8. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD

8. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet” is a phrase that could aptly be used to describe the Tribulation. The horrors of this future time of judgment will be of a magnitude far beyond any cataclysmic event that has ever taken place in history. Even the most widespread and devastating of wars to date will pale by comparison to all that happens during the Tribulation, which will culminate in the war of all wars, Armageddon.

The Bible affirms the tremendous significance of the Tribulation by giving it a lot of attention. More is said about this seven-year period of wrath than about the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom, heaven, or hell. We find mention of it in the Old Testament at least 49 times, and at least 15 times in the New Testament.

1. The Tribulation is referred to by many names in the Bible:

(a) Day of the Lord’s vengeance (Isaiah 34:8).

(b) Time of trouble (Daniel 12:1).

(c) That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress,
A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness (Zephaniah 1:15).

(d) The hour of trial (Revelation 3:10).

2. Taken together, the aforementioned verses teach us that the nature of the Tribulation will be a time of judgment, chaos, trouble, and distress.

3. In the book of Daniel, in relation to the Tribulation, the term “week” refers to seven years. The Antichrist will confirm a seven-year covenant with Israel which will initiate this “week” (The Tribulation), according to Daniel 9:27.

4. In the middle of the seven-year Tribulation the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, putting an end to their sacrifices and offerings, and will commit the Abomination of Desolation by setting up an idol image in the Temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).

5. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return with the armies of heaven, cast the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the lake of fire, and kill the remaining sinners with the Word that proceeds from His mouth (Revelation 19:11-21).

6. The Tribulation will not merely be a time of judgment, but also one last clarion call for the lost to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. God will use His ways to spread the Gospel during this time:

(a) 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel (Revelation 7:4-8).

(b) An angel having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 14:6-7).

7. The people who are saved during the Tribulation will comprise “a great multitude which no one could number” (Revelation 7:9). In the midst of the extreme horrors of the Tribulation, God will call to Himself many, many more people – a testimony of just how loving and merciful He is, giving people ample opportunity to repent of their sins.

We should have compassion for the lost and reach out to them through the technology that God has given us to utilize for Him. Day by day, in our daily walk, let us let the love of Christ be reflected through us, so that others can see Jesus in us, the hope of glory.

 

All Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.