Bible Prophecy...

1. 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:8 - Here in this passage and the in one in Revelation shown below, we note something of importance. We see a clue given to us concerning the time of the resurrection and rewarding.
   
   Here in this passage, the resurrection and the rewarding is tied in with "the appearing of Christ and His kingdom." And when will that be? He will establish His kingdom at the sounding of the seventh trumpet at the end of the great tribulation period.
   
   These events are all unfolded during a singular time frame; in other words, when Christ makes His appearance, there will be a resurrection, there will be rewards given, and He will establish His everlasting kingdom.
   
   This passage in Timothy points out that the resurrection & rewarding and His kingdom are in the same time frame rather than separated by a period of seven years.
2. The dilemma which faces the pre-tribber is the belief that Jesus will have already resurrected and rewarded the saints seven years previous to the appearing of Christ with his kingdom!!
   
   However, to have a resurrection and rewarding seven years prior to this event, would mean that there are two resurrections and two times of rewarding God's people!!
   
   But such is not scriptural! But one thing we do know for a fact - that such resurrection & rewards are "...at His appearing and his kingdom."
3. Note the four "R's" as shown below with regard to 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:8.



1. THE RETURNING ("...at His appearing...", vs. 1)
2. THE RESURRECTION ("...who shall judge the quick [living] and the dead..." , vs. 1)
3. THE REWARDING ("...there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness..." , vs. 8)
4. THE REIGNING ("...and his kingdom", vs. 1)


4. Matthew 16:27 - Jesus has also given us a factual time period to which we can safely place the rewarding of His people. Note that it is when Jesus comes "in glory" that He says He will give out His rewards.
   
   But what do the pre-tribbers teach? That Jesus gives out His rewards seven years prior to His coming in glory!! Revelation 11:15-18 -- Again, in this passage is seen the four "R's."
   
   And once again, it is noted that these events are all unfolded in one time frame - in this instance, it is at the sounding of the 7th (last) trumpet.

5. And again, we see that when Christ is revealed, there will be a resurrection, there will be rewards given, and He will establish His everlasting kingdom.
   
   This passage points out that His revelation and His kingdom are at the same time rather than separated by a number of years.
   

6. Remember, to a pre-tribber, Christ has already come and resurrected His people, and has already given them rewards in heaven seven years previous to this event.
   
   If that's true, then here again, we have a second resurrection of God's people and a second time that rewards are given. However, nowhere in the Scriptures do we see such a theory proported by Christ or the apostles.

   1. THE RETURNING ("...and thy wrath is come...", vs. 18)
   2. THE RESURRECTION ("...and the time of the dead, that they should be judged..." , vs. 18)
   3. THE REWARDING ("...and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants...and to the saints..." , vs. 18)
   4. THE REIGNING ("...the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.", vs. 15)
   
   vs. 17 - ("...because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and has reigned.")

1. Matthew 24:27 - He said to His disciples not to believe it if someone had to come to them and tell them that Jesus had arrived. He said not to believe it if they say He is in the "secret" chambers.
   
   "Pre-tribbers" believe Jesus' first "stage" of His coming will be in secret, known only to those involved.
   
   How does this concept (of a secret coming), measure up to the manner in which Jesus Himself said He would come? He said that it would not be something secret, but rather would be as lightning which splatters across the sky and shines from the east unto the west!!
   
   Is that secret?? Yet, we have so many teaching this "theory" in our pulpits.
2. Matthew 24:28 - Jesus said that His coming would be as noticeable and as revealing as a bunch of eagles (vultures) circling about and hovering over a carcass, and thus drawing attention to its whereabouts.
   
   Thus, in using this illustration, Jesus described His own coming as something that would be open and noticeable, (as circling eagles up in the sky where they can be seen), and not in secret or unobserved as so many would have us to believe.
   
   It all boils down to either believing the words of Christ, or the words of man.
3. Matthew 24:42-44 - Jesus likewise used the illustration of a "thief" to describe the manner in which He will one day come again to this earth.
   
   A thief takes one by surprise; it is a sudden, unannounced entry. Jesus isn't coming to "steal" anything. He isn't "stealing" His people from anyone, for they belong to Him. You don't steal that which already belongs to you.
   
   Rather, He uses the example of a thief's unexpected, sudden arrival, to tell us how He Himself will return. And in arriving in such a manner, many will be caught off guard, and unsuspecting.
   
   Such is why the tribes (families) of the earth are seen mourning (weeping, regretting, bewailing) when they see Him coming in the clouds with power and great glory.
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, 5-7, 8-11 ; Revelation 3:3 - Here again, the "thief" illustration is used in both of these passages. In Thessalonians, Paul tells the church members that they are not in darkness that the day of Christ should overtake (surprise) them.

Why? Because they were as "children of the day" not as "children of the night." There was no excuse for them to be overtaken as others, for God had given them an understanding and was working through them as His special people.

He had provided His special "armor" to help protect His people from the fiery darts of the Devil. And in providing this for them, they would have no excuse to slip back into darkness.

However, on the other hand, Jesus, in recognizing the possibilities of slipping away from His light, gives the church members of Sardis a stern warning to repent of their sinful ways and to hold to His teachings lest they be caught off guard and would be just as unprepared for His sudden arrival as any other unprepared individual would be.

Thus, it is possible for even a saved child of God who is a member of a New Testament church to become entangled in his sins, refuse to repent of them, discontinue to walk in the light, and be overtaken by surprise at Christ's sudden coming!

Such is why Jesus warned His very own disciples not to allow this to happen to them (Luke 21:34-36). John admonishes his readers to be confident at the arrival of Christ so as not to be ashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28).

1. 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 - Paul is telling the members of the Corinthian church that since they had been enriched by God in all utterance and knowledge, and had the testimony of Christ confirmed unto them, they should not come behind in any gift (fall back in any measure of spiritual service) but rather press forward in their service to Jesus, and wait for the "coming" of our Lord Jesus Christ.
   
   Interestingly, the Greek word translated "coming" in this verse, is the word usually translated as "revelation." Why would Paul instruct church members to await the revelation of Christ if it is the "secret coming" that we are to expect?
   
   However, many pastors are teaching their congregations to look for something secretive rather than the time when Jesus will be revealed for all the world to see.
2. 1 Peter 1:7 - Here Peter is encouraging his readers to not be discouraged in their trials and afflictions. He notes that to God, our afflictions are worth much more than gold (even gold that is of the finest quality, the kind that is purified by fire).
   
   He says that the testing of our faith is necessary so as to enable it to be found worthy of [Christ's] praise, honor, and glory when He "appears."
   
   Here again, the Greek word translated as "appearing" is the same word for "revelation." Now, why would Peter encourage the Christians of his day to have a faith found possessing qualities worthy of God's praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Christ, rather than at some first-stage secret return?
   
   If Paul and Peter were alive today, it seems as though their message to Christians concerning the return of Christ, would be somewhat different than that which many pastors are conveying to people today. The apostles encouraged God's people to look to Christ's revelation while people today are told to look for an invisible coming of Christ. Something doesn't add up!
3. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7, 8-10 - The saints at Thessalonica were undergoing pressures from outsiders. Their faith was under fire, and they were being afflicted for their belief in Christ, and in the kingdom He promised to establish.
   
   Paul, however, wishing to console their spirits, challenged them to take heart and to trust in the righteous judgment of God Who would one clay take vengeance upon those who were troubling them. Paul told them to look ahead at the time when Jesus would be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire.
   
   What about looking forward to Jesus "secret first-stage" coming? Why didn't Paul direct their troubled hearts to hope in that? Because it was his understanding that Jesus would come back in a manner that would be as Jesus described (open, bright, as flashing lightning), and not in a unnoticed, secretive way in which some perceive Him to return.
   
   Put yourself back in time, to the days of Paul, Peter, and the other apostles - you are a member of the church at Corinth, or the church at Thessalonica, or some other N. T. church. To what were you encouraged to look forward to by those church leaders? Was it in a secret first-stage coming of Christ? Or was it an open and manifested "revelation" of Christ?
   
   Now, to what event is your pastor encouraging you to hope in today? Is it in the so-called "secret" coming of Jesus Christ? Are you told that the revelation of Christ will not occur until seven years later, so that you need not look for it?
4. Titus 2:11-13 - Paul said that God's grace teaches us to live godly, soberly, etc. in this world while we are "looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." In the original language it is, "looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ..." Yet some would not have us to look for the returning in "glory," but rather for a secret first-stage event.
5. 1 Timothy 6:14 - Paul charged Timothy to continue to abide by the teachings of the Lord until the "appearing" of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here, the Greek word translated "appearing" is epiphaneia, which means "an open manifestation, an appearance, something notable, a shining forth." Does this sound like Paul was telling Timothy to expect a coming that would be in secret and unnoticed by everyone? "Behold, every eye shall see...", said Jesus.

1. Matthew 24:29-31 - His cloud-coming with the angels is seen "immediately after the tribulation of those days..." The angels are instruments used to "gather the elect."
2. Matthew 25:31 - Here we note that when He comes in glory with His holy angels, He comes to sit upon His throne in His kingdom. And as we have already pointed out several other things occur "...at his appearing and his kingdom."
3. Daniel 7:13-14 - Daniel prophesied of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven. And there was given to Him a kingdom.
4. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, 16-17 - Paul's inspired account of the second coming agrees with that of Christ's account. There will be angels, clouds, and a trumpet involved. And too, there will be a gathering of people together unto Christ.
5. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 - Again, Paul mentions the fact of a "gathering together" unto Christ. But note several other things as pertaining to Christ's coming here in this passage to the Thessalonians:
   

   • there will be a "gathering together unto him [Christ] at His "coming." (v 1)
   • the day of Christ will not come "except there come a falling away [spiritual apostasy] first, and that man of sin [antichrist] be revealed." (v 3)

   • the antichrist will sit in the temple (which has yet to be built) (v 4)

   • there is withholding restraint upon the man of sin prohibiting him from being revealed before his allotted time. (v 6)

   • the mystery of iniquity [lawlessness] was working even during the days of Paul, yet would continue to be restrained until the restraining force be removed. "...only he who now letteth [is restraining] will letteth [will continue to restrain] until he [the restraining force] be taken out of the way. The force which has restrained, and continues to restrain Satan from unleashing his full power upon mankind is, of course, the Holy Spirit of God in this world.

   • The phrase "taken out of the way" simply refers to the stepping aside of that which is blocking or restraining and allowing whatever was being blocked to proceed. It does not necessarily mean the removal of the Spirit from world, but rather the removal of His restraint.

6. Revelation 11:15-18 - Again, we note the use of angels and a trumpet in connection to Christ's coming. He comes at the sounding of the 7th trumpet, which is the last in a series of seven.
7. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - Here, Paul mentions the "last trump" being sounded just prior to a resurrection of God's people and the changing of their mortal bodies to incorruptible bodies.

1. Jeremiah 30:7 - Jeremiah speaks of the tribulation period as "the time of Jacob's [Israel's] trouble. Yet note what else he has to say: "...but he shall be saved out of it." How will this occur?
2. Revelation 12:1 through Revelation 13:7 - There will be an elect portion of the nation of Israel (most likely the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7) who will be preserved and protected by God in the wilderness. True, many other Jews will be killed by the antichrist, but he will attempt to get at these as well-but God will not let him get to them.
   
   It is then that he turns in hot anger against the "remnant of her seed," which are the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is allowed by God to "make war with the saints, and to overcome them." If the tribulation period is for the "punishment" of the Jews then why do we see a vast number of Jews protected by God from the clutches of the man of sin, while a multitude of the saints are martyred!!