Matthew 24:21-22 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
• Introduction (..the transgression)
• Daniel's 70th week
• The Two Witnesses
• The Beast from the Sea
• The Beast from the Earth
• The Dragon
• The Iniquity of Nations
• The Wrath of God
· The 7 Seals
· The 7 Trumpets of "Redemptive" Wrath
· The 7 Vials of God's "Destructive" Wrath
In John 1:14 we read that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us". Jesus {the only begotten Son of God} is the Word. While on earth, He humbled Himself as a servant and proclaimed the message of salvation. The Kingdom of God was at hand and mankind no longer had to suffer under the curse of the law. The King had finally arrived..
Jesus fulfilled over three hundred "old testament" prophecies, and by doing so proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He really was who He said He was. What did He proclaim? He proclaimed to be equal with God. In fact, Jesus claimed the divine title "I am" and by doing so was declaring that He Himself was God!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Israel hardened their hearts and rejected Jesus as their Messiah. They were outraged at His claim and He was eventually crucified because of it. And so the Kingdom was delayed {..for the time being}. In the meantime however, by God's grace, the good message of salvation was to be re-directed to the gentiles which would in turn provoke Israel to jealousy:
Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Luke 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
The good message of salvation.. Jesus took the way of the cross in obedience to God the Father's will. He died, was buried and was resurrected on the third day (He took our sin and nailed it to the cross). Those who accept, believe and call upon the name of the Lord are forgiven.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name..
The Messiah will return to earth a second time in the last days only this time not as a humble servant, but as a righteous judge. Before this happens however, the Earth will be subject to seven years of tribulation..
The 7-year tribulation will commence shortly after the rapture of the church during which time God will deal primarily with His ancient people Israel, to bring them to repentance..
Daniel's 70th week, as the name suggests, was a prophecy given to Daniel (also known as "the time of Jacob's trouble"). Seventy weeks (490 years) were determined for Israel, where each prophetic week represented seven years. So far only 69 weeks of this prophecy have been fulfilled.
The prophecy began with the decree to restore and re-build Jerusalem, however the prophecy ended abruptly 483 years later at the crucifixion. The final week of 7 years will be a future event commencing after the rapture of the church (once the times of the Gentiles have been fulfilled).
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people {Israel} and upon thy holy city {Jerusalem}, to finish the transgression {the single act of rejecting their Messiah}, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
See also Jeremiah 30:1-24; Daniel 9:24-27, 12:1-13; Luke 21:24; Revelation 6:1-19:21
Besides Israel being in focus, Daniel's 70th week {the tribulation} will be a time of great distress for the entire world..
During the first half of the tribulation, "two witnesses" arrive and are given supernatural power by God. They preach from Jerusalem and cannot be killed until their 1,260 days {3.5 years} are completed. Revelation 11:1-14
The Antichrist - The world will re-organize into ten regional powers. Out of the ten regional governments, three will be overthrown and the antichrist rises to power. Many followers {those not written in "the book of life"} will worship the beast.
He will confirm a 7-year covenant however he will breach this agreement mid-way {1,260 days later is the mid-point of the tribulation}. The tribulation commences when this covenant with "many" is confirmed..
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
See also Daniel 7:1-28, 8:1-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; Revelation 13:1-10
The False Prophet - He creates an image of the Antichrist to be worshipped and will perform signs and wonders. He causes all people to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead in order that they may buy or sell. Those who refuse are beheaded, and those who take the mark are eternally doomed ("a great multitude" become believers during the tribulation and are martyred).
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
See also Matthew 24:20-22; Revelation 7:9-17, 13:11-18, 14:9-13
Satan himself - He gives the Antichrist and the False Prophet power and authority to perform signs and wonders to deceive the world.
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
See also Revelation 12:1-17, 16:12-16
There will be much distress and wickedness in the hearts of people with catastrophic events, the likes of which the world has never seen.
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
See also Matthew 24:20-21; Mark 13:19
It will be as in the days of Noah and the days of Lot.
Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
See also Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-30; Romans 1:18-32
Iniquity will abound and there will be perilous times described as birth pangs {increasing in intensity}, "as travail upon a woman with child."
1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
See also Isaiah 13:6-13, 26:17-21; Ezekiel 7:1-27; Matthew 24:1-51; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36; Romans 1:18-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Ultimately, the tribulation will be a time of God's wrath upon an unbelieving world:
Isaiah 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah 13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: 8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
The book of Revelation details these events, where 21 divine judgments are unleashed upon the earth..
The first Seal reveals a white horse, whose rider with a bow sets off to conquer. Revelation 6:1-2
The second Seal reveals a red horse, whose rider has a sword. He takes peace from the earth and there is war, bloodshed and persecution. Revelation 6:3-4
The third Seal reveals a black horse, whose rider has balances. There is economic disaster and famine. Revelation 6:5-6
The fourth Seal reveals a pale horse, and its rider is named Death (Hell follows him). He is given power over a fourth part of the earth to kill with hunger, death and beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8
The fifth Seal is opened and there is martyrdom of those who refuse to worship the Beast. There are also prayers for justice. Revelation 6:9-11
The sixth Seal is opened and there is a great earthquake. The Sun is blackened and the Moon is like blood. Stars fall and Heaven departs. Revelation 6:12-17
The seventh Seal is opened and there is silence in Heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1
The first Trumpet - The Earth is struck: Hail and Fire mingled with blood is cast upon the earth. One third of Trees, and all green grass is burnt. Revelation 8:7
The second Trumpet - The seas are struck: An asteroid impacts the ocean and one third of the sea becomes blood. A third of all sea life, as well as a third of all ships are destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9
The third Trumpet - The waters are struck: An asteroid impacts the land (this burning star is called "Wormwood"). One third of the water is poisoned. Revelation 8:10-11
The fourth Trumpet - The Heavens are struck: A third part of the Sun, a third part of the Moon, and a third part of the Stars are smitten. Revelation 8:12-13
The fifth Trumpet - The First Woe: There is smoke and demonic locusts (out of the pit) who torment the ungodly for five months {those who had taken the mark}. Revelation 9:1-12
The sixth Trumpet - Second Woe: A four angels army of two hundred million {200,000,000} mounted troops from the Euphrates river, kill one third of the worlds population. Revelation 9:13-21
The seventh Trumpet - Third Woe: There is lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. Revelation 11:15-19
The first Vial is poured upon the EARTH and a grievous sore appears on those who took the mark of the beast. Revelation 16:1-2
The second Vial is poured upon the SEA and the sea becomes as blood. All sea life is destroyed. Revelation 16:3
The third Vial is poured upon the RIVERS and fountains of waters. The waters turn to blood. Revelation 16:4-7
The fourth Vial is poured upon the SUN which scorches men with fire and great heat. Revelation 16:8-9
The fifth Vial is poured upon the SEAT of the beast. His Kingdom is full of darkness and mankind is in rebellion and torment. Revelation 16:10-11
The sixth Vial is poured upon the EUPHRATES. The river dries up making way for the Kings of the east. They gather together for battle in the Megiddo Valley {Armageddon} in Israel. Revelation 16:12-16
The seventh Vial is poured into the AIR. There is a mighty earthquake followed by extremely massive hailstones. The islands flee and mountains are not found. Revelation 16:17-21
