Post-trib Moments 21-30

By Pastor Steven L Anderson

Watch Videos

November 10, 2012

Post-trib Moment #21 - The Rapture in Revelation 14

Let me read for you the rapture in Revelation 14, verse 14. "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." Now, this is obviously the rapture. Why? Because we have Jesus coming in a cloud, it says the Son of Man came with a cloud. And then we have him reaping the earth. Now the Bible says in Mathew chapter 13 that the reapers are the angels, the harvest is the end of the world... And he talks about how the good seed the children of the kingdom, God's people, the saved, born again Christians, they are the wheat. And the children of the devil are the tares or the weeds. And the Bible talks about how the wheat is going to be gathered into God's barn. God is going to harvest the wheat into his barn. Now in Revelation 14 that's exactly what we see, we see Jesus Christ come in the clouds and he REAPS the harvest of this earth. That is a reference to the rapture, it's in Revelation 14, verses 14 through 16. And it fits perfectly in the timeline of the book of Revelation where it goes tribulation, THEN the rapture, THEN God's wrath is poured out.



Post-Tribulation Moment #22 Church not mentioned after Revelation 3

Now an argument that I've often heard by those who believe in a pre-trib rapture is that "well, you know the church is never mentioned after Revelation chapter 4 verse 1, so that proves a pre-tribulation rapture, because the church isn't mentioned." Well, first of all, I like to base my belief on what the Bible DOES say, not on what the Bible DOES NOT say, okay? But secondly, they say that the church is not mentioned, but you know what is mentioned? The saints. Because in Revelation 13, when the Bible is referring to the fact that the antichrist will make war against God's people, it says in Revelation 13:7 "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations." So I've often heard them say "well the church is never mentioned after Revelation chapter 3. But it's mentioned again in Revelation 19", they'll say. "So you don't see the church from chapters 4 all the way to chapter 19". But here is what's funny, you know who is mentioned in chapter 19, THE SAINTS. Jesus Christ comes back with all HIS SAINTS. So obviously the saints in chapter 19 are the same type of people as the saints in chapter 13. So just because the word "church" isn't used, believers are still mentioned! Because the saints are mentioned as being the ones who the antichrist is targeting and making war with. Saints are believers! Those who are sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who are saved, are saints. We're not Catholics, that believe that only certain people have achieved sainthood. No, the Bible is clear, all believers are saints, and therefore, just because the church isn't mentioned, the believers are mentioned. The saints are mentioned.



Post-Tribulation Moment #23 Symbolism of Revelation 4:1

I want to say one more thing about those who say that Revelation 4:1 is referring to the rapture. Obviously it's not literal, because in Revelation 4:1, it's only one person, John, being caught up to heaven. Not all believers. There's no trumpet, there's only a voice like a trumpet. And in verse 2 it says he is only caught up in the spirit. But yet, pre-trib believers will say "well it's not literal, it's symbolic, but it does represent the rapture. John being caught up in chapter 4 verse 1 represents the rapture." Well here is what's funny. If you go back to chapter 1, using their logic, saying "Well, John represents all believers being caught up into heaven." Well if you use their logic, go back to Revelation chapter 1, the Bible says in verse 9, "I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."

Now, I interpret the Bible literally. I don't base what I believe on someones symbolic interpretation. But if they want to get all symbolic and start saying that Revelation 4:1 is symbolic of the rapture, because one guy John is being caught up, well how does that square with chapter 1 saying that John is in Tribulation? If you want to get all symbolic, wouldn't that be John going through tribulation and then being caught up to heaven, because that's the order that we're reading. In chapter 1, he's IN TRIBULATION, in chapter 4, he's caught up in the spirit to heaven. Again, I don't base what I believe on symbolism. But John, being caught up to heaven in verse 4:1 is used by those who believe in a pre-trib rapture as "symbolic of the rapture". Well, it's a little bit hypocritical that they want to ignore the symbolism of chapter one, when it says "I'm in tribulation". So, if John is in tribulation in chapter 1, and is going up to heaven in chapter 4, looks like the symbolism there is not on their side. END TRANSCRIPT



Post-Tribulation Moment #24 the Time of Jacob's Trouble Jeremiah 30:7

Now those who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture will often bring up this term "the time of Jacob's trouble", and they'll say "well isn't the tribulation, isn't the seven year tribulation the time of Jacob's trouble, that has nothing to do with believers, that has nothing to do with the church. That is the time of JACOB'S trouble, that has everything to do with Israel." What's funny is that most of them say that, and they've never even read the passage that talks about the time of Jacob's trouble, they just repeat that. Because if you look at the passage, it mentions NOTHING about the tribulation, it mentions nothing about seven years, it mentions NOTHING about the events of end times prophecy. Let me just read it for you. I mean, read the whole chapter, and that would be good. But let me just for sake of time read you one part.

The Bible says "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." So this is again Jeremiah chapter 30, I just read for you verses 6 through 9, but let me just read for you the key verse again in verse 7. "Alas for THAT DAY is great, so that NONE IS LIKE IT. IT, is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. So according to that verse, what is the time of Jacob's trouble? The Bible says it is A DAY. The Bible says "for THAT DAY is great, so that none is like it. IT"- referring to that day- "IT is even the time of Jacob's trouble. So the "IT", when it says "IT is even the time of Jacob's trouble", is referring to THAT DAY. So how can they teach that "the time of Jacob's trouble is a tribulation period that lasts for seven years!" Because that's what pre-tribulation rapture teachers will tell you.

They'll tell you that "the seven year tribulation is known as the time of Jacob's trouble". Is that what the Bible says? No, the Bible says that the time of Jacob's trouble is A DAY. very clearly in Jeremiah chapter 30 verse 7. But these are the type of arguments that those who believe in a pre-trib rapture use, because they don't have any scripture on their side, so they have to just take stuff out of context and just change the definition and say "well, WE SAY the time of Jacob's trouble is the seven year tribulation". Even though the Bible says it's A DAY, not a seven year period. But not only that, their logic doesn't even make any sense, because, just because a certain time is the time of "Jacob's trouble", that doesn't mean that he's the only one who is going through trouble. That's not logical. Just because Jacob is trouble, doesn't mean that someone else is not in trouble. It could still be a whole lot of people are in trouble, including Jacob. So the logic falls apart, and they're basically just taking a verse, and ripping it completely out of context, and applying all kinds of definitions to it that just frankly are not there.



Post-Tribulation Moment #25 Acts 1 Shall So Come In Like Manner

Today I want to talk about Acts chapter 1, the Bible reads in verse 8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." So, I want to point out something that is emphasised in this passage.

Three times the Bible makes it very clear that they are WATCHING him as he goes up into heaven. It says "when he had spoken these things, WHILE THEY BEHELD"- "beheld" means "looked on"- "he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their SIGHT", that's the second mention, "and while they LOOKED steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, ye men of Galilee"- and then again it's brought up- "why stand ye GAZING UP INTO HEAVEN?". So, really four times, it's saying they are watching him go up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And they are told by these two angels that Jesus Christ will so come in like manner as they've seen him go into heaven. So, what's the like manner? Well, first of all, he went up in a cloud, the Bible says he's coming back in a cloud. He went up with them watching, people will be watching when he returns. Let me read for you Revelation chapter number 1. Which is where we will see the same thing. It says in Revelation chapter 1, in verse 7, "Behold, he cometh WITH CLOUDS", consistent with Acts 1... "and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM", does that sound like Acts 1? "And they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him, even so, amen." Now many people will say "well Pastor Anderson, Revelation 1:7 does not have anything to do with the rapture. That's talking about when Jesus comes again AFTER the seven years are over, when he comes in great power and glory, after the seven years, that's what that's referring to."

Well here's the problem with that. The Bible says in Revelation 1:7, "Behold, he COMETH with clouds". Now "cometh" is present tense. In our modern vernacular, we would say "he is coming with clouds", okay? Denoting the present tense, meaning that the next time he comes, it's going to be with clouds. Not "he's going to come with clouds in the future", he IS coming with clouds. When he shows up, it will be with clouds. I mean if you read that verse, that's the way it reads in Revelation 1:7. So this isn't talking about the third coming of Christ. It's talking about the second coming of Christ, and the Bible says in 1st Thessalonians 4, that we which are alive and remain unto THE COMING of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep", and then he goes on to talk about the rapture. So in 1st Thessalonians 4, he calls the rapture "the coming of the Lord", and in Revelation 1:7, it says "he cometh with clouds". Revelation 1 matches up perfectly with 1st Thessalonians 4, which has Jesus coming in the clouds, Mathew 24 has him coming in the clouds, and so very clearly, from Acts 1, Revelation 1, Mathew 24, it's all so consistent with 1st Thessalonians 4 that when Jesus Christ returns, the trumpet will sound, he will come in the clouds, and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM. And the unsaved will be wailing because of him. But we will be rejoicing, we will look up and know that our redemption draweth nigh, according to Luke 21.



Post-Tribulation Moment #26 John 16:33 In the World Ye Shall Have Tribulation

I want to read for you one of my favourite verses from the Bible, and that is John 16:33. This is a powerful verse. The Bible reads, "These things have I 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." That's a powerful verse. Now, chapter 16 is a great chapter, and that's the last verse of chapter 16. Let me read for you the first verse of chapter 16. "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you."

And so he's explaining in John 16, that he's warning them about things that they're going to go through; persecutions, trials, tribulations, people are going to be martyred, people are going to be imprisoned. And he says "I'm telling you these things so that you'll not be offended". You see the first time the word "tribulation" is ever used in the New Testament is in Mathew 13, when he says that when someone is OFFENDED, because of trials and persecutions and tribulations, he says that they're "offended". He said when persecution or tribulation arises because of the Word, by and by they're offended. So Jesus is saying "I want to warn you about coming trials and tribulations, so that when they come, you won't be offended. He is saying "I am warning you, so that you will know what to expect, and you'll remember that I told you about this." He said, "these things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world YE SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Well, how does that tie in with end-times prophecy? Well, the Bible warns us about the tribulation for the exact same reason. The great tribulation is described in so many places in the Bible, Mathew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, Revelation 6, Revelation 13... He shows us over and over again, because He doesn't want us to be offended. He wants us to be prepared for it. And the problem is that the vast majority of Christians today are not prepared for it at all, and therefore they will be offended, because of the fact that pre-trib teachers have been lying to them, and telling them that they're not going to be here for the tribulation- now they're not going to be prepared. And they're going to be offended! Because they're not ready for it, spiritually, mentally. Jesus warned us so that we'd be ready, and then you've got a bunch of preachers running around telling people "don't worry about it, you'll be gone." It's a deception my friend.



Post-Tribulation Moment #27 Daniel 9:27 Confirm the Covenant with MANY

Today I want to talk about Daniel chapter 9, verse 27. The Bible reads "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Now this is a verse that deals with the abomination of desolation, it's a very famous verse, and I've heard this verse preached my whole life. But one thing I've noticed is that whenever you listen to preachers who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture talk about Daniel 9:27, they always completely change what it says.

And I've heard this my whole life growing up in pre-trib churches, and in recent years, whenever I talked to anybody who is pre-trib, or hear people talk about the pre-trib rapture, you'll always hear them say this that "the seven year tribulation"- of course I don't believe that the tribulation lasts 7 years, but that's what they believe, so I'm saying what they believe, they say "the seven year tribulation will start out with the antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel." And they say "the antichrist is going to sign that peace treaty with Israel, and then he's going to break that treay half way through." Well, I always ask them, "well where does it say that in the Bible?" And they'll point to Daniel 9:27. But listen again to what Daniel 9:27 says. "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week". Now, they're looking at that and saying "that's a 7 year peace treaty with Israel." Well, here's the problem... there's no mention of Israel! Where does that say a peace treaty is being signed with Israel? The Bible says "he shall confirm the covenant with MANY for one week." "Many" is not Israel. The word "many", means 4 or more.

And so that's not a covenant with Israel, that's a covenant with MANY. So again, that's just a fabrication there. Now this "confirming of the covenant with many for one week", that might not even be something that we see, that's probably going on behind closed doors some way, where the antichrist is making some kind of an agreement with many people perhaps Rockefeller and Rothschild in a smoke filled room. Whatever that is, it's dead sure not a peace treaty with Israel. It's some kind of a covenant that's being confirmed with MANY, that's what the Bible actually says. Now, the other thing about this is pre-trib believers will often say that "the first half of the 7 years is a time of peace, because there's this peace treaty with Israel, it's going to be broken half way through, the first half is a time of peace..." Well, that's not consistent with what the BIble teaches because when the second seal is opened in the book of Revelation, you know the first thing that happens, as far as the endtimes is the first seal, second seal, third seal, begin to be opened... Well when the second seal is opened, the Bible says that there went out another horse that was red, and power was given unto him that sat thereon to TAKE PEACE FROM THE EARTH, and that they should KILL one another.

So according to the Bible, one of the earliest events of the tribulation is warfare all over the world. Mathew 24 talks about it, Mark 13 talks about it... And in Revelation 6 it talks about it with the opening of the second seal that WORLD WAR, is one of the EARLY events of the tribulation, the second seal in fact. So this doctrine that says "well, the antichrist is going to make a peace treaty with Israel for 7 years" that's not found in the Bible. And secondly, this doctrine that the first half of the tribulation is going to be a time of peace, that is not Biblical, because the Bible is very clear that the tribulation will be a time of warfare, all the way back to the second seal.



Post-Tribulation Moment #28 The First Resurrection

Today I want to talk about the first resurrection, and there are going to be two key passages that we are going to look at, 1st Corinthians 15, and Revelation 20. 1st Corinthians 15:22 reads "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." So right there you have the order of the resurrection. You have Jesus Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming, and then cometh the end.

So really you could put it this way, you have "the firstfruits", which is Jesus, just one person, rising from the dead, Jesus Christ, he was the firstfruits. Then you have what the Bible calls the "first resurrection", that is what takes place at Christ's coming. And then you are going to have a second resurrection that takes place AFTER the millenium, that's what the passage said. It says "Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming, then cometh the end", and it says it's after he has already reigned. Now, let's go to Revelation chapter 20, and begin reading in verse number 4. The bible reads "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." And what I want to point out there is that when the Bible says "this is the first resurrection", that group includes people who were beheaded for not receiving the mark of the beast.

So my question is this. If there is a pre-trib rapture, if the first resurrection is pre-tribulational, then why does it include people who have not received the mark of the Beast, and people who refused to worship his image? Now, those who believe in a pre-trib rapture will say "well, you know when the Bible says the first resurrection, it doesn't really mean the first resurrection, it just means the first "kind" of resurrection." And they say it happens in "stages", and so it's just a different "stage". But here is the problem with that. In first Corinthians 15, the Bible very clearly laid out the timeline of the resurrection. "Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming, then cometh the end", and keep reading and it's obviously clearly talking about the millennium. So there's no room for all these multi-stages of the "three raptures", or five raptures, or seven raptures that the pre-tribulation crowd will often teach. No, there's no room for that. The Bible is real clear. It's just Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming, then cometh the end. That's the first resurrection. The Bible says "we which are alive and remain unto THE COMING OF THE LORD, shall not prevent them which are asleep. And so that is talking about the dead in Christ rising first AT HIS COMING, THAT is the first resurrection, and it includes people who refuse to take the mark of the beast, because it happens AFTER THE TRIBULATION.



Post-Tribulation Moment #29 The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Today I want to talk about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now, I'm going to turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 here and begin reading in verse number 13, "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain" -watch this- "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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

So right there in the famous rapture passage in 1st Thessalonians 4, the Bible says that it is the COMING OF THE LORD, "we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord". And yet how many times have we heard those who teach a pre-trib rapture say "well, don't CONFUSE the rapture with the second coming." And they say "that's not talking about the rapture, that's talking about the second coming, or that's not talking about the second coming, that's talking about the rapture." And they say "you CANNOT confuse the two." Well, here's the problem with that. The Bible calls the rapture "the coming of the Lord." So unless this is "coming 1.5", this would have to be the second coming! Now, when you try to tell people that, and explain that to people, then they will accuse you of trying to say that the rapture takes place in Revelation 19, when Jesus comes on a white horse, because "that's the second coming, because we ALL KNOW, that in Revelation 19, THAT'S the second coming, so if you say the rapture if the second coming, you're saying that the rapture happens in Revelation 19." But you see, that's just what they're calling Revelation 19.

That's not what the Bible calls Revelation 19. The Bible calls the RAPTURE, the second coming of the Lord, which happens over 3 years before the events in Revelation 19. And at the rapture, the Bible calls that the "coming of the Lord". This is not "coming 1.5", this is the second coming of Jesus Christ. So, I just want to get the terms right. You say "oh, this is semantics". Yeah, but words matter, words are important. And what the Devil does, is he gets people to change the meanings of words, and that confuses them. We need to get our definitions right. The second coming of Christ... we know the first coming was when he came to this earth in Bethlehem's manger... The second coming of Christ, according to the BIBLE, not according to what man calls it, is 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, the rapture. That is known as the coming of the Lord. What happens in Revelation 19 takes place AFTER. IF anything, that's a third coming, if you want to look at it that way, but it's definitely not the second coming. The second coming occurs in 1st Thessalonians 4.



Post-Tribulation Moment #30 1 Thessalonians 3

Today I want to talk about 1st Thessalonians chapter 3. Now when it comes to Bible prophecy, 1st Thessalonians 4 and 5 are pretty famous. But most people don't know much about chapter 3. If you just back up one chapter from the famous rapture passage, the Bible reads in 1st Thessalonians 3, beginning in verse 2. "And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 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." Now what's interesting about this is that there is a verse in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 that's often quoted by those who believe in the pre-trib rapture, where the Bible says "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." And people will point to that and say "see right there, we're not going to go through the tribulation, because we are not appointed to wrath."

Now in previous videos, I've already demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that the tribulation and God's wrath are two separate things that have nothing to do with one another. But it's interesting that he uses the exact same wording in 1st Thessalonians 3, when he says "for yourselves know that we are APPOINTED thereunto, for verily when we were with you, we told you before that we SHOULD SUFFER TRIBULATION, and ye know. So in 1st Thessalonians 3, the Bible very clearly says "WE ARE APPOINTED TO TRIBULATION, WE ARE APPOINTED TO AFFLICTION, WE ARE APPOINTED TO SUFFERING", but then in chapter 5 he says we are not appointed to WRATH. You see, we ARE appointed to affliction, we ARE appointed to tribulation, we are appointed to suffering...The Bible says "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake". And so we've been appointed to affliction, and we've been appointed to tribulation, but we've NOT been appointed to God's wrath. It's very simple to understand once you realise that the tribulation is NOT God's wrath, the tribulation is called God's wrath, God's wrath comes after the sun and moon have been darkened, the tribulation comes BEFORE the sun and moon have been darkened, read Mathew 24. So they can't be the same thing. We are not appointed to wrath, but we are appointed to tribulation, according to 1st Thessalonians 3, verses 3 and 4.