The Great Tribulation ⇒ Encyclopedia

Main article: The Prophetic Week
 

The Great Tribulation. The last 3 1/2 years of Daniel's seventieth week is called “the Great Tribulation” (Matt. 24:21, Rev. 7:14). During this period the 7th seal, the Seven Trumpets, and the Seven Vials/Bowl are unfolded. It begins when the "abomination of desolations" is set up, and it ends when Christ appears in glory, and Israel's enemies are destroyed. Technically, the "great tribulation" for Israel will end a little early, at 1260 days when the King of the North sweeps down through Israel and slaughters the apostate Jews. This time period is also called "the time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7).

 
"For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:21, see also Rev. 7:14).
God’s Direct Judgments. The trumpets may be less extensive in their range than the seals (third part vs. fourth part of the earth), but they are more intensely judicial than the seals. Furthermore, they are directly from the hand of God, as we see the "angel", a type of Christ, refill the censer with fire from the brazen altar (the wrath of God against sin) and cast it on the prophetic earth (Rev. 8:5).
 
The Trumpet Judgments. The trumpet judgments open "under" the seventh seal. Really, the seventh seal is the entire last 3 1/2 years. The Trumpets are distributed throughout those 3 1/2 years. The first four trumpets are primarily to do with the apostatizing of the western nations, preparing them to receive Antichrist. Therefore, it seems the first four will happen in rapid succession at the middle of the week. The fifth trumpet corresponds to Antichrist coming forward, and the delusion of apostate Israel, once again at the middle of the week, but spanning a longer duration (“five months”). The sixth trumpet is at 1260 days, and the seventh trumpet is at the appearing, at the end of the week.
  • 1st Trumpet: Prosperity in the West dries up. read more...
  • 2nd Trumpet: A great political power in the West falls (possibly the USA?). read more...
  • 3rd Trumpet: A person of great moral influence in the West apostatizes… the result is that the entertainment and media becomes poisoned. read more...
  • 4th Trumpet: The whole system of government in the West gives up any profession of godliness that they once had, resulting in moral darkness. read more...
  • 5th Trumpet: Antichrist comes forward, and he begins sending out his “strong delusion", beginning with the apostate Jews. read more...
  • 6th Trumpet: The King of the North and his Arab confederacy advances, causing moral and physical death. The attack causes the Roman empire to collapse. read more...
  • 7th Trumpet: The Lord appears, taking the reigns of government into His own hands, and the nations are furious. read more...
Correlation of trumpets and bowls. There is a high degree of correlation between the trumpets and bowls. The first of each series has to do with the earth, the second with the sea, the third with the rivers and fountains of water, and the fourth with the sun. The fifth trumpet is the delusion of apostate Jews, the fifth bowl is the delusion of the Beast’s empire. The sixth trumpet is a summary of the Assyrian’s influence on the beast’s empire, the sixth bowl gives the precise moment of the attack. The seventh in each series is the appearing of Christ. The seventh trumpet is a summary of the Day of the Lord. The seventh bowl is the specific event that will accompany his appearing, namely the destruction of Political Babylon (the Beast). Some have thought that the bowls are "under" the seventh trumpet just as the trumpets are "under" the seventh seal. However, the correlation between these bowls and trumpets would indicate that the bowls parallel the trumpets.
 
The Bowl Judgments. The bowl judgments are poured out on the prophetic earth, but the effects go beyond the Christianized part of the world to touch the outlying nations. Note the absence of the expression “the third part”. The bowl series is more universal.
  • 1st Bowl: The followers of the Beast are afflicted with terrible pain. read more...
  • 2nd Bowl: The nations who refuse the Gospel of the Kingdom apostatize, sealing their fate. read more...
  • 3rd Bowl: Natural sources of joy dry up. read more...
  • 4th Bowl: Governmental apostasy causes the oppression of the masses. read more...
  • 5th Bowl: The delusion is spread to the entirety of the Beast’s kingdom. read more...
  • 6th Bowl: The barrier holding back the armies of the Assyrian is removed. read more...
  • 7th Bowl: Political Babylon (the Beast) is destroyed by the Lord at His Appearing. read more...