THE CHURCH AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION

At the beginning of 2020, the "covid 19" pandemic broke out. Thousands of oil tankers and other cargo ships had to park in ports, paralyzing the entire human system. World trade has virtually stagnated, causing more unemployment and increasing hunger and violence, as well as the anguish of millions of people losing their loved ones. A true pre-apocalyptic setting. If that situation left the entire planet in a high level of stress, imagine When ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads begin to fall on the world's major cities?

This text deals with the question of the great tribulation and the Church of Christ. Will the Church go through this period of worldwide suffering? Jesus, speaking about the events of the end of the world, told the disciples that "for then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world untill now – and never to be equaled again" (Matthew 24: 21). But this statement is not a novelty brought by Jesus. The prophet Daniel, about 560 earlier, spoke about this end-time event. He wrote: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered ” (Daniel 12: 1). 

This "great tribulation", however, will not come suddenly. According to Jesus, it will be preceded by a period that He called "the beginning of birth pain". During this period there will be signs that will point to that moment of great suffering for humanity. Jesus says, then, that many will appear in his name, saying "I am the Christ", "there will be wars and rumors of wars", "there will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (Matthew24: 1-8). He also said that it will be a time of great hatred and persecution for those who fear God (Luke21: 12-18) and that there will also be “pests”, like this pandemic that we have been through. Note, however, that it is not being stated here that the “beginning of the birth pain” that Jesus spoke of has already arrived. 

The big question that afflicts many Christians in this context is the question of whether or not the Church will go through this period of suffering. Many teach that it will not pass, as it will be snatched first. In fact, Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, spoke about the rapture of the Church, an event that will remove Christians from the Earth and promote their encounter with Christ, in his kingdom. The Apostle teaches that, “with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever ” (1 Thessalonians 4: 16,17). 

It happens, however, that there is not a single verse in the Bible that states that the Church of Christ will not go through the great tribulation. But there are many who show that the Christian is called to bear witness of God and that comes at a price. God did not spare the first Christians from the suffering they suffered because of the gospel, which ensured that it reached the present day. It did not spare those who were afflicted in totalitarian regimes in the past century, and those who still suffer today in countries that persecute Christians, as well as those who have had their lives cut short by Islamic radicals recently. Paul, writing to the Philippians, said: “whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ... striving together as one for the Faith of the gospel... for It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believing in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have” (1: 27-30). 

Yes, the Church of Christ will go through the great tribulation, according to the Scriptures. The book of Revelation speaks of people under the altar of God who died "because of the Word of God and the testimony they gave" during the great tribulation. There is also a report of a great multitude of all nations, peoples and languages "who came from the great tribulation" (6: 9-11; 7: 9,14). This prophecy shows, Christians, in the great tribulation, giving testimony with the sacrifice of their own life. With regard to the rapture, scholars identify it, in it, only at the end, in chapter 19. It should also be said that Jesus speaking to the disciples about those days of anguish and tribulation said: “if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). there are elected in the great tribulation. There is a church in the great tribulation, bearing witness to God, and that church is the Church of Christ.

Antônio Maia - M.Div.

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