An angry pretribber wrote me the following comment with their unsubscription from my newsletter:
Thanks for the uplifting information that we will be here through the Tribulation and all that great things to look forward to. It says God does not want his people to see his wrath, and He loves us. Why did it say the mystery of us not all “sleeping” Not all of us will die because we are His children and He doesn’t wish for us to go through His wrath. I don’t have the chapter or verses, but they are in the Bible.  Keep reading or start before that verse before your depressing news.
You are like the rest of them. They say all the bad statements and don’t bother looking at the fact that God doesnt want us to experience His Wrath. Also the mystery of us all not sleeping, that some of us will be taken up to Heaven. The people who are ready and watching.
Angry emails and comments like this have increased lately. They used to be a few per month, but now have come every week. I think it is because most American’s paycheck deductions increased with the new year and we’re still in a languishing economy. (Plus Obama’s recent inauguration certainly poured salt in the wounds of my conservative Christian audience.)
Yet when I read these comments, I don’t get angry or feel like lashing out back at them. I realize that people who lash out like this have had their emotional buttons personally pushed by what I wrote, as if it was said to them and not to the general public. They are bothered by someone stating a different view that contradicts their own and suggests to them that they are wrong. Their foundation which their faith is based on is called into question. It makes it personal for them.
Knowing this, I feel sorry for them that they have had their faith shaken. My response to this person would be to help them to see that if these ideas bother them, then the best response is not to attack me, but to look inward and ask what nerve is so exposed that I could inadvertently strike it and cause such a strong reaction?
Here, then, from that loving perspective is what I wrote back to this person:
Was the Exodus depressing, too? Seeing God put ten miraculous plagues of his wrath (Ex 15:17) on Egypt (while Israel was still there), the Red Sea part, shoes not wear out, quail descend on command for food, also water from the rock, and bread from heaven, a pillar of fire and column of smoke guiding them daily?
Indeed, for some, they reacted with depression in these things and wanted to go back to Egypt. Others saw these miracles and glory of God and were exhilarated and felt blessed.
So the question for you is, why are you choosing to be angered or depressed by the same plan for our escape now that God did then which we read about now in our Bibles and find exhilarating, thrilling and inspiring? What’s in you that lacks confidence and faith that like God got Israel out of Egypt through miraculous protection and provision, that he won’t do the same for us in our time of tribulation?
Note, this is not a judgment on you like you put on me as I don’t take your comments personally. These are just honest questions to see if I can help you get out of the depressing perspective of and rejection of God’s end time plan to save his people on the earth from the Great Tribulation. This plan is revealed in Revelation (Rev 12) and Jesus’ own words about fleeing when you see the Abomination (Mt 24:15,21 = Great Tribulation coming) and looking “up” at the end when you finally see him coming for your redemption is nigh (Lk 21:28). (You don’t look up to see someone coming from the sky to earth unless you are on the earth yourself!)
So contrary to what you seem to think, the Great Tribulation is not sure death. There is a terrestrial escape plan through it (Satan’s wrath), just not a celestial one. Thus, everything Paul said about us not all sleeping refers to this rapture at the end of the Tribulation. He’s contrasting the raptured who did not die/sleep that are changed instantly on their feet with those who did die and are raised from their graves. He’s not saying the rapture saves you from death in the Great Tribulation as you suppose.
I find your work comforting. Know the Future is a beautiful work. It helps me understand the future and reminds me that God will finish the work he started with me. What I find dangerous are the articles and books that talk about a GI-JOE Jesus. The ones that think you put a bible in one hand and a gun in the other. They obviously forgot that God is always in charge, and if I am going thru suffering, it might be for my good. Thanks for the uplifting material and articles Tim. I appreciate them!
I read a lot of your articles. And I am with you on most of what you say.spending time writing an article on how you deal with comments from people or spending time behind a pulpit telling people about a situation that somebody does not like regardless if you’re giving their name or not is a form of lashing out. your type of ministry will always bring people that disagree with you. especially people that really don’t put that much time into studying the Word of God. I think what you do is great for the Kingdom and like I said I don’t agree with everything you say and I feel I can get bible scripture to prove it but that does not make me right. it just means that I interpret something a little bit different. like I said you do a great ministry keep up the good work and may God bless you with more and more wisdom each and everyday.
I am not depressed by your findings. Actually, all of your writings are uplifting. I would think those who believe God’s word would be uplifted, but since I am merely a mortal here, I will not try to understand the selfish thinking of others, instead I will pray for them to see the light and dismiss the misgiving presented by the dark-one. Thanks for helping so many people understand God’s word. Keep it up.
I read an article on 1 Cor 15:52 which some believe to be either the trumpet in Revelation 8:2, 10:7 and 11:15 or the trumpet in Matthew 24:34. They are not two separate events but the same! Lazarus’ sister, Mary, knew this fact in John 11:24 Jesus could have corrected her were the information false. What’s important to understand is that we must “remain in Him” 1 Thess 4:17 so that we will be caught by his angels and not by destruction. Remember the Lord sparing Rahab because of her red cord and sparing firstborn in Egypt because of lamb’s blood. The mark we must seek in this age is the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Those who have His mark are the same who believe and are saved! How great is our God!
You have debunked the ‘secret rapture’ theory and the pre-trib believers do not want to hear it !
People believe what they want to hear–what “tickles their ears”–they reject the true Gospel ! They don’t rightly divide the Word–they take someone other persons theory !
The Bible plainly tells us that Jesus’coming will be ‘like the lightning’–everyone knows how BRIGHT lightning shines!
It also tell us that it happens ‘immediately after the days of tribulation’–people–seek the Lord ,ask Him what is the true answer- If a person is sincere about wanting the true answer–God will give it to you-as He always knows if we are sincere with Him.If a person is truely a Christian-if God brings us to it–He will bring us through it–He never leaves us or forsakes us–that is not just a promise–it is a fact ! He will provide an escape.
Other ways to escape? Explain what a terrestrial escape is? Jesus was talking to the his chosen people, the Jews to run for the hills when the Tribulation starts. What hills are we supposed to run to? He is talking about Petra, the place where its all carved out for the Jews to hide. You live in Israel or you gonna move there once the Tribulation starts? Where are we going to run and hide like a big adventure, with all of us following each other around in the woods until its safe? And then victory??? Or are you talking about UFO’s? “Look up” is for the Jews in the end days.
Why don’t you watch some Prophecy in the News or The King is Coming. I am not versed in the Bible to argue with you. Do you see what the hell is going on in the Middle East? Obama is handing this country to them on a silver platter. We can’t say anything negative about them. Do you know they hate you as much as they hate the Jews? Do you know that they will be after us Next? They will never get rid of Israel but they will try there hardest and they are coming for us to put there laws in place here in America? Do you know how they live? All the laws they live by? Really watch Prophecy in the News and Listen to there ideas about the end days. Read Psalm 83 watch it come to pass? Small war before the big war? There will be hardly anyone left at the Abomination of Desolation happens in Israel after the temple is built, the anti-christ is going into it and say he is God. That is when you are to run to the hills.
It also says that if God didn’t shorten the days for his people there would be no one left when he came. because the Tribulation is going to be like hell on earth. Bad things. Hard to survive things.
I know this is an old post, but…
Jesus said when you see the abomination that causes desolation flee to the mountains. This was fulfilled in the first century, but it is a pattern and type of the end times. When we see the abomination that causes desolation, there IS a mountain we can flee to. It is one that Daniel speaks of. It will crush the feet of the image and it will crumble to dust. Our safety is in Christ.
read 1 Thessalonians 4 13 through Chapter 5 and to the end of Chapter 5. Chapter 5 verse 9 is important.
Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? Neither do you kindle fire on mine altar for nought? Malachi 1:10 bro tim is doing it. Don’t offend his ministry
I am sorry for offending this ministry. i normally don’t get that carried away with this kind of thing. Tim, I know my remarks didn’t bother you in any way, but I sorry for jumping on your site and cutting up on it. I wont let it happen again.
I admit, years ago this article would have upset me. But that’s only because it would have scared me. I’m older now and not so naive. I know enough about history to know that God allows some horrific things. And I know that some of those horrific things have happened to Christians. Do I like this? No. But there isn’t much we can do about it but pray He gives us strength if and when something “bad” or scary happens to us. I’ve heard the argument about being delivered from Gods wrath is different from being delivered from mans wrath. In your article you didn’t say we wouldn’t be delivered but rather we would be able to find a place of refuge, much like Noah, Moses, and even Lot. Would I rather be raptured out of all of this? H*** yes! But when reading what others had written about the rapture, and the tribulation, the “pre trib” escape never set right with me and what was there written in His word. So far, Tim, your version makes the most sense and sounds the most intelligent. And I would rather you preach “post or mid” tribulation than “pre tribulation” and be wrong than the other way around. At leas we’ll be “prepared” if we can be……