1. “I also will keep you out of the hour of trial” (Rev. 3:10).
Since the overcoming believers are kept out of the hour of trial by rapture, this rapture must occur before the hour of trial, that is, before the great tribulation. If overcoming believers are not raptured before the great tribulation, how could they be kept from the hour of trial? Revelation 12 shows that the overcoming believers are raptured before the last three and a half years, that is, before the great tribulation (vv. 5-6, 14, 17), and Revelation 14 shows that Antichrist begins his actions during the great tribulation only after the overcomers are raptured as the firstfruits (vv. 1-5, 9-12). This clearly shows that the overcoming believers will be raptured before the great tribulation.
1. “Stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
When the overcoming believers are raptured, they will stand before the Son of Man. This means they will be raptured to the heavens to stand before the ascended Lord.
2. “Caught up to God and to His throne” (Rev. 12:5).
The overcoming believers are raptured to God’s throne. God’s throne is in heaven (4:2), that is, in the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2). Therefore, the overcoming believers are raptured to God’s throne in the third heaven.
3. “On Mount Zion” (Rev. 14:1).
As the firstfruits, the overcomers will be with Christ on Mount Zion, which is the heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:22), not the earthly Mount Zion. This shows that the overcomers will be raptured to God’s dwelling place on the heavenly Mount Zion.
These verses in the Bible clearly show that the overcoming believers are raptured to the heavens, that is, to the place where God lives and rules. It is the place where the Lord Jesus ascended. This is completely different from the rapture of the majority of the believers who will be raptured to the air. The rapture of the overcomers not only occurs at a different time than the rapture of the majority of the believers but also to a different place. The overcoming believers will be raptured before the great tribulation, whereas the majority of the believers will be raptured after the tribulation. The overcoming believers will be raptured to the third heaven, whereas the majority of the believers will be raptured to the air.
1. “Be watchful at every time, beseeching” (Luke 21:36).
One requirement for being raptured before the tribulation and escaping the great tribulation is to be watchful at every time, beseeching. This means that we should not be entangled in the affairs of the world but constantly live before the Lord and that we specifically beseech the Lord concerning being raptured to escape the great tribulation. This beseeching is not ordinary, general prayer but specific prayer for a certain matter: being raptured to escape the tribulation that will come upon the whole earth. In order to beseech the Lord in this way, there should not be anything between us and the Lord, nor should we be loose in any way. We must live before the Lord every moment and walk with the Lord every day. We must not say or do anything lightly, and all of our intentions and actions must be searched and restricted by the Lord. If this is our experience, we will constantly beseech the Lord concerning being raptured to escape the tribulation that is coming upon the earth. Only such persons will be considered worthy of escaping the coming tribulation and being raptured to stand before the Lord.
2. “Watch...be ready”; “Waiting for their own master when he returns” (Matt. 24:42, 44; Luke 12:36).
If we want to enjoy the pretribulation rapture, we must not only watch and beseech; we must also watch and be ready for the Lord’s coming. It is not enough just to beseech; we must also be ready. We must be ready to be raptured, to be taken away by the Lord at His coming, and to go forth and meet the Lord. All sins should be cleared up through confession, all matters should be cleared up, all that is required of us should be completed, all gifts for function should be fully used, and all ministries should be accomplished. We should not have any matter between us and the Lord, nor should we owe anything to any man. We should be ready in everything, waiting for the Lord to come. We should be ready to go as soon as the Lord calls. We should have nothing that binds or concerns us. Only those who are ready and waiting for the Lord can be raptured by the Lord before the coming of the great tribulation. Many believers, who are captivated by the affairs and things of the world, will not be ready.
3. “Those who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).
A believer who is watchful and ready, waiting for the Lord, must be one who loves the Lord and who loves His appearing. When a wife loves her husband, she loves to see him every day. It is the same with us and the Lord. If we really love the Lord, we will love His appearing every moment. This is a requirement related to being raptured to escape the great tribulation.
4. “You have kept the word of My endurance” (Rev. 3:10).
Keeping the word of the Lord’s endurance will keep us out of the hour of trial that is about to come on the whole inhabited earth. Therefore, keeping the word of the Lord’s endurance is a requirement related to being raptured to escape the great tribulation.
While we live on the earth, keeping the Lord’s word is very important. We must do everything according to the Lord’s word. Whether we are a full-time servant of the Lord or serve the Lord in a job, it is not easy to keep the Lord’s word in everything. Endurance is needed because everything on the earth is against the Lord’s word. Thus, if we would keep the Lord’s word on this earth, we must endure all things. Keeping the Lord’s word is equal to keeping the word of the Lord’s endurance. This is a necessary requirement in order to be raptured to escape the great tribulation. If we would escape the tribulation that will come on the earth, we must endure the difficulties that this world imposes on us today. If we want to be raptured to the Lord’s presence before the great tribulation, we must keep the word of the Lord’s endurance in the midst of a troubling world today. This is the only way for us to be worthy of being raptured to see the Lord and to escape the tribulations that will come upon the earth.
5. “He who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end” (Rev. 2:26).
Since the overcomers in this verse are equal to the overcomers spoken of in Revelation 12:5, who are raptured to God’s throne before the great tribulation, being an overcomer is a requirement for being raptured before the great tribulation. Such an overcomer also keeps the Lord’s works until the end. If we want to be worthy of being raptured to the Lord’s presence to escape the great tribulation, we must keep the Lord’s works until the end as an overcomer today.
May we pay attention to these five requirements to be raptured before the great tribulation. May we learn to be overcomers living before the Lord by watching, preparing, and waiting for Him to come!