Tribulation

What do we know about the tribulation?

There are in circulation many explanations as to what the tribulation is. Some say it is a time of Jacobs’s trouble, some refer to a period of great tribulation, great trouble, wrath, the day of the lord, and it is often adjoined with seven years.

Where does all this come from?

The idea of tribulation comes from these verses.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:

In Mark 13 this period is also referred to as tribulation. In Luke 21 Tribulation is not mentioned but persecution and distress is.

The doctrine of great tribulation comes from the passages.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

This great tribulation starts when the son of perdition (second Thessalonians two) sits in the temple declaring him self God.

The reason this is stated as occurring after the mid part of the covenant is because in context this passage is referring to Matt 24:15.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand :)

Daniel talked about this in Daniel 9:27.

Seven year tribulation

The concept of a seven year tribulation is based on the assumption that the seven year covenant the Antichrist signs, is synonymous with the tribulation described. You may have noticed that the Bible does not refer to the tribulation as seven years. Matthew 24 Jesus says that those days will be cut short.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

So from these verses alone we get a hint that maybe the tribulation is not seven years in length. There are different ways of interpreting this but this should get you thinking.

Contained in this chapter we have another hint that tribulation is not actually seven years.

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

As you can see right after the Lord states his coming after the tribulation he tells his disciples on the Mount of Olives to watch the signs like you would the signs of summer. Subsequently he says that no one will know the hour of his coming but the Father only.

If the Tribulation were exactly seven years then people and especially angels could know the exact hour of the Lords Advent. There are likely many alternate explanations to this but as you can see just from one chapter in the Bible there is a lot of evidence that points to a tribulation that does not reach seven years. Later in this article you will see there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that points to the literal cutting short of the duration of tribulation.

Jacobs’s trouble

Jer 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

How is it that this is the time of Jacobs’s trouble yet he is saved out of it? It seems that Jacob would be talking of the seven year covenant. The reason it is a times of Jacobs trouble and he is still saved out of it is may be because the times are cut short and Israel does not pass all the way through this seven year period. The time of wrath picks up after the tribulation and the remnant of Israel gets the seal of God in there forehead (Revelation 7). Those who remain on earth after the tribulation who do not have the seal endure the wrath of the lamb Revelation 6:16 and Revelation 9:5. It seems that the time of Jacobs trouble would be the entire 7 year covenant where there is a period of tribulation which Israel would go through then the period of wrath they are saved from or out of.

Indignation

Indignation seems to be along the same time line as the tribulation. Daniel 11:21-54 has characteristics that apply to the time of the tribulation described in the Gospels. Jesus himself when speaking of the tribulation in the Gospels speaks specifically about the book of Daniel and the abomination of desolation. Here in Daniel 11:31 we read of this event.

Dan 11:36 And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

When the Lord Jesus returns he will cast the lawless one son of perdition into the lake of fire. The tribulation is said to end when the Lord comes back to earth so the indignation will end the same time as the tribulation. If you look at the meaning of each word Indignation is the cause of tribulation and tribulation is the result of indignation. So it makes sense that they would encompass the same time line.