“Great Tribulation” According to Jesus
To better understand the concept of the Antichrist, we must get a better understanding of what the “Great Tribulation” really is. Most “dispensional” Christians have been convinced (since they have not been offered a more convincing idea) that the Antichrist will be reigning after the “rapture” of the Church, escaping the terrible trials and leaving Israel behind to suffer even worse persecution than they have already experienced for the past nearly 2,000 years. These theorists defend the idea that it will be a future, literal seven-year window, first of false peace and then of intense persecution, during which Israel will finally believe in Yeshua as their Messiah. But Jesus warned His early followers about an extended period of great distress/tribulation for Israel and the Jewish people, which began with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (AD 70) and the establishment of an abomination of desolations in its place (7th century). Jesus never said that it would last only seven years, but that it would continue until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
"But when you see Jerusalem
surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near…For there will be great distress [megas anangké] upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by
the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and
Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are
fulfilled” (Lk. 21:20, 23b-24).
"But when you see the abomination
of desolation standing where he [it] ought
not to be…in those days there will
be such tribulation [thlipsis] as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until
now, and never will be” (Mark 13:14, 19).
“For then there will be great tribulation [megas thlipsis], such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Matt. 24:21).
We can also surmise
that this time of intense tribulation for the Jews ended in 1948 when
Israel was reborn as a nation. Can anything be worse for them than their almost
20 centuries-long global persecution and dispersion, plus the Nazi efforts of their
final annihilation in World War II? Jesus conceded that there could be a time following that extended season
of intense suffering, but there would never again be such terrible tribulation
as that. Revelation 12 describes this extended period of wilderness or desolation
for Israel in the symbolic terms of “1,260 days” and “time, times, and half a time” (interpreted by some as 3½ literal years).
“But the woman [Israel] was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time” (Rev 12:14 ).
During the time of the Jewish dispersion, the true Church would suffer its own persecution and tribulation at the hands of Islam, which will be discussed later at greater lengths. “Then the dragon…went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea” (Rev 12:17).
The Gospel writers used the terms “great distress” (megas anangké) and “great tribulation” (megas thlipsis) when describing the terrible destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, the removal of biblical sacrifices, the dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the world, and the placement of the abomination of desolations upon the Temple Mount. In this way, Jesus confirmed what Daniel had stated earlier, that these represent the most catastrophic events in all of Jewish history since early Biblical times (Dan. 12:1), or in the future. The Jewish exile in Babylon only lasted around 70 years, while the destruction and dispersions of the 1st and 2nd centuries did not end until the 20th century, not until after the intense Nazi Holocaust killed about 2/3 of all world Jewry (as foretold in Zechariah 13:8). This was all evidently produced by an “Antichrist” or “Anti-Messiah” spirit in order to prevent the nation of Israel from being reestablished and eventually saved through the Jewish Messiah.
As stated before, I understand that these almost 20 centuries of persecution against God’s chosen people are what Jesus meant as the “megas thlipsis” or “Great Tribulation.” This could also be understood as “Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer. 30:7, KJV) or “time of distress for Jacob” (ESV), an intense, worldwide war and persecution against any and all Jews in every country where they moved to. But God would provide and nourish them in their wilderness (Rev. 12:6, 16). He had warned them about this tribulation through Moses before they even entered the Promised Land. Nevertheless, He would never forsake them and they would return from their diaspora in the latter days:
“The Lord will scatter
you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you… When
you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in
the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen
to His voice. For the Lord your God is a compassionate
God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the
covenant with your fathers which He swore to them” (Deut. 4:27, 30-31,
NASB).
It is important to note that the ESV translation of the above verse 30 places a comma AFTER “in the latter days” rather than BEFORE: “when you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return…” This reflects the translator’s perspective that the Jews will suffer a “Great Tribulation” in the latter days. Nevertheless, the Hebrew text has no comma anywhere, and it makes more grammatical sense to have the comma in English BEFORE the phrase “in the latter days,” as above in the NASB. This reflects that their return to God will be in the latter days, not their distress or tribulation. That is why Christians must analyze the various translations, if they can’t understand the original Hebrew text, so that they can get the true meaning of God’s message, perhaps even using a literal interlinear version.
In any case, since the Jews have now returned to their land, I believe that we can safely assume that their time of “Great Tribulation” is finally over and we are “in the latter days.” I firmly believe that the times of the Gentiles ended in 1948, year of the rebirth of the nation of Israel. Israel and Jerusalem were certainly trampled on by many different Gentile powers ever since Jesus prophesied that.
The Jews are now experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promises of being restored as a nation in their own land, though they may not yet believe in Yeshua. Satan is still trying his best to thwart the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plans, but no longer do the Gentiles control all the land of Israel. There are still political struggles regarding parts of it, and the Muslims still dominate the Temple Mount, but God has begun His marvelous work of redeeming His people to Himself.
The Jews, as a nation, will still need to recognize that Yeshua is the true prophesied Messiah, the ultimate sacrifice in atonement for their sin. This process has begun with the ever-growing number of Messianic believers during the last two centuries. But Israel’s recognition requires a general repentance on all their part, each family by itself. “…they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn… The land shall mourn, each family by itself…” (Zech. 12:10-14). This will be a very personal revelation directly from God to each household, not a teaching from a specific rabbi, especially since they can never agree on each other’s teachings.
On the other hand, in the Gospel verses that precede and follow the dreadful description about the destruction of the Temple and the “Great Tribulation” of the Jewish people, we read what Jesus said about Christian suffering that needed to occur on a global scale during the same extended period of time. These tribulations were taking place to true Christians prior to Constantine, and then following the birth of Islam up to these days, especially in Islamic-controlled lands. “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13). Martyrdom has always been part and parcel of the Christian experience up to our present days.
The Christian aid organization Open Doors[1] annually publishes a group of statistics that reflect actual Christian persecution worldwide. Their World Watch List 2025 evidences the following: one in seven Christians (14%) is presently persecuted worldwide, though it represents a 20% in Africa and 40% in Asia. More than 380 million Christians suffer “high” levels of persecution for their faith, while 310 million Christians face “very high” or “extreme” levels of persecution. (There was a total of 5,621 Christian assassinations in 2023 and 4,476 in 2024.) There were 7,679 churches attacked and vandalized, and 4,744 Christians were imprisoned. Even though North Korea is first among the top ten countries where Christians suffer “extreme” levels of persecution, the other nine are Muslim-majority countries: Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Thus, over 80% of the worst persecution takes place in the name of Allah.
As Raymond Ibrahim points out: “Muslim persecution of Christians is perennial, existential, and far transcends this or that regime or ruler. It is part of the history, doctrines, and socio-political makeup of Islam—hence its tenacity and ubiquity.” [2] On the other hand, the digital surveillance technology developed by China (#16 on the list) is being imitated by other despotic leaders for aiding in the same methods of oppression and control. Overall, there has been a nearly 70% increase in Christian persecution over just the last six years.
In my estimation, non-believing people have also been experiencing great tribulations for centuries, things that the whole world has been suffering, including the first four in the list of symbolic “seals” of Revelation 6: (1) conquests, (2) wars, (3) famines, and (4) diseases. The fifth “seal” does not apply to them since it refers to Christian martyrdom. Jesus also included upheavals in nature in His list of tribulations, which are represented by the sixth “seal.” Jesus never said that these things would occur in just a matter of seven years, but that they would be the beginning of birth pains the world over! Worldwide suffering has always existed, and will continue until the end.
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matt. 24:6-8).
It’s important to emphasize that Jesus announced that true Christians would be hated, persecuted, and killed in all nations, parallel to the suffering of the Jews, as illustrated in Revelation 12. This represents a long period of tribulations for all God’s people (both true Christians and Jews) while they witness of Him in the midst of ever-increasing lawlessness. Sadly, false “Christians” (including the Catholic Papal Vatican) participated in this shameful persecution of Jews and true Christians ever since the establishment of the Roman Catholic Empire in the Middle Ages. Perhaps at the present time we don’t experience too much suffering in the Western hemisphere, but Jesus said that Christians and Jews must endure this suffering until the end. This has been going on for centuries, though it will surely come to an end. Yet Jesus indicated that “the end” would only come when the gospel is finally proclaimed throughout all the world.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation
and put you to death, and you will be
hated by all nations for my name's sake” (Matt. 24:9). “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But
the one who endures to the end will
be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom
will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations,
and then the end will come”
(Matt. 24:12-14).
Here Jesus clearly established that this tribulation would last a long time, and never even hinted that it would last only seven years. Even while lawlessness continues to grow, the Gospel needs to be spread throughout all the world. I believe that it is finally reaching all the nations by means of our modern system of communication and by brave missionaries. But according to Revelation 6, Christians still need to suffer “a little longer” until the number of martyrs is complete, certainly not merely seven years. Many more Christians still need to be killed, completing a number that only God knows.
“They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been” (Rev. 6:10-11).
It’s not that we want our brothers and sisters to die (or even ourselves) in order to complete this number, but this is inevitable in Muslim-majority countries. They are still experiencing martyrdom and “tribulations” due to Islamic opposition of their faith. Many previous Muslims bravely expose themselves to beatings, rapings, and death as they witness of their newly-found faith in the one true God and His Messiah. Even some Christians in “Christian nations” are suffering martyrdom at the hands of Muslims and godless people. Jesus and the writers of various epistles always referred to tribulations as something that Christians should expect, but which can be overcome through hope, patience, and prayer. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).
Thus, it seems more correct to say that the period that Jesus termed as “Great Tribulation” and “Great Distress” is actually in reference to Israel’s past exile and suffering, plus the persecution of true Christians while they spread the Gospel unto all nations, plus the centuries of general human suffering due to conquests, wars, famines, diseases, and natural disasters. Daniel declared that even though the “wise” of God’s people would stumble and suffer, they should remain firm and thus be purified until the time of the end.
“…though for some days they
shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder…so that they may be
refined, purified, and made white, until
the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time” (Dan. 11:33-35).
This “end” or “appointed time” is probably what Revelation describes by means of the Seventh Seal, which also includes the Seven Trumpets as its subcomponents. At that time, a symbolic 144,000 sons of Israel will be redeemed and sealed with the Holy Spirit: “…Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads” (Rev. 7:3). Revelation 7:14 then describes all of God’s people (Christians and Jews) who have lost their lives up to this period in time: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” These are the true Christians and Jews that have suffered during the worldwide events of the first six Trumpets. But this period will finalize with the resurrection of the saints, right before the sound of the seventh Trumpet, when God calls: “Come up here!” (Rev. 11:12). (All this will be discussed in more detail later).
Even though Israel will never experience such terrible tribulation again, as seen in Matthew and Mark, Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 24:29 that “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (and at the sound of the final Seventh Trumpet in Revelation 11:12), He would appear in the clouds to gather His elect. Here Jesus seemed to describe a different period of tribulations apart from the “Great Tribulation” that Israel and the world have already suffered until the mid-20th century. Mark also wrote that Jesus would gather His elect “in those days, after that tribulation” (Mk. 13:24). It seems to describe a different and special tribulation period that I believe we are now experiencing during our present days. It is possible that the horrific events of October 7, 2023 against the Jews near Gaza in Israel and its war for survival as a nation are part of this latter period of tribulation. This persecution could also spread to Christians in the Western world, and worsen in other parts of the Muslim world (as we are already seeing) as a result of Islam’s efforts to destroy both Christians and Jews, God’s true holy people. But these events just give us more hope that we are getting closer to the awesome revelation of Yeshua the Messiah to the Jewish people, and then He will appear in the clouds to gather up all His elect! We will first see the heavens darkened and then we will see His Sign. The nations and people that do not believe in Him will fear and mourn, but His elect will greatly rejoice!
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:29-31).
As seen above, the first part is very similar to the natural
cataclysmic events described in Joel 2:30-31, which will occur before the day of His
appearance: “And I will show
wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of
smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before
the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”
I understand that this latter “Tribulation of Those Days” also corresponds to the Sixth and Seventh Seals, which include the first Six Trumpets of Revelation. (See the chapter regarding symbolism of Trumpets below.) We do not know how long these days will last, perhaps mere decades or maybe centuries, but I believe that Israel’s redemption will occur upon seeing this other “tribulation of those days” and natural disasters, and they will all believe in Jesus (Yeshua) and welcome His return. During those difficult days, they will call upon God and welcome Yeshua as His Messiah, and He will then make His appearance.
“O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are
sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen
gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left
to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again,
until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord.’” (Matt. 23:37-39).
Joel also described a salvation and “escape” following the cataclysmic signs quoted above. As highlighted by Jesus, this clearly points to their long-expected resurrection:
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the
LORD shall be saved. For in
Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those
who escape, as the LORD has
said, and among the survivors shall be those
whom the LORD calls” (Joel 2:32).
This will not be a secret “rapture,” as alleged by Pretribulationists, because all the tribes of the earth will mourn, referring to unbelievers. Those will suddenly realize that it is too late to be saved because they did not believe in Jesus (Yeshua) as Messiah in time. Importantly, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will first be saved, and then they will escape or be resurrected, including Israel, since they will have already been redeemed and sealed with the Holy Spirit by that time (Rev. 7:2-8).
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