The Biblical Background of the Tribulation

As might be expected, none of the prophets foresaw all of the features of the tribulation. It is only by comparing one prophecy with another that we are able to put together the details of the period (see Figure 1). [It is important to note that most of the Old Testament prophecies pertaining to this period are focused specifically on the judgment to be manifested at the day of the Lord; Daniel 9:24-27 is the one notable exception. If we fail to realize this, it presents the “illusion” that the entire tribulation is composed of divine wrath. Daniel was the only Old Testament prophet to whom God revealed any specific chronological information about the extended seven-year period that has come to be called “the tribulation.” It is very easy to confuse “the part” (the day of the Lord), with “the whole” (the tribulation). As we look at the references which follow, keep in mind that virtually all of the Old Testament references to this period are focused exclusively on the judgment at the day of the Lord; God simply had not revealed the more extended features of the seven-year period to them as He did to Daniel, and subsequently through Christ (Matt 24), Paul (2 Thess. 2:1-12), and John (Rev. 6-19).]

The Tribulation as Foreseen by the Prophets

[Figure 1: The prophets are listed in chronological order. As can be seen, no single prophet spoke of all the elements of the tribulation. It is only through a comparative study of the details revealed to each prophet that we are able to derive a comprehensive description of the period.]

One of the earliest mentions of the period occurs in Psalm 110:1-7. In this passage, God speaks of judging the nations and crushing their rulers in preparation for the rule of Messiah. Other early references to the period occur in Joel (c.835 B.C.), Amos (755B.C.), and Isaiah (740-680B.C.). (For a more complete listing of references see the Chronological/Topical Index in the Appendix.) Joel pictures the tribulation as a devastating military campaign (2:11), and a judgment upon the nations for their sin and rebellion against the LORD (3:1-16). Amos refers to the period as a day of “darkness.” This period is a major theme in Isaiah where it is the focus in nine extended passages. Isaiah pictures the period as a terrible time of divine judgment in which the splendor of the Lord’s majesty will be revealed and the eyes of arrogant men will be humbled (2:10-11). Furthermore, he says it is to be a time of “wailing,” all hands will “go limp,” every man’s heart will “melt,” they will be seized by “terror,” “pain,” and “anguish” (13:6-8). It is significant that in Isaiah the period is not viewed as a local phenomenon but a global event, even cosmic in proportions. God says to Isaiah, [Isa. 13:13] Therefore I will make the heavens tremble and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD almighty, in the day of his burning anger.

Again, speaking through Isaiah, God is clear about the reason for this catastrophic judgment.

[Isa. 13:10] I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

The language of Isaiah’s prophecies reaches a calamitous crescendo in chapter twenty-four where he says: “See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it, he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants” (v.1); “The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered” (v.3); “The earth’s inhabitants are burned up and very few are left” (v.6). This period includes a time of cosmic judgment. Isaiah says,

[34:4] All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.

The fact that the tribulation includes a time of global, catastrophic, even celestial judgment is apparent in these passages; what is not clear is the precise nature of the individual components of the judgments and their chronological relationship to other events of the period.

The Book of Daniel (c.530 B.C.) provides the first and most precise chronological statements, and lays the foundation for understanding the prominent role played by the one who is there referred to as “the Prince to come” (Dan. 9:26, AV). It is only in Daniel that we learn Israel’s final great time of distress in this age is to be a seven-year period (9:24-27 cf. 12:11), divided into two approximately equal sections of three and one-half years. Even the Book of Revelation, which devotes fourteen chapters to the discussion of the tribulation, doesn’t give a clue to the period’s chronological superstructure (other than a simple sequence of events). Daniel also yields considerable information regarding a key period figure “the Prince to come.” This figure plays a central role in world political events, religious apostasy, and the persecution and death of many believers during the period (7:25; 9:27; 11:36-39). Likewise, it is in Daniel we learn of the coming world alliance which will be in operation just prior to and during the period, and through which Satan’s prince (the “Antichrist,” cf. 1 Jn.2:18), will exercise his power (2:40-45; 7:19-27). [The term “Antichrist” only occurs in 1John 4:1-3; however, it has become the universal name employed by students of prophecy to refer to the satanically controlled dictator (and false messiah) to come i.e., the “Prince to come” (Dan. 9:24-27), the Man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:3-11), the first “Beast” of Revelation (Rev. 13:1-10).]

While numerous passages picture this period as immediately preceding the millennial kingdom (Joel 2-3; Isa. 24-25; 34-35, Dan. 9:24-27), it is Zechariah (520-518 B.C.) who informs us that the tribulation will be brought to a conclusion at the personal appearing of the LORD (Christ)—bodily, to deal with His enemies and to personally establish His kingdom on earth. Speaking through Zechariah, God says,

[Zech. 14:2-4] I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

Demonstrating the close connection of this event with the inception of the millennial kingdom, Zechariah continues:

[v.9] The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.

The connection between the second coming of Christ and the conclusion of the tribulation period is reinforced by Christ in Matthew 24:1-31 and repeated in Revelation 19:11-16. Jesus’ discourse recorded in Matthew 24 provides additional details concerning the character of the period. He mentions the profusion of false Christs and false prophets (vv.5,11,24), as well as persecution (vv.9,15-22), apostasy (v.10), and lawlessness (v.12). He also makes the only reference in Scripture to the “sign” which will precede His second coming (v.30). Another important feature of Jesus’ teaching on this subject in Matthew 24 is that He provides some important chronological clues that help in linking the timelines of Daniel and Revelation.

With the exception of Jesus’ discourse in Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation, the New Testament does not add significantly to the body of truth already revealed about the content of the tribulation. Paul mentions the nature of the abomination spoken of by Daniel as an act in which Satan’s Prince moves into God’s temple and proclaims himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:4). However, this is not an entirely new thought, as Daniel intimates it (11:36‑37). Paul clearly links the power of Satan’s Prince with the activity of Satan (2 Thess. 2:9) and mentions a strong delusion that will be sent upon the followers of the Antichrist so that they will be deceived into worshiping him (2 Thess. 2:9-12). Perhaps Paul’s greatest contribution to the discussion of the tribulation is the revelation in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 that the day of the Lord will not come until the Man of lawlessness is revealed (contextually, in the temple), thus placing the beginning of the day of the Lord (in which God’s wrath will be poured out) sometime in the second half of the tribulation. (Daniel 9:27 indicates that this abomination in the temple will occur in the middle of the seven-year period.)

The Lord gives a condensed view of the entire tribulation in His Olivet discourse (Matt. 24), with a brief overview of the entire period (vv.4-14), and an amplification of some features of the second half of the period (vv.15-31), including details of His second coming (vv.29-31). As we will see when we come to tribulation chronology, the Lord’s discourse in Matthew 24 is of great importance in understanding the internal chronology of the tribulation period.

The Book of Revelation advances our knowledge of the tribulation by a quantum leap. It is here for the first time we are given a glimpse of the period from the heavenly perspective. Through John’s narration of his vision we see Christ in Heaven before the throne of God breaking the seals of a book, the contents of which is a series of greatly distressing events (all of which qualify as “tribulation,” but only some of which is divine judgment). These events consist of three series. The seven seals represent the major movements of the period, with the seventh seal being unlike the others; seven trumpets unfold from the seventh seal; and seven bowls unfold from the seventh trumpet. Due to the unique nature of the seventh seal it is likely that this seal alone represents the day of the Lord. The seventh seal has a unique and momentous introduction: Heaven is silent for the span of half an hour. The seventh seal is the only multifaceted seal; it contains two additional sequences of judgment, thirteen in all. The seventh seal embodies all of the elements attributed to the day of the Lord by the Old Testament prophets; and it is pictured as an answer to the prayer for vengeance (wrath) upon those on the earth who killed the saints unjustly during the time of the fifth seal (8:3-5 cf. 6:9-11). These reasons, in combination with Paul’s statement in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 that the day of the Lord will not come until after the Man of lawlessness has been revealed in the temple and the apostasy has taken place, make a strong case that the day of the Lord begins with the opening of the seventh seal, or close thereto.

Not only does John record the major “movements” of the period (the seals), he includes a considerable amount of information regarding other events. For instance, he records the tribulation scene as viewed from Heaven (4:1-5:14; 15:1-8), the sealing of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses (7:1-8), the great congregation of martyrs appearing in Heaven (7:9-17), the ministry of the two prophetic witnesses (11:1-14), war on earth and in heaven (12:1‑17), the great persecution of the saints (13:1-10), the ministry of the False Prophet (13:11‑18), world evangelism (14:6-7), the final end of those who worship the Antichrist (14:9-13), the destruction of Babylon—representing Gentile political and religious domination (17:1‑19:10), the second coming of Christ (19:11-16), and Armageddon (19:17‑21). As we will see later, John is also a major source of information for events following the tribulation, and an especially important source for events following the millennium.

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Adapted from What the Bible Says About the Future

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