if the tribulation isn't going to be full of death and destruction then please explain these verses: mat 24:21-22 "for there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beninning of the world to this time, nor shall ever be."
"and except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved."
The Greek word for "tribulation" means 'pressure (literally or figuratively)' (Strong's no. 2347). It's also translated as 'trouble', 'affliction', and 'persecution' in the KJV Bible. It's not a word like 'genocide', which is how some try to define it.
When our Lord Jesus said the end is not yet as long as there's wars and rumours of wars, that should have gotten your attention that He was pointing to a time of peace for the end, and not war. Apostle Paul showed the same idea with the "Peace and safety" the deceived will be declaring, and when they do, that's when a "sudden destruction" will come upon... them (by Christ's coming).
Many seem to also confuse "the day of The Lord" events with the "great tribulation", when per God's Word the day of The Lord events are what our Lord Jesus Himself brings to end the tribulation with the battle of Armageddon. When that event occurs, that begins day one of Christ's Millennium reign on earth with His elect priests and kings, with Satan locked in the pit for a thousand years (Rev.20).
Matt.24 and 1 Thess.5 are not the only Scriptures which reveal the great tribulation is not going to be a time of literal war. Rev.13:4 is also indirectly declaring it's not going to be about literal war, with the question of who can make war with the beast. Paul is covering the same idea in 2 Thess 2, about the false one coming to sit in the temple of God, showing himself that He is God, exalting himself above all... that is worshipped.
So just how... is that idea of 'tribulation' meant for that time? All the end time prophecies culminate into one major event of tribulation in the days just prior to Christ's second coming. It's about bowing in false worship to a fake Christ, instead of waiting for Christ's coming afterwards to destroy that Wicked one. It's what the 'chaste virgin' metaphors are about, the idea of waiting for Christ as His bride to be, not being found spiritually 'with child' of another when He returns, being shod with the Gospel Armour on, and able to 'stand' in the 'evil day'.
That day is going to be evil, because the majority of the world is going to wrongly fall for the coming false messiah that is to appear on earth first. Our Lord Jesus and His Apostles warned us about it. It's just a simple matter of staying in His Word and putting all those warnings together in understanding.
The reason the tribulation is going to be unlike any other time upon this earth is because of who that false messiah is going be played by, and because of so many in the world getting sucked into his trap of false worship in place of Christ Jesus. For the deceived, it will devour their souls. For Christ's elect, it will be a time of real persecution by those deceived, which may include even some of their very own family members that become deceived (Mark 13:12-13). Imagine your own children turning you in because you refuse to believe on the false messiah they will think is God having come.
Thus, the tribulation is going to be about the coming of a FALSE god, with powers to work miracles upon this earth to make the majority believe it! No other generation in the history of this world has ever experienced that, nor will ever again. All the previous wars and false prophets of history won't be able to match up to that kind of event coming upon this earth. The false working is to be so deceptive in power, that it would deceive Christ's own elect, IF it were possible for them to be deceived (Matt.24). Those 'sealed' with God's sealing will not be deceived, for that's what His sealing is for in regards to the tribulation.
and what about rev ch 6 where it explains war, famine, and death
Involves metaphors for 'spiritual' death, for the tribulation is specifically for a certain period of certain seals, trumpets, and vials. It's specifically going to be on the 6th trumpet - 2nd Woe period of Rev.9 through Rev.11. Notice in Rev.11 when God's two witnesses are killed, the nations are going to throw a big party, giving gifts to each other, etc. That's not a sign of war and famine. Some of the seals and trumpet periods involve a time of sorrows (Mark 13) that LEAD... up to the great tribulation. The beginnings of sorrows are starting today, but that's not the tribulation time just yet.
or rev 9:15 1/3 part of mankind being killed
Rev 9:18-19
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone,
which issued out of their mouths.
19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
(KJV)
If one only concentrates upon the idea of killing with flesh death, they'll totally miss where their power comes from, out of their MOUTHS. What comes out of one's mouth? That's to let us know this is a symbolic metaphor, that what comes out of their mouths is what does the killing. It points to spiritual death to one's soul, not literal death to one's flesh.
Rev 9:3-5
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And
to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
(KJV)
The locusts are not to hurt any green thing, nor grass, nor tree, nor can they kill, but ONLY STING.
or rev 8:7 1/3 tress/grass burnt up
Compare that to the Rev.9 Scripture I quoted. It's about spiritual death caused by deception for the last days.
1 Pet 1:24
24 For
all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
(KJV)
Mark 8:24
24 And he looked up, and said, I see
men as trees, walking.
(KJV)