Prophecy - The End Times

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Nell

OK. Still thinking about your answer...not going into cardiac arrest yet.

Here's another one for you...a 3rd possibility for Rev. 16:15.

Going waaaayyy back to the children of Israel in captivity in Egypt. There were 10 horrific plagues, from which God's people were miraculously protected. They did not experience the wrath being poured out by God on their captors.

In the same manner, can God's people being spared from the ancient 10 plagues be a picture of God's protection of His people during the horrific events of the great tribulation and God's wrath?

That is, a kind of painting of the blood of the lamb on the doorposts which causes the death angel to pass over those sheltered inside? Is there a similar kind of protection for believers during the tribulation making the timing of the rapture of the believers even more of a mystery?

Nell

Nell, Rev 14.9-10 (Warning) and 16.2 (1st Bowl) indicate plainly that those who receive the mark of the Beast and worship the Beast (whether Christians or not) will suffer the wrath of God. This implies that those who reject the mark and refuse to worship the Beast will be protected by God and spared from some of His judgment.

Personally, I believe pre-, mid-, and post-trib themes all have value, but who says that God has one common plan for all of His children? Perhaps all three are correct. Using the metaphor of a ripening harvest, perhaps each will be taken as they mature, some earlier and some later. according to their needs. I think most of the rapture time debates spring from the requirement that all God's children have a similar destiny.

Following this thought, I can't believe that all Christians will reject the mark of the Beast. I have never seen all Christians adhere to anything in total uniformity. Those who accept the mark may be part of the "falling away" apostasy which Paul predicted in 2 Ths 2.3. They may even side with the Beast for temporary gains. (Didn't Nee attempt something similar with the CCP?) I also think it's foolish to write them all off as false or tares, though some may be.