Welcome to Tribulation Rising!
Before we get into the detailed study of the coming tribulation, it is good to have a general feel for the overall timing. That is the purpose for this short introduction.
The study of the tribulation is an undertaking on a massive scale – if it is done correctly. First and foremost it takes prayer and the Holy Spirit to guide your studies. Much of the true detail and insights are literally hidden in plain sight. This is intentional for many reasons, which we cover in greater detail throughout the study.
The first thing to understand about the tribulation is that it consists of two 42 month periods, with a break in the middle, and sandwiched between a total of eight consecutive years. As for the rest – you will figure that out as you go.
Everything that you will read in this general listing is covered in greater detail in the individual pages. The reasons why and premise behind each point can found as you read through Tribulation Rising.
You may have questions after reading this quick summary. Those questions will be addressed naturally as you go through the individual pages.
Welcome Aboard!
BEFORE THE TRIBULATION
In the days and months before the time period known as the tribulation, we will enter a time known as “birth pangs”. This will be a time where certain signs manifest across the planet.
These are things that come both before and during the tribulation.
Among these signs we find:
Wars and rumors of wars;
Earthquakes;
Volcanoes;
Blood moons;
Solar eclipses;
Cold heartedness;
Persecution of Jews;
Persecution of Christians;
Calling evil as good;
Calling good as evil;
Distress in the weather;
Economic turmoil;
These are the most widely known signs of the birth pangs. These signs are found primarily in Joel 2, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, and Revelation. There are additional scriptures which cover these signs, but the primary understanding and order can be found in these areas.
We are currently in this period of time. It will soon conclude.
During this time, we will see additional scriptures come to pass that appear to be “out of order”. What that means is this. Many of the major prophecies we see in Revelation, especially those in the second half of the tribulation, take time to develop. There will be multiple scriptures which reveal individual elements of the overall prophecy. Here is the critical thing to remember when looking at these major prophecies:
Every individual element must be fulfilled BEFORE the total prophecy comes to pass.
The Beast Kingdom is one such example. Both the Old and New Testaments have individual prophecies that make up the total picture of the Beast Kingdom that rules in the second 42 months of the tribulation. These individual elements begin to come to pass before the tribulation actually starts.
However, the Beast does not assume power until ALL of the individual elements are met.
As of this writing, we have seen the fulfillment of Revelation 13:3-4:
One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
We see this with the rise of ISIS. As you study where the Beast rises from, you see what the Bibles reveals when it talks about the mortal wound that was healed. You find that this was fulfilled when ISIS began its initial conquest of Iraq.
Also, in May of 2014, ISIS captured its third major city in Iraq. On the day after this was confirmed, every major news organization proclaimed three different things:
The utter amazement of this terrible power that rose from nothing;
ISIS appears invincible and unstoppable;
There seems to be nothing that anybody can do to stop them.
To this day, this narrative continues and grows as the Beast continues to grow. This does not mean that we sit at Revelation 13:3-4. It simply means that these particular pieces can now be checked off the list. Once all of the individual elements are checked off the list, we will have the fully grown Beast that rules in the second 42 months of the tribulation. As of now, we have what can be described as the “baby Beast”, now born and growing.
Once the time of birth pangs has passed, the time known generally as the “tribulation” or “Great Tribulation” will begin. The actual time period extends beyond the actual tribulation. However, most will know what you are addressing if you say “tribulation”.
What Happens Next?
Here is the quick listing of the events that will now come. Again, the details of each are located within the individual studies on the website. Reserve all questions until you review each section, as the answers are likely already covered.
Each individual study goes into great detail on the impact of the individual judgments that come as well.
The Rapture
The Rapture will be the first direct event that occurs.
This is known as the Great Assembly, and is required to occur before the start of the tribulation in order for the Law of Moses to be fulfilled. The rapture is a part of more than 10 individual fulfillments in the Law of Moses.
After the rapture, the first judgments outlined in the Book of Revelation occur. These will be the seven seal judgments.
These judgments are also a part of the Great Assembly, and occur within the space of the 15 days immediately following the rapture.
The tribulation itself does not start until the seventh seal is opened.
The rapture starts a period of time that will last for eight years. This period also contains the seven years of the tribulation.
The First Half of the Tribulation
The first half of the tribulation is called the “wrath of the Lamb, and God”, or just the “wrath of the Lamb”. This becomes critical to understand when you encounter those that attempt to re-order the events of the tribulation to fit false doctrine. The primary purpose for this reordering is to deny that the rapture occurs before the start of the tribulation.
The first half of the tribulation will last for 42 months, or 1,260 days.
During this period, the seven Trumpet judgments of God will fall. They are spaced approximately five months apart in occurrence.
This is the time period where the Third Temple is built and goes active with regular daily sacrifices.
This is the time period of the Two Witnesses.
This is the time period of the 144,000 sealed Jewish witnesses.
During this period, the Holy Spirit is still active, and salvation occurs in the same manner that it did before the rapture. The primary difference is that salvation now requires death through martyrdom.
By the end of the 42 months, every new or tribulation believer will die. It is important that you understand that nearly no Gentile believers survive the tribulation, and all Gentiles that find Christ in the first 42 months do not live to see the second 42 months.
When the end of the tribulation comes, it will be Jews alone that remain, so long as they did not take the Mark of the Beast.
The Beast Kingdom completes its growth stage, in preparation for its 42 month rule.
The Middle of the Tribulation
After the completion of the first 42 months of the tribulation, a period of intermission called “mid-trib” will begin.
Mid-trib will run nearly a year in duration.
Just before mid-trib starts, several things will happen:
The Antichrist will invade Israel and capture Jerusalem.
The Two Witnesses will be killed. They will lay dead in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. They will then be resurrected and caught up to heaven.
During the mid-trib period, the Beast kingdom will complete its transition to what we see in Revelation 13 forward.
The Antichrist will stop the daily sacrifices at the Temple.
He will enter the Holy of Holies and declare himself God.
The False Prophet will rise, place an image in the Temple, and demand that the entire world worship the Beast.
He will declare death to all that do not worship the Beast. He will enforce the loyalty and worship of the Beast through a mark, known as the Mark of the Beast.
The BEMA, or Judgment Seat of Christ begins in heaven.
The 144,000 sealed Jewish witnesses are also caught up to heaven in time for the BEMA.
The False Prophet will return to Rome, and transition the Vatican into the operational capital of the new global economy of death. From Rome, the False Prophet will serve the Antichrist.
The mission of the Vatican will be straight forward and simple. It will be tasked with the successful completion of Hitler’s Final Solution. Where Nazi Germany failed, Rome will nearly succeed – and do so on a global scale.
*** When you see the events that occur during the mid-trib period, it is easy to see why it will last nearly a year. This is not an overnight process. However, while much of what we have discussed above occurs simultaneously, the events involving the Temple, Abomination of Desolation, and the Mark of the Beast occur at the end of the mid-trib break. They will occur in the last 65 days of the mid-trib period.
The Second Half of the Tribulation
The second half of the tribulation is called the “wrath of the God”, or the “winepress of the wrath of God”. This becomes critical to understand when you encounter those that attempt to re-order the events of the tribulation to fit false doctrine. The primary purpose for this reordering is to deny that the rapture occurs before the start of the tribulation.
Both halves of the tribulation are specifically called times of wrath of God.
The second half of the tribulation will also see the wrath of Satan against the Jews. Understand that while Satan’s wrath does come, the time period is NOT defined or declared as the time of Satan’s wrath. It is a result of things solely under the control of God.
To declare the time where Satan’s wrath falls on earth as an official time of wrath is to take control of the tribulation period from God, and place it in the hands of Satan. He can only respond to the things that God has declared and brought to pass.
The second half of the tribulation will last for 42 months, or 1,260 days.
During this period, the seven Trumpet judgments of God will fall. They are spaced approximately five months apart in occurrence.
The Third Temple is now tasked with the worship of the Beast. The regular sacrifices will resume, only they will be abominable sacrifices of unclean animals.
However, the main sacrifice at the Temple will be the Jews themselves. They will be beheaded and burnt upon the altar in the worship of the Antichrist.
In the last three months of the second half of the tribulation, God will destroy Rome and all it controls. This will end what is left of all economic function.
During the last three months, there will be no food and no peace.
During the last three months, the armies of the world will converge on the Valley of Meggido, for the coming battle of Armageddon.
On the last day of the tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ occurs. He comes back with the saints of heaven as an army.
He destroys the armies of the Antichrist.
The Antichrist and False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire.
The Judgment of Nations takes place in Jerusalem.
The 1,000 year reign of Christ begins.
Once the 1,000 year reign is complete, what we know as “eternity” will start with the descending of New Jerusalem from heaven.
There is more than we can possibly cover in a single page. Perhaps that is why Trib Rising is as massive a project as it is. As you go through the individual pages, you will see things you never even imagined possible. In these end times, the Lord has really opened up an understanding of prophecy that is beyond words. He has truly poured out His spirit, and prophecy no longer the arena of the “big boys” alone. It is a treasure that many of us now share.
So, sit back and relax. Spend a little time in prayer – then dig in. You will be glad that you did!
In the name of our Most Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.