The Apocalypse of the Last Day - Part 2: For then shall be great tribulation
Matt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
In this passage, the Lord Jesus was not only stating that this period of great tribulation would be unlike anything that had ever occurred in all of past history since the beginning of the world up until His time, but by His statement, "no, nor ever shall be”, He was also declaring that this period of time would also be unlike anything that would ever occur in the entire future history of the world as well. This passage creates a puzzling situation for us because how can an event be unlike anything in all of past history, and also be unlike anything in all of future history? The only way to make sense of Matthew 24:21 is to understand that this period of great tribulation is referring to the Battle of Armageddon, which is to occur immediately after the Rapture and the end of the world. In past studies, I have shown how the Bible teaches that there will be a conscious resurrection of the unsaved at the Parousia, which is the Greek word for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Last Day. Scripture also teaches that the world will continue in a “business as usual” manner until the Lord returns as a thief in the night, in the twinkling of an eye, as shown in the passages of Luke 17:34-36, Matthew 24:38-39, Luke 17:28-30, and 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3. I have also shown how Scripture teaches that after the end of the world, every person that has ever been conceived in the world and has received a living soul from God will find themselves in the presence of God, in a place called Armageddon, where the dead will stand in judgment before the face of God, while the books are opened, (Rev 16:15-16 and Rev 20:11-15).
In the Old Testament, this period of great tribulation is also referred tp as "the time of Jacob’s trouble”, as we read in Jeremiah chapter 30.
Jeremiah 30: 3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 4 And these are the words that Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 5 For thus saith Jehovah; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 9 But they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. 10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith Jehovah; neither be dismayed , O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
This passage of Jeremiah 30 can also be linked to Luke 21 and Revelation 6, where we read:
Luke 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child , and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
One can see that Luke 21:21-28 is describing a period of great tribulation;
verse 22, “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled;”
verse 23, “in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people;”
verse 24, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be;”
verse 25, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
verse 26, “Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”
One can also see the stark contrast from what is being described in Luke 21:21-28 compared to what the Lord Jesus teaches about no one knowing at what hour He will return, and that His return will be as a thief in the night, when everyone in the world will be conducting their day-to-day affairs in a “business as usual” manner. It is impossible to harmonize the passage of 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 which talks of “peace and safety” just prior to the Rapture and the end of the world, with that of Luke 21:21-28 and Rev 6 which describe intense fear and distress, the darkening of the sun, the stars that fall from heaven, and people's desire to hide from "the face of him that sitteth on the throne".
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Matt 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.
Notice in the passage below of Matthew 24, the Lord Jesus is describing the Parousia in verse 27, and then in the verses that follow goes on to describe events that are to take place after the Parousia.
Matt 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is , there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn , and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
I then took a look at the original Greek words of verse 29 and I discovered something extremely interesting. I especially focused on the Greek words that were translated in the English words “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” of verse 29.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened , and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
The English words, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” were translated from the Greek words, “eutheos de meta ten thlipsin ton hemera ekeinos”. These Greek words are defined and used as follows:
The Greek adverb “Eutheos”: King James Word Usage - Total: 80
Immediately 35, straightway 32, forthwith 7, miscellaneous 6
The Greek conjunction “De”: King James Word Usage - Total: 2870
But 1237, and 934, now 166, then 132, also 18, yet 16, yea 13, so 13, moreover 13, nevertheless 11, for 4, even 3, miscellaneous 10, not translated 300
The Greek preposition “Meta”: King James Word Usage - Total: 473
With 345, after 88, among 5, hereafter + (5023)&version=kjv 4, afterward + (5023) 4, against 4, not translated 1, miscellaneous 32
The Greek noun “Thlipsis”: King James Word Usage - Total: 45
tribulation 21, affliction 17, trouble 3, anguish 1, persecution 1, burdened 1, to be afflicted + (1519)&version=kjv 1
The Greek noun “Hemera”: King James Word Usage - Total: 389
day 355, daily + (2596)&version=kjv 15, time 3, not translated 2, miscellaneous 14
The Greek word “Ekeinos”: King James Word Usage - Total: 251
that 99, those 40, he 40, the same 20, they 14, miscellaneous 38
In other words, the expression, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” is actually very misleading because the Greek words “eutheos de meta ten thlipsin ton hemera ekeinos” can also be translated as:
“Immediately and with the trouble of that day shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven…”
When we see how the translators of the King James Bible have routinely translated the Greek word “Meta”, we see that they have translated it into the English word “with” 345 times, but only translated it as the word “after” only 88 times.
When one can see that this expression of Matthew 24:29 can be more accurately translated as, “Immediately and with the trouble of that day shall the sun be darkened…”, then are we not only better able to understand it, but also better able to understand Jeremiah 30:3-11 and "the time of Jacob’s trouble”, where we read of great trembling and fear, as that of a woman who is experiencing birthpangs, ("as a woman in travail”); as it describes that day as being a “great day”, and the day in which God will make a “full end of all nations”, as well as the day in which Jacob will return home to rest, and be quiet, and not be afraid.
Jeremiah 30:3 For, lo, the days come , saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child ? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. 10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
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