Zephaniah  1:

       14 Near is the great day of the LORD,
            Near and coming very quickly;
            Listen, the day of the LORD!
            In it the warrior cries out bitterly.

 

      15 A day of wrath is that day,
            A day of trouble and distress,
            A day of destruction and desolation,
            A day of darkness and gloom,
            A day of clouds and thick darkness,

 

      16 A day of trumpet and battle cry
            Against the fortified cities
            And the high corner towers.

 

      17I will bring distress on men
            So that they will walk like the blind,
            Because they have sinned against the LORD;
            And their blood will be poured out like dust
            And their flesh like dung.

 

      18  Neither their silver nor their gold
            Will be able to deliver them
            On the day of the LORD’S wrath;
            And all the earth will be devoured
            In the fire of His jealousy,
            For He will make a complete end,
            Indeed a terrifying one,
            Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

If you think the topic of the Rapture of the Church is controversial among believers as to “when” it will occur or “if” it will occur … well the topic of the “Day of the Lord” is equally controversial and provocative. 

Some believers think the Day of the Lord is;

(a) the entire the 7 year Tribulation period, some think it’s;

(b) the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation period and some think it’s;

(c) a short period time that God’s “wrath” is poured out, sometime toward the end of 7 year Tribulation period

(d) only the last “day” of the Tribulation period … the victory march onto valley of Armageddon

I think the Day of the Lord can mean (a), (b), (c) and (d) depending on the scripture reference.   Also the “Day of the Lord” includes (e) the Millennium period and the White Throne of Judgement for unbelievers … right up to the point of restoring a New Heaven and Earth “by fire” for the Eternal Kingdom (2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 21:1).  The “Day of the Lord” is when sinful man and Satan no longer have dominion over the earth but the Lord Jesus Christ reigns in righteousness!  Most of the references to the “Day of the Lord” mean in the OT mean (c) while Paul usually referred to the Day of the Lord as (b).

The term the “Day of the Lord” is used 19 times in the Old Testament and 5 times in the New.  Also when you add in the term “In That Day” and “In The Day” the total number of references is “89” in the Bible!  In all these cases this term refers to the time when God’s “wrath and judgement” is poured out upon the earth and it’s a time of darkness upon the earth and it is the time when the Lord removes Satan and comes to reign upon the earth … it’s His Day!  It is the time when the Lord “cleans house” and destroys the reign of the Gentile Kingdoms and He restores the Jewish Kingdom to the Holy ruling state over the earth for 1,000 years.  And finally, the Day of the Lord includes the time when the Lord establishes His Eternal Kingdom where only believers in Jesus Christ rule and reign over His creation for all eternity!

The Old Testament prophets saw the “Day of the Lord” and rejoiced because they saw the Messiah coming to restore the Kingdom of Israel … but they didn’t understand the “Church Age gap” that Daniel spoke of when the Messiah would be “cut off” (Daniel 9:26).  And they didn’t understand that before the restoration of the Kingdom that the perfect Lamb of God had to suffer and die on a cross for their sin (Isaiah 52:1-6).  Even to this day the Jews read these scriptures and they don’t understand them because a partial blindness and hardness is upon them until the Fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25).  The Fullness of the Gentiles is NOT the the fullness of people coming to Christ during the Church Age but this phrase refers to the fullness of the time for the Gentiles to rule on earth and to freely sin on earth, which end at end of the 7 year Tribulation period.  After the Tribulation period Christ rules on earth with a rod of iron for 1,000 years and then there is a New Heaven and Earth that is inhabited by believers only.

The 7 year Tribulation period begins with the establishment of the Antichrist Kingdom.  This is a change in dispensation from the Church Age of Grace back to the Jewish Kingdom of animal sacrifices in the temple, the time of Jacob’s Trouble.  At the Tribulation period the Gentile government will continue to rule the world but it’s the rule is a mixture of “iron” (Gentile/Revived Rome Empire) and “clay” (Jews/Islam) as depicted by the feet and toes made of iron and clay.  Note, the 10 toes represent the 10 ally Antichrist Gentile nations of Daniel’s vision (Daniel 2:33).  The restrainer of the Antichrist and the Day of the Lord is the Holy Spirit, the light Christ that is in the born again Church, when the restrainer is removed by the “rapture” then the Antichrist will be revealed.. 

For the first 3 1/2 years the Antichrist and the 10 Gentile nations operate under the ruling of the Christian/Shariah “Chrislam” courts (this is the woman who rides the beast) but at the mid-way point of the Tribulation the nations give their power to the Antichrist and he overthrows the woman (Revelation 17:13) and declares himself god.   At the end of the Tribulation period the corner stone or cap stone which is not made of human hands, Jesus Christ, will strike the feet and the whole “New World Order – Tower of Babel” will come tumbling down … just like the walls of Jericho!

The point I am trying to make is that Jesus came to earth to fulfill “two” missions:

 

(1) The preaching of the “good” news of salvation and Jesus dying on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, “the day of Christ Jesus”.

 

(2) The judgement of the “bad” new to those who do not receive salvation in Jesus and they die for their own sin, “the day of the Lord”.

Remember, when Jesus went into the temple He read for the book of Isaiah but stopped at verse 61:1, saying “Today this verse is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:17-21).

Isaiah 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;  Isaiah 61:2 (a)  To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD 

And why did Jesus stop reading here?  Because He had to fulfill this “first” part of His mission” … The Favorable year of the Lord -the time of bringing the good news of the Gospel to man – His Death and Resurrection – the Church Age – and the Rapture of His Church which is The Day of Christ Jesus” before He fulfills the “next part of His mission” … The Day of vengeance of God – His Judgement upon Man – The Day of the Lord – the time of Jacob’s Trouble which is the seven year Tribulation period and His Return to Reign over the earth“.  

And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.  – Isaiah 61:2(b)-3

Note, there weren’t any verse numbers in the scroll and this reading by Jesus proves that the Chapter and verse numbers are NOT inspired.  They do make it convenient to read, memorize and reference scripture but in many cases they are not the stopping point of the scriptural context of what needs to be considered when you are considering the context and meaning of the scripture. 

The point is that Jesus “stopped” and “cut off” the reading just like Daniel saw and wrote about (Daniel 9:26).  We, the Church Age are living in the “gap period” between the 69th and 70th week of discipline for the Jews, the time of “Jacob’s Trouble”, the 7 year Tribulation period, (Jeremiah 30:7).  We are living in the favorable year of the Lord, where Grace abounds and the gospel is preached by Christ’s church.  We are waiting for the “Day of Christ Jesus“, when Jesus will rapture His Bride, the Church.  Moreover, the Church is an extension of  the ministry that Jesus begun, for He is the head and we are His body!  We are the light of the world … the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:15-16).  This is why Jesus said to Saul as he persecuted Christians “Saul, why do you persecute me? – Acts 9:4“.   

We, the born again believing Church, the body of Christ and we waiting to be joined to the head of the Church, Jesus Christ at the Rapture on the “Day of Christ Jesus” and soon after the rapture or possibly on that same day will begins the 7 year Tribulation period and then will come the “Day of the Lord”!

Israel’s Blessed Hope – the Day of the Lord:

‘Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it. ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.  – Jeremiah 30:7-8

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.  – Malachi 4:12

Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.  – Zephaniah 3:14-20 

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:  “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”  These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning  Israel.  –  Jeremiah 30:2-4

“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees”  – Ezekiel 37:24

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,  on the throne of David and over his kingdom,  to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  – Isaiah 9:7

The Day of the Lord is “Israel’s Blessed Hope” … because the Messiah “will come” and restore their promised Kingdom during the Millennium period and Jesus will reign along side King David.  And the Messiah “did come” into Jerusalem just as  Zechariah 9:9 prophesied recorded, humbly on a donkey.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  – Zechariah 9:9

The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” – Matthew 21:9

And the Jews recognized Him as their King and rejoiced with shouts of praise.   “Hosanna”, means “Hooray for Salvation has come!” … but the salvation that the Jews were looking for was to be saved from the oppressive Roman government, not an individual salvation from sin that Jesus was offering at that time.  After entering Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus then presented Himself at the temple as the sacrificially lamb of God and drove out the money changers who jacked up prices so the people couldn’t afford an animal sacrifice.  And like the sacrificial lamb, He was  was observed for 5 days and then shed His blood on the cross at Calvary at same time the Passover  lambs were being sacrificed!  But on the forth day, Jesus completed His final public ministry and pronounced the woes upon the Jewish leadership and the Jews for rejecting Him.

Matthew 23:37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.38“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39“For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”

The Jews at this time are still “unwilling” to come to Jesus as their Savior and their house is desolate … without Christ.  The Jews continue to enjoy the divine providential protection of God but they are Spiritually blind to the understanding that Jesus is their Messiah (with the exception of some Messianic Jews who receive Christ as their personal Savior).  It is not because you are physically born into the family of Jewish linage that you a child of God but it is that you are Spiritually “born again” into God’s family by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3).  Eventually, though they will “see” Jesus at the close of the Tribulation period, when He comes in Glory and they will acknowledge Him as their Messiah and morn over the One whom they pierced (Zechariah 12:10, John 19:27, Revelation 1:7) and they will say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  

Israel was blind to their sin and rejected Jesus as their Messiah at His first coming because they didn’t want a Savior to rule over them but a King to rule over Rome.  This is why Israel will be fooled by the Antichrist because he will claim to be their long awaited for Messiah who will restore Israel to it’s ruling status over the world.  However, I also think that when the Antichrist declares himself to be God in the Temple at the mid-way point of the Tribulation period that this will be a “wake up” call to the Jews.  I think many at that time will realize that Jesus was their Messiah, not this lying fool and they will be miraculously protected by God for the last 3 1/2 years.  

Also, the “Day of the Lord” includes the time when the Lord come with His Saints at the close of the Tribulation period, on a victory march to destroy the armies of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11-19).  And the Day of the Lord includes the judgement of the Sheep and Goat nations to enter the Millennium period and the 1,000 years when Christ and His Saints rule with a “rod of iron” over the earth.  Remember, the “iron” refers to the government rule of the Gentile Roman Empire and the last Revived Roman Empire, yet during the Millennium Christ will have the rule of iron in His hand and He (and His Saints who rule with Him) will dole out judgement quickly and justly upon planet earth.  Finally, the Day of the Lord includes the final battle at the close of the Millennium period and the time when Satan, the Fallen Angels, all unbelievers and “death itself” is thrown into the Lake of Fire.  And it includes the day when the New Heaven and New Earth are restored and the Eternal Kingdom comes to fruition, when each day the Lord will reign forever with His Saints in their resurrected bodies upon the New Heaven and New Earth.

The Church’s Blessed Hope – the Day of Christ Jesus:

As we have discussed, the Day of the Lord is the blessed hope of Israel but it’s not the blessed hope that the Church is “watching and waiting” for.  It is true that the Church is looking forward to the day when Christ will restore Israel’s Kingdom after the Tribulation period ends and the Church is looking forward to ruling with Christ in the Millennium as He rules with a rod of iron but the Church is “foremost” looking for the appearance of Jesus in the air to take them to the wedding “prior” to the Tribulation period.  The “Blessed Hope” of the Church is to be raptured up into the air to be meet Jesus and always be with Him!  The Church is the Bride of Christ who is looking for the Groom to come sweep her off her feet on her wedding day.  The Church is looking to the “Day of Christ Jesus” … the rapture … not the “Day of the Lord”!

Titus 2: 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13“looking” for the “blessed hope” and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

This scripture is written to the Church, a people of His own possession.  And in the following scripture Paul elaborates that Christ loves the Church, like a husband is to love their wife.  The two shall become one flesh, which is a mystery, and this is similar to the way the Church is joined to Christ, as a wife to her husband.

Ephesians 5: 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also doesthe church, 30because we are members of His body. 31FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.  – 2 Corinthians 11:21

The Church is the Bride of Christ, we are not to be shaken or concerned about having to endure the Day of the Lord because we are looking for the Blessed Hope of Jesus Christ to take His Bride to Heaven, before the Day of the Lord.  

2 Thessalonians 2: 1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come

Paul tells the Thessalonians believers not to be concerned that they have missed the rapture, “the coming gathering together to Him” and that they are living in the persecuted period of the “Day of the Lord”.  Paul tells them the Day of the Lord will not occur until “the departure” occurs and then “the Restrainer” who is holding back the Antichrist is removed.  I have thought it would have been more clear and comforting if Paul had said, “Hey, “the departure” I am referring to is the rapture of the Church … you’re not going to be here for the Day of the Lord” or he could have said “Hey, the restrainer is the Holy Spirit of the Church, therefore you will be removed by the rapture before the Antichrist is revealed”.  But instead of saying these things this way, Paul talks about the signs of the Day of the Lord and this is why many Christians think that we will be here for the first 3 1/2 years for the Tribulation or all seven years!

I am a little perplexed why Paul is not clearer about distinguishing between the “Day of the Lord” and the “Day of Christ Jesus” to the Thessalonians.  I think it mainly has to do with God’s will, that we are to study God’s word to find our own understanding to Christ’s appearing and we are to walk by faith and not by sight.  Even though we have seen the “Great Revelation 12 Sign” in the Heavens fulfilled on September 23, 2017, we still don’t know “the day or or the hour” of His return.  This is how it should be … however … I think it will be soon … He is right at the door!   

God is the “know” man

We are the “watch” man

God has awakened “watch men and woman” at such a time as this.  To watch and report the signs that He is near and to sound the alarm and prepare the Bride.  The watch men are to warn the unbelievers before the strong delusion comes and darkens their mind beyond repentance and salvation.  And the watch men are to “wake up” the worldly Church who has left Her first Love, Jesus.  Most of the watch men thought the Lord would return for His Church on Rosh Hashanna this year Sept 21-23, 2017 when the Great Sign in the Heavens appeared as predicted by Revelation 12.  However, if the Jewish calendar is off by a month it’s still possible the Lord will come on Oct 20, 2017 at the feast of Rosh Hashanna and fulfill the 5993 sign!  There is also good evidence that He could come on the feast of Tabernacles on Oct 13, 2017.  Me and my Marantha girl are looking everyday for His return until we see the two witnesses spewing fire from their mouth on the Temple mount … because if we see this sign we will know that we are in the Tribulation period and probably won’t be raptured by Jesus until after 3 1/2 years.  

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. – Proverbs 25:2

Are you seeking God’s glory?  Are you seeking to understand His ways and His will?  The seeking to understand God is where you exercise your faith and where you grow in Christ.  We will ever be learning from God even until eternity.  This a joy … not a chore or a bore!  Each person is designed to seek God and serve God in his own way, as part of the body of Christ, with Christ as as the head of the body.  For the believer this is a special and unique relationship with God that is understood by the believer by faith and rewarded by God.  However, for the unbeliever that denies God’s power and His right to rule over their life, well they are eternally separated from the God that created them and they suffer for their sinful selfish decision.  It is sad and so painful that people would rather live in the darkness of their own limited imagination rather than live in the light of Christ, His unlimited goodness which bestows the highest and best upon man.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. – Matthew 24:42

However, if the Church enters the Tribulation period, the commandment to watch for the unexpected appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ will be largely meaningless, making God a liar.  You will be able to count 1260 days from the signing of the covenant with the Antichrist to know exactly when the Lord is returning if you are a mid-trib rapture believer or count 7 years and know exactly when the end will come if you are a post-trib rapture believer.  If you believe in “pre-wrath” rapture, then, as in the case of “mid-trib” and “post-trib”, you don’t have to start watching for Christ’s return until after the Antichrist commits the Abomination of Desolation in the temple at the 3 1/2 year mark of the Tribulation.  All positions except a “pre-Tribulation” rapture position deny the immanency of Jesus Christ’s return for the Church and mock Jesus commandment to watch for His coming at any time when you think not (Matthew 24:44).  Some people call me a rapture “date setters” because I think festival days are a “high watch” day for Jesus’ return (especially Pentecost) but actually it’s the mid-trib and post-trib positions that have set dates for the Lord’s return.

I have a good Christian friend and we agree to disagree over this point.  She and her husband follow the understanding the Church will be raptured at the “mid-trib” point and me and my Maranatha wife follow the understand that we will be raptured at the “pre-trib” point, prior to the revealing of the Antichrist.   The main contention of those who follow the mid-trib understanding is that God does not pour out His wrath until the mid-way point and the Church is not subject to God’s wrath.  

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 

It is true the Church will not endure the wrath of God but like I said earlier, those who believe in a mid-trib rapture are not watching and waiting for the Lord’s return as Jesus told us to do but they are watching for the Antichrist to sign a 7 year covenant and begin the Tribulation period.  The last 3 1/2 years are called the “Great” Tribulation because it the time when God’s trumpets, thunders and bowls of wrath are poured out on the earth which cause great pain and suffering for “everyone” upon planet earth, the likes of which the world has never seen before and will never see again.  But make no mistake about it the first 3 1/2 years are a Tribulation period for those who profess a faith in Christ, for they will be martyred for their faith.  And many today in the Church Age have been martyred and continue to be martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.  From God’s perspective, it’s is a privilege to be found worthy to suffer and die for your belief in Jesus Christ.  And martyrs will receive a special reward in Heaven for their faithfulness.

Of course, I don’t want to be be-headed for my profession of faith in Jesus but if that is His will for my life I believe that Jesus is able to supernaturally calm me though this ordeal and deliver me right into His loving arms.  But it is not fear of the Tribulation that brings me to the conclusion that the Church will see the Tribulation period but an increase in understanding about God and His ways that makes me believe that that the Church is not destined for this Dispensational period.  People who think the Church enters into the Tribulation period ignore or marginalize God’s plan for Israel.  The Tribulation period is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), the time for Israel to complete the last 7 years of the 490 years of disciple God decreed for it (Daniel 9:24-27).  Some Christians even go as far as saying the Church has replaced Israel and this is a blindness that is as bad as the blindness that is temporarily over the eyes of the Jews (Romans 11:25).

It makes sense to me that the Antichrist will come onto the scene after the Church is raptured, claiming the trouble making Christians have been removed by Allah in judgment.  It doesn’t make sense that the Antichrist will be able to fool the world into following a Global New World Order and take the mark of the Beast as long as believing Christians are on earth “restraining” this evil.  

The Church is the Bride of Christ and I believe the Groom is coming for His Bride “before” the scrolls are opened in Heaven.  I think the seven Tribulation period is a time of trouble to complete the 7 years of discipline for the Jews since the time they were “cut off” by the Cross.  And it’s a time to judge the Gentile nations and remove unbelievers from the face of  the earth.  At this time the Church is to preach the gospel of reconciliation to God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ … but during the Tribulation period the two witnesses will be prophesying of God’s judgment and wrath that is coming upon the world.  For this reason I think the Lord will rapture His Bride (the born again believing Church) “before” the seven year Tribulation begins, before the Antichrist is revealed, before the two witnesses prophesy for 1260 days and spew fire out of their mouth devouring their enemies and before the Lord starts to Judge the earth!

Revelation 11:3“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

And if you want to make a case for a mid-trib rapture, here it is … these two witnesses of God are raptured to Heaven at the mid-way point of the Tribulation … but they are not Church Age believers and they are not preaching the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  They will be prophesying against the evil of the Antichrist kingdom, the way John the Baptist prophesied again Roman leaders and against the Jews leaders who had turned from God and made compromises with these worldly Gentile leaders.

Revelation 11:11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

These two witnesses prophesy of the coming judgment.  They will probably preach “a gospel of repentance from sin” like John the Baptist, not a message of “How to be Born Again”, like we do during the Church Age.  And those who come to faith in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation period will probably do so by a gospel of repentance from sin.  I don’t think the believers of the Tribulation will be sealed by the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit will come upon them as it did during the Old Testament times.  Although it’s clear that the two witnesses have a sealing which prevents them from being killed for 3 1/2 years and the 144,000 Jews have a special sealing and message.  Another distinction is that the Saints who come out of the Tribulation period serve Christ “in the Temple” during the Millennium period (Revelation 7:14) while the Saints of the Church Age serve Christ by ruling with Christ with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:27). 

The Old Testament Saints are the “First Fruits of Believers”, the Church Age Saints are “the Harvest of believers” and the Tribulation Saint are “the Gleaning of believers” and the Unbelievers are the Tares. 

God has designated different groups of believers, with different rewards, and different gifts, different blessings and different eternal service.  The 144,000 Jewish Saints that come out of the Great Tribulation sing a song that only they and Christ knows and they follow Jesus where ever He goes.  Perhaps the service of the 24 elders that surround the throne (Revelation 4:4) will be periodically rotated to other believers like the priestly duties were shared among the Levites.  And standing out among the believers is David, a man of God’s own heart, who rules on a throne on earth with Christ during the Millennium period.  You see God has a wonder plan and purpose for each person to fulfill them and give them joy for all eternity!

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  –  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Church Age believers escape through “the Door“

One of the best analogies that distinguishes the Church Age believers from other believers is “the door” analogy.  It’s it interesting that the faith Peter displays about Jesus is seen as “keys” to a Kingdom … and keys open a door.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. – Matthew 16:19

“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.  – Luke 16:16

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”  – Matthew 7:13

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  – Matthew 7:7 

Revelation 3:  7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.  8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name

so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. – Matthew 24:33

Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. – Exodus 12:7

Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed it behind him. –  Genesis 7:16

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.   – Revelation 3:20

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.  James 5:9″

I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:8

But before He brings down His judgement upon the earth, the Lord takes His bride, the Church up to Heaven!.  Look how clearly the rapture is indicated in this passage, the “voice” and the “trumpet” and the command to “come up” are obviously similarities to the way Paul described the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.  And this call to “come up hither” occurs “prior” to the opening of the seals, which begins the 7 year Tribulation period.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  – 1 Thessalonian 4:16

As Sammy Davis Jr use to say  “Here comes the Judge“.  The Judge is coming to judge the world at the “Day of the Lord”.  He is coming to finish the 7 remaining years of judgement for Israel and to judge the world for sin.  He is right at the door and when He opens His door He first removes His bride from the earth and then He opens the scroll which is the Last Will and Testament of planet earth.

Revelation 5:  1I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

The Lamb from the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, is going to start judging the earth but thank goodness His bride the Church won’t be on earth to be judged for their sin.  Instead, the Bride will be in Heaven at the marriage of the Lamb and each believer will of the Church will receive their rewards of faith at the “Judgement Seat of Christ”.  And at the same time the Church will enjoy a marriage supper feast for seven years in Heaven while at the same time all hell is breaking loose on the earth.  This doesn’t make sense to us … but so much doesn’t make sense to a person who has “seen the light and love of Christ”.  We don’t understand why people reject God’s love and we tend to forget that we were once blind too.  Oh Lord thank you for your patience and Amazing Grace that saved me and made me see!

The Day of the Lord at the Mid-way point of the Tribulation:

OK, we have discussed the Church rapture “prior” to the Tribulation and we have discussed the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation period, where the first 5 scrolls are opened and the two witnesses prophecy in Jerusalem.  The Antichrist will be expanding his One World Order by lying wonders and working with the Beast government of the 10 ally nations and the Chrislam Shirah court, the woman who rides the Beast.  But suddenly at the mid-way point the Antichrist will have had enough and he will convince the 10 nations to give him their power to overthrow the woman who rides them.  The Antichrist will go into the temple and declare that he doesn’t need the Shirah court because he is god!

Furthermore, he will pretend to rise from the dead from a moral wound to the head at the mid-way point, similar to the way the two witnesses rise from their death.  At this point he will be Satan incarnated in a body because Satan and 1/3 of the Angels will have been cast down from Heaven at this time!  The first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation will have been prosperous for the Global New World Order and bad for the Tribulation Saints but everything is suddenly flipped upside down at the mid-way point!

More is written in scripture about the mid-way point of the Tribulation than any other time in history.  It’s a time when the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon will be turned to blood.  This phrase is repeated over and over again.  I don’t think this a solar or lunar eclipse that is causing this effect but smoke that is rising up in the earth from fiery judgement of God that is burning out upon the earth.  Satan is cast out of Heaven at this time and he starts to feel the wrath of God as his power is now limited and he is confined to the earth.  Satan tries to destroy Israel but they are miraculously protected by God as they flee into the dessert.  

“I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. – Joel 2:30-31

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light.  Isaiah 13:9-10

Matthew 24: 29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:  Acts 2:19-20

Revelation 6: 12I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 12:    3Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Revelation 12:   7And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 8and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.9And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. 12“For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” 13And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. 16But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. 17So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

I think when the Antichrist goes into the Temple at the 3 1/2 year mark and declares Himself God that the Jewish Nation will have a “wake up” moment.  They will realize the the Antichrist is not their Messiah and they will call upon the Lord for protection to be “hidden” from the anger of the Lord that will be poured out upon the earth and the Antichrist kingdom.  And the Lord answers this call and “hides” them for the last 3 1/2 years in the cleft of the rock of Petra.

         Zephaniah 2: 1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather,
            O nation without shame,

          2Before the decree takes effect—
            The day passes like the chaff—
            Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,
            Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.  

           3Seek the LORD,
All you humble of the earth
Who have carried out His ordinances;
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will be hidden
In the day of the LORD’S anger.

The Day of the Lord at the Close of the Tribulation:

We have discussed the scriptures that support the rapture “prior” to the Tribulation and the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation.  We have also discussed the scriptures that support the wrath that God starts to pour out at the mid-way point of the Tribulation period during the Day of the Lord.  Now God comes with His Saints on a victory march and takes out all those assembled for battle at Armageddon.  

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. – Mark 13:26

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. – Luke 21:27 

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.  – Revelation 1:7

The Coming of Christ

Revelation 19:  11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white andclean, were following Him on white horses. 15From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.”

19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

Doom of the Beast and False Prophet

20And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Come Maranatha Come!    –  Rogersings

From Church Missler’s site:  http://www.khouse.org/articles/2002/444/

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