I think the post tribulation believers should do some serious research on Revelation -2-3 and then
Revelation 4 ------
Revelation -2 and 3 ---the Church of Christ is mentioned on the earth ---after Revelation 3 -- --the Church is not mentioned on the earth ----- Revelation 4 we are in Heaven ---------Tribulation starts in Revelation 6
see this in verse 4 ------Revelation 4
it says there are 24 Elders ------
So who are these 24 Elders ---
we see their cloths are white --and they have crowns of Gold on their---- heads -----
could this be the Church -----if so then the Church was Raptured and are safe from the tribulation which hasn't began yet ------
Many Scholars believe it is the Church ---Some believe they are Angels ----but no where does Scripture ever say angels wear Gold Crowns on their heads -------Scripture
does say ---that the Saints are given Crowns for their deeds ------and in verse 10 ---these elders lay their crowns down at the Foot of God's Throne ------and Worship Him ------
Revelation 4 NIV
The Throne in Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[
a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[
b]
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
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This is a 3 min video ----
John MacArthur -and his view ---with the written article for the Video ----for those who are interested in listening or reading his thoughts ------
59,436 views 22 Apr 2011
Now there's a chronology in the Book of Revelation. In the first chapter you have just a presentation of Christ and some general things about what's going to happen.
But in Chapter 2 the church is pictured on earth.
In Chapter 3 the church is pictured on earth.
And in Chapter 4 we're introduced to some interesting individuals.
Verse 4
we all of a sudden pop up to heaven and we get up to heaven in verse 4 and incidentally the tribulation hasn't started. It doesn't start until Chapter 6 so we're in Chapter 4 in heaven. And it says in verse
4, "Round about the throne were four and twenty thrones and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment they had on their heads crowns of gold." Now verse 10 says, "the four and twenty elders fall down before him that seated on the throne and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying, 'Thou art worthy O Lord,'" and so forth. Now here we meet 24 elders. Some people think these are angels. I do not think they are angels because nowhere in Scripture are angels ever called elders.
Since angels do not have a concept of age the term elder would be misapplied if granted to angels. Elder basically means just what it is, elder, older, mature, experienced.
Angels are as old now as when they were created. They have no concept of time related to their existence.
Others say that these are Old Testament saints.
Incidentally if you can confirm that this is the church, then you've got the church in heaven before the tribulation, see. So it's an important point.
So if you want to make sure the church goes through the tribulation you got to do something with the 24 elders. They can't be the church. So some say they are Old Testament saints. Well that's a problem and the reason for that is in Chapter 5, verse 9, because here the 24 elders sing.
Now you know what they sing?
They sing a new song and the song is this: now watch it. "Thou art worthy to take the scroll and open its seal," singing to Christ. "For thou was slain as redeemed us to God by thy blood, watch, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation."
That's not Israel, right?
I do not believe that the 24 elders are Israel, nor do I believe that half of them are Israel and the other half are the apostles. Some say the 12 of them are the 12 representatives of the 12 tribes. That can't be. They had been redeemed from every tribe and kindred and tongue and nation. Now that only characterizes one group. Which group? The church.
Again, the white raiment in verse 4 of Chapter 4 is the symbol of the church's purity.
Again, the crowns that they wear on their heads is not the word diatomah, which would be a kingly crown, but the word stephanas, a victor's crown.
Who is promised again and again and again the victor's crown? The church. And the joy of the church in Chapter 4:10 casting their crowns where? At the feet of Jesus Christ.
I believe, clearly, the 24 elders are the church. If so they're in heaven before the tribulation begins