LESSON #21

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #21
TRIBULATION OVERVIEW

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 9:10

• ORIENTATION TO THE MASTER TIMELINE CHART: (SEE LESSON #02)
• FIND THE RED VERTICAL BAR NEAR THE LEFT MARGIN MARKED WITH THE WORD, “TRIBULATION”. REMEMBER THAT THE CENTER OF THE CHART REFERS TO EVENTS ON THE EARTH.
• THIS PERIOD OF TIME CONTAINS COLUMNS OF LIVING JEWISH NON-BELIEVERS AND LIVING JEWISH BELIEVERS AS WELL AS LIVING GENTILE NON-BELIEVERS AND LIVING GENTILE BELIEVERS.
• THIS PERIOD OF TIME IS 7 YEARS IN LENGTH BASED ON DAN 9:24-27.
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE BIBLE TALKS MORE ABOUT THESE SEVEN YEARS THAN ABOUT ANY HISTORICAL PERIOD OF TIME INCLUDING THE 3 AND A HALF YEARS OF CHRIST’S MINISTRY ON EARTH.
• THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIBULATION:
• EVENTS IN THE TRIBULATION WILL AFFECT THE WHOLE EARTH TO SOME DEGREE OR OTHER. THEY ARE NOT ISOLATED TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
• THOSE LIVING IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL EXPERIENCE RAMPANT MATERIALISM WITH SUDDEN ECONOMIC CRISES.
• THERE WILL BE RAPID CHANGES IN WORLD EVENTS.
• THERE ARE SO MANY WORLD CHANGING EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, THAT IT STRETCHES THE MIND TO IMAGINE SO MANY DRASTIC CHANGES IN JUST ONE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD.
• THERE WILL BE A POLARIZATION SPIRITUALLY IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD:
• SATANISM, LYING MIRACLES, DRUGS, AND THE OCCULT WILL RUN RAMPANT IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• PHENOMENAL MIRACLES OF GOD AND A GREAT MULTITUDE OF SALVATIONS WILL OCCUR IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE “RESTRAINER” OF EVIL WILL BE REMOVED TO ALLOW THE TRIBULATION TO BEGIN.
• READ 2THE 2:6-8
• SOME THINK THE RESTRAINER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE WORK OF SALVATION IN THE HEART OF A PERSON, IT IS NOT LIKELY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS REMOVED TOTALLY FROM THE EARTH. WE SEE A GREAT MULTITUDE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY BE MORE LIKE THAT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DID NOT PERMANENTLY INDWELL BELIEVERS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• SOME THINK THE RESTRAINER IS THE ANGEL MICHAEL.
• SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT MICHAEL WILL BE ACTIVE IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AS GOD WORKS AGAIN WITH THE JEWS. (DAN 12:1)
• SOME THINK THE RESTRAINER IS THE CHURCH THAT IS REMOVED IN THE RAPTURE.
• THIS IS THE BELIEF OF THE TEACHER.
• THERE WILL BE A DEGRADATION IN SOCIETY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS THERE WILL BE MORE CRIME, VIOLENCE, WAR, IMMORALITY AS NEVER BEFORE.
• SEVERE NATURAL DISASTERS WILL PLAGUE THE TRIBULATION PERIOD SUCH AS FAMINE, WATER SHORTAGE, EARTHQUAKES AND OTHER CATACLYSMIC EVENTS IN NATURE.
• THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL EXPERIENCE A VERY HIGH DEATH RATE FROM PLAGUES, PESTILENCE, NATURAL DISASTERS, PERSECUTION, AND WAR.
• THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, GOD WILL PROTECT HIS PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM.
• READ EXO 8:20-23 9:3-4
• THE PLAGUES OF MOSES ARE A TYPE OR A PREFIGURE OF TRIBULATION JUDGMENT.
• IN THE SAME WAY AS GOD PROTECTED THE JEWS IN EGYPT, GOD WILL SUPERNATURALLY PROTECT AND PROVIDE FOR MANY OF HIS PEOPLE.
• HOWEVER, MANY BELIEVERS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION AND WILL BE MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH IN GOD DURING THIS SEVEN YEAR PERIOD.
• THE TRIBULATION PERIOD THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE:
• SCRIPTURAL NAMES FOR THE TRIBULATION PERIOD:
• AS WAS MENTIONED, SCRIPTURE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS SEVEN YEAR PERIOD. HOWEVER, SCRIPTURE REFERS TO THE TRIBULATION BY MANY OTHER NAMES:
• THE LORD’S STRANGE WORK (ISA 28:21)
• A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD PERMITTED BY GOD TO BRING ABOUT SPECIFIC RESULTS.
• THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT(REV 14:7)
• GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT ON THE JEWS AND ON THE GENTILE NATIONS.
• THE END OF THIS WORLD (MAT 13:40,49)
• THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE EARTH BUT THE END OF THE WORLD SYSTEM THAT WE NOW LIVE UNDER.
• THE TIME OF THE END (DAN 12:9)
• THIS SEVEN YEAR PERIOD COMPLETES THE AGE OF GRACE JUST BEFORE THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING BEGINS A NEW AGE.
• THE DAY OF GOD’S VENGEANCE (ISA 34:8)
• GOD WILL AVENGE THE DEATHS OF MANY MARTYRED CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.
• READ ZEP 1:14-18
• THE DAY OF DESOLATION (THE DAY OF DESTRUCTION, THE DAY OF DISTRESS) (ZEP 1:15)
• A PERIOD OF TIME WITH MUCH WORLD-WIDE DEATH, DESTRUCTION, AND TROUBLE FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES.
• THE DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM (ZEP 1:15 AMO 5:18,20 JOE 2:2)
• A TIME WHEN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS WILL REIGN ON EARTH.
• THE DAY OF TRUMPET AND ALARM (ZEP 1:16)
• THIS PERIOD OF TIME IS A WARNING OF ETERNAL JUDGMENT YET TO COME.
• THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH (THE DAY OF WRATH) (THE DAY OF THE LORD’S ANGER) (REV 6:17 ZEP 1:15,18 ZEP 2:2-3)
• GOD WILL POUR HIS WRATH UPON THE EARTH AGAINST SATAN, EVIL MEN LIKE THE ANTI-CHRIST AND ALL NON-BELIEVERS FOR REJECTING CHRIST AND REJECTING GOD.
• THE FIRE OF HIS JEALOUSY (ZEP 1:18)
• GOD DESIRES TO BE THE ONLY GOD TO HIS PEOPLE EVER SINCE THE TIME OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.
• READ ISA 28:14-22
• THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE (ISA 28:15, 18)
• A TIME OF GREAT DECEIT AND DEEDS BY SATAN, THE ANTI-CHRIST, AND THE FALSE PROPHET.
• READ ISA 26:20-21
• THE INDIGNATION (ISA 26:20 ISA 34:2)
• A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN GOD WILL ALLOW SATAN TO HAVE FREE REIGN OVER THE EARTH.
• THE TIME OF TROUBLE SUCH AS NEVER WAS (DAY OF CALAMITY) (DAN 12:1 JER 18:17)
• A TIME OF A VERY HIGH DEATH RATE FROM PERSECUTION, WARS, PESTILENCE, AND NATURAL DISASTERS WORLD WIDE.
• THE OVERSPREADING OF ABOMINATION (DAN 9:27)
• A TIME WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST, POSSESSED BY SATAN, WILL ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS GOD.
• READ JER 30:3-9
• JACOB’S TROUBLE(JER 30:7)
• A TIME THAT SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THE TESTING JUDGMENT THAT GOD WILL PUT ON THE JEWS AS A MEANS TO BRING THEM TO CHRIST.
• THE 70TH WEEK (DAN 9:24-27)
• THE LAST SEVEN YEARS REMAINING IN GOD’S TIMETABLE FOR GOD’S WORK WITH THE JEWS.
• READ ISA 13:6-13
• THE DAY OF THE LORD (THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD) (ISA 13:6 ZEP 1:7 MAL 4:5)
• THE PHRASE REFERS TO AN USHERING IN OF A TIME OF JUDGMENT ON LIVING NON-BELIEVERS AND THE COMING OF A TIME OF BLESSING IN THE MILLENIUM FOR THE BELIEVERS.
• THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES (LUK 21:24)
• THIS REFERS TO THE LAST 7 YEARS OF CONTROL OVER JERUSALEM BY THE GENTILE WORLD POWERS. THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BEGAN IN THE TIME OF DANIEL WITH THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE.
• THE LAST DAYS (2PET 3:3)
• THESE ARE THE LAST DAYS OF OUR PRESENT WORLD SYSTEM BEFORE THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME (3 ½ YEARS) (DAN 12:7 DAN 7:25 DAN 4:16,23,25)
• THIS PHRASE REFERS TO THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE FORTY TWO MONTHS (REV 11:2 REV 13:5)
• THIS IS THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• 1,260 DAYS (REV 11:3 DAN 12:6)
• THIS REPRESENTS THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• A HALF WEEK (DAN 9:27)
• ONE HALF OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE PURPOSES OF THE TRIBULATION:
• THE QUESTION IS ALWAYS RAISED AS TO HOW COULD A LOVING GOD PERMIT SUCH A TRAGIC PERIOD OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO COME UPON THE EARTH?
• WE NEED TO LOOK INTO SCRIPTURE TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S PURPOSES FOR THIS PERIOD:
• GOD’S WRATH UPON THE PHYSICAL WORLD (REV 8:7 ROM 8:22)
• FROM THE TIME OF ADAM AND EVE, THE WHOLE WORLD HAS BEEN POLLUTED WITH SIN AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD, THE CREATOR. THIS WORLD NEEDS TO BE CLEANSED.
• GOD’S WRATH UPON SINFUL MAN (ISA 26:21 2THE 2:11-12 REV 16:2)
• FROM ADAM AND EVE FORWARD, MAN HAS CONTINUED IN SIN. GOD WILL SHOW MAN ONCE FOR ALL TIME WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO MAN’S DESTRUCTIVE WILL RUN RAMPANT.
• GOD’S WRATH UPON THE NATIONS (MAT 24:7 REV 19:15)
• FROM THE TIME OF NOAH, MAN HAS REJECTED GOD’S LEADERSHIP AND REPLACED IT WITH MAN’S LEADERSHIP. GOD WILL SHOW MAN WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE UNDER A WORLD DICTATOR OF MAN’S OWN CHOOSING.
• TO REDEEM A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE (REV 7:9-17 ZEC 12:10-11 ZEC 13:1)
• GOD WILL USE THIS PERIOD TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE JEWS TO BRING THEM TO CHRIST AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING.
• AS A RESULT OF EXTREME TROUBLE, A GREAT MULTITUDE WILL COME TO CHRIST IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
• TO SEPARATE THE GOOD FROM THE BAD (MAT 13:3-8, 24-30)
• JESUS PROMISED A FINAL SEPARATION OF THE GOOD FROM THE BAD AT THE END. THIS IS A TIME PERIOD OF DECISION.
• GOD’S JUDGMENT ON THE JEWS (LUK 21:24 DAN 12:1 HOS 3:4,5 EZE 20:33-44 JER 30:7,11)
• GOD WILL USE THIS PERIOD TO JUDGE THE JEWS FOR THEIR REJECTION OF JESUS, THE MESSIAH.
• WE WILL CONSIDER THIS ASPECT MORE FULLY IN OUR NEXT LESSON.

HOMEWORK
TRIBULATION OVERVIEW – CONTINUED
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE TRIBULATION OVERVIEW:
• IN CONSIDERATION OF THE EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE WORLD DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, WHAT SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSE BE TOWARD OTHER PEOPLE?

• PREPARATION FOR THE TRIBULATION OVERVIEW – CONTINUED:
• READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
• FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE WHAT FOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DID THE JEWS HAVE AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE?

• =1= DEU 6:4-13 ISA 43:10-12
• =2= DEU 33:26-29 1CHR 17:20-21 PSA 144:15

• =3= DEU 4:5-8 ROM 3:1-2

• =4= GEN 12:3 2SAM 7:12-16 MAT 1:1 ROM 1:3

• WHICH OF THE FOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DID THE JEWS FAIL TO FULFILL?

• WHICH OF THE FOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DID THE JEWS SUCCEED IN FULFILLING?

• MEMORY VERSE: ROM 11:2