Saints in tribulation

[Biscuit]

I know there have probably been dozens of posts to WB about the rapture. I have read views of the rapture. Some think it is a hoax and was not a part of discussed theology until the 1800's. There are books out along these lines (i.e. The Rapture Plot). Those who believe rapture doctrine have differing views on when the rapture might occur (pre-, mid-, or post-trib). Many who believe in rapture doctrine think that God would take us away before times get hard on earth and Christians suffer severe persecution. That God would not let us suffer. In the event that we do go thru intense suffering, does this mean we should forsake God? God forbid. I found the following cut & paste on a website and thought it was interesting and something to consider:

Saints in Tribulation

So God won

[dgolvach]

The question would be then, would you rather watch your children get beheaded, tortured or take the mark because it might come down to just that. Then...it seems that there wouldn't be too many folks making it to heaven after Mr. 666 arives on the scene. I don't really know the answer but you really have to ask yourself if very many Christians could survive the horrors of the tribulation. Most Christians I know are good folks but they get testy if the airconditioner is not just right on Sunday morning. I hope its a pre-trib deal but I doubt anyone really knows for sure.

Dan

[other one]

...... actually it will come down to that..... but think about the other ways to going..... loosing your head in an act that takes from a half second to 15 seconds depending on who takes your head and how is no where near as ugly as dieing from lung cancer, or any number of other deseases..... Ebola is not my choice either.

So, yes, I could watch my kids go that way to keep them from the Pitts of hell. We as Christians need to think of ourselves as already dead to this world....... who needs it anyway. If it weren't for my wife needing me, I'd be bugging the Lord to take me home tonight.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

The following will be the attitude/spirit of those who go through the Great Tribulation:

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[tah]

The Rapture?

Well which ever way it goes some of us are in for a surprise..

I for one would like to be surprised...

I do not believe in it...

[buckthesystem]

The "rapture theory" has, it seems, been around for a very long time. But I only heard of it quite recently. To be honest, I really struggle with it. I quite believe that we are in "end-times" now as the argument that the technology has never existed before now for the fulfillment of all the prophesies seems far too logical to ignore.

But the "rapture", I would like to believe in it. But then, it seems to me to be "just too convenient" for Christians. It gives us an "out" too readily and if we believe that we will be raptured there are a lot of things that we don't have to deal with as we will be "whisked away" and others will be left to deal with the mess that they have created.

Just about all my family and old friends are non-Christians and I cannot stand the thought that they might be left to deal with the tribulation in a world where there are no Christians to help and comfort them.

I believe that if the "rapture theory" is correct, it will definitely not be in my life-time. I believe that it will take another 50 or more years before it is obvious that the 2nd coming is imminent, and it is only my husband's family who "live to a ripe old age". If the world continues to go "down the path that it going", it will have spiralled "right back to the beginning" in another 50 or 70 years and we will be back to "the cave days". But this will be way past my time, and if it is 100 years - which is "nothing" in the "great scheme of things" - then it will be way past my grandchildrens' time too.

Also I find it hard to understand the belief that we will keep our physical bodies. I don't want my smelly old body hanging round forever, do you want yours? I've always associated bodies with "something that we are equipped with to meet the physical needs of the earth" and they would be irrelevant in the "hereafter". What does anyone else think?

I don't want to "pour cold water"on anybody's hopes but I am just saying what I feel about it.

But a question I have about the "rapture" (and one that I hope somebody can "shed some light on") is: What about the earth? Wouldn't the earth be knocked off its access or something if so much matter was taken away from it suddenly?

[Candi770]

I haven't studied the topic as much as needed to understand completely. But I know in our lifes we will have tribulations-

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NLT) The Apostle Paul said. . . I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jews gave me 39 lashes. 3 times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent the whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, and as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

Obviously the Lord called him and was with Him and he carried the Zeal of The Lord to spread the Good News.

We must totally put our trust in the Lord!! The Sheep know the voice of the True Shephard and they follow HIM. I just wouldn't want to be one that he says, Depart from me I never knew you!!! Even if someone kills our bodies-they can't take our spirits. Paul was willing to

die. Why do we hold on to what we can't keep-if your Christ's-it's not yours anyway-but you must willingly lay it down.

[Leonard]

Jesus said: "In this world ye SHALL have tribulation...." I'm not prepared to call Him a liar!

Incidentally, the 'rapture theory' is quite novel. It has only been believed for less than 200 years.......

[Dad Ernie]

But a question I have about the "rapture" (and one that I hope somebody can "shed some light on") is: What about the earth? Wouldn't the earth be knocked off its access or something if so much matter was taken away from it suddenly?

Greetings Buck,

Have you ever seen a satellite photo? Did you see people walking around on the planet? I don't think so. I read a statistic a while back, that if all the people of the earth were put in one area, each given a 3'X3' square in which to live, they would not fill the area the size of Texas. We are perhaps like large molecules when compared with the size of the earth. Miniscule to the max. The earth would have no ill effect by even every living person that ever lived on this planet to be taken from it in a moment's notice.

Does that answer your question?

And YES there is a rapture, but not as some believe.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Guest]

I read a statistic a while back, that if all the people of the earth were put in one area, each given a 3'X3' square in which to live, they would not fill the area the size of Texas.

Last time I checked, the population of the planet was esimated at 6,513,517,970. Let's say we put all of these people in a 3 bedroom house, on a 100 ft by 50 ft lot, typical where I live. We will put 4 people in each house. To do that, we would need 1,628,379,492 houses, each on our 50 X 100 lot. That means we would need 1,628,379,492 X 50 X 100 square feet, or 8,141,897,460,000 square feet. A square mile is 27,878,400 square feet, so we would need 292050 square miles of land. Texas is 268,601 square miles. So, we can allow more than a 3 X 3 square as you can see, Texas is almost big enough to put everyone in houses on a plot of land. If we allow a 3 X 3 foot space, then the world population would fit in 526 square miles. Los Angeles County, California, is 4061 square miles, so that is way to big. The city of Los Angeles, is 465 square miles, so, if you gathered all of the people of the world, and had them stand in a crowd, we could fit them in this one city.

The point of your bringing up how little the people of the world can affect the planet, was in answer to it's effect on the stability, inertia, balance etc of the planet, in other word, is this amount of mass significant. Assuming that each person on the planet weighs 150 lbs., then the total mass of humanity, is .0000000000074% of the planets weight. That might be roughly equivalent to removing a single hair from the fuzz of a tennis ball. Remeber also, that it is not all humanity that goes up in the rapture, it is only the dead in Christ and the living saints.

But even that is not the issue. If there is to be a rapture, and there will be a catching up of the saints just after the trib, you are already looking at a miraculous event. When Jesus returns, and exercises His power and catches us up, He will have everything in control. He exercised much more power, when He brought the universe into existance, cetainly the author of Creation, can handle this small detail. Eventually, He will destroy the planet, but it will not be an accident, or a miscalculation, merely the exercise of His will, at the proper time.