AND now we come to the second question of the title of this pamphlet.
The Tribulationist school of doctrine takes up the position, that not till the judgments of God have swept over this poor world, not till the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials have run their course, will the rapture and the appearing take place, and that together without a break as to time, ending in the coming of the Lord to reign over His earthly people, the Jewish nation, and over the whole world as Son of Man.
A Tribulationist writer says, "We search in vain for one single text, telling us, either expressed or implied, that the Church will be taken away PRIOR to the Great Tribulation." We are happy to present to this writer two Scriptures, that most clearly state that it will, that the saints will be raptured to glory, BEFORE the Great Tribulation bursts upon a godless world. For this statement we present the most positive and unequivocal proofs from Scripture.
We read in the address to the assembly at Philadelphia, "Because 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. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Rev. 3:10, 1110Because 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. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:10‑11)).
The expression, "The HOUR of temptation," covers the whole period of God's governmental judgments, as recorded in the Book of Revelation (chapters 5 to 19 inclusive), necessarily including the time of the Great Tribulation.
Particular attention should be paid to the word, HOUR, in this Scripture. It is a word vital to its right understanding. HOUR is a measure of time. Will there ever be a time on earth, when we shall not need to consult our clocks and watches? How then can we be KEPT FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION, which will leave no part of the world exempt? Mark well, not kept through, but kept from, the HOUR of temptation. There is only one possible answer. Out of time there is nothing but eternity, which is timeless; so to be kept from the HOUR, the Church of God must be taken out of TIME and placed in ETERNITY. There is no other way. This is what the Scripture plainly asserts, and which will assuredly take place at the rapture, and that clearly PRIOR to the time of the Great Tribulation.
The well-known teacher, the late F. W. Grant (NUMERICAL BIBLE, Vol. 5, p. 358), gives the true meaning of the passage. He wrote, " Notice not merely out of temptation ', but out of the HOUR of it. To be kept out of the hour is a vital promise of being taken to be with the Lord, and thus it follows here, 'Behold I come quickly'. 'QUICKLY ' is the word now. Things are hastening on to the final catastrophe, and the Lord is about to take His people to Himself, and this intensifies the urgency of the appeal, Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown ' (Rev. 3:1111Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11))."
What we have said is amply supported by another Scripture. We read, "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled REST WITH US, when 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. 1:6-86Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7And 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: (2 Thessalonians 1:6‑8)).
This Scripture does not refer to the rapture of the saints, but to the appearing of our Lord to put down all opposition, and set up His world-wide dominion. This clearly points to the time, when the Great Tribulation will burst forth upon an unbelieving world, "to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you" (2 Thess. 1:66Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; (2 Thessalonians 1:6)).
It is like the tender compassion of our Lord, that He would assure the saints, who were enduring persecution from the hands of the world, that their portion will not be to pass through this time of sore trial, but to REST in His own blessed presence. This will be the fulfillment of the Scripture which says,
" 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 to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2, 32In 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. (John 14:2‑3)).
It was just because the Church had been subjected to bitter persecution for 'Christ's sake, that judgment will fall in righteous retribution, reminding us of the words, " The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground " (Gen. 4:1010And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10)).
The Church of God has endured many and grievous persecutions. Did not the Apostle Peter write of "the fiery trial" in his day (1 Peter 4:1212Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (1 Peter 4:12))? Did not the Coliseum at Rome ring with the cry from tens of thousands of voices, "Throw the 'Christians to the lions," starved, as they were, to make them ravenous and bloodthirsty? Did not the Emperor Nero, that monster of iniquity, order living Christians to be enwrapt in waxed cerements to be burned as human torches to light up the public pleasure gardens at night? And what a harrowing tale can be told of literally hundreds of thousands of the victims of the Inquisition -their limbs torn from their sockets and broken under the cruel torture of the rack—its victims mysteriously disappearing, never to be seen on earth again.
And if the Church were left to endure the horrors of the Great Tribulation, surely there would be found in Scripture instructions how the saints of God should comfort themselves in such an evil case. But what do we find? Not a single line of comfort or instruction is to be found. Why this striking silence? Obviously because the Church will not be on earth to need comfort, or instruction, and will not be called upon to go through the hours of the Great Tribulation..
It will help to clear our thoughts, if we contrast the persecution the Church has suffered, and is suffering, and the tribulation the godless world will be called upon to endure in a future day.
Now, the persecution the Church passes through comes from the bottomless pit, as energized by SATAN.
Then, tribulation comes from heaven, from GOD.
Now, persecution comes because of FAITHFUL witness to the Christian testimony.
Then, tribulation will come because of REJECTION of God, of Christ, of Christianity. (Psalm
2: 1-3).
Now, persecution is upon Christians. Then, tribulation will be upon the world.