The tribulation can be divided into two halves with a well-defined middle. This devotion looks at the beginning portion of the tribulation.
Nuggets
- While the tribulation will focus on Israel, the whole world is going to be judged, too.
- The beginning of the tribulation is that it will be a time of peace.
- Behind each seal on the scroll is a judgment.
- Although the Antichrist may be accepted at first, non-believers will eventually see him for what he is.
- Though the tribulation has started, God will still be in the business of salvation.
Devotions in the What I Believe series
Devotions in the End Times category
End Times Churchy Words Focus
In the last devotion, we looked at a broad overview of the tribulation. It included Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection.
But what about the seven-year end-time period in which God judges Israel and the world? It seems it can be broken into the first half, middle, and second half.
Let's Put It into Context
According to Compelling Truth, the tribulation “… is the period during the end times wherein God judges Israel and the world for their unrighteousness and prepares to establish Jesus as the King of the world.”
Resource
The tribulation will last for seven years. It can be divided into two halves with a identifiable middle in between.
First Half
“How awful that day will be! There will be no other like it! It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it” (Jer. 30: 7 CSB)
No, no, no. Don’t shut down. Don’t read “… a time of trouble for Jacob …” (Jer. 30: 7 CSB) and say, “That doesn’t pertain to me.” If you have not ABCDed, it will pertain to you.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Yes, the tribulation will focus on Israel. No, the whole world is going to be judged, too.
Iron noted a couple of reasons why Israel and the world were judged. Discussing one, he wrote, “The trouble here spoken is of a public nature. In its literal sense, it was the distress, calamity, degeneracy, of the Lord’s people — scattering and desolation of His inheritance by captivity.”
Israel doesn’t have a lock on the distress, calamity, and degeneracy of mankind. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Rom. 3: 23 NLT).
But it isn’t just public. It is also personal. Each person must make the decision for themselves whether they are going to ABCD or not. Each person must turn away from consciously sinning.
Promise of Political Peace
One of the “good” things about the beginning of the tribulation is that it will be a time of peace. “When they say, ‘Peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (I Thess. 5: 3 CSB).
Part of the problem with that is, probably, they will become complacent. They will think it is okay to sin. They may even begin to question whether Jesus will come again
The Opening of the Seals
A scroll is introduced in chapter 5. Opening the seals of the scroll occurs in chapter 6.
Behind each seal on the scroll is a judgment.
The Antichrist
Several passages discuss the Antichrist’s rise to power. Daniel went really symbolic and described him as a horn on the beast.
Revelation gave the picture of one of the heads of the seven-headed beast (Satan). “One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it?’ The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name and his dwelling—those who dwell in heaven. And it was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All those who live on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered” (Rev. 13: 3-8 ESV).
Although the Antichrist may be accepted at first, non-believers will eventually see him for what he is. “… Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come” (Rev. 17: 8 ESV).
A Bright Spot
All is not lost, though. Though the tribulation has started, God will still be in the business of salvation. Salvation is deliverance from evil and the consequences of sins to replace them with eternal life and good.
During this time, 144,000 Jews will realize that God’s plan of salvation is needed. In fact, people from all over the world will turn to God. “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7: 14 ESV).
Roman Empire Reborn
I saw a couple of things that said the Roman Empire is to be reborn. They were just heading and didn’t have any evidence why that is believed under the heading.
Cessation of Sacrificed
Daniel 9: 27 implies that the Jews will one day again be performing sacrifices. “He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering …” (Dan. 9: 27 ESV). In order to stop them, the Jews needs to be doing them.
Making the Connections
This was a real quick overview of the first three years of the tribulation. My biggest takeaway is that— even though the tribulation started — God is saying, “It isn’t too late.”
We’ve said several times that an end-time sign is that all will have heard the gospel. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mt. 24: 14 NLT). I believe that the church will be raptured after everyone who will believe has made a profession of faith.
Let me rephrase that. The church will be raptured after everyone who will believe the gospel through seeking God has made a profession of faith.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
After the tribulation begins, those coming to God won’t just be seeking God to learn of Him. They will have a component of sight that we now just take on faith.
God will continue to accept our genuine plea for redemption until the very end. He does not want one person who will ultimately repent miss the boat and spend eternity in hell.
Making the Connections to Self-Discipline
Once the tribulation begins, non-believers will see that prophecy is true. Convincing some before they see the horror will be challenging.
But we have to witness to them. We want them to know the loving God we do.
We’ve been looking at defending our beliefs when we are witnessing. That means we have to be secure enough to convince someone to accept our beliefs.
Our questions should still serve us to determine on what we need to focus.
- What does the Scriptures say?
- What do I believe?
- Why do I believe the same/differently than the Scriptures?
- What are the talking points when witnessing to a non-believer?
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
How Do We Apply This?
If you have not admitted that your relationship is not right with God,
have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior,
and have not confessed your sins,
please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
Father God. We don’t want to wait until the tribulation starts to put our faith and trust in You. Today, Lord, we admit we are sinners, believe Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and confess You as Sovereign Lord. Help us to live obedient lives, growing in grace and knowledge of You. Help us to become more like You. Lord, we long for the day that Jesus will come to bring us home. Amen.
What do you think?
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