The Sequence of the End Time

God is a God of order and purpose! The events that occur at the end of this age will happen to accomplish His will; either by allowing them to happen or by direct intervention. They will also occur in the structured sequence that He lays out in His Word. They will happen to prepare this world for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth.

In at least three places in God's Word, this transition period is described as a time of great trouble or tribulation such as has never been in the history of mankind nor ever will be! Those are listed below.

Daniel 12:1 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Jeremiah 30:7 "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."

Matthew 24:21 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." NOTE: This last prophecy was spoken by Jesus Christ Himself!

Other prophecies indicate that only about 10% of the population of the earth will survive that time!!

So, many will ask 'how could a loving God could allow such great and horrific events to happen.' But that view is really a skewed view of reality. It was God who created mankind and imbued him with the potential of choosing God's way, His instructions, His laws, and receiving the blessings that way brings and ultimately being born into His eternal family, or conversely, with the free agency to refuse God's way, choose for himself and receive the consequences of his own choices. Here is how God phrases that:

Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live:"

It is Mankind's own choices and actions under the influence of the great adversary of God (See Revelation 12:9) that will bring about the conditions of the coming Great Tribulation. God on His part simply has to withdraw the blessings and protections He has given and turn His back. Even this He does to produce Repentance and return to Him. That is the objective of God.