Part of the confusion here is that "tribulation" is used in two different senses. Yes, the church does go through tribulation here on earth, though I try to use persecution instead to avoid confusion. The Tribulation, the contents of Revelation 6-19, is notably different from the kind of persecution that Christ said the church would go through.
Persecution of the church comes exclusively at the hands of other men, the best examples are from the gospels and Acts. Aside from the Antichrist's persecution of those who don't take the Mark, virtually all of the woes/trumpets/bowls/etc. in Revelation come straight from God.
The phrase "wrath of God/the Lamb" is used extensively to refer to the Tribulation, and to my knowledge never to general persecution. This phrase first pops up in Revelation 6:16-17. This is after the sixth seal is opened, and the seals are the first catastrophic events of the Tribulation period. This in my mind refutes the growing theory that only the second half of the Tribulation is the wrath of God.
The difficulty I have with that position is two fold, but voted you up anyway for explaining it clearly.
(1)
Many times people blame God for natural disasters, when we people have not followed God's principles for stewardship of creation. Some of the seals (woes) here can now be accomplished by evil men. Also, when the first plagues hit Egypt, both the Israelites and the Egyptians delt with the consequences of them.
Revelation 11 is the first time we see anyone trustworthy mention the wrath of God: (the 24 Elders) 15 - 18
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; **and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.>
and the harvest of souls occurs afterward,
Rev, 14:14
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, (Hint! and a big one!) having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Part of the confusion here is that "tribulation" is used in two different senses. Yes, the church does go through tribulation here on earth, though I try to use persecution instead to avoid confusion. The Tribulation, the contents of Revelation 6-19, is notably different from the kind of persecution that Christ said the church would go through.
The difficulty I have with that position is two fold, but voted you up anyway for explaining it clearly.
(1) Many times people blame God for natural disasters, when we people have not followed God's principles for stewardship of creation. Some of the seals (woes) here can now be accomplished by evil men. Also, when the first plagues hit Egypt, both the Israelites and the Egyptians delt with the consequences of them.
Revelation 11 is the first time we see anyone trustworthy mention the wrath of God: (the 24 Elders) 15 - 18
and the harvest of souls occurs afterward,
Rev, 14:14
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, (Hint! and a big one!) having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.