The Church and the Tribulation III: Two Separate Events

If you’ve ever heard someone speak with total confidence about the Great Tribulation but struggle to find the same certainty in the actual text of the Bible, this teaching is for you. We open by calling out a common problem in Christian life: repeating catchphrases like “God said it” while never doing the hard, careful work of showing what God said and where He said it. Doctrine gets fragile when it’s built on personalities, not passages, and end times teaching is one of the fastest places for that to happen. 

From there, we start a series on the tribulation in relation to the Church, beginning with the “first necessity” for clear biblical prophecy: understanding the differences between Israel and the Church of God. We walk through contrasts in origin, makeup, worship, and destiny. Israel is presented as God’s earthly people with national promises and an earthly future, while the Church is formed after Christ’s resurrection at Pentecost and is a spiritual body drawn from every nation. That distinction shapes how we read covenant language, judgment passages, and the purpose of the Great Tribulation. 

Next, we compare two separate events that are often blended together: Christ’s coming for His saints, called the blessed hope, and His public appearing with His saints. We lay out differences like secret versus visible, meeting in the air versus coming to earth, comfort versus wrath, and the order of who is removed. We also address the parousia argument and finish with Scripture support from Deuteronomy 4 and Romans 11 to show why the tribulation is tied to Israel and the world, not the New Testament Church. 

If you care about the pre-tribulation rapture, the second coming of Christ, and reading the Bible in context without forcing passages to fit a system, listen through to the end, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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Transcript

Why Beliefs Need Biblical Proof

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And a very, very pleasant good day to each and every one of you. I'm Brother James, and I greet you once again in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And it's time to do what God so often calls upon us to do, that is to deal with yet another doctrinal misunderstanding that has greatly hindered the work and effectiveness of the body of Christ. You know, the last thing we need in this day and age, the last thing we need in this day and age is for one more Christian to say, Well, I just believe it. God said it, I believe it, and that settles it. And then some go so far as to say, God said it, and that settles it. And you know, those are those are good little phrases and catchwords. But the truth of the matter is, so many of God's people don't have any idea what God said. And they decide what they believe based upon a preacher they like, or a TV or radio program that they uh tune into, or a sermon that they heard one time that they slept through half of it, and they spend their entire lives basing their beliefs on nothing substantial at all. Now, ladies and gentlemen, if you know nothing else about our radio broadcast, you know, whether you like the tone of our voice, whether you agree with every uh position that we set forth, you know one thing, and you won't deny this, you can't deny this, because what I'm about to say is the absolute truth, whether you whether you like it or not, it's the truth, you know, that we go to great lengths to show you from the Bible just exactly why we believe what we believe. Now, as I say, that may not convince you. You may not agree with us once we are finished, but you know that you never hear Brother James come on this radio station and say, I believe, and leave it at that. You never hear me come on this radio station and say, You should believe and leave it at that. We always take the time to show you why we believe what we believe from the pages of the Holy Bible, line upon line, precept upon precept, verse after verse, in its context. God helping us, God giving us grace, we're going to continue to do that right up until the time that Jesus comes again. Now

Tribulation Requires Israel Church Clarity

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we're going to begin on the broadcast today a series of messages. I don't know how many programs it will take to get through this. Maybe two, maybe three. Don't know. Sometimes these things run out. You start out intending to do two programs and it runs into eight. I have no idea. But we are going to discuss the tribulation, the tribulation in relation to the church. The tribulation in relation to the church. Now, in order to have a clear grasp of the important subjects which are the theme of this study, it is of the first very necessity that one understand the differences between Israel and the Church of God. That's where all the misunderstanding comes in concerning these matters. They arise almost entirely, I'm tempted to say entirely, from a failure to recognize the distinctive positions, periods of time, and destinies of Israel on the one hand, and of the church on the other. So we're going to first of all look at the sharp contrasts existing between Israel, God's earthly people, and the church, God's heavenly people. Now Israel was chosen of God to be his people, a nation set apart from all other nations to be God's witnesses upon the earth. Israel became a nation of sixteen hundred and fifty years before Christ. The church, however, was not formed until after the death of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 16, 18, On this rock I will build my church. It was therefore obviously not yet in existence at that moment, but was formed on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down to abide in God's redeemed ones, when on that day all believers were united by the Spirit into one body, the church or assembly. The church then had its inception following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and did not exist, in spite of what the commentators say, did not exist in spite of what those who can't understand their Bible would teach, did not exist prior to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the church has been here on the earth ever since. Israel, however, was one nation, separated from all other nations, composed of Jews only, except such who from among the Gentiles adopted their religion, manner of life, and joined them thus. But the church is composed of individuals gathered out of all nations, including Jews and Gentiles, but of course composed predominantly of Gentile believers. Christ reconciled all believers into one body through his death upon the cross. That's Ephesians chapter 2,

Key Differences Between Israel And Church

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verse 16. Israel in her religious worship included every member of the nation, regardless of whether these were truly redeemed to God or not. Believers and unbelievers alike united in religious worship and ritual. But the church is made up of true believers in Christ only. The church takes in only such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. That's first Corinthians 1 2. There's yet another distinction. Israel had a God given religious system. In fact, it's the only religion that God ever gave to any people. It was predominantly an outward, formal, ritualistic setup, where priesthood and ceremony ruled. The church's worship, on the other hand, is altogether spiritual. The church has no official place of worship. The true church has no headquarters on earth, not in Nashville, not in Rome. No ritual, no priesthood, no clericy marks it. Where such are introduced, such as the clergy and laity, a particular priest class, a ritualistic service, a headquarters of denominational structure, where these things are introduced, they are man-invented and man-made. They are not of God. The church's sphere is holy in the spiritual realm, where Christ, who is the substance, replaces the shadow of ceremonialism. Another distinction is that Israel was God's earthly people during their Old Testament history, and shall yet be so in the days ahead, and they shall dwell on earth as his redeemed people. Their earthly character and destiny is mentioned hundreds of times in Scriptures. Why Psalm 37 alone states five times over that they shall inherit the earth. But the church is a heavenly body. She is blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, according to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3. And her home is in heaven, where she has an inheritance laid up for her. That's 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 4. In the Bible, Israel is called the bride of Jehovah. In Isaiah 62, 5, the Lord says that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. But Israel is not a virgin bride. On the contrary, the Lord speaks of that nation under various figures, such as her having been divorced, Isaiah 5, or as a widow, Isaiah 54 4. God speaks of that nation as if he had forsaken her, Isaiah 54 6, as a wife God had married when she was in her youth. But in the glorious day that awaits Israel, God will remarry her. Isaiah 54 5 reads, For thy maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy redeemer the Holy One of Israel. However, in the sharpest contrast, the church is the virgin bride of Christ. Israel was once God's people, but turned from him and crucified her Lord, and hence has been cast off as his people these many centuries. But the church has never yet been united to Christ, not in the marital sense, so she is his virgin bride. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11 2, for I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Now surely the above distinctions, those things that we have discussed in the first few moments of this study, the distinctions between Israel and the church, and there are many more that we could give, but these are so clear cut that no one can fail to see them. Israel occupied the center of the stage in the Old Testament, while the Church fills the picture in the New Testament. The Church is not a sort of glorified Israel, but her direct contrast. Israel, because of sin and failure, and perhaps preeminently so because of the rejection and crucifixion of her Messiah, her king, Israel has been disowned as a people for the time being. And during the interval God, in his infinite wisdom and love, is gathering out of this world a people redeemed by Christ's precious blood, called his body, the church, of which Christ is the head. Now when that church is complete and has been taken home to heaven, God will once more take up his earthly people Israel, a remnant of which shall be saved and brought alive through the terrible time of the great tribulation that awaits them, and they shall be God's people, his bride here upon the earth. That is her future, which shall be brought to this happy conclusion at the return of Christ, known as his appearing. Now the church's future is quite distinct. It's the glory above. Her destiny also depends upon the return of Christ. The coming for the church is spoken of in Scripture as the blessed hope. That's in Titus 2 13 and 1 Peter 1 13. We read those terms. Now, as Israel, her origin, her character, her destiny, etc., is so clearly different from the church and her hope, we may expect to find a corresponding difference between the coming of Christ for his church and his coming to Israel.

Rapture Versus Appearing Compared

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A difference between the rapture and the appearing. Now let's note a few of these. Number one, at the Blessed Hope, the Lord Jesus comes for his saints. John 14, 3. At his appearing he comes with his saints. Colossians chapter 4 and verse 4. Number two, the Blessed Hope is a secret coming. As far as Scripture indicates, no mention of anyone seeing it is given. But his appearing is public, for every eye shall see him. Revelation one seven. three, at the Blessed Hope, the believers will meet their Lord in the air. At his appearing, Christ will come down to the earth Zechariah fourteen four. four at the Blessed Hope the Lord comes himself. But at his appearing he gathers Israel by means of angels Matthew twenty four, verse thirty one. Fifthly, no mention is made of signs at the coming of Christ for his church, but many signs accompany his public coming at his appearing. See Luke twenty one eleven, Luke twenty five through twenty seven. Or Matthew twenty five through twenty seven, I should say. At the Blessed Hope there will be a re resurrection of all the dead in Christ. At his appearing there is not a hint of resurrection. The Blessed Hope holds out a marvelous transformation of the bodies of believers, for we shall be changed into his likeness and receive a glorious body like his. This we learn in Philippians 3 20 and 21, 1 John chapter 3, verses 1 through 3. This is something altogether new, never even hinted at in the Old Testament scriptures, but at his appearing there is no suggestion of any physical changes, simply because there will not be any. Of course, I mean physical changes in the human body, for creation itself shall have a marvelous change for the better, but but the individuals will not. Israel shall at that time inhabit this earth under the rulership of Jesus Christ, and earthly physical conditions will continue to exist, though a good deal of the curse now oppressing humanity shall be lifted. The Blessed Hope pictures Christ's coming under the figure of the rising of the morning star Revelation twenty two sixteen. His appearing is recorded as the rising of the sun. Ninthly, the Blessed Hope is set before the believer as a real source of comfort. But what comfort could there possibly be if one would have to experience that fearful deluge of woe called the Great Tribulation? On the contrary, Christ's appearing is often presented as a time of the outpouring of the wrath of God. ten at the Blessed Hope Christ delivers us from wrath. At his appearing he delivers the wrath. Revelation nineteen, verse fifteen. At the rapture, our Lord descends from heaven with a shout, and we are caught up to meet him in the air. That's first Thessalonians four, verses sixteen and seventeen. At his appearing, he is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. No angels are mentioned at the rapture, but at his appearing he's revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, Second Thessalonians one, verses seven and eight. And then number twelve, at the Blessed Hope, Christ takes his saints out and thus leaves the sinners here. First Thessalonians four sixteen to seventeen, Revelation twenty verse five. Now in that Revelation 20, verse five passage we read that the rest of the dead do not live again till the thousand years are fulfilled. Revelation twenty and verse five. But at his appearing, the reverse takes place. For then our Lord will take sinners out of the earth and leave saints here. Matthew 13, 41 through 43. Now, it'll be seen from the above statements and the above contrasts that Christ coming for his church and his subsequent appearing in judgment are startlingly different. I realize there are men that would come on this radio station and tell you that there is no such thing as a pre-tribulational catching away of the body of Christ, and all that is is a display of their biblical ignorance. That is merely a testimony to the shallow nature of their Bible study and their lack of understanding of the Word of God. The blessed hope is the bright prospect awaiting the church. The appearing of Jesus Christ threatens this wicked world while at the same time bringing deliverance to God's earthly people Israel. Now we must note we must note that Christ's appearing is often brought before the believers of this age, because at that appearing we shall, as it were, come into our own, even as our blessed Lord Himself will. At his appearing he should be glorified in his saints, and be admired in all that believe, at 2 Thessalonians 1 9 and 10. That day will be the manifestation of the sons of God, Romans 8 19, because you see, in that day Christ will finally be seen in all his majesty and glory by the whole world. In that day all knees shall bow to him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we, those his bloodwashed saints, we shall share the honors of that day, as we appear by his side as the queen, if you will, by her king, the bride with her bridegroom. That day of his appearing shall reveal to wondering worlds what the matchless grace of God has done for us and to us. Hence, it is a day of joy and triumph for the church, for Christ and his bride. Now, the thing to note is that that day is never connected in Scripture with Christ's coming for us, but always his coming with us. He will come for us, his bride, previous to the glorious day of his appearing. And that previous coming is the blessed hope of the church.

The Parousia Argument Answered

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Now, an argument could be made and has been made by many, that the Greek word parousia, P-A-R-O-U-S-I-A, meaning coming, is used both of the blessed hope and the appearing. And so running to the Greek, as always, to try and prove something that the English doesn't prove, running to the Greek, which is always the resort of a man who finds that the Bible won't support his theory. These men say that the word the same word meaning coming is used in both cases, therefore they are the same. But the word has to be used in both places because both are comings. The word appearing in Revelation is never used to describe the rapture. It's a distinct and separate event from the Blessed Hope, but it is a coming. There is a coming of Christ for his church, and there is a coming of Christ with his church. And the fact that you can find a Greek manuscript somewhere that uses coming in both cases means absolutely nothing. Except that you're desperate to cling to an unscriptural position. Now, if we keep in mind That Israel's position and destiny are entirely distinct from those of the church, and that the two comings are two entirely different events. It will become clear that Christ could not possibly come to Israel to reign over them until after the church has been removed from this world. I believe the scripture clearly teaches just that very thing. And I'm going to give you a number of proofs from the Word of God that establish that truth. First

Why Tribulation Targets Israel

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of all, the church will not be on earth during the tribulation because the tribulation is only applied in Scripture to Israel and the world. Never in connection with the church, except to say that the church will not be on earth at that time. Now we read of this tribulation, this great tribulation, in Deuteronomy chapter 4. And if you read carefully in Deuteronomy 4, you will notice this chapter is unmistakably addressed to the nation of Israel. They've been wandering through the wilderness. They're ready now, just about ready to enter the promised land. And you couldn't make Deuteronomy chapter 4 apply to the New Testament church unless you were just a gross deceiver. There isn't any possible way you could do it. Deuteronomy 4, verse 1. Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and under the judgments which I teach you for to do them, that ye may live and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. Now this is clearly and plainly addressed to the nation of Israel, this entire chapter. And so we read in verse number thirty When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice, for the Lord thy God is a merciful God, he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swear unto them. Now, the obvious context of the passage reveals that the great tribulation in the latter days is to come upon not the church, not the New Testament body of believers. We don't follow the faith of our fathers. We put faith in the Father. We don't follow Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the law, and the Ten Commandments. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ. So this great tribulation, this tribulation, in the context, first time it shows up here in Deuteronomy chapter number four, is clearly God's dealings with the nation of Israel. Matter of fact, if you turn right quickly to Romans chapter 11, you'll find that because of God's covenant with their fathers, the one mentioned in Deuteronomy 4.31, Israel shall be saved. There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, Jesus, of course. And Deuteronomy 4 plainly states that Israel in the future shall be delivered out of the great tribulation, and shall be saved and blessed.

Romans 11 Promise And Closing

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Let's read these verses as we close out our program today. Romans 11, verse 27. For this is my covenant unto them. Who? Verse 26, so all Israel shall be saved. This is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sakes. Yes, my friend, there's coming a time of great tribulation on the earth upon God's covenant people, the nation of Israel. God's already saved and redeemed people, the New Testament church, bless God, will depart and meet Christ in the air before this dreadful time of judgment falls. Okay, that was part one. We've got three more looks to take at the church and the tribulation. But our time is gone for today. Hope you'll join us next time for the preaching of the cross radio broadcast. Please invite somebody to listen along with you. I'm Brother James. May the Lord richly bless you. And good day.