A Response: “A Biblical Guide to Revelation” — Part 5

In this series, we have been responding to a free guide I downloaded on Revelation — A Biblical Guide to Revelation (hereinafter, “Biblical Guide” or “Guide”). In the previous parts of this series, we’ve covered the Introduction, Who Are the Seven Churches in Revelation?, What Should We Know about the Rapture?, and Who is the Beast and What is His Mark? We’re now ready for Chapter 4!

Chapter 4: What is the Tribulation?

In this chapter, the Guide talks about the “living hell [one] can avoid if [one is] saved.” It then list “a few of the dreadful disasters that take place during the Tribulation” (pg. 14; links are theirs):

• “One out of every two people will die during the Tribulation (see Rev. 6:8 and onward)”

• “One third of all vegetation will be burned up” (see Rev. 8.7)

• “The sun and the moon will be darkened as nature goes into revolt (see Rev. 8:12)”

• “The gates of hell will open and hordes of locusts, the size of horses, will come upon the earth. Those locusts will be allowed to sting men like scorpions and the pain will last for five months. The Bible says men will beg God to let them die but they will not die (see Rev. 9:3–6)”

• “There will be worldwide famine unlike anything the world has ever seen (see Rev. 18:8)”

• “There will be a world war so bloody that the blood of those killed in battle will flow for two hundred miles up to the bridle of a horse in the valley of Jezreel. This will be the Battle of Armageddon (see Rev. 14:20)”

• “All told, during the Great Tribulation, as many as half of all the people on the earth will be killed. Now do you see why God refers to the Rapture as a ‘blessed hope’? Because the Tribulation to come is so horrible!”

There are so many things to work through here but I’ll only highlight a few. The first one we’ll address is the third point, “The sun and the moon will be darkened as nature goes into revolt.” By now, it’s really disconcerting when I read such things in a “Biblical Guide.” The Bible is full of this type of language and not once is it supposed to be taken in such a wooden, literal sense. To start with, “nature” does not “go into revolt.” The phrase “the sun and moon will be darkened” is poetic imagery and refers to the fall of a nation — 

Isaiah 13.9-10 (LXX2012; adapted):[1] For behold! the day of [Yahweh] is coming which can’t be escaped, a day of wrath and anger, to make the world desolate, and to destroy sinners out of it. 10For the stars of heaven, and Orion, and all the host of heaven, shall not give their light; and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light. 

Here we see the same idea — stars won’t shine, and the sun and moon will be darkened. This was a prophecy against Babylon (Isaiah 13.1-3), which fell to Persia in 539 BCE. There’s nothing within history that even remotely comes close to what’s described here. There were no cataclysmic events of the magnitude described in verses 9-13. In other words, the language used here is not about the destruction of this planet and cosmos; it’s poetic language depicting the fall of Babylonian Empire.

Next, let’s address point six and the deep blood. Again, this is unsettling because it’s recorded in history. The problem comes into play when history is ignored or, as in a lot of the futurist views, it’s not even known. When I was a futurist, the same type of believer for whom this Guide is directed, I never knew about the war between the Jews and the Romans. I didn’t find out about it until many, many years later. But, when one starts reading about the war, a lot of the mysterious things in Revelation become abundantly clear. And this point about the blood is one of those things. Josephus, an eyewitness of the war, wrote about it stating — 

War 6.8.5: …But when they (the Romans — j+) went in numbers into the lanes of the city with their swords drawn, they slew those whom they overtook without and set fire to the houses whither the Jews were fled, and burnt every soul in them, and laid waste a great many of the rest; and when they were come to the houses to plunder them, they found in them entire families of dead men, and the upper rooms full of dead corpses, that is, of such as died by the famine; they then stood in a horror at this sight, and went out without touching any thing. But although they had this commiseration for such as were destroyed in that manner, yet had they not the same for those that were still alive, but they ran every one through whom they met with, and obstructed the very lanes with their dead bodies, and made the whole city [of Jerusalem — j+] run down with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with these men’s blood...

While not a literal, word for word, fulfillment, “the whole city run down with blood” so deep that it’s putting out fires is pretty close.

The last point I want to comment on is the final one — the “blessed hope” of the so-called “rapture.” No where does the Bible state that “God refers to the Rapture as a ‘blessed hope’.” The only mention of a “blessed hope” in the New Testament is found in Titus.

Titus 2.11-14 (CEB; adapted):[2] The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12It educates us so that we can live sensible, ethical, and godly lives right now by rejecting ungodly lives and the desires of this world. 13At the same time we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus [the] Christ. 14He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions (emphasis added; cf., Acts 23.6).

As we can see, the “blessed hope” the Bible refers to is the “appearance” or manifestation (Greek: ἐπιφάνεια) of Jesus, not the so-called “rapture.” Christ’s “appearing” was something promised to occur in the first century. In fact, Jesus told the disciples — 

Matthew 16.27-28 (CEB; adapted): For the [Only Begotten] is about to come with the majesty of his [Abba] with [the] angels. And then he will repay each one for what that person has done. 28I assure you that some standing here won’t die before they see the [Only Begotten] coming in his kingdom” (emphasis added).

In particular, as we’ve seen, Revelation refers to the coming of Christ as happening “very soon” when the letter was written, not thousands of years in its future.

The Guide then states that, even though God’s people won’t experience the “Great Tribulation,” we’ll “probably go through some of the worst days we have ever seen before it starts” (pg. 15) and points to Luke 21 as proof of this. However, Luke 21 is not talking about the “end times,” like the Guide supposes. Luke 21 is a parallel passage of Matthew 24 and Mark 13 and these passages are about the then coming war between Rome and the Jews. Let’s briefly look at some of the passages in Luke 21.

Jesus and his followers are in the Temple and some people are talking about the buildings. Jesus tells them that the whole building is going to be destroyed (vv. 5-6; cf., Matthew 24.1-2; Mark 13.1-2). The disciples asked when it was going to happen and what signs they should look out for (verse 7; cf., Matthew 24.3; Mark 13.4). And then Jesus says something that most futurists miss — 

Luke 21.8-9 (CEB): “Watch out that you aren’t deceived. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ and ‘It’s time!’ Don’t follow them. 9When you hear of wars and rebellions, don’t be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end won’t happen immediately.”

The bit that most people miss is the word “you.” In fact, Jesus uses the word “you” over thirty times in Luke 21 (Matthew 24 = 21; Mark 13 = 26)! In Luke 21.1-4, we have the story about the woman putting everything she has into the treasury at the Temple. Jesus told his followers, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than them all.” No one supposes that the word “you” in verse 4 is talking about us and our time, so why do we think that Jesus wasn’t talking to the exact same people when he uses “you” in the rest of the chapter? Because we’ve been taught (especially through Guides like this) that the “end times” were not (or “can’t be”) about the first century but are happening now and that Jesus is talking to us about these things.

To continue with this pointed conversation between Jesus and the disciples, Jesus told them that some of them would be arrested for their faith, handed over to the religious leaders in the synagogue, and jailed (vv. 12-13; cf., Matthew 24.9; Mark 13.9). And some of them would even be betrayed by their own families and friends (vv. 16-19; cf., Matthew 24.10; Mark 13.12-13).

Jesus then tells the disciples that when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, they’ll know it’s destruction is close at hand (verse 20; cf., Matthew 24.15; Mark 13.14). This ties back to the disciples’ original question (verse 7; cf., Matthew 24.3; Mark 13.4). Think about this for a moment. The futurist position maintains that Jesus didn’t actually answer the disciples’ questions. The disciples were talking about their Temple, the one in which they were all standing. Jesus told them it would be destroyed. The disciples ask when that would happen. And we’re to believe that Jesus spent all this time talking about another Temple, another Roman army, another group of followers, another horrific persecution, another, another, another, … etc., etc., ad nauseam. It’s quite astounding once we think about it.

Next, Jesus talks about the “signs in the sun, moon, and stars” (vv. 25-28; cf., Matthew 24.29-31; Mark 13.24-27). As we’ve already addressed this, I won’t say much here except to point out the last verse, “Now when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near” (verse 28; Matthew 24.33; Mark13.29). Again, this ties back into the disciples question, “What sign will show that these things are about to happen” (verse 7; cf., Matthew 24.3; Mark 13.4). As one can see, this is a direct response to that question. Again, look at who was addressed — the same disciples who asked the question to begin with. Jesus is looking them in the eye and telling them, “Now, when [you disciples standing here with me in the Temple] see these things begin to happen, [you disciples standing here with me in the Temple] stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.” Jesus even goes on to even be more specific, “I assure you that this generation (i.e., Jesus’ and the disciples generation) won’t pass away until everything has happened” (verse 32; emphasis added; cf., Matthew 24.34; Mark 13.30). There is no question about it — Jesus was addressing those first followers about things they would experience. Their generation wouldn’t pass away until all those things happened. This is not about our time; it was all about theirs.

In Part 6 we look at the Millennium!

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In the Love of the Three in One,

Br. Jack+, LC

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[1] Scripture quotations marked (LXX2012) are taken from the Septuagint in American English 2012. The Septuagint in American English 2012 is in the public domain and may be freely copied, published, etc.

[2] Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations and references — and scripture quotations marked (CEB) — are taken from The Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible. Used by permission.