[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

What Is The Geat Tribulation And How Can You Be Saved From It?

Jesus Christ IS RETURNING! The Bible is absolutely clear on this glorious fact! But there are many events prophesied to occur before that return. And the one that is perhaps most speculated about is a period of time called the GREAT TRIBULATION. Christ tells us that this time that’s coming will be terrifying like no other—devastating for the world, and for the U.S. and Great Britain, in particular. If you want to understand the prophesied days ahead AND how the Bible says to prepare for them, then this episode of Tomorrow’s World is for you, as we answer the question, “What Is the Great Tribulation?”

We Are Living In A World In Peril

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World! We’re glad you’re here.

If you are like many others who watch our program, then the news you see on television of the Internet leaves you wondering: What in the world is going on? In our politics and our personal lives, common decency and civility are becoming endangered species. Long held norms and moral standards of civilization are being turned upside down. The United States is increasingly seen as a nation that has lost its ability to lead the world. Even nuclear war, a concern that seemed to fade with the passing of the Cold War, has become a frightening possibility once again.

Is the world going crazy? Well, in short: Yes, it is! Mankind is reaching the end of 6,000 years of self-rule, during which God has given stubborn humanity the chance to learn that it cannot rule itself without His help! And the turbulent events we see around us represent a gathering storm of LITERALLY biblical proportions. That storm will ultimately mean not only the destruction of the United States, the United Kingdom and many other nations, but also the wholesale martyrdom of Christians and terrifying wars that will engulf all of civilization, itself. The world is rushing headlong into the time the Bible calls the “Great Tribulation.”

On today’s program, we will discuss the buildup to this time and what events mean for you and your family in the days just ahead of us. We will also offer you the chance to request our DVD “Escape the Great Tribulation.” More on that later, but to get your own free copy, be sure to note the phone number or other contact information we will be displaying on your screen during the program.

So, just what IS the Great Tribulation? Many preachers talk about it, novelists have written about it, but few know what it actually is. To understand the Great Tribulation, we will have to look into a book that too many Christians avoid and virtually everyone misunderstands: The biblical book of REVELATION. This book was given to us by Christ—in His own words—“to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.” This is the place to start if we want to understand our future. And though the book of Revelation seems mysterious and intimidating to some, we will find that Jesus Christ gives us exactly what we need to understand it.

Let’s begin by examining a mysterious scene shown to John in heaven, described in Revelation chapter 6. As we will see, this scene is crucial to understanding the future that is rushing toward us and the Great Tribulation. Right before this chapter, John is told that Almighty God, sitting on His throne, holds out a scroll that is sealed with seven seals and the question is asked: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its [seven] seals?” In all of Creation, only Jesus Christ is found to be worthy. And as Christ opens the scroll—one seal at a time, one after the other in sequence—we see elements of our future revealed.

The first four seals are the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The first seal reveals a rider, with a crown and a bow, on a white horse, riding out to conquer. The next horse is red, and its rider is given a great sword and has the power to take peace from the earth. Next, the third horseman—riding a black horse and carrying scales. Finally, the fourth seal is opened and the last horse is revealed—a pale, sickly horse, ridden by Death.

Speaking of these collective horsemen, Revelation 6:8 says,

“And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

One fourth of mankind will die at the hands of the forces represented by these four horsemen. And what are these horsemen? What do they symbolize? We do not have to guess, because the Bible tells us! We take our cue from Revelation 19:10, where we’re told

“…the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Actually, in His incredibly detailed prophecy given on the Mount of Olives and recorded in Matthew 24, Jesus Christ Himself EXPLAINS what these end time terrors represent… He tells us that the first will be false teachers and religious deception. The rider on the white horse represents those who say they come in Christ’s name but who actually set out to deceive the whole word with a false Christianity. After that, Christ says there will be

“wars and rumors of wars… nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom…”

The rider on the red horse symbolizes the ravages of worldwide warfare, and global destruction by powerful armed forces. Now, these things have been with us since time immemorial, but in the end times God’s word indicates that these forces of religious deception and warfare will reach a climax of destruction and power such as the world has never seen. Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24 explains the next two horsemen as well, teaching us that the rider of the black horse represents famine and scarcity across the earth—a lack of the necessities of life on a horrible, unprecedented scale—and that the rider of the pale horse represents disease and pestilence that will sweep the earth in the wake of warfare and famine. Together, these forces will exterminate ONE-FOURTH of humanity—today that’s nearly TWO BILLION PEOPLE!

Do these horsemen represent the time known as the Great Tribulation? Or is worse yet to come after them?

We will discuss that in the next segment of our program. But first, let me give you a chance to call and request our incredible free booklet, “Escape the Great Tribulation.” This DVD contains three full Tomorrow’s World programs explaining prophecies that will impact YOUR life SOON!

These programs will explain these prophetic mysteries in a way you can clearly understand—and in the plain spoken, biblically powerful manner you have come to expect from Tomorrow’s World. This DVD, containing more than 70 minutes of material, is absolutely free. Pick up your phone and call or write today, and ask for the free DVD “Escape the Great Tribulation.

All Nations Will Turn Against True Christians In This Great Tribulation

Welcome back! In the first portion of our program, we discussed the famous four horsemen of the book of Revelation, revealed by the first four of seven seals in the scroll John saw in his vision. The forces they symbolize—religious deception, warfare, famine, and disease—will kill one-fourth of all of mankind in the days yet ahead of us! Certainly a time of tribulation.

But is that all there is to the Great Tribulation?

No, it isn’t. In fact, for all the death, sorrow, and devastation they cause, Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 24 and verse 8, “All these are the BEGINNING of sorrows….”

Indeed—they ARE only the beginning. For after the first four seals, Revelation 6 says that Jesus Christ opens a FIFTH prophetic seal! What will follow the ride of the four horsemen? Let’s continue reading in verse 9:

“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. 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?’”

Now, for those who are less familiar with their Bibles, this can seem confusing. Is God saying that when we die, our supposedly immortal souls float up to heaven and stay under an altar until Christ’s return? Doesn’t sound like the best afterlife, does it?

The problem for us is that the sacrificial culture of ancient Israel is foreign to most of us today. The symbolic picture here matches what we read, for instance, in Leviticus 4 and verse 7, where the blood of a sacrifice was pooled at the bottom of the altar. And as the Bible tells us in Genesis when Cain murders his righteous brother Abel when the blood of the righteous is spilled, it CRIES OUT to God for His attention and action! In this passage, the book of Revelation depicts the blood of the righteous followers of Jesus Christ and servants of God, spilled as if in sacrifice, CRYING OUT to God for justice and vengeance! The passage continues:

“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.”

THIS “SACRIFICIAL” MARTYRDOM is another element of the GREAT TRIBULATION.

But don’t just take my word for it: Just as Jesus Christ did with the first four seals and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, He explains THIS seal as well, in the very same prophecy recorded in Matthew 24. After describing the ride of the Four Horsemen—religious deception, war, famine, and pestilence, He continues where we left off, in verse 9:

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.”

Note: ALL NATIONS will turn against true Christians in this tribulation, supported by those who fall for a deceptive, global COUNTERFEIT Christianity! This martyrdom of so many who keep the testimony of Jesus Christ and the Commandments of God is mentioned in other Scriptures, as well, such as Revelation 12 and Daniel 7. But there is still more, because this time of horrific persecution is not against Christians, alone. Turn again to Christ’s prophecy of Matthew 24.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.”

Notice the descriptions there! Jesus says that the Great Tribulation is so great that unless God intervenes all flesh—ALL LIFE ON EARTH—would die! And notice Christ’s description of the uniqueness of that time. He says that there has never been a time like it, nor will there ever be again. Keep that in mind as we turn to Jeremiah 30 and verse 4 to see a related prophecy

“Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.”

Notice: “Israel and Judah.” As long-time viewers of the Tomorrow’s World program have proven for themselves, the ancient nation of Israel split after the reign of King Solomon into TWO separate kingdoms. The southern tribes of Israel became the nation of JUDAH, which is the modern-day Jewish people. That’s where the word “Jew” comes from: JUDAH. The modern state of Israel is actually descended from the biblical nation of Judah. But the northern 10 tribes became a separate nation, called “Israel.” And these tribes have descended through time to become the peoples of the United States, the British-descended peoples, and some of the nations of northwestern Europe.

My friends, it is NO COINCIDENCE that until more recent years Britain, America, and Israel have had such strong, brotherly ties! As we’ve shown time and again on this program, the names “Israel” and “Jacob” in prophecy refer to these modern nations.

With this truth in mind, we can unlock the next portion of Jeremiah 30 and learn a vital truth about the coming Great Tribulation and WHO will suffer most during that period.

But before we discuss that, let me give you one more opportunity to request today’s free DVD, “Escape the Great Tribulation.” It is COMPLETELY FREE to all who ask. Take a few moments to request your free copy, and in just 15 seconds I’ll be right back to explain which nations will face the brunt of the Great Tribulation.

Nations Hardest Hit

Welcome back! In our previous segment, we pointed out that Jesus warned of a time to come, the Great Tribulation, that would be so terrible that it would be unlike any time in the history of man—like no time that had ever occurred before or will ever occur afterward.

We also pointed out that when the Bible speaks of Israel or Jacob in prophecy, it is especially referring to the United States and the British-descended nations of the world.

With these things in mind, let’s continue where we left off in Jeremiah 30:

“For thus says the LORD: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob'strouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”

Yes, it is a time of JACOB’S trouble—a time of trouble for the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the British-descended peoples of South Africa! And notice the CRUCIAL description that puts all of these things together, God says “that day is great, so that none is like it…”

Note that! Earlier in Matthew 24 Jesus Christ said that the Great Tribulation would be a time worse than any other in history… THIS passage in Jeremiah, speaking of a time of trouble for America and the Great Britain, is ALSO described as a time worse than any other in history.

My friends, there CANNOT BE TWO SUCH TIMES! These are speaking of the VERY SAME TIME, and it is a time of HORRIFIC DESTRUCTION for what were once the LEADING NATIONS OF THE ENTIRE WORLD: the United States, the United Kingdom, and the British-descended peoples… a time so destructive and catastrophic that it will stand as a UNIQUE POINT IN HISTORY in its brutality and cruelty.

And that is saying a LOT! Consider the many periods of horror mankind has inflicted upon itself throughout history… the cruelty of the Killing Fields, and the bloody and torturous regimes of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia… The countless executions under the Communist reign of Joseph Stalin… The wholesale slaughter of Jews under the nightmare regime of Adolph Hitler—when millions of human beings MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE were slaughtered with a cold and mechanical efficiency.

Yet, we have the very word of JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF that those days of the past will be NOTHING LIKE THE DAYS AHEAD! They will PALE in comparison to the HORRORS that man will unleash on man in the Great Tribulation! Many in the United States and the United Kingdom who believe that those sorts of things can only happen in the far-away places they see on the news will discover that they are wrong—it will come up on their nations, as well! And God’s word says it IS coming, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow!

But WHY? WHY must all of this come? The Bible makes THAT just as plain, as well: BECAUSE OF OUR SINS. Abortion on demand! Pornography and sexual perversion! Television, computer, and movie screens that display the vilest images and concepts ever to enter the mind of man! All while the Bible is increasingly mocked as irrelevant in our times! If our nations are going to PERSIST in ordering God to keep His nose out of their business, then He is going to allow them to discover what happens when He DOES!

Many of you watching this program right now see the calamity building around us. I know because you write us about it. You knowsomething is happening. What is going on? God tells us in Amos 3:6,

“If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?”

Almighty God is behind these things, my friends, and the day of reckoning is coming more quickly than many of us could possibly have imagined.

But what can you DO about it? Is there ANYTHING you can do about it, for your sake, for your family’s sake? YES, THERE IS! In the last part of our program, we will tell you exactly what, but first let me remind you of the free DVD we are sending out today “Escape the Great Tribulation.”

This DVD will give you the plain TRUTH about these prophetic topics, and it will help you understand what you need to do to face the times ahead and to seek God’s protection. Get your free copy of “Escape the Great Tribulation” right now, and then come right back. We’ll see that the Bible explains how a small group of people will be spared from the Great Tribulation and who those people are and whether you can be among them. You need to know!

How Can You Escape The Great Tribulation

Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 24 and verse 32:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”

My friends, we see the signs. That is why we here on Tomorrow’s World warn of these things: Not because they are pleasant to talk about, but because they are coming soon, and we are responsible to God if we don’t speak out.

So, all of this brings us to one vital question before we conclude: Is there ANYTHING you can do about the times to come? Is there anything you can do to protect yourself, or your family? Ezekiel chapter 7 tells us that during those days ahead, people will be throwing their gold and silver into the street as useless trash, because it can do nothing to save them. Hoarding “gold and guns” won’t do the trick. But what will?

Jesus Christ, Himself, answers in the parallel account to Matthew 24 in Luke 21. There, he says at the end of His prophecy,

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Christ says we should be watching, praying, and striving to be worthy—REPENTING! Revelation 12 not only speaks of a portion of Christians who must face horrific persecution, but it also speaks of a group of Christians who are protected on earth in a place of safety during the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God. Revelation 3 describes both groups of Christians, explaining that those who must go through the fiery trial are those who are lukewarm—who compromise godliness with the customs of this world, and who lack true zeal for the things of God that will motivate them to change and to act! Meanwhile, those who will be protected from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world are described as those who hold fast to the truths of God that they learn, obeying them, and acting on them—CHANGING THEIR LIVES to bring them into harmony with the commands of God and getting behind His work on earth to spread His gospel of the Kingdom of God to all corners of the globe!

And that Kingdom IS COMING! Believe it or not, as dark as the days of the coming Great Tribulation are, for those who are devoting their very being to God, the things we see happening around us are actually signs of hope. As Jesus Christ encourages us in Luke 21 and verse 28:

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The old saying really is true: sometimes it is darkest before the dawn.

After the difficulty of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord that follows it, as explained in our booklet, the world will finally know peace and prosperity, as Jesus Christ, Himself, comes to rule the world with the assistance of His saints for 1,000 years.

You and I have the opportunity to experience the blessings that come from living life for GOD instead of for ourselves, TODAY—and after Christ’s coming, for all eternity. But we must do what the world is unwilling to do: repent, change, and actually obey the God who made us.

There is so much more that you need to know about this subject. I do hope you won’t forget to get your own copy of our free DVD “Escape the Great Tribulation.”

And I hope you will come back next week! Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, and I, along with guest presenter Rod McNair, will be right here, ready to teach you more of the teachings of Jesus Christ, the good news of His coming Kingdom, and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning. Until next week, take care.