Another of the great misconceptions concerning the end time is the belief that the Great Tribulation period is the "day of God's wrath". Let's connect some scriptures and see what God's Word says about that, beginning with Matthew 24:29...

29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

    Now let's fix the exact time when these things shall come about. Jesus said "immediately after the tribulation of those days". At what point in time will this be in relation to the prophecy of the Book of Revelation?

    The time is placed in Chapter 6, beginning with verse number 12...

12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

    These two passages of scripture are a perfect match. It is obvious they are talking about the same time. We find, then, that the sixth seal is opened "immediately after the tribulation of those days...". Now, take a close look at what follows the opening of this sixth seal. In Revelation, Chapter 6, verse...

15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16. And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb:
17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

    In the light of these scriptures then, when is the Great Day of his Wrath? According to them, it comes immediately after the tribulation of those days.

    We see, then that the Great Tribulation, although it certainly contains some of God's wrath, is not the Great Day of his wrath. That day is after the heavens depart as a scroll; in other words, after the return of Jesus.