Introduction:

 

One of the most debated topics about the Tribulation is who the source of the Tribulation is, with the question often asked being, “Is the Tribulation God’s wrath or Satan’s wrath?” 

 

This question will hopefully be answered within this article.

 

Verses on Wrath and the Tribulation:

 

“The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,” (Zephaniah 1:14-15 KJV)

 

“Near is the great day of the Lord, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness,”

‭‭(Zephaniah‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬)

 

Zephaniah 1:14-15 indicates that the Day of the Lord constitutes both a time of divine wrath and Tribulation. So who is the cause of this wrath? Verse 17 answers that question: 

 

“And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.” (Zephaniah 1:17 KJV)

 

“I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the Lord; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung.”

‭‭(Zephaniah‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬)

 

This verse shows who is causing the wrath during the Tribulation, along with more specific distress happening during it. “I will bring” shows that the Tribulation is God’s wrath and not Satan’s wrath, as God is speaking in this verse. This is even further shown by verse 18, which states, “the day of the Lord’s wrath.”

 

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17 KJV)

 

“the wrath of the lamb.” Here we encounter a phrase of seeming contradiction. The Lamb, who was silently led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7), now metes out wrath. It is the Lamb who opens each of the seals bringing forth these judgments, which are indicative of the wrath of God. The wrath of God began earlier when the Lamb arose from His seat to open the first seal. It should be noted that the passage does not say that the wrath of God begins only with the sixth seal, but that only with the sixth seal do unbelievers recognize that it is the wrath of God. Those on the earth are ignorant of the Scriptures. Yet even they recognize that the time of God’s wrath has now come upon the earth (Revelation 11:18; 14:9-10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19).

 

“the great day of his wrath.” This “great day” refers to The Day of the Lord, which is a unique time in the future when God will radically intervene in history to demonstrate in an irrefutable way who He is. The primary Old Testament passages from which the images in the sixth seal are drawn prove that the great day must be the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:10-11, 19-21; 13:9-13; 34:4, 8; Ezekiel 32:7-8; Hosea 10:8; Joel 2:11, 30; Zephaniah 1:14; Malachi 4:5).

 

The Tribulation is also shown to be God’s wrath since it is a time when God’s special intervention into world events gives way to judge His enemies, accomplish His purpose for history, and thereby demonstrate who He is—the sovereign God of the universe (Isaiah 2:10-22; Ezekiel 13:5, 9, 14, 21, 23; 30:3, 8, 19, 25-26). In fact, many Days of the Lord have already happened, such as God raising up Babylon to judge Egypt and its allies during the 500 BCs (Jeremiah 46:2; Ezekiel 30:3-6). However, this is speaking of a future Day of the Lord, although it is still God’s judgment and wrath.

 

“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Revelation 13:7 KJV)

 

Some will state this verse proves the Tribulation is Satan’s wrath because Satan is going to war with the saints. However, “it was given unto him.” So, the Beast is permitted to overcome the saints. This disturbing reality has been on the prophetic agenda for thousands of years:

 

“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them . . . He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” (Daniel 7:21, 25 NKJV)

 

How could it be that God would grant permission for the Beast to overcome the saints? Here is where our grasp of God’s sovereignty and His glory must be our sure support. As He used Pharaoh in the days of the Exodus, so too He uses the Beast in the time of the end. He will raise up the Beast for His ultimate glory.

 

“But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.” (Exodus 9:16-17 KJV)

 

“To make war with the saints.” The saints during this time are under tremendous persecution. They are martyred because they are unwilling to worship the Beast and its image. Overall, this verse in no way indicates that the Tribulation is Satan’s wrath since the word “wrath” isn’t even mentioned, and the saints shall be GIVEN into his hand. The overwhelming evidence for the Tribulation being God’s wrath shows the Tribulation is the result of divine wrath. 

 

Proof of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture:

 

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 KJV) 

 

“For” (Greek: hoti, “because”) introduces a reason why believers should prepare themselves. God’s intention for them is not the wrath that will come on the earth on the Day of the Lord but the full salvation that will be theirs when the Lord returns for them in the clouds. The wrath of God referred to here clearly refers to the Tribulation; the context makes this apparent. Deliverance from wrath is God’s appointment for believers. This temporal salvation comes through the Lord Jesus Christ, just as eternal salvation does. 

 

“Whether we wake or sleep”

 

Paul’s point is that Christians are assured of life together with Him, whether they are spiritually watchful or not. That they might live with Christ was His purpose in dying for them. They will escape God’s wrath whether they are watchful or not (cf. 1:10). This is a powerful argument for a pretribulational Rapture.