Then why do you not allow for the possibility of "great tribulation" in Matthew 24:21 to be God's wrath?
What do you mean I don't allow? The verse plainly says "great tribulation" without any mention of the wrath of God.
Especially when Luke 21:23 describes it as "great distress in the land and wrath upon this people"?
Luke 21:21-23 (KJV) Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
This proves what I've been saying. Of necessity (great distress) not great tribulation for those remaining in the land there shall be wrath upon them who are in Judaea because they did not flee to the mountains but stayed in the midst of Judaea. The wrath of God is ordained for them because they rejected and killed Christ the Messiah who was promised of Old to come and save them. This is fulfillment of all that is written concerning Him.
This comes across as if you are differentiating between the wrath of God and great tribulation, as if great tribulation cannot ever refer to the wrath of God. And you wonder why I say that you come across as if you are claiming that great tribulation can't ever refer to God's wrath?
Are you attempting to write your own version of Scripture? It is not I, but the Scriptures themself that differentiate between the wrath of God upon an apostate people, and great tribulation His disciples must endure as they/we proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God through Christ unto all the nations of the world.
let's say they didn't repent and Christ killed them, as He said He would if they didn't repent. You would not consider that to be the wrath of God?
Great tribulation ordained by God was NOT a display of the wrath of God. Great tribulation is the result of what shall come to churches on the earth when spiritual apostasy and adultery is allowed to proceed/evolve unchecked. IOW great tribulation, as Christ forewarns His disciples will come upon the church if unchecked evil is permitted to enter and even have rule over the church. Christ will remove His light from the church (candlestick) This is what the church of Thyatira is about to experience unless they repent by casting out the evil from among them. For evil left to spread brings darkness where there should be light.
1 Corinthians 5:13 (KJV) But
them that are without God judgeth.
Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Revelation 2:5 (KJV) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
You don't think that the flood in Noah's day, that resulted in the death of everyone in the world except for Noah and his family, was God's wrath?
Does the Bible say the flood was the wrath of God?
Genesis 6:7 (KJV) And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Where the Bible speaks explicitly of the "wrath of God" it is toward unbelievers, unrighteousness of man, children of disobedience, who shall all drink of the wrath of God without measure or mixture of His grace as in the days of Old, but shall be and was toward the apostate nation a full cup of His anger and indignation.