The following references from the Scriptures confirm that the Church will not go through the 7-year Tribulation period.
New Testament Teaching Shows That the Church Will Not Go Through the Tribulation
1) The Tribulation is Never Spoken of in Connection With the Church
There are eight main passages of Scripture that directly speak of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:3-293And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (Matthew 24:3‑29); Mark 13:4-244Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 5And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10And the gospel must first be published among all nations. 11But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 13And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains: 15And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, (Mark 13:4‑24); Revelation 3:10; 7:14-1710Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)
14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:14‑17); Deuteronomy 4:30-3130When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:30‑31); Jeremiah 14:8; 30:4-78O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? (Jeremiah 14:8)
4And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 5For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 6Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:4‑7); Daniel 12:11And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)). We would think that if the Church is to go through the Tribulation at least one of these passages would speak of it, but there is not one reference to the Church being in the Tribulation, or having any connection with it! (When we speak of the Church we mean Christians which are the members of Christ's body.) This in itself is significant. It means that those who believe this error have inferred it into Scripture in some way.
In Matthew 24 and Mark 13 the Lord was speaking to His Jewish disciples which are representative of the Jewish remnant of believers that would be in the Tribulation. This is substantiated by the comments the Lord made to them. He spoke of what they should do when the temple and "the holy place" would be defiled by "the abomination of desolation" (vs. 15). He spoke about the land of "Judea" (vs. 16), about "the Sabbath" day (vs. 20), about "the tribes of Israel" being gathered together (vss. 30-31), and "the fig tree"—a well-known symbol of Israel (vs. 32). He also spoke of "the coming of the Son of Man," which is a title used in Scripture for the Lord's dealings with Israel and the Gentile nations of the earth, and never the Church. (When His coming for the Church—the Rapture—is mentioned, He is referred to as the Lord or Bridegroom.) All these things indicate that the Lord was not referring to Christians in regard to the Tribulation. Christians have not to do with a physical temple and holy place to worship in. Nor do they have anything to do with the Sabbath day, etc. These quite obviously apply to the Jews.
Revelation 7:1414And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14) the Tribulation is spoken of in connection with Gentile nations (Rev. 7:99After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)).
These references show that the Tribulation has to do with Israel and the Gentile nations of the earth. The Church is never mentioned! This fact alone should be enough to convince any willing mind that the Church will not be in or go through the Tribulation.
As we proceed, it will become increasingly evident that most of the difficulty people have on this subject stems from not distinguishing between Israel and the Church. This has been a long-time trouble among Christians, and can be traced back to the early centuries of the church's history where Judaizing teachers taught that the Church and Israel merge together (known today as "Reformed" or “Covenant” Theology). This system of teaching does not see the true nature, calling, character, and hope of the Church as belonging to heaven. Instead, all is made out to be an earthly thing, which is Israel's portion. There are Bible translations (i.e. the NIV) that have not helped the matter. For example Ephesians 3:66That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (Ephesians 3:6) is rendered, "Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel." Without any authority from the Greek manuscripts the translators have added "with Israel." This is largely because some of those who did the translating work hold these erroneous teachings, and have unintentionally allowed their doctrine to creep into the text. It is not with Israel that believers from among the Gentiles in the day of grace are heirs, but with Christ and all the redeemed who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1717And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)).
Founded on Christ's finished work on the cross and His resurrection and ascension to glory, God has begun a whole new order of things known as the Church. This began at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 47; 5:11; 11:151And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1‑4)
47Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:47)
11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. (Acts 5:11)
15And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. (Acts 11:15) "beginning"). The word Church (Eckklesia—Greek) means "called out," and aptly describes what God is presently doing in calling out believers from among both the Jews and the Gentiles (Acts 15:41; 26:1741And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. (Acts 15:41)
17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, (Acts 26:17)). By virtue of the Spirit descending into the world and taking up residence in that company of believers on the day of Pentecost, He united them to Christ who is the Head of the Church (Eph. 5:2323For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23)), and thereby that new and heavenly thing was formed (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)). This is clearly seen in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. When he was saved Scripture says he was taken out from among the people (Israel) and the nations (Gentiles) and put into an entirely new position before God as a member of the body of Christ. He was then sent to preach the gospel to those among the nations that through believing in Christ, they too could be brought into this new position of privilege and blessing (Acts 26:17-1817Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:17‑18)).
This shows that the Church is something distinctly different from Israel. When reading the Scriptures it is important to not confuse the distinctive blessings, privileges, hopes, and destinies of each. The faithful "workman" will "rightly divide the Word of truth" and make this important distinction in Bible teaching (2 Tim. 2:1515Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)).
2) The Church is Not the Subject of Prophecy
The fact that prophecy, properly speaking, has not to do with the Church, but with Christ and His dealings with Israel and the Gentile nations that pass through the Tribulation into the Millennial kingdom. Daniel's seventy weeks (Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27)) clearly show that events concerning Israel and prophecy have come to a stop at the end of the 69th week, when the Jews "cut off" their Messiah in death. There are still seven years (the 70th week) yet to be fulfilled in prophecy regarding Israel; that will not be fulfilled until God takes up with them again in a future day. We are now in the "due time" of God's grace (1 Tim. 2:55For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Timothy 2:5)) when God is calling believers out of both the Jews and the Gentiles to be a people for Himself (Acts 15:1414Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14)). Prophecy regarding the Tribulation is not to do with this time. It is a misunderstanding of prophetic Scripture to try to correlate events happening today with events in prophecy, supposing that they are being fulfilled now.
3) The Outline of the Book of Revelation Shows the Church Will Not be on Earth During The Tribulation
By getting a simple outline of the book of Revelation we learn several points that clearly show that the Church will not be on earth when the Tribulation judgments are poured out.
There are three general divisions to the book given in chapter 1:19:
• "The things which thou hast seen"—refers to what the apostle John saw in chapter 1.
• "The things which are"—refers to chapters 2 and 3, which contain the Lord's addresses to the seven churches, being a moral history of the professing Church on earth from just after the apostles' time to its last days.
• "The things which shall be hereafter"—refers to chapters 4 to 22, wherein the Tribulation is described. This third division is called "hereafter" (Rev. 4:11After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)) because it deals with things which will take place after the Church has finished its history on earth.
It is instructive to see that after chapters 2 and 3, a door in heaven opens and John is called "up hither" (Rev. 4:11After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)). This is a little picture of the Church being called away to heaven after it has finished its course on earth, by the coming of the Lord (the Rapture). From chapter 4 to the end of the book, the Church is no longer seen on earth, as in chapters 1-3. When the Tribulation judgments are poured out in chapters 6 to 19, the Church is not once mentioned!
Also, those who will be martyred for their faithfulness during the Tribulation, indicate by the character of their prayers that they are not Christians (Rev. 6:9-109And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (Revelation 6:9‑10)). Firstly, the way in which they address God as "Sovereign Ruler" shows that they are not Christians. Christians do not address God in that way; they speak to God as their Father (Eph. 1:22Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:2); Col. 1:22To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:2)). Secondly, they pray for vengeance on the earth-dwellers who have persecuted them. This is right and proper for a Jew (i.e. imprecatory Psalms), but it is surely not the attitude of a Christian. Christians bless those that curse them and pray for them who despitefully use them (Luke 6:27-2827But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Luke 6:27‑28)), but do not invoke judgment upon their persecutors (Rom. 12:19-2119Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19‑21)).
In chapter 7, we are told who comes out of the Tribulation in the end: The elect of Israel (vss. 1-8), and a great multitude of Gentiles (vss. 9-17). But there is no mention of Christians! They do not come out of the Tribulation because they do not go into the Tribulation. As mentioned already, they are called up to heaven before it begins.
Notice also, when the Church is seen on the earth (in chapters 2 and 3) the expression, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches," is repeated many times. But after the Church is seen as taken out (Rev. 4:11After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)), when the Tribulation is going on, the expression is somewhat altered. It says, "He that hath an ear, let him hear" (Rev. 13:99If any man have an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:9)). The phrase "what the Spirit saith to the churches" is purposely dropped! The obvious reason for this is that the Church is considered as already taken out. The Spirit is no longer addressing the Church because the Church is viewed as being no longer on earth.
Then finally, in chapter 19:11-21 at the end of the Tribulation, we see the Church as part of the armies of heaven (the heavenly saints) coming out of heaven with the Lord in war. For them to be able to come out of heaven with the Lord (1 Thess. 3:13; 4:1413To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14); Jude 14,14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14) etc.) they have had to be taken up earlier. The only thing that correlates with this is the Rapture—which as we have shown—is before the Tribulation begins.
Besides, if the saints are taken by the Lord to heaven at the end of the Tribulation, then who will be left to populate the millennial earth? With the wicked sent away into everlasting punishment, the earth would be left empty of people! (The saints caught up to be with the Lord in the air do not come back to live on earth. They will reign over the earth in "the high places" — Dan. 7:18, 22, 27,18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. (Daniel 7:18)
22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22)
27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:27) 2 Cor. 5:11For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)).
4) The Church's Deliverance is Different From Israel's
5) The Church Has Been Promised Deliverance From the Coming Wrath
Christians are told to "await His Son from the heavens, Whom He raised from among the dead, Jesus, our Deliverer from the coming wrath" (1 Thess. 1:9-109For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9‑10)). There is "wrath" coming upon this world; it's the judgment that will fall in the Tribulation. This "wrath" is mentioned 10 times in the book of Revelation. Chapter 6:16, 17; 11:18; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; 19:15. Notice, all references are after Revelation 4:1,1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1) where the Church is seen as taken to heaven. This shows that the Church will be gone when the Tribulation judgments are poured out. The Lord Jesus will deliver them from it before the wrath falls. Compare also Romans 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9).
6) God Has Not Appointed the Church to Wrath
First Thessalonians 5:9-10 says, "God has not appointed us to wrath (the coming judgment), but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
The aspect of salvation in this verse is not the eternal salvation of the soul; that Christians already have. There is, however, another aspect of salvation in the Bible that is a future thing. For instance, the Word of God says, "For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand" (Rom. 13:1111And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11); Rom. 5:9; 8:23-259Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)
23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:23‑25); Eph. 4:3030And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30); Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28); 1 Peter 1:55Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5)). This aspect of salvation is the salvation of our bodies, when the Lord comes and takes us out of this world. "We await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour: Who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory, according to the working of the power which He has even to subdue all things to Himself" (Phil. 3:20-2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21); 1 Cor. 15:51-5651Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑56)).
The verse in First Thessalonians 5:9, tells us that the Church has been appointed to obtain this salvation, and not the wrath that is to come on the world.
7) The Shout is Before the Proclamation of Peace and Safety
The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Thessalonians, clearly puts the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For 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: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)) as happening before the time of Tribulation, when "peace and safety" will be promised by the Beast and the Antichrist, through the false protection of the newly revived Roman empire (1 Thess. 5:1-31But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:1‑3)).
Furthermore, a closer look at the passage will show that those "caught up" at the Rapture (in chapter 4) are addressed as a different class of persons than those who are promised "peace and safety" in the Tribulation (in chapter 5). This is indicated by the change from the first person plural, to the third person plural. The words change from "we" and "us," when referring to those caught up at the rapture, to "they" and "them" when referring to those who will be promised false peace and safety in the Tribulation. This change is not by accident; the Spirit of God is indicating two different classes of persons. The raptured saints—the Church (1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For 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: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)), and those who will be in the time of Tribulation.
Paul, being a Christian, put himself among those who might be on earth when the Lord comes (the Rapture), saying "we." But it is significant that he did not refer to himself among those who would be on earth during the time when "peace and safety" will be promised by the Beast. This, of course, is because he sought to set the hope of the Lord's coming before the saints as an imminent thing, which is the Christian's proper hope.
8) The Catching Away is Before the Falling Away
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5,1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:1‑5) the apostle Paul again puts "the coming of our Lord and our gathering together unto Him" (the Rapture), as happening before the rise of the Antichrist and the great "falling away" that will occur in the Great Tribulation. The order is simple. There is first a catching away of the Church (vs. 1), then a falling away of professing Christendom after the "man of sin"—Antichrist (vss. 3-4).
The Thessalonian believers were passing through persecutions for their faith in Christ (2 Thess. 1:4-54So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (2 Thessalonians 1:4‑5)). False teachers had come among them (vs. 2), teaching that "the day of the Lord" and the judgment connected with it was at hand. This teaching troubled them. They thought that they had to go through the horrors of the Tribulation. The apostle Paul wrote this second epistle to expose the evil teaching. He taught them that "the day of the Lord" could not come on them because two things have to happen first; the revealing of "the man of sin" (Antichrist) and the great falling of merely professing believers away after him.
Some people have the idea that "the day of the Lord" is the Rapture. There is, however, no Scripture to support this. "The day of the Lord" is a day of judgment that begins at Christ's appearing at the end of the tribulation. It is the time when the Lord will publicly intervene upon the ways of man, asserting His universal power and dominion over both the heavens and the earth. "The day of the Lord" will continue for the entire duration of the 1000 year reign of Christ; at which time (the very end of the day of the Lord) the heavens and the earth will be dissolved (2 Peter 3:8-108But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:8‑10)).
9) The Spirit of God Must be Gone First
Second Thessalonians 2:6-12, shows this same order from another perspective. It says, "The mystery of lawlessness already works; only there is He who restrains now until He be gone, and then the lawless one shall be revealed." These verses show that the course of evil in this world today is being restrained from reaching its culmination by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit on earth. When the Spirit is "gone" from the earth at the Rapture, then, and only then, will "the lawless one" (Antichrist) arise and lead away many. Again, the order is simple. There is first a taking away (vs. 7) of the Spirit at the Rapture, then a leading away of many by the Antichrist in the Great Tribulation.
Some may ask the question, "How do we know when the Spirit will be taken out of the way and be gone?" It is evident by the following three Scriptures that it is at the Rapture.
Firstly, the Lord promised His disciples on the night of His betrayal that when the Spirit of God came to take up his abode in the Church it would be forever (John 14:16-1716And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16‑17)). When the Church is called out of this world at the Rapture, the Spirit of God will go also because the Lord said He (the Spirit) would never leave them.
Secondly, in the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, when the Church is viewed as on earth, the Spirit is seen as speaking to the churches, over and over again. But after the close of chapter 3, when the Church is no longer viewed on earth, the Spirit is not mentioned again until chapter 14:13 and 22:17, which refer to a time after the Tribulation. (Compare chapters 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22, with chapter 13:9. Note: the marked absence of the mention of the Spirit.)
Thirdly, in Genesis 24, a bride (a type of the Church) is sought for Isaac (a type of Christ), by the servant (a type of the Spirit of God). Once the bride was secured by the servant, he took her all the way home to Isaac who was waiting for her. As the servant went home with the bride, so will the Holy Spirit go home to heaven with the Church when the Lord comes for us.
This does not mean the Spirit of God ceases to work on earth after the Rapture. He will continue to work on earth from heaven, as He did in Old Testament times, quickening souls, etc. These three passages show that when the Church is called out of this world at the Rapture, the Spirit will no longer be resident in the earth.
10) Christ's Coming For His Saints Happens Before the End of the Age
First Corinthians 15:23-24 says, "Christ the first-fruits, afterward they which are Christ's at His coming, then cometh the end." Notice the order. Christ is raised first, followed by those who are His at His coming (which happens at the Rapture—1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For 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: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)); then comes "the end." The "end" refers in a general way to all end-time events—including, of course, the Tribulation and the Millennium which follows it (Matt. 13:39; 24:3-1439The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (Matthew 13:39)
3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:3‑14); Dan. 11:40; 12:4, 8, 9, 1340And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)
4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:8‑9)
13But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:13)). What could be more clear? The Lord's people are taken to heaven before the end comes.
11) There are No Instructions For Christians in the Tribulation
In Matthew 24:16-26,16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (Matthew 24:16‑26) and in the other references to the Tribulation, those who are told to flee are clearly Jews, and not Christians. If Christians are to pass through the Tribulation, why are there no instructions given to them as to how to prepare for it? The obvious answer is that there will be no Christians in the Tribulation.
It is true that thousands will turn to God in faith during that time (Rev. 7:99After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)), but they are not Christians. They will be born again and will share in the blessing of Christ's kingdom on earth, and will populate the millennial earth (Rev. 7:10-1710And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:10‑17)). Christians, on the other hand, have been called out of both the Jews and the Gentiles by the gospel to spend eternity with Christ in heaven.
12) The Fact That the Gospel of the Grace of God Will Not be Preached in the Tribulation Shows the Rapture Will Have Taken Place
"The gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)) that is preached today and "the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23; 24:1423And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23)
14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)) that will be preached by those in the Tribulation is entirely different. They are two distinct gospels preached for two distinct purposes. The gospel of the grace of God calls people out for heaven: the gospel of the kingdom calls people for blessing on earth. The gospel that is going out today holds out a heavenly hope, calling and destiny for those who believe (Col. 1:55For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; (Colossians 1:5); 1 Peter 1:44To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4); Phil. 3:2020For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20); 2 Cor. 5:1-21For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: (2 Corinthians 5:1‑2); Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)), whereas the gospel of the kingdom that will be preached in the Tribulation holds out an earthly blessing under the reign of Christ in the Millennium (Matt. 24:1414And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14); Psa. 96).
The gospel of the kingdom announces the good news that the kingdom promised in the Old Testament (2 Sam. 7:1616And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. (2 Samuel 7:16); Dan. 2:44-45; 7:9-2744And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44‑45)
9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:9‑27)) is about to be set up, and those who receive the King in faith will have a part in its earthly blessing. It was first preached by John the Baptist at the time of the Lord's first coming (Matt. 3:1-21In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:1‑2)). The Lord and His disciples also preached it (Matt. 4:23; 10:723And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23)
7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:7)). Their preaching was to call the nation to repentance so that it would be in a state to receive the King, and had they received Him, He would have established the kingdom as promised by the Old Testament Prophets. But sadly, Israel rejected their King, and thereby forfeited the opportunity of having the kingdom set up in all of its power and display. When Israel rejected their King, the gospel of the kingdom was no longer announced because the kingdom was no longer being offered to them. God, instead, has sent out the gospel of His grace to the Gentile world to call out of them a people for His name (Acts 13:44-48; 15:1444And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:44‑48)
14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14); Rom. 11:1111I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. (Romans 11:11)). This gospel is still being preached today. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached again by the Jewish remnant after the Church has been called away to heaven. At that time, God will pick up His dealings with Israel where He left off almost 2000 years ago. Israel will be saved (that is, a remnant among them — Rom. 9:6-8; 11:26-276Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. (Romans 9:6‑8)
26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:26‑27)) in that day, and the kingdom will be brought in by power (Rev. 11:1515And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)).
The point we need to see in this, is that there is no mention of the gospel of God's grace being preached during the Tribulation. The obvious reason is because this gospel calls believers to be part of the Church, and since the Church will not be in the Tribulation, it will not be announced.
God will not send out two different gospels at the same time. It would be confusion, and would be confounding the heavenly calling with the earthly calling with their respective hopes and destinies. If we understand the gospel of God's grace that's preached today, we would know that it is impossible to have the Church and the believing Jewish remnant in the Tribulation period at the same time. Scripture indicates that those who believe the gospel of the grace of God are taken out of both the Jews and the Gentiles (Acts 15:14; 26:1714Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14)
17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, (Acts 26:17)) and put into the altogether new and heavenly thing, "the church of God." Hence, there are presently three major distinctions among men on earth; the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church of God (1 Cor. 10:3232Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: (1 Corinthians 10:32)). The cross of Christ has terminated the distinction between Jew and Gentile for believers of the gospel (Gal. 3:2828There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28); Col. 3:1111Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11)). Those who believe this gospel are no longer part of the two companies they formerly were in, but are now a part of the Church. Each time a Jew believes the gospel he becomes part of the Church (Rom. 11:55Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5); Gal. 6:1616And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16) — "the Israel of God"). How then could there be the believing remnant of Jews at the same time? This shows that there cannot be the Church and the believing Jewish remnant on earth at the same time.
Old Testament Types Confirm That the Church Will Not Go Through the Tribulation
There are also many Old Testament types which confirm the fact that the Church will not go through the Tribulation. To teach otherwise, destroys the truth the Spirit of God intends to convey in these beautiful pictures.
13) Enoch and Noah (Genesis 5:21-9:1721And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 22And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. 25And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: 26And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: 27And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. 28And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: 29And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. 30And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: 31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. 32And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. 1And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. 6And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. 10And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 11In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 16And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in. 17And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. 21And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 23And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 24And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. 1And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; 2The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; 3And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. 4And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 5And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. 6And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: 7And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. 8Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 9But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. 10And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; 11And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. 12And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. 13And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. 15And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 18And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: 19Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 20And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 1And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. 8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 5:21‑9:17))
Enoch is a well-known type of the Church. He walked in fellowship with God and warned the world of coming judgment (Jude 14-1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15)), and then, the Lord took him to heaven. Enoch had the distinction among the Patriarchs of not seeing death; he was translated alive to heaven. Enoch was translated to heaven before the flood of God's judgment came on the earth. God did not bring the flood on the world until after Enoch was taken to heaven. The flood is a foreshadow of the judgment that will come on the world in the Tribulation (2 Peter 3:3-103Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:3‑10); Luke 17:26-2726And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26‑27)). Noah, and his family who passed through the flood in the ark, are a picture of the spared Jewish remnant that will be preserved by God in the Tribulation.
14) Abraham and Lot (Genesis 18-19)
Abraham, dwelling on the mountain in fellowship with the Lord is a picture of the heavenly minded Christian living in communion with God. Lot, absorbed in the things of Sodom, is a picture of the earthly minded Christian, living for the interests of this world. God was about to pour out judgment on Sodom, but He would not do it until Lot was first taken out of it. The angel said to Lot, "Haste thee, escape thither, for I cannot do anything till thou be come hither" (Gen. 19:2222Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. (Genesis 19:22)). Judgment is likewise coming on this world. It is going to happen in the Tribulation period, but God will not allow one stroke of it to fall until He has first taken every true believer out of it, regardless of how worldly he may be—as Lot sadly illustrates (2 Peter 2:7-87And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) (2 Peter 2:7‑8)).
15) Leah and Rachel (Genesis 28-30)
Jacob, sent forth by his father, is a picture of God the Father sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ into this world (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). Jacob went out from his father's house for two reasons: firstly, on account of sin (Gen. 27), and also to secure a bride for himself (Gen. 28:1515And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. (Genesis 28:15)). When Jacob came into the far country, he saw Rachel in the field (who is a type of Israel), and desired to have her for his wife. In love for her, Jacob agreed to purchase her through his own personal toil. This is a figure of the work and toil the Lord Jesus Christ would accomplish on the cross in order that He might have Israel in a relationship with Himself on the ground of redemption.
When it came time for Jacob to receive Rachel, Laban treacherously deceived him, so that he did not get her. He was given Leah instead. Leah is a type of the Church. God allowed this to happen to Jacob so that we might have this marvelous foreshadow of His ways with Israel and the Church. It tells the story of God's dispensational ways; when Israel would not be brought in, God gave the Church to His Son instead that He might have a bride. After Jacob was given Leah, he later received Rachel. This points to the time when God will have finished His work among the Gentiles in calling the Church (Acts 15:1414Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14); Rom. 11:2525For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25)), He will bring Israel to His Son so that He may have her as His earthly bride (Hos. 2:6-176Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. 8For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. 9Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. 10And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. 11I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. 12And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord. 14Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. 17For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. (Hosea 2:6‑17); Isa. 62:4-54Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Isaiah 62:4‑5)).
Jacob had two brides: Leah (typical of the Church) was received first, even though he made his advances toward Rachel (typical of Israel) first. While Leah's womb was open and thus being fruitful bearing children, Rachel's womb was barren (Gen. 29:3131And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. (Genesis 29:31)). This answers to the present day. While the Church is bearing fruit for God, Israel has been barren (Isa. 54:11Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1); Hos. 3:44For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: (Hosea 3:4); Matt. 21:19-2119And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. (Matthew 21:19‑21)).
The point to see in this is that Leah had all seven (a number that signifies completion) of her children before Rachel began to travail to bring forth her children (Gen. 30:22; 35:1622And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. (Genesis 30:22)
16And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. (Genesis 35:16)). Rachel's travail is a picture of Israel's future trial in the Tribulation (Isa. 66:7-87Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 8Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (Isaiah 66:7‑8); Jer. 30:6-76Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:6‑7); Mic. 4:9-10; 5:39Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. (Micah 4:9‑10)
3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (Micah 5:3); 1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)). Leah was finished her bearing before Rachel's travail began! What marvelous accuracy of these types! (Psa. 119:161161SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. (Psalm 119:161)) The Church will also have finished its course and testimony of fruit bearing in this world, before Israel (the Jews really) will pass into their time of travail in the Tribulation.
16) Joseph and Asenath (Genesis 37-50)
Joseph (or Zaphnath-paaneah, meaning "Saviour of the world" — J. N. Darby Trans. footnote in Gen. 41:4545And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:45)) is another well-known type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was rejected by his brethren, who are typical of the Jewish nation (Gen. 37), and carried abroad among the Gentiles (Gen. 39-41). After he was carried into Egypt among the Gentiles, there was a period of blessing in that land followed by a time of famine. The time of blessing answers to the present dispensation of grace. The time of famine answers to the coming Tribulation period that will come upon this world. It is interesting to note that while Joseph was estranged from his brethren (typical of the Jews), he received a Gentile bride, Asenath (Gen. 41:4545And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:45)). He got her in the time of plenty before the famine! She is a type of the Church. She was brought into his house to share his royal place on the throne of Egypt before the time of famine began, which again, points to the fact that the Church will be brought home in glory before the time of Tribulation. During the time of famine Joseph worked to restore his brethren to himself (Gen. 42-45). So Christ will also deal with Israel in the Tribulation to restore them to Himself. First, the ten brothers of Joseph (who are typical of the Jewish remnant) who were guilty of rejecting him were restored to him (Gen. 45:1-151Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him. (Genesis 45:1‑15)); then, the whole family was brought in and re-united with him (Gen. 46). They are a type of the tribes of Israel being restored to the Lord after the Jews are restored to Him after His Appearing (Matt. 24:30-3130And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30‑31)).
17) Moses and Zipporah (Exodus 1-12)
Moses is another type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was God's appointed deliverer for the children of Israel who were under the tyrannical bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt (Ex. 3:1010Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10); Acts 7:3535This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. (Acts 7:35)). Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is a type of Satan, the god and prince of this world. Moses yearned for his people and longed that they might be delivered. When he came to them, he slew one of their Egyptian oppressors, showing his desire to vanquish their enemy, and bring them out of bondage. But his efforts were all misunderstood by his brethren, who said, "Who made thee a ruler and judge over us?" (Acts 7:3535This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. (Acts 7:35); Ex. 2:1414And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. (Exodus 2:14)) Consequently, they rejected him. This is typical of the Jews rejecting the Lord at His first coming. In essence, they said the same thing: "We will not have this Man to reign over us" (Luke 19:1414But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14); John 1:1111He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:11)).
Being rejected, Moses fled from his people into the land of Midian (Ex. 2:1111And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. (Exodus 2:11)—4:19). In the time of this estrangement from his brethren, he received a Gentile wife, Zipporah (Ex. 2:2121And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. (Exodus 2:21)). She is another type of the Church which is being called by the gospel today. Zipporah bore Moses a son, and they named him Gershom, which means, "a stranger here." This speaks of the character the Church should have in this world as pilgrims and strangers (1 Peter 2:1111Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11)).
The point we need to see in this, is that Moses received his Gentile wife before the judgments (the ten plagues) began to fall on Egypt. So Christ will have His bride (the Church) with Himself in glory before the Tribulation judgments fall on this world.
After many years, God sent Moses back to the children of Israel, who were still struggling under their Gentile oppressors (a type of "the times of the Gentiles" — Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24); Ex. 3:10; 4:1910Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10)
19And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. (Exodus 4:19)). Moses returned to the land of Egypt and began to show himself to his brethren who had once rejected him. This is a foreshadow of the Lord resuming His dealings with the nation of Israel after He has taken the Church to heaven. When Moses returned to his brethren in Egypt, God began to pour out judgment upon that land in the way of the ten plagues (Ex. 7-12:36). God miraculously preserved Israel in the midst of all the judgments which became signs of confirmation to them that God was working on their behalf (Psa. 78:4343How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: (Psalm 78:43); Psa. 105:2727They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. (Psalm 105:27); Ex. 7:3; 8:22-233And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 7:3)
22And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 23And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. (Exodus 8:22‑23)). This speaks of how God will preserve a remnant of Israel during the Tribulation (Rev. 7:1-81And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:1‑8)). But where was Zipporah all the while the judgments were falling on Egypt? She was not in the land! Moses had sent her back to the land of Midian before the judgments came forth from God (Ex. 18:1-21When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt; 2Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, (Exodus 18:1‑2)). She is not once mentioned during the plagues. She did not appear on the scene until after all the judgments had fallen on Egypt and the children of Israel were delivered. Likewise, the Church will not appear publicly until the Tribulation is over, when the Lord comes to display His bride to a wondering world (2 Thess. 1:1010When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:10)).
18) The Judgment of Jericho (Joshua 2-6)
The sentence of judgment was pronounced on Jericho and the people of Canaan (Ex. 23:2727I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. (Exodus 23:27)). Before the judgment fell on that city, God provided a way of shelter under "the line of scarlet" for those who had faith (Josh. 2). This typically foretells the story of the judgment that is about to fall on this guilty and doomed world (Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31); 2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)). God in mercy has provided a shelter for all under the blood of Christ. In chapter 6 the judgment fell on Jericho as warned. But before it happened, Joshua first brought the wilderness journey of the children of Israel to a close by bringing them into their promised land. It is significant that the chapters dealing with Israel being brought into the land of Canaan (Josh. 3-4) come before the judgment fell on Jericho (Josh. 6). Before judgment falls on this world, the Lord Jesus Christ, like Joshua, will bring the Church's long wilderness journey in this world to an end by calling them to their heavenly Canaan. It is remarkable that Jericho's judgment happened at harvest time (Josh. 3:1515And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) (Joshua 3:15)). The judgment of this world is also called a harvest (Matt. 13:39-4239The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:39‑42); Rev. 14:15-2015And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:15‑20); Joel 3:9-169Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel 3:9‑16)).