Salvation III - Tribulation

Salvation in the Tribulation

Never have I heard a sermon about how you get saved during the Tribulation. Thank God for Ariel Ministries.

It turns out you can be saved during the Tribulation. The Tribulation is a period of time when God judges the world for not accepting His Son as their saviour. The Universal Church, which includes only those who have accepted Messiah as their saviour, will not be judged, which is why some Christians talk about the "Rapture." The Rapture is when all Christians are taken up to Heaven. This is because they are not subject to the judgements about to be implemented by God. (1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 17)

But wait, there is more! During this time God seals 12,000 Jews from each of the 12 Tribes of Israel to preach the "Good News" to the whole world. The result of this display of Grace by God to a world under judgement is a massive world wide revival.

The conditions of Salvation are the same as those for the New Testament believer. However those who are saved during this time will not receive the deposit of the Holy Spirit, as this gift is reserved only for the Universal (Invisible) Church.

At the end of the Tribulation Christ will set up his Judgement Throne, known as the White Throne Judgement, and will separate the goats from the sheep. He asks them tells them at the time they are judged this:

Sheep
Matthew 25:35 - 25:40
For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Goats
Matthew 25:41 - 25:45
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Is this judgement based on the works of supporting the Jews during the Tribulation? No, the judgement is based on the content of each believers faith, which lead them to support the Jews during the Tribulation. Because the believers understood the Gospel, and they had faith in God for their salvation, the held right doctrine and provided aid to the brethren of Jesus, the Jews.

During the Tribulation there are two faith systems in place. There are the Saints, and there is the Apostate Church. The Apostate Church will persecute all discenters. Ultimately there is war between the Saints and the Apostate Church during this period.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum says this:

The Goats will be sent to Hell, whereas the sheep will not only enter the Kingdom (v 34) but they will also inherit eternal life. Is their salvation, then, based on their works, be they anti-Semitic or pro-Semitic? Not at all. The Scriptures make it quite clear that salvation is always by grace through faith totally apart from works. During the Tribulation, the Jews will become the dividing for those who are believers and for those who are not. Only believers will dare to violate the rules of the Antichrist and aid the Jews.¹

Summary

• During the Tribulation 144,000 Jews will preach to Gospel to the whole world.
• Salvation will be by faith in Christ as it was before the Tribulation
• The judgement of the Gentile will be on the basis of pro-Semitism or anti-Semitism, which will be the outward and visible sign of the inward and spiritual status of all Gentiles at this time
• The Antichrist and the Apostate Church will persecute all who disagree with its religion
• Jews will be persecuted like never before
• True believers will give aid and comfort to the Jews during this time

For a full exposition of the period of time known as the Tribulation please refer to Dr Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum's Book, The Footstep of the Messiah

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Footnotes:

1. Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of Messiah, pp 367
   Used with the permission of Ariel Ministries.

The Tribulation The Great Tribulation

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The Names

Also known as the "Time of Jacob's Trouble", "The Seventieth Week (a seven) of Daniel", "The Wrath to Come", "The Great Tribulation", "The Tribulation." While there are more titles for this period this will suffice for now.

Start

The Tribulation will start with the signing of a seven year peace treaty between Israel and the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ may or may not be recognised as such at this time.

End

The Tribulation will end with the return of Christ, most likely at Bozrah, where he will rescue the remnant of Israel and destroy the Anti-Christ and his armies.

The Purposes of the Tribulation

1. To Make an End of Wickedness and Wicked Ones
Isaiah 13:9 - To destroy wicked ones. Isaiah 24:19-20 - To make an end of wickedness.


2. To Bring About a Worldwide Revival
Revelation 7:1-17. Revelation 7:1-8 states the means that will be used. Revelation 7:9-17 shows the results of the revival.
• The Means
The means will be the selection by God of 144,000 Jews who will evangelise the entire world.

At this time the Church Invisible, Church Universal, or if you like, every true believer in Christ with the deposit of the Holy Spirit will have been taken up into Heaven.

Given the fact that Jews inhabit every country in the world, and they are trained from birth in the Old Testament Scriptures, they are the best placed and most effective force to be enlisted with the task of world wide evangelism in the absence of the Christian Church on earth. In a short period of time every Jew enlisted can master the contents of the Gospel.

The Jews will also be free of any Christian Heresy or Apostasy which will be endemic in the church at the time of the Church Saints being taken up to Heaven. Indeed Heresy and Apostasy has, over the last half century, advanced rapidly (exponentially) within all denominations of the Christian faith.

This fulfils Matthew 24:14.


• The Results
The result of the evangelism of the 144,000 Jews will be world wide revival.


3. To Break the Power of the Holy People
Ezekiel 20:33-38. Dr Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum says this:

What is important to note here is that after God gathers the Jews from around the world, he enters into a period of judgement with them. The rebels among the Jewish people will be purged out by this judgement. Only then will the whole new nation, a regenerate nation, be allowed to enter the Promised Land under King Messiah.

- The Footsteps of the Messiah pp 179 (Dr A.G.Fruchtenbaum)
Used with permission of Ariel Ministries

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

When the leadership of Israel cries "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord", Jesus shall return to rescue Israel.
Mat 23:37-39

Salvation and Judgement
The Great White Throne Judgement

Ultimately the Tribulation ends with Christ/Messiah defeating the Anti-Christ and his forces, then judging the world at the "Great White Throne" judgement. The Sheep to his right, the Goats to his left.

The judgement of those who lived during the Tribulation will be based on their faith. His statements concerning their conduct will be this:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:35

The actions are in response to the faith that was held, the sheep had faith, and rescued the brethren of Christ (the Jews). The Goats were of the apostate, and did not aid Christ's brethren (the Jews). Thus we see that as always, "Salvation is by Faith."

Excerpts noted here are from The Footsteps of the Messiah.

Buy the book here: The Footsteps of the Messiah