The Church and the Tribulation IV: Jacob's Trouble

People throw around the words “tribulation” and “end times” like they automatically describe whatever is happening in America right now. We slow that down and ask a sharper question: when the Bible talks about the Great Tribulation, who is God talking to? Once you see the difference between the Old Testament nation of Israel and the New Testament Church, whole sections of prophecy stop feeling foggy and start reading plainly. 

We walk verse by verse through major prophecy anchors: Jeremiah 30 where the period is named “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” Ezekiel 20 on Israel’s future regathering and purging, and Daniel 12 on a time of trouble tied to “thy people.” From there we connect Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 and Mark 13, where the warnings center on Judea and the abomination of desolation, and we point out the striking absence of this specific tribulation period in the Christian epistles. If you care about Bible prophecy, the rapture, and how to read Revelation without guessing, this matters. 

The backbone of the timeline is Daniel 9:24–27, the seventy weeks prophecy “determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.” We explain why the final week is still ahead, why it relates to Israel’s future, and why that framework challenges modern “headline prophecy” that treats rising prices or cultural pressure as automatic proof the Church is entering the Great Tribulation. If this helped you, subscribe for more Bible teaching, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so others can find it.

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Transcript

Welcome And Why We Avoid Debates

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Well, alright, it's nice to have you along for another episode of the Preaching of the Cross Radio Broadcast. I'm Brother James, and I greet you as always in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. We began a study on the last broadcast, which was intended as always to be a help and a blessing to everyone who sincerely desires a knowledge of the truth of the Word of God. We deal often on this broadcast, I'm sure you're aware of that by now. We deal often on this broadcast with subjects that we know are going to be somewhat controversial. We deal often with subjects that we know are going to be met with a great bit of disagreement. And we don't do that because we like to fight. We don't do it because we like to quarrel and argue. Matter of fact, we we never do. We get letters, you'd be surprised at how frequently we receive letters from people who want to carry on a running debate or running argument with us about something that we preach or teach on this radio broadcast. And we just don't do it. We simply send a note back to those uh individuals and uh tell them we'll pray for them, ask them to pray for us, and uh leave it at that. It's not our calling. We don't have time. I don't have the time to fight and quarrel and argue and debate with uh with anyone. Really, I don't. God's uh given me so many uh unsaved people to try and reach with the gospel, so many Christians that genuinely want to know the truth, uh not only locally but around the world, that I don't have any time to waste fighting and arguing. Now I used to, I used to have more time than know what to do with, and so I wasted it in debates and quarreling and so forth, but uh don't do that anymore, don't have any time for it. And so when we present a subject of some controversy, it is not to stir up debate, it is to instruct those that genuinely and sincerely desire a knowledge of the truth of the Word of God. Now we began on the broadcast last time a study entitled The Tribulation, the Great Tribulation in Relation to the Church. We spent a great deal of time establishing the truth that the biggest problem facing the Bible teacher in this day and age is convincing and teaching an individual from the Word of God the definite distinction between the Old Testament nation of Israel and the New Testament church. We dealt with that in some detail on the last broadcast. We've got to keep in mind that Israel's position and destiny are entirely distinct from those of the church, and that the two comings, the second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth to establish a kingdom, and the second and the uh coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive his church, are entirely different events. And if that understanding is reached, it'll become clear that Christ could not possibly come to Israel to reign over them until after the church has been removed from the world. We cited first of all, in support of this, Deuteronomy chapter 4, and then Romans chapter eleven, and we come at this time to um well let's let's see, let's look in um Jeremiah chapter 30.

Jacob’s Trouble In Jeremiah 30

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Jeremiah chapter 30. That'd be a good uh place to start on the broadcast today. Jeremiah chapter 30, and we'll begin reading it verse number four. We are establishing that the tribulation is only applied in Scripture to Israel, never to the church. Jeremiah chapter thirty, verse four. And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord, we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now and see whether a man doth travail with child. Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness. 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. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him, but they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord, neither be dismayed, O Israel, for lo I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity, and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. Now it couldn't be, it couldn't be any plainer than that. The great tribulation is called Jacob's trouble. The entire passage is addressed to Israel and Judah, and it speaks of Israel's return to their own land. Again,

Israel Judged And Regathered In Ezekiel

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Ezekiel chapter 20. Ezekiel chapter 20, and we'll begin at verse number 33. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you, and I will bring you out from the people, and gather you out of all the countries wherein you're scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, there will I plead with you face to face, like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God, and I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant, and I will purge out from among you the rebels and them that transgress against me. I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, that they shall not enter into the land of Israel, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Now, this whole passage is also addressed to Israel. The tenth verse of the chapter established that clearly and plainly. These are the people that were caused by God to come forth out of Egypt. And it's a very full statement of Israel's future regathering to their own land, of their punishment at the hand of the Lord, which will take place during the Great Tribulation, of the judgment and execution of the apostates among them, and of their re-establishment in the land. How about another one? Daniel

Daniel 12 And A Unique Time

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chapter twelve. Daniel chapter twelve, and verse number one. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people. There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even at that same time, and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Here again, the great tribulation is in view, and it refers, as Daniel was told, to thy people Israel. In Matthew 24 21, our Lord, referring to this great tribulation, quotes Daniel's words in saying that this tribulation is such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, nor ever shall be, identifying it with Daniel's description here. Thus, here also the great tribulation concerns Israel, not the church.

Why Matthew 24 Targets Israel

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Now this is fully substantiated in the New Testament. The tribulation is not once found in the Christian epistles, but is found five times elsewhere. Twice in Matthew, twice in Mark, where in chapter 13, verse 19 it's referred to as affliction, and once in the book of Revelation, chapter 7, verse 14, when referring to the special period known as the tribulation. Now Matthew's record of the gospel, as careful students of the Bible all realize, is written with Israel in view, not the church. And we read in Matthew chapter 24, I'll read you just a few verses from that chapter, starting at verse 15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, span of the holy place, whoso readeth let him understand. Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains. Verse 21. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world of this time, known or ever shall be. Now we read here that when the abomination of desolation is set up, then the great tribulation will burst loose. Now, this passage is quoted from Daniel twelve, eleven. We already saw in Daniel twelve that God was speaking to Israel. Hence the same is true here in Matthew's gospel, for this tribulation will rage centrally in its main fury in the land of Palestine, from whence the Jews are urged to flee, in the 16th verse of Matthew 24, which we just read. Mark presents the same truth, exactly the same truth, in Mark chapter 13, and we'll read verses 14 through 20. Mark 13, beginning at verse 14, but when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, let him that readeth understand. Then let them which be or that be in Judea flee to the mountains, and let him that is on the house top not go down into the house, neither enter therein to take anything out of his house. Let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days, and pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, for in those days should be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created, unto this time neither shall be. And except the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved. But for the elect's sake whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Now the thing to be carefully observed is that in none of these passages, nor in their context, is there the slightest reference to the church. Now that alone ought to be sufficient proof that the church will not be affected by the great tribulation. Now

Daniel 9 And The Seventy Weeks

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the greatest support in the Bible for this fact that this great tribulation has to do with the nation of Israel, is the fact of Daniel's 70th week. A study of Daniel 9, 24 to 27 will convince the honest suitor to the Word of God that the church cannot be on earth during the Great Tribulation. In fact, I believe it's right to say that it is impossible to have a clear understanding of prophecy and especially of the truths unveiled in the book of Revelation, except in light of Daniel 9, verses 24 to 27. I don't think that's an overstatement at all. So let's look at these verses and then we'll discuss them together. Daniel 9, beginning at verse 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troubless times, and after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood. And unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. In this remarkable passage of the Word of God, Daniel was given information regarding the future of his own nation for four hundred and ninety eventful years. Notice verse twenty-four, thy people. That couldn't be any clearer. That's the Jews. Daniel was a Jew, a Hebrew. And upon thy holy city, that's got to be Jerusalem. Now each week in these verses represents seven years, as history is since established. For from the time of Cyrus, the time Cyrus gave the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, under the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, spoken of in Daniel 9 26, the cutting off of the Messiah, was four hundred and eighty-three years. Exactly. Couldn't be coincidence, couldn't be accidental. That's the hand of God guiding the affairs of this world. This has left one week, seven years, yet unaccounted for. And their history as a nation ended finally at the cross. During the interval, as the New Testament shows, the church is being gathered out from among the nations, the nations of the world, composed of those truly redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. We're told in Romans chapter 11, verse 11, that through their fall, that's the Jews, is salvation come to the Gentiles. But Romans 11 further teaches, as we saw in the last broadcast, that eventually all Israel shall be saved and be taken up again. Now their future is given in Daniel 9, verse 27. It is then that the final seven years will unfold. That this is so evident from verse 27. Uh can't can't be denied. In the midst of the last seven years, the abomination of desolation that we read about in Matthew, read about in Mark, that's mentioned in the book of Revelation, this abomination of desolation is reared up, it's set up. And those passages that we read in Matthew and Mark apply this period to Israel, to their history, just before the return of Jesus Christ the reign. Here then is convincing evidence that this great tribulation could not possibly commence until after the church's history on earth is complete, until after the rapture of the church. Now it's often been said, and rightly so, that the prophetic clock stopped at the crucifixion of Christ when Messiah was cut off, and the prophetic clock will not start to tick again until the church is caught up to glory. Now it's worth noticing as well that the whole of these final seven years is included here, not merely as some teach, only the last three and a half years known as the Great Tribulation. Now, let me just give you a word that'll help you understand some things. I'll give you a

The Danger Of Headline Prophecy

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word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, if you want one. You want to put it in those terms. Do you know why men are are beginning to teach that the church is going to go through the tribulation? Do you know why? Because the gas prices and the grocery prices are going up in America. Because America is losing many of her freedoms. And these Laodicean, soft, air conditioned, never preach on the street, never deal with lost people, evangelists who never evangelize, soul winners who never truly win anybody to Jesus Christ, but just get in the mouth of sinner's prayer. This modern generation of Americans that can't stand the heat, can't stand the cold, can't stand to miss a meal, can't stand to go a month without a new dress, this this crowd of Americans has convinced themselves that Jesus Christ has to come for his church before things get tough in America. Well, now that things look like they might begin to get tough in America, they haven't. We've got it made. They're still getting on boats in Haiti and trying to get in here. They're still coming across the border of Mexico by the thousands. They are still doing everything in their power to get to the United States of America from every nation on the face of this earth. It can't be all that bad. But anyway, because things look like they're taking a turn for the worse in America, these carnal babies in the Laodicean church have begun to say, oh no, look how bad things are. It must be that the church is going through the tribulation. Now, this this pitiful interpreting of prophecy in light of the newspaper is all that you get morning, noon, and night on your religious radio and television, these prophecy conferences and all the rest of that kind of stuff. They are occupied 99.9% with a newspaper and not the Bible. I got news for you, folks. Things got real bad in Russia. Millions of Christians were murdered in Russia, and that wasn't the Great Tribulation. Millions of Christians were murdered in China and Southeast Asia. That wasn't the Great Tribulation. Millions of Christians were murdered in Europe by the Roman Catholic Church and are still being put to death over there in North Ireland every time the bombs go off. And that doesn't mean we're in the Great Tribulation. We say, what does it mean? It means every nation that forgets God should be turned into hell. That's what it means. Now, this idea that the church must be going through the tribulation because the government has begun to begun to persecute some churches in the United States is nothing more than a bunch of wimps and a bunch of spiritual babies crying because everything doesn't go their way. That's all that is. Now, Daniel 9 27 shows that the whole of this last week of years has to do with Israel only. Just as much as the previous sixty-nine weeks did.

Isaiah 66 And Seven-Year Tribulation

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The order of that great final week, of which the book of Revelation has so much to say, is given in logical sequence in the last chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah 66, matching the 66th book of the Bible. Isaiah 66 in verse 8 speaks of the pains and travails. Who hath heard such a thing, who hath seen such things. Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Now this will take place at the opening of the tribulation and final subsequent new birth. A national new birth, Israel's new birth, it's preceded, as is the birth of a natural baby by the pains of travail. Now Matthew 24, verse 8 makes direct reference to those travail pains. Matthew 24, verse 8. We've already told you this passage is about that great tribulation time. All these are the beginning of sorrows. These are the agonies Israel passes through during the first half of the tribulation. Matthew says, referring to the woes mentioned in the opening verses of Matthew 24, that these are only the beginning of sorrows, the beginning of the travail pains of Isaiah 66 and verse number 8. In verses 15 to 22 of Matthew 24, we find that the great tribulation, which according to Daniel 9, does not begin till the middle of the final years, takes place after those travail pains. And notice that these pains representing the first half of the seven years of tribulation are attributed in Isaiah 66 to Israel. As much as the last three and a half years are in Matthew 24, this clearly proves that both the first three and a half years and the second three and a half years have to do with Israel. There is no evidence in Scripture that the church will be on earth at that time. In fact, she cannot be. For her time is found in that long unmentioned interval of Daniel 9, which we know now is the Christian dispensation in which we live, while the church is being redeemed. Not until the church is caught up to be with Christ can these other events take place. Isaiah 66, 8, then, speaks of the first half of Israel's tribulation. Verses 15 and 16 follow the revelation of his coming in wrath to execute judgment on the world. And this turn is followed by Israel's millennial blessing, which is spoken of in verses 19 through 24. So, Isaiah 66, a composite picture of the 66th book of the Bible, and Isaiah 66 with Daniel chapter 9 proves conclusively that the entire seven years of the Great Tribulation have reference to the nation of Israel and not the New Testament Church. Okay,

Midpoint Wrap Up And How To Listen

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that brings us to the midpoint in a four-point uh four-part study on the church and the tribulation. If you'd like a copy of these broadcasts, you may obtain them by visiting our website, jameswnox.org. That's jameswnox.org. And when you're there, you'll find all kinds of helpful materials to strengthen you in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. While you're there, please leave us a word of testimony. Your notes, your letters encourage us so very much to go on in this work we're trying to do together with you for the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, the announcer will be on in just a moment. Because this program is heard at many different times on many different stations. We don't know when it'll be on your station next, but somebody does, and that somebody's gonna tell you just as soon as I get out of the way. So listen carefully for that announcement. Hey, next time we're on, would you invite a friend to listen with you to the Preaching of the Cross radio broadcast? Until then, I'm Brother James. May the Lord richly bless you. And good day.