How Do I Prepare for the Great Tribulation?

Jesus has prepared a final test for the world to find out who loves Him and His truth. It will not be enough to be sincere and dedicated when the test is applied. Hitler was sincere and dedicated to the terrible ideas and the world suffered at his hands. Sincerity is not the most important element in life. The most important point is TRUTH. Who loves and seeks more of God’s Truth? Who lives up to all the truth he knows? Who loves the truth of God so much that he would be willing to suffer and die for its sake?

John saw the saints struggling to defend truth at the end of the world. He says, “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 the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 12:17. As he watched, John saw the martyrdom of the saints that occurs during the fifth seal and John was told, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

In 1844, Jesus began judging the dead. Their deeds and actions are recorded in the books of record. However, how does Jesus judge the living? Their lives are still being lived out. They continue to make choices. Because the world is so diverse with languages, cultures and religious beliefs, God has designed the judgment of the living in such a way that the living will choose their own eternal destiny. As each person makes his decision about the gospel, Jesus eternally seals them in it! Here’s a brief scenario:

Jesus sends His four dreadful judgments to awaken and arose the earth to the sinfulness of its course. These four judgments (also described in Ezekiel 14) arrest the indifference of the people of earth to the gospel so they can hear the final gospel call. These four judgments are so extensive that every mind on earth is forced to consider them. While people are considering the meaning of the judgments, they will be open to hear the everlasting gospel, which contains an explanation of these judgments. As the people of earth contemplate the full gospel, they are invited to do something that most have never done – yield their lives to the truth contained in the Bible. The gospel clearly calls for obedience to the King of Kings. This is how the Bible becomes the center of a great controversy. This is why John says of the saints, they “…obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. Satan, on the other hand, sees to it that circumstances will be so difficult that no one will be able to obey God’s commandments unless they are willing to live by faith! The saints will not be able to buy or sell! The point is that salvation will only come by faith and the saints will have the faith to obey!

 

Trust and obey

 

James clearly saw the true relationship between obedience and faith. He says, “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.   …I will show you my faith by what I do.” James 2:18, 24.

So, what moves God to send judgments upon peoples and nations? Notice what Jesus said to Isaiah, “See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants… the earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word. The earth dries up and withers, and the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobey the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.” Isaiah 24:1-6.

Isaiah was well aware of the hardness of people’s hearts. He said, “…When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.” Isaiah 26: 9, 10.

 

Jesus loves mercy and He loves justice

Jesus holds each person accountable for their deeds. When people get away with murder, lying, stealing and cheating, evil rapidly grows. It’s like nuclear fission. It’s a chain reaction that cannot be stopped. The runaway result is that sin spreads until almost every person is controlled or contaminated with it. When people, cities, nations or even the world reaches a point where love has no redeeming effect, Jesus sets His mercy aside and steps in with redeeming judgments. These judgments are sent to arouse people with the sinfulness of their course!

Ezekiel 14: 12-27 gives a very clear explanation of the four judgments used in the fourth seal. “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men – Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save only them selves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.

Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts…. Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land’… Or if I send a plague into the land and pour out my wrath upon it through bloodshed, killing its men and their animals…

How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments – sword and famine and wild beasts and plague; to kill its men and their animals. Yet, there will be some survivors – sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem – every disaster I have brought upon it… for you know that I have done nothing in it without cause.” Ezekiel 14: 12-23.

Notice the prophecy of Hosea: “The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand… because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired man a maniac.” Hosea 9:7.

Through Moses, God warned the Israelites, “if you obey the Lord your God and keep His commands and decrees that are written… the Lord thy God shall bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away, and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them… you will certainly be destroyed…” Deuteronomy 30: 10-18.

 

New Testament warnings

If you think that the above warnings only apply to Old Testament days, consider the following warnings from the New Testament:

Peter said, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, (the Greek word translated hell is “tartarosas”  -the Greek equivalent to the bottomless pit), putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly…the Lord knows how to rescue godly men…and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment.”  II Peter 2: 4-9.

Revelation says, “…Come out of her (Babylon), my people, so that you do not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes… Therefore, in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” Revelation 18: 4, 5, 8.

John says, “I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sigh: seven angels with the seven last plagues – last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.” Revelation 15:1.

From the above examples, it is evident that God has sent and will send judgments upon the world either in an effort to save or to punish. We need to notice two specific points.

First:   In the case of corporate judgment (judgment upon groups of people), God initially offered mercy to those who would turn from wrong doing. In Noah’s day, the ark was open to whomsoever would get on board. In Sodom and Gomorrah, God could not even find ten righteous people, but did save Lot and some of his family. In Jericho, the harlot Rehab and her family were saved, In Nineveh; the entire city was saved through repentance!

While cities, nations and earth itself may fill up their cups of iniquity, God seeks to save those who love Him and spares them from His judgments. II Peter 3:9 says that, “(Jesus) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance!” This is divine mercy.

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The balance between divine justice and divine mercy is divine love.
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Secondly:   God sends judgments upon people when their wicked acts take them beyond redeeming love. It is important to understand that there is a point of NO return where divine mercy is no longer available. It can be called the point of no return, the unpardonable sin or the close of probation (mercy). A person, city, nation and even earth itself can commit the unpardonable sin! When this point is reached, destruction follows.

Consider this interesting verse from Revelation 16: 5,6. “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; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.’”

The context of this verse is found during the seven last plagues, which are yet future. In this text, an angel has just poured out of the seven last plagues upon earth. More will be said about these horrible plagues later; but for now, it is important to notice that the angels, impartial observers of human conduct, declare God to be true and righteous for having punished human beings in this manner! “Here is divine justice,” the third angel exclaims. We ask, “how can this be?” The balance between divine mercy and divine justice is divine love.

This is hard thing to understand at times. How can God be all merciful, all forgiving, and yet be able to execute punishment?

 

Review the reasons for judgments

Judgments are not pleasurable acts to God. The Bible calls them, “His strange work.” See Isaiah 28: 21. Why does He send them? God sends punishments upon people or nations for at least two reasons:

First:   He tries to bring evildoers to repentance through warnings. However, if the warnings go unheeded, He sends destruction to sober evildoers. If they defiantly refuse to turn from their evil, a point is finally reached where mercy is no longer meaningful. In fact, extended mercy only allows evil, violence and suffering to needlessly continue.

Some argue that the God of the Old Testament is not the same God described in the New Testament. This is not true! Jesus is always the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow (See Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 1: 10-12). He is longsuffering, yet, as in the eviction of Satan and his angels from heaven, (Ezekiel 28: 14-17, Revelation 12: 7,9) Jesus has clearly demonstrated that in heaven there is a point where mercy becomes meaningless and justice must prevail.

As said earlier, Satan would have us misunderstand God’s love. He would have us picture God as either a vengeful tyrant that zaps those who disagree with Him or a God that does not concern Himself with our sins. Either concept is wrong. The first concept is the foundation of the doctrine of an eternally burning hell. The second concept is the basis for amoral and decadent behavior. Those who understand that they will meet their Maker and have to give account for their deeds are careful with their actions!

Secondly: God sends judgments upon earth to get man’s attention. People forget God. They forget He owns the universe. We can forget that God means exactly what He says. Satan leads the world to distort or magnify God’s patience incorrectly. His long-suffering is taken for granted and sinners become bold in their acts of sin (see Ecclesiastes 8:11 and Zephaniah 1:12). We may forget or even deny that judgments and justice eventually come, but the Bible record is not obscure on this matter. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jericho, and the people who lived before the Flood prove that God rises up when sin reaches an intolerable level.

The tribulation begins with opening of the fourth seal.

The final test of mankind involves a time of great tribulation. Jesus spoke to his disciples about the magnitude of these judgments at the end of the world. He said, “For there shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21. The time of trouble grows with intensity too. When the seven last plagues occur, it is tribulation beyond our comprehension. “…There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” Daniel 12:1.

Revelation clearly predicts and describes the coming events that compose the great tribulation. We are not left to guess what the trouble is or why it comes. As you can now understand, global trouble begins with the opening of the fourth seal!

 

The seven trumpets

Revelation does not leave us in darkness wondering how the final events occur! The total destruction caused under the fourth seal amounts to a total of fourteen events. These events are described as seven trumpets (or seven first plagues) and seven last plagues. Each plague has a special purpose and meaning.

 

The seven seals reveal who Jesus really is. The seven trumpets awaken the world to its need of Jesus and the everlasting gospel tells how to receive Jesus and avoid the mark of the beast!

A time of wrath

Before we look at the contents of the seven trumpets, we need to understand that the time period following the opening of the four seal until the arrival of Jesus in the sixth seal is appropriately called, “a time of wrath.” Remember Gabriel’s visit with Daniel? Review what Gabriel said, “…I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.” Daniel 8:19. On a later visit with Daniel, Gabriel told Daniel that Satan would appear in person upon earth! He said, “The King (Satan) will do a he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.” Daniel 11:36.

The time of wrath is mentioned twice in Daniel’s vision and John saw it too! Compare Daniel’s verse above with Revelation 15:1. John says, “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.” In other words, God’s wrath is completed or fulfilled during the seven last plagues!

Study the chart and notice that the trumpets mark a time period of redemptive judgments because mercy is mixed with them. This underscores the purpose of the trumpets to awaken and arose people to the sinfulness of their course, and to prepare them for the close of mercy.

Back to the sanctuary and the Day of Atonement

The time period of the seven trumpets marks the judgment of the living. We have studied the importance of the Day of Atonement in the wilderness. The Day of Atonement was the most important day in the Jewish year for the 10^th day of the 7^th month marked the close of Israel’s judgment for that year.

To warn the Jews of this final and most important day of the year, the Feast of Trumpets began nine days earlier – on the 1^st day of the seventh month (see Leviticus 23:24). Each day, according to the Talmud, trumpets sounded throughout the camp announcing the close of mercy. On the 10^th day, the actual Day of Atonement, the trumpets blasted throughout the land (see Leviticus 25:9) to signify that probation had ended.

The close of judgment was not a surprise in the wilderness and neither will it be a surprise to those living upon the earth. In fact, Jesus is desirous that the close of probation come upon earth with ample warning so that all necessary preparations can be made by any desiring eternal life!

 A clarion call

The Bible uses the trumpet as a symbol of warning or announcement. Notice the following references:

“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.  Joel 2:1

“I appointed watchman over you and said ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’… I am bring disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law.” Jeremiah 6: 17, 19

“…If anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head.” Ezekiel 33:4

When Jesus returns, He will use the trumpet to announce His appearing! “…for the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed.” I Corinthians 15:52

Since ancient times, the trumpet has not only been an instrument of music, it has been a means of communication. For example, generals in battle directed their armies with trumpets. The trumpet was ideal because its penetrating sound could rise above the din of war or pierce the dark of night. Night watchmen were required to sound the trumpet if an enemy approached. Specific tunes were used to indicate assignment and signals. The Apostle Paul says: “…if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (I Corinthians 14:8).

So it will be. The sounding of the seven trumpets will be a clarion call. The seven trumpets of Revelation are symbols of warning or announcement. Their purpose is to awaken the world with the fact that Jesus is about to appear. Their message is, “Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!” Since the trumpet is the loudest of all musical instruments and the number seven is usually considered to be full or comprehensive number, these trumpets have global application. After all, God wants to awaken and arose all people of Earth that Jesus is coming back to Earth to gather up those whose names are written in the book of life!

What takes place as each trumpet sounds?

1.      Hail and fire mixed with blood. A third of the earth, trees, and all green grass is burned up. Revelation 8:7

2.      A third of the sea is turned to blood, a third of the sea creature’s die, and a third of the ships are destroyed. Revelation 8: 8,9

3.      A third of the rivers and the spring of waters turn bitter, and many people die from the waters. The name of the plague is “Wormwood” or bitterness. Revelation 8: 10,11

4.      One third of the sun, moon and stars are struck, and they turn dark. A third of the day will be without light, also a third of the night. Revelation 8:12

5.      The angel king of the bottomless pit is let out. He brings a terrible affliction for five months upon those who rebel against God. The torment is so bad that, “men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.” See Revelation 9: 1-12

6.      Satan conducts a great war to conquer the world. Four angels at the great river Euphrates are released to kill a third of mankind. The number of troops will be myriads. These angels have been kept ready for this very hour, day month and year! Revelation 9: 13-19

7.      Jesus concludes His special work in the heavenly sanctuary. There is an earthquake, lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great hailstorm. Revelation 11: 15-19

The fourth seal opens and the first trumpet sounds

Jesus opens the fourth seal and initiates the great tribulation upon the world by sounding the trumpets. These warnings fall in response to our unrestrained evil and hardness of heart. “…Why has the Lord decreed such a great disaster against us? What wrong have we done? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?… ‘(Your) houses are full of deceit; (you) have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek. (Your) evil deeds have no limit.’” Jeremiah 16: 10; 5: 27, 28

Thus, the opening of the fourth seal will attract the attention of everyone on earth that God’s wrath has broken out upon Earth. These trumpet plagues are not man-made rather; these will be rightly called, “Acts of God” and will be correctly recognized as such. As in the days of Pharaoh, God says the world will know, “I am the Lord that do these things.” See Exodus 7:5

Summary

From the Bible we have seen that Jesus has sent judgments upon the world in times past. Judgments from heaven come with warning. Jesus uses judgments to awaken and arose people to the sinfulness of their course. His judgments can be redemptive or punitive. They can be a means of salvation or a means of destruction. 

If you are upset and worried about the oncoming Great Tribulation to the point that it constantly robs you of your joy and peace in the Lord, then I recommend you reading the book, Bible Stories with End-time Parallels. A good friend of mine wrote this book in 2002 to encourage God’s children. He took ten well-known Bible stories of faith and paralleled each story with the Great Tribulation.  If we “put on the scandals” of those saints who lived in Bible times and examine their lives and experiences, our faith in God will increase because God is changeless! When early Christians in Corinth became discouraged with persecution, Paul encouraged them to read stories from the Old Testament!  “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” (I Corinthians 10:11) Therefore, if you need some faith-building stories, you can read this book free on the Internet. Just go to the link: http://www.wake-up.org/daystar/DSIndex2002.htm This book can also be obtained by calling WUAS office at 1-800-475-0876.

On the other hand, if you are overwhelmed with fear to the point of distraction, you should continue to expand your theological framework so that you can better understand the love, the ways, the plans, and the character of God. Every human being, including me, has a flawed view of God. This is why FAITH in God is eternally important for angels as well as humans! Our finite minds are too small to comprehend the works and plans of an infinite God, so He asks us to obey His laws and patiently wait upon Him until knowledge and understanding arrives. God may take several thousand years to work something out or He may take one second. While we are waiting for God to accomplish His corporate purposes or plans for us as individuals, we have to trust and obey. Eventually, we will see His wisdom, His love, and His ability to make all things work together for good! (Faith, when viewed in reverse, always makes sense.)

Remember, no person can surround all who God is. In fact, the Bible has more than 40 authors and it took over 1,500 years to write! I am constantly learning more about God, and during the past 15 years, I have had to make major changes in my theological framework. I have learned if we allow it, the Bible speaks clearly, just as it reads. This may surprise you, but God has put apparent conflicts in the Bible. He did this for two reasons. First, surface readers of the Bible quickly choose one side of the conflict and ignore many verses that conflict with their conclusions. This foolish behavior quickly exposes surface readers for what they are to those who have spent hours searching for truth. Second, God has put apparent conflicts in the Bible to draw His children deeper study and discovery. A born again Christian knows the Bible is not in conflict with itself because God is changeless. Therefore, resolving these apparent conflicts requires digging and searching for truth. While pursuing “an apparent conflict,” new discoveries will occur. Soon, the Bible becomes an amazing universe of information about God.

On occasion, I have had to let go of flawed concepts in order to embrace a larger harmony that comes from the sum of all the parts. As you already know, renouncing a theological concept like “the pre-tribulation rapture” can be very difficult on a theological level, as well as a social level. Therefore, to help others understand the elements of Bible prophecy more clearly; here in the reading room of this site, there are five essential Bible truths that every student of Bible prophecy should know. I am convinced that a person has to know these five essential truths before the books of Daniel and Revelation makes sense just as they read.  

Here is a serious question many people continue to ask: Do you think that God could give His saints the same kind of courage and faith to endure the Great Tribulation if there was no pre-tribulation rapture? Of course, someone will speak up and say, “Sure, God can do anything, but we don’t need to worry about this because the saints will be in Heaven during the Great Tribulation!” Consider this text: “He [the composite beast] 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. 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.” (Revelation 13: 7,8, insertion mine.)

Remember friends, as you begin this new year and a new understanding of God’s Word, I want to share three passages from the Bible. First, please consider the last words of Jesus recorded in Matthew, “…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20, KJV) Second, here is a blessing from God spoken to all who love Him. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6: 24-26) A few hours before His death, Jesus told His disciples, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27

 

My friends, if we meet and you forget me, you have lost nothing.

 

If you meet Jesus and forget Him, you have lost everything!       

 

 

Bob Stout