We continue with the proofs that the martyrs of the Tribulation period tell us. In Part I we stated that ALL who become Christians during the Tribulation will die. It is a key view. Why? It critically affects the Rapture debate. As such, for Rapture naysayers, this view is problematic. Understandably, others may be puzzled as it is a complex and potentially confusing topic (especially so for such a short article series as we present here).

Were it proven that ALL who become Christians in the Tribulation become martyrs, it makes a serious dent in the case for a Rapture occurring any other time than before the Tribulation. For example, were there no Christians alive on earth as of the early stages of the second half of the Tribulation, there could be no mid- or –end-tribulational Rapture. It wouldn’t be logical. The Great Multitude (see Revelation 7:9, these all martyrs) are shown to be already in front of the heavenly altar at the time of the 5th and 6th seals.

If ALL Christians have been martyred who would be left to be raptured? As the case may be, Tribulational martyrs are expressly promised to participate in the First Resurrection … in their case, this occurring at the beginning of the Millennium. For a Rapture to occur at any other time than before the Tribulation would not align with Scripture; nor the proofs of the Tribulational martyrs; nor the character of God.

But what of the view of Rapture naysayers who say that there is no Rapture to be expected at all? To take this position means that ALL Christians will go into the Tribulation period. More Christians would then be added to their number through conversions during the earlier stages of the Tribulation. The question then arises: Why would God allow that ALL Christians in the world to be killed during the Tribulation? As we have shown and will further prove in this article, all Tribulational Christians will be martyred.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 states that “[…] God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if ALL Christians (from the time of before and during the Tribulation will be annihilated on earth, this is a “wrath” of a different gospel. This is not congruous with the character of what God has said.

A naysayer’s view must endorse a very non-sensical sequence of events. ALL Christians must go into the Tribulation so that ALL first be slain so that they ALL can be given a resurrected physical body so ALL to come back to life in the Millennium.

This sequence of events seems unnecessarily cruel … and inefficient. Could these be the actions of a LORD that says “My reward is with me” (Revelation 22:12). What about the Saints that have died before the Tribulation period? The Rapture naysayer must take the position that these saints need wait another thousand years for the Second Resurrection as they will not be eligible for the First Resurrection. Scripture doesn’t support these confused perspectives. Rather, it expressly says that “the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

A pre-tribulational Rapture is the clearest, most sensible and most scriptural view.

More Arguments From the Dead

Given that our view — that ALL Tribulational Christians will be martyred — is such a critical factor in the Rapture debate, we want to further prove the veracity of this position. There are other additional proofs and deductions from the Bible for this case. We present five of these next. It is these proofs of certain martyrdom that tell the theological tales.

1. The Meaning of “All.” The Second Beast shown in Revelation 13 only offer two options — one or the other. Worship the image of the First Beast or die. No other option is on offer. There is no allowance for exceptions. “[…] all who refused to worship the image [are] to be killed” (Revelation 13:15). (Again, see Revelation 20:4.) All means all … not some. The Bible also says this about these Tribulation saints: “They triumphed over him [the Dragon] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelation 12:11).

What happens to those that do worship the image? Could they change their minds at some later date? Revelation 14:9-11 is clear. “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Once having made the election to worship the image of the Beast and to take the mark, there is no recourse nor recanting. To believe otherwise, would be inconsistent with the character of God. Once He unleashes His Wrath it is too late to repent. After all, His wrath only comes after repeated entreaties and warnings. Then comes the point of no return … of no further grace.

At the very minimum, what we can safely conclude is that All who refuse to worship the image will die.

2. No Survival Outside the “Buy Sell” System. Despite the clear message of Revelation 13, some still imagine that Christians could survive the Tribulation period. If only they would buy the right survival goods and pursue cunning evasive strategies they would stand a chance, they reason. However, they ignore this perspective: Outside the “buy-sell system” in that future tribulational world put in place by the False Prophet, it will not be possible to live without the “mark.” If one is not able to “buy nor sell” at a time of a pervasive global economic crisis and a closed worldwide financial system, one cannot obtain food nor shelter. With no transactional access to the financial system, a Christian will die of starvation if not first murdered.

An understanding of the limits of a closed financial system should lay to rest any notion that All who refuse to worship the image will be martyred.

3. A Deduced Absence. At the 5th trumpet blow (1st Woe, Revelation 9:1-6), this occurring perhaps mid-way into the second half of the Tribulation) “[…] out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. […] They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.”

Only those that did not have the seal of God were allowed to be tormented. The only group that has a seal placed upon them at this point are the 144,000 servants. As such, were Christians still on earth at the time of this judgment, they would be expressly allowed by God to be tortured. Any Christians on earth during this woe wold be selected to face God’s wrath. Shown here is that God can and does exclude one group to be protected from His wrath (namely the 144,000). Then, why would He choose not to do so with his Children? “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for […] an egg, will give him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11-12).

Thus, we can draw one of two conclusions. There are no Christians on earth at the time of the 1st Woe; or if yes, then God expressly chooses to torment them. Only the former perspective aligns with the character of God.

4. Can Christians Curse God? At the call of the 6th trumpet, one third of the world’s population is wiped out; two-thirds remain who then ALL curse God. Says Revelation 9:20-21: “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons and idols […] Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” Could Christians be counted in this number of survivors? Not if all of the survivors are said to “curse God”, “refuse to repent” and kept “worshipping demons and idols.” Clearly, then, there can be no Christians survivors at this point upon earth. (We maintain that they have been martyred already some time before.) After all, salvation is impossible without repentance. Conclusion? Either no Christians are upon earth at the time of this woe; or, God expressly made sure that while 1/3rd of the earth’s population dies, that this would mean that ALL Christians would die at this time. But, again, it would be absurd to believe that God in His wrath would wipe out ALL remaining Christians at this juncture, favouring instead other godless earth dwellers.

We can reasonably deduce that no Christians exist upon earth at the time of the 5th and 6th trumpet judgments.

5. Appearances of Christians Throughout the Tribulation. Following the sixth seal (that being the time point that we are shown the great multitude of martyred Christians in front of the heavenly altar) the topics of “saints” or “servants” “Christians,” God’s people” or “multitudes” is never mentioned again in Revelation’s time line. Crucially, no mention or picture is made of any more Christians having arrived in front of the heavenly altar during the Tribulation period for any other reason than of being slain by anti-Christian forces. Any reference to “souls” that did not “worship the image” refers back to its occurrence which, in our view, is at a time near to the 6th seal. As such, this would be consistent with the view that All Christians will be martyred in the Tribulation period.

The above arguments (as well as others made elsewhere in this 2-part article series), we believe conclusively prove that no Christians will survive the Tribulation period … all becoming martyrs (most likely by its mid-point). Daniel 7:25 says that “The holy people will be delivered into his [Anti-christ’s] hands for a time, times and half a time. (See also Daniel 12:7) We see this three and one-half period coinciding with the first-half of the Tribulation period.

These perspectives may indeed raise additional questions as well as reconciliations with other popular or conventional interpretations of Scripture. However, we will leave these questions for another study.

Who Left to Populate the Millennium?

A number of readers have argued that not all Christians could be killed in the Tribulation as there would be no people left on earth to populate the Millennium. This is incorrect. Why? The Bible states that a major stage of the First Resurrection occurs at the start of the Millennium. At this time, it specifically applies only to Tribulation martyrs and no one else. All those who become Christians during the Tribulation are resurrected at the beginning of Millennium. “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4) upon earth. Tribulational Christians therefore are destined to live and reign with Christ through the whole millennium until the time of the Second Resurrection (Revelation 20:4).

There will also be a surviving number of people on earth — both Jews (as there must be in order to fulfill prophecy) and Gentiles — though a greatly decimated number. In conclusion, resurrected tribulational saints and surviving Jews and Gentiles will populate the Millennium.

We briefly again review the significant positional differences between those Christians who are raptured and those who later become Christians during the Tribulation. Firstly, those who are raptured are a unique and small group. They face neither the First nor the Second Death (physical death nor spiritual damnation) but a translation to a new body. What a wonderful reward to the Christians of the apostate, hostile world that exists at the time of the Rapture.

The only other “first fruit” group that is given a similar special dispensation (in part) are the 144,000 prophets. They are sealed, being already redeemed first-fruits (what we take to mean resurrected with eternal bodies) and therefore will not perish during the Tribulation. They possibly may also enter into the Millennial period and also not taste the Second Death [though we must disclose that the Bible is actually silent on these points.]

Thoughts to Ponder: Great Rewards to All Saints

Glorious is the fact that raptured Christians are spared the First Death and Second Death; and are also spared “the hour of trial” (Revelation 3:10) and will be in heaven with the Lord while the Tribulation takes place upon earth.

Raptured Saints “[…] will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) in their translated resurrected incorruptible bodies. Whether on earth or in heaven, wherever Jesus will be, that is where the raptured Christians will be. They “[…] will be with the Lord forever.”

Surely the Tribulation is a terrible period … as none ever before in mankind’s history. Nevertheless, there is good news to celebrate: For ALL Christians, there will be no Second Death. We will all be given eternal life.

Wonderfully, after the Tribulation, the Lord, “[…] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

The Pre-tribulation Rapture view, as we have shown, is the most consistent with Scripture. There is no incentive to survive the Tribulation for Christians since all will be killed and all are then resurrected at the start of the Millennium. Why prolong physical suffering if one can look forward to a resurrection after the Tribulation?

Therefore, whether amongst the raptured or those saved during the Tribulation, there are no physical preparations to be made … nothing to buy … or escape. There is no need to pay for survival supplies, nor to build an underground bunker.

For now, given that the Rapture still lies ahead, we remain part of the generation that “[…] continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done (Revelation 22:12).

Maranatha,

(A recent 3-part series, Anxiety Merchants and False Prophets specifically deals with the promotion of survivalist goods to Christians.)

---

For resources on “endtime economics” and to subscribe to the free newsletter, Eternal Value Review, visit Wilfred’s website www.eternalvalue.com or contact him at: staff@eternalvalue.com

About the Author: Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. His newest book,Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the future.

A recent article here, titled “Why the Rapture Is Not a New Delirium,” triggered an outsized number of responses. Most were from pro-Rapture believers. That would not be surprising, given RaptureReady’s primary audience. However, one frequent query we encountered was in reaction to the claim that ALL tribulational Christians—these being those that come to recognize Christ as Lord and Savior after the Rapture—would be sure to perish.

We hold to that view, and will here present our reasons.

We even ask: Why would any Christian want to survive through the Tribulation in the first place? Though tribulational Christians do not have the special position of raptured Christians, they nevertheless are promised a reward at the start of the Millennium, as the Bible clearly states. They will experience the First Resurrection at that point.

As we will show, a literal reading of the Bible clearly and plainly supports the understanding that there will be no Christians that will physically survive the Tribulation period.

But, readers may well ask: Why even concern ourselves with this point? Is it not true that Christians will be removed from the earth (the Rapture) before the time of God’s wrath begins? And if so, why would we even care about the course of prophesied earthly developments after that point?

Answer: All Scripture is profitable for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16), and this Biblical issue is no exception. As it turns out, the question regarding the fate of Christians during the Tribulation is a critical one in the defense of the Rapture Doctrine, as we will show.

Perhaps only a minority of Christians today believe in the Pretribulational Rapture Doctrine. They believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation … presuming that any apocalyptic Scriptures are believed at all. Also, numerous inventive variations of Rapture teachings have emerged—Pre-Wrath, Mid- and Post-tribulational … etc.

The tales that the Christian dead tell us in Scripture, in this respect refute all these other beliefs regarding the Rapture. If ALL Christians indeed die in the Tribulation, then some glaring inconsistencies are exposed in these variant views, thus giving credence to the Rapture Doctrine.

Positional Differences of Pre- and Post-Rapture Christians

Do all Christians die in the Apocalypse … and can we prove it? To answer, we must begin by noting the positional distinctions between ALL tribulational Christians, and those of the pre-Tribulation period who are ALL raptured. During the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit is no longer an unction upon earth as during the Church Age. The Comforter has been removed along with the Church, and the Antichrist has been revealed. Those who come to Christ during the Tribulation are not spared suffering and physical death (the First Death), as are the raptured saints (who are alive at the time).

Pre-tribulational Christians of the Church Age are translated (physically changed for eternity, this the Rapture) to be in Christ’s presence. Tribulational Christians are not translated to new eternal bodies … at least, not until after the Millennium. The raptured Christians do not experience the First Death; the latter group do. Tribulational Christians ALL must face a physical death. ALL are certain to become martyrs. Graciously, tribulational Christians are promised the First Resurrection at the start of the Millennium.

While both groups of Christians are given eternal life and share a common eternal fate after the Millennium (neither experience the Second Death), their paths, experiences and positions are very different.

Christians During the Time of Wrath

Without a doubt, people will become believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, during the Tribulation Period. As the terror of this time erupts, earth dwellers will come to the recognition that Jesus Christ was who He said He was—the Messiah … the Savior … the Son of God. The state of evil in the world, as well as the appearance of the Antichrist, will be obvious to all. The timing of remaining prophetic events is then no longer entirely speculative. These are clearly seen to be unfolding.

By the time of the 6th seal (this the most apocalyptic and shaking to that time), it will be clearly obvious to all that the world is facing God’s wrath. In fact, they openly acknowledge this fact, saying, “The great day of their wrath has come” (Revelation 6:17).

As such, many people do become Christians during the Tribulation. In fact, there are so many that the Bible calls them a “great multitude” (Revelation 7:9).

However, we may be getting ahead of ourselves. Where does this “multitude” of saints come from, and what is their fate?

The Great Winnowing

The great winnowing of tribulational Christians from earth is described in Revelation 13:11-17. The False Prophet (the Second Beast) orders all to worship an image of the First Beast, and presses all to take upon themselves the mark of the First Beast, so that they can buy and sell. Those that DO worship the image of the beast and take this mark will be eternally damned (Revelation 14:11).

What happens to those who DO NOT take the mark of the False Prophet and refuse to worship the image of the beast? The good news: They are redeemed and therefore will not be condemned to the lake of fire. Nevertheless, they will not be spared suffering. These Christians will be killed.

The Bible clearly says that “[…] all those who refused to worship the image [will] be killed” (Revelation 13:15). Revelation 20:4 confirms this, saying: “[…] I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.”

Again, the goods news amidst the terrors? The tribulational Christians who refuse the “mark” are spared the Second Death. Yet, they must face the First Death before being rewarded with the First Resurrection at the start of the Millennium.

Two Phases of Slain Saints

We place the aforementioned events shown in Revelation 13, as occurring sometime between/during the fifth and sixth seals. Events that the Bible describes during these seal judgments closely align with the Great Winnowing.

To be sure, Christians are already being slain before the fifth seal. We see these first tribulational Christians that are killed shown in Revelation 6:9-11. The Bible says: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.”

Presented here are the souls of the Christians who have been slaughtered between the Rapture and the time of the 5th seal. They are shown under the altar in heaven and are told to stay there “until the full number of their fellow servants” (Revelation 6:11) are killed as they had been. These earlier Christians are waiting until the rest of the martyrs arrive.

A little later (at the time of the sixth seal), we now see that the “full number” has arrived. As already mentioned, there are so many martyrs at this point that they are called a “great multitude.” John the Revelator says “[…] there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). These souls are identified as coming out of the “tribulation” (Revelation 7:14). They are tribulational martyrs … a very large number. The fact that they now all hold palm branches signifies that they have attained victory and eternal life.

Just what event or development could have caused such a large influx of Christian souls, to have arrived in front of the throne in such a short space of time? According to our understanding, the great winnowing of Revelation 13:11-17 occurred. It is the final “dividing line,” we think. A large number of earth dwellers have refused to take the “mark” and are martyred. By the end of the 6th seal, these souls end up in front of the throne.

Envisioning both phases of the slain saints, says the Bible of them: “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them’” (Revelation 14:12-13).

Why Christian Dead Tell Tales

The view that all tribulational Christians will be martyred is problematic for many. For one, it nullifies the case for a Rapture occurring any other time than before the Tribulation. If, for example, there were no Christians alive on earth as of the early stages of the second half of the Tribulation, there could be no Mid- or Post-tribulational Rapture. What would be the point? There is no one—or perhaps only an insignificant number—to be raptured.

Or, let’s assume that the Rapture naysayers are right in that there is no Rapture of any kind. To take this position means that All Christians will go into the Tribulation period. And, more Christians may be added to their number through conversions during the earlier stages of the Tribulation (though this is immaterial to the issue here). However, the question then arises: Why would God allow that ALL Christians in the world be killed during the Tribulation?

Critically, why would God allows some non-Christians and Jews to survive … but no Christians?

(In Part II, we will present more proofs for the Pre-tribulational Rapture, from the tales of Martyred Christians.)

For resources on “endtime economics” and to subscribe to the free newsletter, Eternal Value Review, visit Wilfred’s website www.eternalvalue.com or contact him at: staff@eternalvalue.com

About the Author: Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 bookThe Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. His newest book,Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the future.