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EP. 248 What Happens During the Tribulation?


To View the Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BDilwbjkDHY

SHOW NOTES


As we continue our end-times series, we’re digging into one of the most sobering and often misunderstood periods in future prophecy—the Tribulation. In our previous episodes, we examined Daniel’s 70 weeks and explored the biblical case for the rapture. Today, we’re asking: What happens at the end of the world as we know it?


The Bible is clear: a time of intense global judgment is coming. Though the thought of God’s wrath is uncomfortable in today’s culture, where love and tolerance are often emphasized at the expense of truth, Scripture teaches that God's justice is as real as His mercy. The Tribulation is the fulfillment of divine judgment that has been foretold for centuries, and it is critical for every believer to understand.


God's Past Judgments on Humanity

Before unpacking the Tribulation, Tim walks through the four major, universal judgments of God in human history:

  1. The Fall of Man (Genesis 3): Adam and Eve's disobedience brought sin and death into the world, separating mankind from God and introducing the curse upon all creation.

  2. The Flood (Genesis 6–9): In response to the wickedness that filled the earth, God judged the world with a global flood, preserving only Noah and his family.

  3. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11): In pride and rebellion, humanity sought to make a name for themselves apart from God. He responded by confusing their languages and dispersing them across the earth.

  4. The Future Tribulation: A final, catastrophic judgment still lies ahead. This time, God will pour out His wrath on a world that has persistently rejected Him.

Understanding the Tribulation

The Tribulation is a seven-year period of unprecedented judgment on earth. This time of wrath is not random; it is part of God's divine plan to judge wickedness, bring Israel to repentance, and prepare the world for the return of Christ.


To understand the Tribulation fully, a deep study of the Book of Revelation is essential. Though we can’t cover every detail in this episode, we break down the key prophetic events so you can begin to see the biblical structure behind this time of intense trial.


A Word About the Antichrist

Many people speculate about who the Antichrist is—but Scripture tells us that he will not be revealed until the start of the Tribulation (2 Thessalonians 2:3–8). Until then, trying to identify him is futile. He will be revealed according to God’s perfect timing.


The Three Waves of Judgment

During the seven years of Tribulation, God unleashes three escalating series of judgments: the Seals, the Trumpets, and the Bowls. Each set grows more intense, revealing God's holiness, justice, and authority over the earth.


1. Seal Judgments – Revelation 6; 8:1

These judgments begin when Jesus—the Lamb—opens the scroll sealed with seven seals. These events mark the beginning of divine wrath:

  • 1st Seal: A white horse—false peace and global deception

  • 2nd Seal: A red horse—war and bloodshed

  • 3rd Seal: A black horse—famine and economic collapse

  • 4th Seal: A pale horse—death to 1/4 of the earth’s population

  • 5th Seal: Martyrs cry out for justice under the altar

  • 6th Seal: Cosmic disturbances—earthquakes, darkness, fear

  • 7th Seal: Silence in heaven—preparation for what’s coming next

2. Trumpet Judgments – Revelation 8–9, 11:15

These judgments intensify in scope and supernatural terror:

  • 1st Trumpet: Fire and hail destroy 1/3 of the earth’s vegetation

  • 2nd Trumpet: A fiery mountain crashes into the sea—1/3 becomes blood

  • 3rd Trumpet: A great star (Wormwood) poisons 1/3 of fresh water

  • 4th Trumpet: Celestial bodies dim—1/3 of light is removed

  • 5th Trumpet: Demonic locusts torment unbelievers for 5 months

  • 6th Trumpet: Four angels release an army that kills 1/3 of mankind

  • 7th Trumpet: Proclamation of Christ’s reign—ushers in the bowl judgments

3. Bowl (Vial) Judgments – Revelation 16

These are rapid, devastating judgments poured out near the end of the Tribulation. God’s wrath reaches its final crescendo:

  • 1st Bowl: Painful sores on those who took the mark of the beast

  • 2nd Bowl: The sea becomes blood—every living thing in it dies

  • 3rd Bowl: Rivers and springs become blood

  • 4th Bowl: The sun scorches people with fierce heat

  • 5th Bowl: Darkness and agony in the Antichrist’s kingdom

  • 6th Bowl: The Euphrates dries up to prepare for Armageddon

  • 7th Bowl: A massive earthquake and 100-pound hailstones devastate the earth


The Battle of Armageddon and the Return of Christ

At the end of the Tribulation, all the nations of the world will gather to make war against Israel in the Battle of Armageddon. But Jesus will return in glory, descending from heaven, and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). With a word, He will defeat the armies of the earth and establish His reign.

This marks the end of the Tribulation and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom—a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth, which we’ll unpack in next week’s episode.


Final Thoughts

The Tribulation isn’t a myth or a symbolic warning—it is a future reality described in vivid detail across the Scriptures. While it is a time of judgment, it is also a demonstration of God’s faithfulness to His promises. He will judge sin, call Israel back to Himself, and prepare the world for the return of the King of Kings.

But for believers, there is blessed hope. We are not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The Church will be raptured before this time of judgment, and we will return with Christ in victory.


Next Week: Join us as we dive into the Millennial Kingdom—what it will be like when Jesus rules and reigns on earth for 1,000 years!



 
 
 

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