What is tribulation associated with in the New Testament?
In the New Testament, tribulation is used about 29 times and is most often associated with the activity surrounding the believer. It relates to persecution and trials that believers face, as illustrated in Revelation's letter to Smyrna, where crushing persecution produced a stronger testimony.
Les explains that the word tribulation appears roughly 29 times in the New Testament, and most of the time—perhaps with one exception—it is tied to the activity surrounding the believer. He points to Revelation's letters to the seven churches, especially Revelation chapter 2, the letter to Smyrna, whose name meant myrrh. Myrrh does not give off its fragrance until it is crushed, and that pictured the church at Smyrna: the more persecution crushed those believers, the more they exuded their testimony. Satan therefore had to stop persecuting the early church because persecution only made it thrive; he then took the office attack, joining them, and Christianity began to slide. In Revelation 2:9, he says, "I know thy works, and tribulation."