end?
· No. The Jewish clock runs continuously through
the 62 weeks and then stops [remember, 7 weeks came before the 62 weeks]. Daniel 9:26
· After
69 weeks, the anointed one is cut off and shall have nothing.
· “This
is a ‘time out’ for a new era. The
Church age, the calling in of the Gentiles
· At
the beginning of the 70th week (v.27) the spotlight again goes to
the Jews.
Two
things happen after [the end of] the 69th week.
1.
The anointed one is cut off (Isaiah 53:8)
2.
Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but
not for himself: and the people of the
prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the
end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined. KJV (70 AD Destruction of Jerusalem by Rome) A period of 40 years. The 7th week is only 7 years. There must be a gap between the 69th
and 70th weeks. “Also, when
the 70th week is concluded, all such desolations are to bring in
everlasting righteousness.” (Daniel
9:24)
The
“prince that shall come” is a Roman prince – that is, not Christ. Why couldn’t Christ have been the one who
came and made a covenant (1st 3½ years being his Ministry…)?
1.
Christ made no 7 year commitment
2.
Structure of the passage (vv.26 & 27) indicates “he” is a prince in the
future.
3.
Destruction of Jerusalem 40 years after the 69th week does not fit
into the 70th week (the last 7 years).
4.
The remaining 3½ years are pointless.
They head nowhere. No sins are
forgiven at their end, no blessing occurs, and etc.
The
“Many” are the Jews for the prophecy is about Daniel’s people (v.24) The “coming Prince” will turn out to be an
enemy of the Jews. He will break the
covenant in the middle of the week.
Wrath is poured out unto the full end —3½ years. (Daniel 7; Revelation 12, 13 — a time, times,
and half a time, 1260 days, 42 months.)
God says
He will completely destroy all the nations in which
If this
simply refers to the final coming of Christ, all of this must happen in one
day. When does God give them over to
slaughter? Is it instantaneous?
Revelation
6:14 talks about the sky being rolled back like a scroll. I believe the stars being dissolved and the
sky being rolled up like a scroll are events that will be finalized by the
final return of Christ to earth. Between
now and then, there has to be time for the destruction of the great city. (Revelation 18:19) There has to be time for fleeing (Revelation
6:15) ...and running and screaming.
God told
David through the Psalms that His line and throne will endure forever. (Psalm
89:34-37)
The
“abomination that causes desolation,” is declared by Jesus as something that
will occur as the definitive sign of the end times. (Matthew 24:15-22, Mark
13:14, 19-20, Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, Daniel 12:11) Could it be Islam, or an accommodation to
Islam on a “wing of the temple”?
When
Jesus “catches up” His church, He will not come to earth at that time. Instead, we will meet him in the clouds, as
we have seen previously (1Thessalonians 4:13-18). When He does come to earth, His feet will
rest on the Mount of Olives. The Mount
of Olives will divide and living water will flow from it (Zechariah 14:2-11). For those who believe all of the end time
events occur on a single last day, will this happen on “the last day?” If not, when will it happen or when did it
ever occur? Was the prophet wrong?
This
will happen at the end of The Great Tribulation, at the beginning of the
Thousand-year reign of peace.
(Revelation 20:2-7)
Jesus spoke
of the age to come (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30), and others
described “ages,” but what did they mean by ages and the age to come?
What ages have taken place in the world
so far?
There have been six ages in the world
up to now:[9]
1. Edenic age -ended
with expulsion from the garden
2. Antediluvian age
-ended with the flood
3. Postdiluvian age
-ended with the call & promise of Abraham
4. Abrahamic age
-ended with giving of the Law
5. Mosaic age -ended
with either Christ’s birth, or the resurrection, depending on your
perspective.
6.
Christian age -the current age. Matthew
13:49: This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and
separate the wicked from the righteous
7. Millennial age
-The age to come ends with death being abolished
The age to come will be ushered in by
the Messiah. (Revelation 11:15; Daniel 7:13-14)
It must take place after this age, because Christ’s
birth/life/death/resurrection ushered in this age, but the present age is evil
(Galatians 1:4). John has stated
the length of the age to come — a thousand years. In
the same way Jesus, while on earth, did not know the day or the hour, Paul and
Peter were not given this information.
Jesus was to go to heaven until the times of restoration of all things.
(Matthew 12:32; Matthew 10:30; Luke 18:30; Ephesians
1:21)
According
to Acts 3:21, Jesus will not return until
it is time to restore all things.
This is
a place where the post-millennial and a-millennial views fail. Both of these viewpoints make the present age
the final age. If this age is the final
age, when is the restoration, spoken of in Acts 3:21, to take place, and when
is the age to come?
Many of
the teachers of post- and a-millennialism will freely state that these are the
“last days,” and that the “last days” began at the birth of Christ. This is a position with which I generally
agree. Even if the last days include two
ages, they’re still “the last days.”
However, they refuse to acknowledge the inconsistency that results in
considering Christ’s statements about the age to come if there is no age to
come. The very fact that Jesus uses the
word “age”’ to describe the time period after this time period indicates that,
as in previous “ages,” it is a specific time with a definite duration. If Jesus had been referring to eternity
future, He wouldn't have called it an age.
The age to come is the thousand year reign of peace.
In
consideration of Acts 2:16-21, while it is true “this is what was spoken by the
prophet Joel,” Peter did not say this fulfilled (as in “completed”) Joel’s
prophecy. Instead, it is clear from the
context that this was only the beginning of the foretold events, not their
conclusion. For example, the Spirit was
poured out upon them, and they began to prophesy. Were any of them dreaming or seeing visions
at that moment? Were the dreams and
visions fulfilled at the time of Peter’s statements? No, the dreams and visions spoken of by the
prophet must have come later. Did
prophecy cease on the day of Pentecost?
Certainly not. Were there
wonders in heaven with blood, fire, and billows of smoke, as indicated by the
prophecy? Did the sun become dark and
the moon turn to blood? Luke did not
record any such events having occurred; neither did any of the other New
Testament writers. Since they have not
occurred, the prophecy has not yet reached fulfillment.
You may
ask, “What is meant by the last days, then?”
These are the last days of man’s time; the last age in which evil
reigns. As we have discussed previously,
and as John has recorded, in the age to come, our Lord will reign for a
thousand years of peace.
Some
might say, “The age to come is when we will be in Heaven or on the New Earth in
New Jerusalem.” However, John clearly
tells us in Revelation 20:3, 5 & 21:1-5 that the New Earth and New
Jerusalem come after the thousand years have ended.
If the
Lord’s return does not include the Great Tribulation or a millennial reign,
when do the following events take place?
• All
who do not worship the beast are killed Revelation 13:15
• Mark
on hand or forehead Revelation 13:16-17; 14:9;16:2
• Temple
rebuilt Daniel 8:13; 9:24-27; 2Thessalonians 2:3-4
•
Dividing of Mount of Olives Zechariah 14:2, 4
• Land
of Israel made flat Zechariah 14:10
•
Jerusalem will be secure Zechariah 14:11
• 1000
year reign Revelation 5:10
• 7
years covenant 3½ of peace then broken Daniel 9:24-27
• “Hour
of testing upon the whole world” Revelation 3:10; Luke 21:35
• The
Great Tribulation Revelation 7:14
• Fiery
hail Revelation 8:7
• Sea to
blood Revelation 8:8; 16:3
• Waters
bitter Revelation 8:11
• Sun to
scorch people Revelation 16:8
•
Darkness Revelation 16:10
•
Earthquake like no other Revelation 16:18
• Great
“city” split into 3 parts, other cities collapsed Revelation 16:19
•
Islands & mountains gone Revelation 16:20
• 100
lb. Hailstones Revelation 16:21
• Sun, moon, stars struck Revelation
8:12
• Death
eludes men Revelation 9:6
•
200,000,000 horsemen Revelation 9:16
• Two
witnesses 1260 days Revelation 11:3
• Dead 3½ days called to heaven,
Revelation 11:11
• The
Beast Revelation 13:4,8
It’s
simply not possible that these prophecies have taken place without our
notice. If they do not take place, do we
just throw out these scriptures? If you
believe there will only be one final day, all these events must take place
before that day, if they are to take place at all.
Strangely
enough, the “Single-Last-Day” scenario has exactly the same flaw as some accuse
Tim LaHay’s scenario of the pre-millennial
pre-tribulation rapture of having if any of the above are yet to occur. That is, “The Lord can’t return if the event
hasn’t occurred yet.”
However,
an accurate representation of the pre-millennial position does not have this
problem, because the Church is taken out before any of this, or at any time
during.
The many
topics discussed in this article can be overwhelming. For the sake of tying it all together, here I
include a summary of the events of the End Times as I see them. This list is subject to revision as new
information comes to light..
My
summarization of the events:
1. Jesus
appears in the clouds and “catches up” His Church. He does not touch the earth at this
time. 1Thessalonians 4:16-17
1. a.
2. Some
“believers” (not necessarily Christians) suffer Tribulation. However, they do seem to be called “saints”
in Revelation.
Revelation
2:10; 7:14; 13:10; 14:12; 20:4;
Jeremiah
30:7; Daniel 7:25; 11:35
Nevertheless, while all Christians are
saints, not all saints are Christians.
2.a.
Some will not... Revelation 3:10; 3:16; 2Peter 2:9;
3.
Temple rebuilt: 2Thessalonians 2:4
4. At
this point the agreement with Israel is broken (Daniel’s 70th week) Daniel
9:24-27
5.
Battle ensues — evil against Jerusalem Zechariah 14:2
Plagues & wrath of God
here? Revelation chapters 6; 9; 11; 15; 16; 18
6. At a
future point, Return of Christ. Jesus actually touches earth and Mount of Olives
divides to north and south, land is changed Zechariah 14:4,10
7. Satan
bound for 1000 years. Revelation 20:2, 4
8. Jesus
sets up 1000 year reign. Revelation
20:4-6, 10
9.
Christians rule the nations
Revelation 2:26
10.
Satan is loosed to wage war by leading “the nations” against the Saints on
earth. Revelation 20:7-9;
Revelation
19:19
Plagues & wrath of God
here?
11. God
vs. Satan battle Revelation 20:9
12. Rest
of the dead are raised. Revelation 20:5
13.
Judgment of the world Revelation
20:11-15
14. New
earth & New Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:8-11; Revelation 3:12; 21:2; 21:18
Based on
the information presented in this article, which has been derived from the Word
of God, we can draw the following conclusions:
• The resurrection of the righteous
will be separate from the unrighteous.
• The living saints will be raptured immediately after the
righteous dead are resurrected.
• Baptism is not the first resurrection.
• The Rapture is not the Lord’s return to earth for
judgment.
• There will be a thousand year reign
on this earth.
• Satan is not now bound.
• The man of lawlessness has not been
revealed.
• The Holy Spirit is still here.
• Christians will be removed before the
man of lawlessness is revealed or immediately after.
• There will be a reign of the beast.
• There will be a Great Tribulation.
• 70 AD was not the Great Tribulation.
• Going through the Great Tribulation
is not a “second chance.”
• The times of the Gentiles are not
complete.
• We are in the last days, but then, we
have been since New Testament times.
As I
said at the start, this was not intended to be a study of the book of
Revelation, nor was it to be an exhaustive expose on prophecy. The intent is to discuss the subjects of the resurrection, the
rapture, the millennium, and the tribulation.
Entire lives have been devoted to understanding the book of Revelation
and the end times, but at the very least I have demonstrated that the
resurrection, the rapture, the millennium, and the tribulation are scriptural
concepts. Any explanation of the end
times must address these concepts. May
God bless you in your pursuit of understanding these things.
[1] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon Electronic
Data Base Copyright © 2000 by Biblesoft
[2] From The Pemillennial Position of the Primitive Church, J. R. Clark, The Word and Work, 1958
[3] From the DVD “25
Unusual Signs of Christ’s Second Coming,” Perry
Stone, Jr., Evangelist
[4] Note: First there has to be a temple.
[5] Concept from Escape from the Great Tribulation, Stanford Chambers.
[6] Concept from Escape from the Great Tribulation, Stanford Chambers.
[7] Note:
Even this does not prevent God from working an independent act of salvation in
special cases. While “no man comes to
the Father but through Jesus,” the Father can still do as He will, and can
reach out to man as it suits Him. This
wouldn’t be man coming to God, but God reaching to man.
[8] Summarized from The Pre-millennial Position of the
Primitive Church, J. R. Clark, The Word and Work, 1958, pp.46-49
[9] Taken from Escape from the Great Tribulation, Stanford Chambers.