The Great Tribulation is a period of great suffering and turmoil that is prophesied to occur prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is mentioned specifically in Matthew 24:21, where Jesus says, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” This time of tribulation will be initiated by the Antichrist and will impact believers and nonbelievers alike across the world.
The book of Revelation provides many details about the Great Tribulation, including its length and the different series of judgments that will take place. It is described as lasting for 42 months or 1,260 days (Revelation 11:2-3). The Great Tribulation will begin when the Antichrist puts a stop to sacrifice and offering in the temple and sets up the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27). This will spark God’s wrath being poured out on the world through a series of seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments (Revelation 6-16).
Some key events that will occur during the Great Tribulation include:
- The rising power and influence of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1-10)
- The death of 1/4 of the earth through sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts (Revelation 6:8)
- Widespread death of saints and martyrdom of believers who refuse to take the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:15)
- Devastating natural disasters and plagues (Revelation 8, 9, 16)
- Widespread demonic activity and persecution (Revelation 9)
- The sun being darkened, the moon turning to blood, and stars falling from the sky (Revelation 6:12-14)
The tribulation will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon, where nations gather to fight against Christ. But He will defeat them and usher in His millennial kingdom (Revelation 16:16, 19:11-21). While the Great Tribulation will be a horrific time of suffering, it will give people one final chance to repent before Christ’s return.
Purposes of the Great Tribulation
There are several purposes that God has for allowing the Great Tribulation to occur:
- To pour out His wrath – The judgments of the Great Tribulation are God’s wrath being poured out on the earth to punish sin and rebellion against Him (Revelation 14:10, 19). Sin will be rampant during this time, so God’s righteous anger will bring judgment.
- To bring repentance – Even in wrath, God’s heart is still turned towards people repenting and coming to salvation. The Great Tribulation will cause many to realize their need to turn to Christ (Revelation 9:20-21).
- To refine and purify believers – The persecution of the Antichrist will serve to strengthen and purify the faith of believers as they endure incredible hardship yet remain faithful (Daniel 11:35).
- To make way for Christ’s return – The Great Tribulation sets the stage for the second coming of Christ, who will destroy evil and set up His millennial kingdom (Matthew 24:29-30).
- To defeat and judge Satan – The tribulation will spark Satan’s great wrath as he empowers the Antichrist, but Christ will defeat Him at the end of the 7 years (Revelation 20:1-3).
While horrific, the Great Tribulation has strategic purposes in God’s overall plan of redemption, judgment, and establishing His eternal kingdom.
People Involved in the Great Tribulation
The Antichrist
The Antichrist will be the primary figure enacting evil during the tribulation. He will be possessed by Satan and given power and authority to act (Revelation 13:2). He will champion a one world government and false religion and demand worship from everyone on earth (2 Thessalonians 2:4). The Antichrist will persecute believers, especially in the second half of the tribulation. He will attempt to change set times and laws to go against God (Daniel 7:25). But he will ultimately face defeat at Christ’s return.
The False Prophet
Working with the Antichrist will be the False Prophet, who promotes worship of the Antichrist. He will perform great signs like calling fire down from heaven and making an image of the beast that can speak (Revelation 13:13-15). The False Prophet institutes the mark of the beast economic system and causes all people to worship the Antichrist. He will deceive many through his displays of power and promote a false religious system.
144,000 Jewish Evangelists
144,000 Jews will come to faith in Jesus Christ at the start of the tribulation and go throughout the world preaching the gospel despite the dangers they face (Revelation 7:1-8). They will have the special protection of God’s seal on their foreheads and proclaim salvation to many. Many of those who come to faith during the tribulation will do so because of the preaching of the 144,000.
The Two Witnesses
Two witnesses, likely Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah, will prophesy and perform miracles for the first 3.5 years of the tribulation. They will proclaim God’s truth, warn of coming judgments, and combat the Antichrist. After they are killed by the Antichrist, they will come back to life and be raptured up to heaven (Revelation 11:3-12). Their miracles and resurrection will demonstrate God’s power.
Major Events of the Great Tribulation
The Great Tribulation consists of a series of major events that will unfold over its 7 year period. These include:
The Rise of the Antichrist
At the beginning of the 7 years, the Antichrist will emerge as a charismatic global leader who seems to have answers to the world’s problems. He will make a firm covenant with Israel for 7 years and eventually assert his rule over the entire world (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 13:7-8).
Opening of the Seal Judgments
The Lamb opens the first seal on a scroll, initiating the seal judgments on the earth. These include the four horsemen bringing conquest, war, famine and death (Revelation 6:1-8). The fifth seal reveals those martyred for Christ. The sixth seal brings a great earthquake, sun blackened, moon red like blood, and meteorites falling.
The 144,000 and Great Multitude Saved
At the opening sixth seal, 144,000 Israelites are sealed and preserved to evangelize the world. Soon after a great multitude of diverse peoples and nations comes to faith in Christ, even amidst severe persecution (Revelation 7:1-17).
The Trumpet Judgments
Next series of judgments on the Antichrist’s kingdom come through seven angels sounding trumpets. These include hail, fire and blood cast to earth, a flaming mountain hitting the sea, the sun and moon smitten, demonic locusts torturing men, and a massive demonic army killing a third of mankind (Revelation 8:1-9:21).
The Two Witnesses Killed and Raised
After prophesying for 1,260 days, the two witnesses are killed by the Beast. But after 3.5 days their resurrection and rapture strike fear into many, bringing glory to God (Revelation 11:3-12).
Satan Cast Down from Heaven
There is war in heaven as Michael the archangel battles Satan and his demons, casting them out of heaven to the earth. Satan empowers the Antichrist for his final 42 months of rule during the great tribulation (Revelation 12:7-17).
The Abomination of Desolation
At the midpoint of the tribulation, the Antichrist will enter the temple in Jerusalem and set up the abomination of desolation, demanding worship (Matthew 24:15-22). This initiates the worst final 42 months of the great tribulation.
The Bowl Judgments
The final judgments from God come through seven angels pouring out bowls of wrath on the Antichrist’s kingdom. These produce ugly and painful sores, the sea turning to blood, fresh waters becoming blood, the sun scorching men, darkness and pain upon the Beast’s kingdom, the Euphrates drying up, and a final devastating earthquake and hailstorm (Revelation 15-16).
The Battle of Armageddon
Toward the end of the tribulation, armies unite to war against Christ at Armageddon, but He appears and utterly destroys them, displaying His power (Revelation 16:12-16, 19:11-21).
The Glorious Return of Christ
After God’s wrath has been poured out through the seal, trumpet and bowl judgments, and after defeating the Antichrist at Armageddon, Christ will return in glory. At this second coming, He will deliver the righteous and set up His kingdom on earth for 1,000 years (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:11-20:6).
Protection and Provision During the Tribulation
During the horrors of the Great Tribulation, God will still provide protection and provision for His people in various ways:
- The 144,000 – Will preach the gospel and be protected by God’s seal (Revelation 7:1-8).
- Two Witnesses – Miraculously protected for first 3.5 years (Revelation 11:1-12).
- Israel – Provided refuge from Antichrist in the wilderness (Revelation 12:6,14-16).
- Followers of Christ – Will ultimately be victorious through their testimony and faith, even if killed (Revelation 12:11).
Even amidst the wrath of the tribulation, God still shows mercy and care for His own and for those who will turn to Him. He desires that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Though trying times are ahead, God still provides hope.
Contrasts Between the Tribulation and the Rapture
While the tribulation is a time of intense judgment on the earth, the rapture provides comfort and hope to believers that they will be spared from God’s wrath.
Here are key contrasts between the tribulation and the rapture:
- The rapture delivers believers from wrath, while the tribulation poured God’s wrath out on the wicked (1 Thessalonians 5:9, Revelation 14:10).
- The rapture brings eternal blessing, while the tribulation brings punishment (1 Thessalonians 4:17, Revelation 14:11).
- The rapture happens before God’s wrath, while the tribulation is when His wrath is poured out (Revelation 3:10, 6:17).
- The rapture is immanent and can happen at any time, while specific signs precede the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Matthew 24:15-30).
- The rapture brings believers to the marriage supper with Christ, while the tribulation involves judgment (Revelation 19:7-9, 14:14-20).
These contrasts provide hope that believers will experience relief and reward rather than having to endure God’s wrath during the terrible tribulation.
Interpretive Views of the Tribulation’s Timing
There are several main views regarding when the Great Tribulation will occur in relation to the rapture of the church:
Pre-Tribulation Rapture
The pre-tribulation view believes the rapture happens before the tribulation, sparing believers from it. This preserves them from God’s wrath but still allows for an end times tribulation.
Mid-Tribulation Rapture
This view sees the rapture happening around the middle of the tribulation, protecting the church from the intense latter half under the Antichrist’s rule, but not the first half of it.
Post-Tribulation Rapture
Post-tribulationism teaches that the rapture will occur at the very end of the tribulation right before the millennium. The church endures the hardships of the tribulation but is raptured before the final judgments.
Pre-Wrath Rapture
This view believes the rapture happens right before the bowl judgments late in the Great Tribulation, after the Antichrist’s persecution but before the worst of God’s wrath.
While aspects of the tribulation timing are debated, all views believe there will be an end times tribulation and the church will ultimately be saved from God’s wrath.
Signs That The Tribulation is Near
While no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return and the start of the tribulation (Matthew 24:36), Jesus did provide signs to look for that would indicate the tribulation is drawing near:
- Wars, rumors of wars, nation rising against nation (Matthew 24:6-7)
- Famines, earthquakes, pestilences (Matthew 24:7)
- Persecution and martyrdom of believers (Matthew 24:9)
- False prophets deceiving many (Matthew 24:11)
- Increased wickedness, love growing cold (Matthew 24:12)
- Gospel preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:14)
- The abomination of desolation set up (Matthew 24:15)
- Great distress on the earth, God’s wrath (Matthew 24:21, Revelation 6:17)
As these signs increase in frequency and intensity, they indicate the tribulation is close and believers should look up in anticipation of their redemption (Luke 21:28).
Comfort For Those Enduring the Tribulation
For those who find themselves in the tribulation after the rapture of the church, they can still find comfort and hope in God. Sources of comfort include:
- God will still save many people during the tribulation who endure to the end (Matthew 24:13).
- Believers can rely on God’s grace and strength to get through dire circumstances (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- God still grants mercy in the midst of judgment (Habakkuk 3:2).
- Trusting God provides peace beyond understanding (Isaiah 26:3).
- God limits the tribulation short for the elect’s sake (Matthew 24:22).
- Christ will supernaturally protect many believers like the 144,000 (Revelation 7:1-8).
- Looking to eternal rewards gives motivation to persevere (Romans 8:18).
Even in incredibly difficult times, God provides sources of comfort, strength and hope for those who trust in Him.
The Great Multitude Saved After the Tribulation
While the tribulation will be a time of great shaking, there will still be a great harvest of souls coming to salvation during this period. Revelation 7:9-17 describes a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language who come to faith in Jesus Christ during the tribulation. Though they suffered greatly and some were martyred for their faith, they will rejoice before God’s throne into eternity (Revelation 7:15-17). God’s mercy triumphs amidst judgment, and these new believers will experience joy in God’s presence forever.
