A False Hope
The more I studied the Scriptures, the more I became convinced that we are living in the last days, and that we will soon begin seeing the fulfillment of the predictions in the prophetic books of the Bible, including the cataclysmic conditions on earth, which will precipitate the rise of the Antichrist.
I also saw a connection between the escapist Rapture and those who espouse a materialistic gospel. I became convinced that we are wasting so much time and energy teaching people how to get rich and how to become self-fulfilled, we have not adequately prepared them for what is to come. Instead of the Church presenting a false hope by preaching the pretribulation Rapture, we should be spending this time informing believers that they will have to go through the Tribulation, or at least some part of it. We should be teaching people to fall in love with Jesus. We should be spending our time, energy, and resources getting spiritually ready for a severe period of persecution and a time of unparalleled upheaval.
To think otherwise, one must totally ignore church history. Brutal persecutions have often been the normal experience for believers. From the earliest years of Christianity, believers were stoned, burned at the stake, dragged through the streets with their feet tied to stampeding animals, and used as human torches. During these persecutions God did not magically remove His people from their tormentors’ grasp, but He gave them the grace necessary to go through their tortures. What makes us think God should cut us a break and allow us to escape before the onslaught of hell comes on the earth? Have we been more faithful than those early saints? Are we more worthy of an easy ride to heaven than they were?
Going back to Matthew 24, I found that throughout Jesus’ listing of the signs of the times, He does not even hint at a pretribulational Rapture. In fact, He laid the emphasis on just the opposite order of events. Jesus described some of the signs that are even now beginning to take place, but the overall tenor of the passage is that even though we will see these things, the end is not yet. Jesus then said:
For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short. (vv. 21-22 NASB)
Reading the account naturally, without imposing our own ideas or wishful thinking into it, the order of events seems to take place logically.
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, 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. 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. (vv. 29-31 NASB).
Notice the order of events. These things happen after the Great Tribulation, “and then… (we) will see the Son of Man coming.” And they certainly do not seem to be done in secret. In fact, the tribes of the world, those who do not know the Lord, will mourn at His coming. In the chapters ahead, we will see that they have good reason to mourn.
Will Christians go through the Great Tribulation? I believe we will experience at least some part of it before Jesus Christ returns. When I speak on this subject nowadays, I facetiously tell audiences, “I tried my best to keep us out of the Tribulation. For years I preached that we would escape it. In my studies while in prison, I searched for hours on end, trying to find some way that believers would escape the difficult times about to come on the earth, but I couldn’t do it. I am convinced now that we are going through. Hold on tightly to Jesus. It’s going to be a wild ride!”
(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 3
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 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
I don’t really know if we’ll go through it (the tribulation) or not, and I don’t really spend much time worrying about it. I wish the Lord would come right now, because I often tire of this evil fallen world but then I get spirit filled and know that God has some more things for me to be prepared for and do, what I do not yet know. I used to be heavily into end time prophecy study but found out that God wanted me to be more involved in the here and now. I love seeing and hearing about miracles, that really grows my faith and grace through faith is really all it’s about. Look what Jesus spent most of his time doing, it was teaching the power of faith. He tested and showed this to the disciples and others repeatedly.
The Anti-Messiah was revealed when the Roman Empire fell and that’s when the great falling away took place too.
It’s a lot worse than what you believe. The truth will be taught during the Tribulation Period. I’d like to show people how the lies that were perpetuated becomes the truth:
The Lie:
Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
NOTE: Father, Son, Spirit are offices of Yahweh. In the NAME, the name is Yahweh.
“Holy” is derived for the divinely honored sun. Was added so omit.
“Ghost” is an apparition there is no such thing.
The Truth:
Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit:
NOTE: Father, Son, Spirit are offices of Yahweh. In the NAME, the name is “Yahweh“.
The Lie:
Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
NOTE: Anywhere “the Lord” is in scriptures, is where Yahweh’s name goes. The name “Jesus” a pagan sun deity name was added.
The Truth:
Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of Yahweh.
The Lie:
Acts 8:16
For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
NOTE: “the Lord” = Yahweh
“Jesus” was added.
The Truth:
Acts 8:16
For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of Yahweh.
The Lie:
Acts 10:48
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
NOTE: “the Lord” = Yahweh
The Truth:
Acts 10:48
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yahweh. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
The Lie:
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
NOTE: “Jesus” should be Yahweh in this verse.
“Christ” a sun deity name = Messiah
“Sin” is a moon deity = Sins = transgressions.
“Holy” is derived for the divinely honored sun. Was added needs to be omitted.
The Truth:
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahweh Messiah for the remission of transgressions, and you will receive the gift of the Spirit.
The Lie:
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
NOTE: “the Lord” = Yahweh
“Jesus” added so omit.
“God” a sun and moon deity name and became known as anything that is worshiped. = Yahweh
The Truth:
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of Yahweh, giving thanks to Yahweh and the Father by Him.”
The Lie:
I PETER 3:21
The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
NOTE: God = Yahweh
“Jesus Christ” = Yahweh Messiah
The Truth:
I PETER 3:21
The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward Yahweh,) by the resurrection of Yahweh Messiah:
The Lie:
2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
NOTE: “grace” pagan deity name. = Spirit
“the Lord” = Yahweh
“Jesus” added so omit.
“Holy” added so omit.
The Truth:
2 Corinthians 13:14 May the Spirit of Yahweh Messiah, the love of Yahweh, and the fellowship of the Spirit be with you all.
The Lie:
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
NOTE: “angel” a sun deity name = Messenger.
“church” means pagan temple = assembly
“the Amen” Amen is a pagan sun deity name = Yahweh.
God = Yahweh.
The Truth:
Revelation 3:14
And unto the Messenger of the assembly of the Laodiceans write; These things saith Yahweh, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of Yahweh;
Yes, Yahweh is the Messiah’s name, the only name for salvation, and the name above all names.
You are totally correct, but the person is the Anti-Messiah. The Two Witnesses come the first 3 1/2 years to teach the truth, and they are killed in the midst of the 7 year peace plan. The last 3 1/2 years is when the killings start. We are living now at the very end of the 5th Seal. The first 4 Seals have already happened.
Where are the old glory blankets-sold out-not fair
Sorry Sheri, we had a very limited stock on these.