The Gospel of St. Matthew was written for the Church, not for Israel. We can prove this with the following:
1) The word "Church" is stated one time in the four Gospels, in Matt. 16:18,
2) In Matt. 28:19-20 it is recorded the great commission to the Church, not to Israel,
3) In Matt. 26:17-30 the Holy Communion at the supper of the Lord takes place which is a ceremony of the Church, not of Israel, and
4) The Beatitudes in Matt. 5:1-11 are referred to the Church not to Israel.
In Matt. 24 Jesus talks to the Church about the 7 years of tribulation. We can prove this with the following:
1) In Matt. 24:6-9 Jesus describes events which are referred to Revel. 6, like the scourges seals. The seals take place during the 7 years of tribulation,
2) In Matt. 24:15 Jesus talks about the "...abomination of desolation... (which) stand in the holy place..." which according to the prophesies of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27) refers to Antichrist who cancels the 7 year peace agreement with Israel in the middle of the 7 years, he gets in the Temple of Solomon, terminates the sacrifice to God, declares himself god, and demands worship (II Thess. 2:3-4, Revel. 13). All these take place in the middle of the 7 years of tribulation,
3) In Matt. 24:21 Jesus states that before His coming, the "great tribulation" takes place which never took place in the past neither will ever take place again in the future (Daniel 12:1, Revel. 7:14). The great tribulation takes place right after the middle of the 7 years of tribulation, and
4) In Matt. 24:29 Jesus states that the sun and the moon are darkened, the stars fall and the powers of heaven are shaken before His coming. These events refer to Revel. 6:12-13, 8:10-12, 9:1-2 & 16:10. These are the scourges seals, trumpets, and vials. The scourges take place during the 7 years of tribulation.
In Matt. 24:3 the Apostles ask Jesus two questions, when does the destruction of the Temple of Solomon takes place, and which is the sign of the Second Presence (Coming) and of the end of the age. So Jesus In Matt. 24 refers to the Church, the future Fathers of the Church, the Apostles, and answers their questions describing events related to the destruction of the Temple of Solomon at 70a.c., but also events related to the 7 years of tribulation. This period of tribulation is also named either 70th Week of Daniel, or Jacob's Trouble, and takes place in the last days with the zenith events the events of the Rapture of the Church and of the Second Presence of Jesus.
1) The Gospel of the Kingdom is preached in all the world before the end, before the Second Presence (Matt. 24:14). A lot of people get saved during the 7 years of tribulation, but how do they get saved if somebody does not first preach to them the Gospel. Who preaches the Gospel if the Church is absent in heaven? The Church preaches because she is on the earth, not in heaven. Also the Church, under the conditions of persecution which exist during the 7 years of tribulation, is more efficient with the evangelisation of the world. With the persecution, the faith of the Saints is tested and is increased, and the Saints promote the Gospel while they are scattered everywhere.
2) Jesus repeatedly warns the Apostles to be careful from the many pseudochrists and pseudoprophets who come with the goal to deceive if possible also the elect before the Second Presence and during the 7 years of tribulation (Matt. 24:4-5, 24:11, 24:23-24). Also He warns for the coming wars, pestilence, earthquakes, hunger, tribulation, death, persecution... (Matt. 24:6-10). Why all these warnings to the Apostles, the Church, if the Church would be safe in heaven during the 7 years of tribulation? Because the Church is on the earth, not in heaven.
3) Right after the end of the 7 years of tribulation, Jesus suddenly like a lightning appears in heaven, in the clouds, with power and great glory and all the world sees Him. Then He sends His angels with a loud trumpet sound and gathers His elect from the earth and the heaven which means the alive ones and the dead ones (Matt. 24:21,27,30-31).
3) a) For which elect does He talk about here if not for His Church. The same word "elect" is used for the Church in II Tim. 2:10, I Peter 1:2 & Coloss. 3:12.
3) b) If the Church is in heaven until the Second Presence then what does it take place here, perhaps a second resurrection at the end of the tribulation? No because Jesus talked about only one resurrection of the believers "...at the last day" (John 6:39,40,44,54). Also Jesus did not contradict Martha when she spoke about the one resurrection "...at the last day" (John 11:24). Also Jesus did not contradict the Sadducees when they asked Him something concerning the resurrection and they used the singular person for the word "resurrection" (Matt. 22:28-32). Please also see references to the word "resurrection," in singular person, in Luke 14:14, 20:33 and in II Tim. 2:18.
3) c) Concerning the Rapture of the Church, the Holy Scriptures talk about only one Rapture. II Thess. 2:1-8 and Matt. 24:15-21,27,30-31 state respectively that the one Rapture of the Church takes place after the revealing of the Antichrist and after the great tribulation. Also I Corinth. 15:51-52 states that the one Rapture of the Church takes place "...at the last trump... ." I Thess. 4:15-17 also mentions the one Rapture of the Church. The Holy Scriptures speak plainly about the Rapture of Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24), of the prophet Elijah (II Kings 2:1,8-11), of Jesus (Acts 1:9-11), and of the two prophet martyrs at the end of the 7 years of tribulation (Revel. 11:3-12). So there are a total of five Raptures including the Rapture of the Church at the end of the 7 years of tribulation. The Holy Scriptures do not state that the great multitude of Revel. 7:9-17 was raptured to heaven, but that they are "...they which came out of great tribulation... ." While they die inside the great tribulation their souls come to heaven. Also the Holy Scriptures do not state that the 144000 of the Revel. 14:1-5 were raptured to heaven, but that they are at the mountain Zion with Jesus, where Jerusalem is located today, and that they only are capable to learn the new song which the Saints in heaven are singing.
3) d) At the end of the Revelation (Revel. 20:5-6) the resurrection of the elect of God takes place which is called the "...first resurrection... ." After this first resurrection we get into the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth. There is no previous resurrection from the first resurrection that's why also it is not possible to exist another Rapture of the Church but only one the Rapture of the Church just before the Second Presence of Jesus on the earth and before the establishment of His 1000 year kingdom. The ones who support that the first resurrection is in reality the first type of resurrection, that is the type of resurrection which is for the saints of God in contrast to the resurrection of the lost at the end of the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth, they support that two resurrections of the saints of God take place, one before the 7 years and one after the 7 years. But this cannot be based on the Holy Scriptures as no other resurrection of the Saints is mentioned in the Revelation before the Second Presence except of the first resurrection which is mentioned at the end of the Revelation.
3) e) A second resurrection takes place at the end of the 1000 years of the reign of Jesus on the earth and includes the nonsaved of the last 6000 years and all the saved and nonsaved of the 1000 years reign of Jesus on the earth (Revel. 20:11-15, Matt. 25:31-33).
4) In Matt. 24:40 it is stated that after Jesus appears in the clouds, just before His Second Presence on the earth, there would be two in the field or in the mill the one is taken and the other is left. What is Jesus talking about over here? He is talking about the Rapture of the Church in the clouds just before His Second Presence on the earth. Also Matt. 24:28 and Luke 17:34-37 talk about the Rapture of the Church at the Second Presence. Jesus tells His Apostles that at His Second Presence in the clouds (Luke 17:36) "...the one shall be taken, and the other left... ," and then the Apostles ask, (Luke 17:37) "...they are taken, Where Lord?" Jesus answers "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" that is He is talking about the Rapture of the Church. The eagles is the Church while the body is Jesus (Isaiah 40:31).
5) Jesus tells His Apostles that He is with them "...even unto the end of the world (age)" (Matt. 28:20). The end of the age, according to Matt. 24, takes place at the Second Presence, so this means that, according to Jesus, the Church is on the earth during the 7 years of tribulation and Jesus is with the Church until the end of the age or the Second Presence.
6) In Matt. 13:37-43, 47-50, Jesus tells the Apostles that the Church, the believers, coexist along with the unbelievers until the end, until the Second Presence and the Rapture of the Church.
7) "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh... I will shew wonders in heaven above... signs in the earth beneath... The sun shall be turned into darkness... And... whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." All these take place during the 7 years of tribulation. The signs in the heaven and on the earth are the scourges seals, trumpets and vials which are recorded in the Revelation. The Holy Spirit was poured on the people at the day of Pentecost, but He was not poured "...upon all flesh... ." The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, during the 7 years of tribulation, is so great, "...upon all flesh... ," the revival is so great, that every man alive, Christian and non Christian, believer and non believer, is affected. But this does not mean that every man repents and every man gets saved. So who guides these people to call on God in order to get saved from the wrath of the Lamb (Jesus), and to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, if the Church is absent in heaven (Acts 2:17-21, Joel 2:28-32)? The Church does because she is on the earth, not in heaven.
8) In Luke 9:26 Jesus tells the Church, the Apostles, that at the Second Presence "...when he shall come in his own glory..." He shall be ashamed of them that are ashamed of Jesus and His Word. This means that for certain others, the Saints of the Church who are on the earth when the Second Presence takes place, for them that are not ashamed of Jesus and His Word, He will not be ashamed.
9) "In my Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," so the Church will be with Jesus where He is, not in heaven or in the New Jerusalem, but where Jesus is (John 14:2-3). The place that Jesus prepares is the New Jerusalem, the bride of Jesus, which is being prepared so it will descent to earth from heaven at the end of the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth, and after its construction is completed (Revel. 21:2).
10) Just before the Second Presence of Jesus on the clouds, at the end of the Revelation it is stated that "...for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready... Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb..." (Revel. 19:7+9). It doesn't say that the marriage already took place but that the marriage is come. The marriage of Jesus with the Church and the marriage supper take place after the Second Presence of Jesus, so the assertion that the Church must go to heaven at the beginning of the 7 years of tribulation in order for her marriage with Jesus to take place, is wrong.
11) "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Corinth. 5:10). The judgment at the judgment seat of Christ for the Church of the Rapture takes place after the Second Presence of Jesus on the clouds and the Rapture of the Church, and before the establishment of the 1000 year kingdom of Jesus on the earth "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them..." (Revel. 20:4+6, II Tim. 4:8, Daniel 7:9-10).
12) Jesus exhorts the Churches to be victorious until the end, until the Second Presence. He does not exhort them to relax with the excuse that they will escape the 7 years of tribulation. Jesus wants us to prepare ourselves so we can be victorious in the coming war which the Antichrist will do against the Saints (Revel. 2:7,11,17,26, 3:5,12,21). He also wants us to be protected from the wrath of God to the earth during the 7 years of tribulation (Revel. 9:4).
13) The Saints who are mentioned in the 5th seal is the Church during the tribulation, they are them who died or are supposed to die as martyrs for their faith in Jesus (Revel. 6:10-11). The Saints who died as martyrs ask for revenge from God to whom belongs the revenge. The same thing does Apostle Paul also, before he even die, for Alexander the coppersmith who caused much evil to him (II Tim. 4:14). Jesus also mentions the parable of the widow who was asking God to avenge her "...Avenge me of mine adversary... And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him...?" (Luke 18:3-8). So, the elect of God, the martyrs of the 7 years of tribulation, by asking for revenge from God, just as Apostle Paul does, and just as Jesus mentions, it does not mean that they are not also the Bride of Jesus, the Body of Christ or that they are a second category Saints. The word "Saints" of God is referred to the Church and it is found everywhere in the Holy Scriptures. In Revelation 13 times (12 times out of the 13 times is found between the chapters 4 and 19, where the allegation exists that the Church is absent in heaven), in the Gospels 1 time, in the Acts 4 times and in the Epistles 44 times. The "Saints" of God who are mentioned in Revelation, who are washed with the Blood of Jesus and many of them die as martyrs for Jesus, and the reward is awaiting them, the crown of the martyr, the crown of life (Revel. 2:10), is the Church of God, the Bride of Jesus, not a second category portion of Christians, as there is no second category Blood of Jesus. It is not logical to believe that the Saints of our days die and they are the Bride of Jesus while the Saints who die in the 7 years of tribulation are not the Bride of Jesus. Revel. 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 12:11 & 13:7, talks about the large number of Saints who died, during the 7 years of tribulation, and their souls were transferred to heaven. These are also the Bride of Jesus washed by the Blood of Jesus (Revel. 15:2-4). And if they are the Bride of Jesus, certainly also the Saints that survive until the Second Presence are also the Bride of Jesus as they also are washed by the Blood of Jesus. Also the Holy Scriptures state that during the 1000 years reign of Jesus on the earth the Saints of all ages will reign with Him, including the Saints of the 7 years of tribulation (Revel. 20:6, 5:10, 1:6). So Jesus does not discriminate between the Saints before and during the 7 years of tribulation.
14) The 144000 "Servants of God" who are mentioned in Revel. 7:2-4 & 14:1-5, is a symbolic number for the Church of the great tribulation, just as the 24 Elders who are mentioned in Revel. 4:4, is a symbolic number for the Church which is in heaven. The 144000 "Servants of God" symbolize the prepared, faithful, holy, obedient, disciplined, victorious and anointed Church during the great tribulation (Ephes. 5:27). The Christians of this Church have the seal of God on their forehead for their protection from the scourges of God on the earth (Revel. 2:17, 3:12, 14:1, 22:4, Ephes. 4:30, Luke 21:28). When the Holy Scriptures talk about the "Servants of God" they are referred to the Church, Israelites and gentiles (Matt. 10:24-25, 25:21...). That's why also the 144000 are named "Servants of God." Also in our days when we say "Servants of God" we mean the Church, gentiles and Israelites, not Israel. The scourge of the 5th seal is intended for all the men of the earth except of the sealed ones of God. If the 144000 "Servants of God" do not symbolize the Church, the Saints, the "Servants of God," then the Church also suffers from the wrath of God in order to repent (Revel. 9:1-4). Nevertheless, it is known that the Wrath of God is not intended for the Church. Also if the 144000 do not symbolize the Church then how would the evangelization of the billions of men during the tribulation be possible? 144000 are not enough for the evangelization of the world, while there are today close to one billion alive Christians on the earth.
15) The angel with the Gospel symbolizes the Church who evangelizes the world during the great tribulation (Revel. 14:6-7).
16) The woman and her seed symbolizes the persecuted Church during the great tribulation (Revel. 12:17). The woman also symbolizes the persecuted people of Israel during the great tribulation (Revel. 12:13-16).
17) "And they (the Church during the 7 years of tribulation) overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revel. 12:11). A fierce war is expected between the Church and the devil during the 7 years of tribulation.
18) In Revel. 11:16-18, in about the middle of the 7 years, the 24 Elders, who symbolize the Saints in heaven, worship God and say that the time is approaching for which the dead servants of God are to be raised up from the dead, to be judged, and to receive their reward "...and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants... ." The 24 Elders are basically saying that the resurrection, Rapture and judgment of the servants of God in front of the judgment seat of Christ did not happen yet, and the rewards to the Church of the Rapture were not given yet because the Rapture of the Church did not take place yet, but all these are approaching. The fact that the 24 Elders in Revel. 4:4 wear golden crowns, does not mean that the Rapture of the Church already took place, but that every Saint that dies and is transferred to heaven, right after his death, he is judged in front of the judgment seat of Christ and he receives his reward, that's why also Hebrews 9:27 state "...as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." When a saved man dies and enters in the spiritual realm the various events that await for him, like the judgment seat of Christ, are not limited within boundaries of time, but they take place right after the death of the man. In eternity the parameter time does not exist. Time was manufactured by God for the physical world.
19) Revel. 4:1-2 cannot be used to prove that the Rapture of the Church takes place before the 7 years of tribulation. Over here simply Jesus invites John to enter the spiritual realm in order to give him revelation concerning the last days. Over here John enters the spiritual realm just like as he also does in Revel 1:10, 17:3 & 21:10.
20) Until just before the last scourge of the great tribulation, the seventh vial, Jesus warns the Church that He comes as a thief. He did not come yet but He comes. The Church must watch and be ready for the Second Presence and the Rapture of the Church while she is in the great tribulation (Revel. 16:15).
21) If the Rapture of the Church takes place at the Second Presence then who are the inhabitants of the earth during the 1000 years reign of Jesus on the earth? Jesus, when He judges the nations after His Second Presence on the earth, He leaves alive a remnant from each nation "...every one that is left of all the nations..." which He governs with His Saints, with "...a rod of iron... ," that is with absolute power and authority (Zechariah 14:2-3, 14:9, 14:16-19, Psalms 2:8-9, Revel. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15). This remnant from each nation are the physical residents of the earth during the 1000 years reign of Jesus on the earth. Jesus with His kings and His priests are the supernatural residents of the earth since they have glorified bodies.
B. The day and hour of the Second Presence of Jesus and of the Rapture of the Church is not known to the world. But while the time is approaching, Jesus gives revelation to His Church in order to be ready:
According to Jesus only God the Father knows the day and hour of the Second Presence of Jesus and the Rapture of the Church (Matt. 24:36). Jesus states in Matt. 24:22 that the days of the great tribulation (3 1/2 years) will "...be shortened..." for the sake of the elect of God, and in Revel. 11:3 & 12:6 He states that the mission of the two witnesses and the protection of the woman in the desert, during the great tribulation, last 1260 days, while prophet Daniel states in Daniel 12:11-12 that the days of the great tribulation are 1290 but blessed is the one who endures and comes to 1335 days. So when does the Second Presence and the Rapture of the Church take place? Before the end of the 3 1/2 years of the great tribulation, that is at the 2 1/2 or the 3 years, because of the shortening of the days? At the 1260 days? At the 1290 days? Or 45 days later, at the 1335 days? We do not know when exactly, the time and the day, but while the time is approaching Jesus gives us revelation and we know how close the time actually is (Daniel 12:8-10, Amos 3:7). In Matt. 24:42 Jesus states "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." In Matt. 24:44 Jesus states "...be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." In Matt. 25:13 Jesus states "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." As far as the world is concerned, they wouldn't just be ignorant of the day and the hour but they would not even recognize the signs of the times. This is just what Jesus says for the world giving as an example the days of Noe "...they... knew not until the flood came, and took them all away." The time limit of the 120 years which God gave to the world for repentance through Noe expired, the ark was constructed, nevertheless the world ignored both (Matt. 24:37-39). Daniel did not "understand" his own prophesies for the last days and no explanations were given to him either, but it was mentioned to him that at the last days the wicked shall do wickedly and they shall not "understand," but "...the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:8-10).
We are close to the Second Presence of Jesus on the earth.
Every day that passes by brings us one step closer to the global government of the dictator Antichrist. The Antichrist enslaves the world with his global economic system and forces the people to take the "Mark of the Beast" on their right hand or on their forehead ("Mark of the Beast" = "Microprocessor Chip Implant"), ("Beast" = "Antichrist"). Without the "Mark of the Beast" it is impossible for anybody to either buy or sell anything.
The ones who refuse "cooperation" with the system of the Antichrist, end up in the concentration camps which are installed in many countries of the world and consequently get eliminated. The system of the Antichrist uses the high technology of the 21st century to survey and control a large number of people on the face of the earth. Indeed there is no way out. There are two options. The Antichrist or Jesus.
The option Antichrist gives to you the potential to live in the system of the Antichrist by worshipping him as your god and by taking the "Mark of the Beast" in your body. However, this option secures for you the wrath of God which is sent to the people during the "7 Years of Tribulation" and also secures for you death and everlasting hell when Jesus returns to the earth at His Second Presence.
The choice of Jesus offers to you everlasting life with God and protection from the wrath of God during the "7 Years of Tribulation." However, this choice puts you in opposition to the Antichrist and his system, with the probable result your death, the death of a martyr, if this is allowed by God. At the Second Presence of Jesus, if you are dead you are raised from the dead and along with the remaining alive Christians you meet Jesus in the clouds right after you receive your incorruptible body, your supernatural body, which has the same attributes as the body of Jesus.
Jesus eliminates the Antichrist, destroys his system and reigns on (governs) the earth for 1000 years while you reign (govern) along with Him. Afterwards, God creates a new earth and a new heaven... . Certainly it is impossible for somebody to comprehend the important plans of Jesus for them that choose Him and love Him.
If you want to follow Jesus you must be born again by believing in Him and confessing Him as your personal Savior and Lord. It is also imperative to joint a local church and to start fellowshiping with other born again Christians (John 3:3+16+36, Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9+10+13, II Corinth. 5:17+21)!
If you want to follow Jesus you can start right now with this confession and prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, I believe in You and I accept You as my personal Savior and as my Lord. Forgive all my sins and wash me, cleanse me, sanctify me, with Your holy blood which You shed on the cross of Golgotha. My Heavenly Father, I praise You and I worship You. I thank You because now I'm Your child. Please protect me through the '7 Years of Tribulation' and help me to stay faithful to Jesus until the end, amen!"