What do you think of the verse in Rev. 12:17, whom do you think the dragon is making war with? If you look in Rev. 13:7 you will find the answer.
At that point in the tribulation, anyone who holds to the testimony of Jesus will be “fair game”(to borrow a phrase)
And if the rapture comes at the end of the tribulation and all who have followed the beast are killed, and all of the people who believed in Jesus for their salvation are changed to become like the angels, where are the people and nations whom Jesus will rule for 1000 years?
If things happen as you believe, there will be no one left on the earth to rule.
During the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation 1/3 of the total population of the earth will die, that now is about 2 billion plus people(6th trumpet) , add to that those who die during the seal judgments and close to 3 billion people will have died in 3 1/2 years, add to that those who die as a result of those wars of famine and disease and short rations.
Then we get to the last half of the tribulation, which is worse than the first half. about half of those survived the the seals and trumpet judgements will die, about 1.5-2 billion people. (after adding those who come to faith in Jesus during the tribulation and are killed that number could be higher).
Their is no one I know that I would like to see go through these judgements, so I plant seeds where and when I can to help as many as I can to avoid the comming wrath on this earth.
And yes, I believe that the church will be taken out of the world before God judges mankind. Believeng in a pre-tribulation rapture motivates me to share the good news of Gods forgivness of our sins and the hope that we are not taking part in the wrath to come.
I'm not sure I understand your point. To me, that shows that we will be here and not raptured. Satan, the dragon, is coming to make war with those that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. - that is us. We will be here. That is our destiny as a Christian in the end of days.
And if the rapture comes at the end of the tribulation and all who have followed the beast are killed, and all of the people who believed in Jesus for their salvation are changed to become like the angels, where are the people and nations whom Jesus will rule for 1000 years?....If things happen as you believe, there will be no one left on the earth to rule
No one goes anywhere. Jesus comes here. The millennium reign is on earth. All those that "followed the beast" aren't physically killed but are considered spiritually dead. They fell for his lies.
Rev.20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
The dead wouldn't come back to life physically. This is talking about being spiritually dead. Jesus will rule everyone during that time and those that didn't fall for Satan's lies,they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Rev.20:6)
Those that did follow Satan, even unknowingly, have a different fate: Rev.14:9 If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand (10)The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
They are those that will be taught during the millennium and will be tested at it's end one last time. Rev. 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (15)And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
That scripture is speaking about the spiritually dead who were taught during the millennium. I believe that the torture they are experiencing is that, as Christians that love God, they then understand that they fell for the deceit of Satan.
We'll be here for Satan's tribulation, we have a job to do but we will not be harmed. That is God's promise to us, His children. 1Chronicles 16:22 Saying, "Touch not Mine anointed, And do My prophets no harm."
Luke also tells us: Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
When Christ was telling His disciples what it would be like in the end of days He told us that we would be persecuted but that:
Luke 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
The tribulation will not be as you have described it. There are two, Satan's and Christ's. The one we must be concerned about is that of Satan because he is coming after us, Christians. (Rev.12:17 & 13:7) His tribulation is one of peace and love because he will be coming in the guise of Christ. He will kill many but it is a spiritual killing of their souls because they will believe him.
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him Which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Believing in a pre-tribulation rapture motivates me to share the good news of Gods forgivness of our sins and the hope that we are not taking part in the wrath to come.
You are a good soul to share His news of forgiveness. If you believe in a rapture do what Billy Graham's wife did. She said, I'll prepare for the tribulation and be pleasantly surprised if we are raptured. (I'm paraphrasing)
Just be prepared if rapture is some of the false doctrine being spread to deceive His children. Don't be taken........Ping