THE TRIBULATION Mark 13:19 I. INTRODUCTION- a. The Bible s record on prophetic accuracy is perfect. b. Every event prophesied in the Bible has occurred except for those that will be fulfilled in the end times. c. The Bible predicted Noah s flood the famine in Egypt in Joseph s day the captivity of the Jews the return of the Jews to their homeland the rising and falling of nations from Babylon to Rome and the destruction of Jerusalem and they all came true. d. The Bible s record of 100 percent accuracy in prophesying events that have already happened gives us absolute confidence in the fulfillment of those it prophesies to occur in the future. e. One of the prophecies found in the Bible that is yet to be fulfilled is the prophecy of a time of unprecedented worldwide catastrophe known as the Tribulation. f. The Bible says the time of the Tribulation will be a time when unprecedented horrors upheavals persecutions natural disasters massive slaughter and political turmoil will envelope the earth. g. According to the Bible the Tribulation will be a period of seven years which will occur after the Rapture of the church and before the second coming of Jesus Christ. h. The Bible word translated tribulation has the idea of crushing pulverizing grinding or pounding of something into powder. i. During the Tribulation the earth will be pounded and crushed by the final judgements of God.
j. Tonight we are going to explore some of what the Bible has to say about this terrible time. II. THE TRIBULATION WILL BE A SURPRISE- a. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the apostle Paul described the Rapture of the church the event that will immediately precede and signal the beginning of the time of Tribulation. b. Since the Bible says that no one knows the exact time the Rapture of the church will happen then obviously no one knows when the Tribulation will begin. c. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 the Bible says But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. d. The world will be totally caught off guard by the Rapture of the church. e. The Bible says that one day the people of the world will be going about their business as usual they will be buying and selling eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage. f. And then boom the Rapture of the church will happen which will be followed by the Tribulation these events will shock and surprise the world. III. THE TRIBULATION WILL BE SEVERE- a. Nowhere in the Bible will you find one word that says anything good about the Tribulation time unless it is the promise that the Tribulation will end after seven years. b. Moses called the Tribulation the day of calamity (Deut. 32:35) Zephaniah said it was the day of the LORD S anger (Zephaniah 2:2).
c. Paul called it the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10) John called it "the hour of trial" (Revelation 3:10) and the hour of God s judgment (14:7). d. Daniel described it as a time of trouble, such as there never was. e. Zephaniah 1:15-16 describes the Tribulation as a world-wide day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of devastation and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness a day of trumpet and alarm. f. In Matthew 24:21-22 Jesus told us that the Tribulation will be an unprecedented time of terror and horror. g. Matthew 24:21-22 (NKJV) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. h. Of course the most vivid description of the Tribulation period is found in the central chapters of the book of Revelation. i. Revelation says that during the seven years of the Tribulation great wars will ravage the world peace on earth will come to an end for seven years there will be rampant slaughter and tremendous loss of life on earth. j. Revelation says that during the Tribulation hail and fire will burn up the earth s grass and destroy a third of all trees. k. Intense famine will dry up much of the earth s food supplies rivers and seas will become too polluted to sustain life and many rivers and fresh water sources will dry up completely. l. The sun will scorch the earth and its inhabitants a quarter of the world s population will die from war, starvation, and beastly predators.
m. Giant earthquakes accompanied by thunder and lightning will destroy entire cities cosmic mountains will crash into the seas killing a third of the fish. n. Tidal waves will sink a third of all the world's ships. o. A massive meteor shower will strike the earth and the ash and smoke that rises from the devastation will hide the sun and moon. p. Swarms of demonic insects will darken the sun and inflict painful stings on human beings. q. Rampant epidemics and plagues will kill millions of people. r. Things will get so bad that everyone from national leaders to servants and slaves will flee the cities to hide in caves and under rocks. s. To make matters even worse a maniacal despot known as the Antichrist will rise to worldwide power during the Tribulation. t. He will be multiple times more demonic than Nero Stalin and Hitler combined. u. The Antichrist will demand total allegiance to his satanically inspired rule and those who resist him will be barred from buying or selling food or anything else. v. The Antichrist s lust for power will not cease until the entire civilized world chokes in his tyrannical grip. w. The Antichrist will hate God he will hate Israel and he will hate those who are saved during the Tribulation. x. Many people will come to Christ and be saved during the Tribulation and many of them will be martyred by the Antichrist.
y. The Tribulation will be hell on earth and there will be nowhere anyone can go to escape from its severity cruelty and brutality. IV. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION- a. The Tribulation will be God s judgement on mankind s increasing rebellion and rampant sin. b. Just as the world s sin and rebellion lead to Noah s flood so the ever-increasing sin and rebellion of mankind in the last days will eventually lead to the Tribulation. c. But beyond that the Tribulation is a program planned by God to accomplish three important goals. d. #1, To purify and draw Israel to Himself the Jewish nation exists as a result of God s promise to Abraham. e. God promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in heaven and that the Jewish nation will endure throughout all eternity. f. God chose the Jewish nation to be His witnessing nation to the world but Israel has never fulfilled that purpose. g. Time and again throughout its history Israel turned away from God. h. Finally in collusion with the Romans Israel even put the Messiah that God sent them to death their Messiah was of course Jesus Christ. i. Will Israel ever fulfill God s purpose for the nation?... yes it will during the time of Tribulation. j. The Bible teaches that as a result of the treachery of the Antichrist as a result of the preaching of two witnesses which will appear in Israel in the Tribulation the eyes of the Jewish people will finally be opened.
k. Midway through the Tribulation en masse Israel will finally turn to Jesus and receive Him as the Messiah and trust in Him as their Savior and Lord. l. Then the nation of Israel represented in the book of Revelation as the 144,000 witnesses will cover the earth with their witness for Christ. m. As a result the Antichrist will turn on Israel with a vengeance and he will martyr multitudes of the believing Jews and their converts. n. This is what the Bible means when it says Romans 11:26 (NKJV) And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. o. #2, To punish sinners the second purpose of the Tribulation is to punish sinners. p. When the rebellious people of Noah s day reached the tipping point the point of no return God brought His judgment on the earth. q. One day this rebellious and evil world will reach the tipping point the point of no return with God. r. And then a patient and loving God will bring His judgment to bear on an ever increasingly evil world. s. While everyone wants to focus on the love of God the Bible speaks both of God s love and His wrath few people pay attention to what the Bible says about the wrath of God. t. The biblical doctrine of God s wrath is rooted in the doctrine that God is the good, wise and loving creator who hates and relentlessly hates anything that spoils, defaces, distorts, or damages his beautiful creation. u. In particular God hates anything that does this to human beings those creatures who bear His image.
v. If God does not hate racial prejudice He is neither good nor loving if God is not wrathful at child abuse He is neither good nor loving. w. If God is not utterly determined to root out from His creation in an act of proper wrath and judgment the arrogance, sin and evil that allows people to exploit, bomb, bully, enslave, hurt and harm one another then He is neither loving, good, wise. x. The Tribulation will be the ultimate fulfillment of Romans 1:18 Romans 1:18 (NKJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. y. Nahum explained God s wrath against sin this way Nahum 1:2-3 (HCSB) The LORD is a jealous and an avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is fierce in wrath. The LORD takes vengeance against His foes; He is furious with His enemies. The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will never leave the guilty unpunished. z. #3, To give lost sinners one more chance to be saved even as God is pouring out His wrath in the Tribulation He will still be reaching out to the lost with His grace. aa. The fact that God will take seven years to pour out His wrath on the world is an expression of His grace. bb.because during those seven years as judgment after judgement falls on the earth multitudes will be saved. cc. Just as the sun hardens clay and softens butter during the Tribulation God s wrath will harden some hearts and soften others. dd.some will hate God more and some will turn to Christ. V. CONCLUSION-
a. Believe me no one wants to be on earth during the Tribulation. b. Before the Tribulation happens Jesus is going to take all who belong to Him out of this world the Lord knows how to rescue those who belong to Him. c. That is the Rapture of the church. d. That is why those who are lost need to be saved today.