Great Tribulation

The end times present some scary scenarios. If taken out of context, the scriptures can be desparaging. If the Tribulation period is right around the corner (or have we turned that corner already?) what does that mean for Christians? Will Christians have to go through that horrific time?

Just to clarify, what is the Tribulation? The Tribulation is another word for Daniel's 70th week. In Daniel chapter 9, the angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophetic timeline for just how the end-time scenario is laid out.

Dan 9:24-27 MKJV
(24) Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
(25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
(26) And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
(27) And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.

Seventy weeks are decreed that Israel owes God. That's right. Israel. It's all about Israel. That's why this time is also known as the time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). These aren't just weeks of days... they are weeks of years. This 490 year period is divided up into 62 weeks (434 years) and 7 weeks (49 years) and finally in verse 27 comes the last week (7 years). From the information Gabriel gave, we know, historically, exactly when the edict was signed to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and what to add to that date in order to find out when the streets and walls were rebuilt, and then when Jesus was crucified 434 years later. Messiah 'was' cut off (crucified), but not for Himself (then for whom?). He was killed for 'us'.

Verse 27 talks about the final week which begins with a 7-year 'covenant' with Israel. Mid-way through this 7-year period this leader (the antichrist) violates his covenant and causes the sacrifice and offering to cease in the Jewish temple. This is his effort to change the Jewish customs.

Dan 7:25 MKJV
(25) And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time.

Notice, they shall be given unto the hand of the antichrist for 3.5 years. This is the last half of the Tribulation period known as the Great Tribulation. Regarding the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years of the Tribulation) Jesus said this:

Mat 24:20-21 MKJV
(20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day;
(21) for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.

Lets start with what we know. There will be saved people during the Great Tribulation. That seems obvious from the above verses. The antichrist will 'wear out the saints of the Most High'. Also, the book of Revelation mentions the tribulation saints:

Rev 7:14 MKJV
(14) And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have whitened them in the blood of the Lamb.

Dan 7:21 MKJV
(21) I watched, and that horn made war with the saints and overcame them

Rev 13:7 MKJV
(7) And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation.

Ahh it seems hopeless! We are destined to endure horrible things! Indeed... many of us are enduring horrible things every day. Followers of Jesus are imprisoned, tortured, and killed daily because of their testomonies. These are our brothers and sisters. But this is not the Tribulation, for even in the day of Jesus, men such as Steven were stoned because of his witness. Jesus, again, said "then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be."

It will be worse. But there is good news for the church.

1Th 1:10 MKJV
(10) and to wait for His Son from Heaven (whom He raised from the dead), Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.

1Th 5:9-10 MKJV
(9) For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us, so that whether we watch or sleep we should live together with Him.

The church is not appointed unto wrath. Or perhaps we should ask this: at what point does anyone or anything - antichrist included - prevail over the church? At NO point!

Mat 16:18 MKJV
(18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Isa 54:17 MKJV
(17) No weapon that is formed against you shall be blessed; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from Me, says Jehovah.

So these saints spoken of in Daniel and Revelation are those truly blessed individuals who take advantage of their last chance to receive Jesus. Are they a part of the bride of Christ, the Church? No. The bride makes herself spotless and without blemish 'now', not later.

For those of us who are God-hungry Jesus-followers, we have a duty regarding the time of the end. We must be about the Father's business of winning souls and showing the love of Jesus. But we have a prayer duty as well:

Luk 21:36 MKJV
(36) Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Zep 2:3 DRB
(3) Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, you that have wrought his judgment: seek the just, seek the meek: if by any means you may be hid in the day of the Lord's indignation.