Are there circumstances connected with our Lord's coming for the Church which determine whether it is before or after the predicted tribulation that is coming upon the world. Let us see.

Scripture tells us that when the Lord comes in power to establish His millennial kingdom He will be accompanied by His saints (1 Thess. 3:13). Rev. 19:11-15 gives us the vision of this in the Warrior-King and His armies. It must be clear that for the saints to come with the Lord upon this occasion, as Col. 3:4 affirms, they must first have been gathered to Him, as 1 Thess. 4:16, 17; 2 Thess. 2:1, and 1 Cor. IS:51, 52 plainly teach. The Lord Himself comes for His saints and gathers them to Himself in the air. This departure of the Church from the world is of the same order as Christ's own ascension to heaven, which the world did not see. The rapture is thus clearly distinguished from the appearing, which is attended with a display of glory which every eye shall see (Rev. 1:7).

There are then two distinct parts in the second coming. Their character forbids identity of time, for we cannot go to. and come with Christ at the same moment.

If it be argued that there is no interval, but that we are gathered to the Lord in the air and immediately return with Him in visible glory to rule over the earth, difficulties arise which demand solution.

1. If this were true, our entrance into the Father's house is delayed for a thousand years at least. Whereas the Lord's promise is that, when He comes to receive us unto Himself, He will take us, into the place prepared for us in the"Father's house"(Jno.!4:2,3):this can only refer to that first part of His second coming to which we have called attention. Thus we enter the Father's house before returning with Christ in glory. We are to be presented faultless in the presence of God. When? Before or after the millennium in which we shall reign with Christ ? Surely the mere asking of the question is to answer it.

2. The saints appear with Christ in fine linen, which is defined for us as the "righteousnesses of saints"-their righteous deeds. This must be connected with the manifestation and appraisal which takes place at the judgment-seat of Christ before which we must all appear (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12). In view of Rev. 19:8,14, this must take place before the appearing with Him in glory. Must it not also take place before the saints are presented faultless before God? Moral fitness requires it to be so. These things of which we have spoken must precede our appearing with Christ, and can only follow our being gathered to Him, or His coming for us.

3. According to Rev. 19, the supper of the Lamb precedes His appearing in glory. This is a third event, which must be placed in the interval between our going to, and return with the Lord, when it is said that the Bride has made herself ready. Giving account of ourselves at the judgment-seat can only follow the Lord's coming for us; the judgment-seat must precede the marriage supper, and the presentation in the Father's house. These three great events (1, the judgment-seat; 2, the presentation before the Father; 3, the marriage supper) can only have their fitting place between the two distinct parts of the Second Coming, and their moral and spiritual occasion forbids the thought of their being synchronous
4. The only question remaining for consideration is the possible length of the interval between the Rapture and the Tribulation. The Lord emphatically states that His coming in glory to reign is immediately after the tribulation (Matt. 24:29-31), and the three events we have outlined must take place during the tribulation period. Then those that are thus gathered to Him do not pass through all of the tribulation. That seems clear. A further point is, do they pass through any of it? or, are they removed before it commences? Several things point to the latter as being true.

1st. The tribulation is a time of world-trouble-particularly that of Jacob. The Church, composed of all true believers in the Lord Jesus, is not of the world, but is viewed as heavenly in calling, relationship and destiny, being distinct from both Jew and Gentile. 2nd, The tribulation is part of that period in which a distinctively Jewish testimony will again exist on the earth, and it is incompatible with God's order that it should run parallel with the testimony pertaining to the Church. The one must definitely close before the other could be fully established:as, for example, Judaism and the Church at the beginning, or with the commencement of Gentile supremacy and Judah's overthrow, when the "times of the Gentiles" began. The Son must return to the Father before the Spirit could come to dwell with us.

There is also a certain overlapping to be noticed, but it is always of that which has become apostate. For example, the rejected kingdom of Judah exists for a short time after the commencement of the new period called "The Times of the Gentiles:" the unbelieving and Christ-rejecting Judaism with its temple and worship is permitted to continue and thus overlap the establishment of the Church and its testimony. The Christ-rejecting, apostate church will continue and thus overlap the commencement of testimony by the Jewish remnant. In each case it is what God has already rejected overlapping what He has establishment as a new testimony to Himself. Thus the Lord's rejection of the apostate profession is indicated by His gathering to Himself all the members of His body- the true Church and Bride.

These considerations would intimate that the Lord's coming for His saints is not only before the commencement of the great tribulation, but also before the commencement of revived Jewish testimony. Is there any indication as to when this will be revived? It is generally conceded that the tribulation begins in the middle of Daniel's 70th week, and continue for three and a half years. Does Jewish remnant testimony begin before this? Matthew 24 would show that it does. For the "glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole habitable earth for a witness to all the nations, and then shall come the end." This "end" embraces the events which follow in this chapter; beginning with the abomination of desolation being set up and the consequent great tribulation, and closing with the coming of the Son of Man. To this whole period Isaiah 8 applies; for the association and confederacy there spoken of has evident reference to the covenant of the 70th week. It is, in fact, the covenant which opens that week. Likewise Isa. 28 deals with these circumstances; a remnant testimony throughout the week of this evil covenant seems clear. Daniel 11:29 and 12:3 give the same evidence.

Let us now consider who those are that will be gathered to the Lord at the first part of His coming, commonly called "the Rapture." Is it all who believe, or only those who are specially faithful and are looking for His coming? We recognize that all believers of this Church period are members of the one body of which Christ is the Head. Will He take up to Himself an incomplete, we might almost say, a mutilated body, to present such in the presence of God? Were not some of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus more faithful than others? Will the Lord only raise them up, and leave the others in their graves? How can such incongruity be maintained? Without qualification or distinction, it is, "Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him"-"We which are alive and remain"-"They that are Christ's at His coming"-Those "in Christ shall all be made alive"-"We shall all be changed. We are in Christ by faith, not by faithfulness. On account of God's Spirit dwelling in us our mortal bodies shall be quickened at His coming, and all believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit in this Church period. Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4; 1 Cor. 15, show when the quickening and the change take place.

Sometimes Heb. 9:28 and 2 Tim. 4:8 are advanced to prove a limited class. In the first passage the point is that they wait for the Person; their expectation is in and from Him as to the final issue of their course. It is not that they look for Him at His second coming (some might not be sufficiently intelligent to do so), but that they are looking to Him as the One who will accomplish all for which faith has been taught to look. To all such (and this includes all believers), Christ will appear the second time, apart from sin, unto salvation-the sin question having been settled at His first coming. He appears therefore to all those who are partakers of the results of His perfect sacrifice, concerning whom there is no question of sin to settle as far as sacrifice is concerned. In the second passage participation in the coming is not in question, but the reception of the crown of righteousness in the day of award for the faithful combat in the Christian course.

Our Lord's coming for His own is put before us as a present expectation, and to place its occurrence either during or after the great tribulation introduces the necessity that certain events must first take place. This at once defeats the moral power of this blessed hope for practical sanctification of life and the comfort of faithful hearts. If certain things must take place before the coming of our Lord, it nullifies both the letter and the spirit of those scriptures which make His coming our hope. The evil servant then says in his heart, "My Lord delayeth His coming," and begins to smite his fellow-servants, and gives free reins to his flesh; but his Lord comes in an unexpected hour, and appoints his judgment with the hypocrites (Matt. 24:48-51). The Lord grant that each one of His beloved people be "as men that wait for their Lord." James Bloore