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). Here we have depicted the scene of the carnage that will ensue upon the Battle of Armageddon. This refers to the great physical changes in the earth as a result of the devastation of the Tribulation Period.

(b) Time of trouble (Daniel 12:1). This points back to Daniel 11:36–45, the time of the ascendancy of Antichrist during the final tribulation period. During that period, Michael the archangel (Jude 9) of Daniel 10:13, 21 ministers with special attention to protecting Israel during that Gentile time (Isaiah 26:20, 21; Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:21).

(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). In Revelation 6:12–17, we see how the day of the Lord described here by Zephaniah perfectly parallels the day of the wrath of the Lamb described by John. This is important because Paul declared that God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

(d) The hour of trial (Revelation 3:10). This test is future, and for a definite, limited time. It is a test that will expose people for what they really are, and it is worldwide in scope. “Those who dwell on the earth” is a technical term in the book of Revelation for unbelievers (Revelation 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). The hour of trial is Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:25-27), the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), and the seven year Tribulation Period.

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. The Antichrist is the last-mentioned prince (v. 26), leader of the Roman sphere (Daniel 2 and 7), who comes in the latter days. The time is in the future tribulation period of “one week,” - the final 7 years of v. 24. He confirms (literally, causes to prevail) a seven year covenant, his own pact with Israel for what will turn out actually to be for a shorter time. The leader in this covenant is the “little horn” of Daniel7:7-8, 20-21, 24–26, and the evil leader of New Testament prophecy (Mark 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–10; Revelation 13:1–10). That he is in the future, even after Christ’s First Advent, is shown by 1) Matthew 24:15; 2) by the time references that match (Daniel7:25; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:14; 13:5); and 3) by the end here extending to the Second Advent, matching the duration elsewhere mentioned in Daniel (2:35, 45; 7:15; 12:1–3) and Revelation 11:2; 12:14; 13:5

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). This is the halfway point of the 70th week of years, seven years leading to Christ’s second coming. The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27a), which has resumed its ancient sacrificial system. He will cause abomination against Jewish religion. This violation will desolate or ruin what Jews regard as sacred, namely their holy temple and the honoring of God’s presence there (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:4). Jesus refers directly to this text in His Olivet discourse (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). The One who ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–11) and had been seated at the Father’s right hand (Hebrews 8:1; 10:12; 1 Peter 3:22) will return to take back the earth from the usurper and establish His kingdom (Revelation 5:1–10). The bodies of the beast and the false prophet will be transformed, and they will be banished directly to the lake of fire (Daniel 7:11)—the first of countless millions of unregenerate men (Revelation 20:15) and fallen angels (Matthew 25:41) to arrive in that dreadful place. The rest of the beast’s allies are killed by the sword from the mouth of the victorious Christ.

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). This will be a missionary corps of redeemed Jews who are instrumental in the salvation of many Jews and Gentiles during the Tribulation (vv. 9–17). They will be the firstfruits of a new redeemed Israel (v. 4; Zechariah 12:10).

(b) An angel having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 14:6-7). The angel is preaching the good news concerning eternal life and entrance into the kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14; 1 Corinthians 15:1–10). He is urging the people of the world to change their allegiance from the beast to the Lamb. It is good news that God saves by the forgiveness of sin and opens His kingdom to all who will repent and believe. The whole world will hear this preaching by the angel as God graciously calls all to salvation.

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.

©2013 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.