So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:12-14).

It is scary to think of the multitude in the church world that will either be saved after the Rapture or worship the Antichrist.

Not for a moment can you think it will be easy to resist the dark deception once the Bride of Christ is gone. The Antichrist will take on the persona of Jesus Christ. There is a great company that rejects the Pre-Tribulation Rapture that will be subject to great deception because of this false teaching. This crowd sees themselves as over comers and like an army defeating Satan’s Antichrist. The effort of the Antichrist to enlist them for his plan is awesome.

We already see a multitude dying in chapter six. When the people who know they have missed the Rapture realize it’s now or never, a multitude will fall on their faces to repent. Think of the whole world being aware of the departure of millions and open graves everywhere. Arabs will now know that Allah was not God. The false religions all over the world will not have a chance to repent and be converted. The Bible says that when His judgments are in the earth men will “learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9).

Let’s look at the picture that the angels created for John to see. A marvelous number of Jews are saved and sealed. But the great number is citizens of the world. Many dark religions have blended great cultures of people. Religions like Islam have blended entire nations of people and taught them anger against the Jews and Christians. All of this must come to a conclusion and the God of the Bible will be vindicated. The hated Christians will now be prepared to rule the world under the sovereign hands of Jesus Christ.

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21: 34-36).

The book of Revelation is a breathtaking drama. From chapter one to chapter twenty-two, except chapters two and three, are in every case a living theatrical production. John saw the book come alive before his face. The book of Revelation a living picture and simple for you to teach others and to awake lost souls. The word “saw” or synonyms of that word are used over sixty times in twenty chapters of the Book Of Revelation.

No picture in this revelation is more graphic than the multitude of dying or dead saints, martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. This vast number are clearly the multitudes that missed the Rapture but repented and became willing sacrifices for Christ. This scene shows up first in chapters six almost as soon as the seven-year Tribulation begins.

When the Lamb of God had opened the fifth seal, the text tells us what John saw.

“I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held…” (Revelation 6:9b).

They were physically dead but yet alive. They had been martyred but were now awaiting their resurrection. Their death had been so gruesome that even in this glorious place and clearly beyond the instrument of their death they were pained to remember how they died. John saw and heard as they cried aloud.

“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?” (Revelation 6:10).

I know of no place in Scripture where death did not hide the suffering that preceded the death. But this is the Great Tribulation of which Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright” (Hebrews 12:4-16).

John saw them given “white robes” and told to rest and await as the carnage continued on the earth. These were the first to turn to Jesus Christ and die by the one world religious system and the government powers of the one world order. Those souls already put to death or martyred for their new found faith could rejoice that death has spared them from the ongoing calamity on earth. John wrote what he saw happen to them.

“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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:11).

This drama gives us a picturesque view of the hellish treatment awaiting anyone that misses the Rapture and even thinks to be saved. The cost of discipleship today does not touch the cost of discipleship after the Rapture. The devil will have lost the prize of the bride of Christ which he was so determined to destroy. The remnant repenting will be seen as the last vestige of our present effort to warn the world. He will shake his fist at us in heaven while he slaughters our sons and daughters left behind.

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

John does not just view their death and the sorrows of such horrible suffering. He sees the triumph also. We move to chapter seven and this great multitude that have died are no longer under the altar but caught up to be guest at the wedding supper. They can no longer count on being in the Bride but can be part of the great banquet celebration. They are a multitude from all over the earth. There is no longer a heathen world that has never heard the name of Jesus. Both the lie of Lucifer and the truth of Jesus Christ is known by all the earth’s population.

All nations will know and will be a part of these scenes:

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10).

There will certainly be an incredible number of those that know enough of the gospel and truth to quickly repent of their unprepared spiritual condition. I believe the vast population of heathens, false religions and post-Christian churches will now learn the truth and have the privilege for the price of martyrdom for Christ. Do not miss a later scene that John the Revelator saw that we will call: The guest at the wedding supper.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-16).

One of the great classic truths preached by the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches for the last 200 years has been the pre-tribulation Rapture. I do not suggest that there were no exceptions, for there were indeed good people who loved and preached Jesus but did not agree with this particular interpretation; however, the Pentecostal Revival, for 100 of those years, has been especially given to the pre-tribulation view.

There are some that suggest that this is escapism, but the opposite has been true. Christians deeply in love with Jesus and enamored with the hope of His immediate return for the church have been driven with compassion to win souls; whether family, friend, or foe. Our message is a twin concern: get ready for the call to the marriage supper and occupy (be salt and light to hold back the antichrist spirit) until He comes. Both parts of this message are absolutely essential for a balance of Biblical presentation.

The Biblical support for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture is indeed overwhelming. Let me share nine (9) reasons why I believe the Rapture must occur before the seven-year tribulation period can begin.

The Church Is To Be Judged Before The Wicked World Is Judged

Rather than positioning the church in the tribulation judgment, the Biblical warning is that judgment begins at the house of God. Privilege is always a factor in determining God’s judgment. He said “ . . . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (St. Luke 12:48b)

Apostle Peter, clearly distinguishing himself as a New Testament leader, warned, “For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God: (Remember, it was the Jewish nation that was first to be judged in the First Testament) and if it first begin at us (the Second Testament believers), what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (Peter 4:17) There is no excuse for anti-Semitism in the Christian church. Our judgment is of a different nature but clearly precedes that of both the Jewish and the God-denying and blaspheming world.

The Bride Of Christ Is To Be Presented Unto Himself In An Exclusive Ceremony Separate From All Other End-Time Events

Redemption is much, much more than fire insurance. The root and foundation of God’s love for the world and sending His only begotten Son is a desire to have a family. The family unit is the closest thing on earth to the heart of God, His very nature. The invitation to salvation is an invitation to a marriage feast and establishes a family relationship. Worship in its truest sense is a celebration of that family relationship with our spiritual priest; we celebrate His love until we can celebrate His presence.

His Absolute Promise To Keep His Faithful Bride From The Hour Of Tribulation

The Holy Scripture deals effectively with His assurance that this awful hour is not designed for His chosen. The prophet Isaiah described the final episodes with minute detail: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:19-21)

In the first verse of this quote he identified the Resurrection. Next, he calls for the chosen bride to enter with Him into her chambers (an appropriate nuptial place as she prepares for her presentation to the Groom) to be securely hidden away for a short moment until the wrath or rage of God is finished. The third verse of this text pictures the going forth of God’s righteous judgment to finish sin, disclose hidden life styles, and to give an equal response from God’s holiness to man’s evil actions.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Is The Only Reasonable Explanation Of A Time When Some Are Taken And Some Left

No sensible explanation can be given of St. Matthew 24 that excludes the warning of a sudden rapture that catches men unprepared. Jesus warned of the suddenness of that day, that only the Father knows the time and that the day was as Noah’s day, where men were eating, drinking, and giving in marriage. Then He said, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (St. Matthew 24:40-41) He concluded the warning by saying: “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (St. Matthew 24:42)

Then, He Warns Of A Specific Day Coming Unawares Of Which Only Those Watching Shall Escape

These verses are so crucial for establishing this great “Hope of the Church” that we must analyze them closely. “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth? Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Christians are so casual today about what constitutes readiness for the Rapture that they make me tremble. Ask a given Sunday-morning crowd: “How many are ready to go?” And you will find it hard to see the un-lifted hands. Many have not been to church in weeks, maybe never tithe, do not read the Bible more than sporadically; and yet, they feel secure and ready. The only explanation is that we are living in the great apostasy.

The Law Of The Farmer Demands That The Harvest Be Gathered Before The Winter Begins

No vineyard dresser or tiller of the ground would think of laboring through the spring and summer only to leave the ripened harvest in the field as the winter arrives. A wise proverb of Solomon says, “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”(Proverb 10:5) It contradicts everything my Father has provided and promised to suggest that He won’t gather His harvest of the world until the winter of divine retribution is in full swing.

Isaiah is prolific in describing this harvest out of an impending winter of evil. He prophesied, “The righteous perisheth (escapes), and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away (removed), none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”

(Isaiah 57:1) The words taken away literally mean to “collect as in harvest”.

The next verse is a perfect picture of this harvest, safely cradled in her haven of rest, as evil spreads itself in defiance of the gathering storm. “He (bride) shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.”(Isaiah 57:2) That storm of evil is clearly described in the next three verses.

“But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom do ye make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?” (Isaiah 57:3-5)

The Holy Scripture Affirms Emphatically That The Antichrist Cannot Be Revealed Until A Restraining Force Is Removed

The church at Thessalonica received this word from Apostle Paul: “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

The word “withholdeth” in verse six and “letteth” in verse seven are identical and mean to restrain or hold back. A picture emerges of this great and overwhelming force of evil that is ever ready to spread across God’s creation but is restrained because of an even greater power. It is like a reservoir of water held in check by a dam. If the dam is suddenly removed, the waters will flood the valley with great destruction .

The Lord’s Absolute Promise To Catch Away His Chosen To Meet Him In The Air

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) What a climactic finish to an exciting search of Holy Scripture. The Lord isn’t sending Gabriel or Michael. He is coming Himself.

Conclusion

I believe in honoring all men as commanded by the Word. Those who know and serve Jesus Christ are my brothers and sisters. While we fulfill the above in Christian love, I contend that the Rapture must transpire before the tribulation can begin. The gathering storm has shaken the faith of many. The fire of expectancy, of watching and waiting, of looking for His appearing, has gone out of many lives.

Some are looking to build a kingdom here, while others are looking for great tribulations and planning how not to take the mark. I believe that the bride should look for His appearing, occupy His spiritual and invisible kingdom, and expect to be gone when the great deceiver is having one final fling. “Look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28b)