It is taught in pre-tribulation theology, that the Rapture of the church will find millions LEFT BEHIND, to suffer the horrors of “7 years of tribulation”. It is also said that millions of those who are LEFT BEHIND will come to believe in Jesus at that time.
It is taught, “many of these will be the acquaintances and loved ones of those who have already been raptured and that these (left behind) will have heard the gospel prior to the rapture event and rejected the message that would have SAVED them from the persecutions they now suffer.
These (left behind) will become the famed “TRIBULATION SAINTS.”
Before we continue, we MUST address this matter of “SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION”.---------------------------
THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE REFERENCE TO “SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT-------NOT EVEN ONE !!
A very popular book series, as well as a less popular movie on this subject, have been marketed in the
Will there be those “LEFT BEHIND” to become tribulation saints?
Let’s see what the Bible says!
The First Resurrection
Whenever exploring pre-tribulationism, one must begin with one word – MOTIVE! What is the MOTIVE behind a particular element of pre-tribulationism? The obvious MOTIVE behind the “LEFT BEHIND” claim is as follows:
Matthew 24:29-31
“29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” 31 and he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his electfrom the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other "
Mark 13:24-27
“24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”
Revelation 7:9-14
“9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Since the resurrection of these saints (elect) is obviously AFTER the Great Tribulation, a problem exists for the pre-tribulationist in regard to the identity of these post tribulation believers. Thus the doctrine creates the scenario.
This is the pre-tribulation MODUS OPERANDI! First the DOCTRINE, then the APOLOGETICS. What must be said of these POST-TRIB saints? It seems obvious to the pre-tribulationist – They were “LEFT BEHIND” at the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.
There are huge problems with this element of pre-tribulationism.
1) Methodism of discovery:
One must NEVER establish Doctrine prior to examining ALL possibilities to the contrary.
2) Apologetics:
Rationalization should NEVER be confused with Biblical apologetics.
3) Sacrifice:
One must ALWAYS sacrifice preconceived ideas in conflict with Biblical portrayal.
Example:
Pre-tribulation Commentary:: “Just like Noah boarded the
Bible
Revelation 20:4-6
“4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands”;
--------This statement emphatically places these saints SMACK DAB in the MIDDLE of the GREAT TRIBULATION !
“and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. THIS IS THE FIRST RESSURECTION 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
These “TRIBULATION SAINTS” take part in the FIRST RESSURECTION !!
Now tell me-------how many resurrections can there be, prior to THE FIRST RESSURECTION ??
Which is the more dominant information for the establishment of Doctrine?
It is simply not A PROBLEM to the pre-tribulationist that there is not a single verse or passage that clearly describes a pre-tribulation RAPTURE. NOT ONE! If you are in doubt, then YOU must be the ONE who has discovered this verse or passage.
Developing a “LEFT BEHIND” element from the Bible is comparable to developing a novel by carefully extracting words from a dictionary and fashioning them together to make sentences and then to claim that THE DICTIONARY is the authority for the novel! There are emphatically TWO general resurrections of the dead!
Luke 14:13-14
“13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
John 5:28-29
“28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Acts 24:14-15
“14But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
I Thessalonians 4:15-16
“15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
Revelation 7:9
“9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;”
Revelation 20:4-6
“4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Daniel 12:2
“2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
HOW MANY GENERAL RESURRECTIONS OF THE DEAD?
TWO!
HOW MANY?
TWO!
Mark
“27And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”
I Thessalonians 4:13-17
“13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
II Thessalonians 2:1
“1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,”
II Thessalonians 2:3
“3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
Revelation 20:4-6
“4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
THE SECOND RESSURECTION
Revelation 20:11-15
“11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
This is the resurrection of the unrighteous dead. Since the Bible clearly describes ONLY TWO resurrections, and BOTH are found in Revelation 20:4-6 – What shall become of a pre-tribulation rapture since Jesus and Paul tell us that THE DEAD IN CHRIST RISE FIRST- and THEN the rapture? Revelation 20:4-7 emphatically tells us that this great event takes place AFTER the Church has been TRIBULATED !!
THE FIRST Resurrection – then THE Rapture!
Pre-tribulationists frequently use Matthew 24:37-39 to support a pre-tribulation rapture.
Matthew 24:37-39
“37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
But they NEVER use:
Luke 17:26-30
“26And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29But the same day that Lot went out of
Why? Because Luke records the Lord Himself as saying, “Even thus shall it be in the day that the Son of Man is REVEALED.”
EVEN THUS – thus what?
1) Noah entered the ark and the door was shut!
Matthew 25:10
“10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”
2) The flood came!
Matthew 25:11-12
“11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”
3) No one was “LEFT BEHIND” in the days of Noah, or
Luke 17:27
“27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”
Luke 17:29
“29But the same day that Lot went out of
Luke 17:30
“30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
Revelation 20:4-6
“4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had
not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
LEFT BEHIND TO BECOME TRIBULATION SAINTS?------------------------------
IMPOSSIBLE!
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