Tribulation and Rapture
The View – About Tribulation and Rapture
The Book of Revelation is a symbolic message. However, it is difficult to understand, especially when you are not well versed in truly learned people such as Bible teachers or elders. These learned people have the same experience as the scholars in the biblical world, and most of all, with the anointing of the Holy Spirit of God. We can easily be deceived if we lack knowledge of the word of God. With the gift of the Holy Spirit of God, we can easily discern the one genuinely speaking the truth. The mark on the forehead or between the eyes could mean extremely evil thoughts continually, and the hand could mean the powerful work or command that controls people’s behavior.
We can say that the mark on the forehead by the beast could mean the work of our mind, which is the starting point of human attitude. This means purely evil thoughts, and the mark of the beast on our hand is the act of evil work of human behavior that leads to a lack of good moral character and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who refuses the gifts of the Holy Spirit becomes the Son of disobedience. So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, is a sin against Him. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls— James 1:21
Many centuries ago, there were many different interpretations of the mark of the beast, and it’s all opinions written based on hearsay. Every generation has its own experience of hardship, such as famine, wars, survival of the fittest, the rule of the iron hand of the church, and Roman atrocities. From the Garden of Eden until civil governments were formed, people were more submission to corruption, influenced by the desire for the flesh.
Tribulations and Rapture are popular events mentioned in the Book of Revelation, and believers have split feelings about them. Some church leaders put the fear of the coming end of life to their members, while others are more careful in encouraging their members that the end of life brings great happiness to those who suffered enough in this journey. No matter what we think about the end time, it will end with joy to those who believe they have finished the race acknowledging God’s existence in our life. Life starts with God and ends with God.
There are two schools of thought about tribulation and the Rapture. First, a tribulation is an event of trouble. Tribulation is a hardship, pain, and suffering, drought or famine, epidemic, wildfire, tsunami, COVID pandemic, endemic, the rampant killing of the innocents, kidnapping, drugs, nations controlling other nations, and any disasters big and small that are unbearable to human lives can be considered tribulation. Those instabilities mentioned above and occur in human lives are tribulations in biblical events. Is it not evident that what we are experiencing now is like a shadow of the past tribulation in the present? What would be our response? Are we calling God the Almighty Father, or will we remain under the shadow of the cross of the Mighty Son?
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and Jesus as he sits at the right-hand side of the Father; what would you think Jesus is? Is he not a Spirit? God the Father is a Spirit according to Jesus; if we use our minds to form the puzzle together, we may come up with one accord that Jesus cannot be in a physical body. Jesus received his glorious Spiritual body after the cross when he ascended to the Father’s house.
Many still believe that Jesus is coming back, but according to Jesus, he will not be seen again until the Jews change their heart and acknowledge him as their Messiah. It is clear, according to Luke 13:35, that Jesus is not coming soon or may not come back. Although, as we witness, the Jews are very obedient to their belief, they do not even have the New Testament in Hebrews. Therefore, we have to revisit the Book of Revelation.
The legacy of Jesus remains in our hearts and minds. As we pass his legacy, we should not forget that Jesus is with the Father. The most important thing we ignore is the presence of the Holy Spirit of God that dwells in us. Jesus draws us near to God and the kingdom, and we still didn’t get it. Thus, it is clear that it could be the reason that hinders the coming of the Father with his Son Jesus, His faithful witness, because of our unpreparedness.
As Paul stated in Philippians 4:8, to rejoice; Whatever is true, noble, proper, pure, lovely, and admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about it, put it into practice, and God will give you rest. This paragraph explains it well. The presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is at hand, and they are in Spirit.
The word Rapture does not exist in the Bible, but due to Christians’ teachings, many believe it is about lifting the believers in the air to meet Jesus Christ. What was mentioned was exactly this passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:17—”Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” As I mentioned, Son’s legacy will live with us forever. And the clouds mentioned are the crowds of witnesses; only believers will witness this event. Some believe that Jesus’ coming soon already occurred and was revealed to the chosen ones; however, it remains concealed to those who still need to do some work.
Proverbs 25:2. ESV—”It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”
God is all in all.