These are questions which are exercising the minds of many Christians at the present time. And surely they are questions of great moment to all who are looking for the Lord Jesus. It is certain, that if we have to pass through the time of tribulation, such as never was, and never shall be again, we cannot be waiting and looking for the Lord at any moment or quickly. Instead of that blessed hope, we should have before us, the terrible day of the Lord. Now which of these two things do the scriptures put before the Christian?
One thing we must notice carefully is, what scripture is addressed to Israel, and what is spoken to us. Unless we note this distinction, all will, and must be, error and confusion. God never forgets His promises, and will never fail to keep them, whether to Israel, the church, or to an individual.
“When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” (Deut. 32:88When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:8).) Let us not forget this. With God, all the present political changes, that have, or are taking place, have reference to His purposes concerning His people Israel. And though, as a nation, they are cast off for the present, yet every promise to them in the books of Moses, the Psalms, and the prophets must be fulfilled. Do you doubt this? Can God fail? Let us bear this well in mind. It lies at the very root of all prophetic inquiry. Equally important, however, is the question before us: Will the saints, or the church, be taken before the coming of Christ in judgment on the living nations of the earth?
Let us first, then, look at a few scriptures that speak of His coming to the earth. In Matt. 24 we have a most deeply interesting discourse of the Lord on His coming, and the end of the age. This He gave as He sat on Mount Olivet, overlooking the Jewish temple. His disciples, who were all Jews, were astonished to hear of the complete destruction of the splendid buildings.
Mark, they have not a thought of the church, or of the present period of the church. Their thoughts and questions are entirely respecting the temple and the end of their age, or history. The Lord answers those inquiries, and foretells exactly what has happened, and will happen, until the terrible end. (Read vers. 4-14.) It is a period of continued suffering for them. Mark, He does not here speak of Christians, but of Israel’s sorrows, and of salvation beyond these terrible sufferings; that is, what will take place according to the prophets. Thus those who shall endure through the tribulation shall be saved like Noah, to people the millennial earth. “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” The Lord is not here speaking of the present salvation of Christians, as though their salvation depended on themselves; neither is He speaking of the present gospel of the infinite grace of God: but “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached,” &c. Does not even this show there will be a time at the end, when the full gospel of the church period will cease, and the gospel of the kingdom be again preached as it was before the present period? If we look at the context of these verses, it is clear the subject here is not the church of God.
Read verses 15-31. All this is about the Jewish temple. The abomination of desolation is to be set up in it, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, during the last part of the prophetic week, or three years and a half of their history. It is the terrible tribulation through which they pass. But not a word about the church being in that tribulation. And immediately after that tribulation the Son of man appears. “And 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.” Mark, there is no mention of Christians at all in this terrible scene of alarm. It might be thought they are meant by “the elect”—the angels shall be sent with sound of trumpets to gather them. Therefore the elect here does not mean Christians; for, as we shall see presently, Jesus Himself—not the angels—will come to fetch them.
Now it is true, whilst the Lord in this discourse does not say one direct word about the church, yet there are parables describing the state of the world at the end when He shall come, and these parables will apply also to Christendom. This part is from chapter 24:32 to 25:31. Then follows a description of His coming, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations,” &c. There is nothing said about the judgment of the dead at His coming, neither here, nor in any other scripture, It is the judgment of the quick, or living nations, at the glorious appearing of Christ. Neither is there a word about Christians here. We shall learn all about them elsewhere. The church had only just been announced for the first time in Matt. 16, but not fully revealed there. Now that it is revealed, we can trace remarks applicable to the church.
This is also the case in the shorter account of the prophecy in Mark 13. Whilst it is chiefly occupied with Jewish matters, yet the last verses can also be read as solemn warnings to us. “Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning,” &c. It is an awful thought that the great mass of Christendom is sleeping, and refuses to be awakened. He says, “And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.”
The manner also of His coming to this earth is fully described. He says, “For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day; but, first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.” (Luke 17:24, 2524For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. (Luke 17:24‑25).) The world will not be found converted, but sudden, terrible, and unexpected as the flood in the days of Noah, or the rain of fire and brimstone on Sodom, will be the day when the Son of man is revealed. Then again, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity: the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” It does not say then shall ye see, but, then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud. Never does scripture say that Christians will be on earth, and see the Son of man coming in the clouds. No! Jesus says, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” We shall find this more fully explained as we go on. Ah! it may be the present peculiar distress of nations will prove to be the beginning of sorrows. Surely the Lord calls upon us to take heed. And to the world the warning is most solemn, “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” (Luke 21:25-3625And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:25‑36).)
There can be no doubt, both as to the certainty of the time of tribulation, and that “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 17:3131Because 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).) Assuredly “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:77And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (2 Thessalonians 1:7)? 8.) Yes, “Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.” (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7).)
All this is absolutely certain—Jesus will so come to this earth, immediately after the tribulation such as never was. He will come in flaming fire to judge the living nations, Let us, then, now inquire: Do the scriptures teach that we who are Christians will be on earth during that tribulation? And shall we be on earth when Jesus thus comes to judgment? Will He come to judge us, or a rejecting world?
It was not until the very eve of His betrayal, to die for our sins, that He spake on this subject. to His disciples, and through them to us. He was about to leave this world. The future was before Him. Well did He know the very thoughts that would exercise us as to the present distress, and the impending time of dreadful tribulation. He speaks; let us hear Him. Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-81Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. (John 14:1‑8).)
Mark, this was an entirely new revelation. What a contrast to all the terrestrial promises which had been given to Abraham, and to his seed; whether in Moses, the Psalms, or the prophets. Yes, it was the night of Thy dark betrayal, when Thou, blessed Lord, didst reveal to us this celestial destiny and glory. Now is there anything in these precious words like judgment in flaming fire? He does not say, I will send the angels for you. No, I will come myself; I will come again, and receive you unto myself. Amazing grace to such hell-deserving sinners, now made one with Himself, the objects of his affections, of His love, of His delight. Oh, how He felt the parting. But such is His delight in His saints, He must have them with Himself. What would heaven even be to Jesus without His redeemed ones? And can we not say, what would heaven be to us without Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us? Every word in these precious promises is so new, so full, and so certain. It is not the Judge speaking of coming in judgment; but the bridegroom breathing into the ears of the bride, the promise of His return in love.
But perhaps you may ask, Did not the Lord refer to death, when He thus spoke of His coming for us? We will inquire.