Author's
Comment:
The Tribulation is a complicated subject. We have tried to make our
explanation as simple as possible so that our readers (both saved and
unsaved) will be able to easily understand it. If you would like to
do an in-depth study of the Tribulation, we have included many
scripture references at the bottom of this page.
Who
Is The Antichrist?
The
Antichrist is the great deceiver, the personification of evil, who
will control the world during the Tribulation period. According to
the book Of Revelation, the Antichrist is a world dictator who will
rise to power and rule for 7 years before Jesus' second coming and
whose name spells out the number 666.
Revelation
13:16-18
says that He will institute the "Mark
of the Beast"
in an effort to exercise total economic, religious and political
control. Without the Mark or the number of his name, no one will be
able to buy or sell or even hold a job.
The
Mark
of the Beast will begin to be enforced halfway through the
Antichrist's 7 year rule, at the beginning of the Great
Tribulation.
Revelation
19:20 says that at the end
of the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist and his False Prophet will
be thrown into the lake
of fire and
destroyed.
What
Is The Tribulation?
The
Tribulation
is a 7 year time period of great suffering in the end times in which
mankind's evil and corruption will peak and God
will pour out His wrath (punishment) on all rebellious and
unbelieving people.
The
first three and one-half years of the tribulation will be relatively
peaceful. The Great
Tribulation
is the last three and one-half years of the Tribulation period and is
distinguished from the Tribulation because the wrath of God will be
greatly intensified during this time.
When
Will The Tribulation Begin And End?
The
actual event that inaugurates the Tribulation is found in Daniel
9:27
when the Antichrist makes a covenant with Israel for 7 years. His
signing of the covenant will trigger the prophetic time clock of God
and ends 7 years later.
At
the end of the first three and one-half years, the Antichrist will
break the covenant and, in the temple (yet to be built), declare
himself to be God and the savior of the world. This is the beginning
of the Great
Tribulation that
ends with the battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus
Christ three and one-half years later.
Who
Will Go Through The Tribulation?
Everyone
who has not accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
What
Happens To Christians During The Tribulation?
There
are 3 differing views and, in our opinion, only God knows which is
right. The best position is just be ready at all times.
Pretribulation Is Based On Revelation 3:10: Pretribulationists believe that all true Christians (dead and alive) will be taken bodily up to Heaven in the Rapture before the Tribulation begins. According to their belief, every true Christian will be instantaneously transformed into a perfect resurrected body and will escape the trials of the Tribulation.
Midtribulation Is Based On 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4: Midtribulationists believe that the Rapture will occur halfway through the Tribulation period before the Great Tribulation begins.
Posttribulation Is Based On Matthew 24:27-31: Posttribulationists believe that the true Christians will not be Raptured but will be received by Christ into the Kingdom of God on earth immediately after the Great Tribulation.
Note: In Pretribulationism and Midtribulationism, the Rapture and the second coming of Christ are separate events, while in Posttribulationism, the two events are identical and simultaneous.
What
Purpose Do The Tribulation
Judgments Of God Serve?
God's
basic purpose for the tribulation is to
finish His dealing with Israel and that
it be a time of judgment. At
the same time, He will hold forth the Gospel of Grace. Judgment, or
God's wrath, is needed to put down the rebellion of mankind in
preparation for Christ's reign of peace upon earth during the
millennium.
What
Are God's Goals For The Tribulation?
God's
goals for the tribulation are summarized as follows:
1.
To judge the world in order to prepare it for His righteous rule.
2.
To finish
transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, and to
punish
all hardened sinners.
3.
To move others to repentance and faith through the Gospel of Grace.
4.
To
pay back all the nations for how they have treated the Jews during
the last 2,000 years.
5.
To bring about a world-wide revival unlike any other time of history.
This will be accomplished during the first half of the Tribulation
by means of the 144,000 Jews to fulfill the prophecy found in Matthew
24:14.
In
addition, during the first half of the Tribulation, there will be
normal evangelism taking place like we see today, the Two Witnesses
will provide an evangelistic witness to Israel, and God Himself will
use angels to preach the gospel and warn everyone not to take the
mark of the beast (666).
6.
To break Satan's (the Devil's) power over His holy people (Israel)
and to bring them (the Jews) to faith in Jesus as their Messiah.
Is
God Too Strict A Judge?
Some
believe that God is too strict a judge and doesn't really care about
the people He created.
But
this is wrong! No matter who or what you are or what you have done,
God loves you and He wants the best for you. But, He cannot bring
you into Heaven if you haven't accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord
(God's Free Gift Of Salvation).
Those
who suffer the judgments of God in the Tribulation are not "innocent
men and women." They are rebels against God who will not only
reject God and His Free Gift Of Salvation offer but will run greedily
toward every immoral and revolting sin known to man, including
blasphemy of a kind beyond description.
Despite
their gross sin, God intends that these Tribulation judgments might
lead even these wicked sinners to faith in His Son, Jesus Christ!
The
Most Important Question!
If
you have not accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord and would like
to, don't take a chance. Do it now! Remember, you are not
guaranteed a tomorrow or even the next minute! To learn how to
accept Jesus as your savior and Lord, click on and read our “God's Free Gift” Page.
You'll be very glad you did!
Scripture
References To Help You
In
Your Study Of The Tribulation.
Deuteronomy 4:30, Deuteronomy 30:7, Isaiah 2:12, Isaiah 13:6, Isaiah 13:9, Isaiah 24:19-20, Jeremiah 30:7, Ezekiel 20:34, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:11-12, Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1,11,31, Joel 3:14, Zephaniah 1:15, Matthew 24:1-51, Romans 11:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3, 2 John 1:7, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 6:1-17, Revelation 6:19, Revelation 7:1-17, Revelation 11:2-3, Revelation 13:16-18, Revelation 14:6-8, Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 21:4