I would like to just make known, to start, a PRECEDENT that the Bible has consistently given us concerning the wrath of God on the world. When God was sending HIS judgement, (not mans' judgement), the "righteous" were spared from having to face the wrath of God.
Enoch was removed before the worldwide flood.
Noah was removed(in the ark) from the worldwide flood.
Lot was removed prior to the complete destruction by God of Sodom an Gomorrah.
Many times in the O.T., the Lord literally destroyed the armies that were encompassed around Israel(as long as the Lord had declared them RIGHTEOUS)
The 1st century Christians were given a sign to escape the Wrath of God on Jerusalem, through the Roman empire in 70ad.
Jesus promised that tribulation would come, but when the righteous were faced with decimation, God delivered His righteous ones.
The great Tribulation is not about mans wrath on mankind, but GODS' wrath on sinners. The book of Revelation shows us BILLIONS of souls slain BY GOD as the calamities are coming from God Himself. God WILL NOT destroy the righteous with the wicked...our father Abraham got it from the Lord himself here...
Gen 18
23 And Abraham drew near, and said,
Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?
And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said,
I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.
And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.
And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there.
And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
This is how the Lord operates, prior to HIS WRATH being poured out on mankind. The righteous WILL be removed first, then WRATH will come.
Notice this passage is in the same context as the 'catching away" in
1 Thes. 4....
1 Thessalonians 5:9
9 For God
hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
This is my intro, rebuttals will follow...
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