The document discusses different views on the timing of the rapture in relation to the Great Tribulation. It presents arguments for a pre-tribulation rapture view, where the church will be raptured and spared from going through the tribulation period described in Revelation 6. Key evidence provided includes Revelation 3:10-11, where the church is promised to be kept from the "hour of trial" coming upon the whole world to try unbelievers. The imminent return of Christ, emphasized throughout the New Testament, also suggests a pre-tribulation rapture timing. The document encourages re-reading the relevant passages in Revelation and engaging further with discussion on the blog "The Lamb Will Roar".

2. Sports Illustrated
April 1985

3. "He's a pitcher, part yogi and part
recluse; impressively liberated from our
opulent life-style, Sidd's deciding about
yoga —and his future in baseball."
H-A-P-P-Y A-P-R-I-L F-O-O-L-S D-A-Y

4. Psalm 14:1, 53:1
The fool says in his
heart, “There is no God.”

5. Will the church be spared
from going through the
period of judgment and
tribulation that God is
about to unleash upon the
world beginning in
Revelation 6?

6. ● A blessing promised. . .
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the
words of this prophecy, and blessed are
those who hear, and who keep what is
written in it, for the time is near.

7. ● The genre identified…
An apocalypse (unveiling)
Revelation 1:1
The revelation (apocalypse) of Jesus
Christ, which God gave him to show to his
servants the things that must soon take place.

8. ● The genre identified…
A prophecy
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words
of this prophecy…

9. ● The purpose stated…
The Book of Revelation was written to give
Christians, struggling in this world against
those who oppose the Faith, hope that the
Christ who died for us will also one day
return for us as a conquering King to
establish his eternal reign! Because Jesus
overcomes, so can we!

10. ● A principle adopted…
Don‟t miss the forest for the trees –
Let‟s not get lost in the details and
therefore miss the message Jesus has
for us!

11. ● An outline given…
Revelation 1:19
Write therefore the things that you have seen,
those that are and those that are to take place
after this.

12. Chp. 1 Chp. 2-3 Chps. 4-22
“Things
which “Things
“Things which will take place”
you have which
seen” are”
Vision of Christ Vision of Consummation
Theophany Talks Tribulations Triumph Together!

13. Will the church be spared
from going through the
period of judgment and
tribulation that God is about
to unleash upon the world
beginning in Revelation 6?
Will the church be raptured
prior to the period described
in the Bible as the Great
Tribulation?

14. “to seize and
carry off ”

15. But we do not want you to be
uninformed, brothers, about those who
are asleep, that you may not grieve as
others do who have no hope. For since
we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so, through Jesus, God will bring
with him those who have fallen asleep.

16. For this we declare to you by a word
from the Lord, that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the
Lord, will not precede those who have
fallen asleep.

17. For the Lord himself will descend from
heaven with a cry of command, with the
voice of an archangel, and with the
sound of the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first.

18. Then we who are alive, who are left, will
be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so
we will always be with the Lord.

19. Pre-tribulational (before the GT)
Mid-tribulational (during the GT)
Post-tribulational (after the GT)
The Great Tribulation: 70th week of
Daniel (Dan. 9) and the “great
tribulation” referenced in Mt. 24

23. Matthew 24:21-22
For then there will be great
tribulation, such as has not been from
the beginning of the world until now, no,
and never will be. And if those days had
not been cut short, no human being
would be saved. But for the sake of the
elect those days will be cut short.

24. PreteristView
Prophecies of Matthew 24,
Revelation, etc fulfilled in
the past!

25. Matthew 24:21-22
For then there will be great
tribulation, such as has not been from
the beginning of the world until now, no,
and never will be. And if those days had
not been cut short, no human being
would be saved. But for the sake of the
elect those days will be cut short.

26. Matthew 24:21-22
For then there will be great
tribulation, such as has not been from
the beginning of the world until now, no,
and never will be. And if those days had
not been cut short, no human being would
be saved. But for the sake of the elect
those days will be cut short.

27. Pre-tribulational (before the GT)
Mid-tribulational (during the GT)
Post-tribulational (after the GT)
Which view should
we embrace?

28. Revelation 3:10-11
Because you have kept my word about
patient endurance, I will keep you
from the hour of trial that is
coming on the whole world, to try those
who dwell on the earth. I am coming
soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no
one may seize your crown.

29. The Hour of Trial
1. It is global in scope
“coming on the whole world”
2. It is still future
3. It is for a limited time (“hour”)
4. It‟s purpose? To try “those who
dwell upon the earth”

30. “those who dwell
upon the earth”
Occurs 9 times in the book of
Revelation “as a technical term for
unbelievers” (John MacArthur)

31. Revelation 6:10
They (martyrs) cried out with a loud
voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
how long before you will judge and
avenge our blood on those who dwell
on the earth?”

32. The Hour of Trial
1. It is global in scope
“coming on the whole world”
2. It is still future
3. It is for a limited time (“hour”)
4. It‟s purpose? To try “those who
dwell upon the earth”

33. Revelation 3:10-11
Because you have kept my word about
patient endurance, I will keep you
from the hour of trial that is coming
on the whole world, to try those who
dwell on the earth. I am coming
soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no
one may seize your crown.

34. “It‟s been HOW
LONG since Jesus
made this promise?
How is 2000 years
„soon?‟”

35. Two Responses . . .
1. God‟s view of time is far
different from ours!
2 Peter 3:8
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved,
that with the Lord one day is as a
thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day.

36. Two Responses . . .
1. God‟s view of time is far
different from ours!
2. The emphasis in the NT on the
timing of the return of Christ
can be summed up with the
word, “imminent.”

37. Imminent
Definition: about to occur (comes from
a Latin word that means literally to
hang overhead)
- Certainty – the imminent event
will happen
- Uncertainty – the imminent event
could happen sooner or later on

38. Imminent Return
of Christ
The Return of Christ is
hanging over our
heads and it could
happen at any
moment!

39. Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we
eagerly await a Savior from there, the
Lord Jesus Christ.

40. Titus 2:13
While we wait for the blessed
hope--the glorious appearing of our great
God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

41. James 5:7-9
Be patient, then, brothers, until the
Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for
the land to yield its valuable crop and how
patient he is for the autumn and spring
rains.You too, be patient and stand firm,
because the Lord's coming is near.
Don't grumble against each other, brothers,
or you will be judged. The Judge is
standing at the door!

42. 1 John 2:28
And now, dear children, continue in him,
so that when he appears we may be
confident and unashamed before him at his
coming.

43. Will the church be spared
from going through the
period of judgment and
tribulation that God is about
to unleash upon the world
beginning in Revelation 6?
Will the church be raptured
prior to the period described
in the Bible as the Great
Tribulation?

45. John 3:16
For God so loved the
world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever
believes in him should
not perish but have
eternal life.

46.  Reread Revelation chapters 1-5
AND read Revelation chapter 6
Visit the Lamb Will Roar blog
(and if your have a ? Or a
comment – please post it!)