Why the Church Won't Go Through the Tribulation, Part 2

Zephaniah the prophet said these words about the day of the Lord. Zephaniah 1 verse 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. 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, a day of trumpet and battle cry, against the fortified cities and the high corner towers. And I will bring distress upon men, so that they will walk like blind, because they have sinned against the Lord, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

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. Zephaniah wrote about a time, the day of God's wrath, the day of darkness and gloom and desolation. Well, men will walk around as if they're all blind. They will not know where to go. They will not know what to do. And yet, in spite of what the Bible says about the terrible day of the Lord, there will be critics who will say, where is the promise of us coming?

We will note in our discussion of the flood that God made a promise that He would never again destroy the world with a flood. But He also made this promise. He will destroy the world with f. It will be consumed. There is a day of destruction. That is coming, and people will mock. And even as a result of what has happened with this whole Y phenomenon, or it's kind of like a you know a wet firecracker, nothing really ever happened, but All these books were written, and there was mass hysteria a year ago at this time, and people were giving out tapes and making millions and millions of dollars off of people who were gullible enough.

To buy into all those things and all their Y kits and everything. And as a result of that, you know, down the road, people will begin to say, A day of doom is coming. And people will say, you know what? It ain 't going to happen. And yet it escapes your notice that when God says something, when God gets his word, he's faithful to his word.

He will keep it. The question comes, during that day, that terrible day of gloom and darkness. Will we be there? Will the Christian be there? That's the question we're asking. That's the question we want to answer. Will we be a part of that darkness? Will the belie exper the day of God's wrath? And I don't want to bore you and I want to be intellectual, but I just want you to understand what the Bible says about this issue.

Because it's very important about what you believe about the day of the Lord. It pertains to how you live your life today and the coming of Christ. And so, our topic is why the church won't go through. The tribulation. We gave the first three last time.

We'll cover the last five this evening. The first one was the location of the church in Revel. The second was the identification of the 24 elders in Revelation.

The third was the prevention of the church from what is called the hour. Of tribulation. All those are very important. I'm not going to review those for you. You're more than welcome to get the tape on them. But I want to pick up with point number four that helps us understand why the church won't go through the tribulation. That's found in John chapter 14, and I've titled that one, The Preparation of Our Place in Glory. The preparation of our place in glory. Turn with me to John 14 for a moment.

John 14. The disciples at this time, on the eve of the crucifixion, are troubled. Because they were so convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had no concept of a Messiah that would stick around for a little while and then leave. That was not a part of their Old Testament theology. They didn't quite understand that. Jesus says, I'm going to be with you for a little while, but I got to go.

And they're saying, hold on a second, Jesus. You just got here. You just started this ministry thing. You can't leave now.

It's just getting good. I mean, they want to kill you. I mean, this is where the rubber meets the road. I mean, you can't leave now.

But Jesus says, I got to go. And so it says in verse number one of chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled.

Their hearts were troubled. They were stressed at this point. Not only was the man they had given their life to going to die, but he was going to leave them forever in their mind. I mean, their concept of the Messiah was that he was a mighty conquering warrior. And now he's going to leave. That did not compute with them upstairs. They did not understand that. They had forsaken everything to follow him. They had forsaken family. They had forsaken their jobs. They had given their life to him, and now he was going to leave.

Something's wrong. They were hurt. They were bewildered. They were grieving. Christ knew that? Let not your heart be troubled, he says. Believe in God, believe also in me. A proof of his deity. You believe that God is true. You believe that God is faithful. You believe that God is a God who protects, provides, and cares for you. You believe in God, believe also in me. Why? Because I'm God in the flesh. So he affirms his deity. To them. And then he says, This, in my father's house are many dwelling places.

Wow. In my father's house are many dwelling places. Now, what conjures up in my mind is a house in heaven. And you know, I don't understand all that, but the Bible does tell us how big the house is. Did you know that? Sure, it does. Revel 21, verse number 16. It 's 1 miles cubed. That is 2,,000 square miles. It tells us that it can hold up to a hundred billion people. Now we know that there's not going to be a hundred billion people there because the Bible also states that narrow is the gate, hard is the way, and few there be that find it.

But Revelation 21, 16 does give us the dimension that we can somehow govern God's house. But in that house are many dwelling places. And Christ says this.

If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. I'm going to furnish your place. I'm going to fix up your place for you. Now, this is very important. Turn back with me to Revelation 12 for a moment. This is so exciting. I just can't wait to get to Revelation chapter 12. But we're going to have to. Listen to this. Revelation 12, I think I talked about this last time, that Revelation 12 is the history of the world. For the beginning to the end. When we get there, we'll explain it to you.

But it says this: Revelation 12:6. And the woman, that is Israel, fled into the wilderness where she had a place. What's it say? Prepared by God, same word used in John 14. Do you know that God is going to prepare a place? He's going to furnish a place for Israel in the wilderness. Where they will run from the Antichrist. They will run for their lives for protection. And it says there. So that she might be nourished for 1, days. God during the tribulational period is going to prepare a place for Israel and Antichrist can't get them.

He's going to know where they're at, but he can't get to them. It's going to frustrate him. In fact, it's going to frustrate him so much that he will unleash his fury upon the rest of the world. And of course, he will kill all those who don't eat the mark of the beast. But I find it rather significant that God says, I'm going to prepare a place for my people during the tribulation.

Jesus says, I'm going to prepare a place for you in heaven. That's important. There is a distinction between the church and Israel. We'll talk about that in a moment. But he's going to prepare a place for them. Specifically for them, he says that if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. I'm going to come and receive you. I'm not going to send my angels. I'm not going to beckon you to come up to me. I am going to come and I am going to receive you so that where I am, there you may be also.

He says, I want you to be where I am. All that to say is that the reason the Bible teaches a pre-tribulational rapture, the reason the Bible teaches that the Church of Jesus Christ Will be caught up away before the seven-year tribulational period is because God has a place prepared for them to come. If The catching away of the church happens at the end of the tribulation, there would be no place for Christ to furnish for them to go to. That's why. So the Bible through John 14 helps us understand that Christ is going to take us home to be with Him.

That's where he has gone at this time, preparing a home for you and for me. And in verse number five, Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where you are going. How do we know the way? You see, this was a totally foreign concept to them. We'll talk about that in a moment. They did not understand this whole Messiah thing going away. What are you doing? You're supposed to come, you're supposed to set up your kingdom, and you are supposed to rule this earth. That's what all the Old Testament prophets said.

What are you doing? Going away, preparing a place for us, so that where you are, we may be too. And Christ says, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father but through me. You trust me. I am the way. To my Father. Point number five as to why the church won't go through the pre-tribulation or through the tribulation is this: the distinction in the purpose of the church in Israel. The distinction in the purpose of the church in Israel. There are people who believe in what is called a post. Tribulational rapture, that is, after the tribulational period is over. Some people believe in a mid-tribulational rapture. Those people have to spiritualize a lot of verses.

They have to help you understand that the church now is spiritual Israel. The only problem with that, and I think I said this to you before. Is that if all the cursings for Israel were literal, why are not the blessings for Israel literal? You see? So you have to be able to do some spiritual gymnastics in the scriptures to get around that. But there was a supreme distinction between the church of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel. If you were to read through Romans 11, verses 17 and 24, we're not going to do that tonight, but I would encourage you to do that on your own.

You will read that Israel is like a branch that's broken off from a tree and that God grafted the church in the place of Israel. And there will come a time when the church then will be cut off and Israel will be grafted back in. That's Revelation, excuse me, Romans 11, verses 23 and 24. God isn't working through the nation of Israel today. They had their opportunity. And what God has done now is work through the church. When the church is gone, God will then again work through Israel. That's evident with 1,000 Jews.

The Jewish evangelists during the tribulational period that share their faith and people are one to Christ through their testimony: 12,000 from every tribe. But the church was never mentioned in the first 69 weeks of Daniel chapter 9, and it's not mentioned in the 70th week.

Of Daniel's prophecy in Daniel chapter 9. The reason being is because the church is not a part of that. We said last week that as you go through and examine the book of Revelation, chapter 6 through chapter 19, the church is nowhere mentioned. But Israel is because the time of Jacob's trouble is specifically the day of God's wrath. It's a time where God begins to restore Israel back to him. And to show them that he is a God of his word, that what he promised to them, they will have, because God is a God who keeps his word.

That God would once again use them as his vehicle to spread the good news. Number six: the consol given to the Thessalonians. The cons given to the Thessalonians. This is pretty powerful. Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

First, Thessalonians chapter 4. He says this in verse number 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain into the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. Whoa! We're not going to go before those who are already dead. Listen to this. 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 shall rise first.

Whoa! So the ones who are already dead, they're going to go before you are going to go. And then it says: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus. We shall always be with the Lord, therefore, comfort one another with these words. Wow! Well, there's your answer. Those who have already died are going to be raised first, and we who are alive and remain will be caught up together, will be raptured up together with them in the air.

So shall we ever be. With the Lord in the place that He's prepared for us, in His mansion, the many dwelling places that He has already specifically furnished for you and for me. Now, It's important to note that had they believed that they would be raptured after the tribulation, they would not have grieved for those who were already dead. Instead, they would be grieving for themselves because they then would be looking to go through the tribulational period, and those who have already died will miss that.

See? But inst, they grieved over the loved ones who had already died because they were going to miss out on a wonderful, glorious. Opportunity. Number seven, the implication of the imminent coming of Christ. So important. For something to be imminent. Nothing has to happen before that event takes place. Or it's not imminent. So, if something has to happen before Jesus Christ comes back to earth, then his coming cannot be imminent. You'd be looking for that something to happen before he comes back.

That's why, that's why you won't know who the Antichrist is before the rapture of the church. Because if you would know, you'd be looking for Antichrist and not Christ. Right? Nothing has to happen in the prophetic calendar for Jesus Christ to return again. Nothing. That's next on the agenda. It's the next thing to happen. Philippians 4:5, the Lord is near. 1 Thessalonians 1:10, to wait for his Son from heaven. Titus 2:1, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 9:2. So Christ shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him.

James 5, 7 and 9. Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. For the coming of the Lord is at hand. Behold, the judge is standing right at the door. 1 Peter 1. 1. Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. June 21, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. To eternal life. Revelation 3:1, 22, 7, 12, and 20. He says, I am coming quickly. As you read through the New Testament, you begin to see how these people were anticipating an event, anticipating the coming, the arrival of the king to take them home.

The doctrine of eminency is so crucial in New Testament teaching. Reynolds Showers has written a book entitled Maranatha, Our Lord Come. He says this. In light of the concept of the imminent coming of Christ and the fact that the New Testament does teach his imminent coming, we can conclude that the pre-tribulation rapture view is the only view of the rapture of the church that comfortably fits the New Testament teaching of the imminent coming of Christ. It is the only view that can honestly say that Christ could return at any moment.

Daniel 9, or the tribulation period begins, and that nothing else must happen before his return. All the other views teach that at least part of the 70th week must transpire before Christ can come to rapture the church. The mid-tribulational rapture view claims that one half, the first three and one-half years of the 70th week, must elapse before Christ can come.

Its pre-wrath derivation position teaches that approximately three-fourths of the 7 week must run its course before Christ can come. The post-tribulational rapture view asserts that the entire 70th week, all seven years, must pass before Christ can come. Thus, None of these views can honestly say that Christ could come at any moment. In reality, then, all of these views are saying that we can count on a certain amount of time transpiring before Christ's coming and therefore destroy the New Testament teaching Of the imminent coming of Christ.

He says that what we'd be doing is looking for something to happen. I mean, the post-tribulational view says That we, to some degree, are going to usher in the millennium. That's something we can do to bring about the millennium, or that we are already in that millennial kingdom. That ain't so because Christ isn't ruling with a rod of iron for the city of Jerusalem and enacting his judgment immediately upon somebody when they sin. We are not in the kingdom of God in terms of his literal reign. We are part of the kingdom of God spiritually because he reigns within us.

That's important to understand. But one day we believe that Jesus Christ will come back to earth. He will set up his kingdom. He will rule on earth for a thousand years. And we will reign with him. And we'll see that more unfold as we go through the book of Revelation. A few facts about the rapture. Of the church and the revelation of Christ that make them distinct. That show that they are two separate events. I mean, can you imagine? We're raptured. And then we come back down to the earth immediately?

What is that? We go through tribulation, and then we're up in heaven, then boop, we coming right back down again. What is that? That makes no sense. And Revelation tells us that we come accompanying Christ, the Messiah, at the end of the tribulation. They can't be the same event. Why is that? At the rapture, the saints meet Christ in the air. At the second coming or the revelation of Christ, Christ returns to earth.

At the rapture, the Mount of Olives is untouched. At the Second Coming, the Mount of Olives splits. At the rapture, living saints are translated. At the Second Coming, no saints are translated.

At the rapture, the body goes to heaven. At the second coming, the body, that is, the body of Christ, comes to ear.

At the rapture, Christ comes for his saints. At the second coming, Christ comes with his saints. At the rapture, the world is not judged and sin gets worse. At the second com, the world is judged and sin is dealt with.

At the rapture, it is not preceded by detailed signs or warnings, but the second coming is preceded by specific detailed signs.

At the rapture, it only concerns the saved people. At the Second Coming, the concern is the saved and.

The lost. There is a distinct difference. That's why we need to understand what the word of the Lord says. Say, well, let's say, Pastor, that we do go into this great and terrible day of the Lord, the time of Jacob's trouble. Don't you think that people will repent, give their life to Christ? You know, when we go through the book of Revelation, or finish going through the book of Revelation, you're going to see some things that are absolutely unbelievable. But let me read to you, Revelation 16:11.

And they, that is a Gentile people, blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains. And their sores, and repented not of their deeds. When we go through the book of Revelation and we unfold the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven bowls, and things become progressively worse. People don't wake up and say, I got to repent, man. I got to get right with God. Do you know what happens? They blaspheme God. They blame God. It's God's fault. It's always got to be somebody's fault. It's never my fault.

It's God's fault. So sad. So s. The good news is, is that God has destined us not for wrath, but for deliverance. So that we might not experience the great and terrible day of the Lord. Instead, we're going to go to heaven, we're going go to the place that's prepared for us. And next week, we're going to let you see a glimpse of heaven. We're going let you see what the Bible says about your eternal home, your eternal destiny.

And through that, May it be even a greater encouragement for you to live as God wants you to live. Let's pray together.