Bible Doctrine: The Great Tribulation
Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:24; Zech.14:1-9; Mat.24:21
The Great Tribulation is one of the great doctrines of
the Bible. It is important that we are fully informed as to what will happen in
the end time, especially because we are now in the end time. The end time
represents the period preceding the final judgement of God upon the ungodly in
this present world and the recreation of creation. All the nations who reject God
and who persecute God’s people – both Israel and the Church will be brought to
judgement. When the Lord has cleansed the world of evil, He shall reign forever
and ever.
1
The Timing Of The Great Tribulation
The bible shows that the Great Tribulation will begin
after the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; revelation 4:1) and when
the Antichrist signs a seven year peace treaty with Israel (Dan.9:27). Half way
through it, the peace treaty will be broken and the Antichrist will attack
Israel.
It will end with the second coming of Jesus Christ when
He alights on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4; Matthew 25:31; Revelation
19:11,12; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14,15; Acts 1:11); settles on earth
(Jerusalem) for a thousand-year reign called the Millennium (Revelation
20:4,5).
All this will happen after the rapture because God will
not like His children to suffer the Great Tribulation, its judgments and
destructions. He saved Noah (a preacher of righteousness) and his family before
destroying the world with flood (Genesis 6:8-10; 7:1-13, 16-24; 8:15-22). He
rescued Lot (who was vexed with the filthy conversation of Sodom) and his
family before destroying it with fire (Genesis 19:10-29). So God will take away
His children from the earth before the Great Tribulation begins.
2
The Terribleness Of The Great Tribulation
The Great Tribulation is described as the “…time of
Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), “…great tribulation such as was not since the
beginning of the world nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21); “…the day of the
Lord” (Joel 1:15); “…a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and
of thick darkness” (Joel 2:1,2); “…wasteness and desolation” (Zephaniah
1:14,15); “…a time of trouble” (Daniel 12:1).
The Great Tribulation is a dark time.
(i)
It is a time of Jacob’s trouble. Israel will suffer and
will become ready to cry to the Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ whom they at
present reject) to come back to them.
(ii)
It is a time of universal retribution. Unbelieving men
and women of all ages will be judged (Zechariah 12:10, 11; 13:1-9; 14:12, 13).
Matthew 24:15-22; Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:6-9).
(iii)
It is a time full of unbelievable turbulence.
Woes, judgments, famines, bloody wars, plagues (incurable
epidemics which become pandemic), terror, men calling for mountains to fall
upon them, anguish, earthquakes, burning rocks falling from heaven upon the
earth and scorching it, seas polluted, cattle and vegetation destroyed,
millions dying from catastrophes.
It will be a very dark time, “as if a man did flee from a
lion and a bear met him…leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him” (Amos
5:18-19).
Men’s riches will not be able to deliver them (Zeph.1:17-18).
Whole cities and nations will be under great distress, perplexities, seas and
waves roaring, hypertension and confusion as the powers of heaven are shaken by
God (Isaiah 2:19-21; 24:1-3,6,19; Mark 13:24; Joel 1:15; Luke 21:24-26;
Revelation 19:1-21).
(iv)
It will be a time of great apostasy, more of false
religions and increase in the power of the devil who will be driven down to the
earth (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 12:10-12; 13:2, 12-18).
(v)
God’s planned judgments will fall on men in a divine
sequence producing supernatural phenomena and demonic creatures unknown to man.
(vi)
Those who confess Christ and believe in His word will be
martyred (Revelation 6:9-11; 14:13; 20:4-6).
While all this is happening on earth, the marriage supper
of the Lamb will be happening in heaven (Revelation 19:1-10). And victorious saints
prepare to return to earth with Christ (Jude 14,15; Revelation 19:11).
3
The Truant Of The Great Tribulation
The prominent personality of the great tribulation will
be the Antichrist. It will not be a system but a person, though he will
use an elaborate system to carry out his reign of terror. His other names in
the scripture are: the Beast (Rev.13:1-2), the King of the north,
the Syrian, the Assyrian, the king of Babylon (Dan:14:4),
the Extortioner, the man of sin (2Thes.2:3), the little horn (Dan.7:8),
the Prince that shall come, a king of fierce countenance
(Dan.8:23) and understanding dark sayings, the spoiler, the son of
perdition (2Thes.2:3) and that wicked one (1John 2:12-14), empowered
personally by Satan (2 Thes. 2:1-10; Daniel 7:8,24; 8:9,23; 9:26,27,36-45;
Revelation 13:1-18; 14:9-11; Isaiah 10:20-27; 30:18-33; Micah 5:3-15; Isaiah
14:4; 16:4; Daniel 7:11).
4
The Triumphant Saints Outside The Great Tribulation
While terrors are unleashed on earth saints will be a)
receiving rewards; crowns, mansions, new names, white stones etc. at the
judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Luke 14:14; 1 Corinthians
9:24-27; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10,12; Matthew 16:27; John 14:1,2; 1
Thessalonians 2:19; James 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 2:17,25-28; 3:12,21;
22:12-16). The believers’ time of judgment and reward only means the evaluation
of the believers’ works for which they may receive reward or loss
of reward. All raptured believers will be eternally
saved. b) Rejoicing and feasting at the marriage supper in heaven (Revelation
19:6-9). C) Worshipping God with the angels (Revelation 7:9-17;
14:1- 5; 4:5,7), and d) preparing for the second advent of Christ upon white
horses (Jude 14,15; Revelation 19:11-14; Matthew 25:31).
5
The Termination Of The Great Tribulation
The Great tribulation ends when Jerusalem is destroyed by
the antichrist with two thirds of it capture at the end of the 7th year, and the children of Israel repent in great mourning
and tears, calling for the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to come back to earth and
establish the millennial reign over all humanity (Zechariah 14:4-8; Micah
1:3,4; Zechariah 11:25-27; Hebrews 8:8-12; 10:17; Zechariah 12:10-13:1;Isaiah
66:7,8). Jesus will descend and destroy the antichrist, the false prophet and
cast them into the Lake of fire. They and their armies will be destroyed at the
battle of Armageddon (in the valley of Megiddo). Then an angel will bind
the devil and cast him into the
bottomless pit for 1000 years (Revelation 19:20; Ezekiel 38 and 39; Revelation
20:1-3; Zechariah 14; Revelation 20:1-10; 19:11-21; Isaiah 34; Jude 14,15).
Jesus Christ will build a millennial Temple at Jerusalem from where He rules the
whole world.
According to Scripture all those whose names are written
in the book of life will reign come back to reign over all the earth with their
Lord and King Jesus!
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HYMNS: (1) When The Roll Is Called; Is My
Name Written there?
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