THE GREAT TRIBULATION, A PERIOD OF UNPARALLELED SUFFERING
AND DESTRUCTION
MOST OF THE Prophets, foretell the Great Tribulation. "Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 7 Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt: 8 and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame. 9 Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14 And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land" (Isa 13:6-14).
Again the same prophet in chapter 24, verses 1-6, paints in lurid colors another picture of it: "Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him. 3 The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Jehovah hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left" (Isa 24:1-6).
The Lord Jesus describes it in Matthew 24:21: "for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be."
Israel Being Gathered Back to the Land of Their Fathers
Not only did Moses and the Prophets foretell the world-wide dispersion of Israel, but most of them foretell their being gathered to the land of their fathers. This regathering, according to Zephaniah, begins before the Tribulation: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; 2 before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger." (Zeph. 2:1-3).
Without doubt Zephaniah saw the present return of the Jews to their homeland. But the return will not be complete until the Second Coming of Christ.
Three World Wars in the Tribulation
There have already been two world wars and there may be a third before the Tribulation. Let us hope that there may not be. But according to the prophetic Word, there will be three world wars in the Tribulation.
The first of these world wars is set forth in symbolic form as a rider on a red horse in Revelation 6:3,4: "And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."
The second one, which breaks out in the middle of the Tribulation, is recorded in Daniel 11:40-45: "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south contend with him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him."
The third and last one is graphically pictured in Revelation 19:11-16: "And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KINGS OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rebuilding the TempleAt Sinai the Lord had Moses set up a tabernacle as His temporary dwelling place among His people Israel. King David wanted to build a more permanent structure for God's dwelling place with his people. Since, however, the king had fought many wars, the Lord refused to allow him that privilege, but He did allow David to make preparation for his son Solomon to build a magnificent house for God. This Temple was the center of Hebrew religion, to which all Israel came. From year to year this Temple was the gathering place of all Jewry, but it was destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. At the close of the captivity Zerubbabel, the governor of the nation, rebuilt the Temple on a far less magnificent scale than that of Solomon's. Later King Herod repaired Zerubbabel's Temple, even surpassing it in grandeur. This building was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. From that day to the present patriotic and devout portions of the nation have lived in hopes of building another Temple.
Isaiah foresaw in vision the Jews of the end time vigorously constructing a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, around which the nation can rally. Herein is the prophetic prediction: "Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? 2 For all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. 3 He that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as he that breaketh a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as he that offereth swine's blood; he that burneth frankincense, as he that blesseth an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations: 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not. (Isa. 66:1-4).
Jesus presupposed the existence of the Temple in the Tribulation: "When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand)" (Mat 24:15).
One World Government
In Daniel chapter 7 God presents the four world empires--Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome--under the symbolism of vicious and ferocious beasts. Not one of the empires had taken possession of the possessions given it by the Almighty. The fourth one, the nondescript monster, will seize world dominion for a short time. This prophecy is found in Daniel 7:23-25. "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings. 25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time."
According to this prediction, the fourth beast will devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. Our present civilization is doomed to be largely wrecked and overthrown.
One Religious System
The present day trend or tendency is toward unification and co-operation. This statement is especially true of religion. Those who do not have the prophetic outlook and strong fundamental convictions are feeling that men can lay aside their peculiar tenets and can unite with others, notwithstanding some minor differences.
It is the conviction of many Bible students that the effort to unite different religious groups is well on the way to a world church.
In Revelation 17:1-6 one sees a world religion: "And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication. 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication, 5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder."
The head of this ecclesiastical system appears to be the one designated by John as the false prophet who will work hand and glove with the World ruler. "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone" (Rev 19:19-20). One can see the close cooperation of the world ruler and the false prophet (Rev. 13:11-18)
Haggai Saw the World Kingdom
"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22 and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother." (Hag. 2:21,22).
John also saw the kingdom of the world becoming the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ: "The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11:15b).
The Antichrist
According to Daniel 7:17,23 a beast when used symbolically signifies both a king and a kingdom. The last world ruler is the personal Antichrist and his world kingdom are set forth in Revelation 13:1-10. He will be slain by the triumphant Christ at His Second Coming.
In several places in the Old Testament a world-wide revival is foretold. Read such passage as Isaiah 17:7,8; 24:11-16b. God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would bless all nations in and through the seed of Abraham--the Jewish people and the Messiah.
God fulfills every promise and carries out every threat and warning that He has given.
In the first part of the Tribulation there will burst forth upon the world a spiritual awakening. This will be such a great revival and turning to God that John, in Revelation, chapter 7, speaks of it as "a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peopled and tongues ..." (Rev. 7:9). Who will conduct this revival? The answer is, the 144,000 Jews who are sealed against all injuries and all calamities, because the gospel is to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16).
The Conversion of Israel
The prophetic Scriptures abound in predictions and references of Israel's return to the land of their fathers, (I discuss these themes in my recent volumes, Messiah: His Glorious Appearance Imminent and Messiah: His Final Call to Israel. Israel is discussed in the Jewish section of the Roman Letter--chapters 9, 10 and 11--chapter 11 especially gives information concerning the spiritual condition of Israel, its past, present, and future. "For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom. 11:25).
The Second Coming
The Lord Jesus and His apostles have much to say in regard to His ascension to glory and His final return to earth at the end of the Tribulation. Jesus and the apostles went out to the Mount of Olives after His having taught them for a period of forty days following His Resurrection. He charged them to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come to them and lead them into all the truth: "And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). We therefore look for the Lord Jesus to return according to the Word. Since no man knows the day nor the hour when He will return, let us avoid all guessing and speculation regarding His Second Coming. Everything points to the conclusion that His Coming must be near.
The Millennium
At the end of the Tribulation the Lord Jesus will return and set up His Kingdom of righteousness as the prophets foretell: The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. 4 And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isa 2:1-4).
"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev 20:1-6).
