The Transition From the
Tribulation to the Second Coming
                                                                                         By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                        May 20, 2019
     "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful."
                                                                                       Revelation 17:14
Introduction
     How is the Tribulation Period going to end, and when will the literal return of Christ occur?  This is the subject matter of this study.  If the reader has ever wondered about this, then join us for this study.......

The End of the Tribulation
     Most commentaries and "prophecy preachers" almost totally ignore the details of how the Tribulation Period is going to end.  But there are some truths about the end of the Tribulation which God's people need to know.   The inspired Word explicitly tells the Lord's Church and His people living in this present Dispensation of Grace, "That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus," Ephesians 2:7.  We are not there yet, but let's look at the prophecies of what's coming to see what we can learn.......   
     The end of the Tribulation Period is described in two prophetic passages in God's Word.  These two passages of Scripture are found in
Ezekiel 38:18-23 and Revelation 16:17-21.  Now let's examine both passages carefully.......
Ezekiel 38:18-23
     Most serious students of Bible prophecy will recognize this chapter, along with chapter 39, as describing the Gog-Magog war.  This is true, however it also is describing the end of the Tribulation Period, with the war immediately following.  Just keep reading! I will give Scriptural proof of this statement as we continue.
Gog's Invasion of Israel
      Notice in this passage in Ezekiel 38:18, Ezekiel was inspired of God to clearly state that when Gog [Russia and her allies] invades the land of Israel, God's fury shall come up in His face.  These Scriptures do not tell us exactly when this  invasion by Gog will occur during the course of the Tribulation.   However, this invasion will obviously take place sometime before the end of the Tribulation, because the land of Israel will be occupied by the invaders for a period of time before the Tribulation ends.  Read it for yourself in Jeremiah 7:22-25 and Zechariah 14:1-2.   
God's Fury
       In 38:19 the Lord says that He has spoken in "the fire" of His wrath. This is past tense, and we can see this truth by studying the  judgments of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials [bowls] poured out upon mankind during the course of the Tribulation Period.  See it for yourself in Revelation, chapters 6 through 16.  These are the chapters which explicitly record the pouring out of the 21 judgments of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials [bowls] of the wrath of the Lamb, and of the wrath of God, Rev. 6:15-16.  Compare also Zechariah 14:3.
The Great Shaking
     But this is not all that is stated in 38:19.   The Lord then says, ".....Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;"  This is future tense; the Lord predicting a great shaking that will come after the "fire" of His wrath has been poured out.  Compare Rev. 16:18.  
   This "great shaking" is then described in 38:20.  It will be such a shaking that it will shake "the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things....." and "all the men that are upon the face of the earth..."  The results of this "great shaking" will cause "the mountains" to be "thrown down, and the steep places" to fall, and "every wall shall fall to the ground."  If our readers take this statement as literal truth (and I do), then obviously every standing man made structure in Israel [and upon the whole earth]  will collapse and fall. Again compare Revelation 16:19.  
     The Gog-Magog War Begins
     According to 38:21, this will be when the Lord God calls "for a sword" against Gog, and the Gog-Magog war will begin in the land of Israel; "throughout all My mountains.   There will be such confusion that "every man's sword shall be against his brother." Compare Zechariah 14:13.  
The Heavens Also Effected
     Then 38:22 tells us that during this same time,  there will be "an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone."   Such a terrible storm of hail and fire, will not have  occurred since the children of Israel were being delivered out of the land of Egypt, Exodus 9:18-33.  However, this storm will be much worse, and have much greater effect than the hail storm in ancient Egypt.  In ancient Egypt the people could take shelter in their houses and buildings.  But in this storm there will be no houses or buildings left standing to shelter men or animals. 38:19.  Compare Rev. 16:21.  
The Lord God Will be Magnified
     38:23 then tells us, that from the time of this terrible final judgment of the Tribulation, and the war that follows,  the Lord God "will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord."  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!       
The 21 Judgments
     Readers should keep in mind that there are 21 judgments prophesied in Revelation as occurring during the course of the Tribulation Period.  These 21 judgments are.....
      [1] the opening of the seven seals on the seven sealed book by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, 5:1-17.  "the wrath of the Lamb," 6:16.
      [2] the sounding of the seven trumpets by  seven angels, 8:2.  
      [3]  the pouring out of seven vials [bowls] of God's wrath upon the earth, also by seven angels, 15:1.  
      It should be obvious to every serious reader, that these 21 judgments are poured out upon mankind  LEFT BEHIND on the earth when the rapture has occurred.  The judgments are poured out in chronological order.  
     [1]   There is a judgment which occurs when each seal is opened,  then the opening of the 7th seal  introduces the 7 angels who are given 7 trumpets.
     [2]  There is a judgment which occurs when each trumpet is sounded, then the sounding of the 7th trumpet introduces the 7 angels with 7 vials [bowls] of God's wrath.  
     [3]   There is a judgment which occurs when each bowl of God's wrath is poured out, then the pouring out of the 7th bowl is followed by the end of the Tribulation.    
THE COMPARISON
     Now let's go to Revelation 16:17-21, and compare this passage with the passage in Ezekiel 38:18-23.  
Revelation 16:17
     This passage begins with the pouring out of the 7th vial [bowl] of God's wrath.  This bowl of the wrath of God is poured out in the sky or "air" above the surface of the earth.  Now doesn't the passage in Ezekiel 38:18-23 speak of the Lord God's "wrath" having an effect in the heavens?  The honest reader knows it does.  
The Great Voice
     At the same time the 7th bowl of God's wrath is  poured out, "a great voice out of the temple of  heaven, from the throne," is heard,        
"saying, It is done."  
         The words being uttered by this "great voice" are of the utmost importance to those still left alive on the earth when this 7th bowl of God's wrath is poured out.   If our readers will look back at 15:6, this is where the seven angels come out of the temple in heaven, having with them "the seven plagues."  15:7 then tells us that they are given "seven golden vials [bowls] full of the wrath of God."  Then 15:8  explicitly states that the temple in heaven is "filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."  
     Sadly, many "prophecy teachers" just skim over this Scripture, hardly giving it a thought.  But folks, the Temple of God in Heaven is where the true Mercy Seat or Mercy Throne is located.  If "no man" is able to even enter that Temple until all seven plagues [judgments] have been poured out upon mankind still surviving on the earth, then "no man" still alive on the earth will be able to obtain mercy to be saved, until the very last plague has been poured out.  Now read 1 Timothy 2:5. This inspired statement in Rev. 15:8 includes the incarnate Lord Jesus Christ, who is both God and "man," and is mankind's only "Mediator" between God and man.   And it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is  the only way of salvation for fallen mankind, John 14:6; Acts 4:12.  When even the Lord Jesus cannot enter the Heavenly Temple to make intercession for mankind, then no mercy can be obtained, and no one on earth can be saved during that period of time.   
     This means that during the last half of the Tribulation, while the last seven bowls of God's wrath are being poured out, no one still alive on the earth will be saved, or will even be able to be saved.  No one!
     The only "bright spot" in this scenario, is that AFTER this 7th bowl of God's wrath has been poured out as stated in 16:17, THEN those still alive on the earth, who are inclined to do so,  can call upon the Lord Jesus and be saved.   But how many will?  Turn and read Isaiah 24:5-6.
This last Scripture; Isaiah 24:6, explicitly states, ".....few men left."   
     Think about it!  How many were left alive on the earth after the flood?  Just 8 souls; enough to repopulate the earth.  Then how many will be left alive on the earth by the end of the Tribulation?  Just enough to repopulate the earth!  Oh, that men would seek the Lord NOW!
The Third Woe
     Notice also in 16:17, what the "great voice" actually says, "It is done!"  The Greek word translated as "done" in this Scripture, literally means, "finished; completed; brought to completion."  See Strong's No. 1096.
       In other words, when the 7th bowl of God's wrath has been poured out  upon the wicked still alive on the earth, the third "woe" prophesied in 11:14, is brought to completion, and the Tribulation Period will be over; ended; completed; finished; "done."    
     But what actually happens when  this 7th angel pours out his bowl of God's wrath, thereby fulfilling the  "third woe," and bringing the  Tribulation Period to completion?  This is all prophesied and recorded in the next four Scriptures; 16:18-21.  
      In 16:18 there are "voices, and thunders, and lightnings" prohesied as occurring in the sky or heavens above the earth.  But in or on the earth itself, there will be "a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth."  In other words, the greatest earthquake which has ever occurred in human history, is going to occur just before  the end of the Tribulation Period.  
     Then in 16:19-21 the results of this "great earthquake" are set forth.  
      [1]  16:19 tells us that the "great city" will be divided into three parts.  I assume this is talking about the city of Jerusalem, although this Scripture does not identify the city by name.  This same Scripture also states that.......
     [2]   All the "cities of the nations" will be destroyed.  Not one city on earth will survive, except for the city of Jerusalem in Israel.  It will survive, but only because the Lord Jesus will make it the place of His throne, from which He will reign over all the earth, Ezekiel 43:6-7.
     [3]   And also the great city of "Babylon" will receive the "fierceness of His [God's] wrath."  This ancient city was originally built under the leadership of wicked old Nimrod,  the first man after the flood who dared to place himself as the object of worship, rather than leading mankind to worship God,  Genesis 10:8-10.   Babylon has been a stumbling block to mankind on the earth ever since Nimrod established it.  This same Scripture records it's ignoble end, Romans 6:23.  .  
     [4]   Then in 16:20 the inspired Word tells us of the earth changes which the "great earthquake" will make upon the earth itself.  "Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found."  Compare  Ezekiel 38:20. This same truth is obviously being set forth here in Rev. 16:20.  
    [5]   Apparently due to almost instant climatic weather changes, 16:21, then the great hail storm will occur on the earth.  But not like any hail storm which normally falls upon the earth.  Each of these hail stones will be huge, weighing nearly 100 pounds each.  There is no question that they will smash, destroy, and kill everything and everyone they hit.   This will bring a fitting end to the Tribulation Period.  
Then Gog-Magog and Armageddon
      Don't fail to notice that this final bowl of God's wrath, and everything that occurs as a result of it, fails to bring most of the wicked still alive on the earth to repentance. Only a few will receive Christ as Savior during the brief interval between the last bowl, and the coming of Christ.   Rather, most still alive on the earth will "blaspheme" [curse] God because of "the plague of the hail." And the Lord God will have had enough!  
     The details of the Lord's visible, bodily return are set forth in many different passages of Scripture in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  But Matthew 24:29-31 quite clearly states that it is AFTER the Tribulation, that the Lord visibly, bodily returns.  PERIOD!   
Conclusion  
    It should be glaringly obvious to our readers, that these two passages of Scripture; Ezekiel 38:18-23 and Revelation 16:17-21, are speaking of the same events, and the same period of time; the events and time period  which brings the Tribulation to an end.  But then what happens?
      In Revelation 17, the subject is changed, and other subject matters related to the Tribulation, and to the future following the Tribulation are taken up.   More info for a future study.       
    However, in Ezekiel 38, followed by chapter 39, more details of the Gog-Magog war are given.  Our readers should study these two chapters carefully.  Whether some readers appreciate it or not, what we have studied, places the God-Magog war as beginning right at, or  immediately after the end of the Tribulation Period, when the anti-christ and his allies attempt to make war against the Lord Himself as they see Him coming in glory, Rev. 1:7; 19:19; Matthew 24:29-31; Zechariah 14:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:13.   Make war against the Lord?  What brazen stupidity!  
     Dear readers, these events we have studied are not hundreds of years in the future.  The terrible Tribulation Period is staring humanity in the face RIGHT NOW.  The only thing  preventing the Tribulation from coming upon mankind RIGHT NOW is the resurrection and rapture of all true believers .  Our gracious Lord is not going to allow His Church, or New Covenant believers to enter into the Tribulation Period, 1 Thessalonians 5:9.  When the rapture does occur, the Tribulation will immediately begin.  Are you ready to meet the Lord at the rapture?  Or will you be one of those LEFT BEHIND when the rapture occurs?  Saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what makes the difference.  Read John 3:16-18, 3:36, 14:6, Acts 4:12, Romans 10:8-13, and Ephesians 2:8-10.  Meet me in Heaven!  
     May our gracious God add His blessings to this study.......
<<<<<<<       O       >>>>>>>
     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL.........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE.......573-202-6493
<<<<<<<       O       >>>>>>>