Tribulation

The Tribulation period starts when the church is raptured up to heaven and the Lord will resume His dealings with the nation of Israel. This is the seven year period in which the Lord deals with the Jewish people concerning their rejection of the Messiah. Those who turn to Christ during the Tribulation will be saved to enter the glorious kingdom on earth, but those who refuse Him will be destroyed.

In Mt 24: 4-14 it talks about many antichrists appearing on the scene and people will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these signs are the beginning of birth pains. Many believers will be persecuted for their faith in Christ and will be hated by nations because of the Lord’s name. At this time, many will turn away from the faith and many false prophets will appear and deceive many. Because of this wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm until the end will be saved.

The first 3 ½ years will be mild in comparison to the last 3 ½ years. The first to come is the opening of the six seals by the Lord. The first seal came a white horse with the rider being the antichrist carrying a bow, which may represent the threat of war. When the second seal was opened a rider on a fiery red horse carried a great sword, which indicates a breakout of invading armies in fierce person-to-person combat. This second rider takes peace away from the earth. The third seal was a rider on a black horse holding a set of scales, which represents famine and often follows war. The fourth seal was opened and a rider on a pale horse called Death and Hades and by means of war, famine, pestilence and wild beasts a fourth of the worlds inhabitants are destroyed.

When the fifth seal was opened under the altar were those who had been slain because of the word of God and they cried out for God to avenge their slayers. They were given white robes and told to wait until the number of their fellow servants who were to be killed as they had been had been completed. There was a great earthquake as the sixth seal was opened, the sun turned black and the moon turned blood red and the stars of the sky fell to earth. All unbelievers hid in the mountains to escape God’s great wrath but none of them repented. They would rather be killed by the falling rocks than to stand God’s judgments. When the seventh seal was opened, there was a half an hour of silence in heaven. Incense was given to offer up the prayers of the saints and in the seventh seal came the 7 trumpets

The first trumpet came hail and fire mixed with blood and it was hurled down to the earth. A third of the earth was burned up. The second trumpet sounded and a huge mountain was thrown into the sea and a third of the living creatures died as well as a third of the ships were destroyed. The third trumpet sounded and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and the water and people died because the water was bitter. The fourth trumpet sounded and a third of the moon, stars, and sun turned dark. The days were without light and also a third of the night. Then an eagle flew in midair calling out in a loud voice, Woe, Woe, Woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels.

The fifth sounded his trumpet and a star had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the abyss and smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened from the smoke from the abyss and out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass, the plants, or the trees but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given power to kill them but to only torture them for five months. During those days men will seek death but will not find it. The first woe had passed and two other woes are yet to come. The second woe came and God told the angel to release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates and were told to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. The rest of mankind that were not killed by these troops still did not repent of the work of their hands. They still worshipped idols of gold, silver, and wood, idols that could not be seen or heard.

Now God will raise up two witnesses during the last half of the Tribulation. These witnesses were thought to be Moses and Elijah. They were clothed in sackcloth, a symbol of mourning. They will cry out against the sins of the people and announce God’s coming judgments. For 3 ½ years the witnesses are miraculously preserved from harm. Fire consumes their foes and even an effort to harm the two witnesses are punishable by death. They have power to bring drought on the earth and turn water into blood and to strike the earth with all kinds of plagues.

These witnesses are said to witness for 3 ½ years and when they are finished with their testimony the beast from the abyss comes and kills them. Their bodies lie in the streets for 3 days and no one buries them. Instead there is great rejoicing among the people because the two witnesses are silenced. People are giving gifts to one another because of this. After 3 days, God calls to the witnesses to come up to heaven and in everyone’s midst people see this happen. They give glory to God but not for their belief in God but for the power of God.

The third woe and the seventh trumpet was God’s plan to punish the evildoers and to usher in the kingdom of His Son. The Great Tribulation is over and the reign of Christ has begun, and He shall reign forever and ever. Amen

If you are Interested in learning about the Tribulation there are plenty of books on my site that are related to this topic, namely Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins Left Behind Series. Please visit my website at http://www.truelifelivingbooks.com and check out my website.

Thank you and God Bless...