The Bible records that the believer will suffer for the Lord’s sake. Philippians 1:29, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Likewise in 2Timothy 3:12, it is written that all of those who live godly will not have an easy time of it. The Lord also warned the disciples that; John 16;3~, ” …in the world ye shall have tribulation… ” Earlier He warned them of the world’s hatred and not to be alarmed when it came upon them. John 15:18, 19, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.“
The believer in the early church knew what it was to face persecution. It was not too long after Pentecost that Saul of Tarsus (before his conversion) made havoc of the church. This resulted in the scattering of the believers from Jerusalem into many lands. Paul knew what tribulations were for he listed them in 2Corinthians 11:24-27; he had written earlier of the Lord “who comforteth us in all our tribulation…” 2Corinthians 1:4.
A. THE BELIEVER AND TRIBULATION – SUFFERING
1. It is the appointed lot of believers to suffer (Philippians 1:29) II Timothy 3:12. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.“
It is not a sign that the believer has committed sin. It is the sign that he is walking separated from the world. (John 15:18, 19) It is the evidence that his testimony is hated by the world.
2. It is for the glory of God and the strengthening of the believer’s faith (Romans 8:18; 1Peter 4:12-16; 3:14) 2Corinthians 12:9, 10, “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, than I am strong.“
3. It is for the enabling of the believer, to help others in need. 2Corinthians 1:4, “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.“
It is evident however that there is a great difference between the tribulations that believers suffer in their lifetime in every age, and that of the Great Tribulation spoken of by the Lord Jesus (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1) Two things are made very clear by both Daniel and the Lord Jesus. One is that it will be the Jewish nation that will be in the Great Tribulation and suffer the most and that this time of suffering will follow a definite event in Jerusalem. That event is the self-exaltation of the “man of sin” to the throne, set up in the temple. From that throne, he proclaims to the world that he is god (Matthew 24:15 with 2Thessalonians 2:4) This is the sign to the Godly Jewish remnant to flee Jerusalem to the place God had prepared for them (Revelation 12:14 with Isaiah 26:20,21; Daniel 9:24, 11:36; Revelation 13:5,6).
B. THE BELIEVER AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION – WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES SAY?
1. The promise of God is that the believer will be kept from the day of wrath. 1Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,“
2. The Great Tribulation is the same as the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” (Jeremiah 30:6, 7; Matthew 24:15-22) Daniel 12:1, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of Thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.“
3. The Great Tribulation is not for believers of this age. (1Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10) Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through Him.“
4. The Great Tribulation will end man’s management of this earth and will usher in the Kingdom of God, under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Revelation 19:1-16; Isaiah 63:1-6)
5. The Great Tribulation will end in Israel’s judgement and conversion (Ezekiel 20:33-38; Isaiah 66:8-10) Zachariah 12:10, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.“
6. The Great Tribulation will bring to a close Daniel’s 70th week. The Lord fulfilled the 69th week when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and a few days later was crucified. This brought to an end the dispensation of law. (Romans 10:4) John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Colossians 2:14, “Those …ordinances …against us … He nailed to the cross.“
7. With the exception of Satan’s futile attempt to gather the nations against Jerusalem after his 1000 year imprisonment, the Great Tribulation will result in the destruction of wicked humanity and usher in the era of everlasting righteousness. (Isaiah 2: 11-21; Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Isaiah 11: 1-10; Revelation 19: 19-21, 20: 10)
C. SOME PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE FACED?
1. Is it not said that the elect will be gathered together after the Great Tribulation? Yes, Jesus said they would be, BUT the question is, who are these elect? Christian believers or the Godly remnant of Israel? Here is where the believer rightly divides the Word. The Bible speaks of two distinct people, both of which are declared to be His elect.
2. These elect differ:
a. As to who they are, Romans 11:5, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.“
b. As to the covenant under which they exist, old or new covenants (Luke 1:32-33; Luke 22:20) I Corinthians 11:25, “After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament (covenant) in my blood, this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.“
c. As to the Gospel of each; the Gospel of the kingdom, Matthew 3:2, “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” and the Gospel of the grace of God (Ephesians 3:1-6) Galatians 1:11,12, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither was taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.“
d. As to the way they gathered. Jesus will come for His own (John 14:1-3) and His angels will gather the other elect. Matthew 24:31, “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.“
e. As to the time of their gathering of the church by Jesus, It will be before the Tribulation. 1Thessalonians 4:16,17, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we , which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Then His angels will come for His elect (Israel) after the Great Tribulation.
f. As to the promises given to the elect descendants of Abraham, all the promises are earthly. (Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Luke 1:31-33) Genesis 15:18, “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates;” For the elect of this dispensation (the church age of Grace) the promises are all heavenly. (Ephesians 1:3; 1Peter 1:4; I John 3:2; Romans 8:18) John 17: 24,”Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given Me, be with me, where I am; that they may behold My glory, which thou has given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the , foundation of the world.“
3. The Blessed Hope of the believer is the imminent, personal coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds to receive His redeemed. They shall be caught up to be forever with their Lord, thus fulfilling His priestly prayer in John 17:24 and John 14:1-3.
4. What man who truly loves his bride to be, would deliberately and willingly permit her to go through times of great trouble that could mean her death? No honest and sincere fiancé would stand idly by while his beloved endured all forms of torment. Neither will Christ permit His Beloved, redeemed by His precious blood, to go through those awful times. Revelation 3:10,”Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
5. Illustrations from Scripture – Elijah was safe and secure when God took him to Heaven without dying and Lot was taken out of Sodom before God rained fire upon that wicked city.
We believe that no born-again person will be in the Great Tribulation.
There are a lot of verses mentioned above. Please look them all up and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you what The Bible is saying.