Understanding the End Times

We must be Bereans. Which means? Who were the Bereans? Remember Acts 17? “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. And these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.” How? “In that, they received the word with all readiness. And searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Do you see? We must search the Scriptures, not watch YouTube. Search the Scriptures, not round corners. Search the Scriptures and that’s when you’re ready. When you see that the Scriptures when the Bible talks about the return of the Jews to the land in the end times – and you see the Jews return to their land – hello, it’s true then! “Oh, I don't think they are the real Jews.” Who are they? Eskimos? Tell that to Hitler. He knew exactly their names, their addresses. He went after them one by one.

Unless you know what the Tribulation is, you'll never know when it has begun. And that’s the problem. People make the Tribulation a lockdown. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Do you know what the Tribulation is all about? It’s a set of events considered to be God’s judgment on what? Look. “Satanic host of heaven and the wicked people here on earth, also preparing Israel to accept Jesus as Messiah upon His return.” That’s not what we see right now. And we must remember the difference between the day of Christ speaking about the return of Christ to earth and the Day of the Lord speaking about the judgment of God upon this world. We must remember that because it appears so many times and we must not mix the two.

The Tribulation is the Day of the Lord, ladies, and gentlemen. It has many names, by the way. The Great Tribulation, speaks on Planet Earth in general. The Wrath of God, the Wrath of God upon the wicked people. The Hour of Trial, it’s for the saints of that era. And Jacob’s Trouble, that is, of course, regarding Israel. We must remember that and not confuse those things. The Day of the Lord has three layers. First, God’s dealing with Satan and his demons. Then, God deals with the nations. And then, God’s dealing with Israel. Remember that it’s a span of seven biblical years that can be clearly seen through the Scriptures. And according to Daniel, as I said before, “It is going to be the 70th week, namely, seven biblical years of 360 days each, exactly 2,520 days.” Now, why am I saying that? Why are numbers so important in this case? Because those who say that the Rapture can happen in the middle of the Tribulation, they actually know the day because we know exactly the length of the Tribulation. And if it’s 2,520 days, then 1,260 days after it begins, we’re being raptured. But we don’t know the day and the hour. You see, understand, even at the end of the Tribulation doesn’t make sense. What’s the story of God? Bungee jump? Taking us up and throwing us down immediately? It doesn’t even make sense because Jesus went to prepare a place for us there. So why would we not even spend time there? Hello! Plus, we’ve got a wedding to attend and we happen to be the bride.

Among the many Bible verses that are either misquoted or taken out of context is the famed statement of Jesus in John’s gospel:

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The word “tribulation” here means “anguish, burdens, persecutions, and troubles”. It does not mean “wrath”. Jesus was not saying, as many propose, that the church will go through the Great Tribulation. We know this because the Great Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath, which we do not have an appointment with (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The purposes of the Great Tribulation are well-defined in scripture. To finish the years determined for Daniel’s people and holy city (Daniel 9:24) and to punish a Christ-rejecting and disobedient world (Colossians 3:6). The Bible also states that there are plans for the church during the Great Tribulation that are “out of this world,” quite literally.

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Revelation 19:6-9

And I heard as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her, it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

The judgment seat of Christ is in heaven as is the marriage of the Lamb and the next thing John records in Revelation 19 is the bride returning to earth with the Lord. To return with the Lord requires already being “where He is”. Thus, when the Lord ends the Great Tribulation with His return, the church will have already experienced the marriage of the Lamb and have stood at the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore the church cannot be on earth during any of the Tribulation.

The Great Tribulation, the Day of Jacob’s trouble, and the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord are not in the church’s future. The Day of the Lord centers on Israel and a Christ-rejecting world.

We will be safely in heaven, forever to be with the Lord, “on that day”. And in that, we can greatly rejoice!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.