The Suffering Church

There is a belief in many evangelical churches that Christians will not suffer through the great tribulation because Jesus would not want his bride (the church) to be beaten up before the wedding. I cannot accept this theory for several reasons.

Firstly, the church alone is not the bride of Christ. All Christians have a right to be part of the Kingdom of God that is coming, but the bride of Christ is Israel. This is highlighted in Isiah 54. “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” Isaiah 54:4-8. Israel was the wife of youth to God. Her husband died on the cross making her a widow. This scripture is about redeemed Israel.

Secondly, we are already in the great tribulation. Christians throughout the world are suffering as nations dominated by other religions persecute them. For instance, Christians in Saudi Arabia have to meet in secret. Iraq is no better, where Christians are beaten up or killed by their neighbors when they witness for Christ. Don’t think our Israel nations are exempt from discrimination against Christians. In Canada there were pastors put in prison for feeding the hungry homeless people during the pandemic and for having too many people in church. However, persecution is far less in western nations than those dominated by non-Christian religions, but the church is much greater than just the western world. The church in the world is being heavily persecuted.

Thirdly, the church is more than just the twenty first century church. The church for two thousand years has suffered constant oppression. Under Rome and later under the Roman Catholic Church Bible believing Christians suffered discrimination, violence, and death. They were burned alive, beheaded, stretched on racks, dragged behind horses, cut, whipped, beaten, starved in prisons, and were subject to any torture their oppressors could invent. All of the apostles were killed except John, who was boiled in oil.

Before the church there were the faithful followers of the Lord in the Old Testament. They also suffered persecution. “And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36-38. The faithful ones down through the ages have always suffered under persecution.

Those who say the modern church will not suffer also preach the doctrine of the silent rapture, that the church will suddenly vanish and the antichrist will take over the world. Most of us, or perhaps all of us, in the Israel truth movement do not agree with that theory. We should not expect to escape trouble or persecution. Jesus did not, so we will not. Jesus said to 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.” John 15:20-21. We suffer because he suffered. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:16-18. Thank the Lord for our suffering!