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What Does The Bible Say About The Tribulation

When Does The Great Tribulation Begin

What does the Bible say about the Tribulation?

3. In the past, what was our understanding of the timing of the great tribulation?

3 For a number of years, we thought that the great tribulation began in 1914 with World War;I and that those days were cut short by Jehovah in 1918 when the war ended so that the remnant would have the opportunity to preach the good news to all nations. After the completion of that preaching work, Satans empire would be destroyed. Thus, the great tribulation was thought to have three phases: There would be a beginning , the tribulation would be interrupted ;, and it would conclude at Armageddon.

4. What insight led to a clearer understanding of Jesus prophecy about the last days?

4 Upon further examination of Jesus prophecy, however, we perceived that a part of Jesus prophecy about the last days has two fulfillments. There was an initial fulfillment in Judea in the first century C.E., and there would be a worldwide fulfillment in our day. That insight led to several clarifications.;*

5. ;What difficult period began in 1914? ;That period of distress corresponds to what time period in the first century C.E.?

6. What will signal the beginning of the great tribulation?

7. ;How was flesh saved in the first century? ;What can we expect will happen in the future?

8. ;What events will take place after the initial part of the great tribulation has passed? ;At what point, apparently, will the last member of the 144,000 receive his heavenly reward?

Ten Signs The Tribulation Is Drawing Near

According to Matthew 24:5-14, we can expect ten events to occur in the days preceding the Rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation. They will continue to multiply and progress as the first 3½ years of the Tribulation unfold.

  • Dissension among nations
  • Devastation of the food supply
  • Disease in various places
  • Disasters around the world
  • Death for the sake of Christ
  • Disloyalty among friends
  • Delusion associated with false religions and drug use Note: An increase in drug use will likely facilitate this delusion. In the End Times, false religion will be characterized by what Revelation calls sorceries . John uses the word pharmakos, from which we get the word pharmacy. It is an ancient reference to the ingestion of drugs. The use of mind-altering substances such as narcotics and hallucinogens will be associated with false religions, doubtless with the governments approval.
  • Defection from the faith and goodness
  • When Does Jesus Judge The Sheep And The Goats

    10. In the past, what was our understanding of the timing of the judgment of the sheep and the goats?

    10 Consider now the timing of another part of Jesus prophecythe parable of the judgment of the sheep and the goats. Previously, we thought that the judging of people as sheep or goats would take place during the entire period of the last days from 1914 onward. We concluded that those who rejected the Kingdom message and who died before the start of the great tribulation would die as goatswithout the hope of a resurrection.

    11. Why could the judgment of people as sheep or goats not have started in 1914?

    11 In the mid-1990s, The Watchtower reexamined Matthew 25:31, which states: When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. It was noted that Jesus became King of Gods Kingdom in 1914, but he did not sit down on his glorious throne as Judge of all the nations. However, the parable of the sheep and the goats describes Jesus primarily as Judge. Since Jesus was not yet active as Judge of all nations in 1914, his judgment of people as sheep or goats could not have started in that year.;* When, then, will Jesus judgment begin?

    12. ;When will Jesus for the first time act as Judge of all nations? ;What events are described at Matthew 24:30, 31 and Matthew 25:31-33,;46?

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    Where Shall Our Hope Take Us

    Ill be honest: sometimes, eschatology frightens me, leaving me anxious and afraid. Like all of our theology, our views on the end times should produce in us the fruit of the Spirit, such as peace, kindness, goodness, and self-control.

    Its important that we lift up all of our theological viewpoints to God, asking for clarification, peace, and guidance. Like most theology, we see Gods reality through a glass, darkly. Even if we feel perfectly clear on our eschatological viewpoints, we must remain open to Gods mystery, provision, and ability to surprise us.

    Christ tells us to be awake and aware to his second coming; this theology matters. Still, he calls on us not to worry about tomorrow, and reminds us that the most important commandment is to love God and our neighbor. As we consider what mysteries the future holds, lets spur each other on to loving God faithfully in the here and now.

    Heather Caliri is a writer from San Diego who uses tiny, joyful yeses to free herself from anxiety. Tired of anxiety controlling your life? Try her mini-course, Five Tiny Ideas for Managing Anxiety,”;for free here.

    Bible Verses About Israel In Tribulation

    What Does the Bible Really Say About the Tribulation ...

    Alas! for that day is great,There is none like it;And it is the time of Jacobs distress,But he will be saved from it.

    It will come about in all the land,Declares the Lord,That two parts in it will be cut off and perish;But the third will be left in it.And I will bring the third part through the fire,Refine them as silver is refined,And test them as gold is tested.They will call on My name,And I will answer them;I will say, They are My people,And they will say, The Lord is my God.

    But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.read more.So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

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    Reasons The Church Will Not Go Through The Tribulation

    The rapture versus the great tribulation has been a very divisive subject for many years because men have bent and twisted the scriptures to support their personal doctrines. I do not want to bend or twist them any way so I am going to quote passages and leave the teaching to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

    The key is that Jesus Christ will catch the church away at the rapture. We will meet the Lord in the clouds and be with him forever. He will not come to Earth at that time. This is not the second coming.

    Then after the great tribulation, he will come to Earth in judgment taking vengeance on the wicked. Then he will reign on Earth for a thousand years. This is the second coming.

    Here is a classic illustration by Clarence Larkin that demonstrates the difficulty of interpreting future prophecies. From each valley, we only see the next mountain peak. From each mountain peak, we can see a little farther. It is only by faith that we can believe what we cannot see, because faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see .

    There have been many tribulations in the Bible, but there is only one prophesied great tribulation.

    Terminology

    Professor Alan Hultberg On What The Bible Says About The End Times

    Biola Magazine Staff;;April 22, 2012

    Theres nothing like an apocalypse prediction to get the media buzzing. Last May, one of the more highly publicized predictions in recent memory came from radio host Harold Camping, who gained national notoriety by warning that Judgment Day would arrive on May 21. Meanwhile, other doomsday predictors have had their eyes on 2012 for several years now; some say the Mayan calendar places the end of the world on Dec. 21. But amidst all the hype and pop culture hoopla, what does the Bible actually say about the end times?

    Eschatology is a popular but notoriously difficult area of Christian theology. There are nearly as many theories on how to interpret the book of Revelation, for example, as there are books in the Left Behind series. One of the most contested elements of evangelical end times scholarship is the rapture specifically when it will take place in relation to other eschatological events like the tribulation and the return of Christ to earth.

    Alan Hultberg, an associate professor at Talbot School of Theology, is one of Biolas resident experts on end times theology, and he recently edited the book, Three Views on the Rapture. Biola Magazine recently interviewed Hultberg about the rapture, its various interpretations, and why its important for Christians to take seriously.

    What is the rapture, and what is the scriptural evidence for it?

    You argue for the prewrath position. What are the main supporting arguments for this position?

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    The Rapture Is A Rescue But The Great Tribulation Is A Judgment

    I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. ;They were yours; you gave them to me; and they have obeyed your word.

    ;Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.;

    Dont you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, ;and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.; Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

    ;Sound the alarm in Jerusalem!Raise the battle cry on my holy mountain!Let everyone tremble in fearbecause the day of the LORD is upon us.;It is a day of darkness and gloom,a day of thick clouds and deep blackness.Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains,a great and mighty army appears.;Nothing like it has been seen beforeor will ever be seen again.;

    For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and ;will judge all people according to their deeds.;

    But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, ;then he will sit upon his glorious throne.;

    The Power Of Confession

    What does the Bible say about the Church during the tribulation period?

    For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.Psalm 32:4

    California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the stateshorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

    Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his bones grew old and he groaned all the day long . It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him . And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made .

    Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from Gods sight; but when we seek Gods forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restoredthat is the power of confession.

    The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.Richard Sibbes

    I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.Psalm 119:162

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    Is The Rapture Biblical

    After His resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven, and the disciples watched as He rose into the sky. The Bible says, While they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven .

    Two points stand out in these verses. First, the Jesus who returns to Earth the second time is the very same Jesus who lived here on Earth with us and went back to heaven following His resurrection. And second, He will return to Earth the same wayin like manneras He went back to heaven. How did Jesus go to heaven following His resurrection? Did He go secretly? No. The disciples watched Him rise, literally, bodily, into the air until a cloud hid Him from their sight. So these verses tell us that Jesus will return to earth the same waynot secretly.

    Tribulation In The Bible

    The Bible teaches that those who follow Christ and God’s Word and who practice his commandments will face tribulation. Examples in the Old Testament include Abel, who offered a better sacrifice than Cain ; Lot, also a “righteous man who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men” who rejected him and who “kept bringing pressure on and moved forward to break down the door” of his house in Sodom ; Elijah, who spoke against the prophets of Baal and against the idolatry of Israel , and was persecuted by Jezebel for his godly stand ; David, who conducted himself in a godly manner despite the machinations and pursuit of Saul ; Jeremiah, who spoke God’s message of condemnation against Judah for her sins and the coming judgment against her to be brought by the Babylonians , had his message rejected , was beaten , and finally dropped into a muddy cistern .;

    These examples of biblical tribulation are an excerpt from Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary.

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    Will Christians Go Through The Tribulation

    God has not appointed His wrath to be poured out on believers because His wrath has been satisfied for they have placed their trust in Christ and Jesus took the wrath of God for us.; As a result, the wrath of God that is to be poured out on the unrepentant and unregenerate world will be unlike anything that the world has ever seen .; There are said to be many who will be saved during the tribulation as we read in Revelation 7:14, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.; Those who will be saved in the tribulation will have to pay with their lives as it says in Revelation 20:4, when the Apostle John saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

    Most biblical scholars say that Christians will not go through the tribulation but the tribulation will make many martyrs become Christians but they will have to pay the price of their life.; Christians are believed to escape this tribulation period by what is called the rapture .

    Key Beliefs Of Dispensational Premillennialism

    The Coming Tribulation

    · Like dispensationalists, historical premillennialists believe the second coming will occur before the literal millennium reign of Christ reign on earth.

    · Unlike dispensationalists, however, historical premillennialists believe that the church will experience the tribulation but will find relief when Christ comes again in his power and glory.

    · A modern take on historical premillennialism is sometimes called covenant premillennialism, based on its view that God established different covenants throughout human historysuch as works, redemption, and graceas a way of relating to humankind. These are different than the dispensations in dispensational premillennialism, since the covenants assume that Biblical covenants made with Israel equally apply to the Church, while dispensationalism draws a bright line between how God treats the Church and Israel.

    ·;John Piper, Francis Schaeffer, and Charles Spurgeon are notable theologians who fall roughly within historic premillennialism.

    · For more information on historic premillennialism, including covenant theology, look for A Case for Historic Premillennialism,;edited by Craig L. Blomberg and Sung Wook Chung.

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