Edited 12/15/23
Unraveling Revelation:
Christians are waiting for the Lord’s return. John’s last words in the book of Revelation were, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Compare this with, Revelation 3:3, He is speaking to the church of Sardis, “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
There are two important issues concerning the end days. These issues are the rapture, and the tribulation period. First let’s get one little gnat out of our face. It’s the word Rapture. There are those who will say, “Ah’hhh, the word rapture is not in the Bible.” This is there only argument for falsely claiming there is no rapture of the church.
The word ‘Rapture’ does not appear in the English Bible, but its meaning is projected in several verses. The word “rapture,” is derived from the Latin word “raptu“, which means, “caught away, or caught up.” The word rapture can be found in both the Latin, and German Bible.
The Latin, “raptu,” is equivalent to the Greek, “harpazo,
“Caught up” in English. English has no single word for rapture, thus caught up, caught away, taken by force, etc.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “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.”
Acts 8:39, “And when they (Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch) were come up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord CAUGHT AWAY Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more.” Also,
John 6:15, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain.” To depart, is the same as to be caught up, or snatched away. Jesus then departed from where he was to the mountains. See also, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. Revelation 12:5. Jude 22-23.
To be raptured up, or to be caught up, is spoken of that which is snatched suddenly away, to carry away, to hurry off by force, involuntarily taken away; and is spoken only of persons.
The timing of the Rapture has long been the subject of debate. Why is it important? “We must be prepared, we must watch, wait, and know that our Lord will keep his promise to us, John 14:3, “Where I am, there ye may be also.”
Let’s talk about the tribulation. There is a Pre-Mid. and Post-tribulation teachings. Only one can be right, and the others are false teachings.
Synonyms for tribulation, are, affliction, pressure, compression. In N.T. only as a metaphor, it implies pressure from evils, afflictions, distress, often for putting one work for another; as evils by which one is pressed, affliction, distress, calamity,
When the noun, “tribulation,” is put with, “great.” What does it imply?
Great, Greek is, megas. As a metaphor, it implies, great in force, intensity, effect, as affecting the external senses, great, vehement, violent, Mark 4:37, “Great storm of wind,” with verse 39, “A great calm.” Revelation 11:19, “Great hail.” Matthew 7:27, “Great was the fall.” Luke 6:49. Matthew 24:31, “Great sound.” Acts 8:2, “Great lamentation.”
Great as of events, Matthew 24:21, “Great tribulation.” Luke 4:25, “Great famine.” Luke 21:23, “Great distress.” Acts 8:1, “Great persecution against the church.”
James 3:1, “Greater condemnation.” Revelation 16:21, “Plague — was exceeding great.” Septuagint, Job 2:13, “They saw that his grief was great,”
Great as affecting the mind, causing emotion, as in Matthew 2:10, “Great joy.” 3 John 4. Mark 5:42, “Great astonishment.” Luke 2:9, “sore (meaning greatly) afraid.” Revelation 12:12, “Great wrath.”
Great in price, cost, great, solemn. Of the day of judgment, Acts 2:20. Jude 6, “Unto the judgment of the great day.”
Revelation 6:17, “Great day of His (God’s) wrath.”
Revelation 16:14, “That great day of God Almighty.”
Septuagint, Malachi 4:5. “Great and dreadful day of the LORD.”
Joel 2:11-31, “The great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” You get the idea.
God speaks directly to two of the churches in Revelation concerning tribulation.
Revelation 2:22, “I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.”
In God’s letter to the church at Philadelphia,
Revelation 3:10, John writes, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them (the world) that dwell upon the earth.”
Now the question, “When will the Christian church, both the living and the dead be caught up to meet the Lord in the air?” Will it be before the tribulation? or will He leave His bride in the middle of it?
I will examine, then comment on a group of words, and phrases that are used in the book of Revelation. They are used mostly in the letter to the seven churches and directed to believers only. For the most part they are not used for, or to encourage, edify, or bless the unbelieving world.
The purpose of this study will be to add small bits of information and evidence to either support or correct the thinking of those who enjoy discussing the subject of pre. mid. or, post tribulation rapture.
Part 2:
There are the everyday discussions that go on concerning the subjects of rapture, and tribulation. So, lets search for Biblical truths that will help support or shoot down certain teachings. The following form of investigation has been neglected for too long. Certain words, and combinations of words in the Scriptures have been used by God to clarify, or to reject certain teachings. These disagreements have done and continue to do a great deal of damage to the future of the church.
All I ask is that we keep an open mind and examine the evidence. Let’s begin with the word “Church,” and two common phrases used in chapters 3-4. “I (God) know thy works.” And “He who has an ear let him what the Spirt saith unto the churches. It would be correct to say that chapters 3-4, are for the ears of the Christian community alone.
John was an apostle to the Jews. Yes, his Gospel, and letters were meant for the whole community of Christians, but he wrote to the Jews. John wrote to two camps of Jews, the saved, and the unsaved.
The Gentile community has received the Gospel, and the Epistles of John, but only as adopted sons and daughters. Sons and daughters who have been grafted into either the believing community of Christian Jews, they are receiving the promised blessings, and called the bride of Christ. And then there are those who are adopted into those unrepentant Jews who sent Jesus Christ to the cross.
Saved Jews and Gentiles make up the church. Unsaved Jews, and unsaved Gentiles, represent the women who rides the scarlet-colored beast, also called the bride of Satan. There is no third group, no other place to find refuge except Christ, and no place for anyone to run, and hid from Him.
One receives the blessings of God, the other shall reap the whirlwind of judgment that will come upon them during the tribulation; a tribulation sent by God.
Saved Gentiles are grafted into the saved Jewish community; lost Gentiles are grafted into those Jews who have rejected Jesus Christ. The church will be removed from the wrath, and the tribulation of God. The other will find itself smack in the middle of it.
During the period of seven years of tribulation, there will be those Jews, and Gentiles that will be killed for receiving the Gospel. A Gospel preached and taught by either the two witnesses who stand before the rebuilt Temple at Jerusalem, the 144,000 who will be scattered to the four corners of the earth, or by the proclaiming angel of God.
Revelation 14:6, “I (John) saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”
Take particular notice, the Holy Spirit is nowhere to be found on earth during this period of tribulation. Also, Christian’s are not involved in the spreading of the Gospel at this time either. Why? Because both have been received up into heaven.
There are particular words used by the Lord, for Christians, that are not used for the unbelieving, unsaved world. Let’s begin with the word Church, and Churches.
The Greek is, ekklesia. It means to be called out, summoned, from a convocation, assembly, congregation, etc. Of persons legally called out or summoned by God. “A lawful assembly of Christian people.”
The word church, and churches is found in Revelation 2-3. Except for Revelation 22:16, where the Lord clarifies that He, “Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches,” The word Church is not used anywhere else in Revelation and is never spoken of during the seven years of tribulation. The reason? it had been caught away by the Lord.
The two phrases follow.
The following, “I know thy works,” is used seven times, and each time to one of the seven Churches.
This phrase expresses God’s omniscience, and omnipresence. The eyes of God are throughout the earth, and especially upon His people. He is beholding both the good, and the evil. All things are continually open, and naked before him.
What is spoken of first in each letter, to each individual church, concerns their good works. This supports the thought, that God is more intent on finding the good, rather than the evil.
After chapter 3 and 4, the word, “Works,” is only used to describe that of the unbelievers, as in, Revelation 9:20, 18:6, which speaks of Babylon, “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works.” Also, of the rewards for the wicked and their works.
Revelation 20:12-13, “The dead — were judged every man according to their works.” It is spoken of twice of the
“Blessed, “Which die in the Lord, — that they may rest from their works.”
A second phrase used by God to each Church is, “He that hath an ear, let him HEAR what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
To hear, means, to give heed, to obey. So how are Christian’s to hear, and more important, to understand, and obey what is written?
It’s through the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the only bridge, the only way believers can receive the gifts, grace and love of God. The evidence of this can be found in the following verses.
John 14:16, “I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.” With verse 26, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost (Spirit,) whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.”
John 16, “He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
1 Corinthians 12:3, “No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
The Holy Spirit is the ambassador for God. He leads the way, walks along side, and Comforts Christians. The idea of a comforter in English, “paraklrtos,” or Paraclete, in Greek. Para meaning to go, or be alongside, as in paramedic, one who is alongside, as one who assists a physician.
When the letter to the churches concludes, no mention of the Holy Spirit is made again until He is seen by John bringing the two witnesses back to life and taking them up into heaven. Revelation 11:11. When? 3 1/2 years into the tribulation.
Next, we will examine various other words used for the church alone.
Part 3.
First, a reminder of the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s through the work of Holy Spirit alone that believers can receive the grace, love, and gifts of God.
He alone is the ambassador for God. When the letter to the churches concludes, no mention of the Holy Spirit is made again until He is seen by John bringing the two dead witnesses of God back to life. They are then taken up into heaven. Revelation 11:11, this occurring 3 1/2 years into the tribulation.
There are certain words that are used in the book of Revelation. They are used for the most part in the letter to the seven churches and directed at believers. These words are not used for, or to encourage, edify, or bless the unbelieving world. The first three words will be Grace, love, and faith.
This type of study will add important information and supporting evidence to either support or correct the thinking on the subject of pre. mid. or, post tribulation rapture.
The first word is Grace.
God grace flows to each of the seven churches through His Holy Spirit. So how is God’s grace put forward to the churches? The word is found only two times in the book of Revelation. We see it first in,
Revelation 1:4, “To the seven churches which are in Asia: GRACE be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne.”
This is a common salutation used in the epistles of Paul, and John. The second time the word is used is in,
Revelation 22:21, “The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A-men’.”
God’s grace is poured out upon us because of His love for us. Grace given by God pretty much summarizes our standing before Him. In the Greek, grace is the favor, and good-will of the Father, and Jesus Christ as exercised toward His own. This form of salutations includes the idea of favor, blessings, and good will. Examples follow.
Romans 1:7, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 1:3: 2 Corinthians 1:2:
Galatians 1:3, “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” And so also in the introduction of most of the Epistles. Romans 16:20-24, 1 Corinthians 16:23. 2 Corinthians 13:14, Galatians 6:18. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This form of greeting, and salutation in Revelation is only used when He speaks to His beloved children.
Let’s examine a second word: The word is, “Love.” Love and Charity in Revelation are the same Greek word, “agapi, or “agapen.” Like the word grace, love is used twice in Revelation, and only in the letter to the seven churches. It appears that when love is used, God uses it in regard to His people abusing it. For this type of abuse, there appears to be a form of correction involved.
Revelation 2:4, is speaking to the church at Ephesus. The Almighty said, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast LEFT thy FIRST LOVE.”
Here the word love, may be used objectively, or passively. It is that love of which the Father, and Christ are to be the object of. Some in the church had begun to give their love, and attention back to the people and things of the world. Thirty-five years before, Paul was giving thanks to this same church at Ephesus for the love they had shown the saints. Only one generation having past, and that love for Jesus Christ had begun to dim.
Revelation 3:19, speaks to the church at, Laodicea. “As many as I LOVE, I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent.”
The love God has for His children is subjective, and active. It signifies the love the Father, and Son exercise towards us. Christ rebukes this church because He loves them. And if they do not repent, this same love would bring His chastisement upon them.
When the letter to the churches is concluded, the word love, is not found again in Revelation. This is another clue that would reveal that the church, and the Holy Spirit after chapter 3, have been removed from the earth, and are now in heaven with the Lord. Without the church, and the Holy Spirit, what remains on earth is Satan, demons, and those who have, and continue to deny the only true God. Their love is for self.
The next word is, “Faith,”
The word faith is used twice in the letter to the seven churches. First in Revelation 2:11, to the church at Pergamos, and then, verse 17, to the Church at Thyatira.
Revelation 2:13, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellist, — and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my FAITH.”
Revelation 2:19, “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and FAITH, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”
Believers alone, live and walk by faith: we are justified by faith; we are to have faith in the written word, and believe by faith that Jesus Christ is the “Son of the living God.”
The word faith is not seen again until,
Revelation 13:10, “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
Revelation 14:12, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Never is the word used in reference to the world, or its beliefs. Again, after the letter to the seven churches, there is no faith found in the world that remains. This also would imply that the church and the Holy Spirit have been removed.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com