I believe that the verses I have posted above represent those who are killed during the tribulation. The Fifth Seal clearly mentions people from every *tribe and nation*. If what I believe is true, there will be people saved during the tribulation, and they won't be all Jews.
I can't fathom God postponing the Rapture so that it occurs midway or at the end causing those already saved to go through all that will happen.
Stephen was killed for his testimony...Why would God cause him to have to be under the altar until the end of the Great Tribulation?
Christ stood and welcomed him into His home. Why would He then put him (Steven ) in a closet for 2000 years? I just can't imagine that at all.
I take my beliefs from Thessalonians (both books) and what I read here in Revelation.
However, I just can't see God allowing born again Christians to go through the Tribulation. BUT (big but) there is much room for thought in going through part of it.
The church isn't mentioned after Chapter 3 (popular thought) so maybe go through part of it? For right now I will call myself a premillialist.
Being a Premillennialist does not determine ones view of the timing of the rapture, but rather the view of the 1000 years after the Second Coming. I think you might have meant pre-trib.
Permalink Reply by RoyW on September 25, 2010 at 7:58am
Rita,
When you say the church is not mentioned after chapter 3, are you disassociating those you feel will get saved after the rapture from the church? If they are not a part of the church, who are they? No, the church is there right up to the point of the harvest. This would not prohibit a rapture prior to this but I don't think that makes a lot of sense. However, if you say the church is gone, then these people you are talking about must not be a part of the church. Thus, the question, "Who are they?"
They have to be a part of the church thus the church is still here during the tribulation.
However, if there is a rapture prior to the tribulation, I plan to be in it.
Permalink Reply by Carla on September 25, 2010 at 11:13am
Hi Roy,
I know your comment was directed towards Rita, but I feel that there needs to be a distinction of definitions regarding who the 'church' is compared to the 'gentiles' and the 'jews'.
The 'Jews' are the descendents of Abraham thru Isaac. They started out as Hebrews, became the 12 tribes of Israel, and near the close of the OT, and during the days of the NT, until now, have been called 'Jews'.
Gentiles are all the people of the world who are non-Jews. In the NT, a gentile is any lost member of the human race who is not a Jew.
The Church is composed up of individuals, Jew or Gentile, who have been born again by faith, and are covered by the blood of Christ.
Do you believe that every promise in the bible is for all people who believe?
Much of the bible is written for Israel. Some passages are written for the Gentiles, and much of it relates to the church.
So I guess I have two questions:
1) Do you interpret the bible literally?
2) Do you draw a distinction between Israel and the Church?
Permalink Reply by RoyW on September 25, 2010 at 12:09pm
Carla,
That is a shady area for me. I am a pre-millennialist. I do interpret the Bible literally. There are many areas I don't have figured out for sure. When the full number of the Gentiles are brought in - what does that mean? He goes on to say and so all Israel shall be saved. Is He speaking of the church or the nation of Israel. I guess I don't believe Israel will receive Christ until after the rapture/resurrection and then it will be too late for salvation in the sense we are saved. Jesus was very clear to the Jews. He let them know their father was not Abraham but was in fact the devil. If their father were Abraham they would accept who He was. Jesus said to them I and the Father are one. He told them before Abraham was, I am. They refused to accept Him. Hence, they are not the true sons of Abraham. They still do not accept Him today. The children of God believe in His Son. They are the true Israel.
Okay, now I am going to get it. However, God is God. He knows who are His and who are not. A remnant will be saved. We are grafted in with them and will rule with Him. What I believe after that gets a little weird as I believe the Jews will accept Christ after He comes but they will not be saved in the same sense as we.
Who or what will He rule over. And we are to rule with Him. Are we ruling over nature? The Bible speaks of a population of people in the millennium. There will be no abortion, no natural disasters, nothing that will hinder the population growth. By the end of the 1,000 years the population on this earth will be enormous. I believe many Jews survive the tribulation period. There may be some Gentiles as well. They are the ones that will populate the earth.
The Antichrist and false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire. Satan will be bound a 1,000 years. There will be peace on the earth but there will still be sin. Thus, the purpose of the rule and reign of Christ.
Whatever it is, it will be wonderful just being with Him.
Hi Roy.
I could go a little further and say that except for the select few (144000) people who accept Christ during the Tribulation will probably be killed. Most all close to immediately after accepting Christ. Sooooo....the church is still gone.
What you choose to believe is on you. I am simply stating what I believe. The great thing about God...we don't necessarily need to agree on things and probably won't. God is GREAT and He loves us anyway!
Permalink Reply by RoyW on September 25, 2010 at 11:48am
Rita,
We are so fortunate that we do not have to take a test before we get in. He knows those who are His and those who are not. Fortunately for us, He is taking care of all that. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
What 'I' Believe...is that God's 'ways' are most often beyond my finite understanding. Very often,, even when something is written in plain text right before our eyes....we can 'assume' we understand what we are reading.....but when we go back and understand more of the 'structure'.....of it; what we first perceived as 'simple' has a lot more meaning. I have learned: not to say, "I understand", rather, "I am 'beginning' to understand". What 'I' have 'begun to understand'....is to do my best to 'be ready'for...for what it is God is about to do, rather than have 'decided' /pre-determined in what ways I can accept these things will unfold.
Permalink Reply by RoyW on September 25, 2010 at 4:11pm
Raj,
I guess I should explain myself. That is what I believe. I don't think salvation by grace through faith will be available after the resurrection. However, I am well aware that some much more learned people than I believe differently. I do believe this is a secondary issue. However, in my understanding of salvation by grace, it is only available up to the resurrection.