The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

THERE ARE EIGHT REASONS WHY THE CHURCH

WILL NOT GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION!

I. The purpose of the tribulation is one of Divine Judgment upon the Jewish nation.

1. It is the seventieth week of Daniel and determined against “this people” –the Jews! (Daniel 9:24).

2. It is “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).

II. The nature of the tribulation is a period of divine wrath and judgment. The Scriptures teach that God’s wrath is not directed against His Church!

1. I Thessalonians 5:9: “God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2. Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus…”

III. The Tribulation is a time of wrath and judgment throughout its seven years. It is inconsistent with the Scripture to subject the Church to the wrath of God from which she has been delivered: “…and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come” (I Thessalonians 1:10).

IV. The Antichrist will reign during the Tribulation, according to Revelation 13:7. Everyone will be in subjection to him. If the Church were on Earth during that time, she would also be in subjection to him rather than unto Christ. Because of His union with His Church, Christ would then be in subjection to the Antichrist! Such is totally unthinkable –and impossible!

V. The New Testament Church is instructed (Romans 13, et al) to pray for those in governmental authority and to be subject to them. Revelation 13:4 states that the Tribulation government will be controlled by Antichrist and carry out his desires. The Church could NEVER subject herself to such a government!

VI. The Thessalonians were in confusion regarding the resurrection. Paul wrote to them that believers who were alive at Christ’s coming for His own would have no advantage over believers who had died. If the Thessalonians had believed the Church would go through the Tribulation, they would either 1) have rejoiced that some had missed the Tribulation, or 2) have reasoned that it was better to be with the Father in Heaven than to suffer on Earth. Hiebert expresses it, “…if they had been taught that the church must go through the great tribulation, the logical reaction for them would have been to rejoice that these loved ones had escaped that great period of suffering which they felt was about to occur.”

VII. The New Testament epistles are amazingly silent regarding the Great Tribulation. This silence itself argues for the Church’s absence during the Tribulation era.

VIII. The Tribulation foretold by the Old Testament prophets ALWAYS relates to Israel (Malachi 4:5-6). Note that the Fiery Furnace experience typifies the Great Tribulation –and only Jews were represented as being in the fire.

While unconverted, unbelieving Gentiles will doubtlessly experience the Great Tribulation along with the nation of Israel, Gentilic absence in the fiery furnace experience of Daniel serves to emphasize that the Great Tribulation is primarily a judgment upon the Jews for their having rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah! Have YOU accepted Him as your Savior?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Psalm 91:1-14, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’

3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day;

6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you.

8 You will only look on with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

10 No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.

11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

12 They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

14 “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.”

Were you ever truly afraid? If you were (or are!), you need only read the verses above. The LORD is our protector; there is no need to be afraid. It has been said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!” The LORD is our Refuge and Strength! No terror can overcome the power of the LORD! He is ever and always our Protector.

Yes, traveling alone in foreign countries, I was sometimes afraid. I recall a man saying to me, “Are you going this way? I’ll walk along with you.” The nightly meeting had concluded. The pastor had assigned me to pray with this man because he spoke English. His words now echoed the sound of safety; however, the route of our walk was thoroughly dark! Only then did I recall the pastor having told me that that very man had once been convicted of murder! Yet, he faithfully saw me to my destination without incident.

No, I have never seen an angel, yet the LORD’s promise is that they are watching over me. That’s more than sufficient. I have the LORD’s faithful Word and the guardianship of His angels. What’s more, you have all of that too, if you know Him as LORD and Savior of your life.

Rest well, my friend. There are no “rough roads” in life that He cannot smooth out for you. To know the LORD is to “abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

FIVE REASONS WHY THE CHURCH WILL

NOT GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION

1. The purpose of the tribulation is one of Divine Judgment upon the Jewish nation.

(1) It is the 70th week of Daniel and it is determined against “this people” – the Jews (Dan. 9:24-25: “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.”)

(2) It is “the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7, “Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it.”

2. The nature of the tribulation is a period of Divine wrath and judgment. The Scriptures teach that God’s wrath is not directed against His Church: “Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, Yet he will be saved from it” (Jer. 30:7); “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:9).

“There is therefore now no condemnation for

those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1)!

3. The Tribulation is a time of wrath and judgment throughout its seven years. It is inconsistent with the Scripture to subject the Church to the wrath of God from which she has been delivered: “.and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thes. 1:10).

4. The Antichrist will reign during the Tribulation:

“And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him” (Rev. 13:7).

Everyone will be in subjection to him. If the Church were on Earth during that time, she would also be in subjection to him, rather than unto Christ. Because of His union with His Church, Christ would then be in subjection to the Antichrist! Such is totally unthinkable and impossible!

5. The New Testament Church is instructed to pray for those in governmental authority and to be subject unto them: (Rom. 13, et al). Revelation 13:4 states that the Tribulation government will be controlled by the Antichrist and carry out his desires. The Church could NEVER subject herself to such an ungodly government!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Genesis 22:1-8, “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’

2 And He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.

5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.”

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.

7 And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.”

The Order (22:1-2) – I never served in the military of my country. I have friends, however, who did; and their stories were much the same: first, they learned to take orders!

Following orders would not have been difficult, except for the order itself: “…go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering.” (It’s easier to relate this order than it would have been to obey it, had the order come to me.)

The Obedience (22:3-6). We must, however, learn to obey the LORD! Nothing we encounter, however trivial, however serious, lies outside of His domain. He has no obligation to let us in on what He is doing. Although it is in a secular context, we would do well to remember Tennyson’s rhyming couplet:

“Ours is not to reason why;

“Ours is but to do or die.”

The Offering (22:7-8). Everything was now in place – except for the offering! Young Isaac saw what was missing and spoke reverently to his father Abraham: “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Doubtless, his words struck heavily at Abraham’s heart! For he knew what his young son did not know: namely that Isaac himself was the intended sacrifice!

The reprieve came to Isaac when a ram was caught in the thicket and became God’s substitute for the young lad. Whew!

And so it is with us: we are destined to die for our unforgiven sin – but, Jesus Christ stepped in and took our place. He died for our sin!

Jesus alone can substitute for mankind’s sin! And He did so from a loving, yet broken heart!

What Jesus did for us in dying on the Cross will never be forgotten. Yet, it will never atone for our sin unless we accept the LORD Jesus’ death and resurrection as being for us!

Have you accepted Him? Do you know others

who have not? Share Him today! Even if you discover in sharing that the one to whom you are witnessing already knows Jesus, he (or she) will be encouraged that you cared enough to share Him with them. God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

John 8:30-34, “As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. 31 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You shall become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son does remain forever. 36 “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

What does Jesus mean when He says, “the Son shall make you free”? That means that because Jesus died on the cross for our sin, there will never again be a judgment brought against us for our sin. Christ Jesus died on the cross, taking our place. He died that you and I might be forgiven. He paid the supreme penalty for our sin.

Our acceptance and acknowledgment of His dying for us is what is required. That is what is meant when Scripture says, “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

If you have never trusted Him, you are not free; so, trust Him today! If you have already trusted Him, rejoice and help spread the word of His Redemption!

Check the attachment: It’s Not How You Play the Game

You may use the Gospel Tract that is attached above. It’s colorful, easy to read, and clear on the Gospel. It can easily be attached to your regular emails or texts.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom