Someday soon God's people are going to get carried away! The next great event in the last days is the coming of Christ for His church. Are you ready to be caught away?
(Matthew 24:21) Our world has never seen tribulation like the tribulation that is coming on this planet at the end of the church age. God’s Word explains the rise of anti-christ and the fall of civilization in graphic detail. Christ is our only hope. (0970250320) —-more—-
The Tribulation Period
You think the news is bad? Now wait. Just wait until the tribulation period that God says is coming on this earth. You wait. Because the news then is going to be the worst time this world has ever known. Now, thankfully, as a follower of Jesus Christ, a New Testament Christian, I don’t believe we’re going to be here during that period of time, and I want to pause and thank God for that. But I want to tell you, this world is about to face the worst time it’s ever gone through.
The Rapture Triggers the Tribulation Period
We’ve talked most recently as we look at what the Bible says about the end of time, about the rapture of the church, that Christ is coming in the clouds and the church is going to be carried away, caught away to be with him. What does that set in motion here on this earth? There’s a period of time known in scripture as the tribulation period. It’s a seven year period of time that immediately follows the church being taken out of here. Now we know that in our world today, we all have tribulation. Even now there’s some tribulation.
John 16:33, Jesus said, “In this world, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” So when we’re talking here about the tribulation, we’re not just talking about bad things happening. That happens in our present time. It doesn’t mean we’re in the seven-year tribulation, period.
Now the tribulation taught in prophecy and scripture refers to a specific period of time at the end of this age, which is a worldwide tribulation. It literally is the worst time this world has ever seen. Jesus spoke of it in Matthew chapter 24. Here’s the way he says it. Matthew 24:21, He says, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Pretty strong words, wouldn’t you say? Literally the powers of hell get unleashed on this planet.
The Role of the Holy Spirit: God’s Restraining Power
There is something right now restraining Satan. Oh yes. Actually not something someone, his name is the Holy Spirit. He’s the great restrainer. He’s the damn holding back the flood tide of iniquity keeping men from just going off the cliff and the devil running rampant and doing whatever he wants to do, but that day is coming to an end. As a matter of fact, in 2nd Thessalonians 2, the Bible talks about it, he says In 2nd Thessalonians 2:1, “Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him.”
Remember, we’ve talked about Christ comes, we’re called away, we’re gathered to be with him. He says, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.” Let me explain that verse. He says, there’s something holding back. What withholds us? Something is restraining the antichrist from coming on the scene. Something is keeping him from being revealed. What is it he says in verse seven? For the mystery of iniquity to already work. Only he. Who now Lth will let, or he who prevents or hinders, will continue preventing and hindering until he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.
The Rise of the Antichrist
He says, look, an Antichrist is coming. There is a man coming called the antichrist, called the man of lawlessness, called the Little Horn in. Daniel called the Beast. He’s a political ruler, empowered by Satan, who’s gonna receive worship and blaspheme the true God. He’ll persecute believers that are present who believe on God during the tribulation period.
He’s going to dominate the world scene. He’s gonna make a covenant with Israel and break it. Halfway through that seven-year period, he’s gonna have a prophet helping him, a false prophet, referred to in scripture as the second beast, who’ll come along and perform miracles and deceive lots of people.
The Antichrist is going to be a powerful person. He’s going to control world commerce and even use it to demand worship. I’m telling you the Antichrist is coming, but please don’t miss what is taught in Second Thessalonians chapter two. And it is this: the reason the Antichrist is not revealed, has not come on the scene yet, is that there’s someone holding that back from happening.
And who is that person? None other than the Holy Spirit. Now, when will the Holy Spirit be removed? The only way the Holy Spirit can be removed is we have to be removed because where does the Holy Spirit live? He lives in believers, and God’s promised he would never leave us and never forsake us. So the only way the Holy Spirit can be taken out is we have to be taken out.
So when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, when the church is taken out, the restrainer is gone. The Holy Spirit in dwelling believers. That is removed and the salt and light of the church is removed. Imagine what this world would be like without any gospel preaching. Imagine what this world would be like if the devil had free reign, because that’s what’s gonna get set in motion at this period known here as the tribulation.
The Antichrist will come on the scene. He’s gonna promise peace and safety. Doesn’t that sound nice? And everybody who’s sick of war and sick of fighting is gonna sign on and say, oh, that’s what we want. He’s gonna make a covenant. A covenant that would even protect Israel, would take care of Israel. Surely anybody that can bring peace when it’s connected to Israel in a world of war can be believed and can be trusted, and yet this person is a deceiver. I. He is going to set in motion a period known as the tribulation period.
The Great Tribulation and Armageddon
He’s going to lead an alliance of western nations to have this treaty with Israel, and then three and a half years in halfway through the tribulation period, he’s going to break that covenant, and then that sets in motion the period that is commonly referred to in scripture as the great tribulation.
As a matter of fact, if you take Revelation chapters six through nineteen and read them carefully, it describes the sequence of the tribulation events. There are judgments coming war and bloodshed and worldwide famine and death. There’ll be martyrs. There’ll be catastrophic events. The nations of the earth are gonna march against Israel.
The Antichrist is going to just have his way. He is Satan’s emissary. He is the devil’s representative in this world. I. All kinds of judgment is coming during that tribulation period. And how will it end? It’s gonna end in a great battle known as the Battle of Armageddon, when the Lord Jesus Christ is gonna come and put down the antichrist and all who followed him.
In other words, we’ve read the end of the story and we know we’re on the winning side. Aren’t you glad for that? May I tell you, I’m not looking for the antichrist. I have no idea who the antichrist is. We have no idea who that person is, but that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m not looking for him. I’m looking for Christ because the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to catch us away.
Providing Hope in a Hopeless World
Friend, I hope you’ll live today looking for the soon return of Jesus Christ, but also hope in a very serious vein. With a sober mind, you’ll consider the great tribulation. What lost people will endure what’s coming on this world to those who do not know Jesus Christ.
As their personal Savior, may it be a motivation today to share the good news of Christ with someone. Friend, I not only want to go when he comes. I wanna take as many people with me as possible, and I hope you’ll do the same thing. The worst time this world has ever seen is about to come. It’s on the way. It’s on the horizon. We have at this moment the greatest opportunity in the history of the world – to get the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need it. Do your part today.
Outro and Resources
Repeating what other people have said about the Bible is not enough. We must know the biblical reason behind what we believe. We hope you will visit us at etj.bible to access our Library of Bible teaching resources, including book-by-book studies of Scripture. You’ll also find studies to watch, listen to, or read. We are so grateful for those who pray for us, who share the biblical content, and for those who invest to help us advance this ministry worldwide. Again, thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us next time on Enjoying the Journey.
