P.R.E.T.R.I.B.

Dr. Daniel Lewis looks at why the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is the most likely scenario for the end times.

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Glorious Hope - Misery and suffering will end soon and we will enter glorious hope.

Revelation of Translation:
​    1 Corinthians 15:51-57
​    1 Thessalonians 4:13-16
     John 14:1-3

​27% of the Bible is Prophesy

​The R's
​     Realization - 1 Thessalonians 4:13
​          Softens the blow of life.  There is more.

​     Revelation - 1 Thessalonians 4:15
​           The Word is directly from God

     Return
          He'll come back the same way He left - Acts 1:11

     Resurrection
     Removal
          Living Believers will be removed
     Reunion
           All in Christ will be reunited
​     Reassurance 
          Comfort one another with these words

P-R-E-T-R-I-B
​P- Place of the Church in the book of Revelation
​R- Removal of the restrainer
E - Exemption of divine wrath
T- Twenty-four elders
​R - Rapture of the Church versus the return of Christ
​I - Imminence 
B - Blessed Hope

​Place of the Church in Pre-tribulation:
​     Revelation 4-19 describes the tribulation period.  The Church is not mentioned.
     Revelation 1-3 Church is mentioned 19 times
​    Revelation 22:16 Church is mentioned once again

Removal of the Restrainer
​     2 Thessalonians 2:6 - Present age, before the rapture, is the "Age of Restraint" where Satan is restrained.  

​Tribulation Age - Age of Rebellion
     2 Thessalonians 2;7-9

Messianic Age - Age of Revelation
​     2 Thessalonians 2:8b

​Who is the Restrainer?
​     Suggestions:  Roman Empire / Revival of the Roman Empire; State of Israel; Paul; Preaching of the Gospel; Human Government; Elijah; Heavenly beings; Michael the Archangel; Holy Spirit; the Church

​What is holding him back?  2 Thessalonians 2:6-7
Is the Holy Spirit or the Church (Holy Spirit working through the Church) the Restrainer?
​     Genesis 6:3 - God is a Restrainer
​    Galatians 5:16-17 - God is a Restrainer
​The Church is used by the Holy Spirit to restrain:
​     We are the Salt of the earth - hinders decay - Matthew 5:13
​     We are the Light of the world - stops the darkness and brings to light - Matthew 5:14

​The Holy Spirit will stop restraining when the Church is removed.
​God restrains evil now because He wants the Church to function.  
​God takes care of us and keeps us from harm.

Restrainer must be removable
​Restrainer must be powerful enough to hold back evil.   
​    Psalm 91
​Restrainer needs omnipotent power

The Holy Spirit is the Restrainer.

​Genesis 18:19 - God did not want Lot to be destroyed in Sodom and Gomorrah

​We, the Believers, are exempt from God's wrath and judgement . . . Wrath and judgement was poured out onto Jesus on the cross.  These were taken care.of on the cross.

Twenty-Four Elders:
     Mentioned 12 times
         Revelation 4:4, 4:10,5:5-7,5:11, 5:14, 7:11, 7:13, 11:16, 14:3,19:4
     They were leaders
​     The Levitical priesthood is always divided into 24 groups
    Revelation 5:1
     1 Peter 2:5 - Holy Priesthood
​    Revelation 3:21 - Position seated on thrones
​     They have crowns (Angels are never talked about as having crowns - only Believers)
​     Daniel 12:1-3  Shown with crowns; Not in tribulation
​     Revelation 7:13 - Clothed in white
         Clothing of the redeemed
    Praise
    Revelation 5:11 - Distinction between angels and elders
          Location - Where are the elders?  Heaven.

​Promises to both the Church and to Israel

​Rapture:
​     1.  Christ comes in the air -  Acts 1:11
​     2.  Christ comes to earth - Zechariah 14:4
​     3.  Christ comes for His saints 
​          Christ comes with His saints - 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Jude 1:14
​     4.  Christ claims His bride
​          Christ comes with His bride
​     5.  Return of Christ is predicted in the Old Testament 
​          No signs of the rapture are needed
​          There are many signs for His second return
     6.  Time of Comfort - Matthew 4
​           Destruction and judgement
​     7.  Believers only raptured - John 14:1-3
     8.  Occurs in a blink of an eye - 1 Corinthians 15:52; Matthew 24:27
​          Only God's own are taken
​          All will see Jesus - Revelation 1:7
          Picture for the world 
​     9.  Rapture signals the beginning of seven-year tribulation
​          Jesus returns after tribulation.  1000 years of peace
​
​          Revelation 22:16
          Malachi 4:2

​Imminent - Events will occur in a moment and can occur at any time.

Blessed Hope - Titus 2:13
     Comfort one another - 1 Thessalonians 4:18
​     Christ is coming back before the trouble