Nail #3

Evidence and proof negating the Pre-tribulation Rapture

I understand how some can, and will, contest some of my “Nails” but regardless of whether they contest it or not, there’s a “chance” they’re wrong, and with the added evidence of the other nails, the likelihood increases.

Nail #3 - Matthew 24:5-8 is reconciled with the first 3 seals Christ, the Lamb, opened in Revelation 6, Christ calls it the Beginning of Sorrows, which IS the first 3.5 years, or 42 months, of the 7 year period we call Daniel's 70th Week.

Matthew 24:5-8
5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Revelation 6:1-6
1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3  And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4  And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5  And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Is there any doubt that Daniel's 70th week has started?

Then...
Matthew 24:9-12
9  Then shall they deliver YOU up to be afflicted, and shall kill YOU: and YE shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. [Emphases added]
10  And then shall many be offended [leave the faith], and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Revelation 6:7-8
7  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

What event seems to start here?

You (Jesus was speaking to the fathers of the Church)
YOU will be afflicted,
YOU will be killed,
YOU will be hated.
Notice how Matthew 24:9 lines up with the events associated with the 4th seal in Revelation 6?

The church is still here when these seals are opened and will suffer persecution.  Jesus said in Matthew 24:10 that we will betray one another.  I don’t believe for one second that means Christians will betray one another.  I believe these are the tares (i.e., professed Christians) betraying the wheat (i.e., true Christians) when they leave the faith during the Great Tribulation.

Matthew 24:11, the ones deceived are the tares and maybe some true Christians who thought that they would be raptured before all this starts.

Matthew 24:12, the love of many waxing (growing) cold?  Again, the tares IN the church and possibly weak or “baby” Christians.

Do you see anywhere in the first 12 verses of Matthew 24 anything resembling a rapture?  Do you see anything resembling a rapture in Revelation 6?  Do you see anything anywhere that resembles the rapture as compared to Matthew 24:31?

Is there any doubt that the Great Tribulation has started?

A Spirit-led study of God’s Word WILL show over and over that the Church will be put through the “Beginning of Sorrows” and the “Great Tribulation,” one of the purposes of which is to SEPARATE the wheat from the tares.

My question still is, what qualifies someone (or maybe some church) to be counted among those who will be Divinely protected (Revelation 3:10) while in the midst of the “the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” ? Will it be those who believe God’s Word completely regarding this subject (and maybe also other controversial subjects)?  If so, that would mean brothers and sisters in Christ within even the SAME denomination and within the same church; some being protected and others going through horrible persecution and martyrdom.  That shows me whatever you believe, you better have God’s Word backing you up in EVERY way.

A random verse here, and a contradictory verse there, is not Truth. God said in Psalm 119:160 - (NASB) that the SUM of His Word is Truth.  This means there is no contradiction whatsoever anywhere. As an example: Jesus said in John 3:16 that God so loved the world... How does that reconcile with Psalm 5:5, Psalm 11:5, and Proverbs 6:16-19? In those verses it is clear that there are those people in the world God hates. So how can John 3:16 mean God loves every human on the planet? It is clear that He doesn’t. This seeming contradiction is reconciled when John uses “world” in a number of places where the only way it can be understood in light of other Scripture is if he means the Jew AND the Gentile, not just the Jew. e.g., For God so loved the Jew AND the Gentile [world], not just the Jew, that He gave His only Begotten Son... (but that’s another subject.)

My point is that if there are ANY contradictions in what you believe about His return (parousia [noun] - the event, not erchomai [verb] - come), then dig deeper until all contradictions are worked out and only the Truth emerges.