Signs of the End Times - Tribulations

Tribulations

The Last Days According To Jesus - Tribulations (Mt 24:7)

Matthew 24:9

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

The next sign of the End Times is the familiar word tribulation. That word occurs 44 times in the New Testament. Interestingly, it only shows up in the book of Revelation 5 times. Of those occurrences, only one of them is about the Great Tribulation. We’ll learn about that later in Jesus’s warnings.

So, what does this tell us about tribulation? It tells us that trials and troubles are a part of everyday life for the Christian. We are going to be hated and persecuted for our faith.

James tells us to be joyful about that (Js. 1:2-4). Peter tells us to not be surprised by it (I Pe. 4:12-13). Paul tells us that we are destined for it (I Th 3:3). Jesus put it this way:

John 15:20

“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”

What does all of this mean? It means that we live with the knowledge that the world is at war with God and you and I are the battlefield. As the end of time draws closer and closer, we must expect that the attacks by our adversary will intensify and become harder to endure. Jesus mentions hatred as a motive and warns that it could even lead us to our deaths.

This is a great time to remember that our enemy knows his time is limited and as he sees it coming to an end - as he sees himself backed into a corner - he will start kicking and scratching, trying to hurt us any way possible.

“Do not fear!” says Jesus.

He knows.

He sees.

He cares.

He understands.

He loves us and is in it with us, to the very end. He will not abandon you or forsake you. That promise occurs a dozen times in the scriptures. That’s why Paul tells us, in I Thessalonians, about the very odd reaction we should have regarding the rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:18

“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”