THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE PROPHECY

BIRTH PANGS Part I

The Doctrine of The Birth Pangs is extremely important in understanding Bible prophecy. It is first mentioned in Jeremiah 30 – 31. Here Jeremiah prophecies about the Tribulation, the hatred of the nations for Israel, the New Covenant, and God’s perpetual care for the Jewish People. In the Olivet Discourse ( Matthew 24 – 25 ), Christ refer in some details to the Birth pangs and the Tribulation events. The Apostle Paul also mentions the Birth Pangs and the day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians, Where he teaches that the church will not go through this terrible period.

JEREMIAH

In Jeremiah 30:06, the prophet writes, “Ask now, and see if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turn pale?”

Jeremiah sees a future day when men will groan and be in distress as if they were women with labor pains. This will take place when God “restores the fortunes” of all the Jews ( 30:3 ) during the seven years Tribulation.It is a period of “terror, dread,” and of no peace ( 30:5 ). The Prophet adds, For that day is great, there is non like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress.” Though many Jews will perish during these terrible times, the nation as a whole “will be save from it” ( 30:7 ). The Hebrew particle meen means ” out of, away from.” The entire nation will be saved “away from” this time of final suffering. These things “shall come about on that day” ( 30:8 ) —the day of the Lord.

At the end of the birth pangs,the Lord “will restores the fortune of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places” ( 30:18 ). Punishment “will burst on the head of the wicked” ( 30:23 ). Jeremiah explain how this period will end: “The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and until He has accomplished the intent of His heart; in the latter days you will understand this” ( 30:24 ).

At the end of that time, when the millennial kingdom begins, the Jews will call out to each other, “Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God” ( 31:6 ). The Scattered Jews will sing, “O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel” ( 31:7 ). Then nations will be told, “He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a Shepherd keeps his flocks”( 31:10 ).