Will the tribulation events start suddenly or build up gradually?
The tribulation events will not start suddenly out of a sea of calm; they will build up gradually. The stage is being set, with the beginnings already visible, so that when the tribulation comes, it will simply be an increase of existing conditions.
Les teaches that Matthew 24 describes the tribulation events, but they are not going to all of a sudden come out of a sea of calm and then break loose. Instead, everything will start roaring and there will be a stirring of the so-called water, so that when the tribulation comes, it will just simply be increased. He points to Luke 21:26 about the sea and the waves roaring and men's hearts failing for fear, saying this is primarily indicative of the tribulation period, but we are seeing the beginnings of it and the stage being set for that final 7 years. He also cites Matthew 24:37, "as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be," noting it will not suddenly change from tranquility to this; there will be an introduction to it, which he feels we are seeing. The days before the flood involved eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage—intense activity, like the frantic building activity seen everywhere today.