Msg#1641 The Tribulation

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

The disciples were eager for Christ to set up his kingdom but before that comes he said, “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt24:21). Understanding Biblical prophecy of the last days hangs on the acceptance of the fact that the dispensation of grace that we live in must end before the dispensation of the Millennial Kingdom can begin. And before the Kingdom, God will judge the nations of the Earth and pour out his wrath in a seven year tribulation period. That seven year period involves the twelve tribes of Israel, it doesn't involve the Church. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel” is then given to the 144 thousand, the church has been raptured. This is a time when God fulfills promises to Israel, and theologians can't force fit it into the church. Charles Hodge, a noted Presbyterian theologian who wrote 2,400 pages of Systematic Theology, said of the Second Advent of Christ, “This is a very comprehensive and very difficult subject.” He goes on to say that he has no qualifications to write about such a difficult subject. Presbyterian doctrine is that they are the new elect of God and that he is forever done with the twelve tribes of Israel. Discerning God's dispensations makes the “very difficult” very straight forward. The seven year tribulation period does not involve the Church. Fleeing from Jerusalem when the abomination of desolation is seen, enduring to the end, and refusing the mark of the beast are things written to tribulation period saints, and they are different from Church-age saints. Pursuing Biblical prophecy properly can open up a lot of Bible truths, but only when one rightly divides the Word of truth.

An Essay for week #41 Oct 9, 2016

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