Sounds like you're looking forward to the tribulation. Have you bought tickets yet?
Once again, no addressing of the issues.
The Church is found throughout the tribulation period.
The Church is described as the “
saints” in Revelation 5:8, 8:3, 8:4, 11:18, 13:7, 13:10, 14:12, 15:3, 16:6, 17:6, 19:8 and 20:9.
The New Testament uses the term “saint” some 59 times, repeatedly describing Christians who walk in newness of life. The objective Bible student can quickly discern that this name consistently pertains to true believers in the New Testament.
The Church is described in Revelation as the “
redeemed” in Revelation 5:9, 14:3 and 14:4.
The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that Christians alone are “redeemed” through the blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:68, 24:21, Gal 3:13, 4:5. Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 1:18). The unregenerate have not partook in this life-changing experience.
The Church is also known in Revelation, like elsewhere in Scriptures, as the “
brethren” Such references are found in Revelation 6:11, 12:10, 19:10, 22:9.
The Church is referred to in Revelation 17:14 as the “
chosen (or elect),
and faithful.”
The word rendered “chosen” in the King James Version is the Greek word
eklektos, and is the same word used in Matthew and Mark to describe the elect that are gathered unto Christ at His coming after the tribulation. It is the same word that is used 23 times in the New Testament to denote the redeemed, blood-bought, members of Christ’s Church!
The Church is described as “
servants” in Revelation 1:1, 2:20, 7:3, 10:7, 11:18, 19:2, 19:5, 22:3 and 22:6.
The Church is described as those “
in / with white robes,” who are washed in the blood of the Lamb in Revelation 3:4, 5, 18, 4:4, 6:11, 7:9, 13, 14, and 19:8, 14.
The Church is described as “
kings and priests” in Revelation 1:6, 5:10 and 20:6.
God’s people are described as “
souls” twice in Revelation, both in a heavenly context, both thus relating to the disembodied saints, in Revelation 6:9 and 20:4.
The disembodied saints are also known as “
fellowservants” in Revelation 6:11.
The Church is also described as a “
woman” in Revelation 12:1,4, 6,13,15,16 and 17.
The Church is also described as “
the temple” in Revelation 3:12, 11:1 and 2. Notwithstanding, there are other passages in Revelation that could link the temple to the Church.
The Church in heaven is described in Revelation 14:13 as “
the dead which die in the Lord.”
The Church is described in Revelation 15:2 as “
them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark.”
The Church is also known in Revelation as “he/him that
overcometh” (speaking in generic terms) – Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26, 3:5, 12, 21 and 21:7.
The saints are described in Revelation 16:15 as “
he that watcheth, and keepeth their garments.”
The Church is also expressed in Revelation 18:4 as “
my people,” in Revelation 21:3 as “
his people” and Revelation 19:1 as “
much people in heaven.”
Revelation 7:9 describes God’s people in heaven as
“a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.” Revelation 5:9 says:
“out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
The Church is also described as “
the bride” of Christ in Revelation 18:23, 21:9, 22:17, and similarly as “
the Lamb's wife” in Revelation 19:7 and 21:9.
Revelation 12:17, 14:12 and 21:14 describes the Church as “
they that do/keep God’s commandments.”
The Church is also described as “
the armies which were in heaven” in Revelation 19:14.
Revelation 21:24 describes the Church as “
them which are saved.”
Revelation 21:27 describes the Church as “
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”
Most of the above are familiar terms used to describe the universal Church of Jesus Christ are found elsewhere in the Bible (Old and New Testament) describing God’s people the Church. These are general terms that are commonly used and perfectly understood by all sensible Christians as describing God’s chosen people throughout the centuries and throughout the nations.
There are many different references throughout the whole book of Revelation to the existence, testimony and endurance of Christians during the tribulation period. These saints are described as those that possess
“the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:1), and consequently carry
“the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:2, 9, 12:17, 19:10), and are
“the witness of Jesus” (Revelation 20:4). They exhibit the
“patience of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9), and many become the
“martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6). Frankly, if these aren’t Christians, what are they?
A passage that ably supports this supposition and locates the Christian in the tribulation period is Revelation 14:12-13, which says, “Here is the patience of
the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed
are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”
The
“patience of the saints” here in Revelation 14:12 must surely be linked to the
“patience of Jesus” in Revelation 1:9.
The means by which these saints overcome the devil, the world and the flesh during great tribulation is the exact same as that employed by Christians throughout history. Those Christians that carry “the testimony of Jesus” in the tribulation are seen to conquer Satan by “the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11), again, confirming their sure unitary position within the redeemed Church of Jesus Christ.
