2nd Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
We have covered several issues pertaining to God- ordained prophets, and we should take the time to outline them clearly, before we go into the Bible study. Here they are: [1] Prophets can in rare instances make mistakes for they are finite. [2] Prophets do not always understand the message God give to them. [3] Sometimes, the message given is applicable only to future generations, and therefore the meaning or the interpretation may be made clear, in the fulness of time, as God sees fit.
[4] In some instances, the light given to a prophet may be superseded by new or additional light as the case might be. This last point is where we will segway into the core of the study, for there are questions swirling around the issue of how many persons will be alive to pass through the time of trouble, who will not see death, and who will be translated to heaven. Bible studies should never be done just for purposes of argument, but should have as their sole intent, to edify, build up, instruct, make plain, and most of all, to prepare the saints of God to manage expectation prudently.
As was stated before in a previous Bible study, God will put many of His people to sleep for a moment, just before earth’s final crisis unfolds in its entirety. The reason for this is that the time will be so brutal that if some were permitted to live, they would not make it through the ordeal. The severity of that time must be understood in the context of the preemptive action God will take, lest millions of His people be lost. Daniel refers to it as a time of trouble since there was a nation.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!