1. Revelation 6:17 — “Has Come”
Wrath has been building—the Lamb opens all six seals prior to this moment (Rev 6:1–16).
➤ The people recognize what’s been happening is God’s wrath; Seal 6 simply exposes its terrifying reality.
Also, compare with Ezekiel 14:21 and Matthew 24:7—God’s judgments often start with famine, war, and plague, which align with the first four seals.
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2. The Restrainer
You’re right that the Bible doesn’t name the Restrainer explicitly—but the best interpretive fit is the Holy Spirit working through the Church:
•The Antichrist is revealed only after the Restrainer is “taken out of the way” (2 Thess 2:6–8).
•Jesus promised the unique indwelling of the Spirit to His Church (John 14:17).
•If the Restrainer is something else (like government or angels), it’s hard to explain why his removal is so pivotal to Satan’s final reveal.
This isn’t just theology—it’s consistent with God’s removal of His people before judgment (e.g., Lot in Sodom, Noah in the flood, Rev 3:10).
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3. Faithfulness vs. Escape
Absolutely—we’re called to endure hardship. But there’s a distinction between:
•Tribulation in this world (John 16:33), and
•The Tribulation—a specific 7-year judgment period (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 6–19).
Paul says we are to comfort one another with the hope of being “caught up” (1 Thess 4:18), and that Jesus rescues us from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10).
That’s not escapism—it’s a promise from a faithful Bridegroom.
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4. Revelation 4:1 — A Picture, Not a Proof
You’re right—Revelation 4:1 is a summons to John. But many scholars see it as symbolic of the Church’s removal, especially given:
•The Church is central in Revelation 1–3…
•Then totally absent until she reappears as the Bride (Rev 19).
While not an airtight argument, it aligns with the pattern and the timeline Paul outlines in 1 Thess 4–5.
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5. Saints in the Tribulation ≠ the Church
Yes, believers are present in Revelation 6–18—but notice:
•They are never called “the Church” (แผฮบฮบฮปฮทฯฮฏฮฑ).
•These are saints from every nation, many converted after the Rapture (Rev 7:14).
•In Revelation 13:7, the Beast overcomes them—a description never applied to the Church (Matt 16:18).
These are Tribulation saints, not the Bride. God always has a faithful remnant—but their identity and role differ from the Church.
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