Will Christians Go Through the Tribulation? A Biblical Case

What role does the Christian play in the Tribulation?

The Bible provides a clear answer:

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV).

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10 KJV).

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV).

These verses make it abundantly clear that believers are not destined to experience the wrath of God that will be poured out during the Tribulation. Instead, they are promised deliverance and salvation, aligning with the expectation of the Rapture.

To further grasp this truth, let’s turn back to Genesis 18 and 19, where we find an important precedent in the story of Lot and Sodom. I want us to revisit this because when Jesus described the last days, He compared them to the days of Lot (Luke 17:28). In Genesis 18, Abraham pleads with God to spare the righteous from the destruction of Sodom, saying, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23 NKJV). God assures Abraham that He would not destroy the city if even ten righteous people were found. But when they couldn’t be found, God did something significant… He removed Lot and his family before He unleashed His judgment on the city because: “…I cannot do anything till thou be come thither” (Genesis 19:22 KJV).

God’s judgment cannot be poured out on a city where His covenant people live. If this was true for Lot in the Old Covenant, how much more is it true for the body of Christ in the New Covenant?

Through Lot, we see a biblical precedent being set for God’s deliverance. He doesn’t pour out His wrath while the righteous are still present. Similarly, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 talks about the “Restrainer,” a force that holds back the antichrist until it is time for judgment. Many scholars believe this restraining force is the presence of the Holy Spirit within the Church. Once the Church is removed, through the Rapture, the full weight of God’s wrath will be unleashed during the Tribulation.

From the opening of the seals to the blowing of the trumpets and the pouring out of the bowls of judgment, each phase demonstrates God’s direct hand in these events. Therefore, it is essential to understand that the Rapture is not just an escape from difficult times but a fulfillment of God’s promise to keep His people from His divine wrath.

Look at the question that Abraham poses to God: “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25 NKJV)

The suggestion is that it would be unjust for God to pour out His wrath on the righteous. God affirms this to be true and removes Lot and his family before He releases His judgment. The same will be true in the last days.

Paul commissions us to “…wait for His Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NKJV). God’s pattern of deliverance is clear throughout Scripture.

Understanding these distinctions provides clarity and reinforces the hope we have in Christ. The Rapture is the fulfillment of God’s covenant to protect His people from the unprecedented wrath that will unfold during the Tribulation. By grasping this, we can look toward the end times not with fear, but with confidence in God’s promise of deliverance.

“What Makes You So Special?”

Imagine for a moment if the Church, as the body of Christ, were called to endure the full fury of God’s wrath during the Tribulation. This notion isn’t just challenging, it’s nearly blasphemous. If we, the body of Christ, were subjected to the wrath of the Tribulation, it would be like crucifying Jesus a second time. Such a proposition would make light of the profound sacrifice He made on the Cross. Jesus has already taken God’s wrath upon Himself for all who trust in Him. To suggest that His body should now bear that same wrath is an affront to the very core of our faith.

It’s not uncommon to hear voices challenge the Rapture with a sense of smugness. “Who do you think you are?” they scoff. “Every Christian in history has faced persecution. Do you really think you’ll be spared while others have had to suffer?” These critics misrepresent the doctrine, dismissing it as a fantasy. It’s just another straw man.

Yes, it’s true that every generation of believers has faced tribulation and persecution. We aren’t promised an easy life free from hardship. However, no generation of believers has ever been subjected to the specific, direct, end-time wrath of God described in Revelation. That kind of wrath is a different matter altogether. It’s one thing to endure the trials and tribulations that come from living in a fallen world and facing persecution for our faith, but it’s entirely different to face this wrath.

This flips the critics’ argument on its head. What makes this current generation of believers so special that it would be destined to endure God’s wrath, a wrath that no other generation of Christians has ever had to face? Why should we believe that we are the exception to God’s established pattern of delivering His people before pouring out His wrath? The critics, not those who hold to the hope of the Rapture, are the ones who must answer this question.

The Rapture is not a fantasy but a glorious fulfillment of God’s promise to His Church. It’s not about escaping hardship, but rather about being spared from the very wrath that Jesus already bore for us on the Cross.

Are God’s People Protected During the Tribulation?

The question of whether Christians are protected during the Tribulation hinges on understanding who is referred to in the term “Christians.” For those who come to faith after the Rapture, during the Tribulation, their situation is different. These believers will endure intense persecution under the antichrist, and there is no blanket promise of physical protection for them. In fact, Revelation 13:7 (KJV) clearly states that the antichrist is given power to “make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” Many of these Tribulation saints will be martyred for refusing to take the mark of the beast or worship the antichrist.

There is a unique group, though, that does receive a specific form of protection: the 144,000 Jewish evangelists mentioned in Revelation chapter 7.These individuals are sealed by God and appear to be protected from certain judgments, such as the demonic plague of locusts described in Revelation 9:4 (KJV). The locusts are commanded to harm only “those men which have NOT the seal of God in their foreheads,” which suggests that the 144,000 are supernaturally shielded during certain parts of the Tribulation. However, beyond this group and this specific judgment, there is no promise of protection from the plagues or persecutions that come during this period

Who Are Being Martyred in the Tribulation?

If the Rapture is true, then who are the ones being martyred during the Tribulation, and why do they have to endure it? Who are the “saints” mentioned in Revelation that the antichrist is given power over? These are all crucial questions.

Let’s first tackle the martyrs. The people who are martyred during the Tribulation are those who come to faith after the Rapture. Revelation 7:14 (NKJV) refers to them as those who have “come out of great tribulation,” meaning they came to faith during the intense persecution of that time. These individuals weren’t part of the Ecclesia (the Church) as we know it. After the Church is removed from the earth, many people will realize the truth of the Gospel and give their lives to Christ. Unfortunately, following Jesus during the Tribulation will come at an incredibly high cost. They will refuse to take the mark of the beast and will face brutal persecution, even to the point of death.

There’s something very different about how the Gospel is presented and received during the Tribulation, and it becomes evident as you read through the book of Revelation. In the first three chapters of Revelation, the Church is undeniably the focal point. The Church is mentioned 19 times, front and center in the narrative. But then something dramatic happens. From chapter 4 onward, any direct mention of the Church on earth seems to disappear. Instead, the focus pivots entirely to the Jewish people and the nation of Israel.

Many scholars would argue, and I wholeheartedly agree, that during this time, the Church is seen in Heaven, receiving rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ, enjoying the presence of the Savior, and experiencing the promises made to overcomers, but they are not directly mentioned. In Revelation 19, we do see the Bride in Heaven, already prepared, rejoicing at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

It’s important to note that while we don’t see direct mention of the Church on earth or explicitly in Heaven after chapter 3, we do see the Bride already with Jesus when He returns in Revelation 19.This visual of the Bride in Heaven suggests the Church is no longer part of the unfolding events on earth.

What makes the shift in focus even more striking is that after the Church disappears from the narrative, we are introduced to 144,000 Jewish evangelists from the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4- 8). These are Jewish believers who are sealed and set apart for a special purpose during this time. In addition to them, we see two powerful prophets raised up to preach the truth, only to be martyred in the streets of Jerusalem (Revelation 11:3-12). But that’s not all, angels themselves are now declaring the everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6).

This marks a significant change in how the Gospel is spread. In the Church Age, the primary mission of evangelism belongs to the Church, the body of Christ. But during the Tribulation, after the Rapture has removed the Church, the evangelistic responsibility is given to the 144,000 sealed Jewish witnesses and the two prophets who serve as a testimony to the Israel and the nations. Additionally, angels are commissioned to proclaim the Gospel as well.

This change underscores God’s focus on Israel and the nations during this time of preparation and judgment. Furthermore, it is a signal that God’s full attention is concentrated on fulfilling His promises to Israel, while still offering salvation to all who would believe, even in this dark time.

We need to be thankful for the hour we’re living in today. During this time we have the unique privilege to connect with God the Father as part of the body of Christ. Those who will remain and believe after the Rapture are part of a different group of believers who will be honored in their own, very special way. They endure the Tribulation not because God is punishing them, but because they are living in a time of final judgment, and their newfound faith in Christ comes with a high earthly cost. Their martyrdom will serve as a powerful witness during this period, and they will be rewarded for their faithfulness.

Who Are The “Saints” in Revelation?

Now, let’s deal with the “saints” mentioned in Revelation. Revelation 13:7 (KJV) says, “And it was given unto him [the antichrist] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

But wait…didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 16:18, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the Church]”? What are we to make of this? The key lies in understanding that the “saints” mentioned in Revelation are not the same as the Church. The Church, made up of believers from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture, has already been removed from the earth before the Tribulation begins. The Tribulation “saints” in Revelation are those who come to faith after the Rapture, during the time of the antichrist’s reign.

Old Testament Saints and Tribulation Saints

The term “saints” is not exclusive to the Church. Throughout the Old Testament, we see references to saints as God’s holy ones. For example, in Deuteronomy 33:3 (NKJV), Moses speaks of God’s love for His people, saying, “Yes, He loves the people; all His saints are in Your hand.”

In Psalm 30:4 (KJV), David says, “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”

In these contexts, saints refers to the faithful of Israel, God’s covenant people, long before the Church was ever established at Pentecost. This might surprise you but even angels are sometimes referred to as saints in certain translations. One example often cited is Deuteronomy 33:2 (KJV), which says:

And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

In this verse, the term “saints” (or “holy ones”) is understood by many theologians to refer to angels accompanying the Lord. Though I may not agree with this understanding, it’s certainly a possibility. However, this is not the usual application in the New Testament, where “saints” almost exclusively refers to human believers, whether they are Old Testament faithful, members of the Church, or Tribulation saints.

So when Revelation refers to saints, it’s not slam-dunk proof that the Church is present during this time. The antichrist is given power to “make war with the saints, and to overcome them” (Revelation 13:7 KJV).The only way this is not a contradiction to Jesus’s promise that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church is if this is a different group of people.

The Church is a unique group, starting from the Day of Pentecost and ending with the Rapture. The Church was promised deliverance from the wrath to come, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 KJV): “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Church will not experience the wrath of God during the Tribulation. This does not mean God has abandoned those who believe on Him during the Tribulation; they will be gloriously rewarded for their faithfulness.

It’s important to recognize that no generation of the Church has ever been exempt from facing martyrdom or suffering. Every believer, no matter the time or place, must be ready to stand firm against persecution. Jesus warned that in this world we would have tribulation (John 16:33), and throughout history, many have laid down their lives for the faith.

However, the persecution we see during the Tribulation is different. While believers during the Tribulation will face persecution from the antichrist and his followers, the broader context is that they are living during a time when God’s judgment is unfolding and they are not exempt from the drought, famine, scorching heat, and yet, even for those who come to faith during the Tribulation, there remains the promise of eternal life. Though they may endure unimaginable trials, their reward will be great as they stand before the throne of God. The Tribulation may be a time of incredible darkness, but the light of Christ’s ultimate victory shines through, giving hope to all who look to Him. In the end, God’s justice will prevail, and His people will reign with Him in glory forever.

The Judge of all the earth will do what’s right!