The Kingdom of God, Mentor Guide, MG02

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T H E K I N G D O M O F G O D

distinguish it from familiar and ongoing tribulation that disciples of Jesus endure as they live in the world (e.g. John 16.33). The term has come to refer to a kind of theological shorthand, a terse and powerful summary of a coming horrific, global, and uniquely experienced time of worldwide chaos, judgment, and trouble which itself will be the primary historical precursor to the parousia , the glorious and mighty revelation of Jesus Christ back to earth in great glory. The great tribulation is referred to in paralleled renderings, which refer to the same event using different terms, such as in Mark 13.19 where the event is rendered “tribulation,” in Luke 21.23 which refers to the happenings and occurrences associated with the great tribulation as the “great distress” and in Revelation 3.10 as the “hour of trial” which shall try all of the nations. The heart of the tribulational discussions hinge on what is the nature of the Church’s involvement in this horrific and unrepeatable time of judgment and trouble. Will the Church go through the time, and be rescued afterwards (the posttribulational view), will it be rescued before the terrible judgments begin (the pretribulational view), or will their deliverance take place some time in the midst of the period (midtribulational view). Regardless of the view one ascribes to, we who believe know our God to be a stronghold in the day of trouble (Nah. 1.7), the one who knows the one who trusts in him and knows how to rescue his own from the fire and the flood (Isa. 43.1-2). The final judgment is an integral part of the consummation of the Kingdom, and is attested to much, in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, for instance, the texts seem to focus on the prophetic treatment of the day of Yahweh, when Almighty God will deal with all of the evils which human beings have destroyed his creation with. In that eventful and awesome day, the Lord will bring to an end all the various forms of rebellion which have characterized humankind from the Fall. This includes our pride (Isa. 2.12-17), our worship of false gods and paganistic practices (Isa. 2.18-20; Zeph. 1.8), all forms of human violence and fraud (Zeph. 1.9), spiritual indifference and complacency (Zeph. 1.12), and everything that allows us to be named as transgressors and sinners (Isa. 13.9). The day of the Lord is universal in scope, dealing with the Gentiles and the covenant people (cf.

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