SCRIPTURAL ~ POST-TRIBULATION BELIEFS.

. Straight answers from Scripture ~ to specific questions about the
TIMING of the 'Second Coming' of Jesus to this Earth, as
King of kings; especially in relation to the 'Time of Tribulation'.
This is a careful Study, which is quite long as we usually write out the Scriptures in full.
We use italic, bold print to respect the Word of God,
taken from the NIV translation.

INTRODUCTION. Right from the beginning of this study we repeat words of Jesus Messiah about the 'Time of Tribulation'' in Matthew 24.
"When you see standing in the Holy Place,"  [The Temple in Jerusalem]
"the Abomination that causes desolation, spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah," [a horrible statue representing the cruel Anti-messiah world Leader] "then let those in Judea flee to the mountains... How dreadful it will be in those days... For then there will be great distress," [for the entire world except for the Jewish People in Israel] "unequaled from the beginning of the world until that time, and never to be equaled again."
Revelation 18 tells about the 'Babylon' Governing power.

>Therefore our desire in this study is to be a blessing by warning you as watchful, Fellow Believers.
> We aim to give you thoughtful, logical reasons for our beliefs, [mainly different from 'Pre-Tribulation Rapture' Believers'] ~ as we offer you this 'paper' with prayerful reliance on God and His written Word.
Your responsibility is then to check and examine these conclusions carefully for yourself.

This Paper is in addition to -
 ‘our next article 'ISRAEL' Vindicates a Post Tribulation Return of Jesus', here.

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BACKGROUND. We are presuming that readers will have some knowledge of some of the main End-time events that we refer to in very brief note-form statements, (as we understand them) in this article, without explanation of their full meaning (or Scripture refs.) Such as:
>  For some years there will be a 'Time of Rebellion' and serious End Time disasters and 'Signs’.
>  Events in the M.E. will ensure a time of Security for Israel, prophecies for Iran/ Syria will also happen.
>  Eventually Muslim jealous impatience with Israel ~ will bring the 'Magog' futile threat to Israel.
>  This will culminate in a huge, worldwide Earthquake at the 6th 'Seal'; also destruction of 'Gog'
>  The main results will be: "all Israel will be saved" - Islam's power broken - and total world chaos - all world changing events!
>  Yet Israel will "bless the Earth" [along with Egypt/ Assyria], all Jews living as a Holy People in their own Land.
>  Chaos allows two World leaders to take World Control: the False-messiah and False Prophet.
>  Their period of world control will bring at least 7 years of terrible ‘Tribulation’, in 2 halves.
>  Through this time, 'Saved' Israel will be center of world attention with 2 Prophetic Witnesses.
>  By contrast, Tribulation will be for Christian Gentiles, "darkness covers the Earth" as in Isaiah 60: 1- 3.
>  This is for Daniel's "one week" ~ 7 most terrible years, though the days will be shortened, in the second 3.5 years...
>  Finally Satan imprisoned, the 'Beast' destroyed in the lake of fire, with his Army, and Prophet - at the ‘7th bowl of wrath’.
>  At the same time Jesus will return to Earth with all His resurrected true 'Family' ~ and Angels.
>  This is ‘the DAY’~ one ‘Resurrection Day’ for all Believers only, a rapturous, noisy, glorious Day!
>  This means Believers ~ all Believers ~ including Jewish People, of all time will receive bodies (like Yeshua at His Resurrection) so that we can rise to meet our Saviour, "as He Returns".

So Finally ~ Jesus/ Yeshua will commence His reign on a renewed Earth, as at Creation, for 1000 years!

[More details of these can be found here.]

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WE HOLD TWO MAIN AREAS OF DIFFERENCE FROM OTHER TEACHINGS, ON END TIMES,
 [See Part 1 here, & Part 2 in next article.]

> We accept that there are many other ‘smaller’ variations between true Believers, on this subject.
> However we believe strongly in 'The right of each Believer to answer to their own conscience before God, according to the Word of God and in obedience to His Holy Spirit.']
>We use the name 'Believers' to mean all Jews and Gentiles ~ those who are in God's family through faith in Jesus'/ Yeshua's full Salvation.
> We believe in one 'Rapture' Day, for them, after the 7 years of Tribulation under a 'False-messiah'.

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Other NOTES: We will use Scriptures mainly, as proofs, but try to be brief, as well as clear. We recommend study Bibles, and different versions for study.
All Scriptures are written in purple Italic, blue is for Israel, red for Believers in Yeshua/ Jesus.

We urge you to use these Scriptures as guidelines to your own study.

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Part 1 ~ WE BELIEVE MESSIAH WILL COME ‘POST’/AFTER THE TRIBULATION.

(Believers present, but protected during the time of God’s wrath,
= 'Post-wrath coming', Rev. 16. [The Tribulation time is different from the Time of Wrath/ Judgemental just, anger of God.]
Understanding the timing of the one ‘Rapture Day’ for
ALL Believers at the One Coming of Jesus.

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Part 2 ~ 'ISRAEL' ~ VINDICATES A POST-TRIBULATION
RETURN OF YESHUA/ JESUS.
The role and experiences of Jewish Israel before and during the ‘End Time Tribulation,’ vindicate a 'Post Tribulation Return of Yeshua/ Jesus to the Mt of Olives, in Jerusalem!
For us these are closely related issues.

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Part 1 ~ ‘POST TRIBULATION RAPTURE’
= RESURRECTION ~ AFTER TRIBULATION. ~

Question: WHY do you believe true Believers will NOT be raptured before the Tribulation?

A. First reason: for Believers there will be ONE RESURRECTION ['Rapture'] DAY only.

1.  Revelation 20: 6, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the First Resurrection. (The second death has no power over them), but they will be priests of God and of Messiah and will reign with Him for 1000 years.”
> We believe there is no ‘Rapture’ without a RESURRECTION Body, which all Believers will get instantaneously on The Day of Jesus’ final, one only ‘Second Coming’. How else could we meet Yeshua/ Jesus? How could we rise into ‘the air’? [The pre-tribulation teaching presumes two resurrection days for Believers.] It will be at ‘the First RESURRECTION’, as beautifully explained by Paul in the 'RESURRECTION Chapter' of 1 Corinthians 15, which you need to stop and read for yourselves!
"In Messiah all will be made alive... When He comes... the End will come...  The body that is 'sown'~ is perishable, it is raised imperishable...in glory... in power...a Spiritual Body."

Like a butterfly ~ going straight from the caterpillar or 'chrysalis' stage to glorious freedom!
 [You may like to read the explanation of this here.]

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2. Hebrews 9:28,“So Messiah was sacrificed once, to take away the sins of many people: and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring SALVATION to those who are waiting for Him.” SALVATION means Believers enter in God's way to His family: by FAITH in His Son!
> Messiah’s First Coming was to die to [legally] win our SALVATION; the Second Coming will be for us to finally complete and claim our SALVATION on one Day, in absolute fullness of a rapturous experience, in resurrection life! In this life, perhaps our SALVATION seems more about dealing with spiritual issues, of freedom from sin, victory over the world, the fleshly struggles with the Devil and more.

'Full SALVATION' means we will finally be fully alive and enjoy the 1000-year reign of Jesus!

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3.  One only 'LAST DAY', John 11:23, “Yeshua/ Jesus said to her,” [Martha whose brother had died 4 days before],’Your brother will rise again.’  Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the LAST DAY.”  Three times in John 6, Yeshua/ Jesus says, “I will raise him up, [everyone who believes in Him] at the LAST Day.”
The "LAST Day" of Mans' evil rule after 6 Millennia!
The relief this will bring to suffering Believers is described in 2. Thess. 1: 3 -10 ~ please look it up!

CONCLUSION: There will be huge relief on that ‘LAST Day’, which clearly is the END of all EVIL!

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4.  Resurrection for all BELIEVERS of all time. Revelation 20: 6, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death [for unbelievers] has no power over them…” Millions of people have a dread of death ~ but without Jesus as Saviour, they have two!
> These verses need to be understood carefully.
All BELIEVERS of all time by faith in their Saviour, will be in the ‘First Resurrection’.
> [Some people have thought it is only those who have been 'beheaded’ in the Tribulation.
Sadly -Christians are so good at dividing things where there is no division!]
> We need to note the words about those who’s names are “written in the Lamb’s Book of Life”. If you look at all the references for this you know that this is "because of the Word of God"... [Vs 4.]
ALL faithful Believers in the Lamb of God throughout history - who's FAITH, won their Salvation.

CONCLUSION: Some, looked forward by faith in the O.T. time ~ since Jesus' death we look back in faith.

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5.  ONE special DAY. Matthew 24:42, “Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what DAY your LORD will come,” Jesus said.
His Return is all about being united with us Believers!
> Surely if there were two parts of the ‘Second Coming’, it would be more honest for those who hold this theory to talk about a second and third Coming, rather than dividing the Bible on an assumption of “a coming for the Church and another coming with the Church”? On one ‘DAY’ all Believers will be [as written in 1 Thess. 4:17] “caught up together… to meet the Lord in the air.”
Just as we check the arrival time of a 'plane bringing a loved one who has been away for a long time, we make sure of the DAY (& time), so we can go (usually a distance from the city) to meet them and bring them back with us.
> There are many references to that 'DAY' even in the O.T. usually called "the DAY of the LORD".
> There are many more reasonings and explanations in other web-sites, but we offer our beliefs in a simplified way, of a One Resurrection/Rapture DAY for all Believers in Yeshua/ Jesus as being one special event, on one special DAY. Our ‘Wedding DAY’! [Just see Revelation 19, Psalm 45, and 72!]

We trust you will be there with us! It will only be for Believers in Yeshua/ Jesus/ El Massih. Say 'sorry' for your sins, and ask Him to be your Saviour, and then live to learn about Him, and serve Him!
> CONCLUSION: There are not ‘two parts’ of the Second Coming on two different Days.

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B. Second Reason for a ‘post-Tribulation’ belief: use of the words about the ‘Last TRUMPET’.

1.There are numerous references that actually link the ‘Last TRUMPET’ with the Coming of Yeshua/Jesus. However the last of 7 Trumpets could be different from this one, if you read Rev. 11: 15 - 19, with ch15: especially 5 - ch 16: vs 1.
The seven "bowls of Wrath" follow from that vision of the Heavenly Temple, until the Last day events, where the "Last Trumpet Call" - maybe the Call of God's magnificent Voice, described by the Scriptures below.

> Matthew 24:31. “He will send His angels with a loud TRUMPET call, and they will gather His Elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”  
> 1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52, “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed –in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last TRUMPET. For the TRUMPET will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed.” This is a special, separate Trumpet Call - not part of a series.  
> 1 Thessalonians 4”16, “For the LORD Himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMPET call of GOD, and the dead in Messiah will be raised first.” A Loud announcement, a loud Voice and a 'Reveille' Trumpet call of GOD!
>This means the Rapture/ Resurrection Day will be for all Believers after the Tribulation - and at the end also, of the severe judgements, represented by the ‘Bowls of wrath’. This will be when the LAST Trumpet-call of GOD'S Voice, [not Angels?] - At the actual Coming of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus! [Rev.19]
> A set of spectacular events and noise – enough to ‘raise the dead’, as has been said! Surely a fitting climax to the End of evil and the greatest Future event, the Return to Earth of our Saviour, Who won our Salvation here on Earth. This Earth is a special Creation of God, where He plans to live with us!
> A small comparison or picture of this could be the opening and closing celebrations of the Olympic Games, but with much more magnificent Pageantry, like never seen before!

CONCLUSION: The unique 'LAST TRUMPET' call heralds the actual Coming - the Believer’s Rapture, (the destruction of the Anti-christ and his Army at Ha Megiddo) and our return with Messiah, All on One Special, glorious DAY!

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C. Third reason for expecting a ‘One Coming’, Post Tribulation event:  JESUS'/ YESHUA’s three statements reported by Matthew in chapter 24, ABOUT THE ‘SIGNS’ THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

1. There will be clear ‘SIGNS’ of Yeshua’s Coming and the ‘End of the Age’.

> Those ('Pre-Tribulation Rapture' Believers) who say His Coming is ‘immanent’ – with no prior Signs to indicate changes in the world scene, seem to deny the actual words of Yeshua. [See below.]
> JESUS spoke to His Disciples about a series of SIGNS such as wars, plagues, earthquakes, false prophets and false messiahs and increased wickedness, and finally, great events in the skies happening first.
For us at this time of History it is serious to deny the 'SIGNS'.
We give them, as in the Jewish N.T.
> Matthew 24: 3 - 11.“When He was sitting on the Mount of Olives the Disciples came to Him privately. ‘Tell us’, they said… ‘What will be THE SIGN that You are coming and that this age is ending?’
> "Yeshua replied, ‘Watch out! Don’t let anyone fool you! For many will come in My Name, saying, “I am the Messiah!” And they will lead many astray." [False messiahs concerned Yeshua.]
> "You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen but the End is yet to come.  [Gang wars, racial wars, civil wars ~ even 2 world wars! You would have to be intellectually handicapped not to know this.]
> "For peoples will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; all this is but the beginning of the ‘birth pains’." [Disasters - sometimes man-made ones!]
> "At that time you, [Believers in Yeshua/ Jesus] will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to death, and all peoples will hate you, because of ME." [Severe persecution would come!]
> "Many false prophets will appear and fool many people." [How sad that must have made Him.]
> Verse 12,“Many people’s love will grow cold because of increased wickedness,” [another important sign!]
"He said, 'but whoever holds out to the End will be delivered'.  
 [Jesus said it with so much loving longing.]
>And this Good News about the Kingdom will be made known, throughout the whole world as a witness… It is THEN THAT THE END will come.”  Yeshua/ Jesus then recounts some more specific developments and warnings that you can read down to verse 28.
 [Note, these disasters and the causes of persecution especially, are all enlarged on in the Book of Revelation - so there is a lot of information to warn Believers, no wonder there are special blessings for those who read it!
We'll have no excuse for not being prepared with the "extra oil" of devotion!]
CONCLUSION: we need to read, watch, pray and believe JESUS' Words.

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2. But then JESUS/ YESHUA Himself  ~ gives the first specific TIME statement, Matt.24: vs29.

> “But immediately FOLLOWING the Trouble (distress) of those times, the sun will grow dark, the moon will stop shining, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers in heaven will be shaken. [A massive Earthquake like Rev. 16: 17 - 21]  THEN the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with tremendous power and glory.” [JNT] We do not know exactly how 'all' will see Him, yet with modern Media - we now, have reason to believe! More than in the last 1900 years.
> One notes that all the web-sites and books by pre-tribulationists still spend time outlining all 8 of these 'signs', even when they do not see them as relevant to the Lord’s Coming, because they say 'Believers will not be here!' It seems we will see these signs. In NIV, it uses the words "After all these things..."
> Certainly, we do not know exactly when Yeshua is coming, but it is only the unbelievers who will be caught out, just as a thief - who sends no messages to say when he is coming! But we are “of the Day” and can be watching for the clearly listed signs Yeshua gave. This is the reason He told us about them!
> In Matt 24: 30, again, for the second time, Yeshua gave a SPECIFIC TIME in the words,  “Immediately AFTER the distress of those days…”

[Someone asked; “Excuse me ~ but what part of ‘AFTER’ don’t you understand?”!]

This is after all a precise list of 'signs' and especially explanations of the persecution of true Christians!

CONCLUSION: WE need to watch for ALL the Tribulation events to happen before His Coming!

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 3. Jesus / Yeshua also warned carefully about the HORROR of the time of TRIBULATION.

> Verse 21,“There will be great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again.” When our LORD says His Coming will be after the ‘Tribulation’, He was warning us in truth and love. He told us clearly! How sad if we don’t take His warnings.
Sadly many people have not realised this - because they have heard that they will be 'raptured' before that time.
CONCLUSION: God always warned His people of coming times of trouble.

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ALSO D, 4th Reason: We have the Words of the Ancient Hebrew PROPHETS ~ almost all of them!

> Matthew 24:15 shows that Yeshua also upheld the Prophets who wrote of End times of troubles, “When you see… the abomination that causes desolation spoken through the Prophet Daniel… flee to the mountains.” Daniel 10, gives the background events, then 11: 35 - 39, & 12: 7, more details, [but some were partially fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanies 150 years BCE.]
Yes, Jesus told this to His Jewish disciples, but also they as we, are 'God's People' ~ His followers.
>Jesus also refers to Isaiah’s words.
Isaiah 13: 9-13 "See the Day of the LORD is coming – a cruel day with wrath and fierce anger - to make the land [world] desolate… man scarcer than pure gold…”
> This is, for careful readers of God’s Word, a place to see that our Lord endorsed even the O.T. prophets who gave grave warnings, by quoting their words in Matthew 24: 22, “If those days had not been cut short, no-one would survive…”

CONCLUSION: there will be increasing signs as PROPHETS also plainly said, before His Coming.

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 E. Fifth Reason: The whole New Testament emphasises a Post-tribulation Coming of Messiah.

1. There are other clear WARNINGS and signs given by the APOSTLES writing of 'A DAY'.

> In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Paul said, “that DAY will not come, until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.”
> 2 Peter 3: 3: “First of all you must understand that in the last days, scoffers will come…”  
Incidentally, 3 times in this chapter he mentions ‘a DAY’.
”The DAY of judgement and destruction of ungodly men,” verse 7.
 “The DAY of the Lord will come like a thief,” verse10.
 “As you look forward to the DAY of God and speed it’s coming,” Verse 12.
> The fact is, that the DAY of resurrection joy for the Believers is also emphasised in some places, (as here in 2 Peter and in John's Revelation), as a DAY of judgement and punishment for the leaders of the Tribulation time and all their supporters at the Battle of Ha Megiddo.
Revelation 19: 17 - 21, Isaiah 13: 9-13.
> Although this is an important aspect, we are not concentrating on it; as for Believers it will be victory!
However in its way, this also fits with the concept of a Post-tribulation Coming at the End of the Age of Mankind's evil rule, to be replaced with God's rule by His Son, the Returning LORD Jesus to this Earth.

CONCLUSION: Jesus Return as Saviour was an integral part of all N.T. evangelism!

2. Because God did not hide the awful truth about the 'TIME OF TRIBULATION' from us.

> Revelation 13: 8 spells out clearly the facts of the Tribulation experience. “Everyone living on Earth will worship [the Beast's statue] except those whose names are written in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb slaughtered before the world was founded… This is when God’s holy People must persevere and trust.” [JNT]
If Believers are not going to be here, [as 'Pre-Tribbers' say, why tell us about it?
> This is also why Believers rejoice at the destruction of the evil leaders, having suffered so much under their reign.
Human beings can endure hard times much better if they are prepared...
> In Rev. 19: 2. “God’s judgements are true and just. He has judged the great whore who corrupted the world… He has taken vengeance on her who has the blood of His servants on her hands". Right up to Revelation 19 God's Word emphasises the reason for God's severe punishments!
> Also described in Revelation 19: 11 –15: [Yeshua] “the Rider of the white horse, 'Whose Name is Faithful and True'," Who strikes down the nations that gather against Him and His People.
So it goes on to say this, in this chapter of Revelation 19, “the Beast was captured and with him the false prophet… the two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur.”  [20.]
> It seems that many Gentile Christians will be honoured (some with martyrdom) in the Tribulation, or real suffering, but then possibly ~ later be protected on Earth, during the ‘Bowls of Wrath judgements’?
> Therefore the just punishment of those who torment them will come as the Christians are raptured out to meet our loving LORD and return to Earth in the glorious, victory procession of the Second Coming of King Yeshua/ Jesus Messiah to Earth!  2 Thess. 1: 4 -10 even gives the reaction of suffering Christians, showing Paul believed Believers would see: "God will pay back trouble to those who trouble you."
 [Rev. David Pawson explains this in his book, ‘When Jesus Returns to Earth” - Hodder & Stoughton Publishers.]

Our CONCLUSION: God would not give all this information unless all Believers are present here, right up to the Second Coming.
 [God already knows all about it!]

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6. Sixth Reason for a Post-tribulation Rapture: God will NOT DIVIDE HIS Body, by taking the Church first and leaving a ‘saved Jewish Israeli Nation’ here, for another ‘Coming’ later!

'Pre-Tribulation Rapture' teaching about the End Time Jews *, is very confused!

Jews can ONLY be in God's Kingdom through FAITH NOT by 'sight'.
> If the teaching of the vital importance of FAITH for Jews is changed or omitted, then almost all of Scripture is redundant, especially Hebrews chapter 11, which uses almost only Jews as examples of the unchangeable ingredient of FAITH in any relationship with ADONAI God! Verses 1, 2 & 6: "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. THIS is what the Ancients were commended for... And without FAITH it is impossible to please God!"
 [See more notes in PART 2 About ISRAEL * here]

>CONCLUSION: ALL Believers will be Raptured to meet Jesus as ONE 'Bride/Body/Olive Tree'.

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This is the end of PART ONE being Scripture-based answers to the Question: 'Why do we not believe that Christians will be raptured before the Tribulation'?

> You are welcome to write to us, with your questions after you have looked at other articles.
> If you have felt that you are the only person who was not sure about the ‘Pre-tribulation Theory’ – please be encouraged - there are many more godly people the same as you!
> As has been said by some Christians, “I would rather be prepared to face suffering and like Corrie Tem Boom said, learn Scriptures by heart now; than be disappointed if I had to face a choice of dying - or giving up my Faith, without any preparation.” It will take GOD'S GRACE to stand true "to the End"!

> Studying this subject is not about 'being right', but about seeking the truth, so we can live it.
>This is why we have prepared these studies and articles for you,

May God keep us all humble and faithful, to His great Glory,
At Yeshua/ Jesus' Coming!
It is no accident that the last 2 verses of 2 Thessalonians ch 2, speaks of the blessing that is there for us through these times ~
"May our LORD Yeshua Messiah Himself, and God our Father, Who loved us and by His [undeserved] Grace gave us [comfort] eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen
YOU in every good deed and word!"

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* We urge you to consider the thoughts in the twin Study: * here.
 Part 2. * 'ISRAEL' ~ VINDICATES A POST TRIBULATION RETURN OF JESUS'.

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