Page 67 - Heavenly Signs II by Mel Gable

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CHAPTER 7: TRIBULATION- 1 , 2 & 3 Seals
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The Tribulation refers to tumultuous events that are described during the “Sign of His Coming and the End of the

Age” first mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:3.

Matthew 24:8-9 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations
because of My name.”
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Christ told us that after the birth pains, we would enter the time of Tribulation. He mentioned the birth pains as
war, rumors of war, famines and earthquakes occurring prior to the time of Tribulation. In the previous chapter
entitled “Rumors of War” we discussed the waging of war and the peace alliance events that led us into the time of
Tribulation. It begins with a time of peaces. Then war breaks out in four months, after the covenant is made in
Jerusalem. This war is with the southern Islamic alliance attacking the United European nations.

Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places
there will be famines and earthquakes.”
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Among Bible scholars, there are differing views about what will happen to Christians or believers during the
Tribulation. The Rapture occurs with the European retaliation and attack of a well-fortified city in the south.

Pre-tribulation scholars believe that all Christians who are either dead or alive will be taken bodily up to Heaven
(called the Rapture) before this Tribulation begins. So, who do these scholars believe is the “deliver you to
tribulation” referring to when Christ spoke this during His Olivet Discourse? According to this belief, every true
Christian that has ever existed throughout the course of the entire Christian era will be instantaneously
transformed into a perfect resurrected body, and will thus escape the trials of the Tribulation. Those who
become Christians, after the Rapture, will live through or perish to death during the Tribulation. After the
Tribulation, Christ will return to establish His Millennial Kingdom.

Pre-wrath Tribulation scholars such as Marvin Rosenthal believe the Rapture will occur during the Great
Tribulation, passed the halfway point, but before the seven trumpet judgments and the seven bowls of the Wrath
of God. Marvin Rosenthal has a book entitled “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church”, which shows the Rapture to
come after the Great Tribulation period, but before the Day of the Lord. We will see that this part of his view is
correct but the timing of the Rapture will occur prior to the halfway point of the Tribulation. His event order is
correct except for the timing of the desecration of the Holy Temple which he believes will occur after the fourth
seal is opened but prior to the fifth seal. Marvin Rosenthal’s view is that the Rapture occurs after the opening of
the sixth seal, and before the opening of the seventh seal, the Wrath of God, which is a correct view.

Seventh Trumpet Tribulation scholars believe the Rapture will occur during the Tribulation, halfway through
or thereafter, but before the seven bowls of the Wrath of God. Specifically, this will occur at the sound of the
seventh trumpet by interpretation of Revelation 11:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. They believe that the last trumpet
must correspond to the seventh trumpet being blown. But according to Marvin Rosenthal “The last trump will be
nothing more, nothing less, and nothing different than the final, climatic, eschatological outpouring of the Wrath of God.” The
central theme of the Prophet Joel is the Day of the Lord which will commence with the blowing of a trumpet.

104 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 24:8–9). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

105 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 24:7). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.