Tribulation Like Never Before

“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap.” (Malachi 3:2)

Malachi is prophesying about the second coming of  Jesus. It will be a hard time for those on earth because Jesus is coming to judge. He is coming in power and authority and not as the servant He was during the dispensation of grace. Different prophets have written bits and pieces about the second coming of the Lord. We don’t get the full picture, but the picture that we do get is one of judgement and hardship for those on earth.

Zechariah prophesied about that day. “Behold, the day of Jehovah comes, and your spoil shall be divided in your midst. For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. And half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. And Jehovah shall go out and fight against those nations, like the day He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall divide from its middle, from the east and to the west, a very great valley. And half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of My mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. And Jehovah my God shall come, and all the saints with you.” He is detailed about what will happen in that day. Jesus will return again to earth with all His saints. Nations will come against Jerusalem, take it and rape the women. Jesus will fight against those nations. He will stand on the Mount of Olives which will be split. (Zechariah 14:1-5) Jesus comes at that time with angels and all the saints. “And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:13-14) The Word of God is Jesus. And those clothed in white, clean fine linen are the saints.

Jude writes of that day also, telling how Enoch had prophesied. “And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied to these, saying, Behold, the Lord came with myriads of His saints, to do judgment against all, and to rebuke all the ungodly of them concerning all their ungodly works which they ungodly did, and concerning all the hard things ungodly sinners spoke against Him. These are murmurers, complainers, leading lives according to their lusts. And their mouth speaks proud things, admiring faces for the sake of gain.” (Jude 1:14-16) Enoch prophesied that the Lord would judge the ungodly.

Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favor of God which we now enjoy. It is a time of forgiveness and reconciliation with our God through faith and surrender to Jesus which He provided through His sacrifice, death and resurrection. When Jesus returns at the Second Coming, Jesus makes one more attempt for people to repent. He comes like “... refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap ...” to cleanse those who will repent. By the time Jesus returns those who did repent and come to Him after the rapture and before His return will have been persecuted and/or martyred and the whole earth, the Bible says all the nations, will be against Jesus. “For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. And half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. And Jehovah shall go out and fight against those nations, like the day He fought in the day of battle.” (Zechariah 14:2-3) Those who do turn to Jesus at His Second Coming will be persecuted or martyred. Now remember, at this time those on the earth are the ungodly. Those who have surrendered to the Lord after the rapture are persecuted or martyred. The suffering and misery of that day will be to cleanse those who do turn to the Lord after His coming. And those days will be shortened for the sake of the elect, those who He foreknew would surrender to Him when He comes. (Matthew 24:22)

In our Scripture from Malachi, he asks, “...who can endure the day of His coming?...” That word that was translated endure is the right translation. Other translations use the word abide, but which means “able to bear” or endure, meaning live through or experience that suffering. “But of the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape.” (1Thessalonians 5:1-3)

It’s a little confusing for some because there are two incidents. There’s the rapture when the saints are taken up to meet Jesus in the clouds and there’s the second coming of Jesus when He actually sets His feet on earth again to judge the ungodly. It is believed that the saints are already taken out of earth and they come with Him to earth, along with the angels. (Zechariah 14:1-5, Revelation 19:13-14) This is not to say there aren’t saved people on earth when Jesus returns. Many will be saved after the rapture. They are those who heard the Truth and did not surrender to Jesus until they realize they missed out on the rapture when all the saints disappeared.

What does this mean for us? We cannot just dismiss this as a goodie, goodie for me because we’ll be gone and won’t suffer when Jesus returns and there is destruction. Those who haven’t accepted Jesus have to know what will happen so when it does happen they can still turn to Jesus. I’ve heard Bible teachers say that the Holy Spirit will leave with the saints at the rapture, but that cannot be true. Many will be saved after the rapture. And man cannot be saved unless the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus. So the Holy Spirit is still on earth. But the enemy will surely have free rein to bring suffering on the earth that will be like never before. “... for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22) In this verse we see that there will be people who are saved at that time.

Anytime there is a disaster, people start asking questions about the end times. This is a perfect time to tell them about the rapture of the saints and the Second Coming of Christ. We can tell them that the Lord always takes His people out before the disaster. Like He rescued Noah before the flood, He will take His people out before the destruction. Just that little bit is simple enough for them to remember when that time comes. So when they ask, “Is this the end time?” You can confidently say that it isn’t because God will take His people out before the destruction like He did Noah.

Summarizing, there are two events that are at times confused, the rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. One is the taking of the saints out of this world by being lifted up to meet Jesus in the clouds. The other is when Jesus sets His feet on earth and there is much suffering because of the judgement coming on the earth.

Let us pray,

Father God, You are the Lord God Almighty. There is none like You. You reign and rule with all authority in wisdom and understanding. I pray for Your return. And I pray for those who haven’t surrendered to You yet. Merciful Lord, full of grace I pray for my family members who don’t know You yet. I pray for my neighbors who don’t know You yet. I pray for those in my city who don’t know You. And I pray for those in this nation who don’t know You. Open their eyes and ears of understanding that they may understand the Gospel and repent of their sins. I pray that Your mercy and grace be poured out upon them. Deliver them oh my Lord from the destruction that is to come. I thank You for Your mercy, grace and love that I enjoy. I love You my Lord. Continue to rule and reign in my life. Live in me and through me. Help me to proclaim Your Love and forgiveness to a suffering world. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.