Why would a loving God put a seven year curse on the world and the very people He created? Why is that THE PLAN?

WELL, He has a purpose: to complete the harvesting of souls whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Because the tribulation, as bad as it will be, is God's greatest act of mercy; providing the unsaved one last chance to avoid the horrors of eternal punishment in hell. Moreover, God will use this terrible time, in part, to ultimately bring an end to sin, which will come to fruition at the close of Armageddon, after the 1,000 years of Jesus' Reign on the earth when He will defeat Satan and his minions in one final battle that will put an end to sin forever. And all evil beings will be thrown into the Lake of Fire forever and ever!

For those who are left behind at the Rapture, the tribulation is a last chance. Moreover, what is 7 years in comparison to eternity?

God knows the end from the beginning. He already knew who would reject Him at this crucial time going forward, that is before time began. Furthermore, He foreknew who would reject Him and who would receive Him; both those who are just coming to know Him as well as those who have been walking with Him for a time, those who have been rejecting Him all their lives and those who have just recently decided to change their minds and turn away from Him. He knows all at all times; He always has; always will.

Inasmuch as He is our Creator and the Creator of all things; He has control over everything and everyone, which includes those He accepts and rejects.

" The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.”  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!" "(Jeremiah 18:1-6)

" For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very 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.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?"" (Romans 9:17-21)

These passages provide a great deal of insight into God's Sovereignty, as they show something in the natural that relates to what God would have us understand; aka, a parable. The verses cited regarding the potter and the clay illustrate this concept, so that we who study the Word may comprehend. If the potter decides a creation is not pleasing to him for any reason, it's completely right, correct and understandable if he discards those vessels, right?

It's interesting that these passages use Israel to help drive home the godly principle presented through them, because Israel, both the nation and spiritual Israel are good places to start when studying why God has planned for the world: a period of hell on earth for seven years; the ultimate chastisement.

The tribulation period is for Israel, both in the natural as well as the spiritual. It's intended to save people, rather than destroy them. God will destroy those that are truly wicked and refuse to repent, but the principle rationale behind the tribulation is that lost souls may be saved. God is not willing that anyone should perish:

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2Peter 3:9)

"Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb." (Psalm 37:1)

"Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off." (Psalm 37:37-38)

" And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2Thessalonians 2:8-12)

"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18)

The Wrath of God will destroy the wicked, while helping convict those souls He has been waiting on at the same time, which means the tribulation, like the Bible, is another appropriate thing to be called “A Double-Edged Sword.” Speaking of the wicked, God said this in Revelation, which addresses the End Times:

“I will kill her children with death, and all the Churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:23)

“So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

STUBBORNNESS

Learning through experience is something all human beings can relate to, however, for some, the experiences required to gain their attention MUST be extreme like living through hell on earth. There are those who do NOT come to the Lord through everyday ups and downs; they have to hit ‘rock bottom.’

There will be many souls that do end up saved during the tribulation; many of them will be martyred, but those who remain, along with their descendants, will be those who populate the earth going into the millennial kingdom; Jesus’ one thousand year reign on the earth:

"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time." (Revelation 20:1-3)

Zechariah 14:16 – “And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”

Daniel 2:44 –“ And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”

Zechariah 14:4 – “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

Daniel 7:27 – “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him”

 “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age. The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets."

(Zechariah 8:3-5)

IN THE MAGNIFICENT FUTURE TIME OF CHRIST'S REIGN, GENTILES WILL COME TO ADMIRE THE JEWISH PEOPLE:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities; The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, And seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.” Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the Lord.’ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ” (Zechariah 8:20-23)

CONCLUSION:

According to these verses, people will live to extremely old ages again like in the Bible days! And children will be able to play safely in the streets again! AND the gentiles will look up to the Jewish people! Hallelujah!

The tribulation period is God’s final offer of mercy. Once that door closes, there is no going back, people can still be saved, but His near seven thousand year period of Grace will have passed away, hence, the world will not rest in His Almighty Hand at that time, but be left to Satan and his minions’ reign. As bad as that will be, it’s still much better than the sentence of eternity in hell. Seven years will be rough, no doubt, but….. like the 'blink of an eye' when compared to……. forever and ever and ever and ever and on and on and on and on and on !!!!!!!!

There is also reason to believe that during that time there will be a return to sacrifice, as the antichrist will disrupt the sacrifices being offered when he comes on the scene at the start of the tribulation period:

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” (Daniel 9:27)

 ^“Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house; they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.” (Ezekiel 44:11)

By the close of the tribulation period, the eyes of Israel will be open, (except for those who are truly and thoroughly wicked.) And God’s Plan will be completed for the End Times. As for God, He’ll probably say something like: “Mission accomplished” or like Jesus said on the Cross: "It is finished!"And all of Heaven will rejoice and rejoice and rejoice and rejoice, forever and ever and ever!

NKJV, KJV

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.