What & When is the Great Tribulation?
A Battle in Heaven
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12: 7-9)
Satan (aka the great dragon, the old serpent, the Devil) and the angels that serve him will eventually be cast out of heaven and into the earth.
Christians in Heaven
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12: 10-11)
Satan has been able to approach God and has been the accuser of Christians day and night. Therefore, this event (Satan being cast out of heaven) had not yet happened as of the time that the book of Revelation was written.
This event appears to take place just before the time of Great Tribulation. During the time of Great Tribulation, there will be Christians in heaven but there will still be Christians on the earth (Revelation 6: 9-11).
Satan’s Wrath
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12: 12)
Heaven will rejoice when Satan and his angels are permanently cast out. However, they give a warning to those who are still on the earth. When Satan realizes that his time is short, he will be filled with rage. He will take out his wrath onto those who inhabit the earth and the sea.
When Jesus said that He saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky (Luke 10: 18), it appears that Jesus was referring to when Satan chose to leave his place in heaven and begin doing evil on the earth. It is also possible that Jesus is describing what He has seen will happen in the future (Satan being cast out of heaven).
God has held Satan back but a time is coming when Satan will be allowed to do his worst (2 Thessalonians 2: 7). It appears that when Satan is permanently cast out of heaven it will be the beginning of Satan’s reign of terror (the Great Tribulation).
Severe Persecution of Jews
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. (Revelation 12: 13)
Satan will initially direct his wrath toward the Jewish people. Satan will initially attack the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because that is the lineage from which the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, came (Genesis 12: 3).
The woman who gave birth to the man child (Jesus Christ) (as foretold in Genesis 3: 15) represents the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God Protects a Remnant of Jews
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time [3-1/2 years], from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. (Revelation 12: 14-16)
God will supernaturally protect and provide for a remnant of Jews. This appears to refer to protecting this Jewish remnant during the 3-1/2 years of Great Tribulation.
The remnant is most likely to be a group of faithful Jewish people who make a mandatory pilgrimage to Jerusalem and then flee the area when Satan begins unleashing his terrible wrath (at the beginning of the Great Tribulation).
Severe Persecution of Christians
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12: 17)
When Satan realizes that God won’t allow him to annihilate the entire Jewish population, Satan will turn his wrath onto the followers of Jesus Christ.
When Jerusalem is Surrounded
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. (Luke 21: 20-21)
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 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. (Luke 21: 22-24)
The Great Tribulation will begin when Jerusalem is surrounded by the Antichrist’s armies and the abomination that causes desolation is set up. When that happens, God’s people are to flee the area and stay out of that area. The Great Tribulation will continue until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled.
The Great Tribulation is the time of Satan’s wrath. God’s wrath (Rev 16 – Rev 19) takes place AFTER the Great Tribulation. God repays the wicked world for what it did to His people during the Great Tribulation.
The Abomination that causes Desolation
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24: 15-22)
When the Great Tribulation begins, people are to immediately flee Judaea and not even go home to get their things. Even so, the tribulation will be felt world-wide.
Because the tribulation is so severe, God will shorten the days (shorter days – not fewer days) for the sake of the elect (note that the elect will be present during that time).
Otherwise, no flesh would survive. This indicates that during the Great Tribulation a war is being waged against humans (flesh) by something not fully human… such as fallen angels, nephilim (angel/human hybrids described in Genesis 6: 4), and humans who take the mark of the beast (which might make them into some sort of hybrid and no longer fully human: e.g., transhumanism).
The Abomination spoken of by Daniel
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [7 years]: and in the midst of the week [7 years] 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. (Daniel 9: 27)
The Antichrist will confirm a 7-year covenant/treaty. He is not one of the 10 kings that sign it (Rev 17: 12) (Daniel 11: 21). Halfway through the treaty, he will violate it and the abomination will be set up (Daniel 9: 27). The Antichrist will rise to power and usurp 3 of the 10 kings (Daniel 7: 24). It appears that the Antichrist will usurp Britain (the lion), Russia (the bear), and the European Union (the leopard) (Daniel 7) (Rev 13: 2).
In Daniel 9, God counted out 70 weeks (7-year cycles) before everything in this age is finished (Daniel 9: 24-26). Of the 70-week prophecy, one final 7 years remains.
It appears that God will have the final 7 years coincide with the Sabbath year cycles that He established in Leviticus 25 & 26. If so, the final 7 years could potentially begin in Sept 2022.
Jesus’ Unmistakable Return
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24: 23-27)
There will be false prophets and false messiahs. Do not be deceived into believing that Jesus will return before or during the Great Tribulation. Don’t go looking for Him in various places.
When Jesus Christ returns, it will be unmistakable. The whole world will see Him at the same time (and God doesn’t need technology). He will return with power and great glory (Matthew 24: 30) (Mark 13: 26) (Luke 21: 27).
When is the Rapture?
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24: 29-31)
The return of Jesus Christ is AFTER the time of Great Tribulation. He gathers his elect when the trumpet sounds AFTER the Great Tribulation.
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.27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21: 25-28)
Before Jesus returns, there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. The powers of heaven shall be shaken. This appears to describe the celestial and terrestrial events that take place after the Great Tribulation and during the 7 bowls/vials of God’s wrath (Rev 16).
The Day of the Lord is the 7th Bowl/Vial of God’s wrath. Jesus will gather His elect prior to the Battle of Armageddon (aka the Day of the Lord). That exact day and hour cannot be calculated.
What Now?
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5: 8)
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14: 3)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6: 10-13).
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10: 19)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen. (Matthew 28: 19-20).
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