Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRIBULATION

1Th 2:19-20 (4/10/11)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

I. THE EXPLANATION OF THE TRIBULATION

A. Definition

1. The Greek word for “tribulation” is thlipsis and originally meant pressure or crushing. Metaphorically it means oppression or affliction, which can be either internal or external (2 Co 2:4; 4:17). But it also refers to a future divine and unparalleled event (Mat 24:21).

2. The Tribulation is the seven year period of time in which God will pour out His wrath upon the earth, which will begin after the Rapture and be consummated by the Second Coming of Christ as detailed by Rev 6-19.

3. The tribulation is a seven year period of great destruction and judgment upon the earth and the lost. During the tribulation Israel will turn to God nationally ending the great separation between God and His nation. The tribulation will be a time of preparation for the kingdom which is the next event in Gods timetable. (Derickson’s Notes on Theology)

B. Description

1. Jesus called this period of time the “Great Tribulation” (thlipsis megálê - Mat 24:21 cp. Rev 7:14).

2. It is also referred to as an unequaled “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:7).

3. It is also known as the great day of wrath (Rev 6:17).

4. It is the same as Daniel’s 70^th week (Dan 9:27).

C. Duration

1. Dan 9:24 literally says “seventy sevens” (shavuim shivim). The Heb word for “seven” is shavua and is the same word for “week” (Dan 10:2-3). However, Dan 9:24-27 is introduced with the context of time in years (Dan 9:1-2), i.e. seven years.

2. 1st Period (7 wks) begins with issue of decree to rebuild city (Dan 9:25).

3. 2nd Period (62 wks) ends with the Messiah being cut off (Dan 9:26).

4. 3rd period (1 wk) begins with a covenant. The covenant is broken. There will be an abomination that causes desolation. It is concluded with God’s judgment (Dan 9:27).

D. Segments

1. According to Daniel, the seven year period is broken up into two parts.

2. The first three and one half years begins with the making of a covenant between the Antichrist and Israel (Dan 9:27a).

3. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, and the second three and one half years, the Antichrist will break the covenant he made with Israel (Dan 9:27b).

II. THE PURPOSES OF THE TRIBULATION

A. The Tribulation primarily has been “decreed for [Daniel’s] people (Dan 9:24). It will conclude the partial hardening of Israel, which it received as a punishment for rejecting the Messiah, and will be the final chastisement upon them (Rom 11:7-10, 11-13 cp. Isa 29:10; Ps 69:22-23).

B. It will prepare them for the return of the Messiah (Zec 12:10).

C. It will conclude the times of the Gentiles (Rom 11:25).

D. It will pour out judgment on unbelieving Gentile nations (Zec 12:9).

E. It will purge the earth of wicked people and pave the way for Christ’s Millennial Kingdom (Eze 37:21-22).

III. THE EVENTS OF THE TRIBULATION

A. The Covenant (Dan 9:27)

1. The Rapture will have already occurred before this covenant is made.

2. The Tribulation begins with when the antichrist signs a seven year covenant with the Jewish people to sacrifice (Dan 9:27), and build a Temple (2Th 2:4).

3. The “he” (Dan 9:27b) is not the Messiah, but is the “prince” (or future ruler) “who is to come,” namely the antichrist, the “little horn” (Dan 7:7-8, 24-25), the “man of lawlessness” (2Th 2:3).

B. The Judgments

1. There is a sequence of judgments which grow in intensity. They are:

a) Seven Seal Judgments (Rev 6:1-8:5)

b) Seven Trumpet Judgments, contained in the seventh seal (Rev 8:6-11:19)

c) Seven Bowl Judgments, contained in the seventh trumpet (Rev 15:7-16:21)

2. The judgments coincide with Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Mat 24-25). The first half of the Tribulation is referred to as the “beginning of birth pangs (sorrows)” (Mt 24:4-14);

a) False Christs (vs. 5 cp Rev 6:1-2)

b) Wars (vs. 6 cp. Rev 6:3-6 )

c) Famine, pestilence, earthquakes (vs. 7 cp. Rev 6:7)

d) Martyrdom (vs. 9 cp Rev 6:9-11)

3. The first six seals of the Seal Judgments constitute the first three and a half years of the Tribulation; where the Antichrist rules the world through deceptive diplomacy. Nevertheless the judgment will be intense and divine (Rev 6:15-17).

4. The seventh seal of the Seal Judgments, Trumpet Judgments and Bowl Judgments constitute the last three and a half years of the Tribulation (Rev 8:1) known as the “Great Tribulation” (Mt 24:15-28), where the severest of judgments take place. At this time, the Antichrist rules through unleashed satanic power.

C. An Overview

1. The tribulation actually begins when the man of sin, the leader of the western federation of nations, signs a treaty with the Jewish people (Dan. 9:27). The rapture of the church will have occurred just before this, though there may be a short interval of time between the rapture and the signing. . . . At the same early part of the period the great ecumenical apostate church will rise to power (Rev. 17:3), exerting tremendous political influence among the nations of the world. In addition there will be many converted by the witness of the group that will be sealed (Rev. 7) for this purpose. Some will apparently be martyred almost immediately for their faith (Rev. 6:9-11). . . . As the middle of the tribulation approaches, certain important events will occur. Egypt will be defeated by the armies of the man of sin (Dan. 11:40-43). The nations of the Far East will be forming into a coalition and will at the end of the tribulation move into Palestine. The power bloc to the north of Palestine known as Gog and Magog will invade Palestine but will be wiped out by God's supernatural intervention (Ez. 38-39). (Ryrie, A Survey of Bible Doctrine, pg. 173,174)

2. Exactly at the middle point the man of sin will break his treaty, cease to be Israel's protector, demand to be worshiped himself (II Thess. 2:4), and seek to conquer the world. In the meantime, as the latter part of the tribulation progresses, God will be pouring out additional judgments on the world. . . . As the man of sin continues his march to world power, he will face his enemies from the east at Armageddon in northern Palestine. In the midst of the war the Lord will return and defeat all His enemies. The man of sin and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. (ibid.)

IV. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. The Church will be delivered from the Tribulation (1Th 1:10; Rev 3:10).

B. The Unbeliever will go through the Tribulation unless he accepts Christ (Rom 1:16; 13:11).

C. Israel, God’s own people, were chastised for rejecting Christ (Deu 4:27-31; Jer 30:7).

D. God is faithful to the promises to His people (Rom 11:1-2, 25-27).

E. Labor in love while looking for the Blessed Hope (1Th 1:3, 10).