For those who backpack or hike in the wilderness a required skill is map orientation, the ability to orient a map with compass and know where you are on the map. Greeted with an unexpected landmark, the question so often heard is, “where are we on the map?” Likewise, today there are many Christians who are viewing current events and trying to answer for themselves, “where are we in the Bible?”
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)
The headlines of today are unmistakable: massive locust invasions are now in central India and even threatening the western nations of Africa, a resulting famine is now predicted later this year for affected countries, North Korea is again threatening South Korea with total annihilation, there have been skirmishes and firefights between Indian and Chinese forces on their border, and a Coronavirus that literally shut down the global economy for almost 4 months still refuses to go away leaving financial and economic havoc in its wake. Earthquakes are so many today that they are taken as an everyday occurrence. All of these are denoted as symptoms Jesus describes as “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4-8) that will increase with intensity before He returns.
“ And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived.” (Luke 21:8)
Unfortunately, there is a growing chorus of some who are stating emphatically that these events signal that the initial seals of Revelation 6 have been opened and that the world has now entered the Seven Year Tribulation. Among these voices are some churches and pastors who are sounding alarm and their message is being repeated and mimicked in tabloids and social media around the world. More painful is that many Christians who do not read or study the Bible are, by default, left confused, fearful if not panicked, and unsure of what to believe. Have the seven seals of Revelation been opened? Are we in the Tribulation? No, absolutely not.
How can you say that? How can anyone know?
There are multiple reasons why the 7-year Tribulation has not begun based on Scripture but one very clear and particular reason is found in the Book of Revelation when the Apostle John is called up to heaven (4:1) by a voice sounding like a trumpet where he is shown a vision of 24 elders with crowns seated around God’s throne. Many believe this “calling up” of John depicts the Rapture of the Church as John earlier identifies the Lord Jesus Christ as the voice sounding like a trumpet (Revelation 1:10-17).
It is important to note that in this chapter the 24 elders fall before the Lord and cast their crowns before the throne in worship (4:10-11). Thus, the one-time Bema Judgment of the Church has to have occurred for these crowns to be awarded which necessitates that the Rapture occurs first, prior to this event. Thus, the 24 elders represent the complete Church in heaven, and the Bible emphasizes that their number of 24 remains constant throughout the remaining chapters of Revelation (5:8, 14; 11:16; 19:4).
And from chapter 7 we also learn the 24 elders CANNOT BE angels:
“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God,” (Revelation 7:11)
(An earlier blog post reveals more in Who are the “twenty-four?” dated December 4, 2019 that can be found within this site’s archive)
And what we also understand is they CANNOT BE Tribulation believers. How do we know that? Because based on Revelation 7:13-14 these same elders are positioned to explain who the Tribulation believers are to the Apostle John. In effect, one of the 24 elders answers his own question in providing the explanation:
“Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Okay. But, what does that have to do with the timing of the opening of the 7 seals?
The Bible clearly tells us that only one Person, our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God, is qualified to receive the scroll and begin opening its seven seals. He alone begins the prosecution of judgment.
“But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5)
So, to better answer the question, a better question may be “where is the Church at the time of the opening of the 7 seals?”
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:6-10)
Who sings the “song of the redeemed?” It is the Church who sings this blessed song of redemption and victory, we who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and who enjoy our eternal salvation through Him.
Based on Revelation 4-5 alone we learn several things:
- The 7-year Tribulation does not begin until after the Church is in heaven.
- The 24 Elders and the seven lampstands (4:5) are in heaven when the seals are opened.
- The Bema Judgment Seat of Christ is where all believers will appear before the Lord and give an accounting of their lives. (Romans 14:10-12; 2nd Corinthians 5:10). It is clear these crowns are awarded to believers before the Lord Jesus Christ receives the scroll with seven seals.
- Then, the Rapture of the Church must occur before the Bema Judgment takes place as the entire Church must be present, is a one-time event and not a recurring event.
- We also know that the Antichrist is unveiled with the very first seal (Revelation 6:2) as a rider on a white horse who appears as a man of peace (Daniel 8:25) among the nations. He appears with a bow without arrows, wearing a “crown”: stephanos, a victor’s crown, and not a diadem. Christ will wear a diadema (Revelation 19:12), the crown of a sovereign, reigning monarch. Thus, He opens the seals but is not to be mistaken as in the seals.
- None of these events have occurred yet. We cannot be in the Tribulation and there are many other reasons that also draw that conclusion.
We must be in the “last days” because there are so many troubling things taking place in the world today. Some of these things look right out of Revelation. If we are not yet in the 7–year Tribulation, where are we in the Bible? Can anyone know? What is next?
It is interesting that a similar situation occurred during the 1st century A.D. in Thessalonika. It was a large port city of Macedonia (Greece) that housed a large Jewish community and a Roman garrison. Paul spent only three weeks there (Acts 17:2-4) during his second missionary journey but shared teachings on end times prophecy. He wrote 1st Thessalonians to them in 50 A.D. with heavy emphasis on the Rapture and the coming Day of the Lord.
However, Paul wrote 2nd Thessalonians just 6-9 months later when he learned of reports that a false letter was circulated in his name stating that the Day of the Lord had already begun, and the Thessalonians has missed the Rapture. This caused great confusion, fear and unsettled them. Paul wrote his second epistle to them to erase their fears, settle them and clarify his earlier teaching.
“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him…” (2nd Thessalonians 2:1)
It is important to understand that “coming” (parousia) and “our gathering together” (episunagoge) are two totally separate events. Parousia means “advent, coming, presence” which equates to His Second Coming to earth at then end of the Tribulation. Episunagoge has the root word for “synagogue” and means “assembly, gathering of the faithful” and with “epi” in front intensifies its meaning to be the grand or final assembly/gathering of the faithful, it denotes the Rapture of the Church.
Neither of these events happened then, nor have they happened as of today. And so, where are we today? We are currently and precisely at verse 2:
“….we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:2)
The Thessalonians were deceived by a false letter stating they had missed the Rapture and that as a result, they were entering the Tribulation and about to face the Antichrist. For the duration of this chapter he assures them they are not in the Tribulation and they have not missed the Rapture and in perfect Greek parallelism he then reviews the major reasons why it has not yet occurred.
For many Christians today who are not settled on these prophetic matters, it can be a time of great stress, fear, and uncertainty. Like the Thessalonians, until you have this matter settled in your heart you will experience unnecessary confusion and fear. How can we possibly be an advertisement for Jesus Christ if we are suffering from the same fear and trepidation as the rest of the world?
Jesus said that our adversary comes to “steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10). What does he want to steal from you? Our “blessed hope” -which is the next event that ends the Church Age, the Rapture.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” (Titus 2:11-15)