THE GREAT TRIBULATION OR THE TIMES OF JACOB’S TROUBLE

SERIES: THE END OF DAYS

TEXT:    MATTHEW 24:1-31

Today, we continue our study of what the Bible has to say about the end of time and the events that will take place as God completes His great plan of the ages. Up to now we have heard of the rapture of the church and the man who will be known as the Antichrist. Today let us look at a period of time known in the Bible as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” or the great tribulation.

The phrase “time of Jacob’s trouble in found in the book of Jeremiah 30:6-7. In this passage of the scripture, Jacob or the Nation of  Israel is portrayed as a man who is about to give birth. This man is suffering great pains and is bowed in agony. The Bible tells us that there are no days to compare with those that Israel must  endure in those days. However, Jeremiah 30:7, shows us that Israel will be saved out of those days. The main purposes for the great tribulation are two, namely:

1. To punish the Gentile Nations (Romans 1:18, 2 Thess. 2:12-13, Rev. 19:15)

• For thousands of years men have spurned the call of God to repentance and salvation.
• During the great tribulation period, God will visit wicked humanity with the fruits of their sin.
• This will be a time for divine judgement.

2. To purge the people of Israel (Ezekiel 20:37-38, Zech. 13:8-9, Malachi 3:3)

• The nation of Israel is guilty of rejecting the Messiah and having a part in His death. However, God will use the terrors of the     tribulation to prepare Israel for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth.
• When Jesus Christ returns to the earth in power and glory, He will be met by a believing remnant of the Jewish people.

3. Those of us who are saved will not be here for even one minute of the Great tribulation. The great tribulation motivates us as believers to really preach the gospel to the entire world. Having said all these, let us go to the 24^th chapter of Mathew and look at “The time of Jacob’s Trouble.” let us learn   :-

I.  HOW THE GREAT TRIBULATION BEGINS (MATTHEW 24:1-4).

• These passage is part of a sermon preached by the Lord Jesus known as the Oliver Discourse.
• The Olivet Discourse is one of three long message Jesus Christ preached on Earth.
• This message came about as Jesus Christ and His disciples were at the Temple in Jerusalem.
• Jesus told the disciples that the temple would actually be destroyed. This intrigued these men and they wanted to know more details about the end of time (Matthew 24:1-4).
• In these verses, Jesus Christ tells them some of the events that must transpire during the course of the tribulation.
• These words of Jesus Christ are lessons to us all.
• Therefore the First half of the tribulation period will be a time of:-

1. Spiritual Deception (matt 24:5, 11).

• These will be a rise in the appearance of those claiming to be the way of salvation.
• There will be many false Christ’s and false prophets during the tribulation.
• Despite all those falsehoods none would be as powerful and famous at the antichrist and the false prophet.
• In Revelation 13, the two reprobates from hell will deceive the world into believing that they are literally gods and they will demand and receive the worship of men!!
• The Antichrist will deceive the entire world by ushering in a time of peace and prosperity (Rev. 6:2, Daniel 8:25)
• We are already seeing these things being manifested in our time. Anyone promising peace, prosperity and pleasure carries the day with the people.

2. Social devastation (Matt. 24:6-13)

• The tribulation period will be marked by an increase in the instability of society.

1. This time will be marked by disruptions.

• There will be an increase in warfare and hostility between nation (V. 6-7)
• The false peace instituted by the Antichrist will not last and will be replaced by the devastation world war.
• The rider of the red horse of (Revelation 6:4) is war.

1. There will be an increase in Antisemitism and persecution aimed at the Jewish people (Matt. 24:9, Daniel 7:25)
2. There will be a time of desperation (Matt. 24:7)

• ‘Famine’ during the great tribulation the “black horse” of (Revelation 6:5-6)
• The black horse speaks of death, the balances and scales refer to careful rationing of food.
• A “penny” was a days wages, food will be rationed to the extend that it will be 1/8^th of what is normal.
• The rider is told not to hurt the “oil and the wine.”
• It appears that the luxury items enjoyed by the rich will not be harmed.
• The common man will not be able to buy these things, therefore, he will starve! To death!!
• Currently the world and Kenya in particular faces food shortages statistics tell us that one person dies from starvation or a disease related to malnutrition every second of every day!!

1. There will be a time of diseases (Matt. 24:2)

• “Pestilence” refers to diseases.
• The tribulation time will be a time when diseases will run rampant among the human family. Corona will be like Christmas compared!!
• Revelation 6:8, 25% of the world population will die at one point in time.
• That translated to 2 billion people dead at once!!
• During the First World War (WWI) 1904-1918 one of every 40 people died. (1 of 40)
• In the great tribulation it will be (1 of 4) dead!! No places to bury people.

1. It will be a time of disasters

• Jesus Christ said there will be disasters like and natural disasters during the early years of the great tribulation.

1. This time will be marked by disobedience (Matthew 24:10-12)

• The great tribulation period will be marked by a total disregard for sanctity of life, property or the rights of others. V.10 betrayal and hatred.
• There will be no respect for one another.
• Violent crime will increase and many will die in the hands of their fellow humans and relatives.
• Already the population of the world is already being trained to disregard the life and rights of their fellow man.
• We live in a world that allow the murder of over 55million unborn children every year. Abortion sends the message that life is without value.
• When capital punishment is abolished in the world it sends the message that life is without value.
• When we see the increase of euthanasia and other forms of mercy killing. The old and handicapped and others are being left to die in the name that they are a drain to the society.
• When the world accepts the foolish notion that man evolved from lower life forms.
• We refuse to believe that man and woman were created in the image and likeness of God, and that life is valuable to God.
• When we start thinking that some races of men and superior to others and that racism is the greatest sin against the cross of Jesus Christ, the one who died for all races black, white brown and yellow.

1. Wickedness and love of sin (Matt. 24:12)

• The great tribulation will also see the increase in man’s attraction to and indulgence in sin.
• After the Holy Spirit and the Church are removed from the world in the rapture all     restraints on society will be removed as well.
• There will be no prayer, no Holy Spirit to restrain people from sinning.

1. Special declaration (Matt. 24:14)

• During these years God will raise up some men who will carry his message to the farthest ends of the globe.

1. The 144,000 – (Revelation 7:1-8)

• God will raise up an army of Jewish preachers that He will seal, protect and send out to tell the world about the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The world system and the Antichrist, and the devil will be powerless to stop these men from their appointed task.

2. The two witness (Rev. 11:1-12)

• These two mystery preachers will stand at the wall outside the newly build temple and they will preach the word of God.
• All attempts to stop them will fail until the Lord allows them to be slain.
• Their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three days.
• While the world celebrates their death, they will rise from the dead and ascend into heaven.

II.  HOW THE GREAT TRIBULATION CONTINUES (MATTHEW 24:15-19)

1. They are treacherous days (V.15)

• The Antichrist will declare himself to be God and will demand and receive worship (Rev. 13:1-8)
• The Antichrist will be assassinated (Rev. 13:3-14)
• The Antichrist will rise from the dead and the world will fall at his feet in worship.
• He will start to promise people everlasting life and prosperity. It is at this time people will receive the mark of the beast to sell and buy.

1. They are terrifying days (V.16-29)

• Intense persecution.
• Many of Israel will die at this time (Zechariah 13:8)
• A remnant will be saved Rev. 12:14
• A time of intense pain

III. HOW THE GREAT TRIBULATION ENDS (MATT. 24:30-31)

• The Triumphant Savior will appear. (V.30)
• The terrified believers of that day will be agonizing (V.30).
• The tribulation saints will be assembled (V.31)
• They will enter the 1000 years of rule with Christ and all the Saints

CONCLUSION

• Are you ready for the return of our Lord Jesus?
• Are you saved and sure that you will not be here for these terrible day of the great tribulation.
• If you are not saved, you can be saved right now by putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
• Praise God for those who are sure they are born again. They will not see these terrible days. Amen.