Austin Bible Church
The Tribulation will begin at the Rapture of the Church and will end at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. This dispensation will be seven years in duration where the Age of the Jews will resume and be completed.
This dispensation is also referred to as Daniel’s 70th Week. The last half of the Tribulation dispensation is also called the Great Tribulation. The death and destruction on earth will be unlike anything that the world has ever experienced. The destruction will be so great that if the time were extended, there would be no believers left alive. Matt. 24:21-22
“"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” (Matthew 24:21-22, NASB)
The Tribulation will be greatest power struggle in all of human history. It will be Satan’s last attempt to destroy all Jewish believers prior to the return of Jesus Christ at His Second Advent. At the middle of the Tribulation, Satan and all fallen angels will be cast down to the earth. In this time of the Satan’s desperation, Satan will do all that he can to destroy the Jewish population of the earth – especially the remnant of Jewish believers.
As with all dispensations in human history, God will evangelize the unbeliever with salvation obtained the same way as in all dispensations – faith alone in the work of Jesus Christ alone on the Cross. Matt. 24:14; Rev. 14:12.
“"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14, NASB)
“Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12, NASB)
Characteristics of the Tribulation
The Tribulation will be the greatest period of intensified anti-Semitism such that Jews will betray and hate other Jews. Matt. 24:9-10.
“"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.” (Matthew 24:9-10, NASB)
The Tribulation will bring many false prophets, great lawlessness and people’s love “will grow cold.” Matt. 24:5; Matt. 24:11-12; Matt. 24:23-26.
“"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.” (Matthew 24:5, NASB)
“"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:11-12, NASB)
“"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance. "So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.” (Matthew 24:23-26, NASB)
The Tribulation will also be the greatest period of Internationalism and ecumenical religion in all of human history. It will be a period when believers will make the greatest use of faith-rest in the believers’ spiritual life in human history.
The Tribulation will be time of dictatorship resulting in power politics. It will be a time of warfare, famine and inflation. It will be a time of death and martyrdom of believers. There will be unusual natural and celestial disturbances. The spheres of influence will be dominant with certain personalities being dominant. The Tribulation will be worse in the Holy Land than in other places on earth.
Divine principles evident in the Tribulation will include grace before judgment, the Church Age ends before the Tribulation, and intensified evangelism will be provided by God before the judgments in the Tribulation. Matt. 24:14.
“"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14, NASB)
All judgment will be to bring the unbeliever to a realization of their need for salvation. The only time believers will get involved in these Tribulation judgments is if they get involved in religion while religion is being judged. Martyred believers will be killed by religion, but not by any judgment from God in the Tribulation.
Length of the Tribulation
The Tribulation will be seven literal years in duration. In Daniel 9:27, “he” refers to the Dictator of Palestine, “the many” refers to the Jews, “one week” means seven literal years, and “complete destruction” refers to the end of the Tribulation.
““And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”“ (Daniel 9:27, NASB)
For the first three and one-half years, the Gentiles will control Jerusalem and the Jewish temple. The Gentiles will leave out the court in the temple because this was the place where the Gentiles were permitted to come when Jesus was on earth. Why? They will be in control, so a separate area won’t be necessary. The two Jewish witnesses will do their witnessing to unbelievers outside of the temple because it will be apostate. Rev. 11:2.
““Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.” (Revelation 11:2, NASB)
At mid-point of the Tribulation, a statue of the Dictator of the Revived Roman Empire, also known as the Abomination of Desolation spoken of in Daniel, will be set up in the temple. The temple worship will be discontinued and mandatory worship of this image will be started. Matt. 24:15; Daniel 9:27.
“"Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),” (Matthew 24:15, NASB)
“"And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."” (Daniel 9:27, NASB)
It will take the Dictator of the Revived Roman Empire three and one-half years to establish himself in Rome and then he will continue another three and one-half years. Rev. 13:5.
“There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.” (Revelation 13:5, NASB)
Tribulation Outline
The outline of the 7-year dispensation of the Tribulation is found in Revelation 6-19. The Rapture of the Church initiates the Tribulation. Our Lord’s Second Advent ends the Tribulation.
Rev. 6 - The panorama of the Tribulation.
Rev. 7 - Evangelism of the Tribulation.
Rev. 8-10 - The trumpet judgments toward unbelieving Gentiles.
Rev. 11 - The two Jewish witnesses Moses and Elijah give their message of salvation in the seventh trumpet.
Rev. 12:1-12 - The fall of Satan and his expulsion from heaven provides his motivation for the Rev. 13 - The Armageddon campaign.
The rise of the two dictators, one Roman and one Jewish.
Rev. 14 - Demonstration of God's principle of grace before judgment. The grace means of salvation by personal faith alone in Jesus Christ alone remains the same in the Tribulation as in every other dispensation.
Rev. 15-16 - The vial judgments.
Rev. 17-18 - The rise and fall of ecumenical religion.
Rev. 19 - The Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 12:13-17 - The seventh trumpet judgment will be administered.
Rev. 13 - Satan’s two dictators will seek to destroy all of Israel, especially believers.
Rev. 14 - God's plan will be victorious through evangelism by divine judgment.
Rev. 15-16 - God will judge planet earth and eliminate many of those responsible for the horrifying conditions on the earth. This includes the conclusion of the Armageddon Campaign which will be the greatest world war of all time.
Rev. 17-18 - Ecumenical Religion will be judged.
Rev. 19 – Rev. 20:3 - Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years during the time of the Millennium.
Tribulation Panorama
The panorama of the Tribulation is presented in Revelation 6.
First Half
All Church Age believers will have already been removed from the earth at the Rapture of the Church. Bibles will remain resulting in the salvation of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. The 144,000 Jewish evangelists will have many converts among the Gentiles.
Judaism will be revived in Palestine. The temple will be constructed in Jerusalem in unbelief. The first four Trumpet Judgments will occur which will be general judgments. The two Beasts (dictators) will become evident.
Mid-Point
Satan and all fallen angels will be cast out of heaven and confined to the earth. Anti-Semitism will increase significantly. An alliance will be made between the two dictators and a statue of the Beast will be set up in the newly constructed temple in Jerusalem.
Believers in Jerusalem will have to flee to the mountains for safety when they hear of the animation of the statue of the Beast – the Abomination of Desolation. The two witnesses will begin their evangelism. There will be mandatory worship of the Abomination of Desolation under pain of death. Those who choose to worship the Abomination of Desolation receive the Mark of the Beast.
Last Half
There will be evangelism by the two witnesses. There will be evangelism by disaster (vial judgments). The last three trumpet judgments will be administered that will include invasion of fallen angels.
The Armageddon Campaign will begin. Ecumenical Religion will fall. The Second Advent of Christ will occur. Jesus Christ will swiftly conclude the Armageddon Campaign. The Beast and the False Prophet will be the first residents in the Lake of Fire for eternity.
Satan will be bound for 1,000 years. All Old Testament believers from the Age of Israel (Jewish Age) and all Tribulation believers who were killed will be resurrected.
The Baptism of Fire of unbelieving Gentiles will occur. The remnant of Israel believers will be regathered. The Baptism of Fire of unbelieving Jews will occur.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will take place. The Kingdom will be established by Jesus Christ thus ushering in the Millennium Kingdom.
The operation of the Holy Spirit will be the same as in the Old Testament. The Tribulation will be the last seven years of the Age of Israel.
Spheres of Influence
Spheres of influence in power politics are made up of groups of nations each under one leader. Four such spheres of influence will be quite prominent in the Tribulation.
The Dictator of Palestine. The hub of these events will be Palestine.
The king of the North. Comparable to the nations that comprised the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in the 20th Century. Their objective will be to conquer Africa. Daniel 11:40-42.
“"At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.” (Daniel 11:40-42, NASB)
The kings of the East. Comparable to the nations that are located adjacent to or near China today. Rev. 16:12; Isaiah 63:1-3.
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.” (Revelation 16:12, NASB)
“Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? "I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.” (Isaiah 63:1-3, NASB)
The king of the South. Composed of most of the Arabic nations located in the Middle East today who will unite to become one sphere of influence or power. Daniel 11:40.
“"At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.” (Daniel 11:40, NASB)
The king of the West. This will be a 10-nation confederation called the Revived Roman Empire that will include many of the nations in the European Union today. Daniel 7:7; Daniel 7:23-24; Rev. 13:1-10; Rev. 17:8-10.
“"After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.” (Daniel 7:7, NASB)
“"Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.” (Daniel 7:23-24, NASB)
“"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. "Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.” (Revelation 17:8-10, NASB)
There will be a union of Church and State under the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire who will be the head of the 10-nation confederation and will head Ecumenical Religion in the Tribulation.
Deliverance for Believers
All Church Age believers will be resurrected and will meet Jesus Christ in the air at the Rapture of the Church which signals the end of the Church Age and the start of the Tribulation (the last seven years of the Age of Israel). People will be born again in the Tribulation. Church Age believers will be gone, but the Bible will remain. Heb. 4:12.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NASB)
The Tribulation will have a limited duration of seven years. Had it not been limited to seven years, no believers would remain on earth. They will be delivered by Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Matt. 24:22; Mark 13:20.
“"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” (Matthew 24:22, NASB)
“"Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” (Mark 13:20, NASB)
There will be deliverance for believers from the judgments in the Tribulation. Those judgments are upon unbelievers for the purpose of bringing them to Christ. The judgments are the wrath of God and believers are not subject to the wrath of God. Rev. 7:17.
“for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."” (Revelation 7:17, NASB)
In Daniel 12:1, “time of distress” refers to the Tribulation. “Your people” refers to believing Jews who will be delivered.
“"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” (Daniel 12:1, NASB)
There will be deliverance for Jewish believers in the first place when in the middle of the Tribulation the statue, the Abomination of Desolation is set up in the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem. Fleeing to Edom, Moab and Ammon will keep them safe. Rev. 12:6; Rev. 12:14; Matt. 24:15-31; Daniel 11.
“Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” (Revelation 12:6, NASB)
“But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14, NASB)
There will be deliverance for believers right before the Second Advent by staying and fighting. Rev. 14:19-20; Zech. 14:2.
“So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.” (Revelation 14:19-20, NASB)
“For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.” (Zechariah 14:2, NASB)
Deliverance for some Tribulation believers will be death. Rev. 14:13.
“And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."” (Revelation 14:13, NASB)