It may be a sign of the end times that so many people are interested in prophecy, especially concerning the Second Coming of Christ. When I wrote about the rapture of the church last week, I promised that I’d say a word about its timing – pre, mid or post. So here it is.
In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus described events prior to His return as “great tribulation.” He also referred to the prophecy of Daniel, who predicted that the tribulation would be a period of seven years beginning with a covenant between the Antichrist and Israel. That seven year period, the Great Tribulation, is key to understanding the timing of the rapture.
It’s no surprise that Christians who are looking forward to the Rapture often have differing ideas about when that day will arrive. In recent years, the Post Tribulation theory has been gaining in popularity. This means that the Church will go through the Great Tribulation and then meet the Lord in the air while He is returning to earth to judge those who are left behind. Others think the Rapture will take place sometime during that seven year period.
This is all fine with me, because once we are on the way up everyone will know that the Rapture takes place BEFORE the Tribulation. Where does the Bible say that? Thanks for asking.
First of all, it’s important to understand God’s purpose in bringing great tribulation on this earth. The Tribulation is for and about Israel. Daniel said that it will begin with a covenant made with Israel. Jeremiah called it “the day of Jacob’s trouble.” Obviously, 70 pound hailstones can be a headache for everyone, and Gentile nations will be judged but the purpose will be so that “he (Jacob) shall be saved out of it.” (See Jeremiah 30:7 and Daniel 9:27) By the end of that seven year period, Jews will finally acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah and Savior as He assumes the throne of David.
This is what Paul meant when he said that “all Israel will be saved.” (See Romans 11:26.) Yes, many have tried to spiritualize Romans 11, but it seems clear to me that throughout this wonderful chapter “Israel” means Israel and “saved” means saved. If you understand the antipathy of many Jews today in regard to Christianity, perhaps you can understand that it will take some major upheaval for that change of heart to take place.
That’s also why the book of Revelation is structured as it is. In its first three chapters, the book is addressed to the churches, there are letters to seven churches, Jesus is seen walking in the midst of the churches. And yet when the graphic descriptions of the Tribulation are given (beginning with the scene in heaven in Chapter 4) the church is not even mentioned once. The entire focus is on Israel, the Jews, Jerusalem, the Temple. You’ll notice that in Revelation 7:3 John saw an angel who came to earth to seal the 144,000 servants of God, all from Israel. It can be interesting listening to explanations about why these particular Church members are not sealed, or were somehow “unsealed” and needed to be sealed again, but the clearest and simplest explanation is that the Church won’t be there. We’ll already be in heaven.
Yes, much more could be said. You’ll notice that I haven’t even mentioned foolish virgins, not being appointed to wrath, the restrainer being taken out of the way or not knowing the day or the hour. The important thing to understand, Church, is that the Tribulation is not about you. It’s about Israel. So, my mid, post, pre-wrath and even amill. friends, perhaps you should be listening for the last trumpet. See you on the way up.
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