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Search this websiteThis bible study uses a Unicode Greek font and is printer friendly. Introduction 9.12This is an excellent bible study explaining the meaning of 'Not appointed us to wrath' (1 Thessalonians 5:9). It is a scripture that is used often by the advocates of a pre-tribulation rapture to try to prove that believers will not be here on the earth during the tribulation, when God's wrath will be poured out on this earth during the last days. However, when many of the scriptures are put together we can see that God only pours his wrath on the disobedient, not on those who obey him. #9.121 Christians are not Appointed to Wrath
Note: These are the scriptures which show that God has not appointed us to wrath, but what is the context of them? There are three possible interpretations: (1) In Romans 5:9 the wrath on the unbeliever is contrasted with justification of the believer, and in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 the wrath coming on the unbelievers is contrasted to the salvation for the believers. The obvious context of these scriptures is that the wrath to come is not the tribulation in the end-time, but the wrath of God on the unbelievers in Gehenna, the lake of fire, at the end of the millennium reign of Christ (Revelation 20:15). (2) All Christians have been called to suffer persecution, so this cannot possibly refer to the wrath of Satan, or his wrath through people, while alive in this life. Paul suffered exceptional persecution (Acts 14:19, 2 Corinthians 11:23-25) so he could not possibly mean that God has not appointed us to that. He also said, "Everyone who lives godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12), so this does not refer to the persecution that Christians will get during the tribulation period. (3) Another way to interpret this is that God will protect his people from the end-time plagues that will come on the earth during the tribulation period (See #9.122 below). #9.122 Wrath of God on the UnbelieversJOHN 3:36 ROMANS 1:18 (Paul) ROMANS 2:8 (Paul) EPHESIANS 5:6 (Paul) COLOSSIANS 3:5-6 (Paul) 1 THESSALONIANS 2:14-16 (Paul) REVELATON 16:1-2 RREVELATION 16:10-11 REVELATION 16:19 Note: These scriptures all show that the wrath of God is on all unbelievers. They will suffer his wrath during this life for their disobedience (Ephesians 2:7, Colossians 3:6), and in Gehenna - the lake of fire - after the millennium reign of Christ (Revelation 20:15). It will come on unbelieving Jews who persecuted the early church (2 Thessalonians 2:14-16), and any who are alive during the tribulation period in the end-time will suffer the wrath of God that comes through the end time judgements on mankind. We can see that they will be poured out on "the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image" (Revelation 16:2), "upon the seat of the beast" (Revelation 16:10) and upon "great Babylon" (Revelation 16:19), the false church. Nowhere does it say his wrath is poured out on his own people during this time, but rather they will be protected. #9.123 God's Protection During the Tribulation
Note: In the last says we see that God will seal those who are his servants out of the tribes of Israel. The angels with the plagues were commanded not to do their work until these people had been sealed, so that they would be protected from the plagues. In Revelation 9:4 we see the command that only those who did not have the seal of God would be affected. This is totally consistent with the nature of God, who also protected his people in Egypt when the plagues came on them in the time of Moses. (Exodus 8:22-23) And I will separate in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell,
that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am YHWH in the midst of the earth. (Exodus 9:3-4, 6) Behold, the hand of YHWH is upon your cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the
camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very severe pestilence. (Exodus 9:25-26) And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. (Exodus 10:22-23) And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: We can see here that during the plagues in Egypt God protected his people from them even though they were there. The very last plague which was to kill the first born in Egypt they were also protected from because they were obedient to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their houses (Exodus 12:7, 12:50). Now why should it be different during the tribulation? God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17), so he will also protect his people then. #9.124 CONCLUSIONThe scripture, "God has not appointed us to wrath" (1 Thessalonians 5:9), along with others, has been used by pre-tribulation rapture advocates to support their case that the Church will not be on earth during the tribulation. The context of the scripture shows that this refers to the wrath of God in the lake of fire at the end of the millennium, but even if people do not accept that, their argument is still totally unfounded, as the scriptures have shown that God has always protected his people from his wrath in bad times. He did so in Egypt and he will also do so during the tribulation. Please do not let people deceive you with these weak arguments. There will be no pre-tribulation rapture; the church will be here during the tribulation, and will suffer persecution, but not the wrath of God. Please tell your friends about this website.
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Church in Revelation