Righteous Wrath Outpoured: A Survey of the Tribulation

And precisely, I want us to focus on tonight not just on what is going to happen in the tribulation, but why God has orchestrated events to take place in this way.

You know, 44 years ago, Pastor John preached one of his most famous sermons that you can still listen to today.

December 5th, 1982, Pastor John preached a well-known sermon called A Jet Tour of Revelation.

And if you came tonight looking for a summary, a play-by-play summary of all of the events listed in the tribulation, you cannot top what was preached 44 years ago.

It's an incredible sermon.

I reread it yesterday just to remind myself of what Pastor John had said.

It's excellent.

I would encourage you all to listen to that message.

It's incredible in its outline, succinctly and clearly presented of what will take place in the tribulation.

Now tonight, I want us to think about not just what's going to happen, but why it's going to happen.

Why have the tribulation happened? You know, growing up in church, the tribulation scared me.

I grew up at the age where left behind was all the craze and was familiar with the books.

But more so than the books, I sat under faithful Bible preaching here at this church.

And the preachers here did not shy away from outlining in detail the cataclysmic events that are described in the book of Revelation, which will indeed take place.

And it was frightening.

I understand that everything God does is right and good.

I didn't question God's goodness, but I really wrestled with why does it have to end this way? Why these events? Why this scope of destruction? Why all this death and terror? What's the point of all this? Well, before we dive into the why, I'd like to clarify a matter of terminology.