Revelation 6:16-17  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:  (17)  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

To imagine living in a time where biblical prophecies are actually shifting from “future events” to “current headlines” is both sobering and awe-inspiring. This shift began with Israel becoming a nation on May 15, 1948! (See Ezekiel 11:17, 37:22, and Jeremiah 31:10) It suggests a world where the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is narrowing. For the believer, this isn’t a cause for panic, but a signal to wake up and recognize the weight of the moment. If you’re not born again, I pray that you will be disturbed enough by what you read that it stirs your heart to be saved!!

Today’s verses talk about the wrath of the Lamb that is to come. What is this wrath? Who is going to suffer this wrath? The Lamb is Jesus Christ, the ultimate Judge and Redeemer, and when His judgment upon this earth begins, there will be no turning back; no opportunity for repentance. Each judgment will be worse than the one before, and will come more rapidly, creating fear and despair among those left behind. Jesus spoke of this time as birth pains, illustrating the inevitable and intense nature of these forthcoming tribulations. Just as a woman’s labor pains intensify and come closer together, so too will the end-time events unfold with increasing severity and frequency, overwhelming the world with chaos and a great suffering never seen before. The Rapture of the church will have already happened, a moment of great hope and salvation for believers, and those who remain will find themselves entangled in a horrific time on this earth like no other, known as the Tribulation. This will look like something out of a sci-fi movie but, friend, it will be reality. This intense period is called the time of God’s wrath upon the earth, His response to the unrepentant hearts of mankind. It has been prophesied from the Old Testament, where warnings were issued through the prophets, all the way through to the last book in the New Testament in the Book of Revelation, reinforcing the call for all to recognize the signs and prepare for what is inevitably on the horizon.

It is true that history is marked by cycles of suffering. From the Roman arenas to modern-day conflicts like the killing of Jews and Christians, faith has often been tested by fire. However, the argument here is that these events, while terribly tragic, were “geographically or culturally contained.” They were “shadows” of a larger, global event yet to come.

Revelation 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Mid-Tribulation and Post Tribulation believers say that Christians will go through half or all of the Tribulation. However, this doesn’t jive with the Scriptures because the Tribulation saints won’t be delivered from the wrath but will be overcome by it.

Revelation 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Proponents of the Pre-Tribulation view argue that Mid and Post-Tribulation theories fail to account for the fundamental nature of the seven-year period.

• The Promise of Deliverance: The Church is specifically promised that it is not “appointed to wrath” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). If the Tribulation—from the very first seal—is defined as the “wrath of the Lamb,” then the Church must be removed before it begins.
• A Different Mandate: The Church is promised that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” yet the Tribulation saints are described as being overcome by the beast (Revelation 13:7). This suggests two different groups under two different divine missions.

The fate of believers during the Tribulation stands in distinct contrast to the destiny of the Church. Scripture explicitly states that the Antichrist will be permitted to “make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Daniel 7:21; Revelation 13:7). Their victory is not found in physical escape, but in faithfulness unto death. In contrast, the Church is told to look for a “Blessed Hope”—the imminent return of Christ to rescue them from the “hour of trial” (Revelation 3:10).

The term “saints” simply means “holy ones” or “believers.” Mid and Post-Tribulation views often assume “saints” always refers to the Church. However, the Pre-Tribulation view argues:

1. The Church is Absent: After Revelation chapter 3, the word “Church” (ekklesia) is never mentioned again until the very end of the book.
2. A New Group: The “Tribulation Saints” are those who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb after the Tribulation has already begun. (Revelation 7:14) They endure the wrath that the Church was specifically promised to avoid. As well, their robes are made white. The Bride’s (the Church) robes are made of fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)

We are told in the Scriptures that, just as in Noah’s day when God shut the door to the ark, that God will shut the door after the Rapture and no one will be able to escape the Tribulation. Jesus described it in the Parable of the Ten Virgins also. These passages refer to a door being open and shut. When God shut the door to the Ark, Noah and His family were protected. When God shuts the door after the Rapture, the Church will be protected from the wrath of the Lamb.

Matthew 25:6-10  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  (7)  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  ( 8 )  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  (9)  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  (10)  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Revelation 3:8,10; 4:1  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.  (10)  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Once the door is shut, no one can enter. Those who are alive at the time appointed by God to Rapture His Church, will be kept from the hour of temptation that will come upon the whole earth. All other times of persecution during history did not occur upon the whole earth, but just parts of it. The antichrist will be in power in order to cause havoc upon the entire earth. The Church has been taken up in the Rapture. The word “church” occurs 80 times in 79 verses in the King James Bible. It is found only seven times in the Book of Revelation and only in chapters 2 and 3; the word churches appears at the end of Revelation. It is not mentioned once in between those chapters. Once Jesus opens the door to Heaven to Rapture the Church, that door is shut and no one can open it. It is done at that point.

Revelation 3:7-8  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  (8)  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

The Apostle John was given the opportunity to see and hear what would happen during the Tribulation. God called him up through an opened door. This is indicative of the Rapture of the Church. We now see that the following chapters now refer to the Jews. The Jews rejected Christ at His first coming and the Gospel of Christ was entrusted to the Church until Christ came at the Rapture. After this event, the Jews will come back into the picture and will ultimately see Jesus Christ is their long-awaited Messiah!

If you are a born-again Christian and have never studied this out, I hope you are blessed by it and encouraged in your heart. If you are not born again, I urge you to settle the matter right now! Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!