Reason #3: Specific Promises to the Church Alone
You should be familiar with
1 Thessalonians 1:10 by now, so please review it.
- Stop for a moment and consider to whom Paul is writing. Are they believers or non-believers? What do we know about the Thessalonians and their relationship to Paul? Why is he writing them?
- In that verse, who is to “wait for His Son from heaven?”
- What are they waiting for?
- What will Jesus do?
Paul is speaking to a bunch of brand new believers in Thessalonica to teach them about the rapture. They are the “church” (the body of Christ) and they are waiting for the return of Jesus to deliver them from the wrath that is to come! To whom is the promise made?
Now, move on to
1 Thessalonians 5:4-9.
- Verses 5-7 contrast two groups of people. Who are they?
- What do you think it means to be “children of light?” Who are those people?
- What is God’s instruction in verse 8?
- What is His promise in verse 9?
- To whom did God make that promise? Do you see why the promise is to the church?
In Revelation 2-3, Jesus sends personal instruction to 7 churches. One of those churches is the church at Philadelphia, (
Revelation 3:7-13). In verse 10, Jesus is specific in stating, “
I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” He is speaking of that which comes in the following chapters: the tribulation.
These are clear examples of specific promises made to the church alone. This is reason #3 why the church will not go through the tribulation.
Reason #4: Jesus’s Location with His Church
Revelation 2:1 and
Revelation 3:20provide perspective of where Jesus was historically in relation to His church (the body of Christ). Read those two verses to determine where Jesus has been, in relation to His church. (Hint: in Revelation 2:1, the reference to “seven golden lampstands” represents the 7 churches.)
Likewise, Jesus is talking to His disciples in
Matthew 28:20, just before He ascends to heaven, and says, “Lo, I am with you always.” Prior to that, Jesus stated in
Matthew 18:20that where two or more are gathered in His name (the church!), He will be in their midst. Based on those passages, with whom does Jesus dwell?
There came a time, though, when Jesus departed. Read
John 14:1-3.
Now, let’s consider what the Bible says about our future during the tribulation. In Revelation 4:1 to Revelation 19, Jesus is in heaven, and according to Revelation 19:7-8:
- Who is with Him?
- What is the church called in that passage?
- What is the church (body of Christ) wearing?
- What does the fine linen represent?
- Who are the saints?
Friends, where are we during the tribulation?