That surely wasn't the 1800s. From what I read, I don't think the great tribulation period could have started until relatively recently.
Greetings Melanie, I agree that truth and godliness was much more prevalent in the 1800's than now, yet the
the bud begin to show itself in the 1800's
"until" where we are now, as I see it. I would not fall out with a brother or sister over when they understand the beginning of the great tribulation period, which we both agree that it is
spiritual in nature and that it is toward professing Christianity and NOT toward Israel after the flesh. These we would earnestly contend for, not as to when one brother thinks when it may have first begun to start, yet the time for Christ's coming was not at the very door in the 1800's I know very well.
Matthew 24:6~"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
I understand that Christ is speaking of
spiritual wars, not literal, for that we have always had since the very beginning of time. Yet, when we see many things that Christ gave to us in Matthew 24 beginning to come to pass and the
time they began then we should be able to know
the season as to when it is very near, even at the door~ and that season length could be two or three hundred, or even longer, we just DO NOT the hour and day,
that is hidden from us, but for sure it shall be shortened for the elect's sake.
You quoted:
Matthew 24:21-22~"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. "
The word
"saved" is used in a practical sense, meaning that unless God shortened those days NO FLESH would be saved with having
true knowledge of biblical doctrine, and certainly not of the very days in which Jesus is speaking about in Matthew 24; Mark 13 and Luke 21. But even more, even the very elect have been to a certain degree affected by the voices of the false prophets that are in the world. God has his very elect in the churches that are
in Mystery Babylon, this I would not deny, or the call to come out would be useless to mention by John. I understand Mystery Babylon to be
this world with its religion ,
"and" its commerce, entertainment, etc. The call to come out of her is not limited to its religion
only, but to its love of commerce (stock market) and its entertainment, which TRULY is much more harder to separate from than false religion as we all should agree on. The call to come out of her is the very SAME call that the same apostle gave in these scriptures:
1st John 2:15-17~"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
This world has much to offer to our flesh by way of its religion, its commerce, and its entertainments~yet God has call us to
"come out from among her my people"~those who refuse to come out of her, may very well end up like Lot's wife, BUT God is the judge not me~nevertheless, we should remember Lot's wife and her secret love for the world and what happened to her.