“The Precedence of Rescue”
A Response to the Pre-Tribulation/Pre-Wrath Assertion
The Plain of Sodom and Gomorrah
Making an argument from precedence is a tricky thing. Which precedence from history applies?
Jesus talks specifically about the days of Noah and Lot in relation to His return.
Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
His subject is the wicked. They ate, drank, married wives, were given in marriage, until the flood/fire and brimstone came and destroyed them all.
Matthew 24:37-41 (NKJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Again, Jesus is using the same terms, and talking about the same people. They are eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the flood came, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away.
Destroyed them all = took them all away. They died in their wickedness.
It will be like this at the coming of the Son of Man. “One will be taken and the other left.” One will die, and the other will be left alive. Though Noah and Lot were rescued, they weren’t His subject. (These passages are handled in more detail in The Carcasses, The Eagles, and the Taken.) Also, they remained on earth (not off to heaven), so you could say they were shielded.
The people of Israel remained in Egypt when God’s wrath was poured on the Egyptians.
Exodus 15:6-7 (NKJV)
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
The Scriptures don’t speak of a delineation between the Egyptians and the Israelites until the fourth plague. Israel remained in Egypt until God’s wrath had devastated the land. Protection from the final plague required Israel’s obedience—hiding behind the blood-stained doors. Their salvation—hiding behind the blood of a lamb—foretells her salvation through hiding behind the blood of the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 1 Cor 15:7).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were protected in the fire. They expressed their faith in God’s power to spare their lives, and whether He did or not was up to Him. Even if God hadn’t stepped in, these three men provided a great testimony of faith (Dn 3:16-18). And Daniel was protected in the lion’s den (Dn 6:16-23).
These are examples of God shielding His own in the midst of tribulation, whether directed at the wicked (plagues on Egypt) or at their faith (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel).
At the end of Hebrews 11, the Word testifies about those who suffered and died in faith (He 11:35-38).
We know from Enoch and Elijah that people can be gathered to the Lord without dying, but that is not really the point. Yes, Noah and Lot were rescued before the wicked died, but the context Jesus presents in relation to His return is on the wicked dying. At His coming, wicked die and others are left alive—in the same vein as Israel survived the plagues in the land of Egypt.
The Plain of Sodom and Gomorrah
Making an argument from precedence is a tricky thing. Which precedence from history applies?
Jesus talks specifically about the days of Noah and Lot in relation to His return.
Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
His subject is the wicked. They ate, drank, married wives, were given in marriage, until the flood/fire and brimstone came and destroyed them all.
Matthew 24:37-41 (NKJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Again, Jesus is using the same terms, and talking about the same people. They are eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the flood came, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away.
Destroyed them all = took them all away. They died in their wickedness.
It will be like this at the coming of the Son of Man. “One will be taken and the other left.” One will die, and the other will be left alive. Though Noah and Lot were rescued, they weren’t His subject. (These passages are handled in more detail in The Carcasses, The Eagles, and the Taken.) Also, they remained on earth (not off to heaven), so you could say they were shielded.
The people of Israel remained in Egypt when God’s wrath was poured on the Egyptians.
Exodus 15:6-7 (NKJV)
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
The Scriptures don’t speak of a delineation between the Egyptians and the Israelites until the fourth plague. Israel remained in Egypt until God’s wrath had devastated the land. Protection from the final plague required Israel’s obedience—hiding behind the blood-stained doors. Their salvation—hiding behind the blood of a lamb—foretells her salvation through hiding behind the blood of the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 1 Cor 15:7).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were protected in the fire. They expressed their faith in God’s power to spare their lives, and whether He did or not was up to Him. Even if God hadn’t stepped in, these three men provided a great testimony of faith (Dn 3:16-18). And Daniel was protected in the lion’s den (Dn 6:16-23).
These are examples of God shielding His own in the midst of tribulation, whether directed at the wicked (plagues on Egypt) or at their faith (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel).
At the end of Hebrews 11, the Word testifies about those who suffered and died in faith (He 11:35-38).
We know from Enoch and Elijah that people can be gathered to the Lord without dying, but that is not really the point. Yes, Noah and Lot were rescued before the wicked died, but the context Jesus presents in relation to His return is on the wicked dying. At His coming, wicked die and others are left alive—in the same vein as Israel survived the plagues in the land of Egypt.
The plain of Sodom and Gomorrah
Making an argument from precedence is a tricky thing. Which precedence from history applies?
Jesus talks specifically about the days of Noah and Lot in relation to His return.
Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
His subject is the wicked. They ate, drank, married wives, were given in marriage, until the flood/fire and brimstone came and destroyed them all.
Matthew 24:37-41 (NKJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Again, Jesus is using the same terms, and talking about the same people. They are eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the flood came, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away.
Destroyed them all = took them all away. They died in their wickedness.
It will be like this at the coming of the Son of Man. “One will be taken and the other left.” One will die, and the other will be left alive. Though Noah and Lot were rescued, they weren’t His subject. (These passages are handled in more detail in The Carcasses, The Eagles, and the Taken.) Also, they remained on earth (not off to heaven), so you could say they were shielded.
The people of Israel remained in Egypt when God’s wrath was poured on the Egyptians.
Exodus 15:6-7 (NKJV)
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
The Scriptures don’t speak of a delineation between the Egyptians and the Israelites until the fourth plague. Israel remained in Egypt until God’s wrath had devastated the land. Protection from the final plague required Israel’s obedience—hiding behind the blood-stained doors. Their salvation—hiding behind the blood of a lamb—foretells her salvation through hiding behind the blood of the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 1 Cor 15:7).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were protected in the fire. They expressed their faith in God’s power to spare their lives, and whether He did or not was up to Him. Even if God hadn’t stepped in, these three men provided a great testimony of faith (Dn 3:16-18). And Daniel was protected in the lion’s den (Dn 6:16-23).
These are examples of God shielding His own in the midst of tribulation, whether directed at the wicked (plagues on Egypt) or at their faith (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel).
At the end of Hebrews 11, the Word testifies about those who suffered and died in faith (He 11:35-38).
We know from Enoch and Elijah that people can be gathered to the Lord without dying, but that is not really the point. Yes, Noah and Lot were rescued before the wicked died, but the context Jesus presents in relation to His return is on the wicked dying. At His coming, wicked die and others are left alive—in the same vein as Israel survived the plagues in the land of Egypt.
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