Not Left Behind: Why a Pre-Tribulation Matters

We offer hope for our times this hour as we revisit our 2019.

Understanding the times conference.

There are seven years left on God's clock shop is work with Israel and the world until the second coming of Christ that is the church age that we are living in right now we are pleased to play a message from understanding the times 2019. Back on September 21. Robert Jeffress has been a friend of this ministry for many years. We are showing some of his words to her audience last fall we think they will and courage to help you to become watchmen, and welcome to the program I am speaking at the proximity conference in Southern California this weekend so I'm playing one of my own conference messages from understanding the times 2019. I'm airing the message given by Dr. Robert Jeffress last fall, September 21 is standing up for the importance of eschatology and even more for the importance of a pre-tribulation rapture. Let's get right to Dr. Robert Jeffress want to welcome you to our 23rd annual event.

Understanding the time send my goodness I think if I were to start donating all the state. Here, you would truly be astonished. I think it's 45 state Canadian crop Canadian province is and I know it got okay, I believe, Austria, and then leave countries out. Please forgive me but I know we got a lot of people from a lot of different places is my only point I'm here to give you a Minnesota welcome and what I'd like to do is I'd like our first speaker to open this event. Prayer given invocation just because I love when a pastor can do that and pastor Robert Jeffress. If you wouldn't mind coming up on platform here because we need to start right by asking the Lord's blessing on this to say a word about him and know him from pathway to victory that TV and radio you know from his books and he has some outback will be signing signing morning break.

My hunches will be leaving about noon catch a plane for Dallas and by the way, we have people who couldn't make it there in Houston and the airport was I had an email or no, I didn't even know there was a 4 AM, but I was up early getting ready for this email from someone early from his own anti-plane was canceled. Everything was canceled so I think we know what's going on down there.

Dr. Robert Jeffress actually has the ear of the president as you know, he'll say little bit about that and I worked with him in 2015 came to this event and had him on air and I consider him a very dear friend. It's just that he's been enraptured and we've all been left behind wasn't supposed to work that way will Jan I want you to stand right here because I'm really not just for the conference but for you as well. Aren't you grateful for this woman was great. Father, we thank you for the vision of Jan Markel. Thank you. What she is doing the impact this country and this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray your continued blessing upon her ministry broadcast in this conference today that it would uplift the name of Jesus in whose name we pray.

Amen thank you Jen well it is an honor to be with you today. So many of you have come up and said nice things before the service today and I'm I'm good have to tell you that's not always the case.

I found out a long time ago been on television has an upside. But there's a downside to it and the downside is people feel free to make any comment they want to make. I was in Washington DC speaking not long ago, and afterwards a man came up and gave me the once over, and he said you know he said you look a lot better on TV than you do in person. True story about the worst combat we've ever had a lady call our 800 number on pathway to victory and she said you know we like Dr. Jefferson's message is okay but somebody's got to tell him he has the worst toupee we have ever seen. I met her, I don't were to pay so I didn't hear any of that today. So thank you very much for that. You know Jan I would not normally do this. Honestly. But Jan asked me to say a word about Pres. Trump before I start today and it really does confident with what I'm going to say that the last time I will fall of 2015 and it was just a few months after Donald Trump had announced his candidacy.

Nobody thought he was going to win and I could come out early just a couple weeks after he announced and endorsed him, and people thought I was out of my mind. My friends thought I was out of my mind and I remember this conference well because Jan got up water heat for having me here that year because frankly, there were not many evangelicals at that point on board with Pres. Trump people say what did you get behind him so early was that a supernatural revelation and I said no it was a political calculation. I really believed he was the only one who could win on the conservative agenda that he was the only one who had a possibility of winning.

I remember being here at that time and there's a lot of different atmosphere, but I appreciate Jan not buckling under the pressure not to have me here that she felt she felt like I had the right to take that stand in it was a few months after that, again, before any boat had been cast before any caucus I was one Saturday flying around within Mr. Trump on his airplane campaigning. I would like the prayer and say a few words and he would speak and it was such a ragtag operation. I mean honestly and literally it was just me and Mr. Trump. His campaign manager Cory Lewandowski and his communications director hope pics and that was it. That was the campaign staff and we got on board and Corey had gone through a drive-through to pick up some Wendy's cheeseburgers for lunch on the airplane. So here we are on this airplane eating Wendy's cheeseburgers flying across Iowa and after we finished our cheeseburgers. I said Mr. Trump, I believe you're going to be the next president of United States and if that happens, it's because God has a great purpose for you and for this nation and he said he looked at me needs a Robert. We believe that I said yes sir, I do so, then let me ask you a question. Do you think it was God's will for Obama to become the president. I said yes sir I do. I said Daniel chapter 2 says God is the one who establishes Kings and he removes kings and he has a purpose for you and for this country well as you know, a year later nine months later, he was elected president in the greatest political upset in American history and God had the final map and let me just say this. The president does not claim to be perfect at all. He doesn't claim that at all, but I think when you honestly look at his presidency.

He has, and I think this is not be the great irony of history when history looks back and that is that it took a secular real estate tycoon from New York City to be the most pro-life, pro-religious pro-Israel president had that and when I asked you to be praying.

I know so many of praying for the president regularly and he says how much he appreciates that. He says that to me and others, but pray for him this coming Monday I went to be with him at the United Nations and it's going to be very interesting. While some were there debating on imaginary problem called climate change. The president, but first leader in history is going to address the entire United Nations on the subject of religious persecution in the world first time in history. Any president is the mass so please pray for the president one day when he does that. I'll be on Fox Monday night given a recap on Lou Dobbs and Shannon Brame about what he has to say. But anyway, thank you for praying for the president.

I'm very very encouraged about what's happening in our country, but the encouragement I feel does not at all change what I believe is the downward trajectory long-term of our nation, and I believe it is working together for the purpose.

In the event that were going to talk about today and that is the rapture of the church you know I found early on that the discussion of end time events produces various reactions from people. Some people are excited like you are about the end times. Other people are not like so excited, in fact, are fearful about any discussion of the end times. My first experience with that was when I was a high school student. I attended a secular school in Richardson, Texas, 3000 students there. My now wife was my girlfriend at that time and we had an English class together in the teacher was Jewish and she gave us an assignment that we were to take a popular book of the day and to give a creative book report to the class on that topic. And so I decided to choose how Lindsay's late great planet Earth. I thought this would be a good witness to my Jewish teacher and to my non-Christian class member and of course I told the class I went through the contents of the book, and especially about the events before the rapture and how the Bible taught that Israel would be invaded the north and how Lindsay believe that was going to be Russia and that was a particular interest of the class because at that time Pres. Nixon was in Moscow trying to ease tension with the Soviets, so I was going through how all of this is a part of Bible prophecy what the class did not know was I had arranged with our assistant principal at just the right time to come over the loudspeaker with an emergency announcement that we worked it out that he would just do this to our room. People would think it was going out of the school but was come to our room so I'm going through this presentation and it just the right moment little dog sounds do you do and everybody looks up principal said this is assistant principal artist Kelly we just received news from the United press International that Russia has invaded Israel. Pres. Nixon is on Air Force One headed back to Washington DC. All students are dismissed from their classes are urged to go home and seek shelter my Jewish teacher yelled out my students stood up and said and started heading toward the exits and I stop and I know this is not I was just illustrating you the end time events. Unfortunately, as I was trying to calm their fears.

I started hearing walkers slamming outside I started hearing steps above me running on the floor above me but principal had made a mistake instead of typing it. Just in the classroom. It went on all 3000 students. They headed toward the exits. I had to shut down all in school that day and nearly 50 years later I have classmates who remind me of that day the world almost dead at Richardson high school so it is a reminder that the end times are going to be good for some people and not so good news for other, but the reason it's good news for eyes is because of this event were going to talk about today and that is the rapture of the church if you join me late time presenting the message by Dr. Robert Jeffress from understanding the times 2019.

Last September 21 and we still have CDs and DVDs available. Visit our online store. Olive trees use.org views as an viewpoint, that's Olive trees use.org or call my office Monday through Friday back now to Dr. Robert Jeffress. Yes, there going to be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, families but thank God you and I are not going to be here for that because of what the Bible teaches.

So today, if you have your Bibles I want you to turn.

First of all to Ephesians chapter 3 in the few moments we have and is there a clock down here, or maybe James given me unlimited time. Okay, how much or how much time I've spent okay, you tell me how much I got left. Okay, great. Were going to look at the rapture of the church, why it's necessary and why. I'm convinced that the church is not going to endure the great tribulation. First of all, the rapture in perspective. You don't understand the rapture. You have to understand God's plan.

In total the whole story of the Bible is found in Genesis 12 verses 1 to 3 everything before that Genesis 1 to 11 is just an introduction to the Bible, the real story begins in Genesis 12 when God called Abraham and said Abraham I want to do three things for you and your descendents. I'm going to give you a land I'm going to give you a see your to be the father of a great nation and I'm blessed the entire world through you and the rest of the Bible from Genesis 12 to Revelation 22 is the story of God's fulfillment of his promise to his people. You say what that sounds great if you're a Jew about those of us who are Jews from the very beginning God hinted at the fact that Gentiles would be a part of that blessing, they would be grafted in.

Even the promise itself.

In Genesis 12 three God said you Abraham. All the nations of the world will be blessed. He went on throughout the Old Testament use all the Ninevites non-Jews, Gentiles being blessed you saw it in the book of Ruth over and over again. There were ants people beyond the Jews would be a part of this blessing, you get to the Gospels again. Jesus handed that very strongly in some of the parables, he told like for example the king who gave a banquet for his son and invited his friends but they neglected the invitation so the king told the servants to go out into the highways and byways and invite people from the north, south and east and west, and yet it was the apostle Paul who was explicitly given the ministry of the church and we find it in Ephesians 3 verse three that my Revelation there was made known to me the mystery which I wrote for inbreed, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men. It's now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the spirit and what is that mystery verse six to be specific that the Gentiles are fellow errors and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ. Paul was given the job of revealing the ministry. The ministry was that God was not through with Israel, but he was going to send Israel temporarily aside to give Gentiles an opportunity to become a part of the ministry. In Romans 1125 Paul said, I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, and here it is the mystery that a partial hardening has happened to Israel on all the fullness of the Gentiles has come in and we don't have time to go into this.

Maybe some other speakers will but you saw this in the Old Testament and the great prophecy of Daniel chapter 9. Remember, the Israelites were in Babylon and exile. Daniel was discouraged, thinking God has finished with his people, and God gave Daniel a vision of future things to assure him that God was not finished with his people and remembering Daniel nine.

He said to Daniel, know this that 70 weeks literally 70 weeks of years. 490 years have been decreed for me to finish my work with Israel and in verses 24 to 27. You see how that's broken down. It's very clear in that vision in Daniel nine doctors. The first 483 years that began when Artaxerxes gave the command to go back and rebuild Jerusalem until the time Masai was presented would be 69 weeks of years or 483 years but there's an obvious stop applause. In that time clock until the final seven years final week. Daniel said the week that will represent God's final dealing with Israel. We are living in that gap.

Of time between the 69th week 483 years and the final week of years.

The seven years God started that time clock again when Artaxerxes made the command to go back and rebuild Jerusalem. The timeclock stop the stopwatch stopped when Messiah was presented that final week of his life as Messiah.

There are seven years left on God's clock shop is work with Israel and the world until the second coming of Jesus Christ. That is the church age that we are living in right now that gap that stop that pause. God is not finished with Israel, his promise to Israel is as certain as the sunrise tomorrow morning. God is going to finish his promise.

But Paul said we are living in that period of time known as the church age. Now that is a lot of heavy theology in five minutes so were to break it up and I want to tell your story a sad story for my love life.

Okay, it's a real boost story to but it illustrates exactly what I'm talking about and it has a happy ending to it. My wife and I met when we were both 12 years old in junior high school.

Ms. Benny's math class and I we became best friends and then in ninth grade we started dating in our parents would drive us around on dates but in the 10th grade. In our sophomore year. Amy made the dumbest decision she has ever made in her life. She decided she wanted to date other people imagine that why the world would she do that but I'm telling you her heart turns go cold toward me. As we say that old song in Texas.

She done stomped on my aorta and anyway she done stomped on my aorta and I just moped around for so long, but suddenly I had all this extra time on my hands and so I started having Bible studies at school and discipling kids and so forth. There was another girl in my English class who was not a Christian and I started having time to witness to her and bided her to some church activities and eventually she prayed to accept Christ as her Savior and maybe, notice this attention.

I was giving Barbara and suddenly she warmed her back up to me and we got back together again and we have been together ever since. But you know a few years ago that girl Barbara who came to faith in Christ. She wrote me a letter she said you know Robert, I've been thinking about the events that led me to Christ and if Amy had not broken up with you. You would've never noticed me taking an interest in my salvation. In other words, what she was saying was Amy because of the hard mess of her heart, with all her heart.

I had time for this other person to be witness to them to come to Christ and that is exactly what God is saying about Israel. The Bible says Israel has hardened its heart toward God temporarily so God is set Israel aside rarely and allowed Gentiles to come in, but Israel will actually be jealous over what is happened of the Gentiles, and that jealousy will provoke an interesting Christ, and many to be saved. In the end times that we are living in that time when God shifted his attention to the Gentiles that the whole thing here is that it is Paul who now the beginning of the church age.

It would seem that Paul would be the one to announce the end of the church age, and ladies and gentlemen, that answers the question of why is Paul the first want to talk about the rapture on the rectory were in the Old Testament you don't find it anywhere in the teaching of Jesus. It is Paul who talked about the rapture.

Why is that it's very simple. The Old Testament prophets, Jesus were talking to Jewish people and for them in Matthew 24 and 25 when they support what shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the age.

Jesus starts with the tribulation concluding with the return of Christ on earth. The millennial kingdom, and the judgments but it was Paul who was revealed to the ministry of the church age and the end of the church age, which is the rapture of the church. So where do we find the rapture in Scripture where the most prevalent and predominant and descriptive aspect of the rapture is found in first Thessalonians chapter 4, so let's look at this.

The details of the rapture.

You remember the background and Thessalonians Thessalonian Christians thought that they would live to see the return, the second coming of Jesus Christ and then their loved ones who were believers begin the parish and die and so they wondered. Paul will they miss out on the resurrection. If they're not alive when the Lord returns and notice how he gives in this word of reassurance. Verse 13 but we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as the rest who have no hope know. People tell you all Bible prophecy.

God doesn't want us to be worried about all that involved in all of that will just kind of let everything pan out. I'm a pain millennialist. I believe it all will pan out the hurt he thinks Oaks in your life that adjusts stupid, just stupid. Paul said there is no premium on ignorance.

I don't watch you to be a grant uninformed about those who are asleep. Is he talking about those who are sleeper Christians who have died. He's not saying that our souls go to sleep when we die. Second Corinthians 58 says to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord when a Christian dies, he immediately awakens in the presence of Jesus Christ, wherever that is. But his body is said to go to sleep is placed in the grave, rich, cremated body is asleep. The spirit is alive.

He said we don't want you to be uninformed about those who are sleep that you may not grieve as those who have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. We had over 4000 attendees at our annual event last September. Other speakers included Amir's are funny Pastor JD for Ron Pastor Jack Hibbs Lori Cardoza Moore and myself and we've had almost 1/2 million views electronically of the entire conference more with Dr. Robert Jefferson just a moment. We love to us through our website. All trees start old Archie all of three views or call us several time 763-559-4444 763-555-4444 or contact us by mail by writing to follow three ministries of John Markel Fox 1452-year-old MN 55311, Box 1452 Maple Grove, MN 55110 gives our time and save the day for understanding the times 2020. This fall we have a Saturday and Sunday, September 20 627 more with Janet Dr. Robert Jeffress thank you for your faithful radio support over many years. Understanding the times radio is now in its 20th year, reaching coast-to-coast almost 900 radio stations and around the world electronically. We have tried to broadcast hope and encouragement in a world that is grown dark tried to show you that headlines are a herald of his coming. Things are all falling into place if we have made a difference in your life remember us prayerfully and financially.

We have a media team that works daily on your behalf. The King is coming, perhaps even today. If you miss a program hatchet electronically on our website. Follow three views.org. On one place.com on the one place.com overlap or on our YouTube channel, insert images and video. Here is just let me just say a word about our 2020 event this fall, it will be a two day format tickets for Sunday, September 26 will go on sale next summer. So for now save the date Saturday.

Speakers will include Amir's are funny. Pastor Jack Hibbs, Michelle Bachmann, Joel Rosenberg and pastor very stagnant. There are no tickets needed for what we will present Sunday, September 27 Sunday morning at a local church in Minneapolis with Pastor Jack Hibbs and Sunday evening, September 27 an evening with Joel Rosenberg and again that will be at revive church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Sunday activities, no cost, and seating is first-come, first-served. Let's wrap up today with Dr. Robert Jeffress.

He shares with us for aspects of the rapture for things that will happen at the rapture. I want you to write these down first of all, it begins with the dissent of Christ.

Look at verse 15 for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, the Lord will the sin from heaven that this confuses some people that prays the coming of the Lord. That phrase coming Paris CI in Greek means the arrival the presence of the Lord, the rapture is about the coming year live all the Paris CI of the Lord. Now that same term is used for the second coming in Matthew 24, 27 Jesus said, were just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. A lot of people observed well because it's the same word that uses that is used to describe both advanced than the rapture and the second coming. A really the same thing is the same word coming. Let me remind you something just because two things are similar does not make them the same. My old seminary professor who was a member of my church for many many years. Dr. Charles Riley, Dr. Riley said you know our washing machine has a motor in it are car has a motor in it and our camera has a motor in it, but is anybody can argue that means they're the same thing.

No, they may have similarities, but they have differences as well. The same thing is true about the word coming both the rapture and then the second coming that happened seven years later they have some similarities open all the appearance of the Lord, but that doesn't mean the same thing. Dr. Rory goes on to illustrate it this way. Suppose some grandparents were talking to their best friends next door neighbors and said we are so excited that our grandchildren are coming to visit next week, and later in the conversation. They say we are so excited that our grandchildren are coming for our 50th wedding anniversary. Now you could surmise one of two things you could assume that there coming next week was like coming for the 50th anniversary and they were talking about the same event or you could surmise that these people grandchildren were coming next week to visit but they were also coming at a future date for the 50th anniversary celebration. That's the same thing here. Yes, the rapture and the second coming involved on it appearance of the Lord, but they are vastly different. And here's the main difference the Bible says that the rapture we will meet Christ in the air. The Lord will descend from heaven in the air. Only believers will see the Lord at the rapture but at the second coming. Everyone will see him every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord at the rapture we go up to meet him in the clouds at the second coming. He comes to take his stand upon the earth, and that you know the prophecy well. Zechariah 14 for and in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that the half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south that that's the first thing that happens at the rapture. The dissent of Christ in the air. The second a bit of the rapture, the resurrection of the dead in Christ will give her 16 for the Lord himself will ascend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel with the trumpet of God and that dad in Christ that is the body's of the dead in Christ will rise first know who are the dead in Christ. I haven't even checked this out with Jan to see what she thinks about it. But if I'm wrong she'll tell you about it. Some people believe the dead in Christ represent believers died since the time of Adam's body is in the ground. His spirits already in heaven. So it will be a resurrection of all the dead, who have been saved my own opinion is is going to be those Christians who were saved and die during the church age since the rapture is a church event. I think the Old Testament saints receive their bodies prior to the millennium, but I believe that it is right here that church receives their new bodies.

It really doesn't make a difference at all.

The point is that the rapture the bodies of those who have died will be raised first and that leads to the third of the removal of all living Christians. Verse 17 says then we were alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, thus we shall always be with the Lord. We will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air now had never heard people say that idea rapture. It's nowhere in the Bible you can't find the term rapture in the Bible anywhere.

How many of you ever heard that first, even if that were true.

So what I mean. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible anywhere, but it is anybody doubt the truth of the Trinity that God is father, son and Holy Spirit is the same way with the rapture term rapture were not found in the Bible that doesn't mean anything.

It's called in Scripture, but the fact is the term rapture is found in the Bible is found right here in this word caught up the Latin word is retro we get rapture from Touro is a translation of the Greek word so so was used 13 times in the Greek New Testament and it needs to be rapture to be caught up to be snatched away.

Two of those 13 times.

It's used to describe the physical removal of somebody on our for example, lacks a 39. It was used to describe Phillips supernatural rapture from Gaza and planting him in Caesarea in second Corinthians 12 versus 2 to 4.

Paul's talking about himself and how he was our part so it was rapture up into the third heaven there are going to be millions Christians at the rapture who like Elijah and Enoch never taste of death. They are caught up. They are translated to meet the Lord in the air as I going to be explained how the world is the world going to explain the rapture of the church.

Now this is just speculation maybe divine speculation. I don't know but it speculation, but I think it has basis in Scripture. First of all unbelievers will never acknowledge the rapture. They will just never acknowledge the rapture but my own feeling is that the rapture will coincide with some worldwide cataclysmic tragedy and that the disappearance of millions of people will be explained by this catastrophe that is occurred.

The reason I say that is because after the rapture we don't know how long after the rapture we find the rise of the world dictator called the antichrist and when he makes his peace treaty with Israel. That is when the final seven year countdown begins. The Bible says there's going to have to be some catalyst that causes a country like the United States to completely surrender its Constitution and become a part of the stimulation Confederacy. I think whatever catastrophe motivates the world to come peacefully on leadership of this antichrist.

Remember he doesn't rule by force at the beginning.

There is a voluntary subjection to his rule. There has to be some catastrophe motivates the nations of the world to follow his leadership and I think that catastrophe very well may be what explains the rapture of the disappearance of Christians, regardless.

Don't be millions of Christians will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And that leads to the fourth element of the rapture of the transformation of our bodies look at first Corinthians 15 verse 50.

Now I say this brethren, that flash and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. You know, this body that we have is perfectly suited for this world, but it is totally unsuitable for the next world and that's why the Bible says this body as it is, cannot enter into the kingdom of God. We got have a change of uniform and work ahead that change your body at the rapture. Both the dead in Christ and those of us were alive at that time we were caught up in the air shall be changed. Look at verse 51 behold, I tell you a mystery.

We shall not all sleep that is not everybody's going to die by every Christian has to be changed. We shall all be changed.

The motto of every preschool and every church in America. We shall all be changed. I have triple grandchildren I'm interchanging right now.

That's not the kind of change, and he's talking about working all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. By the way, this is not the same trumpet as the trumpet judgments in the book of Revelation. That's 3 1/2 years later so this is the trumpet that summons all Christians to fold up their tents and begin their march to heaven, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed for this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality Internet stent these bodies that are filled with sickness and sadness and suffering there going to be changed in an instant that body that is forever free from the sin and suffering of this life and how quickly does it happen, he says, in the twinkling of an eye, not used to think years ago when I read that he was talking about the blinking of an eye. That's how quick, no much much quicker than that, the twinkling of an eye, refers to the time it takes for light to travel in the light from the iris to the retina. You know how quickly that is. It is 16 about nano second. Now I had to look up what a nano second is a microsecond is 1/1000000 of a second, but a nano second is one 1000 �s � that is passed that's how quickly are changes going to take place. Aren't you looking forward to that way shall be caught up and we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye if you join me late in presenting the message by Dr. Robert Jeffress from understanding the times 2019. Last September 21 and we still have CDs and DVDs available.

You can check out website called lesser get on our newsletter lists and you can also find all presentations on our YouTube channel under olive tree ministries and Jan Markel back now to Dr. Robert Jeffress your way out of you are getting these letters more and more because I guess it's because funerals are becoming so expensive. People want to know about cremation.

You know, is it okay for a Christian to be cremated and look you may have a personal conviction about that follow your conviction.

It's true that in the first century, the Roman Steckler bodies up and burned them.

They didn't believe in an afterlife. Christians carefully buried their dead in anticipation of the resurrection, but the fact is, these human bodies matter what you do to them. They're going to become dust very quickly.

Cremation just accelerates the process to be dust were to become food for the fish. If you're blown up in an airplane over the Sea of your planet under an apple tree in the apple tree you know invade your casket and all kinda terrible things happen like that, you know what ever because it's not these old bodies that were dragging and I have been. It is our brand-new body from God hallelujah. So don't worry about your old body make any difference. God can sort all of that now. We've talked about why the rapture is important. It is the end of the church age. It's a part of the church age. We talked about the things to happen at the rapture. Let me close for these final few moments about why I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.

As you know there are Christians who believe that the rapture occurs at the end of the tribulation. It's almost synonymous with the second coming brothers who believe that it happens.

Midway in the tribulation wrath of God is reserved for the second half of the tribulation and Christians will escape that I don't think you can put all of the judgments in the second half of tribulation, but I am convinced that the Bible teaches Christians will be rapture before these final seven years.

Let me share with you for reasons I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.

First of all, the purpose of the tribulation itself when you look at Scripture. There is a twofold reason for the tribulation. First of all it is for the salvation of the Jews, as well as a multitude of Gentiles gods pouring out his wrath.

These judgments have a redemptive quality to them. This is the final opportunity for people on earth to be saved and that's why you have the ministry. The hundred and 44,000 witnesses. God is always in the business of redemption until the very end. So this is for the salvation of Israel and Gentiles.

Revelation 7 you have a picture of all the tribes of the earth who are saved during the tribulation.

Standing before the throne of God and the second reason for the tribulation is the condemnation of the lost. This is a time for God to pour out his wrath on the earth, neither of those purposes. The salvation of Gentiles and Jews are the condemnation lost. Neither of those fits the church. The church doesn't need to be saved. The church doesn't need to feel the wrath of God. So it doesn't fit with the purpose of the tribulation. Secondly, the lack of reference to the church in Revelation 6 to 18.

I'm preaching through the book of Revelation.

Verse by verse right now if you read the book you know that the church is prominent in Revelation chapters 1 to 3. John is on the island of Patmos. He sees the resurrected Christ yet so message Jesus does to the churches in Asia minor, chapters 2 and three. Then the scene shifts from our work in Revelation 45 to heaven, where you see the church. The 24 elders praising God. Then when you get Revelation 6.

The scene shifts back to earth and from chapter 6 through 18 is a description of the three series of judgments that comprise the great tribulation. What is interesting is not lots and all of those chapters do you find one reference to the church, not one mention of the church. Why is that because the church in their the church is in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ and in Revelation 19. That's when you see the church again, appearing with Christ in heaven turning in victory to the earth. That's a strong argument for the pre-tribulation rapture and then thirdly, the teaching of Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 Jesus had this message to the church at Philadelphia but it's clear that this message extended beyond Philadelphia and to the world at large. He said because you have kept the word of my perseverance. I will also keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole earth, to test those who dwell upon the earth when he's looking to down the court order history is a time of testing in the whole world. The whole world is about to experiences testing not just a name for a wide testing this is testing for the entire world and God said I'm going to keep you from that hour, that word from me out.

It's not the picture of the walk with us through this hour tribulation. We will be delivered out the tribulation, but I think perhaps the most definitive argument for pre-tribulation rapture is found in Romans eight verse one and that is the promise of God that believers will be spared his condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation awaiting those who are in Christ Jesus you know people who want to argue that the church is going to go to the tribulation will say things like you think you're going to escape persecution. Christians have always experienced persecution. Why do you think you in this age would escape that kind of persecution. I don't believe are going escape persecution at all.

I think were getting ready as a country to go into an intense time of persecution. I believe it is coming starting happening around the world right now.

Did you know that 1/3 of the world right now third of the world's population is living under religious persecution, and 80% of those being persecuted are Christians. Yes, there are Muslims and Hindus. But the worldwide persecution against Christians is predominantly against Christians themselves, and that's what Jesus predicted in John 1633 he said in this world you will have tribulation� Pressure sometimes it's family pressure, sometimes it's social pressure.

Sometimes it's monetary pressure and sometimes it's government pressure. We're going to experience tribulation in Hebrews 11 versus 37 to 38. The rider says, for they were stone talking about these persons were Christians that were stone, they were sawn into they were tempted. They were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute, afflicted, ill treated men in the world was not worthy wandering in deserts and mountains engaged in holes in the ground. That was the first century that's happening in the 21st century all around the world.

We are not going to escape tribulation pressure, not at all. You better get ready for pastors, you better prepare your churches for were doing everything we can to encourage our people to be ready. Ladies and gentlemen, the tribulation. These final seven years is not a time of man's persecution of man.

It is a time when God pours out his wrath on the earth and the Bible says if you are a Christian you do not have to dread the coming wrath of God because the wrath of God meant for you and me was experienced by Jesus Christ on the cross.

And that's why Paul says there is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus group of cowboys route on the Prairie when suddenly they noticed a raging wildfire advancing toward them. They had no direction your stone cliff behind them. It was coming in. Adam from all sides.

One of the cowboy said quick let's light a fire and burning the grass around us. Those other cowboys thought he lost his mind. Why in the world would we set a fire when the fire is raging toward us. This cowboy said, because the fire cannot come, for it is Artie been the fire cannot come where it is Artie been ladies and gentlemen, the fire of God's wrath in some inexplicable way was poured out upon his son Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ experienced hell so that we might experience heaven one day. The most important way we can prepare for the rapture in the coming judgment of God is to make sure we have placed our faith and trust in Jesus as our Savior. That's the most important preparation we can make for the coming of what's about with every head bowed every eye closed. If you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus to be your savior.

I want to encourage you right now to pray this prayer with me as I prayed aloud knowing that God is listening to you, dear God, thank you for loving me. I know that I have failed you in many ways and I'm truly sorry for the sins in my but I believe what I've heard today that you love me so much.

You sent Jesus to die on the cross for me to take the punishment I deserve to take for mice and right now I'm trusting in what Jesus did for me, not in my good works, but in what Jesus did for me to save me from ice.

Thank you for forgiving me and help me to live the rest of my life in Jesus. Throughout the year I try to present all conference messages given at our annual event here on understanding the times radio. I hope you will think about joining us.

Perhaps this fall, Saturday, Sunday, September 20 627. Again, these messages are all on DVD and CV enter online store olive tree views.org that's all intrigued as.org or call the central time. Thank you for standing with us both prayerfully and financially here in the new year.

Remember, everything is falling into place. She save the dates of Saturday and Sunday, September 26 2720 24 annual conference tickets for the Saturday event will go on sale next summer Sunday of that is free of charge, sir. Contact us through our website. Olive tree views.she followed views.org follow simple time at 763559447635594 always reach us by mail by writing to all of tree ministries John Markel Box 1452, Maple Grove, MN 55311 Xbox 1452 soda four times over try to help you understand what things are all works