The term “Tribulation” generally refers to a state of great suffering or trouble. In Christian eschatology, the Tribulation will be the final 7-year period of Daniel’s 70 Weeks when Jesus will judge the wicked world and restores Israel. It will be a time of great distress that occurs prior to the return of Christ to rule and reign here on earth for a thousand years.

However, tribulation could not only refer to a future event. Even now, God’s people and the world are going through two of the 3 levels of tribulation.

Level 1 Tribulation

This is the tribulation of all the unbelievers in the world which started when man disobeyed God’s command and was driven out of the Garden of Eden, a paradise of full joy and contentment, and God cursed the earth (Genesis 3:17-19).

So from that time that man became sinful until now, the people of the world work and work so hard in order to eat, while at the same time suffering all kinds of illnesses, accidents, and all kinds of misfortunes under the bondage of the devil who has become the ruler of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Level 2 Tribulation

This is the tribulation for the believers after Jesus came to earth to be the second Adam and Son of God. This is classified further into 2 sub-levels:

A. The Tribulation of Compromised or Unfaithful Believers in Christ.

Apparently, there are Christians who compromise to the world and do not fully obey the commands of God. Their tribulation is just like that of the unbelievers in the world. They are suffering the curse of God on earth from the time of Adam and Eve.

So just like the people of the world today, the unfaithful Christians work and work with no contentment and are suffering all kinds of illnesses, accidents, and misfortunes in life. They sincerely believe they are saved and have full salvation.

However, that salvation is only partial because they have no salvation from sickness and accidents and they do not enjoy the open floodgates of heaven to supply all their needs according to God’s riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

They may only have the salvation of their souls so they may be saved in the end and not go to hell if they remain faithful and hold on to their faith in Jesus Christ.

B. The Tribulation for the Faithful and Carefully Obedient Believers in Christ.

These are the people of God that the Bible says God will protect just like Noah when God spared him and his family during the Great Flood (Genesis 6-9), and Lot when God rescued him during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19).

Remaining faithful and obedient to God does not mean being free from difficult times trials and suffering. The faithful righteous believers will suffer persecutions because it is part of the “cross” that Jesus said in Matthew 16:24. But the Lord will “make their yoke easy and their burdens light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Read here: What is the Christian’s Response to Trials

When they cry out to God, He will deliver them from all troubles (Psalm 34:17-20) because the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment (2 Peter 2:9).

And their light persecutions will accompany their hundredfold blessing in this present age and in the age to come. When the Great Tribulation will start, these faithful carefully obedient believers will just fly to the Wedding Banquet in heaven without experiencing death (Matthew 16:28).

Level 3 Tribulation

This is the final Great Tribulation spoken of by Jesus immediately following the rapture of the faithful believers. There will be great tribulation that is unequaled from the beginning of the world and never to be equaled again. And unless those days will be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22).

The elects are the Jews, the chosen people of God, and they will suffer greatly. As Jesus said, “They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:23-24).

Jesus also said, “Jerusalem will be surrounded by enemies” which is how they “will know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20. What is the status of Jerusalem now? It is surrounded by Arab nations who want nothing more than its destruction.

The great destruction of Jerusalem is just about to happen but the faithful believers who are now going through the narrow gate will take their “flight” while the vast majority of compromised believers who go through the broad way will go into destruction where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 7:13-14).

These are the “believers” to whom Jesus will say, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

Concluding Thoughts

Each one of us will encounter trials and tribulations that will place some pressure on us in possibly every area of our life. Trials are part of life and we cannot always expect life to be trouble-free and smooth-sailing.

Even we as Christians should not expect to navigate through life without encountering challenges, obstacles, and difficulties. Question is: are we suffering tribulation as a result of compromise and disobedience to God? Or are we suffering persecution for being faithful followers of Christ?

To go through trials and tribulations now is one thing; to go through the horrors of the Tribulation in the future is another thing.

God is loving, merciful and gracious; He wants everyone to accept His offer of salvation and be caught up to heaven before the terrible Day of the Lord.

Have you accepted Jesus’ invitation to be part of His heavenly kingdom by acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of a Savior? 

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Guest Author: Bishop Moses R. Chungalao (President, Founder and Senior Minister of the Free Believers in Christ Fellowship International or FBCFI)

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Recommended Resource: Lord Why?: Trials & Tribulations are all in His Plan by Reno Johnson (Foreword by Dr. Myles Monroe)

Readers who have found themselves facing adversity, experiencing rejection, betrayal, or discouragement and asking the question, “Lord, why?” should get ready for their breakthrough.

Author Reno Johnson understands what it is like to walk through the wilderness and will help readers learn to see difficulties as opportunities, not obstacles. In Lord, Why? he provides practical, biblical wisdom for overcoming whatever types of opposition one may be up against and offers prayers that will allow them to claim the victory.