The End of Tribulation?
While tribulation has been ongoing since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, what evidence is there to indicate that
Tribulation has ended here? To set the timeline, in light of Daniel's 70th week
(Dan 9:27) and the second interlude (Rev 11:1-14),
the ministry of the Two Witnesses takes place during the first 3-1/2 years and the reign of Antichrist during the latter
3-1/2 years beginning with the Great Tribulation.
1. Around the period of the sixth trumpet, the Two Witnesses are killed by the angel king of the abyss
(Rev 9:11; 11:7). The result of the sixth trumpet
itself, in which the four bound angels are released to kill 1/3 of mankind, indicates that the survivors do not appear to be
Believers:
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their
hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can
neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor
of their thefts. (Rev 9:20-21)
2. When Jesus speaks of the Great Tribulation, He tells His disciples to flee to the mountains immediately
(Matt 24:16-20; Mark 13:14-18;
Luke 21:20-24); there is no exhortation to stand for one's faith! The lives of the elect
will be "cut short."
For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world
until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect
those days will be cut short. (Matt 24:21-22)
For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the
creation which God created until now, and never will. Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved;
but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. (Mark 13:19-20)
3. The tribulation ends before the seventh trumpet. The last established Believers who would stand for their faith, the
144,000 sealed bond servants, are seen in heaven after the seventh trumpet and no longer on earth
(Rev 14:1-5); they were likely killed before the seventh trumpet.
"But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon
will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign
of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory." (Matt 24:29-30)
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not
give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they
will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." (Mark 13:24-26)
4. After the seventh trumpet blows, an angel flies preaching the eternal gospel to every nation, tribe and tongue
(Rev 14:6-7; Matt 24:14); there are no Believers
left on earth who would stand for their faith and agape others in sharing the gospel. Anyone who becomes a Believer now is
likely the ones who will soon be raptured by Jesus Christ:
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming
of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
(1 Thes 4:15-17)
The tribulation ends when the last Believer, who would withstand the persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ,
dies for it.