HisdaughterJen,
If I understand the doctrine of the rapture clearly, The belief is that the church will be taken by God prior to the tribulation. You point out in your last post that you believe that this occurs at the fifth seal being opened. Have you read what the scripture truly says . look at what it says for the fifth seal
Now tell me where in that do you see the church being taken by God as the "RAPTURE" proclaims. Look hard at verse 9. It says that
[QUOTEI saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Now where do we read that later in the word
Then look at verse 11 And see that it also speaks of the saints being killed the same as they were.{those under the altar] Now here is a simple question to which if you answer truthfully, you will have the truth before you.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE GOD is taking them or truly resurrecting them as it says in verse 12 of chapter 11. That is the true rapture. THE SAINTS ARE SLAIN FOR THEIR TESTIMONY AND THEN RESURRECTED TO THE MILLINEUM REIGN WITH CHRIST. Those who have died in Christ, those under the altar are also resurrected to be with Him in the thousand year reign. The true Rapture after the tribulation in which they lose their lives for Christ. Losing your life doesnt' only mean that you are killed for your belief but that your life in the world is dead because of Christ. Others will hate you and persecute you jjust as they did Christ. People do this everyday before the physical death comes.
If the church is "Raptured" before this, where are they when the first resurrection occurs and why don't they get to spend the thousand years with Christ. The word has a clear answer to this but I would like for you to find it for yourself.
The term Rapture is a made up term and doesn't appear in scripture at all. Just like the doctrine , made up. I went through 14 translation so how do you accept this new revelation which has no foundation in Christ.
hismessenger
Well, thank you for your question!
There are two reasons why I believe as I do:
1. There are two sets of martyrs mentioned in seal #5...those who are crying out to God for justice (current) and those who will yet die for Christ (at the hands of the beast).
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw
under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God (1st set of martyrs), and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season,
until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled.(2nd set of martyrs)
2. The only people given white robes in Revelation is the church, the Bride of Christ.
Rev 19:6Then I heard what sounded like a
great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For
our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Rev 19:7Let
us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Rev 19:8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
The Great Multitude is the Bride both here and Rev 7. We are given our bridal clothes after the tribulation (seals 1-4 that have been going on for 2000 years) and before the sun/moon darken/stars fall (Seal #6).
Rev 12 also confirms it. The man-child who rules the nations with a rod of iron is the church, the Body of Christ, who sits on the thone with Christ.
Rev 2:26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Rev 3:21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
The church is given her bridal clothes and caught up to
the throne of God as the devil is cast down.
Rev 7 describes the white robed multitude as having
come out of great tribulation in which they washed their
robes in the blood of the Lamb. (a reference to Exodus19:10-20)
In Exodus 19:10-20, Moses (symbolic of Jesus) consecrates the people and they wash their clothes for TWO DAYS (2000 years) and on the morning of the 3rd day (symbolic of millennium), at the sound of a Jubilee (trumpet), God comes down and Moses leads the people out of the camp to meet with God.
How long have people been able to be consecrated by the blood of the Lamb? Almost 2000 years! The tribulation is 2000 years long.
There are only two sets of martyrs of Jesus...those before the beast reigns (a.k.a. past and present) and those during the reign of the beast.
If you look through the Scriptures for the actual definition of "tribulation", you'll see that it is not the reign of the beast which is part of the wrath of God.
