And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:14-17 (NKJV)
There are three different types of tribulation and with them come three different types of death. I think as Christians it is important to distinguish between them, because depending on what tribulation you are willing to suffer; it will result in either:
A)Spending eternity with God as the bride of Christ, or
B)Spending eternity with God serving Christ and His bride, or
C)Spending eternity separated from God, burning in a lake of fire.
1)Lets start by looking at the tribulation that leads to spending eternity with God as the Bride of Christ. This is the tribulation that every Christian will face during his or her earthly life.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV)
Jesus gives us confidence when we face challenges that there will be provision for us that we might be calm and confident in the face of disillusionment and even apparent disaster. Even in the hour of our greatest suffering we have an unshakable confidence in the victorious purpose of God. We have been given many scriptures instructing us on this type of tribulation and with them we are told what these tribulations will produce (see Ac 14:22; Ro 5:3; 2Ti 2:11-12; 1Pe 4:12; Rev 1:9; 2:10), as all Christians share in the sufferings of Christ.
But as we faithfully die to ourselves, and our wants and desires of the flesh, we will endure these sufferings, and we will have confidence we will sit on the throne of Christ. This is the first form of death and tribulation. Everyone in this category will either die a natural death, or be taken up in the rapture of the Church prior to the Great Tribulation period.
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10 (NKJV)
2)The second Tribulation and resulting death will occur during what is known as the Great Tribulation. This tribulation is spoken of in the Bible (see Da 12:1; Mt 24:21; 2Th 2:3ff.). And we can see the specifics of the persecution in Revelation in 6:9-11; 7:14; 11:7-10; 13:7; 16:6 This tribulation comes upon the final generation of Christians; those who came to Christ during the 7-year Great Tribulation period. This tribulation is so intense; it will surpass all previous persecutions.
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come and see. So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8 (NKJV)
It is an interesting time because as Gods judgment on sinful man begins, the blood flows, famine follows, and disease and sickness are everywhere (Rev 6:8), and yet those on earth will blame those who have confessed Christ as Savior during this period, and they will be martyred for their faith. Even though these people waited until the Great Tribulation to accept Christ, they will be with Him in Heaven. Their reward will not be as it is for those who accepted before this time, as they will serve Christ and those who accepted Him before the tribulation period.
3)Still there will be some who will not humble themselves after everything they have witnessed. They will not accept Jesus free gift of salvation, and their hearts will be hard, and they will be rebellious. This next period of tribulation, which is called, The Great Day of His Wrath will be for them, and it will be the worst.
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. Revelation 6:12 (NKJV)
This tribulation is the final chapter in human history, and it is directly preceding the second coming of Christ. For those who are alive during this period and have not accepted Christ, it is too late, and their fate has been sealed. They will end their physical lives in a virtual hell on earth only to follow this with the final white throne judgment and the lake of fire.
I have no questions in this devotional, because God is already speaking to you on this reading. For some, He is giving you a peace because you have made that decision to follow and abide in Him. For others, it has probably made you fearful, because you have not made that profession of faith. And for a few, I would imagine this is all poppycock to them, and they will discount it.
I think, It is going to be a blessed time when Christ comes back for His church, and He finds us eagerly waiting for Him; redeeming the time, and working so that others might share in this blessing. Jesus told us that when He comes back and finds these people doing this, He will have us sit down, and He will serve us at His table&I cant wait&
Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. Luke 12:37(NKJV)
There are three different types of tribulation and with them come three different types of death. I think as Christians it is important to distinguish between them, because depending on what tribulation you are willing to suffer; it will result in either:
A)Spending eternity with God as the bride of Christ, or
B)Spending eternity with God serving Christ and His bride, or
C)Spending eternity separated from God, burning in a lake of fire.
1)Lets start by looking at the tribulation that leads to spending eternity with God as the Bride of Christ. This is the tribulation that every Christian will face during his or her earthly life.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV)
Jesus gives us confidence when we face challenges that there will be provision for us that we might be calm and confident in the face of disillusionment and even apparent disaster. Even in the hour of our greatest suffering we have an unshakable confidence in the victorious purpose of God. We have been given many scriptures instructing us on this type of tribulation and with them we are told what these tribulations will produce (see Ac 14:22; Ro 5:3; 2Ti 2:11-12; 1Pe 4:12; Rev 1:9; 2:10), as all Christians share in the sufferings of Christ.
But as we faithfully die to ourselves, and our wants and desires of the flesh, we will endure these sufferings, and we will have confidence we will sit on the throne of Christ. This is the first form of death and tribulation. Everyone in this category will either die a natural death, or be taken up in the rapture of the Church prior to the Great Tribulation period.
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10 (NKJV)
2)The second Tribulation and resulting death will occur during what is known as the Great Tribulation. This tribulation is spoken of in the Bible (see Da 12:1; Mt 24:21; 2Th 2:3ff.). And we can see the specifics of the persecution in Revelation in 6:9-11; 7:14; 11:7-10; 13:7; 16:6 This tribulation comes upon the final generation of Christians; those who came to Christ during the 7-year Great Tribulation period. This tribulation is so intense; it will surpass all previous persecutions.
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come and see. So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8 (NKJV)
It is an interesting time because as Gods judgment on sinful man begins, the blood flows, famine follows, and disease and sickness are everywhere (Rev 6:8), and yet those on earth will blame those who have confessed Christ as Savior during this period, and they will be martyred for their faith. Even though these people waited until the Great Tribulation to accept Christ, they will be with Him in Heaven. Their reward will not be as it is for those who accepted before this time, as they will serve Christ and those who accepted Him before the tribulation period.
3)Still there will be some who will not humble themselves after everything they have witnessed. They will not accept Jesus free gift of salvation, and their hearts will be hard, and they will be rebellious. This next period of tribulation, which is called, The Great Day of His Wrath will be for them, and it will be the worst.
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. Revelation 6:12 (NKJV)
This tribulation is the final chapter in human history, and it is directly preceding the second coming of Christ. For those who are alive during this period and have not accepted Christ, it is too late, and their fate has been sealed. They will end their physical lives in a virtual hell on earth only to follow this with the final white throne judgment and the lake of fire.
I have no questions in this devotional, because God is already speaking to you on this reading. For some, He is giving you a peace because you have made that decision to follow and abide in Him. For others, it has probably made you fearful, because you have not made that profession of faith. And for a few, I would imagine this is all poppycock to them, and they will discount it.
I think, It is going to be a blessed time when Christ comes back for His church, and He finds us eagerly waiting for Him; redeeming the time, and working so that others might share in this blessing. Jesus told us that when He comes back and finds these people doing this, He will have us sit down, and He will serve us at His table&I cant wait&
Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. Luke 12:37(NKJV)
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