God’s Judgment: How It Works – Part 19

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God’s Judgment: How It Works – Part 19

As we continue looking at the Post-Tribulation view of the Rapture, we are studying about God’s elect. You can read what we’ve presented in the last couple of studies here and here.

Here’s why this study is so important. Jesus said this as part of His answer to the apostles’ question about “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
MATTHEW 24:21-22

Gathering The Elect

The question we are investigating concerns the identity of “the elect” for whose sake “those days will be shortened”? As we saw in our last study, Paul shared two groups of elect in Romans 11. The first group is called “a remnant according to the election of grace.” It is made up of a small number of Jews who will be saved along with a much larger number of Gentiles. The remnant of Jews are saved through the “election of grace” at the same time most Jews (Israel) are blinded from seeing that Christ is their Messiah:

What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.
Romans 11:7-8

The second group of elect is Israel, the majority of Jews through the centuries. They will remain blinded from the truth of the Gospel “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). It is after the elect Gentiles and the elect remnant of Jews are saved that “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). Our question concerns when Jesus Christ will gather His elect as He promised His disciples. Will it be before the Tribulation? During the Tribulation? After the Tribulation?

Post-Tribulationists believe Jesus was including Israel and the Church in His response to the disciples in Matthew 24. However, Pre-Tribulationists and Mid-Tribultionists believe Jesus was referring to Israel in Matthew 24 and that the “rapture” (seized, caught up) of the Church (“one new man from the two” of Ephesians 2) that Paul wrote about in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 will be prior to the event Jesus described in Matthew 24 ..

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other … But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
MATTHEW 24:27-31, 36-44

This event appears to be similar to what the Apostle John saw in Revelation 19 ..

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. hen I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
REVELATION 19:11-21

Questions for Post-Tribulationists

Something appears to be missing from the Post-Tribulationist view of the rapture in what we read that happens prior to Christ’s physical return to earth ..

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’ And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
REVELATION 19:6-10

It appears that the marriage supper of the Lamb will occur before Jesus returns to earth to establish His earthly Reign. Remember that riding with Jesus from Heaven to Earth will be the armies in heaven “clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” If that is a picture of the Church riding with Jesus, raised to incorruption and clothed with immortality as Paul described in 1 Corinthians 15, then how would the saints be involved in the marriage supper of the Lamb prior to riding with Jesus from Heaven to earth if they Jesus doesn’t rapture them until He’s returning physically to earth?

Another question of timing is when will Christians stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ? The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:10 that “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Paul described that event in more detail in his second letter to the Corinthians.

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 2 Corinthians 5:6-11

When do Post-Tribulationists believe Christians appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ? Before or after Jesus returns to earth?

Timing

Timing seems to be a problem for Post-Tribulationalism and in favor of Pre or Mid-Tribulationalism. It would look something like this for Pre and Mid-Tribulationism:

Rapture of Church
Judgment Seat of Christ
Marriage of the Lamb
Return of Christ

Here’s the problem for Post-Tribulationism:

Return of Christ
Rapture of Israel and Church
Judgment Seat of Christ?
Marriage of the Lamb?

Pre and Mid-Tribulationism have both the Judgment Seat of Christ and Marriage of the Lamb occurring in Heaven prior to Christ’s Return. Post-Tribulationism has the Judgment Seat of Christ and Marriage of the Lamb occurring on earth after Christ’s Return, possibly during Christ’s Millennial Reign.

Next Time

We will look at Relationships in the next part of our special series “God’s Judgment: How It Works,” to see if that will help us understand which of the rapture views is the best one.

If you have not read all of the parts of this study we’ve published so far, we invite you to do that now for the Scriptural background to Christ as Judge.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Part Eleven
Part Twelve
Part Thirteen
Part Fourteen
Part Fifteen
Part Sixteen
Part Seventeen
Part Eighteen

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God’s Judgment: How It Works – Part 19