The Centrality of Israel and Jewish People during the Tribulation

A great body of converted people from all the nations is mentioned several times in the
book of Revelation–after the rapture of the Church. Usually they are called the “Saints.” They
are believers in Christ–Jews and Gentiles alike, but they are not referred to as the Church, nor
are any of the usual descriptions of the Church attached to them. The apostate church of the
period will be corrupt, and will give its influence to the Beast (Revelation 18), so these
Tribulation Saints will not in any way be associated with this apostate church, the great harlot of
Revelation 17.
The theme of Israel’s place during The Tribulation Period will be expanded in the third
section of the book, but here are some of the key points that illustrate the centrality of Israel and
Jewish people during this period of time:
● It is synonymous with Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 13).
● The 144,000 are sealed from the 12 Tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:1-8).
● The Two Witnesses are probably Old Testament leaders – Moses and Elijah; or, as
some think, Enoch and Elijah. (Revelation 11:1-12).
● Israel will flee from Satan‘s wrath (Revelation 12).
● There will be a treaty with Israel and defilement of Israel‘s Temple (Revelation 13).
Other views of the rapture have the Church going through at least part of the 70th week.

Population of the Millennium by Mortal Believers

The pre-tribulation rapture interpretation best explains this important feature of God’s
future plan. According to Jesus’ teaching on the Mount of Olives, there will be a judgment of the
nations (Sheep and Goats – Matthew 25:31-46) just before the Millennium, just prior to the
commencement of the thousand-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-6). This taking of some
and leaving of others is not the rapture, but it corresponds to the Parable of The Wheat and The
Tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In that parable, the tares are collected FIRST, and tied into bundles to
be burned (later, at the Great White Throne judgment), then the wheat is gathered into the barn.
The wheat represents true believers who have survived the Tribulation period, and are thus
permitted to enter the Millennial Age.
If the rapture took place at, or near the end of the Tribulation, all believers would have
glorified bodies, and there would be no righteous mortals left to enter the Millennium!

Differences between the Rapture and the Second Coming

We believe that much of the confusion about the rapture is caused by a lack of
understanding that Christ comes first for believers, and then comes later in what is properly
called the Second Coming, or his Glorious Return as King of Kings. Here are some of the
differences between these two events.
The Rapture The Second Coming
Christ comes for His own
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Christ returns with His own
Revelation 19:14
Believers taken to Father’s House
John 14:3
Believers come to Earth
Matthew 24:30
Jesus seen only by believers
1 Corinthians 15:52, 19:11-16;
Every eye will see Him
Revelation 1:7 Matthew 24:30
No reference to Satan Satan bound
Revelation 20:1-3
Earth not judged Earth judged
Revelation 20:4-5
A Mystery
1 Corinthians 15:51
Foretold in Old Testament
Dan. 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4
Absence of the Church
Finally, and probably most significant of all, is this fact:

The Church Is Missing from the Tribulation (Revelation Chapters 4-19)

In the first three chapters of Revelation, there are constant references to the Church and to
the Seven Churches. However, starting at chapter 4, verse 1, where John is told to “come up
here,” the Church is obviously absent throughout the Tribulation period. The expression “come
up here” does mean leaving the earth in Revelation 11:12 where the translation of the Two
Witnesses takes place. (We are not suggesting that the rapture takes place in chapter 11, only that
the same expression, used there, does mean virtually the same thing for the Two Witnesses that
the rapture does to the Church.)
There are numerous references to believers in these chapters, but they are not called the
Church. What might be called the church on the earth during this time is the apostate shell of
nominal Christianity, which has lost its true believers, and has joined with other religions of the
world to become a “United Religion,” which, in turn will give its power to the Beast. This
apostate church is pictured as a prostitute riding the beast in Revelation 17.
Finally, the absence of the Church will undoubtedly account for the lawlessness spoken
of in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
In the next chapter we will explore one other major movement in human history that has
a bearing on End Times prophecy. That historical development is the rise of Islam and its effects
on Israel and the Church.