Bible in general (Archive 1)

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Bible Question: GMSmith101 Thanks for your input, it is appreciated. As you know the debate as to whether the church will be here on earth during the tribulation has been going on for years. Most people either believe in Pre-Trib the church is raptured before the beginning of the Tribulation. Or Mid-Trib where the church will be raptured out in the middle of the Tribulation. My question is not so much whether the church will go into the tribulation my question is will any saints remain at the end?

Reading the Book of Revelation leaves me with the opinion that no believer will be alive on earth at the end of the Tribulation.

I think the verses you reference do indeed talk about the tribulation, and I thank you for bringing them up. But in verse 30 of that same chapter it says, “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.” Matthew 24:30

The word MOURN sticks out. Since Jesus’ return is at the end of the Tribulation and it says ALL will mourn, I think that is a clue there isn’t any believers on earth.

Please consider verse 31 it says “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.” Matthew 24:31 It specifies four winds from one end of sky to the other. It isn’t talking the four winds of the earth. NKJV replaces “sky” with “heaven”. Again a clue that there won’t be any saints left on earth.

Please let me submit these three verses
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

I believe they tell us we are not to endure God’s wrath yet in Rev. 15:7 “Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.”
So again I think this is saying the believers will be gone by this time.

I know some may interpret God’s wrath to mean God’s judgement and that believers are in fact spared from God’s judgement. I think there is a big difference between God’s wrath seen poured out on earth in the tribulation and the justice that will be meted out at the Great White throne.

Please, any other thoughts?

Bible Answer: I understand your view. But in light of the words of Jesus Himself, and the sequence He describes, I continue to believe the church will be here until after the tribulation. Jesus says in v. 22, "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." If the elect weren't still here, there would be no need to cut the days short. As far as v.31 goes, it follows 29 and 30 which describe events AFTER the tribulation (v. 29 begins with "But immediately..." and v. 30 begins with "And then..."). Jesus is saying the elect will be gathered AFTER the tribulation.