Most of the time some Pastors and believers mistakenly thought that I adhere to Pastor Steven Anderson's POST TRIB PREWRATH view. Well, the truth is- I am NOT!
Prewrathers basically believe that there will be two kinds of wrath in the end times. One is the wrath of Satan which will be poured out during the tribulation and the other is the wrath of God which will occur AFTER the tribulation. Hence, according to them, believers are not appointed to wrath.
I am a CLASSICAL PREMILLENNIAL, otherwise known as HISTORIC POST TRIB. That is what our forefathers, like Spurgeon, believed. For us there are three kinds of wrath in the end times: the WRATH OF SATAN during the tribulation, the WRATH OF GOD THE FATHER during the tribulation, and the WRATH OF THE LORD/LAMB after the tribulation.
Here is one of our basic arguments:
1) The vials is the Wrath of God
Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2) Jesus promised that He will come again (ONLY ONE 2nd COMING)
For unbelievers it will be a THIEF in the night for it will be a destruction for them (Battle of Armageddon)
For believers it will be a rest from tribulation for we will be raptured that time.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire TAKING VENGEANCE on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Take note: Paul was talking to the CHURCH in Thessalonica and he was telling them that their rest from tribulation will happen at His coming with His mighty angels and that in that coming He will take vengeance on the unbelievers (Armageddon). This is a solid proof that the church will still be around the earth during the tribulation. Otherwise, Paul would have said that our rest from troubles will be before the tribulation. NO! It is very clear in the verse... our rest from tribulation will happen during His second coming for the battle of Armageddon which is AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
3) He will come as a thief and He will put an end of the Battle of Armageddon after the pouring of the 6th vial.
Revelation 16:12, 15-16 And the SIXTH angel poured out his VIAL upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Behold, I come as a THIEF. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Thus, the church will still be around the earth during the pouring of the first to sixth vials.
It is true that we are NOT appointed to wrath... we are not appointed to the wrath of the Lamb and we are not appointed to the wrath of God either. God did it in Egypt when He poured out the plagues there. The Israelites were miraculously protected. And I believe He could still do it during the tribulation period. Otherwise, why would Jesus advised us to flee to the mountains in Matthew 24? It simply means that in that terrible time there will be a place of refuge for believers.
Great post