Tribulation / Great Tribulation
Most believe in a coming Tribulation Period. Some believe we are already in it while others believe it is tied to the Rapture with this period of earth’s history to be after the Rapture event. Yet, if we understand that the evil we see today and the evil that will be during this period of history are not the same due to the Kingdom Age, or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the earth during the end of the Church Age, then this begins to bring these two views into alignment.
This is a period that will start sometime after the Rapture. As stated earlier, when we understand the Kingdom Age at the end of the Church Age, then all the beliefs of the Rapture coalesce into the Rapture occurring at the end of the Kingdom Age. The Tribulation will be for three and a half years when the Antichrist will come to power and make a treaty with Israel (Dn 9:27). Israel will again build a temple (Ek 40-48) which will be protected by two individuals termed the Two Witnesses (Rv 11:1-14). God will allow much hardship to come upon the earth. Yet, he will also have the entire earth evangelized with his gospel message (Rv 7:3-17). At the end of the three and a half years, the Antichrist will seize more control over the earth and of the temple itself. This will usher in an even greater time of hardship on the earth, labeled the Great Tribulation.
The Bible teaches that this time begins when the Antichrist desecrates Israel’s temple by erecting a statue here known as the Abomination That Causes Desolation (Dn 9:27; Mt 24:15). Both Israel and Christians will undergo intense persecution and there will be many martyrs (Rv 6:9-10). This intense persecution of Israel will culminate with the battle known as Armageddon (Rv 16:16) when the Antichrist will come against Israel with his internationalistic military force and will come against both Jerusalem and against, most likely, Petra where Christians and Jews have congregated to try and escape persecution (Is 63:1-6; Rv 14:20).
This time is called “the day of the Lord” (Zc 14:1) also known as the Great Tribulation period or the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Is 24:1-20; Jr 30:7; Dn 12:1; Zp 1:14-18; Mt 24:22). As this period climaxes, the Battle of Armageddon ensues where most of the Gentile nations are gathered together against Israel, Jerusalem is taken, and half of the people are taken captive (Zc 14:2), many killed, and many women raped with only a remnant (one-third, Zc 13:9) surviving in the city. It is at this time that Israelites will call upon the name of the Lord and Christ will come forth and fight against these nations that have come against Israel (Zc 14:3) because this remnant finally called upon God (Zc 13:9).
God always keeps his promises no matter how many years, decades, or centuries, it is for us. Our God is a faithful God!
____________
Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens