Believing and expecting the return of Jesus Christ is something most Christians can agree on, but the question that rankles the hearts and minds of many believers – and sometimes even divides Christians into separate camps and denominations – is the issue of whether believers will have to experience some or all of the rough times described in the book of Revelation and other prophetic Scriptures.
Basing their beliefs on information found in the Old Testament book of Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation, conservative Bible scholars generally concur on the fact that the Great Tribulation will last a total of seven years. During that time the earth will undergo a horrendous time of chaos, including unparalleled earthquakes, floods, famines, pestilences, meteor strikes, and wars. Out of the chaos, rising on a platform of peace and security, will be the Antichrist, a powerful world leader under the direct control of Satan himself. The question is this: will Christians who are alive at that time (which I believe is coming upon us in the near future) escape the Tribulation, or will we have to go through part or all of it? Sincere Christians and intelligent Bible scholars can be found on both sides of the issue, holding to radically different opinions of just when Christ will come and when His church, the body of true believers, will be removed from Earth.
For many years I believed and preached adamantly that Christians would not be here to see the horrors of the Tribulation period. Admittedly, most of my thoughts on the matter were not original; nor were my views arrived at by years of studying the Scriptures and coming to biblically based conclusions. For the most part I simply believed what my mentors had taught, naively accepting their positions as absolute truth. When I continued to teach the things I had heard other sincere men and women of God proclaim – namely, that Jesus was coming back before the seven-year Tribulation, in an event we called the Rapture.
(To Be Continued)
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 1
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 2
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 4
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 5
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 6
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 7
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 8
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 9
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 10
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 11
Excerpt from Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse
Published in 1998
jim,
the proper translation in rev 3:10 is he will keep them from the hour of trial (temptation) which should come upon the whole world.to test those who dwell on the earth why did Jesus promise this because this church of phildelphia was faithful in preserving the truth of Gods word.my question is what is coming to temp or try us who dwell on the earth.THE MARK OF THE BEAST the anti christ system.but in verse 8 of ch 13 all who dwell on the earth will worship him WHOSE NAMES HAVE NOT BEEN WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.all believers in Jesus Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit therefore we will not worship the beast or take the mark.why because of 3:10 of revelation I will keep thee from that hour of trial or temptation which shall come upon the WHOLE world to test those who dwell on the earth.When we are faithful to preserve the truth of the gospel the Lord is Faithful to protect his elect.Remember in John ch 10 Jesus is the good shepard he protects his sheep.
God Bless
Interestingly enough, I agree with you. I also had talked to the LORd about this issue of 7 year Tribulation and “Pre-Trib”, “Mid-Trib”, and “Post Trib” and God asked me and said, “WHo said the Tribulation would be 7 years?” It is true, about a 7 year “peace treaty”; but it doesn’t say in the Bible, as far as I have found, that the Great Tribulation will be 7 years.
Concerning Jim Bailey’s remark about Revelation 3:10, we must remember that the original church of Philadelphia in Asia Minor wasn’t raptured away but was preserved in the midst. If that was representative of a symbolic or allegorical Philadelphia in the future, then the Bible’s consistency will also preserve, and not rapture away, the future Philadelphia church. Some sources throwing light on that verse would be Robert Gundry’s classic work THE CHURCH AND THE TRIBULATION (still in print) and a Google article with the title of “Famous Rapture Watchers.”
My prayer is for truth, to know and understand the times. When I
thought of famines, I thought crop failures. Then when the tornadoes
hit with such devastation recently. I saw where so many chickens
were killed in the tornadoes. So many it shocked me. It hit home.
It may be more than crop failures. It could very well be livestock
too. With the different storms hitting so strongly.If there is a
shortage of chickens, there will be a shortage of eggs. It just goes
on and on. I personally believe, I don’t have scripture to prove
what I am about to say. But I believe there will be a blight on
hybrid seeds. So heirloom is the way to go. In the long term, they
are more economical. So much is happening so fast. First Japan, then
these tornadoes. Some with winds of 200mph. I went through hurricanes
with winds of 150mph. I can’t imagine what those precious people are going through. You can’t help but ask, what’s next on the horizen.
Anybody up for a Bible Study? MT 13:24-30 Wheat and the Tares… DAN 3 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed’nego would not bow down and worship the image (An archetype)and the were put in a furnace, Jesus was with them the whole time and they didn’t even smell of smoke. What are Christians so afraid of? Are we not warriors for our God? He is not mad at his children, Jesus told us MT 24 all things that must happen, I read nowhere in his words that he would remove us from these times, but rather he told us all these things to be prepared and FEAR NOT! MT 24:29-31 Immediately AFTER the tribulation … they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet (7th) and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other-(Wheat) but first the Tares(Is 34)
Mt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. It saddens me that so many teachers are telling the sheep to go to sleep, don’t read your Bible, You have Golden Ticket out of here. You won’t be here… Would you bet your eternal life on it? Rv 9:1-6 Who can the Locust hurt – not any green thing (Alive in Christ)neither any tree (man) but only those men which have NOT the seal of God in there foreheads. Why would this be mentioned if there were not Christians here at that time? And what is in your forehead – Your mind, thoughts, brain. Have you not read, It is written, the time is shortened to five months or even the very elect might be deceived. Don’t be caught out of season or unprepared…Read the Word, Ask the Holy Spirit to open the Scriptures up to you. We will be here, And what an honor to serve and fight and if need be – die, for our Lord and Savior. God is not raising up an army of cowards, Man is doing that. Who do you put your faith in? And if all you have to go by is a bad translation of 1 Thes 4, First, read the whole chapter, and then read 2 Thes Its pretty clear, Satan comes before Jesus’s return. And I have NEVER read of a third coming of Christ. But I have been hearing a flood of lies trying to make the “Rapture Theory” fit in God’s Word – It doesn’t, It’s not in there.
Hi Michelle,
you wrote “…I read nowhere in his words that he would remove us from these times…”
I’m not hardcore pre-trib but I lean that way. Here’s a few things I’ve run across that may be saying that.
Isaiah 26:20-21 Come my people enter your chambers and shut the doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity…
Also He seems to tell the church of Philadelphia in Rev.3:10 that He will keep them from the hour of trial that will come upon the whole earth.
I think as followers of Christ that we sometimes over look certain things. For instance Noah experience the Flood. The difference was that he was safe in the protection of God. Joseph experienced the famine he too was safe in God’s protection. We are to trust God in all things and hold fast to His word and stop looking for an out. The book (BIBLE) was written to prepare us for what is yet to come let us therefore by like the city of Nineveh and repent and return to our God and remember in Him the orphan finds mercy. Utimately it comes down to this are we truly willing to lay down our lives for Him who gave everything or do want to only experience the good without the pain. God Bless.
Jim, I love the info you are giving out. Also Lori and her blog. I
have been having dreams of future events also. I am now convinced
not just by my dreams, but because of people I have confidence in
relating what the Lord is showing them, that America may be coming
under the selective judgement of God. One of the scriptures says
none crieth for justice. I always thought we were to pray for love
and mercy, until I realized God’s righteousness demands justice.
I was listening the day you said a 9. earthquake was coming.
Then when it happened, I knew this warning was not only for the
listener, but as a confirmation to you. That there are people in
your own town who have spoken and written negative things about you.
I see a man who God greatly loves. A man of humility. They say
the eyes are window of the soul. When you are speaking on tv I look
at your eyes. I see concern for a world not listening. I see a heart
crying out get ready, get ready. May God put a hedge of protection
around you and Lori and family.
For over 20 years…every time I read Revelation where John talks about the first “blessed and holy” reserrection….(the dead in Christ beheaded for their faith and refusal of the mark of the beast)…the chronological order of events really got to me…and I found it conflicted with Hal Lindsey, and other pre-trib writers….
John clearly states that this “blessed reserrection” is just before Christ’s 1000 year reign as king of the earth! BUT….it takes place AFTER the anti-christ, the false prophet and the devil himself are all put out of the way. the REST OF THE DEAD do not come back to life until the 1000 years are over!!!
Mix that with Thess: the dead in Christ shall RISE FIRST then we who are alive and remain shall meet them in the air…..(possibly for that big wedding bash in the New Jeruselem in heaven that Jesus has planned…then we come back and clean up the mess and rebuild cities) If John is right, and if Paul is right…. then folks, get ready to have our heads chopped off!!
Yes, it is true.
Your country has been a great power for the past two hundred and thirty five year”s. For eighty of those years your country and government, tried to walk the right path. But after this your country has just piled one abomonation on top of the other, until the stench in My nostrils has become unbearable. So now I have started lifting My hand from your country, just as I did with Israel all through history. There are still some righteous people in your country praying and seeking Me, for this reason I will not completely wipe your country off the map. Though many will die many in battle and many will be killed while they are in the concentration camps. For your enemies will try to completely anhilate all that is in your country that profess to be christian. So be steadfast in all that you do, for through you and the others I will save the foundation to rebuild your country. So that it will come back to one nation under God, and continue to be a great superpower in the world. Standing Firm!
You couldn’t be more right on…Christians have gotten hung up on this Love bit. Yes, He is the God’ of Love, but there is thwrath of God too. Most of all He is Holy and being Holy He CAN NOT look on sin.He has to turn His back on sin. Wake up America…..sin is not in, it is OUT.
We have also missed our most important calling, to provoke the Jew to jealosy. We have to know what will do that.
For years the pastors have been selling the idea that all you need to do is say this prayer, get in this water, and waa laa your “Saved”. No where further from the truth. The true gospel of Jesus is that you must lose your life, you must die to self, too many christians only want to try to fit Christ into their lives in small doses. As the richest nation on earth Jesus himself said we are poor naked and wreched. What part of The Church does He want to rescue? REPENT means to turn away from sin. We have been fed a false doctrine that sin is ok, we all do it, and He died to pay that price. Cheap Grace No sacrifice. You think heaven awaits the christian who sppends an hour on sunday and returns to the ways of the world mon thru sat and says we all have sinned and fall short. Ha Wicked servant. Many cry Lord Lord and are going to split the gate of hell wide open. Why? He never know them. They never came into covenant relationship with Him. The love for Christ has waxed cold, He is standing at the door of the Baptist church, begging them to return to His love, but no, their good, sai that prayer at youth camp 28 years ago, and now they are just backsliders! Ha Unless you be holy, you will not see the Kingdom ring a bell! The unrighteous will not see the kingdom! ring a bell! If you love me KEEP my commandments, oh but we are not under the law we are under grace! Ha My people perish for lack of Knowledge. A famine and drought has hit Amos 8 not of food and water but of His word. Nobody reads the bible anymore. No wonder the road is narrow and few will find it! Wake up America 2nd Chron 7-14 is the only way out!
AMEN!!!!
Right on!