The concept of tribulation refers to a suffering.
Tribulation is a spiritual or moral suffering , pain or martyrdom that a person suffers. The term comes from the Latin word tribulatĭo .
For example: “In these hours of tribulation, I just want to return home to be with my family” , “The priest asked God to provide comfort to the victims in their tribulation” , “The terrorist attack caused deep tribulation in the population.”
Examples of tribulation
The notion is used with reference to a shock or great distress that is caused by some event. Suppose that a group of workers, upon entering the company where they carry out their work activities, find a sign informing them of the company's closure due to financial problems. The employees, in this way, are left without work. The news causes tribulation among these individuals, who must urgently find a new job that will allow them to obtain the necessary resources to support their families.
The idea of tribulation can also be linked to adversity . A young woman who manages to complete a bachelor's degree after holding two jobs simultaneously and studying for five years, having overcome a serious illness and the death of her parents in an accident, can say that she went through tribulations to achieve her goal.
It is important to note that this term is not commonly used in everyday speech, but is found more frequently in literature. In popular language, nouns such as suffering , anguish and nightmare are used, among many other words and expressions depending on the region and age group of the speaker.
“Tribulation” , on the other hand, is the title of a television series of Peruvian origin that aired in 2011 .
Worry can be associated with tribulation.
The concept in Christianity
In some branches of Christianity , the period of suffering that those who do not believe in God will face when the time of the Apocalypse approaches is known as The Great Tribulation . This concept is part of the so-called Christian eschatology , a branch of its theology that consists of beliefs about "ultimate realities" : the final destiny of everything we know and the state of human beings after their death.
Regardless of how each person interprets the prophecies of the numerous books that make up the Christian Bible, the Great Tribulation was announced by Jesus in the Gospel of Saint Matthew , as a period that human beings must face, different from anything they have ever experienced. until then, and that only the "chosen" will be saved from it. These statements were made on the Mount of Olives .
According to certain currents of Christianity , the interpretation of the Apocalypse details the events that will take place in the Great Tribulation, in addition to some of its characteristics, as set out below:
- The Great Tribulation will not last long, since it will not affect all of humanity, but only those people who have not been chosen.
- Various natural disasters will occur, such as plagues, tidal waves, earthquakes and famine.
- The four horsemen of the Apocalypse will be one of the many portents and omens that will appear in the sky .
- Its beginning will occur with a proclamation of "Peace and Security" , according to a prophecy in the book of the Thessalonians. Another related event will be the fall of false religions (mentioned in the Bible as "Babylon the Great" ).
- During the Great Tribulation, certain astronomical signs may also be noticed, which Christianity may interpret as a sign that their salvation is approaching, while evil beings will experience them with anguish and terror.
- At the core of the Great Tribulation prophecy is a fact that will rejoice believers: Jesus Christ will come to Earth a second time, formally known as the “Second Coming.” The Son of God will arrive accompanied by an army of angels and will protect his followers from the persecutions they will suffer.