Part III ~ Lesson 4 of 8 – The Great Tribulation

The Sequence of Endtime Events

Equipping God's Saints (Followers of Christ) through the prophecies of the End Times …

The next scripture that we want to define the beginning of the Tribulation is shown in Matthew 24: 15-16 & 20-21.

Matthew 24:15-16 says:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand;)

Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:”

Matthew 24:20-21 says:

“But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

This is the first time we actually see the term, “The Great Tribulation”. It's implied in other places, but Jesus gave us this term. Jesus told us here, what the event would be that would actually trigger the tribulation. He defines it as the Abomination of Desolation. Jesus told us when we see the Abomination of Desolation we need to flee because that is when the Great Tribulation will be launched.

Matthew 24 is a parallel passage with Revelation 12 where the woman flees into the wilderness because she is being persecuted by Satan. Jesus is giving a different account of the same thing.

It's really wonderful as we look at these different scriptures: Some from the Old Testament ~ Some from the New Testament; Words of Jesus ~ Words of Revelation. It all fits so perfectly together. God loves us so much that He gave us this sure word of prophecy so that in the times in which we are living right now, we can really understand. We're not just in another day. We are in amazing, supernatural days. We are the endtime generation.

I want you to take note: In Revelation Chapter 7, you have a war in heaven involving Michael, the archangel. In Matthew 24:21 we read, “... There will be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, nor shall there ever be.”

Now, look at what it says in Daniel 12:1-7:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”

Let us study this passage a little deeper … You will notice that Jesus was quoting from Daniel 12:1 because He knew there was going to be a war in heaven involving Michael and He knew it was going to launch a time of trouble [the Great Tribulation].

Daniel 12:2-3 is a very clear prophecy of the resurrection. It clearly tells us many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

In the remaining of the passage, Daniel 12:4-7, we see the parallel passage about the man clothed in linen which was upon the waters asking, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?” Again we see the terminology of time, times, and an half time. We have heard this, repeatedly, in several passages and know that we are talking about a time of 3 ½ years.

In summarizing Daniel 12:1-7 we see:

• Michael standing up
• Time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time
• Time, times, and a half

Dear Ones, if ever we need to know what's going on, we need to know right now because this is the time of the true Church of Jesus Christ to mobilize. We are about out of time, now. We are getting close to these things right now.

We need to see the greatest revival the world has ever known. If we are totally out of sync and don't know where we are, we've got problems. I am trying to give you an understanding of the sequence of endtime events so that you will have this driving sense as to what you should be doing right now.

Resources: The anointing of the Holy Spirit and God Almighty, of whom I am accountable to. I have prayed diligently and am led to follow and support the teachings of Pastor Irvin Baxter from Endtime Ministries and his teachings of Understanding the End Times. I encourage you to visit his website at endtime.com.