We know through scripture that some of God’s people will escape Jacob’s trouble and the martyrdom, which is just ahead of us now. Notice the following scriptures on this subject.

Luk 21:36  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Isa 26:20  Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.

Zep 2:3  Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

We also know that some are protected, fed and watered.

Isa 33:15  He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:

Isa 33:16  He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.

We also know that there is a martyrdom of saints and a persecution. Notice the following scriptures

Mat 24:9  “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

Rev 6:9  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Rev 6:11  Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Dan 7:21  “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,

Dan 7:22  until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

The following scriptures show that some of God’s people are protected but not necessarily in a place of safety.

Psa 91:7  A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

Eze 9:3  Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;

Eze 9:4  and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

This mark in verse 4 means signature. These people of God have His signature on their foreheads. They are protected during the terrible times ahead of them, look at the following verses.

Rev 9:4  They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

These above verses indicate that some of God’s people will be right in the thick of things and yet protected from danger.

There are some personalities who may not be in the place of safety because they have a job to do in the end time. These people are, the watchman, the modern-day Elijah, the two witnesses. These people must do their duty regardless of danger. God protects them even though there is death all around them.

Scripture is very clear that there is a place of safety. Now we will look at the resurrections and the return of Christ and God the Father.

The following scriptures show that the Father and Christ return to earth, Christ comes with the angels and the Father comes with the resurrected saints.

Zec 14:5  Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You.

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

Dan 7:21  “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,

Dan 7:22  until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

The above scriptures show very clearly that the Father comes to earth with the resurrected saints. Please see our article “God the Father Revealed” on this site, for a complete explanation of who the Father actually is in scripture. This is new knowledge for God’s end time people.

The following scripture shows the return to earth of Jesus Christ, with the angels.

Mat 16:27  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

2Th 1:7  and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

Rev 19:11  Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Rev 19:12  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

Rev 19:13  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Rev 19:14  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

Rev 19:15  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev 19:16  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The reader must surely see most clearly that the Father comes back to earth with the resurrected saints and that Christ comes back to earth with the angels.

This scripture shows the Father and Christ together.

Dan 7:13  “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

The resurrections have an order and we must understand the following order.

1Co 15:23  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1^st Christ

2^nd The firstfruits

3^rd Afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.

We understand about the resurrection of Christ so we won’t discuss that here. The next to be resurrected are the firstfruits. These are the dead firstfruits that the Father will bring with Him and the live firstfruits will meet them in the air.

1Th 4:15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1Th 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Psa 50:5  “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

This above scriptures show the resurrection of the firstfruits, both live and dead and the return to earth of God the Father.

The Father comes to earth before Christ, then the next stage of the 1^st resurrection takes place,………afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.

Most of God’s people throughout time will not qualify to be firstfruits. There are only 144,000 since Adam. So not too many will be a firstfruit. However there are still those who will be in God’s kingdom, and will be saints. These are those that are Christ’s, who will be resurrected at His coming.

Christ returns to earth with His angels, He sends the angels to gather His elect from the four winds of earth and heaven. This is the live and dead saints of Christ.

Mat 24:30  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:31  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Notice some more scriptures on the subject.

Mar 13:27  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

Luk 17:35  Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

Luk 17:36  Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”

Luk 17:37  And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

1Co 15:51  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

1Co 15:52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Let’s now notice the resurrection of the dead saints. We know that they come to earth with the Father, but when are they resurrected? Notice the following scriptures on that subject.

Rev 6:9  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Rev 6:11  Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

We see that the dead saints are resurrected and rest a little while in heaven with the Father and Christ until the number of the saints, who are to be killed is complete. We also see that they are judged and given white robes. They are changed to spirit at this time, ready to come to earth with the Father at the proper time, when He gives the command.

The Father returns to earth with the resurrected firstfruits as per the above scriptures. Then the live firstfruits will be raised to meet the Father in the air.

1Th 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The firstfruits are very special to God indeed, they belong to the Father and Christ.

Rev 14:4  These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Rev 14:1  Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

A number of translations also say that the 144,000 have the name of Christ and the Father on their foreheads.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Let’s recap, the firstfruits, God’s saints, who are dead will be resurrected, judged and rewarded then return with the Father. The live firstfruits will then rise and meet the Father and the resurrected firstfruits in the air and will always be with the Lord.

This might seem strange that the 1^st resurrection would be split up into two divisions of Firstfruits and saints, but notice the rewards which belong to God’s people, some have a much greater responsibility and authority than others. Why is this? It is because some of God’s people are prepared to believe Him, standalone against the church and the whole world if necessary, they put in many hours of Bible study and prayer and have tried very hard to be like Christ in their life. On the other hand, some, even though they are saints, have not put forth the effort, or time. They have followed along what the leaders of the church decide, they have not got the strength to make decisions and stand alone and prove things to themselves. Even if they do prove things they will not do something about their findings. Even though they are saints, they cannot hold down the very high positions of authority, and responsibility. Notice what Christ said on this matter.

Luk 19:15  “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Luk 19:16  Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’

Luk 19:17  And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’

Luk 19:18  And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’

Luk 19:19  Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

Luk 19:20  “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.

Luk 19:21  For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’

Luk 19:22  And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.

Luk 19:23  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

Luk 19:24  “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’

Luk 19:25  (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’)

Luk 19:26  ‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Luk 19:27  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”

It is clear by the above scriptures that some will have more authority than others.