Seven years of terrible trouble ahead! It would seem that it would be less complicated and a lot more pleasant if Jesus would just come tomorrow and rid the world of conflicts and evil. He could do that. He could issue the order that all creation must obey and the marvelous messianic age could start and life would be beautiful. That, however, is not what He has revealed about the future in the Scriptures. But still, why bother with seven years of tribulation, which Jesus Himself said would be the worst time in all the history of mankind (Matt. 24:21). Of course, God has purposes for what He does and He has revealed His main purposes for this time.
The primary purpose for this coming seven years of great trouble is that of salvation. God desires that people are redeemed and experience what He originally intended for mankind. The Tribulation will be the greatest time of salvation ever. And this amazing time of evangelism will begin with the people of Israel. Daniel 9:24 is abundantly clear that one of God’s great goals for this seven year period is to break the spiritual rebellion of Israel and bring the covenant people back to Himself. This will take place, as the Apostle Paul spelled it out to the gentile believers in Rome, in Romans 11:25-29.
“FOR I DO NOT WANT YOU, BRETHREN, TO BE UNINFORMED OF THIS MYSTERY, LEST YOU BE WISE IN YOUR OWN ESTIMATION, THAT A PARTIAL HARDENING HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN; AND THUS, ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED; JUST AS IT IS WRITTEN, ‘THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVED UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.’ ‘AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”
The covenant that Paul refers to is the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). This is the covenant that deals with the removal of sin. It is a covenant made with Israel and in it
God promises that Israel will eventually come into that covenant. Seven times the text records God saying “I will” do this, indicating that this is an unconditional covenant where He Himself will insure its fulfillment. Israel rejected the Savior when He came the first time and nothing much has changed in some 1990 years. What is it that will cause Israel to come to Messiah Jesus? The nightmare of the Tribulation will do it. With the outpouring of supernatural judgments from God and supernatural miracles of deception from Satan, the spiritual blindfold on Israel will be torn away and Israel will “look on the One they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10). Israel will look back with horror and sorrow at what they did to their own Messiah, and will return back to their covenant keeping God. While not every single Jewish person will turn to Him, the Scriptures are clear that the nation, as a nation, will indeed turn and be saved.
From the very beginning, God’s salvation was for all mankind. He chose Israel as the vehicle to bring salvation to people. As a “light to the gentiles,” Israel did not do a very good job. It seems that they were an embarrassment to their God most of the time. But that light will shine intensely during the Tribulation, so that millions of gentiles will also be saved. It is very likely that the famous 144,000 of Revelation 7 (12,000 from each tribe in Israel) will be the great evangelists of this time. They, along with others, will spread the gospel throughout the world, so that every human being will be aware of the truth that the God-man Jesus died on a cross to pay the full price for the salvation of mankind (Matt. 24:14), and that He arose from the grave conquering Satan, sin and death. Salvation is free and available to all who place their trust in Jesus Christ. Revelation 7:9 speaks of “a great multitude, which no one can count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” who had been saved by the blood of the Lamb. And for clarity, these are specifically said to be martyrs from the first part of the Tribulation period (Rev. 7:14).
As God delights to save people today, He will happily save millions during the seven worst years in human history. Sometimes believers today say that they hope Jesus might delay His coming for the Church (the Rapture event) because they want to see certain family members or friends come to be saved. Of course, it is wonderful that there is a desire for these to be saved. But remember that the nightmare of the Tribulation will strip away the diversions and false ideas that occupy the attention of folks in our culture. Reality will quickly set in. People will be faced with a much clearer view of real life and will have to choose between Christ and Antichrist; between eternal life and eternal death. Many will buy into the lies of Satan and his minions, but many will see eternal realities and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God will accomplish His primary purpose for the time of Tribulation, and that is saving Israel and millions from among the gentiles.
God’s second purpose for the time of Tribulation is to bring judgment on unbelieving men and nations. All of creation must be made aware of the fact that no created being can, with impunity, violate those righteous standards of God. Today, in our culture, God’s righteous rules are mocked and aggressively violated. More and more, people openly defy God and His standards of truth and morality. These rejoice in their evils and depravity. It is true that God is amazingly patient with sinful people (see Exo. 34:6-7), but eventually that patience will end and both man and angels will witness the wrath of God. Psalm 2:4-5 says that God sits in heaven and “laughs” and “scoffs” at this aggressive evil and “then He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His fury.” Revelation 6-18 spells out in considerable detail what that “fury” will look like; as some 80% of the world’s population dies in this terrible time, and the world is rocked by unprecedented judgments. The very sad part of this is that many people know full well that these are judgments from God. But instead of repenting and embracing the gift of eternal life, they curse God and refuse to repent (Rev. 16:9, 11, 21). And this is not just a local experience, as all the nations of the world will experience the righteous judgments of God.
When Jesus returns at His Second Coming, He will then “sit upon His glorious throne” (Matt. 25:31) and inaugurate the messianic age on the earth. Daniel 12:11-12 indicates that there will be a 75-day period between His Second Coming and “day #1” of His messianic kingdom. During those days, purification, organization, and renewal will take place, as saved mankind joyfully enters into the greatest of times. What we now long for will come to pass, as God, on oath, declared it will come.
The Apostle Paul’s admonition given centuries ago is still apropos for today:
“AND DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT INSTEAD EVEN EXPOSE THEM; FOR IT IS DISGRACEFUL EVEN TO SPEAK OF THE THINGS DONE BY THEM IN SECRET…THEREFORE BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK, NOT AS UNWISE MEN, BUT AS WISE, MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL” (Ephesians 5:11, 12,15)
