To Survive the great tribulation! What is necessary?
Because of the influence of the many false prophets foretold for our time period, many have been led to believe, that a great unnumbered crowd will survive the great tribulation, foretold by Jesus at Matthew 24:20,21.
True, we would hope that what is taught by these false prophets, turned out to be true, but the Bible, and common sense itself doesn't support such a view as that, even though it may look like it does; but in order to make their teaching look like a true Bible teaching, these false teachers will quote scripture out of context, while ignoring what the full context reveals, for more often than not, the context when considered in its entirety, shows their belief to be nothing more than a lie, a false belief. A Doctrine of Demons, if you will;
We might, now, turn to the words of the Apostle John to learn something about this supposed great unnumbered crowd in his Revelation, in these following words: "After this I looked and there was an enormous crowd -- no one could count all of the people! They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood in front of the Throne and of the lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands." {Revelation 7:9} Note now, where they are from. It says, from every race, tribe, nation, and language. Crucial to understanding this, is remembering from whence they came.
Now notice the words of Jesus in his last prayer to his Father just prior to his ascension: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and the one that you sent forth, Jesus Christ." {John 17:3} Now in order for this great unnumbered crowd to survive the great tribulation they would all have had to come to know the only true God, and his Son by taking in knowledge of both Father and Son. in order for any of them to have done that, they would have had to first be drawn by Jehovah to his Son; his Son being the only approach to the Father, in his office of the, 'One mediator between men and God.' {John 6:44;14:6} {1 Timothy 2:5}
Upon being drawn by the Father to his Son, the Son in turn would request from the Father, the Holy Spirit be given to the one drawn. {John 14:16,17} Once the Holy Spirit was received: "The helper the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you." {John 14:26} ..."He will lead you into all the truth... and will tell you of things to come." {John 16:13} "But as for you, Christ has poured out his Spirit on you, As long as his Spirit remains in you, you do not need anyone to teach you, For his Spirit teaches you about everything and what he teaches is true, not false. Obey the Spirits teaching then, and remain in union with him." 1 John 2:27}
Now why could not any of this apply to this World in general? Paul will aid us in understanding that. Note, now, his words: "For since in the Wisdom of God, the World through its Wisdom did not come to know God." {1 Corinthians 1:21} To that, add the words of Jesus, who said, in harmony with Paul: "Righteous Father, the World has, indeed, not come to know you, but I have come to know you, and these have come to know that you sent me forth." {John 17:25} Notice, now, these next words of Jesus, that will serve to enlighten: "If you love me, you will observe my commandments; and I will request the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of the Truth, WHICH THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE, BECAUSE IT NEITHER BEHOLDS IT NOR KNOWS IT." {John 14:15-17} To make matters worse for this World, who are unable to take in this life saving knowledge, are these next words of Jesus: "A little longer and the World will behold me,[see me] no more, but you will behold me, because I live and you will live." {John 14:19}
The Apostle Paul sums up, and shows us with his following words the very serious predicament this entire World is in, with these next words of his: "If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through." {2 Corinthians 4:3,4}
Assume for a moment, that it was possible for a great unnumbered crowd to survive the great tribulation that precedes the War of Armageddon. What would we have as regards that great crowd? We would have, individuals who do not know God, who do not obey the good news about the Christ, because satan keeps them all blinded to that good news. We would also have individuals who lacked the Holy Spirit, the means by which Jehovah reveals himself to mankind; so they would have no knowledge of Jehovah God, nor his Son, a prerequisite, or requirement for gaining everlasting life. What could that great unnumbered crowd have done to gain the Salvation that is cried out by those who really do survive? What could they have done to gain them those white robes they are said to be wearing? What did the Apostle Paul tell us about these ones who do not know God, or do not obey the good news about the Christ? Note his following words on this: "This takes into account that it is righteous on God's part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you, but to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD and those who DO NOT OBEY THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR LORD JESUS." These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the lord, and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his Holy Ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercized faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you." {1 Thessalonians 1:6-10}
Obviously, it is not possible, for a great unnumbered crowd to come out of a World that does not know God, or obey the good news about the Christ, when they are all totally exterminated by undergoing judicial punishment, and suffer everlasting destruction; and done by the Christ and his Angels. So, never could this World make that momentous cry, "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the Lamb." {Revelation 7:10}
This momentous cry could only come at the end of the Thousand year reign of Christ, because it will take that long to bring mankind to the perfection lost by the first man, Adam; and to bring them to the point when that great cry of salvation will come because Jehovah will carry out his word to, 'judge the inhabited earth in righteousness' after they reach this righteous perfection, and pass a final test put upon them once again by satan the devil after he is let loose that final time to again mislead mankind; which number misled at that time is, 'as the sand of the sea,' for multitude. We learn fire comes down out of heaven and destroys them all at that time; all but for those who pass the final test with flying colors. {Revelation 20:1,2--7--10}
Then, after satan, his demons, his crowd of misled ones are thrown into the lake of fire, comes this cry from an Angel flying in mid heaven: "And I saw another Angel flying in mid heaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying in a loud voice: "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of the judgment has arrived, and so worship the one who made the heavens and the earth and sea and fountains of waters." {Revelation 14:6,7} Paul had foretold this grand event at Acts 17:31 in these words: "Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead."
This is the moment, faithful Men and Woman to Jehovah God have looked to for thousands of years, not realizing their hope in their lifetimes, but died, some of them under great tribulation, but faithful to their very deaths, in order to gain that final reward. They continued steadfast without wavering, because they knew their God Jehovah would keep every promise he made to them.
It is not only those in those White robes that are before the Throne and the lamb, it is both the righteous and the unrighteous; but all from the common grave of dead mankind; that is why this great crowd is said, not to be counted or numbered; because no one of us could ever know, just how many were in those graves. Only Jehovah and his Son, the one entrusted to do the resurrecting would know that particular number. Among these dead ones, are those who suffered nothing but tribulation all through their lives; to the point of being murdered for their faith in Jehovah put through a life of misery by the seed of satan the devil, who manifested that violent foretold hatred mentioned at Genesis 3:15! {John 5:28,29} {Acts 24:15} {Revelation 6:9-11;7:9;20:11-15}
No! This great cry of Salvation does not come from any of this world who do not know God, or his Son, from any great tribulation that precedes Armageddon, it comes after the final judgment in righteousness is done by Jehovah, when a final sifting out is done. After that, Comes this Momentous cry, "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated {BACK} on his Throne and to the lamb. {1 Corinthians 15:24--28}
For anyone to say, that this cry of salvation comes ever before the true survivors of Armageddon have reaped the benefits of the thousand year reign of Christ is a rediculous notion, for that cry cannot come until the perfection Adam lost is regained, and that will take the entire thousand year period to accomplish that return to perfection, and Jehovah then judges the inhabited earth in righteousness, imputing as he will at that time, everlasting life to the true survivors of the great tribulation that preceded the War of Armageddon. As for any great unnumbered crowd coming out of any great tribulation from this world devoid of knowledge of God, and of his Christ, for them it will be as Jehovah inspired his penman Zephaniah to write: "He will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one of all the inhabitants of the earth." Isaiah, another of Jehovah's inspired writers, informed us that only a 'few mortal men will be left' over after the War of Armageddon; As well, and in harmony with both Zephaniah and Isaiah are the words of Jesus who clearly told us that only 'a few were on the road to life.' {Zephaniah 1:14-18} {Isaiah 24:6} {Matthew 7:13,14}
The Greek word, Sote'ria rendered Salvation has the meaning, among other things as: "Of Spiritual and ETERNAL DELIVERANCE." "Inclusively all the benefits of God!"
Can you imagine how loud YOUR cry of Salvation, would be after learning you had now attained to everlasting life?
It should be considered too, that the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society makes the claim that it is they, that are gathering this great unnumbered crowd out of all the nations; but one has to ask, just how could they gather this crowd from a World that doesn't know God, nor do they see his Son; because of being blinded and misled by satan the devil, all lying in the power of satan the devil. {1 John 5:19} {Revelation 12:9} Unable to gain the true principle teaching instrument the Holy Spirit; without which they could never gain the knowledge of God or his Son. Is the Governing Body in control of the Holy Spirit? The last time I looked, that Holy Spirit was in the hands of the Christ seated at the right hand of his Father in the heavenly spirit realm. {Acts 2:33} Their 130 year record they have established of failed predictions and false prophecies should show us that the Holy Spirit certainly isn't guiuding and directing them, so how could they benefit anyone in their ranks, or teach them anything to do with the Bible? So their work of preaching this good news of the kingdom is an exercize in futility, and will gain no one joining ranks with them anything at all. In Point of fact satan would be using them to mislead a major portion of this World through the preaching work that they do, and to date 7 Million misled ones un-be-knowns to them, are going door-to-door trying to mislead others into joining ranks with them. {Jeremiah 23:20-22,31,32}
One last point to consider, is the fact that when satan is let loose one more time at the end of the thousand year period, we know he again misleads a number as it says, 'as the sands of the sea'. At that time we are told they encircle the camp of the holy ones, but fire comes down out of heaven and destroys them all. Keep in mind to begin with these misled ones were a part of the great unnumbered crowd, but being destroyed are not around when Jehovah judges the inhabited earth in righteousness, so as a result do not have everlasting life imputed to them; so take no part in this loud proclamation: "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne and to the Lamb."
Consider the number satan was able to mislead, after being released from his prison, the number being as the sands of the Sea. From where would such a vast crowd of individuals come from? Recall now Jehovah's Promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, as listed below, beginning with Jehovah's promise to Abraham, we read:
"I shall surely bless you and I shall surely multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the grains of sand that are on the seashore; and your seed will take possession of the gate of his enemies. 18 And by means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves due to the fact that you have listened to my voice."{Genesis 22:15-18 NWT}
Now for Isaac:
"Now there arose a famine in the land, besides the first famine that occurred in the days of Abraham, so that Isaac directed himself to A·bim´e·lech, king of the Phi·lis´tines, to Ge´rar. 2 Then Jehovah appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt. Tabernacle in the land that I designate to you. 3 Reside as an alien in this land, and I shall continue with you and bless you, because to you and to your seed I shall give all these lands, and I will carry out the sworn statement that I swore to Abraham your father, 4 ‘And I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and I will give to your seed all these lands; and by means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves,’ 5 due to the fact that Abraham listened to my voice and continued to keep his obligations to me, my commands, my statutes, and my laws." 6 So Isaac went on dwelling at Ge´rar." {Genesis 26:1-4 NWT}
Lastly Jacob:
10 ""And Jacob continued on his way out from Be´er-she´ba and kept going to Ha´ran. 11 In time he came across a place and set about spending the night there because the sun had set. So he took one of the stones of the place and set it as his head supporter and lay down in that place. 12 And he began to dream, and, look! there was a ladder stationed upon the earth and its top reaching up to the heavens; and, look! there were God’s angels ascending and descending on it. 13 And, look! there was Jehovah stationed above it, and he proceeded to say: I am Jehovah the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land upon which you are lying, to you I am going to give it and to your seed. 14 And your seed will certainly become like the dust particles of the earth, and you will certainly spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and by means of you and by means of your seed all the families of the ground will certainly bless themselves." {Genesis 28:10-14 NWT}
15 "Brothers, I speak with a human illustration: A validated covenant, though it is a man’s, no one sets aside or attaches additions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It says, not: "And to seeds," as in the case of many such, but as in the case of one: "And to your seed," who is Christ." {Galatians 3:15,16NWT}
Now, in that, this is the Day Jehovah judges the inhabited earth in righteousness, and attributes everlasting life to all those who come through the final test put upon them by satan when released, it would also be the time for Jehovah to keep his promises to those three faithful men; and this would account for this massive crowd of individuals, all ascribing wisdom, thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to our God forever and ever," These are the ones we hear, saying: "Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." We notice in verse 9 of Chapter 7 these ones are dressed in white robes, and Revelation 6:9-11 shows how that came about, and why: Consider these next words now: "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the Alter the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and of the witness work that they used to have. And they cried with a loud voice, saying: "Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?" And a White Robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been." Being killed as they were puts them in the common grave of dead mankind, and would include all of Jehovah's faithful ancient prophets, killed by the seed of satan the devil. It would also take in all of the faithful Apostles and first century Christian's martyred for their faith in Jehovah. For their firm stand in worshipping Jehovah. satan's seed put them all through an unbelievable tribulation for most of their natural lives; described for us by Paul at Hebrews 11. Who of us can read through that Chapter by Paul and not believe they are the ones who are said to come out of the great tribulation? Keep in mind too, their tribulation was not cut short, but lasted for all of their lifetimes, until their very deaths. These others that must be killed as they had been, will be killed during the coming of Christ, and the tribulation suffered through at that time will be cut short to save the lives of the remaining chosen ones. Now, if that tribulation had to be cut short, or no flesh would be saved; was that an allusion to any great crowd of survivors? Jesus words run counter to that, do they not? {Matthew 24: 9} Jesus also helps us to understand what the Israelite Nation put Jehovah's faithful prophets through, and he identified them as the seed of satan the devil by these following words to them" "Serpents, Offspring of vipers, how are you to flee from the judgment of Ge-hen'na? For this reason, here I am sending forth to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and impale, and some of them you will scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from city to city: that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Able to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the Alter." {Matthew 23:33-46} Truly, Jehovah's faithful people, were put through an unimaginable tribulation, by the seed of satan the devil; and that was because of the foretold enmity, or hatred that was to exist between the seed of the woman, and the seed of satan the devil, who proved out to be the Israelite Nation who had reverted over to the seed of satan the devil, as fucused on by Jesus. {Genesis 3:15}
I have shown that those standing before the Throne of God dressed in those white robes, depicting their righteous standing with Jehovah God, came out of the resurrection of the dead; but more than they would be included in the resurrection as described at Revelation 20:11-15 in these following words: "And I saw a great white Throne and the one seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them, And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the Throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. And death and hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the Book of life, was hurled into the lake of fire." So, a final weeding out process is taking place here; but for those who prove faithful to Jehovah during this last and final test by satan, will come this monumental cry: "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne and from the Lamb." And why not such a cry at this time? All Mankind at this point in time, has gained eternal life under God's Kingdom by his Christ! Everything now, is as it was, when Adam and his Wife Eve were first put into the garden of eden. Pardise Lost, to pardise regained! Perfect righteous humans, at last, living in paradise! With the opportunity before them of never dying again. Think of it! Eternal life! Life with no end! On a pardise earth! At Last! Amen and Amen ...
