God’s Apocalyptic Remnant
One of the main purposes of the Tribulation is to purify the bride of Christ so that she can be spotless and without wrinkle. Dressed in white, ready to marry her bridegroom. The fire of the hour of testing will burn the mixture, the paganism, and the idolatry of God’s people.
The Lord will use this hour to bring the body of Christ into unity because contrary to the Lord’s command, the bones of the body of the Lamb have been broken into pieces (Exodus 14:46 Each Passover lamb must be eaten in one house. Do not carry any of its meat outside, and do not break any of its bones).
In the same manner that the tribes of Israel have been scattered and divided all over the world during the diaspora, the church has been divided and scattered all over the globe into many different groups called denominations. However, God will bring his people together in unity under the guidance of one Shepherd, his Son Jesus.
Ezekiel 37:15-24 15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ 17 Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.[…]’ 20 Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on 21 and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 24 “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
After many centuries of exile and division, at the end of the age, God will bring unity among the sheep of Israel and among the sheep of his other pen, the church. This process will occur simultaneously because he has a great end-time plan for Israel in connection with the church. God will bring his scattered sheep back into the Land of Israel and there he will restore them spiritually during the days of Jacob’s trouble. He will also accomplish the same with the church. During the tribulation he will bring the body of Christ into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). And he will use the fire of affliction to accomplish it. The Lord will use this time to tear down the religious systems that have kept his people from worshiping in truth. Just as the kingdom of the north used to offer sacrifices to the Lord on the wrong altar and their worship was incorrect, so is the worship of many in the body of Christ. Because a time is coming and has come now when worshipers will worship God not only in spirit but in truth (John 4:24). This will be an hour of great testing and difficulty but also of great splendor for his church. The glory of this latter house will be greater than the glory of the former house. And in this place, He will grant peace (Haggai 2:9).
When this hour comes we should not fear God’s redemptive disciplines, considering that those trials will prove if our faith is genuine. It will be tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though our faith is far more precious than mere gold. Therefore, if our faith remains strong through those trials, it will bring us much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:7)
According to the book of Revelation, the tribulation will cause the church will become a powerful praying church. Her worship will be like never before. She will sing songs that she has never sung before and her surrender and willingness to lay down her life for the sake of Christ will be like no other time. Her courage, purity, and faithfulness will be astonishing; her supernatural power will shake the heavens and earth. This will be the hour when the true sons and daughters of God will manifest in glory. This will be the time when our eyes will see things we have never seen before.
-THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS
In the book of Revelation, we see a remnant of the church with tremendous power in prayer. Her prayers have the power to open the heavens in order to release peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and earthquakes.
Revelation 5:8 Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
Revelation 8:3 He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
-NEW SPIRITUAL SONGS
During the hour of testing, there will be a remnant that worships in power and is given new songs that only they know. These songs are centered on the Lamb’s victory and his power. They touch the heart of God and move him to action.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Reveal this 14:2-3 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders.
-THE POWER OF SURRENDER, THE BLOOD, AND THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS
During the hour of trial, we see a remnant that understands the victory purchased by the blood of the Lamb, knows the power of sharing their testimony, and realizes the importance of laying down their lives for the sake of Christ
Revelation 12:11 They overcame over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
-SUPERNATURAL POWER
This is the hour of the greatest supernatural power for the church. On this day the church will move under the anointing of Elijah and Moses, and the proclamation of the word of God will be accompanied by many signs and wonders. Some will be untouchable by the evil one and if anyone tries to harm them they will die.
Revelation 11:3-6 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
-A BRIDE WITHOUT WRINKLE OR BLEMISH
This will be the time when the bride of Christ will be fully purified and refined. She will become pure and holy, consecrated to the Lord. Willing to follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
Revelation 14:4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
-THE LOVESICK BRIDE WHOSE LOVE BECOMES STRONGER THAN DEATH
We will see a lovesick remnant that is willing to lose their life in order to resist the beast system, remaining faithful to Christ and the proclamation of his word.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.
Song of Songs 8:6-7 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
This apocalyptic remnant is nothing else than the pure reflection of Christ. This will be the time of the splendor of the church. One that has reached the fulness of Christ and her full maturity. This is the very church that will provoke Israel into jealousy. Because although the tribulation is a day of trouble for the church and for Jacob it is also the day for Jacob’s deliverance.
Jeremiah 30:7 How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.
The tribulation will be the catalyst that triggers the fullness of the Gentiles, and at this time, when we reach our fullness all Israel shall be saved. (Romans 11:25) All things will work together for good in the end. The church will be brought into unity, glory, and the stature of Christ, so Israel can be provoked into jealousy and experience salvation because of the overflowing mature love of the bride.
Once Israel is saved and cries out to Jesus: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” Christ will return in power to crush all his enemies and to establish his millennial reign on earth. And to that beautiful plan, we should say: “Let your kingdom come and let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven Lord!