The Church in Tribulation – Why?
By Dene McGriff
In the past two segments we have discussed the rapture and the chronology of Revelation and other accounts of the end times, showing the chronology of events. We have discussed the importance of the two witnesses. We have clearly shown that although the church will be persecuted, it will not suffer any judgment or wrath of God. This is an extremely important distinction for those with a pre-trib rapture position. The timeline is clear. But the question remains, why is this important to God? Why put us through it? What does it accomplish?
In Revelation 1 the Apostle John tells us what the book of Revelation is:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all the things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near…for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 1:1,9)
The Book of Revelation is all about the testimony of Jesus Christ!
So what is His testimony? Let’s read on…
· Revelation 6:9 says, “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.”
· Speaking of the two witnesses, it says, “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” (Revelation 11:7)
· In Revelation 12:11, it says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
· Revelation 12:17 says, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
· And finally we find testimony used twice in Revelation 19:10, “And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
So what is His testimony? We are! And when I say “we,” I mean Jews and Christians, Israel and the Church! The two witnesses!
He speaks first of the Jews – His Earthly Witness:
"And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you." (Genesis 17:7)
"And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name-- and to do for Your self great and awesome deeds for Your land... For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. (2 Sam 7:23-24 NKJV)
And don’t think God is finished with the Jews:
“ 25For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved,[g] as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;27For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” (Romans 9:25-27)
Remember, Revelation refers to Jesus as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” and “the Lamb of God”. The Jews are still his people on the earth – the two olive trees: 16For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” (Romans 9:16-18) For a detailed explanation of the Biblical references to the two olive trees and two lampstands, please see Chapter 6 of Doug Krieger’s book on the Visions of Zechariah. God has made an everlasting covenant with His people and He will keep it. He will be faithful whether we are or not. We should heed the warnings of Romans 9 and be careful not to become proud. The Jews are still God’s earthly people and He has a plan for them as much as He does for us. Also, remember the two groups of 144,000: the Jews in Revelation 7 and the Christians in Chapter 14.
He speaks second of the Christians – His Heavenly Witness
He speaks of the churches as lamp stands and He is not only walking among them, He is dwelling in them. A “born again” Christian is someone who has had their human spirit made alive by the Holy Spirit, making us the temple, the dwelling place of God, the ones He loved and gave His life for, His counterpart, His Bride, those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb. We are His testimony! We are His workmanship! We are His Body on the earth. What is a Christian but someone who is made alive by the Spirit of God and as a seed, He grows within and transforms our lives? That is what the whole New Testament is all about!
The question is to what extent the average “western” evangelical Christian has allowed the Lord to transform their lives; to what extent they have learned to live in the spirit rather than the flesh, to what extent they have learned to die to self and live in resurrection life, the extent they have learned to give rather than take, flow the life of Christ to others rather than be taken care of, the extent to which they live in Christian community with other believers rather than as isolated individualists. We are all in the process of being transformed by the life giving Spirit. And we are called to be a testimony, a witness. More on this later.
The doctrine of the pre-trib rapture led to dispensationalism which removes one of the witnesses (the church) from the last seven year period and leaves only the Jews. The “post” and a-millennialists take the Jews out of the picture and leave only the Christians. Both positions are wrong. The Jews are one half of God’s testimony and Christians are the other half as we covered in the last sections. He needs both to accomplish His purpose.
The Letter to the Seven Churches (Lampstands)
If you look at the letter to the seven churches, He had “somewhat against” most of them (Revelation 2 & 3) but still called for overcomers in each. These passages may be taken literally or as stages of church history. Tribulation is essential for each in its purifying of the church.
· Ephesus, the early church, was commended for testing their leaders, for persevering and for standing against the clergy/laity system (the Nicolaitans).
These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. 4Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 6But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."' (Rev 2:1-7)
· Smyrna represents the second and third century persecuted church. They also stood against the evil mixture.
"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:9-10)
The Roman empire relentlessly persecuted the early church and the more they tested it, the stronger it became.
· The Church of Pergamos represents the early Roman church and the hierarchy (the Nicolaitans) was beginning to take over. The Roman Empire embraced the church under Constantine. Still, there were a few martyrs standing against the mixture.
12"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
"These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13"I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. (Rev 2:13-17)
· Thyatira represents the full-blown heresy of the Roman Catholic Church which allowed all kinds of pagan mixture.
18"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
"These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19"I know your works, love, service, faith,[b] and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow[c] that woman[d] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce[e] My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.[f] 22Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their[g] deeds. 23I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24"Now to you I say, and[h] to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will[i] put on you no other burden. 26And he who overcomes…(Revelation 2:18-26)
Notice the similarities with the harlot church described in Revelation 17, including her “children”, the churches of the Reformation. Also, we see that her “great tribulation” is used to bring repentance.
· Sardis refers to the Protestant Churches, the daughters of Thyatira, the Roman Catholic Church.
"I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.[a] 3Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4You[b] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev. 3:1-5)
Here is a church that has a reputation, a “name” that it is alive, but is dead. It is fascinating that this church is exhorted to watch because the Lord will come upon them as a thief and not with a secret rapture! Those who have not “defiled their garments” are commended. Notice, there is no tribulation or persecution, just the filth of the world on their garments… yet, there is an opportunity for even them to overcome.
· Next we come to an interesting anomaly – the Church in Philadelphia, the only Church besides Smyrna that God doesn’t have something against.
"These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":[c] 8"I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12He who overcomes…” (Rev. 3:7-12)
This doesn’t sound like a big “meta church” – they have a little strength and haven’t denied the Lord and ”have kept My command to persevere.” Given the context and the fact that previous churches (from Smyrna on were “of the synagogue of Satan, where Satan dwells, knowing the depths of Satan or having a name of being alive but are dead”) – that these churches are in fact persecuting the Christians of Philadelphia.
Many who hold the pre-trib rapture position site verse 10 as an example of the rapture. These Christians are kept in the hour of trial, not removed from the earth! You may recall from the last section that Christians with the seal of God on their forehead were kept from many of the trials.· Finally, we come to the last church at the end of days, Laodicea. God had a lot to say about this church:
14"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[f] write,
"These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[g] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.""' (Rev 3:14-22)
Laodicea declares it is rich, wealthy and in need of nothing. This means materially wealthy – what arrogance and pride! Could this be our mega campuses where 95% of all church budgets in the US are spent on our own comforts and programs and less than 1% is spent on evangelism to the most unreached. Could this be the SUV, REI Christianity of Saddleback, Second Baptist in Houston, the Crystal Cathedral and other mega churches across the land – churches who spend millions on light shows and multimedia extravaganzas while the poor go hungry and the spiritually hungry at home and abroad are ignored or considered just a little too different to be allowed to come in and sit on the fine upholstered pews?
These are going to be rebuked, chastened, exposed and loved – tried in the fire. Now, I ask you, would a holy and righteous God reward these Christians with an “early out” – escape by rapture? Or would He let the fires of tribulation refine them and find some over comers in the lot?
True believers down through history have been persecuted and killed for their faith. Read “Miller’s Church History” or ”Foxes Book of Martyrs” or any number of books on church history and you will see that this is the norm rather than the exception. More than 70% of all Christians now live in countries where they are experiencing persecution. Whenever the church has become too at home with the world and the political system, it has had no problems – imagine that? Just look at all of the celebrities today who name the name of Jesus and live like the rest of the world. Just look at all the people that prance in and out of church on Sunday morning and return to their “real” lives during the week. To think that God would allow the wealthy, lukewarm, self-absorbed western Church escape without testing is absurd. All of the parables relating to the end times talk about separating the real from the false believers (those with a “said faith, i.e., because they “say” so). And in that day He says, “depart from me for I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)
Purpose for the “Two Witnesses” in the Tribulation
Is God so mean spirited and vindictive that he would allow His people to suffer? Where is the love? People who think this way have no concept of a righteous and holy God. He loves the sinner but he hates the sin. He loves His people but He wants to see Christ formed in them. He wants to see them transformed into the image of His dear Son. (Romans 8:29, II Cor. 3:18, Col. 3:10). He wants them separated from the evil world system, not a part of it. He speaks of a corporate dwelling when He says:
“19Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Eph 2:19-22)
He does not want mega churches and sanctuaries, but a “people building” – a body of forgiven, imperfect vessels that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, transforming their lives and building them together in a living dwelling place. He wants living, vibrant Christians in living relationship with Him and one another – not stained glass sanctuaries, crosses, pews, altars, scripted services, one man shows or any such nonsense.
God wants to see death to ourselves and His life formed in us. “For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:11) And just a few words from Hebrews.
“7If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” …25See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." 27Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may[j] serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:7-11, 25-29)
God allows trials and tribulations for our sake. We are His children. So do not refuse Him who speaks. Listen, learn and love Him. Our God is a consuming fire and He will burn up everything that is not of Him. What would God like to burn up in your life? What things just don’t matter in the light of eternity?
So what does God want? Why do we have tribulation and persecution? He wants to transform us into the image of His dear Son. He wants a testimony – a corporate expression so that when the world sees them they say, “behold how they love one another.” Unfortunately, if the church is accepted by the world, it is compromised and dead. If it is persecuted, it quickly becomes obvious who are the “real” Christians and who are the “false” ones. A person who is willing to lose all things, including his life for his Lord, is the testimony of Jesus.
Jesus reminds his disciples, "A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:10) Is our expectation to pay off our house, build up our retirement and live well until we die? Or as the apostle Paul declares, “18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us… 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:18, 35)
What does it mean to be a testimony?
Brothers and sisters, this has been the lot of Christians down through history. Why would we not rejoice with Paul? We are His testimony! We are His handiwork! And the Jews, as stiff necked as they may be, are too in their own special way. God didn’t pick either group because of our attributes or inherent goodness, but out of His mercy He chose us. We are called to be witnesses, to testify and to be a testimony. The root word of “witness”, “testify” and “testimony” is “marturiva” or “marturia” in Greek, meaning “martyr”. It is used 33 times in the New Testament and 8 in Revelation.
Let’s go back and look at the verses that use the word “testimony” in Revelation:
· Revelation 1:2 and 9 call the book, “the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
· Revelation 6:9 says, “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.”
· Speaking of the two witnesses, it says, “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” (Revelation 11:7)
· In Revelation 12:11, it says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
· Revelation 12:17 says, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
· And finally we find testimony used twice in Revelation 19:10, “And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Brothers and sisters, do you see it? We are His testimony! We are His witness! We are those who will be called to die for that testimony, those crying out from the altar, those who “overcome by the blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony and do not love their lives to death.” And when we come to the end of the book it declares, “4And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4) Truly, the sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the glory before us.
God’s Other Reason for Witnesses
Now we come to the reason God needs two witnesses. The Bible says that, “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness…One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15). This is also mentioned again in Hebrews 10:28, “Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” The Book of Revelation is about the final days and judgment. If God is going to judge Satan, the fallen angels and unrepentant man, he needs two witnesses for any judgment to be valid.
God had a long range plan that began with Adam and Eve to redeem the world through a man, Jesus Christ, and bring those who would come back to Himself. He said to the Serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, “Because you have done this, you are cursed… And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." (Genesis 3:14) Satan was to be judged by the seed of the woman (and we trace Jesus Christ from Adam through Abraham, David all the way to Mary). His heel was bruised on the cross but in so doing, Jesus dealt the death blow to Satan as well.
During the past two thousand years, God has been working on His testimony – His earthly and His heavenly peoples. He also has a score to settle with His arch enemy, Satan. Satan has had free reign on the earth to tempt, thwart and corrupt God’s work. We, the people, have had the opportunity to choose who we will serve. The day of reckoning is fast approaching. In Revelation 11:3, “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty day”, they prophesy for three and a half years. The two witnesses testify boldly and are even empowered to protect themselves. At the end of that time frame, the beast comes out of the pit and tries to do stop them. “7When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” (Rev. 11:7) As I mentioned before, you don’t need to “make war” against Moses and Elijah. ”Make war” refers to an all out military campaign, a world war against the people who comprise the two witnesses. Please note again that we become the object of Satan wrath (not God’s). This is as it has been from the beginning. Satan is the one who hates and destroys. God is the one who loves and nurtures His people.
But with God, even death is just a temporary setback. Even though they are killed, God brings them to life. “11Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12And they[e] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Rev. 11:11-13) So after the second three and a half year period, they come to life, and a voice from heaven says, “Come up here” and that’s the seventh trumpet, the rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus followed by the judgment and the wrath. (Revelation 16-20).
The tribulation gave unrepentant man seven more years to change their minds. After listening to the two witness, they have no excuse. Yet they hardened their hearts, and minds. God is then fully justified in pouring out his wrath and in His final judgment.
We should be clear on the chronology, the purpose of the tribulation and the two witnesses. Saints down through time and in the last days can be over comers if they allow the overcoming life work within them. God deals with each one of us individually. We have an “equal opportunity” God who gives to all freely if they will receive. His life giving Spirit is available to every born again Christian. The interesting thing is that, at the end of the day, there will be over comers in many different situations, different “churches” (from the institutional point of view), locations, walks of life. When the wheat and the chaff and the sheep and to goats are separated, I’m sure we will be quite surprised by who ends up on one side or another. Only God can judge our hearts and He will.
Any suggestion that there is a “magic bullet”, a special formula, special treatment or any such thing is not the way God works. He deals with us individually – “We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil. 2:12) The choice is ours.
But He doesn’t leave us alone to work it out. He also provides us with a family to grow in:
“14For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.” (Eph. 2:14-20)
This passage gives the key to the Christian life. First, by His riches and glory he strengthens our inner man and dwells in our hearts. Then we are rooted and grounded in love (for Him and one another) and together we comprehend (literally, “apprehend”) His fullness and then we are His testimony – to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus! His testimony is corporate. The “church” doesn’t mean a building, an institution or 501-c3 tax exempt organization with priests or pastors. It doesn’t mean programs, gyms and campuses of facilities. It means the people who have that inward life and share it with one another.
Many questions remain concerning the “church in the tribulation.” It is not what we see today. What will the tribulation mean to us as Christians? How can we thrive? How can we be the testimony God wants and needs? If the answer isn’t the institution we know as the church, what is it? How do we get through this?