F.M. Riley (4 Feb 2008)
"Re: Questions"

Dear sister,
 
    Be sure and see my posts on Five Doves today.  I made an error when I laid out the problem.  Starting with the correct date, which I failed to include, will make a difference in the ending date.
 
    Praise the Lord!  Dear sister, you are learning.  You are absolutely right about people not being saved during the last half of the Tribulation. 
    The Two Witnesses will be raptured at mid Trib.  The last half of the Trib is explicitly stated to be "the hour of His judgment," Revelation 14:7.  It is then stated in 14:9-10 that those who receive the mark of the beast will be made to "drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation." 
    Notice that term, "without mixture."  Sister, God's wrath is poured out even today [John 3:36], but it is always mixed with mercy and grace.  But this passage in Revelation 14 tells us that God's wrath is going to be poured out upon those who take the mark of the beast without mixture during the last half of the Trib.  In other words there will be no mercy and grace during the last half of the Trib during the time that God's wrath is being poured out.   
    To clarify this for you, it is also clearly stated in Revelation 15 that 7 angels are given 7 vials [bowls] which are "filled up with the wrath of God," 15:1, and then 15:8 tells us, "And the temple [of God in Heaven] was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."  Sister, if no man can enter the Temple until all seven of those bowls of God's wrath have been poured out, that means that no man can come to the mercy throne of God to obtain mercy and grace and salvation during that period of time. 
    There will therefore be a period of time during the last half of the Trib, while the bowls of God's wrath are being poured out, that no mercy and grace will be extended to men  upon the earth and therefore no man can be saved during that period of time.  What a hellish time to be living on the earth.  One terrible plague of wrath after another with not even one tender act of mercy being shown by one human being towards another, and no grace to be found by anyone.  I can't even comprehend such a terrible time, but God's Word clearly teaches this truth and I believe His Word. 
    However, the verse makes it very clear that this condition will exist only while the bowls of wrath are being poured out.  The pouring out of the bowls of God's wrath will cover most, but not all, of the last half of the Trib.  The final bowl will be poured out just before the end of the Trib, and then mercy and grace will once again be extended by our gracious God to mankind.  Then lost people who have not taken the mark can again obtain mercy and grace if they seek it.  This coincides perfectly with humanity on earth seeing the Lord coming in the air, Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 1:7. 
    At that precise time some surviving lost Gentiles will see the Lord coming and call upon Him for mercy and grace and will be saved.  But even then some surviving lost Gentiles will still refuse to believe on the Lord, and they will be eternally damned and cast into "everlasting fire" as recorded in Matthew 25.  All of the surviving Jews will call upon the Lord when they see Him coming and will be saved, Matthew 24:13.  It is these saved people in their natural bodies who will go into and populate the Millennial Kingdom. 
    
    Now to your next question.....  Sister, the raptured and glorified saints will not only be able to see what occurs on the earth during the Tribulation [didn't John see it all?], but they will also play a role in it.  The raptured saints are symbolized by the 24 elders sitting on 24 thrones, Revelation 4:4; 4:10-11; 5:5; 5:8-10.  We true believers are created in Christ Jesus for the specific purpose of ruling and reigning with Him, Revelation 1:5-6; 5:8-10.  As you study through Revelation, notice the references to these 24 elders and their participation in and reaction to the judgments and plagues the Lord pours out upon the earth.  Most certainly God's raptured people will be aware of what occurs on earth during the Tribulation and they will rejoice that God is taking vengeance for all the persecution and abuse and even the murder of  His people throughout all of human history, Revelation 11:16-18; 18:20; 19:1-3. 
 
    Your next question, "After we each stand before God at the Judgment Seat and give account.....will we ever see God again?"  Why dear child, most certainly.  All of God's people will see Him and be with Him and be in His company at any time we desire to do so in the ages to come.   Revelation 21:3-4 plainly tells us, "Behold, the tabernacle [dwelling place] of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." 
    Then in Revelation 22:3-4 we are told, "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants [that's us!] shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads." 
    Yes, dear sister, we will be able to see the Father and our Lord Jesus at anytime we desire.  The Old Testament prophecies even tell us, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."  There are many things that can be visualized from this verse, but just one of those things is that at anytime that a child of God has a desire to be with the Lord, they will instantly be in His presence. This is the only way I can fully understand 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "...and so shall we ever be with the Lord."  Don't ask me how the Lord will bring all of this to pass.  I don't know!  But I have to believe that just to have a longing in our heart to see the Father or our Savior in that future time will immediately transport us into their presence. 
    We true believers are created in Christ Jesus to rule and reign with the Lord over His eternal kingdom.  Christ Himself made it obvious that the glorified saints will rule with Him upon this earth when He gave the parables of the talents and the pounds.  But we are told in Revelation 21:24-26, "And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth [that's us] do bring their glory and honor into it.  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it."   Sister, this verse tells us that the nations of flesh and blood people on the earth will "walk" according to the moral and spiritual light given to them by God emanating from New Jerusalem, and that the glorified kings that rule these nations will bring their glory and honor and the glory and honor of the nations they are ruling into the city to present them before God.  It will still be true even then, as it is today, "without Me ye can do nothing," John 15:5.  But the verse also makes it clear that those kings [the glorified saints] will come into the presence of the Lord often as they carry out the responsibilities given to them as kings.  Sister, once we are raptured we will never be away from the literal presence of the Lord again.  Praise the Lord. 
   
    I think this should answer your questions up to this point.  I'll have to answer your other questions later, as I have to go take care of some other matters.  Thanks for writing.  God bless you.  Pray for me.
 
             Pastor F. M. Riley   
     

----- Original Message ----
From: Janice
To: fmrglbd5@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:03:44 PM
Subject: Calculate This

Wow Pastor Riley,

 You do asked some very complicated questions. I myself am not a "mathematician" or even anywhere close to it. The question you posed today re: converting 0.1971 to days is mind boggling to me. I never thought that someone could be that analytical. I really hope that someone will be able to "break" this equation soon. And as usual, I perused the names of the Posters of Fivedoves today for your name, and [saved the BEST for last!] Your posting was the last one that I read. I read all the posts and saved yours for my final read! I really like when you post something on Fivedoves. Your knowledge is very inspirational to all of  Fivedoves readers.

I just finished reading the document that you sent to me The Future Ministry of God's Two Witnesses. It was very interesting Pastor, but I thought that the Witnesses would be here for the entire 7 years. If they leave after the first half of the Tribulation, how then will those that are alive and well [and those who have not repented during the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation] have any hope of being saved?

Over the years I have heard people say that Elijah and Enoch were the best ones to be the Two Witnesses during the Tribulation. But now that you made this clearer to us, indeed John the Revelator is the most likely to be the second Witness.

Pastor Riley, I  have a few more questions for you, if you could help me clarify something for me please. Here goes. . .
  •  When we are caught up and raptured, will we be able to witness the devastation that will be taking place here on Earth? Or maybe we will we be able to "visualize" what is taking place? What do you think?
  • The Bible talks about rewards that Christians are able to receive according to our works here on Earth as a born again Christian. I understand that part. But what I seem to get confused about is INHERITING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, REIGNING/RULING WITH CHRIST, and ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD. According to some teachers we will not all have the same privileges, which is quite understandable. My question now is: After we each stand before God at the Judgment Seat and give account of our lives and then "get" what we rightfully deserve, will we ever see God again? I ask this question because some people will make it to Heaven as "by fire." Those of us who will not REIGN with Christ, will we ever see Him again? Will those who reign with him be the only ones who will see Him all the time from then on. . . . . . . AND ON . . . . . . .  AND ON . . . . .AND ON . . . . . . . .[eternity] and no one else?
  • Wedding Feast - Who will be at the Wedding Feast? Will ALL Christians be at the Wedding Feast? Or will it be those who will reign over nations?
Pastor Riley, I want the Lord to get here NOW, but the Judgment  Seat is a scary scene.

I was reading the Book of Acts and as I read Acts 5:1-11 where Ananias and Sapphira were stricken down because they lied to the apostles about the amount of money they got when they sold their land. But in Acts 9:10-19 talks about another "Ananias" who gave back Saul his sight. I don't quite get this. Ananias "gave up the ghost" in chapter 5. Could you please explain? Thanks so much Pastor. I sincerely appreciate your help.


Janice