The Beginning of the Tribulation Period

Outline of Chapter 24

The Question on Everyone's Mind 1-3

The Answer to All Our Questions 4-44

The Beginning of the Tribulation 4-14

4-8 1st Half

9-14 2nd Half

The Middle of the Tribulation 15-26

The End of the Tribulation 27-44

The Beginning of the Tribulation

The Tribulation period is a 7 year period of time

2 Periods of 3 ½ years

The entire tribulation period is summarized in verses 4-14

1st half in view in verses 4-8

2nd half in view in verses 9-14

Characteristics of the 1st half of the Tribulation:

Religious deception (4-5)

The nation of Israel has a long history of being led astray from the truth of the Word of God

Revelation 6:1–2 KJV 1900

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

b. The rider on the white horse is the antichrist, the great deceiver, and future world dictator

c. Israel will welcome him with open arms

2. Wars (6) Revelation 6:4

Revelation 6:4 KJV 1900

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

War in and of itself is not a sign of the end

There have always been wars, and they will continue

What we need to understand is that this time period will be known for its wars and their sudden cessation

3. Famines (7a) Revelation 6:5-6

Revelation 6:5–6 KJV 1900

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

War and famine are twin sisters

4. Death (7b-8) Revelation 6:7-8

Revelation 6:7–8 KJV 1900

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 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.

5. Earthquakes further lead to famine

Poor nutrition leads to pestilences(sickness/epidemics)

The number of lives taken will be innumerable

Verse 8 calls these happenings “birth pangs”

The characteristics of the 2nd half of the Tribulation include:

Martyrs (9)

Its at this point that the world's focus will be on Israel

They will be remembered as the people of God and will be hated for that very reason

Not only will the Jews be slaughtered but Gentiles who refuse to take the mark of the beast as well

World-wide chaos (10-13)

There will be no “sacred bond” in this time period

Marriages will disintegrate, husbands betraying wives, etc.

There will be no loyalty, no peace (v.12)

Verse 13 is not speaking of spiritual salvation, but physical salvation

Anyone who endures throughout this period will be saved when the Lord returns

World-wide preaching (14)

This verse refers to the 144,000 Jewish evangelists that God has sealed (Revelation 7:1-8)

Before the 2nd coming of Christ these evangelists will have preached the kingdom gospel to the 4 corners

This verse DOES NOT mean that the gospel of God's grace must be preached today before Christ can return

All that is needed for Him to was His sacrifice and our faith in Him

When this takes place Christ will set up His kingdom

Conclusion: What an exciting time this will be, but the best part is, for those of us who know the Lord, we will have heaven-side seats for this!

I want to leave you with a verse that will hopefully be a challenge to you:

2 Peter 3:9–12 KJV 1900

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?