Lesson 11: The Great Tribulation

In this lesson the students will study the biblical description of the period called “the tribulation” in eschatology. The issue of when Jesus will return for believers will be discussed later. Try to avoid debate of that question in this lesson.

The word tribulation is generally used to refer to suffering and does not always refer to a specific period, even when the word occurs in the Bible.

In eschatology, the term is used to refer to the concept of the specific seven-year predicted period. Sometimes the term used is great tribulation.

Some scriptural passages that use the term tribulation to refer to this specific period are Matthew 24:21, 29, Mark 13:24, and Revelation 7:14.

Not all theologians agree that the tribulation is predicted in Scripture, and theologians do not agree on the order of prophetic events in relation to the tribulation.

The seven-year tribulation is described as a period of world-wide suffering. People will suffer conditions that are manmade, such as war and famine, and also conditions that come from the judgment of God. There will be war among various groups of nations. War will affect the whole world. Human governments will be wicked and will persecute the people who are faithful to God, killing many. The world will unite under an evil leader called the Antichrist who will demand worship. The Antichrist will attack Israel. During the tribulation, Israel will recognize that Jesus is their Messiah and find salvation.

This section describes the biblical passages that refer to a period of seven years or a period of three and a half years that could be half of a seven-year period.

Daniel 9:24-27

The word week in this passage simply means seven. Verse 24 states the purpose of the seven – to end the sin of Israel and make them a righteous nation. A future prince will make a seven-year covenant but break it in the middle. The sacrifices of the temple will stop. With abominations (idols implied), he will make the temple desolate until the “consummation.” Consummation means fulfilment of the purposes stated in verse 24. According to this interpretation, the prince is the Antichrist.

Long after the prophecies of Daniel were written, many of them seemed to be fulfilled by a ruler called Antiochus Epiphanes. He was a foreign conqueror who put an image of himself in the temple to be worshipped (168 B.C.). The Jews rebelled and fought a war for 3 ½ years. During that time, the sacrifices in the temple stopped. These events seem to fulfil the prophecies of Daniel. However, Jesus lived long after those events and implied that the prophecies of Daniel had not yet been fulfilled. See Matthew 24:15.

An alternative interpretation is that the prince is the Messiah. He confirmed the covenant of salvation by his death. He was cut off after the first half week, which was his ministry of 3 ½ years. The second half of the week is the church age, which is not a literal 3 ½ years. The desolation of the temple means that he made the sacrifices unnecessary. The present condition will continue until the consummation at the end of the church age. The abomination is his death on the cross, because it was so perceived by the Jews.

► What problems do you see with the alternative interpretation?

There are several problems with the alternative interpretation. According to this interpretation, the first half of the week is a literal 3 ½ years, but not the second half, which is inconsistent. The passage does not give any reason for us to think that the “abomination” is actually something good that wicked people called an abomination. See also Daniel 11:31, which seems to say that the abomination is a thing placed in the temple.

Daniel 11:31

The sanctuary is polluted, the sacrifices stop, and something placed in the temple is an abomination that makes desolate.

Daniel 12:6-7, 11

From a certain point in time until the end will be a time, times, and half a time. This seems to mean 3 ½ years, especially when compared to verse 11.

From the time that the sacrifice ends and the abomination is set up until the end will be 1290 days, which is approximately 3 ½ years.

Revelation 11:2

Jerusalem will be possessed by Gentiles 42 months. Two witnesses preach during that period.

Revelation 13:4-5

The Antichrist demands worship and continues 42 months.

Revelation 12:6, 14

The woman who represents Israel is protected and provisioned for 1260 days, which is approximately 3 ½ years.

Verse 14 says that she is provisioned for a time, times, and a half a time, which seems to mean 3 ½ years, especially compared to verse 6. Notice the similarity to Daniel 12:6-7, 11.

The Scripture passages in this section are some of the evidence that theologians use to teach that the Bible predicts a specific seven-year period.

Three of the Gospels are called the “synoptic Gospels” because they describe the life of Jesus similarly. They record many of the same events and teachings.

Jesus told his disciples that the temple would be destroyed. They assumed that it would happen at the end of the world. Jesus’ disciples asked him to tell them about the time of his return and the end of the world. His description is in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. List the things that will happen during the period described in these chapters. List the events in order. The following paragraph lists some of the details of these chapters.

Jesus described war, famine, and persecution. There will be false prophets and false messiahs. The gospel will be preached throughout the world. The abomination predicted by Daniel will occur. The Gentiles will invade Israel, and Israel will suffer severely. At that point will begin the worst tribulation that the world will ever experience. There will be signs in the sky, with the sun, moon, and stars. Then Christ will return, visible to all the world, and the angels will gather his people from everywhere in the world.

Some theologians teach that the predictions of these passages were already fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. That was a period of severe suffering, and the temple was destroyed. These theologians point out that the disciples were asking when the temple would be destroyed.

► Should we think that these predictions have already been fulfilled? Use evidence from the passages to support your opinion.

Note to class leader: After the group begins discussion, help them notice the following observations of the passage.

We can see the following in Matthew 24. Jesus seems to answer the question about his coming and the end of the world. Jesus mentioned the “end” in verses 6 and 14. Jesus said he was talking about the greatest tribulation that would ever happen in the history of the world (21). After these events, all nations of the world will see the return of Jesus (30). The series of events ends with the coming of the Lord and the gathering of his people by the angels (27, 30-31).

If desired, the group could look at Luke 21 and Mark 13 to make similar observations.

In the preceding sections of this lesson we studied some details about the seven-year Tribulation. Some of those details were about the idol called the “abomination that causes desolation.” In this section we will look at further biblical references to the abomination without reviewing what has been studied already.

Daniel 11 describes a series of international conflicts. Much of the chapter describes the wars of a king who seems to be the Antichrist. Much of this chapter was fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes. However, Daniel 12:1-2 says that at that time will be a time of trouble greater than ever before, but the Jews who are “written in the book” will be delivered. It also says there will be a resurrection. Apparently the ultimate fulfillment of this passage will be in the last days.

Jesus implied that the abomination predicted by Daniel was still in the future (Matthew 24:15-16). He said it would be something that will “stand in the holy place.” The placement of this thing will be followed by an invasion of Jerusalem. A terrible period of suffering for Israel will begin at that time (Luke 21:20).

The apostle Paul referred to a person that will come before the coming of the Lord and will claim to be God and expect worship in the temple (2 Thessalonians 2:1-9). He will perform miracles that will deceive the world. He will be destroyed at the return of Christ.

Even if the Jews at first think the Antichrist is their messiah, they will not be willing to worship him, for God commanded a strict distinction between king and priest; and their strict view of monotheism would not allow them to worship even the messiah anyway. Their refusal to worship him causes him to break the covenant that he made with them (Daniel 9:27).

Look at Revelation 13:7-8, 13:15-17, and 14:9-11 together.

In Revelation 13 the kingdom of the Antichrist is symbolized by a monstrous animal. The passage then calls the Antichrist the “Beast,” because he is the ruler of this kingdom. Satan is called the dragon in this passage and elsewhere in the book of Revelation. The whole world, except for Christians, worship the Antichrist (13:8). The world is deceived by miracles (13:12). The world worships an image of the Antichrist (13:12-15).

These verses say that the Antichrist will become ruler over the whole earth and be worshipped by everyone except Christians. Those who refuse to worship him will be killed. Business is made impossible for those who do not take his mark, which represents worship of him.

Loyalty to the Antichrist is rebellion against God, and anyone who takes the mark is condemned to eternal punishment.

We should not assume that the authority of the Antichrist is absolute or that his laws are completely enforced everywhere in the world.[1] Daniel 11:21-45 describes the Antichrist in constant international conflict. He never succeeds in establishing world peace. That means that some nations will not be under his complete control.

A student should read Zechariah 14 for the group.

Zechariah 14 seems to describe the last days (especially verses 9 and 16-17). People from all nations will come every year to worship God at Jerusalem. But Revelation 14:9-11 says that any person who takes the mark of the beast is condemned to eternal punishment. The Antichrist will make a law requiring everyone to take the mark and worship him, but apparently he does not succeed in implementing the mark for every person everywhere.

[1]“By means of him [Antichrist] as viceroy, Satan makes one last attempt to establish himself finally and immovably as master of this planet and the race upon it.”
- Purkiser, Taylor, and Taylor, God, Man, and Salvation

A student should read Revelation 16:13-16 for the group.

A great battle occurs at the end of the tribulation. All the armies of the world gather for the battle. It happens at the “day of God Almighty,” which seems to be a variation of the term day of the Lord.

It is hard to understand the intentions of leaders who would gather to fight God. Do they know that they are fighting God? Some scholars have said that maybe armies will gather to fight each other for control of the earth, and then God’s army will be the last one to come. If that is correct, then a series of battles may occur, and Christ will be the victor of the last battle.

Daniel 11:40-45 may describe conflicts that happen near the end. The passage seems to predict events of the last days, because the events are followed by the resurrection and eternal reward (12:2-3).

A student should read Revelation 19:11-21 for the group.

The return of Jesus with his army is described in Revelation 19:11-21. Verse 19 says that the Antichrist and the armies of the world gather to fight against Christ, which implies that this is the battle of Armageddon.

The battle will not be a typical conflict between armies. Christ will destroy his enemies by his spoken word (verse 21).

The battle of Armageddon will be a demonstration of the power of God over the earth, beyond any demonstration in history. The faith of Christians will be proved true after centuries of living in a world that seems to be controlled by the power of men who ignore God. The time will come when God will not be ignored by anyone.

In an earlier lesson we looked at 2 Thessalonians 1. Now we will look at the continuation of that eschatological message.

The Thessalonians were worried that the day of the Lord was going to happen soon. Some thought it may have passed already. They didn’t know how the expectation of that event should affect their lives. That issue is very relevant to people who expect that the last days could be soon.

The group should look at 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 together.

Notice that the first three verses talk about a misuse of eschatology. Someone was confusing the church. They were not sure what they should do. The apostle said that this wrong teaching was deceiving them.

Verses 3-9 describe a person called “the man of sin” who demands worship in the temple and will be destroyed at the coming of Christ. The apostle told them that they should not expect the day of the Lord before those things happened.

The conclusion is in verses 15-17, starting with the word therefore. Paul told them to continue in the Christian life they had learned. They were to continue to speak the words and do the works that pleased God.

(1) Writing Assignment: Does the Bible predict a specific, future, seven-year period called the tribulation? Prove your answer from Scripture.

(2) Passage Study: Prepare a lesson or sermon on 2 Thessalonians 2. You can add eschatological material from other places in Scripture. Be sure that you make the same main point at the end that the apostle made.