Matthew 24:21
ESV - 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
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To me, whatever specific catastrophic events might characterize that time, it is sufficient to know that, without God's ultimate direct intervention (such as removing the redeemed from the earth), there would be no life left. (Even in the devastation of the Flood, eight humans and pairs of animals were allowed to survive.)
What will the great tribulation really be like? The “Great Tribulation.” When answering the question of his disciples concerning the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things, Jesus mentioned a “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Mt 24:3, 21) As a comparison of Matthew 24:15-22 with Luke 21:20-24 reveals, this passage initially referred to a tribulation that was to come upon Jerusalem. The fulfilment came in 70 C.E., when the Roman armies besieged the city under General Titus. Next, Jesus continued his prophecy by describing events that would occur during the centuries after Jerusalem's destruction. (Mt 24:23-28; Mr 13:21-23) Then, at Matthew 24:29, he added that “immediately after the tribulation of those days,” there would be fear-inspiring celestial phenomena. Mark 13:24, 25 says that these phenomena would take place "in those days, after that tribulation.” (See also Lu 21:25, 26.) However, the prophecy at Matthew 24:4-22 (also Mr 13:5-20 and Lu 21:8-24a) clearly has a dual fulfilment. The “tribulation” referred to at Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24 the “tribulation” during the second and final fulfilment of what was foretold at Matthew 24:21 and Mark 13:19. When Matthew 24:29 refers to “those days” and when Mark 13:24 mentions “those days” and “that tribulation,” the Greek grammar does allow for such an understanding. It appears that Jesus' prophecy indicates that after the outbreak of the coming global tribulation, there will be striking phenomena (as represented by the sun and moon being darkened, stars falling, and the powers of heaven being shaken) as well as the fulfilment of “the sign of the Son of man." The Bible does not tell us how long that will last, but Jesus said: “Then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:21) When we consider the tribulation that this world has already experienced, such as in World War II, when an estimated 50 to 60 million lives were lost, the coming great tribulation will be very severe indeed. It will reach its climax in the battle of Armageddon. Bible prophecy does not give a date for the first phase of the great tribulation to begin, though it does tell us what extraordinary event will signal its start. That event is the destruction of all false religions by the political powers. In Bible prophecies found in Revelation chapters 17 and 18, false religion is likened to a harlot who has had immoral intercourse with the political systems of the earth. Conclusion: Topical Encyclopedia: The Great Tribulation is a term used to describe a future period of intense suffering and distress that is prophesied in the Bible. This period is characterised by unprecedented global turmoil, divine judgments, and persecution, particularly against believers in Jesus Christ. The concept of the Great Tribulation is primarily derived from passages in the New Testament, although it is foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The word tribulation is translated from the Greek word thlipsis, which means “metaphorically oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits” (Thayer's Greek Definitions). The oppression of God's people has ebbed and flowed for centuries following Jesus' death. The Bible also explains that there will be a future period of tribulation preceding Christ's return (Matthew 24:29-30).
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