Locating the Gap…
January 1, 2022
“When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken,” Deuteronomy 24:5.
INTRODUCTION
There has been controversy about a “gap” between the end of the church age, and the beginning of the tribulation. I am personally persuaded that this Scripture contains the answer for those who want to see. Read on…..
LAW AND GRACE
Every serious Bible student knows that the Law set forth in the Ten Commandments was given to the nation and people of Israel. It was given to them as an everlasting covenant between God and Israel. The Jewish people were obligated to observe and obey the Law. The Law was not given to the Gentiles, only to the Jewish people, Romans 2:14.
As a nation and people the Israelites rejected Him who was the Grace of God incarnate in human flesh. They signified their rejection by crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ; their promised and long awaited Messiah, Deuteronomy 18:18.
Now the rapture is about to occur, bringing this present
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Dispensation of Grace to an end. The rapture will remove the Lord’s Gentile Church Bride from off the earth, and thereby bring an end to the Dispensation of Grace. So when the Lord removes His Gentile Bride and people, what people LEFT BEHIND on the earth, will the Lord turn back to? When the rapture occurs, it should be obvious to every true believer that “the times of the Gentiles” has been completed, Luke 21:24-25.
So what people will the Lord turn back to during the coming tribulation period? Isn’t the answer obvious? Christ Jesus Himself chose to be born into this world as a Jew. Many prophecies in both testaments clearly point to the Jewish people being cleansed, purified, and redeemed during the tribulation period. By whom? The “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” Rev. 5:5. Therefore the Law will be back in force upon the Jewish people.
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
The entire tribulation period is a JUDGMENT upon Christ rejecting mankind; Jews and Gentiles, LEFT BEHIND on the earth following the rapture. Wasn’t the flood a JUDGMENT upon wicked mankind in “the days of Noah?” Didn’t the Lord say that at the time of His coming again, world conditions would be just as they were in “the days of Noah” preceding the flood? Matthew 24:38-39; Luke 17:26-27. So it is quite clear that this present Dispensation of Grace is going to be replaced by the JUDGMENTS of the seven year tribulation. But when?
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THE TRANSITION
It is glaringly obvious that in the vision given to John by the Lord Himself, the church age ends with Rev. 3:22, and the next time period is the tribulation, which begins in Rev. 4:1. It is in 4;1 that John was called to “come up hither,” Rev. 4:1.
Revelation is a “book of prophecy,” Rev.22:7; 22;9, 22;10;
22:18; 22:19. Therefore John’s being called up to Heaven in 4:1 is a prophetic foreshadow of the Lord’s church being called up at the rapture. which occurs right at the end of the church age and the beginning of the tribulation. Is this just too hard for some readers to grasp?
There is no gap of time between the end of the church age and the beginning of the seven year tribulation. None! One minute the Lord’s church will be here on earth; the next instant we will be in Heaven with the Lord, 1 Cor. 15:51-52. No gap of time at all between the end of the church age and the beginning of the tribulation period.
BUT YES, THERE IS A GAP!
This truth about a gap of time is clearly verified in Rev. 7:1-3, and by our text for this study in Deuteronomy 24:5. But the gap of time IS NOT between the church age and the tribulation. It is between the beginning of the tribulation and the beginning of the JUDGMENTS being poured out upon those LEFT BEHIND when the rapture occurs. What is so hard about understanding
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that the tribulation period will begin, even though the terrible judgments on the earth, the sea, the trees, and upon those people LEFT BEHIND, will not begin until sometime after the beginning of the tribulation?
Notice carefully the wording of Rev. 7:1-3. The angel clearly states that the earth, the sea, and the trees are not to be hurt until the “servants of our God” have been sealed “in their foreheads.” He is speaking about the 144,000 Jews who will turn to the Lord in the gap of time after the beginning of the tribulation.
THE LENGTH OF THE GAP
At the first coming of the Lord, He never once violated the Law given to Israel and the Jewish people. Christ went to the cross as the pure, sinless, sacrificial Lamb, laying down His life for the sins of fallen mankind. Christ always respected and upheld the Law, as it was given by God. He never violated it in any way.
Therefore, when He returns to take His Gentile Bride, His Church, unto Himself, He is going to do exactly as the Law stated in our text.
The Lord will refrain for one year from going to war against the wicked, evil, people LEFT BEHIND on this earth. Taken literally for what these Scriptures say in our text, and in Rev. 7, this means that the Lord will not even open the seven sealed book until one full year after He has taken “his wife” unto
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Himself at the rapture. The Law explicity states that a man taking a new wife is excused from going to war for one year. Folks, the first half of the seven year tribulation will be “the wrath of the Lamb, Rev. 6:15-16. Our Lord will not violate that Law. He will stay with His “new wife” in Heaven for the first year of the tribulation.
RELEVANT TRUTH
Every reader who seriously studies Bible prophecy knows
that the time of the resurrection and rapture is right at the doors; so much so, it could happen in the next few days, or even the next few hours.
There is so much wickedness and evil on the earth today, that surely every true believer knows that the tribulation period is staring humanity in the face, even as I write. So these inspired Scriptures in Rev 7 and Deut 24 are highly relevant to the time we are living in right now.
CHEERING UP THE BRIDE
Our text explicitly says that a man who has taken a new wife is not to go out to war, but is to stay home with her and cheer her up for one year. Now why should the Lord’s bride need “cheering up” for a year? Readers, use your heads to reason with, Isaiah 1:18. When the rapture occurs, every true believer will be taken off of the earth instantly, and taken “home” to glory, and to our Heavenly Bridegroom. No time to say goodbye
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to anyone LEFT BEHIND.
It is likely that all of us who are raptured will leave behind some unsaved loved ones, friends, and neighbors, whom we dearly love. Do our readers really think we will simply forget them when we arrive in Heaven? I suspect that some true believers, while rejoicing to have been raptured, will still experience periods of grief and sorrow for those loved ones who, because of their own unbelief, will be LEFT BEHIND. But our precious Lord; our Heavenly Bridegroom, will be right there
with us for one year, to love us, counsel us, encourage us, and “cheer” us up, just as the Scripture says.
NOW PUT IT TOGETHER
This means that the rapture will occur just as we are expecting, shortly following the end of this 120th year, “as it was in the days of Noah.” But it also means that the wickedness and evil on the earth today, will continue much as it is right now throughout 2022, the first year of the trib.
The reasoning of the incorrigible wicked….. So a few thousand Christians have suddenly vanished. Ho hum! Life will go on without those Christian “trouble makers,” 2 Peter 3:3-4.
Wickedness will likely become much worse on the earth during 2022, while the Lord remains in Heaven with His Bride.
But when 2023 arrives, the Lord in Heaven will come forth to
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make war against the wicked, opening the seven sealed book, and terrible JUDGMENTS will begin to be poured out upon the unbelieving wicked on the earth.
“22” as in 2022, is the Bible number signifying, “to see, to discern, to grasp, to understand. But “23” as in 2023, is the Bible number signifying, DEATH and destruction; to kill; to destroy.” 2023 will be a terrible year upon those LEFT BEHIND on the earth, and it will only become worse and worse with every passing day (and year), until the tribulation is completed. .
The only “bright spot” in the tribulation, is that thousands of those LEFT BEHIND at the rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, will turn to the Lord during the trib, receiving Him as their Savior, Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17. But their receiving of Christ during the trib, will not deliver them out of the trib. Their salvation during the trib MAY gain them a measure of protection until the time appointed for them to be martyred for their faith in the Lord, Rev 13:7.
BACK TO THE GAP
Dear readers, that one year gap between the beginning of the tribulation, and the time when the Lord begins opening the seven sealed book will be the “HONEYMOON” of the Lord’s church and believing people. What a glorious time it will be.
DON’T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD! 1 John 2:15
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I hope to meet every reader in glory when the rapture occurs. Please don’t disappoint me. In the love of Jesus Christ, our precious Lord and Savior,
Pastor F. M. Riley rileyfrancis76@gmail.com
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