(Transcribed from the message presented Thursday Night, Oct. 31, 2014)

Thank you, Brother Randy and thank all of the song leaders during this week. And thank you for all of the speakers and your diligent study and deliverance of all of these wonderful messages. Of course, thanking God for revealing these great truths, not just prophetic truth, but all of the truths of Scripture. And we are thankful also for many that have been doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes and doing a lot of the things that need to be done before, during and after a meeting like this. And, of course, we are thankful for all of you for coming and being present not only to hear the messages, but to have this time of worship and fellowship together.

Many years ago I visited a man, a young man, in a jail house and he was sharing with me through – this was a county jail – through the bars and all the other men were listening about how much of a Bible student he was. And, indeed, of course, I took him at his word, although usually when you listen to people in the jail house they kind of stretch the truth a lot. Nevertheless, he was sharing with me how wonderful it was to study the Word of God on every occasion that he had and that his favorite book in all of the Bible that he studied the most, that he knew the most was the very last book of the Bible. So he told me there in front of everybody that he just loved to study the book of Revolution. Well, actually there was some truth to that, because mankind, since sin has come into the world, has been in revolt. Most of mankind has been in a revolution toward the holy God of the universe and, of course, the book of Revelation brings that to a climax and for a consummation of this time of this age and into the next age to come.

The title, of course, “The Tribulation.” The concept of the tribulation, the great tribulation is crystal clear in Scripture. This lesson that I will share with you is, of course, just an overview of that awesome and awful event. A prophecy scholar has significantly written these words, and I quote: The tribulation period is given more space in Scripture than any other comparable event, more space allocated to the tribulation than heaven, than hell or any other subject except salvation and the second coming of Christ, end of quote.

Many are surprised to learn that the tribulation is not just revealed and not just described and detailed primarily in the books of Daniel and Zechariah and in the first three gospels and, of course, the book of Revelation, but the tribulation and many of the other ways that period of time is described in Scripture is revealed at least 49 times in the Old Testament and 15 times in the New Testament including, of course, these many synonymous terms with the tribulation, the great tribulation which we will be getting to in the body of this lesson.

For example, the first prophetic passage of this unprecedented time of distress, time of tribulation is revealed to Israel in the Pentateuch, here the fifth book of the Bible in connection with Israel’s scattering among the peoples of the world, of the earth, because of their gross sin, spiritual adultery and apostasy. Consider Deuteronomy chapter four and verse 30. When you are in distress, or the tribulation, and all these things have happened to you, then in later or latter days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. Later or latter days in the original Hebrew literally means the end of days. Therefore, by the Holy Spirit of God Moses saw into the distant future a time when a repentant believing, righteous remnant of the nation of Israel would turn again to the Lord, even as their Messiah, King and Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord who will become their Lord and they will obey him, that is the righteous remnant.

Throughout the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, the later or latter days refers to the time when Messiah King will establish his physical, political kingdom in perfect righteousness. One of the sure ways to verify the unique, singular severity of the tribulation is to consider the many piling on of ominous terms in relation to the tribulation, the great tribulation. For example, in the Old Testament, just to name a few, it is referred to also as the day of the Lord in Zechariah 14 and one, the day of wrath in Zephaniah chapter one and verse 15 and also in that same verse the day of distress. It is also referred to as the day of the Lord’s wrath or anger in Zephaniah chapter one and verse 18, the day of vengeance in Isaiah chapter 34 and verse eight, the day when destruction comes from the almighty, Joel chapter one and verse 15, the time of wrath in Daniel chapter 11 and verse 36, the time of the end in Daniel chapter 12 and verse nine, the great and dreadful day of the Lord in Malachi chapter four and verse five.

And also in the New Testament, for example, Jesus stated in part that there will be a great distress or tribulation unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. That is taken from Matthew 24 and verse 21. Imagine. Jesus said here even from the beginning of the world, from when the time at the beginning that the world began … the beginning of the world. Therefore, it will be more devastating than the global, worldwide flood in Noah’s day. In the New Testament it is also referring to-that is, the great tribulation, the great distress-also referred to as the coming wrath in 1 Thessalonians chapter one and verse 10. It is also referred to as the hour of trial in Revelation chapter three and verse 10, the wrath of the Lamb in  Revelation chapter six and verse 16. And, therefore, of course, this is not just the wrath of God, but the wrath of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ and not just of God, deity in bodily form, the fullness of deity in bodily form, but also the wrath of Satan, the wrath of the antichrist, the beast, the prince that is to come, as he is referred to in Daniel and also the mankind and the world’s system that is constantly becoming more and more sinister and satanic. And then it is also referred to as great tribulation, as the wrath of God in Revelation chapter 15 and verse seven and the great tribulation again in Revelation chapter seven and verse 14 and the hour of his judgment in Revelation chapter 14 and verse seven.

The reason that I bring out all of these descriptions is because many will say that since sin came into the world there have always been examples of God’s wrath and anger such as in the time of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah and even the world wide deluge of Noah’s day . Yes, that is also true, of course. There have been, and even many fulfilled, past examples of the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is not referred to in Scripture just for this tribulation that we are going to be speaking about, the great tribulation, but the day of the Lord is actually a technical phrase for God’s outpourings of wrath, many of which have … are now historical, past events, the outpourings of God’s wrath and anger on mankind due to unrepentant sin. Yet there is also in Scripture a yet future, unprecedented, unique, global, cataclysmic day of the Lord equated with the tribulation,
the great tribulation with an increasing and intensification, just as birth pains, a climactic, future, horrific time. Most would consider, for example, in Revelation chapter six and verse one through what is to us Revelation chapter 19 and verse 21 in that book of prophecy, the last book of the Bible, that Revelation six through Revelation 19 details the judgments and events of the tribulation from its beginning, yet future with the opening of the first seal judgment through the seven seal trumpet and bowl judgments to the second coming of Christ, his revealing, his coming to the earth, to defeat and to finally destroy the ungodly inhabitants of this entire earth, bring that time before he comes to reign, because Jesus Christ is coming to judge. God the Father has delegated all judgment to the Son, to the Son of God and he is coming to judge, to wage war and to exercise his reign
and rule on this earth.

Consider, for example, in Revelation chapter six and verses one and two that say, in part, as the apostle John had this vision: I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Going on to verse two. I looked and there before me was a white horse. Its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. You understand that there are four major interpretations of the book of Revelation and that includes, of course, the tribulation period from Revelation six to Revelation 19. The first of these major interpretations of the entire book of Revelation is called the historicist interpretation, which basically is that the prophecies of the book of Revelation are fulfilled throughout the Church age, all of them throughout the Church age, meaning in …well, that is, the main parts until you get to Revelation 21 and 22, but are fulfilled throughout the Church age, meaning that in Revelation chapter six and verses one and two, for example, the white horse, the rider, the first seal, refers to the period of imperial Rome from the death of the Emperor Domitian in the year of our Lord 96 to the peace made by the Emperor Commodus in the year of our Lord 180, the so-called golden age of imperial Rome, because, you see, Rome conquered.

The second major interpretation of the book of Revelation is called the Preterist, which differs slightly in that most of the prophecies of the book of Revelation, including the tribulation, are all past, fulfilled history. For example, the first seal and the progression of events of all the judgments through the trumpets and the bowls or the vials led to the destruction of Jerusalem in the year of our Lord 70. The horses, according to this nterpretation represent war and, for example, the first four seals when broken release more and more terrible consequences of war in the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. The rider on the white horse was Vespasian or Titus at the head of the Roman legions and his crown was worn because he was victorious, by which God’s wrath through the Romans came upon the Jews that killed the prophets and crucified the  Christ. These were the days of God’s vengeance or alternative … or alternatively, the rider was Christ, Jesus Christ himself seen here as going forth to war against the murderer, against his murderers through all of the calamities that are revealed in the seal and the trumpet and the bowl judgments. But, of course, yes, the Jews put Pontius Pilate up to this. But it was the Romans that literally crucified Christ.

The third interpretation is the spiritual interpretation of the book of prophecy and this indicates that the prophecies of the book of Revelation are fulfilled repeatedly throughout all of history. For example, regarding the rider on the white horse, he spiritually represents our Lord riding victoriously conquering through the proclamation of the gospel.

And then, lastly, the fourth major interpretation is the futurist. Most prophecies, that is, according to this interpretation most prophecies of the book of Revelation including Revelation six through 19, the tribulation period, and the great tribulation are yet to be fulfilled. They are yet future, that with the breaking of the first seal judgment the climactic, cataclysmic future coming tribulation begins. Most futurists interpret that the white horse and his rider represents the final antichrist, the beast as he is referred to in the book of Revelation, the final antichrist, the beast riding forth to conquer the world. The crown given to him is not a symbol of legitimate leadership. For then the word for crown would be in the Greek, in the original Greek, diadema. But, instead, it is a crown acquired by forceful conquest, in the Greek, a stephanos. The final antichrist, yet future, is Satan’s sinister son of man, the counterfeit of all that is Christ’s and all that Christ claims to be. This beast is a beast on the inside. He will probably be and will be a very charismatic and probably a very handsome individual. He is a beast of a man on the inside. He is a diabolical coming world dictator, a ruthless ruler of the tribulation time, the same individual described as the beast out of the sea in Revelation chapter 13.

So which of these interpretations best matches Scripture? Well, you decide. The position on this is all of the details revealed both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament regarding this awful time make it obvious that it must be a future event as no such period has ever yet occurred in human history with the same severity, with the same scope and intensity and with the global impact even since when Jesus said this since the  first coming of Christ. Secondly and most importantly and significantly, Jesus Christ himself revealed that the  tribulation would take place just before his glorious appearing, the second coming of Christ to the earth. Really? Well, note, look in your Bibles in Matthew chapter 24 and verses 29 through 30 where it says these words. Immediately after the distress or tribulation 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, the cosmic signs. Then verse 30 in Matthew chapter 24. At that time, and these are the words of Jesus. Does Jesus ever make mistakes? Does Jesus ever deceive us? At that time the sign of the Son of Man, which will probably be Jesus Christ himself appearing, 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.

Now the content and the context of Matthew 24 all agree and all point to this as being yet future including the testimony of Jesus Christ himself immediately after the distress or tribulation of those days. And he goes on to refer to his second coming. And so this is yet future, the unique judgment and wrath of God and of the Lamb along with the wrath of Satan and of man in an unprecedented, unique, universal tribulation, great tribulation, the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Again, going into the context of Matthew 24 Jesus stated in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 13 that he who stands firm to the end will be saved. In verse 14: And this gospel of
the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. The end of what? The end of the great tribulation. Verse 21. And then there will be great distress or tribulation unequalled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. Then in just a few verses-and you understand that in the original text, of course, there weren’t chapter and verse divisions. This was an ongoing narrative from the Lord Jesus as he spoke these words answering the questions or giving an indication to the disciples that were asking him about these issues. In verse 27 right down just six verses, what is to us just six verses later it says, in part, in verse 27: So will be the coming of the Son of Man, that is, the second coming of Christ, his presence, his appearing, his revealing. So Jesus Christ himself the Son of God, the fullness of deity in bodily form, Jesus Christ himself ties and connects this unique climactic, great distress or great tribulation with his second coming to the earth. And, of course, therefore, this must be yet future.

We should ask ourselves, according to the historicist interpretation of the tribulation, Revelation chapter six through 19: Did Jesus Christ’s second coming occur during the golden age of imperial Rome? No. According to the Preterist interpretation of the tribulation, Revelation chapter six through 19: Did Jesus Christ’s second coming occur immediately after-Jesus said immediately-immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel, the nation of Israel in AD 70? No. And according to the spiritual interpretation of the tribulation, Revelation six through 19, did Jesus Christ’s second coming occur immediately after the proclamation of the gospel throughout the known world past or even present? And will this proclamation of the gospel in itself conquer this world? Well, no. Therefore, the futurist interpretation of a coming great tribulation is still ahead, yet future after which immediately Jesus Christ will return bodily, literally, physically in power and great glory. And all of the inhabitants of the earth will see him. Jesus said in Revelation chapter 22 and verse 20: Yes, I am coming soon, soon or quickly, immediately, especially after the details of chapters … Revelation chapters six through 19 all come to pass. When these things come to pass he will come quickly, immediately. And he will come right after this, the last part of that tribulation period, which is usually referred to as the great tribulation, the last three and a half years. And it will happen just as it is recorded in Scripture, revealed in Scripture, yet future, because it is written.

Now let’s look closer to more aspects of the time of the tribulation, the specific, explicit time period or duration of the entire tribulation is given in only one place, in Scripture, the book of Daniel chapter nine and verse 27. It says: 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. He here is the coming final antichrist who will make a seven year peace treaty with Israel that allows the Jews to offer sacrifices in their yet future rebuilt temple in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. The signing of this covenant is the event that begins this one set of seven years that we commonly call the tribulation or the 70th week of Daniel. The event that ends the tribulation period seven
years later is the second coming of Christ to this earth. This seven year tribulation will be hell on earth. The final three and a half years begins with then antichrist, the beast breaks his covenant or treaty with Israel and invades the holy land and sets up an abominable image of himself in the temple in Jerusalem so that he will be desiring and requiring worship as God, blasphemy. During the last three and a half years commonly, called the great tribulation, horrors will greatly intensify and increase. In Matthew chapter 24 and verse 22 it says: If those days had not been cut short no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened, that is the elect of Israel, the elect of the tribulation saints, that is, God will sovereignly control this horrendous, horrific time for only three and a half years. This matches Revelation chapter 13 and verse five that says: The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies to exercise his authority for 42 months, or only three and a half years. God is sovereign. He is in control of the timetable and of all of the events that will occur.

Notice that there is complete compatibility between the prophetic books of Daniel and the book of Revelation and, for that matter, all of the books of the Bible, but complete compatibility between especially the book of Daniel, the book of Zechariah and the book of Revelation written by different authors, but carried along by the same Holy Spirit of God. Now consider the nature of the tribulation. Tim Lahay and Thomas Ice put it rather nicely, summed this up rather nicely, rather well, in their book Charting the End Times concerning the nature of the tribulation. Quote: It will be a holocaust of major proportions because it combines the wrath of God, the fury of Satan and the evil nature of man run wild. Take the horror of every war since time began. Throw in every natural disaster in recorded history and cast off all restraints so that the unspeakable cruelty and hatred and injustice of man toward his fellow man can fully mature and compress all of that into a period of seven years. Even if you could imagine such a horror, it would not approach the mind boggling terror and turmoil of the tribulation, end of quote. Indeed, a terrible, terrible time is coming.

The purpose of the tribulation. There are at least five major purposes for the tribulation. The first, the purpose relating to Israel. It is to purge. It is to refine the nation of Israel. God will have to bring that nation to its knees, to its face on the ground. God will use Jacob’s trouble or Israel’s trouble-Jeremiah chapter 30 and verse seven-to finally and climactically bring out the righteous remnant to repentance and faith in Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah King and Savior. Romans chapter 11 and verse 25 and following says in part: Israel has experienced a hardening, in part, until the full number of Gentiles has come in, verse 26. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written. The deliverer will come from Zion. He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sin, quoted from Isaiah 59, chapter 59. And all Israel is referring only to the elect of Israel, the elect. Two thirds of the nation will perish according to Zechariah. One third will become the righteous remnant. Only as they are purged and refined as in fire, the fire of Jacob’s trouble to bring them finally to conviction in Yeshua, even Jesus of Nazareth as their Savior and Lord. All of the elect of Jewish believers alive. There are no second chances after death. Only as they are alive and put their repentance and faith in Jesus, even Yeshua as their Lord and Savior. All of the elect Jewish believers in Yeshua alive at the end of Jacob’s trouble, at the end of the great tribulation, while any alien sinner, any unregenerate sinner is still alive, we have many, many countless chances by the grace of God for our faith, our saving faith, our obedient faith in the Lord Jesus. Once we die, time is up. God’s grace is there even now. The deliverer, of course, will be Messiah, Savior, Jesus of Nazareth and they will look upon him whom they have pierced and they will mourn, they will weep bitterly knowing what they have done to their ancestors and their descendents, to those that were before them. There will finally be a righteous remnant of the nation of Israel that will receive their Messiah.

The second major purpose is relating to Gentiles. God will use the tribulation to punish the nations, the Gentiles in his judgment and wrath. The inhabitants of the earth, of course, apart from Israel, that is, all of the unbelievers for rejecting God’s grace personified in the person of Jesus Christ. And there will be of course, tribulation saints that will probably die for their faith in the Lord Jesus during that time, at least the vast majority will be martyred during this terrible time, the tribulation saints. Isaiah chapter 24 and verse one. It says there: See? The Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it. He will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants. Drop down to verse six of Isaiah chapter 24. And it says: Therefore, a curse consumes the earth. Its people must bear their guilt. Therefore the earth’s inhabitants are burned up and very few are left. This is not just hyperbole or exaggeration. This is what is coming upon this world.

The third major purpose for the reason of the tribulation, the great tribulation is the purpose relating to God himself. We have the purpose to Israel, Jacob’s trouble. We have the purpose to the nations, the inhabitants of the earth that will be punished in the wrath of God and to bring them to a point of conviction that they will decide, make a deliberate decision for Jesus Christ before it is everlastingly too late. The third purpose relating to god the antichrist empowered by the devil who will blaspheme the one true God by declaring himself to be God, which is what Satan has always desired and he has his man who desires to represent him, declaring himself to be God and to be worshipped. And God will pour out his wrath to prove his power and to vindicate his holy, holy, holy name. Exodus chapter 20 and verse three: You shall have no other gods before me. And that is still law. We are not saved by the law. We are under grace, but that is still a commandment of God.

The fourth purpose relating to Satan, to expose Satan’s true character. God will use the tribulation to fully and completely unmask Satan who usually is masquerading and the world does not even recognize him or believe in him, to unmask Satan as a liar and a thief and a murderer. When God removes all restraint- 2 Thessalonians chapter two and verse seven- the deceiving, conniving character of Satan will be exposed and fully manifest in the world through his man the final antichrist and, of course, the dragon, the devil that is behind him and gives him the power allowed by God.

And then, fifth, the purpose relating to believers. Surprisingly to many today, the tribulation period will also be probably, most probably, the greatest evangelistic time in the entire history of mankind. Yes, this seven year tribulation period. The Lord in his amazing grace will still be seeking to draw men unto himself with great conviction and convincing that many will repent and believe and God will harvest an innumerable number of souls during the tribulation, the righteous remnant of Israel, the tribulation saints, the Gentiles, the nations, from the nations. In Revelation chapter seven and verses nine through 10 it says there: After this I looked-of course, the apostle John having another vision in the book of Revelation. After this I looked and there before me was a
great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands and they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Revelation chapter seven and verses 13 through 14. Then one of the elders asked me-that is, the apostle John- these in white robes, who are they? And where do they come from? Verse 14. I answered: Sir, you know. And he said: These are they who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

It is difficult for many to accept that a God of love would allow all of this carnage, much less actively be involved in the tribulation. But God wants as his primary purpose to draw as many people as possible to himself before they die, even during the tribulation, even during this awful time, the great tribulation, before Jesus Christ returns to set up his kingdom and to exercise his reign and rule on this earth. God will use the tribulation to certainly get people’s attention and yet most will still shake their fist at God and refuse to repent in their hardness of heart. But God will give more supernatural signs and leadings of his Spirit during the tribulation than at any other prior time in the history of mankind, proving without a doubt the validity and veracity of 2 Peter chapter three and verse nine that says, in part, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance, even those inhabitants of the earth during that awful time of the tribulation.

Consider God’s tribulation efforts to convince mankind that they need to repent, that they need to receive Jesus through faith believing that he is who he says he is, the Son of God, the Christ, the Savior of the world. Also believing and accepting the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross, on the altar of the cross where he was the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. And that he was accepted in his perfect sacrifice as the sinless savior of the world as God exalted him by first raising him from the dead after parts of three days and three nights and eventually ascending him to heaven and putting him at his right hand, that right hand of God the father and in place of prominence and prestige and power where he as our great high priest in the order of Melchizedek and continues to intercede for the saints.

Consider God’s tribulation time efforts to convince mankind. First of all, God will commission 144,000 Jewish evangelists, probably with the power to proclaim the gospel like an apostle Paul, 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel to preach the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, his death, burial and resurrection. That is according to Revelation chapter seven. God will also send two Old Testament prophets as his witnesses to testify to the truth with supernatural power according to Revelation chapter 11. God will send an angel mid air to proclaim the everlasting gospel, to preach to those who live on the earth, the inhabitants of the earth and every nation, every accountable human being of every nation and tribe and language and people according to Revelation 14 will hear the gospel. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Therefore, God will make sure that all accountable human beings will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and can make a deliberate decision to receive Jesus Christ his Son and to be saved before the end.

So, in conclusion, what about us in the Church regarding this awesome and awful time that is coming, the tribulation, the great tribulation? In Revelation chapter three and verse 10 it says: Since you have your writing, God’s message, the Lord Jesus’ message through the apostle John to the Church at Philadelphia, a first century church in the Roman province of Asia, modern day Turkey, Revelation chapter three and verse 10. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. This was written, of course, to the first century Church at Philadelphia. Yet this is also representative truth to all Christians of the Church at large of every generation as the truth to the seven churches apply to the Church at large. So what Christ said to those churches is relevant in all times to all the Church.

Now concerning Revelation chapter three and verse 10 notice the words carefully. It says there Jesus promised the Church at Philadelphia that would stand firm till the end that I will keep you from the hour of trial. That is, the time itself during the tribulation. Not just keep us from the event, not just keep the Church from the event of the tribulation, that is, to be kept in and through the tribulation, that is, to be protected as Israel was during the time of the 10 plagues against Egypt because of Pharaoh’s hardness of heart, not just the event, but to be kept from the time, from the hour itself, the hour of trial. And then to be kept from that time so the good news is that the Church evidently must be caught up pre or before the tribulation. But we have to be in Christ. And to be in Christ you are automatically added to his Church. Yes, you need to find a Bible believing, Christ honoring congregation and not to forsake the assembling of yourselves and or ourselves. But we are automatically added to the Church. We have to be in Christ Jesus and we are saved by the grace of God in that through faith in Jesus and his full, once and for all atoning work on the cross.

I want us to understand, brothers and sisters, friends, that even an awful subject like the tribulation, the great tribulation is a tremendous evangelistic tool. Prophecy, an evangelistic tool. You do not have to go through the tribulation. We will be kept from the time, from the hour of trial, not just the event, not just kept in and through the event, but from the very time and hour. We need to be in Christ Jesus and we need to make that deliberate decision before we die, while we have time to put our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And why wait? The Lord could come in the air today. No signs have to be manifest for him to come in the air. And yes, you could be a tribulation saint and come to faith during that awful time, but if the Lord comes in the air and you are not in Christ Jesus, you are not in his Church, you are left behind, and you don’t need to do that. You don’t need to go through that, because the strongest inferences from Scripture are that we are pre-trib, before the tribulation we can be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and to be evermore with him, forever more with him.

And so this is a powerful evangelistic tool. We can share the good news that we can go to be with the Lord when he comes in the first phase of his second corning when he comes in the air to catch up his Church, when the bridegroom comes for his bride, the Church, to bring us to the Father’s house to spiritually consummate the marriage between the bride groom Jesus and his bride. And the only reason that we are spotless and pure and clean is we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus. He has imputed, he has reckoned us as righteous by his righteousness. We are saved by the grace of God through faith.

-David Johnson is  the  minister for the Sellersburg Church  of Christ