There will be an escape, and where will these people escape to? They will go to stand before the Son of Man. And where is the Son of Man? He is on the throne in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father (Col 3:1, Heb 1:13).
So we have established: 1. There will be an escape from all and 2. Where these people will escape to. This brings us to scenes that John saw in heaven described in Rev 6 and 7. In Rev 6 and 7 we see two different groups of people in heaven. One group "died in" and is under the alter (Rev 6, seal 5) while another group stands before the throne (Rev 7). The bible telling us about the group standing before the throne gives no indication whatsoever that they died to get into heaven.
So the group in Rev 7 from every tongue tribe nation etc is standing before the son of man, who is on the throne which is exactly where the escape from all group spoken of in Luke 21:36 ends up. That is a direct link between Luke 21:36 and Revelation 7. Not only that but the Lord gives us supporting evidence along the way in Rev 3 (kept from the worldwide trial and open door), Rev 4 (again the open door in heaven and we hear a trumpet), and Rev 4:4 and 5:9 where we see redeemed and rewarded men in heaven (crowns and white rainment).
The book of Revelation is not written in strictly chronological order. I'll leave that for other writers on the web to prove to you. Keep that in mind.
So what has been proven here? There is an escape from all coming and that escape is from earth to heaven where the Bride is found standing in front of Jesus (Luke 21:36 and Rev 7). There is no evidence whatsoever that the Bride of Christ "dies" into heaven in Rev 7 like those under the alter in Rev 6. The Bride (redeemed and rewarded men) are found in heaven starting in Rev 4, they also happen to be seen in Rev 5 and 7, then we go for a looooong absence (like a 7 year or there abouts absence) before the Lord speaks of the church (Bride) again in Rev 19.
The Lord calls the church by name in the book of Revelation, read chapters 2 and 3 for details on that. Those who say "the elect" are the church fail to explain in anyway why the Lord would call the church "the church" in Rev 2 and 3 then switch to call them something else in the rest of the book. The occam's razor answer is the answer, that is, the church is not in the tribulation (at all) which is why it is not mentioned by name (the church). The Bride is in heaven in her bridal chamber during the seals, trumpets, vials etc. Israel may be on the earth. The "elect," post-rapture believers may be on the earth, but the church most certainly is not on the earth...
Was Noah in the ark or treading water in the flood? Was Lot outside of Sodom or was he brushing fire and brimstone out of his hair? Just exactly as it was for Noah and Lot, it will be for us...Read Luke 17 and Matt 24 for details.
The Bride is seen in Rev 4, 5 and before the throne in Rev 7, the next time she is seen is Rev 19. The simplest explanation is the best explanation. Why no mention of "the church" by name in the tribulation? The church was not on earth, it was in heaven.
Debaters and deceivers have talked way too many people out of the simple truths the Lord has laid out for us in the bible. This is not complicated. Time is short. The time for debating ad nauseum has long been over. It is time to decide what you believe and stand firmly on it. It's hard for a runner to sprint for the finish line when he can't even decide where the finish line is. That's what the scoffers and deceivers of this age were sent to do, muddy the water and get you to chase your own tail so you go nowhere.
I am amazed at how many people have been argued out of their belief in the pre-tribulation rapture. As you believe, so you receive so be very very careful what people talk you out of....
| Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. |
The pre-tribulation rapture is a certainty. Be watching, be ready.
grace and peace
