Is the Great Tribulation Upon Us?

There’s an ancient Chinese curse that goes something like this: “May you live in interesting times”.

It seems like, we are living in “interesting” times, indeed.

There’s more than just a few people out there resurrecting the ghost of the post-tribulational rapture theory. This is more in response to current events than it is to biblical eschatology. As Dispensationalists, we must judge everything by the Word of God, rightly divided.

The Tribulation is described in the Word as something “such as has not happened from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21). Again: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the sons of thy People [Israel]: and there shall be the great Tribulation, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time…” (Dan. 12:1). It is also referred to as: “… the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jer. 30:27). All of these references come contextually from Scripture that concerns itself with Israel, not the Body of Christ.

The Great Tribulation is declared to be the Wrath of God: “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” (Rev. 15:1), yet since the Body of Christ is delivered from that wrath: “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom. 5:9), why is it that so many professors insist upon dragging The Body into that wrath through the post-tribulation rapture theory?

WARNING!

Dangerous Truth Ahead.

Mankind is made up of Biblically-defined sinful creatures. There’s no denying it. The proof is in the pudding: everyone still dies and death, Biblically, is the wages of sin.

Sin corrupts everything it touches. It takes our very best intentions and turns them into filthy, stinking lies. ” Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:3).

“Every one of them …”. We are “them”. All of us. The Christian, a truly converted member of the Body is still one of “them”; with this single distinction, we have been declared righteous by virtue of the faith of Jesus Christ. And we are mostly alone because we have chosen to leave the “great house”, (II Tim. 2:20) and it’s “form of godliness” behind. We are persecuted by the religious system we have turned away from. They see us as weak and needy. Objects of ridicule and scorn. “All the brethren of a needy one do hate him: How much more do his friends withdraw from him? He seeketh words of friendship, But there are none.” (Prov. 19:7) Still, we have this comfort: “Yea, and all that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted.” (II Tim. 3:12). Yes, that’s a comfort because it’s a conformation. We are comforted because we hold to the Head (Col. 2:19) and live in Christ.

So what does that have to do with the question of the Great Tribulation? Much, indeed. For, it separates us from those professors who are more concerned with this world and the things of this world than they are with God and the things of God. Matthew 24 was not addressed to the Body of Christ. It is addressed to the House of Israel, through the Twelve. It pertains to the coming earthly Kingdom which will be established as fulfillment of the promises made to Israel. All those things happen after the Body of Christ has been manifested with Christ in glory (Col. 3:4). We see events today which are pointing towards the Second Coming and the establishment of that Kingdom but, for us, the Body of Christ, we should continuing to “… press toward the mark unto the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:14). There’s no shout. No voice of an archangel. No trumpet peal here, as in 1Thess._4:16 (which was an event for Israel, had they repented). In this event, Christ Himself is manifested, silently and invisibly. He receives those running the race. That’s “the Rapture” for the members of the Body of Christ. It’s a resurrection from out from the dead. The Greek is: anastasis nekron, the “out-resurrection”. It’s as though the Body has been surrounded by the dead since it’s inception. This event removes it from the dead which has encompassed it for so long.

Let us join with the Apostle Paul in leaving the “great house” of man-made religion, religious tradition and imagination behind, forgetting it all, and pressing on to the mark.

“Let us therefore, as many as be mature, have this in mind: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal also this unto you. Nevertheless, to which point we have already come, let us walk by the same, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, become fellow-imitators of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for a pattern. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly [own self], and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our citizenship exists even now in the heavens; from which we eagerly wait for the Saviour also, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change the fashion of our body of humiliation, to be conformed unto the body of His glory, according to the working of His ability even to subject all things unto Himself. ” (Phil. 3:15-21).

Remember: “If ye then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Mind things above, not on things on the earth. For ye died, and your life has been laid up in store with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manifested with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4).

Even so, come Lord Jesus. I can hardly wait! How about you?

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