In light of the tendency to relegate a time of “great” tribulation to the distant past or imminent future, it is important to survey the biblical teaching in this regard.  As we will see, this time of “great tribulation” cannot be tied exclusively to the events of A.D. 70, or to the very end.  God’s people may face such tribulation throughout the entire time from Christ’s redemptive tribulation on the cross, until the end of the age.

This is an important question for several reasons.  First, when most people think of the great tribulation, they are thinking of the dispensational idea that at (or about) the time of the Rapture, the world enters a seven-year period of tribulation in which the Antichrist comes to power after the unexpected removal of all believers.  The Antichrist then makes a seven-year peace treaty with Israel, only to turn upon Israel after three and a half years, plunging the world into a geo-political crisis which ends with the battle of Armageddon.  Dispensationalists believe this is a time of horrific cruelty and that only way to be saved during this period is to refuse to take the mark of the beast, and not worship the beast or his image.  The main problem with this interpretation is that it is nowhere found  in Scripture.
A second reason why this question is important has to do with the rise of various forms of preterism (full-preterism, which is considered a heresy; and so-called “partial” preterism, which is not) which contend that Christ returned in A.D. 70 to execute judgment upon apostate Israel, the city of Jerusalem, and the Jewish temple and its sacrificial system.  Those who hold to the various forms of preterism believe that this great tribulation spoken of by Jesus (Matthew 24:21) has come and gone with the events associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Romans.
In light of the tendency to relegate a time of “great” tribulation to the distant past or imminent future, it is important to survey the biblical teaching in this regard.  As we will see, this time of “great tribulation” cannot be tied exclusively to the events of A.D. 70, or to the very end.  God’s people may face such tribulation throughout the entire time from Christ’s redemptive tribulation on the cross, until the end of the age.
Virtually all scholars agree that the basis for the three references in the New Testament to a “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 2:22; 7:14) is Daniel 12:1, which reads: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”
In Daniel’s prophecy not only  is this period of suffering tied to the time of the end (i.e., the mention of the general resurrection in vv.2-3), but the basis for the tribulation God’s people face is their covenant loyalty to God in the face of external persecution (by the state) and false teaching (from within) which causes the apostasy of many within the covenant community (cf. Daniel 11:30-39; 44; 12:10).
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As we watch the Western world burn down around itself with leader after leader who demands obedience, refuses to heed wise counsel that refutes their shibboleths, and who punishes those who call out the problems early, we need a church leadership that lives differently. A church leadership whose vision of Jesus is so big and so all encompassing, that the baubles of approval from bad leadership are not enticing enough to take it off track. 

Untrustworthy Leaders
We’ve been around long enough now to know that bad leadership is everywhere. Untrustworthy leadership.  The church, it seems, is often – sadly – just as culpable as the world.  In fact more culpable. Equipped with the very tools to deal with toxicity, bullying, private ungodliness masked with public piety, we pull our punches.
We are proving to be just as untrustworthy as the world when it comes to calling out bad leadership.
And with the very person of Jesus – who time and time again had to call out his disciples for having a worldly view of leadership – we seem stuck in the rut of bad, untrustworthy leadership. Or at least we seem unable to call it out early .
And the church is getting sick of it. And more to the point, getting sick of having to open an email or read a Christian journal that calls it out for the church. My own experience is that it isn’t until the sheep are bleating loud enough to the point of embarrassment that anything is ever done.
And even then. Even then. I’ve spent a lot of hours recently on Zoom with a group that is looking at taking on a leader who has been publicly shown to be unqualified to lead God’s people time and time again. Three hours to be exact on Zoom. Three hours across the world at a time of the morning I’d rather be chilling in the early quiet with a hot brew.
And no matter what evidence I presented, I’ve been implored for more. Several times. I’ve been asked to show evidence from other people’s private emails (which I won’t do). At the end I simply said “Even if someone were to rise from the dead, you wouldn’t believe.” Cheeky I know, but come on people!
How Bad Leadership Thrives
Journalist Bari Weiss, – once of The New York Times, but who left due to its had leadership that failed to call out the personal abuse and anti-Semitism she was experiencing from other staff -, nails it in an article republished in The Times.
Speaking about how she was hounded at a dinner party earlier this year when she mentioned that Joe Biden might be losing it and not fit for the role of president, she states that she was publicly called out for it. But privately? That was a different matter.
Privately everyone was acknowledging what they could not – would not – acknowledge publicly. Why? She states:
A Democratic insider put it more bluntly when I asked him what had taken so long: “Proximity to power, privilege, prestige. That’s the currency. And people fiercely protect their access. They put self-preservation over principle.”
That’s it right there. And sadly I’ve seen it in church leadership way too often. Which seems incredible, yes? Here we are as the people of God with the absolutely mind-blowing privilege of proximity everyday to the most powerful person – the Lord Jesus – access to the throne of grace as Hebrews reminds us
Clear that tells us that we don’t believe our own theology as much as we say we do. When God is big in our eyes other people are not too big, nor are they too small. They are human-sized. And that means for their sake and the sake of others you should tell the truth.
In two significant occasions in which I have called out poor leadership – and it cost me my job on one of those occasions – the leadership found every way they could to excuse the sinful behaviour of the person at the top, and in both cases the story was “But he gets things done”, and “We need to show that person more grace”.
So there’s a pattern to these conversations and an armoury of theological reasons that the world is not equipped with. Which means – ironically – the church can keep hold of poor leaders longer than the world can! And – sadly – so often does.
What does this leave us like? It leaves us craven and submitting to poor leadership for the sake of a few glittering baubles of approval. Approval from someone who we actually fear would step all over us if we were to demur.
We can say from the stage all we like about grace-renewal leadership, but if behind the scenes we are formed by fear and insecurities, then no amount of public declarations will atone for it.
And why do followers of such leaders allow this to happen? Knowingly? Because after you have watched him (and it’s most often a him), do over the people you once worked with who called it out, why would he not do it to you?
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Some examples of the way that the self-discipline of choosing the right perspective empowers godly character. Forgiveness: refusing to demand that another person treat me perfectly when God has forgiven a thousand times more imperfections in me. Humility: recognizing that God and others are actually the ones responsible for the achievements in my life. Contentment: realizing that God has already provided everything I need for my present happiness. Patience: realizing that others’ imperfections that inconvenience me provide the opportunity to show them Christ-like unconditional love.

It has been said, probably mostly in the manufacturing world, that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I think there is truth in that statement—at least when it comes to how we pattern our life. The highest of all compliments to another is probably having a passion to be like him or her. When it comes to thanking Jesus for his unfathomable grace and love for me, I’m not sure anything would mean more to him than passionately seeking to BE LIKE HIM. This episode is the third in our study of the astonishing first chapter of 2nd Peter in which God tells us that his divine power makes it possible for us to do that very thing–become partakers of his divine nature, escaping the corruption of our sinful desires. Today, we examine step 3 for accessing that divine power.
Let’s review what we have seen in this text, Peter 1:3-8, so far. We noted last week that this 3-step process of becoming Christ-like, ends with the promise that continuing this process of growing into Christ-like character guarantees that our lives in Christ will NOT BE ineffective or unfruitful. Verse 8: For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being INEFFECTIVE or UNFRUITFUL in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We noted that Peter explains this three-step process beginning in verse 3: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the KNOWLEDGE of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. Step #1 in being transformed into the likeness of Christ is KNOWING him well, personally, gazing upon his gory and excellence. Paul sends us the same message about how we are transformed writing, And we all…. BEHOLDING the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18).
Last week, we examined step #2 in this process of accessing the power of the Holy Spirit to become Christ-like. Verse 4: by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, SO THAT THROUGH THEM you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Why are God’s great and precious promises a key to a Jesus-like heart? Perhaps it is because our self-centered preoccupations, compulsions, fears, and anxieties so take over our hearts that they push the Christ-like heart commitment to love God and others to the side. However, when I can transfer all those self-centered preoccupations to God, knowing he will take care of whatever I fear or worry about, I am emotionally free to focus on loving—God and others. For example, if my heart is filled with anxiety over whether I have the money to pay my mortgage, I will not be able to concentrate on listening well or notice another’s needs. I am too preoccupied with worry. But claiming God’s promise in Phil 4:19, My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus sets my heart free to focus on others.
So, step #1 in this pathway to Christ-like heart attitudes is abiding in Christ, the Vine, walking with him and being transformed as we see his glory and moral excellence. Step #2 in this pathway to Christ-like attitudes is walking daily by faith—trusting in his great and precious promises to provide all we need. Today we come to step #3: Verse 5: MAKE EVERY EFFORT to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control, with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. Step #3 in this pathway to Christ-like heart attitudes is to be intentional about building Christ-like character. That is what Peter commands. Make every effort to build a golden chain of virtues.
Let’s look at this list of virtues.
Faith
The beginning virtue, FAITH, refers back to step 2–living daily by claiming the promises of God. The foundation of Peter’s golden chain is trusting God’s promises, which frees our hearts to be OTHER-focused instead of SELF-focused. Escaping from desires ruling my heart that exhibit preoccupation with ourselves is only possible by trusting Jesus to worry about all those concerns SO WE DON’T HAVE TO. Let’s consider how this works.

If the fear of being rejected is dominating my heart, I will not be sensitive to the other’s needs to be affirmed and valued, but unconsciously maneuver to make sure I am seen in the best light. However, if the truth of Zephaniah 3:17 captures my heart, reassuring me that I am deeply loved by God, such confidence will drive out my self-centered need to feel valuable, empowering me to love others well by affirming THEM. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
If my heart entertains secret doubts about God’s goodness, I will not want to come into his presence. Hebrews 11:6 says, Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. But if I claim Ps 34:10, I will run to God. Even the young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
If God has ordained circumstances that are painful for me, filling my heart with doubts about his love, rebellion may creep into my heart. But if I claim God’s promise in Rom 8:31-32, rebellion flees from my heart (momentarily)! If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Then my heart is free to love God in his love language, “If you love me keep my commandments” (Jn 14:5).
If the fear of being alone overpowers my heart, I will easily compromise my moral convictions to fit in. The potential pain of being left out drives me. But my heart is freed from this fear when I lean upon Is 41:10. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my right hand. I can take a stand for righteousness that will also help others in the room do what is right.
When my heart is empty and I feel unsatisfied, like trying to follow Jesus is not worth it, discontent, and envy of others can take over. But when I lean on the truth of Psalm 37:4, Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart, my heart is free to take my empty tank to God to fill.
When I am at the end of my rope, having asked God over and over to change a situation which causes a lot of pain but he refuses to do so, distrust can take over my heart. In such moments, I need to rely upon verses like, I Pet 5:7, You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern.

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