# ****To Flee or not to Flee

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Posted by Bibleman [Bibleman] on November 10, 1999 at 06:34:25 {AAJB0ph6mYMRXA6xmpscslyACFuF8c}:

In Reply to: ***To Flee or not to Flee posted by Antique on November 10, 1999 at 05:01:31:

Hello Antique, Howzit?

Yes, you're right. This would be confusing.

But in the context of what Friend was saying, he applied two applications of the "great tribulation" of Matthew and Mark to the 70CE event and to some future event during our day. So the "great tribulation" of focus which is the one-time event that would shock the world is specifically a one-time event and that is what I was referring to. But that happens BEFORE the Messiah arrives.

But, as noted, Revelation does call what the "great crowd" come out of a "great triblation" as well. But this is clearly AFTER the Messiah arrives because it is after the 144,000 are present who are not gathered until after the Messiah arrives. So it's not that difficult to understand the differences.

Basically, one deals with fleshly Israel and the other with spiritual Israel. Right now I believe the "great tribluation" is the spritual one many go through in dealing with what is going on in the organization and finding their way back to a Bible-based vs. a Watchtower-based belief system.
But perhaps more devastating in a spiritual sense will be the knowledge that likely all takes within the WTS could have been one of the "anointed" ones, and that they were specifically in line for this role (certainly suggesting the 144,000 is a symbolic number?)

Being of the anointed and part of the Bride Class is a big deal spiritually. With very high standards. So those who miss out on this who might have gotten in because they were sleep, become rejected from the "vine" as the "grapes of wrath" which represents their rejection from the Bride Class. And that is part of the "great tribulation" they have to deal with spiritually. But Jehovah allows them mercy and time to correct their Watchtowerist ways and get back onto the Bible and thus they become a great crowd whose robes are washed white finally. So a "great crowd" of Bride Class rejectees among the witnesses do get it together in time to still survive Armageddon and enjoy the millennium.

This "pattern" has always been the case though. We know this since there is a "better resurrection", the first resurrection, which is offered to the truly focussed servants of Jehovah, usually in special assignments, such as Moses, and Daniel and Abraham and other faithful ones who strive for that "better resurrection." That better resurrection occurs at the "last day" that is, before the millennium.

But the second resurrection, which is a general one, is of both the "righteous and unrighteous" and many of them will automatically go to the trees of life since their names have already been written in the "book of life." So many of them have favorable judgments of life, yet still are not part of the Bride Class.

So there are two groups of servants within the kingdom. One a special group of specially tested ones and spiritually awake and advanced ones, or those specifically chosen by Jehovah and they make up the Bride Class and correspond to the special Tribe of Levi who were specifically dedicated to Jehovah in a special way. This is a limited group. Then there is the larger body in general of devoted servants of Jehovah who get life as well.

So, yes, it can get a bit confusing since there are two technical "great tribulations" but most persons see the two are incompatible, as even Friend did. One is post-Second Coming and one is pre-Second Coming. But I always like to emphasize that of all the parallel prophesies and double fulfillments, the Daniel 12 "great tribulation" is a notable and specific exception and can only happen once and this is repeated and emphasized in scripture that this "has never happened before, no, nor will ever happen again." That one-time event that would shock the world is easily met by the HOLOCAUST, which most persons can't even put into perspective it's horror is of such magnitude.

Sorry for the confusion. Hope that helped.

Cheers,
Bibleman

Follow Ups:

- *****To Flee or not to Flee Antique 13:41:08 11/10/99 (4)
  - ******To Flee or not to Flee Bibleman 14:55:17 11/10/99 (3)
    - *******To Flee or not to Flee Antique 05:07:12 11/11/99 (2)
      - ********To Flee or not to Flee Bibleman 11:31:41 11/11/99 (1)
        - *********To Flee or not to Flee Thanks/nim 13:02:34 11/11/99 (0)

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