Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 69

March 10;   2 Thessalonians 2:1;   189/260(II);   ‘End Time Calendar’

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,

Very often, when times of severe persecution of a church happens, the congregants seriously think that the period of time that the Bible calls the tribulation has begun.  That is not true.  On the end time calendar, the next event that will happen is the rapture of the church.  As you study God’s Word, it is very clear that He never appoints His church to wrath.  The Bible teaches that the Lord does not pour out His wrath on the church nor does He pour out His wrath on His friends (which He calls the church).  When the earth was destroyed by a flood in the days of Noah, the Lord saved Noah and his family from destruction because they were righteous.  When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He made sure Lot and his family left those cities before destruction fell.  There have been times of great persecution because of the devil’s hatred of the things of God.  During the tribulation, the Lord Jesus will be doing everything that He can to see that the Jews are saved.  In doing this multitudes will be saved as well.  The last three and one half years of the tribulation will be very challenging.  The demonic forces of the anti-Christ will be endeavoring to force people to take the mark of the beast.  Chapter 1 of Revelation tells us that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ.  He is in control.  The Lord will be pouring out His plagues on nature and people trying to get them to see He is in charge and turn to Him.  Angels will be preaching as well.  The Lord will protect and care for those who refuse to take the mark of the beast.  Some will be martyred, but it is clearly written Jesus Christ is Lord and He wins.