WILL EARTHQUAKES, FAMINE AND PESTILENCES COME BEFORE THE GREAT TRIBULATION? BUT THEN HOW MUCH SHALL IT BE?

To understand the correct sequence that Jesus Christ wants to teach us in the text of Luke 21 about His return, we need to analyze the text in its logical sequence that He tells us how things will happen.

How is it written in Luke 21:7-19?

Part 1 (verse 7-9): “Teacher, they asked, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?  He replied: Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am he, and, The time is near. Do not follow them.  When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Part 2 (verses 10-11): "Then he said to them: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."

Part 3 (verses 12-19): "But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life."

However, without changing any tilde in this text, we need to read in the correct sequence, as shown below.

Part 1 (verse 7-9): “Teacher, they asked, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?  He replied: Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am he, and, The time is near. Do not follow them.  When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Part 3 (verses 12-19): "But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life."

Part 2 (verses 10-11): "Then he said to them: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."

The time when many will appear saying they are Jesus Christ is the time of apostasy which is also described in Matthew 24:10-12.

The apostle Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, made it clear that first the son of perdition will arise and with him the great tribulation. Read the text below:

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us - whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter - asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God." 2 Thessalonians 2: 2-4

The son of perdition must manifest himself first and during a period of 3 ½ years, according to Daniel's prophecy. He will be the anti-Christ who will bring peace and solutions to the whole world. Many will believe that he is the Messiah, even the Jews will believe him. After that period, the covenant will be broken and the anti-Christ will reveal himself exactly who he is, and those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ will suffer the Great Tribulation, until Jesus Christ appears in the clouds to take them with Him. The Great Tribulation begins in part 3 of the text and continues during part 2, for 3 ½ years.

Why did many pastors err in the past by preaching that Jesus Christ could come at any time? Because they taught that Jesus Christ would be returning when we heard of false prophets posing as Jesus Christ, wars and rumors of war.

Jesus Christ made it clear in the text above that the end would not be soon after those things.

Why do many pastors still err today in preaching that Jesus Christ can come anytime now? Because they teach that nations are preparing for war at any moment and that we are already beginning to see signs in the skies, to see famines and to witness pestilences, such as the locust plague that has been occurring in Africa for some months now and this pandemic COVID-19. We are getting distracted by these things that do not really matter right now. Now the important thing is to preach Jesus Christ and the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Many preachers and pastors are spending an enormous amount of time preaching Freemasonry conspiracy theory and literally scaring all "believers", giving more value to the works of the devil than focusing on the Gospel of Christ. All of this is a waste of time and distraction.

The text in Luke 21 is in full agreement with the text in Matthew 24 which is a little more detailed in descripture. However, in this post this comparison will not be addressed so that the text is not too long.

I suggest that you read the text of Matthew 24, pray to God and ask for revelation from the Holy Spirit. Then, compare the texts!