God's Wrath

GOD'S ANGER TURNS TO WRATH

The most widespread evangelical teaching today presents the Day of the Lord as a period of time during which God's wrath pours out in the Seals, Trumpets and Plagues of Revelation. Yet it is not until Seal Six that those hiding in the mountains recognize "the Day of Wrath has come." Our thesis sees that recognition occurring on the Day Christ triumphantly returns to earth. Seal Six is earth's exclusive acknowledgment: "The Day of God's wrath has come." Trump Seven is heaven's exclusive proclamation: "God's wrath has come." Seven classes of humans admit "the Wrath of the Lamb has come!" Trump Seven acclaims: "God's wrath has come!" Time ends with Trump Seven. Rev.10:6,7.

The common view is that Seal Six opens at Daniel's Midweek when five Catalysts launch the Endtime. At that time, how would seven classes of humans know the Day of the Lamb's wrath, as well as the Day of God's wrath, has come? These are not seven classes of "enlightened" Biblical scholars. They are "earth's kings and great men, generals and rich men, mighty men, slaves and free men." We believe they hide in the mountains because the armies of Trump Six and Plague Six have crossed the Euphrates River having just killed two billion people with "fire, smoke, sulfur." Rev.9:15; Rev.16:12-16.

With these armies invading the land to destroy Israel, the second of three woes has "passed by" and the Two Prophets have risen from death in Jerusalem after finishing their 1260-day task. Their task was to offset the power of Antichrist and protect the remnant in the desert during the Endtime until God's Mystery is finished in the days Trump Seven is about to sound. Rev.10:6,7. Now the third and last Woe "comes quickly." Rev.11:12-14.

Revelation is written with the multiple crises of the Lastday in mind. Six Trumpet Judgments are ended. The armies responsible for the greatest holocaust, the one that destroys a third of mankind in one hour, is over. These armies, described in Trump Six and Plague Six, invade the land of Israel inspired by Satan who knows the armies of heaven are about to descend. He knows "time ends in the days just prior to Trump Seven."

Plague Seven empties in midair. Suspended there as the warning of God's impending wrath, it "completes God's (long-standing) anger." It suspends from the time the last Martyr is killed until the Temple Drama in heaven determines God's wrath has come. Not just the Day of wrath; but the Hour of Judgment (Rev.14:7; Rev.3:10) when God acts to avenge their blood ... as promised in Seal Five. God warns mankind of His impending wrath with the opening of Seal Six. The Three-Act Temple Drama determines the Hour of God's wrath soon after His Decree comes "out of the Temple from the Throne, proclaiming: `It is Done.'" Rev.16:17. (6:12-17 follows 16:12-17).

Seal Six brings global darkness, falling stars and an earthquake that kills 7000 men of high rank in Jerusalem ... the Beast's elite guard. Earth's four great winds destroy trees and pummel the seas and surfs. After the Temple Drama in heaven, Great Babylon falls by history's greatest quake. Globally, earth's cities and mountains and the islands are affected. At first, mountains and islands begin to move. During the Hour of Testing for all mankind, cities and mountains disappear and islands move out of their places. All this happens on the Lastday.

Babylon the Great will be destroyed twice ... the City by fire at Midweek and finally the entire System by history's greatest quake to launch the Hour of Judgment. She is destroyed in one hour before the Endtime begins ( BABYLON). The 42-month Endtime conflict between God's Two Prophets and Satan's two Beasts occurs prior to God's wrath. Satan will "gather the armies of earth to Armageddon" before God's wrath strikes. After the Lastday's Hour of Testing, the light will return at evening time. "The Lord is king over all the earth on that day." Zech.14:1-9.

God's wrath waits until the Lastday. That's our main Thesis. Just as God's "anger waited in Noah's days," then changed to wrath, so His "longsuffering (long-anger; Greek) endures against the vessels of wrath until the last day." 2 Pet.3:20; John 12:48; Rom.9:22,23.

God also wishes to show His glory and power to the vessels of mercy. God's anger turns to wrath when Christ returns after the Plagues "exhaust His anger." And only after the wicked refuse over and over to repent during the last Plagues!

The subject is important to understand the change from God's longsuffering (Latin for long-anger) to His eternal wrath. Among English translations, The New Jerusalem Bible is correct: "The seven last Plagues exhaust God's anger." Rev.15:1. Other translations say they "complete God's wrath" (thumos; not orgay).

There are three stages to the change from God's anger to His wrath. There is anger in the Plagues, great anger at the Winepress (Rev.14:19) and finally the "Cup of anger and wrath" which pours out on the Lastday after the last Plague. Rev.16:19. Anger and wrath are expressed together only three times in Revelation. Predicted, Rev.14:10. Fulfilled, Rev.16:19 and Rev.19:15.

First, predicting God's anger will mix undiluted in His Cup of wrath. Rev.14:10. Second,, Christ will "tread the winepress of the anger and wrath of Almighty God. Rev.19:15. Third, after God "remembers great Babylon with the greatest quake in history, He pours out His Cup of Anger and Wrath during the "Hour to Test" all mankind. Rev.3:10; Luke 21:35. Aftershocks become world-quakes that destroy cities and mountains and cause islands to completely move out of place. Rev.16:18-20.

God's anger and wrath do not mix immediately when the last Plague " empties in mid-air." Rev.16:17. Nor when Seal Six immediately opens with its warnings of impending wrath. Rev.6:12-17. Total darkness and falling stars give ample warning and irrefutable evidence that God's "DAY of Wrath and that of the Lamb has come." God's anger fills the Cup of Wrath after the Temple Drama as a result of Seal Seven's Tribunal, Trump Seven's Triumph and the execution of God's Decree of Wrath. Rev.16:17.

Anger escalates to the point of wrath during the Temple Drama. Anger endures until the wicked are reaped in "great anger" to the Winepress with the blood of the wicked about to overflow the vats to the horses' bridles. Rev.14:20; Joel 3:13. Christ appears and treads the Winepress in anger and wrath. Birds of the air are summoned to feast at the "great supper of God." Rev.19:17. The Cup of Anger and Wrath waits until God's Decree causes the Last Plague to implode so that the contents of that Cup pour out finally to sink the world's cities and mountains and move the islands toward their main-lands ... in the HOUR of Testing. Rev.3:10; Luke 21:35.

Revelation 14:9-20 (according to the 4th of 7 angels sent from heaven; the first angel being that of Rev.7:2) shows God's anger about to mix full strength in the Cup to create a new compound of anger and wrath. 14:10. This happens as "time is no longer" after the 42-month rule of the Beast and False Prophet. Those who worship the Beast will drink the wine of anger plus wrath and 1000 years later, at the great white throne judgment, will begin their tormented in Hell forever. The Cup's wine takes effect after the Son of Man reaps the wicked to the "Winepress of God's great anger." This is the only place Revelation calls God's anger "great." Rev.14:19. Here His mega-anger caps His macro-anger. It was long; now it is great. No longer "patient, it is completely exhausted" in the last Plagues upon blasphemers and the unrepentant.

Treading the Winepress (after the reaping in great anger) causes blood to overflow the vats. The reaping in great anger, described five chapters before the treading in anger and wrath, occurs on the Lastday. Rev.19:15-21. Great Babylon "drinks the wine" of anger mixed in Wrath's Cup. With the word of His mouth, Christ "treads the Winepress at Armageddon in anger and wrath." Blood spills over the vats for 1600 furlongs. Rev.14:20 is part of the Inner Path events that wait to be fulfilled beginning with Rev.11:19. But Rev.14:14-19 belongs to the Outer Concentric Path. See Meditations #37 to #48.

Finally, the nations' cities drink the wine-cup dregs of anger and wrath in the HOUR OF TESTING while the Saints are being rewarded in glory. Jesus "brings His rewards with Him" for those who are "unashamed of Him" until He comes. Matt.16:27; Mark 8:38. God displays His glory at the same time Beast-Worshipers witness the blinding radiance of His anger and wrath. The wicked gaze on His glory as their "eyes rot in their sockets." Blaspheming His name, their "tongues rot in their mouths." Zech.14:12; NASB.

The Three-Act Temple Drama occurs between reaping to the Winepress in great anger and treading the Winepress in anger and wrath. Just as the treading occurs after the reaping, so the Cup of Wrath pours out after the last Plague of Anger. "The Son of Man gathers the Elect from earth to heaven and sends the angels to assemble them out of the four winds" to share His glory during the Hour of Testing on earth. Mark 13:27; Matt.24:31.

The Elect include Tribulation Martyrs because their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the world's foundation. Rev.13:8; Rev.17:8. Jesus fulfills His wish that "all the Father has given Him may be with Him to behold His glory." John 17:24. That glory requires every Believer's immortality since Adam to be consummated in a split moment of time. All the world beholds the Christ of God as He gathers all the Saints of all the ages and proceeds to crush the over-ripe grapes in "God Almighty's anger and wrath."

All the Martyrs must wait until the last Plague empties to join God and the Lamb in the Temple Drama. "No one can enter the Temple until it empties in mid-air." Rev.15:8; Rev.16:17. That is why events of three Concentric Paths must be inserted between Rev.16:17 and Rev.16:18. See Meditations #37 to #48. The Testimony of Rev.7, Tribunal of Seal 7 and Triumph of Trump 7 precede the pouring out of the wine of His anger-filled Cup of Wrath.

Much of the Concentric Paths also occurs between Rev.14:19 and Rev.14:20. They occur between the last Plague of Rev.16:17 and the poured out Cup of Wrath in Rev.16:19. The Key Phrase of Rev.16:18 repeats a third time after the Drama which begins when the Temple opens after Seal Six and after the 144,000 present the Son of Man, the Lamb of God, to the Ancient of Days. Dan.7:9-13. The Court of Daniel 7 presides in Seal Seven. God's anger intensifies at its Verdict and His wrath comes in Trump Seven.

Until the last Plague empties, Rev.15:1-8 has already made it clear that "no one enters the Temple" from which the seven angels had exited in order that His "righteous judgments might be manifest." Rev.15:4,8. The Plagues exhaust God's anger. The description of the last Plagues, in the Flashback of Rev.16, results in the Great and Wonderful Sign in Rev.15 proving the seven angels had revealed that God is holy and just. The Plagues exhaust God's patience since the wicked refuse to repent under their intense judgments.

Between the last Plague and the Cup of Wrath, God declares out of the Temple, from the Throne: "It is Done!" Christ has been crowned. The Ark of the Covenant has been seen in the open Temple. The Temple Drama ends with the execution of this Decree as God's anger and wrath destroy the nations' mega-cities.

This forces the Temple Drama between Rev.16:17 and Rev.16:18. A short time-gap exists between the last Plague suspended in mid-air and the filling of Wrath's Cup. A shorter time passes between the last Plague and Seal Seven. Ten dramatic movements, in quick succession, bring on the Temple Drama.

Heaven's final scene is contingent on Babylon's second fall. Rev.16:19; Rev.18:20-Rev.19:3. The Hallelujah Chorus takes place because God has "judged the great Harlot and avenged the Martyrs' blood." The Temple Drama occurs between Rev.14:19 and Rev.14:20 as it does between Rev.16:17 and 16:18. The word of the Lord shortly thereafter crushes the grapes of wrath after He "gathers the Elect to heaven and the angels gather them from all the heavens' four extremities to the Synagogue in the Sky. Mark 13:27; Matt.24:31; 2 Thess.2:1.

The Plagues are described as a Flashback from the Great and Wonderful Sign ... based on the Plagues having "manifested that God is holy and true." Rev.6:10; Rev.15:1-4; Rev.16:7; Rev.19:2. God's long-anger includes the demonstration of His righteous deeds prior to His wrath. The Plagues precede the Temple Drama recorded in Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5; Rev.11:15-19.

Armageddons are gathered before the last Plague but incarcerated in the Winepress while the last Plague suspends in midair. The calamities of Seal Six press them in on every side. They go on Trial in Daniel's Court Scene (Seal Seven and Dan.7:9-27). This Trial seals their destiny for eternity. But "all Israel will be saved; all who call on the Lord ... His gifts and calling are irreversible." Rom.11:25-29; Joel 2:32; Joel 3:16.

After making their Petition in Rev.15:1-4, standing on the same fire-filled crystal sea as in Daniel, all the Martyrs appear in Heaven's Temple to praise God and the Lamb. They review the evidence of the open Scroll. Then Trump Seven sounds its triumphs (Act One: Testimony and Praise, Rev.7:9-15; Act Two: Trial and Verdict, Rev.8:1-5; Dan.7:9-27; Act Three: Christ's Triumph and Coronation. The execution of God's Decree follows the second and third use of the Key Phrase. Rev.8:5; Rev.11:19; Rev.16:17,18. The Drama climaxes with the view of the Ark following Christ's coronation. God's Wrath has come. Reward-time has come. The End of the Age and of Gentile dominion has come.

The Martyrs' song of Moses and that of the Lamb by 144,000 redeemed Jews, and the Temple Drama, must be inserted while the last Plague suspends in mid-air. The 144,000 present the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days. The Martyrs base their Petition on the evidence in the Plagues. Only after Seal 6's warnings and Seal 7's Verdict does Trump 7 proclaim the KAIROS-TIME for God's wrath has come. Trump 7 is not a prolepsis of future events because Chronos-Time has already ceased. Rev.10:6,7.

Te "voice out of the Temple from the Throne declares: `It has Occurred'" (Zondervan's Parallel Greek and English). "The End has Come" (The New Jerusalem Bible). The Ark of the Covenant appears in the Temple. That means it's time for God's glory as well as wrath. The NASB has it backward with "wrath (thumos-?) mixing with anger (orgay-?)." Undiminished anger mixes with wrath. This mixture is an "explosive compound" first warned of in Isaiah's prophecies. Isa.13:9,13.

The only place in which the KJV and NASB fail to translate orgay as "wrath" is Rev.14:10. The Greek shows anger mixing with wrath; not vice versa as indicated by the NASB. By translating thumos as wrath, they fail to translate thumos as "anger" in Rev.14:19; Rev.15:1,7; Rev.16:1. That's the critical point where God's anger is "great; then exhausted" (The New Jerusalem Bible). Even George Berry's Greek-English N.T. translated the KJV Greek (thumos) as "fury mixing with wrath"! (Baker's Publishing House, 1897). Zondervan's Parallel Greek-English since 1958 and The New Jerusalem Bible are correct in every instance regarding "anger and wrath." Other English translations mistake anger for "wrath."

Do you wonder why? English translations are still infected with Plato's influence on early Church Fathers who denied God is subject to anger (The Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, James Hastings, Scribner's Sons, Edinburgh, 1916, Vol.1, P.63). They substituted the Latin "long-suffering for the Greek long-anger." The KJV never rendered "thumos" as Anger ... even where both words occur in the same verse. Col.3:8; Rom.2:8; Eph.4:31.

The distinction between anger and wrath was buried. In fact, how could God be subject to "long-anger" (Greek) if He is not subject to anger at all? Church fathers refused to admit that God is affected by anger. Not even when it becomes "great" and mixes with wrath. Rev.14:19; Rev.16:19; Rev.19:15. To avoid using the word "anger," the KJV uses "fierceness" in each of these three verses where wrath also occurs. Otherwise, the KJV changes "anger" to "wrath" or exchanges one for the other in Col.3:8; Rom.2:8 and Eph.4:31.

The damage is great because it suggests the Plagues contain God's wrath to which Believers are not appointed. Origen taught that "thumos is unlike orgay" in that anger rises like a vapor and burns up; but wrath yearns for revenge. Jerome taught that "thumos is incipient anger that ferments in the mind; but orgay, when thumos subsides, longs for revenge." Nevertheless, they did not acknowledge God is subject to anger.

The LXX (Septuagint) reflects Plato's influence to disallow anger in God by switching thumos and orgay. The Day of the Lord in the LXX switches wrath and anger. Isa.13:9,13. Twice we see wrath (thumos ?) before anger (orgay ?). God "gave Israel a King in His anger (orgay-?) and took him away in His wrath" (thumos; Hos.13:11-?).

Here they again switched orgay for thumos. In a dozen places "God is slow to anger." It should be: "God is slow to wrath." Peter compares God's "long-anger" to 1000 years of our time-span. God is "slow to wrath" as we should be "slow to wrath" and to not let the sun go down on extended wrath. Jas.1:19; Eph.4:26. Long-anger is patient; but not God's anger-filled-wrath!

For that reason, God's anger must not be dispensed with as it is in the KJV which translates thumos as "wrath" in Rev.12:12; Rev.14:10,19; Rev.15:1,7; Rev.16:1 or as "fierceness" in Rev.16:19; Rev.19:15.

There was total consistency as the KJV switched anger and wrath even where both words appear in the same verse. Eph.4:31; Col.3:8; Rom.2:8. The KJV changed anger to "wrath or to fierceness; and wrath to anger or to indignation." Rev.16:19; Rev.19:15; Rom.2:8; Rev.14:10. Satan's great anger (not wrath), as Michael casts him from heaven, will be countered by God's great anger (not wrath) when angels cast the wicked, whom Satan inspires, into the Winepress. Rev.12:12; Rev.14:19.

God's anger-filled-wrath crushes Satan's wrath when Christ treads the Winepress. Rev.12:17; Rev.19:15. Plagues do not contain or complete God's wrath; nor exhaust or execute His wrath. The over-ripe wicked treasure up "wrath against the Day of Wrath"---until long-anger reaches exhaustion. Rom.2:4,5. The wicked refuse to repent; leaving them without excuse ... on the Lastday.

The Random House Dictionary says "Wrath involves vengeance as a consequence of anger." God's long-anger shows mercy until the Day reserved for Wrath. He prolonged His anger "in the days of Noah." A 1000 years of His long-anger is like a single day of patience to us. I Pet.3:20; 2 Pet.3:8,9.

Seven Plagues and Six Trumpet judgments conclude with Beast-Worshipers refusing to repent. They cross the Euphrates for war. They gather to Armageddon spouting blasphemies. In Plague #4, they repent not. In #5, they blaspheme God and repent not. In #6, "they gather armies of the Kings of the East and the world to battle on the Day of God Almighty." Rev.9:20,21; Rev.16:11-14. Not until God's Wrath strikes are they destroyed ... in a single hour on the Day of the Lord.

Tribulation Saints will be "kept from Wrath." The appointed (kairos) time for the Saints to be judged and rewarded occurs in the same Hour God's wrath is announced in Trump Seven. This Trump sounds when "Time is no longer and God's mystery is finished." Rev.10:6,7.

"The Hour of Testing that is about to test all the inhabitants on all the face of the earth" occurs when Christ appears. Luke 21:25,35; Rev.3:10,11. It is described as the "Cup of God's Anger and Wrath which destroys earth's cities and mountains." None of the seven Plagues "complete God's wrath" or Tribulation Saints would not even survive until Christ comes to take vengeance on the day He is revealed with all the Saints gathered to meet Him in glory." I Pet.1:7,13; Rev.16:19-20; 2 Thess.1:5-10.

By substituting wrath for anger in Rev.15:1,7; Rev.16:1, the door was left open for the false view that Trib-Saints must endure Great Tribulation wrath. That negates Acts 14:22 requiring entrance to the Kingdom through much tribulation. In I Thess.5:9, we and they have the promise of being kept from wrath. Jesus "prayed not that we be taken out of the world; but be kept from the evil one." John 17:15.

Part of His expressed wish is that "every one given Him by the Father should behold His glory." That glory is revealed when He comes to "reward every Believer." Matt.16:27; Mark 8:38. That glory climaxes God's Kingdom Power under Two Prophets. Matt.16:28; Rev.12:10. That glory is revealed in Trump Seven's Ark of the Covenant.

The alleged escape from wrath via a Pre-Trib Rapture confuses anger with anger-filled-wrath. It substitutes a Pre-Plague Rapture---in place of Jesus "raising all Believers from earth to heaven" and the angels "gathering them upon and out of the four winds from all extremities of the heavens ... immediately after the Great Tribulation." Mark 13:24,27. It puts Great Tribulation survivors off limits to being "gathered from earth to heaven ... to the Synagogue in the Sky ... in the clouds of heaven." It denies that God's longsuffering continues to the Lastday ... until wrath strikes thrice in quick succession.

"By the word of the Lord, those who believe Jesus died and rose and are alive and survive until Christ's Presence ... will be caught up." Caught up with the resurrected bodies of Trib-Martyrs "whose souls Jesus brings with Him" before He raises up those who survive. All who die are "blessed if they die in the Lord"... including the last Martyr on the last day. I Thess.4:13-17; Rev.14:13.

Pre-Trib Rapture doctrine excludes those whom Jesus promised will be "saved and rewarded if they endure to the end." Some Dispensationalists put the End of the Age at their Pre-Trib Rapture. God makes no difference between the Elect in Mark and "Overcomers to the End" in the Churches. Mark 13:13; Rev.2:26. In Revelation's only reference to the Elect, they are the ones who "come with Christ." Rev.17:14; Greek.

Long-anger endures toward the wicked until God's patience explodes. The word "mix" in Rev.14:10 means a new compound. God's long-anger changes to revenge and retribution. Wrath does not begin in the Plagues but is totally executed on the Day Christ appears. All the wicked are destroyed. Christ demonstrates God's power and glory with all the Saints. He removes the wicked from earth and from sharing His glory and power forever. 2 Thess. 1:9; Rom.9:22,23.

God's anger pours undiluted into and out of His Cup of Wrath---but not without a Tribunal after their arrest to indict and sentence the accused. Rev.14:19. They have no one to plead their case, for the word of Christ judges them "on the last day." John 12:48. Arrested, tried and killed, they are raised up and judged 1000 years later and cast into Hell for the "second death." Rev.20:14.

Jesus knew about the 1000 years by indicating that, at its end, goat and sheep nations will be separated and the goat nations cast into Hell. That cannot be fulfilled when He comes because only the Beast and False Prophet inhabit Hell for 1000 years. The wicked, as well as the goat nations, are judged when the "rest of the dead" rise up after the Millennium. Matt.25:41,46; Rev.20:12-15.

The Tribunal in the Temple brings physical death to all who refuse to repent. But "those who are left of the nations coming against Jerusalem will worship God." Zech.14:16. That's the Martyrs' prayer. Rev.15:4. The last judgment and second death occur after the treatment of His people is clearly defined during Christ's reign on earth. The war of Gog and Magog occurs when Satan is set free from the Abyss for a "short time." Rev.20:5-15.

Wrath cannot pour out nor the righteous be gathered above until the last Act of Anger reaps the wicked tares into the Winepress at the "end the age." Nor until all the Martyrs join in their indictment and trial. Matt.13:30,41; Rev.15:4; Rev.8:1-5; Dan.7:9-27. God executes His decree after Seal Seven's Trial and Trump Seven's Triumph. His Decree of Wrath and Christ's descent from heaven occur before the cities of the nations drink the Cup of Wrath. Babylon drinks of that Cup before He descends; the nations' cities fall afterward. Heaven rejoices first because God has judged the great harlot. Rev.18:20; Rev.19:1-3.

This agrees with the fact that not even the wicked are destined to suffer God's wrath before the last day. God "endures with long-anger those who treasure up wrath against the Day of Wrath---so that He might show mercy to those prepared for glory." Rom.9:22,23.

Trib-Saints are twice declared to be in "the Lamb's book of life from the world's foundation." Rev.13:8; Rev.17:8. So those who are left behind cannot refer to Believers. Believers rise up before the one taken or the one left may suffer God's wrath.

Jesus urges the one left and one taken to "remember Lot's wife and not turn back if he wishes to preserve his life." Luke 17:30-33. His caution applies to unbelievers who are left behind when Christ appears. Every Believer will be caught up so that He comes with "all the Saints." I Thess.4:14,17; I Thess. 3:13. Even then, anyone "willing to lose his life may preserve it." Luke 17:33. For any Believer to "turn back" after being faithful to the end, under intense fire, is unthinkable. "The trial of faith ends in glory and honor and praise."

Pre-Tribs, in the seventies, switched from "Believers taken to safety" prior to the Tribulation to claiming Post-Trib Saints are "Left Behind" seven years later when Christ appears! After decades of claiming the "ones taken to safety" occurs at a Pre-Trib Rapture, they were forced to change so the "ones taken and left" apply to the Day Christ is revealed (Apocalypse) and the birds are gathered above to devour those who are left." Luke 17:30,37; Matt.24:28. The intent of Jesus is a Post-Trib Rapture with every Believer on earth and in heaven gathered to meet Him at His Presence in glory.

Pre-Tribs switched their emphasis so that Unbelievers are "taken in judgment" at the Apocalypse. That judgment is an act of God's wrath! They do not all agree on whether the one who is Left can escape if he calls for mercy. "The wicked are all taken away as in the days of Noah and Sodom. Matt.24:39; Luke 17:27! So it will be (for the wicked) on the day of Christ's Apocalypse." The Ones Left who are not wicked have a choice of being willing to die just to preserve their lives; or be fed to the birds. Luke 17:33,37! "There are survivors who are rescued on that Day." Joel 2:32.

The Elect are raised up "from earth to heaven in the days after the great tribulation. Mark 13:24,27. Since believing Jews and Gentiles are still one in Christ, why would the Elect not include all Believers and all 144,000 who "appear with Christ when He appears in glory"? Col.3:4. Paul testified before God that Christ Jesus is "about to judge the living and the dead ... by His epiphany and His Kingdom." 2 Tim.4:1. "All things about to happen" in Luke 21:25-36 (present tense) include God's purpose for Israel at and after The Sign of the Day of the Lord. But the Elect look for these signs prior to that Day. See Chapters on Day of Lord and My Search.

For God's wrath to occur, the Holocaust of Trump Six must "pass by." The armies of Armageddon in Plague Six must cross the Euphrates River and invade Israel. Time ends with Trump Seven about to sound. All three events are among 100 verses that occur on the Day Christ descends in glory. That is the Day of the Lord ... "the last day, the day on which He raises up all Believers, gathers them from earth to heaven and sends the angels to gather them from all of the heavens' four extremities. They gather the Elect to the Synagogue in the sky to receive their rewards while the Hour of Testing on earth affects "all those that dwell on all the face of all the earth." Only those left behind who are "willing to die will be preserved (kept alive)."

Chapter first posted 12/24/98.