The Tribulation Period

Introduction: There are several periods of time people are interested in regarding the last days. One is a seven year period the other is a 1000 year period. Today we will be talking a look at the seven year period. Among Christians this period is know as the tribulation period, but before we take a look at this period we must understand that is follow the “rapture” you may say to yourself “rapture” what is that I don’t remember reading that word in the Bible, well friends you didn’t, the word “rapture” isn’t in the Bible. This word simple means a catching away “We get this from (Thess 4:16-17) For the Lord himself shall desend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumps of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be “caught up together” this is what the word rapture means. Yes brethren one day at the beginning of the tribulation period Jesus will come in the air and call all his children out of the graves and then all the born-again Christians will ascend up to meet Him in the clouds “halalul Praise God” won’t that be a glorious day.

Friends it is at this time the restrainer is also taken out of the world. Who is the restrainer, some says the restraining power of law and order. Others say it is human government; still others identify it with Satan himself. It is certainly true that government does restrain evil, but can this be said of evil government? And, surely Satan does not restrain evil. (II Thess 2:6-8) and man ye know what with holdeth that he might be reviled in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

In (Gen 6:3), the Holy spirit is represented with wicked mankind in the days of Noah, and it is said that he ":shall not strive with man forever.” When the Holy spirit stops apposing the wickedness of man the judgment God burst forth upon the world. Yes friends it would seem the Holy Spirit is the restrainer in the world today. He does the restraining of evil, often through the church, for because of his presence in them. Believers are the salt of  the earth and the light of the world (Matt 5:13-16), when the church will be caught up, the salt and the light will leave with the church, also the restrainer leaves which is the Holy Spirit” Friends you think sin and lawlessness is bad now, this is nothing compared to what it is going to be like. When the Holy Spirit gives Satan freedom to do his will here on earth, Praise God! I will be gone, what about you I pray that everyone reading this message today can say that. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life then accept him now, so you can leave with the church and not have to go through this corruption and darkness which will develop rapidly, then iniquity will abound, and the man of lawlessness will be revealed. The Holy Spirit will continue to be on earth as he was here during old testament times. But not in the special sense in which he has been. He will be moved out of the way, letting Satan have his was, this is the period of seven years we will be looking at today.

II. The Bible tells us that before Jesus comes back to the earth to destroy His enemies and establish his kingdom on earth, this dark  period of seven years which some serious things take place. We get this  seven years from the week the prophet Daniel spoke of in (Daniel 9”27) "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and  in the  midst of the week he shall cause  the sacrifice and  oblation to cease, and for  the overspreading of abomination he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be paired upon the desolate". The “week” of “seven days” talking of in this verse refer to seven years of time which we call the tribulation period. Some people say we are going through that period now but! That is not true because Jesus says in (Matt 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".

Friends from what the Bible has to say about this time the world couldn’t stand any longer that seven years Jesus says in, (Matt 24:22) except those days shall be shortened there should no flesh be saved". These doubles shall be so great man could not survive it friends the very word. “tribulation, means “great misery or distress”. Friends I don’t see misery every where, during this period the world will be covered with great misery or distress. Oh Praise God the lost will be living during this period not Christians

This period will begin with the antichrist entering into a covenant or an agreement, with the national of Israel ( Dan 9:27 ) Whether this will be a secret treaty no one knows. For the  first 3 ½  years (or 42 Months) which ever you prefer, the Bible says very little about it. During this time, the Jews will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. I am told that the  Jews have a architectural plans drawn up now to build the temple, when they are going to rebuild it, I don’t know, all I know is, it will be built on the original site. When you see it begin, time for  the  tribulation to begin will be very close. We know that this temple will be rebuilt during the first half of the tribulation because in the middle of the seven years, the antichrist will enter the temple, it is at this time he will defile it. He will even institute devil and demon worship (Rev 9:20; 13:4) "and the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of  the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold and silver, and brass, and stone and of wood; which neither can see nor hear, nor walk." Friends men’s eyes will be totally blinded by Satan then they will be following and worshipping idols. People in most countries of our world today worship idols. Yes friends people in our country is worshipping these idols in the open for everyone to see but.

I was holding a crusade in Manila, preaching singing and showing the Jesus film We were in a small barrio building with a statue in it. A man asked me my religion and what I was doing. I told him I was a Christian and we were showing a film on the  life of Jesus. He went over picked up his statue and took it to his  home because he said I was desecrating his statue. Friends if that’s not worshipping an idols what is it. Idolatry will be far greater than that during this tribulation period, every one in the world will be worshipping idols, or they will probably be put to death, if they don’t. Yes Friends there is coming a time when you won’t be able to hear or read a message about the truth, about following Christ without putting your  life on the line. During this  period this Antichrist will declare himself God. (Rev 13:4,6)  "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months".

After the antichrist defiles the temple, there will be a time of great persecution and tribulation on the earth, such as has never been seen before. Yes friends and afterwards never will be again. During some portion of this time, the wrath of God will be pored out upon the earth. (Rev 16:1) And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Yes friends God now begins to pour his anger upon the face of the earth. Time don’t permit me to read all God’s anger will do but I pray that you take the time to read the reminder of this (Revelation16). Yes friends man’s hearts has become harden against Him, because of sin during these trouble times men still will not repent. Have you harden your heart against God I pray that you will come to Jesus today while there is still time. The longer you wait the harder your heart becomes against a Holy God, Come to God today and you will not have to worry about this tribulation.  

In conclusion

IV. At the end  of the seven years period Jesus will return with all the saved who have been taken out to be with him (Zech 14:4,5) tells of Jesus return to earth with his saints Yes friends Saints, the word saint as used in the Bible is used of Gods people the Church (I Cor 1:2) says, God called his people out of the world to be saints if you are a Christian today you are a part of the church? A saint of God therefore if you die before this terrible time of the future “the Tribulation”. You will return to earth with Christ to defeat Satan and the antichrist and then rule with Him here on earth for a thousand years in the coming millennial. Isn’t it wonderful that as a child of God you won’t have to experience this wrath of God. Hauula Glory be to God you shall reign forever and ever. (I Thess 5:9,10) "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ: Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."

Do you want to rule and reign with Christ? (Rev 20:6) Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; an such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priest of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Friends as we pray ask God to forgive you of your sins and put your trust in Him to take you to heaven, ask him to prepare you for the day when you can reign with Him.