The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-18, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 46."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2000 by John MacArthur, All Rights Reserved.

Question

I have recently finished the books on the "Left Behind Series," and now I am reading your book--I'm about halfway through, on The Second Coming of Christ.  Now the implication in your book is that it is going to be extremely difficult for people to be saved during that time period of the Great Tribulation.  That book, the "Left Behind series" kind of makes it seem like it is not all that difficult.  I am kind of curious and kind of hoping for relatives and those that don't know the Lord, how easy it's going to be?  I know people are going to be saved during that time period, but is it as difficult as you're implying in your book?

Answer

Well, it's impossible!  It's always impossible to be saved, unless the Grace of God reaches down and redeems you.  So, it is not a question of human possibility.  It's as possible for a sinner to be saved as it is to stuff a camel through the eye of a needle--I mean, it's impossible, but with God all things are possible.  So the only question is, "Is God going to save people in the Tribulation?"   Not, "Is it going to be easier or harder?"--It's always impossible.  The sinner can't save himself--right? and unless the Spirit of God changes his heart; unless God grants him saving faith and grace, then he is not going to ever be saved.  Unless God gives life to the dead, the dead can't respond.  So, it's always impossible, just keep that in mind--the only question is, "Is God going to save people in the time of the Tribulation?"  Answer: "Yes!" 

It is my own conviction that He is going to save people, probably in a greater volume than ever in history.  The reason I say that is you have got a period of seven years, but in Revelation 7, you have a group of people before the throne of God who have been saved out of every tongue, and tribe, and people, and nation, and there are so many of them that they can't be counted.  I think there will be the greatest spiritual harvest of souls ever in that time.  And when God finally gets Israel to cooperate; when they finally become the missionary nation they were always supposed to be, and He gets 144,000 Jewish evangelists, and we can imagine when 144,000 Jews see their Messiah for who He is and start to reach the world with the gospel, that there is going to be an amazing harvest of people: The nation of Israel is going to be saved, and people from every tongue, and tribe, and people, and nation--and I think that is going to happen.  But as the Tribulation comes to its ending; once that wave of evangelism comes--and there is going to be an everlasting gospel being preached from heaven--I tell about that in the book: it's not going to be like a blimp dragging a sign, but it's a similar idea: up in the sky there is going to be the gospel written in the sky!  There is going to be the Two Witnesses proclaiming the gospel (Revelation 11); there's going to be the 144,000 Jews; there is going to be all these people converted, and antichrist is going to come in a sweeping kind of a purge, and trying to kill these people, and many of them will die for their faith, but the gospel will still be spread all over the earth.  I think the world will hear the gospel.  If they can't hear it from the Two Witnesses, and they will be able to know that because the whole world will see them when they die and rise again, probably on CNN.  And the 144,000 Jewish evangelists are going to preach the gospel all over the world.  Then you got the angel in the sky that everybody can see, even if the evangelists don't come to their towns.

So, I think there will be a great preaching of the gospel; there will be a great harvest of souls, but as you get to the end of the Tribulation, if people resist that--they become harder, and harder, and harder as you get to the end, and they start to curse God instead of believing when they see His judgment.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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