If you believe the rapture will take place before the tribulation, (or pre-trib) all of those who are alive in Christ will be taken up into heaven as Jesus meets them in the cloud. This is great news!!!! This is the position we teach at Grace Church.
For more information on the rapture we will be discussing that on October 17 at Grace Church and we will be discussing the Tribulation period on October 31.
To read more click on the link HERE.
The purpose behind the tribulation is many fold, but a few stand out:
- To provide Satan a chance to reign unencumbered on the earth and utterly prove that He is not the god he claims to be, but is a fraud who will lose.
- To punish the gentiles the for their treatment of the Jewish people and their rejection of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
- To prepare Israel as people of faith in their Messiah and to inherit their promised kingdom. (Malachi 3:3)
There is no mention of the Church (AKA “the Bride of Christ”) during the detail written about the events of the tribulation. Because of this, it can be inferred that the Church is not on the earth during this time but has been previously raptured.
The following post might provide more information.