When Was the Tribulation?
During his earthly ministry in AD 30, Jesus predicted “great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21). Jesus went on to say it would happen within “this generation” (v. 34). Keep in mind, a biblical generation equates to around forty years (see Heb. 3:8–10, Num. 14:30–34, Neh. 9:21)–which means the Tribulation must have happened by around AD 70.
Did it happen? Scriptural and historical evidence say yes!
By around AD 65, John said the Tribulation had already begun. In fact, John said he was a “companion in the tribulation” (Rev. 1:9).
Even the first-century historian Josephus talked about it. Compare Jesus’s prophecy of “the greatest tribulation ever” to Josephus’s description of the events during the Jewish-Roman War of AD 67–70:
Jesus: “There shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).
Josephus: “It is therefore impossible to go distinctly over every instance of these men’s iniquity. I shall therefore speak my mind here at once briefly: That neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world.”[1]…
…”It appears to me that the misfortunes of all men, from the beginning of the world, are not so considerable as those of the Jews…This makes it impossible for me to contain my lamentations.”[2]
Jesus’s and Josephus’s words are eerily similar. Josephus also said 1.1 million Jews were killed and another 97,000 were taken into slavery. The famed Herod’s Temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was sacked.
The Great Tribulation happened within a generation, just as Jesus had predicted!
For more details about the historical events surrounding AD 70, see my article “Prophecy Fulfilled.”
Or, for a detailed discussion of these topics, see my book The End Is Here: How the New Testament’s Prophecies Were Fulfilled, which should be available for purchase Summer 2024.
By: Alex Polyak, Director of The Bible Fulfilled June 12, 2024.
[1] Timothy P. Martin and Jeffrey L. Vaughn, Beyond Creation Science, 2nd ed. (Whitehall, MT: Apocalypse Vision Press, 2007), 62.
