Vic said:
You asked, "what purpose would staying here serve?" That's a question I cannot readily answer.
let me see if i can help with this one,
first of all, i can't find any evidence at all that anyone will be left here after Christ returns, the wicked(tares) will be burned, and the righteous will go be with the lord, to the place he went away to prepare for us,
but as for why we will have to endure the tribulation though, i believe we can find the answer in daniel, in daniel we are told that it is to purge them and make them white:
Dan 11:33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many:
yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Dan 11:34
Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
Dan 11:35
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
i use to wonder what the fire baptism was, then one day while i was on the net studying about how gold is refined, and how that the purest gold is smelted(tried) 7 times in the fire to remove all the dross(impurities), then it dawned on me what the fire baptism is, it's the trials and tribulations we go through, it's what teaches us to nail the old man to the cross, and gradualy become a new man,
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Act 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison,
that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days;
be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
i hope that this helps you to see what i have seen,
with all this, one other thing comes to mind, it might not seem like much to most, but to me it was a great revelation, it has to do with the sanctified vessels that God told Moses to make for the house of the Lord, even after the gold was made pure, God told Moses to make the vessels of beaten work, not poured into a mold, but beaten into shape,
Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
this candlestick here is symbolic of the church, (see rev 1:20)
it seems to me that there is a good sermon here, maybe someday the Lord will inspire me or someone else to preach it, either way, i would love to hear it, "beaten into shape by the hammer of God" hows that for a title?
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD;
and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
well i guess i better hush, but anyway, i hope that i in some way helped you to understand the purpose for the tribulation that Jesus and the apostles said that we all must endure,
