I’ve studied the scriptures that
pertain to the end times for years now and although there are quite a few clear
scriptures that speak of the rapture being a post-trib event tied to the day of
the Lord, (2nd Thes. 2:1-4) there is an even more compelling
argument from the heart of God.
Jeremiah
under the power of the Holy Spirit, expressing the heart of God weeps for
Israel. Daniel, carrying the burden of
knowing that the 70 years of exile was coming to a close, interceded mightily
for Israel. Paul, inspired by the Holy
Spirit, expressed a willingness to be “cut
off” if it meant the revealing of Jesus to Israel. John, inspired by the same Holy Spirit,
speaks of a people who protect Israel during a time of great tribulation, and
this people are hated by the anti-Christ.
The TenBoom family in Denmark, are an example of Christians being
burdened to protect the lives of Jews from the hatred of an evil ruler, even at
the cost of their lives. This sacrificial
love is truly what it means to witness, to display the heart of God through
your actions. Your humility, displayed
as a willingness to lay down your life for the benefit of another is a
revealing of the heart of God. So God’s
heart for His chosen people, which cannot change anymore than any other aspect
of God can change, will be displayed during the tribulation through a people
who love not their lives unto the death, but willingly, lovingly, display the
heart of God to a people who are being, hounded, persecuted and killed by the
anti-Christ. We follow the Lamb, who died as a sacrifice for all. He said, “Come
follow Me.” There is no compelling
argument from the heart of God for a theology of escape. When the ‘church’
is truly aware of the price that was paid for its salvation, and of the blindness imposed on most of Israel by God during this time for our benefit, then we who are
moved by so great a love, will be poured out as a drink offering to see Hosea
and Gomer reunited. As we are being poured out, He will be pouring into us. What a glorious day! The 'church' has a glorious destiny, to be a suffering servant, like her Messiah for the benefit of another, for the benefit of the ones whom Jesus calls, My brethren!
2 comments:
This was written on FB in response to a some pre-trib position statements. ....So the "glorious destiny" of the "church" is to wave good-bye and go have a party while God smacks the Jews from pillar to post? The only way I would believe that is if I did not believe this-- 1 Cor. 4:7 "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" Dying with a faith and trust in God is not a "bad witness" it is a "true witness". Rev. 12:11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony and they did not love their life even when faced with death." Acts 7:38 "This is the one who was in the church - (ekklesia) - in the wilderness..." The church is grafted into their vine, it is a privilege and a point of humility to be willing to lay your life down in sacrificial love like the TenBoom family did for the Jew. This issue is more about a true understanding of grace and the heart of God, and that was my point. Romans chapter 11 is my ultimate defense on this issue, Paul writing to the church in Rome makes a strong case for God's continuing love for the Jewish nation, whose 'blindness' is only temporary and partial. When a Jewish rabbi said, "Follow me" it was understood that the disciple was going to live, move and breathe exactly how the rabbi did. This is why it "freaked Peter out" when Jesus said, "I am going to Jerusalem and the leaders are going to kill me." Peter realized that would mean him too and so he tried to steer Jesus away from that pronouncement and he got a very firm rebuke for doing it. Tradition states that 11 of the 12 apostles died a martyrs death, were they a "bad witness"? So what does sacrificial love do, when the beloved is about to go through a time of trouble? I am very aware that I have rejected Jesus as much as any Jew in the history of the world and by the grace of God, I believe His heart of love that flows through me would have us stay and give words of encouragement like in Isaiah 35:3-5 "Strengthen the weak hands,
steady the shaking knees!
4 Say to the cowardly:
“Be strong; do not fear!
Here is your God; vengeance is coming.
God’s retribution is coming; He will save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped."
part 2..If they are going through "Jacob's trouble" then I am just as much Jacob as they are only grace has touched me, and I want to be the feet that bring good news to them. I want to demonstrate the love that lays down its life to them, and sees the greatest miracles and outpouring of the Spirit ever, as the "accuser of the brethren" has been cast down, so much of what hinders from being the body of Christ will be changed at that point and the church truly has a glorious destiny in "being the love" of God to the Jew during the time of Jacob's trouble. May God continue to have mercy on us all and to reveal the truth that will bring Him the glory He deserves. (.........side issues, the rapture is not typified in Rev. 4, John is one believer, he is not ever seen as representing the entire church, he is brought into heaven to see a vision that is written to all the churches to benefit them as they go through what is being written about. Why even put the rest of Revelation in the book if we are just watching it play out from our little safe spot? Why have both the names of the apostles and the names of the 12 tribes on the New Jerusalem if God is so mad at those obstinate Jews? Many if not all of the 7 churches addressed in the first 3 chapters have a small group that is commended for persevering, not for escaping. I can't equate a 3 and 1/2 year period with the eternal wrath of the eternal God. He is certainly able to seal and protect me if that brings Him glory and He is able to let me be martyred if that brings Him glory. I am fully His to do with as He pleases.-----.....but those are "side issues" in my opinion, the main issue is; What will God being doing during that time? I would say demonstrating love in the midst of tribulation, and preparing the heart of a remnant people that will look "upon Him whom they have pierced" and mourn as a nation in the same way that I did as an individual when I experienced His grace. Your "escape" quote from Luke 21 does nothing to disprove me, if the meaning is the same as "escape" in this verse 1 Cor. 10:13 quote it with me "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." The temptation still exists but God provides a way for you to bear it. Hebrews 11:34 uses "escaped" in a similar manner as God demonstrates His hand of protection over people going through tribulation. 2 Peter 1:4 speaks of escaping while still being in the midst of, also, so it does not always mean, "escape" like you are taking it to mean.... Oh well, I guess that is all I have time for, I hope that people read both of our view points and carefully read 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, just read them with no commentaries or the opinions of man, just the Holy Spirit you and your Bible read those two short books and let God speak to you. 2nd Thessalonians was written at least in part to straighten out a church that misunderstood the timing of the Day of the Lord.
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