Concerning the Tribulation Period, how many groups are left-behind? The answer to that question really depends upon your point of view concerning the return of Christ for His saints. There are basically three viewpoints concerning the return of Christ. The three views are labeled, Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation, and Post –tribulation.
If you are of the Pre-tribulation persuasion, then there will be two groups that are left-behind. The Pre-tribulation view is that Christ will return before the Tribulation Period begins. He will return in an event called the ‘rapture’ to receive His saints unto Himself; Mt. 24:40, “then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Only the righteous will be taken back to heaven with Christ. All of those that are unrighteous will not take part in the rapture and they will be left-behind. This is the first group of individuals that are left-behind. After the Tribulation Period is complete, Christ will again return for those individuals that were born-again during the Tribulation Period, in an event called the ‘Second Coming.’ These individuals are called tribulation saints. All of those individuals that did not repent and become born-again during the Tribulation Period will be left-behind. This is the second group that will be left-behind. We know the ones left-behind are not killed, because the saints will rule over someone for one thousand years; Rev. 20:4, “…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. “ There will have to be somebody left on earth to be under the rule and reign of the saints. From the Pre-tribulation viewpoint there will be two different groups of individual that are left-behind.
If you are of the Mid-tribulation persuasion, then there will also be two groups that are left-behind. The Mid-tribulation view is exactly the same as the Pre-tribulation view, except the timing of the rapture. In Mid-tribulation, the rapture will take place in the middle of the tribulation period, rather than the beginning of the tribulation period.
If you are of the Post-tribulation persuasion, then there will only be one group that is left-behind. The Post-tribulation view is that Christ will return for His saints at the end of the Tribulation Period, making the rapture and the Second Coming the same event. All of those individuals that are righteous at the return of Christ will become saints of God and they will be taken to heaven. All those individuals that are unrighteous at Christ’s return will be left-behind. The saints will then rule and reign over those that are left-behind; Rev. 5:10, “…made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
The number of groups that are left-behind is dependent upon your viewpoint. If your viewpoint is Pre-tribulation or Mid-tribulation, then there will be two groups of people that are left-behind. If you take the Post-tribulation viewpoint, then there will only be one group of people that are left-behind.
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