The Judgments of the Tribulation (and Why It Matters to Christians)

by Alane Tentoni
All of my life, I have had a curiosity about end-time events, but never pursued the matter because it was so confusing. Pre-trib, post-trib, pre-millennium or post-millennium, the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments... the list goes on. Finally, I found some excellent books on the subject, and as it turns out, the sequence of events following the rapture is not really so difficult to follow.

Many people are curious about prophecy and end-time related events; however, most never thoroughly pursue the subject to achieve a basic understanding. Pre-trib, post-trib, pre-millennium or post-millennium, the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments... the list is daunting. Through some minimal effort though, it becomes apparent that there is organization to the sequence of events following the rapture.

Not only is it easier than I thought, it is also vital. End-time events are happening everyday. We know the time is short, but we don't know how short. It is very likely that each of us knows someone who will suffer the judgments of the tribulation period. The following is a summary of the judgments that will occur during the tribulation, as described in (the Book of) Revelation, the last book in the Bible. Please be aware that there are many things that will happen on the earth during the tribulation that won't be discussed here simply because they are beyond the scope of this article. For example, the two witnesses will come and be killed; the 144,000 (Jewish) witnesses -- 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel -- will be raised up to heaven, the antichrist will be killed and brought back to life, Gog and Magog (Russia) will invade Israel. While these events are important, I want to focus on God's wrath on the earth during this horrible time.

The study of end-time events is vital because they are unfolding everyday. It is very likely that each of us knows someone who will have to endure the judgments of the tribulation period... even some readers of this article. The following is a summary of the judgments that will occur during the tribulation period, as described in Revelation. There are other pages on this site that cover the various other end-time events, such as:

-The two witnesses that come and are killed after three and one-half years.
-The 144,000 witnesses who are called.
-The antichrist who is killed and brought back to life, and
-Gog and Magog's (Russia's) invasion of Israel.

After the letters to the seven churches, John is given the call to "Come up hither". This would signify the rapture -- the church being removed from the earth. Note that after this point the church is not mentioned again in Revelation. Please note that this is not the only reason, or even the best reason, to believe in a pre-trib(ulation) rapture, but that topic is also beyond our scope here. There are pages throughout this (web)site where the purpose is to prove that a pre-trib rapture is, biblically, the only viable possibility. Visit "The Pretribulation Rapture", and "Defending the Pre-Trib Rapture", for further study.

Although we don't know when the rapture will be, Jesus did give us some pretty good indicators for the beginning of the tribulation. We can see those indicators falling into place all around us everyday. Since we know that the rapture must precede the tribulation, we know that the rapture is very near. You see, the antichrist cannot be revealed until the force holding him back is removed from the earth. After the church is removed from the earth, the antichrist will be able to begin his reign of terror.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:7,8

One of the first things the antichrist will do is sign a seven-year peace treaty with Israel. This is the beginning of the judgments that God will visit on the earth during the Tribulation. There are three sets of judgments in Revelations: 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls [or vials in the King James Bible Version].

And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Revelation 6:2

The unleashing of the antichrist is the first Seal Judgment. The Bible says that when Jesus breaks the first seal, a Rider on a white horse will come forth wearing a crown and holding a bow with no arrows. The crown indicates rulership, and the bow with no arrows indicates that the anitichrist will gain his position without any warfare (meaning he'll accomplish that particular feat peacefully). The antichrist, at first, will appear to be the smoothest, kindest, most trustworthy individual you could imagine. Jesus said that the deception will be so strong that if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived (which it won't be, of course).

For the first eighteen months (a year and ½), the antichrist's reign will seem peaceful and utopian. He will accomplish what no world leader has ever been able to: a seven-year peace treaty with Israel, and this will be the official beginning of the Tribulation. Israel will hail him as their Messiah. (Remember, he is Satan's counterfeit, so he will appear to fulfill the requirements for Messiah.) However, it won't be long before some world leaders will likely begin to grow weary of his ordering them about, and war will break out. This is the Second Seal, the Rider on the red horse: War. (The red, of course, signifies blood and sacrifice.)

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Revelation 6:3,4

The natural companion of war is famine, and the next rider (the third seal) is the Rider on the black horse, famine. He is told to cause the price of grain to be equal to a day's wage, but not to raise the prices of the oil and the wine (traditionally rich people's foods). This probably signifies rampant inflation.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. Revelation 6:5,6

After that, the fourth Rider is released with the breaking of the Fourth Seal. The fourth Rider is the one on the pale horse (pale signifying death). When he comes to the earth, twenty-five percent (25%) of the earth's population will die. But hang on tight -- this is still the easy part!

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8

With the opening of the Fifth Seal, John sees the souls of the martyred tribulation saints under the altar. After the antichrist has the world in his grip, Christians (and Jews) will be martyred at an alarming rate. It is these martyred Christians who are crying out to God to avenge their deaths. They are each given a white robe and told to wait a little longer until their number is complete.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. Revelation 6:9

After the Sixth Seal is opened, there will be a great earthquake on the earth; the sun will turn black and the moon will turn to blood. This will be a judgment brought on the earth by God because of the persecution of His saints that was seen with the fifth seal.

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. Revelation 6:12,13

The Seventh Seal ushers in the seven trumpet judgments. When the Seventh Seal is broken, there will be complete silence in Heaven for about one-half hour. The silence will probably be brought on by a state of complete awe as the inhabitants of Heaven grasp the reality of what is about to take place on earth. What will follow with the trumpet judgments and the bowl (vial) judgments is so horrific that we cannot comprehend such chaos. The end of the Seal Judgments brings us to the end of the first twenty-one (21) months of the Tribulation.

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Revelation 8:1

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Revelation 8:7

When the first trumpet sounds, there will be hail and fire mixed with blood cast upon the earth. This plague will burn up a third of all the trees and all of the grass. Can you fathom living in a world without trees and grass? We can only imagine what this will do to the ecosystem. It is bound to have a huge effect on air quality and also soil conditions as erosion eats away where grass once grew.

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood. Revelation 8:8

This is, most likely, a meteorite, that falls into the sea ("The sea" in Scripture usually alludes to the Mediterranean Sea.) This meteorite will destroy a third of all the living creatures in the sea and a third of all the boats on the sea.

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. Revelation 8:10

The Third Trumpet introduces a "great star" falling from heaven, probably another meteorite. The name of the meteorite is Wormwood, and it will destroy a third of the rivers, making the water(s) very bitter [most likely with radioactivity and/or toxic/poisonous chemicals] and killing many people.

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. Revelation 8:12

The Fourth Trumpet is the removal of one-third of the earth's light. So the first four trumpet judgments saw a reduction by one-third of everything that is vital to life on earth: vegetation, salt water, fresh water, and sunlight. This is the end of the "easy part."

Revelation 8:13 describes that after the plague of the fourth trumpet, an angel will fly through the midst of Heaven calling out "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" If the first Seven Seals and the first four Trumpets weren't enough to shake the remaining humans from their apathy and disbelief, these next three should really get some people's attention.

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! Revelation 8:13

Revelation 9:1-12 explains the terrifying, Fifth Trumpet judgment. With the trumpet blast sounded by the fifth angel, an angel is given the key to the Abyss. The smoke rising from the Abyss will darken the sun and the sky. Out of the smoke, locusts that have the power to sting like scorpions will come down onto the earth. The Bible says that the locusts will look like horses prepared for battle, that on their heads they will wear something akin to gold crowns, and that they will have faces that look human, with hair like a woman's and teeth like a lion's, and breastplates like iron. They will not be allowed to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. But this will be no ordinary scorpion sting! No one will die from the stings, but the Bible says the locusts will be given power to torture man(kind) for five months. It also says that men will long for death, but it will elude them.

The sixth trumpet finds a voice saying, "Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates." These angels (demons) will be given permission to kill one third of mankind. One-third. Try to imagine that. How many people live in your household?

Revelation 9:14, [The voice] said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

Then, the Seventh Trumpet simply initiates the seven bowl judgments (or vial judgments) and the beginning of the second half of the Tribulation, also known as the Great Tribulation. With these judgments, the wrath of God will be completed (Revelation 15:1).

When the First Angel pours out his bowl (vial), ugly and painful sores will break out on the people who have the mark of the beast and worship his image, Revelation 16:2. The pouring out of the Second Angel's bowl (vial) will turn the sea into blood like that of a dead man, and everything in the sea will die, Revelation 16:3. Then the third angel will pour out his bowl (vial), and all of the water in all of the springs and rivers will turn to blood, Revelation 16:4. When the Fourth Angel pours out his bowl (vial), the sun will be given power to scorch people with fire, Revelation 16:5. At this point, the people whom these plagues affect will curse God rather than repent and praise Him. How hardened their hearts will be, Revelation 16:9!

When the Fifth Angel pours out his bowl (vial), the antichrist's throne and kingdom will be plunged into complete darkness, Revelation 16:10. Then, the Sixth Angel will pour his bowl (vial) out on the river Euphrates, and it will be completely dried up, making way for the Kings from the East (the Orient) to come preparing to fight the battle of Armageddon, Revelation 16:12. Then the last angel will pour our his bowl (vial) on the earth, and a loud voice will come from the throne saying "It is done!" Then there will be an earthquake so great [which will take place on the West Coast of the United States], according to the Bible, that no earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on the earth. Every island and mountain will pass away. Hailstones weighing over one hundred pounds each will fall upon men, and again, they will curse God, Revelation 17:21.

After this judgment, the destruction of the Harlot (the one-world-religion, the Roman Catholic Church) and of Babylon follow, and then the battle of Armegeddon will take place. It is during this battle that Jesus returns to the earth with His church to conquer the earth, and He will reign here as King for a thousand years, Revelation 17,18 and 19.

The pouring out of the Seventh Angel's bowl (vial) concludes the Wrath of God on the earth. It is hard to believe that there are probably people alive today who will live through this horrible, unthinkable time in the earth's history. It truly is not unrealistic to think that ten to fifteen years from now, the tribulation might be drawing to a close! There is no prophetic event that needs to be fulfilled in order for Jesus to return for His church, and the stage is being set everyday for fulfillment of the events that will occur during the tribulation.

The realization of the carnage the earth will see during the tribulation caused me to put some things in perspective. I'm no longer so worried about having enough for retirement as I am doing my part to show God's love to a lost world. I'm no longer so concerned about being so embarrassed that I can't talk about my Savior to people who don't know Him. Our time is so short!

Briefly, let's look at some of the factors that tell us the time is short:

-Growing unrest in the Middle East
-Movement of society toward an electronic banking system [as well as a cashless society]
-Technology that would allow a (micro computer) chip to be implanted in the forehead or hand for identification purposes
-Growing desire of the Jewish people to rebuild the temple
-Increased interest in a single world religion (Roman Catholicism)
-Increased interest in a single world government (New World Order)
-The raising-up of the old Roman empire in what is known today as the EU (European Union)
-Read Revelation for yourself and become acquainted with the judgments that the inhabitants of the earth will suffer during the tribulation. Then, next time you are visiting with a lost friend or relative, ask yourself if it is worth it to risk waiting another day before you share the Lord's love with them. Begin praying now that God will make their hearts receptive to His Word and that He will open the door for you to share His story at just the right time.