RP4. Will the Church be in the Great Tribulation to face the beast?

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WILL THE CHURCH BE IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION TO FACE THE DRAGON?

What is the Church?

When we speak about the Church, to be clear, we are referring to born again Christians who are collectively called the 'Church' (capital 'C'), the true body of Christ as opposed to man's idea of church (small 'c'), built in his carnal mind, conformed to the world.

Jesus has in mind only one Church namely, His Church which He told Peter in Matt 16:18, "thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Church is the Ekklesia called-out assembly of believers, born again as defined by Jesus in John 3:3-21.

ASSUMING A POST-TRIB RAPTURE, POST-TRIBBERS HAVE NOT OFFERED PROOF TEXT OF GOD'S PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH TO ENTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION

To answer the question of whether the Church will enter the Great Tribulation, Post-tribbers have so far not provided any compelling answer to the question, what is God’s purpose for the Church to enter the Great Tribulation?

Let's examine what the Bible says about the most dreadful time in mankind's history, never to be repeated and see whether there is any purpose for the Church in such circumstances.

• Some 2,000,000,000 people will be killed when the Fourth Seal is opened.
  Based on the current world population, we would be looking at horrific numbers (Rev 6:7-8). All the wars, famines and pestilences combined from the last 100 years will pale when compared to God's judgment. There is no doubt that this is a time of God's ultimate wrath. Matt 24:22 says that God shortens those days for the sake of the elect so that there will be survivors to enter the Millennial Kingdom. That is how nasty it will get.
  

• Satan knows that his time is short and his wrath will know no bounds.
  How does Satan know? He knows the Bible and Revelation, and how it is going to end for him and his fallen angels. The time will come when Satan and his demon horde is cast out of heaven onto earth. "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, ... And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, ... he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev 12:3-9,12. Satan will be at his most ruthless and vicious during the Great Tribulation. His marauding demon army will be roaming the earth, hunting and destroying all who oppose him. Satan pays attention to Bible prophecy more than most Christians do, and he knows the sequence of unfolding events.

• God will allow the Antichrist to butcher millions of new believers.
  Of the many points to ponder, this is one that Post-tribbers should really dwell on. If Post-tribbers believe that the Church, consisting of tens of millions or perhaps hundreds of millions of Christians, will enter the Great Tribulation, this is the inevitable fate that awaits them. God will allow the Antichrist to be given power for the second half forty two months of the Tribulation called the Great Tribulation (Rev 13:5) and "it was given unto the Antichrist to make war with the saints and TO OVERCOME THEM." (Rev 13:7). The saints will be slaughtered and God is going to allow it. This is further confirmed when the souls under the altar appeal to God for revenge. God's reply in Rev 6:11 is "rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." The Pre-tribber's view is that the Church is Raptured before the Tribulation and that the martyrs are NEW believers that are saved DURING the Great Tribulation. Remember that the Antichrist is demon possessed and Satan knows that he has only 3.5 years; Satan can be in denial but he knows the same Bible that we read and knows that God's power surpasses his. Satan is always a killer and destroyer but during the Great Tribulation, he is allowed to 'freely' carry out his brutality and it is not a good time to be living anywhere in the world during this time because the Antichrist is given power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Rev 13:7). In addition to his millions of demons, he will also have billions of human followers, those whose names are not written in the book of life. Persecution will reach levels unheard of as global lawlessness sets in. However, there is a bright light in all of this sorrow. During the Tribulation and Great Tribulation, there will be new converts. As stated earlier, they will be saved but at the cost of their lives. It is inevitable because of the time that God permits. If as Post-tribbers believe that the Church, will enter the Great Tribulation, one must really ask what is God's purpose for 'enabling' such a brutal massacre, a historical hunting down and slaughter of a magnitude never seen before nor ever again shall be.
  

In summary, from the first to the fourth opening of the Seals over a short space of a few years, over 2,000,000,000 people will be killed. God will allow Death, Hell and Satan to run riot during this End Time period. Including the 'short' few years of the Great Tribulation wrath of God, the total number of people that will be killed will exceed 4,000,000,000 which is over half of the world's population. 

Assuming the Post-trib doctrine where there is no Pre-trib Rapture and the Church enters the Great Tribulation, we are speaking of tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of born again Christians alive when the Tribulation begins, entering the Great Tribulation to be hunted down and slaughtered by the Antichrist.

All in, if the Church is to enter the Great Tribulation, why would God subject the Church to unprecedented violence and death brought about by famine, pestilence, wars, the Antichrist's murderous rampage under Satan and soon after, God's wrath poured out on the earth? What is God's purpose for this to happen? Where is the proof text in the Bible?

DOES IT MATTER WHETHER THE RAPTURE IS PRE-TRIB, MID-TRIB OR POST-TRIB?

The quick answer is a resounding Yes!

Pre-tribbers look forward to meeting Jesus and love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8) and for this, the Lord has a crown of righteousness laid up for us. We take comfort in the Lord's return to rapture us (1 Thess 4:18).

On the other hand, Mid-tribbers and Post-tribbers are seeing ahead to the revealing of the Antichrist. This is far from comforting. If as many Christians today think that the Tribulation won't happen in our lifetime and let's just kick the can down the road, does it make it any easier knowing that our children or our grand children must face the beast? How can they or any person for that matter, really prepare to face the darkest evil and horror that has ever existed?

QUESTIONS TO PONDER IF YOU ARE A POST-TRIBBER

Just as there are a large number of Christians who are pre-tribbers, there is a large number who are post-tribbers, while the mid-tribbers make up a relatively small group. As Pre-tribbers, we hope that we have provided convincing proof text in the Timeline of 'RP1. The Rapture and Christ's Second Coming' that show clear differences between Pre-trib and Post-trib. Additionally, this Topic is for the purpose of reasoning with you if you are a Post-tribber or even a Mid-tribber. Here are questions to ponder:

• Do Post-tribbers think that they can be spiritually, physically and psychologically prepared to enter the Great Tribulation to face the Dragon, the Antichrist, unknown millions of demons and billions of his followers, all with a venomous hatred of Christians?
  The Great Tribulation will be the most agonizing and frightening time on earth. In the first four seals over 2,000,000,000 of the world's 8,000,000,000 people will perish in horrible cicumstances as a result of war, famine, pandemics and beasts of the earth. Just read Revelation's 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowls of Wrath to know how frighteningly terrible it will be. There 7 trumpet judgments and in two of them, one third of the world's trees will be burnt up, and all green grass will be burnt up. One third of the world's fresh drinking water resources will be poisoned. And we are talking about just two of the many plagues that Post-tribbers must be prepared to deal with while fleeing from the Antichrist.
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers know that the second three and half years is the Great Tribulation when God's wrath will be directed with full force?
  What is God's purpose, if any, to want His Son's bride to be subject to God's seven trumpets and seven bowls of wrath in the day of the Lord which is specifically directed at Antichrist-worshipping unbelievers and blasphemers of God?
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers think that they can circumvent the '666' mark of the beast system implemented by the Antichrist?
  When the mark of the beast system is implemented, where no one can buy or sell without the mark, one must ask for how long can a Post-tribber survive when he can no longer pay the government, the bank or his landlord to stay in a house, or pay for water and electricity, let alone purchase groceries. Studies indicate that a person can only go without water for 3 days. The Antichrist will be in power for over 1,260 days. Consider that. And consider that for the majority of Post-tribbers living in urban and suburban cities, 'doomsday prepping' is an almost impossible option.
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers subscribe to a 'trialist' view, that Christians must endure the trials of life and this includes the Great Tribulation reign of the Antichrist?
  Many Post-tribbers use Rom 8:16-17 as their proof text. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are ... heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." Let's be realustic about this point. God's grace has spared the majority of Christians from persecution and having to suffer for our faith. As for the Great Tribulation, the 'trialist' view implies that Pre-tribbers are wishful thinking cowards who are seeking an easy way out of the Great Tribulation, desiring God's blessings in life but not the trials, which Post-tribbers also ascribe to a form of hyper-grace.
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers have a "as Christ suffered, so must I" mentality and need to prove their faith to the Lord in the trials of the Great Tribulation?
  The Great Tribulation and day of the Lord will be the worst time in mankind's history. Assuming the church is to go through the Great Tribulation and God has determined who the believers will be by name and number, does the Lord need these particular believers to proof their worth to Him by way of trial and martyrdom? Are Christians not already justified, having been purchased with the Lamb's blood or is this particular group specially selected by God to show their faith by their works (James 2:18) or to consider pure joy to go through trials (James 1:2) or to suffer for Christ as He did (Phi 1:29)? We invite you to read James 2:18, James 1:2 and Phi 1:29 for the actual context in which these verses are written.
  
  
• Have Post-tribbers overlooked the precedence that God's actions as shown in the days of Noah and Lot in Sodom and Gomorrha?
  More on the subject of Noah and Lot can be viewed in the Topic titled 'RP2. God's Purpose for the Rapture'. There are also a number of times, the Bible speaks of separation for eg. light from darkness, sheep from goats, wheat from tares, one taken and the other left (Matt 24:40-42), and his many interventions when Israel in the Old Testament came under attack. Some Post-tribbers point to persecution and martyrdom as proof that God does not intervene when Christians are mercilessly killed. While it is true that this is happening, it is an entirely different proposition for God to allow the way for tens or hundreds of millions of Christians to be slaughtered.
  
  
• Are Post-tribbers too quick to speak with the bravado of Peter and the disciples, "yet will I not deny thee"
  Post-tribbers can now say with confidence that they will not deny Christ during intense persecution. It was easy for Peter in the safe confines of someone's house while having a Passover meal, just as it is easy to proclaim our stedfast loyalty to Christ in the safe confines of where we are. Have we not noticed the panic and fear even of Christians when jobs are at stake or when disasters hit and life is in peril? Anyway, even the bravest amongst us can fail and fall, and will deny Christ without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers think that the Church is to be around to share the Gospel during the reign of the Antichrist?
  Does God need to have His church present during the Great Tribulation? Is the church to have one final assignment to deliver the Gospel of Jesus? If right NOW when we have the time to share the Gospel, and can do so in safety, we have to honestly ask whether the majority of believers are actively carrying out the Great Commission? If the time now is right and secure and most believers are overall disengaged and not exactly bringing about a great revival, what makes us think that in the midst of trying to flee and hide from the Antichrist trying to stay alive, we can bravely and openly evangelize the Gospel in hostile territory? God can call out evangelists at will such as the 120,000 
  
  
• Do Post-tribbers believe that they can share the Gospel freely and openly during the reign of the Antichrist?
  God does not need His church to be present during the Great Tribulation. Revelation tells us that delivery of the Gospel will be assigned to two witnesses (Rev 11:3-7) and the angel proclaiming the everlasting gospel across the world (Rev 14:6-7). In global broadcasting terms, an angel flying across the sky should be pretty loud and convincing even to the most skeptical of skeptics and cynical of cynics. This fulfills Matt 24:14 "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Although the Bible does not say so, it is taught that the 144,000 Jewish virgin men are set apart to also be an evangelizing army but with the supernatural power given to the two witnesses to go about their work without fear of being shot and killed, the Gospel will have its time to be effectively shared as ordained by God.
  
  

• Do Post-tribbers know why God tells the Jews that the Great Tribulation is the time of Jacob's trouble?
  The use of 'Jacob' in the Great Tribulation in God's prophecy to Jeremiah (Jer 30:7), is to establish the link between God's covenant with Jacob and his descendants, the 12 tribes of Israel, and the last days Great Tribulation. Fast forward thousands of years to the Great Tribulation and we can paraphrase Jer 30:7 to read the time of Jacob's WORST WORST EVER TROUBLE; "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it:" A significant purpose of the Great Tribulation is for Jacob to be redeemed out of it, thus fulfilling the regrafting of Israel (Rom 11:24-28). Beginning with Jacob, that is why the Tribulation bears inescapable Jewish references.
  - The first half of the Tribulation is 1,260 days (Dan 9:27) which follows the Jewish 30-day month and not the 365-day international Gregorian calendar
  - The two witnesses prophesy for a thousand two hundred and threescore days (Rev 11:3)
  - The woman (Israel) brings forth a man child (Jesus) to rule the nations with a rod of iron, caught up unto God and His throne, fled into the wilderness for a thousand two hundred and threescore days (Rev 12:5-6)
  - 12,000 Jews from the 12 tribes that make up Jacob's 12 descendants are sealed and set apart (Rev 7:4)
  - John saw the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God (Rev 21:10); it has twelve gates ... and written on them the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (Rev 21:10,12)

We hope that the 'TT2. The Rapture of the Bride of Christ' series of Topics has given us something to chew on. Ultimately, as Bible-abiding Christians, we want to be led by Scripture and what the Lord says in His prophetic Word to come to a well-informed position. Are we very close to the last days? Do we understand the times? What should be our correct response according the Lord's instructions that are written in His Word?

Be blessed as you undertake this time of reflection in the Lord's Word.

Version 23.1.1