MOSES SPOKE OF THE END TIME TRIBULATION

Too many believers have bought into the "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" theory. Just that word "theory" should give us a clue as to how scriptural it is. It is UNSCRIPTURAL. That's right, the Pre-trib rap theory is ONLY that --a theory. And it is an unsciptural theory with NO foundation. It's an animal with NO LEGS TO STAND ON. It's FICTION.

So, why am I getting so riled up about it? What does it matter what people choose to believe?

Jesus got riled up about it! He made good and sure that we were warned and prepared to go through the "Great Tribulation". Any half-serious reading of Matthew 24 word-for-word will result in an exact time line of end-time events. It may not give exact "time" but it shows the sequence very clearly. All we have to do is open our eyes and read it the way it was written. (I prefer the good ol' King James Version because "tribulation" is an important word to plot the sequence. It's a key word.)

You know where else we find that word "tribulation"? It's as far back in the Old Testament as Deuteronomy. It came out of the mouth of the man who spoke to God face-to-face and led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses.

Moses prophesied to the Children of Israel before he died that there would a tribulation during the "latter days" or "last days" or end time or, in other words, "these days we're living in now".

Here's what Moses said in Deuteronomy 4:30 & 31: (It's a promise for all of us believers.)

"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God:) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."

You might think that the word "tribulation" shows up a lot in the Bible and it doesn't necessarily mean the same tribulation Jesus prophecied about in Matthew 24.

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." - Matthew 24:21

According to Cruden's Complete Concordance, there are 22 verses that include the word "tribulation" in them, at least 7 of which refer directly to the "Great Tribulation" Jesus spoke of. So, yes, the Bible talks about tribulation in other instances besides the "latter days" tribulation, but only about a dozen times.

It seems to me that this "Great Tribulation" is something that has yet to happen and has yet to happen to God's people. Here are a few reasons I believe the "Great Tribulation" is for US. You and Me.

1. In Deut. 4:30, Moses was speaking to the children of Israel as followers of God and advising them that if they would turn to the Lord thy God and be obedient to Him, when in tribulation, he would not forsake them. Honestly, does that sound like the tribulation is for the devil's crowd or the unsaved and disobedient? 
2. The main reason for the tribulation is to tribulate the saints. It's not designed to persecute the followers of the Antichrist. In fact, it's because they went through the tribulation that the saints were dressed in white robes. (Revelation 7:14b "...These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.")
3. Revelation 14:9b and 10a says, "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God..." By reading that verse, doesn't it sound as though there's a choice about receiving the "mark of the beast"? What happens to those who choose not to worship the beast and his image? 
4. Revelation 12:17 says, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." This verse specifies very clearly exactly who the Devil is fighting against during the tribulation  period. (Us!)
5. Speaking of the Antichrist/Beast, Revelation 13:7a says, "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. . ." Who are the saints? We are. You and me.
6. The same chapter says that everyone on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8)
7. Daniel 8 also talks about the Antichrist and exactly who he wants to destroy. Daniel 8:24 "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people." If we are "raptured" before the Great Tribulation, who are these holy people that Daniel is speaking about? Well, I can tell you, if you'll receive it. It's US. You and me. 

I'm going to leave it at 7 for now because 7 is God's number. I could write out another 21 reasons, but maybe in another blog. The main message of this entry is that the Great Tribulation is not something to fear or escape from or bury our heads in the sand about, or even hope we die before it happens. No. It's something to look forward to, to prepare for, to be wide awake about and to rejoice about.

WHAT? Are you serious?

Yes! I am! If you believe in Jesus, you have to believe what His Word tells us. He gives us plenty of advice about these situations, beloved. He wants us to be prepared.

Matthew 5: 10 - 12 says, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Rejoice about being persecuted? Yes. Because, when you are under persecution, the Spirit of God falls on you. The power of God is present to anoint you as a witness. That's what that word "martyr" means. And, believe it or not, for on-fire believers and followers of Christ, their main purpose, desire and motivation is to preach the message and be a living testimony of the Love of Christ.

What greater testimony can a Christian give than to surrender his life as a witness to his faith in Jesus? What greater privilege is there than to die as a martyr? ---To look up, as Stephen did and see Jesus standing at the right hand of God? Did Stephen scream out in agony when his persecutors gnashed on him with their teeth?

Acts 7:55: "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Whether or not you will be a martyr for Jesus depends on God's will for you. Martyrs or not, our job, as believers in Christ will be to get out the message. Some of us will be alive on the earth when Jesus returns to gather together his elect. In fact, Revelation talks about the "woman" which is a representative of the (true) church.

Revelation 12:13 "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth."

This is a scenario, not of a pre-tribulation rapture, but of a provision of protection for the bride of Christ. At least, that's how I see it. How about you? It sure looks like a picture of God's mercy and protection over his own.

Whether we go into tribulation or fly into the wilderness for the duration of the tribulation, may we be on-fire, brave, bold, Spirit-filled, powerful witnesses for Jesus in these troublesome times ahead. And, now. It's already happening. Some of us are being martyred, imprisoned, tortured and tribulated right now. I believe, personally that we are at the 5th seal: Revelation 6:9-11.