We look for Christ, not events. Perhaps no erroneous doctrine has been more detrimental to the souls of God's children, than the teaching that those who compose the church of God will have to pass through "the great tribulation." Such a statement subverts God's revelation of the Church as the Body and Bride of Christ. It reduces the heavenly people to Jewish associations, and robs them of the attitude of watching and waiting for Christ to come at any time. Such, more or less, merge into a political view of the Lord's coming by looking for events instead of Himself, by looking for antichrist instead of Christ. Thus the affections, conscience, and hope of the soul become seriously damaged by it.
Nothing can be clearer in the Lord's farewell address to His disciples before going to the Father, than that He left them with the blessed expectation of soon seeing Him again. Between the coming of the Holy Spirit and His return from heaven, He did not put a series of events to be fulfilled; so we are told that the early Christians waited for God's Son from heaven.
The part of scripture that has been perverted to give a color to the doctrine is Matt. 24. But a brief glance at it will suffice to show that the "coming" referred to by the disciples, in their questions to the Lord, was not His coming for us, but His coming to Jerusalem when we come with Him. Then every eye shall see Him coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matt. 23:39; 24:339For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39)
3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3).) That those mentioned there who will go through the tribulation are "His elect," is true enough, and a term applied by Isaiah to the blest remnant of the Jews.
The time of "Jacob's trouble" which he will have to pass through and be brought out of, is clearly marked out by the following references:
1. "The Sabbath day.”
2. "Judea.”
3. "Fleeing to the mountains.”
4. "Flesh saved.”
5. "The abomination" spoken of by Daniel the prophet.
6 "The great tribulation such as was not.... no, nor ever shall be" also spoken of by the same prophet. It is preceded by the preaching of "the gospel of the kingdom of God," not of the grace of God as now preached. It is "the hour of temptation," coming upon all the world, from which the Lord promises to save us. "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from [or out of] the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev. 3:1010Because 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).
It is interesting to observe that when our Lord referred to His rejection by the Jews, Judah and Benjamin, He said, "I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, [the antichrist] him ye will receive." John 5:4343I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43). This we know from other scriptures is how the unparalleled tribulation will be brought about, and in retributive justice, the very tribes which rejected the Messiah will go through it. The ten tribes will not be gathered together till after this, when the Lord actually comes out of heaven. (Matt. 24:3131And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:31).)
Young Christian
We look not for the beast to come,
Nor for the great false prophet;
We scan not skies for signs of men,
Such studies yield no profit.
We wait not tribulation times,
Nor seek we death to take us.
We wait for God's Beloved Son,
From this hope none can shake us.
Our Lord is coming this we know,
Some day at night or noon,
And though we have no date to show,
We know He's coming soon.