What Is The Great Tribulation? An Introduction
The term 'the great tribulation', coined by Christian teachers over the centuries, has its basis in Scripture. Daniel, the Jewish prophet, was the first to be given a detailed revelation of an end time catastrophe that would destroy and devastate
his people, the nation of Israel. Daniel lived about 500 years before Christ and was given visions and revelations concerning the fate of his people in the last days. The news was not good.
The angel told Daniel, "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time." (Dan. 12:1)
What time would 'that time' signify? Reading further down we read the following: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." (v. 2)
This event will therefore occur just prior to the end of the age, before the resurrection of both the believer and the unbeliever, the righteous and the unjust, the righteous being resurrected to eternal life and the wicked to everlasting
contempt/shame.
The second instance of the 'great tribulation' was mentioned by Christ Himself in response to His disciples asking Him what the signs preceding His return would be:
Jesus went on to say that if the duration of that tribulation (to come) had not been shortened by God Himself, there would be no more elect left on the earth. Based on these two references, it would be safe to call the 'great tribulation' the 'greatest
end time tribulation in the history of man'. Daniel was told that this tribulation would affect his nation, Israel, while Jesus taught that it would involve the total annihilation of the elect if not for God's intervention.
Who then are these 'elect'? To identify the 'elect' as Christ used it in this passage from the Olivet discourse (Matt. 24), look at the very next verse where Christ warns that the 'elect' are NOT exempt from deception:
The New Testament also contains instances of the usage of this term in referencing the CHURCH. Paul writes:
Titus 1:1 and 1 Peter 1:2 are among other verses that identify the 'elect' as the saints, the believers, the Church.
Although, in the OT, the nation of Israel was called the 'elect' of God, Paul teaches in his epistles to the churches that believers in Christ have now been included within the 'elect', the chosen of God, purchased with and brought near by His blood
and grafted into the 'vine' that was at one time exclusively the nation of Israel (see Rom. 11). Understanding this makes it crystal clear what Jesus taught, how the great tribulation WOULD involve the CHURCH, and there WOULD be a slaughter so great
that no believer would remain on earth at the coming of Christ if the days allotted to this devastation were not cut short for the sake of these 'elect'.
From the passages in Daniel and Matthew we have now established the following:
The great tribulation will separate those who 'have insight/the wise' from the 'wicked':
Who are these with insight (the wise), and what will they have insight into? Verse 4 tells us that this group will possess knowledge, understanding and revelation of these end time prophecies of Daniel as the 'go over and over them, studying them'.
Daniel, perplexed and astounded by these prophecies, asks the angel how long this period of the tribulation will last.
These revelations given to Daniel were clearly meant for Daniel to record, not to understand himself. They were to be 'sealed up', that is, kept secret until the time of the end. Again, there is a reference here to the 'wise' that shall UNDERSTAND
these prophecies. These prophecies were MEANT to be understood - by the 'wise' at the time of the end, who in turn would 'LEAD MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS'.
The end goal of the tribulation would be twofold:
Jesus gave credence and validation to the prophecies of Daniel by acknowledging that he was a true prophet and that the great tribulation would begin with the 'abomination of desolation' which Daniel's revelations speak of, as we shall see, several
times.
This 'abomination of desolation' is better understood as the 'abomination that CAUSES desolation' (NIV), "the sacrilegious object that causes desecration" (NLT), and "that 'Horrible Thing'" (CEV). The Amplified Bible adds the note that the abomination of desolation is "the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate."
Some translations render this the 'abomination that causes horror' or the 'transgression that causes horror'. Right at the outset, we can establish these things about this 'abomination of desolation':
First, it is an ABOMINATION:
Daniel gives further insight as to what this might be: "Forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place
there the abomination of desolation." (Dan. 11:31, NKJV) - Therefore an object, not an individual: 'shiqquts'.
Third, he is called the 'man of sin' and the 'son of perdition'. Judas Iscariot was also called a son of perdition. Perdition originally meant "utter destruction"; now it refers to "eternal damnation".
Fourth, Jesus taught His disciples that SEEING this individual (who would gain illegitimate access into the Holy Place (of the temple) and 'impersonates' God) should be the impetus and warning for those living in Judea at the time to FLEE to the
mountains.
Fifth, this 'abomination' would be the initiation of the occupation of Jerusalem that will lead ultimately to its utter destruction and DESOLATION:
It may seem perplexing to see a connection between an idolatrous image being set up in the Holy Place of the temple and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. But this is what Jesus and Daniel spoke of, and as we delve deeper into the identity
of the perpetrator of this tribulation and his motivations, the pieces of this puzzle will start to fit together to reveal the full picture.
The great tribulation will BEGIN IN THE NATION OF ISRAEL, SPECIFICALLY, JERUSALEM.
Jesus summed it up:
To understand this tribulation, one must start at the beginning at the evil, Satanically possessed individual behind this war against Israel, and the perpetrator-in-chief of these crimes against the Jewish people.
The Man of Sin
Paul referred to a 'man of sin', the 'son of perdition' (NKJV), 'man of lawlessness', 'son of destruction' (NASB), 'who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying
himself as being God.' We have seen that Jesus spoke and warned His disciples of the very same event, citing this as the sign for the inhabitants of Judea to flee (see previous reference). Paul had written to the Thessalonian church, in reply to the
questions they had raised as to whether the 'day of the Lord' had already come and gone. This will be the day of the 'coming of the Lord and our gathering together unto Him' - ("rapture" is not the right word; 'gathering together' is. Matt. 24 says
He (Jesus) will send His angels to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth).
Paul emphatically exhorts and warns the Thessalonian believers that the day of the Lord will NOT come until this 'man of sin' is revealed for all to see by taking his seat in the temple of God. Paul reminds them that he taught them these things while he
was physically present with them.
This 'man of sin' will be controlled by his master puppeteer, Satan.
Paul, a scholar of the scriptures (the Jewish Tanach/Old Testament) was well versed with the passages of Daniel, who years before his time had prophesied the coming of this man of sin and was reiterating this verse: Dan. 11:36: "Then the king shall
do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods.
Let's summarize what we know about this 'man of sin':
The BLASPHEMER
The books of Daniel and Revelation repeatedly describe the Antichrist as a blatant blasphemer. We have seen from Dan. 11:36 that he will blaspheme the name of God. Both Daniel and John were shown visions of a beast, the kingdom of the Antichrist,
similar in description to each other, each with a mouth speaking BLASPHEMIES. 'BLASPHEMER' is the perfect and apt descriptor of the Antichrist; he is the human embodiment of Satan; he is the arch enemy of the One True God, and of His people
the Jews, and as we shall see, His children, the saints, washed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. He is also depicted in these visions given to both John and Daniel as a 'horn',
representing a king/ruler. Daniel refers to him as the 'king of the North'.
An examination of relevant chapters of the books of Daniel and the Revelation will produce a complete picture of the Antichrist, his mission, personality, rise to power, geopolitical affiliations and clout, and his RABID hatred of the elect of God,
both the Jews AND the Church. Other Old Testament scriptures have also prophesied the war that will be perpetrated by him against the Jews (Ezekiel, Zechariah), the bloodiest and worst in the history of the nation of Israel (Dan. 12). The Holocaust
will pale in comparison.
Matt. 25:21: "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again."
Matt: 24:24: "For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the ELECT."
Col. 3:12-13: So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone;
just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.
Dan. 12:3: And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Dan. 12:4: But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
Dan. 12:5-7, 9-10: Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of
these wonders be?" Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and
half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these tings shall be finished. And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
Matt: 24:15-16: "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation', spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains."
שִׁקּוּץ
shiqqûwts,
shik-koots'; or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts; from H8262; disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol:abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).
Second, Jesus referred to it as it were an individual who would stand in the Holy Place (of the Jewish temple). Paul elaborated regarding this individual: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling
away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:4)
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. (Luke 21:20)
And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations
are decreed. (Daniel9:26)
Matt. 24:20-24: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the
country must not enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the
land and wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
2 Thess. 2:8-12: Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all
power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon the a deluding influence so that they
will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
This subject is a very dense and, as you can see, even complex subject to examine. As the title of this article states, this is just an introduction. In future articles, I will continue the examination of this critical topic and the events that are to unfold as part of the great tribulation.