The Tribulation Gospel

Here’s an illustration of the “tribulation gospel” and a few other things:

You buy (or inherit) a large piece of land. You may have funds to build your dream house on it, or perhaps funds are also part of the inheritance. But you tell your lovely and gracious bride that the deal is done, the paperwork is signed and the land is yours.

You are both so excited!

There is a sort of shack standing on the land now, and you decide you will move into the shack until your dream house is completed. You can hardly wait.

But there’s a small problem. A band of vagrants has set up camp on your land. They are trespassing – it’s not their land and never was. But while the land was vacant, they moved in. They are armed and dangerous. You tell them you own the land and you are moving in and they must “vacate the premises forthwith!” or you will call the Sheriff. They snarl at you and refuse to budge.

So you call the Sheriff and explain the situation. You prove to him that you are the lawful owner and you want these trespassers removed. So the Sheriff tells them they must leave or they will be forcibly evicted. They still refuse.

So the Sheriff returns with a few dozen deputies. The miscreants start shooting! The Sheriff and his men return fire, kill some of the vagrants and subdue the rest. Once they are removed, you and your lovely and gracious bride move into the shack. It’s hardship, no doubt about it. There’s little room, the roof leaks when it rains, the floor is half dirt and half old boards, and the wind comes through the walls. It’s too hot in summer and cold in the winter.

A year passes, construction of your dream house is complete, and you move out of the shack and into your new home. The shack is dismantled and the pieces hauled off to be burned.

Regarding the trespassers on your land, no effort is legally required to be made to allow them to stay. They got wrath – as much as necessary and exactly what justice required. The Sheriff first gave them notice, which is what the “everlasting gospel” recorded in Revelation 14:7 is all about:

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.“

The idea that God is going to make another appeal for faith, repentance or obedience after the rapture is a false hope. It may be that people will cry out to God in remorse, but His response is in Proverbs 1:24-32. God will “laugh at [their] calamity” and will “mock when [their] terror comes.” NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) If people want to ignore God today, when salvation is offered and is freely available, then God will ignore them in the day of disaster. By the way, remorse is not repentance.

Getting back to the story, you and your lovely bride endure hardship while the dream house is being built. Life in the shack is unpleasant, but it is not punitive. No one is mad at you and you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s just the nature of the situation and, truth be told, you brought it on yourself by your free and willing choices. Instead of paying rent for a year and taking longer to finish the house, you opted for a year in the shack.

Christianity – true Christianity – is like that. “In this world you will have tribulation” is one of those precious promises we ignore. Acts 14:22 is another. “Take up your cross daily and follow Me” is not an invitation to a life of ease.

It’s truly a shame that so many prophecy teachers see Daniel’s 70th week as “the tribulation period” and construct such an unbiblical model. Some also seem to think that Abraham, Noah and others were saved by works (or were saved by a different gospel), but in this “church dispensation” all that’s necessary is faith. NO! Abraham was saved by faith, and it issued in obedience; his willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Noah was saved by faith, and it issued in obedience in building the ark. Just read Hebrews 11; you will see that they were all saved by faith that produced obedience. Faith or trust is not stand-alone. The other side of the coin is always obedience to God. That is also the gospel of the “church dispensation” according to James chapter 2.

“Faith and works are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith.” _{– Charles Spurgeon}

The “everlasting gospel” cited above is not a last-chance, “open the door of your heart” appeal for lost sinners to repent. Rather, lost, defiant and blaspheming sinners are simply being put on notice. The “tribulation period” for the church has lasted 2000 years and is almost over. Wrath for unbelieving Gentiles will soon follow. There are no “second chances” or “make-up classes” and, truth be told, the God-haters who remain after the rapture won’t want any.

For the Jews, there will be a “time of Jacob’s trouble” or, if you prefer, the “tribulation period” cited in Deuteronomy 4:30 that will be short and intense. Once again, it will separate the obedient from the rest (IMHO) and will refine the Jews. Regardless of race, “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and God-pleasing faith always issues in obedience.

It appears to me from scripture that God’s redemptive efforts return to the Jews after the rapture. It may be, of course, that a Gentile could become a Jewish proselyte. It is also entirely possible that a “Gentile” may be predominantly Gentile but have Jewish blood – and how much is necessary to “qualify” as a Jew is up to God – once again, even in wrath He may allow mercy.

I think the preaching of lavish grace and “second chances” during the “tribulation period” when suddenly people will “get it” and “accept Christ” is extremely irresponsible. That’s the main dragon I’m trying to slay. People who teach that one can survive God’s wrath with dried food and a water filter will be seriously disappointed.

The Sign of the Son alignment will be in place on September 23rd. Please – if you haven’t already: get your priorities in order. Now is the appointed time.