{"id":3375,"date":"2018-03-09T21:33:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-10T02:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=3375"},"modified":"2026-05-27T19:51:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T23:51:56","slug":"christians-will-go-great-tribulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/christians-will-go-great-tribulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation (58)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>

~ A Saturday Morning Post #58 ~<\/em><\/p>


My journey as a Christian takes me back to the early 1970\u2019s, a time when there was a lot of talk about the rapture. It was being taught that the church would not go through great tribulation, for that was God\u2019s wrath, and was reserved for the unbelievers. Fast forward to the early 1990\u2019s and, for the first time, I began to really study end-times\u2019<\/a> prophecy. I soon learned from God\u2019s word that great tribulation is not God\u2019s wrath.

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Last week, I shared a number of verses illustrating how Christians go through tribulation. Paul summed it up by saying, \u201cThrough many tribulations you will enter the kingdom of God\u201d<\/em> (Acts 14:22). This word tribulation, from the Greek \u201cthlipsis<\/em>,\u201d is also translated as distress, affliction, trouble or pressure. Therefore, we could say that great tribulation is great distress, great affliction, great trouble or great pressure. It\u2019s not Biblical or logical to say a Christian goes through tribulation,<\/a> but won\u2019t go through great tribulation. Yes, a Christian is exempt from God\u2019s wrath, but not from tribulation or great tribulation.

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What does Matthew 24<\/a> say about this? Verse 9 says, \u201cThey will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.\u201d<\/em> This is clearly referring to Christians being persecuted and martyred for their faith. Now the adjective \u201cgreat\u201d<\/em> is not used in this verse to describe tribulation, but we have to admit that being hated and killed by all nations, is<\/strong> great tribulation. Therefore, we can conclude that the tribulation spoken of in verse 9, is<\/strong> actually great tribulation.

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We read on and see that the focus of Matthew 24:9-14 is the Christian. Then we see that Matthew 24:15-26 is a parenthetical to verses 9-14, describing what is happening to the Jews during this time. First, there\u2019s verse 15, speaking of the abomination of desolation, a desecration of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, occurring at the midpoint of Daniel\u2019s 70th<\/sup> week, and instigated by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5). Then the Jews are instructed to head for the hills (verses 16-20), for that murdering Antichrist and his forces are going after them. The Antichrist\u2019s pursuit and persecution of the Jews, and of the Christians, as we will soon see, is what Jesus calls great tribulation in verse 21.

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We discover Revelation 12:16-17 saying the same thing,<\/a> \u201cThe dragon <\/em>(working with the Antichrist) was enraged with the woman <\/em>(Jews), and went off to make war with the rest of her children <\/em>(Christians) who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.\u201d <\/em>This passage describes this devilish Antichrist chasing after the Jews, and making war with the Christians. Isn\u2019t this what Matthew 24 said? Great tribulation starts out against Jews in Jerusalem, and then expands, being experienced by Christians all over the world. Great tribulation talked about in verses 15-21, leads to, and is directly related to great tribulation that is affecting the Christians, spoken of in verse 9.

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Matthew 24:22 says this great tribulation is cut short for the sake of the elect. That is, only the elect are experiencing great tribulation. And who are the elect? They are the saved, and those who will be saved. The context of Matthew 24 makes it clear that great tribulation is what both Christians and Jews will experience. It\u2019s critical to see this, that great tribulation is not the Day of the Lord wrath being poured out upon unbelievers. These are two separate events<\/a> occurring at two different times. If Jesus meant great tribulation (Greek \u201cthlipsis\u201d)<\/em> to be God\u2019s wrath, then why didn\u2019t He use the word wrath (Greek \u201corge\u201d<\/em> and \u201cthumos\u201d<\/em>)? Because great tribulation isn\u2019t God\u2019s wrath, that\u2019s why.

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Where\u2019s the rapture in Matthew 24? First we see it in verse 13, for those enduring to the end are believers who will be saved, that is, raptured. Then we see it in verse 31, for it says all believers, those on earth, and those already in heaven, will be gathered to Christ. Do you see that the rapture is spoken of in verses 13 and 31? Do you also see that the rapture occurs after great tribulation, spoken of in verses 9 and 21? This is exactly what Matthew 24:29-31 says, \u201cImmediately after the<\/em> tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened\u2026 the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky\u2026 and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to another.\u201d<\/em> Do you see what God says, that first there\u2019s great tribulation and then the rapture<\/a>? You can\u2019t miss it, Christians will go through great tribulation, then be raptured into heaven, and rescued from wrath.

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All believers go through tribulation, and some will even go through great tribulation in that time just before Christ\u2019s return. Don\u2019t be surprised, dismayed or worried, but consider it a high honor and privilege to serve the Lord and suffer<\/a> for Him, \u201cfor you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow in His steps.\u201d<\/em> 1 Peter 2:21, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 21:12-19, John 15:18-25

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P.S. When we talk about the future and tough times that will be coming, we have to have hope. It is not an option – it is what God knows will strengthen and encourage you. A comprehensive article that I have written about hope<\/a> will be of great benefit to you.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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