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Who are the 144,000? What is their role in the great revival to come? When will that revival take place? Before or after the Rapture?

In one of the best books in print on the last days, Escape the Coming Night, by Dr. David Jeremiah, the author titles one of his chapters “Revival during Hell on Earth.” What an apt description of the Tribulation. It will indeed be hell on earth—something we have already described, but that we’ll continue to refer to throughout this book. Here’s how Dr. Jeremiah describes the Tribulation Hour judgment of a “groaning planet.”

First, the white horse gallops onto the world scene carrying the man of deception, the coming world dictator; second, the red horse claws the air, abolishing any semblance of peace on earth; third, the black horse appears, creating hunger and economic disaster; fourth, the pale horse spreads deadly plague in its path. The fifth seal reveals the martyrs of the Tribulation, and the sixth seal unleashes one of the most dev­astating earthquakes. What a gloomy backdrop! No wonder the question is asked, “Who is able to stand?”‘

Who indeed? Monstrous catastrophes will afflict the earth and its people. But then, we see that God sends His angels to seal His people off from final judgment. A reprieve, it seems. Light at the end of a dark tunnel. Once again God protects His own—even as He spread His covering wings over Noah and his family, shielding them from extinction; Rahab the harlot, carried to safety by means of a sturdy scar­let rope; Daniel spared from a den of hungry lions; Moses swept to safety from the bulrushes of Egypt; Lot and his family rescued before the terrible fire fell on Sodom; and the protection of Israel’s children through a dabbing of blood on the doorposts of their Egyptian homes. God has provided protection for His people—the children of Israel—through­out the annals of biblical and secular history. Now He promises to protect them once again—during the end times—giving them the opportunity to know the Messiah they so long rejected.

Who will be the minister of God’s salvation during this time? The Jews themselves—God’s chosen people. Scripture gives ample proof that God can do anything at any time. I do not expect there will be a great revival before the Rapture because 2 Timothy 3:13 states, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” John also spoke about the latter-day Church in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Presently some of our churches are so cold that we could have signs above the doors stating: First Church of the Deep Freeze, Dr. Jack Frost, Pastor. However, there is going to be a great revival. It will occur during the seven-year Tribulation period when 144,000 Jews (Revelation 7:4-8) will circle the globe, preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14), declaring the good news: The King is coming! At that time, the Bible says, “All Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26). That means Jews. But when one gets to Revelation 7:9, it is a “great multitude.” Who are they? These are the ones who emerged from the Great Tribulation “and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v. 14). They have trusted in the blood of the Lamb. They have been cleansed. Both Jews and Gentiles are saved during the greatest revival in history, because at that time, God says, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28). Yes, there will be a great revival, and it will occur after the Rapture. In all probability, the Rapture will convince many that all these things they heard about Jesus and the Bible are, in fact, true, persuading them to want to know the Lord before it is too late.

 

 

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we

shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an

eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and

the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

This information comes from Dr Van Impes book called The Great Escape