Reframe Dying in the Tribulation. It May Hurt. But It's the Last Hurt You'll Ever Feel. Then Jesus -- and Because Jesus, Joy.

The End Times Made Simple

Photo by Héctor Achautla on Unsplash

You must be ready.

You will die, in all likelihood. So will I.

Most Christians will die before the Tribulation. Many will die during it. Some will live through it.

No one will escape un-hurt.

Our culture trains us to fear pain. Run from it. Medicate it. Avoid it. Distract yourself from it.

When we take this attitude into the Tribulation, we see the horrors, and we fear. We panic. We want to avoid it. Run from it.

Don’t.

Reframe it instead. Yes, there will be pain. Some of us will be killed for our faith.

But all they can do is deliver us to Jesus.

Let me tell you your story. We’re going to trace your story — the path you’ll take if you are one of the ones who dies in the Tribulation. It’s about you, and it’s about Jesus, because it’s always about Jesus.

After joining the greatest moment of worship he’d ever experienced, John records this:

Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:1-10 ESV).

Here you are.

It’s all about Jesus, the Lamb who was Slain, who ransomed us — you and me — for God. It’s about Jesus, and it’s about us, all of us, people from every tribe and language and people and nation. Jesus made all of us one, a single kingdom in which we all serve as priests to our God — every one of us. Not only do we serve God, but we reign, ruling with Jesus when He returns to earth.

This is your future, and it’s glorious.

Yes, the way in which you die might be painful. But blink and it’s done. The future awaiting you after will make the memory of pain fade forever.

There’s more to your story, but Heaven erupts in joy once more in praise of Jesus and all He does. When you read these verses, don’t skip over them, especially if they’re familiar. Worship with them. Anchor your heart on the fact that Jesus made death a doorway, pain that hurts but then passes away, giving you a future worth dying for:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 6:11-14 ESV).

At this point in the story, the Lamb begins opening the seals. There’s much to discuss in these, but before we get to them, we’ll continue your story. The fifth seal opens John’s eyes to a group of people, some of whom could be you and me:

When [Jesus] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.

They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9–11 ESV).

You must be ready.

A lot of us are going to be killed for our faith. At the worst parts of the Tribulation, everyone claiming the title “Christian” will be executed. It will be horrific. It will be wrong.

And then it will be over.

Those who die for their faith see Jesus. They gather around the Throne of God, in the most glorious, most joyful, most thrilling place to be, a place where day and night all those present can’t help but worship and sing and rejoice. It’s a place of overflowing love and joy, a place that you never want to leave once you enter.

Yet justice is not ignored.

Those of us who will be killed for our faith will remember our deaths. We won’t forget everything on the earth. We’ll remember — and we’ll ask Jesus how long we’ll have to wait until He avenges our blood.

The answer will be wait, at least a little while longer, until the rest of our brothers and sisters — those who will soon be killed for their faith as well — will join us around the Throne.

Then: judgment.

If you’ve read Revelation and you wonder what the seven seals are, what the seven trumpets are, what the seven bowls are, this is your answer. They are God avenging the blood of the martyrs on those who remain on the earth.

When the martyrs ask Jesus for justice, He doesn’t tell them no. He says to wait, because judgment will not fall on those who still believe in Jesus but haven’t yet been killed. Once they’re in, safe and sound around the Throne, then the judgment will fall in all its force.

For those who see the signs and repent, God will welcome them in. But for those who delight to kill and keep on killing, they will reap the just rewards for their crimes.

The Tribulation will be horrific.

But not for us.

Our horrors endure for a short while, then vanish in the light of joy.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

“Therefore they are before the throne of God,

and serve Him day and night in His temple;

and He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;

the sun shall not strike them,

nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

and He will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9–17 ESV).

Those who die for their faith in the Tribulation won’t regret it. Read these verses again. What do you imagine them feeling? What expression is on their faces?

Joy. Radiant joy.

They are honored, clothed in white, themselves beautiful and clean. They receive the prime location, serving God day and night in His temple, like the privileged fans who get front-row seats in the best concerts. They’ll never have to suffer the pangs of hunger or third, heat or violence, ever again. Jesus Himself will guide and protect them, wiping away every tear.

This is not merely dying and going to Heaven.

This is giving your life for the Savior who gave His life for yours, then seeing Him face-to-face, and experiencing everything you’ve always hoped your life would be filled with.

Before we leave this focus, look again at Jesus. Can I say once again that it’s all about Jesus?

Consider the contrast between Jesus and those still on the earth, the murders who hunt down and kill all those who believe in Jesus.

Those still on the earth glory in violence. They shed blood without remorse. They hunt down others in order to kill them. They hated, and so they killed. Yet those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Those who shed blood will have their own blood shed — and far worse.

But Jesus is the Lamb who was slain.

Jesus hunted down no one. Jesus gave His life, letting His own blood be shed. He did this to rescue, to ransom a people to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Jesus loved, and so Jesus let Himself be killed, saving a people so vast no one can count them. They are clothed in white, honored, loved, full of joy — and peace.

There is no comparison.

Jesus wins.

And that is a very, very good thing.