Why in the world are we looking for the Church in the Book of Revelation?

To start please notice how the idea of the Church going through any part of the Tribulation must align with some decision on the timing of the Rapture of the Church, unless one holds to a PostTrib view which has the Church going through the entire Tribulation. For all other Rapture views there must be a removal of the Church before the Second Coming. 

We hold the PreTribulation Rapture (PreTrib) view which states that the Church is removed just before the Tribulation starts, and that event is imminent. We have no tension with trying to fit the Church into the Book of Revelation, or in regards to how to interpret tough scripture passages that tell believers they are not destined for wrath, or to comfort one another in the face of the greatest tribulation in earth’s history.

Revelation 4:1 – “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”

The Open Door may be an allusion to the pretrib rapture event in 1 Thess 4:14-17 and John 14 – per Scofield.

Whether that is correct or not:

• The Church is not heard from again in the book of Revelation after chapter 3 – the letters to the Churches.
• The Apostle John, author of the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John and the book of Revelation could symbolically represent the Church passing through the open door into heaven before the Tribulation. (speculation yes, but isn’t that what is going to happen?)
• The last part of the verse is clear that the upcoming prophecies (chapters 4-21) will come sometime after the emphasis of the book on the Church. (Chapters 1-3). This agrees with what Jesus said in Revelation 1:19
• After 2000 years of the Church Age, it is staggering that there is no mention of the Church in Revelation prophecy, unless of course the Church is gone. Only the PreTrib understanding works here.

Based on what we’ve tried to demonstrate on Endtimes.org in our study of Daniel 9 and on other pages for the Church Age – the Tribulation is NOT meant for the Church. God, once again, is focussed on Israel during this time. (Revelation Chapter 4 through 19)

Daniel 9:24 – “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city…”

Additional Evidence

1 Thessalonians 5 – the future Day of the Lord

“While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them“

They and them = unbelievers.

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief”

” For God has not destined us for wrath”

You and Us = believers, different outcomes. That doesn’t happen if the Church is in the Tribulation.

All of the Judgements of the Tribulation proceed from God

Early on in Revelation 5 the book of the seven seals of judgement are opened by Jesus – “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals” – All judgements therefore are coming from heaven.

Sometimes I do scratch my head and wonder how much additional biblical evidence would be needed on this subject. Then I remind myself that timing issues of prophetic events are tricky things and we won’t all agree. (PreTrib, MidTrib, PreWrath, PostTrib)

Note that only the PreTrib position doesn’t have the Church going into the Tribulation.

• God’s purpose in the different Ages or Dispensations define and dominate the biblical narrative. (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses-Israel, The Messiah, The Church, Tribulation, Millennium, Eternal State)
• Each Age has a People in focus
• The Clear Texts demonstrated here, and in other pages, don’t place the Church Universal (believers of all ethnicities and geography) in the Tribulation. It does however see believers coming out of it, but they aren’t members of the Church. They are the Jews and the Nations. (Rev 7)

For some that don’t agree with our conclusions about the missing Church in the Tribulation, or the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, consider the special message delivered by the Angel Gabriel in Daniel 9 shown above. The Seventieth Week ( 7-year Tribulation) is the bookend of God’s dealing with the Jews. Daniel was a Jew and his people were the Jews. The focus of God’s message through Gabriel  is very specifically to the Jews and their future.

Daniel 9:27 – “And he (Antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering”

Matthew 24: 15 – “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains”

The Church does NOT now and never will have grain offerings and animal sacrifices.

The true Church does NOT have a centralized Holy Place on earth.

The Endtimes has purpose, no part of which includes the Church!

• The Day of The Lord – Judgement of all unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles (The Nations)
• The Final regathering of Israel and the final battle of the Nations with the Son of God. Armageddon! (Rev 16)
• The Second Coming – Jesus comes personally, in great power and executes the ultimate and final judgement on the people of this age.

Revelation 19:13 – His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. ¹⁵From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

The Future Kingdom will have Israel and the Church in it’s foundation

Revelation 21 speaking of the New Jerusalem descending from heaven.

“And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:”

“And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb”

Conclusion

In conclusion, while there is no verse that says “God will remove the Church prior to the Tribulation”, there are plenty of verses in the Bible that…

1. Tell us why the Church could not be the target of worldwide judgement from God,
2. Talk specifically about removing believers (John 14, Rev 3:10)
3. Encourages believers to have hope because they are not destined for wrath. (1 Thess 4 / 5)  

These are sufficient evidences to hold the position stated here and to do so with confidence. Confidence that Romans 8 is still true: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”