IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION THE WRATH OF GOD?

The word “tribulation”is defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary as suffering resulting from oppression or persecution; a trying experience. 

Cambridge Dictionary defines it as difficult situations and unpleasant experiences. 

The Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines it as trouble or affliction of any kind.

Another definition is “an experience that tests one’s endurance, patience, or faith; great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering.”

In the New Testament, the word “tribulation” is translated from the Greek word “thlipsis” which is used

45 times. Thlipsis is translated 21 times in the KJV as “tribulation,” 18 times as “affliction,” 3 times as

“trouble” and once each as “burdened,” “anguish,” and “persecution.”

Other words used by different English versions are “distress,” “suffering,” “misery,” “oppression.”

When Jesus Christ foretold of “great tribulation” in Matt. 24:21 (Mark 13:19), He was telling of great sufferings that will attend the world in the last days of this age. 

It is the belief of some Bible scholars that the great sufferings Jesus foretold is not limited to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in 70AD or the persecution of the world by the Antichrist as revealed in the Books of Daniel and Revelation. Neither are the words “great tribulation” anything different from “much tribulation” used by Apostle Paul in Acts 14:22. It should also be noted that the definite article “the” was not used by Jesus Christ. It was also not used in Rev. 7:14. This means that the tribulation of the last days is not limited to a particular one. The persecution of the world by the Antichrist, although will be climactic and possibly most baleful, is only a part of the great tribulation.

The Seven Seals Briefly Explained

God gave the details of the end-time events to Jesus Christ who sent it to John through an angel in the form of a series of visions. John wrote in Rev. 5 of when the package was handed to the Lamb (Jesus Christ) by God in the form of a scroll (book). The scroll was sealed with seven seals. In chapter 6, John wrote on when the first six seals were broken by the Lamb:

Seal 1 – the emergence of a horse rider who was determined to gain control of all the people and everything on the Earth (Rev. 6:1,2). This rider is not Jesus Christ. He is probably the Antichrist or a group of people who want to control the world.

Seal 2 – wars and mayhem. Red is the colour of blood and itsymbolises bloodshed, mutual slaughter of one another to such an extent that peace will be absent in the world (Rev. 6:3,4). This is also a part of the great tribulation.

Seal 3 – As a direct consequence of the wars and killings on the earth, as unveiled by the breaking of the second seal, food scarcity will hit the world. This will lead to food rationing. The prices of essential food items will become extremely high (Rev. 6:5,6). This also is a part of the great tribulation. 

Seal 4 – the rider of the horse which came out when this seal was opened is named Death. Grave is said to follow him, both names symbolising a great number of deaths. Large-scale starvation, pestilence, killings by humans and by savage animals will take place in many parts of the world such that a quarter of the world’s population will be killed (Rev. 6:7,8). Based on the world population of 7.753 billion (2020), the death toll will be close to two billion. This is staggering and capable of making blood curdle in one’s veins. Yet it is still part of the great tribulation.

Seal 5 – John saw under the altar (cf. Exod. 29:12) the souls of people who were martyred, during the tribulation, because of their faith in Christ. They were crying for vengeance but they were given white robes and told to endure a little longer until the tribulation has run its full course (Rev.6:9-11). We see them later in Rev. 7:9-14 rejoicing and praising God and the Lamb after they have been resurrected to inherit eternal life in the Paradise of God.

Seal 6 – The vision of the phenomenal changes in the universe which Jesus Christ foretold in Matt. 24:29,30 (Mark 13:24-26) is seen taking place here. This is followed by the visible appearing of the Lord accompanied by His holy angels as He returns to the earth (Rev. 6:12-17). As clearly revealed by the Lord, the events unveiled by the breaking of this sixth seal are immediately after the tribulation of those [foretold] days. This means that by the time the sixth seal is broken the foretoldgreat tribulation had ended.

Seal 7 – This is the last seal broken by the Lamb (Rev. 8ff.). The breaking of this seal unveils the pouring of God’s wrath on the unrepentant people of the world as at that time. Before God’s bowls of plagues are poured on the earth, all His saints still on the earth, represented by the symbolic figure of 144,000 had to be marked on their foreheads to keep them safe from the plagues. 

As has been revealed by the breaking of the seven seals, it is indisputably clear that the “great tribulation” foretold by Jesus Christ is not the same thing as the “wrath of God” which is to come at the end of the age. The distinction is found in their origin, content, timing and target. The great tribulation will originate from men empowered by Satan (2 Tim.3:1-4; 2 Thes. 2:7-9; Rev. 2:10,11; 13:1,2). It is targeted on all the people of the world, including Christians. God’s wrath will be poured out undiluted only on “the children of disobedience” also known as “the children of wrath.” The “great tribulation” will take place before Christ’s second coming but God’s wrath will be poured on the earth after His second coming. Any careful student of the Bible need not strain himself or herself before he or she sees the difference.

In Matthew 24:21 Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21 NKJV). In verses 29 and 30 the Lord said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (NKJV).

Here, the Lord Jesus Christ said the phenomenal changes in the universe – the darkening of the sun, the moon turning red, the stars falling from the sky, the powerful earthquakes, et al, will take place immediately after the tribulation (v. 29).

The word “then” used twice in verse 30 should be noted. It implies the sequence of events within the narrative. This means that the sign of the second coming of the Lord will be seen in the sky after the phenomenal changes in the universe had taken place. This will then be followed by the mourning of the people of the earth when they see the Lord coming with unprecedented glory and power. While the sinners and unprepared folk are mourning, the angels will be gathering the saints to the sky to welcome their Lord and King with fanfare and jubilation.

The reason for the “mourning” was later shown to John in Rev. 6:15-17:

“Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” (Rev. 6:15-17, NIV). They were praying to the hills and mountains to shield them from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb.

They mourn because the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ brings with it the onset of “the great day of the wrath of the one who sits on the throne and of the Lamb and who can withstand it?” The “day of the wrath of God” will start after the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth (Rev. 6:17) and continues right up to the final day of judgment.

It is very evident from the Bible that the “great tribulation” will have ended before the “wrath of God” will be poured out on the unbelieving, unrepentant and careless people of the world. This is the timing difference between these two end-time events.

The following except from the Bible study manual of one of the leading Evangelical/Pentecostal churches in Nigeria is typical of the confusion many churches have about the subject.

“This event [the Rapture] will take place in the twinkling of an ‘eye’ before the great and terrible day of the Lord when the wrath of God will be poured down from His cup of indignation without measure – an event fitly called the Great Tribulation (1 Corinthians 15:52).” – Search The Scriptures, Vol 75, Lesson 975, page 88.

The above quote makes us know that some teachers have confused the great tribulation with the wrath of God. Now, let me show you some of the many Bible passages which clearly distinguish the “great tribulation” from the “wrath of God.”

• The Bible says the chosen people of God “have been destined for tribulations” (1 Thes. 3:3). But they are “not destined for the wrath of God” (1 Thes 5:9). This is why believers are commanded to endure tribulations (Rom. 12:12). The Lord sent a message to His faithful saints in Smyrna wherein He said, inter alia, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil [through the Antichrist who is a human being] will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten [symbolic] days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown” (Rev 2:10 NIV, emphasis and word in square brackets added by me). The devil is identified here as the one who brings the tribulation through the agency of the Antichrist. With this knowledge, the apostles and the first century believers not only endured tribulations (2 Thes. 1:4; 2 Tim. 3:11; 4:5; Heb. 10:32), they gloried in their tribulations (Rom. 5:3).

• One of the things Christ and His apostles did very often was to prepare the believers’ minds for the worst outcomes of tribulations. Jesus said, “they will kill you ” (Matt. 24:9) but they should not be afraid because He will raise them up on the last day to inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of God (Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4; John 6:38-40; 16:33). The apostles did the same thing. They encouraged the believers not to regard tribulations as something to be dreaded or that must be avoided at all cost. They told believers that “we MUST go through tribulations to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22); “all true believers will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). All persecutions of believers bring about different degrees of suffering, some leading to death (Acts 12:1-5; Rev. 2:10-11). 

Putting these scriptures together, we see that tribulations are brought upon men by humans and Satan, the Devil. Tribulations, like temptations, although allowed by God, are not from Him. “God cannot be tempted to do evil and He does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13). 

• Daniel in Babylon was given the vision of the persecution of the saints of God by the Antichrist around 553 BCE. The Antichrist was seen as the “little horn” (Dan. 7:8). One off the things he will do during his persecution of the world is to “speak against the Most High God” (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:4-8) and “oppose the Prince of princes” (Dan. 8:25). If the tribulation of God’s people by the Antichrist is the wrath of God, can we say that God is angry with Himself and the Prince of princes, the Lord Jesus Christ? The obvious answer is NO! This simply brings the point home that the tribulation by the Antichrist is not the same thing as the wrath of God. God will never be an ally of Satan and his agents in fighting against any people.

Job had tribulation brought on him by Satan Joseph had tribulations caused by his bothers and his master’s wife. David’s tribulation was brought on him by King Saul. Israel had tribulations from the Egyptians and many other nations, including the Babylonians. The prophets, Christ and His apostles had tribulations brought on them by the Israelites and Romans. They are the outcomes of the wrath of men and Satan.

• When our Lord Jesus Christ foretold of “great tribulation” or “great suffering” in Matt. 24:21 (Mark 13:19), He did not limit it to the persecution of the world by the Antichrist which is likely going to be the climax of the “great sufferings”. In the past centuries the world has been going through increasing sufferings caused by men themselves. We cannot call these miseries the wrath of God. They are not the direct consequences of God’s anger or punishment. 
• The Bible makes it very clear that God’s wrath is for the “children of disobedience” also known as “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:2-3; 5:3-6). These are people who spurn the love, compassion, patient endurance, mercy and grace of God and refuse to turn to Him through repentance from sin and placing faith in His Son. In the end they will face the wrath of God which they deserve. Those who refuse to accept the free forgiveness of God which is available to the whole world because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will drink from God’s cup of indignation when the time of God’s fiery retribution comes. The period of God’s anger will start when Christ returns to the earth (Matt. 24:30; Rev. 6:15-17).

Until that day comes, every sinner and unbeliever still has the chance to “flee from the coming wrath of God” (Matt. 3:7; Luke 3:7). All the people who reject the mercy of God cannot escape the coming wrath of God (Rom. 2:5; Heb. 2:2-3). Those who embrace the free gift of God’s mercy by believing in Christ as the Son of God and in His death and resurrection will escape God’s coming wrath (Rom. 5:9). Christ has delivered believers from the coming wrath of God (1 Thes. 1:10). But God’s people are destined for tribulations, including the end-time persecution of the world by the Antichrist. This is what the Bible has clearly revealed.