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{{Short description|Calamitous end times period as found in the Synoptic Gospels}}
{{Redirect|Tribulation}}
{{Christian Eschatology|expanded=Key terms}}
In [[Christian eschatology]], the '''Great Tribulation''' ({{langx|grc|θλῖψις μεγάλη|thlîpsis megálē}}) is a period mentioned by [[Jesus]] in the [[Olivet Discourse]] as a sign that would occur in the [[Eschatology|time of the end]].<ref>''See'' Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.</ref>

At {{Bibleverse|Revelation|7:14|esv}}, "the Great Tribulation" ({{langx|grc|τῆς θλῑ́ψεως τῆς μεγάλης|tês thlī́pseōs tês megálēs|the great tribulation|links=no}}) is used to indicate the period spoken of by [[Jesus]].<ref>Vine, William E. ''Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words'', [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0003084 Tribulation]</ref>  {{Bibleverse|Matthew|24:21, 29}} uses ''tribulation'' (θλίβω) in a context denoting afflictions of those hard-pressed by [[siege]] and the calamities of war.<ref>
Thayer, Joseph. ''Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament'', [http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2347&t=KJV θλίβω (''tribulation'')]
</ref>

== Etymology ==
The term "Great Tribulation" occurs four times in the New Testament: {{Bibleverse|Matthew|24:21|esv}}, {{Bibleverse|Acts|7:11|esv}}, {{Bibleverse|Revelation|2:22|esv}}, and {{Bibleverse|Revelation|7:14|esv}}. Some take the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:21 to be describing a period of intense persecution and tribulation at the end of the age, prior to Jesus's return.{{Sfn|Hays|Duvall|Pate|2007|p=192}}

==Views==
Christians disagree over whether the Tribulation will be a relatively short period of great hardship before the end of the world and [[Second Coming]] of Christ (a school of thought sometimes called "[[Futurism (Christianity)|Futurism]]"); or has already occurred, having happened in AD 70 when Roman legions [[Siege of Jerusalem (70)|laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed its temple]] (sometimes called [[Preterism]]); or began in 538 AD when papal Rome came to power—popes being anti-Christs—and will intensify shortly before the end of the world,<ref name=Benware-240/><ref name=rugh/> (sometimes called "[[Historicism (Christianity)|Historicism]]").

===Futurism===
In the [[Futurism (Christianity)|futurist]] view of [[Christian eschatology]], the Great Tribulation is a relatively short period of time where everyone will experience worldwide hardships, persecution, disasters, famine, war, pain, and suffering, which will affect all of creation, and precede judgment of all when the [[Second Coming]] takes place. Some pretribulationists believe that those who choose to follow [[God in Christianity|God]] will be [[rapture]]d before the tribulation, and thus escape it.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} On the other hand, [[Posttribulation rapture|posttribulationists]] believe Christians who are alive at the time of the Great Tribulation must endure the Great Tribulation and will receive great blessings.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

According to [[Dispensationalism|dispensationalists]], the Tribulation is thought to occur before the Second Coming of Jesus and during the [[Eschatology|End Times]]. In this view, the Tribulation will last seven prophetic Hebrew years (lasting 360 days each) in all, but the Great Tribulation will be the second half of the Tribulation period.<ref>see [[wikisource:Bible (King James)/Matthew#Chapter 24|Matt 24:15]] and [[wikisource:Bible (King James)/Matthew#Chapter 24|Matt 24:21]] showing the Great Tribulation is after the [[Abomination of Desolation]], which marks the midpoint of the Tribulation</ref>

In this view, this seven-year period is considered to be the final week of Daniel's [[Prophecy of Seventy Weeks]], found in Daniel chapter 9. It is theorized that each week represents seven years, with the timetable beginning from [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes]]' order to rebuild the [[Second Temple]] in Jerusalem. After seven weeks and 62 weeks, the prophecy says that the [[messiah]] will be "cut off", which is taken to correspond to the death of [[Christ]]. This is seen as creating a break of indeterminate length in the timeline, with one week remaining to be fulfilled.

The time period for these beliefs is also based on other passages: in the Book of Daniel, "[[time, times, and half a time]]", interpreted as "three and a half years," and the Book of Revelation, "a thousand two hundred and threescore days" and "forty and two months" (the prophetic month averaging 30 days, hence 1260/30 = 42 months or 3.5 years). The 1290 days of {{Bibleverse|Daniel|12:11}}, (rather than the 1260 days of {{Bibleverse|Revelation|11:3}}), is thought to be the result of either a simple [[Intercalation (timekeeping)|intercalary]] leap month adjustment, or due to further calculations related to the prophecy, or due to an intermediate stage of time that is to prepare the world for the beginning of the [[Millennialism|millennial reign]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Tim F. LaHaye|author2=Thomas Ice|title=Charting the End Times: A Visual Guide to Understanding Bible Prophecy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ESz8LZW5d-gC|year=2001|pages=66–67|publisher=Harvest House Publishers|isbn=978-0-7369-0138-3}}</ref>

====Events====
Among Futurists there are differing views about what will happen to Christians during the Tribulation:
* Pretribulationists believe that all righteous Christians (deceased and living) will be taken bodily up to [[Heaven]] (called the [[Rapture]]) before the Tribulation begins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Thessalonians%204.13-18|title=1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (ESV) - "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who ..." - Biblia.com|work=Biblia|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref> According to this belief, every true Christian that has ever existed throughout the course of the entire Christian era will be instantaneously transformed into a perfect resurrected body, and will thus escape the trials of the Tribulation. Those who become Christians after the rapture will live through (or perish during) the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, Christ will return to establish his Millennial Kingdom.
* Prewrathers believe the rapture will occur during the Tribulation, at some unknown time in the second half of the 70th week of Daniel, but before the [[seven trumpets]] and [[seven bowls]] of the [[Divine retribution|wrath of God]]. Thus the rapture cuts short the Tribulation and initiates the wrath of God.
* [[Midtribulationism|Midtribulationists]] believe that the rapture will occur halfway through the Tribulation, but before the worst part of it occurs. The seven-year period is divided into halves—the "beginning of sorrows" and the "Great Tribulation".
* [[Post Tribulation Rapture|Posttribulationists]] believe that Christians will not be taken up into Heaven for eternity, but will be received or gathered in the air by Christ, to descend together to establish the [[Kingdom of God]] on earth at the end of the Tribulation.

In pretribulationism and midtribulationism, the rapture and the Second Coming of Christ are separate events, while in post-tribulationism the two events are identical or simultaneous. Another feature of the pre- and mid-tribulation beliefs is the idea that after the rapture, Christ will return for a third time (when also counting the first coming) to set up his kingdom on the earth.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

The [[Catholic Church]] teaches that there will be a "final Passover" or last "purgatory" before the final [[parousia]] (Second Coming), in which the church will "pass through a final fire that will shake the faith of many". Generally neither the Catholic Church, the various [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox]] and [[Anglican communion|Anglican]] communions, nor the older Protestant denominations use the term "rapture", and tend toward [[amillennialism]]. In this view, the millennium is regarded as the initial period of Christ's reign (manifested in the life and activity of the church) that began with the Pentecost and will lead up to the messiah's eventual return, with the outcome being a single and permanent event at the end of present time.<ref name="Switzer (Cath. escat.)">{{cite web|last1=Switzer|first1=John|title=Do Catholics believe in the Rapture?|url=http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201407/do-catholics-believe-rapture-29196|website=US Catholic| date=11 August 2014 |access-date=September 10, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Anglcian (eschat.)">{{cite web|author1=Fr. Jonathan|title=Ask an Anglican: The End of the World|url=https://conciliaranglican.com/2011/12/23/ask-an-anglican-the-end-of-the-world/|website=The Conciliar Anglican|access-date=September 10, 2016|date=December 23, 2011|archive-date=July 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730035042/https://conciliaranglican.com/2011/12/23/ask-an-anglican-the-end-of-the-world/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Rossing (Lutheran eschat.)">{{cite web|last1=Rossing|first1=Barbara|title=End-times|url=https://www.livinglutheran.org/2013/06/end-times/|website=Liveing Lutheran|access-date=September 10, 2016|date=June 4, 2013}}</ref>

===Preterism===
In the [[Preterist]] view, the Tribulation took place in the past when [[Roman legions]] [[Siege of Jerusalem (70)|destroyed Jerusalem and its temple in AD 70]] during the end stages of the [[First Jewish–Roman War]], and it only affected the [[Jewish]] people rather than all mankind.

Christian preterists believe that the Tribulation was a divine judgment visited upon the Jews for their sins, including rejection of Jesus as the promised [[Messiah]]. It occurred entirely in the past, around AD 70 when the armed forces of the [[Roman Empire]] destroyed Jerusalem and its temple.

A preterist discussion of the Tribulation has its focus on the Gospels, in particular the prophetic passages in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, rather than on the [[Apocalypse]] or Book of Revelation. (Preterists apply much of the symbolism in the Revelation to Rome, the [[Caesar (title)|Cæsars]], and their persecution of Christians, rather than to the Tribulation upon the Jews.)

Jesus' warning in Matthew 24:34 that "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled"<ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|24:34}}</ref> is tied back to his similar warning to the [[Scribes]] and the [[Pharisees]] that their judgment would "come upon this generation",<ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|23:36}}</ref> that is, during the first century rather than at a future time long after the Scribes and Pharisees had died. The destruction in AD 70 occurred within a 40-year generation from the time when Jesus gave that discourse.

The judgment on the Jewish nation was executed by the Roman legions, "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet."<ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|24:15}}</ref>

Since Matthew 24 begins with Jesus visiting the [[Jerusalem]] Temple and pronouncing that "there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (vs. 3), preterists see nothing in Scripture to indicate that another Jewish temple will ever be built.  The prophecies were all fulfilled on the then-existing temple that Jesus spoke about and that was subsequently destroyed within that generation.

===Historicism===
The [[Historicism (Christianity)|Historicist]] view applies Tribulation to the period known as "persecution of the saints" (Daniel 7, Revelation 13). This is believed to have begun with the period after the "falling away" when papal Rome came to power for 1260 years from 538 to 1798 (using the [[day-year principle]]). They believe that the Tribulation is not a future event, but it intensifies right at the end to a time such as never before.<ref name=Benware-240>Benware, Paul N. ''Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach''. Moody Publishers (Chicago, IL, USA). Ch. 13: The Posttribulation Rapture View. pg. 240</ref><ref name=rugh>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblebb.com/files/eschatology.htm |title=ESCHATOLOGY - Different Rapture Views - Greg Rugh |publisher=Biblebb.com |access-date=2015-03-06}}</ref> Matthew's reference to "Great Tribulation"<ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|24:29}}</ref> as parallel to Revelation 6:12-13, will reach a point that if it was not shortened even the just would not survive.<ref>Smith, Uriah, ''Daniel and Revelation'', pp. 437–449</ref><ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|24:22}}</ref>

Historicists are prone to see prophecy fulfilled down through the centuries and rather than a single [[Antichrist]] to rule the earth during a future Tribulation period, [[Martin Luther]], [[John Calvin]] and the other [[Protestant Reformers]] saw the Antichrist as fulfilled in the [[papacy]]. The reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and others saw the papacy's claim of temporal power over all secular governments and the autocratic character of the papal office as the falling away from the original faith founded by Jesus and the apostles, and challenged papal authority as it had deviated from scripture with its tradition and was a corruption from the early church.<ref name = HN1>{{Cite book | last = Newcomb | first = Harvey | author-link = Harvey Newcomb | title = Great Apostasy: Being an Account of the Origin, Rise and Progress of Corruption and Tryanny in the Church of Rome | publisher = Kessinger Publishing | year = 2003 | pages = ix | isbn = 9780766178847 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XZ0JL9AhS0wC&pg=PA33 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name = JTC1>{{Cite book | last = Talmage | first = James E.| author-link = James E. Talmage | title = [[Jesus the Christ (book)|Jesus the Christ]] | publisher = LDS Church | year = 1973 | pages = 745–757 |edition= 40th |oclc= 2012826 }}</ref>

Similarly, some modern historicists see the Tribulation on the Jews as beginning in AD 70 and continuing for centuries, covering the same time span as "the times of the Gentiles" during which "Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles."<ref>Luke 21:24</ref> This view would have it encompass not only the death of a million Jews at the hands of the Roman legions, but also the death of six million Jews in the [[Holocaust]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://samuelwhitefield.com/974/when-do-the-times-of-the-gentiles-end |title=When do the "Times of the Gentiles" End? – Samuel Whitefield |access-date=2019-03-25 |archive-date=2019-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325075336/https://samuelwhitefield.com/974/when-do-the-times-of-the-gentiles-end |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Christian eschatology]]

==References==

=== Notes ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===

* {{Cite book |last=Hays |first=J. Daniel |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/U5BauQAACAAJ?hl=en |title=Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times |last2=Duvall |first2=J. Scott |last3=Pate |first3=C. Marvin |date=2007 |publisher=Zondervan |isbn=978-0-310-25663-2 |language=en}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* ''The Great Tribulation: Past or Future'' by Thomas Ice and Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. (Kregel Publications, 1999) {{ISBN|0-8254-2901-3}}
* ''Four Views on the Book of Revelation'' by Kenneth L. Gentry Jr., Sam Hamstra Jr., C. Marvin Pate and Robert L. Thomas (Zondervan, 1998) {{ISBN|0-310-21080-1}}
* ''Great Prophecies of the Bible'' by Ralph Woodrow (Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association, 1971) {{ISBN|0-916938-02-6}}

{{Christian theology}}
{{Doomsday}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Biblical phrases]]
[[Category:Book of Revelation]]
[[Category:Christian eschatology]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]