Devotion 8 - The Church Not Destined for God’s Wrath
Some Christians consider the idea of God protecting His saints from His wrath in the end times as “theological ear candy.” They insist that since the beginning with Abel and down through the centuries of recorded history, we can find many biblical and present-day examples of Christians going through persecution and tribulation. In fact, Jesus Himself said that we “must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22). Hence, how can we still believe that the Church is not destined for persecution and suffering?
General Tribulations vs. The Great Tribulation
Rev.3:10 – “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.”
There are many trials and tribulations in this life on earth and yes, even as children of God, we are not spared. However, we are assured in this scripture that we will be kept from ‘the hour of trial’. Notice that the scripture refers to ‘the hour’ and this indicates a specific and distinctive time period, and not just a ‘trial’ in church history. The context seems to point to the ‘period of wrath’ which refers to the ‘Great Tribulation’ detailed in Revelation 6-19. This is a time of unequalled trouble.
The End Time Wrath of God
1 Thess.1:9-10 – “ For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
The wrath of God here is future, and hence, cannot refer to the general wrath of God against sin, which is a present reality. In Greek, the word ‘delivers’ means to draw to oneself, and the word ‘from’ denotes a separation of time and distance. It means the Lord will draw us to Himself to distance us from the time and place of the wrath to come, a time whereby mankind will have to endure a time of unparalleled sorrows and suffering due to God’s wrath being poured out on the earth.
Rev.6:15-17 - “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Rev.14:9-10, 19 – “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb…So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”
Rev.16:1 – “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”
The wrath that the Church is being delivered from is the wrath of God during the Great Tribulation.
1 Thess.5:9 – “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Notice again that the salvation spoken of here is future, is eschatological, referring to the redemption of the body which will occur at the Rapture.
Consider also Lk.21:7-36, after teaching them about the signs of the end times, Jesus concluded by saying “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass…”
All the above scriptures seem to infer that the Church is not destined for the Day of Wrath, which is God’s judgment for the unbelievers during the Great Tribulation.