The Rapture Lesson 5

4th Tenet of the three rapture positions

Pretribulation

Let’s look at the 4th tenet of the Pre-tribulation rapture position:

Purpose of the Tribulation: Here the Tribulation is viewed as a time of God's judgment on the earth, distinct from the Church
Age. The Church, having been raptured, will not be present on earth during this period of judgment.

In essence, the Tribulation is a divinely appointed time designed for the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel and the judgment
of the unbelieving world. Nowhere in the Old Testament or in the book of Revelation where the tribulation is discussed is the
church mentioned.

The purposes of the Tribulation are multifaceted, but the four primary objectives that align with God's scriptural promises are:

• Revealing the Righteous King. First and foremost, the Tribulation serves to reveal the righteous King, our Lord Jesus
Christ. As depicted in Revelation 19:11-16, Christ returns as the conquering King, establishing His rule with justice and
righteousness. This period sets the stage for His ultimate victory and the establishment of His kingdom on earth.
• Despite the darkness of this time, the Tribulation is also a period where salvation reaches many. Revelation 7:9-14
speaks of a great multitude, from every nation, standing before the throne in white robes. These are they who have
come “out of” the great tribulation, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. It's a powerful reminder of God's grace,
extending salvation even in the midst of judgment.
• Cleansing and Purging Israel. Central to the Tribulation is the purification of Israel. Isaiah 4:4 and Zechariah 13:8-9
paint a picture of a nation, a remnant made pure and ready to welcome their Messiah. This period is crucial for Israel's
restoration , turning their hearts back to God in preparation for the Messianic kingdom.
• Judging the Unbelieving. Lastly, the Tribulation acts as a divine judgment against those who reject God. Revelation
14:9-10 and 2 Thessalonians 2:12 speak of the stern judgment awaiting those who choose the path of wickedness. It's
a sobering reminder of the reality of God's justice, ensuring that righteousness ultimately prevails.

Isaiah provides a significant amount of insight regarding God's specific plans for judgment, protection, and eventual salvation of
Israel.

• 24:21 the destruction of the strong and mighty

• 25:1 - 26:20 the protection and deliverance of the 144,000
• 26:21 the punishment of the unbelieving
• 27:1 the judgment of the Antichrist
• 27:2-8 nurturing of the remnant of Israel
• 27:9-11 the repentance of Israel
• 27:12 the regathering of Israel (also 11:11-16)
• 27:13 the salvation and deliverance of Israel (also 12:1-6)
• 11:1-10 The messianic kingdom

Again, it's important to understand that the Tribulation's primary focus is on Israel. The key scripture that references the
tribulation is Daniel 9:24-27 which describes the 70 weeks (one week is 7 years).

• 69 of those “weeks” have passed, the 70th week is the 7-year period referred to as “Jacob’s trouble” which we refer to
as the tribulation.
• The entire 70th week is a prophecy about Israel, not the church. To inject the church into Daniel’s prophecy would be
an egregious error.

Despite its harshness, the tribulation is also a time where many will come to faith in Christ, recognizing Him as their Savior.

• Revelation 7:9-14 (ESV): This passage describes a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language
standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white robes, symbolizing their salvation. These are they who
come out of the great tribulation, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
• Hosea 3:4-5 (ESV) foretells a period when the children of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their
king. This prophecy points to a future time of national repentance and restoration, indicating that the Tribulation
could serve as a catalyst for Israel's return to God, culminating in the acknowledgment of their Messiah.
The Tribulation's primary focus is the Old Testament prophesies concerning God’s promise for the restoration and purification
of Israel, not the New Testament prophesies about the Church.

Based on what we have learned in the prior pre-tribulation tenets and the danger of arbitrarily inserting the church into the Old
Testament prophecies or the book of Revelation where the tribulation is discussed, this tenant holds well and does not leak at
all.

Mid-Tribulation Position

Integration of Daniel's Seventieth Week: This view integrates the 70th week but often divides the prophecy of the 70th Week
(Daniel 9:24-27) into two parts believing the first half and the second half have differing purposes or objectives.

There are many prophecies throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament that talk about the people and the events of
the tribulation.

• But there is a singular event that stands out above all the others where the Antichrist breaks the 7-year peace
covenant with Israel and becomes the single ruler of the world for the last 3 ½ years.
• However, the overarching sequential description of the tribulation is not centered around the mid-tribulation events,
it is centered around the seals, trumpets and bowls discussed in the book of Revelation from chapter 6:1 through
16:7.
• These three forms of delivery cover the complete sovereignty of God over all things. Let’s briefly look at each one.

The Seal Judgements are "Creature" focused demonstrating God's Sovereignty in Human Affairs. Despite the appearance of
chaos and the destructive consequences of human sin, these judgments remind us that nothing escapes God's purview or
occurs without His permission. Each seal serves as a reminder of the brokenness of our world due to sin and the need for a
Savior.

The Trumpet Judgements are "Creation" focused demonstrating God's Sovereignty over Nature. By altering the elements of
creation—water, earth, sky—God demonstrates His unmatched power and authority over the universe He created. These
supernatural events serve as powerful signals to humanity, challenging people everywhere to acknowledge God's dominion and
to repent.

The Bowl Judgements are “Creator" focused demonstrating God's Direct Intervention. These judgments, which culminate in the
return of Christ, reveal God's ultimate authority and the fulfillment of His redemptive plan. By purging the world of sin and evil,
God makes way for the establishment of His kingdom. This final series of judgments serves as the ultimate demonstration of
God's sovereignty, executing judgment against rebellion while paving the way for the restoration of all things under Christ.

Across all three categories—Creature, Creation, and Creator—God's sovereignty is the common thread, illustrating His control
over human history, the natural world, and the unfolding of His ultimate plan for creation.

Each set of judgments, while manifesting God's justice, also underscores His mercy and His desire for repentance and
reconciliation. They reveal the depth of sin's impact but, more importantly, highlight the path to salvation through Jesus Christ.

The entire 7-year tribulation is a period of progressive intensity rather than a bifurcation into two distinct halves.

• Although the breaking of the 7-year peace covenant in the middle of the tribulation is significant, it does not
necessarily alter the overall progression of escalating conflict and divine judgment.
• Instead, it can be viewed as one of several key events that contribute to the continuous buildup of troubles that
escalate and increase in severity leading up to Christ's return.

Imagine the end times like a lake, a huge dam and a river.

The lake behind the dam is filled with fish representing all the peoples of the earth, teaming with life and going about their daily
tasks. The lake is swelling to overflowing and the signs of stress on its banks are becoming evident. The only thing holding it all
back is the massive dam representing the Holy Spirit restraining it all.

The dam’s gates need to be opened soon but, just before that happens, a significant event occurs: some of the fish are
miraculously removed from the lake, symbolizing the rapture of the church. The removal of these fish illustrates the protection
and salvation afforded to those who are in Christ, taken to safety before the outpouring of God's wrath begins.
The peace treaty is signed, the Holy Spirit moves aside which opens the flood gates of the dam. With the gates now open, the
waters—and the remaining fish—are released, signifying the start of the tribulation period. The canyon they will flow through
represents the 7-year tribulation. The flow of the water represents God's wrath, and the fish being carried with it illustrate how
the remaining humanity faces the inescapable consequences of sin and rebellion against God.

Midway along the journey the waters encounter an unexpected waterfall, symbolizing the breaking of the covenant with Israel,
and the fish experience a dramatic and perilous descent. After the waterfall the waters move quickly through the turbulent
rapids of the Bowl Judgments, where the intensity of God’s wrath increases.

Finally, the waters calm and expand into a new, peaceful lake, representing the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. Most
fish do not survive the journey. But those elect of God who placed their faith in the Messiah enter this lake which symbolizes
the new kingdom under Christ's righteous reign—a time of peace, healing, and restoration.

This metaphor illustrates how the tribulation is one continuous flow of God’s wrath with the primary compound goal of
revealing Jesus Christ as Lord and fulfilling the promises to Israel of a righteous kingdom.

To break the tribulation into is to break the continuity and progression of God's dealings with humanity.

• The narrative from creation, through the fall, to redemption and ultimate restoration, displays a progressive revelation
of God's character and purposes.
• Dividing the 70th week into separate pieces artificially segments what is presented in Scripture as a unified plan of
redemption and judgment and misconstrues the distinctions between God's irrevocable covenant to Israel and the
“new covenant” to the church.

Based on this, the mid-tribulation view that divides Daniel's prophecy of the 70th Week into two parts with the first half and the
second half having differing purposes or objectives, does not hold water at all and leaks 100%.

Post-Tribulation

Christian Suffering and Perseverance: This perspective underscores the biblical theme of suffering for faith and the need for
perseverance, reflecting a belief that tribulation refines and strengthens the believer's faith. However, the Post-tribulation
position sees this as a time of suffering and perseverance for the church.

To begin with, I need to remind you of two related teachings we have already covered on this subject.

• The first is the teaching is about spiritual growth through trials and tribulations we discussed in the 2nd Goal of the 3rd
Tenet of the mId-tribulation rapture position from the last lesson. To summarize:
o While the trials and tribulations faced during the Tribulation will be opportunities for believers to grow in
their faith and to demonstrate perseverance, character, and hope, this can be said of all Believers.
o Christians have been challenged, persecuted, tortured and martyred for 2000 years and are still
experiencing the same today in many parts of the world.
o Just because the trials persecutions during the tribulation are intense, does not mean the church is there.
Yes, Believers beyond number will experience these horrors and their faith will be tested. But to claim the
church will be there is a wrong assumption.
• The second reminder is the 2nd Tenet of the Post-tribulation position where we dispelled the idea that the church will
be required to endure the entire tribulation.

So, if we were simply addressing the statement “Suffering for faith and persevering through trials and tribulation refine a
Believer’s faith”, the response would be “Absolutely correct”.

• However, that is not the context of the post-tribulation position on this statement. Their position is that. This is
incorrect because the church is raptured before the tribulation begins.

To get this right, we must look at Israel, not the church. The prophecy of the 70 weeks (with the tribulation being the 70 th week)
was given to Israel, not to the church.

The church simply does not exist in the 70 weeks prophecy by Daniel. The church began abruptly at Pentecost and is removed
abruptly at the rapture. To properly interpret Daniel’s prophecy and the 70 weeks, you must remove the church from the
equation. In reality, the 70th week is a continuation of the 69th week with a 2,000 year pause in the middle called the Church.

Look at it like a two-act play.

 • Act 1: The first 69 Weeks
o This act covers the period from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the Anointed One, the
Messiah, Jesus Christ.
o It's a time of preparation, anticipation, and significant events leading up to the climax of the Messiah's first
coming at Bethlehem.
o This act is filled with prophecy, history, and the unfolding plan of redemption, engaging the audience with
the narrative of God's people and the anticipation of the Messiah.
• Then there is an Intermission: The Church Age
o Following the first act, there's a significant pause in the main narrative.
o This intermission, however, is not merely a break in the action but a unique period with its own purpose and
events.
o During this time, the audience (the world) experiences something completely new and different from what
was happening on stage during the first act.
o This intermission represents the Church Age, a time when God is working in a different way, focusing on
building the Church, which is not directly part of the main narrative (the story of Israel and the fulfillment of
prophecy concerning the Jewish people) but is crucial to the overall story of redemption.
o The Church, a divine parenthesis, if you will, where God's focus shifts from “come and see” to “go and tell”.
o Right now, we are nearing the end of the intermission.
o We are seeing subtle but clear indicators that the intermission is nearing its end.
o For a play, there will be signs would be the lights dimming, we might see noticeable activity on the stage by
the curtain moving as stagehands prepare for the final act, and the orchestra might begin to play.
o These signs are not the main event, but indicators that the main event is about to resume.
o For the church, Jesus calls these “birth pangs” in Matt. 24:8.
o These are indicators or signs that the world is transitioning from the Church Age (i.e. the intermission) to the
final act which includes the tribulation leading up to Christ’s second coming.
o Just like the intermission for a play, we are at a time of great urgency. Things are going to happen very
quickly now.
o This is what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he said in Romans 13:11, “And that, knowing the time,
that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation (deliverance) nearer than when we
believed.”
• Act 2: The 70th Week
o After the intermission comes the second act, or the 70th week, which resumes the narrative paused at the
end of the 69th week.
o This final act is a time of tribulation for Israel, leading up to the climactic return of Christ.
o It picks up where the story left off but now moves rapidly towards the resolution of the drama, fulfilling the
promises and prophecies concerning Israel and the world.
o This act concludes with the establishment of God's kingdom on earth, as the Messiah reigns from Jerusalem,
bringing the narrative to its prophesied fulfillment.
• In the moments following the conclusion of a play, it is traditional to have a curtain call, where actors receive their
applause.
o But then, in a moment of special recognition and climax, the author (or playwright) themselves steps out
onto the stage.
o This is a time of acknowledgment and appreciation for the mastermind behind the story, the one who
crafted every element of the narrative that has just unfolded.
o In the case of Daniel’s 70th week, this moment parallels the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of
His kingdom.
o It is the "curtain call" of human history, where Christ Himself, the Author of our faith and the Sovereign Lord
over all creation, steps onto the stage of history in a manner such that every eye will see Him and every
knee will bow.
o This moment is not just for acknowledgment but for profound worship, adoration, and joy as God's people
celebrate the fulfillment of His redemptive plan.

So, will there be Christian suffering and perseverance? Yes. But not because the church will be suffering and persevering
through the tribulation as the post-tribulation position suggests. Consequently, this tenet doesn’t hold water at all and leaks
100%.