(Matthew 24:15-22, 29; Revelation 7:3,9,14)
The fourth trumpet ended the Great Tribulation described in Revelation 7 and Matthew 24.
Many have been confused by the expression “Great Tribulation.” We can easily understand its meaning in Revelation 7. Here, we meet two groups of the elect: those who come out of the Great Tribulation and those who are sealed by the Spirit of God, called the 144,000. The “seal of God” was explained by the apostle Paul: “Do not grieve the holy spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”1Eph 4:30 Those who came out of the Great Tribulation were unable to receive the holy spirit because they did not belong to a Church that obeyed the commandments of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We know that after the bishop of Rome exalted himself as high as Christ, the holy spirit was taken from the Church. Believers lost the seal of God and the assurance of salvation. Thus, Jesus said that when one “stands in the holy place as spoken of by Daniel the prophet … there will be a Great Tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world.”2Matt 24:15, 21 The one who stood in the holy place was the bishop of Rome. After he changed the doctrines of Christ’s Church, the place of his sanctuary was cast to the ground. The spirit of Truth was taken away from it.
The tribulation of Satan is a threat to our salvation. Thus, Jesus said, “Unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved.”3Matt 24:22
Jesus continued, however, saying, “Immediately from the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky.”4Matt 24:29 Here, He described the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars in the fourth trumpet, which ends the Great Tribulation.
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