This proposition is made up of two possibilities, and either will scripturally support that the great multitude John beheld in Revelation 7:9-17 is the just resurrected and raptured Church.  Yet, as I discussed in my previous proposition, a common interpretation is that this multitude is not the Church but those who will be saved during the Seven Year Tribulation Period or Daniel's 70th Week.  A reason for this revolves around the following statement in verse 14:  "These are they which came out of great tribulation."  The purpose of the present proposition will be to examine this statement and to hopefully help towards reconciling some differences of opinion on this question.

     The well known phrase, "The Seven Year Tribulation Period,"  is also commonly referred to as "The Great Tribulation."  Some use this phrase in reference to the whole seven years of this period, some, in reference to only the last 3-1/2 years.  Note that the the preceding the words great tribulation is not found in the King James Version (KJV ) of Revelation 7:14, as it is in the newer translations.  We will be looking at all of this further, but for now, it just needs to be acknowledged that there is a lot of difference between great tribulation and what has come to be called "THE Great Tribulation."

     The position of the view herein set forth is that the Church will not be subjected to any of the great tribulation of Daniel's 70th Week.  But, is there any evidence that it will not be subjected to great tribulation?  To the contrary, the early Church was warned to expect such (e.g., Acts 14:21-22 and I Pet. 4:12-13), and did, and the evidence of history is that such has been the case throughout the Church Age.  How much greater would the tribulation have needed to be in the days that Christians were fed to lions or burned at the stake for such to be regarded as great tribulation?  In our country, the Church may not presently be subjected to such great tribulation (relatively speaking), but such is and has been the case with the Church from a worldwide perspective since the days of the apostles.

     Consider:  From a worldwide and historical perspective, could it be said of God's children of the Church Age when gathered together in glory, "These are they which came out of great tribulation"?  I believe so!  However, while the Church has experienced great tribulation, it will not experience any of Daniel's 70th Week.  If the great multitude in Revelation 7:14 is indeed the Church, this is why it is seen in Heaven before the opening of the 7th Seal.  It is after this seal is opened that things will begin to come together for Daniel's 70th Week.  Furthermore, what is up ahead will be the time of Israel's trouble, referred to in Jeremiah 30:7 as "Jacob's Trouble."  This was never intended to be the time of the Church's trouble.  The Church will escape or be delivered from this time.

     Digging deeper, the words great tribulation are translated from the Greek words megas  and thlipsis  respectively.  Almost as often, thlipsis  is translated "trouble" or "affliction."  Paul used the word thlipsis  in II Corinthians 1:8 to describe what he and Timothy went through in Asia, saying also, "we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life."  Stephen used the words, megas thlipsis, translated "great affliction,"  when he described what the lands of Egypt and Canaan went through in the days that Joseph was governor in Egypt and his family came to him for corn (Acts 7:11ff ).  These same words are also used in a warning given to the church in Thyatira (Rev. 2:22).  The point is, there is a major difference between going through great tribulation and going through Daniel's 70th Week or that time so many refer to as "The Great Tribulation."  Thus, it is clear scripturally that great tribulation doesn't necessarily mean Daniel's 70th Week.

     To sum things up so far, when the words "great tribulation" from Revelation 7:14 (as they occur in the KJV) are understood to be in reference to what the Church as a whole has experienced since the time that Christ founded it, it is much easier to recognize this great multitude that John saw as being the Church, which has finally "came out of" what it has so long been through.

     While the preceding might cover the question before us to the satisfaction of some, for a fair treatment, I believe we must focus further on that little the mentioned earlier.  This definite article is found preceding the words "great tribulation" in most of the translations published since the KJV.  A difference such as this is sometimes the result of the use of a different manuscript by the translators.  In the case of the the in question here, the manuscripts upon which other translations are based show this article, as does the Textus Receptus, upon which the KJV is based.  Just why this the is not found in the KJV would be difficult to ascertain.  The work of interpretation and translation of languages is a very complex undertaking.  Whatever the reason, this might appear to be something that would affect my different view.  But, there is more to this passage than the the.

     In an effort to more fully address the above concerns, let's just concede the definite article for a moment.  Let's turn our attention to another portion of the verse in question as rendered by the translations that include it.  For example, at least three modern day translations read thus:  "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation" (New International, Amplified, and Revised Standard versions).  Noting the words in bold, and using the reader as an example, what criteria would have to be met for it to be said that you have come out of something?  The most natural response might be that you would have to be in it to come out of it, but there are other factors.  Like, how long would you have to be in something before it could be truthfully said that you have come out of it?  Also, realize that you can come out of something in the sense of having gone through it, or, you can come out of something in the sense of having escaped it.  I'm really not trying to split hairs here.  I'm really just trying to get down to the nitty-gritty of what this passage can mean.  Will you help me?

     For a moment, picture yourself sitting in the coffee shop on the ground floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001.  You are sipping on your first cup of coffee for the day with some of your co-workers when all of a sudden there is this strange noise, and you feel a shaking sensation.  "What was that?" you exclaim!  Someone remarks that it might have been an earthquake.  There is a stir of curiosity.  In another second, an alarm goes off.  Next thing you know, someone is running by screaming something about an explosion happening in the top of the tower.  Near an exit, you rush outside where everyone is looking up, and you pick out something being said about a jet airliner crashing into the tower.  You keep backing up, looking up, completely awestruck that such a catastrophe is unfolding right before your very eyes.  Everything is in a complete frenzy, debris is falling all around, and there is a great plume of smoke bellowing into the sky.  Everyone is scrambling to get out of the building and from harm's way, and you end up one of the fortunate ones.  When the day is done, you end up being in the number of those who have come out of the great disaster in New York.  And, in what sense have you come out of it?  In the sense of having escaped it.  No one will deny you that!  Moreover, I venture that any classroom or church in America would be interested in hearing your personal story.

     The position of my view concerning our present focus is similar to the preceding narrative.  If the Church is raptured after the opening of the 6th Seal, the day this seal is opened could begin something like the following, using the reader ( if saved ) and a lost spouse as an example:

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On a Monday morning at about 1:28 a.m. CST ( remember, this is just an example!), Christ, "The Lamb,"  opens the 6th Seal and leaves the portals of glory to come for the Church.  Concurrent with this, you are startled awake by a great earthquake.  Next thing you know, WHEW!  UP YOU GO!, RIGHT THROUGH YOUR BEDROOM CEILING AS IF IT ISN'T EVEN THERE!, AND WHEW!!!  You are one in a great multitude that has just been caught up by the angels "to meet the Lord in the air."  You are in the number of those who have just been raptured.  Startled awake at the same time you were, but missing your departure, your spouse is absolutely perplexed and fear struck.  Everything in the house is rattling, as if everything is coming apart at the seams.  Your spouse looks out the window and beholds that the moon looks red as blood.  Meanwhile, on the other side of the earth, the sun looks black as sackcloth made of hair.  Suddenly, what looks like a falling star streaks through the sky, and then another one, and another one, and then, and then---the sky does something really weird, as if it is a giant scroll rolling together, infolding itself.

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     Now stay with me.  After you are safely with Christ, a lot more will happen that same minute, hour, and day, much the same as a lot more happened that September day after the first occupants of the North Tower made it safely away.  Keeping within the time perimeters that Scripture affords, the day the 6th Seal is opened and the rapture occurs, things could progress through the sounding of the 4th Trumpet before that day is done.  Don't dismiss this possibility too quickly.  There is no time frame given during this time that would prevent such a view.  When this is understood, and everything after the rapture is considered to be associated with the great tribulation, it can truthfully be said that you have "come out of the great tribulation" in the sense of having escaped it.  From your spouse's perspective, you will have just escaped the great tribulation that he or she has been left behind to face.  With this in mind, notice afresh the following two verses, which reflect your state:

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The first is from what John gives an account of in Revelation chapter seven, just after his account of the opening of the 6th Seal:

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  9   After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, STOOD BEFORE THE THRONE, AND BEFORE THE LAMB, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

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The second is from Luke's account of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, in Luke 21:

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 36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN.

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And, what is it that Jesus is saying can be escaped?  This is reflected in the same chapter (and context) of Luke's account, beginning 11 verses prior:

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 25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;  and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;  the sea and the waves roaring;

 26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:  for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

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     With all the foregoing in mind, I now invite you to turn in your Bible and read again John's account of the 6th Seal in Revelation 6:12-17 and of the great multitude he beheld in the very next chapter, in Revelation 7:9-17.  Then, decide for yourself what makes the most sense to you.

     In concluding this proposition, I hope I have demonstrated fairly that there is more than one way to interpret the words "great tribulation" in Revelation 7:14.  My experience has been that every Scripture upon which a belief or doctrine might turn can be interpreted at least two ways---one right, one wrong.  Satan will see to that.  This particular passage is no different, except it has the added difficulty of the definite article the to reconcile.  Because of this, it could be said that there are at least four ways to interpret the passage in question---a right and a wrong way without regard for the definite article and a right and a wrong way with regard for the definite article.  So, what does one do?  One must look to and rely upon the rest of the body of the scriptures and seek for an understanding that will result in the best harmony.  This is all that has been done here.  Concerning the question before us, an interpretation has been submitted with regard to the words "great tribulation" and also with regard to the words "the great tribulation."  As we have seen, either interpretation will support the proposition that the great multitude in Revelation 7:9-17 is the just resurrected and raptured Church.  Also, either will harmonize well with the rest of the body of the scriptures.  Paul spoke against striving about words "to no profit" (II Tim. 2:14).  It is hoped that our having here strived about some words will be found to be of great profit.

     Though we have come a good way in our study, that mysterious Seven Sealed Book that could rightly be entitled THE DAY OF THE LORD is still unopened.  The last seal is still intact.  But the resurrection and the rapture of the Church has occurred.  Whatever your persuasion---the common pre-trib view, this different pre-trib view, or some other pre-trib view---just know this:  We who are a part of Christ's Church will be safely with Him on yonder shore before He opens that 7th Seal!

     At this point, it would be good for us to remember afresh that the last or 7th Seal can scripturally be opened the same day the rapture occurs.  This helps to show that everything on the outside of  THE SEVEN SEALED BOOK  relates entirely to the Church Age---all seven seals.  And, everything on the inside of this book relates entirely to the time of the last days' Day of the Lord judgment---every single page.

     This concludes PART I and the A,B,C's of my view, which has concerned things up to and including the time of the rapture.  I invite you to continue now to PART II and the 1,2,3's of my view, which concerns things after the time of the rapture.  As PART I has brought us to the point just prior to the 7th Seal being opened, PART II will take us from there and will further substantiate PART I.

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