Appendix

The Olivet Discourse: The Tribulation Period

The Seven-Year Tribulation — Answer about the end of the age

Jesus started the Olivet Discourse speaking of the signs of the end times: "And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.' " (Matt. 24:4-8). Luke adds, "and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven" (Luke 21:11).

Regarding this opening sequence of events of the seven-year Tribulation, Jesus says, "All these are the beginning of sorrows." This is the start of tribulation, not the entirety of it. The seven years entail the opening of the seven seals, the sounding of the seven trumpets, and the pouring out of the seven bowls of the wrath of God, as seen in the book of Revelation. This opening account by Jesus is found in the description of the seven seals.

The Apostle John in the book of Revelation writes about the opening of the first seal: "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer" (Rev. 6:1-2).

The Antichrist

The seven years open with a powerful conqueror taking power over nations. This is a false messiah, called the Antichrist. He is spoken of as the "little horn" in the book of Daniel. He rises amidst a coalition of "ten horns." The book of Daniel describes him:
"And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means." (Dan. 8:23-25)

A characteristic of this ruler is deception. As Daniel writes, "Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule." Paul the Apostle also writes of the deception of this person: "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:9-12).

The disciples had asked what the signs of the end times would be, so Jesus began His description with a warning about this main sign: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (Matt. 24:5-6). The world will be swept up to follow after the Antichrist and will be deceived by him. Jesus, as The Prophet to Israel, warned about this coming deception. Daniel writes of the opening of the seventieth week, "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering" (Dan. 9:27a). The Jewish people will be caught up in the deception, accepting this man of sin as their messiah since he will allow them to rebuild their temple and resume their temple sacrifices. It will only be halfway through the seven years that their eyes will be opened to realize this deception.

The Beginning of Sorrows

Next, the following six seals that are opened will bring what Jesus continues to describe: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matt. 24:6-8).

The seals that are opened in Revelation chapter six and the beginning of chapter eight bring upon the earth worldwide war, killing, famine, earthquakes, and, as Luke records, "fearful sights and great signs from heaven." "Kingdom against kingdom" includes not only nations, but also the kingdom of Satan against the Kingdom of Heaven as Rev. 6:9 shows: "When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." The war and killing prevalent across the world will include war against the saints of God. Scripture shows this "beginning of sorrows" will kill at least one-quarter of earth's population.

The book of Revelation shows the effect these events will have on the people of the earth, as they realize God in His wrath is bringing these things upon them: "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?' " (Rev. 6:15-17).

The Abomination of Desolation and the second half of the seven years

In the Seventy Week prophecy of Daniel, Daniel wrote of the final half of the seven years, "But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate" (Dan. 9:27). A false messiah had allowed the Jews to rebuild their temple and start the daily sacrifices. But now, after three and one-half years, he exalts himself, not the God of Israel. "And he shall exalt himself in his heart" (Dan. 8:25). Daniel wrote of this time until the coming of the Messiah, "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days" (Dan. 12:11). Paul the Apostle describes the abomination of desolation: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 Thess. 2:3-4).

Jesus continues about this in the Olivet Discourse: "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:15-21).

The last half of the seven years is known as The Great Tribulation. This will be greater trouble than any time in the history of the world. As Jesus said, "since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be." Jeremiah says, "Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it" (Jer. 30:7). The Antichrist will turn on the Jewish people and make war against them. Daniel writes, "His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people" (Dan. 8:24). The book of Revelation records, "It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:7-8).

But God's word to Israel is:
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn." (Psalm 46:1-5)

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The Olivet Discourse: The Second Coming

The Olivet Discourse: The Parables