The Great Tribulation: What It Is—And How to Prepare?

JESUS SPOKE of a time unlike any other in human history—a period of such intense suffering and chaos that He warned, “unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

Just a verse earlier, He calls this time the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). But what exactly is the Great Tribulation? And how can God’s people prepare for what lies ahead?

'A Time of Unparalleled Distress'

The Great Tribulation is a unique period of global suffering, centered on persecution of God’s true people. Jesus warned His followers:

“They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).

This is not a general time of war and disaster—though those will happen—but a specific, targeted time of martyrdom and testing of the saints.

Revelation 6:9-11 also shows a vision of the souls of martyrs crying out under the altar, asking God how long He will wait before avenging their blood. They are told to wait “a little while longer,” indicating a future period where more of their fellow servants would be killed as they were—a reference to the Great Tribulation.

When Does the Tribulation Begin?

According to the timeline of Matthew 24, the Great Tribulation begins after the abomination of desolation is set up—“spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (v. 15)—which occurs in the holy place. This suggests a future desecration of a Jerusalem temple or holy site, marking a turning point in prophetic events.

This tribulation period aligns with “Jacob’s trouble” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7--

“Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.” 

Jacob, being the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, here represents the modern descendants of Israel—especially the nations of the English-speaking world and Judah (modern-day Israel), who will undergo national calamity and divine correction.

No Secret Escape—No "Rapture"

Many Christians today are taught about a “secret rapture”—a belief that believers will be whisked away to heaven before the Tribulation begins. But this doctrine is not found anywhere in the Bible. In fact, Jesus clearly says in Matthew 24:29-31 that after the Tribulation, He will return and gather His elect with the sound of a trumpet.

Paul also writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that the resurrection of the saints occurs at Christ’s return, not before. The teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture offers a false sense of security and downplays Christ’s very words about endurance and persecution (Matthew 24:13).

Is There a 'Place of Safety'?

While not everyone will be raptured away, the Bible does offer hope. Revelation 12 gives a prophetic picture of the true Church, symbolized by a woman, fleeing into the wilderness:

“But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place… where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent” (Revelation 12:14).

This suggests that some of God’s faithful people will be protected in a physical “place of safety” during the 3½-year Tribulation. However, not all will be taken there. Verse 17 continues:

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” 

Some saints will be protected; others will face martyrdom. So all must be spiritually prepared.

The Sealing of the 144,000

Before God's final judgments are unleashed, Revelation 7 describes the sealing of 144,000 servants of God—12,000 from each tribe of Israel. These individuals are marked for divine protection, possibly spiritual and physical, during the coming judgments. This sealing shows that God "knows His own", and not one faithful servant will be overlooked or forgotten.

This group stands apart from the "great multitude" in Revelation 7:9 who come out of the Tribulation, having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb—many of whom may have died in faith during that time.

A Call to Watch and Be Ready

Rather than speculate or fear, Jesus gave one consistent command to His disciples:

“Watch… and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36).

The Church must be spiritually awake, obedient, and faithful.

The Great Tribulation is coming—not to terrify God’s people, but to test, refine, and prepare the world for Christ’s return.

Whether we are protected in the wilderness or called to endure martyrdom, we are all called to stand firm in the truth, keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus.

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12)

Stand Firm in the Faith

The Great Tribulation is a sobering and imminent reality foretold by Jesus Christ and the prophets. But it is also a time of refinement, testing, and ultimate victory for the faithful. Rather than fear, we must respond with faith, repentance, and readiness. The saints are not promised escape from hardship, but they are promised strength, endurance, and eternal reward.

Whether we are among those protected in a place of safety or called to lay down our lives in witness, our mission is the same: to obey God, proclaim His truth, and endure to the end. Let us be among those whom Christ finds watching, praying, and faithfully keeping His Word.

"Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." (Mark 13:33)