Are you a Real Christian?

     There has been a lot made of the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ in Christendom and with good reason, because it's a big deal. Just how big a deal seems to be a bone of contention among some who profess to believe in this doctrine. Jesus told us everything we would need to know about when he would return so we would not be caught off guard when he calls. 

The only thing he left out was the exact day and hour of the 1^st phase of this occurrence.  He did not do this because he is cruel, but simply because he himself does not know the exact hour or day as only his father does.  However just because he does not know the day, does not mean he does not know the general time frame or season, as well as the happenings that would surround his return.  He also knows when in the sequence of scriptural events that it occurs because he wrote it and we can see where it is, if we choose to open our eyes fully. Knowing when in the sequence of other events does not tell us the day or hour either, however it is extremely important, because it tells us where we are on the time line of all things.

     The reason he knows these things, is because he is the one who causes them to occur.  Also just because we do not know the day or the hour, does not mean we were not told when in the sequence of other end time events that it would occur. We were also told about many other signs that would be occurring right before it happens so we would not be caught unaware. What I am going to submit to you here is, all of these signs are occurring now and have been for some time. We for the most part in Christendom have had our heads in the sand and have been fiddling while Rome is burning.

     Jesus and his many other messengers, the disciples and apostles, told us many things about his return including even when in events in scripture it occurs. 2000 years have past and we have come up with basically three explanations of when people think he may return. Problem is only one can be correct. If you don't think it's important to find out which one is the correct position, you may wish you had known if you are wrong and left holding a false teaching. Some think it's not that important to know exactly when he's coming, as long as when he does come you are ready. There is some truth to this, but only knowing some truth as opposed to all the truth can be dangerous.  Some who choose to take sides attack others without the entire picture to back up their positions.

     A common mistake that some make is taking only one scripture or thought process and making that into the entire doctrine that they adhere to, whatever it might be.  In the case of the 2^nd coming, we  find some scripture that talks about how some holy people have to persevere to the end of the tribulation period to gain their Salvation.  So what has happened is, some believe that all Christians have to endure to the end of the tribulation to be saved. But what they have failed to recognize is, there are more than one group of people talked about in end times Revelation prophesy.  So while it's true, some will in fact have to endure to the very end, what is very plain in other scripture, is some won't, because  there are other scriptures that tell us at least some are leaving early.  Since all scripture is true, it's not one or the other that's correct, but all.  

We also need to recognize two major groups in the bible who are given what seem to be two different messages about end times prophesy.  The first group is the original Old Testament elect, the nation of Israel, who's people is the Jews.  The second group is the church that was formed in the 1^st century, some of whom were Jews as well, but they offered the invitation of God's good news of Salvation to all, both Jew and non-Jew who they called Gentiles.

     There are three basic camps or beliefs that are as follows and I will try and keep this simple instead of using theologian talk, but before we explore this in more detail we need to recognize why there are three groups or factions to start with. One of the reasons why there are so many beliefs is because some refuse to take the bible literally. This especially true with Revelation prophesy, because of it's occasional symbolism.  What they fail to realize is, almost all Revelatory symbolism is explained almost immediately after the symbol is identified, right in the same passage.  Another thing that some do is, they see in Revelation that there is a numerical, sequential and chronological order to things, but the refuse to follow the order.

     They do this because they do not want to be dogmatic(strict) about the order, as if they do, they would have to admit to some things that they would rather not do. IE: If you look at the 6^th seal of Revelation which spans chapters six and seven, you would find a massive group of people from every part of the world that is seen in heaven. We are even told who they are and where they came from! But do you think theologians can read this and realize that it describes a giant catching away, Rapture like event?  Even though the evidence is overwhelming and clear, they refuse to recognize this. But why do they fail? Here are some reasons with first an explanation of the three factions.

1. Some believe that Jesus is coming before the last great tribulation begins, these people are known as Pre-tribulation Rapture believers. 2. Some think that he is coming sometime in the middle of the tribulation period, perhaps after the 7^th angel trumpet, these are called mid-tribbers. 3. Some think that he is coming sometime closer to the end of the tribulation period and they are known as post tribulationists.  There are be some who believe in no rapture at all, possibly because they are tired of the bickering among the other groups, but they are a smaller number, so we are mainly looking at three main camps.

     We will look at the many scriptures that pertain to this doctrine so you can make up your own mind, but a few basics first. The reason there is three camps to start with, is because they are looking at certain scriptures to bolster their positions. It's not that they don't have scripture that they are standing on, the problem is, some refuse to acknowledge all scripture on the subject and you can take this to other church doctrine as well. This is also one reason why there are so many church denominations.

     But if they would all recognize that the bible shows us a 6^th seal Rapture, it would cause the following tumult. The pre-tribbers haven't recognized it, because they think a 6^th seal Rapture means that Christians may have to live through a part of the last great tribulation, so they think this 6^th seal Rapture, is occurring too late for their liking.  What they fail to realize is, the tribulation does not start until after the 6^th seal.

     The mid-tribbers won't recognize the 6^th seal Rapture, because to them, it occurs too early still, and they want to adhere to the 'last trumpet' Rapture, which they think occurs after the 7^th angel trumpet in chapter eight of Revelation. What they fail to realize is, the 7^th angel trumpet is a judgment for those left on the earth and the Rapture is a reward.  Also they miss that an angel does not blow 'the last trumpet', instead Jesus blows the Rapture trumpet himself. But he does this by not even blowing an actual trumpet, but just using his voice which sounds like a trumpet as described in the 1^st and 2^nd chapter of Revelation. He will do one call, in three manifestations, to call his ready followers to meet him in the air.

     The post-tribbers won't recognize a 6^th seal Rapture, because they think all Christians must endure to the end to be saved and a 6^th seal Rapture is just much too soon. What they fail to realize is, everyone's end is different. For some their end is today! 500 Christians are Martyred everyday to add to the already 70 million who went on before them.

     Now with another new study out telling people that some poll says most Christians, don't believe Jesus is coming until 2050, and it's no wonder few are ready for what is just about to happen.  Jesus said he would come at a time when we least expect it. Well if most are expecting him for 40 more years, then his coming now would fulfill this scripture and truly this is exactly what is about to happen. All the signs of this coming are going on all around us.  From the plans to rebuild the final tribulation temple in Jerusalem, to the earthquakes, volcanoes, riots, wars and rumors of wars, there has never been an intensity and multiplied number of all these signs together as there is now. Why? Because the 6^th seal Pre-tribulation Rapture is about to occur and it will come as most of the American church said no not now Jesus, we don't believe that, we have lives to live.

     But it will happen none the less and many will wonder why their Pastors, Priests and Rabbis, who are all paid to do so, did not tell them the whole truth about something so simple to just read and believe. There are going to be many angry church going people who are going to wonder why someone did not tell them the whole truth.

     Now one of these three beliefs requires more faith to believe it than the other two. With two of the three all you have to do is wait for a few major signs, such as the 1^st trumpet judgment where fire burns up 1/3 of the earth, or the 2^nd trumpet where 1/3 of the water turn to blood and 1/3 of all the ships and sea life die, to realize that Jesus is on his way. This stance which is more of a mid tribulation stance, would simply require sight to notice the major signs. Problem is, it negates Jesus coming as a thief as he said he would and takes less faith to believe in, than those who believe Jesus is coming sooner with less of a notice.

     With the post tribulation stance you just wait for even more obvious major signs like the 5^th trumpet where a demonic army wipes out 2 billion  people, then the Mark of the beast is initiated,  millions are beheaded for their faith, and all the water is turned to blood etc., as the punishments get progressively worse. This takes even less faith than the mid tribulation stance and you don't even have to look for Jesus return, you just wait for the Antichrist to come on to the scene as he wreaks havoc.

The Pre-tribulation stance takes the most faith of all, but if you know your scripture well enough, you will think it's madness to believe anything but.       

I have compiled many of the scriptures pertaining to the soon coming catching away of the ready watching saints, into one study here.  This is an amazing thing to do and when you see it all put together like this it paints a much clearer picture. You might not have known that the Old Testament does have a few scriptures that pertain to this event.
 

Whether or not the prophets Isaiah or Joel knew that they were talking about the Rapture event or not, does not really matter, they probably didn't. However they likely knew that they were at least talking about future events. They probably knew when they were talking out their own people, the Jews, who would be punished for their sins and turning their backs on God, but that God would some day call them back to himself again and they would repopulate the earth as was promised to them to Abraham in Genesis.

But starting with Isaiah lets look at the details of some of what happens during the Rapture event of Revelation's 6^th and 7^th chapters as we match up the wording with all like scripture and see how it all gets fulfilled in Revelation.

 

Isaiah.13:10 reads:

The stars will not show their light; the skies will be dark. The sun will grow dark as it rises, and the moon will not give its light. Then Is.34:4 reads:  The sun, moon, and stars will dissolve, and the sky will be rolled up like a scroll. The stars will fall like dead leaves from a vine or dried-up figs from a fig tree.
We see this same language at the breaking of the sixth seal of Revelation 6:13-14 because it where it gets fulfilled. And the stars in the sky fell to the earth like figs falling from a fig tree when the wind blows. The sky disappeared as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
 Is 24:23 tells us about the sun and the moon: the moon will be embarrassed and the sun will be ashamed. Because the Lord All-powerful will rule as king on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.  Jerusalem's leaders will see his greatness.
Joel 2:31 reads:  The sun will become dark, the moon red as blood, before the overwhelming and terrible day of the Lord comes.
 

     There is more than one terrible or great day of the Lord in end times prophesy. The first one is the day after the Rapture at the breaking of the 6^th seal.  The second one is at the battle of Armageddon in Revelation chapter 19, but as we will see later, there will be far less people even alive at Revelation chapter 19, after most of the world has been killed by the various punishments.  Here in Revelation 6:16-17, the people proclaim themselves what day this is, because as we will see later, they just saw Jesus collect his followers in the air. They proclaim as they call to the mountains and rocks:

 "Fall on us. Hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb! The great day for their anger has come, and who can stand against it?"
 

Jesus with more similar wording in Matthew and speaking in very clear words of what he will do when he collects the ready 24:28-30 said:

"Soon after the trouble of those days, 'the sun will grow dark, and the moon will not give its light.  The stars will fall from the sky.   And the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the peoples of the world will cry. They will see the Son of Man coming on clouds in the sky with great power and glory. He will use a loud trumpet to send his angels all around the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from every part of the world.
 

     In Matthew 25:10, we see how Jesus told us that some in the church would be left behind if they were not ready spiritually:

So while the five foolish bridesmaids went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. The bridesmaids who were ready went with the bridegroom to the wedding feast, then the door was closed and locked.
 

Mark 13:24-26 is identical to Matthew 24:28-30.

 

In Luke 12:39-40 Jesus talked again about being ready for his return:

39 "Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house. 40 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don't expect him!"
 

Jesus in describing what life will be like when he returns said in Luke :17:24-36:

   24. "When the Son of Man comes again, he will shine like lightning, which flashes across the sky and lights it up from one side to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by the people of this time.26 When the Son of Man comes again, it will be as it was when Noah lived.27 People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving their children to be married until the day Noah entered the boat. Then the flood came and killed them all.28 It will be the same as during the time of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building.29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from the sky and killed them all. 30 This is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again.
 

     This is simply describing normal life and even the good life which will be absent after he takes his ready ones out of the world for the final great testing period. We can look at our current times and economy and realize that though it is down from it's high, we can still eat, drink, get married, buy, sell, plant and build. He continues in verse 31:

  

31 "On that day, a person who is on the roof and whose belongings are in the house should not go inside to get them. A person who is in the field should not go back home. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.34 I tell you, on that night two people will be sleeping in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken, and the other will be left.  36 Two people will be in the field. One will be taken, and the other will be left."
 

     Jesus is speaking more to the attitude of the heart and general readiness of the people.  If one is more concerned with the material things of this life than the spiritual, they will not be ready and therefore will be left behind as Lot's wife was. Lot's wife looked back on Sodom after being told not to and she was turned into a pillar of salt. Anyone with the same attitude as she had which was to love the sinful life, more than the holy life, will be left behind to see if they can get it right. We also see as in chapter 25 of Matthew, one will be taken and the other left. This could actually mean half the church will be taken and the other left. That remains to be seen of course, but for sure we know not all professing Christians are going, instead many will be left behind.  It is possible that they will be saved later on however, because as many as one billion tribulation saints will be beheaded by the Antichrist and thereby purchase their Salvation, by becoming willing Martyrs.

 

     In Luke 21:25-28, Jesus tells us what will be going on all around us when he snatches away his ready followers. This is all happening now with the earthquakes, riots, volcanoes and other supernatural disasters :

25 "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On earth, nations will be afraid and confused because of the roar and fury of the sea. 26 People will be so afraid they will faint, wondering what is happening to the world, because the powers of the heavens will be shaken.27 Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
 

     Then Jesus gives the timing on the when. He says when the begin to happen look up, not in the middle or near the end, but when they begin.

 28 When these things begin to happen, look up and hold your heads high, because the time when God will free you is near!"
 

Luke 21:34-36:

34 "Be careful not to spend your time feasting, drinking, or worrying about worldly things. If you do, that day might come on you suddenly, 35 like a trap on all people on earth. 36 So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that will happen and that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man."
 

     More incredible proof that some are leaving early be escaping before the worst happens. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape, tells us that some are definitely leaving early, but we have to be strong enough by keeping our white robes of Salvation clean.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52:

 51 But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed.52 It will take only a second?as quickly as an eye blinks?when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we will all be changed.

     Note: This is the last trump of God being blown here by Jesus himself, not by an angel. The seven angel trumpet blasts are incurring punishments during the tribulation period, the call to heaven by Jesus, is not a punishment, so must be separated out from the others. More on this in just a bit.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:

     The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And those who have died believing in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive will be gathered up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever.18 So encourage each other with these words.
    

     This is the trumpet that Jesus will be blowing himself to call his elect to himself, but notice how it is described as three separate things: He himself gives: 1. A loud command. 2. also in the voice of the archangel. 3. And with the trumpet call of God.  A fair question to ask here is, how can he do all three simultaneously?  Well what if his voice sounded like a trumpet? Is this a possibility? 

In Revelation 1:10 it reads: On the Lord's day I was in the Spirit, and I heard a loud voice behind me that sounded like a trumpet.

 Also in Revelation 4:1 it reads :  After the vision of these things I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And the same voice that spoke to me before, that sounded like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.
 

     Answer: Yes a voice can sound like a trumpet, especially when it is Jesus who can do anything.

Paul continues in1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 by telling us Jesus is coming 'like a thief' and by the way, because he is coming 'like a thief' this is not referring to the secrecy of a thief, but the surprise of a thief. We will see in just a bit how everyone sees the Rapture event, it will be no secret at all.

  1 Now, brothers and sisters, we do not need to write you about times and dates.2 You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be a surprise, like a thief that comes in the night.3 While people are saying, "We have peace and we are safe," they will be destroyed quickly. It is like pains that come quickly to a woman having a baby. Those people will not escape.4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not living in darkness, and so that day will not surprise you like a thief.
 

     Again Paul like Jesus is talking about escape here. In fact a great escape. Lets also realize that escape means to not be there physically, not to be protected during. Some are escaping, some are staying.  Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8, is talking about something that needs to happen before Jesus can come, specifically the taking out of the way of a restrainer of evil. Many think it could be the Holy Spirit in the lives of the ready who will be removed, because he is called 'he' and this is certainly a possibility.  But it could also be a powerful angel. Many times in the bible we see angels restraining evil.

Do not let anyone fool you in any way. That day of the Lord will not come until the turning away from God happens and the Man of Evil, who is on his way to hell, appears. 4 He will be against and put himself above any so-called god or anything that people worship. And that Man of Evil will even go into God's Temple and sit there and say that he is God.

 5 I told you when I was with you that all this would happen. Do you not remember? 6 And now you know what is stopping that Man of Evil so he will appear at the right time.7 The secret power of evil is already working in the world, but there is one who is stopping that power. And he will continue to stop it until he is taken out of the way.8 Then that Man of Evil will appear, and the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath that comes from his mouth and will destroy him with the glory of his coming.

     It does not take a doctorate in theology to see that the growing apostasy in the church now has already taken root and many have already turning away from God.  Also the Antichrist may already be revealed as revealed or appearing does not necessarily mean identification.  Jesus appeared at his birth, but he was not revealed fully until much later in his life. Even when the Antichrist is fully identified by the fatal head wound and signs the seven year peace treaty with Israel, still people will deny who he is and he will never be identified as such in the media as he will control it.

 

In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Paul describes what people will be like. I think we can see this now if we are honest and looking:

1 Remember this! In the last days there will be many troubles,2 because people will love themselves, love money, brag, and be proud. They will say evil things against others and will not obey their parents or be thankful or be the kind of people God wants.3 They will not love others, will refuse to forgive, will gossip, and will not control themselves. They will be cruel, will hate what is good,4 will turn against their friends, and will do foolish things without thinking. They will be conceited, will love pleasure instead of God,5 and will act as if they serve God but will not have his power. Stay away from those people.
 

     Many have a form of religion, but deny the power of real religion, which is the power of the Holy Spirit in the believers life. Many in the church today believe that this power is not even needed. They tell others they have enough of it, or that it was only for the first century church. This is a dangerous belief and doctrine.  We need more of his Holy Spirit as the day of the Rapture approaches, not less.

 

Paul in Titus 2:11-13 said:

 That is the way we should live, because God's grace that can save everyone has come. 12 It teaches us not to live against God nor to do the evil things the world wants to do. Instead, that grace teaches us to live in the present age in a wise and right way and in a way that shows we serve God. 13 We should live like that while we wait for our great hope and the coming of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

     This is the blessed hope that all true Christians are to be thinking on. Not thinking on it can turn even the best of intentions, into the scoffing of this immanent event.  There are many scoffers in the church now as we were told there would be right before his return.

2 Peter 3:3 then 3:8 also reads from Peter:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 Peter also said in 2 Peter 3:10-11:

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The skies will disappear with a loud noise. Everything in them will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be exposed. 11 In that way everything will be destroyed. So what kind of people should you be? You should live holy lives and serve God.

     Finally in Revelation we see all of these Rapture verses fulfilled and move toward the actual event.

Revelation 1:7 reads with John the Revelator saying:

Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds, and everyone will see him, even those who stabbed him. And all peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of him. Yes, this will happen! Amen.

     Notice how John tells us everyone will see him even those who stabbed him, and where are they now? Dead and in hell unless they repented. How will they be able to see him? Supernaturally as will everyone else, as the sky is rolled back like a scroll or a curtain. The Rapture will not be a secret event at all.

Then John in the seven Revelatory letters to the churches gives more insight on some who are leaving and some who are staying, to those who refuse to get holy and keep their white robes clean by constant repentance if needed, he says in Revelation 3:3:

3 So do not forget what you have received and heard. Obey it, and change your hearts and lives. So you must wake up, or I will come like a thief, and you will not know when I will come to you.

But to those who obey he makes a promise in Revelation 3:10-11:

10 You have obeyed my teaching about not giving up your faith. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world to test those who live on earth. 11. "I am coming soon. Continue strong in your faith so no one will take away your crown.

     Some will be 'kept from' the time of trouble, much like the escape wording. IE:To keep your child from going to school is to keep back physically not protected during.

 

     Finally we get to see where all these descriptions are fulfilled here at the sixth seal of Revelation, which is just about to be broken by Jesus (The lamb).  This is all like kind language but even with more detail.

Revelation 6:12-17:

 12 Then I watched while the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black like rough black cloth, and the whole moon became red like blood.13 And the stars in the sky fell to the earth like figs falling from a fig tree when the wind blows.14 The sky disappeared as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

 15 Then the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the rich people, the powerful people, the slaves, and the free people hid themselves in caves and in the rocks on the mountains.16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us. Hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb!17 The great day for their anger has come, and who can stand against it?"
 

     We have seen all similar wording in the previous prophecies by Jesus and others and we never see this language again after the 6^th seal, because this is where it occurs. Notice how there is no talk of facing the Antichrist, battle cries, white horses, or Jesus coming to bring final judgment here as we see later on in Revelation 19, or in other Old Testament 2^nd coming verses which litter the prophetic books from Isaiah to Malachi. This is the start of the last great tribulation period, because Revelation 7: 9-15 proclaims it with evidence of a large crowd of people who have been removed from the earth:

Revelation 7:9-15 reads:

9 After the vision of these things I looked, and there was a great number of people, so many that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.10 They were shouting in a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."11 All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures. They all bowed down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,12 saying, "Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!"

     So the Rapture has to occur with the sky being rolled back either right before the 6^th seal is broken, or as it is broken at the same time, since Jesus comes as a thief. Then the rest of the seal is unleashed. But do not let the fact that this removal occurs at the 6^th seal discourage you into thinking that all Christians have to live through some part of the last great tribulation. We have mistakenly thought that it has to occur before the 1^st seal, not realizing that the first five seals have already been broken long ago by Jesus, most likely as soon as he went back to heaven. We need to remember that Revelation began back in the 1^st century when John was told not to close the prophesy of Revelation.  Jesus told him it was for then Johns time, and the future, so it was not all future. Daniel however, was told to close his prophesy until the time of the end. So Daniels starts after the great tribulation begins, especially the last 3 ½ years of the seven, while Revelation has already begun. Even Peter proclaimed in Acts, quoting Joel, that the last days began back in his day, so we are now living in the last of the last days. We are likely the generation that will get to see the end of all things.

 

     We are not living before the seven seals right now, but instead in the midst of the fifth and sixth, which also coincides with the lull in between Daniels 69^th and 70^th week. Many theologians believe we are simply waiting for the 70^th week to commence which will start the last great tribulation. If you do even a quick read of the first five seals of Revelation you will discover there is nothing new in them that has not been going on for centuries and more. Also the question that the Martyrs ask Jesus in the 5^th seal, show us that it has to be a past event and can't be something that starts after the Rapture occurs and great tribulation begins. It reads in Revelation 6:9:

 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

     This is not a question that will need to be asked after the Rapture, the 6^th seal, or the start of the last great tribulation, because they would then know how long, as most Christians know, once the last great tribulation starts, it will only be approximately seven years to the physical return of Jesus to in fact avenge these deaths.