No Repentance In The Tribulation?
Does it show anyone repenting during the tribulation? Doesn't it say that the unbelievers "repented not" (Revelation 9:20-21, 16:9-11), and that at some point in the tribulation "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)? Is it possible all the Christians we see in the tribulation (Revelation 6:11, 7:14, 9:4, 12:17, 13:7-10, 14:12-13, 15:2, 16:15, 18:4, 20:4) are us, saved before the tribulation began? Does Jesus promise us a rapture before the tribulation?
Could giving unbelievers the idea of a 2nd chance be dangerous? After hearing the ideas of a pre-trib rapture and a 2nd chance, could unbelievers get complacent and say "Oh, when I see a pre-trib rapture happen then I'll repent and believe; I've got a 2nd chance, right?"
Should we instead warn them? "The Bible doesn't promise that there will be a rapture before the tribulation. And in the great tribulation God is going to send a strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:11) on all those who rejected the gospel. Today is the day of salvation. You may not get another chance to believe."
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The 144,000
Note that it doesn't show the 144,000 as evangelists, or show anyone repenting during the tribulation.
Note that there are different ways to serve the Lord: "some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11).
Note that the Bible doesn't show the 144,000 getting saved during the tribulation. It's possible they were saved before the tribulation began. I believe the seal in Revelation 7:3 is not one for eternal salvation, like the one in Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, but one for physical protection, like the one in Ezekiel 9:4-6.
I believe the 144,000 are referred to as "firstfruits" (Revelation 14:4) in the same sense that Jesus and David are referred to as "firstborn." When the uncreated Word became flesh and was born as a man (John 1:1, 14), as the Son of God he was the "firstborn" of every creature (Colossians 1:15), not first in the sense of time, for a great many creatures had been born before Jesus, but first in the sense of preeminence, "the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10). When God made David king he said he would "make" David his "firstborn" (Psalm 89:27), not first in the sense of time, for a great many people had been born before David, but first in the sense of preeminence, "higher than the kings of the earth."
See also 144000.html
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The Two Witnesses
Note that it doesn't show anyone repenting during the tribulation; nor does it show the two witnesses as evangelists, but as pure prophets of judgment (Revelation 11:6, 10).
Note that "witnesses" in Revelation 11:3 can mean those that witness against people:
"At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death" (Deuteronomy 17:6).
"What need we any further witnesses?" (Mark 14:63)
"Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses" (1 Timothy 5:19).
Also, the same Greek word can be translated "martyrs," as in Revelation 2:13 and Revelation 17:6.
Note that "testimony" in Revelation 11:7 can mean testimony against people, as in Luke 22:71, where the same Greek word is translated "witness." Note that the testimony of the 2 witnesses is accompanied by the killing of people with fire "proceeding from their mouths" (Revelation 11:5), by their "smiting the earth with all plagues, as often as they will" (Revelation 11:6), and by their "tormenting" the people of the earth (Revelation 11:10). Does this sound like an evangelistic crusade?
While the 2 witnesses "prophesy" (Revelation 11:3), note that prophecy is not always spoken to save those to whom it `s spoken, for God sent the prophets Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and the Egyptians solely to bring glory to himself (Romans 9:17-18), not to save them. Just as God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 7:3) and the hearts of the Egyptians (Exodus 14:17) so that they would not repent at the prophesying (Exodus 7:17) and the plagues (Exodus 9:14) he sent through Moses and Aaron, so I believe that God will send a strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12) upon all the unsaved of the world so that will they not repent at the prophesying (Revelation 11:3) and the plagues (Revelation 11:6) he will send through the 2 witnesses, indeed all the unbelievers will even celebrate when they see the bodies of the 2 witnesses lying dead in the streets (Revelation 11:8-10).
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Giving Glory To God
Note that Revelation 11:13 doesn't necessarily show anyone getting saved, for even demons can believe and tremble (James 2:19) and acknowledge the truth (Acts 16:17-18), and people can even perform miracles in Jesus' name without ever repenting from their wickedness (Matthew 7:22-23).
While it says ultimately every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (Romans 14:11), I don't believe this means everyone will be saved (Matthew 7:14).
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The Great Multitude
I believe the "great multitude" that "came out of great tribulation" (Revelation 7:9, 14) will be those of us Christians who will enter the tribulation and die in the war, famine, and cataclysm of the seals which occur in the chapter just prior (Revelation 6).
I believe they show that people can "obtain salvation" and enter into the great tribulation without being "appointed to the wrath" of 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
Note that it doesn't show the "great multitude" that "came out of great tribulation" (Revelation 7:9, 14) getting saved during the tribulation. It's possible they were saved before the tribulation began.
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The Preaching Angel
Note that it doesn't show the preaching of the angel in Revelation 14:6-7 causing any unbelievers to repent. Just as Jesus can reap even where he hasn't sown (Matthew 25:26), so he can sow without reaping, when people are unwilling to repent (Hebrews 6:7-8).
I believe that the message of the angel in Revelation 14:6-7 is directed by God toward all of us believers who will still be on the earth at that time, just as the messages of the angel and the voice from heaven in Revelation 14:12-13 are directed toward all of us believers: "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:12-13).
Note that Paul refers to his desire to "preach the gospel" to those who were already believers in Rome (Romans 1:8-15), just as God has our "preachers" in our churches today "preach the gospel" to us every Sunday in their sermons.
We are commanded by the angel to "Fear God" in Revelation 14:7 just as we find believers elsewhere commanded to fear God:
"Fear God" (1 Peter 2:17).
"Perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (Ephesians 5:21).
"Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter 1:17).
"Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him" (Luke 12:5).
And we are commanded by the angel to worship God in Revelation 14:7 just as we find the Apostle John elsewhere commanded by an angel to "worship God" in Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:9.
So the content of the message which the angel preaches is consistent with that preached elsewhere to those who are already believers.
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Zechariah
I believe Zechariah refers to those Jews who will be saved when they see Jesus at the 2nd coming (Zechariah 12:10-13:6; Romans 11:26).
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Tribulation Preaching
Note that Jesus commands his disciples to flee persecution: "When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another" (Matthew 10:23), so that the gospel may be preached by his disciples in the tribulation only up until the abomination of desolation, for after that he commands his disciples to flee into the mountains: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand), Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains" (Matthew 24:14-16), for the Antichrist will be given power in all nations to persecute and kill any Christians he can find (Revelation 13:7-10; 14:12-13).
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Why Trib If No One Saved?
In your view, what is the purpose of God sending "the strong delusion" in the tribulation if no one who comes under it can be saved?
"God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned" (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).
In your view, what is the purpose of God sending people into the lake of fire for eternity if no one in it can be saved?
"And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever" (Revelation 14:10-11).
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Pretrib Rapture A Witness?
Some say the pretrib rapture will serve as a witness to the lost so that many might be saved. But what scripture teaches this?
Some point to Psalm 40:2-3. But what was the "horrible pit" that David was brought out of? What is the new song that many will see him singing?
Some claim that Psalm 40:2-3 is not only about David, but is prophetic of the rapture. But why do they believe it is about the rapture, or in any way requires pretrib?
Some say that we hardly need a verse to tell us that the pretrib rapture will be a sign to unbelievers. But do they use this assumption to support an assumption of pretrib? What verse tells us that a pretrib rapture will happen at all?
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The Strong Delusion
Because of 2 Thessalonians 2:4-12 and Revelation 13:4-8, I believe the strong delusion will be that Satan and the Antichrist are the real God of humanity.
I believe it is sent mainly to unbelievers, though I believe it possible for Christians to lose their salvation due to unrepentant unrighteousness (Hebrews 10:26-29). You don't want to be in the tribulation in a disobedient state (Matthew 7:26-27).
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Those Who Never Heard The Gospel
Note that it doesn't show anyone who had never before heard the gospel repenting during the tribulation, but says that the unbelievers "repented not" (Revelation 9:20-21, 16:9-11). I believe that the Christians we see in the tribulation are us, saved before the tribulation began. Jesus doesn't promise us a rapture before the tribulation.
I believe giving believers the idea that unbelievers who had never before heard the gospel will hear it and repent during the tribulation is dangerous. It could make believers complacent, thinking "It's not necessary for me to preach the gospel to that person now because they can hear the gospel later during the tribulation and repent then."