Tribulation… tribulation… It’s one of those scary words. “Tribulation” comes from the Greek word “thlipsis”. Kind of a fun word to say. Anyways, it means “trouble, suffering, affliction, distress, persecution.” So, a “great tribulation,” then, is a time of great trouble, great suffering, great affliction, great distress, and great persecution.

When we think of “the great tribulation,” we tend to think of absolute horribleness that comes at the end of the world. Jesus says, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” Jesus says, “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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Popular Christianity has taught many Christians to think of the “great tribulation” as seven years of absolute horribleness—a time of awful persecution and suffering—that comes in the last days. Jesus certainly talks about great tribulations to come before the Last Day. And yet, the only description of what life will be like in those last days is a description of what life has already been like… wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. So, there’s no line drawn in Scripture that clearly defines the exact last days. We could be living in those last days of the “great tribulation” right now. Hence, the reason God in His Word is constantly telling us to be ready and keep watch, because Jesus can come again at any time—which means anytime is great tribulation.

And that’s the point. The tribulation that comes in the last days (whatever that may end up looking like) is a microcosm of the truly “great tribulation.” Scripture most often speaks of tribulation in terms of living life in this fallen world, facing the onslaughts of the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature. Tribulations began with the fall into sin and will continue until Jesus comes again in glory. Everyone experiences tribulation in some form or another. Christians also experience great tribulations for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, which the devil, the world, and our sinful natures hate so very much.

Scripture speaks a lot of the tribulations faced by people throughout life. I said earlier that the Greek word “thlipsis” means tribulation, which means trouble, suffering, affliction, distress, or persecution. That’s a lot of possible translation words. So, I’m going to share some Bible passages that contain the word “thlipsis.”

Jesus says regarding the parable of the sower: “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when thlipsis or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” So, Jesus describes a person who believes, but when they run into suffering in life or persecution for the faith, they fall away and don’t endure to the end.

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have thlipsis. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In Acts 7:11, Stephen describes the famine in Egypt and Canaan that we’ve been hearing about during the Genesis sermon series. He says the famine was a “great thlipsis.”

Here’s another good one. Paul says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our thlipsis, knowing that thlipsis produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Again, Paul says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall thlipsis, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Again, Paul says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in thlipsis, be constant in prayer.”

Again Paul says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our thlipsis, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any thlipsis, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Paul talks about thlipsis—tribulations—a lot! There are so many more passages!

James says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their thlipsis, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

The point is that the “great tribulation” isn’t something that just comes during the last days, and only a handful of human beings who live at that time will experience it. Tribulations are common to all human beings because we are all sinners living in a fallen world. That’s why even creation itself is described as groaning as it awaits the future glory to be revealed on the Last Day. And… “the great tribulation” is most especially experienced by Christians simply for the fact that you believe in Jesus. The devil, the world, and your own sinful nature don’t want you to believe in Jesus, therefore they seek to bring tribulation upon you. You suffer much in a whole variety of ways because you trust in Jesus for your salvation.

Paul says to you, dear Christian, “For this light momentary thlipsis is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” The suffering of this life pales in comparison to the glory of God’s kingdom promised to you. “Whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

God’s Word also teach you and me that as we suffer these things, we share in Christ Jesus’ own suffering.

Our Lord Jesus Christ experienced “great tribulation” throughout His life. Shortly after His birth, Herod demanded the slaughter of the baby boys of Bethlehem under the age of two. The devil tempted Him for forty days in the wilderness. The Scribes and Pharisees—who should have gladly received Him—constantly tried to trick and trap Him in His words, unsuccessfully. Many among the crowds often followed Him simply to benefit from His miraculous works. He faced much rejection. Some of His own disciples tried to keep Him from the cross. Eventually, one of His disciples betrayed Him to the chief priests who condemned Him to death. He suffered at the hands of Pontius Pilate.

The “great tribulation” of our Lord Jesus Christ was most fully revealed as He was nailed to the cross. Jesus suffered “great tribulation” for you. Jesus suffered “great tribulation” for your sins. Jesus suffered “great tribulation” so that you may be with Him in paradise. Jesus suffered “great tribulation” so that you may receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Jesus suffered “great tribulation” so that you may have your sin-stained clothes washed in His cleansing blood, so that you may appear before God spotless, pure, and holy as pictured in today’s reading from Revelation.

The reading that we heard from Revelation doesn’t concern just a handful of Christians who endured bitter tribulations that came in the last days. John saw a glimpse of all believers in the crowd too big to count. John saw you. I mean He really saw you. He saw you and all believers living around the world right now. He saw you and believers who have lived before you. He saw you and believers who are yet to be born. He saw the whole Christian Church in that crowd, which means He saw you standing there, dressed in Christ’s robe of righteousness and waving the great victory symbol—the palm branch. Think of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, trusting God’s promises, the Lord sees you through “great tribulation.” For you were claimed by the Lord through His saving Word and Baptism. You are kept in the true faith as the baptized through His saving Word and Holy Communion.

Those who have gone before us, have endured the “great tribulation” to the end. They have received the crown of life as they await the last great day of resurrection. Our processional hymn “For All the Saints” declares of them, “They in glory shine.”

This helps us who still “feebly struggle” here in the “great tribulation.” We struggle against sin, against sickness, against injury, against poverty, against bitterness, strife, and resentments, against distress and anguish of mind, against affliction that assaults the soul, against persecution for faith in Jesus. There are so many afflicting tribulations we face in this world.

Yet, we aren’t alone. We are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. Some of those witnesses have prominent names like Peter or Paul. Some of those witnesses have personally affected our own lives. Other witnesses we don’t personally know, but their witness in life has had a major impact on the Church.

Also, and most especially, we aren’t alone because the Lord who suffered “great tribulation” for our sake, also is with us as we endure “great tribulation” in our lives. Jesus promises never to “leave you or forsake you.” He promises to “be with you to the end of the age.” He promises not to “leave you as orphans.” Christ Jesus is with you in His Word and by His Holy Spirit to see you through your “great tribulations” until you reach the victory of your heavenly home. Just as He endured “great tribulation” to enter into resurrection glory, so Jesus sees you through your “great tribulation” to enter into the resurrection glory of His salvation. Salvation belongs to our God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and God gives that salvation to you through the cleansing blood of Christ.

When “great tribulation” is ended, God’s children enjoy the long-awaited victory of salvation in the paradise of the heavenly Promised Land. While dying on the cross, Jesus told the criminal who confessed faith in Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus pictures a return to the peace and purity of Eden. When the Israelites were released from their bitter slavery in Egypt, they began their journey to the Promised Land. This pictures our release from slavery to sin and the joys of our heavenly inheritance.

The crowd in Revelation stands before God in excitement. They praise His name, waving palm branches. They celebrate the victory that Christ Jesus has achieved. They relish in the triumph of God who sits upon the throne and the Lamb. Where is the Holy Spirit? Well, seeing as Paul says that believers are temples of the Holy Spirit, perhaps He is in the crowd of God’s children wearing the white robes of Christ Jesus’ blood-bought salvation.

The crowd in Revelation is free from worry and concern. The tribulation is ended. Salvation has come. They don’t face the effects of the fallen world like hunger or thirst. Instead, they enjoy the water of life provided by the Lamb who is their Shepherd, as He tends to them, wipes all tears from their eyes, and shelters them with His presence.

Those who have gone before us in the faith are, at this moment, enjoying the victory of heaven as they await the final resurrection. Trusting in Christ’s promises, we shall join them when our time of “great tribulation” is ended and we receive the crown of life won by our Savior in His “great tribulation.”

THE CLEANSING BLOOD OF CHRIST BRING’S YOU—GOD’S CHILDREN—THROUGH GREAT TRIBULATION INTO THE GLORY OF HIS VICTORY