Premillennial doctrine teaches that after the
supposed rapture of the saints, the rest of the world's population will be left
on the earth for a period of 7 years.
Now, during this time they will experience
what they refer to as "the Great Tribulation."
This is supposed to be a period of severe suffering.
In fact, it's supposed to be the most intense suffering
and persecution the world has ever known.
Now, where do they get this idea?
Again, it is a misuse of Matthew 24, particularly verse 21,
The Bible there says, "For then there will be great tribulation,
such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time,
no, nor ever will be."
Now, I want you to understand about this passage
that it is not discussing the end of time.
This is a passage talking about the destruction of Jerusalem.
Jesus said, a few verses later in Matthew 24:34,
"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these
things be fulfilled" - "Until all of these things take place."
And so, the tribulation that Jesus discussed in Matthew 24:21
actually did take place within that generation.
That is what Jesus promised.
In fact, history tells us Matthew 24:21
occured less than 40 years after Jesus made the statement
when the Roman army attacked the city of Jerusalem.
Now sometimes people will object to this concept that this is something in the past.
This is something that has already occured - that this tribulation
is something historical rather than a future event.
And their objection will be on the basis that the text says that
this tribulation would be the worst tribulation the world
had ever seen or ever would see.
And they will argue that
more people died in the Holocaust
than during the attack on Jerusalem.
They will argue that surely there have been worse
events than what took place in the destruction of Jerusalem.
However, I want you to listen to following report as stated by the ancient
Jewish historian, Josephus.
Josephus tells us that 1,100,000 Jews died
at the destruction of Jerusalem and the attack on that city.
He will tell us that another 97,000 were captured and placed in slavery.
He tells us that women ate their own babies,
men broke into houses and stole food from children's mouths,
That neighbor robbed neighbor for the food that they had.
Rich Jews swallowed gold and deserted to the Romans,
hoping to get away with some of their wealth, but when the Romans
discovered their scheme, they began killing those Jews who surrendered,
and they would rip open their bodies and search for the coins.
Thousands died in this fashion, two thousand in only one night.
Many were beaten and tortured by the Roman soldiers;
thousands were crucified in various bodily positions
as jokes - as jests.
This was done until all of the wood
had been used as crosses, and even places to erect crosses were filled.
By actual count, 115,880 bodies were carried through one gate
in three months; there were 600,000 in all thus disposed of.
When the bodies could no longer be thrown outside the city,
they were stored in large houses within the city.
Thousands of the captives were later forced to fight beasts
and each other in arenas, and this for the enjoyment of spectators.
Jerusalem was overthrown and the temple was utterly destroyed;
Matthew 24:2 was literally fulfilled.
When the Romans broke into the city, Josephus said,
"They slew whomsoever they found, without distinction,
and they burned the houses and all the people who had fled into them;
and when they entered for the sake of plunder, they
found whole families of dead persons, and houses full of carcasses
destroyed by famine, then they came out with their hands empty.
And though they thus pitied the dead,
they had not the same emotion for the living, but they killed all they met,
whereby they filled the lanes with dead bodies.
The whole city ran with blood, insomuch that many things which
were burning were extinguished by the blood"
Now friends, what's the point?
The point is there is not a future event
coming that is known as the Great Tribulation,
but rather the "Tribulation" of Matthew 24 took place in AD 70,
shortly after Jesus spoke those words.