The “Great Tribulation” Prophecy

Is It History or Prophecy for Our Future?

Although it is obvious that in many ways our culture is coarser and more depraved than it was 79 years ago when I was born, I keep in mind that human nature never changes.

Some think the “time of the end” may be near. However, many people who read the Bible, attend churches and Bible classes about the time of the end will be surprised by what actually happens.  The “signs” that many people are looking for will not appear.

The essay below concerns perhaps the most ubiquitous of those signs: the “Great Tribulation.”

Introduction

Do you believe there is a "great tribulation" ahead for the world to go through?

That this "great tribulation" will last for either 3 and one-half years or 7 years?  Do you believe that this "great tribulation" is prophesied by Jesus in Matthew chapter 24, Mark chapter 13, Luke chapter 21 and Daniel chapters 9, 11 and 12 and that this prophecy is for a time still ahead of us?

Furthermore, do you believe that Bible prophecies are “dual” in nature?  That is, do you believe that Bible prophecies about specific incidents are fulfilled more than once?  The “great tribulation” prophesied in these scriptures was fulfilled once, when Rome burned Jerusalem and its temple to the ground in 67 – 70 AD (3 ½ years) and slaughtered almost all the residents of that city.

If the accounts of Jesus’ life in Matthew, Mark and Luke were written before 67 AD, then the destruction of Jerusalem is the very best, internal proof of the authenticity of the Gospels — not to mention a further bolster to the veracity of Old Testament prophecy in Daniel. 

Most contemporary Bible scholars agree that of these Gospels it is certain that Mark, at least was written before 68 AD.  There is consensus even with those who dispute the veracity of these books that Jesus died before 35 AD. 

Therefore Jesus can be seen to be a true prophet because He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem during the generation alive at that time – a generation being 40 years – which in fact did happen by all historical accounts.

Could it be that the “great tribulation” prophecy, taken out of context and given a “dual” nature, serves only to mislead today’s Christians and to obscure Bible prophecy that is truly for the times ahead of us?