Home

The Bible discloses the fact that the last great spiritual event that will occur in this world is that there will be a period of great tribulation which will be immediately followed by the return of Christ and the end of the world. We read in Matt 24:21:

And in Matt 24:29 God declares.

This great tribulation period is divided into two periods of time as seen by the language of Matt 24:22:

This great tribulation period is not only described in Matt 24 and Mark 13 but is also described in the language of Revelation 13, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, and many other scriptures.

It is typified by the 70 year period beginning with the death of King Josiah in 609 BC and ending with the conquering of Babylon by the Medes and Persians in 539 BC.

It is a time when God brought judgment upon Judah because they had refused to remove the high places where heathen gods were worshiped. God had warned in Lev 26:30:

He reiterated this warning in Ezek 6: 3,4:

Even as the great tribulation of Matt 24:21 is divided into two periods, so, too, the 70 year tribulation period spoken of in Jeremiah 25, 2 Chronicles 28 and other Old Testament passages was divided into two periods. The first period began with the death of King Josiah in 609 BC and ended in 587 BC when Jerusalem and the temple were completely destroyed by the Babylonians. The second period were the years 587 BC to 539 BC when the remnant which had not been destroyed by Babylon lived in captivity in Babylon.

The character of the events occurring in the 70 year period from 609 BC to 539 BC was the total rule of Babylon over Israel. When the Israelites were taken captive into Babylon they had no temple, no holy city, and no priesthood. They were entirely separated from Jerusalem and all the sacred activity that had previously been actively taking place there.

Likewise the character of the great tribulation spoken of in Matt 24 is that Satan has occupied the churches and has become victorious over the saints. In Revelation 13:7 we read.:

In Daniel 7:25 God prophesied:

In Daniel 8:11,12 the Bible declares:

In Revelation 11 the Bible speaks of the two witnesses who represent the churches as they bring the Gospel to the world. In Revelation 11:7 we read:

Even as God finally destroyed Judah and Jerusalem in 587 BC because it had not removed the high places, so, too, God indicates that the church, too, will be destroyed because it does not remove the high places. In 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 we read:

"for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."

The high places of the church are the doctrines held and taught by the church which are not true to the Bible. Some of these are imbedded in the Confessions but additional wrong doctrines are also taught. Divorce for fornication is an example of such a perversion of the law of God.

Even as Israel refused to permanently destroy its high places, so, too, the churches and denominations of our day refuse to remove from the Confessions and from their doctrinal teachings those doctrines which are not true to the Bible.

Thus both Revelation 11:7 and 2 Cor 10:4-6 teach that there comes a time when the work of the church is finished (Rev 11:2) its obedience has been fulfilled (2 Cor 10:6), and then follows judgment upon the church. This is so even as God’s judgment came upon Old Testament Israel and Judah.

It is true that during the 322 year duration of Judah from the death of Solomon in 931 B.C. until the death of Josiah in 609 BC God tolerated and over looked the high places. Likewise throughout the New Testament era God has overlooked and tolerated the high places in the churches. Even though many churches and denominations insist that the Bible is the only infallible Word of God, they cling to a number of doctrines of men rather than submit entirely to the truth of the Bible.

As we have seen, the great tribulation of Matt 24 was typified by the destruction of Jerusalem in the period 609 BC to 587 BC. Therefore, we can expect that even as Judah or Israel were destroyed because they would not remove the high places, so, too, the New Testament Israel as it is found in the churches throughout the world will also be destroyed during the great tribulation.

This destruction of the churches is made evident by the declaration of Revelation 11:7:

It is seen in the language of 2 Corinthians 10:6:

2 Thess 2:3,4 speaks of it in this way:

In Matt 24:15,16 God gives the warning:

The very solemn question every believer must face is, "Has the period of great tribulation in Matt 24:21 begun?" If we believe we are living in that time of history is there clear evidence that this is so?

While a number of Scriptures detail the character of the great tribulation, there are two that are especially in evidence so that we need have no doubt that we have arrived to that final event.

In Matt 24:24 God declares the character of the great tribulation. There we read:

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

Never before in all of church history has there been such an interest in signs and wonders, miracles, such as we see today. All over the world there is an intense interest in this kind of activity. This evidence alone assures us that we are living in the period of the great tribulation.

A second evidence is the world wide evidence of people falling backward. The churches that practice this miracle call it" being slain in the Spirit."

This miracle was fore told in Revelation 13. The whole chapter of Revelation 13 is describing the great tribulation period. In verse 13 we read:

Satan, of course, cannot literally call down fire from heaven. This is proven by the contest between the 450 prophets of Baal, who were Satan’s emissaries, and Elijah. But God gave Satan a demonstration that showed that causing someone to fall backward was equivalent to calling down fire from heaven.

In 2 Kings I we read about the wicked king of Israel who sent a captain with 50 men with a command to Elijah that he was to come to the king. Elijah caused fire to come down and destroy these men. Likewise in Revelation 20 we read about the nations from the four quarters of the earth surrounding the camp of the saints, and fire from heaven came down and destroyed them.

There is another incident recorded in the Bible when Satan wished to conquer the kingdom of God. That occurred when Jesus came out of the Garden of Gethsemane. There stood the emissaries of Satan, the temple servants, together with Judas who was in filled by Satan and they desired to bind Jesus and have Him crucified. At that moment Jesus following the example of Elijah or of God in Revelation 20:10 should have called for fire to come down and destroy these wicked men.

But Jesus had to be bound and taken to be crucified. This was an integral part of the atonement. However, to show that He had the power to call down fire from heaven and destroy them, when He answered them Jesus caused all of these wicked men to fall backward to the ground.

Satan, therefore, was an eyewitness to the fact that causing people to fall backward to the ground is equivalent to calling down fire from heaven.

Thus, this miracle of people falling backward to the ground which is occurring all over the world is clear evidence that we are now in the great tribulation period of Revelation 1 3 and Matthew 24.

There is another startling evidence that shows us that we are in the second part of the great tribulation. Remember Matt 24:22 declared:

In Rev 7 the Bible teaches that after the 144000 from 12 tribes of Israel have been sealed on their foreheads there would be a great multitude that no man can number that would come out of great tribulation into salvation.

We can be certain that the 144,000 are the complete fulness of all those would become saved by the activity of the churches during the New Testament era. But as we learned from Revelation 11 and 2 Corinthians 10 there would come a time when the work of the churches was finished. As we have seen this coincides with the beginning of the great tribulation.

But after this there would be a great multitude saved. We read in Revelation 7:9:

Verse 14 teaches us that these who are clothed with white robes are those who come out of great tribulation. How can this he? Significantly at this time in history when the world’s population is exploding, God has provided means by which the true Gospel can be heralded forth all over the world. This is particularly true as the Gospel is sent out by radio, by satellite, by Internet. Never before in the history of the world can a whole continent come under the umbrella of the Gospel.

Because we witness this phenomena by a ministry such as Family Radio which in no sense is under the authority of the church and which tries to be as faithful to the Bible as possible, we can know that we are in that time of the great tribulation. The next event will be the return of Christ and the end of the world.

And that brings us to a very real but very troublesome question. If we can still find or are still a part of a church that is reasonably true to the Bible, should we remain there. Does the Bible give us clear instruction concerning this very important question? The fact is, what are we to do if we could find a church where it appears that each and every doctrine they hold and teach is faithful to the Word of God.

To answer this question we must re-examine God’s commands to ancient Israel when Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem. in Jeremiah 29 God gave express commands that no one was to remain in Jerusalem. In verses 16-19 we read:

"Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord."

This passage plainly declares that God’s judgment is upon all those who refused to go as captives into Babylon.

The fact is, some did remain and their leaders were murdered. Following this the remnant went into Egypt where they were under the judgment of God. In other words, it was God’s plan that no one was to remain in Jerusalem. The only way they could come under the blessing of God was to be as captives under the care of Babylon which represents the whole kingdom of Satan. But God would watch over them utilizing Babylon to give them protection. They could receive no help or guidance from Jerusalem:

Significantly God declares in Luke 21:20-24:

"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

Please notice that God is not saying that when we experience Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. Rather it is saying that when we see Jerusalem surrounded by armies. Jerusalem or Judea represent all of the New Testament churches and denominations. When we see, as we do see, Satan’s massive attack on churches all over the world we are to depart out.

This is language that identifies with the great tribulation. In this language God is commanding the same thing He commanded Jerusalem in Jeremiah 29. Get out of Jerusalem (the church).

No longer are you to be under the spiritual ruler ship of the church.

This command is given because God is finished with the era of churches being used of God to evangelize.

We are to flee to the mountains even as Lot was told to flee to the mountain when God was ready to bring judgment on Sodom (Gen 19:17). The mountain or mountains are a reference of God being our help (Ps 121:1).

Significantly, in Revelation 11, where God speaks of the work of the church being finished He speaks of Jerusalem (the churches) as Sodom and Egypt. (Rev 11: 8).

Significantly, too, as He addresses the subject of the great tribulation, He says, "Remember Lot’s wife". She refused to flee and ended up under judgment. Those who attempted to remain in Jerusalem in 587 BC came under the judgment of God. Remember we saw this warning in Jeremiah 29: 16-19.

The message should be clear. We must remove ourselves from the church.

In the context of "Remember Lot’s wife God also declares in Luke 1 7:31:

The housetop is identified with bringing the Gospel. In Luke 12:3 we read:

The house identifies with the church. But as judgment comes on the church the true believer is to stay outside the church bringing the Gospel to the world.

God speaks to this sad situation in the language of Isaiah 3:6-8:

Because the church era has come to an end the churches have become dead as the church of Sardis long ago became dead. (Rev 3:1). The churches of today have had their candlestick removed even as the church of Ephesus of Rev. 2 was warned that God would remove their candlestick if they did not return to their first love. The church has ceased to be an institution or divine organism to serve God as His appointed representative on earth.

It is no wonder that it is almost impossible to find a church today that will modify its Confessions to make them more faithful to the Bible. Remember the Bible says that it is God who works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Therefore, if a church no longer has a candlestick it means God is not working in that church. The elders and deacons are being guided by their own minds rather than by the Holy Spirit.

In Luke 21:5,6 the Bible says:

These temple buildings represent the churches and congregations God would build throughout the New Testament time. Those who come into this spiritual temple are gold, silver and precious stones, and wood, hay, stubble, (1Cor 3:12). That is they are both true believers and those who appear to be true believers and actually are not. Thus each congregation is an integral part of that great temple.

But Jesus declares that there will be a time when there will not be left one stone upon another. That is the temple will be totally destroyed. It will no longer exist.

But suppose a congregation believes that it can remove all of the high places. It will endeavor to be as faithful to the Bible as possible.

It then is insisting that it is still a tiny part of the temple that still exists.

But Christ said "there will not be left one stone upon another". Thus this congregation is effectively saying they are more holy than God. That congregation should realize that no church can still be a part of the temple.

But there is a command that God gives to the post - church believer. It is found in Hebrews 10:25 where God commands:

Significantly the Greek word translated ‘assembling’ in this verse is only found in one other place and that is in 2 Thess 2:1 where it is the word "gathering together." But this gathering together consists only of true believers because it is a "gathering together unto Him" as Christ comes on the last day. Thus, it is a word that identifies only with true believers. As the end of the world approaches few true believers are found inside the churches because the era of the church as an institution used of God has come to and end.

True, the Sunday Sabbath is still God’s Holy day. It is a day that continues as a day for spiritual activity. But this day no longer focuses on the church as an external institution. Rather it focuses on the eternal body of believers which is also called the eternal church. It is the church over which the gates of Hell cannot prevail (Matt. 16: 18).

Now the big question. What are we to do now that we have this information concerning the church.

If the church age has come to an end, what are the believers to do who are members of churches?

Obedience to the command of Luke 21:20-24 can be accomplished in various ways. If a person or family is a member of a church they can withdraw their membership and fellowship on Sundays with whomever there may be who are of like mind. Such withdrawal may initiate a move by the church to excommunicate. For that individual that is not a trauma because he has become convinced that the church era has come to an end and the church no longer has any divine authority.

If the individual or family are simply attending a church and are not members they can stop attending that church but continue to fellowship outside of the church with individuals of like mind.

If a congregation decides to be obedient to this command they can reorganize their congregation from a church congregation, to become a fellowship of believers. The elders will no longer be elders. The deacons will no longer be deacons. The Pastor will no longer be pastor. In other words no individuals will have spiritual rule over the congregation.

Those members of this congregation who disagree with this decision to disband would have to find membership in another congregation.

In any case the decision to withdraw altogether from the church as an institution is a very personal one. No teacher of Family Radio or any one else has the authority to command this. All passages like Jeremiah 29 and Luke 21:20-24 should be looked at carefully and prayerfully and then each one should make his own decision. This is so because now that the church as a corporate institution has no spiritual authority, each person must answer directly to God.