The Great Tribulation – “Studies in Daniel”

 

 

 

 

 

In the Old Testament, the prophets did not go into detail concerning this terrible time, because it was not necessary in their particular day; but in the New Testament, God gave John on the Isle of Patmos minute details about this time of great tribulation. Rev. 6:1 through 19:21gives a picture of the terrible judgment and horrible refining process in the melting pot, through which the nation Israel (primarily) and the peoples of the earth (generally) will pass.
 
The Great Tribulation has nothing to do with the Church; the Church will not enter nor go through any part of that terrible time. Any preacher or teacher who suggests that the bride of Christ will be subjected to any part of the reign of the Antichrist is definitely wrongly dividing the Word of Truth. God pity the preacher who will accuse Jesus of allowing Antichrist to reign over His bride; and the Church IS the bride of Christ!

We have the blessed promise, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). In the writings of Paul we are promised, “For God hath not appointed us to WRATH, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thess. 5:9). The Great Tribulation period has to do with the nation of Israel, not with the Church. If the Church were to enter or go through any part of the tribulation, believers would be commanded to watch for Antichrist, not for THE CHRIST. We would be commanded to watch for great tribulation, not to wait for God’s Son from heaven (1Thess. 1:10).

 

 

The Church will be caught out, the Dispensation of grace will be ended, the Holy Spirit will go out with the Church—and then God will seal 12,000 out of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. They will have the seal of God on their foreheads, and they will announce to the world the coming kingdom. They will call the people to repentance in preparation for the setting up of the “stone kingdom” which Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar from his dream in Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, and 45. All who hear the Gospel of the Kingdom—and refuse to receive the mark of the beast—will either be killed or forced to hide until the Tribulation is over; and then they will enter the Kingdom which will be set up here on earth after the Great Tribulation. The Gospel of the Kingdom was preached by John the Baptist; it was preached by Jesus—and by the disciples until the King was crucified. Then God called and anointed Paul a minister to the Gentiles to preach the Grace of God, announcing that the middle wall of partition has been broken down, and now “whosoever will”—Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, bond or free—can be saved through the Gospel of the Grace of God.

 

 

In chapter 11, Daniel saw a vision and received revelation concerning the activities of the archenemy of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Antichrist) and the people Israel during the tribulation period. The “willful king”, the Man of Sin, the superhuman Antichrist will appear after the Rapture of the Church. The Antichrist will come upon the scene suddenly. He will pull fire down out of heaven; he will make an image and will cause that image to speak (Rev. 13). And, because of his wondrous miracles, the whole world will go after him—with the exception of those who are sealed in their foreheads. But through the preaching of this 144,000 (Rev. 7), many will hear the Gospel of the Kingdom and will refuse to worship the Antichrist. When the Church is taken out, “then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed.” Study II Thess. 2. We do not know when this will take place. For all we know, the Antichrist may be in the world today. I personally believe that he will be born of a harlot . . . he will be conceived of the spirit of Satan just as the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, and she conceived and brought forth God’s Son. The devil will overshadow some woman upon the face of the earth, and she will bring forth his son. (II Thess.2:9-11)

 

The stage is set, the world is ready, and the peoples of earth are anxiously awaiting this superman who will appear in miraculous form and offer peace to the earth. His first move will be to win the people—especially the nation of Israel. He will show every favor possible to the Jews, and he will scatter among them the prey and the spoil and the riches of his victorious campaigns. Do not forget that when the Rapture takes place, multibillions in wealth will be left by the Christians who are caught out. These treasures will be confiscated and distributed by the government. Today the stage is set for such action, and the people think nothing of calling upon the government to feed them and provide clothing for them, especially in the time of disaster. His political status is described in Daniel 11:38: “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that that is determined shall be done.” To God’s chosen people Israel, antichrist will proclaim himself messiah. He will be clever and cunning; he will be the devil in flesh! Israel will be restored to their own land and allowed to worship in their own temple. They will put their trust in the counterfeit messiah, but after approximately three and one-half years of peace and prosperity he will break every promise he has made to Israel. (Daniel 9:27) When Antichrist comes, he will make world government a reality. The United States of the World will come to pass. Today men are planning and looking forward to one world government. Not only will he unite the political factions of the world, but he will also bring together the religious bodies and unite the faiths. We have today the World Council of Churches, which is definitely the forerunner of the church of Antichrist. The program of antichrist will be to do away with all differences that separate people—both politically and religiously. He will advocate the brotherhood of man, and in the middle of the tribulation period, he will announce himself as God.

 

 

I believe that we are now living in the very closing hours (prophetically) of this dispensation. I believe the next great event in store for this old world is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Rapture of the Church. If there is one thing clearly taught in the Bible it is that at the close of this Dispensation of Grace, the Church will be caught out of this earth to meet Jesus in the clouds in the air—and the Holy Spirit will be caught out with the Church. Then will the Man of Sin, the son of perdition, be revealed. Antichrist cannot be unveiled until the Holy Spirit is taken out of the earth (II Thess. 2:7-8); but when “He who now letteth” be taken out with the Church, Satan will then unveil his masterpiece—his incarnation, the Antichrist!

 

 

We see the things Daniel prophesied more than 2,500 years ago, being literally fulfilled before our very eyes this moment. In Europe, we see the formation of two gigantic power blocks, one consisting of the territory which corresponds almost exactly to the old Roman Empire, the other consisting of the Communist nations, with Russia as the head, with her many satellites. There is tremendous unrest among the Arab nations, and where could you find more unrest and demon hatred than in China, with her godless leaders today? Read Jesus’ words in Matt. 24:32-39; read Paul’s words in II Timothy 3:1-7, 12, 13). These passages speak for themselves.

 

 

As for me and my house, I can say what John the Beloved said to the last testimony in the Bible—which is this: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen.” John replied, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” This may be the day the trumpet will sound!

(Notes compiled by Claudette Litz, taken from The Great Tribulation – “Studies in Daniel,by Oliver B. Greene, pp. 463-507)

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