Where is "the Church" in Revelation 4-19?

Dr. Robert Gromacki

Robert Gromacki

Where is "the Church"

in Revelation 4-19?

Whereis the church during the seven-year Tribulation, as outlined in Revelation4-19? If posttribulationism were correct, you would expect to see the churchmentioned as being on earth during this time. However, that is not the pictureone sees in Revelation 4-19. This writer demon-strates through investigatingmany of the details of Revelation 4-19 that the church is pictured in heavenwith Christ, having been raptured before the Tribulation began. You can becomeinformed of the overwhelming support for the pretribulational understanding ofthis issue through this essay.

TheRoman emperor Domitian banished the apostle John to the island of Patmos in theAegean Sea (Rev. 1:9). It was there that John heard the command of JesusChrist: "What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churcheswhich are in Asia" (Rev. 1:11 NKJV). John recorded what he saw and heard,and then he sent the volume to seven local churches located in key citieswithin the Roman province of Asia; namely Ephesus, Smyrna, Perganios, Thyatira,Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (Rev. 1:11).

Thecontent of the book of Revelation can be divided into three sections, basedupon Christ's command: "Write the things which you have seen, and thethings which are, and the things which will take place after this" (Rev.1:19 NKJV). These three sections reveal a time sequence: past, present, andfuture.

Whathad John just seen? He had just seen a symbolic vision of Jesus Christ standingin the midst of seven lampstands that represented the seven local churches(Rev. 1:12-18,20). This content forms the past section of the book ("thethings which you have seen"). The present section ("the things whichare") can be seen in the seven individual letters to the churches (Rev.2-3). The future section thus forms the major part of the book (Rev. 4-22). Theprepositional phrase "after this" (meta tauta) literally means"after these things." It is found three times (1:19; 4:1 [twice]).The third section begins with these words: "After these things I looked,and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heardwas like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will show youthings which must take place after this" (4:1 NKJv).

Thefuture section (Rev. 4-22) contains an introduction, revealing the throne ofGod the Father in heaven and the taking of the seven-sealed scroll by JesusChrist (4-5). The seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments are then described (5-16).The judgment of Babylon is then set forth (17-18). The second coming of JesusChrist to the earth is finally presented (19:11-21). The millennial kingdom,the great white throne judgment, and the eternal state close out the propheticrevelation (20-22).

Thetypical futurist interpretation of the book contends that chapters 4-19describe what will take place in the seven years preceding the second coming ofChrist to the earth (19:11-21). Consistent advocates of premillennialism holdthis position regardless of their particular view on the rapture of the church.

However,only those who embrace the pretribulational rapture (or thepre-seventieth-week-of-Daniel rapture) will argue for the absence of thegenuine church on the earth during these entire seven years. What evidence canbe found within Revelation 4-19 to show that the true church is in heaven whenthe events of these chapters are taking place? The following looks at nineindications.

Thewords "church" or "churches," so prominent in chapters 1-3,do not appear again in the book until the last chapter (22:16). The singular"church" and the plural "churches" together occur 19 timesin the first three chapters (1:4,11,20 [twice]; 2:1,7,8,11, 12,17,18,12,19;3:1,6,7,13,14,22).

Theterm "church" (ekklesia) literally means "a called outgroup." It has two main usages in the New Testament. It can be used of thebody of Christ, which He is building in this age (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:13;Eph. 1:22-23; 4:1-6). It is composed of believing Jews and believing Gentilesmade one in Christ (Eph. 2:15-16). The term can also be used of a localcongregation of believers (Acts 14:27; Gal. 1:2). It is so used in this secondsense in the book of Revelation.

However,there is a strange silence of the term in chapters 4-19. That fact isespecially noteworthy when you contrast that absence with its frequent presencein the first three chapters. One good reason for this phenomenon is the absenceof the true church and true evangelical churches in the seven years precedingthe second coming. The true believers of the church have gone into the presenceof Jesus Christ in heaven before the onset of the events of the seven-yearperiod. The church is not mentioned during the seal, trumpet, and bowljudgments because the church is not here during the outpouring of thesejudgments.

Therecurring phrase "unto the churches" (2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22) isconspicuously absent in a similar admonition (13:9). All seven letters to thechurches end with this admonition by Christ: "He who has an ear, let himhear what the Spirit says to the churches" (NKJv). Each individual personin each individual local church was to hear and to apply the truth that Christgave to all of the local churches. For example, a believer in the church atEphesus could profit spiritually from what the Savior said to the churches atPergamos or at Philadelphia.

Satan,the beast, and the false prophet are the three main enemies of God and Hispeople during the seven-year period (13:1-18; 19:20-20:3). The beast, symbolicof the military-political dictator of the end times, will rule for 42 months,the second half of the seven-year period. John recorded this truth about him:"All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not beenwritten in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of theworld" (13:8).

Atthis point, John records the warning: "if anyone has an ear, let himhear" (13:9). Period! There is no mention of "saying to thechurches," a phrase which is repeated seven times in the seven letters. Ifthe previously mentioned churches (Rev. 1-3) could possibly be in theseven-year period to face the wrath of the beast, then why wasn't theadmonition addressed to them? The obvious answer is that they won't be on earthat that time.

Thereis the mention of "saints" in the context (13:7,10). These saints,however, are those who get saved during the seven years after the true churchhas been taken into heaven.

Thechurch, as a body-unit, is not seen after chapters 1-3 until the marriage ofthe Lamb is discussed (19:7-9). Here is the description:

Let us be gladand rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and Hiswife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in finelinen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints(19:7-8).

Thechurch is called Christ's "wife" (gune). Paul used the metaphor ofhusband and wife to describe the relationship of Jesus Christ to the church(Eph. 5:22-33). The wife is seen as a complete, definite unit in heaven evenbefore the actual second coming of Christ to the earth (19:7; cf. 19:11-16).There is no sense that part of the wife is in heaven and another part is onearth.

Thewife has also been rewarded prior to the second coming of Christ to the earth.Her accountability can be seen in the fact that she "has made herselfready" (19:7). However, no believer deserves any reward for what he hasdone for the Lord. The divine conferral of reward is still an expression of Hisredemptive grace, thus the text reads: "And to her it was granted to bearrayed in fine linen" (19:8). The linen is defined as "the righteousacts of the saints" (19:8 NKJV). The phrase "righteous acts" is thetranslation of a plural noun (ta dikaimata). It seems to refer to therighteous deeds done by genuine believers rather than to the imputed positionalrighteousness of Christ (Rom. 3:22; 4:22-5:1).

Thus,the judgment seat of Christ has already taken place in heaven before He returnsto the earth. All believers in this church age know that they will have to givean account for what they have done since they have been saved (1 Cor. 3:11-15;2 Cor. 5:10).

Sincethe wife has been rewarded prior to the return of Christ to the earth, then thewife had to be raptured into heaven before that event.

Thefocus of Christ's activity changes from chapters 1-3 to chapters 4-19. In thefirst three chapters, His ministry was in the midst of the seven churches onearth. He is commending, criticizing, and correcting them. In chapters 4-19,however, His activity occurs in heaven. He is occupied with the seven-sealedscroll and the judgments that proceed from it.

Asthe living Head of the church, His body, He is presently building His church(Matt. 16:18). He is in us and we are in Him His attention is on the church.However, that emphasis disappears in chapters 4-19. In the seven years prior toHis return to the earth, He is preparing the world and Israel for His coming.The church is now completely with Him in heaven by way of resurrection,translation, and rapture. That phase of His creative and redemptive purpose hasbeen finalized.

Ifthe 24 elders represent the church, then the church is already in heaven beforethe opening of the seal judgments. The elders have a prominent part in chapters4-19. They are mentioned 12 times (4:4,10; 5:5,6,8,11,14; 7:11,13; 11:16; 14:3;19:4). They are first mentioned as present in heaven around the throne of Godthe Father "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thronesI saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crownsof gold on their heads" (4:4 NKJV).

Whoare these elders? Do they represent angels or men? If human, do they symbolizeOld Testament believers, New Testament believers, or both?

Thenumerical adjective "twenty-four" is significant. King David dividedthe Levitical priesthood into 24 orders (1 Chron. 24). Each order performedpriestly functions at the tabernacle and at the temple for eight days, fromSabbath to Sabbath. In the distribution of the work load, each order wouldfunction two weeks per year. In so doing, each order represented the entirepriestly tribe and the nation of Israel before God. Thus, the number"twenty-four" came to be representative of a larger, complete group.Thus, the "twenty-four elders" is a phrase which denotes more thantwo dozen specific persons; rather, the elders stand in for an entire group ofpersonal beings, either angels or humans.

Threefeatures about their description are striking. First, they are"sitting" on thrones. They are not standing, flying, or hovering.Have angels ever sat in the presence of God? No Scripture verse says that theyhave ever done so. However, Jesus promised every believer in the church age:"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I alsoover came and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Rev. 3:21 NKJv). Godpositionally has made every believer to "sit together in the heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). The "sitting" feature of theelders better suits men than angels.

Second,the elders were "clothed in white robes" (himatiois leukois). Thesewords were previously used of believers within the churches (3:5,18).

Third,the elders had "crowns" (stephanous) on their heads. These are crownsgained by achievement and victory. Again, believers in the churches werepromised crowns (2:10; 3:11; same word). In the epistles, believers in thischurch age are promised crowns for specific accomplishments: the incorruptiblecrown for living a spiritually disciplined life (1 Cor. 9:25); the crown ofrejoic-ing for impacting lives to receive Jesus Christ as Savior (1 Thess.2:19); the crown of righteousness for loving the appearing of Christ (2 Tim.4:8); the crown of life for loving Christ in the endurance of trials (James1:12; cf. Rev. 2:10: the crown of life given to the believer-overcomer atSmyrna for being faithful unto death); and the crown of glory for faithful pastors(1 Peter 5:4). Holy angels do not wear crowns, but believers can and will wearthem.

Thetriple description of the 24 elders as sitting, clothed, and crowned speaks foran identity of redeemed people, notably the believers of this church age.

Atext-translation problem within the context of the praise of the elders must beaddressed (5:8-10). The elders sang a new song, saying:

You are worthyto take the scroll, and to open its seals; for you were slain, and haveredeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people andnation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign onthe earth (5:9-10

Inthis song of redemption, notice the first person plural personal pronouns("us" and "we"). Both the King James version and the NewKing James version, based upon the received Greek text (Textus Receptus),indicate that the elders are praising God for their own salvation.

Onthe other hand, the New International version, based upon the critical Greektext, has this translation:

You purchasedmen for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have madethem to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on theearth.

Noticethe usage of the third person plural personal pronouns ("them" and"they"). The New American Standard Bible also has the third personpronoun. The Majority Greek Text has the third-person pronouns, and that factis noted in the margin of the New King James version. With the usage of thethird-person pronouns, the elders seem to be praising God for the salvation ofanother group. Those who believe that the elders are angels are quick to pointout that interpretation.

However, can peoplespeak about themselves in the third-person rather than in the first person? Thesong of Moses and of the children of Israel, expressed after their deliverancefrom Egyptian bondage and their passage through the Red Sea, contains thesewords: "You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You haveredeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation"(Exod. 15:13 NKJV). The Israelites are definitely singing about themselves, andyet they sing in the third person. Thus, if the third-person text translation(in Rev. 5:8-10) is accepted as the preferred, original text translation, thatfact alone does not preclude the possibility that the elders are singing abouttheir own salvation.

Again,if the third-person text translation is viewed as the original, then the factthat other Greek texts before 1611 (the year that the King James version waspublished) contained the first person is very significant. It shows that peoplebefore 1611 held to the view that the elders were redeemed people. Critics ofthe pretribulational rapture position, consequently, cannot argue that theproponents of the pretribulational rapture have superimposed theirdispensational bias upon the passage.

Angelsare set in contrast to the elders: "Then I looked, and I heard the voiceof many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders"(Rev. 5:11 NKJV). They sang praise to Christ without any reference to theirredemption or to the salvation of others: "Worthy is the Lamb who wasslain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and gloryand blessing" (5:12 NKJv). If the elders are angels, then the song wouldappear to be redundant. The second song and the contrast between the elders andthe angels suggest that the elders are humans.

Theterm "elder" (presbuteros) is never used of angels in the Bible. Theword itself denotes maturity and growth. It is contrasted with"younger" (1 Tim. 5:1-2). How could angels be designated as elderswhen all of the holy angels were created at the same time. In other words, theyare of the same age. In contrast, the elders of a local church were to be menof spiritual experience (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). When Paul called "forthe elders of the church" at Ephesus to meet him at Miletus, they came asthe official leaders and as the representatives of all the believers inEphesus.

Themore plausible explanation of the 24 elders is that they represent a group ofredeemed people. Who are these people? Since the believers within the OldTestament period will not be resurrected until the return of Jesus Christ tothe earth (Dan. 12:1-3; Rev. 20:4-6), the elders more likely represent theredeemed of the church.

Thebeast, that great military-political leader of the end time, will open hismouth "in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle,and those who dwell in heaven" (Rev. 13:6 NKJV). Who are theseheaven-dwellers? They are contrasted with earth-dwellers (12:12; 13:8,14). Theearth-dwellers are both human and unsaved. Thus, the heaven-dwellers seem to behuman and saved. The verb "dwell" (sknuntas) is the same word usedfor Jesus Christ's incarnation: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongus" (John 1:14 NKJV). A similar word (skens) is used to describe thebeliever's present body as a "tent" (2 Cor. 5:1,4). The verb("to dwell") or the noun ("tent") is never used of angelicactivities or bodies.

Inthe critical Greek text, the phrase "those who dwell in heaven" is inapposition to "His tabernacle" (the connective "and" isomitted). This equation suggests that the heaven-dwellers, as God's tabernacle,is a specific group with none to be added. If that is so, then theirdescription better fits the raptured church, since more people will be saved inthe second half of the seven-year period.

John'sexperience should not be equated with the rapture of the church. John wrote:"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me saying,Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this"(4:11 NKJV). Some claim that this event clearly indicates the fulfillment ofthe main rapture prediction (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Old Scofield Bible, p. 1334).Others see the experience of the apostle as a symbolic representation of thetranslation of the church (New Scofleld Bible, p. 1356).

Thereare some similarities: the voice and the trumpet (4:1; cf. 1 Thess. 4:16).However, the differences in the two accounts are much greater. At the rapture,the believers will hear the voice of an archangel, whereas John directly heardthe voice of Christ (4:1; cf. 1:10). There is no mention of Christ's descentfrom heaven when John went into heaven. There is no mention of a meeting in theair at a point between heaven and earth. There was no permanent change in thebody of John. The experience of John parallels those of Paul (2 Cor. 12:1-7)and of Philip (Acts 8:39).

Theindividual lampstands, which represented the seven churches (Rev. 1:12,20),should not be equated with "the seven lamps of fire burning before thethrone" (Rev. 4:5). Hal Lindsey claimed that the movement of the lampsfrom earth to heaven was evidence for the removal of the church from earth intoheaven before the outpouring of divine judgment (There's a New World Coming, p.86).

However,there is a difference in the Greek words translated as "lampstands"(luchnid 1:12,20) and "lamps" (lampades; 4:5). Thus, they cannot beseeli as equal symbols for the church. If they could, then why did John use adifferent word? In addition, the "lamps" are defined as "theseven spirits of God" (4:5).

Theso-called equation of the lampstands with the lamps should not be used as aproof for a pretribulational rapture.

Israeland God's covenant program with Israel are the central focus of the seven yearsprior to the return of Jesus Christ. That emphasis accounts for the silence ofany reference to the church on earth at the same time.

WhenJohn went into heaven, he first saw the throne of God the Father (4:2). He thengave this symbolic description of God: "And He who sat there was like ajasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around thethrone, in appearance like an emerald" (4:3 KJ's').

Whydid God reveal Himself in this way? There is a clue in the two precious stones.The jasper (iaspidi) and the sardius (sardi) are the same two words used inthe Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, in thedescription of the breastplate of the high priest of Israel (Exod. 28:17-21).The breastplate contained 12 stones, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel.They were set in four rows with three stones in each row. The sardius was thefirst stone in the first row; thus it represented Reuben, the oldest of Jacob'ssons. The jasper was the last stone in the last row; thus it representedBenjamin, the youngest of the 12 sons.

Thesetwo stones, in the description of God, may represent the relationship of God toHis chosen people, the nation of Israel. The appearance of the rainbow furthersubstantiates His covenant relationship and the integrity of His pledged word.Thus, these key chapters (4-19) open with God and His relationship to thepeople of Israel on earth.

Theintercalation of the church age is over. God will now complete His program withIsrael through the fulfillment of the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27).The focus has shifted from the church (Rev. 1-3) to Israel (Rev. 4-19).

WhenJesus Christ took the seven-sealed scroll, He was described as "the Lionof the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" (5:5). This description is basedupon two Old Testament passages that relate the promised Messiah to Israel.

Inthe first passage, Jacob informed his 12 sons about what would happen to them"in the last days" (Gen. 49:1). Concerning Judah, he said:

Judah, you arehe whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of yourenemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion'swhelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as alion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart fromJudah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to himshall be the obedience of the people (Gen. 49:8-10 NKJV).

Inthe second passage, God gave this promise concerning Israel, the futurekingdom, and the Messiah:

There shall comeforth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him. The spirit of wisdom andunderstanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and ofthe fear of the Lord. And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shallstand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shail seek Him, and Hisresting place shall be glorious (Isa' 22:1-2,10 NKJV).

Theseven-sealed scroll symbolizes the right to rule as earth's king. The contentsof those seven seals will then occur during the seven-year period prior toJesus' return to the earth (described in Rev. 4-19). Jesus Christ's right tothat scroll is viewed from His relationship to Israel rather than from Hisrelationship to the church. He is the head of His body, the church (Eph.1:22-23), but that description is not given here.

Aprominent group in the seventieth week of Daniel is the 144,000, the sealedservants of God (7:3-4; 14:1-5). They are "of all the tribes of thechildren of Israel" (7:4), namely: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali,Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph [Ephraim}, and Benjamin(7:5-8). This passage shows the presence of Israel as a national, ethnic entityon the earth and its tribal divisions in that day.

Mounce,who holds to a posttribulational rapture, claims that ten of the tribesdisappeared at the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel (722B.c.) and that the other two lost their identity when Rome destroyed Jerusalem(A.D. 70). He denies the literalness of the number and the names (The Book ofRevelation, p. 168). However, Anna is identified as a member of the tribe ofAsher during the infancy of Jesus (Luke 2:36). Also, if Judah is not literal in7:5, is it literal in 5:5? A better explanation is that God is using Israel,rather than the church, to serve Him on earth during the seven years prior toChrist's return to the earth.

Thesecond half of the seven-year period will begin with the forced exit of Satanfrom heaven to earth and his subsequent persecution of a "woman"(Rev. 23:1-17). Who is this woman? She has been seen as Mary, the mother ofJesus, the New Testament church, and as Israel.

Johnsaw this description of her: "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a womanclothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garlandof twelve stars" (12:1 NxJv). The mention of the sun, moon, and 12 starsshould take us back to the dream of Joseph: "Then he dreamed still anotherdream and told it to his brothers, and said, 'Look, I ha dreamed another dream.And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me"(Gen. 37:9 NKJv). Jacob understood the meaning and said: "Shall yourmother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth beforeyou?" (Gen. 37:10 NxJv). In the interpretation, Jacob is the sun, Leah (orperhaps Rachel) is the moon, and the 12 sons of Jacob are the 12 stars.

Thewoman was present at the birth of Christ (12:5) and will also be present onearth during the 1260 days prior to Christ's return to the earth (12:6,13-17).In using the "law of previous reference" as a principle ofinterpretation, only the nation of Israel would qualify as the meaning of thewoman. This position finds support in the Old Testament passage (Gen. 37:9-10),in the actual historical situation at the time of Christ's birth, and in thepromise of a restored, regenerated nation of Israel.

Whereis the church in Revelation 4-19? An investigation into those chapters willshow that the church will be in heaven with Jesus Christ. When will she gothere? She will be raptured there before the events of Revelation 4-19 occur.