The King Is Coming - 4

Introduction: We began this series some time ago and are on lesson 4. We are looking at this subject concerning the second coming of the Lord. In this series, we have been answering a series of questions.

The first question we asked was, “Are we foolish to look for the Second Coming of the Lord?”

The answer from the Bible is no.

The Bible tell us in Romans 13:11-12 “11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

Both ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Memorial Supper look forward to the coming of the Lord.

Matthew 28, you will remember the last part of that commission where the Lord states, “And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

And then in I Corinthians we see this statement in chapter 11 and verse 26.

I Corinthians 11:26 “26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”

The second question we answered was “Will the lost and the saved stand in the same judgment?”

The answer to this question is no as well.

In the second lesson, we understood that the Bible speaks about many judgments.

The two primary judgments we considered was the judgment of the lost and the judgment of the saved.

The judgment of the lost is referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment because of the purity and awesome description of the throne in the book of the Revelation.

It is found primarily in Revelation 20:11-14.

Then we saw the Judgment Seat of Christ. (This is sometimes called the Bema [βῆμα] Seat judgment because of the Greek word used in Romans 14:10 and also II Corinthians 5:10)

The Great White Throne Judgment concerns the lost, however, the Judgment Seat of Christ has to do with the Christian.

We understood that every Christian will stand at this judgment.

II Corinthians 5:10 states, “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

According to the Bible, some will receive a reward and some will not.

This judgment is described in I Corinthians 3 as being concerned with quality primarily.

There are three categories of items that pass through the fire of judgement and three that do not.

They are:

Gold, silver and precious stones.

Wood, hay and stubble.

Then thirdly we asked the question, “Will the Church go through the tribulation?”

The answer to this question also is no.

The main points were:

The Coming of Christ is Imminent.

The Tribulation begins when the church is caught up and the Holy Spirit does not restrain.

This is shown in that the church is not appointed to wrath.

The church is absent from in Revelation chapter 4-18— concerning the judgment of this world.

The order of Scripture.

That brings us to this lesson, What happens in the Great Tribulation?

Let us first consider this verse found in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:21-22 “21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

I. What Happens In The Great Tribulation?

A. Things that will not happen.

1. The world will not come to an end.

The end of this world, does not occur until after the Great White Throne Judgment.

Although Hollywood has marketed the fear of a world-ending apocalypse by war, pestilence, environmental disaster, so-called aliens or even an asteroid, all of these theatrical performances speak falsity and false short of God’s glory and power and man’s responsibility to Almighty God because of sin. The end of the world will take place according to God’s judgment.

Revelation 21:1 “1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

II Peter 3:7 “7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

II Peter 3:10 “10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

2. The unsaved dead will not be raised when Christ comes for His own. (The rapture).

Revelation 20:13 speaks to the resurrection of the lost, “13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

3. The church will not go through the tribulation.

B. Things that will happen.

1. The church will be caught up just before the tribulation.

2. The Holy Spirit will let.

3. The tribulation will begin when the saints are taken out.

II Thessalonians 2:7-8 states, “7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”

II. The World Faces Dark and Fearful Days

Dr. Chappell in his book, Understanding this times in one chapter concerning the tribulation stated this, “I write these pages with a heavy heart, for we will see in the Scripture that in the future mankind grows irrevocably intolerant and defiant of God, in total and outright rejection— even cursing his name to his very face. This extreme and ultimate rejection of the living God will result the pouring out of a cataclysmic series of judgments that no sane person would choose to endure.”

The tribulation period was spoken about specifically in the Old Testament.

Jeremiah stated revealed the purpose.

Jeremiah 30:7-9 “7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; But he shall be saved out of it. 8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, That I will break his yoke from off thy neck, And will burst thy bonds, And strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God, And David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.”

It is referred to here as the time of Jacob’s trouble. During the tribulation, the nation of Israel and her land will be the center stage for all that goes on. When the church is removed, as Paul spoke about in Romans 9-11, the Lord will deal with His people Israel.

Daniel received the plan.

The seventy weeks prophecy is seventy seven’s, which covers a period of 490 years. (Daniel 9:24-27)

483 of these years have transpired, the Messiah was “cut off.”

The remaining 7 years is yet to happen. This is the tribulation.

Zechariah reported the product.

Zechariah 13:9 “9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, And will refine them as silver is refined, And will try them as gold is tried: They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: And they shall say, The Lord is my God.”

Israel will turn to God. God’s people, the nation of Israel will receive all of the promises God has made to them.

With the Old Testament prophets we have the purpose, the plan and the product of Tribulation as it relates to Israel. But what are the specific events during the Tribulation? Revelation chapters 4-19 reveal the events of this tribulation period.

The first shocking event we have already discussed is the removal of the church.

This in itself will cause great devastation.

As Dr. Chappell stated, “Quite possibly, the chaos created by the Rapture will be instrumental in ushering the Antichrist into full power.”

Imagine a world without any Christian influence. Imagine a the world fully given to evil and sin without light. Imagine the crisis of millions, if not billions of people disappearing all at once.

Shortages on a grand scale will exist in the workforce.

Pillaging and rioting no doubt will ensue.

Power struggles will take place from the lowest levels of any civilized government to highest.

The world has seen pestilence before.

The world has seen economic catastrophes before.

The world has experiences weather related disasters, but the world has never seen people vanish with no explanation.

Secondly, there is the rise of the antichrist. The antichrist will impress the world. He will rule. This at first will appear to the deceived as a blessing but in the end will be a terrible judgment for this world.

The Antichrist is called by many names. He are a few:

The Beast (Daniel 7:11, Revelation 13:1)

Man of Sin ( II Thessalonians 2:3)

Son of Perdition (II Thessalonians 2:3)

That Wicked (II Thessalonians 2:8)

Antichrist (I John 2:18)

Little horn (Daniel 7:8)

Abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15)

We will speak more about the antichrist in the next level. This man of sin will be empowered by Satan Himself according to II Thessalonians 2:8-9. He will have a mouth of blasphemy according to Daniel 7:25. He will have a blasphemous religion according to Revelation 13:14-15. He will have a reign of terror after supposed piece and make war with the saints according to Revelation 13:7-10.

Thirdly, there will be the revelation of Christ’s witnesses.

It seems that those who have made a deliberate and final choice to reject the Lord Jesus Christ will believe a lie.

II Thessalonians 2:10-12 tells us, “10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

However, there will be many that trust in Christ during the tribulation.

Most of these that believe will lose their lives.

Revelation 14:3-5 speaks of the 144,000 witnesses “3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

According to Revelation 7:5-7 they are Jewish witnesses, 12,000 from each tribe.

In addition to these witnesses, God will have two witnesses. Revelation 11:3 “3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”

They will have power given to them by God.

Revelation 11:6 states, “6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”

These men will complete God’s mission and will be killed.

Revelation 11:7-12 tells us, “7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”

This awful period of judgment is hard to fathom. As we think about these events, I want you to realize that anything we have experienced in human history will pale in comparison to what God describes for us in the book of Revelation.

Paul Chappell categorizes these judgments in three broad categories.

Life-Ending Judgments

The first, is life-ending judgments.

After a false sense of peace there will be terrible wars. According to Revelation 6, the white, red, black and pale horses speak to terrible havoc that will ensue as a result of war.

Many who have read about the world wars of times past have learned of the terrible results of war.

They include: famine, disease, and tightly controlled food and supplies.

These are inevitably followed by death. So you have death from wars and then death that follows.

Charles Ryrie said this is His commentary of the subject, “The black horse forebodes death, and the pair of balances bespeaks a careful rationing of food. Normally, a penny (a Roman denarius, a day’s wage in Palestine in Jesus’ day Matthew 20:2) would buy eight measures of wheat or twenty-of barley. Under these famine conditions the same wage will buy only one measure of wheat or three of barley.”

Chappell then states, “This could mean only one-eighth of the necessary food supply will be available.”

Disease and plaque follow war because of dead bodes, contaminated water supplies, and infections.

Revelation 6:8 “8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

Pandemics such as COVID will seem only as a birth pang in comparison to what is described here.

To give an ample comparison:

According to some sources about 7 Million have died due to COVID. The U.N reports 15 million. I have seen some articles listing as high as 17 million.

There are 8 Billion People in the world. If 1/4th of the world’s population is taken by war, famine, pestilence and beasts that is 2 Billion (1/4th of the world’s population).

It seems just a few chapters later, Revelation chapter 9:14-21, that the releasing of four angels are released from the river Euphrates to kill 1/3 of mankind.

If these events are successive (the seals, the trumpets, and the vials) the Word of God is describing another 2 billion in deaths.

The effectively cuts the worlds population in half. One out of every two people.

Not only will their be life-ending judgments but secondly we have:

Environmentally Devastating Judgments

What is described as taking place during the tribulation is catastrophic environmental disasters that are on a magnitude unheard of.

The disasters that we experience today are just precursors to the events described in the book of Revelation.

Catastrophic earthquakes are described. And again, oftentimes we fail to think about the second and third order effects from these events.

The already frail economy and frail supply system will be devastated even further.

In Revelation 8:7 we are told that fire will consume 1/3 of the earths trees and plants.

Revelation 8:7 “7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”

Imagine the impact on the oxygen cycle, as 1/3 of all trees and plants are removed in one fail swoop.

Not too long ago we experienced diminished air quality from fires in Canada. Again, anything that takes place today is on a small scale to what will happen in the Great Tribulation.

According to Revelation 8:8-9 a large meteor seems to be pictured as a mountain burning with fire that cast into the sea.

“8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”

The Bible describes in addition to all of this water contamination on a grand scale.

Man will be forced to realize that all the control they believed they had was really God’s goodness and mercy toward us.

In verses 8-11 of Revelation chapter 8 the Bible speaks of contaminated water, “10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”

As was stated in our study of the book of John, fresh water is a necessity for man to physically live.

On top of all the other judgments and strain to governmental systems and society even water will become a fleeting resource.

Then there is the loss of light. The sun we look at every day is taken for granite, just like our lives.

People wake up and breath oxygen and assuming they will continue to do so at every moment.

Paul exclaimed to the thinkers of Athens concerning the breath in our lungs that it is only by God’s allowance that we have breath in our lungs. In Acts 17:28 he stated, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

And yet we do not take a second thought for the breath of oxygen that we take in constantly.

People look at the sun and assume it will always shine and never dim. But the Bible states in Revelation 8:12 “12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”

We cannot even fathom what this will do.

We cannot grasp all the impacts that this will have.

Dr. Chappell stated this, “When the sun’s power is diminished by one-third, not only will it ron the Earth of her light, but it will concurrently diminish her heat as well.”

In a day when many want to speak of “global warming” or the politically correct “climate change,” the world has yet to see 1/3 of the sun’s light taken away.

Not only are there life-ending judgments, environmental judgments, but the Bible describes a third class of judgments which Dr. Chappell called:

Retaliatory Judgments

In Revelation chapter 16, there are vials described as being poured out.

Before this there were the trumpet judgments and seals being opened.

These vials are referred to in Revelation 16:1 as the “...vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”

It is said that these judgments focus on the beast and his kingdom during the second half of the tribulation.

As we think about this awful period of time, we can imagine that those who go through this time and survive will be waking up day by day thinking, “This can’t get any worse.”

In Revelation chapter nine there are described for us locusts from the bottomless pit.

Revelation 9:3-6 “3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

These locusts are no normal pests. Whatever it is they may be, they torment men.

The tremendous pain involved with these locusts will cause men to seek death, but not find it.

In verse 2 of Revelation 16, we find another judgment. Here the Bible says that agonizing sores will develop on those who take the mark of the beast.

When you go back and read of who might take the mark of the beast, you discover that the false prophet of the Antichrist deceives the masses and demands that all take the mark.

Revelation 13:16-17 states, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

It is one thing to have limited supply, but here the Bible states, that only those who have this mark will have any normal supply of goods at all.

For those who side with the Antichrist and His demonic prophet, the judgment will be agonizing sores.

Not only do we see demonic locusts and terrible sores, but:

In verses 3-6 of chapter 16 once again the waters are targeted and we are told they will be turned into blood.

Revelation 16:3-6 “3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”

Then if all that were not enough the Bible described scorching heat and darkness coupled with pain.

Revelation 16:8-11 “8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”

As all of these things takes place and it is hard to imagine to what purpose this will serve.

Let me give you a few things to think about as we finish up:

It is a final space of time given for men to repent.

Every phase of the tribulation gives opportunity for men to turn to God. We have recorded for us these events. God uses witnesses during the tribulation.

Unfortunately an overwhelming testimony is that many will not.

Revelation 9:20 “20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:”

Revelation 16:9 “9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”

Revelation 16:11 “11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”

Remember Nicodemus’ question in John 3:9 “9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

We may be saying the same thing, How can these things be? But the truth is still the truth whether we can really grapple with the magnitude of it or not.

2. God’s justice requires judgment.

Abraham’s question is answered in these events. Genesis 18:25 “…Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” And the answer is yes. There is no room for our subjective reasoning. The Great Judge of all the earth will do righteously. He will judge according to perfection at all times and in all situations.

“God cannot allow the unrepentant sin of man to go unchecked for eternity. His justice requires judgment, and yet in His grace, He has both provided as sin payment through the blood of Christ for all who trust Him, and He has withheld judgments for millennia, giving more opportunities to trust Christ.”

3. God’s reproof of Israel and Her restoration.

As we made note of in the Old Testament prophets, Israel is still God’s people. And as prophesied they will turn to Him.

4. Gentile people will have a final opportunity.

“We believe will all our hearts that the Tribulation judgments of God serve a dual purpose: to punish hardened sinners and to move others to repentance and faith. The Tribulation will be God’s ultimate illustration of the truth found in Romans 11:22 “22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

In light of all these things, as we consider the mission of the church and ask the question we ought to ask this question.

Seeing these things, what manner of person ought ye to be? (Echoing the words of Peter in II Peter 3:11)