Why Christians Could Go Through the Great Tribulation

While the topic of the Tribulation is highly controversial, as Christians we do agree that Jesus is coming again, that there will be a rapture of the believers, and there will be a Great Tribulation where Satan, the Antichrist, and his whole kingdom will be ruling and reigning.

During this time, he will be killing people and there will be the mark of the beast. But, will Christians have to go through that season? Many believe that we wont and will instead go straight to heaven, but I believe that we may have to endure this Tribulation. Here are some reasons why.

10 Reasons That Make it Possible

1. The belief that we wouldn’t have to endure the Great Tribulation is a new doctrine that wasn’t held by the Church for over 1,800 years.

In 1830, John Nelson Darby made the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view popular, followed by Scofield’s Bible footnotes and Hal Lindsay’s “The Late Great Planet Earth.” Previously, for 1,800 years, Christianity did not uphold this view as the main perspective concerning the Tribulation and the Rapture.

2. The Pre-Trib view splits the return of Jesus Christ into two phases–the Rapture and the Second Coming–a concept not taught by the Bible.

When we read the Bible carefully, we see that it does not teach the Second Coming as a different and separate event than the Rapture. In fact, the Second Coming is mentioned over 300 times in the New Testament, with no indication ever of it being split into two events.

3. The Pre-Tribulation view teaches that the Holy Spirit will be removed from the Church, but there will still be saints in the Tribulation.

This view claims that the Holy Spirit will be removed with the Church. However, the Bible says that there will be saints during the Tribulation (Revelation 13:7-8). Therefore, this view does not make a lot of sense as these saints will need the Holy Spirit to function and resist the mark of the beast while they are on earth.

4. The first resurrection happens right before the Thousand-Year Reign of Christ, not before the Tribulation.

Another key point to remember is that the first resurrection occurs after Jesus’s coming and right before the thousand-year reign of Christ, as described in Revelation 20:4-6. This resurrection includes those who did not accept the mark of the beast, contradicting the idea of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

5. Passages refer to Jesus saving us from wrath at the Final Judgment, not to Him saving us from a Seven-Year Tribulation, experienced by a single generation.

We also see passages in Scripture that talk about about being saved from God’s wrath refer to the final judgment, not to the tribulation. God’s wrath has been poured out throughout history, yet believers have remained. Paul’s references to God’s wrath in 1 Thessalonians relate to the Final Judgment, not the Tribulation.

6. Nowhere does the Bible say that the churches in Revelation speak of church ages or that the Church of Philadelphia was raptured from trouble.

The main argument comes from the verse in Revelation 3:10, “The hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world,” where many believe it applies to the Church as a whole regarding the Tribulation. However, this was addressed to the Church in Philadelphia, which was also not the last Church talked about in the book of Revelation. Rather than trying to impose our meaning onto the Scripture, we should try and see what it is already saying.

What we do see, however, is that we could be protected from God’s wrath right here in the world. In fact, the Bible shows many examples of how this could be the case: God provides refuge in the storm (Noah), a way of escape from His judgment (Lot), and makes a distinction between His people (Israel). 

7. The Church is not mentioned during the Tribulation chapters in Revelation, nor is the Church mentioned in visions of heaven in the book of Revelation.

The absence of the word “church” in Revelation chapters 4-22 is used to argue for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. However, saints are mentioned, both on earth and in heaven, throughout these chapters, indicating the presence of the Church.

8. Daniel’s 70 sevens deals with Israel but it doesn’t say that the church will not be present during the trails that Israel will go through.

Next, Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks deals with Israel but does not imply that the Church will be absent during these trials. The Tribulation is a time of purging and restoration for Israel, but the Church is not excluded.

9. Old Testament examples of Noah and Lot don’t prove that God will take us out of the world during the Tribulation.

In the cases of Noah, Lot, and Rahab, God protected the righteous during His wrath but did not remove them from the earth. This pattern suggests that God will protect believers during the tribulation, not remove them.

10. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb Will Be Taking Place After the Great Tribulation

And lastly, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is mentioned in Revelation 19:9 and is expected to occur after the Great Tribulation. The Bible does not indicate that this event will happen during the tribulation but rather at the end of it.

Final Thoughts

Believing that Christians will not go through the Great Tribulation can lead to deception. If you believe that there is no way you will be here during that time, you could end up taking the mark of the beast out of deception. I believe that as Christians we should live prepared for the Lord’s return.

Make long-term plans but be urgent about actions in the present!

Read: 10 Signs of the End Times