RAPTURE – PART IV
WHERE’S THE CHURCH IN REVELATION?
SCRIPTURE 1. . . Revelation 20:4-6, “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded [These folks received physical death during the Tribulation.] for their witness to Yeshua [these folks are Christians, but it is NOT STATED WHEN THEY BECAME CHRISTIANS!!] and for the word of Yahweh, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. [Indisputable PROOF that these Christians lived, witnessed, and died DURING THE TRIBULATION, but absolutely NO PROOF that they only got saved DURING the tribulation.] And they lived and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Yahweh and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Let me start off by saying that to claim that the Book of Revelation is written in a linear sequential timeline is just an admission of ignorance of the prophetic Scriptures. If you study Revelation closely enough you see that there are several judgment scenes and several returns of Yeshua discussed. So it is obvious that John expands and enlarges on different topics in different sections of Revelation.
First, this Scripture is testimony to the fact that Islam is the Beast System during the Tribulation, for it is the religious/social/political/military Beast System on earth today that routinely beheads those they call infidels, who refuse to convert to Islam.
Second, this Scripture is testimony to the fact that these Christian believers died DURING the Tribulation.
Third, this Scripture does not state when these Christians got saved, so to claim that they only got saved during the Tribulation is a gross misuse, presumptuous misinterpretation of this prophetic Scripture.
Fourth, this Scripture is testimony that these believers were strong enough in their faith to witness for Yeshua by standing against the Beast System of Islam. Heck, there are very few Christians alive today, before the Tribulation, that have the guts to stand against the Beast of Islam. Just read the daily news headlines to verify that fact. Why would you assume that baby Christians that just got saved during the Tribulation would have the spiritual strength and knowledge to resist the Beast System of Islam during the Tribulation?
Fifth, these Christian souls are resurrected at the FIRST RESURRECTION, which, if you will be honest with yourself and Scripture, Paul clearly teaches in 1 Corinthians 15 that this Resurrection occurs at the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!!! So. . . it begs the question, HOW CAN THESE FOLKS BE RESURRECTED AT A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE, IF THEY ARE NOT EVEN KILLED UNTIL DURING THAT TRIBULATION, WHILE RESISTING THE ANTICHRIST BEAST SYSTEM OF ISLAM? You pre-trib rapture/resurrection folks have a serious problem with this Scripture.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-25 again, where Paul is giving us sound doctrine on the resurrection, “But now Messiah is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah all shall be made alive. 23But each one in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits, afterward those who are Messiah’s at His [second] coming. 24Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to Yahweh the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.”
First, notice the orderliness of Yahweh’s Kingdom, even in relation to the doctrine of the resurrection. Please study the Feasts of Yahweh. Do you remember when Messiah resurrected, a few saints were also resurrected, whom Yeshua took to Heaven with Him as a firstfruits offering of the ONE NEW MAN to the Father, ON THE FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS in 30 CE? For whatever reason, neither Paul nor John the Revelator considered that little firstfruits resurrection as THE FIRST GENERAL RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS. Notice what Paul says here in 1 Corinthians 15: Messiah’s and those 1st century saints’ resurrection was a firstfruits resurrection, and THE VERY NEXT RESURRECTION THAT OCCURS, THE ONE JOHN CALLS THE FIRST RESURRECTION, OCCURS AT MESSIAH’S SECOND COMING!! Indisputable proof that the rapture/resurrection of the Church saints occurs at the Second Coming of Yeshua!! There is NO rapture/resurrection of Church saints ANYTIME between Messiah’s resurrection in 30 CE and the FIRST RESURRECTION that occurs at His SECOND COMING, because Paul clearly states that the end comes right after this FIRST RESURRECTION in the 21st Century!! Get it into your thinking, rapture/resurrection of Church saints, the elect, if you will, AT YESHUA’S SECOND COMING, THEN THE END OF TIME AS WE KNOW IT!! How much more succinct could Paul have said it? RAPTURE/RESURRECTION AT YESHUA’S SECOND COMING – THE END! Duh, get the picture. There is NO OTHER rapture/resurrection spoken of in verse 23 above, only two are mentioned, the firstfruits resurrection that occurred in 30 CE, THEN, afterward, the FIRST RESURRECTION AT MESSIAH’S SECOND COMING in the 21st Century. Is that clear enough?
Notice Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34, similar to Yeshua’s words in Matthew 24, “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of Yahweh. I speak this to your shame.” Be careful whom you listen to in these last days of the great falling away.
SCRIPTURE 2 . . . Revelation 6:9-11, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of Yahweh and for the testimony which they held. 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Yahweh, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be [future tense] killed as they were, was completed.”
Over the years, I have heard dozens of pre-trib rapture teachers/preachers claim that Christians/saints/believers/the elect are not present on earth during the Tribulation, because they were raptured before the Tribulation, and many quote Revelation 6:9 as proof of this fact. Admittedly, the souls of the verse 9 Christian dead are in Heaven, under the altar even, not on earth. BUT, the teachers stop quoting after verse 9. Keep reading on down through verse 11. The dead saints are reassured, then told that their LIVING FELLOW SERVANTS AND THEIR BRETHREN, WOULD BE KILLED (FUTURE TENSE) AS THEY WERE, most likely by beheading at the hands of the Beast System of Islam. If John wrote that these fellow servants and brethren, Christians/saints/the elect, etc. would be killed at some point in the future, that presupposes Christians ARE ALIVE AND WELL ON PLANET EARTH DURING THE TRIBULATION!! Now, are you going to presumptuously tell me that NOT ONE (1) OF THESE LIVING FELLOW SERVANTS AND THEIR BRETHREN WAS SAVED BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGAN? That would be a dangerous assumption to presume upon Yahweh’s Word with such a belief. There is NO EVIDENCE in these verses as to WHEN THESE FELLOW SERVANTS AND THEIR BRETHREN GOT SAVED, or the verse 9 dead saints, for that matter. I propose to you that AT LEAST ONE (1) of these LIVING fellow servants and their brethren got saved BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGAN. I believe we will know the answer soon enough.
Isn’t it interesting that Yahweh knows EXACTLY HOW MANY SAINTS WILL BE MURDERED/MARTYRED DURING THE TRIBULATION? Be at peace my fellow servants and their brethren, your Father has you in His care! I could do this rapture/resurrection Bible study thing all day, like I have been, but may I make a suggestion. STOP buying/downloading false teachers/preachers books, ebooks, CDs, and DVDs, and instead buy a good Bible, or some good Bible software and STUDY THE BOOK for yourself. You can download e-sword for free at www.e-sword.net there are lots of extra modules available at www.biblesupport.com
Be blessed,
Gene Benjamin II
September 29, 2012 CE