Pastor Cotton leads SJMBC Wed Bible Study
Topic: DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS: The Tribulation Period (Part One)
Man’s desire to know what is going to take place in the “Last Days” has him seeking answers from a variety of resources. Man finds himself seeking answers in the Stars, Mediums, Psychics, Self-Proclaimed Prophets, Astrologers/Astronomers, Religious Literature, and even the Holy Bible. There are many people who rely solely on their own understanding to try to understand the deep things of the Holy Bible; only to find themselves misinterpreting the meanings of many of the scriptures and leaving themselves confused and wrong in their interpretations.
There are a number of excellent authors who have written biblically accurate books about the Eschaton . . . the “Doctrine of Last Things.” With there being so many books out there on this very “deep” subject, it is often difficult to find one who is trustworthy and accurate. I suggest you use these criteria when choosing to use an author’s book as a resource:
- Make sure you investigate the writer.
- Make sure his/her writings are confirmed in the scriptures.
- Make sure you are relying on what the scriptures are saying rather than on what they are saying.
There is one thing that Believers on the Lord Jesus Christ knows, understands, and believe, and that is that only the Holy Bible can supply us with the true revelation of what lies in store for sinners as well as the Saints of God.
Christians believe that the Rapture of the church triggers the beginning of the major events of the Doctrine of Last Things. We believe that it is the time between Jesus coming to meet His Church in the air, and when Jesus comes to the earth to begin His Millennial reign is when the earth will experience the Tribulation Period. Without question, this will be the most devastating time in man’s history:
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9: – (24)
The “Seventy Weeks” that Daniel was referring to are the seven years of the Tribulation Period. Daniel does speak of this seventieth week broken into parts. The Tribulation period will cover the span of seven years, and those years will be divided into two three and one-half year intervals. These seven years can also be looked at as a time of judgment. During this Tribulation Period, there will be judgments upon:
- The Apostate Church.
- A rebuilt Babylon.
- An Apostate Israel.
- The Beast and the False Prophets.
- The Apostate Nations.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
This pouring out of God’s wrath and judgment during the tribulation period is one reason why we believe Jesus chooses the time He does and assures His Saints in Romans 8:1that it will not have to face this terrible time of condemnation. It is imperative that we examine the book of Revelation closely; especially chapters four (4) through nineteen (19) in regards to what will be happening between Heaven and Earth during the Tribulation Period.
With the aid of information compiled from Dr. Herbert Lockyer’s book: ALL THE DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE, the following outline of the chapters found in the book of Revelation may be of help to anyone who finds the study of the Doctrine of Last Things interesting:
GOD’S DIVINE GLORY MANIFESTED (Chapter 4)
- The Throne (vv.1-3) – The Splendor of Jehovah
- The Elders (v.4, 10-11) – Representatives of the Redeemed
- The Lamps (v.5) – Fullness of the Spirit
- The Living Creatures (vv. 6-9) – Symbols of Creation
- The Hymn of Praise! (vv. 8-11)
THE BOOK OF THE SEVEN SEALS (Chapter 5)
- The Closed Book (vv. 1-4)
- The Book Opened (vv. 5-8)
- The Lamb Praised and Adored (vv. 9-14)
THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS (Chapters 6-11) – The Contents of the Six (6) Seals Revealed by the beasts from chapter four.
Chapter Six . . .
- First Seal – (vv. 1-2) White Horse
- Second Seal – (vv. 3-4) Red Horse
- Third Seal – (vv. 5-6) Black Horse
- Fourth Seal – (vv. 7-8) Pale Horse
- Fifth Seal – (vv. 9-11) Souls of those Slain during the Tribulation Period
- Sixth Seal – (vv. 12-17) Great earthquake and Stars Falling from Heaven
THE GREAT MULTITUDE AND THOSE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD (Chapter 7)
- The Sealed 144,000 (vv. 1-8)
- The Great Multitude (vv. 9-17
THE SEVENTH SEAL OPENED (Chapters 8 and 9)
- Seven Angels with the Seven Trumpets (vv. 2,6)
- Another Angel with a Golden Censer (vv. 3-5)
- First Angel Sounded (v. 7) – Hail and Fire Mixed with blood was cast upon the Earth
- Second Angel Sounded (vv. 8-9) – Great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea
- Third Angel Sounded (vv. 10-11) – 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
- Fourth Angel Sounded (vv. 12-13) – The third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars
- Fifth Angel Sounded (9:1-12) – Locusts from the bottomless pit released
- Sixth Angel Sounded (vv. 13-21) – Loosed the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
THE ANGEL AND THE LITTLE SCROLL (Chapter 10)
- A Mighty Angel with a little Scroll (vv. 1-2)
- When the mighty Angel roared, seven thunders uttered their voices. (vv. 3-4) – “I was about to write: and I heard “A Voice From Heaven” saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.”
- The Mighty Angel’s Declaration (vv. 5-7) – He said: “There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
- A Voice From Heaven (vv. 8-11) – Told John to take the little scroll from the Mighty Angel and eat it.
CHAPTER 11
THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES (vv. 1-14)
- The Two Witnesses (vv. 3-11) – “They will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
- The Seventh Angel sounded his Trumpet (vv. 15-19) – Loud voices in Heaven spoke.
- The Twenty Four Elders (vv. 16-18) – Fell on their faces and worshiped God.
- God’s Temple in Heaven Opened (v. 19) – Within God’s Temple was seen the Ark of His Covenant.
THE SEVEN MYSTIC SIGNS (Chapters 12-14)
- The Woman Clothed with the Sun (vv. 1-2)
- The Great Dragon (vv. 3-4)
- The Man Child (vv. 5-17)
- The Beast out of the Sea (13:1-10)
- The Beast out of the Earth (vv. 11-18)
- The Lamb and the 144,000 (14:1-5)
THE THREE ANGELS (vv. 6-13)
- The First Angel (vv. 6-7) – He had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth.
- The Second Angel (v. 8) – Proclaimed that Babylon has fallen.
- The Third Angel (vv. 9-12) – “Proclaiming with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.”
- The Voice from Heaven (v. 13) – Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “ they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
- The Son of Man In The Cloud (vv. 14-20)
- Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress (vv. 15-20)
SEVEN ANGELS WITH THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES* (Chapters 15, 16)
- The Seven Angels (15:1-2; 8)
- * Last, because with Them God’s Wrath is completed!
- Those who were victorious through the Tribulation Period (vv.1-4)
- The Temple . . . the Tabernacle of the Covenant Law (vv. 5-6) – Out of the Temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues.
- The Four Living Creatures* (v.7) – Then one of the four living creatures gave to the Seven Angels Seven Golden Bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. *(From Revelation 4:6)
THE SEVEN ANGELS WITH THE SEVEN BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH (Chapter 16)
“Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth!” (v. 1)
- Angels one – six pour out their bowls upon the earth (vv. 2-16)
- Angel Seven (vv. 17-21): “The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the Temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
We recognize that chapter fifteen shows us the preparation being made in Heaven for the devastation that will be happening on the earth! Also, as we read further accounts in the book of Revelation of what is going to take place on earth during the tribulation period, we cannot help but give notice that when these judgments are poured out from Heaven, there is no mention of the church from chapters 4-19 in the book of Revelation. Is this because the church has been “Raptured” from earth and will not be facing that condemnation?
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1