Tribulation: Not Yet!
“And as he (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the [ƒΏἰώƒΛ aiOHN (eye-OHN), age]?” (Matthew 24:3). Signs of Christ’s return to earth include false prophets (Luke 21:8). And “wars and commotions” (Luke 21:9-10), especially in the Middle East. And “great earthquakes shall be in divers places” (Luke 21:11). There will be “famines” (Luke 21:11). And “pestilences [diseases]” (Luke 21:11). And persecution of Christian and Jewish elect saints (Luke 21:12-17).
Besides Luke chapter 21: verses 8-35, Matthew chapter 24 and Mark chapter 13 likewise record Jesus’ statements concerning those events. Then will be a time of “Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:24). Revelation chapters 6-19 give more specific details of that “Tribulation.”
With so many Tribulation events going on around us, how do we know that the Tribulation has not already begun? There are four reasons why the false prophets, Middle-East wars, earthquakes, shortages of goods, COVID-19, and persecution against Christians and Jews, although terrible, are not the Tribulation.
(1) “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). This earth has experienced as bad or worse tribulation in the past. Famines, wars, epidemics, and persecution are due to get much worse when the “Tribulation” era actually begins.
(2) A “‘prince that shall come’ ...shall confirm the covenant with many for one [shahVUWah (shah-VOO-ah)] week [of 7 years]” (Daniel 9:26-27). A seven-year covenant or treaty will be signed between Israel and her opponents. The signing of that treaty will begin the shahVUWah-long 7-year Tribulation. That treaty has not been negotiated yet.
(3) “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” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Israel’s temple was destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman army. Muslims now hold enough political control over Jerusalem to prevent that temple from being rebuilt. The aforementioned 7-year treaty which will be made between Israel and her adversaries most likely will allow Israel to rebuild her temple. Then the Tribulation era can begin, during which time the “Man of Sin” will take control over Jerusalem and the temple.
(4) “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to [ἐκφεύγω ekFEUgoh (ek-FYOO-goh)] escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). After Jesus detailed the “Tribulation” events of Luke 21:835, he told us that praying, believing Christians will escape every bit of that 7-year Tribulation and stand before him where he is, in heaven. That’s in fulfillment of his promise, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also ...In my Father’s house [where] are many mansions (John 14:2-3). The Tribulation hasn’t begun yet because you praying, believing Christian are still down here, not yet caught up to heaven as foretold in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17!