Are We Living in the Great Tribulation Time Now?

I believe that God is doing something huge spiritually right now in the midst of this worldwide pandemic and all of the historic floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters we have witnessed in recent years.

I’m sure there is a lot more going on than I can possibly know, but three things I do believe God is doing:

  1. God is refining His people and purifying us from sin, making us more like Christ.
  2. God is sending out a massive wake up call to unbelievers to be saved through Jesus.
  3. God is setting the stage for the rapture and the Great Tribulation.

I believe that Scripture most supports a Pre-Tribulation rapture. (I realize different believers have different perspectives on this. And that is fine. I am not demanding that anyone take my word for anything. Please search the Bible yourself and come to your own conclusions.)

God’s Timeline

Here is my understanding of God’s timeline according to Scripture.

  1. The Church Age/ the Age of Grace—This is where we are now. Grace is still available. People can still come to Jesus and be saved and all who do so will be spared from the Great Tribulation.
  2. The Rapture of the Church—Jesus comes suddenly in the clouds to catch believers away in the twinkling of an eye. (Luke 17:34-37, 1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Thess. 4:16-18, 1 Thess. 5:9, )
  3. The Great Tribulation— A 7 year period during which the Anti-Christ rules over the entire world. There will be a one-world government, one-world false religion, and one-world cashless economy. It starts when the Anti-Christ confirms a 7-year peace treaty with Israel including allowing them to rebuild their temple on the Temple Mount. All the people on earth must receive a “Mark of the Beast” to allow them to buy or sell anything. But to receive the mark, they must worship him as god. People will come to know Christ during this time, but believers will be martyred. Three and a half years into the treaty, The Anti-Christ demands to be worshipped as God in their temple. They realize he is not their Messiah. Israel goes into hiding. There are terrible judgments of God poured out over all the people of the earth, especially during the last 3.5 years. (Daniel 9, Daniel 12, Matt. 24, 2 Thess. 2:3-4) Rev. 7:14, Rev. 13:1-18
  4. The Millennial Reign of Christ—Israel finally repents and acknowledges that Jesus is their Messiah. He returns in the sky with His saints riding with Him and He defeats the world’s armies who have assembled at Armageddon with a Word from His mouth. He enters into the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem and begins the Millennial Reign on earth for 1000 years. Satan is bound. (Isa 2:2-4, Isa. 11:6-9, Rev. 20)
  5. Satan Is Released—There is one more great battle between good and evil. (Rev. 20:1-3)
  6. The Great White Throne Judgement—Jesus judges all the living and the dead people from all of history. He casts those who have rejected Him into the lake of fire, the second death, where they will suffer for eternity. He also casts the defeated Satan and his demons into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. His people are received into heaven to rejoice with Him as the Bride of Christ and to enjoy paradise forever. (Rev. 20:11-15)

Where Are We Now?

We are not in the Great Tribulation, as the Bible describes it, yet. But we are in a time of tribulation. Jesus said (in Matthew 24) that as the Great Tribulation draws closer, there will be more frequent and more intense “birth pangs” including:

  • Earthquakes in various places
  • Wars/hatred/tension between nations/ethnic groups
  • Wars and rumors of wars
  • Pestilences (plagues)
  • Famines in various places
  • False Christs
  • Christian persecution and martyrdom
  • False prophets
  • Great deception/mass delusion
  • Major heresies in the church
  • Increase of wickedness
  • The love of most will grow cold
  • The gospel will be preached to the whole world

Some other biblical signs that the Great Tribulation is drawing near are things like:

  • Israel will become a nation again all in one day. (Ezek. 37)
  • People will be abusive, evil, and very fleshly (1 Tim. 3:1-5)
  • Knowledge will greatly increase (Dan. 12:4)
  • A Great Apostasy where many deliberately rebel against God and His word and truth and believe lies and delusions, instead (1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Thess. 2:3)
  • Many will scoff at the second coming of Christ (2 Pet. 3:3-4)
  • The Roman Empire will revive and have a leader (that’s Europe today). (Daniel 7)

There are many signs that the rapture and the Great Tribulation are coming much closer. But what we are experiencing right now with this global pandemic coronavirus is not the Great Tribulation. It is merely a foretaste of what is coming. God did not appoint His people to wrath (1 Thess. 5:9)

What Happens During the Great Tribulation?

During the Great Tribulation, a large percentage of the world’s human population will die, perhaps around 50%. There will be severe plagues, wars, disasters, astronomical signs, and other divine punishments poured out on people.

The Seven Seals (www.gotquestions.org):

  1. The appearance of the Antichrist (Revelation 6:1–2)
  2. Great warfare (Revelation 6:3–4)
  3. Famine (Revelation 6:5–6)
  4. Plague (Revelation 6:7–8)
  5. The martyrdom of believers in Christ (Revelation 6:9–11),
  6. A devastating earthquake causing terrible devastation, and astronomical upheaval—the moon turns blood red, the sun turns black, something like stars fall from the heavens (Revelation 6:12–14).
  7. The seventh seal introduces the seven trumpet judgments. 

Between Seals 5 and 6:

There will be two witnesses from God in Jerusalem during the Great Tribulation who have the power to send plagues on the world and who preach for people to repent. Eventually, the people kill these prophets from God and their bodies lay in the street rotting for three days. The people on earth celebrate and give each other gifts because these men are dead. Then God resurrects them and calls them up to heaven in full view of the entire world. (Rev. 11:1-14) Then the earthquake happens— 7,000 people die and 1/10 of the city falls.

The Seven Trumpet Judgements (www.gotquestions.org)

  1. Hail and fire destroy much of the plant life in the world (Revelation 8:7)
  2. A third of the sea turns to blood, 1/3 of ships are destroyed, 1/3 of ocean life dies (Revelation 8:8–98:10–11)
  3. A third of all freshwater is poisoned (Rev. 8:10)
  4. A third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened (Revelation 8:12)
  5. A plague of “demonic locusts” that torture the unsaved and sting them for 5 months (Revelation 9:1–11)
  6. The march of a demonic army that kills a third of humanity (Revelation 9:12–21).
  7. The seventh trumpet calls forth seven angels who carry the seven bowls of God’s wrath (Revelation 11:15–1915:1–8).

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath (www.gotquestions.org)

  1. “Ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Revelation 16:2)
  2. The ocean turns to blood and “every living thing in the sea died” (Revelation 16:3)
  3. The rivers and freshwater springs also turn into blood (Revelation 16:4–5)
  4. “The sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat” (Revelation 16:8–9)
  5. Great darkness. The pain and suffering of the wicked intensify so that people gnaw their tongues in agony (Revelation 16:10–11)
  6. The Euphrates River is dried up in preparation for the kings of the East making their way to their own destruction at Armageddon (Revelation 16:12)
  7. An extremely severe, world-record global earthquake happens. Cities around the world collapse. Islands disappear. Mountains fall. Jerusalem splits into 3 parts. 100-pound hailstones fall on people. (Rev. 16:17-21)

There will be people who come to know Jesus during the Great Tribulation, but they will be martyred. It will be an extremely difficult time to follow Jesus.

What Should We Do Now?

God did not provide us with this information to scare us but to help us be prepared.

We are to respond by trusting in Him and living by faith in Him, not fear. No matter what happens or what we believe about the biblical timeline of end time events, God’s desire for us is that we be prepared to meet Him at any moment. That’s what really matters.

Today is the day of salvation!

2 Cor. 6:2

If you don’t follow Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, I invite you to make things right with Him today.

When you yield your life to Jesus, you can truly live in His supernatural peace and joy even when it seems like the world has gone completely crazy.

Then let’s focus on loving and serving God wholeheartedly and loving and serving others. Let’s share the love and truth of Christ so many other people can enter the Kingdom of heaven and be saved!

We are to be about our Father’s business as we wait for Jesus to gather His people at the Rapture. And we are to lift up our heads as the signs show us that the time is drawing near. Let’s use this precious time wisely, dear sisters!

How to Have a Saving Relationship with Christ—the ABCs of Salvation

  1. Admit you are a sinner and you can’t be perfect and holy enough in God’s eyes to be right with Him on your own. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23
  2. Believe that Jesus died on your behalf to pay the price for your sin and to give you a way to be right with God – to be forgiven. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Rom. 6:23
  3. Confess that Jesus is your Lord – this means, Jesus is now your Master and you live your life for Him and His glory rather than for yourself. You say it out loud to others and you live it from now on. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.” Rom. 10:9-10

God’s Incredible Plan for You!

RESOURCES

The Peaceful Wife book (for wives who want to make the most of the time they have with their husbands and work on becoming the wives God calls them to be.)

Major Events Preceding the Second Coming of Christ www.bible.org

What Is the Rapture? By Billy Graham

Signs of the End of the World – by Billy and Franklin Graham

What Is Going to Happen According to End Times Prophecy? by www.gotquestions.org

Is Jesus Coming Soon? www.gotquestions.org

What are the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls in the Book of Revelation? www.gotquestions.org

Behold Israel (Amir Tsafati on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)

35 comments

  1. In Luke 21, After Jesus describes all the bad stuff that is going to happen, He says this:

    Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. – Luke 21:36

    Escape.
    All these things.
    Escape all the things.

    This is the verse I cling to. Thought I’d share, in case others would also find it helpful.

    Hang tough, everyone.

    1. Yes! The rapture is our blessed hope. We are to encourage one another with the knowledge that we, who follow Christ, will not have to go through the Great Tribulation. And this should give us great urgency to share the Gospel with others so that they can be spared from the wrath of God and from hell, as well.

      Thank you for sharing these precious words from Jesus.

      Much love to you!

      Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

      4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thess. 5

  2. Hi April; I was wondering about these things as well. I don’t really have a position on the whole pre trib post trib debate although I would hope it would be pre trib . That would certainly be preferable to going through all that the bible describes as happening once there is a one world government.

    One thing I wondered about was the idea of delusion. It is possible for a Christian to fall under delusion due to sin and be recovered from it?

    1. as for the pre-trib/post trib/mid trib debate i once heard this bit of wisdom from an elderly christian lady who had been through a lot herself—she said she was PAN-TRIB—-.meaning it was all going to PAN OUT the way god wanted it to.

    2. SevenTimes,

      Prophecy is there to help us prepare, but it always makes a lot more sense to us after the fact,

      Christians can fall prey to delusions and skewed thinking, yes. And a Jesus can help them overcome it and heal. Is that what you mean?

      ????❤️????

      1. Yes pretty much. The idea of being under a delusion is scary. I suppose its similar to the biblical idea of there being a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is in death. That’s what is so scary about it, that one can think they are in the right and totally believe that they have heard from God when its an angel of ight, or be convinced that they are right when they are wrong, or that they are going to heaven and are really godly people when in fact, they may be so corrupted that they cannot detect and hate their sin. Scary stuf.

        Because its been spoken of as a judgement of God when people wind up under a delusion, its a pretty scary thought that there might not be a way out of it. I am sure it can happen to Christians as well as non Christians because of the deceitfulness of sin and the enemy and our flesh working together. So one would hope, that if you got an inkling that perhaps you were being affected by some manner of delusion, that you could ask God for help in breaking its power and receive it. I hope that doesn’t sound too silly but its what I was wondering about. I am pretty sure I have experienced something like that and am still battling it. I have at times walked face first into some of satan’s traps, where I had some idea that something spiritual was going on but hadn’t the sense to stop and go Whoa! What is going on and waited on God until I had clear sight. But rather walked on despite warnings or inklings and got ensnared.

        I remember wondering that about King Saul as well. Because of his disobedience , he fell under the influence of a tormenting spirit. His end was not good. I always wondered, could Saul have repented and been recovered? Anyway that’s what I am wondering about. Hopefully that’s not too negative or disturbing for anyone.

        1. SevenTimes,

          There are many reasons people can fall under delusions and lies of the enemy.

          1. They can reject God and His truth and God gives them over to a powerful delusion (Rom. 1).
          2. They can be taught false doctrine by false teachers.
          3. They can develop skewed thinking that goes uncorrected even if they are in a Bible-teaching church.
          4. They can cherish sin in their hearts which dulls the conscience, grieves the Spirit, and makes it difficult to discern God’s voice.

          We all have skewed thinking and lies we must address from when we were growing up. We all have a lifelong journey to have greater understanding of the truth and love of God.

          If you want to get rid of delusion, I believe there are several keys:

          1. Pray and ask God to expose any delusion and to help you rightly discern truth and rightly handle His Word.
          2. Listen to solid Bible-teaching and humbly seek to receive all of the truth of God and to trash any lies.
          3. Be willing to repent of anything you know of that is sin immediately.
          4. Be willing to yield full control of your life to Christ, even if it feels scary.
          5. Surround yourself with strong believers who can mentor you, pray with you, and correct you.

          My book, The Peaceful Mom, has a whole chapter about handling skewed thinking that could be a blessing to some who are struggling with lies and delusions.

  3. Lol Susan. I remember hearing J. Vernon McGee say in his laconic southern drawl, regarding pre, mid or post trib, that ” It don’t matter where the launch pad is as long as you is on it”.

  4. Totally agree with your timeline but where does it say 1/4 of the population will die during the trib just curious :).

    1. Kevin,

      Thanks for catching that, I think it will actually be a lot more than that in the end. I’ll correct it and see if I can find a more accurate total.

        1. Yeah it will be a ton regardless of the exact number, people need to get right with God now you just never know.

  5. Those who are “taken” are the evil ones (deep state) that Trump is removing. The ones “left behind” will be her for the kingdom that comes down from heaven to earth. This is why people don’t understand Revelation. They think the ones who are taken are the saved ones. But in reality, God’s kingdom will comes down to earth from heaven. Those “taken” are taken away, thrown in prison or otherwise dealt with. They are “taken” out of our midst. Believe what you will, but I will not be a part of helping to misguide the flock.

    1. Linda Camp,

      It would really take more than a comment on a blog to adequately address the complexities of the end times and the prophecies found in the Bible. This is not a salvation issue, thankfully. And it is, admittedly, much easier to understand prophecy after the fact than before it happens. Still, God has given us almost 1/3 of the Bible as prophecy so that we will be prepared and not alarmed when things happen according to His sovereign plan.

      I’m grateful that believers in Christ can have respectful discussions about controversial or confusing topics and still love one another and trust that the Lord will handle the details and He will accomplish all of His purposes in the end.

      I love that you love the Lord and that you want to handle His Word rightly. I do, too!

      There is certainly the spirit of the AntiChrist at work, getting ready for the Tribulation time. We can see that in the news every day!

      Those who follow the Beast, (the AntiChrist), will be left out of the Millennial Reign of Christ, for sure. They will suffer God’s wrath during that 7 year period and will not experience the blessings of the Kingdom. How I long for everyone to come to Jesus now while they can.

      Scripture does talk about believers being “caught up” to meet Jesus suddenly in the air. And that we are to be ready every day because we don’t know when the Lord may come. That is the Rapture which happens, in my understanding, before the Tribulation time.

      Several of many scriptures supporting the Rapture of the Church:
      – Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17
      – Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Rev. 3:10
      – For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thess. 4:16
      – For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thess. 5:9

      Posts about the Rapture:
      https://billygraham.org/answer/what-is-the-rapture/
      https://www.gotquestions.org/search.php?zoom_sort=0&zoom_query=rapture

      There will also be Tribulation Saints, in my understanding. These are people who were not raptured with the Church but who come to Christ during the Tribulation and who are martyred for Christ, for the most part. The ones who will refuse to worship the Beast and will refuse His mark. They will take part in the 1000 year reign of Jesus on earth.

      – Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Rev. 20:4
      – Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. … Rev. 20:1-15

      Posts about the Millennial Kingdom of Christ:
      https://www.gotquestions.org/millennium.html

      Then there will be the new heaven and the new earth and the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven like a bride ready for her Bridegroom after the final battle with Satan at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ.

      – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” … Rev. 21:1-27

      Article on the New Jerusalem
      https://www.gotquestions.org/new-jerusalem.html

      Much love in Christ to you, dear sister.

      May the Lord direct our steps and may we love Him and love one another with His love. May He show us how to rightly handle His Word that He might be praised and glorified.

      Blessings!

      1. There is no pretribulation rapture. The verses you quote do not say that there will be a pretribulation rapture. You might like to read my post on this subject.

        1. Anthony,
          Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject.

          I realize there are different interpretations about eschatology and the rapture and Second Coming of Christ.

          This is not a salvation issue. But it is one that can either help believers to be ready daily or make them think they have plenty of time and don’t have to live for Christ in an urgent way.

          The things that compel me to embrace the Pre-Tribulation Rapture concept are:

          1. Jesus spoke often about being ready because “you do not know the day or the hour.”

          – Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matt 24:44
          – Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matt. 25:13
          – You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Luke 12:40
          – and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess. 1:10

          If we don’t need to be ready except for at the end of the Great Tribulation, we would know when Jesus would come, 7 years after the signing of the Peace Treaty between the AntiChrist and Israel and there would be no need to tell us to always be ready for His appearing. In that case, I believe He would tell us to be ready when the AntiChrist was in place.

          2. Paul and the apostles expected the return of Christ in their lifetimes as if it were imminent, and we should also be prepared.

          3. Jewish marriage customs point to a pre-tribulation rapture.

          https://www.gotquestions.org/Jewish-wedding-traditions.html

          4. The Lord doesn’t generally pour out His wrath on those who are faithful to Him.

          – Noah and his family
          – Lot and his family (God said if there were even 10 righteous in the city, He would not destroy it.)
          – Israel (during the plagues in Egypt)
          – Those who mourned over the sin of Judah and Jerusalem were sent to exile, not killed in God’s wrath in Ez. 9. (God said if there were even 1 righteous in the city, He would forgive and not destroy it.)
          – Jeremiah and his scribe were spared
          – The 144,000 Jews whose foreheads will be marked during the Tribulation in Rev. 7. (No mention of Christians here.)

          5. Jesus’ promises to His faithful followers:
          Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Rev. 3:10
          if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 2 Pet. 2:9

          6. The church is not mentioned as being on earth again against after Revelation 3 until Rev. 22. Yes, there are “saints” who come to know Christ during that time and who suffer greatly and are martyred. But there is no additional mentioning of the church after the first 3 chapters were full of such references.

          7. I hardly think Paul would instruct the Thessalonians to “comfort one another with these words” about “our blessed hope” if we were going to go through the entire Tribulation. That would not be much comfort.

          I also think about how the Jews missed the first coming of Christ because they expected the Second Coming. There was no real distinction made in prophecy about that.

          The Restrainer holds back the AntiChrist until his appointed time. I believe that is the Holy Spirit in believers that holds him back. One huge purpose of the Tribulation is to bring Israel to repentance and to the place where they recognize Jesus as their Messiah. We already recognize Him as such. The other purpose is to pour out God’s wrath on unrepentant sinners. Believers shouldn’t be included in experiencing God’s wrath. We have repented and we love God. When God judges nations, it is always on unrepentant people that He pours out His wrath. If they repent, He withholds His wrath, as He did with Ninevah.

          But yes, I agree that believers should be ready for persecution. I believe that may come pretty quickly this year. All believers are to always be ready to suffer persecution for the Name of Jesus.

          Of course, there are many secrets of God that are much to wonderful for me to know. I trust God to do what is right and best for all of us.

          If we are here for the Tribulation, we will need to refuse the Mark of the Beast and we will be martyred. There will be special rewards for those who suffer for Christ during that time.

          My greatest prayer is that each of us might be ready daily to face the Lord if He calls us home or comes at any time and that we might be faithful to Him and fruitful for His kingdom, sharing His gospel and making disciples. May He find us faithful.

          Blessings!

  6. Here’s what Jesus says :
    Mat 24:29-31 Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
    30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
    31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

    Jesus does not arrive with an army of saints. He shall arrive with great power and glory.
    Then he sends angels to gather His elect with a great sound of a trumpet as Paul states in 1Thes 4 16-18

    Now let’s look at 1Thes 4 16-17
    16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
    17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

    This is the same event that Jesus describes in more detail in Mat 24. Paul clarifies the timing of this event in his second letter to the Thessalonians when he says that it will not happen until after the son of perdition sit’s in the temple.
    The Thessalonians had been deceived by a false doctrine which said that Jesus’ return was imminent and that He could return at any moment. The false doctrine which Paul had to refute was a version of the false pretribulation rapture being circulated today.

    In 1Thess 4:17 the word meet is a translation of the word ‘Apantesis’ which is a Greek word that was used to describe the meeting of a dignitary who was coming to a town. The custom was, that the townspeople would go out of the city to meet the dignitary and accompany him back into the town.

    So again we see 1Thess concurs with Christ’s description in Mat 24.

    The pretribulation rapture departs from the biblical account and complicates The Glorious event of Jesus’s return by saying He has to do it twice. They say, He has to come down from heaven only to have to return to heaven and wait and return again. This a nonsense that dilutes the biblical account of Jesus’ return.

    This false narrative is being pushed despite the fact that not one verse in the bible says that Jesus will return before the tribulation. I wonder why??

    Paul’s caution is as fresh today as it was when he wrote it. Please, read what Paul says and be saved from the false pretribulation rapture lie.

    2Thess 2:1:4
    1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
    2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
    3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
    4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
    So Jesus will not come until this event takes place.

    The false pre-tribulation rapture was invented by a Jesuit priest named Francisco Ribera (1537-1591). Ribera was commanded to create a new eschatological doctrine that would combat the historical Protestant view that the Catholic church was one of the beasts written of in the book of Revelation.

    I am trying to warn Christians not to be fooled by this false doctrine because I believe it is being used by the devil to deceive us so that he has less opposition when he is revealed as God with lying false signs and wonders.

    Christians who believe in a pretribulation rapture have been pacified and blinded and are not prepared for the horrific events that must unfold before we are gathered to Christ. I believe they have already succumbed to the spirit of delusion which is to come upon the world in the end times.

    1. April,

      I started reading this man’s comment in the email notification I received, and I started to freak out, b/c I thought it was you. hahaha

      Anthony,

      Hi.

      I have a question for you.

      Hebrews 9:28 says:

      so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto those who look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin, unto salvation.

      This cannot be referring to the Second Coming, as “every eye shall see”.

      So, putting Hebrews 9:28 with Luke 21:36, and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53:

      So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

      Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (He says this after describing a bunch of awful things that will happen)

      Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

      In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

      For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

      Am I saying there will not be persecution?

      Nope.

      But I am saying that we are /not/ appointed to the wrath of God, which I reckon can be argued to mean eternity in Hell itself, but I think it is referring to the latter half of the Tribulation, wherein God pours out His wrath upon the Earth.

      Second question, and it is a serious one – Why bother going around, peeing on the hope of those who /do/ believe in a Pre-Trib rapture? Is it b/c you are concerned that they will be soft, weak, not stand firm, and deny Christ? If that is to be, that will be. It is out of any of our hands.

      In my experience w/ internet people who do not believe in a pre-trib rapture, one of the – THE – key components of their argument is that Americans (in particular) have not suffered any “real” persecution, and therefore, somehow, ‘have it coming’, so to speak.

      To that I say – there are many, many people suffering in many different ways. Incessantly. Year after year after decade. And the fact that it is physical, emotional, mental adveraries, and not the baton of an overlord, makes it no less suffering. And I tend to wonder if those who hold this particular belief have not experienced any of those sufferings, for an extended period of time, and, therefore, feel as though they “owe” some suffering. Is that similar to how you feel?

      If my tone in any of this reads as nasty, or mean, it was not intended that way. My questions are serious. I’m not being a jerk.

      Have a good week.

      1. ramonaquimbylives,

        Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject.

        May we all be faithful to the Lord daily and walking closely with Him, ready for His will and to do anything that will glorify Him. I’m so glad to know He is sovereign over the end times and every time in history and that He will accomplish His good purposes and do what is ultimately best for us and for the Kingdom in His wisdom.

        Much love!

  7. Wonderful and thoughtful website and happy to see people still finding it as we approach the start of the 6001st year (torahcalendar.com). I used to think the rapture was a joke but a few years ago I studied and realized HE promised us the book of truth to be opened in the last days to clarify HIS returns, 2 events and 2 separate groups – the great multitude and the 144K who must endure the first 3.5 years. I hope some will find this website and look carefully at Daniel 11, revealing who the King of the N and S are and verses after verse happening now. Thanks for the blog and allowing my post.

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