The
end times.
Christ’s
Return.
Dictionary
- tribulation
distress
or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution; a trying experience.
________
We
must not be misled.
Many
have predicted over the years and have been wrong.
No
one knows the day or hour of His return except God.
We
must be ready!
Perilous
Times.
Signs
of his coming.
False
prophets.
Tribulation.
The
tribulation is a future seven-year period of time when God will finish His
discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. The
church, made up of all who have trusted in the person and work of the Lord
Jesus to save them from being punished for sin, will not be present during the
tribulation. The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the
rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). The
church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Throughout
Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names such as the Day of the
Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14;
1 Thessalonians 5:2); trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah
1:1); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half
of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21); time or day of trouble (Daniel
12:1; Zephaniah 1:15); time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7).
An
understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 is necessary in order to understand the
purpose and time of the tribulation. This passage speaks of 70 weeks that have
been declared against “your people.” Daniel’s people are the Jews, the nation
of Israel, and Daniel 9:24 speaks of a period of time that God has given
“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.” God declares that “seventy sevens” will fulfill all
these things. This is 70 sevens of years, or 490 years. (Some translations
refer to 70 weeks of years.) This is confirmed by another part of this passage
in Daniel. In verses 25 and 26, Daniel is told that the Messiah will be cut off
after “seven sevens and sixty-two sevens” (69 total), beginning with the decree
to rebuild Jerusalem. In other words, 69 sevens of years (483 years) after the
decree to rebuild Jerusalem, the Messiah will be cut off. Biblical historians
confirm that 483 years passed from the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem
to the time when Jesus was crucified. Most Christian scholars, regardless of
their view of eschatology (future things/events), have the above understanding
of Daniel’s 70 sevens.
With
483 years having passed from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the cutting off
of the Messiah, this leaves one seven-year period to be fulfilled in terms of Daniel
9:24: “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.” This final seven-year period is known as
the tribulation period—it is a time when God finishes judging Israel for its
sin.
Daniel
9:27 gives a
few highlights of the seven-year tribulation period: “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.” The person of whom this verse speaks is the person Jesus calls the
“abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15) and is called “the
beast” in Revelation 13. Daniel 9:27 says that the beast will
make a covenant for seven years, but in the middle of this week (3 1/2 years
into the tribulation), he will break the covenant, putting a stop to sacrifice.
Revelation 13 explains that the beast will place an image of himself in
the temple and require the world to worship him. Revelation 13:5 says
that this will go on for 42 months, which is 3 1/2 years. Since Daniel 9:27
says that this will happen in the middle of the week, and Revelation 13:5
says that the beast will do this for a period of 42 months, it is easy to see
that the total length of time is 84 months or seven years. Also see Daniel
7:25, where the “time, times, and half a time” (time=1 year; times=2 years;
half a time=1/2 year; total of 3 1/2 years) also refers to “great tribulation,”
the last half of the seven-year tribulation period when the beast will be in
power.
For
further references about the tribulation, see Revelation 11:2-3, which
speaks of 1260 days and 42 months, and Daniel 12:11-12, which speaks of
1290 days and 1335 days. These days have a reference to the midpoint of the
tribulation. The additional days in Daniel 12 may include the time at
the end for the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46) and time for
the setting up of Christ’s millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6).
In
summary, the Tribulation is the 7-year time period in the end times in which
humanity’s decadence and depravity will reach its fullness, with God judging
accordingly.
From;
Gotquestionsdotorg
John
16;33
These
things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you
have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew
24;21
For
then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred
since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
Matthew 24 (NASB)
Signs
of Christ’s Return
1
Jesus came
out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out
the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see
all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon
another, which will not be torn down.”
3 As He was sitting on the
Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will
these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of
the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said
to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come
in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You
will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened,
for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For
nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various
places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these
things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 “Then they will deliver you
to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because
of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one
another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will
mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, most
people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to
the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end
will come.
Perilous
Times
15 “Therefore when you see the abomination
of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then
those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on
the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 Whoever
is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to
those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 But
pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For
then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the
beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless
those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake
of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says
to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show
great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold,
I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He
is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner
rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 For just as the lightning
comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son
of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will
gather.
The Glorious
Return
29 “But immediately after the
tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give
its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens
will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear
in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see
the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And
He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather
together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Parable of
the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn the parable from
the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its
leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see
all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly
I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take
place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not
pass away.
36 “But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For
the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For
as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and
they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will
the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there will be two men in
the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will
be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
Be Ready for
His Coming
42 “Therefore be on the alert,
for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure
of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the
thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed
his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be
ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
45 “Who then is the faithful and
sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them
their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his
master finds so doing when he comes. 47 Truly I say to you that he
will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil
slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and
begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the
master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and
at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces
and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
Daniel 12
The Time of
the End
1 “Now at that time Michael,
the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will
arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there
was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is
found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who
sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the
others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who
have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven,
and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But
as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of
time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked and
behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other
on that bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in
linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until
the end of these wonders?” 7 I heard the man dressed in
linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and
his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for
a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish
shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be
completed. 8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I
said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” 9 He
said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and
sealed up until the end time. 10 Many will be purged, purified and
refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will
understand, but those who have insight will understand. 11 From the
time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation
is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed is he
who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you,
go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again
for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
Ecclesiastes
3;11
[
God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man ] He has made everything
appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so
that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even
to the end.
Amos
8;10
“Then
I will turn your festivals into mourning And all your songs into lamentation;
And I will bring sackcloth on everyone’s loins And baldness on every head. And
I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son,
And the end of it will be like a bitter day.
Micah
5;4
And
He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will
remain, Because at that time He will be great to the ends of
the earth.
John
16;33
These
things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peapce. In the world
you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the
world.”
Matthew
24;21
For
then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred
since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
Matthew
24;29
[ The
Glorious Return ] “But immediately after the tribulation of
those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and
the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Acts
14;22
strengthening
the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,
“Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of
God.”
Romans
2;9
There
will be tribulation
and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of
the Greek.
Romans
5;3
And
not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations,
knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance.
Romans
8;35
Who
will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Ephesians
3;13
Therefore
I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf,
for they are your glory.
1
Thessalonians 1;6
You
also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation
with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation
1;9
I,
John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and
kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called
Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation
2;9
‘I
know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and
the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue
of satan.
Revelation
2;10
Do
not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some
of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation
for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Revelation
7;9
[ A
Multitude from the Tribulation ] After these things I looked,
and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all
tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands.
Revelation
7;14
I
said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who
come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
5/8/16