Recently I started reading your book, Understanding Revelation. Coming to chapter 7, you commented that perhaps the multitude of believers that John sees who have come out the great tribulation came to faith from knowing the Rapture had taken place. I have always taken the position that those who heard the Gospel before the Rapture, but rejected it because they did not come to love the truth (2 Thess. 9-12) will then be forced to believe the lie, whom I see as the anti-christ. No doubt there are millions of people who have not heard the Gospel, who will be given the chance to come to faith as a result of the faithful Jewish witnesses of chapter 7.
I believe that those who have refused to believe the truth and be saved will be deceived into believing the anti-Christ’s lie, as 2 Thes. 2:9-12 asserts.
But I also believe there are many “fence sitters” and “Christians in name only” who will be surprised to find themselves left behind at the rapture and will become born again due to the witness of those who will be taken. Many of them will die for their faith during the Seal Judgments and become the martyrs of Rev. 6:9-11 and Rev. 7:9-17.