Hope International - New Zealand
Hope International - New Zealand
Health Ministries & Christian Publishers
Health Ministries & Christian Publishers

Just about the entire Christian world has been lulled into a stupor by the devil. He has misled them to believe that as the beloved church of God, they will not be required to go through the Great Tribulation. They will be miraculously raptured away seven years before the end of the age.

Seventh-day Adventists who listen to sermons on Sabbath would be excused if they, too, believed that there is no persecution for the church in the near future. This devlish doctrine plays on the weakness of humanity, which would like to believe that there is no persecution coming. We meet this false teaching, which is called ‘dispensationalism’, regularly when witnessing on the streets. The fact that most of Christendom believes this doctrine doesn’t make it right, for “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25.

There are variations to this doctrine, which promises apostate Christendom the comforting hope of escaping persecution and martyrdom. The faithful will be suddenly and without warning raptured up to heaven. Planes will be without their pilots, trains without drivers, and unoccupied cars will be smashing into others on the motorways. At this time, they believe the Temple will be built in Jerusalem and sacrifices will be recommenced. The Antichrist will rule the world and make a peace agreement with Israel. Three and a half years later, he will cause the sacrifice to cease; and he will start to persecute Israel. Three and half years later, Jesus will return again for the third time at the end of the age and set up His Kingdom on this earth.

This seven-year prophecy, as most Adventists know, has been lifted without any Biblical authority from Daniel 9:24-27. These rapturists misinterpret Revelation 3:10, which promises, “Because thou has 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.” It is obvious, for those who can read English, that this verse can not be used by the rapturists to claim that they will be raptured away before the tribulation.

All the way through Christian history, the church has suffered persecution, for the Bible says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” II Timothy 3:12.

Stephen was stoned: “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him [Stephen] with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him...” Acts 7:57, 58.

There was great persecution: “...And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad...” Acts 8:1.

The infant church was again attacked by Saul. “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord...” Acts 9:1.

After Saul’s conversion, the unbelieving Jews took counsel to kill him. “And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him... they watched the gates day and night to kill him... but they went about to slay him.” Acts 9:23, 24, 29.

The persecution continued when Herod “killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1, 2). Herod also put Peter in prison, fully intending to kill him (Acts 12:4-7). Tradition has it that all the first apostles, except the beloved one, suffered martyrdom for the glory of God. John was banished to Patmos because of the Word of God.

“I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that was called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:9.

Nero persecuted the church for 10 years, as predicted in Revelation 2:10. Christ encouraged the church in Smyrna, which was to undergo fierce persecution, with these words, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days [years]: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

The Man of Sin was enthroned on the world stage as predicted in II Thessalonians 2:3,4. He would rule Western Europe through a church-state union for 1260 years. This same power was also mentioned in Daniel 7:25, where it was predicted that he would wear out the saints of the Most High. This sure word of prophecy has been fulfilled to the letter. Secular history books support the above Bible prediction.

“For professing faith contrary to the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than one hundred million people.” Brief Bible Studies, page 16.

“That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history. It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings.” W.E.H. Leeky , ‘History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2:32, 1910 edition.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:37, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” With this verse in mind, let us consider what the Catholic Church herself has to say on the matter.

“We declare, define and pronounce, that it is essential to the salvation of every human being, that he be subject to the Roman Pontiff... Whosoever obeys not... let him die the death.” The Papal Bull Unam Sanctum, Pope Boniface VII, 1302.

“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:10.

Pope Pius VI, who along with his predecessors, had led millions into spiritual and physical captivity, was finally led into captivity himself by French General Berthier in 1798.

The Papacy had persecuted God’s church in the form of the Waldensians, Albigenses, Cathars, Hugenots, Morovians, Anabaptists, Covenantors of Scotland and dozens of other groups. They disobeyed God’s command not to pull out the tares from among the wheat, and had consequently pulled out the wheat and kept the tares.

It is truly amazing that these deceived dispensationalist Christians, who profess the Bible as their authority, missed the following Biblical verses which expose their error.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” John 16:1, 2.

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.

Christ warned His church that great tribulation would come upon her. While this is a reference to the Dark Ages, many Bible students believe it also has an endtime fufillment. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:21, 22.

In the Beatitudes, Christ gave a blessing to His church which would be persecuted for righteousness’ sake. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” Matthew 5:10,11.

In Revelation 12:17, the remnant church would endure the wroth of Satan. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

In Matthew 28:19,20, Christ commanded His church to go into all nations and teach the gospel. He would be with them unto the end of the world. Here we see that Christ’s true church would not be secretly raptured seven years before the end of the world, but would remain in the world until Christ’s Second Coming.

In Matthew 13:28-30, 39, 40, 49 & 50 we see that the wheat and the tares would grow together until the harvest. The wheat is the faithful souls which constitute the church of God, the tares are the wicked and the harvest is the end of the world. At that time, the angels shall sever the wicked from among the just, and the wicked shall be cast into the furnace of fire. Here we see that the church of God is on the earth until the end of the world. This harmonises with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The rapturists claim that the Lord will come as a thief in the night (Ibid, 5:2). This is inconsistent with common sense, for in II Peter 3:10, the Lord’s coming is compared to a thief in the night, “in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” The secret rapture cannot be secret, for when the Lord returns, there is a great noise, and the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God sounds, which wakes the dead in Christ. This day is the last day, not seven years before the last day. Christ had promised His followers four times in John 6:39, 40, 44, & 54 that although they die, he would raise them up at the last day.

Jesus promised Martha that her brother Lazarus would rise again, and she knew that resurrection would be at the last day (see John 11:23, 24). If the dead in Christ rise first on the last day and, along with the living saints, are translated (or raptured), then we can conclude that the rapture is neither secret nor seven years earlier. The Bible teaches that Christ will not come the third time to pick the saints up, but will only come a second time (Hebrews 9:28).

In the book of Revelation there is a battle between the Sabbath of God and His saints who keep it, and the Sunday of Rome and her worldly forces. A battle to the death is soon to take place between those who will remain loyal to God and receive His seal, and those who follow the Beast, his image, and receive its Mark. Far from being raptured, the saints will first suffer an economic boycott (Revelation 13:17). Finally, those who persist in defying the power in the form of the image of the beast will suffer a death decree.“...and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands...” Revelation 20:4.

The seven last plagues of Revelation 16 will fall on this wicked and deceived world are just punishment from an offended God because they killed his saints. The second and third plagues turn firstly the sea to blood and secondly the rivers to blood. “...Thou art righteous, O Lord... because thou hast judged thus. For they had shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Revelation 16:5,6.

The Bible says that the church will not be spared Earth's final tribulation. "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." John 17:15. It also says that God would "...also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world..." Revelation 3:10.

 The promise is to all who endureth to the end (Matthew 24:13). There is a preparation for us to make. Those who believe the lie that they will be spared the tribulation will logically not perceive the necessity of that preparation. Unless they change, they will be numbered with the foolish virgins. Christ, our example, learned obedience through the things he suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Are we following His example in our preparation for the tribulation ahead? Are we making the same preparation to win the eternal riches of His priceless character, or are we obsessed with the riches of this world, which is soon to end?


Evan Sadler

"Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt 5:48.
by Evan Sadler...
“Silver and Gold have I none” Acts 9:6.
by Evan Sadler...
Leave a comment
Note: HTML is not translated!