Pre-Tribulation Rapture Argument

1 Thess 4:13-18 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.


• What is he referring to when he says "those who fall asleep?"  Dead
• Is there any corroborating information in the text?
• Grieve (why, unless dead); still alive (in contrast to sleeping), dead in Christ (in context, mentions the dead rising first)
• Verse 17, "caught up" is where we get the word "rapture."  The Greek work is harpazo, our word is from the Latin equivalent
• The rapture is imminent but the Great Tribulation is not -- what does that mean?
• It is a theological distinction.  There are specific events related to the Tribulation which must occur first, whereas the rapture can happen at any moment
• What do we know about the rapture from scripture?
• John 14:1-3 (NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
• No details, but some basic truth -- what do you see?
• Promise to take us to where he is going
• Where is he going? to Heaven
• This is counter to the post-tribulation view, where Jesus meets us in the air at his second coming and takes us with him down to the earth.  Which is why pre-tribulation makes more sense.  We are met in the air by the Lord and taken to Heaven.  At the end of the tribulation we come back with Christ to earth
• In the 1 Thessalonian verses read earlier, we learn that the dead will not miss out, and we also get a chronological sequence, what do you see?
• The Lord descends from Heaven
• With a shout (probably a command for resurrection and translation)
• WIth the voice of the archangel (probably Michael repeats Jesus' command, much as you would see in many military units)
• With a trumpet of God (trumpet used for battle and worship; in this case it triggers the rapture itself and sets the plan in motion)
• The dead in Christ will rise first (this is limited to Church saints only; the bodies of OT saints will be resurrected at a later time)
• Then, we who are alive, shall be caught up (this is when living saints are removed from the earth)
• Meet the Lord in the air (so we return to heaven)


1 Cor 15:50-56 (NIV) I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."


55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 


56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.


• Verse 50 explains the necessity of the rapture:  our bodies are corrupt.  This leads to a very long discussion on the intermediate state between death and resurrection (will be included in a later input -- a quick summary: our souls rise and are with Christ in heaven at death, but our bodies are not resurrected and changed into new bodies until the rapture)
• Gen 2:17 (NIV) but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
• When Adam ate of from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he corrupted the body which God had given him.  Because the body is now perishable, it cannot enter heaven.  Therefore, we need a new body
• How will the change occur?  Instantly
• When will it occur?  At the last trumpet
• Here is where people try to place the rapture in the tribulation, they interpret it to be the seventh trumpet
• At the time Paul wrote this passage, John had not written Revelation, so no one would have interpreted it in that context  (Fruchtenbaum, 2003).  More likely, it refers to the Feast of the Trumpets, where there are a series of trumpet blasts followed by one long trumpet blast.  When you look at the Jewish feasts, . . .
• There is a line of reasoning that suggests that the seven feasts of Israel have prophetic significance  (Fruchtenbaum, 2003)
• The first four occur in the Spring and are fulfilled in the FIRST coming
• Feast of Passover - Jesus was our Passover lamb
• Feast of unleavened bread - absence of leaven where leaven is a symbol of sin in the OT; the power of sin is the law and represents the beginning of a new covenant not based on law
• Feast of First Fruits - Jesus' resurrection is called the first fruit (twice)
• Feast of Weeks - Pentecost (beginning of the church and the age of grace (or New Covenant), also occurs on the same day (and therefore contrasts to) as the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, which represents the age of the Law (or Old Covenant)
• Four month gap between the feasts
• Jesus said that there are four months until the harvest
• The church age is fulfilling that now
• The second three feasts occur in the fall and will be fulfilled in the SECOND coming
• Feast of Trumpets - Rapture of the church
• The day of Atonement - tribulation period
• The Feast of Tabernacles (booths; ingathering) - time of rejoicing after the tribulation
• The timing of the rapture
• Book of Revelation
• The church is mentioned in chapters 1 to 3, events prior to the tribulation, and in chapters 19-22, events after the tribulation
• The church is not mentioned in chapters 6-18, the tribulation period.  Therefore the church is not in the tribulation (tribulation saints, individuals who come to Christ during the tribulation are present)
• Luke 21:34-36 (NIV) "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." 
• The only way to escape is to be able to stand before the Son of Man, and the only way to stand before the Son of Man is to be a believer (Fruchtenbaum, 2003)
• 1 Thess 1:9-10 (NIV) for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 
• The Thessalonians were waiting for Jesus' return
• Jesus will return for the believer and will rescue us from the coming wrath, the tribulation
• 1 Thess 5:1-11 (NIV) Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. // 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 
• God has not appointed us to suffer wrath
• Salvation is physical here and not just soteriological
• Rev 3:10 (NIV) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 
• There is a distinction between Church saints and Tribulation saints in Revelation
• This statement is to Church saints
• Discussion on Matt 24:31 (taken from Fruchtenbaum's book "Footsteps of the Messiah," page 644. This follows a discussion of the sign of the second coming (Matt 24:29-30)
I. The Regathering of Israel – Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27
    Since the Jewish prophets had predicted in great detail the worldwide regathering of Israel, Jesus did not spend much time with this, but only specified that it will occur after His Second Coming. The Matthew account reads:
    And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
    The Mark passage reads:
    And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
    Following the Second Coming, the Messiah will send his angels all over the world to regather every Jew and bring them back into their Land. The background to the Matthew passage is Isaiah 27:12-13, which prophesied that the final restoration of Israel will be signaled by the sound of a great trumpet. The background to the Mark passage is Deuteronomy 30:4, which also emphasizes that the final restoration will come from two localities: earth and Heaven. Those who are gathered from the uttermost parts of the earth will be living in Israel, the one-third Remnant that survives the Tribulation. Those who are gathered from the uttermost part of heaven will be the resurrected Old Testament saints. This part of the Olivet Discourse summarizes many Old Testament prophecies (e.g., Is. 11:11-12:6; 43:5-7; Jer. 23:5-8; 31:7-14; Ezek. 11:16-21; 20:40-42; 36:22-31, et. al.), specifying that the final worldwide restoration will come only after the Second Coming, and not before

Events of the 2nd Half of the Tribulation (Part One)

Seventh Trumpet Judgment, Third Woe

Rev 11:14-15 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. // 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: // "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, // and he will reign for ever and ever." NIV [1]

Rev 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. NIV [1]

• The seventh seal contained the seven trumpets
• Here the seventh trumpet (and third woe) contains the seven bowl judgments
• The bowl judgments are described in Rev 15-16. The description picks up where 11:19 leaves off
• The scene shifts to activities occurring during the middle of the tribulation period, and not necessarily associated with any particular judgment

Rev 15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues — last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and marvelous are your deeds, // Lord God Almighty. // Just and true are your ways, // King of the ages. // 4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, // and bring glory to your name? // For you alone are holy. // All nations will come // and worship before you, // for your righteous acts have been revealed."

5 After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. NIV

• What evidence is there that this is a continuation of Revelation 11?
  • The trumpet judgments proceed out of the temple
• When the trumpet is first blown, the twenty-four elders sing a song describing God's judgment and wrath against sin. Here the martyred saints of the tribulation, sing two songs
  • The song of Moses
  • The song of the Lamb
  • Fruchtenbaum argues that the first song is Ex 15:1-18 or Deut 32:1-43, songs of deliverance and that the second song is here, vs 3b-4. In my opinion, it is not clear. But the songs do provide a bookend for the events described in the preceding chapters, and an introduction to the last judgments
• This is probably the verses where people mistakenly conclude we will be sitting on clouds with harps singing forever

First Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:1-2 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." // 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. NIV [1]

• How is the first judgment described?
• It attacks a person with an painful and ugly sore. Satan attacked Job's possession and family, then he attacked Job's body. This is painful, it attacks people physically. But is also ugly, so it attacks people's vanity
• It only attacks unbelievers

Second Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. NIV [1]

• Previously, what had happened to the sea? One-third of the sea was affected. Now, the entire salt water sea is destroyed, killing all the marine life

Third Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:4-7 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: // "You are just in these judgments, // you who are and who were, the Holy One, // because you have so judged; // 6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, // and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."

7 And I heard the altar respond: // "Yes, Lord God Almighty, // true and just are your judgments." NIV [1]

• Now the remaining two-thirds of sweet water is destroyed. In all probability, this does not affect stored water, but it must cause a lot of fear since only stored water (a finite amount) would remain
• What is the reasoning for this judgment?
  • Because the world has shed the blood of saints and prophets, they are given blood to drink as they deserve
  • I imagine that those who think vampires are cool will be having second thoughts
• Not sure the significance of the altar responding to the angel in charge of the waters. Also not sure if that is a different angel than the third angel. What I do believe is that the judgment against those who have killed God's people is a long awaited judgment

Fourth Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:8-9 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. NIV [1]

• What had previously happened to the sun?
  • Somehow one-third of the light had been restricted
• Now the heat of the sun either increase, or the heat is trapped, or the ozone layer is destroyed, or massive solar bursts occur, but people experience severe sun burn
• What is the response of the world at this point?
• They curse the name of God
• They refuse to repent (possibly they don't see the connection between their sin and the resulting judgments)
• They refuse to glorify God

Fifth Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:10-11 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. NIV [1]

• This is the fourth blackout. This one is pretty severe and is more akin to what happened to the Egyptians
• And how does the world respond? They continue to refuse to repent

Background to the last Two Judgments

Matt 12:22-28 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. NIV [1]

• Jesus performs a messianic miracle
• The people seek confirmation from there leaders
• The rulers reject Jesus as Messiah and decide his power is from Satan

Matt 12:38-45 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."

39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." NIV [1]

• The Pharisees ask for a sign … have they not been looking?
• Jesus now only performs miracles for his disciples benefit or demands faith on the part of the hearer
• What term appears over and over? [this] generation
• John the Baptist began the house cleaning, but this generation, because of its decision is worse off
• The nation would only receive the sign of the prophet Jonah. Three times. Lazarus, Jesus, and the two witnesses

John 11:43-46 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. NIV [1]

• Some believe
• But some go to tell the Pharisees. Upon hearing the Pharisees decide that Jesus must die

Matt 23:33-39 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" NIV [1]

• This is a long discussion and goes back to Matt 12, the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by the leadership. The nation committed an unpardonable sin (the only possible unpardonable sin) and was judged in 70AD. There is now a condition upon Jesus' return, and that is the nation must accept the messiah-ship of Jesus Christ
• Consequently, the destruction of the nation will prevent the return of Jesus Christ. This is Satan's final plan

APPLICATION:

We have a peek into the future. A future we will not have to endure because of the promise of the rapture. Which is not to say we can not suffer persecution in the days prior. But because we have a glimpse of the end, it should encourage us to live our lives for God, in repentance, in a manner that would glorify him, in a manner that causes others to see the difference. Israel failed to be a witness during its day. It became so much like the world around it, that no one could see the difference. Even if our friends don't respond to the gospel, will they see enough of a difference that they respond before their hearts are hardened. You may or may not see many come to Christ, but will your legacy endure after you? Will anyone come to Christ during the tribulation because of you witness?

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.

Events in the Middle of the Tribulation (Part Two)

Rev 13:1-4 And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" NIV

• Who is the beast? He is the Antichrist, the leader of the new one world government
  • The next thing is to gain worldwide religious control. There are three obstacles: Ecclesiastical Babylon, the two witnesses (already discussed the killing of the two witness in chapter 11), and the Jews (already discussed the attack on the Jews in Chapter 12)
• What has happened to the beast? He has a fatal wound but comes back to life which completes the deception (a counterfeit multiplicity of names, a counterfeit virgin birth, a counterfeit god-man, and a counterfeit death and resurrection (Fruchtenbaum, 2003))
• And now, he also gains the worship of the whole world (vs 3-4)

Rev 13:5-8 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast — all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. NIV

• This completes the description of his control of the whole world and the worship of Satan by the entire world. This is every maniacal world leader's goal, and Satan is allowed to achieve it

Rev 13:9-10 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. // 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, // into captivity he will go. // If anyone is to be killed with the sword, // with the sword he will be killed. // This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. NIV

• This is a warning to the world and a comfort to the saints about justice. Whatever happens to them, will be returned upon their persecutors

Rev 13:11-18 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666. NIV

• Where does the second beast come from? The earth, therefore he is human
• His voice betrays his true nature? He speaks like the dragon and is an agent of Satan
• This is the false prophet. What is his mission?
  • He operates as a counterfeit Holy Spirit, calling the world the Antichrist and the dragon
  • He can perform miracles and gives life to an image of the Antichrist
• And while he cannot indwell each person individually, he forces every person to receive a mark (for the Christian, everyone is sealed with the HS)
• What is this mark?
  • It is the name of the beast
  • It is the number of his name
  • It is the number of the beast
  • It is a man's number
  • It is 666
• We can't be sure. There are a number of theories. One is that each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet is assigned a number, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400. If we use the Hebrew version, and the numbers add up to 666, then that should identify the Antichrist

Mid Tribulation Announcements:

Rev 14:6-20 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. NIV

• Three last warnings to those who will receive the mark
  • God is the one to worship
  • The apostate religion is dead
  • A warning against receiving the mark
  • The final judgment is coming
• Additionally,
  • The breaking of the seven year covenant, Dan 9:27
  • The abomination that cause desolation
    • Dan 12:11
    • Matt 24:15-16
    • 2 Thess 2:3-4
• Next week: The second half of the tribulation
• APPLICATION: How do we apply this?
  • Who do we worship really? Is it a thing, a person, a feeling, …
  • Why do we worship, really? Is it our parent's thing or the way we grew up, or …
  • How can we change the focus of our worship?

Events in the Middle of the Tribulation (Part One)

NOTE: The events in the middle of the tribulation are difficult to place and may not be chronological. We are sitting at the seventh trumpet, third woe. The trumpet judgment contains all the bowl judgments, just as the sixth scroll contained the seven trumpet judgments

Rev 10: 1-11 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." 10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings." NIV

• Who has been announcing the trumpet judgment? Angels
• Who is this story about? A mighty angel -- possibly the seventh angel
• Why do we know this is a long judgment (notwithstanding the fact that it also probably refers to the bowl judgments)? Verse 7 says, "in the days" -- so we know it occurs over a period of time
• We are not told everything, at least not what the seven thunders said
• Why does the scroll taste sweet then bitter?
  • Sweet -- people love to go to prophecy conferences or to buy books pertaining to the end times
  • Bitter -- we need to realize there is great and terrible pain coming unless a person comes to Christ for salvation. There is escape from the tribulation through the rapture. But there is no escape for believer or unbeliever once the days begin
• APPLICATION: Do we recognize the bitterness of the prophecies of Revelation? Or are they so unreal and far away as to not impact our hearts? We need to feel the pain, and the bitterness of the days to recognize our need to communicate truth with urgency

NOTE: Fruchtenbaum (2003) argues that at this point, the Antichrist enters into a war with the 10 Kings, killing three (Dan 11:40-45). The Antichrist is also killed during battle and comes back to life three days later.

NOTE: We have already discussed the ministry of the two witnesses which begins during the tribulation, and their death, resurrection, and disappearance into heaven which occurs during this time.

NOTE: We are going to skip ahead to other events in the middle and then pick up with the seventh trumpet, which is sounded in Revelation 11.

NOTE: The focus now shifts to Satan's persecution of the Jews.

Rev 12:1-6 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. NIV

• The metaphor of the sun, moon, and twelve stars should sound familiar, where have we seen this in scripture?
  • It is a reference to Jacob (Israel), Rachel, and the twelve sons (tribes) of Israel (Joseph's dream)
  • Normally, the stars would refer to angels, when used symbolically, but the addition of the other aspects of the picture, makes it clear that it is Israel
• The picture is set back in time, repeatedly back in time. What is happening in the birth?
  • It is referring to the birth of the Messiah in Israel (many years ago)
• The story of the dragon goes back even farther, and explains where the enemy of the Jews comes. Satan is the dragon, and the one-third stars (angels) follow him
• Satan is trying to destroy the baby, which he tried through Herod and others
• The child is Jesus, and is in Heaven now
• The woman, who gave birth is Israel, and she flees to the desert for three and half years. Many believe this is Petra and that the Jewish people will find protection there. At this point, symbolically, Satan has broken the peace treaty with Israel. It probably occurs during the War of the Antichrist against the World

Rev 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. NIV

• At the same time that war is happening on earth, what is happening in heaven? There is a battle and Satan is thrown out of heaven. Satan is now confined entirely to earth. This is not a good thing for those on earth
• We learn some characteristics of Satan in this passage, what are they?
• Ancient serpent -- reference to Adam and Eve
• He leads the world astray. He is the main force for deception in the world. He is very effective, but not all powerful

Rev 12:10-12Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, // and the authority of his Christ. // For the accuser of our brothers, // who accuses them before our God day and night, // has been hurled down. // 11 They overcame him // by the blood of the Lamb // and by the word of their testimony; // they did not love their lives so much // as to shrink from death. // 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens // and you who dwell in them! // But woe to the earth and the sea, // because the devil has gone down to you! // He is filled with fury, // because he knows that his time is short." NIV

• Satan is particularly angry at this point, why?
  • Maybe he finally recognizes the futility of his rebellion
  • He knows his time is short
• We learn another characteristic of Satan in his description, what is it?
• Accuser of believers

Rev 12:13-17 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. NIV

• In scripture, when used symbolically (not literally), a flood usually refers to an army. An army, probably the Antichrist's pursues the Jewish people into the desert. Somehow, the army is swallowed up by the earth and fails. Satan then pursues her offspring, Jewish and non-Jewish believers around the world
• APPLICATION: 1) Prophecy can be fun and exciting to look at, especially knowing that we will be raptured, but it should leave us with a bitter taste, because many who do not know Christ will suffer greatly during the time. 2) Satan is still the great deceiver who leads believer and unbeliever astray. His philosophies sound good on the surface, but they oppose God and his claim over our life. He is also a roaring lion, a liar from the beginning of times, and at times, an angel of light. If we do not build on a good foundation, when the storms of life hit us, our house will quickly fall

Events of the First Half of the Tribulation (Part Three): Trumpets One thru Four

Prelude to the Trumpet Judgments

Rev 8:1-6 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. NIV

• When incense is used symbolically in scripture, what does it represent?
  • The prayers of the saints

• What do you think is the point of verses 3 through 5?
  • The prayers are about to be answered with the trumpet judgments

• One of God's first commands to mankind was to take care of the earth. We have failed that in two ways. On one extreme, we have polluted it and on the other extreme, people worship the earth above God. The first three judgments are against the earth. The earth is not above God

The First Trumpet

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. NIV

• The judgment is that one-third of the physical dry earth is burned up

The Second Trumpet

Rev 8:8-9 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. NIV

• This judgment is that one-third of the salt water is ruined. One-third of the creatures die, and one-third of the ships are destroyed
• It could be the result of a meteorite, or possibly an undersea volcano of huge proportions
• While there may be physical reasons for the event, the turning to blood is clearly a supernatural event

The Third Trumpet

Rev 8:10-11 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. NIV

• This judgment concerns drinking water. One-third of the drinking water, rivers and springs, are turned bitter. Many people die from this bitter water (water that is supposed to refresh, but instead kills)
• The cause is either a meteor, named wormwood, or an angel named Wormwood. It is difficult to see how this might be interpreted symbolically (possibly the impact on spring water). When star is used symbolically, it usually refers to an angel

The Fourth Trumpet

Rev 8:12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. NIV

• There are a number of ways to view this verse, the most reasonable approach is to assume that one-third of the light source night and day is gone. The easiest approach is the darkening of the skies such that one-third of outside light can not make it to the earth. Another possibility is some serious meteorite explosion above the earth atmosphere which encircles the earth, and directly blocks light, potentially so thick in some areas that one-third of the light is blocked as it circles the earth

Class Notes on the Events of the First Half of the Tribulation (Part Two)

Events occurring during the first half of the tribulation, but not tied to a seal or to a trumpet

The 144,000

Rev 7:1-4 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. NIV

• Who are these 144,000?
  • New Jewish believers, who have come to Christ since the rapture
  • They are spread out over the whole world (four corners)
  • They are sealed (probably for service, but possibly for protection as well)

• What is the purpose of these 144,000?
  • It is given in the very next of verses (after the mentioning of the 12 tribes)
  • Verse 9: "After this …"

Rev 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. NIV

• Implied cause and effect -- "after this"
• Who are the multitude?
  • These are Gentiles who have to come to Christ as a result of the ministry of the 144,000 and who have been martyred, some associated with the fifth seal
  • Actually, John gets the answer in the next verses
    • Rev 7:13-17 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?" // 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." // And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, // "they are before the throne of God // and serve him day and night in his temple; // and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. // 16 Never again will they hunger; // never again will they thirst. // The sun will not beat upon them, // nor any scorching heat. // 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; // he will lead them to springs of living water. // And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." NIV

The Two Witnesses

Rev 11:3-6 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. NIV

• How long is their ministry?
  • 3.5*360=1,260, 3 1/2 years (based on the use of 360 days to represent a prophetic year)

• Who are they?
  • Zech 4:11-14 Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" // 12 Again I asked him, "What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?" // 13 He replied, "Do you not know what these are?" // "No, my lord," I said. // 14 So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth." NIV
    • The two anointed ones
  • Elijah and either Moses or Enoch
    • This is the common answer. People say Elijah and Enoch because neither died, but neither did any of the raptured saints and there is no requirement to die. There is a general principle (Heb 9:27)
    • Others say Moses and Elijah because of the similarity of the ministries
    • No one knows for sure, nor do the scriptures say. Fruchtenbaum argues that John the Baptist was Elijah or would have been Elijah had the Jewish leaders accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore there is still a forerunner for the second return of the Messiah, Elijah, (or my thoughts, someone again in the spirit of Elijah). Fruchtenbaum argues that the return of Elijah is separate from the two witnesses
  • Most likely answer: two Jewish prophets whom God will raise up during the tribulation

Ecclesiastical Babylon

Rev 17:1-6 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." // 3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 This title was written on her forehead: // MYSTERY // BABYLON THE GREAT // THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES // AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. // 6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. // When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. NIV

• Most of the thoughts in this section are directly from The Footsteps of the Messiah, Fruchtenbaum, 2003
• There will be two political systems during the tribulation, one in the first half, the ten kings, and one in the second half, the Antichrist
• Likewise, there will be religious systems. Rev 17:1-6 describes the system during the first half of the tribulation
• John is shown the Great Prostitute. To prostitute something is to take that which has a proper use and turn it into a improper use. The Harlot represents religion, as if often the case when a women is used symbolically. Religion has a proper use and here it is used improperly. She causes the world to commit fornication, which is used of both physical fornication and spiritual fornication in the bible
• The women is sitting on animal with seven heads and ten horns. Here we see that the political system is allowing and gives the woman, religion, her authority to operate -- a church-state union
• This is the final form of the apostate religious system. It is a prostitute and it contrasts with the Church, the true bride of the Messiah
• From what is the woman drunk?
  • The blood of the saints (those who bore testimony to Jesus). This explains who martyrs the tribulation saints (5th seal). And is also why we place this event in the first half of the tribulation

APPLICATION: We are not going to be in the 144,000. It is unlikely that anyone of us is one of the two witnesses. But we do see the beginning of the apostate church forming around us. The apostate church departs from the fundamental issues of the faith and is rendered worthless as far as the salvation of anyone in those churches. What are the fundamental issues? They are found in God's word and not in human reason. If we are not in the word regularly, reading it and studying it, we are in danger of contributing to the development of the apostate church, which will lead many astray. What are you doing toward developing a strong biblical foundation in your life?

Class Notes on Events of the First Half of the Tribulation (Part One)

Notes: Some events are chronological. Some events occur throughout the first half at the same time as sequential events. The first half contains seven seal judgments, wit the seventh seal containing seven trumpet judgments. The first half events are found in Revelation 6-9, and 17. ("The Footsteps of the Messiah," Fruchtenbaum, 2003)

First Seal: Rev 6:1-2 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. NIV

Who is the rider?

• Antichrist. Crown is a stephanos crown, the crown of an overcomer or victor, and not the diadem crown, the crown the Messiah wears in chapter 19
• Revelation 13 describes the counterfeit trinity which is important to understand. Satan is the Father, the Antichrist is the son, and the false prophet is the Holy Spirit. The false prophet's role is to call men to worship the Antichrist

Who is the Antichrist?

• Fruchtenbaum argues that the Antichrist is not Jewish. No where does scripture indicate that the Jews will accept him as Messiah. They will enter into a covenant relationship with him, a peace treaty, but that is not the same thing
• There is a typology for the Antichrist. It is Antiochus Ephiphanes, a Greek, and also a Gentile
• Also, this is the time of the Gentiles, which does end until the rule of the Antichrist. Therefore the last world ruler during the time of the Gentiles is a Gentile
• Dan 9:26-27 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." NIV
  • The people of the ruler who destroy the city and the sanctuary (70AD) are Romans
  • Therefore, some believe the ruler will be a Roman. My problem is that the Romans were the last kingdom prophesied by Daniel and represent a type of Government which has continued until now, imperialism (although going through stages, 2 then 10, then 7, then 1). Therefore, the ruler could come from any Gentile government representing imperialism

• Some argument that the Antichrist will also mimic the supernatural origin of the Messiah based on Gen 3:15 prophesy of "your seed and her seed." Since the Messiah's humanity did not come from the father, but from the mother, it is her seed. "Your seed" does not convey the same idea (virgin birth of a woman), but it does suggest that the seed has to come from Satan himself, possibly resembling a "virgin birth"-like event. Some contend Gen 6:4 implies this possibility
  • Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity // between you and the woman, // and between your offspring and hers; // he will crush your head, // and you will strike his heel." NIV
  • Gen 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward — when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. NIV

• Ultimately, the counterfeit son accepts the offer that the Jesus rejected, to rule all the kingdom of the world

Second Seal: Rev 6:3-4 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. NIV

Prior to the start of the tribulation, what are the conditions of the world? Peace and safety

If you take peace from the world, what is left?

• War
• The first half of the tribulation begins fairly quickly with war

Third Seal: Rev 6:5-6 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!" NIV

The war results in what happening next?

• There is a famine or a shortage of food stuffs
• There is no shortage of medicine (oil and wine used for medicine in NT times). Another thought is that there is no shortage of things to keep you happy, at least initially, since oil and wine are both associated with gladness in the scriptures

Fourth Seal: Rev 6:7-8 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. NIV

What is the result of the fourth seal? One-fourth of the world's population is destroyed

How are people killed?

1. Sword -- either directly or as a result of the war
2. Famine -- effect of the war and shortage of food caused by famine kills many
3. Pestilence -- disease will also break out, probably in war-torn areas as many basic services do not function after war
4. Wild animals -- animals do not typically attack man unless food is scarce

Fifth Seal: Rev 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. NIV

These are tribulation saints who are killed during the tribulation. How do they come to the Lord? Possibly as a result of recognizing the rapture and the witness of the 144,000 Jewish Christians (explained in Revelation 7). Lastly, who is leading the persecution? In Revelation 17, we will see that Ecclesiastical Babylon persecutes the tribulation saints

Sixth Seal: Rev 6:12-17 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" NIV

What are the events of the sixth seal?

• A great earthquake
• A blackout (this is the second, the first occurring in the end times but prior to the tribulation)
• A meteor shower

What is the result of the sixth seal?

• Even unbelievers can no longer deny the fact that God is behind the events

Next week we will look at events that are ongoing in the first half of the tribulation

APPLICATION:

1. While the tribulation is aimed at the unbelieving world, it is important to look at the events and their implication toward believers. Obviously, God hates sin. The world does not realize, believe, or care what God thinks about sin. And yet, many Christians live their lives as if they had the same attitude
2. We need to share our faith now, because we don't know when the day will come, nor do we know when a person will die. We need to look for and pray for opportunities to share our testimony
3. We need to be very thankful for everything we have and enjoy. We should not fall in love or idolize things -- that is sin, but we must thank God every day for the blessings we experience. Who knows when that day will end?

The Great Tribulation, Introduction

• Names for the Tribulation
  • Isa 28:21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, // he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon — // to do his work, his strange work, // and perform his task, his alien task. NIV
  • Jer 30:7 How awful that day will be! // None will be like it. // It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, // but he will be saved out of it. NIV
  • Zeph 1:14-18 "The great day of the Lord is near — // near and coming quickly. // Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, // the shouting of the warrior there. // 15 That day will be a day of wrath, // a day of distress and anguish, // a day of trouble and ruin, // a day of darkness and gloom, // a day of clouds and blackness, // 16 a day of trumpet and battle cry // against the fortified cities // and against the corner towers. // 17 I will bring distress on the people // and they will walk like blind men, // because they have sinned against the Lord. // Their blood will be poured out like dust // and their entrails like filth. // 18 Neither their silver nor their gold // will be able to save them // on the day of the Lord's wrath. // In the fire of his jealousy // the whole world will be consumed, // for he will make a sudden end // of all who live in the earth." NIV
  • Joel 2:1-2 Blow the trumpet in Zion; // sound the alarm on my holy hill. // Let all who live in the land tremble, // for the day of the Lord is coming. // It is close at hand — // 2 a day of darkness and gloom, // a day of clouds and blackness. // Like dawn spreading across the mountains // a large and mighty army comes, // such as never was of old // nor ever will be in ages to come. NIV
  • Rev 6:16-17 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" NIV

• Purpose of the Tribulation
  • Judgment on sin and sinners (rebellion against God)
    • See previous verse, Zeph 1:17
    • Isa 13:9 See, the day of the Lord is coming // — a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger — // to make the land desolate // and destroy the sinners within it. NIV
    • Isa 24:19-20 The earth is broken up, // the earth is split asunder, // the earth is thoroughly shaken. // 20 The earth reels like a drunkard, // it sways like a hut in the wind; // so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion // that it falls — never to rise again. NIV
  • Final worldwide revival. The first half of the tribulation sees Jews of every tongue around the world coming to Christ and sharing the gospel with the rest of the world. The Jewish people finally fulfill the purpose for which God chose them
    • Rev 7:1-4, 9-10, 13-14 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. … 9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: // "Salvation belongs to our God, // who sits on the throne, // and to the Lamb." … 13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?" // 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." // And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. NIV
    • Jesus' teaching on the Mount of Olives, in conjunction with the above passage suggests that the preaching of the gospel to all the world is fulfilled during the tribulation, as opposed to preceding the tribulation. I hesitantly say this as all Christians should be actively living as a witness both in word (sharing the gospel) and deed (living differently than the world)
      • Matt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. NIV
  • It is directed against Israel to break the power of the Holy People. This was discussed earlier in events that lead to the tribulation, the second event was a re-gathering of unbelief for the purpose of judgment.
    • Ezek 22:17-22 Then 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 the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace to melt it with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. 21 I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath upon you.'" NIV
    • Dan 12:5-7 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?" // 7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed." NIV

• Purpose of the seventy sevens. Similar to the Great Tribulation, but slightly different because it includes the entire period of time and not the last seven
  • Key Passage: Dan 9:24-27 "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. // 25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." NIV
  • Technically, it is directed toward Israel, "decreed for your people," although I think all nations share in the results
  • It is "to finish transgression." Could also mean to end the rebellion or to bring to completion. It does end Israel's rejection of Jesus as the Messiah
  • It is "to put an end to sin." In the new covenant, the resurrected believer will not have a sin nature any longer, and so in that sense, sin will be ended. (Some commentators have a more specific view toward Israel)
  • It is "to atone for wickedness." Jesus' death pays the penalty completely for all sins. (Some commentators have a more specific view toward Israel)
  • It is " to bring in everlasting righteousness." The end of the seventy sevens brings in the millennial and the rule of the Messiah on David's throne in Jerusalem
  • It is "to seal up vision and prophecy." Most commentators view this as an end of both oral and written prophecies.
  • It is "to anoint the most holy." This is potentially the anointing of what would be the fourth temple, probably in the New Jerusalem during the Messianic age. Some believe that this is the temple which Ezekiel describes

• APPLICATION: How does one apply these truths?
  • We should have a seriousness about our witness, both verbally and in our lifestyle. We may not have the joy of seeing someone directly respond to the message, but we never know how people our evaluating our lives and our message, and the impact it might have in the future
    • Example: I once shared the gospel with a high school friend. I don't remember doing that, although he does. At the time, he did not respond, but years later, the accumulation of Christians in his life, struggles, and searching led him to the Lord. He credits me for being a part of the planting of the seed. But what if I had never said anything or didn't look any different in my words of lifestyle? We never know who is watching
  • We can be encourage because God has a plan which he is working out
  • We should realize how much God hates sin. The tribulation is where God pours out his wrath on the world. Once, He destroyed the world with water in a flood. The next time, he will destroy it in many different ways