There is no doubt that this world still must experience a time of 'great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world until now,' as our Lord predicted (Mt. 24:21). In Revelation 3:10, He promised to keep believers 'from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.'
That time will be worse than any other known in the history of humanity: much worse than the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (one million victims), worse than the bubonic plague (9 million dead), worse than World War I (20 million dead), and worse than the destruction of World War II and Hitler's holocaust (at least 6 million Jews and 4 million Christians died).
The Scriptures devote more space to the description of the coming period of tribulation than to any other prophetic event. The Hebrew prophets mention it 39 times, calling it 'the time of Jacob's trouble' (Jer. 30:7), 'anguish' (Dt. 4:30), and many other terms that denote affliction. The New Testament calls it 'the day of the Lord' (1 Thess. 5:2), 'the wrath of God' (Rev. 14:10; 15:1,7; 16:1), and 'the wrath of the Lamb' (Rev. 6:16-17). Revelation 6-19 details the events of that period of tribulation and provides the best description of this terrifying time that is approaching and will test the whole world.
Daniel, the Hebrew prophet most quoted by Jesus, predicted that those times of trial will last seven years and will begin with the signing of a seven-year covenant between Israel and 'the prince who is to come' (also called the 'antichrist' or 'the beast'). He then predicted that this 'beast' or ruler will break that covenant in the middle of the tribulation and profane the temple (Dan. 9:26-27). Furthermore, Daniel predicted that when the antichrist arises, Satan himself will grant him 'great power and signs and lying wonders' (2 Thess. 2:9), and he will profane the temple, set up an image of himself, and demand that the whole world worship him.
There is no doubt as to when this tribulation will occur or how long it will last. Daniel predicts it will last 'one week' (seven years, 9:27). In Revelation, John divides it into two periods of three and a half years or 1260 days each, totaling seven years. During the first three and a half years, more than half of the world’s population will die. In the second half, conditions worsen after Satan is cast out of heaven, dwells in the body of the antichrist, and demands that the world worship him. Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied that this tribulation will end just before His return to earth (second coming) to establish His earthly kingdom for 1000 years (Mt. 24:29 see Dan. 9:24).
We must not lose sight of the true purpose of that period of tribulation: an expression of God's mercy and grace. This is so because in this short period of seven years, at the time when the world is most populated, God will shake the earth in an attempt to reduce man's false sense of security. The Lord will send 144,000 Jewish witnesses filled with the Holy Spirit (Rev. 7; Joel 2:28-32) and also other witnesses. God will take the most drastic measures in history in the last days of man's life on earth. His purpose is to draw a huge number of souls to believe in Him so that multitudes of people can enjoy the blessings He has prepared for their eternal future.
