Matt 24:22 "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."
Rev 7:9 - A multitude beyond numbering.... martyred during the Great Tribulation.... how do you get an unfathomable multitude of martyrs if the believers are all raptured.
Rev 16:15 - the thief in the night verses (Luke 12:39,40; 2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thes 5:2; Rev 3:3) all point to the moment before Armageddon, not a pre-trib rapture.
If people would let go of pre-trib rapture, they would be able to finally realize that the 70 weeks of Daniel were complete in ad 70, and then they would realize that the Great Tribulation is not only 7 years long, then they would realize that many of these things have been happening since before the Crusades, and that only a handful of prophecies in Rev and Dan and Ezek are left.
Yeah...I'm of the same opinion. When I study scripture on this topic with family I try to remind them that there has been
a LOT of human history that we've gone through
after Christ ascended to his throne in heaven before most of us were even born.
- There was the
Inquisition & Beheading of true believers who didn't conform to "holy" Roman doctrines (Matthew 24:9)
- There was
a detestable structure built on the temple mount (Matthew 24:15...); Mt. Moriah, God's mountain.
- then
The Crusades (with true believers caught between Rome and Mecca)
- then
The Diaspora AND
Trans Atlantic Slave Trade & Slavery (undoubtedly true believers caught in those)
- and then
two WORLD WARS (which was actually one Great War with a small break; and true believers were caught in the middle of that too)
...and even in all of that death, it ended with a weapon of such power and magnitude that it obliterated a couple of cities (to Matthew 24:22). And again all of this happened
after Christ ascended to his throne in heaven. And for true believers in Christ who preached love for one's neighbor ("turning the other cheek"), I'd say this WAS tribulation...and it was great. And there are STILL people dying for the testimony of Christ across the world.
Does that mean we're personally free from tribulation? Absolutely not; I think we're still in it. Personally I believe we're in the trial of deception; the very next event Christ spoke of - in order - after all of the suffering (Matthew 24:23-24). The order of Matthew 24 is impeccable if we look at these past 2000 years as "2 days" (2 Peter 3:8). Imagine all of that suffering happening in just 2 days! If it had continued for another "day", truly no flesh would've been saved (
but for the elect sake). But our trial is...
Matthew 24:23-26
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers [i.e. "coming in secret"]; believe it not.
..for his coming will be like
LIGHTNING STRIKING! from one part of the sky to the other.
That's how I understand it...but of course I'm still studying & praying, and my understanding can change.