Tribulation, Resurrection, Judgment
The Tribulation.
We use this term to designate the whole period of earthly history, between the Rapture and the Revelation, or between the Church and the Millennial Kingdom. It will not altogether be a time of tribulation, for in it “they shall rejoice and send gifts one to (Rev. 11:10), and shall say “peace and safety.” 1 Thes. 5:3. We believe that it will be comparatively a short season, because the 6,000 years and the times, or year-days, of prophecy have nearly run out. Doubtless it embraces the last one of Daniel’s seventy weeks, for the reason that then God begins to deal with Israel again, after He has taken the Church away, and yet it is probable that it includes much more than the seven years of that week.
It is certain that there will be in it a period of unequalled trial, sorrow and calamity,^ spiritual darkness and open wickedness.’* It is the night of the world.^ But the
(1) Dan. 9:27. And he shall down; and I will build again
confirm the covenant with many the ruins thereof, and I will set
for one week: and in the midst ^P
of the week he shall cause the 17. That the residue of men
sacrifice and the oblation to might seek after the Lord, and
cease, and for the overspreading all the Gentiles, upon whom
of abominations he shall make it m name is called, saith the
des’olate, even until the consum- Lord, who doeth all these things,
mation. and that determined ^3> Mat. 24:21. For then
shall be poured upon the deso- “a” great tribulation, such
jgg PS was not since the beginning
they had held their peace. James ““^ ^°^” answered, saying. Men and Also Dan. 12 :1.
brethren, hearlten unto me: (4) 2 Pet. 3:3. K’-^Tying th’s
14. Simeon hath declared how fiT’=t, that there shall come in God at the fir=^t did visit the the la’^t days scoffers, walkine Gentiles, to tke out of them after their own lu=t.
a neople for his name. 4- And ^fyinig. Whre is the
15. And to this agree the nrnmise of his coming? for since words of the prophets; as it is the fathers fell asleep, all thines written, continue as they were from the
Ifi. After this I will return. beginning of the creation. and will build again the tabr- -Also Luke 18:7.
nacle of David, which is fallen (5) John 9:4. I must work
(S8)
true Church, which is not of the night,® being watchful and prayerful, will be accounted worthy to escape it, by the Rapture, and to stand before the Son of Man,^ while a third part of Israel will be brought through it,^ and for the elect’s sake the days of this culminating tribulation shall be shortened by the revelation of Christ.^^ From Isa., chapters 24 to 28, an idea may be gained of the terrible character of this period, during which Antichrist will also be revealed (see p. 107). Some, especially from the remnant of Israel, will accept of Christ and become His witnesses, and be slain by Antichrist. These we call the tribulation saints, who are to be raised at the close of the great tribulation, as the gleanmgs of the great harvest of the first resurrection.
The Resurrection.
In regard to the Resurrection, we would say that the literal rendering of 1 Cor. 15:23, is “but each one in his own band.”
It seems plain that the resurrection of those “who are Christ’s at His coming,” includes both those who constitute the Bride, who are raised at the Rapture, when Christ
the works of him that sent me, (8) Zech. 13:9. And I will
while it is day: the night com- bring the third part through the
eth, when no man can work. fire, and will refine them as sil-Luke 17:34. I tell you, in ver is refined and will try them
that night there shall be two s gold is tried: they shall call
men in one bed; the one shall be o° my name, and I will hear
taken, and the other shall be them: I will say, It ts my people; and they shall say. The
left.
1 Thes. 5:4. But ye. ^”^1 ^’^^^Z 5°^.
(6) 1 Thes. 5 :4. But ye
brethren, are not in darkness,
(9) Mat. 24:22. And except
^T- X i X J ,j XI those days should be shortened,
that that day should overtake I, J^ ,j v v a.
,.; there should no flesh be saved:
you as a tmei the elect’s sake those
5. Ye are all the children of ^^yg g^^jj shortened. light, and the children of the 2 Thes. 1 :7. And to you
day: we are not of the night, nor ^^0 are troubled rest with us,
of darkness. when the Lord Jesus shall be
(7) Luke 21:36. Watch ve revealed from heaven with his
therefore, and pray ^Iway. that f ^^^e.^^lfg. And then shall
ye may be accounted worthy to Wicked be revealed, whom
escape all these things that shall ^-^^ ^od shall consume with the
come to pass, and to stand be- snirit of his mouth, and shall
fore the Son of man. destroy with the brightness of
Also Rev. 3 :10. his coming. comes into the air; and the Old Testament saints,” the friends of the Bridegroom/^ who doubtless are raised in a dilferent band from the Church, see Rev. 6:9-11,^^ and also those who believe and suffer during the tribulation/* who will be raised at the Revelation (when Christ comes to the earth), to take part with Him in the Millennial Kingdom.^^
(11) Job 19:25. For I know
that my Redeemer liveth, and
tJiat he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth:
26. And though after my skin
worms destroy this body, yet in
my flesh shall I see God:
27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Isa. 26 :19. Thy dead men
shall live, together with my
dead body shall they arise.
Awake and sing, ye that dwell
in dust: for thy dew is as the
dew of herbs, and the earth shall
cast out the dead.
Hos. 13 :14. I will ransom
them from the power of the
grave; I will redeem them from
death: O death. I will be thy
plagues; O grave, I will be thy
destruction: repentance shall be
hid from mine eyes.
Ezek. 37:12. Therefore
prophesy and say unto them.
Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open
your graves, and cause you to
come up out of your graves, and
bring you into the land of Israel.
13. And ye shall know that I
am the Lord, when I have
opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of
your graves,
14. And shall put my Spirit
in you, and ye shall live; and I
shall place you in your own
land: then shall ye know that I
the Lord have spoken it, and
performed it, saith the Lord.
Also Heb. 11:39-40.
(12) John 3:28. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
(13) Rev. 6:9. And when he
had opened the fifth seal, I saw
under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of
God, and for the testimony
which they held:
10. And they cried with a loud
voice, saying. How long, O Lord,
holy and true, dost thou not
judge and avenge our blood on
them that dwell on the earth?
11. And white robes were
given unto every one of them;
and it was said unto them, that
they should rest yet for a little
season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren,
that should be killed as they
were, should be fulfilled.
(14) Rev. 13:15. And he had
power to give life unto the image
of the beast, that the image of
the beast should both speak, and
cause that as many as would
not worship the image of the
beast should be killed.
(15) Rev. 20:4. And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them,
and judgment was given unto
them: and I saw the souls of
them that were beheaded for the
witness of Jesus, and for the
word of God, and which had
not worshipped the beast, neither
his image, neither had received
This latter we represent by “R. T.” on the diagram.
Then, the great harvest of the first Resurrection — or the
Resurrection of Life — includes:
CHRIST
THEY
THAT ARE
CHRIST’S
AT HIS
THE FIRST FRUITS.
THE CHURCH
P AND OLD TESTAMENT
SAINTS.
THE TRIBULATION
SAINTS.
THE
INGATHERING.
THE
GLEANING.
The second Resurrection, or Resurrection of Judgment,^* occurs after the Millennium, and includes the remaining dead.i
Judgment.
We often hear Post-millennialists use the expression “General Judgment,” thereby conveying the idea of some future day in which all mankind will simultaneously appear before God to be judged.
his mark upon their foreheads,
or in their hands: and they
lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years.
5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Also Rom. 11 :15.
(16) John 5:29. And shall
come forth: they that have done
good, unto the resurrection of
life; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation (judgment).
(17) Rev. 20:12. And I saw
the dead, small and great, stand
before God: and the books were
opened; and another book was
opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged
out of those things which were
written in the books, according
to their works.
13. And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death
and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they
were judsod every man according to their works.
14. And death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death.
The expression is not in the Scriptures. Pre-millennialists believe that the Judgment is general, only in the sense that all are judged — but not all at the same time.
The Judgment of believers, as sinners, is past, being accomplished in Christ on the cross.
“He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (Greek, Judgment); but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24. See also John 3:17-19 (R. V.) Judged instead of condemned.
There is a Judgment day coming, not a day of twenty-four hours, but a long series of years. Day is used to designate such a period in 2 Cor. 6 :2; Eph. 6 :13, and Heb. 3 :8.^^ The “Hour” in John 5 :25, has been over eighteen centuries long. So “the hour’^ in John 5:28 may be centuries of years.
This “Day of Judgment”^ is also called “The Day of the Lord,”& ‘’The Last Day,’’^ and ‘’The Great Day.’^d
It is ushered in with plagueso and closes in fire,2i beaMat. 10:15; 11:22; 11:24; 12:36; Mar. 6:11; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; 1 John 4:17.
bisa. 2:12; 13:6, 9; 34:8; Lam. 2:22; Ezk. 13:5; Joel 1:15; 2:1; 3:14; Amos 5:18; Obd. 15; Zeph. 1:7, 8, 18; 2:2, 3; Zech. 14:1; 1 Cor. 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; 1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10.
cJohn 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24; 2 Tim. 3:1.
dJer. 30:7; Hos. 1:11; Joel 2:11, 31; Zeph. 1:14; Mai. 4:5; Jude 6; Rev. 6:17; 16:14; Acts 2:20.
(18) John 3:17. For God sent unto you the whole armour of not the Son into the world to God, that ye may be able to judge the world; but that the withstand in the evil day, and world should be saved through having done all, to stand, him. Heb. 3 :8. Harden not your
18. He that believeth on him hearts, as in the provocationt, in
Is not judged: he that believeth y °f temptation in the
not hath been judged already, wilderness.
because he hath not believed on. ^20) 2 Thes. 1:6. Seeing U
the name of the only begotten f righteous thing with God
o«„ n A to recompense tribulation to
^°° °’ ^°^- them that trouble you;
(19) 2 Cor. 6:2. (For he 7. And to you who are troupaith, I have heard thee in a bled rest with us, when the Lord time accepted, and in the day Jesus shall be revealed from of salvation have I succoured heaven with his mighty angels, thee: behold, now is the ac- §• flaming fire taking vencepted time: behold, now is the eeance on them that know not day of salvation.) ’ ^°^’ f ^^f* obey not the go s-
’ pel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Eph. 6 :13. Wherefore take 9. who shall be punished with tween which lies a long season of the “sure mercies of David,”^2 Qj. ^^Q Millennium.23 In it there will be four visible judgments, in the following order:
Four Judgments.
T. The Judgment of the Saints for their works.^* This is not on earth. Compare 1 Thes. 4:13-18, with 2
Thes. 1:6-10; Rev. 19:11-16. See (20) (32) and (33). These glorified Saints receive their judgment undeniably
before that of the ungodly. See Mat. 25:14-30. The
everlastind destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from
the glory of his power;
10. When he shall come to be
glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe
(because our testimony among
you was believed) in that day.
Also Rev. 19:11-21.
(21) Rev. 20:10. And the
devil that deceived them was
cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and
the false prophet are, and shall
be tormented day and night for
ever and ever.
15. And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire.
(22) Isa. 55 :3. Incline your
ear, and come unto me: hear,
and your soul shall live; and I
will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure
mercies of David.
Acts 13 :34. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
(23) Rev. 20:4. And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them,
and iudement was given unto
them: and 7 saw the souls cf
them that were beheaded for the
witness of Jesus, and f’^r the
word of God, and which had
not worshipped the beast, neither
his image, neither had received
his mark upon their foreheads.
or in their hands: and they
lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years.
5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with him a thousand years.
(24) 1 Cor. 4:5. Therefore
judge nothing before the time,
until the Lord come, who both
will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, and will
make manifest the counsels of
the hearts: and then shall every
man have praise of God.
1 Cor. 3 :13. Every man’s
work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by
fire; and the fire shall try every
man’s work of what sort it is.
14. If any man’s work abide
which he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward.
15. If any man’s work shall
be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved:
yet so as by fire.
2 Cor. 5 :10. For we must all
appear before the judgment seat
of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his
body, according to that he hath
done, whether it he good or bad.
Also Rom. 14:10-12. judgment of the servants occurs before the judgment of the nations. Mat. 25:31-46. See also 1 Pet. 4:17-18.25
II. The Judgment of the living nations, who are upon the earth at the Revelation. Jesus is Judge of the quick (or living) and dead.~*^
The Church or Saints, having been before caught up in the Rapture, come with Christ to execute judgment” upon the world or living nations.^** This is the judgment of the quick, or those who are living upon the earth, when Christ comes at the Revelation. He separates the sheep from the goats, gathering out all things that doth offend (Mat. 13: 41-42), and sets up His kingdom (verse 43). The third party, His brethren, are the Israelites,-^ who are never to be reckoned among the nations.^^
Then follows the Millennium, which is one continuous day of Judgment (Acts 17:31), when the righteous Judge will be upon earth (2 Tim. 4:8), and when judgment shall
(25) 1 Pet. 4:17. For the
time is come that judgment must
begin at the house of God: and
if it first begin at us, what shall
the end &e of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(26) Acts 10:42. And he
commanded us to preach unto
the people, and to testify that it
is he which was ordained of Grod
to be the Judge of quick and
dead.
Also 2 Tim. 4 :1; 1 Pet. 4 :5.
(27) 1 Cor. 6 :2. Do ye not
know that the saints shall judge
the world? and If the world shall
be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest
matters?
Also Jude 14-15.
(28) Mat. 13:40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41. The Son of man shall send
forth his angels, and they shall
gather out of his kingdom all
things that offend, and them
which do iniquity;
42. And shall cafet them into
a furnace of fire: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then shall the righteous
shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. Who
hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(29) Psa. 122:8. For my
brethren and companions’ sakes,
I will now say. Peace be within
thee.
(30) Num. 23:7. And he took
up his parable and said, Balak
the king of Moab hath brought
me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Oome,
curse me Jacob, and come, defy
Israel.
8. How shall I curse, whom
God hath not cursed? or how
shall I defy, ivhoin the Lord hath
not defied?
9. For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. be laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet. laa. 28:17.
III. The judgiuent of the dead at the Great White Throne.-”^
ly. The Judgment of angels,^* into fire “prepared for
(31) Rev. 20:12. And I saw
the dead, small and great, stand
before God: and the books were
opened; and another book wa?
opened, which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works.
13. And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death
and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they
were judged every man according to their works.
14. And death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death.
15. And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire.
2 Pet. 2 :9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
Also Mat. 10:15; 11:21-24;
12:41-42; Rom. 2:15-16.
(32) 1 Thes. 4:15. For this
we say unto you by the word of
the Lord, that we which are
alive ancZ remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16. For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:
17. Then we which are alive
ujid remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the
Lord.
18. Wherefore comfort one another with the?e words.
(33) Rev. 19:11. And I saw
heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon
him was called Faithful and
True, and in righteousness he
doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a fiame
of fire, and on his head were
many crowns; and he had a
name written, that no man knew,
but he himself.
13. And he xoas clothed with
a vesture dipped in blood: and
his name is called The “Word of
God.
14. And the armies which were
in heaven followed him upon
white horses, clothed in fine
linen, white and clean.
15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it
he should smite the nations; and
he shall rule them with a rod
of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God.
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
19. And I saw the beast, and
the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to
make war against him that sat
on the horse, and against his
army.
20. And the beast was taken,
and with him the false prophet
that wrought miracles before
him, with which he deceived
them that had received the mark
of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both
were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone.
(34) 2 Pet. 2:4. For if God
spared not the angels that
sinned, but cast them down to
hell, and delivered them into
chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.
JESUS 18 COMING.
the devil and his angels.” The ungodly go there first. Compare Rev. 19:20 with Rev. 20:7-10; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6.35
Such events, requiring intervals of time, preclude the idea expressed in the term, “general judgment.”
The “Day of the Lord” has two aspects, to-wit: Judgment on God’s enemies, and deliverance and blessing on God’s people.^^
So we have the Judgment:
Of believers, as to their character, on the cross.
Of believers, as to their works, at the Judgment seat of Christ.
Of the living nations at the Revelation.
Of the ungodly at the Great White Throne.
Jude 6. And the angels
which kept not their first estate,
but left their own habitation, he
hath reserved in everlasting
chains under darkness unto the
judgment of the great day.
Also 1 Cor. 6 :3; Rev. 20 :10.
(35) Rev. 19:20. And the
beast was taken, and with him
the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and
them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into
a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev. 20 :7. And when the
thousand years are expired,
Satan shall be loosed out of his
prison,
8. And shall go out to deceive
the nations which are in the four
quarters of the earth, Gog and
Magog, to gather them together
to battle: the number of whom is
as the sand of the sea.
9. And they went up on the
breadth of the earth, and compasped the camp of the saints
about, and the beloved city: and
fire came down from God out
cf heaven, and devoured them.
10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone, where
the beast and the false prophet
are, and shall be tormented day
and night for ever and ever.
And 2 Pet. 2 :4; Jude 6.
(36) Isa. 2:2. And it shall
come to pass in the last days,
that the mountain of the Lord’s
house shall be established in the
top of the mountains, and shall
be exalted above the hills; and
all nations shall flow unto it.
3. And many people shall go
and say. Come ye, and let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he will teach us of his ways,
and we will walk in his paths:
for out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem.
17. And the loftiness of man
shall be bowed down, and the
haughtiness of men shall be
ma/!<? L”pw: and the Lord alone
shall be exalted in that day.
Also Isa. 4 :l-6; Joel 2 :21-
27, 31; 3:12-17; Dan. 7:9-
14; Zech. 14 :1-21; Zeph. 3 :8-9;
Mai. 4:1-3.