Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A Bright side to the Tribulation

"And I saw another angel ... saying, do not harm the earth...til we have sealed the bondservants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them who were sealed one hundred and forty-four thousand from every tribe of the sons of Israel" Rev. 7:2-4.
The Spirit of God is gone but the servants of God are these 144,000 Jews.   Many Bible scholars believe that the 144,000 will be Jewish Evangelists, like the Apostle Paul, during the tribulation. He said he was one "born out of due time" 1 Cor. 15:8. Now think about this. The Jews are scattered all over the world. Imagine 144,000 Apostle Pauls preaching all over the world, with the power of God upon them like the Apostle. You talk about revival.

A great multitude saved
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands... These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  " Rev. 7:9-14.
Is anyone going to be saved during the tribulation? Yes, a great multitude from every tribe and tongue, under the powerful preaching of these converted Jews who are scattered all over the world and already know the languages.

Then shall the end come
The context is critical here. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come" Matt, 24:14. This whole chapter is Jesus' answer as to "when shall the end of the world (age) come" vs 3. Jesus is not talking about the rapture but the return to the earth. The whole context is clear about that. More on this later. Too often today people apply it to the rapture and then declare Jesus cannot come until the great commission is fulfilled. NO. If that were so then the coming of the Lord Jesus is not imminent, meaning he could not have come at any time or now! The honest truth is we are a long ways from fulfilling the great commission. We ought to be passionate about trying to fulfill it and get the gospel to every creature. But this passage in Matt. 24 tells us it will be fulfilled during the tribulation. Awesome truth but it all fits. Reread this lesson until it becomes clear to you.  Stay with us and see how it all fits.

O dear people. You passion and mine ought to be to get the gospel to that lost person we meet and have a few minuets with now. It may be the last member of the Body of Christ before the rapture. Wouldn't that be phenomenal if your had the privilege of winning the last person to Christ in this age? All because of Calvary, sumner

Prayer:  Father, You are not willing that any should perish. Help us to realize that the person you put is with may be the last one to be saved and we must get the gospel to them and give them a chance to go to heaven even as someone gave us the gospel one day. In Jesus name.