I think the great tribulation isn't God's wrath. I think it is the devil's wrath because his time is short.
The tribulation (last seven years) is all God's wrath. It is also known as "the Day of the Lord," which is a day of darkness, wrath and fierce anger. Scripture states that after Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven to the earth, he is angry. This does not mean that this time period is the wrath of Satan. He just happens to get angry during the time of God's wrath. The reference to Satan knowing that his 'time is short' is referring to the fact that, he and his angels are cast out of heaven in the middle of the seven years and so he knows that he only has 3 1/2 years left before Jesus returns and he is thrown into the Abyss. Everything that happens during the entire seven years is God's wrath, regardless of what Satan or anyone else does. It is God's specified time of wrath. People made up the "Satan's wrath" thing so that they could use it to support their belief that the church will go through God's wrath. It's all a lie! Satan started it and gave these false teachings to a few and then just sat back and watched it spread like a virus.
The great tribulation will be characterized by great loss of human life and persecution. Jesus says this about the tribulation in Matthew 24:22 "And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short."
Heard this and have contended against it many times before. What you and others are not taking into consideration is that, the trials and tribulation that Jesus said believers would have would come at the hands of mankind and the powers of darkness. The coming wrath of God is completely different from this, as it will be wrath coming directly from God. To be clear, though apostles and first century church suffered persecution and death, this was not from the wrath of God. The seals, trumpets and bowl judgments which make up the wrath of God, will be unprecedented events unequaled from the beginning, until now and never to be equaled again.
And this isn't God exacting wrath on the earth. This verse above actually gives a hint that God's elect will be present for the great tribulation and for them it will be cut short.
This is incorrect! The reference to "unless those days were shortened no one would be left alive, is in reference to all of the inhabitants of the earth. In other words, if those days were allowed to go on any longer than the prescribed time, no one would be left alive.
[quoteThe great tribulation is the devil's wrath because the devil is literally on the earth and knows his time is short, according to Revelation 12:12 "Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, l rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, forthe devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.”[/quote]
I already gave you the answer to Satan's time being short and that he just angry from being cast out. It does not mean that it is the time of his wrath. All of the events that take place will be the results of God's wrath, even the things that Satan, the beast and the false prophet do. But it is during God's wrath in which they will perform their acts.
You are correct in saying that Christians are not appointed to God's wrath, that is absolutely Biblical. God's wrath will be exacted in an event called the Great White Throne Judgement, but only for those not found in the book of life.
The great white throne judgment will be God's judgement for all of the unrighteous dead throughout all of history. The seals, trumpets and bowl judgments come first and will be carried out during that seven year period which is the wrath of God. Below is one example of where the bowl judgments are referred to God's wrath:
"I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the
seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed."
In the scripture above, the bowl judgments are said to be the last seven plagues, because with them, God's wrath is completed. Since these seven bowls are last, then other wrath would have had to come before them. If you say, "I was last in line in the grocery store" it means that there were other people in front of you. It is the same here. Since the bowl judgments are last, then other judgments of wrath will have had to come before them, namely, the seals and the trumpets.
The wrath of God has been prophesied by the prophets of old as the Day of the Lord and must be fulfilled and that prior to the great white throne. The book of Revelation is a detailed account of the Day of the Lord, the time of God's wrath. Believers are not appointed to suffer God's wrath, because Jesus was already held accountable for the wrath due for every believer. Therefore, God's wrath no longer rests upon us.