Why I don’t believe in a pre-tribulation rapture
Revelation 1:7
Matthew 24:27
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Matthew 24:13
Our posture is to be one of endurance with hope and spiritual alertness
See Matthew 24:36-51
Resisting Temptations – FOLD
Mike Bickle (of International House of Prayer) uses the acronym FOLD to summarize the temptations that God’s people will need to overcome to endure until the end.
- F – Fear. We will be tempted to give in to fear. Matthew 24:6, John 14:1.
- O – Offense, We will be tempted to take offense with each other and with God. Matthew 11:16-17, 18-19, Proverbs 19:11.
- L – Lust. We will be tempted to escape into all manner of distractions and addictions (not just sexual ones) as an escape from the increasing pressures. Matthew 24:48-49 (just one example). There are other less flagrant examples of distraction through various forms of escapism.
- D – Deception. Jesus specifically warns us not to let anyone deceive us. Matthew 24:4.
This war does not signal the Great Tribulation or the End of the Age
- Matthew 24:14. The gospel of the Kingdom has not yet been preached to every nation
- Matthew 24:15-16, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. This event has not yet occurred.
- Jesus predicted that wars and other troubles would increase. Matthew 24:6-7
- This war is part of the beginnings of birth pangs. Matthew 24:8.
Does this war prefigure any end time events?
Possibly. We do know from Jeremiah 30:7 that there will be great rage against Israel in the Last Days.
Ezekiel 38 describes a time when Gog will attack Israel during a time of great peace with Israel in her land. Gog is probably a reference to the Antichrist, according to this talk by Joel Richardson Six Reasons Gog is the Antichrist .
Currently, although Israel is in her land, she is not dwelling securely. Based on what is described in Ezekiel 38:8,11 (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:3 ), peace and security are the conditions required for the time of Jacob’s Trouble to begin.
Ezekiel 39 goes on to describe a great deliverance for Israel, following the horrific attack by Gog and Magog. The language seems to indicate that it is describing the Last Battle.
Some observers who are familiar with the Middle East believe that the October 7 attack by Hamas was triggered by Iran (which bankrolls Hamas) due to Iran’s unhappiness with the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing its relationship with Israel. This development would have the potential to usher in a period of peace, safety and prosperity in the Middle East and could eventually set the stage for the events of Ezekiel 38-39. Most of Israel’s leaders have a secular mindset and do not really take Biblical prophecy seriously, so they did not realize that this could set the stage for a coming war.
For a longer presentation (given in 2022, well before the outbreak of the current war, which gives it extra weight) see this talk by Dalton Thomas How Israel’s Coming War with Iran Sets the Stage for the Great Tribulation.
How shall we pray?
- Protection for Israel
- Guidance for her leaders
- Overthrow of evil, Satan’s plans to be frustrated
- Demonic jihadi rage to be restrained
- Release of the hostages
- Protection for the innocent
- Comfort for the suffering
- Many will turn to Jesus
- Coming of God’s Kingdom
- That God’s people would see the beauty of Messiah and find rest in His presence even in the midst of trouble. Psalm 9:9.
