GREAT TRIBULATION

“Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: ‘Go and measure God’s sanctuary and the altar, and [count] those who worship there.  But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary.  Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.’” (Revelation 11:1-2 HCSB)

It will be a time of trouble unparalleled in human history—and that is saying a lot.  Since the fall of man in Eden, until this day, our world has known spans of time which were marked by intense suffering.  Plagues and wars, famines and natural disasters have been frequent occurrences in a world under the curse of sin and death.  Yet, the final three and one-half years of the tribulation period will be the sum of all fears.  It is the Great Tribulation—and Jesus said this about it, “For at that time there will be great tribulation, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again!  Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect.” (Matt.24:21-22)  It will be a concentration of catastrophe so intense that were it to extend beyond three and one-half years, it would mean the extinction of the human race.  That is the period of primary focus in chapters eleven through thirteen in today’s study of the Book of Revelation.

The period of time that is primarily featured is brief—forty two months—but the place of trouble which is preeminently focused on is small as well—the nation of Israel, and Jerusalem in particular.   Chronologically, three and one-half years is slight compared to all of earth’s thousands of years of history.  It amazes us that so much horror can be compressed into such a small amount of time.  Geographically, we are also astonished that this speck of land, compared to the expanse of the earth, would be so prominent in its impact on the world.  But, even today, world-wide attention is drawn to the Middle East, and it will be the stage where the final act of the divine drama will be played out—evil judged and redemption completed.  This is the testimony:

“We thank You, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Rev.11:17-18)

There will be TWO WITNESSES for God, as described in chapter eleven.

“‘I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.’  These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.  If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.  These men have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.” (Rev.11:3-6)

Outside a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem will stand two prophets—like Moses and Elijah—who will take a stand for God. They will call for repentance and proclaim judgment—and the world will hate them.  The kind of hate that inspired the inhabitants of Jerusalem to call for the crucifixion of Jesus will abide in the hearts of the peoples of the world to want these two witnesses shut up.  Evil hates the light and will do all it can to extinguish it.  People do not want to hear sermons on repentance now; they will not want to hear them then.

But, try as they might, they cannot silence them.  A man is immortal until his work on earth is done.  We need fear no man and no thing, so long as we abide in the will of God doing the work of God.  We cannot die until our deeds are done which God has foreordained. 

Finally, as the end of the Great Tribulation approaches, the hedge of protection around these witnesses will be withdrawn and the world will delight in killing them.  In fact, a worldwide festival—a perverse holiday—will be celebrated as the dead bodies of these brutalized preachers will be viewed on the world-wide web.  Like at Christmas, the people will give each other gifts—and the party will last for three and one-half days.  But, then the party will be over!  God will resurrect these faithful servants and rapture them up to heaven.  In the meantime, the Lord sends a devastating earthquake to rock Jerusalem.  Two woes of the last three trumpet judgments have sounded, and the seventh angel is about to blow his horn for the culmination that will bring seven bowls of wrath to be poured out on the earth—the final woe.  These events will happen with breath-taking speed in machine-gun fire sequence.

This time will feature TWO WORLDS in conflict, as defined in chapter twelve.

“Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer.  So the great dragon was thrown out — the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.” (Rev.12:7-9)

“So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war against the rest of her offspring — those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.” (Rev.12:17)

In two dimensions—in eternity and on earth—two worlds will collide.  The forces of light will battle the forces of darkness.  We are told that Michael and the holy angels in heaven will cast out the Dragon and his demonic horde.  Michael has been given special duty to protect God’s covenant people, the Jews, and as great as his devotion is to them, so is Satan’s rage toward them.  The Devil cannot attack God, so he attacks God’s people.  But, the Dragon can only go so far.  God is sovereign and His will cannot be thwarted.

For three and one-half years, Gentile forces will dominate the city of Jerusalem.  Satan’s henchman, the Antichrist, will seek to fulfill Hitler’s “Final Solution” and exterminate the Jews once and for all.  That people will suffer greatly once more, yet they will not be destroyed.  God will open a way of escape and provide a place of refuge.

Satan will understand his time is short and, consumed with anger, madness will grip his malevolent mind as he unleashes a scorched earth directive.  Like Hitler did as the Allied troops gained ground in Europe, pressing on toward Berlin, he will give orders as that demonic dictator to destroy everything. “Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them!  Woe to the earth and the sea, for the Devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows he has a short time.”  (Rev.12:12)  The church in heaven can rejoice that it has been caught up to be with her Bridegroom for the Devil’s rampage on earth will be ferocious.

Not only will the Jews suffer, but remember, there will be those from Gentile nations—a great host of them—converted during those days.  They will seal their testimony with their own blood, for the Antichrist, at the behest of his infernal master, will make war on them as well.  But, though he may kill the body, he cannot destroy the soul—the essence of who Christ’s followers are—and in the final analysis these tribulation saints overcome the Wicked One. “They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.”  (Rev.12:11) 

That is always how God’s people overcome the Dragon: a covering of the blood of Christ, a confession of our faith in Christ, and a commitment to dying for Christ.  The Devil can’t conquer a man or woman like that.  He has no answer for the provision of salvation by the blood, the accusation against us cannot tear down the profession of faith in the Lord, and the threat to harm us carries no weight against one persistent in faithfulness in carrying the cross of their Lord—they have already died to self.

The earthly stage will be dominated by TWO WORKERS for Satan as disclosed in chapter thirteen.

“And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.  The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” (Rev.13:1-2)

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb, but he sounded like a dragon.  He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.” (Rev.13:11-12)

Two beasts are the primary puppets of Satan during the tribulation period.  This is the Antichrist who demands the worship of the world—the last Roman Emperor—and the False Prophet who directs that worship.  Their true bestial nature will be revealed particularly in those last three and one-half years of their power.  They blend the power of governmental authority and the propaganda of ecclesiastical authority into an amalgamation of tyranny.  This authoritarian government is more than willing to use apostate religion to serve its ends, as has always been the case.

So, in the end time scenario you have the Beast—the Antichrist—who holds the reins of world empire.  He institutes a police state, a massive government takeover of every area of life—especially the global economy.  You must pledge allegiance to him and take his “mark” or you cannot conduct commerce.  This is ever the dream world of utopians that always becomes a nightmare.  This will be the ultimate horror.  When man decides to play God it never works out well.  6 is the number of man; 7 is the number of God; 666 is the number of the Beast—man trying to be God and always falling short.

Antichrist comes as the Messiah with promises of peace and prosperity.  He will look like Jesus, sound like Jesus, and it seems, even will have a staged resurrection which imitates Jesus (Rev.13:3, 12).  All the while, the second beast—the False Prophet—promotes him via deceptive wonders and persuasive words.  The worship of the Beast is the worship of his master Satan. 

People can be so gullible.  We need look no further than the Germans who were mesmerized by Hitler’s oratory.  Someone comes along promising a better world and even when those promises are proven empty, the pomp and pageantry of the propaganda machine keep the reins of power in their hands, only to be reinforced.

This is the time of tribulation that is coming—three and one-half years of great tribulation.  How near are we to these end-time scenarios playing out?  How close are we to the rapture of the church, and the removal of restraint on evil, so that Satan has his last hurrah?  We cannot say with certainty, but we ought to live with expectancy.  The last of the last days may be right around the corner.

Maranatha!