Post by Cindy on Dec 27, 2015 12:29:25 GMT -5
We've had many discussions about The Tribulation and all things concerning it. We've also had many conversations about our own trials and tribulations going on in our own lives, and how they seem to be getting harder and harder at times. What hit me today was something we all know: that the "end times" began when Jesus first came. (Heb 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18) We also know that these times, starting back then, were marked by many trials and tribulations that believers went through. One interesting thing I've learned too is that the word translated "tribulation" (or tribulations) is the same word used for affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution,and distress. We commonly interchange the word tribulation with the word "trials", but in the original languages these words are different. The word translated as "trials" is instead the same word that's also translated "temptations". (something to think about isn't it?) We're also aware that the Lord told us that as it got closer to the very end of this age, that the tribulations would get worse, like a woman's labor pains do. This would happen for both believers and unbelievers and is what we've been seeing in our world and in our own lives.
Many who ridicule the pre-trib rapture position, say that the only reason for people to believe in it is because we want to escape all the hard times that will come. Yet as we can see, no one is going to escape from hard times. Acts 14:22 reminds us that “... We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” ("hardships" is another word for "tribulations") What we will be spared is God's Wrath, and the reason we will be spared that is because His Wrath was poured out on our Savior when He was on the cross bearing the sins of the world. It's not because of us, it's because of Jesus. The word translated "wrath", means God's anger, vengeance, indignation. The word "wrath" in Luke 21:23, Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 2:5, and the many verses in Revelation, as well as other familiar scriptures, such as: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” and “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9) Christ’s death on the cross turns God's wrath away from us and secures our redemption from sin. There is no longer any condemnation against us because of God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ rather then our sins because He died so we could live and not have to face what He faced for us. So really there is no escape for us, because Jesus went through it all for us already. For us, it's already happened and is in our past. We have only glory to look forward to. However, as long as we are on this earth, we will continue to experience tribulations, just like everyone else does. The difference between us and the unbelievers who face these tribulations is that God uses everything we go through to make us more like Jesus and cause us to grow in our faith.
Knowing that these tribulations, and yes, even the trials, are therefore common to everyone, we can understand why we're told: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:8–10) The suffering that is spoken of here, is not about the kind that will be suffered during "The tribulation", for this is something that the disciples and early Christians also went through. This message to them is also for us and reminds us again that God is using these experiences to make us more like Jesus and strengthen our faith. Do you remember the verse about the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1? Those witnesses are the Christians who lived before us. We have their lives that we can look at and be encouraged by and even copy as we run our own race. Do you realize though, that one day soon, we may be the very ones that those people saved after the rapture will remember and pattern themselves after? Now that to me is an even greater reason to throw off all that hinders me!
So as we see our own tribulations seeming to become harder and last longer, and sometimes seem as if we don't even get a break from one before another begins, we can remember that this is because they're like labor pains, and that the reason they're so bad for us now is because they will soon be over completely forever! Realizing that we can then continue on for the joy set before us, just as our Lord did. Have you ever heard that poem "Don't Quit"? That's what I'm reminded of because we simply can't know how close we are to the finish line of our race. So when things get hard, even so hard that we feel we can't go on anymore, we need to remember that the finish line may only be just one step away, and when we've taken that one step, take yet one more for it may still only be one step away! The end of our race is very near my friends. Yes, the times are hard, and will get harder, but for us, we have a finish line to cross, a goal to reach, and at that time, the Lord Himself will restore us and take us to be with Him forever.
“According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18)
Many who ridicule the pre-trib rapture position, say that the only reason for people to believe in it is because we want to escape all the hard times that will come. Yet as we can see, no one is going to escape from hard times. Acts 14:22 reminds us that “... We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” ("hardships" is another word for "tribulations") What we will be spared is God's Wrath, and the reason we will be spared that is because His Wrath was poured out on our Savior when He was on the cross bearing the sins of the world. It's not because of us, it's because of Jesus. The word translated "wrath", means God's anger, vengeance, indignation. The word "wrath" in Luke 21:23, Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 2:5, and the many verses in Revelation, as well as other familiar scriptures, such as: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” and “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9) Christ’s death on the cross turns God's wrath away from us and secures our redemption from sin. There is no longer any condemnation against us because of God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ rather then our sins because He died so we could live and not have to face what He faced for us. So really there is no escape for us, because Jesus went through it all for us already. For us, it's already happened and is in our past. We have only glory to look forward to. However, as long as we are on this earth, we will continue to experience tribulations, just like everyone else does. The difference between us and the unbelievers who face these tribulations is that God uses everything we go through to make us more like Jesus and cause us to grow in our faith.
Knowing that these tribulations, and yes, even the trials, are therefore common to everyone, we can understand why we're told: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:8–10) The suffering that is spoken of here, is not about the kind that will be suffered during "The tribulation", for this is something that the disciples and early Christians also went through. This message to them is also for us and reminds us again that God is using these experiences to make us more like Jesus and strengthen our faith. Do you remember the verse about the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1? Those witnesses are the Christians who lived before us. We have their lives that we can look at and be encouraged by and even copy as we run our own race. Do you realize though, that one day soon, we may be the very ones that those people saved after the rapture will remember and pattern themselves after? Now that to me is an even greater reason to throw off all that hinders me!
So as we see our own tribulations seeming to become harder and last longer, and sometimes seem as if we don't even get a break from one before another begins, we can remember that this is because they're like labor pains, and that the reason they're so bad for us now is because they will soon be over completely forever! Realizing that we can then continue on for the joy set before us, just as our Lord did. Have you ever heard that poem "Don't Quit"? That's what I'm reminded of because we simply can't know how close we are to the finish line of our race. So when things get hard, even so hard that we feel we can't go on anymore, we need to remember that the finish line may only be just one step away, and when we've taken that one step, take yet one more for it may still only be one step away! The end of our race is very near my friends. Yes, the times are hard, and will get harder, but for us, we have a finish line to cross, a goal to reach, and at that time, the Lord Himself will restore us and take us to be with Him forever.
“According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18)