Post Trib Moments 41-50 The Antichrist Comes Before Jesus Christ

Post-trib Moments 41-50

By Pastor Steven L Anderson

November 30, 2012

Post-Tribulation Moment #41 The Antichrist Comes BEFORE Jesus Christ

Now those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture are expecting Jesus Christ to show up at any moment, and that's the popular teaching that's out there, if you go to the Christian bookstore, if you look at mainstream evangelical Christianity, that's the teaching that's out there. "Jesus Christ can come back at any moment." Well, if you read the Bible though, it's very clear that there's an impostor who's coming first, known as the antichrist, he's going to claim to be Jesus Christ. And so if you stop and think about it, those who believe in a post-trib rapture, those who believe in a post-trib rapture are expecting the antichrist to come, claiming to be Jesus, and then Jesus shows up afterward- he comes in the clouds-, the real Jesus comes afterward in the clouds, the trumpet sounds, we're caught up to be with him in the rapture.

Those who believe in a PRE-TRIB rapture are expecting Jesus to come at any moment. But who's really coming at any moment, according to the Bible? The ANTICHRIST. And who's he going to be claiming to be?Jesus. And who has mainstream Christianity been taught to expect to come at any moment? Jesus. Who's really coming at any moment? THE ANTICHRIST. Who is the antichrist claiming to be? Jesus. Now if you can't see the deception there, if you can't see that obviously this is the devil's plan to get people to think that the antichrist is Jesus, I don't know what to tell you, it's pretty obvious. The devil wants us to believe that Jesus is coming at any moment, because when the antichrist shows up, people will believe that he's Jesus, that's who he is claiming to be. Now I will say this, I do not believe that any saved person will fall for the antichrist, and I realise there are many people who have been saved, who have been lied to and taught this pre-trib rapture doctrine. And so I'm not saying that people who are pre-trib, who are actually saved, are going to fall for the antichrist and think he is the second coming of Christ. But I am saying that mainstream evangelical Christianity, most of which are NOT saved, will fall for it. And that's the deception that's being used.

I believe that those who are truly saved, who believe in a pre-trib rapture, when these things start happening, they'll obviously figure it out, they'll obviously wise up, they're not going to bow down and worship the antichrist. But, those who are not saved, who have all their "Left Behind" series, and movies, and the book and the video game, and the board game, they're going to fall for this hook, line and sinker, when this doesn't play out the way it's taught in their little story. And when the antichrist comes, they're going to say "well I guess this is the second coming of Jesus, because they've been so confused and lied to by this false doctrine of the pre-trib rapture.

Post-Tribulation Moment #42 2 Corinthians 1:4

Today I want to talk about 2nd Corinthians chapter 1, the Bible reads in verse 3, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." So here, the Bible is using the word "tribulation", and it's interchanging it with the words "affliction", or "afflicted", and with "suffering", and with "trouble". And all throughout the New Testament, you'll see the word tribulation often coupled with the word "persecution", and you'll often see it coupled with the word "trouble", or "affliction", or "suffering", that's what tribulation is.

Now, I think the biggest reason why people believe in the pre-trib rapture is because they don't know what the word "tribulation" means. And so therefore, they think it's the "wrath of God" being poured out on this earth. I STRONGLY recommend anyone who believes in the pre-trib rapture to just look up all 22 times that the word tribulation is used in the New Testament. It's so obvious once you do that, that the pre-trib rapture is a false doctrine. But, in this passage, he says that the purpose of us going through tribulations, or trials, or afflictions, or sufferings... Part of that purpose is that we will be able to comfort others who are going through trials and tribulations and struggles and sufferings. And God is explaining that when we go through hard things, then we're able to comfort those, and help those who are also going through hard things. Now, is this passage talking about the great tribulation at the end of the world? No it's not. But it still helps to demonstrate what the word tribulation means. And it still shows believers GOING THROUGH tribulation. People will say "God would NEVER let believers go through tribulation." Well, we've been going through tribulations all throughout history. In 2nd Corinthians, they were going through tribulations, we've ALL had trials and tribulations throughout our lives. We just need to learn what the tribulation means, and stop equating it with God's wrath, because it has nothing to do with God's wrath.

Post-Tribulation Moment #43 Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Today I want to talk about the marriage supper of the lamb. Now, we find the timing of the marriage supper of the lamb in Revelation 19. The Bible reads in verse number 6, "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." So right there we see that the timing of the marriage supper of the lamb is in Revelation 19, when Jesus Christ comes on the white horse- of course a few verses later that's going to be described- he comes on the white horse to set up his millennial kingdom. And the Bible says that THAT is the time when the marriage of the lamb is come.

Now those who believe in a pre-trib rapture, they teach that the rapture is going to happen BEFORE the tribulation, and we're going to be up in heaven for 7 years, eating the marriage supper of the lamb, or I've heard them say we're going to be "honeymooning" up there in heaven for seven years. Well the problem with that is, is that the Bible says that the "marriage of the lamb is come" in Revelation 19, which is AFTER the tribulation AND AFTER God has already poured out all His wrath! And the seven vials of His wrath have been poured out, he has already destroyed Babylon, and now here in chapter 19, he is saying "the marriage of the lamb is come". So how is that compatible with us eating the marriage supper of the lamb up in heaven for seven years. So some that believe in a pre-trib rapture will say "well, according to Jewish custom..."- and whenever I hear them start talking about Jewish custom, I pretty much know that false doctrine is coming. Because the Bible gives us everything we need to know about doctrine, we don't need to go to some Jewish Rabbi to get doctrine.

But, they'll say "well, the Jewish custom is that they would have a seven day feast BEFORE the wedding, so if the wedding is in chapter 19, they've already been having the seven day feast", so they're basically saying that the seven day feast is symbolic of the seven year feast. Well, here's the problem with that doctrine. Look up all the marriages in the Bible, look up all the weddings in the Bible, and you will not find this concept of a Jewish custom of a seven day wedding feast. The only place that you will find in the Bible something like that, is in the book of Judges, and it was a PHILISTINE wedding. Let me read it for you. It says in verse 12 of Judges 14, "And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments". So, when you look up all the weddings in the Bible, they're all taking place in the course of a day. All the other marriages and weddings don't give any indication of being a seven day thing. The only 7 day wedding that I could find in the Bible, was this Philistine wedding, where Samson goes down to the land of the Philistines, and has a wedding in THEIR country, amongst their friends and their family, it's THEIR customs.

And I do not believe for one second that Jesus Christ is patterning his second coming after a Philistine wedding ceremony. And so instead of telling us that Christ's coming is going to be based on a Jewish wedding tradition, maybe they should say it's a Philistine wedding tradition, because that's the only place that we see it in the Bible. And I'm not going to get my doctrine from an antichrist Rabbi who doesn't even believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You know the Bible is real clear that the rapture comes AFTER the tribulation, read Mathew 24, read Mark 13, read Luke 21, instead of going to Jewish customs and Jewish fables, and commandments of men that turn from the truth. This is a Philistine wedding practice of having a 7 day feast. That's the only place I see it. I don't see it in Leviticus, I don't see it in Numbers, I don't see it in Deuteronomy, I don't see God teaching this- I see the world doing this.

Post-Tribulation Moment #44 Revelation 3:10 Revisited

Today I want to talk a little bit more about Revelation 3:10. This is a verse that those who believe in a pre-trib rapture claim is "just a really clear scripture" proving their doctrine. And I've already covered this in a previous moment, but I'm going to cover a different aspect of it today. The Bible reads in Revelation 3:10, because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Well, there you go folks, right there he flat out said that the rapture comes before the tribulation. No he didn't, he said no such thing. First of all, he's speaking to a literal church that existed thousands of years ago. If you take this verse literally He's speaking to the church at Philadelphia, and He's telling them, "because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." So, if you were to take it literally, an hour is sixty minutes, but you say "well, no, we're not talking literally, we're talking figuratively.

And pretty much any verse that people show you to prove a pre-trib rapture, it's a lot of figuratism, it's a lot of symbolism, it never comes flat out and says it, because it isn't true, that's why. But they say "well, you know, the hour of temptation is SYMBOLIC of the seven years tribulation." Well, I can't see any other place in the Bible where an hour would represent seven years. I don't understand how they can derive seven years out of an hour. And I don't see how they can get tribulation out of temptation. But, let me give you a couple of verses from later on in the book of Revelation that actually DO talk about an hour. Like for example, in Revelation chapter 14, right before God pours out his wrath in chapters 15 and 16 with the seven vials. He says in Revelation 14:7, saying with a loud voice "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." So that right there talks about how "the hour of Judgement is come", and that's right about the time that He's about to pour out His wrath. So who's to say, if you want to just get all symbolic now, and start saying what represents what... Who's to say that God's not saying there, that they're delivered from His wrath, from the hour of His judgment, from the hour of His punishment, or wrath?

Again in Revelation 18, when he destroys Babylon, he says "in one hour so great riches is come to nought." So an "hour" in the Bible seems to be tied in with Him pouring out His wrath, or with judgement, IF ANYTHING. And I'm not saying that that's what I believe that it represents, but what I'm saying is, is that if you're going to get symbolic, and say that it represents the seven years tribulation, you have no evidence to back that up, there would be more evidence of saying "well, we're going to be delivered from wrath", because there are lots of verses that say we are going to be delivered from wrath. But there's NO VERSE that says that we will be delivered from tribulation. In fact, the Bible talks a lot about believers going through the tribulation, and so this revelation 3:10 is just really grasping at straws, you know, they have to make an hour become seven years, they have to make temptation become tribulation. And they're just reading things into the scripture that simply are not there.

Post-Tribulation Moment #45 Drunkenness in 1 Thessalonians 5

So today I want to read a little bit further in 1st Thessalonians 5, after Jesus just finished telling us that the day of the Lord is going to come as a thief in the night upon those that are NOT saved, but upon us that are saved, he said "ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." He says this, "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 drunk 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." Now, what's funny is that a lot of people will take this passage and say "well, that's talking about the day of the Lord, that's not the rapture, the day of the Lord comes later." But if the day of the Lord comes later, then why would God say that we are not in darkness, that THAT DAY should overtake us as a thief (We are going to be watching, we're going to be sober, we're the children of light) if we're not even going to be here for the day of the Lord anyway? It doesn't even make any sense.

Obviously He is referring to the same day throughout 1st Thessalonians 4 and 1st Thessalonians 5, it's the same thought, that's why chapter 5 starts with the word "But". But notice, He says, for they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night." So he refers to those that are unsaved, upon whom this day will come as a thief in the night, he refers to them as being drunken. Well, go to Mathew 24, and you'll see the exact same thing. So in 1st Thessalonians 4 you have the rapture, then He talks about the day of the Lord coming upon some people as a thief, but not upon the saved as a thief, because we are the children of light. Mathew 24, after he talks about the rapture, after he talks about Christ coming in the clouds, the trumpet sounding, the elect being gathered, after he says "2 in the field, one taken, the other left, 2 grinding at the mill, one taken, the other left..."

Listen to what he says next. "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." And we know that the weeping and gnashing of teeth is a reference to the furnace of fire, or hell. And so what the Bible is using is the exact same illustration in Mathew 24, as in 1st Thessalonians 4 and 5. Isn't it so consistent? He talks about the rapture, and then he refers to those who are not ready for the rapture, those who are NOT saved, those who are in darkness, they're not children of the light. He refers to them as being "drunken". And he says it will overtake them as a thief in the night.

He said the same illustration in Mathew 24, as in 1st Thessalonians 5, because he is talking about the same thing. And if you get the context and start reading in 1st Thessalonians 4:13, and read all the way to 1st Thessalonians 5:9 where he says that we are not appointed to wrath, it makes perfect sense, and it fits in perfectly with what you read in Mathew 24. But if you're pre-trib, 1st Thessalonians 5 doesn't make any sense at all. All you want to do is quote verse 9 all day long, and just keep quoting it about how we're not appointed to wrath, but you don't want to go to chapter 3 where it says that we're appointed to tribulation, and you don't want to go to Mathew 24 where he says the EXACT same thing and tells us that the rapture is AFTER the tribulation.

Post-Tribulation Moment #46 All the Tribes of the Earth

Today I want to talk about the phrase in Mathew 24, "all the tribes of the earth". Now, those who believe in a pre- trib rapture, they're constantly wanting to attack Mathew 24, and tell us that "it's only speaking to the Jews", even though the Bible clearly says at the end of Mark 13 "And what I say unto you, I say unto ALL, watch." They want to make this out to be only speaking of Israel. So when they get to the term "all the tribes of the earth", in Mathew 24:30... I've had many of them try to tell me that "the tribes of the earth there, that's talking about the 12 tribes of Israel". Now, first of all, it says "all the tribes of the earth", but they say "no, no, no. The only time the Bible uses the word tribes", they say "look up every time it's used and it's always referring to Israel, therefore that's all the tribes that there are, so when it says "all the tribes of the earth", that's just talking about the 12 tribes of Israel."

Well here's the problem with that. There ARE other references in the Bible to tribes besides Israel. Here's Isaiah 19:13, the Bible reads "The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes THEREOF." And so right there in Isaiah 19:13, he refers to the tribes of Egypt. So when the Bible says "then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn", he is talking about every person on this earth mourning. All tribes, whether it be the tribes of Egypt, or the tribes of any other nation, he's just talking about tribes in general, or groups of people that are going to be mourning. I've had those who believe in a pre-trib rapture point to this, and say "when it says all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, that's talking about how Israel is going to mourn, and they're going to feel bad about not believing in Jesus, and they're all going to get saved." I don't believe that for one second. You know, when the Bible says "all the tribes of the earth shall mourn", compare that with Revelation 6, where when the sun and moon are darkened, just like they're darkened in this passage, Jesus Christ is seen and the Bible says that they're crying for the mountains and rocks to "fall on them, and to hide them from the face of the lamb, for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand."

There is your mourning, there is your weeping and wailing. Let me read for you the passage from Mathew 24. It says in verse 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: 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." So you can see why they want to attack this passage, because it just very clearly states that AFTER the tribulation is when Jesus Christ is going to come in the clouds, the trumpet is going to sound, and the elect are going to be gathered. Every single time the New Testament uses the term "elect", it's talking about believers whether they be Jew or Gentile. This is a crystal clear passage stating that the rapture takes place AFTER the tribulation.

Post-Tribulation Moment #47 Revelation 19 looks nothing like Matthew 24

Now those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, they try to say that the scripture in Mathew 24, that talks about the trumpet sounding, and Jesus coming in the clouds and gathering the elect... They try to say that that's not the rapture. And their proof for that is that it "takes place after the tribulation... Of course we all know that the rapture takes place before the tribulation." Well, no, we don't know that, because the Bible says in Mathew 24 and elsewhere that the rapture takes place AFTER the tribulation. But because they don't believe that, they have to say that this is not the rapture. So what they say this is, they say "this is when Jesus Christ comes IN GLORY", they say, "in Revelation 19, when Jesus Christ comes AT THE END of the week, at the end of the tribulation" as they call it. And they say "that's at the end of the 7 years, when Jesus Christ comes on a white horse, that's what we're reading about in Mathew 24." Well here's the problem with that. You will not find ANYTHING in Revelation 19 that even remotely resembles what you read in Mathew 24.

So I'll suggest you do this. Take Mathew 24, and compare it to 1st Thessalonians 4, then compare it to Revelation 19, and see which on it resembles the most. Because those who believe in a pre-trib rapture, they think Mathew 24 is about Revelation 19. Those who believe in a post-trib rapture say that Mathew 24 is about 1st Thessalonians 4. Well, in 1st Thessalonians 4, we have a trumpet sound, in Mathew 24 we have a trumpet sound. In 1st Thessalonians 4, Christ comes in the clouds, in Mathew 24 he comes in the clouds. In 1st Thessalonians 4, we are caught up together to be with him in the clouds, in Mathew 24, he gathers the elect unto himself, he gathers the saved, "elect" always refers to the "saved" in the New Testament, every single time. But in Revelation 19, you won't find any of these elements. In Revelation 19, there's no mention of Jesus coming in the clouds, in Revelation 19, there's no mention of a trumpet sounding, in Revelation 19, you don't see him gathering up the believers from this earth. And so there really is NO SIMILARITY between Revelation 19 and Mathew 24, but there's a tonne of similarity between Mathew 24 and 1st Thessalonians 4. So it's really obvious, if you don't have a pre-conceived idea. The events in Mathew 24 mirror 1st Thessalonians 4, they do not mirror the events in Revelation 19, unless you just want to say that because you are refusing to believe that rapture comes AFTER the tribulation.

Post-Tribulation Moment #48 The 144,000 Israelites of Revelation 7 & 14

Today I want to talk about the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation. Often misquoted as being 144,000 JEWS. That is NOT what the Bible says. The Bible actually says that they are "144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel", and then it even goes so far as to list 12 of those tribes, and to say that there are 12,000 from each tribe. Now I take that literally. Those who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture on the other hand, do not. They generalise that as just being "144,000 JEWS". Now, let me explain to you why this is so important. Let's go to the two passages where the 144,000 are found. They're found in Revelation 7, and in Revelation 14, they're also alluded to in chapter 9. Let's look at the evidence. It says in Revelation chapter 7, verse 2, "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand." And so on and so forth.

So, the Bible talks about 144,000 being "sealed", in their foreheads, and they're sealed before God pours out His wrath, before He hurts any trees, or hurts any of the sea, or anything like that, he is going to seal His servants. That seals important in chapter 9, because when the locusts from hell are released from the bottomless pit, they're commanded to torment all the men on the earth, except those that have the seal of God in their foreheads. So, so far what we've learnt about the 144,000 is that they're of the tribes of Israel, and it lists specific tribes that they're from... The tribe of Judah, the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and so on and so forth. We also learned that they're going to be on this earth while God pours out his wrath, but that the 144,000 will be immune from God's wrath, because they will have the seal of God in their foreheads.

Let's go to chapter 14, and read more. It says in verse 1 of chapter 14, "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." So there we see in chapter 14, that the 144,000 are VERY clearly located in heaven.

First of all, he talked about in verse 1, the lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him 144,000. We know that that's located in heaven, because number 1- at this point the lamb is in heaven, number 2, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 12, "ye are come unto the mount Zion, the HEAVENLY Jerusalem." Then, he talks about how they're singing and harping a song that only they can learn, no-one else can learn the song. And the sound of this song, John is hearing this sound come from heaven, the Bible says, and it says that they are singing the song before the throne of God, and before the four beasts, and before the four and twenty elders. So there are about 5 different ways to prove in Revelation 14 here, that the 144,000 are sealed and in heaven at the beginning of chapter 14. They're all males, they're all virgins, okay? So, what do we get from this? Well first of all, the Bible says that they are from specific tribes. Well, let me tell you something... Those tribes that are listed in Revelation 7, DO NOT EXIST ANY LONGER TODAY. You have a group of people that are called "the Jews", quote unquote, but those people do not belong to specific tribes. And maybe you could find some that were part of tribes like Levi, or Benjamin, or Judah, of the southern kingdom, but if you remember in the Old Testament, the northern Kingdom, which consisted of 10 tribes, was taken captive by the Assyrians, they were dispersed into all lands, and then the Assyrians left the poor of the land in Israel, and then they brought in their own Assyrians to intermix with the children of Israel.

Those people became known as "the samaritans". That northern kingdom of Israel, the 10 tribes... That area was called "Samaria", because Omri, he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer and he named it Samaria, and that became the capital city of the northern kingdom. So when that northern kingdom of the 10 tribes became totally intermingled with the heathen, that group became completely mixed together, and just known as "the samaritans" in the New Testament. So when the Bible talks about Samaria in the New Testament, and when it talks about Samaritans, it's talking about that northern area of Israel, where the 10 tribes completely intermingled with the heathen. Those people lost their tribal identity, and in the whole New Testament you will only find one person, the prophetess, that was there when Jesus was brought in Luke chapter 2, it says that she is of the tribe of Asher. But other than that, you will never find any reference to people being of those tribes, because over time, those tribes have become mixed in, and mixed up, and the genealogies just aren't there, to even tell these people which tribe they're from. That's why they're just collectively known as "the Jews".

There are exceptions of course, of somebody who could maybe say that they were a Levite, or a Benjamite, or of the tribe of Judah. But you're not going to find 12,000 people of the tribe of Zebulun, let alone males, let alone virgins, let alone, that would fit the criteria of being the servants of God. These tribes simply do not exist as tribes today, you go to the "nation of Israel" today, so-called, they're not broken up into tribes at all! Those groups, or tribes, no longer exist. And even in Jesus' day, many of them had already ceased to exist. Therefore, we can only conclude that if they are 12,000 of the 12 tribes, these are Old Testament saints that literally were of those tribes. If we're going to take the Bible literally, we have to believe that these people really were of the tribe of Gad, they really were of the tribe of Naphtali, in Revelation 7. They're not just "Jews" in general, that just can be just assigned to one of these tribes. No, those tribes don't exist anymore, they've been intermingled with the heathen, and completely lost their tribal identity. Now the proof that what I am saying right now is right, is that they are in heaven, in Revelation chapter 14, already sealed. Now, the reason why that's significant, is that in both Revelation 7 and 14, you see the same events. First, you have the sealing of the 144,000, and THEN you have the rapture.

In chapter 7, after the 144,000, "then after this" he said, "I looked and behold a great multitude appeared in heaven". And so, notice the order. First the 144,000 are sealed, THEN the rapture in chapter 7. A lot of people get that order wrong. Well in Revelation 14 it's the same thing. In verses 1 through 5, the 144,000 are already in heaven, at the beginning of the chapter, even though the rapture does not take place until verse 16. You see the Bible says in Revelation 14, verses 14 through 16, "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." So we have a reference to the rapture in Revelation 14 verses 14 through 16, when Jesus comes in the clouds and REAPS the harvest of the earth, he reaps in the wheat into his barn. That's the EXACT thing that we saw in chapter 7.

Right after the tribulation, sun and moon are darkened, 144,000 are sealed, then the rapture in chapter 7 where the great multitude appears in heaven of all nations. And then the wrath is poured out in chapter 8 and onward. Well, same thing in the latter half of Revelation. You've got the tribulation in chapter 13, you've got the 144,000 sealed first in chapter 14, and then you've got the rapture later in chapter 14, THEN you've got the wrath being poured out with the 7 vials. So the timeline is always consistent- tribulation, THEN rapture, THEN wrath. But notice, the 144,000 are always sealed BEFORE the rapture, and in chapter 14 it's clear that they are already sealed in heaven. Question. How do you get to heaven before the rapture? How does a saved person go to heaven before the rapture? Well, that's easy, BY DYING. And so in order for these 144,000 to have already been in heaven, at the beginning of chapter 14, before the rapture even takes place, that proves right there that they were dead in the past, because they already lived and died in the Old Testament nation of Israel, which is why they were from specific tribes. You're not going to find... I don't even think you could find 144,000 saved "Jews" today. But you dead sure aren't going to find 144,000 saved "Jewish" males that are virgins, that are servants of God. And you dead sure aren't going to find 12,000 of each tribe, because those tribes, many of them don't even exist any more! And so it makes way more sense that these are Old Testament saints, God chose them from the Old Testament nation of Israel that spanned thousands of years, so he could collect 12,000 from each tribe that were males, that were virgins.

Now you say "wait a minute Pastor Anderson, you're telling me that these Old Testament saints are coming back to this earth?" Well, we're all coming back at the beginning of the Millennium! Old, and New Testament saints are all going to come back and rule and reign with Christ at the beginning of the Millennium, so why is it hard for you to believe that the 144,000 just come back a few years early? You know they're sealed while they're up in heaven, they get their new glorified body at the rapture, and then they're placed on this earth to be here during the time that God pours out His wrath in order to replace the saints to preach His word, while we're gone up in heaven, while He is pouring out His wrath, they will be on this earth to preach the word of God. And he is not going to leave this world without a witness. Not only that, the two witnesses will be here. Well, who are the two witnesses?

Well, I believe that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah, there are a lot of reasons why I believe that. Part of which is because in Mathew 17, when Jesus is seen coming in his kingdom at the mount of transfiguration, he has Moses and Elijah with him. Well, if Moses and Elijah are Old Testament saints coming back to be on this earth while God's wrath is being poured out, why is it difficult to believe that the 144,000 are the exact same thing? [OT saints] That is the ONLY way to take it literally, when he says "the 12 tribes". Because the tribe of Issachar, the tribe of Naphtali, those tribes don't exist today, you cannot find them. And you dead sure can't find 12,000 saved children of God. But you can't even find the tribe to start with! So, it's pretty clear that these are Old Testament saints. So using this as an argument to prove "well, God's not through with the nation of Israel, God's still dealing with the nation of Israel as a separate nation"... No, the Bible says that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, he said AVOID genealogies, he said it makes no difference whether you are Jew or Greek, he said there is one fold, there is one shepherd, we have been graffed in. Ephesians 2 flat out says that we are citizens of the nation of Israel. And so the 144,000 are Old Testament saints, from the 12 literal tribes that are listed there.

Post-Tribulation Moment #49 The Nation of Israel

Now the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine rests very heavily on the idea that the "Jews" are God's chosen people, and that the nation of Israel is under the blessing of God. And, if I could just get you to understand that the "nation of Israel", so-called, is NOT under God's blessing, and that they are NOT God's chosen people, I think you will have no trouble at all realising that the rapture comes after the tribulation, just by a simple reading of Mathew 24, and Mark 13. But let me prove to you that the so-called "nation of Israel" is NOT the people of God, and they are not the elect, they are not His chosen people. They are not under His blessing, but they are under his wrath. We could turn to many places, but I think Ephesians 2 says it best. The Bible reads in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9, " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Listen to verse 11. "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." So that right there tells us in Ephesians chapter 2 that we were in TIME PAST Gentiles according to the flesh. That means that we are no longer Gentiles in God's eyes. The Bible says IN TIME PAST, we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. But he says "Now", in verse 19, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God". So the Bible very clearly tells us in Ephesians 2 that if we're saved, we are citizens of Israel, we are not foreigners, we are not aliens, we are not strangers, we're not gentiles! We're citizens of Israel. The Bible says in Romans 2, for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, verse 28, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart and of the spirit, not of the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God." So the Bible tells us really clearly that he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. Just because someone looks like a Jew, or claims to be a Jew, or claims to be descended from Abraham, or claims to be descended from Israel, that doesn't make them a Jew. The Bible says a true Jew, is the one who is a Jew inwardly. That's why it says in Esther, that many of the people BECAME Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

Well, if you can "become" a Jew, then obviously, that is something that has to do with your heart, not just with your physical lineage. That's why the Bible said "think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." You say "well, I still think that the Jews are God's people. I still think that the nation of Israel is God's people." Well, the Bible flat out told you, in Romans 2:28 and 29, that "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly". And the Bible flat out told you in Ephesians 2 that WE as Gentiles, are citizens of Israel. Now, just think about it for a moment. Throughout the Old Testament, did God allow the children of Israel to live in the promised land when they were in unbelief? No.

If you remember, when they didn't believe God, they were not allowed to enter the promised land. Then, finally when they believed him, they were allowed to enter with Joshua. Then later, they worshiped other gods, God removed them from the promised land. Then when they turned back to the Lord their God, They were brought back into the promised land. Then, when they rejected Jesus Christ, they were removed and scattered from the promised land. And then in 1948, they all believed on Jesus Christ, and then they got put back in the promised land, is that what happened?No, they still don't believe in Jesus Christ, and the Bible says "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, but he that believeth NOT the Son shall not see life, but the WRATH OF GOD abideth on him." See, the unsaved, unbelievers that populate the "nation of Israel", which is 99 per cent of them... God's wrath is abiding on them. Not God's blessing. Not the blessing of God, the WRATH of God.

And not only that, but they are not even Jews. They say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. The Bible says they're the synagogue of Satan. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son." He said if you don't have the Son, you don't have the Father! And so the so-called "nation of Israel" is a fraud, started in 1948 by the satanic United Nations, by the house of Rothschild. That wasn't God that put them in the promised land, because God did not allow them to enter the promised land because of UNBELIEF, and they are STILL in unbelief to this day, and they were not put there by God, were put there by Satan, because that will be the seat of the antichrist government. So don't be fooled by this talk about Israel, and "the Jews" being God's chosen people, CHRISTIANS are God's chosen people. That's why the word "elect", every time it's used in the New Testament, is referring to the believers, not referring to the nation of Israel, because in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile.

Post-Tribulation Moment #50 the Blessed Hope

Today I want to talk about "the blessed hope", a scripture that pre-tribulation rapture believers will often turn to, is Titus chapter 2, verse 13 where the Bible says "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ". And many will point to this and say "see right there, the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of Christ are two different things. Because they use the word "and", means that they're two different things." Well, that just shows a misunderstanding of the word "and" in the Bible. Because the word "and" in the Bible, is often used to mention the same thing twice, let me give you an example. The Bible often uses the phrase "unto God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So let me ask you this... Are God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ two different people? OR is it just two ways of referring to the same person? "Unto God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." It says in Revelation 1 that God has made us "kings and priests unto God AND his Father", the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, God IS the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So when it says "God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", or "God and our Father", it's referring to the same person. So when the Bible says "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ", those are both the same thing. The glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ IS the blessed hope. Just a simple understanding of the grammar of that sentence can tell you that. But not only that, sometimes the pre-tribulation crowd will look at that verse that says "looking for that blessed hope" to say "that means that it can happen at any moment! Because if we are LOOKING for the blessed hope, that means it can happen at any moment", and some people say "you're looking for the antichrist, but we're looking for the blessed hope".

But you see, the fact that we're looking for the blessed hope, does NOT mean that it can happen at any moment, and let me prove that to you. In 2nd Peter 3, we see the exact same wording, in verse 12 when the Bible says "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." Let me read for you verse number 10, it says in 2nd Peter 3:10, 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." So the Bible there says that we're LOOKING for the day of the Lord, we're looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved. Now let me ask you this... Can the say of the Lord, or the day of God, happen at any moment? No. The Bible says "the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."

We know that the day of the Lord is not going to happen at any moment. It has to happen after other things happen. Well, the Bible still says we're LOOKING FOR and HASTING UNTO the coming day of God. But you see those who believe in a pre-trib rapture, if they were going to be consistent, they would say "that "looking for and hasting unto" that means that it can happen any day now!" But we know that these events can't happen any day now. And so why do we think that the blessed hope is going to happen any day now, when Mathew 24 clearly states that it's going to happen AFTER the tribulation? When the Bible says AFTER the tribulation Christ will come in the clouds, and the trumpet will sound. And so, the scripture in Titus 2 that says "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ", does not prove a pre-trib rapture, or imminence for that matter. Because Jesus Christ cannot come at any moment, he will come after the tribulation in the clouds, and we're looking for it, but we're also looking for the day of the Lord. We also look for new heavens and a new earth. New heavens and a new earth are not coming until after the Millennium. And so don't be confused by that term "looking for", or "looking unto", and don't be confused by people who don't understand that the word "and", often in the Bible refers to two of the same thing, not two different things.