Here are five reasons why I believe the rapture comes before the wrath of God is poured out at the end of this age.
1. GOD HAS PROMISED TO DELIVER US
The wrath of God is not for innocent people, but for unrepentant sinners who have rejected him. Everyone who has received Jesus Christ and turned away from sin is innocent before God because the blood of Jesus the Messiah paid their debts in full. So God has promised to deliver His people from the wrath to come:
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:9)
Wait for His Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thess 1:10)
For God has not destined us to wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we live together with Him. (1 Thess 5:9-10)
Other scriptures reveal the way he will fulfill the above promises is through the rapture, gathering his people together to meet the Lord in the air.
For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
2. GOD PROTECTS THE 144,000 BOND-SERVANTS
During the outpouring of God’s wrath, the fifth trumpet releases locusts who are instructed to harm everyone on earth except the 144,000 who have been sealed by God. Since we know the seal is only given to the 144,000 then we also know the rest of God’s people must already be removed from the earth through the rapture. Otherwise, God would be instructing the locusts to harm his own people, which would be a violation of his promise to deliver them from his wrath. Instead we see God and his angels consistently taking actions to protect all of his people. This provides further evidence that the rapture happens before the wrath of God is poured out.
While most of his people are completely removed from the earth in the rapture, this group of 144,000 Jewish believers, called bond-servants, remain on earth during the great tribulation. 12,000 come from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Consistent with the promises shown above, this group will also be delivered from God’s wrath by a supernatural seal placed on their foreheads.
After the rest of God’s people are delivered in the rapture, four angels are given power to harm the earth, but they are told not to release any harm until these 144,000 bond-servants are protected by the seal. Another angel with the seal of God says to them, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads” (Revelation 7:1-3).
The following instructions are given to the locusts:
They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. (Revelation 9:4-6)
3. GOD WILL CUT SHORT THOSE DAYS
Jesus promised those days would be cut short for the sake of His people, the chosen ones, also called the elect.
Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:22)
The Lord allows the antichrist to reign over the earth for 42 months. After that his reign is cut short, interrupted by the day of the Lord when the Lord returns to rescue his people from the wrath to come. This promise to cut short those days is further evidence the rapture happens before the wrath of God.
4. THE RAPTURED CHURCH IS BEFORE THE THRONE PRIOR TO THE WRATH
The sequence of events in Revelation 6-8 reveals God’s people are rescued by the rapture just before the wrath of God is poured out. The appearance of the raptured believers standing before the throne in Revelation 7 proves they are rescued before the wrath of God begins in Revelation 8. The first six seals are broken in Revelation 6 releasing trouble in the earth. Then John saw the raptured church standing before the throne in heaven in Revelation 7. Then in Revelation 8 the seventh seal is broken and the seven angels are given seven trumpets, which marks the beginning of the outpouring of the wrath of God. The sequence of these scriptures is not a coincidence or a mistake. This is further evidence of God’s plan to deliver His people from the coming wrath of God through the rapture.
In Revelation chapter 7, John saw the raptured church standing before the throne of God.
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; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.”
And he said to me, “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. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17)
We are not told specifically how this great multitude exited the earth to get to heaven, but we are told they were here during the great tribulation because the elder told John they came out of the great tribulation. We are even told the things they suffered, including hunger, thirst, exposure to heat, and the shedding of tears. Given the large number of them and the fact they all come out of the earth during the same short period of time, it is not likely they all died of natural causes. It is also not likely they were martyred because when martyrs are killed in other passages they are honored by recognition of their great sacrifice. If this great multitude also laid down their lives failing to recognize that would be disrespectful and inconsistent with other scriptures. Therefore, we can conclude this great multitude left the earth in the rapture.
5. RAPTURE HAPPENS ON THE DAY OF THE LORD
This point was so long it required a separate post. Don’t miss it because it is loaded with important points! Click here: Eight Proofs the Rapture Happens On the Day of the Lord.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, there are five reasons why we know God will protect His people from the wrath to come:
- He promised us he would deliver his people from wrath.
- He releases locusts to harm everyone except for the 144,000 bond-servants, proving the rest of his people are already removed from the earth.
- He promised to cut short the tribulation for the sake of His chosen ones.
- Prior to the wrath being poured out in Revelation 8, John saw the raptured church standing before the throne of God in Revelation 7.
- The rapture happens on the day of the Lord just before the wrath of God is poured out.
See more End-Time Bible study topics.
Author: James Bailey
James Bailey is a blogger, business owner, husband and father of two grown children. In 1982, he surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2012, he founded Z3news.com to broadcast the message of salvation by reporting end time news before it happens.
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I dont get number 4, scripture says all the people John saw came out of the great tribulation, and you are saying “we can conclude this multitude left the earth in rapture”. how is that possible??
Here is a link to an article that should help answer your question.
https://z3news.com/w/timing-rapture-revealed-great-multitude/
I see those who have been martyred during the great tribulation as not part of the church that will be raptured before the great tribulation begins. One thing that always bothered me about trying to say that these are the church is that they are crying out for the blood of their persecutors. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, I will repay. As the church being forgiven of all transgressions we should leave the judgement to God and not cry out for their blood. At this time we will have the entire body of Christ will be with the Lord.
I say these things and you are welcome to dispute them. I want to know what you think.
Sincerely,
Guy G.
This passage in Revelation 6:9-11 clearly identifies the martyrs as being “slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” Then it further confirms their righteousness before God by revealing, “a white robe was given to each of them.” Then it further confirms it by saying “they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their BRETHREN, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” So the scriptures clearly reveal these are righteous people martyred for their faith. Other scriptures reveal these events happen prior to the rapture, as documented in our rapture category.
Hoorah! You have correctly identified the raptured church standing before the throne of God, in Revelation 7 (most ‘experts and theologians’ misidentify this event or deliberately skip it because it does not fit their view).
However, this event occurs just after the 6th Seal or the tribulation. This is NOT a mid-tribulation point.
It IS a pre-wrath point in these apocolyptic events, which follows the 6th Seal, . Which is in harmony with scriptures (2 Thessalonians 22:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness[b] is revealed, the son of destruction,..)
The end of Chapter 6, Revelations says “…, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” This seems like a small distiction, but it is significant, as events go from ‘trbiulation’ to “the great day of theri wrath’.
It is at this point that we see Rev 7:9 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Reading on into chapter 8, we see the horrendous intensifying of the Great and Terrible day of the Lord and His Wrath.
Whichever is correct, we al lknow to GET READY and to STAY READY
Best Regards
Michael Young, Sr.
http://www.whitestone2014.com/has-tribulation-begun ?
As it is said in Revelations 7:14 And he said to me, “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. Is it written as the great tribulation being generalized as the entire tribulation or the great tribulation “2nd half of the tribulation”?
James,
While this article (and others too) is truly a rich, informative and rewarding read, I find the blog exchange to be just as (sometimes even more!) enriching to read and study. Thank you so much for your dilligent efforts in presenting and managing this very encouraging site. I first found you as you were interviewed by Rick Wiles on Truenews in Dec. 2014.
Great job. I’ve been a pre-wrath (not pre-trib) believer for several years now.
Unfortunately very few in my circle of believers have heard this teaching.
I had to rethink this and I believe this is talking about the rapture, as the rapture contains everyone who died before and during the tribulation preceding the rapture, as well as those who are still alive at the time of the rapture and are now protected at the throne of God.
1 Thess 4:16-18 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
You are correct! That passage is all about the rapture. It marks the end of this age, the 6,000-year age of man’s dominion in the earth and the beginning of the day of the Lord, which is the thousand year dominion of the Lord in the earth.
Read Revelation 6:9-11, Rev 7: 9-17, Rev 12:11, Rev 14:13-16 concerning tribulation martyrs. I believe these ones are not raptured alive, for they suffered and died and came out due to martyrdom, lack of shelter, food, heat of the sun, lack of water. They are the converts of the 144, 000 servants found listed just before that in Revelation 7:4-8.
Rev 7:9a, 14b, 15, 16, 17: “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the lamb…Then he said to me, “These are the ONES who DIED in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” New Living Translation. The King James version does not say “ones who died” but “these are they which came out of the great tribulation.” It doesn’t say how they came out.
They are raptured (resurrected) one by one as they die into God’s presence. Are they part of the bride? Revelation 3:18-21.
I recommend throwing out the New Living Translation because it is causing you to get confused. It is not the Bible, but a man-made paraphrase of the scriptures, a very loose interpretation, which is like drinking from a mud puddle filled with all sorts of bad stuff. If you study these verses in the original Greek, which is possible using a Strong’s Concordance, you will find there is no mention these saints ever died. The Greek word used in Revelation 7:14 is erchomai, which is a verb meaning “to come from one place to another”. It can also mean “to appear”.
Not only that, but there are many good reasons to conclude they did not die, but were taken alive in the rapture. Please see my previous post, The Timing of the Rapture is Revealed by the Great Multitude. It includes a detailed study on what happened to these people. Here is the link: http://z3news.com/w/timing-rapture-revealed-great-multitude/
amen, that’s right sir. And, it’s about time to get rid of all these new age bibles that has crept in to Christianity. The new living translation and many other false testaments. No wonder we have been swept away with unbelief! America is under judgement. Whether the people want to hear it or not. America is the great Babylon.
How do Christians make it to the rapture without receiving the marks, without which one cannot survive?
We rely totally on the Lord to show us what to do and to provide for us supernaturally.
SO are there only 144.000 saint left then? James
The 144,000 are not taken in the rapture because they have specific assignments to complete here on earth during the great tribulation. They will be protected from harm by the seal of God, which is the name of God, written on their forehead.
thank you James
James,
New to your site James. Great articles. Thanks so much.
Eddie