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Lesson 5

NEW TESTAMENT UNDERSTANDING

Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, 1 Thessalonians 5, 2 Thessalonians 2, 2 Timothy 3,4

The Tribulation

Matthew 24

¹⁵"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- ¹⁶ then let those in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰ Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." Matthew 25:15-19

Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew and 13 of Mark constitute Jesus' greatest prophecy -- called the Olivet Discourse, named because it was given on the slope of the Mount of Olives. We have already discussed a portion of this that pertained to the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 in Lesson 2. Now let's turn our attention to what Jesus had to say about the latter days and the Tribulation.

Jesus Predicts the Tribulation--Matthew 24:9-35

The date is A.D. 32. It is probably late Tuesday afternoon before Passover. The Triumphal Entry had been made the previous Sunday, and Jesus knows His public ministry is ended. His crucifixion is eminent. As Jesus leaves the Temple, probably for the last time, the disciples call His attention to its beauty. His answer astonishes them:

²"Do you see all these things?' he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

Later, as Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approach and ask him:

³"Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:2-3)

Verses 4-9 have already been discussed in the Introduction (page 2), as has the near-term destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in Lesson 2 (page 6). Jesus provides the prophecy concerning the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 by Titus in Luke 21:12-24, and also defines the length of the dispersal of the Jews as being 'until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled' (Verse 24). The time of the Gentiles ended on June 7, 1967 in the Six Day War.

The prophecy that Jesus delivered in Matthew 24:9-31 is completely different from that of Luke. Although some scholars place verses 9-31 as occurring in the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation, it is more likely they refer to the entire seven year Tribulation. Verse 15 discusses the abomination that causes desolation, and we discussed in Lesson 1 that Daniel 9:27 clearly states this event will occur in the middle of the Tribulation. If so, Matthew 24:9-14 refers to the first half of the Tribulation period, verses 15-20 the Mid-Tribulation period, and verses 21-31 the last 3½ years of the Tribulation.

The Beginning of Persecution--Matthew 24:9-14

Jesus, in verses 9-14 provides an account of what will happen to His followers during the first half of the Tribulation:

⁹"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

As noted above, verses 9-14 refer to what will happen during the first half of the seven year Tribulation. But to whom is Jesus referring when He uses the pronoun 'you' in these verses? If the 'you' are all Christians in general, then the Church will still be present during the first half of the seven year Tribulation. But if the Church is already raptured, as is commonly accepted within the Church today, then the 'you' must be those Christians converted through the efforts of the 144,000 Jews (Revelation 7:1-10) who evangelize the world after the church is raptured. When the Church will be raptured is discussed in greater detail later in this lesson.

One of the critical assumptions established as a test for prophecy is that it always refers to God's chosen people--the Jews. Jesus was speaking to his disciples, all of which were Jews. Second, just before this event transpired Jesus was lamenting the fate of His people, the Jews, in Matthew 23:37-38:

³⁷"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. ³⁸ Look, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹ For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Jesus used the city of Jerusalem to encompass the entire Jewish people. It is clear that his focus was on the Jews and their eminent desolation by Titus when the disciples asked their questions. Jerusalem had to be again occupied by God's chosen people for them to say "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," and that did not happen until 1967.

Assuming then, that the 'you' refers at least in part to the Jewish Christians, who are they? We already know from our study of Daniel that Israel does not discover that Jesus is their Messiah until the middle of the seven year Tribulation. Yet verses 9-14 reference the first half of the Tribulation and verse 14 specifically states that the gospel will be preached to all the nations. Revelation 7:1-8 most likely provides the answer accepted by most conservative theologians; they are the 144,000 Jews that will evangelize the world during the first half of the Tribulation! If so, the 'you' in Matthew 24:9 will also refer to these new Gentile and Jewish Christians as well.

While the Jews in Israel remain in unbelief, and even join with the Antichrist during the first 3½ years, the 144,000 Jewish Christians are evangelizing the world. Nowhere in these verses does it actually say that this is the function of the 144,000 Jews, but the context of Revelation 7 leaves few alternatives. If it is the Church that does the evangelizing, as some believe, why did John see the 144,000 Jews and not the Church? In fact, the great multitude beyond count in Revelation 6:9-11 and 7:9,14 strongly suggests that these 144,000 Jewish Christians may be more effective in evangelizing the world in the first 3½ years of the Tribulation than the Church has been in its entire history! Matthew 24:14 could be literally fulfilled by these 144,000 Jewish Christians. See Lesson 6 for a further discussion of this event.

Whether it's the 144,000 Jews and their converts, or the Church (or both), Jesus warns them in Matthew 24:9-14 that they will be harshly persecuted during the first half of the Tribulation. They will be hated by all nations (verse 9), so much so that many will fearfully turn away from the faith (verse 10). Many will be martyred. "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death" (Mark 13:12, emphasis mine). False prophets and teachers will appear and deceive many people (verse 11). This will truly be a time of great persecution.

How does this happen, and who is persecuting these Christians during this time? We will find in Revelation that though he approves, it is not the Antichrist. He does not consolidate his power until the middle of the Tribulation. But if not the Antichrist, then who? Jesus, in verse 12 indicates the "love of most will grow cold". Paul's instruction to Timothy expands on this in 2 Timothy Chapter 3:

¹"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power" (bold added).

Paul continues in 2 Timothy Chapter 4:

³"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

There will come a time when a false church will gain dominance over the world's religions. It will have a form of godliness but will deny its power. What power? The power of salvation that comes only from Christ. It is coming through the New Age Movement and is the official religion of the United Nations.

The Emerging World Religion

This religion is rooted in what is called Theosophy and claims to be able to trace its roots back through the Knights Templar, Hinduism, Babylon, and the super Aryan race of Atlantis. (See discussion on the Harlot Woman in the discussion of Revelation 17, page 79)

When God miraculously stopped the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity, He did so by blinding the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature--see page 25). The very international institution that is writing most of the international agenda unknowingly gave the author and three others the very UN document that the United Nations had just told the U.S. Senate did not exist, nor did they have any intention of writing it! It simply illustrates the principle if God wants to stop the plans of kings, they will be stopped, in spite of all their scheming, plotting and lying.

Known as the UN Global Biodiversity Assessment (GBA, see page 25), the document was written to fulfill the conditions of Article 25 of the Biodiversity Treaty that called for a scientific assessment of biological diversity. The treaty had absolutely no implementing language, causing President Bush to not sign it because he had no idea what was going to be required of the United States. President Clinton had no such problems, however, and signed it in July, 1993. The UN GBA was intended to provide the basis for writing the implementing language.

Simply stated, the GBA was the most antihuman document ever written by a government. It divides the perceived global environmental holocaust into two world views, 1) that of western civilization, which was bad, and 2) that of traditional societies, which was good,

The western "world view is characteristic of large-scale societies, heavily dependent on resources brought from considerable distances. It is a world view that is characterized by the denial of sacred attributes of nature... [which] became firmly established about 2000 years [ago] with the Judeo-Christian-Islamic religious traditions." ⁽¹⁾

On the other hand, "The world view of traditional societies tends to be strikingly different from the modern world view. They tend to view themselves as members of a community that not only includes other humans, but also plants and animals as well as rocks, springs and pools. People are then members of a community of beings -- living and non-living.

Thus rivers may be viewed as mothers. Animals may be treated as kin."⁽²⁾

"The many restraints on the use of natural resources, [including the] protection...of sacred sites,... may have evolved culturally in response to the need to ensure more sustainable use of biological populations and conservation of biological diversity. Compliance in such societies is typically assured through two devices: fear of the wrath of offended nature spirits and social sanctions against offenders."

"Societies dominated by Islam, and especially Christianity have gone farthest in setting humans apart from nature and in embracing a new value system that has converted the world into a warehouse of commodities for human enjoyment. In the process, ... nature lost its sacred qualities..."⁽³⁾ (Italics and bold added)

In this belief system rocks are considered beings, like human beings, and are part of the community of life. Rivers are our mothers, and animals our kin. All monotheistic beliefs are considered heretical. Why? Because, if nature is God (or the Goddess)⁽⁴⁾, then all things of nature have equal importance, including rocks. For man to use the things of nature for his own pleasure, comfort or convenience, is heresy! After all, how can man, who is merely one small portion of god (or goddess), have any right to dominate and use indiscriminately the other aspects of nature --which are also part of god (or the goddess). Hence, all things of nature have equal value, nature is one in god or the goddess! Man should not be able to benefit at the expense of nature!

This pantheistic belief is also called by a more politically acceptable term, biocentrism. No matter what it is called, however, it has enormous political implications. If any law on the books benefits man at the expense of nature, it is a heretical law, and must be changed to make it more biocentrically (pantheistically) acceptible. When the new law also benefits man at the expense of nature, as it must,⁽⁵⁾ it too must be changed. And so on. This slippery road to nihilism eventually leads to the conclusion that man himself is the virus, the cancer to mother earth, and the only solution is the elimination of mankind.

The pantheistic mind rationalizes the problem like this. Man is putting millions of tons of carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, one of which is freon) into the atmosphere which are known greenhouse gasses and ozone oxidizers, respectively. Therefore, these pollutants must be damaging mother earth through global warming and ozone depletion! Because nature is god and god transcends international borders, a world government must be created to solve these perceived global environmental catastrophes!

But this only solves part of the problem. As long as the Judeo-Christian ethic dominates the western world, the problem will persist! Therefore, not only is a world government needed to pass laws to stop the environmental carnage to mother earth, the people must learn that mother earth is the goddess! Therefore, the pantheistic religion must become the world religion!

The Earth Charter

The effort to instill pantheism as the world religion is taking form through what is known as the Earth Charter, written by the IUCN, Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev. According to the Commission on Global Governance's report Our Global Neighborhood,

"A global civic ethic to guide action within the global neighborhood and leadership infused with that ethic are vital to the quality of global governance." "Global values must be the cornerstone of global governance.... By leadership we do not mean only people at the highest national and international levels. We mean enlightenment at every level,...in the religious community and among teachers,...in the private sector,...and especially in the media."⁽⁶⁾ (Italics and bold added)

The changes to be made in society are to be radical in their nature, and fully implemented by the year 2000,

"The Earth Charter initiative reflects the conviction that a radical change in humanity's attitudes and values is essential to achieve social, economic, and ecological well- being in the twenty-first century.... The Commission ... plans to circulate a final version of the Charter as a people's treaty beginning in mid-1998. The Charter will be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly in the year 2000,... [where it will] ensure a very strong document that reflects the emerging new global ethics."⁽⁷⁾ (Italics and bold added)

The Earth Charter is the "articulation of a spiritual vision that reflects universal spiritual values, including but not limited to ethical values;... a people's charter that serves as a universal code of conduct for ordinary citizens, educators, business executives, scientists, religious leaders, non-governmental organizations, and national councils of sustainable development;..."⁽⁸⁾

The Persecution of the Church--Before the Rapture!

Everyone, including the pastors of Christian Churches must be infused with this new religion if they are to hold leadership positions in the coming world order. Persecution of Bible believing churches is inevitable and already increasing in other places in the world. European governments are being pressured to pass laws declaring Bible believing Christian denominations like the Southern Baptist Church as a cult--thereby stripping them of all legal protection! Attorney General Janet Reno has already declared Biblical based Christianity as a cult!

Severe persecution is coming to the church in a very short time. Tragically, the church is asleep and totally spiritually unprepared. Even if the rapture occurs before the seven year tribulation begins, it is very likely the church will undergo persecution before the rapture occurs--even in America! The foundations are already being laid.

Are you ready for this kind of persecution? Jesus warns His people,

⁴² ''Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:42-44

Jesus follows this warning with the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. Of the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom to come, only five had their lamps oil reservoir full. In other words, they were spiritually prepared. The other five's lamps were only half full. They are part of the bridegroom's people (i.e. they are children of God), but they fell asleep--just as the Church is today! Just like God's chosen people--the Jews--were in the Old Testament!

When the bridegroom (Jesus) finally came, the five virgins with oil (those spiritually prepared) were prepared to go with the bridegroom (Jesus), those who were not had to go get more oil for their lamps. Jesus tells of the devastating consequences,

¹⁰ ''But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ ''Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

¹² ''But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

¹³ ''Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 25:10-13

Those that are not spiritually prepared when Jesus returns will be told, I DON'T KNOW YOU!!!

Church, listen to what your Lord Jesus is telling you-- WAKE UP! DON'T BE CAUGHT ASLEEP AND SPIRITUALLY UNPREPARED!! The consequences are too horrible to even think about. Although it is unclear what it fully means, it just may be that those who are spiritually unprepared and asleep will not be taken up in the rapture and have to go through the tribulation unnecessarily! Don't be one of them.

 The Hatred of the Church

Those that are steeped in pantheism hate Biblical Christianity because it teaches that Christians are separate from the rest of people. They also hate Judaism because the Jews believe they are the chosen people of God, and are separate from the rest of mankind. The only acceptable Christians or Jews are those who abandon the idea that Jesus is the only way to the Father and believe that all religions lead to the truth. According to New Age and theosophical doctrine, Biblical Christians are fanatics who hinder the evolution of mankind into the next age--the Age of Aquarius.

Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party were steeped in the same theosophy and Vedic Hinduism that also forms the core of New Age thinking. With Nazism demonstrating what hatred can do, it is not hard to see how a brother will betray his brother to death and father betray his son (Mark 13:12). Thirty years ago, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 would have seemed impossible, but after 30 years of indoctrination, first by secular humanism and more recently by new age self-centeredness, this description fits the daily headlines.

While Judaism and Christianity call us to look to God for our answers, New Age mysticism calls its followers to look within themselves for all truth, to develop their full human/god potential by seeking the knowledge of the Earth and universe. Nirvana represents the New Age goal in which one totally loses self and joins the oneness of the cosmos. Although New Age belief is supposed to result in love, humility and harmony, most see themselves as little gods. They mock authority and are guided by no moral principles other than what they think is right and wrong. Even within the liberal church, many have surrounded themselves with ministers and preachers who teach what their itching ears want to hear. In any event, this harlot church will revel in the blood of these Christians during the first 3½ years of the Seven Year Tribulation (Revelation 17:1-6).

The Ark of Hope was carried to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 and contains the Earth Charter. The symbolism is very much of the occult.

Jesus concludes his discussion of the first half of the Tribulation by cautioning the saints they will be saved, if they remain firm (Matthew 24:13). Mark 13:11 adds to this:

¹¹"Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit".

This time will be difficult for all Christians. The suffering will be great and most, if not all, will be martyred. But Jesus tells them not to worry about what to say when they go to trial, for it will be the Holy Spirit who speaks to these evil men. What He speaks is not explained, but it will probably be about the gospel of Jesus Christ and these men's fate if they don't accept Christ as their Savior. Multitudes hearing this testimony will be convicted by the Holy Spirit and actually heed these words, knowing that it will cost them their lives!

 Daniel's Confirmation as a Prophet--Matthew 24:15-20

If there was any question whether Jesus believed Daniel was a true prophet of God, and that the Book of Daniel in scripture was an accurate account of God's supernatural revelation of mankind's future, He settles the issue once and for all in verses 15-20:

¹⁵"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation', spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- ¹⁶ then let those in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰ Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath."

This is the same abomination that causes desolation spoken of by Daniel in 9:27 and 12:11. By identifying this man as yet future, Jesus once and for all settles the question of whether the beast and king in Daniel 7, 9 and 11:36-45 was Antiochus Epiphanes. After all, Antiochus had died over 150 years before Christ was born! Since Jesus identifies Daniel as a true prophet of God, and these events are yet future, we can have full assurance that all that was seen by Daniel in his astonishing dreams and visions are accurate. Most importantly, since Jesus Himself used Daniel's prophecies as a benchmark, they can be used to provide a benchmark for all other end-time prophecies.

Daniel 9:27 tells us that the abomination that causes desolation will be set up "in the middle of the 'seven'." Therefore, this reference made by Jesus has to occur in the middle of the tribulation. Those verses preceding it will occur in the first half of the tribulation, those after in the second half. This very clear sequence of events is very important to properly understand verses 21 through 31.

 Flee to the Mountains--Matthew 24:15-20

Jesus adds an incredible emphasis to the warning He is about to give--"let the reader understand." In essence, Jesus is telling the Christians of that future event that they must study this out--know what this event means! It is literally a matter of life and death.

When these Jewish Christians see a Gentile⁽⁹⁾ standing in the Temple and setting up this abomination, they should drop everything, get out of Judea and flee to the mountains--fast! They are warned not to even take the time to get their clothing, not even a jacket. Events will apparently move with lightning speed and they have very little time to make a safe escape. This is possibly the time that the Antichrist will be killed⁽¹⁰⁾, and then brought back to life and empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:2-3). Once he is brought back to life and supernaturally empowered by Satan, the Antichrist will kill the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7) and launch his war against the saints (Daniel 7:25; 8:23-25; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 12:17; 13:7). Just exactly when he stands in the Temple and sets up the Abomination that causes desolation in this sequence of events is not clear. But apparently this event will mark the start of the Great Tribulation that lasts for a time, times and half a time or 42 months (Daniel 7:25) and may provide the last, if not only, warning the Jewish Christians have to flee to the mountains -- immediately.

Jesus tells all Christians throughout the ages to pray that this event will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. Either one would be deadly for the Jews. Winter would leave them unprepared for the cold if they had to go into hiding in the mountains without warm clothing; and the Sabbath would mean they would be worshiping at the time the event is televised, and would be unaware until it was too late. It will be particularly hard on pregnant women and nursing mothers, who are especially vulnerable during times of severe hardship.

 The Abomination of Desolation--Matthew 24:15

Who or what is this abomination that causes desolation? Certainly the Antichrist will be an abomination to God, for as his name implies, he is against everything that Jesus represents, has done, or will do. And certainly he will wreck havoc among God's people for 42 months, and will cause severe desolation throughout the world by denying the truth. Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 refer to this abomination as 'standing' in the temple, inferring it may be the Antichrist. But Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 both refer to the abomination being 'set up', inferring it is an inanimate object. The Hebrew word used in Daniel is natan which when used in this context means to literally place one thing upon another. The Greek word used in Matthew and Mark is histemi which transitively means to cause to stand, to set. Passively it means to be made to stand. So following in the example of Antiochus Epiphanes who placed a statue of Zeus Olympius in the Temple, so shall the real beast of all ages place something in the Temple that is an unholy abomination to God.

In any event, the correct translation of Matthew and Mark would be "when you see set (or standing) in place the abomination..." This interpretation clearly identifies an inanimate object. But what is it? Most likely it is the image of the Antichrist that was set up by the False Prophet (Revelation 13:14-15). This image was given power to speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. This certainly fits the meaning of the abomination that causes desolation, and could also partially explain why the Jewish Christians have to flee so quickly. To tarry would mean death.

 The Antichrist--1 John 2:18-22 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

There is no written record of Jesus describing the Antichrist. However, He must have taught this to His disciples because they were quite familiar with the concept. John, describes this man as a liar who denies Jesus is the Christ:

¹⁸"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come...²² Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist-- he denies the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:18 and 22.

It is from this passage that the name Antichrist was taken to describe the father of all liars--the beast of Daniel. Paul provides additional information about this man in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12:

¹"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. ³ Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

⁶ And now you know what is holding him back, so that he be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness". (emphasis mine)

As we found in Daniel, this man who we call the Antichrist, will exalt himself above God and will even proclaim himself to be God. During the last half of the Tribulation he will be empowered by Satan and will cause deceit to prosper by displaying all kinds of counterfeit signs, miracles and wonders (verses 9-10). The parallel between this passage and those of Daniel cannot be ignored.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 adds yet another piece of information about the "abomination that causes desolation" foretold by Daniel (9:27) and Jesus (Matthew 24:15). Paul tells us that the Antichrist will set himself up in God's temple. The King James version says he will sitteth in the temple. The Hebrew word for set or sitteth is kathizo {kath-id'-zo} which means to sit, sit down, or to set, be set, be set down, continue, tarry. Although it is possible that the Antichrist literally sits in the Temple, more likely is that he places an image of himself in the temple that must be worshiped!

Those that perish will do so because they refuse the truth and love the lie (II Thessalonians 10-11). What lie? That Jesus did not come in the flesh to die for our sins. New Age mysticism, for instance, teaches that we are all part of god. Indeed, many involved in this belief system believe they are god. They teach that Jesus was merely an 'avatar' who had supernatural powers to do and teach love. He was no better or no worse than Buddha, an avatar of wisdom. So while they recognize 'the Christ', it is not Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for our salvation. New Age theology asserts we are all gods, in control of our own future and free to do anything that feels good. There is no evil and we merely need enlightenment, not salvation! Jesus Christ on the other hand states that we need salvation to cleanse and free us from the power of sin that cause us to do evil.

These people who believe themselves to be god are likely the ones that Paul described to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3 and 4. Before the Antichrist is revealed and Christ returns, these people must rebel (fall away) from the truth (verse 3). This is happening today at an incredible rate. Polls taken by Gallop and others in the early 1990s show that a full 15 percent of American adults believe in hard-core New Age doctrine. Amazingly only a few of that percentage actually know their beliefs are New Age. Most call it something else--even Christianity. That's real deceit at work. Another 20 to 30 percent believe in certain doctrines of New Age that are forbidden in the Bible. Incredibly, although most in this latter group still call themselves Christians, paganism is the most rapidly growing religion in America today. They are refusing the truth and loving the lie.

A word of warning is needed for today. As Christians we must believe that God is in the miracle business. But the easiest way to be led into deceit is through the use of false miracles. Many professing to know Christ will be deceived by false miracles, because they put their faith in miracles, not Christ. Too many in the Church today focus on miracles to draw people to the Lord. Tragically, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 warns that Satan will sidetrack many into hell through miracles if a person's faith is built only on miracles. Our faith must be built on nothing less than Jesus Christ himself. Faith in Christ will produce miracles as a natural outcome, but faith in miracles usually produces nothing more than a craving for the spectacular.

Paul provides another piece of information that was not provided in Daniel. In verse 7-8 of 2 Thessalonians Paul tells us that while the power of lawlessness is already at work, it is being held back by someone or something. When he is taken away the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed (see Chart13). The 'force' keeping lawlessness at bay has been variously described as the law of government, the Church, the Holy Spirit, even the three horns that will be subdued by the Antichrist.

Some say that the Holy Spirit will be removed from the world at the time the seven year Tribulation starts, and this will allow the Antichrist to promote his lawlessness. However, the greatest evangelism of all history will occur during the first 3½ years. As noted earlier, scripture makes it clear that it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that men are convicted of their sin and drawn to God. So the Holy Spirit must be around during the first half of the Tribulation for the 144,000 to evangelize the world. Or perhaps the role of the Holy Spirit will change so that He no longer holds back Satan's ability to deceive and destroy, but still convicts those who are truly searching for the truth. But there is little Biblical evidence to support this possibility. One thing is certain, however, the Holy Spirit will not be removed from earth during the first half of the Tribulation. And probably not even during the second half either.

If the 'he' in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 is the Church, the rapture will certainly leave a morality vacuum on earth that can quickly be filled with lawlessness. This would mean the rapture occurs before or at the time the Tribulation begins. But the Church has always been referred to as Christ's bride, and this passage refers to a 'he' holding back lawlessness. Some answer this difficulty by defining the gender of the Church according to the context in which it is used. While the Church is the 'Bride of Christ', it is also 'His' body. This interpretation is possible, but the fact is that we just don't know. In any event, something is holding lawlessness back which will be removed and the true identity of the Antichrist revealed. Those "in Christ" at the time will know it.

Who can this Antichrist be? Is there any evidence he may be alive today? As discussed before, such speculation is dangerous. But there is at least one organization that is committed to the same ends as those of the Antichrist as well as fitting the pattern that we have reviewed in Daniel, Matthew and Thessalonians. In their best selling book entitled Holy Blood, Holy Grail,⁽¹¹⁾ Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln assert that after years of research they have found evidence that Jesus did not die on the cross, but survived, married Mary Magdalene and fathered several children!

To add to this blasphemous claim, they document the existence of a mysterious, very powerful and well financed organization in France called the Priory of Zion (Prieure de Sion). It is international in scope and secretly works for European Unity-- and a revived Roman Empire--by the mid 1990's. Their ultimate goal is a one world government! The authors have written a sequel entitled The Messianic Legacy which provides evidence that this secrete organization possesses the records of the actual decedents of Jesus up to the current generation! Of course the Priory of Zion claims that certain of these descendants belong to their organization.

While this piece of self-serving fiction is not too surprising, their goals will send a cold chill down the back of any conservative Christian who knows anything about prophecy. They apparently plan that one of these decedents will rule AS THE MESSIAH of the 'New Holy Roman Empire by the mid 1990's! Bizarre? Most certainly. The only truth in their story is that this organization apparently does exist, and they do believe one of their members will come back as the Messiah to take control of the New Roman Empire.⁽¹²⁾ Will the Antichrist come from the Priory of Zion? Maybe. Such a person would certainly fit the mold.

The Priory of Zion is only one of a long list claiming to know the identity of the Christ and when he will return. Benjamin Creme, one of the founding fathers of the New Age Movement proclaimed in full page newspaper adds on April 25, 1982 that "The Christ is Now Here". How did he know? Lord Maitreya, an Ascended Master, and the reincarnated Christ told him through a series of telepathic messages. "As delivered by Creme, Maitreya's message is simple: the Master comes not as a religious, political economic, or social leader, yet he intends to solve all the world's problems in these areas and also usher in the New Age with love, peace, and shared wealth. Strife, disease, and labor will be eliminated. A secret initiation process will be implemented, showing everyone how to become a god."⁽¹³⁾ Maitreya also proclaims that Jesus is really not Jewish, was not in David's linage, and was not born of a virgin.

Creme asserts that Maitreya is waiting for the right conditions to reveal himself. But before that happens our current political, economic, and social structures must be radically changed. Meanwhile Maitreya is working behind the scenes to prepare world leaders for his acceptance. According to Creme, "The new age will be built by man himself under the guidance of Maitreya and His Group. From within man himself will come the urge for betterment, a testimony to the divinity inherent in us all."⁽¹⁴⁾

It should surprise no one that these claims are made about the return of Christ. As discussed earlier, Jesus himself has warned us that this would happen and many would be deceived (Matthew 24:5). This deceit will be very convincing to those who do not understand prophecy. Maitreya has supposedly proclaimed in the 1980S that President Botha and Desmond Tutu will work together to solve South Africa's problems. After two years of work by Botha and Tutu, that literally happened in December of 1993 when the South African Constitution was revised to allow the blacks to vote and run for office! Maitreya also predicted in the mid 1980s America and Russia would will destroy all nuclear weapons. What has happened is history. Although not all nuclear weapons had been destroyed by 1993, the numbers were cut in half, with promise for more disarmament.⁽¹⁵⁾

There is no doubt that these predictions were made long before there was and evidence to suggest they may occur. Their incredible accuracy could deceive many. But that doesn't mean they are from God. Maitreya also claimed that if AIDS victims would merely detach themselves from their mind, body, and spirit, they would be healed and the disease would vanish. That prediction didn't come true. And the test for true prophets is that every prophecy must come true. And remember, the true identity of the Antichrist will not be revealed until 'he' is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7)!

 The Great Tribulation--Matthew 24:21-22

Back in Matthew Chapter 24, Jesus continues His Olivet discourse by providing one of the most sobering warnings in all of prophetic scripture:

²¹"For then there will be great distress (tribulation), unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. ²² If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." (emphasis mine)

This is not the same type of distress Jesus foretold of in Luke 21:23. There he warned the Jews of the fall of Jerusalem and their dispersal among the nations. The Greek word Jesus used in Luke is anagke which in context means great necessity or to be in acute need. The Greek word used in Matthew 24:21 and Mark 13:24 is thlipsis which means tribulation, afflicted, persecuted, in anguish. Jesus is warning of great tribulation, ruthless affliction, brutal persecution and relentless anguish. In comparison to this, the persecution suffered by the Jews after the fall of Jerusalem by Rome was a picnic.

The Great Tribulation begins immediately after the abomination that causes desolation is established in the Temple. This is the time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), the time of great distress spoken of by Daniel in verse 12:1. It will be a time of unbelievable horror for the Jews. A time of tribulation so great that many will do unspeakable things:

⁵³"Because of the suffering that your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters of the Lord your God has given you. ⁵⁴ Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, ⁵⁵ and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities. ⁵⁶ The most gentle and sensitive woman among you....will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter ⁵⁷ the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For she intends to eat them secretly during the siege and in the distress that your enemy will inflict on you in your cities." (Deuteronomy 28:53-57)

Is it any wonder that Jesus said that it would be dreadful for pregnant or nursing mothers? Is it any wonder that He has told all of His people for the past 2,000 years to pray that the abomination that causes desolation not to be set up during winter or on the Sabbath? Is it any wonder that Jesus warned His people that when they see the abomination that causes desolation being set up in the Temple that they should immediately flee for the mountains and not even stop to get a jacket?

Bible scholars have puzzled over the centuries as to what the Antichrist could do that would cause fathers and mothers do such desperate and ghastly things. It is beyond all comprehension. Yet it will happen, just as sure as you are reading this right now.

But there is hope. In Matthew 24:25 Jesus says "See, I have warned you ahead of time." Take heed of this warning! When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing in the Temple, FLEE to the mountains! God also promises in Jeremiah 30:11:

"I am with you and will save you", declares the Lord. "Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you" (emphasis mine).

Is God just in allowing this to happen to His people? He answers this in the last part of verse 11: "I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished." God is just, and He explains why they must be punished in verse 14: "I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many." Jesus in Matthew 24:22 promises that these days will be cut short, otherwise no one would survive! And "those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil. But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the Lord... (Jeremiah 30:16-17, emphasis mine). Jeremiah concludes this portion of the prophecy:

²²"So you will be my people, and I will be your God." ²³See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. ²⁴The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand this." (Jeremiah 30:22-24 emphasis mine)

Do we understand this? Do we truly understand the seriousness of sin? Why are so many Christians so casual about sin? Christians often take the attitude that God loves us so much that He would never let this happen to us. That somehow we are better than the Jews--God's chosen people. But Paul warns us in Romans 11:21 that we are no better than the Jews if we fall away as they did: "For if God did not spare the natural branches (the Jews), he will not spare you either." We too could be cut off if we take too lightly the kindness of God (verse 22).

God desires that we love Him with all our heart, mind and sole. And the key to love is obedience: ¹⁵"If you love me, you will obey what I command.... ²¹ Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me." (John 13:15, 21) Even if we do not suffer the Tribulation because the Church is raptured before it begins, remember that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10).

If we are indeed in the Last Days as this book is being written, many may actually read it during the Tribulation. If so, do you understand? Jesus has warned you. God, through all the prophets has warned you. Though you suffer as no one has ever suffered before. Though you face death each day. Though terror fills your hearts because of the sights that fill your eyes, and though you dread both day and night (Deuteronomy 28:66-67). Though all of these things are happening and there is no hope-- stand firm. God does love you and will vindicate you.

"Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28) "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36)

Many Christians throughout the centuries have uttered the words "Come Lord Jesus" without fully understanding the magnitude of the utter, unbelievable horror that will accompany those days. Consequently they look at the last days with the excitement of buying a new car. Instead, our hearts should be crying out to God that as many as possible will come to know Him as Lord and Savior, and that they be strengthened to stand through the most horror ridden period in the history of mankind.

 The Great Deception and the Return of Christ-- Matthew 24:23-31

Jesus also warns of the great deception that will occur during the last 3½ years of the Tribulation:

²³"At that time if anyone says to you 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. ²⁴For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. ²⁶So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it." (emphasis mine)

These false Christs and false prophets are not the same as the charlatans that will be around before and during the first 3½ years of the Tribulation mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:5 and 10. These will be the real things! The false Christs and prophets during the first half of the Tribulation will deceive many, but they are but a preamble to the real event. The predictions discussed above supposedly from Maitreya will be child's play in comparison. As we learned in our study of 2 Thessalonians, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will do powerful miracles and perform magnificent and convincing signs. But God is clear as to how His people are to respond:

¹"If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, ² and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him." (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

Unless those that see these things understand what they truly mean, they will be deceived. As we will see in our study of Revelation 13, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be given tremendous power to perform great signs and miracles for the expressed purpose of deceiving the inhabitants of the earth. Jesus warns those who will see these things that they should not believe any of it. Nor should they believe reports that He (the Messiah) has returned here, or returned there.

So how are these Jewish Christians supposed to know when Jesus does return? He goes on in Matthew 24:27-31 to explain:

²⁷"For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

²⁹Immediately after the distress of those days 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

³⁰At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. ³¹And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

Jesus will return the same way he left--in the sky, coming in the clouds! (Acts 1:11) The whole world will witness this event. Some have said it will be broadcast by television, but only a small percentage of the world's population have T.V.'s so this is doubtful. So how this will be done is not known.

As we will find in our study of Joel, the event will be preceded by dreadful astronomic events in which the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine. All the natural things that men have depended on for centuries for stability and security will be turned upside down! As they see Jesus coming in the clouds, as foretold by Daniel in 7:13, they will mourn their fate. Conversely, those Jews that have given their lives to Jesus, and have suffered greatly in the Great Tribulation will have reason to rejoice. As Jesus returns he will send His angels with a loud trumpet call to gather His elect from one end of the heavens to the other. This will be the second gathering--expressly for His people, the Jews! When Jesus finally comes there will be no doubt about the authenticity of this event!

 Date Setting--Matthew 24:32-36

In Matthew 24:32-36 Jesus provides information about knowing when the Tribulation begins:

³²"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁴ I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away unit all these things have happened. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ³⁶ No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angles in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Jesus tells us three things about the timing of the Tribulation in the above verses:

1. We will know the time is near when we begin to see these things happen. The beginning of birth pangs described in verses 4-8. These were discussed in the Introduction. The season of the last days appear to be upon us now.

2. Everything will be completed within one generation. The Biblical Jewish generation is normally considered to be 40 years. Jesus also told his disciples in Luke 21:32 that the Temple would be destroyed within one generation (see discussion in Lesson 2). Jesus was crucified in either A.D. 30 or 32. The Temple was destroyed by Titus in A.D. 70.

The question arises in Matthew 24:3 about how to recognize the start of the 40 year period. We know it has to do with the Jews, but how? Several possibilities exist:

It cannot be the nationhood of Israel because that occurred in 1948, which means it should have happened by 1988. It obviously did not. 1988 did, however, mark a major turning point in the New Age Movement. The extremely hot summer of that year gave credibility to the theory of global warming which was then used by New Age environmental leaders to begin to terrorize Americans into believing environmental horror stories. Through the expenditure of over $5 billion per year these mystic leaders were able to accelerate to dizzying speed the restructuring of our society into one dominated by pagan beliefs of the web-of-life and our economy began its downward spiral. It will take a miracle to get out of the mess these men and women have created--and Satan just may provide one.

The next obvious date is 1967, when all of Jerusalem was finally brought under control by the Jews during the Six Day War, as discussed in Lesson 2. This is strongly supported by Luke 21:24 "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This would mean that the Tribulation would occur and Christ return by 2007. It is perhaps no coincidence that New Age global elite has for decades set the year 2000 as the date of the next major advancement of their belief on earth. And they have tremendous power globally to make this effort. But more on this later.

There is one serious flaw in the above date. Not all of Jerusalem is under Jewish Control. The Dome of the Rock, the second most holy place of the Muslims, still remains under Arab control. This parcel of rock is extremely important because it is also the site of Solomon's Temple. In order for the Temple to be rebuilt, the Dome of the Rock would have to be destroyed. Although there is good evidence that the actual Temple stood some 100 yards to the north of the location of the Dome of the Rock, it hardly seems possible that Muslim and Jewish tolerance would go so far as to allow both extremely holy places to exist side by side. At any rate, if the starting date is related to the construction of the Temple or the destruction of the Dome of the Rock, the date is yet future.

The start of the 40 year period may be some event that is yet to occur, but will be obvious when it does.

The word generation may not have anything to do with an actual generation of 40 years. The Greek word for generation is genesis which can mean either an origin, a lineage, or birth cycle. So it could mean the Jewish linage will not pass away before Christ will return. This interpretation would also fit into context with the passage. However, to so interpret would mean that Luke 21:32 would also mean the same thing. If so, the 40 year period between Christ's crucifixion and the destruction of the Temple was just a coincidence.

The fact is, we just don't know and it is useless to speculate.

3. No one will know the date--not even Jesus Himself. Only the Father knows. As discussed in the Introduction, date setting is very dangerous. It gets people's hopes up, then dashes them when it doesn't happen. Worse, people sell all their belongings, or quit their job, only to wind up in financial ruin when the date is wrong. Some have even committed suicide, many lose their faith in Christ. The tragedy is that it is so unnecessary. Christ will return when he returns. Treat each day with the urgency as if it will be tomorrow, but plan as if it will be a thousand years from today.

With all the wrong dates set in the past you would think people would give up trying. But in the June 21, 1991 edition of USA TODAY, the following full page advertisement appeared:

IN AUTUMN 1992, JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

The article goes on to say that Matthew 24:36 is misinterpreted, and bases its 1992 prediction on the Genesis account of the six day creation, and the seventh day of rest. Supposedly in 1999 there will have been six thousand years elapsed since Adam. Subtract seven years for the Tribulation, and... 1992! Many things (but not all) concerning the Tribulation, the need for salvation and the return of Christ is correct in the article. But what has happened to those who sought Christ because of fear, and the autumn of 1992 came and went-- without the return of Christ?

 The Warning--Matthew 24:37 to 25:30

Jesus then goes on in a series of examples and parables to warn His people that when He comes again, it will be like the time of Noah: ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. It will be a time when men do not fear God and they do what they please. When the false church dominates the belief of the world, men will think themselves to be god. They will believe the Lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11). But more on that in Lesson 7.

Many post-tribulation adherents believe that the coming of verse 37 is the same coming as in verse 30, which describes Christ coming in judgement of the nations in full view of all people--at the end of the Tribulation. But a close inspection shows two different events taking place. Verse 37 describes the coming of the Lord for His Church in the rapture! No one expects this is going to happen and everyone remaining will be completely surprised. Matthew 24:42-44 clearly states that the return described in verses 37-41 will come without any warning: ⁴²"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come....⁴⁴ So you must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect him." Conversely, His coming in power and great judgement in verse 30 is in full view of everyone. It fact, we will learn in our study of Revelation, the world will know of the imminent return of Christ in power to judge the world by the middle of the Tribulation! Finally, the Greek does not support the idea that the two comings are the same. The Greek word used in verse 30 is erchomai {er'-khomahee}, which means the act of coming or going, or to appear, make one's appearance, come before the public. Conversely the word in verse 37 is parousia {par-oosee'-ah}, which means being near or presence. The Greek interpretation of verse 37 clearly means being in the presence of Christ, not His coming before all men in judgement, as in verse 30.

Jesus, in verse 40-42 describes the rapture. But how can that be if our guiding rule is that all prophecy pertains to the Jews and the Jews will not be raptured? First, there are many Christian Jews today that are in the Church that will be raptured along with the church! Second, Jesus spends the balance of Matthew 24 and much of 25 warning the Jews that they should be prepared, because He will come as a thief in the night. But the only way to be prepared is to accept Him (Jesus) as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-14). In other words these verses are really a warning to the Jews, not to the Church.

The Jews have the same opportunity as the Gentiles to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Those that have accepted Jesus have always been considered as part of the Church and will be raptured when the church is raptured. Unfortunately, ²⁵"Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. ²⁷And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'" (Romans 11:25-27, emphasis mine). While some Jews will accept Christ and be raptured with the Church, the nation as a whole will not until some time around the middle of the Tribulation. Something will happen that leads to the realization that it was Jesus all along who is their long-awaited Messiah is both fascinating and tragic. But before studying this, let's first review one of the most hotly debated subjects in Christendom--the rapture of the Church.

When will the church be taken up to the clouds to be with Christ? Will it occur before the Tribulation, in the middle of the Tribulation, or at the end of the Tribulation? No other doctrine has taken on such intransigent dogmatism as the one formed once a Christian answers this question. There is scriptural evidence to back up each of these doctrines. But before discussing these, let's first define what the rapture is.

 What is the Rapture?--1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Nowhere in the Bible can the word rapture be found. Rather, it is an adaptation of the early Christians of the Greek words harpazo {har-pad'-zo} which means to be 'caught up suddenly', 'plucked,' or 'seized by force'. These early Christians coined this word to describe an event all of them knew was eventually going to happen:

¹³"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage each other with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, emphasis mine).

⁵¹"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- ⁵²in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

There will come a time before, during or at the end of the Tribulation when the Church will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The reference to being caught up in the clouds at the trumpet call strongly parallels that of Matthew 24:30-31. Since this occurs at the end of the Tribulation, some scholars believe that the Church will go through the entire Tribulation. Although this interpretation is the simplest, and should be the one accepted according to our guidelines on page 5, other passages indicate that the Church will only go through half of the Tribulation, if at all.

When Will the Rapture Occur?

Those who believe the rapture will occur in the middle of the Tribulation depend heavily on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-7 as proof:

¹"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, ²not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. ³Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.... ⁶And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way."

Paul is answering two questions asked by the Church in Thessalonica. First, when is Christ going to return, and second, when will be gathered (raptured) up to Him? The structure of the sentence strongly suggests that the two events will not necessarily occur together. Neither event however, will occur until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed.

The Antichrist does not proclaim himself to be God until the middle of the Tribulation. Consequently, those scholars who believe in a mid-Tribulation rapture assert that this proves the rapture cannot be at the beginning of the Tribulation. They also note that for there to be a great period of evangelism in the first half of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:14) the Church and the Holy Spirit must both be present, for that is their primary function (see Matthew 28:19 and John 16:8-11). As noted earlier, the 'he' in verse 7 above is thought to be either the Church or the Holy Spirit. If so, the Church must still be evangelizing and the Holy Spirit must still be convicting people of their sin during the first half of the Tribulation. If both are still present during the first half, then the Church cannot be "taken out of the way" until the middle of the Tribulation.

Those scholars who believe in an "end Tribulation" rapture cite the verses in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30 and Daniel 7:13 to Christ coming in the clouds--His Second Coming. Since His second coming is obviously at the end of the Tribulation, the rapture must also occur at the end. As noted above, however, the sentence structure of 2 Thessalonians 2:1 permits the second coming and the rapture to be two separate events.

Additionally, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 suggests that the Church will not go through the Tribulation, because we will not suffer God's wrath: ^9"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." Although God's judgment clearly starts in the first half of the Tribulation, the study of Revelation will make it clear that it is during the last half that God's wrath is poured out on mankind. This makes it very unlikely that the rapture of the Church will be delayed until the end of the Tribulation. As will be noted in the study of Revelation, the Church cannot go through the second half of the Tribulation without suffering the wrath of God.

The rapture must be either before or in the middle of the Tribulation, and Christ's second coming is at the conclusion. The majority of scholars accept this interpretation, therefore suggesting that Matthew 24:30-31 must therefore refer to the gathering of the Christian Jews from the four corners of the earth following Jacob's Trouble.

As strong as the evidence for a mid-tribulation rapture appears to be, there is also evidence that it will occur before the Tribulation begins. Many believing a pre-Tribulation rapture claim that since God's judgment begins at the beginning of the Tribulation, and the Church will not suffer God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), the rapture must therefore occur prior to the beginning of the Tribulation. However, there is nothing in this verse that promises we will not suffer at the hand of man, as has occurred through history and will occur again during the first half of the Tribulation. Why should those in the latter day Church escape persecution at the hand of man when Christians have suffered that fate throughout history? This has led to the accusation of the pre-Tribulation theorists are 'escapists', misleading their followers by claiming that they will not have to endure persecution and hardship. While there is room for disagreement as to when the rapture will occur, this accusation absolutely is not true.

The historical persecution of Christians will continue right up to the time of the rapture. As noted above, God's promise to keep His Church from suffering His wrath does not mean we will escape persecution at the hand of man. It may very well be that the entire church will so suffer before the rapture occurs, even if it is pre-tribulation. The belief in a pre-tribulation rapture does not absolve the Church of either persecution, the Great Commission or the Great Commandment (Matthew 28:19; John 13:34).

One of the clearest indications that the Church will not go through any of the Tribulation is found in the book of Revelation. The first three chapters of Revelation mention the Church sixteen times. But it is not mentioned once in chapters 4-22. John's vision of the Tribulation begins, the church is never mentioned again--it is as if disappears! It does disappear, according to most conservative theologians, because it is raptured before the Tribulation begins!

This interpretation is also strongly supported by Revelation 3:10:

"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth."

Jesus was speaking to the Church in Philadelphia, one of only two out of seven churches that He had nothing against. It represents the true Church, one in which the people were obedient to His commands, and had patiently endured the harassment and persecution of the world because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Because of their faith, Jesus promises that they (all true Christians that have fully committed their lives to Jesus Christ) would be spared the hour of trial. Many expositors take this to mean the Church will be raptured before the Tribulation.

Some attempt to discard this verse in the same manner as 1 Thessalonians 5:9, but the literal Greek interpretation will not permit it. The Greek word for trial (or temptation in the King James) in Revelation 3:10 is pirasmos {pi-ras-mos'} and means to try or test one's faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin; or to prove one's character and the steadfastness of faith by inflicting evil.⁽¹⁶⁾ Conversely, the Greek word for wrath found in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 is org {or-gay'} which means God's punishment of disobedience and wickedness. It provides a picture of God's anger and vengeance.

Therefore, a proper interpretation of Revelation 3:10 strongly implies that God will spare the true Church from the kind of testing by persecution that Christians in the first half of the Tribulation will endure. If this interpretation is correct, then the Christians martyred in the first half of the Tribulation will not be the Church, but converts evangelized by the 144,000 Jews John describes in Chapter 7 of Revelation. More on this in our study of Revelation.

Supporting the pre-Tribulation rapture is the hypothesis that all Tribulation prophecy deals with God's chosen people-- the Jews. It is clear from Daniel that the visions concerning the Tribulation period deal specifically with the Jews. This by itself does not prevent the Church from still being around during this seven year period. But the question that naturally follows is why God would totally ignore it in the various Tribulation prophecies if it were still present? He wouldn't, according to many expositors. Its complete absence in Revelation Chapters 4-22, after initially focusing on it must lead one to believe the Church will not be in existence during any of the Tribulation. Indeed, it is hard to imagine why God never identified the Church by name again after Chapter 4 if it plays a key role in evangelizing the world during the first half of the Tribulation. Although most conservative theologians agree the rapture will occur before the Tribulation begins, no one is absolutely sure. Why? Because Jesus did not want us to be sure. We must live our lives as if we will go through the Tribulation. Each of us must ask the question of ourselves: "How serious am I about my faith in Jesus Christ? If I were to go through the Tribulation, would I be able to endure such persecution? Are my eyes and heart enticed by the world and all of its pleasures?"

The best approach to the rapture question is to hope the rapture comes before the Tribulation begins, but to prepare our hearts and minds spiritually as if we will have to go through the Tribulation. One thing we can be sure of, however. When the rapture finally does occur, God will do it in a way that all prophecy concerning it will be literally fulfilled and will make sense.

Before leaving this discussion on the rapture it should be mentioned that there are those who preach there will be no literal rapture, or literal millennium as defined in Revelation 20. They are what are called 'amillennists', who believe that Christ has already established His Kingdom on earth. A variant of this is the postmillennial adherents or 'dominionists' who believe the church will conquer the world, ushering in the Kingdom before Christ's return.

These people often vehemently attack the concept of the rapture and treat all prophecy as allegory (symbolism). Therefore they see no tribulation nor promise of deliverance for the Jews. In fact, they are usually anti-semantic. However, to take such a stand means that such authors must also deny the accuracy of Daniel's prophecies that have already been literally fulfilled in history! How can they treat these prophecies as allegory when Jesus took them literally? If they don't treat them as allegory, how can deny the validity of Daniel's remaining unfulfilled prophecies? Prophecies that are fully validated by Jesus Himself in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21!

Some, not all, amillennists and postmillennists also believe in the inerrancy of other scripture, treating only prophecy as allegory. But Paul, in his letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16) says that all Scripture is God-breathed (fully accurate). Peter adds to this by saying that prophecy specifically was from God (2 Peter 1:20-21). These expositors can't have it both ways--either scripture is inerrant or it is not. To pick and choose which scripture is truly from God and which is not, can only lead to confusion and chaos. Such an approach ultimately must lead the questioning of all scripture and the tolerance of any interpretation. Tragically, this is happening within many liberal denominations today-- even to the point where New Age mysticism is as accepted as truth over scripture.

1. Global Biodiversity Assessment, United Nations Environmental Program (NY, Cambridge Press), Section 12.2.3, pp 838.

2. Ibid

3. Ibid, Section 12.2.3, pp 839