After the Rapture of the church and all of the things that will follow it (such as the setting up of a global government and a global religion, and the failed Gog and Magog invasion) begin to happen; and as soon as a very popular leader (soon to be the Antichrist) will begin talking of world peace and of making a peace plan with Israel, and eventually puts that plan is in place, that is when the seven-year Tribulation officially begins.

We won’t at this time spell out in any detail the events of the Tribulation; but we will highlight the source, purpose, and nature of the Tribulation. It’s source is God’s wrath against evil, dished out in two ways: 1) by Satan and the Antichrist, and 2) through natural means such as earthquakes and storms.

Its purpose is two-fold: 1) primarily to prepare Israel for her Messiah, and 2) to punish the world of sin for its evil.

The nature of the Tribulation is tied to God’s wrath. We may see it as a day of destruction and disaster, a day of trouble and distress, a day of vengeance and wrath, and a day of fear and terror.

All these descriptions of His wrath will come to the earth in three different sets of seven intensifying judgments. They are labeled in Scripture as seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls—all intended to punish the world for its evil, but also to bring the nation of Israel, and any other sinners, to repentance and salvation.

We should also mention the very important last things of the Tribulation. Over all, there will be what is known as the war of Armageddon. Within this war time is, first, the fall of Babylon—which is the destruction by God of Antichrist’s evil empire. Then, immediately after that is the fall of Jerusalem (but take note that about three years earlier about a third of Israel will escape into the mountains for safety). So, these remaining ones are those who will be killed or captured (Zech. 12:2-4; 14:1-2).

The climax of Armageddon and the Tribulation is the visible return of Jesus Christ.