The poll on the rapture, inspired me to this... I saw there were some questions and I found this book to be very very helpful in my quest for answers on the rapture.
My hubby did a sermon on this a few months ago, and got most of his information from a book called, The Tribulation and the Church, by Pastor Chuck Smith. My hubby posted the book, online at a Christan web sight he goes to, and I will gladly put it up here. It answers a lot of questions some might have about the rapture, and the tribulation of the church.
I will post the first chapter, and if you all want more, just let me know and I can put the rest up as well.
The Two Tribulations.
The fact that a time of great tribulation is coming upon the earth is firmly established in the scriptures. In Daniel 12:1 we read, "And there shall be a time of trouble, such as neverwas since there was a nation even to that same time, and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be written in the book." This mention of "The Book" is, no doubt, a reference to the Book of Life. What a wonderful promise of deliverance!
In Matthew 24:21-22 Jesus Himself said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elects sakethose days shall be shortened." The "elect" here refers to Israel, as evidenced by the context (verses 16, 20). Both Daniel and Jesus spoke about the same "time of trouble" and day of "great tribulation" to come upon the earth.
The book of Revalation gives us many details about the events that will transpire on earth during this time of Great Tribulation. Chapter 6 begins with the opening of the 7 seals of judgement. The tribulation continues through the 7 trumpet judgements and the 7 vials of God's wrath that will be poured out. If you want to fully understand what this Great Tribulation will be like, read Revalation chapter 6 through 19 at this point.
It's important to make a clear distinction about tribulations as taught in the Bible. There are two different types of tribulation. (1) The Great Tribulation referred to by Jesus and Daniel and detailed by John in the book of Revalation. (2) The tribulation that Jesus promised would come to the church.
Speaking to His disciples in John 16:33 Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." The church will have tribulation in the world. It's important to notice that the "tribulation" faced by the church originates from the world and comes from the world system controlled by Satan. Satan is behind all the attacks on the church.
Paul tells us that we're not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Spirit forces are warring against the children of God. The source of our tribulation is definitely the world system governed by Satan.
The Great Tribulation that will come upon the earth originates from heaven. God's wrath is poured out in judgement against the sinners during this tribulation. When the 6th seal is opened in Revalation 6:12, those on the earth try to hide and they call for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, for the Great Day of His wrath has come. They question, "Who shall be able to stand?" Revalation 18:11 declares, "Thy wrath is come."
In Revalation 14:10 the Great Tribulation is referred to as the indignation and wrath of God. When the seals are opened in heaven, corresponding judgements come upon the earth. The angles are given trumpets in heaven, and as they blow the trumpets, corresponding judgements come upon the earth. The vials from the living creatures are open by the seven angles, and again corresponding judgements come upon the earth. All these judgements come from God and have their origin in heaven. In Psalm 69:20-28 we have prophecy concerning Jesus. It speaks of His disciples forsaking Him in the hour of need and of vinegar being given to Him for His thirst. It then calls for God to pour out His indignation and His wrathful anger upon those who have persecuted the One who God had smitten. Indignation is a word used Old Testament, especially to describe the time of the Great Tribulation (Isaiah 26:19,20; Isaiah 34:1-8; Jeremiah 10:10; Daniel 8:19; Daniel 11:36; Nahum 1:5,6; Zephaniah 3:
Note that in Isaiah 66:14 that the hand of the Lord will be known towards His children but his indignation toward His enemies.
Paul tells us in Romans 2:6-9 that God will "Render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil." Hebrews 10:27 also speaks of the fiery indignation that will devour His adversaries.
Tribulation experienced by the child of God, comes from the Satan-governed world. The Great Tribulation that is coming on the sinful world will come from God.
Why is this Great Tribulation coming? The scriptures say that it's purpose is three fold: (1) To try men who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10); (2) that God might vent His wrath upon the wicked (Revelation 15:7); and (3) to destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18). Those who fall in one or all of these categories will be on the earth to experience the Great Tribulation period.
In the Old Testament the Lord spoke to Abraham and told him of the impending judgement on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In response, Abraham challenged the fairness of God. He asked, "Shall not the Lord of the earth be just? Would You destroy the righteous with the wicked?" What if there are fifty righteous? The Lord responded that if He found fifty righteous He would spare the city for their sake.
Notice the whole premise of Abraham's intersession with God was that it wouldn't be fair for God to judge the righteous with the wicked. If the judgement proceeds from God, then it surely wouldn't be fair for God to judge the righteous along with the wicked. Nowhere in the scripture when we find judgement proceeding directly from God, do we find the righteous being judged with the wicked.
When the angles arrived in Sodom they couldn't even find the ten righteous for whom Abraham had interceded. So, they delivered the one righteous man, Lot, out of the city. Not until he was delivered did the judgement of God come. They declared in Genesis 19:22 that they could not do anything until he was safely out of the way.
In Luke 17 when Jesus makes reference to Lot's escape, Jesus clearly points out that in the same hour Lot was brought out of the city, the judgement of God fell. In 2 Peter 2 the apostle points out that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, "Making them an example." However, God delivered that righteous man, Lot, who was vexed by the way people were living around him. Then Peter goes on to say, " For God knows how to deliver the righteous... and to reserve the ungodly for the day of judgement" (2 Peter 2:9).
Were told in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 that God has not appointed us unto wrath. Also, in Romans 5:9 were told that "Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
Any argument that might be developed to prove that the church will go through the Great Tribulation and experience the wrath of God that is coming upon the earth must somehow explain the following point. When did God change His ways as to now punish the righteous with the wicked? It would be a change in God's nature to force his children to face the outpouring of His wrath. Yet, God said he changes not (Malachi 3:6).
In deductive logic the most common form of reasoning is known as a syllogism. A syllogism consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. When one premise is negative and the other positive, only a negative conclusion can follow.
For example, a major premise might be positive: All birds have wings. The minor premise is negative: Dogs do not have wings. The conclusion must be negative: Dogs are not birds.
Our major premise is negative: the Church is not appointed to wrath (Greek: org). "We shall be saved from wrath" (Romans 5:9); "God has not appointed us to wrath" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:9). The minor premise is positive: The Great Tribulation is a time of God's wrath (orge). "Hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath is come" ( Revelation 6:16-17). The conclusion must be negative and plain: The church will not experience the Great Tribulation to argue any differently is to defy logic, and one may as well seek to prove that a dog is a bird. No further argument is necessary to prove that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation. The burden of evidence is overwhelming.