According to Bible prophecy, there is going to come a time of tremendous suffering on the earth.Some people call that time the tribulation; some call it the Great Tribulation. Jesus referred to it as a time of tribulation "such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And if those days had not been shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matt 24:21, 22).
Those who love Jesus need not worry. According to Scripture, He will return to take them out before that terrible time comes. Says 1 Thess 4:16 - 18: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."
Jesus said "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26, 27).
Those verses are generally understood to mean that conditions on the earth when He comes will be similar to conditions in Noah's day, and no doubt that's true. But it's interesting to notice that judgment didn't come until Noah and his family were safe in the ark.
Jesus also said "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:28, 29).
Again, that's understood to mean that conditions at Christ's return will be similar to the conditions in Lot's day. But again it's interesting that judgment didn't begin until Lot and his family had left. Do you remember the angels who came to destroy Sodom told Lot they could do nothing until he and his family were safely out of it? (Gen 19:12 - 29).
We need to be ready for His coming.
