This will cause enormous disorientation and disruption for all the unbelievers who are left behind as their lives suddenly change and they are forced to handle the aftermath and adapt to the new and rapidly shifting conditions. Think of how dramatically life in the United States changed after we lost some three thousand Americans on September 11, First and foremost, the emotional impact was devastating. Then the way we travel changed.
The way we conduct foreign policy changed. Our economy changed. Our government institutions changed. So many areas of life changed that it is difficult to adequately categorize them, much less catalog them. Now try to imagine the U. Or 5 million people. Or 25 million people. Or more. Highly valuable and experienced military commanders and business leaders and medical professionals will disappear, perhaps in the middle of critical projects or medical procedures.
The impact will be catastrophic. Consider, too, the emotional devastation for people who suddenly and irretrievably lose a spouse, children, parents, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and other loved ones. There will be no long illnesses during which one can get prepared, no dead bodies to identify, no human way to find closure.
Since there would be no people with natural bodies entering the kingdom, there would be no people capable of procreation, and so there would be no possibility for unbelieving descendants to participate in the final rebellion. This presents a serious problem for posttribulationists. Attempting to move the sheep and goat judgment Sensing their quandary, posttribulationists have proposed a number of possible solutions.
Gundry, Kimball, and Moo move the judgment of the sheep and goats from the beginning of the millennium to the end of the millennium. Walvoord ably argues against this posttribulational solution. This obviously refers to the second coming of Christ to the earth at the beginning of the kingdom.
Since the judgment of the Gentiles takes place at the beginning of the kingdom, posttribulationists are left with another problem. A posttribulational rapture would negate the necessity of judgments for the Jews and the Gentiles.
At the coming of Christ they will be saved and enter the kingdom with natural bodies; then they will beget and bear children.
Thus, not all believe in a seven year tribulation that Christians could be removed from. In fact, a common view through the ages has been that the present time is this period of tribulation, with the Book of Revelation describing the challenges that the church will face throughout time rather than specific events. There will be an increase in evil at the end as Paul notes in places like 2 Timothy , but with no timeline on the length , with the return of Jesus happening after the man of lawlessness is revealed see 2 Thessalonians 2 , and the church will experience these things.
Therefore, there are many who say that Christians will remain until the end and experience the sufferings of the last times. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world regularly face suffering and persecution. While we may desire to be spared from great suffering in the future, we need to recognize that suffering is not antithetical to the Christian life, but rather part of the normal Christian life as we follow Christ in this world.
Jesus continually tells us that we should be ready because he will come at an hour we do not know and do not expect. Our lives could end at any time or he could return at any time, so let us remain faithful and remind others of this important truth. Questions about the Bible or theology?
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