Will Christians Live during the Tribulation?
English: Diagram of the major tribulation views in Christian theology (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) When Jesus predicts the siege and destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24:15–22), he asserts, “For then there will be great distress [thlipsis megalē], unequaled from the beginning of the world until now” (v. 21 NIV ). The expression translated “great distress” ( NRSV and NET translate “great suffering,” NLT “greater anguish”) is rendered “great tribulation” in older and a few recent translations ( KJV , RSV, NASB, ESV). The expression “great tribulation” or “great distress” refers to the period of horrific extreme suffering during the siege of Jerusalem. This “great tribulation” was a local event, a fact that made it possible for Jesus’ followers to flee. Neither Jesus’ listeners nor Matthew’s readers would have related this prophecy to a much later period of time unrelated to the Jerusalem temple of the first century. Revelation 7:14 The expression “great tribulation” o...