Will the Church go through the great tribulation.
What the bible teaches

Artwork byDuncan Long

Contents:

Introduction

The great tribulation of Rev 7:14

The great distress of Mat 24:21

The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

What about the reign of the beast in Rev 13?

Tribulation in General:

Suffering (thlipsis) in Revelation:

Some arguments used why the church will not go through the great tribulation.

Wrath in Revelation

Links and books:

Introduction

It is important to know whether the church will go through the great tribulation so that we can be prepared for it. The idea that the church will be raptured at the start of the great tribulation is a popular one, but is it biblical? If it is false, then it induces a false sense of security among believers and when trouble and persecution do come, which eventually they will, many people will quickly fall away because they have no root (Mat 13:20-21).

(Mat 13:21 NIV) But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble (thlipsis) or persecution (diogmos) comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Jesus warns us that before he comes again many will turn away from the faith in a time of persecution.

(Mat 24:9-13 NIV) "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted (thlipsis) and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. {10} At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, {11} and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. {12} Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, {13} but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Shortly before his death Jesus warns his disciples about coming persecution.

(John 16:1-4 NIV) "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. {2} They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. {3} They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. {4} I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

Of course it is true that the church has always gone through persecution from the time of the early church onwards (Acts 8:1) until our day. Voice of the Martyrs Christians in the West are in an unusual position in that they are not, in general, going through persecution.

The great tribulation of Rev 7:14

The great tribulation comes from Rev 7:14 (in Greek great tribulation is megas thlipsis) and we should note that a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language (Rev 7:9) had come out of the great tribulation. The great tribulation is clearly world-wide and involves a huge number of people. This great multitude are clearly Christians because they had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Unfortunately the Rev 7:14 passage offers few clues to when this event happens.

(Rev 7:14 NIV) I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation (thlipsis); they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The great distress of Mat 24:21

The same phrase Greek phrase for 'great tribulation' (megas thlipsis) is also used in Mat 24:21 where we should note that the elect are also mentioned (Mat 24:22).

(Mat 24:21-22 NIV) For then there will be great distress (megas thlipsis), unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. {22} If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

This is perhaps the scripture that most of us think about when we consider the great tribulation. We usually link it to the Second Coming because of Mat 24:29-30 (quoted below).

(Mat 24:29-30 NIV) "Immediately after the distress (thlipsis) of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' {30} "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

We should note that phrase "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken" in Mat 24:29 is an old testament quote from Isa 13:10 which refers to the destruction of Babylon.

(Isa 13:10 NIV) The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The great distress of Matthew 24:21 was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Although the period of great distress in Mat 24:21 is usually thought to be world-wide and to occur at the end of the world a closer look demonstrates otherwise.

• Jesus was answering a question about the destruction of Herod's temple, see Mat 24:1-3, which occurred in AD 70.
• Luke's parallel account (21:20-24) clearly shows that Mat 24:21 refers to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.
• The great distress is localised to the Judea region - it is not world-wide, because those in Judea are told to flee to the mountains in all three parallel accounts (Mat 24:16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:21).
• The fact that Jesus says that it is "never to be equaled again" should indicate to us that it does not occur at the end of the world.
• Both Mat 23:36 and 24:34 say that this will happen in the generation alive when Jesus spoke.

It is helpful to view the parallel account to Mat 24:15-22 in Luke 21:20-24 in order to throw more light on the passage. Matthew was writing to the Jews and Luke to the Gentiles and therefore Luke uses language more suited to the Gentiles. Luke's version makes it clear that Matthew is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Jesus also makes other prophecies about Jerusalem in Luke 11:49-51, 19:41-44, 23:28-31, Mat 12:43-45, 21:33-45, 23:34-36

(Luke 19:41-44 NIV) As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it {42} and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. {43} The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. {44} They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

What about the reign of the beast in Rev 13?

The beast out of the earth in Rev 13:1-10 is often thought to be the Antichrist. If we look we can see from Rev 13:7 that he has 'authority over every tribe, people, language and nation', which indicates that he has a world-wide reign. We can see from 13:2 that his authority comes from the devil (dragon). And in 13:7 we can see that he 'was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.' In 13:10 we can see how he conquers the saints, by imprisoning them and killing them.

(Rev 13:7-10 NIV) He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. {8} All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. {9} He who has an ear, let him hear. {10} If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Tribulation in General:

The new testament is full of warnings that we will have to go through tribulation and persecution in this life. While this cannot be used to prove that we will go through 'The Great Tribulation' we should at least note that God does not promise to prevent us going through troubles and persecution. Rather we are to endure to the end (Mat 10:22) and he promises us great reward in the next life if we are persecuted (Mat 5:12).

Jesus warns his disciples that in the world they will have trouble.

(John 16:33 NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble (thlipsis). But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Paul and Barnabas warned the new converts that they must go through many hardships

(Acts 14:22 NIV) strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships (thlipsis ) to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

The New Testament attitude to suffering is somewhat different to ours

(Rom 5:3 NIV) Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings (thlipsis), because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

(Rom 8:35-37 NIV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble (thlipsis) or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? {36} As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." {37} No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

(Rom 12:12 NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction (thlipsis), faithful in prayer.

(2 Cor 4:17 NIV) For our light and momentary troubles (thlipsis) are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Suffering (thlipsis) in Revelation:

There are many examples of suffering and persecution of Christians in the book of Revelation.

The Apostle John:

(Rev 1:9 NIV) I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering (thlipsis) and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

The church in Smyrna

(Rev 2:9-10 NIV) I know your afflictions (thlipsis) and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. {10} Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution (thlipsis) for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Those in the church at Thyatira who commit adultery with Jezebel

(Rev 2:22 NIV) So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer (thlipsis) intensely, unless they repent of her ways.

The great tribulation

(Rev 7:14 NIV) I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation (thlipsis); they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Patient endurance (hupomone) while under persecution in Revelation

The bible clearly teaches that we need the quality of endurance or perseverance while under persecution. Unless we have this we will quickly fall away as the parable of the sower warns.

John on Patmos

(Rev 1:9 NIV) I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance (hupomone) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

The church in Ephesus

(Rev 2:2-3 NIV) I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance (hupomone). I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. {3} You have persevered (hupomone) and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

The church in Thyatira

(Rev 2:19 NIV) I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance (hupomone), and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

The church in Philadelphia

(Rev 3:10 NIV) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently (hupomone), I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

During the reign of the beast

(Rev 13:10 NIV) If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance (hupomone) and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Those who refuse to worship the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand (they get killed by the beast out of the earth Rev 13:15). The price for remaining faithful to Jesus is death and its reward is eternal life.

(Rev 14:12 NIV) This calls for patient endurance (hupomone) on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

Some arguments used why the church will not go through the great tribulation.

Wrath or tribulation?

Some argue that since we will not go through wrath then we will not go through the tribulation. In the tribulation of Mat 24 which occurred in AD 70 most Christians had already left Jerusalem because of persecution by the Jews (Acts 8:1) and any remaining Christian were warned to flee when they saw Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20-21). The bible consistently teaches that the church (or saints) will not suffer God's wrath but will suffer tribulation. A study of the word wrath (orge) indicates that it usually refers to the day of God's wrath (Rom 2:5, Rev 6:17). The day of God's wrath will occur when Jesus comes again (see 1 Thess 1:10, 5:1-11). There is little evidence that the saints in Revelation will go through God's wrath, but they will suffer under man's or Satan's wrath.

(1 Th 5:9 NIV) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus comes again we will be rescued from God's wrath which will be poured out on the ungodly instead.

(1 Th 1:10 NIV) and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

(Rev 11:18 NIV) The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

Persecution by the Antichrist

Some people confuse persecution of God's people by the beast (or Antichrist) with God's wrath. However this is not God's wrath - the saints are called upon to exercise patient endurance and faithfulness during this period. Knowing that even if they die that they will inherit eternal life (Rev 2:10, 12:11, Mat 24:9, Rom 8:36-39).

(Rev 11:7 NIV) Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

(Rev 13:7-10 NIV) He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. {8} All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. {9} He who has an ear, let him hear. {10} If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Smyrna

Smyrna would be persecuted even to the point of death, but in dying they gained eternal life. We should note that the persecution comes from the devil, not God (see also Rev 12:17, 13:7).

(Rev 2:9-10 NIV) I know your afflictions (thlipsis) and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. {10} Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution (thlipsis) for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

(Rev 12:17 NIV) Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

(Rev 13:7 NIV) He (the beast) was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Philadelphia would be kept from the hour of trial

The Lords words to the church at Philadelphia are sometimes used to argue that the church will not go through the great tribulation because of the phrase 'I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth' Rev 3:10. The promise to the church in Philadelphia is made because they have faithfully kept God's command to endure patiently. Why should we take the promise made to Philadelphia and apply it to the Church in the West who is not undergoing persecution? For those who think that the seven churches represent phases of church history we should note that Philadelphia is not the last church, it is the sixth. The lukewarm Laodicea is the last (which perhaps is more appropriate to the church in the West). We should also note that this promise was made to the church of the first century and does not make much sense if it refers to a tribulation two thousand years later. In the next verse Christ tells them to 'hold on to what you have' which does not imply that they would be raptured during the hour of testing.

(Rev 3:10-11 NIV) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. {11} I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

In the great commission of Mat 28 Jesus promises to be with the disciples until the very end of the age. Not just before the end of the age.

(Mat 28:19-20 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The absence of the word 'Church' after Rev 3:22

It is sometimes said that because the word 'Church' is absent after Rev 3:22 that the church was raptured in 4:1 and therefore it is not present during seven seals, trumpets and bowls. The word church does not occur in 2 Tim, Titus, 2 Pet, 1 and 2 John and Jude but that does not mean that the church is not present. In Rev 4:1 it is clearly John who is told to 'Come up here' not the church. The next occurrence of the word 'church' occurs in Rev 22:16 (pleural), however the word 'saints' occurs 12 times, and 'servants' occurs 11 times after Rev 3:22. There is also a rapture event in 11:12 when the two witnesses are told to 'come up here'. The majority of commentaries on Revelation do indeed find the church after Rev 3:22, apart from dispensational commentaries.

Wrath in Revelation

We need to distinguish between tribulation which Christians will experience, and God's wrath which Christians will not. Rom 5:9, 1 Thess 1:10 and 5:9 all tell us that Christians will not go through God's wrath. The saints are affected by the first five seals, the first five trumpets, by the beast in Chapter 11, Satan in chapter 12 and the beast in chapter in chapter 13, they are persecuted by the prostitute in chapter 17. However none of this is God's wrath - it is man's or Satan's wrath, but not God's wrath.

There are a number of passages in Revelation where the wrath of God or of the Lamb is mentioned. These are primarily connected with the sixth seal, the seventh trumpet, the seven bowls, the second harvest (the first being that of the saints - the firstfruits) and the second coming. These do not affect the saints.

The sixth seal

(Rev 6:12-17 NIV) I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, {13} and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. {14} The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. {15} Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. {16} They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! {17} For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

This event was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Luke 21:20-28, 23:28-30, Mat 24:29) but it also foreshadows the judgement seat of God Rev 20:11. It should be noted that Christians did not perish at the fall of Jerusalem because they were scattered by persecution or those in Judea fled to the mountains as warned by Christ (Mat 24:16, Mark 13:16, Luke 21:21). The question 'who can stand' in 6:17 is answered in Rev 7:9 by the great multitude standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (7:14).

The seventh trumpet

(Rev 11:18 NIV) The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

At the seventh and last trumpet (1 Cor 15:52 ) we find the time of judgement and rewards for the saints, clearly no wrath for the saints here.

Those who worship the beast

(Rev 14:9-12 NIV) A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, {10} he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. {11} And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." {12} This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

In this passage Gods wrath is reserved for those who worship the beast and his image, the passage seems to here refer to hell. Patient endurance on the part of the saints is required because those who do not worship the beast and his image will be killed (Rev 13:7-10, 15)

The second harvest

(Rev 14:18-20 NIV) Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." {19} The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. {20} They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

The first harvest is of the saints (the firstfruits) Rev 14:14-16. They are not touched by the second harvest.

The seven bowls of God's wrath

(Rev 15:1 NIV) I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed.

In 15:2 we find those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.

(Rev 16:1 NIV) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."

This bowl only affects the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image (16:2).

Significantly after the sixth bowl Christ gives a warning about coming like a thief

(Rev 16:15 NIV) "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."

At the seventh bowl God remembered Babylon

(Rev 16:19 NIV) The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.

At the second coming

(Rev 19:11-15 NIV) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. {12} His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. {13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. {14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

Since he comes with his saints (the armies of heaven 17:14) they are clearly not affected by the wrath of God at the Second Coming.

Links and books:

Will Christians Go Through the Great Tribulation?

Voice of the Martyrs

Open Doors International

Great Tribulation by Phil Enlow

The Great Tribulation - Bread Upon The Waters Ministry

The Last Days Information Site

Pre-trib

THE CHURCH IN GREAT TRIBULATION?

The Doctrine of the Tribulation in Relation to the Rapture by Ron Rhodes

Great Tribulation Overview, see also the Great Tribulation

Great tribulation

Preterist

Seven Year Tribulation: True or False?

The Great Tribulation

Anti-rapture page - Bob Mahlstedt

The Great Tribulation False???? - PropheZine

The Timing of the Rapture! by Tony Warren

Suggested books: linked to

The Great Tribulation: Past or Future? Thomas Ice and Kenneth Gentry Jr., Kregel, 1999. 224 pp. Compares the partial preterist verses futurist view of Matthew 24. If you are new to the view that Mat 24 refers to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 then this book is a good start.

The last days according to Jesus - R C Sproul. Baker books. 1998. This discusses the preterist view of prophecy, especially with regard to Mat 24.

Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, Gary DeMar, 1999, This is a welcome corrective to the current last days madness. Partial preterist view. More books like this available from their American Vision prophecy books website.

First the Antichrist : A Book for Lay Christians Approaching the Third Millennium and Inquiring Whether Jesus Will Come to Take the Church Out of the Tribulation by Robert Horton Gundry

Three Views on the Rapture : Pre; Mid; Or Post-Tribulation? (Counterpoints) by Gleason L. Archer (Editor),

The Church and the Tribulation by Robert Horton Gundry (post-trib)

Biblical Studies in Final Things by William E. Cox

End Times Fiction : A Biblical Consideration of the Left Behind Theology by Gary Demar