Even though many people seem to be confused about the Tribulation, Scripture is very plain to describe it. Prelude to the tribulation, is the occurrence of all believers in Christ who have been taken to heaven to be with him as a result of what we call the rapture. (With all the talk of aliens, it will not surprise this writer if the governments explain away those taken in the rapture as kidnapped by aliens). In the meantime, the Bible describes many types of troubles and heartaches for those left behind who did not accept Christ as Savior. This excludes those who have relied on their attendance and membership of church. This excludes those who believe they will automatically go to heaven because they were raised in a Christian home. This excludes those people who faithfully performed their religious rituals without a personal relationship with Jesus.
As the seven-year tribulation occurs on earth, there will be a celebration in heaven during what is called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19: 7-9) This is not a time of judgment. The Bible explains in John 3:18 that those who have accepted Christ did this already as a result of their own judgment on themselves for their sin and their sin nature. Since this is a celebration, no doubt it is a time of rewards and fellowship with Jesus. There are those people who teach that Christians must go through the tribulation to refine them. I find no scriptural support for this concept.
It is a belief of this writer, after thoroughly studying the book of Daniel and other books of the Bible that the antichrist will come from Syria. He will claim ties with Christianity and the Jews. He will be a silver tongue orator persuading the rest of the world to his ideas that a single dictator must rule over the entire world as part of a New World Order. Some people define the entire world as those living in Europe and countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Other people define the entire world as every nation on the sphere.
There is every possibility that two things will occur during the tribulation in regard to belief in Christ. Anyone who resists the influence of the antichrist will be persecuted so much that they cannot buy or sell, including food. These are the people who reject the demand to have the mark of the beast placed on them as identifying with evil leadership. (Revelation 14: 9,10) Then, those people during the tribulation who decide to accept him as Savior will be martyred. (Revelation 6: 9-11)
There will be natural disasters as part of Godās judgment against those who continue to reject him in the first part of the tribulation. The Antichrist will conquer peacefully and make a covenant with the Jews to rebuild their temple; a promise which he does not keep because what he does later. The last half of the tribulation will be the worst. The antichrist will profane the temple, exercise profanity against God, create a terrible great persecution. God will send his two witnesses (likely Enoch and Elijah ) who have never died. They will perform miracles until they are killed after which all the world watches them probably through satellites. (Revelation 11: 3-14) There will be a great celebration at their death similar to what occurs on Christmas with the giving of gifts.
Throughout this time God will cause many various disasters to occur on the earth and against the physical well-being of unbelievers. Instead of turning to him as would seem logical, they become more bitter. They curse God remaining in their sin until Jesus returns to earth a second time in judgment as the conquering King.
There is nothing to fear about the tribulation if a person thoroughly genuinely receives Christ as Savior. It is not Godās intent to strike terror in the hearts of his own children. It is a time when he separates true believers in Jesus as Savior from those who play at Christianity or claim their own carnal ways. For the believer, the whole concept of what happens in the tribulation should be a time of rejoicing expressing appreciation to God for his power and love. Keep in behind that any person who suffers during the tribulation does so as a result of his own choice and his own behavior rejecting Jesus.
Christian Writer 