When Do The Birth Pangs Begin?

Q

I was wondering when do the birth pangs begin? Is it when the tribulation starts or before? I heard a teacher say it’s when the tribulation starts and that confused me. I always thought it was when Israel became a nation but now I am hearing that a lot of pastors do not teach this theory.

A

In effect, Jesus said that the things He called birth pangs would be characteristic of the entire Church age, not just one generation (Matt. 24:6-8). In other words, they’d be present throughout, but as the end gets closer they would become more frequent and more intense, like the labor pains of a pregnant woman. He said the only clear sign that people on Earth would get that the Great Tribulation is about to begin is the Abomination of Desolation (Matt. 24:15-21). When that happens the people in Judea (Israel) are to immediately flee for their lives.