There is no part of the Tribulation that is the wrath of Satan. Jesus Christ opens the first seal, and each and every bit of wrath and judgment are purely and only that of Jesus Christ. Now Jesus uses the Antichrist, who will eventually be possessed by Satan, to carry out many of the judgments, but God has used evil men throughout history for judgment.
God's purpose in bringing the seven year Tribulation on earth is to fulfill His promises to Israel and purge the earth prior to His setting up the Millennial Kingdom. Satan would not willingly participate in assisting God in preparing the earth for setting up His kingdom.
Revelation 5:1-14 is the prelude to the Tribulation in which Jesus Christ is presented as the Lamb, Who is the only worthy One, who has the authority and position to open the seven sealed books. The seven sealed books hold the coming judgments of God. Only Christ is worthy to open and beginning the our pouring of God's wrath on the earth.
It is the Lamb Himself, who opens the first seal (Rev. 6:1) and thus initiates the beginning of the seven years of the Tribulation. Revelation 5:4 plainly says that no man could open the book. Further, Revelation 6:3, states that "He" referring to the Lamb of verse 6:1, and verses 5, 7, 9, and 12 continues in opening each of the subsequent Seal Judgments. Clearly, these are not judgments initiated by man or Antichrist or Satan, but by the Worthy Lamb of Chapter 5. It is Jesus Christ who opens each of the seals in the first half of the Tribulation and brings God's wrath on the earth. Yes, it is the Antichrist who persecutes God's people and all peoples on earth, but he does so at the discretion of Jesus Christ. God will be using the Antichrist as the instrument of His wrath. The Antichrist could do nothing unless he was allowed by God to do so.
So, all of the judgments and wrath are that of God, not Satan.
The teaching that I've always heard, which tends to support the Pre-Wrath position, is that only the latter 3.5 years is the Wrath of God being poured out on an unbelieving world. The first 3.5 years is actually the Wrath of Satan being poured out on the Jews. I guess my question is, where in the Tribulation do you see God's Wrath beginning? I take it from what you posted earlier that you see it from the very beginning, but that's not what I've always been taught so I want to hear how you've come to your conclusion.
As we see from Revelation, the entire seven years are the wrath and judgment of God. It is Jesus Christ who begins the seven year Tribulation and the outpouring of God's wrath as Revelation 6 reveals. The beginning of God's wrath is in His allowing the Riders of the Four Horsemen to rain their various destructions on the earth. In the beginning it is the Lamb who opens the first seal and unleashes the Antichrist, the first horseman riding a white horse upon the earth. The first rider riding a white horse and wearing a crown is allowed to go forth to conquer the world. This is a picture of the Antichrist who will rise to power on earth as a great political leader and present himself as a savior to the world.
It is God, Who after the Rapture stops the present retraining work of the Holy Spirit and allows Satan to go forth bringing destruction on humankind through his control of the Antichrist. In our present dispensation of the Church Age, the Holy Spirit is preventing or restraining Satan from unleashing his destructive wishes on the earth.
Paul reveals this in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-15:
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
God's plan is that He will use Satan and the Antichrist to bring His judgment on the earth during the seven year Tribulation. The restraining work of the Holy Spirit, which keeps him in check presently, will end as the seven years begin. Satan will then be allowed to rein destruction on the earth through the Antichrist. It is God who initiates the destruction on earth by allowing Satan and the Antichrist to work unrestrained. It is God who is now restraining Satan and this clearly shows that it is the action of God that allows him to rise to power and thus bring destruction to this present age.
I see the wrath of God beginning at the very start of the Tribulation.
GiovannaNicoletta, I Agree. I do not believe anything you have posted on FR has caused caution in my spirit when I read it.