The great tribulation comes at the end of the appointed days of this present earth.
This is described as being unlike anything ever seen before in the history of mankind.
One characteristic is this: The woes that are coming on this earth are authored by God and only God can cause such things as these to happen.
When the first trumpet sounds, which brings the first "woe", the first judgment of God, we read the following description:
Revelation 8:6-7 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
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There are seven "woes" loosed by God through His angels, followed by plagues brought by God which come upon this earth. (Revelation 8-16)
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Jesus says: Matthew 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
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And Jesus told us the following:
Luke 21:34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, ... that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
We do not know when this will happen, only that when it happens it will eventually be the end of this earth and it is "great tribulation", unlike anything man has ever seen before.
We are admonished to "watch" ... This does not mean for us to watch the world news. It means to take heed to yourselves, to ourselves, and the way we live on this earth.
Peter tells us to be diligent to be found "of HIM" (by HIM) in peace, without spot, and blameless.
II Peter 3:14 We are to keep ourselves in a state of peace ... living without spot and blameless.
If we are troubled about anything or anyone, at this current second, we need to "pray" about that subject.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always ... Settling the matter first with God through prayer. Then after prayer, doing that which we believe God shows us to do about the issue.
By being alert (watching our own lives), and by prayer about the troubling matter, we connect with God ... and it is that constant connection with God which causes us to be "worthy" to escape all these things that are coming upon this earth.
I believe the church that is ready will be taken out ... but many are not ready ... for many who say they are the church live in bitterness and in wrath and in various sins while going to church or while thinking themselves to be "the church".
Matthew 24:38-42 Jesus says: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(I believe this is showing some will be "ready" and shall be removed from this earth while others who are not ready will be left here during the various woes and plagues of the great tribulation.)
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
If we allow ourselves to be discouraged and say, "Oh, what's the use?" and we return to live with the drunken, I believe we risk being left here to go through the great tribulation.
Therefore working at our own salvation through keeping a watch over our actions and through praying over those temptations, will be critical for us.
And we continually encourage ourselves in things of God by reading Bible and by reading godly exhortations and by correcting ourselves by that Word of God.
But the key is living in peace, without spot and blameless. For we do not know the day nor the hour Jesus will return. And the apostle Peter says to us: Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. II Peter 3:14
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