Chapter Eight

CONTENTS

IMPORTANT PREFACE - 2021

DEDICATION - TO MY FATHER

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE - WHAT IS MAN?

CHAPTER TWO - THE LIVING SOUL

CHAPTER THREE - THE SPIRIT WITHIN MAN

CHAPTER FOUR - IS THE SOUL IMMORTAL?

CHAPTER FIVE - LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION IN THE
PAULINE EPISTLES

CHAPTER SIX - A WEEKEND IN HELL OR IN THE TOMB?

CHAPTER SEVEN - HELLFIRE AND DAMNATION

CHAPTER EIGHT - THE WRATH TO COME

CHAPTER NINE - THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

APPENDIX SCRIPTURE INDEX

THE WRATH TO COME

BUT WHEN HE SAW MANY OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES COME TO HIS BAPTISM, HE SAID UNTO THEM, O GENERATION OF VIPERS, WHO HATH WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME?
Matthew 3:7

EDITORS NOTE - 2019

The material in this chapter was written nearly twenty years ago. Although the topic of this book deals mainly with correcting the erroneous doctrines of man's inherent immortality and eternal conscious torment of the wicked, the nature of the subject also compelled me to explore the obvious eschatological ramifications of the subject.

Any inquiry into what the scriptures say about the final sate of the wicked will also lead one to explore the prophetic material concerning the end of this age, God's wrath to come, and final judgment. Inevitably, due to the controversial and speculative nature of much prophetic interpretation, this proved to be slippery ground for me as well.

At the time this material was written, my prophetic outlook was mostly futurist - that is to say, I believed that most of the prophetical material which was brought to bear on this subject dealt with a very short period of time to come before the close of this current age. Having come from a Baptist background this is the view I had learned.

In the course of my research this view began to shift significantly as I studied the works of many great protestant authors of the 18th and 19th centuries. The interpretive framework that I was using to understand this prophetic material - Daniel, Revelation, Matthew 24 etc. - changed radically. I began to see that much of this material was best interpreted by the Historicist, and Partial Preterist positions. My current position is illustrated in its entirety in our work The Sure Word of Prophecy.

The point of this chapter was to show that the prophecies concerning the end of this age and the 'wrath to come' have no bearing on the doctrine of eternal torment, but rather teach the torment which will fall upon the living at the end of this age. In that point I believe this work still stands. I do believe, however, that much of the prophetic material is flawed, and for that reason I would caution the reader to please keep that in mind as they explore this chapter.

I have added editorial notes throughout this work in order to highlight and clarify those sections which no longer accurately represent my current position.

E have seen that the traditional doctrinal of hell will not stand once we carefully examine the original words which have been rendered as "hell" in our English translations. The Hebrew sheol, and the Greek hades imply mean "the grave" or "the world of the dead" giving no indication of future punishment or reward. Similarly, the "Gehenna of fire", so often brought forth as the strongest proof of an eternal hell proved to be a fitting symbol for the final judgment upon the wicked. Those who heard Jesus talk of the fiery Gehenna knew what he was speaking of, and never would have imagined the thought of living men and women being burned there eternally.

There are however, more passages of scripture in which traditional Christians believe to find this teaching of eternal conscious torment. As we saw in the previous chapter, Hell is generally referred to as a lake of fire. This is, however, an error because hell is cast into the lake of fire at the end of the Book of Revelation. Similarly, hell is often referred to in terms such as "furnace of fire", "outer darkness" and a place of "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth". All of the above phrases which are taken from the gospel accounts are generally interpreted to apply to hell. As an evangelical or fundamentalist Christian, we are conditioned to read "Hell" every time we see "fire". We have heard over and over again that those in "Hell" "weep and gnash their teeth", so when we come to this phrase in the Gospels, we automatically read them as applying to "Hell".

Most people will never take the time to carefully examine for themselves the passages of scripture in which these common phrases occur. Obviously, whatever Jesus' words were referring to, it is not something to be taken lightly. The seriousness and soberness of our Lord's words should incite us to study these things even more carefully. Sadly, the opposite usually proves to be the case. A saved person, convinced that these passages must apply to hell, generally will never take the time to study them because they feel they do not apply to them. But are we at liberty to automatically see in these passages a teaching of conscious eternal torment for the wicked?

As I hope to prove in the study which follows, none of these common phrases refer to hell at all, but to a very specific event and period of time which is clearly delineated within the pages of scripture. I believe that the teaching is so clear that no one who will maintain an open mind will fail to see the proper application of these passages. The scriptures which describe this event are so numerous and so clear that it is difficult to comprehend how so many could fail to see it. This serves once again to show the iron grasp which false doctrine holds over the masses in modern Christendom.

The period of time which Jesus describes as a "furnace of fire" and one of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" could never have been mistaken for a place of eternal conscious torment had man believed from the beginning what God said regarding the soul. It was Satan's very first lie; "Ye shall not surely die" which forced men to search the scriptures hoping to find a place where the wicked would suffer for all eternity. This they have done by taking all passages which refer to fire, wrath, and suffering and applying them to the pagan theories of life after death. In doing so they have completely made the word of God of no effect. Error gave birth to more error until today, where we've come to believe a system of theology which was invented to answer to pagan Greek concepts of life after death; one which has nothing to do with scriptural truth.

While the scriptures are clear, and the truth is not difficult to find if we will drop our preconceived notions and simply believe what God has said, the truth is nearly impossible to find for those who will cling to unscriptural theories at any cost. The immortality of the soul has made the scriptures virtually impossible to interpret correctly, and consequently error has been heaped upon error. For this reason, a study such as this cannot be undertaken in any simplistic fashion. While the truth is easy to be seen, and easy to locate, it is no easy task to attempt to peel back the layers of doctrinal error which must be removed in order to see it. The events to which these phrases relate are bound up in the proper interpretation of the prophecies which describe the close of the age in which we currently live. While we may never be able to determine every detail of these prophecies, we simply must be able to decipher the sequence of major events as far into the future as God has chosen to give us revelation. It is a tragic mistake to believe that prophecy is of little importance when over one third of the Bible is of a prophetic nature.

Before examining specific scriptures, which are commonly misapplied in order to "prove" a fiery hell, it is of the utmost importance that we identify the age in which we live, the role of the church concerning it, and the events which are foretold to close it. It is my contention that ultimately these will prove to be the key to understanding many scriptures which have for so long puzzled so many.

PREMILLENNIALISM TRIBULATION AND RAPTURE

Destruction of Sodom

The commonly accepted prophetic theological system in our day is one which affirms what is called the "pre-tribulation rapture of the church". In this system, the current age is to end in a horrible time of trouble which is induced by the antichrist. However, it is believed that the church will supernaturally be taken off the earth just prior to the start of the tribulation period which is to last seven years. After the tribulation period, Christ is to return to the earth and set up a 1000-year literal physical government with Israel as the head of the nations.

This view is extremely prevalent in our day and has gained wide acceptance throughout the church. All major prophecy teachers in our day such as Jack Van Impe, the LaLonde brothers, Hal Lindsey, and Grant Jeffrey hold this view. Countess literature has been published expounding this viewpoint. Numerous films have been made depicting the calamitous events which are supposedly to immediately follow the rapture of the church. Some have even gone so far as to publish survival manuals for those who are "left behind".

While I do not believe that every facet of the above system is incorrect, it is surprising to me how many just accept that the Bible must teach these things just because they are widely accepted. Many would be shocked to learn that prior to 1820 A.D. no one held the view regarding a pre-tribulation rapture of the church as it is currently taught.

These doctrines developed gradually beginning with the writings and teaching of John Nelson Darby. Later they became the view of Clarence Larkin in whose books this view was elaborately illustrated by many detailed drawings and charts. However, the doctrine did not begin to gain wide acceptance until it was published in the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible. C. I. Scofield's explanatory notes were paramount in publishing and popularizing the pre-tribulation rapture theory which was to gain almost universal acceptance.

In our day, many have undertaken to do a careful search of the scriptures in order to locate this doctrine and have been shocked to find a complete lack of any explicit scriptural support. This has led some to publicly declare the doctrine to be a deception, but such attempts are usually scorned by the majority of Christians who continue to believe it. It is my belief also that this doctrine contains serious errors which cannot be supported by a careful search of the scriptures. I believe it can be demonstrated that:

The pre-tribulation rapture theory has failed to discern between the coming persecution of the Church, and the period which will close this age; a time in which God pours out his wrath upon the earth.
The event which is commonly referred to as "the rapture" is actually what the scriptures refer to as "the first resurrection". As always, the popular theory downplays the importance of the resurrection in the salvation of the Church.
The popular theory has failed to make a distinction between a time of "harvest" at the end of the current age, and the last great final judgment of mankind.

TRIBULATION VERSUS WRATH

Editorial Note 2019 – The material in this section no longer accurately represents what I believe to be the true teaching of scripture. While I do believe that the current age will end in a great time of distress brought about by the judgment of God upon this godless age, I no longer believe that the scriptural passages concerning THE Great Tribulation, a period figured so prominently in prophecy, refer to the period in question.

I now understand, rather, the scriptural material concerning The Great Tribulation ultimately applies to the destruction of the Jewish nation which was accomplished at the hands of the Romans in the first century A.D.

The Great Tribulation which was experienced by the Jewish people in the first century is a stark example of the wrath of God being poured out upon the wicked, and can be seen as a prophetic illustration of the type of judgment which is to befall this unbelieving work at the end of this age. -DJH

The popular theory maintains that the last seven years prior to the second advent of Christ are referred to as "the great tribulation". While the duration of the period may be open to interpretation, the scriptures are very clear that there will be a period of intense tribulation preceding the second advent:

And 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. Dan 12:1

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matt 24:21

No one who believes the Bible would argue that the age in which we live will end in a period of great tribulation. What is perplexing is the widely held belief that the the Church will be caught up off the earth immediately prior to this time. The main passage used to teach the rapture of the church is 1 Thessalonians 4:17

For 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. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thes 4:15-17

If we look further into the context, we get a clearer picture of what Paul was discussing:

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Thes 4:13

Paul is comforting those in Thessalonica with the hope of the resurrection. We have seen time and time again the vital role that the resurrection played in Paul's theology. Every time we see mention made of any hope beyond the grave, or the glorification of the church, we always find the resurrection in the immediate context.

Strangely, this is rarely the way this scripture is presented in our day. The emphasis is always laid upon the living being "caught up", and not rather on the very purpose why Paul wrote the scripture; namely the hope for the dead and the resurrection. The word "rapture" itself conceals the fact that this passage clearly refers to the resurrection of those which have fallen asleep in Christ, not merely the catching up of the saints living at that time. Once again, the teaching of the "immortal soul" rears its ugly head. To the traditional Christians, the dead in Christ are already with Christ, and so their resurrection is little more than an incidental, and hence the emphasis is laid upon the living.

What is even more interesting however is that this passage in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 is almost always quoted to prove the rapture without quoting Paul's discussion of its timingwhich immediately follows in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5. The chapter division causes the reader to naturally assume that perhaps Paul had begun to address a new topic when in fact he has not. Please note that if we are able to determine the timing of the resurrection within the sequence of events which will close the age, then we will also have successfully located the timing of the "rapture". Let us examine carefully Paul's words as to the timing of the events he has just described:

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For 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. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thes 5:1-10

The first question we must consider is: What are these "times and seasons" in reference to?

Obviously the "times and seasons" of what Paul has just described, and what he is about to describe; namely the resurrection of the dead in Christ, the glorification of the living saints, and "the day of the Lord". Paul tells us of this time that:

These times are "the day of the Lord "...But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord..."
The "Day of the Lord" comes "as a thief in the night"
When they (that is those not of the true Church) shall say "peace and safety" then sudden destruction shall come.
We (true Christians) are not in darkness that it should overtake us as it does non-believers.
Christians are not to sleep, but to "watch and be sober".

It is important at this point that we proceed very carefully and very reverently. Those who teach that the rapture of the church precedes the tribulation period, see the "day of the Lord" as being the same time period as the tribulation period. They take this passage to mean that church is taken off the earth immediately prior to the day of the Lord, which in their view IS the tribulation period.. It is in this sense that they believe the church will not be overtaken by its coming, in contrast to the unsaved. They insist that we cannot be overtaken by it because in their view we won't be here.

This passage also includes one of the great "proof-texts" of the pre-trib rapture theory:

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ

They reason that if God has not appointed the Church to wrath, then he must take them off the earth prior to the tribulation period. They assume that the tribulation period IS the "wrath" to which this verse refers. We will see very shortly whether or not this conclusion is valid.

They are several problems with this view. First of all, there is no break in subject matter between chapters four and five. Paul's reference to the "times and seasons" and the "day of the Lord" would seem to indicate that the "day of the Lord" is the time of the resurrection, not a time following the resurrection. Later we will prove this to be the case.

Second, Paul contrasts how this "day of the Lord" comes upon believers as well as non-believers, and then tells the Christian to watch and be sober so it doesn't overtake us as it does others. This presents a problem for the pre-trib rapture view. Why would Christians be instructed to watch for period of time which would not begin until after their departure?

Third, the pre-trib theory teaches that the tribulation is a seven year period which begins rather uneventfully and then turns into "great tribulation" after the first three and one half years. This would seem a bit out of harmony with the statements that it comes as "a thief in the night" with "sudden destruction". What kind of thief would give a sign as monumental as the rapture of millions of people, then wait a full seven years to execute destruction on the wicked? If this is the case, then Christ isn't a very good thief!

These are all important points to keep in mind as we progress through this study.

In contrast to the above view, if we will take away the unnatural division between chapters four and five, and see that the "day of the Lord" IS the time of the resurrection and glorification of the church, then the series of contrasts makes much more sense, and the problems above are eliminated. The following table illustrates this:

Believers	Non-Believers
Children of the light	Children of the darkness
Day of the Lord does not come upon as a thief.	Comes upon as a thief.
Obtain salvation	Obtain sudden destruction and wrath

In other words, the "day of the Lord" signifies the time when both the wicked obtain "sudden destruction" and the time when the Church is delivered, glorified, and the dead in Christ resurrected. That is, these events are simultaneous with each other and both occur in the "day of the Lord". The difference is that this day will be recognized by the true Christian who is watching. He will identify it for what it is and realize that his salvation is near. However, to the unbelievers in darkness, the day will overtake them as a terror in which they will be met with sudden destruction.

This view seems to better fit the natural sense of the passage and does not create the problems which a pre-trib rapture creates as we have shown above. If we are correct in our understanding of this passage, then we should be able to find other passages which would corroborate this view. Turning to 2nd Thessalonians we see Paul discussing the same subject, but with even more information as to the timing of the event:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That 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. Let 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; Who 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, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2Thes 2:1-8

Paul could not be more specific in locating the timing of the resurrection, or what many others call "the rapture". The gathering of the saints to Christ clearly cannot take place until a time of great apostasy in the church (a falling away) , and the revelation of the antichrist (the man of sin) in which he sits in the temple demanding worship. The pre-tribulation rapture theory has a major problem reconciling with this verse because they believe that the church should be gone by the time of the events being described by Paul. They believe that the revelation of the Antichrist belongs to the seven-year tribulation period by which time the church should have already been raptured. Given such a clear statement it is astonishing that anyone could continue to cling to such a theory, but as has always been the case, any argument will be used to get around the plain teaching of scripture if it threatens your favorite doctrine.

Let's once again list the major points of the passage:

The coming of the Lord and the gathering of the saints together unto him (i.e. the rapture or resurrection) do in fact take place in the day of the Lord, or the day of Christ. Please notice how this is in contrast to how the pre-trib rapture advocates read the previous verse in which they see a rapture before the day of the Lord. Paul begins the discussion by addressing the coming of the Lord, and the gathering unto him, then urges the reader not to believe that the day of the Lord (i.e. the day of his coming and of the gathering of the saints) was at hand. This is vitally important for the reader to grasp. The coming of the Lord, and the gathering of the saints, or the rapture, take place IN the day of the Lord, not before.

The day of the Lord cannot come until two specific events take place; 1) a falling away and, 2) The antichrist, or the man of sin is revealed.

The Lord's coming, which is IN the day of the Lord (see point one), destroys the antichrist. Please note that the day of the Lord, marks the downfall and destruction of the antichrist, not his rise.

Nothing could be clearer. The day of the Lord cannot come until the antichrist is revealed. After the antichrist is revealed, the day of the lord marks his destruction.

First, let the reader understand that those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the saints, all believe that the "man of sin", or "son of perdition" (the antichrist) is a personage which belongs to the tribulation period. This is a fact with which I am in agreement. Such a personage is clearly foretold in scripture, and always in the time frame of the great tribulation prior to the closing of the age. In the passage above, Paul is obviously referring to a passage in the book of Daniel:

And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Dan 11:36

Jesus also mentions this same figure to come:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matt 24:15-21

Clearly the antichrist plays his role upon the world stage during the tribulation period. However, Paul has just told us that the day of the Lord in which the resurrection and rapture takes place cannot come until after this man of sin is revealed, and that the day of the Lord destroys the antichrist.

The implications of the above should be clear to any careful reader: The tribulation period is not the "Day of the Lord". The Day of the Lord terminates the tribulation period. Please notice how beautifully this harmonizes with our previous passage. The day of Lord in which Christ returns is the time in which the dead in Christ are raised, the living saints glorified, and the wicked and the Antichrist meet swift and sudden destruction; all simultaneously within the same period of time.

Almost all evangelical and fundamental scholars of our day have assumed that the Day of the Lord IS the tribulation period. This is a serious error. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT that the reader grasps these two facts; for they are the KEY to understanding prophecy regarding the close of the age:

The great tribulation IS NOT the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord FOLLOWS the great tribulation period.

The day of the Lord is the period in which Christ returns, the dead in Christ are raised, the living saints are delivered and glorified, and the wicked are met with swift destruction.

Numerous passages can be cited showing this distinction time and again. However, before looking at these, it is important to consider the facts regarding both these periods of time.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

The period of time designated as "the great tribulation" is most prominently described in the two passages of scripture we also considered a bit earlier:

And 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. Dan 12:1

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matt 24:21

If we look more closely at our Lord's great prophecy in Matthew 24, we get a clearer picture of the details of this period:

Then 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. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore 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. For 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. Matt 24:9-27

Please remember the important facts we just considered. The day of the Lord, in which the second coming takes place and the Church is delivered, cannot take place until AFTER the great tribulation. By carefully examining the above we see exactly what the great tribulation is: a final and severe persecution against the true Church of God and the nation of Israel.

It is NOT a time of trouble which God brings about. It is a time of trouble which the world and the antichrist bring against the true followers of Christ prior to the end of the age. Please notice very carefully in verse 22, this is VERY IMPORTANT:

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

God does not bring about the great tribulation. God STOPS the great tribulation for the sake of his "elect"; his true followers which will be undergoing severe persecution. The Great Tribulation is a period of man's wrath toward Christ's true followers on the earth.

THE DAY OF THE LORD

In contrast to the Great Tribulation, "The Day of the Lord" is always seen as a time of God's wrath against mankind. As we have learned, it is during this time that the saved are delivered, the wicked are destroyed, and Christ returns. The Day of the Lord FOLLOWS the Great Tribulation. If we continue reading from our Lord's great prophecy in Matthew 24, we see how clearly and how plainly this is brought forth:

Immediately 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: 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. And 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. Matt 24:29-31

How absolutely plain the truth becomes once we "rightly divide the Word of truth"!

Jesus says in Matthew 24:21 that there would be GREAT TRIBULATION, but those days would be shortened FOR THE SAKE OF THE ELECT. Now we see something entirely different. What comes "Immediately AFTER the tribulation (the great tribulation) of those days."?

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. And 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.

The second coming of Christ, the deliverance of saints (the "elect"), and the destruction of the wicked. In other words, THE DAY OF THE LORD.

But we don't need to stop here if we wish to prove that the period in question is indeed the Day of the Lord:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and the terrible DAY OF THE LORD come. Joel 2:31

Let any honest, open-minded reader compare this passage in the book of Joel, with what he has just read in Matthew:

MATTHEW:

Immediately 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:

JOEL:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

MATTHEW:

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. And 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.

JOEL:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:32

The following table illustrates our Lord's Great prophecy from Matthew along with its companion passage from the book of Joel:

Beginning of Sorrows	Matt 24:4-8 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the BEGINNING OF SORROWS.
Great Tribulation	Matt 24:9-26 Then 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. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore 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.
Pause.. after the tribulation, but before the Day of the Lord	Matt 24:29 Immediately 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: *Joel 2:31* The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE* the great and the terrible DAY OF THE LORD come.*
Day of The Lord	Matt 24:30-31 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. And 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.

Clearly the Great Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord are distinct and separate periods of time. It would appear from the above that the Lord stops the great tribulation by means of the terrible astronomical signs which will appear in the heavens; the sun darkened, the moon becoming as blood, etc. This serves as a warning to mankind of the great and terrible day of the Lord which is about to follow. To the wicked, it will serve only as a terrifying sign which they may not comprehend, but for the true Church they serve as a sign of impending deliverance which is to swiftly follow:

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Matt 24:32-24

Which generation was Jesus referring to? This question which long puzzled students of the Bible has becomes very clear. Clearly, he is referring to the generation which sees the signs he has just spoken of; the Great Tribulation and the signs in the sun and the moon.

Next Jesus exhorts those who claim to follow him to be on the watch for the approach of this time the same way Paul exhorted believers to be sober and watch in 1 Thessalonians 5. Let anyone who claims the name of Christ listen carefully to what our Master says:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matt 24:36-44

Please notice carefully the important features of our Lord's warning:

The Day of the Lord is comparable to "The days of Noah"
The world in general will be unaware of its approach... it will catch them off guard.
The destruction is swift as it was in Noah's day.
A great separation takes place during this time; "One is taken, one is left"
If Christians fail to watch, they will also be overtaken by it unaware

Compare these with the words of the Apostle Paul:

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For 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. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Clearly the Day of the Lord is the time for which the Christian is to be on the lookout. We have in our day, millions of professing Christians who are looking for a rapture. Those who hold these views so carelessly read over these warnings thinking "they don't apply to me". The have been utterly deceived. The people who believe in such non-scriptural theories are the very ones who will be caught off guard when this day approaches! Let whosoever reads this consider our Lord's warning:

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Indeed! Those who are looking for a rapture seven years before the second coming are the very ones to whom these words will ultimately apply. By the time the signs appear in the sun and moon it will be altogether too late. The destruction and the judgement from that point is swift, sudden destruction.

Shockingly, some have tried to see a pre-trib rapture in Jesus' words:

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Clearly there is no pre-tribulation rapture here. These clearly refer to the Day of the Lord which takes place "immediately after the tribulation of those days". While they do denote the age end separation of the just from the unjust, and therefore must of necessity include the "rapture" of living saints, we can get a much clearer picture of this event when we compare it with a parallel passage from Luke:

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. Luke 17:34-37

The "body" here is literally a carcass, and the "eagles" are literally vultures. The passage clearly does not refer to a pre-tribulation rapture, but to the unparalleled carnage which will be left behind by the swift judgment upon the world.

By examine other prophecies we learn even more about The Day of the Lord:

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. Zeph 1:15-18

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Isa 13:9-11

The Word of God is so plain and so clear if we will simply believe what it says and stop trying to make it fit the theories we have been taught. The great tribulation is never spoken of as a time of God's wrath against mankind. As we have seen, the great tribulation is a period of severe persecution which God terminates. Isaiah, Joel, and Jesus all mention the signs in the sun and the moon which God brings about to serve warning on mankind of the swift judgement to follow. Clearly, according to Jesus and Joel, these signs take place AFTER the great tribulation, but BEFORE the Day of the Lord. Is it any wonder that so many in our day give up on prophecy and leave it to the self-styled so-called "experts" on the subject? We have been taught a system of interpretation which makes the scriptures almost impossible to understand. How long until we realize that God didn't write the Bible for the "experts", but for you and me, and anyone who loves the truth and will simply believe what He has written. God in his infinite love and wisdom has given to us the "light" which the rest of the world doesn't have. He has given to us information about the close of this age, and His coming which to the world is simply foolishness. In every case we are told to watch! We are not to be in darkness with the world concerning the events to come. How is it that most choose to believe a doctrine which effectually puts them back in darkness and teaches them not to watch for the very day we have been warned time and again to be on the lookout; THE DAY OF THE LORD.

In every place, without one exception, this Day of the Lord is seen as day of God's vengeance toward mankind on the earth. The day is one of unprecedented plague, death and destruction which the Lord will pour out AFTER the great tribulation. This time is so carefully delineated within scriptures, but so completely ignored by those who believe a rapture will miraculously pull them off the earth before it even starts. But for those who are looking for it, the same day which brings sudden destruction upon the wicked also proves to be the day of deliverance for the saints:

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5:6-9

In other words, the day which is is appointed to bring wrath on the world, is the day which is appointed to bring salvation to the saints for those who are not sleeping or drunken when it comes but watching for it. This is of the utmost importance as we continue through this study. Again, for those who continue to doubt, hear the words of your Lord:

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They 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. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

BUT THE SAME DAY THAT LOT WENT OUT OF SODOM IT RAINED FIRE AND BRIMSTONE FROM HEAVEN AND DESTROYED THEM ALL. Luke 17:26-29

The day the righteous are delivered is the VERY SAME DAY in which the wicked are destroyed. DO NOT BE DECEIVED-- that day of deliverance and wrath is THE DAY OF THE LORD.

Again, hear the words of the Apostle Peter:

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And 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. For 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: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But 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. But, 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. The 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. But 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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:3-12

Again, why would Jesus, Peter, and Paul all tell us to be on the lookout for "the Day of the Lord" if they expected to be raptured prior to it?!? The church is to watch for and hasten to this day because it is THE DAY OF ITS DELIVERANCE. How could anyone who went to the scriptures with an open mind, and without the pre-conceived theories of modern Christendom fail to miss the clear teaching regarding "The Day of the Lord". This Day is the hope for the Church, NOT the rapture.

Once again, in this passage we are struck by all the same elements we have seen in our previous ones. The following table illustrates this:

	Jesus	Paul	Peter
Referred to as "A Thief"	if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come	For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night	But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night
Catches Those Not Watching Off Guard	But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,	For when they shall say, Peace and safety;	Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And 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. For 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: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Brings Sudden Destruction	And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 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.	then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape	But 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.
Christians Instructed To Watch For It	Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh	Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.	Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God
Church Gathered and Saved During This Period	And 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.	Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ	The 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.

How can anyone fail to see the beautiful harmony of the scriptures. The Day of the Lord is clearly the day which the Christian is to watch for and to hope for. We may not like the idea that God will leave us on this earth during the great tribulation period, but that is what the Bible says. Christians in times past have suffered horrible persecutions for their faith. God's promise was always to be with them in the midst of such persecutions, and to provide strength. It is historical fact that most of the original twelve apostles, men who Jesus loved and walked with, suffered horrible persecution as well as martyrdom.

It says something about the age in which we live that Christians now expect that God will deliver this generation from such persecution. It is true that God has not appointed us to wrath, but it is HIS wrath which we are promised to escape, not the coming persecution. Christians are never promised that they will escape such tribulation and persecution. In fact, just the opposite:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; Romans 5:3
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. 1 Thes 3:4

And 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

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Phil 1:29

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2 Tim 2:12

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. John 15:20

Now that we have clearly seen that "The day of the Lord" is the day for which the Christian is to watch and pray, we can bring so many other scriptures to bear on this subject showing this "day" to be the hope of the Christian in every case:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb 10:25

When 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 Thes 1:10

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Tim 1:12

The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. 2 Tim 1:18

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Phil 2:16
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Phil 1:10

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Phil 1:6

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Cor 5:5

Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 1:8

Those who are looking for a rapture before The Day of the Lord have completely "missed the boat". This day which is so prominently mentioned in scripture is not something to be overlooked lightly as though it didn't apply to us. To the Christian, it's everything. Even if we should die before it, it's this day which will bring about our resurrection. To ignore these hard facts is not merely careless, but as we shall see, it also puts those who continue to cling to their unscriptural theories in a very dangerous position.

We have come to a point in the history of the Christian church in which we feel that somehow doctrine isn't important. Nothing brings out this fact more than the doctrine of the pre-trib rapture of the Church. We are taught to believe that no matter how a Christian has lived their life, or what they believe in regard to doctrine, they will automatically be airlifted off the earth prior to the coming tribulation. As we will see, this is a very serious error. The warnings of Jesus, and the apostles are clear and sober; that we are to continually be on watch for the approach of this coming day so that we are not over taken by it with the rest of the world. The pre-trib rapture theory make it impossible to recognize this day.

It is very important for the reader to grasp that this distinction between the coming Great Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord which follows it. This is the KEY to understanding Bible prophecy. This distinction, once clearly recognized and defined, will clarify so many scriptures which otherwise bring nothing but confusion. We began this chapter by discussing some verses which people often use to teach the doctrine of eternal conscious torment. By the time we are finished with this study, we will see that this distinction between the tribulation and the Day of the Lord, is also the key to understanding them as well.

THE GREAT PUZZLE OF THE REVELATION

The Book of Revelation is seen by many as the Bible's greatest puzzle. Perhaps no other book in the Bible has drawn more attention or sparked the curiosity of so many. The literature which has been written is nearly endless, and the opinions about its meaning are as numerous as the number of scholars which have undertaken to write on the subject.

The Book of Revelation is unique in that it contains a promise connected with it:

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Rev 1:3

Notice that the blessing isn't promised to those who just "read", but those who "hear" (literally understand), and those who keep the things written in the prophecy. How many people really understand the book of Revelation, let alone keep the things which are written in it? According to the pre-trib rapture theory, about 75% of the book doesn't even apply to the church of our day. Doesn't anyone think this is a bit strange?

It is surely a paradox that the one Bible Book which many have the most difficult time understanding, and the one which is thought of as the greatest mystery in the Bible is called a "Revelation", or an "Apocalypse". Both these words signify an unveiling or a revealing, not a mystery! To the true believers and followers of Christ, this book was never meant to be a mystery at all, but the final piece to the puzzle of the ages. Where other prophets had written about events to come, Revelation is the only book which puts them in their proper time sequence.

This is not to say that God wrote the book of Revelation for everyone, and hence the promises are made to those who read, understand, and do the things which are written in it. It was written for the TRUE CHURCH, the true followers of Christ who eagerly await his coming. God doesn't want anyone to be in darkness who loves him and looks for him. The book of Revelation was written to this end.

The confusion regarding this Book begins in the first verse of the first chapter:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Rev 1:1

How many Bibles improperly title this book "The Revelation of Saint John". This is the first error. We hear of "John the Revelator"; this is equally incorrect. Jesus is the revelator... the Book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ". That's not all. It's the Revelation of Jesus which GOD gave to him; that is, it’sGod’s revelation which he gives to Jesus. Why?

to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass

The Revelation originates with the Father and is given to Jesus to show HIS SERVANTS things which will happen in the future.

and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

This is of the utmost importance. Jesus SIGNIFIED the Revelation to his servant John. Did you get that? What you are about to read is not, technically speaking "The Revelation". The Revelation was given to Jesus by God the Father, who then SIGNIFIED the Revelation to his SERVANT John.

This is the first point of confusion. What you are reading is not "The Revelation". You are reading "The Revelation" in signs and symbols which were given to show GOD'S SERVANTS what would come to pass. Clearly, John understood what these signs and symbols meant, and God expected that his true servants down through the ages would also know what they meant. The Book was not given for the purpose of concealing the truth from God's true servants, but to instruct them. It is unwise for any Christian to say that the book of Revelation cannot be understood! Why would God include a promise for those who "understand" a book that cannot be understood?!

Why did God choose to give the Revelation to John in signs and symbols? The answer concerns a common misconception about the way Jesus teaches.

Many believe that while our Lord was on earth he taught in parables and symbols in order to underscore a truth and make it clearer. Nothing could be further from the truth:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Matt 13:10-11

Jesus employed parabolic and symbolic language to STUMBLE those who were not his followers. Nothing could be more incorrect than saying that our Lord taught in parables to clarify the truth. This is in contrast with how Jesus taught the disciples:

But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. Mark 4:34

The true meaning of the parables was not given to the masses, but only to the disciples. In the same manner, the Revelation was given to John in symbols so that the world in general would not understand it. Only the true followers would be able to unravel its mysterious symbols. Clearly anyone can place whatever meaning that want to on any symbol, but all such opinions are worthless! The Bible is its own interpreter, and if we are ever to unravel the symbols of the Revelation, we must go to it alone for our interpretation.

The Book was given to show God's SERVANTS the events which would come to pass. Clearly then God knew that he would have servants on the earth right up until the end of the age. Was the book to be a mystery to these servants? NO! These servants must also have all the information they need in order to unravel the deep and dark symbolism used in the book, but we are commanded to STUDY. The truth is concealed to those who simply refuse to STUDY.

It is not my intention here to write 500 pages of commentary explaining every symbol employed in the book of Revelation, but to show how much sense the book makes to those who will simply study and believe what God has said. God is not attempting to hide the truth from anyone who earnestly seeks it. But to those who would continue to clutch their unscriptural theories, this book only serves to confuse them more. I would ask anyone interested in the TRUTH, to simply believe what God says, and observe the beautiful harmony of the scriptures concerning the end of the age. The last thing I want is for anyone to simply take my word for anything, but to take GOD'S WORD, and believe it.

STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The book of Revelation begins rather simply with seven letters to seven churches in Asia minor. It would behoove us all to study these letters in more detail along with the promises made in each to the one who "overcomes". However, for the sake of this study, we will pass over these for now and concern ourselves with the main body of the book which follows these seven letters. It's here that we are confronted with a book with seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls containing the last seven plagues of God's wrath. It is in this section that the average reader gets bogged down to the point of no return. Most simply give up, believing that they can't understand it, and that it probably isn't that important anyway because the rapture will save them before most of it happens.

The first key to understanding the book of Revelation lies in determining its main structure; a structure which anyone can easily see. The bulk of the book, as we have stated, consists of three sets of sevens; the seven seals, then the seven trumpets, then the seven bowls. Anyone can see this. However, many have attempted to see parallels between these events. For example, many maintain that the first seal corresponds to first trumpet, which corresponds to the first bowl, and etc. No small amount of imagination has been used in trying to see parallels between these three sets of sevens.

However, if someone will just pick up the book and read it from start to finish, they will see that these three series of sevens run in succession. When the seventh seal is opened, seven angels are then given seven trumpets; that is, the seven trumpets ARE the seventh seal.

Similarly, when the seventh trumpet sounds, seven angels are then given the seven bowls; that is, the seven bowls ARE the seventh trumpet, which in turn was the seventh seal.

I would invite anyone to read through the Book and verify this. In this sense, the main body is included in the seven seals! The seventh seal contains the seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls. This structure can be illustrated as such:

Seven Seals
1	2	3	4	5	6	7 Seven Trumpets
						7 Seven Trumpets
						1	2	3	4	5	6	7 Seven Bowls
												7 Seven Bowls
												1	2	3	4	5	6	7

Remember, the Revelation, the true Revelation, is God's revelation which he GIVES to JESUS who then SIGNIFIES it to John. In Revelation chapter five we have a picture describing this:

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Rev 5:1-7

God's Revelation is pictured as a sealed book. In the Bible, seven is the number of completeness. This book is sealed with seven seals; it is completely sealed. We are told that no man is worthy to loosen these seals or to read the book, except the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, which is Jesus. Jesus steps forward and takes the book out of the hand of the Father. This is the Revelation which God GAVE to Jesus. THIS SEVEN SEALED BOOK IS the Revelation "which God GAVE unto Jesus Christ." The entire Revelation is bound up in this seven sealed book.

Jesus SIGNIFIES the Revelation to his SERVANT John. So, beginning with the first seal, the true revelation will begin. When Jesus opens the first of the seven seals, what do we see?

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Rev 6:1-2

This is where many immediately go off the road, and into the ditch, never to get out. The rider on the white horse is the first of four horses commonly referred to as "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Before considering the identity of this rider, let’s examine the next three horses which correspond the next three seals:

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Rev 6:3-8

Strangely, when most examine these four horsemen, they take the first to represent a literal person, and the remaining three to be symbolic. They make the first one refer either to Jesus, or to the antichrist, but none suppose that the remaining three horsemen refer to literal persons. Such inconsistent interpretation is unwise.

Who is the rider on the white horse? Is he a literal person, or merely a symbol? If a symbol, we are left to determine what the symbol is, and we are certainly not told in the immediate context. At the same time, we are simply not at liberty to just attach meanings to symbols at whim. If we did, all such opinions would be utterly worthless. The Bible must be its own interpreter of symbols.

We remember earlier that the purpose of teaching in parables and symbols was to stumble those who did not believe, but the true meaning was always explained later to the disciples. This same principle always applies to Biblical symbols. If we're reading a symbol here, then we can be certain that God has explained the symbol plainly elsewhere.

Where else in the Bible might we look for clear information and prophecy regarding the end of the age? Where else did Jesus PLAINLY explain these events to his DISCIPLES?

And 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? Matt 24:3

We looked at Matthew 24 earlier in this chapter. Jesus here gives the clearest explanation of events down to the end of the age in the entire Bible.

Note carefully how Jesus begins his explanation:

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matt 24:8

Jesus begins his prophecy by describing these events:

False Christs
War
Famine
Death in the wake of the above, war famine pestilence, etc.

Who could fail to see the amazing parallel between what Jesus terms "The beginning of sorrows" and the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"!

B E G I N N I N G O F S O R R O W S		Horseman	Matthew 24
	False Christianity	And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.	For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
	War	And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.	And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
	Famine	And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.	famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
	Death in their wake	And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.	Death in the wake of the above.. war, pestilence, and famine

Once again, the truth is so clear and so plain when we believe God and allow the Bible to interpret its own symbols! What are the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Jesus himself explained the symbols. The first one is the rise of a false Christianity; one which comes in the name of Christ but deceives. Notice, it deceives MANY, not few. It goes out "conquering, and to conquer". A study of the Christian church shows this to be true. Shortly after the death of the apostles, apostasy set into the church. Paul himself knew this would take place:

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:29-31

By 500 AD a "Church" did arise which was nothing more than a state government masquerading as the true Church of Jesus, and indeed it did, and still does deceive many. There is only one "church" which ever came into existence which is also considered an independent state able to make war. During the period of the dark ages this church did go forth "conquering, and to conquer". The white horse is false religion and false Christianity under the guise of the Roman Catholic Church.

The second horse is war which was to continue down until the end of the age, the third hose is famine, and the last the death which was to result from these.

No one needed to speculate at all about the identity of the four horsemen. They signal the events to occur on the earth from the time of the apostles up until the next event which Jesus foretold: The Great Tribulation.

From our study earlier we learned that, according to Matthew 24, the "beginning of sorrows" was to precede the Great Tribulation. We also learned that the Great Tribulation is a time of intense persecution against the true Church of Jesus, and the nation of Israel. The martyrdom would be so intense that God must stop the tribulation period for the sake of the ELECT lest none of them survive. If we are correct in our interpretation, then the fifth seal should correspond with this period of martyrdom against the Church:

And 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: And 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? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Rev 6:9-11

The fifth seal is indeed martyrdom and corresponds exactly to the great tribulation referred to in Matthew 24. (For a discussion on the symbolism used in the phrase "souls under the altar, please see the Chapter Four "Is the Human Soul Immortal")

Notice here, they are told to rest for "a little season" until the remainder of the martyrs were killed. Remember that God STOPS this tribulation period for the sake of the elect. God stops the tribulation by means of signs in the sun and moon and stars which precede the DAY OF THE LORD; the day in which he pours out his wrath upon the earth.

Can anyone guess what will happen when the SIXTH SEAL is opened?

Let anyone who doubts that the word of God interprets itself turn to Revelation 6:12 and READ IT! Read it in your own Bible, don't take my word for it!

From Revelation:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. Rev 6:12-13

From Matthew:

Immediately 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:

But this isn't all! Remember that these signs were to signify that the DAY OF THE LORD was about to begin. Can anyone guess what is announced AFTER the sixth seal is opened; after the signs in the sun, moon and stars? Can any honest lover of truth continue to ignore the similarities?

From Matthew:

and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn

From Revelation:

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev 6:15-17

Let's look again at this amazing parallel:

	Seals	Revelation	Matthew
B E G I N N I N G O F S O R R O W S	1 False Christianity	And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.	For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
	2 War	And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.	And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
	3 Famine	And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.	Famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
	4 Death	And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.	Death in the wake of the above.. war, pestilence, and famine
GREAT TRIBULATION	5 Martyrdom	And 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: And 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? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.	Then 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. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
S I G N S	6 Astronomical Signs	And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.	Immediately 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:

We have only one seal remaining; the seventh. This seal then IS THE DAY OF THE LORD. Out of the entire book of Revelation, only one chapter (chapter 6) is devoted to opening six of these seven seals. The remaining chapters all belong to the seventh seal, which as we learned earlier also contains the seven trumpets, and the seven last bowl judgments of God's wrath. The first six seals bring us up to the Day of the Lord, and the rest of the book is devoted to describing the events which are to take place in that day. As we learned earlier these are:

The resurrection of those dead in Christ
The gathering and glorification of living saints
The sudden judgment and wrath poured out on the wicked
The second coming of Jesus

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH

According to our Lord, these events, ending with the second coming, mark the end of the age.

And 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 age? Matt 24:3

The day of the Lord marks the time when the just are delivered, but the wicked are met with swift destruction in the form of plagues and other judgments to occur on the earth. It is very important to realize that ultimately, these words can only apply to those living on the earth at the time these events begin to transpire. In the same way, anyone in Noah's day who died even one day before the flood came avoided that particular judgment. A person who died in Sodom even one day before it rained fire and brimstone avoided it. Surely these people will not ultimately escape judgement, which we will consider in the next chapter, but they did miss the specific prophesied events. Prophecy concerning events in the future can only apply to the people alive during the age in which the events are prophesied for. Paul himself recognized that he may not be alive to see the Day of the Lord:

Let 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; 2 Thes 2:3

It seems like a simple principle that the prophecies concerning the end of the age will ultimately only apply to those living in the end of the age, but many fail to rightly divide the word on this point.

The second coming of Christ takes place in chapter 19 of the Book of Revelation. Therefore, because the second coming closes this age, the events to follow which take place in chapters 20,21 and 22, describe ages which follow this age. Simple enough right? As we will see, is is failure to discern this simple truth which causes so much error.

After the second coming of Christ described in Revelation 19 we have:

The 1000-year reign of Christ (Chapter 20)
The Judgment and final destiny of the wicked (Chapter 20)
The New Heaven and New Earth (Chapter 21)
Closing Comments (Chapter 22)

Please notice that the final destruction of the wicked (the Lake of Fire) does not occur at the end of this age. It follows the age to come: the 1000-year reign of Christ. We will consider this reign in detail in the next chapter, but for now it is important to realize that there is a 1000-year gap between the close of THIS age, and the close of the age following it. The "lake of fire", the final destiny of the wicked marks the end of the age to come, not the age in which we currently live.

The Day of the Lord closes this current age. Please study carefully the following passage from Revelation 19:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.Rev 19:11-22

Remember first of all that the verses can only apply to those alive on the earth during the time these events occur.
At the second coming of Christ the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, but NO ONE ELSE. The rest are KILLED, but not thrown into the lake of fire. So, we have three important facts for the reader to keep in mind:

The second coming of Christ closes the current age.
No one except "the beast" and "the false prophet" are thrown into the lake of fire at the close of this current age. The rest are simply killed.
The final destination of the wicked (their being thrown into the lake of fire) occurs at the end of the coming age; the 1000-year reign of Christ

Now, keeping these facts in mind, let's return to our prophecies concerning the coming Day of the Lord.

The important thing is for a Christian to be continually watchingfor this day even up to the very day he or she dies. The most dangerous thing any Christian can do is to ignore the continues warnings to be on the watch for the Day of the Lord. Even if we don't believe we are going to be alive to see it, we are still to continually watch for it. Please notice carefully ours Lord's words from Luke:

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And 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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch 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 21:29-36

After giving a prophecy similar to that in Matthew 24, Jesus addresses his disciples with the above.

What will we do with our Lord's words? Will we heed his warning, or once again explain away these words thinking that they do not apply to us? I am not here to debate the merits of the eternal security of the believer, but clearly this verse teaches us that it is possible for some to not be "accounted worthy" and have this day overtake them as it does the rest of the world. Those who are WATCHING are promised God's protection, those who aren't will not be "accounted worthy" to escape these things which are foretold to come upon the rest of the world. This is a warning, and a very sober one, it's clearly time for the church to WAKE UP.

If we will turn back to Matthew and examine the parallel passage there, we will stumble upon one of the greatest truths contained in the entire Bible; one which most will never accept, or understand, but one which has important bearing on the traditional doctrine of hell, and its erroneous teachings:

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites:there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt 24:42-51

Now, we must proceed very carefully, believing God will TEACH US the truth.

What is the "portion with the hypocrites" that brings about the "weeping and gnashing of teeth"?

We have been taught for so long to say "HELL, but my friend that simply is not true. The lake of fire does not close this age in which these prophecies are concerned. Furthermore, they apply to the LIVING who aren't watching when the Lord comes back.

The words "cut asunder" mean literally "to scourge severely". The word was used to denote the most severe form of punishment which the Romans could inflict.

The teaching is plain and clear once we rightly divide the word.

Those who aren't watching... those who ignored our Lord's words to WATCH for the approaching Day of the Lord, will be overtaken by it with the rest of the world, and will undergo its plagues and judgments which are described in Revelation's seven trumpets and seven bowls. The verse isn't in reference to hell at all, but a very real danger that any Christian might find himself in.

My friends, this is serious business. God is not mocked. He tells us time and again that a man will reap what he sows. We have been taught to believe that the rapture will rescue all Christians prior to the tribulation period regardless of how they have lived. This is not only untrue and deceptive; it is extremely dangerous. Those who are not found faithful and watching will find themselves in the same position as the rest of the world; under severe judgement. Is the person ultimately lost? Are they damned? No, and that we will consider in the next chapter, but they are severely punished for their lack of faith, and utter failure to heed the warnings of Jesus. These verse simply do not refer to hell at all, but a position ANY CHRISTIAN is in danger of finding themselves in if they fail to keep the faith and watch.

What will happen to those who find themselves in such a position? What about the Christian who has been told he's "saved" and that the rapture will save him?

there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth

And indeed, there shall be for all those who refuse to WAKE UP and see how sadly we have ignored our Lord's warnings.
Once we discern the truth, other passages become equally clear:

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matt 13:24-30

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age. The 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; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matt 13:36-42

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the age: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matt 13:47

Again, what is the "furnace of fire" Jesus is referring to? We have been conditioned to answer "Hell", but this simply will not do at all. How long will we simply refuse to rightly divide the word. How carelessly we skip over Jesus' words assuming that they don't apply to us.

Please notice carefully in verses 39 and 49: the "HARVEST ISTHE END OF THE AGE" and "SO SHALL IT BE AT THE END OF THE AGE"!

Did you get that? And in verse 40, "as the tares are burned in the fire, so it shall be in the end of THIS AGE".
THIS AGE friends, NOT the age to come. If you think the "furnace of fire" is the lake of fire from Revelation 20 you're 1000 years too early. The Lake of Fire closes the AGE TO COME, not THIS AGE.

We simply must rightly divide the word!

We have a harvest, followed by a burning at the close of THIS AGE. Can we locate such an event in the Book of Revelation? We certainly can. The truth is always plain and clear for those who are really seeking it, rather than looking for simple proof-texts to prop up their pagan theories of hell.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Rev 14:9-11

Let us firmly establish the timing of this announcement.

We learned earlier that the day of the Lord begins with the seventh seal. The seventh seal includes seven trumpets. This announcement above goes forth AFTER the seventh trumpet is blown, but BEFORE the last seven bowls of God's wrath are poured out upon the earth.

This verse is one of the greatest proof-texts for the tradition al doctrine of hell, but any careful reader will see that this verse simply cannot apply to hell at all.

First of all, once again the announcement is made to those living on the earth at the time this prophecy is fulfilled. The warning is to those who are worshiping the beast or have taken his mark. It is those who are in danger of the wrath of God. We are also told that verse 11 means eternal conscious torment of souls in hell, but the verse says no such thing. The smoke of their torment rises up forever... nothing is said about them being tormented forever. In the same way we learn that when God destroys the symbolic Babylon, its smoke also rises up forever. Does Babylon burn in hell too?

No, the smoke which rises forever represents the significance of the event which will never be forgotten. The effects of sin, and God's judgement against it will forever remain in the minds of those who witnessed the event. In the same way, God's judgment on false religion (Babylon the Great) will also be remembered to the ages of the ages. These verses have absolutely nothing to do with the traditional doctrine of hell.

Someone will ask "But why does it say they have no rest day or night?".

It is amazing to me that when so many use this verse in an attempt to "prove" eternal conscious torment they quote only the first part of the verse:

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night

It is simply dishonest to say that a group of people have no rest day or night, and not say WHO the passage was referring to:

who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

The verse is clearly in reference to those LIVING who have taken the mark of the beast or worship him or his image. The wrath which is announced is to be poured out on the LIVING. NOT IMMORTAL SOULS! Can't we see how these doctrines have blinded us to truths which are written in plain English?

These have no rest day or night UNTIL God finishes pouring out the last seven bowls of his wrath. Then what happens to them? They are killed! Don't take my word for it, READ IT. Hasn't it seemed just a bit odd to people that if this verse meant "hell", that when we come to where the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, these are not?

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh

These are said to have to suffer the wrath of God. Jesus calls this a "furnace of fire". In neither case does it refer to hell, but to the last seven plagues of God's wrath.

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. Rev 16:2

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. Rev 16:3

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. Rev 16:4

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. Rev 16:8-9

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, Rev 16:10

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Rev 16:12

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Rev 16:17

The "furnace of fire", and the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" take place ON THIS EARTH as a result of the day of the Lord and his judgments against the wicked. These will suffer horribly during this time, but ultimately at the second coming, they are killed. God is just, but God is not sadistic.

So, we see a reference to the burning of the wicked associated with the close of this age, but can we also locate the harvest which Jesus referred to in Matthew 13:39? We most certainly can! Almost immediately after the announcement of 14:9-11, what do you think we find in verses 14? Again, we can't help but be awe struck but the amazing harmony of God's Word:

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And 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. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And 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. And 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. And 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. Rev 14:14-20

Once again, a side by side comparison shows this amazing parallel:

Matthew	Revelation
The harvest is the end of the age So shall it be at the end of the age	Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
The reapers are the angels the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just	And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; And 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.
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.	and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory and they gnawed their tongues for pain

We have seen that there is a possibility for a professing Christian to be overtaken by the Day of the Lord and find themselves in the same "furnace of fire" with the wicked.

A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HARVEST

We can see clearly the amazing parallel between the harvest Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13 and the events described in Revelation 14. There are a couple questions regarding these passages which have been posed to me. Because the answers once again are perfect examples of the remarkable harmony of the scriptures, I include them here for anyone interested.

Question 1: Regarding the harvest in Matthew 13:41, it says that the angels "shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend". Doesn't "the kingdom" refer to the 1000-year reign of Christ, and if so, how could these events be said to close this current age?

At first this seems to be a bit confusing, but if we study the timing of the harvest within the sequence of events given in Revelation, we see that there is no contradiction, confusion, or difficulty.

We learned earlier that the harvest takes place after the sounding of the seventh trumpet. If we look at the events associated with the is trumpet, the answer becomes quite clear:

And 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. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Rev 11:15-18

When the seventh trumpet sounds, Christ TAKES THE KINGDOM. The kingdoms of this world BECOME HIS. The first task is to "gather out of his kingdom all things that offend". The wrath of the nations against Christ and the harvest is what follows as a result. Notice also from psalm 110:

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Ps 110:2

So, we see that Christ takes his kingdom before the close of this age, which doesn't occur until the second coming. The time in between the taking of the Kingdom, and the second coming is the period of the harvest, which corresponds to the last seven bowl judgments. As Jesus so aptly said, "the harvest IS the end of the AGE". This brief overlapping of the ages can be illustrated in the following chart:

DAY OF THE LORD
Seven Trumpets Closing This Current Age						Jesus Takes The Kingdom Ages Overlap HARVEST							Age To Come 1000 Year Reign of Christ
1	2	3	4	5	6	7th Trumpet Seven Bowl Judgments Angels Sent To Gather The Wicked Out Of The Kingdom
						1	2	3	4	5	6	7th Bowl 2nd Coming Closes This Age

Question 2: What does Revelation 14:10 mean when it says that the wicked shall be tormented "in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb"?

The standard answer to this question is that we have before us one of the clearest texts for the case of eternal conscious torment for the wicked, but is this what this passage really teaches?

We saw earlier that this verse clearly cannot refer to the lake of fire, but instead refers to the seven last bowl judgments of God's wrath which the living who are on the earth at that time will undergo. After the bowls are poured out, these are killed.

A simple comparison of scripture with scripture will help us appreciate that our conclusions are valid:

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thes 1:8-9

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall betormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Rev 14:10-11

Most believers have been told over and over that both of these passages refer to "hell". However, what most do not realize is that IF both really do refer to hell, then clearly, they CONTRADICT EACH OTHER. How carelessly we read over words and phrases and throw out verses to prove a point. Look carefully at the two passages above. Is "hell" IN Christ's presence, or AWAY FROM his presence? I would challenge the reader to get out your favorite study Bible or commentary and look up both passages. Most authors will apply both passages to the doctrine of "hell", but almost none attempt to explain why one passage says that the punishment is IN Christ's presence, and the other that it is AWAY FROM his presence.

The fact is, there is no contradiction once we realize that neither of these verses refer to "hell" at all. After the seventh trumpet sounds the Lord takes the kingdom. We are told that he "descends" and calls the elect out to meet him "in the air".

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thes 4:16-17

It is immediately following this that the bowl judgments are poured out upon the wicked. Christ comes, "and all his holy angels with him", and these are literally tormented in His presence and in the presence of the angles. How harmonious the Bible becomes when we simply read what it says without inserting our pre-conceived ideas.

In contrast, the passage from 2 Thessalonians refers to the eternal destruction (the second death) with is forever away from the presence of Christ and his saints.

FOR THAT DAY SHALL NOT
COME UNLESS...

The Apostle Paul spoke of two events which must take place before the Day of the Lord can come:

for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who 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, shewing himself that he is God.

Obviously, these events had not come in Paul's day...

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The harvest herald

CHAPTER EIGHT