Many people that say they are Christians can't seem to grasp how the bride of Christ can be expected to go through "the tribulation". They don't seem to realize that the tribulation is something we go through from life experiences in this world, and from persecutions brought upon us by satan and his minions. These people say, foolishly, that the bride of Christ will not suffer ... He, the Lord, will not be presented with a battered & bloodied bride ... conveniently forgetting the thousands upon thousands of people that have suffered abuse and martyrdom for His name's sake. Here's what Jesus has to say:
Mat 24:9 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. - Jesus
Jhn 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 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. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. - Jesus
Jhn 16:33 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. - Jesus
People really don't seem to -pay attention- to the words in the bible very well. Take, for instance, how in Rev 5:6 no one was able to open the book in God's hand, that was Daniel's sealed book, until the Lamb that had been slain arrived.
Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Dan 12:8-9 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Once the slain Lamb arrived IN heaven, He received the sealed book and began to break the seals ... RIGHT THEN AND THERE. The Lamb of Rev 5:6 is Jesus, He was slain, resurrected, and went back to the Father where He received the sealed book of Daniel 11-12 and began breaking those seals. The four horsemen have been riding for almost two thousand years!
Rev 5:6-8 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. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
WHEN did He start opening the seals? Right AFTER He arrived at the throne in heaven!
Rev 6:1 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.
Rev 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:5 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.
Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Back to the bride ... we know that most of the apostles suffered and died for Jesus' name, all but John and he suffered torture and imprisonment. Many of the disciples were afflicted and murdered ... thrown to the starved lions & dogs, boiled in oil, crucified on poles and lit on fire as human torches to light the night, beheaded, and on and on. It's been going on for almost 2,000 years! YES, the bride is bloodied, just like her Husband!
I do believe we are IN the 5th seal of Revelation 6 NOW ... I believe these people, spoken of in the following verses, are all those that the Lord liberated when He descended into hell to set the captives free that died before Him ... again, this is happening shortly after the Lamb arrives in heaven:
Rev 6:9-11 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.
Remember, for the Lord it's just been two days since He died and resurrected ... a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day.
2Pe 3:8 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 verse below represents all the bride at the "resurrection of the just", which is the first resurrection, including all those that were martyred &/or have died in the Lord since His own death & resurrection:
Rev 20:4 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.
In a recent article I saw the following: "According to a recent report, 2015 was the most violent year with regards to persecution of Christians at global level. There has been an unprecedented persecution internationally. The phenomenon of persecution includes killings, kidnappings, sexual abuse, trafficking, demolition and arson of churches and heinous acts of such kind." (Source: http://www.christiansinpakistan.com/russian-president-pledges-to-protect-christians-across-the-globe-from-persecution/)
So, tell me again how the bride of Christ won't be battered, beaten, bruised, and killed for His name's sake!? Oh wait, "those *Christians* don't count" some would say. WRONG!
We need to differentiate between "tribulation" and "wrath". In the world we WILL have tribulation, even great tribulation by the end of this age. We are promised we will not suffer God's wrath at Jesus' return, rather, we will be caught up (for the first resurrection) to meet Him in the air and then return with Him to rule & reign on this earth for 1,000 years.
1Th 5:9-10 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.
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
