THE TRIBULATION
END-TIME PREVIEWS
“The Tribulation”
Rev. 6-18 (NKJV)
“Write the things which you have seen” (Ch.1)
“and the things which are (Ch. 2-3)
“and the things which will take place after this” (Ch. 4-22)
1. “CATASTROPHES” in the Tribulation Period
“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” (Rev. 5:1)
A. The Seven Seal Judgements (Rev. 6:1-17 & Rev. 8:1)
1st Seal (Rev. 6:2) – White Horse
First 3-1/2 years
Anti-Christ
2nd Seal (Rev. 6:3-4) – Red Horse
Last 3-1/2 years
Bloodshed and world-wide wars
3rd Seal (Rev. 6:5-6) – Black Horse
Famine
Social Classes will be wiped out
4th Seal (Rev. 6:7-8) – Pale Horse
Widespread Death on Earth
5th Seal (Rev. 6:9-11) – Martyrs
144,000 Jews
Two Witnesses
(Rev. 3:5)
6th Seal (Rev. 6:12-17) – 6 Catastrophic Events
“Great Earthquake” (v. 12)
“and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair” (v. 12)
“and the moon became like blood” (v. 12)(Joel 2:31)
“And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs, when it is shaken by a might wind” (v. 13)
“then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up” (v. 14)(Isa. 34:4)
“Perhaps the reason this heaven (atmosphere) is rolled up like a scroll is so men on earth during the Tribulation may be given a glimpse of God on His throne.”
“and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (v. 14)(Rev. 6:15-17)
7th Seal (Rev. 8:1-6) – Heaven is silent for 30 minutes
Seven angels standing before the presence of God with trumpets (Lk. 1:19)
Angel before an altar with golden censor full of incense (“Prayer of the Saints” – Rev. 5:8)
B. The Seven Trumpet Judgements (Rev. 8:7-12, Rev. 9:1-21, Rev. 11:15-19)
1st Trumpet (Rev. 8:7) – Hail and fire, mixed with blood, thrown to the earth
2nd Trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9) – The seas struck
One-third of the sea became blood
One-third of the living sea creatures died
One-third of the ships were destroyed
3rd Trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11) – The fresh waters struck
“Wormwood”
4th Trumpet (Rev. 8:12) – The heavens struck
One-third of the sun, moon and stars lost their light
5th Trumpet (Rev. 9:1-11) – The key to the bottomless pit given to Satan
Isa. 14:12-13 (NASB)
Luke 10:18
Rev. 12:4
Job 1:6, Job 38:7
Where is Satan now?
In Hell? (Rev. 20:1-3, Rev. 20:10)
On Earth? (Jn. 12:31)
In Heaven? (Rev. 12:10)
Locusts are released from the bottomless pit (Jude 6-7, Gen. 6:1-2, 2 Pet. 2:4)
Authority (to torment, not kill)
Those protected from their sting (Rev. 7:3, Rev. 22:4)
Appearance (Rev. 9:7-10)
Angel (Rev. 9:11)
6th Trumpet (Rev. 9:13-21) – The Bound Angels at the River Euphrates
The voice (v. 13)(Rev. 8:3)
Four “bound” angels (v. 14) // Four angels (Rev. 7:1)
Horses with heads like lions (v. 17)
Rest of mankind (v. 20-21)
7th Trumpet (Rev. 11:15-19) – The Kingdom proclaimed
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (v. 15)
Are the twenty-four elders the raptured saints?
1. They are singing a new song (Rev. 5:8-9)
2. There are clothed in white robes (Rev. 4:4)
3. They are wearing crowns (Rev. 4:4)
C. The Seven Bowl Judgements (Rev. 16:1-17)
1st Bowl (Rev. 16:1-2) – Ugly and painful sores broke out upon those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
2nd Bowl (Rev. 16:3) – Seas and oceans turn to blood and sea creatures die.
3rd Bowl (Rev. 16:4-7) – The rivers and springs of water become blood.
4th Bowl (Rev. 16:8-9) – The sun scorched men with a “great heat.”
5th Bowl (Rev. 16:10-11) – Darkness comes upon men.
6th Bowl (Rev. 16:12-16) – River Euphrates dries up to make way for the kings of the east to come prepare for Armageddon.
7th Bowl (Rev. 16:17-21) – “Poured into the air”.
Noise, thundering, lightning, and a great earthquake, hail from heaven
Great earthquake caused:
1. “Great city” to be divided
2. The cities of the nations to fall
3. Great Babylon remembered before God
Earthquake brought enhancements to the City, to prepare it for Millennial Kingdom:
1. The Mount of Olives will be split in two, and a new valley running east and west will be created (Zech. 14:4)
2. A spring of water will flow year round from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean and Dead Sea, causing the desert to bloom like a rose (Zech. 14:8, Isa. 35)
3, Jerusalem will be elevated, and the surrounding region flattened into a plain (Rev. 17:18)
2. “CHARACTERS” in the Tribulation Period
The 144,000 (Rev. 7:1-17)
- First 6 seals have been opened, then a pause in The Tribulation Period
- 144,000 = 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel
- They are saved during The Tribulation Period and spread the Gospel
Mighty Angel (Rev. 10:1-11)
- A pause between the 6th and 7th trumpet
- On the scene with a “little book” (see Rev. 5)
- Christ in His final conquering role taking possession of His Kingdom (Rev. 10:2)
- Little book is already opened (7 seals have been broken, 6 of the 7 trumpets have sounded)
- John eats the book
- Sweet – Jesus will soon take back earth and once again be exalted, honored, glorified
- Bitter – Judgments coming will be doom to unbelievers
Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:1-14) Came down from heaven and used the miracles God gave them (to bring Jews to the Kingdom of God).
- Measuring of a temple (v. 1-2)(temple to be built by Jews during Tribulation)
- Gentiles (lead by Anti-Christ) will try to “tread down the Holy City” during the Great Tribulation (last 3 1/2 years)
- Elijah – “calling fire from heaven” (v. 5)
- Moses – “turning water into blood” (v. 6)
- After their prophecy, they will be killed and bodies will lay in the street for 3 1/2 days
- People will rejoice over this (v. 7-10)
- God will resurrect them and they will return to heaven (v. 11-12)
- Great earthquake kills tenth of the city, Babylon will fall, 7000 people die (v. 13)
7 Characters (Rev. 12-13)
Chapter 12 –
- Pregnant Woman = Israel
- Great Fiery Red Dragon = Satan
- Male Child = Jesus
- Archangel = Michael
- Remnant = Believing Jews
Chapter 13 –
- Beast of the Sea = Anti-Christ
- Beast of the Earth = False Prophet
Summary of Chapter 12, including first 5 characters:
– Woman (“Israel”) is about to give birth (v. 1-2)(Gen. 37:9-10)
– Great Fiery Red Dragon (“Satan”) is about ready to “devour her child (“Jesus”) as soon as it was born.” (v. 4)
– “caught up to God and His throne” (Israel is protected especially during the Great Tribulation) (v. 6)
– “war in heaven” (v. 7-12)
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (v. 7)
Satan was “cast down along with a third of the angels (v.8-9)(Rev. 12:4)
“to accuse the brethern” (v. 10)
“heaven rejoices” and “earth experiences woe” (v. 12)
Satan knows he only has a short time (v. 12)
– Remnant (v. 13-17)
Summary of Chapter 13, including 2 more characters:
– “Beast of the Sea” = Anti-Christ
“rising up out of the sea” (v. 1)(a political/military leader)
Ten horns = Ten kingdoms that unite to form alliance during Tribulation period
Seven heads = place where alliance will be centered, “Babylon” (Rome – “The city built on seven hills”) (Rev. 17:9)
Ten diadems = authority and power by which the alliance will operate the world
Blasphemous name = pride and arrogance of alliance toward God
Comes on scene at the beginning of the Tribulation Period
Solves the world’s problems – promises peace and security
During Great Tribulation period, he will demand worship (“Abomination of Desolation”) (Dan. 9:27, Dan. 11:31, Dan. 11: 36-37, Dan. 12:1)(2 Thess. 2:3-4)(Mt. 24:15)
– “Beast of the Earth” = False Prophet (a religious leader)
“coming up out of the earth” (v. 11)
“two horns like a lamb” and “speak like a dragon” (v.11)(deceiver)
looks gentle and harmless
Satan’s mouthpiece
Comes along side the Anti-Christ, and promotes the worship of the Anti-Christ thru “signs and wonders“
Healing of the Anti-Christ (v. 3)(v. 12)
Calling fire from heaven (v. 13-14)
Erect an image of the Anti-Christ
will speak and demand people worship it (v.15)
Enact a “mark” to buy or sell (v. 16-18)
“6” = the number of man
Three Angels (Rev. 14)
- A celebration that occurs at the end of the Tribulation Period
- 144,000 who had “the Father’s name written on their foreheads” (v. 1)
- they sang a “new song” (v. 3)
- morally pure (v. 4-5)
- Angels deliver messages of “warning and prophecy”
- God’s impending judgment on sin and evil
- those who accept the “mark of the beast” (v. 7-8)
- The harvest of the Earth (v. 14-20)
- Jesus holds a “sickle” (wrath of God on those who oppose the Son of God)
3. “COLLAPSES” in the Tribulation Period
“Counterfeit World Church and Religion” (Religious Babylon)(Rev. 17)
GREAT HARLOT “who sits on many waters” (v. 1-2)(v. 15)(1 Cor. 6:16)
scarlet beast covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns (v. 3)
her description (v. 4)
What she’s called (v. 5)
“Babylon the Great”, “Mother of harlots and abominations” (False Religion)
those martyred by false religion regime (v. 6)
Who is behind all this? (“Beast” = Anti-Christ?) (v. 7)
ANTI-CHRIST (the “beast”)(v. 8-13)
recount of the rise, fall and kingdom of the Anti-Christ, most has already taken place during the Great Tribulation
where the beast came from and where he is going (v. 8)
Rev. 13:12, false prophet resurrected Anti-Christ as one of his miracles (v. 8)
“seven hills” = seat of “religious empire” (v. 9)
“seven kings and five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come” (v. 10)
Five world empires – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece
“one is” is Rome
“not yet come” is Anti-Christ’s final world empire
will only last a short time (Great Tribulation) and be gone
“The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eight, and is of the seven.” (v. 11)
was one of the seven kings before his demise and resurrection (Rev. 13:12) which happened mid-Tribulation (before his apparent death)
is now the 8th king during the Great Tribulation period (after his apparent resurrection)
TEN-KINGDOM ALLIANCE – “Ten horns are the ten kings” (v. 12)
Ten kingdom alliance sanctioned by the Anti-Christ
“one hour” signifies the the reign of this alliance will be short (seven years – Tribulation Period)
“one mind” and “will give their power and authority to the beast” (v. 13)
completely devoted to the Anti-Christ
During Tribulation Period, the Anti-Christ and his alliance will disregard the very counterfeit church and religion that they produced (v. 16)
God judges the counterfeit church and religion (v. 17-18)
counterfeit church and religion collapses and need for it lessens during 2nd half of the Tribulation Period
“Financial World Market” (Economic Babylon)(Rev. 18)
“Babylon” or “Babylon the Great” – a literal city where the Anti-Christ and the ten-kingdom alliance will run the world, politically, religiously and economically
Destruction of Babylon announced (v. 1-2)
cesspool of ‘demonic activity” and “every foul spirit”
“cage for every unclean and hated bird” (total destruction of the city)
symbolizes demonic spirits hovering over the city like vultures waiting for it to fall
“All nations, kings and merchants have drunk from her fortification and idolatry” (v. 3)
Warning for people to flee the city because judgment has come (v. 4-8)
Lot with Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:12-13)
Mourning the fall of Babylon – “smoke of destruction” (v. 9-10)
Wealth of Babylon is all lost (v. 11-20)
The final blow – “mighty angel” throws a “great millstone into the sea” (v. 21-22)(represents total destruction)