What Is The "Tribulation" In The Bible?

"Tribulation." What's this about?

Most students of prophecy believe in a time of "trouble". It is well documented by prophets and Jesus and John:

Prophet Jeremiah in his 30th chapter sees a future era he calls "Jacob's Trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7). The reference is to the father of the Jewish nation, a man also known as Israel. He says that this time will be unprecedented in its devastation, the same thing an angel who appears in the book of the prophet Daniel says about a "time of trouble" coming to the planet, in association with resurrections and judgments (Daniel 12:1-3). In other words, this tribulation period is the beginning of the end of all things as we know them today.

That same line of thought is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 24:21. Here the word is "tribulation", but that is simply another translation of the same Greek word translated "trouble" in other passages. Jesus too is speaking of the end of all things, which he says immediately follows this tribulation. And John's Book of Revelation describes the horrors of God's wrath, leaving no doubt to the reader that the time he describes is also the time of the end.

Now what do Bible teachers mean by "Pre"- or "post"- tribulation?

There is some major trouble coming. Unprecedented. Final. And, there's a "snatching up" , a "catching away", a "rapture" coming too. The whole issue we deal with here is , Which comes first, the trouble, or the flight? If one believes the catching up is first, he is a "pre-tribulation rapturist", whether he particularly likes such a label or not. If he believes the rapture is after the tribulation and in fact a part of the second coming of Jesus,

He is "post-trib."

Sadly, the church is seriously divided on this issue? There are those who will not accept the life or ministry of persons on the "other side" of this discussion. How that came to pass is a fascinating study but must be reserved for another time.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.