The Church is not subject to the wrath of God (I Thes. 5:9 / Rom. 5:9 / I Thess. 1:10). This truth has led some to believe that the Church cannot be on earth during the time of the Great Tribulation because it is assumed that the entire final 7 years is the Great Tribulation and that all of it is God's wrath.
But this is incorrect. The final 7 years (Dan. 9:27) are not all "Great Tribulation." Only the later half of the final 7 years (i.e., the last 3 1/2 years of the final 7 years) are "Great Tribulation" (Matt. 24:15,21 / Dan. 9:27 w/Dan. 11:31 / Dan. 12:1 w/ Rev. 12:6-7 / Rev. 12:14 "Time (1 yr), Times (2 yrs), 1/2 a Time (1/2 a yr) = 3 1/2 yrs of the later 7 yrs).
Next, we need to note how this final 3 1/2 years (of the final 7 years) is NOT called "God's wrath," but it is called "Satan's wrath" (Rev. 12:12 / Rev. 12:9). Anytime the church has been persecuted in history, it wasn't God's Wrath against His own people (His Bride); rather, it was Satan's Wrath against God's people.
According to scripture, Satan's persecution against the church (i.e., "saints") is not yet over and will be in full force during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12:17), which is the final 3 1/2 years, of the final 7 years. Notice in Rev. 12:17 - that when Satan was "wroth" (or mad, and therefore having "wrath"), he made war against those who have the testimony of Jesus. Therefore, Satan's wrath is specifically pictured as Christian persecution. Which (might I add) are the ONLY individuals who have the "testimony of Jesus."
Can God spare His people from Satan's Wrath (i.e., persecution unto death)? Sure, Peter was released by an angel from prison. Nonetheless, Peter was later martyred for Christ, according to History. Much of the early Christian church was killed for they faith in Jesus Christ. Did God not love them? Was he mad at them? Did He throw them into Great Tribulation? No, their tribulation was not "God's Wrath," it was "Satan's Wrath."
John the beloved was the only Apostle who was not martyred. They tried to kill him, and when that failed, they sent him to prison on an island called Patmos off the coast of Asia Minor. It's funny to me that - they sent John to prison to silence him (since they couldn't kill him), but it was there that God gave him the book of Revelation, which still speaks around the globe (even today).
The "Vials" in the book of Revelation are clearly called in scripture "the wrath of God" (Rev. 15:1, 16:1, 13-19), so "God's Wrath" does indeed make an appearance during the final 7 years. But when? Only at the END of the final 7 years, and God's Wrath only falls on those who took the mark of the beast and those who know not God. This does NOT mean that the church cannot be on earth at this time, no more than it meant that Israel couldn't be on earth during the time of God's Wrath being poured out on the children of Egypt in the days of Moses. God's people were indeed on earth when the death angel killed all of Egypt's firstborn, but Israel was untouched because of the blood (i.e., typified as the coming blood of Christ). And while Egypt sat in darkness with their sores and pains, all of the children of Israel had light in their dwellings (Exodus 10:22,23).
Further, we know that the mark of the beast (i.e., 666) is only available during the later 3 1/2 years (during the Great Tribulation) of the final 7 years. Also, we should note that enforcing the mark of the beast upon the entire world's population would require some time. With that understanding, consider that the 1st Vial (of God's Wrath) was poured out upon ONLY those who took the mark of the beast. This means that God's Wrath cannot be poured out ALL THROUGHOUT the entire final 7 years. Instead, it is only beginning to be poured out at the very end of the final 7 years (Note: Rev. 16:13-19 - when God's wrath is poured out, it is the END of the final 7 years, near the battle of Armageddon).
Conclusion: The point is - the church will indeed be on earth during the final 7 years. Only the later half of the final 7 years (i.e., the final 3 1/2 years of the final 7 years / Which is also known as = Time, Times, and 1/2 a Time, & aka = 42 months, & aka = 1,260 days = cf. Rev. 12) are actually "Great Tribulation" - which is a time on earth best described as "Satan's Wrath" (since his wrath lasts that entire 3 1/2 years) rather than "God's Wrath" (which is only poured out at the very end of the final 7 years, and ONLY poured out on those that are NOT a part of God's Church / "The Bride of Christ"). We should remember that God's true "wrath" will be an eternal place of punishment called "Hell." His "wrath" on earth via the vials, are in reality, God simply punishing the armies of the earth who will unify together in an attempt to destroy Israel at Armageddon (at the end of the final 7 years (cf. Ezekiel 38:22-23 / Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39). - Rev. Bryan Smith
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