glrapr.beforeafter

I believe the subject of the "End Times" to be too serious a matter to be
"willingly ignorant" of the truth and as far as those who purpose to instruct
others in God's Word we're clearly told that their judgment will be more strict.
Jms. 3:1 - Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers
in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.
Who wants to be responsible for misguiding God's people by teaching things
that merely appeal to our wants, ideas or personal preferences. When
considering any Bible doctrines it's important to approach it in all honesty
and sincerity. We want only the Truth, popular or otherwise!

The most popular "End Times" teaching at present in North America is Pre-
tribulationism. The major thrust being that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
is Raptured or "Caught Up" to meet the Lord in the clouds BEFORE the Great
Tribulation. This is what I was originally taught in Bible School and personally
I'd like it to be true. Through much personal Study I found it increasingly more
difficult to treat the Scriptures with honesty. I found I was really pressured to
make Scriptures fit together to support this concept. As I grew more
uncomfortable with Pre-tribulationism I came to the point were I was prepared
to take an unbiased approach to the Word. I purposed to allow the Scriptures
the freedom to speak even if it meant changing my previous teaching. To be
honest with you what I saw wasn't my personal preference! It took some time
to fully accept what I now understand to be the truth regarding the Great
Tribulation and the Believer's involvement with it.

For the past twenty-five years I have fully embraced what is known as "Historic
Pre-millennialism"! It's called "Historic" because it's what the original Church
fathers believed regarding the End Times and the future 1000 year reign of
Christ on earth. "Historic Pre-millennialism' embraces the "Post-tribulation,
Pre-wrath" rapture or catching away of the Church.

I still recall being surprised when I first learned that the present and popular
Pre-tribulationism in North America is a relatively a new doctrine and was not
the original teaching of the early church. The "post-trib" view is and has always
been the majority view of Christians throughout world. The earliest recorded
Christian writings fully support a single future coming of Christ, to rapture the
Church and execute the righteous judgment of God.

Acts 2:20 and Mt.24:29! form a valuable prophetic "cross hair", a place of
Scriptural intersecting! It's pinpoint from which we are able to find prophetic
direction regarding the Great tribulation! From this intersection it becomes
crystal clear that Post-tribualtionism is the correct "way to go" regarding
eschatology (the part of theology concerned with death, judgement, and destiny.)

        Acts 2:20 - The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will
        turn bloodred, BEFORE that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.

        Mt.24:29 - "Immediately AFTER those horrible days end, the sun will
        be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the
        sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

The major "pin point" here is the events effecting the sun and moon. This
happens BEFORE the "Day of the Lord" while we're also informed that the sun
and moon will be darkened AFTER the Great Tribulation. This is an important
point theologically because it clearly differentiates between the Great
Tribulation and the "Day of the Lord". The Great Tribulation happens BEFORE
the "Day of the Lord". Therefore the "Day of the Lord" is not and does not
include the Great Tribulation.

We're told In that The events of Mt 24:21 & 22 describe a tribulation that
exceeds anything previously experienced on earth as well as anything that
occurs latter. From this we must conclude if there's been nothing greater
nor will be latter then this must be the Great Tribulation.

        Mt.24:21,22 - For that will be a time of greater horror than
        anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again.
        22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire
        human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the
        sake of God's chosen ones.

        Mk.13:19,20 - For those will be days of greater horror than at
        any time since God created the world. And it will never happen
        again. 20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of
        calamity, the entire human race will be destroyed. But for the
        sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

        Lk.21:25,26 - "And there will be strange events in the skies-
        signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And down here on earth the
        nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and
        strange tides. 26 The courage of many people will falter
        because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth,
        because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up.

Because the "Day of the Lord" is yet to happen and only occurs AFTER the
Great Tribulation of Mt.24:21. We must conclude that the "Day of the Lord" is
not the Great Tribulation but judgment of wrath, which occurs latter in the prophetic
sequence.

We have learned three important truths from Acts 2:20 & Mt.24:29.

        1) The "Great Tribulation" occurs BEFORE the sun and moon cease
            to give light

        2) The "Day of the Lord occurs AFTER the sun and moon cease to
            give light

        3) The "Great Tribulation" is not the "Day of the Lord" or the Wrath
            of God.

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