Events Preceding the Tribulation

• Characteristics of the age--Apostasy of the church
• Rev 3:14-18 (ESV) "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. // 15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.  17  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
• Fruchtenbaum believes the church was entirely non-Christian
• Christian church is lukewarm
• So this is also the last church, and it makes sense that it would precede the tribulation based on our pre-trib understanding of scripture. Scripture supports scripture, which is why this one makes sense
• 2 Thess 2:1-3 (ESV) Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,  2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
• Greek word for "rebellion" or "a falling away" is apostasia, meaning a defection from truth
• Definition: abandonment of one's religious faith or deny the doctrines of the church they profess to be a part
• 1 Tim 4:1 (ESV) Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
• Later times
• Depart from the faith
• Devoted themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demon (spirituality)
• 2 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV) … knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4  They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."
• A characteristic of the last times is scoffers (a rise in atheism)
• Also, the need to follow their own sinful desires (a feature of atheism and our society's "tolerance)
• Jude 17-18 (ESV) But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."
• Scoff means to mock or treat with derision or scorn
• Again, the idea of throwing off the shackles of morality
• 2 Tim 4:3-4 (ESV) For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
• It doesn't say when this will happen, other than a time is coming
• An idol is when we create "God" according to a definition that fits our sensibilities
• People church hop until they find what they want. Everything centers around their passions
• Barna poll, 2008
• One-third of Christians believe Jesus sinned
• 40 percent do not believe they have a responsibility to share their Christian faith
• 25 percent do not believe the bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches
• The importance of faith is growing, but half believe that Christianity is just one of many faiths a person can choose
• Being religious is not the same as being a Christian.  When a denomination has rejected so much of the message as to be ineffective for salvation, it has defected from the faith.  Key elements of our faith are: Jesus' death for our sin, the futility of works for salvation, the resurrection, the virgin birth, and Jesus sinless nature
• Rapture is imminent, the Great Tribulation is not (certain events must precede the tribulation)
• Events leading to the tribulation:
1. WW I and II w/increased famines and earthquakes
1. Matt 24:1-8 (ESV) Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." // 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?" 4 And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.  5 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.  6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
2. Jewish idiom: "nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom" refers to a world war preceding the coming of the Messiah
1. The Bereshith Rabbah: If you see kingdoms rising against each other in turn, then give heed and note the footsteps of the Messiah
2. The Zohar Chadash: At that time wars shall be stirred up in the world, Nation shall be against nation and city against city; much distressed shall be renewed against the enemies of Israel
3. Many see WW I as an extension of WW II
4. The evidence clearly seems to indicate increasing famines and earthquakes over the last few centuries.  Is that a data recording issue?  We don't know, but even the last thirty years have seen an increase
1. 1918-1919 pestilence killed 23 million
2. 1920 Great Chinese famine
3. 1921 Russian famine
4. Earthquakes have been increasing since WW I
5. NOTE: Did Jesus say earthquakes would increase or that we would see them in unique places?
5. This event is clearly distinguished as the beginning of the birth pains and is episodic
1. Wars are still increasing
2. Famine is actually getting better since WWII but did jump up during WWI
2. Reestablishment of Israel or a gathering of unbelief (also Zeph 2:1-2)
• Ezekiel 20:33–38 (ESV) — 33 “As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. 37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
• Zephaniah 2:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Gather together, yes, gather, // O shameless nation, // 2 before the decree takes effect // —before the day passes away like chaff— // before there comes upon you // the burning anger of the Lord, // before there comes upon you // the day of the anger of the Lord.
• Ezek 22:17-22 (ESV) And the word of the Lord came to me: 18  "Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are dross of silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As one gathers silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into a furnace, to blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you. 21 I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst of it. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you shall be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord; I have poured out my wrath upon you."
• Ezek 36:22-24 (ESV) "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23  And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24  I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
• But there is also a second re-gathering (which is not the same)
• Isa 11:11-12 (ESV) In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. // 12 He will raise a signal for the nations // and will assemble the banished of Israel, // and gather the dispersed of Judah // from the four corners of the earth.
1. First re-gathering in unbelief is for judgment
2. Second re-gathering in faith is in preparation for blessing--the Messianic Kingdom
3. Jerusalem under Jewish control (old city not originally, but after 6-day war came under Jewish control) -- required for the rebuilding of the temple (also 2 Thess 2:3-4; Rev 11:1-2)
1. Dan 9:27 (ESV) And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."
2. Matt 24:15 (ESV) "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place ( let the reader understand),
1. These and other verses talk about a third temple which presupposes Jewish control of the temple compound and Old Jerusalem.  This took place during the six day war.  Obviously, there are still issues regarding the Dome of the rock, although there are some who believe it could be built in another location
2. There is a whole society devoted to gathering and recreating the utensils and instruments required for the new temple. https://www.templeinstitute.org/main.htm
3. Technically, this did not need to occur prior except that it will probably take longer than 3.5 years to reconstruct the temple
4. Northern alliance invasion of Israel (see Ezek 38:1-23; Ezek 39:1-16)
1. Ezekiel chapter 38 details
Ezek 38:1-6 (ESV) the word of the Lord came to me: 2  "Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him 3 and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4  And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. 5  Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6  Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes— many peoples are with you.

2. Ezek 38:2 partial … Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of  Meshech and Tubal;
1. Gog (lies between Black and Caspian seas), also eastern Turkey
2. Some versions translate Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal (all parts of Russia)
1. Meshech was called Moscow; Tubal was Tobolsk; Rosh was Russia
3. Persia is present day Iran
4. Cush would be Ethiopia
5. Put would be Somalia
6. https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5027308,40.151514,5z
7. See Genesis: Table of Nations
3. The attack may be missiles and ground forces (terrorists being the ground). Russia complicit in the missile technology
Ezek 38:7-9 (ESV) "Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. 8  After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. 9 You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.

4. There is some disagreement as to whether this occurs before, during, or after the tribulation.  Most conservative scholars place it prior to the tribulation
5. Ezek 39:9-13 (NIV) "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them for seven years, 10 so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons. They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord God. // 11 "On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog.  12 For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord God.
1. When: Ezek 39:9-10 says that it takes seven years to dismantle the equipment, therefore, it must occur prior to the tribulation, or they will be dismantling equipment during the millennial kingdom. 
2. Lastly, in order for six or seven countries to act somewhat independently, it must take place before the one world government.
3. Also, there might be WMD present since it takes so long to clean
5. One world government
1. Dan 7:23 (ESV) Thus he said: 'As for the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.

2. The Roman government never subdued the whole earth, so this has not been fulfilled yet.  Also, we know that there are various stages, including the two split which precedes this stage
6. Split into ten kingdoms (Dan 7:24a)
1. Dan 7:24 ESV) As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.

7. Rise of the Antichrist (Dan 7:24b; 2 Thess 2:1-3)
1. 2 Thess 2:1-3 (ESV) Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,  2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
2. Revelation of the man of lawlessness
8. Period of peace and false security (1 Thess 5:1-3)
1. 1 Thess 5:1-3 (ESV) Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
• Other events
1. Blackout
Joel 2:31 (ESV) The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

2. The return of Elijah
1. Mal 4:5-6 (ESV) "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."
2. Forerunner predicted before the first coming
1. Malachi 3:1 (ESV) — 1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
2. Isaiah 40:3–5 (ESV) — 3 A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
3. Matthew 3:1–6 (ESV) —
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
4. Matt 11:7-10
5. John 1:19-23
3. Matt 17:9-13 (ESV) And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."  10 And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" 11 He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.  12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands."  13  Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
1. Says he will come
2. Says he did come
4. Matt 11:11-14 (ESV) Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  12  From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.  13  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,  14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
1. Why does Jesus not say "… he is Elijah who was to come …"
3. Third temple (maybe pre-tribulation, maybe not)
1. Daniel 9:27
2. Matthew 24:15–16 (ESV) — 15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
1. See Harmony of the Gospels - Olivet Discourse (NIV)
3. It all depends on how long it takes to build the temple.  It needs to be functioning by the middle of the tribulation
• The two final events leading up to the Tribulation is the rapture and the signing of the seven-year covenant between Israel and the Antichrist
• The rapture precedes the tribulation (see rapture discussion)
• The peace treaty begins the tribulation