The Parousia - The Tribulation

The Parousia

An In-Depth Study on the Second Coming of Christ

The Parousia

The Tribulation

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until

now, nor ever will. ” (Matthew 24:21)

The Tribulation

The Tribulation 1. What is it?2. When is it?3. Why is it?

What is the Tribulation?

The Tribulation

Tribulation Thlipsis: “to press, squash (as grapes)”

Oppression, affliction

The Tribulation – Several Names

“„Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob‟s distress, But he will be

saved from it. ” (Jeremiah 30:7)

“Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty. ”

(Joel 1:15)

“for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17)

First Mention of the Tribulation

“The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. “There you

will serve gods, the work of man‟s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. “But from there you will seek

the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these

things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. ” (Deuteronomy 4:27–30)

“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a

time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be

rescued. ” (Daniel 12:1)

General Characteristics of the Tribulation

• Scripture refers to a definite period of time at the end of the age (Matt. 24:29-35).

• It will be of such severity that no period in history past or future will equal it (Matt. 24:21).

• It will be shortened for the elect's sake (Matt. 24:22), as no flesh could survive it.

• It is called the time of Jacob's trouble, for it is a judgment on Messiah-rejecting Israel (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1-4).

• The nations will be judged for their sin and rejection of Christ during this tribulation (Isa. 26:21; Rev. 6:15-17).

• It is seven years in length (Dan. 9:24, 27).

Tribulation vs. Great Tribulation“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the

week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will

come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is

poured out on the one who makes desolate.” ” (Daniel 9:27)

Abomination of Desolation

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning

of the world until now, nor ever will. ” (Matthew 24:21)

“These [martyrs] are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood

of the Lamb. ” (Revelation 7:14)

When is the Tribulation?

The Olivet Discourse

The Olivet Discourse: A.D. 70 , Future, or Both?The Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21) is Christ‟s second

longest message; longest is Sermon on the Mount.

The Disciples Expectations

“While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So He said,

“A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. “And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, „Do business with this until I come back.‟ “But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him,

saying, „We do not want this man to reign over us.‟ “When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he

had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. ” (Luke 19:11–15)

The disciples are then astonished to learn in the Olivet Discourse that the temple, the landmark of Jewish pride, would soon be

destroyed. They did not understand the parable above.

The Olivet Discourse – Near and Far Fulfillment

A.D. 70 Future

Jesus juxtaposes near and far prophecies into one dialog as did other biblical prophets

“And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down. . . . But immediately after the

tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they

will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. ” (Matthew 24:2, 29–30)

The Olivet Discourse – A.D. 70

“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! ” (Matthew 23:38)

“Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He

said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.””

(Matthew 24:1–2)

The Olivet Discourse – A.D. 70

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country

must not enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and

wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the

Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ” (Luke 21:20–24)

The Olivet Discourse – Future Fulfillment

• The abomination of desolation spoke of by Jesus in Matt. 24:15 did not occur in A.D. 70

• The events described in Matt. 24 are cosmic and universal in nature and not local (as was A.D. 70)

• The distress “such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” did not describe events of A.D. 70

• The judgments detailed in Revelation have not occurred (e.g. all green grass being burned up)

• The gathering of the elect from the four corners of the world

• The Tribulation ends the age and culminates in Christ‟s return and the sheep/goat judgment; has not happened

What are the Signs of the Tribulation?

“Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were

at their command. ” (1 Chronicles 12:32)

“But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, „It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.‟ “And in the morning, „There will be a storm today, for the

sky is red and threatening.‟ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot

discern the signs of the times? ” (Matthew 16:2–3)

War and Violence “You will be hearing of wars and rumors

of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that

is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against

kingdom. ” (Matthew 24:6–7)

“When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying,

“Come.” And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was

granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a

great sword was given to him. ” (Revelation 6:3–4)

“In the next war, none of us can count on having enough living to bury our dead. ”

- J. Robert Oppenheimer

Persecution and Martyrdom“Then they will deliver [paradidomi – arrest/imprison] you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will

fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. ” (Matthew 24:9–10)

“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony

which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on

those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of

their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. ” (Revelation 6:9–11)

““It will come about in all the land,” Declares the Lord, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. “And I will bring the third part

through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, „They are My people,‟

And they will say, „The Lord is my God.‟ ” ” (Zechariah 13:8–9)

Economic Hardships“and in various places there will be famines . ”

(Matthew 24:7)

“When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and

behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something

like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage

the oil and the wine.” ” (Revelation 6:5–6)

“And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves,

to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his

name. ” (Revelation 13:16–17)

“When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying,

“Come.” I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence

and by the wild beasts of the earth. ” (Revelation 6:7–8)

Spiritual Deception

“And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, „I am

the Christ,‟ and will mislead many. ” (Matthew 24:4–5)

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ”

(Matthew 24:11)

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible,

even the elect. ” (Matthew 24:24)

“God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged

who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. ”

(2 Thessalonians 2:11–12)

Defection from the Faith/Callousness

“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false

prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is

increased, most people‟s love will grow cold. ”

(Matthew 24:10–12)

“„I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that

you were cold or hot. ” (Revelation 3:15)

Natural Disasters“and in various places there will be . . . earthquakes.

” (Matthew 24:7)

““There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in

perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the

things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ”

(Luke 21:25–26)

“I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black

as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when

shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and

island were moved out of their places. ” (Revelation 6:12–14)

The Gospel Proclaimed

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to

all the nations, and then the end will come. ” (Matthew 24:14)

“And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living

God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the

earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have

sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons

of Israel” (Revelation 7:2–4)

Wait a minute…! All these things

have been happening for a long time! How

can they be signs for the

Tribulation?

“But all these things are merely the

beginning of birth pangs. ”

(Matthew 24:8)

In other words, the closer it gets to the Tribulation, the more

frequent and intense these signs will become. And when the

Tribulation occurs, it will be sudden and extreme.

Birth Pains

"The number of natural disasters around the world has increased by more than four times in the last 20 years, according to a report released by the British charity

Oxfam. Oxfam analyzed data from the Red Cross, United Nations and researchers at Louvain University in Belgium. It found that the earth is currently

experiencing approximately 500 natural disasters per year, compared with 120 per year in the early 1980s. The number of weather-related disasters in 2006 was 240,

compared with 60 in 1980... Between 1985 and 1994, Oxfam found that 174 million people were affected by disasters each year. In the following decade, this

figure increased by 70 percent to 254 million people per year.”

http://www.naturalnews.com/023362.html

“While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly

like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. ” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

The Abomination of Desolation“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he

will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on

the one who makes desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ”

(Matthew 24:15)

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of

God, displaying himself as being God. ” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4)

“And he [false prophet] deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was

given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ”

(Revelation 13:14–15)

Remnant of Israel Protected

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and

she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his

heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was

about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. ” (Revelation 12:1–6)

The Trumpet and Bowl Judgments

“When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets

were given to them. . . . And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. ” (Revelation 8:1-2, 6)

1. One-third of earth, trees, grass burned up2. Third of the sea creatures die3. Third of the waters polluted 4. Third of stars struck5. Locus/demons released to torment people6. Four bound demons released to kill 1/3 of humankind7. Proclamation of Christ‟s coming; bowl judgments

The Trumpet and Bowl Judgments

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. . .

.Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. ” (Revelation 15:1, 7)

1. Horrible sore on those with the mark of the beast2. Everything in the sea dies3. All waters are polluted4. Sun burns and scorches people5. Complete darkness over Antichrist‟s kingdom6. Euphrates dried up ; kings of the east come7. Great earthquake; cities of nations fall; huge hailstorm

Armageddon Stage is Set

“And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to

the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the

one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”) And they gathered them together to

the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. ” (Revelation 16:13–16)

Why the Tribulation?

“Ironically, man‟s greatest effort to rid himself of the rule of God will not produce the

freedom that he desires. Instead if will enslave him in the most fiendish, oppressive form of

bondage. Rather than moving toward Utopia, man is hurtling toward the most horrible time of

tribulation in world history.” – Renald Showers

Why Such a Tribulation?

“At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth experiences

Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. ”

(Isaiah 26:9).

Why Such a Tribulation?

“A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And

the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet. He rebukes the sea and

makes it dry; He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither; The blossoms of Lebanon wither. Mountains quake because of Him And the hills dissolve;

Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence, The world and all the inhabitants in it. Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His

anger? His wrath is poured out like fire And the rocks are broken up by Him. The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those

who take refuge in Him. ” (Nahum 1:1–7)

The Parousia

The Tribulation