To many, this is confirmation of the "rapture of the saints." To some, this scripture indicates that God will whisk away His people to a desert wilderness, perhaps to Petra, in the Jordanian desert east of the Dead Sea, where they will sit out the "Great Tribulation," or the time of "trial," to come upon the earth.

Are God's people going to be taken to heaven, or up into the clouds, or to Petra, so as to escape the Tribulation? We will explore the CLEAR answers from the pages of your Bible.

The "Rapture of the Saints": Where is it Mentioned in the Bible?

Actually, the word "rapture" does not appear in the Bible. This is strange, in one sense, for one would assume Christian theologians would prefer, if they are going to espouse a particularly important doctrine, one which provides fodder for hundreds of sermons, to have a doctrine which is at least found in one scripture, if not many.

Instead, rapturists appeal to the Greek language for the basis of their belief. They say Christ is coming back to this earth in two phases. First, by coming near the earth, to catch up His saints in the "secret rapture," and second, by coming back to the earth, perhaps after three and one-half years, or after the lapse of some other period of time, with His saints.

His first approach to earth to "rapture" away the saints, they say, is His parousia. This Greek word is found in many scriptures concerning the Second Coming of Christ. The word is found in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, number 3952 in the Greek, and is rendered:

"a being near; advent; often, return - spec. of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked: aspect, coming, presence."

There are three different Greek words which are used relative to Christ's return to this earth. They are:

1. parousia, as already defined;
2. epiphaneia, or, the "Epiphany," the Advent (arrival) of Christ, meaning "a manifestation, appearing, brightness,"
3. apokalupsis, meaning "disclosure, appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation."

Often, when professing Christian theologians speak of the rapture, they call it the "secret" rapture. Let us now look into the Word of God, and see how Jesus Christ described His return to this earth, for, if anyone should know whether it will be a secret arrival or not, Christ Himself should, shouldn't He?

The very focal point of biblical prophecy is the famed "Olivet Prophecy" found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. The most complete and detailed of these accounts is found in Matthew 24. Christ had described to His disciples the impending destruction of the beautiful temple with its huge columns, high walls, and magnificent, surrounding structures. The disciples, shocked by Christ's description of the utter destruction of Jerusalem, asked, "….Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming [parousia], and of the end of the world?"

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24:3-13).

When the disciples used the word "coming," they were no doubt speaking in Aramaic. However, in the original Greek manuscripts, this word is the very same word used by "rapturists" to connote the so-called "secret" rapture.

The disciples had asked what would be the signs of Christ's "coming," or His parousia.

Read through each one of these verses carefully. Can you see any hint or suggestion in any part of this passage that the events Jesus Christ described are secret?

Is there anything "secret" about the utter destruction of Jerusalem, the tearing down of the temple, all of its attendant buildings, the very walls of the city itself'?

Is there anything "secret" about massive wars and rumors of wars, nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom; about famines, disease epidemics, and massive earthquakes?

Did Jesus say one word about merely being "present," near the earth, but not returning to stand upon it? Did He say one word about secretly catching up His church before the Tribulation?

No, He did not. Instead, He strongly testified that His saints would be on this earth, not only deeply affected by, but perhaps giving their last witness, perhaps being martyred for His sake before His return!

The Order of Prophetic Events

Notice that Jesus Christ spoke in a definite sequence.

Many biblical commentaries, among them the well-known Companion Bible by Dr. Bullinger, note how the chronological sequence of Matthew 24 fits perfectly with the unfolding of the first six seals of the scroll of the "Apocalypse," or the book of Revelation, found in Revelation 6 and 7.

Notice how Christ said that all of these great events comprised the beginning of "sorrow." The margin renders the word as "travail," or tribulation.

Are any saints, any members of God's true church, still on earth at this time of mind-boggling, global warfare, drought, famine, disease and earthquakes when literally tens of millions of men and women are dying?

Christ said,

"men shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."

To whom was Christ speaking? His disciples! When would these things happen? At the time of the end, just before the Second Coming of Christ! So, instead of saying He would "catch up" His saints before the Tribulation, He predicted some of them would be martyred DURING the Tribulation!

Remember, when these words were originally spoken, Christ was addressing His own beloved disciples. By prophetic extension, those solemn words imply Christ's disciples at the end of this age: His true church, the body of Jesus Christ, the saints.

Is there any remote hint or suggestion in these passages that, as the Great Tribulation is ensuing, the saints are somehow secretly "snatched away" from the earth; that they are hiding in caves, or that they are up in heaven?

No, Christ said they would be murdered -- MARTYRED for the "sake of the name of Jesus Christ." That means His true saints would be doing a work which would become so hated by the false religious leaders, and even by civil authority, that they would kill the true servants of Jesus Christ because they hated their message!

He went on to describe a time when many of the converted would betray one another and begin to hate one another; how false prophets would deceive many of God's people, and how because of iniquity all about them, many of those who lacked faith and who were weak in God's Word would become cold.

He then said it was those who would "endure unto the end," who would be saved!

This means the end of all of these events, or the end of their own lives, whichever comes first.

Now, notice carefully another major section of this vitally-important prophecy:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand). Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:14-22).

Notice that when Jesus said the gospel of the Kingdom would be preached in all the world He described it as a "witness" unto all nations. The gospel is the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. It can be characterized as an "happy announcement," or "glad tidings."

The gospel is not only a message about the person of Jesus Christ! While Christ is the focal point of the gospel; while His life, His testimony, His miracles, His death, burial and resurrection are absolutely central to the gospel, so is the message He brought from God the Father, themessage called the "good news of the Kingdom of God" which he delivered to His disciples, and commissioned them to preach to all the world!

This gospel message is largely ignored by the world today. Instead, the worldly churches emphasize the person of Jesus Christ, but ignore the message which He brought!

Jesus then begins to describe something called the "abomination of desolation." He says those living in the time of the imposition of this abomination in the "holy place" in Jerusalem should "flee into the mountains!" He then tells those who are watching and praying about world events that they are not to put their minds on material things; not even so much as to return into their own homes to retrieve valuable items; not even to return from their workplace to their home; but to immediately flee!

This is certainly not the description of a "secret" rapture to heaven!

Notice Christ's words again:

"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:20,21).

This is describing human beings fleeing on foot! Christ is telling how terrible it would be for women in the advanced stages of pregnancy; urging people to pray that they would not be fleeing in the winter when snow and ice would cover the land; that they would not be fleeing on the Sabbath day when they were ordered not to journey longer than a fairly short distance!

Again, do you see any nuance, any remote hint, in any of these passages describing the Great Tribulation that the saints are gone - that the saints have already been "secretly raptured" from the earth, and are not here?

Christ said that except those days were supernaturally cut short humanity itself would not survive!

He then said it was for the sake of the "elect" that those days would be shortened. Who are these elect?

Notice that the elect are those who cannot be deceived by false Christs and false prophets (verse 24).

The "very elect," are those who are Christ's own disciples; baptized, converted members of God's church, in whom is the Holy Spirit of God.

False Hopes Predicted

Notice what kind of message would characterize the false Christs and false prophets of the end time:

"Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: Behold He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:26,27).

So the message of the false Christs and false prophets would be that there would be something "secretive" about Christ's Second Coming! These false Christs and false prophets would try to tell God's own people that Christ had come "in secret"! These false Christs and false prophets would approach God's people with the doctrine that Christ was already here somewhere, but that He must be sought out by poking around in some desert wilderness, or that He is hiding out in a cave! What did Christ say the Christian is to do with these doctrines about Christ's "secret" coming? He said, "BELIEVE IT NOT!"

But why?

Think about it. Do you suppose people who believe Christ is already here, or who expect to be secretly raptured, will lose faith if they suddenly find themselves in the midst of trials, troubles, tribulation? Will some of them simply give up and begin to surrender their will and mind to the Beast power, the False Prophet, and the great false church?

Will some feel betrayed by God, because they trusted in a false hope?

Now, notice how Christ describes His Second Coming as "lightning out of the east, shining even unto the west."

Have you ever seen a bolt of lightning that does this? Probably not. Most lightning is either cloud to cloud, or cloud to ground. Lightning can come from any direction, and can race across the skies in jagged bolts, going up or down, sideways, and in dozens of different directions.

The only "lightning of the sky" that you and I know of which always "comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west" is the daily rising and setting of the sun!

The Bible describes Christ's Second Coming as an event so stupendous, so earth-shaking, so absolutely mind-boggling in its gargantuan portions that it is as if the sun itself were approaching the earth! God's Word says,

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall" (Malachi 4:2).

Christ's coming is described as coming with the strength of the sun. Continually, His coming is described as an event culminating the "day" of the Lord! Over and over again scriptures refer to the great events surrounding Christ's Second Coming in this manner "In that day......"

There is nothing "secret" about the daily rotational pattern of the earth, sunrise and sunset. The Second Coming of Christ is described as the sun shining in its strength, arising in the east, and finally going down in the west! There is nothing "secretive" in any of these verses.

Now, notice an enigmatic scripture:

"For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28).

Further light is shed upon this puzzling scripture in Luke's account, where the disciples asked Jesus, following His description of individuals who are at work, or asleep in their beds, and "one is taken and the other left," by asking him, "Where, Lord?" (Luke 17:37). The original Greek can imply any carrion-eating bird, such as a vulture, an eagle, or a hawk. What does this mean?

Any rancher will know immediately what it means. Suppose you have lost a cow, or a sheep. You go out and count your herd or your flock, and one is missing. So you saddle your horse, and you begin searching all over your range for the missing animal. In the distance, you see a wheeling flock of birds in the sky. Do you immediately turn away from that place, and go search somewhere else? Of course not! You automatically know that those vultures are gathered together over either a dead or dying animal! You know that where the "body is, there will the vultures [eagles] be gathered together."

When the disciples asked Jesus, "Where, Lord?" they were asking Him where all of these events would take place. They were wondering whether it would be in or around the confines of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives; whether it would be in northern Israel around Galilee, or whether it would be out in the "Negev," or the desert wilderness.

Jesus told them wherever the body is, THERE will the "eagles be gathered together."

In other words, Jesus is telling the disciples not to worry about the stupendous events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ taking place somewhere away from the disciples! He is saying, very clearly, that Jesus Christ is coming where His saints ARE! He is coming for them in the same day He will stand on the Mount of Olives with them!

He is reassuring His disciples that no false prophet is going to come to them, the very body of Jesus Christ; the individuals who are performing His work; those who have the truth of God, and in whom is God's Holy Spirit, and "inform" them that Christ has come somewhere else!

Instead, He is reassuring them that He is coming TO them, and FOR them; that He will descend WITH them on that same day to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4).

The Heavenly Signs—When?

Now, notice the step-by-step series of events Jesus described:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (Matthew 24:29-33).

Notice Jesus said immediately after the Tribulation the heavenly signs will occur! Let's notice another important scripture about these heavenly signs and this sequence of events:

"And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars [meteorites] of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens 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 that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?' " (Revelation 6:12-17).

Notice the first five seals of Revelation 6 dovetail perfectly with the chronological sequence of events unveiled by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24.

The first "horseman of the Apocalypse," riding the white horse, is depicting false Christs and false prophets. The red horse is depicting the wars and rumors of wars of which Christ spoke. The black horse is depicting famine and starvation. The pale horse is depicting disease epidemics and death, as well as ongoing warfare.

The fifth seal obviously describes those who have suffered martyrdom for the Word of God down through the ages. They are seen as symbolically crying out to God from the ground, in the same way God said that the shed blood of Abel cried out to Him from the ground after Cain slew him. They are told that they should

" rest yet a little season," until their fellow servants [saints!] also and their brethren [saints!] that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled! " (Revelation 6:10,11).

When does this martyrdom of saints take place? It takes place after the unveiling of the first four seals. It comprises the opening of the fifth seal, and is the final part of the GREAT TRIBULATION, just before the heavenly signs!

It is obvious that many Spirit-filled, converted, saints, members of the body of Christ, are to be persecuted, even martyred, for the sake of Christ's name during the Tribulation!

Yet, God promises He will never permit a person to be "tempted above that which he is able to bear," but with every temptation (trial), will make a way that he might be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Some people would not be able to endure to the end of their lives, while others would. God knows His saints. He has always chosen men and women of great faith to be His chosen spokesmen before persecutors.

Now look at our text just quoted. Notice that the heavenly signs comprise the sixth seal of the seven seals of the scroll of Revelation. Notice that the heavenly signs come AFTER the Great Tribulation! Now, turn to and read Joel 2:31:

" The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and terrible day of the Lord come. "

In order to impress this deeply into your mind, read all three of those scriptures again! Joel 2:31, Matthew 24:29, and Revelation 6:12,13 absolutely prove that the events leading up to Christ's Second Coming are as follows:

1. The Great Tribulation
2. The Heavenly Signs
3. The Day of the Lord.

Are the saints still on the earth during the Great Tribulation?

Those who espouse the false doctrine of the "secret" rapture say no! They claim the saints are secretly whisked away from this earth, or "snatched away" BEFORE the events Jesus described as the Great Tribulation.

Yet your Bible says that a major part of the Tribulation to come is the martyrdom of saints!

Notice!

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren [saints!] is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.' And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death (Revelation 12:7-11). "

These are God's own converted, chosen, saintly people! They are members of His church!

This great persecution which follows Satan being cast back down out of heaven into the earth IS the Great Tribulation!

Notice that the saints overcome Satan and his persecutions

"by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

This is not describing a secret "snatching away" of God's people to some remote wilderness, or up into heaven, but describing God's people right in the midst of the great events talking place on the earth; describing God's people as actively witnessing and warning the nations of this world, and therefore bringing hatred and persecution upon themselves.

Notice the last verse of this chapter:

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman [God's true church!], and went to make war with the remnant [the last end-time remnants of God's true church on this earth] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17).

This can only be describing God's true church. This is describing those who are obedient to God's commands, and who have the "testimony of Jesus Christ."

The testimony of Jesus Christ is the gospel, the advance good news about His soon-coming government which will overthrow the Beast power and all other worldly governments. These who are persecuted during the Tribulation are God's true saints, members of His true church who are doing the WORK OF GOD! They are active in international affairs, not secretly hiding, uninvolved, sitting on the sidelines of the greatest events in all history.

Notice Revelation 13:7:

"And it was given unto him [the Beast power] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them......"

Once again, this shows that Christ's true disciples, the saints, the true church, are on this earth, and that some of them are to be martyred by the Beast power and the False Prophet!

Saints in the Book of Revelation

Some argue that the church is mentioned only in the first three chapters of Revelation, and after that, the "saints" are mentioned. Those who wrest the Scriptures to imply a "secret rapture" argue that "saints" are not necessarily a PART OF GOD'S TRUE CHURCH! Is this so? Are not thesesaints members of God's true church?

In Revelation, the fifth chapter, John sees the vision of the scrolls sealed with seven seals and "wept much" because no man was found worthy to open the scrolls or to read it. Then, in vision, he sees the Lamb, which is Jesus Christ, and describes it this way:

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts [living creatures] and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they [the saints] sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made us [the saints] unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:1-10).

This vision, wherein John sees the righteous qualifications of Jesus Christ as the Lamb "slain from the foundation of the world," also depicts the prayers and supplications of God's saints. Here, the saints are described as those who were "redeemed to God" by the precious blood of Jesus Christ out of every country on the face of the earth! They are those who are to be kings and priests with Christ, and to rule all nations of this earth with him, for one thousand years!

Anyone who tries to argue these people are not members of God's true church, Christ's spiritual body, is simply ignorant of God's Word, or a deliberate deceiver.

Jesus promised His own beloved disciples co-rulership with Him, and predicted they would "sit on the thrones of the twelve tribes of Israel" ruling with Him in the Kingdom of God.

It is obvious this reference to "saints" means the consecrated, converted, Spirit-led members of God's true church!

Now, notice:

"Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angels hand (Revelation 8:3,4). "

This is the second reference to "saints" in the book of Revelation, and once again is obviously spiritual metaphor, or a vision of heaven, where the prayers of God's converted, Spirit-led people, are seen as ascending up before God and bringing about the intervention of Almighty God in human affairs by sending the trumpet plagues upon sinning mankind! By no stretch of the imagination can these "saints" in these two verses be anyone other than Spirit-led members of God's own true church!

The next place where "saints" are mentioned in the book of Revelation is in chapter 11, just after the description of the famous two witnesses.

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou has taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:15-18).

Could anyone, in the wildest stretch of his imagination, assert that these saints who are to be rewarded at the time of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, inheriting His Kingdom with Him, and beginning to RULE the earth, are anyone other than the members of God's true church?

Now, notice the "saints" mentioned in the thirteenth chapter:

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns...and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [three and one-half years]. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations " (Revelation 13:1-7).

Here, the Beast power together with the False Prophet, now having gained global supremacy, are given the power to "make war with the saints"!

Could such a shocking thing occur? The "pre-tribulationists," or the "rapturists," assert that God is going to "snatch away" all of His true church BEFORE the horrifying consequences of the Tribulation, including martyrdom, could occur! But what did Jesus Christ say? He told His disciples:

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues [churches]; And ye shall be brought [under arrest!] before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up [under arrest, as prisoners!], take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:16-28).

Time and again, Jesus Christ predicted that His true saints, the members of His true church, would be hated, persecuted, perhaps some of them even tortured and murdered!

When He said, "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master," He is referring to His own torture and murder - the crucifixion! When He tells them not to fear those who are able to "kill the body," He is predicting that some of God's true servants, the members of God's true church, the saints will be chosen for martyrdom in the last days!

Is martyrdom a symbol of shame? Of course not! God has chosen only the very strongest of His true servants down through the centuries as His martyrs!

The Bible speaks of the "martyrdom of saints." These are not some group of individuals OTHER THAN God's true church, but oftentimes the very leaders, apostles, prophets, leading ministers, of the body of Jesus Christ, which is His true church! The greatest martyr of all was Jesus Christ Himself!

The apostle Paul was martyred. Perhaps, as history implies, he was thrown to the wild beasts in the arena in Rome. Tradition says Peter was crucified upside down. The book of Acts tells us that James, the brother of John, and one of the two sons of Zebedee, was martyred. We read in Acts the seventh chapter of the martyrdom of Stephen. Many, many others were martyred for their convictions, their beliefs, for the very fact that they were God's "saints"!

Notice further what Jesus told His true disciples, who were to become the apostles, and a part of the very foundation of His true church:

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:39).

What did Christ prophesy for His true church? How did He characterize His true church in the time of the end, the time during the Great Tribulation, the heavenly signs, and the Day of the Lord, at the last few years and months before His return?

He told His disciples:

"Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not Him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak [excuse] for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also." (John 15:20-23).

Only moments later, He said:

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues [churches]: Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." (John 16:1-3).

In His Olivet prophecy, Jesus said to His disciples:

"And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish " (Luke 21:16-18).

Read that scripture carefully. Here, Jesus obviously states that some of His true servants, His true church, the saints, will be chosen to be martyrs for the name of Jesus Christ and for the sake of His work and His coming Kingdom. Others will not. He also said "There shall not an hair of your head perish." You will read of a literal application of this principle in Jesus' words to Peter and John after His resurrection. He implied Peter would be martyred; implied John would live to old age, and die a natural death. Two great apostles, each chosen for a different manner of witness, a different human destiny. See John 21:15-25.

If you continue reading through the twenty-first chapter of Luke, which is the Olivet prophecy, and Luke's parallel account of Matthew 24, you will see Jesus describing "Jerusalem compassed with armies," and being "trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." He then shows how the heavenly signs will occur (Luke 21:25) and how humanity will then "see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (Luke 21:27).

His coming occurs after the Tribulation, after the heavenly signs, at the end of the seven last plagues which conclude the Day of the Lord. It is then, and not one split second earlier, He catches up His saints to meet Him at His descent upon the Mount of Olives (1 Corinthians 15:22-24, 50-52).

Now, after expounding all of these earth-shaking events - wars and rumors of wars, droughts, famines, disease epidemics, massive loss of life - He says to His true disciples, His church, His saints who are still on the earth,

"And when these things BEGIN TO COME TO PASS, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh!" (Luke 21:28).

Where are the saints after all these fantastic events? They are on the earth, having seen the Great Tribulation, and all the events associated with it unfolding. They are involved in the work of God, giving witness and warning to God's people and to all nations of the world, warning them of the punishments of sin, of God's soon-coming Kingdom, His intervention in the affairs of mankind! God's people are warned:

"For as a snare shall it [the Great Tribulation!] come on them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore ["you" meaning the church, the saints!] and pray always, that ye might be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:35,36).

Why should Jesus Christ caution His servants to pray they might be accounted worthy to escape all these things [the Great Tribulation] that are to come to pass, if He intended "snatching them up" from the earth anyway?

Why did He urge them to pray their flight was not during winter, or on the Sabbath day, if He was going to "snatch them up" anyway? Why did He say it would be especially difficult for a pregnant woman if He was going to "snatch her up" anyway?

Notice some other places in the book of Revelation where the word "saints" is used:

" Here is the patience of the saints: Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth [during the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord!]: yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:12,13).

Once again, we see not only that the saints comprise God's true church - those who are consecrated, converted, and led by the Holy Spirit of God - but that it also describes these saints as being martyrs for the name of Jesus Christ!

What is the "patience of the saints"? It is that they keep God's commandments, and have the faith of Jesus Christ! Can anyone dare imply that people who are keeping God's commandments, and who have the very faith of Jesus Christ living within them, are somehow not members of God's true church?

Read Revelation 15:3, where Christ is called the "King of saints." Then, notice Revelation 16:6, which says,

"For they [the Beast and the False Prophet and their armies] have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy."

Finally, notice the following scriptures:

"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration" (Revelation 17:6).

"And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (Revelation 18:24).

"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Revelation 19:8).

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them" (Revelation 20:9).

The great fallen church who is the woman "drunken with the blood of the saints" is the Babylonian mystery religion, with the false Christ - the anti-Christ or the False Prophet of biblical prophecy at its head. Obviously, these "saints" who have been martyred by this church are the true members of God's true church, and they are called "the martyrs of Jesus." No mention here, or anywhere else, in the book of Revelation of any "saints" who are anything other than members of God's true church!

Revelation 18:4 shows a picture of the "blood of saints" and all of those who are slain upon the earth being discovered in the dank, filthy records of the great false church. Revelation 19:8 merely describes that "fine linen" is the symbol of righteousness of the saints, and Revelation 20:9 depicts the holy city, New Jerusalem, at the end of the Millennium, being surrounded by "Gog and Magog," and refers to the holy city as "the camp of the saints."

Here, we have seen every place in the entire book of Revelation where the word "saints" is used.

In each case, it is referring to God's true church - converted people in whom is God's Holy Spirit. Paul wrote,

"For by one Spirit are we [including Gentiles] all baptized into one body [the church!], whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13).

You do not "join" God's true church. God automatically puts you into His church when you receive His Spirit, for the church IS that scattered, small, persecuted group in whom is God's Holy Spirit!

By no stretch of the wildest, most fantastic imagination, can ANY of these scriptures be misconstrued to mean that these "saints" are anyone other than members of God's true church!

A pivotal argument advanced by the "pretribulationists," or those who believe in a secret rapture of the church before the Tribulation, is that Bible references to any "saints" being on earth during the Tribulation are not referring to the church, but a different category of "saints" who are not part of the church!

They know God's Word plainly mentions saints many times after the beginning of the Tribulation. Therefore, instead of simply abandoning their false doctrine of the "rapture," they try to TWIST God's Word, claiming the "saints" do not mean the church! How utterly ridiculous. And how dishonest with God's Word!

Can you be a "saint" and not be a part of God's true church?

The Greek word for "saint" is hagios, which means "sacred, pure, morally blameless or religious, consecrated, holy."

Let's notice a few scriptures where the term "saints" is applied, and see if it means righteous, converted, Godly people, people who are morally pure, sanctified, consecrated, but who are not part of God's true church.

Paul opens the book of Romans by writing to those who are

"...called of Jesus Christ: to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints " (Romans 1:7).

Are these people members of God's true Church? Obviously so. God loves them; they are called by Christ, and called to be saints, and they are part of God's church in Rome!

Seven more times in this book, Paul refers to saints. Read Romans 8:27; 12:13; 15:25,26,31; 16:2,15. Here, Paul speaks of "distributing to the necessity of the saints," or "making intercession for the saints," or the "poor saints who are in Jerusalem." In each case, it is obvious he is speaking of God's called-out, baptized, converted people in whom is God's Holy Spirit.

Dozens of times, throughout Paul's letters, he uses such expressions to connote the members of God's church. Is anyone ever called a "saint" who is not a member of God's church?

Possibly, for, in Matthew 27:52, you read of the "bodies of the saints" who were resurrected at the time of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. These righteous people were morally blameless, living according to God's laws, but yet had not been baptized, or had hands laid on them for the receiving of God's Spirit.

So the question really becomes, "Are there those who are called ‘saints ' who are on the earth at the time of the Great Tribulation who are not members of God's church?

Written by: Garner Ted Armstrong