The coming Tribulation Period was foretold by Daniel the prophet and the Lord Jesus. In Daniel 12:1 we read, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of YOUR PEOPLE; and there shall be a TIME OF TROUBLE, such as never was since there was a nation, even to the time, and at that time YOUR PEOPLE shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.” The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:15, 16, 31, “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), let those WHO ARE IN JUDEA flee to the mountains…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.” It is clear Daniel, and the Lord Jesus were speaking of the coming TRIBULATION PERIOD, and it is equally clear that they had in mind Daniel’s PEOPLE, the JEWS. The Church is never mentioned in connection with the Tribulation Period (though we do experience tribulation at times…see 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4) because it involves the JEWS who will suffer tribulation like they never have before. Jeremiah calls this time “The TIME OF JACOB’S trouble” (Jeremian 30:7).

Why isn’t the Church mentioned? Ah, because WE WILL NOT BE HERE! The book of Revelation makes this crystal-clear. The Church is mentioned in chapters 1-3 where we see seven churches of Asia and a description of their spiritual conditions. These picture the conditions of the churches throughout the whole “church age” (from the Day of Pentecost when the church was born until the Rapture of the church to heaven). In chapter 4:1 John heard a trumpet and was taken to heaven, which is a foreshadowing of the Rapture of the Church to heaven (we too will hear a TRUMPET signaling our removal to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Then we see the saints in heaven worshipping the Lord as Creator in chapter 4 and as Redeemer in chapter 5.

Chapters 6-18 give us, in great detail, all the judgments of God that will fall upon the earth during the “Tribulation Period.” There will be 144,000 Jews saved during that time, and they will canvass the earth with the gospel of the coming kingdom, and many Gentiles will be saved (see chapter 7). He will use this unparallelled time of His wrath to humble many souls and bring them to repent and believe the gospel. Again, the church will not be here for “God has not appointed them to wrath” (read carefully 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9). His purpose for the church is to bring them to heaven to be with Christ forever (see John 14:2-3 with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Because the church is a “heavenly people” the Lord Jesus gave us a personal promise in Revelation 3:10-11, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL (Tribulation) which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no man may take your crown.” Notice, Jesus says He will “keep us FROM the hour of trial.” He did NOT SAY, “THROUGH the hour,” for He will remove us before that time of tribulation begins. How will He do that? Verse 11 tells us how; it is by His COMING as you will see in the passages just mentioned so we can be with Him for all eternity. And because we have this promise of His imminent return, we are told to be looking for this Blessed Hope (see Titus 2:13; Philippians 3:20-21; Jude 21; and 1 John 3:1-3).  (DO)  (695.1)