You said ... “God has never exempted His Church from persecution.”
It’s not that God is exempting the Church from persecution ... rather ... it’s that the Church would INTERFERE with God’s plans and GET IN THE WAY. So God removes the church so that it does not interfere with SATAN’S activity, which the church would, if it were still there.
God wants Satan to bring his plan to its full implementation during that time. The Church, if it were here, would present serious interference with Satan’s activity.
SO ... you see ... the Church has to get out of the picture completely on this earth in order for the fullness of evil to have its sway!
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>> “ rather ... it’s that the Church would INTERFERE with God’s plans and GET IN THE WAY. So God removes the church so that it does not interfere with SATAN’S activity” <<
Can I have some of what you’re drinking?
The word says plainly that nobody gets removed!
We get protected in the place that he prepares for us, if we “watch,” as he commanded, but those that do not watch must endure too, and to them he comes “as a thief.” (Revelation 3:3)
So many people miss that. The Holy Spirit working through the believer restrains lawlessness today. God tells us that the restraining influence will be take out of the midst.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of their midst.
That will leave lawlessness unrestrained.