First, it is important to recognize the purpose of the tribulation. According to Daniel 9:27, there is a seventieth “seven” (seven years) that is still yet to come. Daniel’s entire prophecy of the seventy sevens (Daniel 9:20-27) is speaking of the nation of Israel. It is a time period in which God focuses His attention especially on Israel. The seventieth seven, the tribulation, must also be a time when God deals specifically with Israel. While this does not necessarily indicate that the church could not also be present, it does bring into question why the church would need to be on the earth during that time.
The primary Scripture passage on the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. It states that all living believers, along with all believers who have died, will meet the Lord Jesus in the air and will be with Him forever. The rapture is God’s removing of His people from the earth. A few verses later, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul says, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The book of Revelation, which deals primarily with the time period of the tribulation, is a prophetic message of how God will pour out His wrath upon the earth during the tribulation. It seems inconsistent for God to promise believers that they will not suffer wrath and then leave them on the earth to suffer through the wrath of the tribulation. The fact that God promises to deliver Christians from wrath shortly after promising to remove His people from the earth seems to link those two events together.
Another crucial passage on the timing of the rapture is Revelation 3:10, in which Christ promises to deliver believers from the “hour of trial” that is going to come upon the earth. This could mean two things. Either Christ will protect believers in the midst of the trials, or He will deliver believers out of the trials. Both are valid meanings of the Greek word translated “from.” However, it is important to recognize what believers are promised to be kept from. It is not just the trial, but the “hour” of trial. Christ is promising to keep believers from the very time period that contains the trials, namely the tribulation. The purpose of the tribulation, the purpose of the rapture, the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 5:9, and the interpretation of Revelation 3:10 all give clear support to the pre-tribulational position. If the Bible is interpreted literally and consistently, the pre-tribulational position is the most biblically-based interpretation.
Quoting: Seek^ You are making up words. It is not "wrath of the tribulation". It is tribulation and then wrath. They are two separate words and two separate events. Look at Matthew 24:29. It is not hard to understand. Everything before Matt 24:29 is tribulation. And then at Matt 24:29 is Is After the tribulation because (well read it) The tribulation is over! Then the Wrath starts and Christ gathers his people.
Solid and Spot On.
As for Daniel 9 The first 3.5 years of that week was fulfilled in Christ. The covenant that was to be fulfilled is the New Covenant which Christ confirmed. This was the end of sacrifice. Have you seen any sacrifices since in Israel since 70 AD? Christ was cut off at 3.5 years and now the 2nd half of this 3.5 years is yet to happen. That will be the tribulation of 3.5 years.
Quoting: Achduke7 Now here is where it gets interesting and I applaud you for taking this one on.
Because some of the things Daniel details were fulfilled in Christ's earthly ministry of 3.5 years, we can conclude that half of Daniel's 70th Week has been ticked down.
3.5 years remain on God's time piece.
Daniel 9:24-27 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Quoting: Achduke7 The antichrist confirms a 7 year covenant
[Interesting .. 7 years like Daniel's 70th Week .. a counterfeit covenant]
However, the antichrist does not control God's time piece.
Only God controls His clock and 3.5 years have already run out.
God's time piece again starts when the antichrist declares himself god and demands worship.
OP, this is why we are adament about tribulation vs God's Wrath.
So very many believe we have 7 years of tribulation, when it will be 3.5 years of Great Tribulation.
Nice post Achduke7
Thank you for your contribution!
