This one I've never heard anyone talk about as being a pre-trib rapture proof, but it certainly is.
* Not that strong or clear of a "proof", and that is why other Pre-tribbers do not use this argument.
Let's look at these demon locusts in Revelation 9, where we first see the blowing of the 5th trumpet of God.
"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power." (Revelation 9:1-3 KJV)
These are not just locusts. These are demons who have been imprisoned in the bottomless pit and are now set free to roam about the Earth.
* Possibly demons, but it does not say that. Only implies they are under the control of a demon, Revelation 9:12 says,
( And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon * DESTRUCTION *,
but in Greek he has the name Apollyon * DESTROYER *. )
They appear to look like locusts, but they have power to inflict intense pain on people, as that of a scorpion.
* If you read further in the passages, verses 7 - 10, they do NOT appear to look like "locusts".
7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
The swarm and destructive operation is pictured by calling them "locusts".
One should remember that much of what is told to us in Revelation uses symbolic and not literal language.
That is why you'll find so many different interpretations of most of what is written in the book.
"And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them." (Revelation 9:4-6 KJV)
These demon locusts will sting people and their sting will be so painful that the people will wish to die but death will elude them. There's only one group of people who will be protected from this attack: Those who have the seal of God in their foreheads, for it says that these demon locusts were only allowed to sting "those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads."
* Agreed.
Those who have the seal of God on their foreheads are the only ones mentioned as being excluded from the locusts.
But who and how many of the remainder of those few ( remember most have died from the first 6 seals and the 4 previous trumpets of the 7th seal )
will actually be affected ( attacked / tormented ) by the locusts is not specifically referenced by number or percentage ( as in other judgements ).
It does not say everyone without the seal of God,
nor does it say only those with the mark of the beast
( as referenced in Revelation 14:9-11 about torment and the wrath of God upon those specifically with the mark and who worship the beast ).
All I am saying is that this passage does not exclude protection to believers.
Nor does it say there are no other children of God ( Believers in Jesus Christ ) alive on the earth,
besides the 144,000 virgin, blameless, from the 12 tribes of Israel
( not sure why Dan is missing from the list, but that is another highly debated topic ... of which Revelation is full of ).
Who are the ones that will be protected by having a seal placed in their foreheads? There's only one group mentioned in Scripture: the 144,000 witnesses of the tribes of Israel. From Revelation 7:
"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." (Revelation 7:2-4 KJV)
Only the 144,000 witnesses of the tribes of Israel are sealed in their foreheads. They are the only ones protected from these demon locusts, who will sting like scorpions, causing intense pain for 5 months. No one else is sealed.
* So, would this mean there are NO believers on the Planet except the 144,000 virgin, blameless children of Israel?
It is clear the "locusts" ( which are not grasshoppers in this passage ), are not allowed to hurt those with the Seal of God.
However, I find it hard to believe that those are the only ones left on the planet who might also be protected. We see a dividing of those who do survive the great tribulation as being divided into two groups.
And we see a group who had not worshipped the beast or received the mark entering into the Kingdom here on Earth.
The 144,000 are a special and select group as referenced in Revelation chapter 14 verse 1 - 5. And would not be part of the dividing of the survivors upon Jesus' return to rule and reign.
Why is this a proof of a pre-trib rapture of the Church?
Because it shows that if the Church were on Earth during this time, then they will not be protected from these demon locusts!
* Not exactly.. the verse says the 144,000 are specifically a protected group.
It does not exclude God's wrath from sparing any other "believers" on earth ( who have not already been martyred or otherwise perished ).
The people who believe in a post-trib rapture teach that the Church will go through the entire tribulation but be protected from God's wrath. Clearly, if the Church is on Earth during this time, they will not be protected. Only the 144,000 will be sealed and protected. Scripture is crystal clear on this, even citing the exact number of people, all Jews from Israel, who will be protected. No one else will be protected. That means if the Church is on Earth during this time, they will not be protected. They will be stung by demon locusts and will be tormented for 5 months, seeking death but unable to find it.
That's CRAZY if you think God will put His children through that!
* Agreed.
That does sound CRAZY, and why it does not fit. Too much is being read into the passage. So much of Revelation is beyond our ability to understand. At least at this time.
That is why we need to look at the clear passages about when Christ is going to return as that is when are are told we will either be resurrected or changed in a twinkling of an eye ( at the last Trumpet ).
Pre-trib doctrine teaches
TWO distinct coming of Christ ( one before and one after the Tribulation )
and
TWO distincted "gatherings" of believers ( the Church before the Tribulation and newly saved survivors of the Tribulation at the gathering of the "Elect" ).
I've written and spoken about the "Elect" not being just the Jews in the past.
AND no one can show in Scripture ( anywhere ) that there are TWO different Comings of Jesus Christ.
Each time His return is mentioned is the one and same return.
And you can try to debate when this occurs,
but Jesus clearly tells us in Matthew 24:29-31 that He returns immediately after the Tribulation of those Days.
Post-trib believers try to draw a distinction between the wrath of Satan and the wrath of God, as if that even mattered, saying that the Church won't be protected from Satan's wrath, just from God's wrath. That's crazy talk, for God uses people, kings, and even demons to deliver His wrath. That's like saying that when Old Testament Israel was taken to Babylon, it was the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar, not the wrath of God, that afflicted them. That's crazy. God used Nebuchadnezzar to deliver His wrath the same way God will use Satan and these demon locusts to deliver His wrath. And besides, the 5th trumpet that opens the bottomless pit and releases these locusts was instigated by God.
* Agreed.
However, the wrath of God starts with the opening of the 7th seal.
And God's ability to protect His own should never be doubted.
I have written and spoken specifically about God's protection in other posts.
This whole notion that the Church will be on Earth during the tribulation but will be protected by God is blown apart by this account of demon locusts, for Scripture clearly says that no one will be protected other than the 144,000 Jewish witnesses from Israel. So, if the Church is on Earth through the entire tribulation, we're not protected. Do you really think that God, Who dearly loves His children, will allow us to be tormented for 5 months by demon locusts?
It's not going to happen. The Church is nowhere on Earth when these locusts are released. If the Church were on Earth, then God would put a seal on our heads to protect us, just like He plans to do for the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. But Scripture is very clear that ONLY the 144,000 witnesses will be sealed.
God loves His children and will not subject us to demon locusts.
*** Repeating the same thing 3 times does not necessarily make it true.
But aren't there Tribulation saints on earth, those who come to believe in Christ during the Tribulation? Won't they be protected?
Maybe there are no Christian believers at the time that these locusts are released.
Notice that it says the people who are stung will seek death but not find it. Why can't they find death if they seek it? Maybe, in God's mercy, He uses the torment of these locusts to wake unbelievers up to where they cry out to Him to be rescued and saved. Maybe this is one of several means He uses to turn people to Christ during the Tribulation so that there can be Tribulation saints.
We talk about the 7-year Tribulation as being a time of God's wrath, but it is also a time of God's mercy, for if He just wanted to kill unbelievers, He could do that in an instant, not take 7-years to do it. Maybe in His mercy He's allowing people to experience these horrible destructions and sufferings to give them one last chance to repent and be saved. Maybe this causes a revival. We don't know for sure.
*** That is a lot of "maybe"...
I propose that "maybe"
God can and will protect any believers still alive
IN ADDITION to the 144,000 virgin, blameless Jews ( assuming 144,000 of them are still "alive" at this time.. it does not tell us when or if they "die" during the tribulation period ).
There is a lot that "We don't know for sure".
But what we do know is that Scripture is crystal clear on there being only 144,000 Jewish witness who are protected from these demon locusts. So, if the Church is on Earth, we will not be protected. God would never let that happen. The only answer is that the Church is not on Earth when these demon locusts are released.
That's irrefutable proof #3 – Demon Locusts.
You can't deny this or explain it away. It's undeniable proof that the Church is not on Earth until the Second Coming.
That's because the Church is already raptured, already in heaven, when this happens.
