I received a few e-mails back asking me to explain the Pre-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation and the Mid-Tribulation.  What a task!  I knew that I would have to do this the minute I hit the 'Send' button.  I heard God's voice say "get ready Pat."  I will try to provide definitions in a sincere effort to present each viewpoint with a simple but substantial exposure, for the sake of mutual understanding and study.  I will add a few more scriptures that will go with last night's devotion.  Please study all of them. 

The definitions will be in green. I will be using my notes from the Nelson New King James Version Bible. Scriptures will come from the Zondervan New International Bible.

Premillennial Pre-Tribulational View:  A lot of Christian denominations believe that the church will not have to go through the Tribulations.  I am part of that group.  Remember, I do understand each person has their own beliefs.  I respect each one, and hope that we are mature enough to agree to disagree.  I do not argue over religion.  There are too many souls dying and going to hell. I want to spend my time sharing Christ with the world.

1. Pre-Tribulation is when All believers are "raptured", or "caught up" before the Great Tribulation. The Rapture and the Second Coming are separate events. Tribulation and Millennium are literal 7-year and 1,000-year periods.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (New International Version)

15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

18 Therefore encourage each other with these words

This is the Rapture when the church is in Heaven. Then after the church is Raptured, the 7-year tribulation on earth begins. Then the scripture below tells of the Second Coming after the Rapture:

2 Thessalonians 2; 1-11 1 concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,

2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,

10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie

12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

The Thousand Years Satan will be bound.

 Revelation 20: 1-6 1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.

2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. (During the 7 years of tribulation) They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. (The Rapture)The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

2. Premillennial Post-Tribulational View. Some believe that all Believers are "raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation. The Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event. Tribulation and Millennium are literal 7-year and 1,000 year periods. The church will be in the 7-year tribulation on Earth.

Matthew 24:15-28 (New International Version) 15"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,'[a] spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—

16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.

18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.

19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.

24 For false Christ's and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.

25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26"So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

3. Premillennial Mid-Tribulational View is all believers are "raptured" after 42 months (1,260 days) of the 7-year Great Tribulation. The Rapture and the Second Coming are separate events. Tribulation and Millennium are literal 7-year and 1,000 year periods. Then there will be another 3 1/2 years of tribulation and then Christ will come again. The Second Coming. Earthly, millennial kingdom followed by eternity.

Joyfully, In The Master's Service
  Blessings, Prayers and Love,
  Pastor Pat

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