Will The Gospel of Jesus Christ Be Preached In The Great Tribulation Period?

The quick answer is yes. This is why people in the great tribulation period will still find salvation in Jesus Christ. You may be asking yourselves the questions, ‘How is that possible, if the church is raptured? Who is going to preach the Gospel? Left behind backslidden sinners who called themselves Christians in the days before the rapture?’

The Events of The Beginning of Sorrows

Remember what Jesus Christ says in Matthew 24:11-14, Where He ministered about the signs in the “beginning of sorrows” pointing to the rapture. That time is now, where False prophets shall arise and deceive many. Sins will wax worse and the love of many shall wax cold? And then He says, “he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved.” The end of what? He’s referring to the end of your life. The end of the church age, and the end of the world! We know we are living the “beginning of sorrows” now that Jesus Christ warned us about 2000+ years ago in Matthew 24:3-13/Revelation 6:1-11. Based on the Holy Bible coupled with observable evidence that we see happening all around us now.

The Events of The Great Tribulation Period

And Jesus Christ concludes His prophetic utterance with this profound, yet power statement that so many assume He was prophesying now before the rapture, Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Here in this specific verse, He was only referring to the end of the world not the end of the church age. We know through a quick glance, according to the Scriptures, Jesus Christ taught about false prophets will continue on through the great tribulation period (Matthew 24:21-25). The Book of Revelation reveals sins will wax worse (Revelation 9:20-21) with the love of many shall further wax cold (Revelation 11:7-10). And we also know, according to the Scriptures, that after the rapture, there is still a period of time known as the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21) where God will judge the world (Revelation 8-16).

And while all that’s going on, the antichrist will rise and deceive nations and rule the world with lying signs and wonders (Matthew 24:23-26/Revelation 13), while the 144,000 flee into the wilderness (Matthew 24:15/Revelation 12:13-16). Armageddon will occur (Revelation 16:16). Then the antichrists’ rule will be overthrown (Revelation 14:8-11/Revelation 17-18), when he and the false prophet will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity (Revelation 19:20). This will all occur for about seven years.

Then, satan will be thrown into the bottomless pit for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3). Jesus Christ will come and step foot on earth in His Second Advent (Matthew 24:27-28/Revelation 14:1/Revelation 19:11-21) and establish His Government known as the “Millennial Reign of Christ” (Isaiah 9:6-7/Revelation 19:11-20:4). After that, satan will be released from the bottomless pit and deceive nations one last short time (Revelation 20:7-9). AND THEN SHALL THE END COME (Revelation 20:10)!

So in the meantime of all that’s going to happen in the great tribulation period, before the end of the world, Jesus Christ specifically says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.”

Who Will Preach The Gospel In The Great Tribulation Period?

So, before the end of the world cometh, according to Jesus Christ, His gospel will be preached in the great tribulation and all the world will hear it. But who will preach the Gospel? According to the Book of Revelation, there are 3 witnesses who will preach the “everlasting gospel.” And those witnesses are:

An angel
The two witnesses

An Angel Will Preach The Gospel In The Great Tribulation Period

As unbelievable as that really sounds, the Book of Revelation reveals an angel will preach the “everlasting gospel” found in, Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Never mind who this angel is. I hate to presume or speculate. And Christian books always speculate without any hard evidence who this “angel” is. So we will not play those kinds of games and waste time. Because the identity of this angel is really pointless… Not important at all. Because God Most High forbids anyone to nerd out and worship angels. So we really don’t need to know.

Rather, the point of the mentioning of this to begin with, is just merely background information to answer these kinds of questions of who will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the great tribulation period? And that should really be the focal point of any of these conversations.

So, we see in this passage of Scripture, this angel will preach the “everlasting gospel” “unto them that dwell on the earth.” Just in case you don’t understand that, when you read on, it specifies who will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ: “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” That literally means everyone who is left behind from the rapture, going through the great tribulation period; both Israelis and Gentiles will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. (according to the words used here in the Greek and the Hebrew). And it will be trustworthy because a holy angel of God will preach it!

How do we know this angel will preach the gospel in the great tribulation period? The Scriptures actually say so when you read on. His proclamation gives address of when, “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come:” When does the judgments of God begin in the great tribulation period? At the breaking of the 7th seal in Revelation 8. That’s when he will preach this “everlasting gospel” at the first half of the great tribulation period.

The Two Witnesses Will Preach The Gospel In The Great Tribulation Period

And then you have the “two witnesses.” This is why they are called “witnesses.” Witnessing what? The word “witness” is an old Christian term that was originally coined by Jesus Christ; for preachers of His gospel (Acts 1:8). So these two witnesses will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Law and the Prophets in Jerusalem sometime towards the end of the first 3 ½ years of the great tribulation going into the last half of the great tribulation period according to,

Revelation 11:3-6 And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

Where do we begin to understand this, because there’s a lot of information here when you rightfully divide the word of truth to understand it in the mind and Spirit of God. How do we know these two witnesses are preaching the Gospel? This passage says, “they shall prophesy.” Prophesy what? Prophets in the Old Testament were not limited to proclaiming what will happen in the future, like a seer would only. They all actually were preachers, ministers if you will, who preached directly from God to man the gospel of repentance coupled with the warnings of things to come if people refused the way of God. Just like the gospel Jesus Christ preached. And these two witnesses are no different.

And they will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ according the Law and the Prophets when you read on, “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”

First of all, before we go any further. We need to address a correction about this particular Scripture. When people read this, they will make the mistake of identifying who these two witnesses are by what they are doing. And further make the mistake to proclaim that these two witnesses are non-other-than Elijah and Moses. These two witnesses are not Moses and Elijah for a few reasons. For one, Moses and Elijah both died.

According to the Holy Bible, when God called Moses to see the promised land from a distance, he died there in the land of Moab and was buried by God somewhere (Deuteronomy 34). And as impossible as this may sound, Elijah also died as well. You maybe asking yourself, “Where in the Holy Bible does it teach that?” Remember, Jesus Christ told His disciples something very startling and profound that should cause everyone to stop and ponder, when His disciples had asked Him,

Matthew 17:10-13 And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.

The Lord Jesus also said many things about John the Baptist prior to this conversation He had with His disciples found in, Matthew 11:7-14 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Lord is not teaching here that John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord in the Holy Spirit and power of Elijah. He’s actually telling us that John the Baptist is Elijah! John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord in the “spirit” (soul) of Elijah!

And the two are comparable in Scriptures. Elijah was filled with the Holy Spirit of God when He was taken up in the flesh by the chariots of fire. The very reason why John the Baptist was already filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb before his birth, because he is Elijah! That’s why, when you compare John the Baptist with Elijah, they look like identical twins literally (Mark 1:6/2 kings 1:8). And John the Baptist was preaching repentance, preparing the way of the Lord and baptizing around the same area where Elijah hid at the brook that was fed by the Jordan River for a couple of years (Mark 1:5/1 Kings 17:2-4. They are too comparable to deny. As the Word of God also testifies in,

Hebrew 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

This means Moses and Elijah had already died once, and they will never be appointed to die again. This is why these two witnesses are not Moses and Elijah that so many foolishly presume and are in error when they proclaim it. Because, according to the Holy Bible, Moses and Elijah have already died. And yet these two witnesses will die after the 3 ½ years have ended in the streets of Jerusalem as it is written,

Revelation 11:7-8 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

If you are still not convinced, don’t you think the Apostle John would have recognized the two witnesses to be Moses and Elijah, since he was one who actually saw Moses and Elijah speak to Jesus Christ at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). And there is no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens for a reason and purpose. Because notice, before John saw Elijah with Moses in their glorified heavenly bodies with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, John the Baptist was beheaded well before that moment of time occurred according to the Scriptures (Matthew 14-17).

And don’t you think the Apostle John would have recognized them and written them down to be Moses and Elijah in Revelation 11? For sure he would. But he didn’t recognize them here as the two witnesses, therefore he didn’t present them to us in the Scriptures to be Moses and Elijah because the two witnesses are not Moses and Elijah as so many people assume!

Here’s another Biblical fact, the mentioning of the two witnesses in detail is not to identify them. Because again, who they are is not the focal point. Rather what they are doing is the point. So what are they doing?

First of all, “they shall prophesy” and “Shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy (This is Elijah “like,” according to 1 kings 17:1). And what was Elijah? A Prophet; a minister of God, appointed by God to perform miracles and showed the love and mercy of God as well as the judgments of God to Israel. (It is also written of them) “Have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues.” (This is Moses “like,” according to Exodus 7-13). And what was Moses? A Prophet; a minister of God (Deuteronomy 34:10) appointed by God to be a deliverer and Law giver of God’s people; the Hebrews (Exodus 19-20). And the Law of the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ!

So, these two witnesses are God’s appointed, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Law and the Prophets during the great tribulation period, in Jerusalem to Israelis specifically (Revelation 11:8). And that’s the real point of the detailed mentioning, of what they are doing rather than who they are. Because both the Law and Prophets preached the everlasting gospel!

And both the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament point to Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb of God; High Priest, the fulfillment of the ceremonial and cleansing Laws. Messiah; Lord, Savior and King. As the Scripture also points out, that the same message we hear through Jesus Christ today is the same gospel message of salvation the Jews heard in the Old Testament!

Hebrews 3:14-4:11 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.

And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The message never changed! That’s why it’s called in the Book of Revelation, “the everlasting gospel.” This same gospel message of salvation in the Old Testament is what Jesus Christ still preached in the New Testament, as Jeremiah has prophesied about (Jeremiah 31-31-40). And the “rest” that God Most High promised, is salvation that can only be found in His only begotten Son; Jesus The Christ; The Son of God, as He Himself proclaimed,

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

And, how do we know for sure “the two witnesses” will preach the everlasting gospel in the “great tribulation period?” The Scriptures gives us the clue when they will preach, Revelation 11:1-2 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Here we see a “temple of God” is mentioned during the time that the two witnesses appear. As of right now, according to a few eye witnesses that I know personally, that’s been to Jerusalem and Israel. And according to their eyewitness accounts, there is no temple being built as of right now, regardless of what false prophets of today have told you, or what the internet has told you. No doubt there will be a temple built in Jerusalem some time in the great tribulation period, because as you read on in this very chapter of Revelation 11, we see:

A temple (V:1-2)
The two witnesses (V:3-7)
And the place this will all happen (V:8)

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

You see, “the great city” is Jerusalem and nowhere else! Jerusalem will be so backslidden, carnal and secular away from God in those days, that He calls Jerusalem “spiritually” “Sodom and Egypt.” And Jesus Christ was crucified outside of Jerusalem during the Passover and nowhere else!

In the distant past, God has sanctified Jerusalem to be His capital, where every first-born male Jew was commanded by God to bring their sacrifices during the 3 sacred feasts once a year (Deuteronomy 16:15-16). The very place where King Solomon built the house of the LORD (2 Chronicles 3). The very temple that King Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed, and the Prophet Ezra and returning Hebrews from the 70 years of captivity rebuilt (The Book of Ezra).

Which is the very temple that King Herod remodeled, which is the same temple Jesus Christ prophesied will be destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2). And that temple of God was destroyed decades later in 70 AD. by the Roman empire. And there hasn’t been a “temple of God” in Jerusalem since… Until we read here in Revelation 11, pointing to the great tribulation period.

The Gospel of Salvation Preached In Those Days

The Gospel of salvation these witnesses will preach in the great tribulation period will not be a contrary gospel, another gospel, or a false gospel that promotes a fake and powerless Jesus. It will be the same gospel of Jesus Christ, anointed by the power of the will of God and of the Holy Spirit preached as it is written,

Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

He has extended His salvation to both Israelis and Gentiles (Jews and Greeks). This is why He will send out these three witnesses during a certain period of time in the great tribulation period preaching the “everlasting gospel” to both audiences and everyone will hear it then! For God Most Highs’ holy love, mercy and perfect will is for all, both Israelis and Gentiles to come to salvation through His only begotten Son; Jesus the Christ (Yeshua Ha’Meshiach), as it is written,

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Which is the same gospel message preached to Israel long ago in, Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

This is why He continues to give us all borrowed time to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, with an outstretched arm to a stiff-necked obstinate people. Because His mercy endureth forever. Even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20)… Whosoever believes