Timeline of the Tribulation: Matthew 24:3-31

Timeline of the Tribulation: Matthew 24:3-31

What did Jesus tell us that would be the Signs of the End of the Age before He returns to the earth.  This is just an overview with Scriptures references on the Tribulation. 

Please read Matthew 24:3-31, Our Lord Jesus gives us the time line to the time He returns to the earth, to set up His Kingdom for 1000 years.

Not setting dates.  Remember, there are many different voices in the world with different views on this subject matter.

Matthew 24:3 As He {Jesus} was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Start of the Tribulation for 3.5 Years,

Beginning of Sorrows:  Jesus said:  Matt 24:4-13;

Summary: False Prophets; hearing of wars; Beginning of Sorrows and birth pain, will kill, betray and hate one another.  Love will grow cold.  Then the Gospel will be Preached {witness, preached} to all Nations, then the end will come.

Wars, Famines, Earthquakes various locations; 

Matthew 24:7 because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse


White Horse:  First Seal Open, Conquest, Revelation 6:2 Then I looked, and there was a White Horse! Its rider had a bow, and a victor’s crown had been given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer. 

Red Horse: Second Seal Open, War; Revelation 6:4 A second horse went out. It was Fiery Red, and its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.

Black Horse: Third Seal Open, Famine, Pestilence; Revelation 6:5 When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a Black Horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand. 

Pale Green Horse:  Fourth Seal Open, Death; Revelation 6:8 I looked, and there was a Pale Green Horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals of the earth.


Mystery Babylon Religion: The Apostasy starts, many will fall away from the truth:   {Matt 24:9-12; 2 Thes 2:3-12; Rev 13:16-17} 

2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 Summary: the apostasy comes first; man, of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, exalts himself; lawless one will be revealed; activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders; deception of wickedness; took pleasure in wickedness. 

Revelation 13:16-17 The second beast forces all people–important and unimportant, rich and poor, free and slaves–to be marked on their right hands or on their foreheads, (17) so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the beast’s name or the number of its name.

Matthew 24:10-11  Then many people will fall away, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  (11)  Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people, 

Antichrist Signs peace Treaty with Israel {Judah}, for overall Peace, 

1 Thessalonians 5:3 When people say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape. 

Sacrifices, Jews start with an Altar:

Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Midpoint Tribulation:  Start of Last 3.5 years – Great Tribulation,

Souls died for the Word of God: Fifth Seal Open, {Rev 6:9-11}

Revelation 6:9-11 When He 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 testimony which they held.  (10)  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”  (11)  Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Jesus description of the last half of the Tribulation {Matt 24:15-29} 

Abomination of Desolation, Man of Sin Revealed,

Economic Babylon Religion, Falling away {Dan 9:27, 12:11;

Matt 24:15, 2 Thes 2:2-12},

It says Holy Place, Sanctuary, does not mean there has to be a Temple.  I can be a tabernacle and not a Temple.

Daniel 11:31 Armed forces will arise from his midst, and they’ll desecrate the fortified Sanctuary, abolish the daily sacrifice, and establish the destructive desecration.

Daniel 12:11 There will be 1,290 days from the time the daily ritual is rescinded and the destructive desolation established.

Matthew 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for it will not come unless the rebellion takes place first and the man of sin, who is destined for destruction, is revealed.

Antichrist Breaks Peace Treaty, Beast start ruling the Earth

Dan 9:27: Summary: in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice If the sacrifice are to stop, then they must start earlier

Sacrifices, the Jews are doing, are stopped by the Antichrist (Beast) after

3.5 years of 7 years period, of the tribulation is a time of peace.  The Antichrist then starts their 3.5 years reign.  

Fall of Jerusalem, half of city taken into slavery, 

Zechariah 14:1-2  “Look! A day is coming for the LORD, when your plunder will be divided among you.  (2)  I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem, to lay siege against it. The city will be captured, the houses will be ransacked, the women raped, and half of the city will go into exile, but the remaining people will not be cut off from the city.

Israel Remnant Flee, petition Jesus return, and Hid in Edom for Safety

for 3.5 years {Hosea 5:15} {Isaiah 63:1-6} {Rev 12:7-17} 

Matthew 24:16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 

Matthew 24:21 because at that time there will be great suffering, the kind that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and certainly will never happen again. 

Revelation 12:7-17…Summary:  War in heaven, dragon waged war, was thrown down to the earth with great wrath.  Satan persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. The woman fled into the wilderness, for 3.5 years from Satan

War in Heaven, Satan sent to earth, Satan Wrath starts {Rev 12:7-13} 

Revelation 12:7-9 Then a war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels fought back.  (8)  But it was not strong enough, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  (9)  The huge dragon was hurled down. That ancient serpent, called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was hurled down to the earth, along with its angels.

Revelation 12:12 So be glad, heavens, and those who live in

them! How terrible it is for the earth and the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, filled with rage, knowing that his time is short!” 

Revelation 12:13-14 When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the boy.  (14)  However, the woman was given the two wings of a large eagle so that she could fly away from the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time.  3 and half years

Revelation 12:15-17 From its mouth the serpent spewed water like a river behind the woman in order to sweep her away with the flood.  (16)  But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed from its mouth.  (17)  The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to do battle against the rest of her children, the ones who keep God’s commandments and hold on to the testimony about Jesus.

2 Witness Ministry Start to Witness to World in Jerusalem for 3.5 years 

Revelation 11:1-6 Then I was given a stick like a measuring rod. I was told, “Stand up and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there.  (2)  But don’t measure the courtyard outside the Temple. Leave that out, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the Holy City for 42 months.  (3)  I will give my two witnesses who wear sackcloth the authority to prophesy for 1,260 days.”  (4)  These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth.  (5)  And if anyone should want to hurt them, fire comes out of their mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed in this manner.  (6)  These witnesses have authority to close the heavens in order to keep rain from falling while they are prophesying. They also have authority to turn bodies of water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague, as often as they desire.

Time of Jacob’s Trouble Starts 

Jeremiah 30:7  Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

Day of the Lord Begins, 

Day of Jesus vengeance, wrath starts 

Isaiah 63:4-5  “For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year for my redeeming work had come.  (5)  I looked, but there was no helper, I was appalled that there was no one to give support; so my own arm brought me victory, and as for my wrath, it supported me. 

Revelation 6:17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Cosmic Upheaval, Earthquake; Sixth Seal Open {Rev 6:12-17; 11:19} 

Revelation 6:12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

Nations are angry {Rev 11:18; 14:10; 16:19; 19:15} 

Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Satan gathers the nations and armies against Jesus return for the great war 

Revelation 16:13-14  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  (14)  For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 

Revelation 19:19  And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

Nations gather at Armageddon {Zeph 3:8; Rev 16:16} 

Zephaniah 3:8 “Just you wait!” declares the LORD. “The day will come when I stand up as a prosecutor, for I am determined to assemble the nations and to gather the kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation upon them—all of my fierce anger. All the earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy. 

Revelation 16:16 The spirits gathered the kings to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.

Armageddon, a Hebrew word meaning “Mount of Megiddo.” The area is a flat land for the staging or assembling area for the armies coming against Jerusalem, called the Megiddo or Valley or Plain of Jezreel

2 Witness killed, made alive for 3 and half days before ascending to heaven {Rev 11:7-13} 

Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 

Revelation 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

Jesus collected His Saints for the Bema Seat Reward at His 2nd Coming

{2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10, 1 thes 4:13-18, Matt 24:31} 

Romans 14:10  Why, then, do you criticize your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For all of us will stand before the judgment {Bema} seat of God.

Jesus takes His Saints to the Wedding and Wedding Supper

at Jesus 2nd Coming  {Rev19:6-10} 

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 

Revelation 19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

Armageddon, Magog Invasion, Assembling of the Armies of the Antichrist to gather at Mount Megiddo, 60 miles north of Jerusalem, on the Plain of Jezreel, a place for assembling the troops.  {Dan 11}  Seven Trumpets got ready to blow them {Rev 8:6}

The world army pursues the remnant

{Jer 49:14; Micah 2:12, Isa 34:1-16, 8-9} 

Isaiah 34:8-9  For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for Zion’s cause.  (9)  Edom’s streams will be turned into burning sulfur, and its dust into sulfur; its land will become pitch.

Jesus Destroyed the armies going after the Israelites Remnant in Edom,

southward from Jerusalem to Bozrah,

{Isaiah 63:1-6,1-2; 34:5-8, Zec 14:12-13, Jer 49:13,14} 

Isaiah 63:1-2  “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, in garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in such splendor, marching in his great might? It is I, speaking in vindication, mighty to save.  (2)  “Why is your clothing red, and your garments like those worn by the ones who tread in the winepress?

 Israel Petition His return, Jesus then rescue the Remnant. 

{Isaiah 63:1-6, 34:5-8, Zec 14:12-13, Jer 49:13,14, Hosea 5:1-15} 

Hosea 5:15  “I will leave and go back to my place until they {Ephraim & Judah} admit their offense and seek my face. When affliction comes to them, they will eagerly seek me.”

Jesus will return by rescuing the Israelites Remnant with wrath and to

conquer.  Blood will be about 4 feet deep, for 183 miles, from Megiddo to Petra.  {Rev 14:14-20} 

Revelation 14:19-20 So the angel swung his sickle in the earth, gathered the grapes from the earth, and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.  (20)  The wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press as high as a horse’s bridle for about 183 miles.

Bozrah: {Heb}The capital of Edom; Petra {Greek} = sheepfold or fortress. 

Babylon, the Great City was Destroyed, {Rev 16:17-21} 

Revelation 16:19  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine filled with the fury of his wrath.

Beast and the False Prophet was Destroyed  {Rev 16:17-21} 

Revelation 19:20 The beast was captured, along with the false prophet who had performed signs on its behalf. By these signs the false prophet had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.  

Satan and demons are Bound and put away  {Rev 20:1-3} 

Revelation 20:3  He threw him into the bottomless pit, locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set free for a little while.

Jesus with the Saints will return and put His feet on Mount Olive,

Jerusalem, World will mourn when they see Jesus comes

{Zech 14:4; Mt 24:30-31;} 

Matthew 24:30-31 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all ‘the tribes of the land will mourn’ when they see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory.  (31)  He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another.” 

Zechariah 14:4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. Then the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a very large valley, with half of the mountain moving toward the north and half toward the south.

Jesus and His bride, are ready for the wedding {Rev 19:6-10} 

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.

Jesus and His bride, are ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb

{Rev 19:6-10} 

Revelation 19:9 Then the angel told me, “Write this: ‘How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'” He also told me, “These are the true words of God.”

After the war, wreckage of warfare and the dead will be strewn everywhere where the remains have been buried in the Valley of Gog’s Gang. {Ezekiel 39:12-16} 


Ezekiel 39:12-15  “The house of Israel will be burying them for seven months in order to purify the land.  (13)  Everyone in the land will be involved in the burials, and this will serve as a reminder for them that I have glorified myself,” declares the Lord GOD.  (14)  “Men will be assigned to travel continuously throughout the land, exploring for seven full months as they go about burying the bodies that remain from the battle on the surface of the ground, so that the land may be sterilized.  (15)  As scouts go searching throughout the land, whenever they see someone’s bones, they will place a sign beside the remains until the remains have been buried in the Valley of Gog’s Gang.

Start of the Millennium, Jesus sets up His Kingdom on the earth;

Seventh Trumpet {Rev 11:15} 

Revelation 11:15  When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The world’s kingdom has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever.”  Father and Jesus

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