Simple Keys to Understanding the Book of Revelation — Part 13
Many believers resist the idea that the Church will experience the Great Tribulation because they confuse the Tribulation with the wrath of God. They cite verses such as 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and 1 Thessalonians 1:10 to support this point:
“For God has not destined us, His chosen, to face His wrath but to be the heirs of salvation through our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King,”—1 Thessalonians 5:9 (VOICE)
“He is Jesus, who saves [rescues; delivers] us from God’s angry judgment that is sure to come [ the coming wrath].”—1 Thessalonians 1:10 (EXB)
The problem with using those verses to support a belief that the Church will not experience the Great Tribulation is that the Tribulation is NOT the wrath of God. The wrath of God is poured out AFTER the Great Tribulation. That is clearly described in the book of Revelation.
We see the Main Harvest of believers—the Sun-Clothed Woman group—is gathered by the angels in Revelation 14:14-16. It is only *after *these believers are removed that the remaining inhabitants of the Earth experience the wrath of God, as we see in Revelation 14:17-20.
This is explained to us in more detail in the following two chapters. In Revelation 15:2-4, we see the main harvest group of believers who have just been caught up to heaven. It is only after these believers have been delivered safely to Heaven that seven angels are given seven golden vials that contain the fullness of the wrath of God.
As the narrative continues in Revelation 16, we see the wrath of God poured out upon the Earth in vivid detail AFTER the Great Tribulation and AFTER the believers are caught up to Heaven to stand on the sea of glass that is before the throne of God.
It is really mind boggling that theories of a pre-tribulation rapture persist when they directly contradict the words of Jesus. Jesus told us in no uncertain terms that the main harvest of believers happens after the Tribulation period. This is not recorded in just one Gospel account, but it is recorded in Matthew and confirmed again in Mark:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.*** Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect ***from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”—Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV)
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;*** the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect**** from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”—Mark 13:24-27 (NKJV)*
This is what Al Gore would call “an inconvenient truth,” but as unpleasant as it may be, it is always better for us to prepare ourselves to face an unpleasant truth than it is to suddenly find ourselves confronted with the truth after a lifetime of denial. Jesus had a name for those believers who did not prepare themselves to face the truth. In Matthew 25, He called them “foolish virgins.”
When you evaluate a theology to determine if is true or not, it helps to look at the fruit that is produced in the lives of those who believe and follow that theology. The pre-tribulation rapture theology seems to produce Christians who, rather than eagerly anticipating the return of the Lord, have become complacent and who, like the foolish virgins, have not prepared themselves to meet the bridegroom (Luke 12:35-48). The fruit of the pre-tribulation rapture belief should make us very suspicious of its validity.
The Wrath of Satan
The Tribulation is a time of wrath, but it is the wrath of Satan; not the wrath of God. We see that in Revelation 12:12:
“Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them [in the presence of God]. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time [remaining]!” (AMP)
The Bible clearly tells us that the Tribulation is a time of great wrath, but it is the wrath of Satan. After the final war in the heavenly realm, he knows now that his time is short, and he takes out his wrath on the Sun-Clothed Woman—the Church—who had given birth to the man-child company who overcame Satan and caused him to lose his authority and all access to the heavenly realms.
Jesus told us about this in Luke 21, especially warning those who found themselves pregnant during this time, like the Sun-Clothed Woman.
“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.”—Luke 21:23 (NKJV)
The Forgotten Promise of Jesus
People who insist on believing that the Church will be raptured out before the Tribulation period have forgotten that although we are not appointed to God’s wrath, we are appointed to tribulation. These are two different things. Getting these two things confused has caused many believers to mistakenly believe that the Church will be raptured out before the Tribulation begins, ignoring the Scriptures that consistently confirm that there will be believers on Earth during the Great Tribulation.
People who believe that we will all escape the Tribulation have forgotten that Jesus *promised *us tribulation. This may be the least favorite of all of Jesus’ promises to us, but it is still just as valid as all of His other promises.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33 (ESV)
In His letter to the church in Smyrna, Jesus prophesied a coming tribulation for them, even telling them that many would die as a result:
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
*‘****I know your tribulation ***and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”—Revelation 2:8-10 (ESV)
This is the promise of Jesus, and it was echoed and confirmed by the apostles:
“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”—Acts 14:22 (KJV)
“… that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.”—1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 (KJV)
The Apostle John even called himself our “companion in tribulation” in Revelation 1:9.
In a remarkable prophecy, even Moses spoke about God’s people going through the Tribulation in the last days.
“When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”—Deuteronomy 4:30-31 (ESV)
But the good news is that even the Great Tribulation cannot separate us from the love of God, as the Apostle Paul tells us:
“Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?*** ***Just as it is written and forever remains written,
‘For Your sake we are put to death all day long; We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.’
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].*** For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, ***nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:35-39 (AMP)
We will see as we continue through Revelation chapter 12 that the Church is not forsaken at all, but is nourished by God and protected from the wrath of the enemy during this time of Great Tribulation.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,*** who comforts us in all our tribulation,**** that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.”—2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NKJV)*
For a more detailed explanation of the events in the book of Revelation, I highly recommend this free book about the end-time harvest (PDF download), as well as this free book about the Daniel’s prophecy (PDF download), and this free book about Revelation prophecies (PDF download). These were all written by my friend and former pastor.