The Church is killed by the evil spirits of Sodom and Egypt. The Eastern Church (Greek Orthodox) is killed by Islam = Egypt and the Western Church (Roman Catholic in terms of sheer numbers) is killed by Sodom = Gay Rights. This is happening already and one would have to be blind not to see what is going on in the West.
Hey guy's!
If I may, the key to understanding the order of events in the book of Revelation is found in Rev.1:19 which says:
"Write, therefore, what you have s
een, what is
now and what will take place
later."
What you seen: Everything that is written from Rev.1:1 to 1:18
What is Now: Is represented by the letters to the seven churches, which also represents the entire church period or the "what is Now." That being said, we are still in the church period/what is now and once the "what is Now" is completed, the Lord will appear and gather the dead and living believers ending the "what is Now."
What will take place later: This is synonymous the "what must take place after this" of Rev.4:1 where the voice that sounds like an angel says, "Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this, that is, come up here and I will show you what must take place after the "Now," that is, after the church period.
The error of many expositors is not recognizing that the resurrection and catching away of believers and Christ's return to the earth to end the age are two separate events, which is why all the confusion. Furthermore, from chapter 1 thru the very end of chapter 3, the word "Ekklesia/Church" is used over 20 times and you will never see the word "Hagios/Saints" within those same chapters. Likewise, from chapter 4 on you will only see the word "Hagios/Saints" but we never see the word "Ekklesia/Church." God is making a distinction here between the two groups, that is, between the church and the great tribulation saints. The reason for the absence of the word "Church" after the end of chapter 3 is God's way of demonstrating to us that the church is gone, removed. From Rev.5:8 and on, the only word that we see used to identify believers is the word "Saints."
At the end of the age when Jesus literally returns to the earth to establish his millennial kingdom, he will then send out his angels and first collect the weeds (one taken), then after that he will send his angels out to gather the wheat as demonstrated in the parable of Mt.13:24-30 and explained in Mt.13:36-43. Furthermore, when Jesus returns to the earth to end the age, those who will have been resurrected and caught up, the bride/church, are those who are following him out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing fine linen, white and clean as shown in Rev.19:. 14. These are referred to as his "called, chosen and faithful followers" found in Rev.17:14 and as the bride receiving her fine linen in Rev.19:6-8. Those mentioned as being resurrected in Rev.20:4 are not the church, but those great tribulation saints who will have been beheaded during that last 3 1/2 years for keeping the testimony of Jesus and the word of God and who will not have worshiped the beast, his image nor had received his mark. Another proof that the church is not present at the resurrection of Rev.20:4 is that, there is no mention of living believers being changed and caught up here, but only a resurrection of those who will have been beheaded.
Sometime during the first 3 1/2 years of that seven year period, the 144,000 who are the first fruits to God out of the nation Israel who will be those who recognize Jesus as their Messiah (gives birth to), will be sealed and will be caught to God's throne at the middle of the seven years. The woman/Israel who will have given birth to them will flee out into the desert and will be cared for that last 3 1/2 years until Christ returns to the earth to end the age. Both Israel and the great tribulation saints (Gentiles) and who make it through to the end when Jesus returns, will be those who will repopulate the earth during the millennial period.
According to Scripture, the church is not appointed to suffer the wrath of God and therefore, believers cannot be here during the time of seals, trumpets and bowl judgments, which is why we will be removed. Anyone who is an unbeliever or a believer who has gone back into the world, will not take part in the this phase of the first resurrection and that because they will not have been watching. Bridesmaids with no extra oil!
I hope that this clears some things up.