The Tribulation Period
The end times is not something you can interpret any way you want to construct it just because you may think it is symbolic. There is in fact a 7 year tribulation which will come on the Earth. This is seven literal years of a tribulation period as we know a year to be in our life presently. What is more is that I can prove it right here.
I understand there are those who wish to interpret this in other ways yet Daniel 9:27 is far too clear on this matter. Only those who know nothing of the 70 weeks prophecy within Daniel could botch this up.
Additionally Daniel’s outline of time found in chapter 2 and 7 detail the order of nations. Daniel 7 and the fourth beast clearly comes into more detailed focus by John in Revelation 13.
In other words as of the time of this writing we are not living within the Tribulation. There are no seals which have been unsealed, no trumpets or any other part of that time which has taken place.
If proof is needed for this all one must do is once again look at Daniel 9:27. The covenant which is confirmed with the many for one week tells us everything. This is an agreement between the Nations and Israel. This covenant period is the Tribulation. It is a very specific period of time with a very specific group of people who are involved for a specific purpose.
One of the problems we have today is that people who know little decide to dive into the most complicated parts of Scripture. The amount of education one must have to understand prophecy is beyond what anyone can receive on their own. It is impossible to sit, read, and understand without the help of those in history who have paved the paths before us. To ignore that wisdom is foolish.
Evidence In Revelation
Revelation is a beautiful book. Let me rephrase that, it is an amazing and unbelievable piece that gives a window into more than most ever give it credit for. Revelation chapter 6 opens with Christ in the throne room of Heaven. He is holding a book and upon it are seals. Let’s back up. How did Jesus get there? Everyone knows the seals are unsealed within the Tribulation.
Revelation 5 shows John in Heaven as he is witnessing that no one is worthy of opening this book which has the seals upon it. It states that no man was found in Heaven or in Earth that can loose the seals and open the book. Christ is not present.
It is in verse 5 we receive very important and critical information.
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Christ appears in Heaven at this moment. He is identified by not only person, but also by title. You need to realize something important here. It was only after His birth, death, and resurrection that He has this title. In addition to this that verse states that Jesus has prevailed. How did He prevail? He rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven.
Therefore it is impossible for any Tribulation event to take place across the broader spectrum of history as some believe. Do not fall into a trap though. Some have taken this to mean that since His ascension that the Tribulation has begun. This too is impossible. I will explain.
The Church As Evidence
I love my foundational documents within this blog. I will often link to them from my regular blog posts simply because to explain every dynamic would require more than a single blog post can handle in topic. Remember you are reading about the most complex parts within the Bible. Here an understanding of the breakdown in Romans 11 will aid in grasping what time applies to who and why in moving towards the end of the world.
To understand these prophecies one must first understand the book they are within and the time they are written for. Context is everything. The Church being on Earth is in of itself the very evidence that we are not within the Tribulation. Now, right there I have opened a can of something that would make some peoples eyes bleed.
Despite all the historical differences in opinion this is really not that hard to prove. In fact this one a child could understand if they have some basic Sunday School behind them in history. So let’s dig in.
Luke 21:36 is given as a hope stating that one should be counted worthy of escaping the said Tribulation. This alone tells that a Christian will be able to not be present within its time. Revelation 3:10 speaks specifically to those said Christians who kept the faith and will NOT be within the hour of temptation, or otherwise called the Tribulation.
If this is not good enough let’s go back to the Old Testament for proof there. Isaiah 26:20-21 is Christ Himself calling His people out of the world to protect them. The Church is and always has been pictured as His bride. This Scripture in Isaiah is as a bridegroom taking his bride, placing her within his chamber. It is then that Christ says to her to wait as He moves to punish all within the Earth.
Thus far I have not even touched the writing of Paul which are so popular among Pre-Trib Christians. Those Scriptures have been chanted like a mantra to prove that the Church will not be present within the Tribulation. I like using these other passages as they seem to be less known for some reason.
Add in the passages from the writing of Paul such as 1 Thessalonians 5:9, or the purpose behind the Rapture in presenting His bride before the Father in 1 Thessalonians 3:13. Better yet why not take the very words of Jesus Himself in John 14:2 where He very specifically tells us that He will return for the Church and then we accept what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 at face value which in turn validates Isaiah 26:20-21.
I can literally run circles around this topic until everyone is out of breath. There is absolutely no way possible that anyone can take canonical scripture within its written literal form and make it say otherwise. If you want to believe in the land of fairies and gnomes with elves you can make it say anything you want. All it requires is for you refusing to accept the very words printed in black and white. That my friend is up to you to choose.
As long as the Church is present on this Earth there cannot nor will there be a Tribulation event. It is not possible. The evidence is not merely there, it is overwhelming. This evidence is not some micro piece of Scripture. It is in fact bound by a promise from God to the Church. It is literally sealed by Christ blood. How can a people forgiven be punished for sins which we have been forgiven for?
In other words you must decide if Christs sacrifice was enough, or if it wasn’t. If you cannot accept Christ then what more do you need? To be completely up front, if Christ is not enough then nothing else will be. Certainly you and I definitely are not good enough on our own no matter what we do. If our sins are parted from us as far as the East is from the West then some idea of purification within the Tribulation is complete nonsense.
Why Is There A Tribulation?
Once the Church is removed from this world events begin to unfold on Earth. It is not until the moment of Daniel 9:27 that the clock begins to tick and one can say they are within the Tribulation. At that moment a series of events begin to unfold which is divided into multiple segments of time and judgment.
Let’s take a moment here and get to the meaning of it. Since the Church is gone then why have a Tribulation at all? Seriously. Why not just let God wipe out the Earth and be done with it all? Is it really to punish or judge people? If that is the case then God is really redundant for the Great White Throne is for that as well as eternity in Hell.
If one does not understand the purpose of the Tribulation it is all too easy to mess up everything. This is why no novice has any business attempting to break down this stuff on their own claiming they know something. It breaks a million things from Genesis to Revelation. In fact the very purpose of the Tribulation can be found in Genesis itself, at least its very foundation.
Genesis 17 is a rather long conversation between God and Abraham. So understand that what is given by God really cannot be messed up. He states it so clearly, and multiple times, and in multiple ways, it would take a heathen to miss it.
In verses 1 and 2 God appears and states His purpose. He is there to make a promise between Him and Abraham. Then again in verses 7 and 8 He says the same thing but expands it. He states that this promise is between Him, Abraham, and all the children of Abraham for all generations to the end of the world.
Hang on lets make some eyes bleed again. I love this part. God even goes to the point of stating that He will for all eternity give to the nation of Israel the land of Canaan. This should really give one pause on the real intent behind the Antichrists peace accord in Daniel 9:27 as a fraud to God’s promises. Before it is all over he attempts to claim himself as God. That should cause many to take a moment of reflection.
The entire purpose is for Israel. It is so that they come to know Christ. That is it. It is the only way to bring them to Him so that He can fulfill His promise He made to them so long ago in history. If God plans on continuing to be God, and I have full confidence that He will, then He must make good on His promises. If He does not make good on this promise then that would make Him a liar and He cannot be God.
Framing Clarity Beginning To End
The events within the Tribulation are deep and easy to muddle together or misalign. Rather than map out all events within this article I will push the extended time line into another article. Here I will give the basic outline.
Its beginning is with a treaty which is a false treaty that will not last. This peace is broken at the mid point 3.5 years into this tribulation period. It is at this midpoint that the Antichrist will assume power within Jerusalem and the Nation of Israel will flee to Petra.
Some have stated that the first 3.5 years are good and the last 3.5 are bad. In truth none of it is good. The first half is bad and the last half is really horrifically bad. Both segments are filled with various judgments which come about as time progresses.
The midpoint is a shift though which sets apart the last half from the first. As the Antichrist takes control of Jerusalem he also will defile the temple and proclaim himself as God. This sets into motion the worst of judgments upon the world leading to the end.
The end of the Tribulation is at the 2nd Coming of Christ. The Church returns with Christ in the atmosphere and the Antichrist with all his company are destroyed at the battle of Megiddo. After this victory Christ will set foot on Mt Olives exactly from where he ascended in the time of the Biblical disciples.
At this point the Tribulation is over and fully completed. The period of time which will come after this is called the Millennial Kingdom. As the Tribulation comes to a close the world will see a serious change in administration of government on Earth and the rule of mankind. It will hail back to the days of the Garden of Eden when things were perfect.
Hypocrisy In Teaching
Through time the teaching behind the 7 years of tribulation have been twisted and turned more ways than can be imagined. Among the claims are attacks to the authenticity of who wrote revelation. The range in this spectrum reach from fantasy to pure hypocrisy and false teaching that has been warned against by Peter and Revelation.
For those who are confused by events and the myriad of lies which can be found by the click of a mouse, the easiest way to find the truth is the text itself. The written word is literal in that God meant what He said as He said it. Use common sense and listen to the context, back up and relate to other Scripture to verify. If He says something is a parable then it is a parable. If He says something is symbolic then it is symbolic. If it is literal then it too is literal.
We use these basic skills within our daily life as we read books, newspapers, and even watch television. No facial cream will remove 50 years of life from our faces so be wary of those false advertisements around prophecy who draw unrealistic conclusions outside of what the text actually says.