The Pre Tribulation Raptured Church

[Spock]

10 hours ago, iamlamad said:

1. The 4 horsemen and the 5th seal were released when Jesus ascended to heaven and have been going throughout the world for the past 2000. Agreed

2. The seals are basically the birth pains from Matthew 24 That would be seals 2 through 4 only.

3. The Bible doesn’t say the church is exempt from the entire week of Daniel 70, only the wrath of God. Therefore, the only guarantee we have is that the church will be lifted out before the releasing of the trumpets and bowls.  The trumpets and bowls make up the 70th week.

4.  Just because the 70th week is for Israel and Jerusalem doesn’t necessarily mean the church has to be gone before the week begins. I think it does mean that.

5. the confirmation of a covenant begins the 70th week, not the rapture.  True. But that confirmation may well be done in secret. You notice, John and Jesus were both silent on the start of the week.

6. the only guarantee the Bible says is that the church won’t be here during the great tribulation (second 3.5 years). The Bible doesn’t say anything about the entire week (7 years) being tribulation.  No, the guarantee is that we won't be here for His wrath. But it happens, His wrath covers the entire week. However, added to that is Daniel telling us that the week is for HIS people. 

7. People who believe in a Pre tribulation rapture actually believe in a Pre 70th week rapture. Thus, they should change their label to Pre 70th week rapture instead.  True, but it will not happen.

Thanks iamlad.....I’ve been “patiently“ ( not really)  waiting to see your replies. 
 

one thing....what is your thinking regarding this “covenant being confirmed“ deal Pursuit to Daniel 9?  Who are the parties involved in this deal?

Some say Jesus did this when he initiated the new covenant, some say it will be a peace treaty Between the AC and the United Nations, some say it will be a covenant that confirms the mosaic covenant allowing the Jews to build their temple and reinstitute sacrifices between the AC and the Jews. 
 

lay it on me brother......thanks...

spock

[DeighAnn]

3 hours ago, iamlamad said:

F Jesus rose on a Sunday, which is tradition and many believe it - why not call it "the Lord's day?" It was the day HE CHOSE to rise.
Millennium:  The word millennium derives from the Latin mille, thousand, and annus, year. Sorry, the bible does not use that word. We use it. The closed John gets to that is the 1000 years. Neither do I think John wrote "I was taken" anywhere. He didn't even say He was called up to heaven. He gave us a huge hint that he was: God said, "come up here." 

As you suggested before, if it was the Sabbath, Saturday, when John was in the spirit, we could guess he would have written that. But He wrote "the Lord's day."

Did he write the Sabbath?  No.

Did he write the Lords Day?  Yes

I am sure MANY take what is written and make it  "SAY OR MEAN"  SOMETHING else.  

Yes I understand the Mille (1000) NNIUM is something we use for (the day as a thousand years...)  

 IF IT ACTUALLY was the Sabbath, THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.  WAS IT? 

LETS GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT GOD SAID, NOT MAN, SHALL WE???

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

ITS OFFICIAL  GOD SAID "LORDS DAY", NOT SABBATH

NOW MEN CAN USE THE WISDOM OF MEN AND MAKE IT SAY WHAT EVER THEY WANT WILL A LITTLE TWIST HERE AND A LITTLE TWIST THERE.  


ANYONE WHO WISHES   TO ADD   OR   TAKE AWAY    FROM GODS WORD,    I CAN'T STOP EM,  REBUKE EM, YES, I DO

BUT AS FOR ME AND MINE WE WILL TAKE GODS WORD AS

GOD HAVING COMMAND OF THE LANGUAGES AND SO 

GOD SAYING WHAT GOD MEANS

AND NEEDING NO HELP FROM US TO "FIND" THE CORRECT WORDS.  


SOME MEN WILL WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT "IN THE SPIRIT" MEANS AND NOT ONLY THAT

BUT WHAT IT DOESN'T MEAN. 

NO SCRIPTURE TO BACK IT UP, JUST ONE MANS MIND BELIEVING IT IS CORRECT THAN ANYONE ELSES.  


 

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

 

[DeighAnn]

4 hours ago, iamlamad said:

causing a worldwide earthquake: Paul's sudden destruction

 NO SCRIPTURE, PURE CONJECTURE

[DeighAnn]

4 hours ago, iamlamad said:

Two groups of people get two different results: those in Christ get raptured and escape God's wrath - those in darkness GET His wrath: Paul's sudden destruction earthquake.

PURE CONJECTURE

[DeighAnn]

4 hours ago, iamlamad said:

The church age has ENDED.

PURE CONJECTURE, NO SCRIPTURE

[DeighAnn]

4 hours ago, iamlamad said:

(In Revelation this will take place a moment before the 6th seal: rapture first, then sudden destruction earthquake of the 6th seal. But the "tribulation" or 70th week does not start until the 7th seal - I am guessing ten days later (the ten days of awe).)

FALSE, PURE AND SIMPLE

[DeighAnn]

4 hours ago, iamlamad said:

9. The man of sin enters Jerusalem with his Gentile armies: the city will be trampled for 42 months. The Two witnesses show up and begin witnessing. (11:1-3)

9b. The armies of the man of sin trample Jerusalem

10. Then the 7th trumpet will sound and mark the exact midpoint. The man of sin enters the temple and those watching see the abomination. The Kingdoms of the word are given to Jesus Christ. He does NOT take possession at this time: no "coming" at the 7th trumpet.

11. A second or two later, 12:6 takes place and those in Judea begin to flee. They saw the abomination.

12: As those in Judea begin to flee, Michael is going after Satan to cast him down.
Satan goes after those that flee, then turns on all those who love Jesus.

13. John sees the beast arising; The false prophet shows up, and John tells us what the Beast and the False Prophet will do: erect an image and create a mark.

14. God sends three angels to warn people to worship God, Babylon is fallen is fallen, to worship God, and not to take the mark.

15. The image is erected. The mark is created and now enforcement begins: any who refuse to bow will lose their head. The days of Great Tribulation Jesus spoke of begins. (late in chapter 14)

16. the beheaded begin to show up in heaven. (chapter 15)

17. The beast and False prophet go nuts - on a murder rampage! It seems - there may be no elect that will escape.

18. God pours out the vials of His wrath - probably the first 6 in one hour of time. this SHORTENS the days of great tribulation: TIME will go on but no tribulation associated with it. The armies of the beast are stopped. The 42 months of authority will continue on until Jesus returns.

19. The two witnesses are killed just 3.5 days before the end of the week. The 1260 days of testifying is over. 

20: The armies of the beast move out into the valley in preparation for Armageddon.
The 42 months of trampling are over.

21. The 7th vial is poured out. The Old TEstament saints rise, along with the Two Witnesses and the beheaded. The days of GT are over. The entire 70th week is over. Jesus remains in heaven.

22: The marriage and supper are taking place in heaven. The marriage had to wait for the guests: the Old Testament saints to be resurrected.

23: Jesus returns to earth WITH His bride. Armageddon takes place.

24: the Beast and false prophet are caught. The 42 months of authority are over. The 1260 days of fleeing and the 3.5 years of protection are over.

25: the 1290 days and the 1335 days comes into play about here.

THIS is John's chronology. Any thing other than this is myth

ITS CALLED RIGHTLY DIVIDING.   LET THE THEORY GO AND LET IT FLOW.  IT IS NOT WRITTEN IN CRONOLOGICAL ORDER. 

AND WHAT PART OF "THE TIME WAS SHORTENED" IS NOT GETTING THROUGH?  GOD did not say it just for fun. DOES IT HAVE MEANING/TRUTH?  IF SO WHY DOES IT NOT GET ACKNOWLEDGED?  DOES LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MAKE IT GO AWAY?  Render it void?  No, it does not.  But it is great to keep those who will be "left behind" in all sorts of a long drawn out hell doesn't it?  Scare them into rpature.

WHAT PART OF THERE IS NOT GIVEN "A PRE TRIB TIME" IN 1 THESS NOT GETTING THROUGH?  WHAT PART OF 2 THESS  STATING EXACTLY THE "TIME" OF 1 THESS '' AS AFTER " GETTING MISSED? 

I will be happy to show the verses again.  

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
 

JESUS COMING AT THE 6TH SEAL ??????????????????   AND SATAN COMING AT THE 7TH??????????????????
AGAIN,  THAT IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS WRITTEN, SEE ABOVE

  
 THESE ARE THE THINGS I NEVER FORGET 

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
 

Some assume that you get credit even if you get it wrong.  That isn't what God says, PERIOD.  If you are not called to preach and you preach falsely you will pay.  
 

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1 Peter 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Judgment begins at the pulpit.  And that is what this is, when we are putting forth what we write, as facts.  One of us is in big bad trouble.  
When God asks "why did I keep the church here"  I will say "it is written" to overcome.  
When God asks "why did I not rapt" I will say "it is written" that day will not come until after
When God asks "why i taught the time was shortened" I will say "it is written" the time was shortened for the elects sake.

When God asks "why didn't you overcome" where will you point to to say "it is written" Christ will come for the church pre trib?  Not going to be able to use 1 thess as you have been shown 2 thess.  So where do you go?  
When God asks "when I said that day shall not come until after" where will you point to that says "it is written" He will come before?  No where I can find because it is all supposition and wisdom of man.
When God asks "why did you teach a 7 year trib when I had said the time was shortened" where are you going to point to that says "it is written" the time wasn't really shortened.  
 

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.


ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MESSAGE GIVEN TO THE CHURCH IS 

To him that overcometh (3528)

3528 nikao

to conquer prevail
overcome, prevail, subdue

EVER READ THE GREEK AND THE DEFINITION OF THAT SAME WORD IN Rev 6?  

And I looked and behold a horse white and the {one} sitting on it having a bow and was given to him a crown and he went forth overcoming (3528)  and that he might conquer (3528). 

3528 nikao

to conquer prevail
overcome, prevail, subdue
 

Makes it pretty clear TO SOME who needs to be overcome.  We are told to overcome.   We are told someone is coming to overcome us.  


WHAT WE DO KNOW  FOR SURE AND POSITIVE
it isn't speaking of Christ, as 

He doesn't have a "bow" He has a sharp two edged sword. 
He has a crown, and has no need for one to be given Him. 
He has already overcome the world, so he does not need to go forth doing so.  

Doesn't leave any questions for me.  

BOTTOM LINE

GOD WOULD NEVER EXCUSE ANYONE FROM SOMETHING OTHERS HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR.  there is nothing new under the sun.  what has been done will be done again.  

THIS IS HIS PLAN.    

IT JUST WOULDN'T BE JUST TO THEM WHO HAVE SUFFERED TO DEATH ON ACCOUNT OF TRIBULATION FOR THE WORD OF GOD for those who have not to get a free pass.  You don't take an untested gun into battle.    

GOD IS NOT A RESPECTOR OF PERSONS.   

ONE DOESN'T TAKE THE GUARANTEED WINNING GENERAL OUT OF THE WAR RIGHT BEFORE IT BEGINS

BECAUSE IT IS STUPID TO DO SO.   He SPENDs THOUSANDS OF YEARS RECRUTING, TEACHING THE RULES, ARMING FOR BATTLE AND "POOF" THE MOMENT BEFORE THE WAR begins, He SENDs THEM ALL AWAY.  IT IS SO INSANE TO ME I got nothing.  

Makes me think of

 THOSE WHO WISH TO BE TAKEN OUT OF ANY TROUBLE OR ANY TESTING OR ANYTHING UNCOMFORTABLE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING TO STAY, TO MAKE A STAND.   THOSE WHO DO NOT WISH TO BE COMPANIONS IN TRIBULATION, AND PERSECUTION, DISTRESS AND ALL THE REST.   THOSE WHO AREN'T WILLING TO STAND.  THOSE NOT WILLING TO OVERCOME.  THOSE NOT WILLING TO ENDURE TO THE END.  THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO SERVE, THOUGH THEY ARE SERVANTS.  SERVANTS THAT  WANT TO BE SERVED.  THEY WANT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, AGAIN.  LIKE CHRIST DYING FOR THEM WASN'T ENOUGH.  THEY NEED MORE.   AFTER ALL "THEY BELIEVE" DON'T THEY.  WHAT MORE COULD GOD WANT? 
(JUST LOOK AT HOW WE ARE WARNED ABOUT WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE FOR US BEING "LEFT BEHIND".  IT ISN'T HARD TO FIGURE OUT).


Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh (3528)  shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

 IF THE LORD SHOWED UP TODAY, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN "OVERCOME" BY CHRISTIANS IN MOST OF THE WORLD TODAY?


  

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful,(1169) and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

    
THESE ARE NOT MY DEFINITIONS THAT FOLLOW, THIS IS THE WORD GOD USED AND THIS IS THE MEANING OF THAT WORD.
1169  DEILOS

COWARDLY, FEARFUL, TIMID

AN ADJECTIVE DERIVED FROM DEIDO MEANING FEAR DRIVEN
DESCRIBES A PERSON WHO LOSES THEIR MORAL GUMPTION, ( FORTITUDE)) THAT IS NEEDED TO FOLLOW THE LORD  

 

TO FALL SHORT IN FOLLOWING CHRIST AS LORD

ALWAYS USED NEGATIVELY

 

BY IMPLICATION FAITHLESS

 

[iamlamad]

8 hours ago, DeighAnn said:

ITS CALLED RIGHTLY DIVIDING.   LET THE THEORY GO AND LET IT FLOW.  IT IS NOT WRITTEN IN CRONOLOGICAL ORDER. 

AND WHAT PART OF "THE TIME WAS SHORTENED" IS NOT GETTING THROUGH?  GOD did not say it just for fun. DOES IT HAVE MEANING/TRUTH?  IF SO WHY DOES IT NOT GET ACKNOWLEDGED?  DOES LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MAKE IT GO AWAY?  Render it void?  No, it does not.  But it is great to keep those who will be "left behind" in all sorts of a long drawn out hell doesn't it?  Scare them into rpature.

You really must take off your preconceived glasses and read Revelation without them. I know it is difficult, but I also know it is possible for most people.  

WHO SAID "IT IS NOT WRITTEN IN CRONOLOGICAL ORDER?"  Did John write that? If not, FORGET IT! If you don't like God's order, take it up with HIM! What is written in HIS ORDER.  Why is it some people imagine they know the future better than HE does?
 

WHAT PART OF "THE TIME WAS SHORTENED" IS NOT GETTING THROUGH?  You did not read that right. Here is what is written:
"except those days should be shortened"  Did you not notice? He said, "then shall be great tribulation" and then He said "those days." In other words, DURING the Beast's 42 months, there will be DAYS of great tribulation." How many days out of the 1260? John does not tell us. HOW will God shorten those days? Do you know? I guess you did not read my point # 18:
18. God pours out the vials of His wrath - probably the first 6 in one hour of time. this SHORTENS the days of great tribulation: TIME will go on but no tribulation associated with it.

In other words, there will be 1260 days in the last half of the week, but all of them will NOT be days of great tribulation. God will pour out the vials of His wrath and they still stop the Beast and his armies in their tracks, so to speak and so SHORTEN those days. No one will be able to hunt down believers. DAYS will continue, to fulfill the 42 months - but they will NOT be days of GT. Get it?

But it is great to keep those who will be "left behind" in all sorts of a long drawn out hell doesn't it?    Why would ANYONE write such nonsense? Did you not read what Paul wrote? ONLY those "in Christ" are going up in the rapture. In other words, it is GOD HIMSELF that will leave people behind. Get this straight for once! 

Scare? The fact is, I ran to Jesus BECAUSE I was scared of hell. That was when I was seven years old. 

[iamlamad]

9 hours ago, DeighAnn said:

...
WHAT PART OF THERE IS NOT GIVEN "A PRE TRIB TIME" IN 1 THESS NOT GETTING THROUGH?  WHAT PART OF 2 THESS  STATING EXACTLY THE "TIME" OF 1 THESS '' AS AFTER " GETTING MISSED? 

I will be happy to show the verses again.  

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

WHAT PART OF THERE IS NOT GIVEN "A PRE TRIB TIME" IN 1 THESS NOT GETTING THROUGH?   This does not even make sense!

a "pre trib time?" What are you saying? Are you saying there is nothing "pretrib" in 1 thes.? You are sadly mistaken. I think you don't even know where "the trib" is in Revelation. Let's start there:

Please tell us, where does "the trib" begin in Revelation? (maybe then we will see why you can't find "PRE-trib." 

Did you read that verse in the first English translation? (Tyndale)

3Let no man deceive you by any means, for the Lord cometh not, except there come a departing first, and that that sinful man be opened, the son of perdition 

OR: 

1565 Beza Bible
Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for [that day shall not come,] except there come a departing first, and that man of sinne be disclosed, [euen] the son of perdition.

Did you notice that AFTER the "departing" the man of sin is revealed, or disclosed? Don't take my word for it, look and read EVERY English translation and you will find all agree: at the end of verse 3 the man of sin IS REVEALED. So how on earth did he GET revealed? Did you not read?

⁶ And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. ⁸ And then shall that Wicked be revealed,...

WHEN? WHEN is he revealed? Only AFTER the restrainer is "taken out of the way."  Is it remotely possible that "departing" and "taken out of the way" is saying the same thing? Try reading it again:

3  Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for [that day (the day of the Lord - that dark day of destruction) shall not come,] except there come a departing first [the one restraining taken out of the way: the Holy spirit working through the church but now the church has departed, raptured - the Holy Spirit suddenly has no one now to work through so the restrainer has been taken out of the way], and that man of sinne be disclosed, [euen] the son of perdition.

What was it you said? Oh, yes: ITS CALLED RIGHTLY DIVIDING.  Most people ignore that truth that the man of sin IS REVEALED at the end of verse 3. And they make no effort to figure out how or why. A good exegesis must ask these questions.

By the way, when you read 1 thes. 4, go ahead and read chapter 5 with it. The "pre" part is in chapter 5. You will find it is PRE-wrath.

[iamlamad]

9 hours ago, DeighAnn said:

...
JESUS COMING AT THE 6TH SEAL ??????????????????   AND SATAN COMING AT THE 7TH??????????????????
AGAIN,  THAT IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS WRITTEN, SEE ABOVE

If one always stopped reading in chapter 4 of 1 Thes, and did not continue on in chapter 5, they might not find PRE-anything. Paul gives no timing information in chapter 4. But WHY stop reading there? Paul did not write "Chapter 5!" 

If one would "RIGHTLY DIVIDE" chapter 5, they would learn that Paul's rapture comes JUST BEFORE wrath. In fact, so "just before" that it seems the rapture will be the trigger for wrath. Paul gives us PROGRESSION:

1. the COMING: Jesus leaves heaven and comes to WHERE? Oh, ONLY to the air and hidden in a cloud. So we already know it CANNOT be His coming as shown in Rev. 19 or in Matthew 24 where every eye will see Him. "Rightly dividing" or just a careful reading already shows us He will come TWICE more, not just once. 

2. The shout, the voice, and the trumpet
3. The dead in Christ rising and the meeting of their new resurrection body with the spirit and soul.
4: this step in "the rapture sequence" is a paradigm: showing TWO groups of people that get TWO different results at the same moment.
   4a: those who are alive and IN CHRIST get raptured (salvation) and get to live together with Him (So shall we ever be with the Lord).
   4b. Those who are alive and NOT "in christ" get left behind and suffer Paul's "sudden destruction." 

5. Those who flew up into the air (both those who were dead in Christ and resurrected and those who were alive in Christ and changed) are gathered to Jesus in the cloud. Then Jesus will escort His Bride to the homes He has prepared. (John 14)

What is this "sudden destruction" that hits earth at the very moment those who are alive and in Christ get caught up? For that we look at Matthew 27 where he wrote, "the earth did quake...and the graves were opened." This is when Jesus rose from the dead: it seems he also resurrected the elders of the Old Testament when He rose. The point is, that resurrection CAUSED an earthquake. 

Make no mistake: when the dead in Christ are resurrected, that resurrection will cause a WORLDWIDE earthquake, as the Holy Spirit suddenly and instantly brings together all the "dust" that once made up those dead bodies. Some of that "dust" could be miles apart from other "dust" that once made up just ONE body. Paul's "sudden destruction" is going to be this worldwide earthquake caused by the resurrection of the dead in Christ. it will be a sudden destruction earthquake, worldwide so no one can escape it. 

In other words, an instant after the dead in Christ rise, the ground begins to quake, but those who are alive and in Christ will be caught up just as they feel the ground begin to quake. Those left behind will have no escape: many will be killed. But some will not be killed. 

Next, Paul tells us this "sudden Destruction" earthquake will be the START of God's wrath - also called the Day of the Lord. That is why Paul wrote "the day of the Lord" just three verses after his classic rapture verse of 4:17. He went on to write that God will not set appointments for this "sudden destruction" earthquake wrath for his saints - the appointments for His wrath will be lost LEFT BEHIND. Note carefully: God will not choose who will be raptured and who will be left behind: THE PEOPLE CHOOSE. Will they be "IN CHRIST" or not? That is people's choice. Paul then tells us it will be church age time, RAPTURE, and then DAY OF THE LORD - in one instant of time.

Remember, "WE" get "salvation" and get raptured, while at the same time "THEY" get sudden destruction wrath.

Now, to do a thorough job of "rightly dividing" we must determine WHERE in John's narrative in Revelation WRATH begins: that would be GOD'S wrath. That is not difficult: it is easily seen at the 6th seal: the start of the Day of the Lord. 

It is no mistake then that in the very next chapter in Revelation, John saw this great crowd TOO LARGE TO NUMBER in heaven. Stop for a moment and think: perhaps 50 generations of believers! I suspect just the dead in Christ will add up to several billion people. Add to that those alive and in christ - and add to that all the children alive at the rapture: MANY billion people in one place at one time. Just to compare, it would take on person counting one person a second, counting 24 hours a day, over 30 years to count to one billion! This crowd was TOO LARGE to number. It was the raptured church - but JUST raptured at the end of chapter 6. 

Is there more proof of this? Certainly there is. The 5th seal is for the martyrs of the church age. They had NO IDEA how long it would be for God to bring judgment. (It had to wait to the end of the age of grace.) So they asked God how long. They were told they had to wait for the final number - or wait for the very last martyr killed as they were - as church age martyrs. What does John write after that? He wrote of the 6th seal start of WRATH. 

Rightly dividing then shows us the church has been waiting at the 5th seal since that first martyr, waiting for the last martyr of the church age - OR  - wait for it - waiting for the RAPTURE that will end the church age. A moment after the rapture, TIME goes from church age or age of grace, to WRATH: the Day of His wrath or the Day of the Lord. 

WHO IN THE WORLD said Satan is coming at the 7th? JESUS opens the 7th seal in heaven, and that is the official start of the 70th week of Daniel.  There can be no doubt, Jesus will open that 7th seal when the man of sin confirms a 7 year covenant - probably done in secret. God will CERTAINLY know when it will happen.