May 2020
This study is for the brave who love the Word of God. Read it slowly, take your time & reread it as you feel led.
How long will the Great Tribulation last
I am going to share Scriptures that talk about how long will “The Great Tribulation” last because I keep hearing different pastors refer to “7 years of Tribulation” with no Biblical reference to sustain their claim. So it can be taken as an "interpretation" with very little Biblical support. As I have said several times, when someone shows through Biblical references their point of view, it is exciting to be able to learn more from the Word of God, so we must be open to clearer revelations, and not cling to doctrines that when confronted with clear Scriptures that reveal a better understanding of the subject in discussion, we should put away, instead of hanging to them.
I have already shared long list of Scriptures explaining in detail the “Rapture of the Elects, or the church, the ecclesia” = the elects of Israel, you can read those here... (https://www.concerning-thekingdom.com/post/the-rapture-of-god-s-elect)
So Jesus prophesied exactly when the “Great Tribulation” will begin as He points to the event that will mark the beginning of this difficult period...
Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand :)
Mat 24:21 For THEN shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
According to those passages, the sight of the “Abomination of Desolation” will let us know that we are at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
Many Christians believe that the Abomination of Desolation is the placing of the image of the Antichrist in a holy place to be worshipped as if it were God Himself. The following passage in Daniel that Jesus refers to this event:
Dan 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate.
Reading Daniel 11:31, many Bible scholars refer to this prophesy as to the event described in the book of Maccabees when the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes entered the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, declared himself to be God and then sacrificed a pig upon the Holy Altar.
Nevertheless Jesus used that passage to refer to a future event, which many Christians & me included believe refers to a coming world leader, the Antichrist, who will set an “abomination of desolation” in a place of worship.
The following passage from Paul mentions something that we could refer to as an Abomination...
2Th 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that HE AS GOD SITS IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHEWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.
Now, the book of Revelation points out that the Antichrist, referred to as the "Beast", will have the full support of a False Prophet, who will advocate on behalf of the Antichrist before the nations. This False Prophet will command the inhabitants of the earth to make a statue to the Beast, and when it is set up, he will demand the worship of all the inhabitants of all nations, commanding to kill all those who refuse to worship him.
Rev 13:13-15 And it does great wonders, so that it makes fire come down from the heaven onto the earth in the sight of men. 14 And it deceives those dwelling on the earth, because of the miracles which were given to it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the wound by a sword and lived. 15 And there was given to it to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might both speak, and might cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Today we can easier visualize that through today's media, TV, Internet, etc., this will be an easy event to witness for the inhabitants of all nations.
In other words, the soon to come, son of perdition, or the New World Order leader, the “Antichrist” will try to take the place of God as if he were God, and this before the whole world.
It is when this event happens that we will know we are in “The Great Tribulation”
Now the Bible specifically says how long that period of the Great Tribulation will last...
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until A TIME AND TIMES AND THE DIVIDING OF TIME.
Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that liveth forever that it shall be for A TIME, TIMES, AND AN HALF; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the Holy People, all these things shall be finished.
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for A TIME, AND TIMES, AND HALF A TIME, from the face of the serpent.
Most of us understand: a time= 1 year, times= 2 years, the dividing of time= ½ a year. A total o 3 ½ Years
---------
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under FOOT FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to CONTINUE FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.
42 months= 3 ½ Years
-----------
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND THREESCORE DAYS, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND THREESCORE DAYS.
1260 days = 3 ½ Years
These passages describe details of the events that will take place during the 3 ½ year period of the Great Tribulation, where the Antichrist, the soon to become leader of the new world order, will not only reveal himself as god, the son of perdition, but will also speak terribly against Yahweh God, and will launch the most terrible persecution against the Saints, who are part of the Church, and will overcome them, even killing the two Great Witnesses of God who will arise with great powers during that period. He will make war against all those who dare to challenge his dominion and will overcome them. And he will receive power over every tribe, people, people or nation.
Of course in the end he will be defeated by the King of Kings, Our Lord Jesus Christ and cast into hell, along with his False Prophet.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet doing signs before it, (by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast), and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone.
Ultimately: Where does the idea of 7 years of "Great Tribulation" come from?
The only place in Scripture that talks about a 7 years, a week period, refers to a world prince signing a covenant with other nations in Daniel 9:27: 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.
That is interpreted as a LAST 7 YEARS TIME BEFORE the return of the Lord, but it even specifies there, that it will be in the middle of that week when the one breaking that covenant brings on the abominations, making it only 3 ½ Years of time of turmoil, or Great Tribulation.
When we examine the passage in Daniel 9 we read...
Dan 9:24 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 Holy of holies.
The angel Gabriel revealed to Daniel that there would be a lapse of time of seventy weeks, which equals 490 years, from the departure of the command to restore and build Jerusalem given by King Cyrus of Persia. Ezra 1:1-4
Now according to what we can read in Daniel 9:24... to finish the transgression, to finish sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, etc., we can see that the world is still full of transgressions, sin, iniquity, and there is everything but righteousness, so Daniel 9:27 is yet to be fulfilled.
It is important to realize that from the time of the command of King Cyrus until the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, 483 years elapsed. However, once the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and the nation of Judah ceased to exist, we deduce that the counting of the last seven years for the fulfillment of the prophecy was suspended, and that only once the permission for the reconstruction of the third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is given, those last seven years will continue to be counted again. The Temple will be in full operation during the first year of the last 7 years, since according to Daniel 11:32 we see that the Antichrist will place there the abomination of desolation of which our Lord Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:15.
The angel also revealed to Daniel about the persecution of the Saints in those days.
Dan 11:32-35 He will corrupt those who do wickedly against the covenant by flatteries; but the people who know their God will be strong, and take action. 33 “Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, many days. 34 Now when they fall, they will be helped with a little help; but many will join themselves to them with flatteries.
35 Some also of the wise shall fall, that they may be refined, purified, and made white until the time of the end; for the appointed time is yet to come.
The "people who know their God" obviously refers to Christians, since without Christ you cannot know God. 1Jn 5:10-12
More on the persecution of the Church. Dan 11:32b-35 ... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
In other words, those Christians who know their God, that understand; they will instruct & help many even though they will be persecuted & martyred as it reads... to try them, and to purge, and to make them white.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ instructs us on how we should face those days of Tribulation.
Mat 10:28-33 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Okay, so if we are going to take Daniel 9:27 as the Last Seven Years before the return of the Lord, then we still couldn't say that those are 7 years of Great Tribulation, because if anything the first 3 ½ Years of those 7 years will not be of persecution as the Antichrist sign that world pact, if anything, even though there may be some wars in this period too, but not great tribulation.
Then after the Tribulation the "Rapture”
Mat 24:29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; 52 in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
1Th 4:15-17 For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.
How long will the time of the Wrath of God last?
The Bible is clear that the Church will not be here on Earth when God pours out His wrath on the wicked. One passage that states this is the apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians…
1Th 1:8-10 For from you the Word of the Lord sounded out, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to speak anything. 9 For they themselves witness what kind of entrance we had to you, even how you turned from idols to God in order to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from Heaven (whom He raised from the dead), Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.
The important thing is not to confuse the "Great Tribulation" that is provoked in the world by Satan and his angels, the Antichrist and his regime with the Wrath of God, which begins to be poured out just when Jesus rescues the chosen ones as we read in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6...
Rev 6:12-17 And when He had opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed like a scroll when it is rolled together. And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him sitting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of His wrath has come, and who will be able to stand?
We see in that passage of Revelations 6 the same description of Matthew 24 which tells us that after the Tribulation... the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its brightness, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, we the Elect will be caught up to heaven, while the wicked run for refuge under the mountains and rocks of terror because they will realize that the King of kings Jesus is coming and they say the great day of His wrath is come.
Now we see in the book of Daniel, that the angel reveals more about the Wrath of God...
Dan 12:5-12 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side. 6 One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?” 7 I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished. 8 I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked will do wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand; but those who are wise will understand. 11 “From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
So it says… it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished. Which we know is the 3 ½ Years of Great Tribulation, but then it adds in verse 11… “From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.
1,290 – 1,260 = 30 days added to the days of Tribulation.
In other words, the Abomination of Desolation will continue 30 days after the Lord has taken the Chosen to Heaven, which is described in ... Mat 24:29-31 And IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days, THE SUN SHALL BE DARKENED and THE MOON SHALL NOT GIVE HER LIGHT, and THE STARS SHALL FALL FROM THE HEAVEN, and THE POWERS OF THE HEAVENS SHALL BE SHAKEN. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and THEY SHALL GATHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM ONE END OF THE HEAVENS TO THE OTHER.
When Christ comes and takes his Elect Ones, or as that event is popularly called in Christian circles, the "Rapture of the Church" and also described in 1Th 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.
As we can read in Revelation chapter 6, passage very similar to Mat 24: 29-31
Rev 6:12-17 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. 13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. 16 They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 FOR THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH HAS COME; and who is able to stand?”
As I said above that passage from Revelation 6 speaks clearly of the Lord's return, or the Day of the Lord as spoken by some of the Prophets in the Old Testament, and that as Matthew 24:29 clearly says it is immediately after the Great Tribulation when the Lord shall take His Elect to Heaven and points out that it is there that the Wrath of God begins… Rev 6:17 FOR THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH HAS COME; and who is able to stand?”
Isa 13:9-11 Behold, the day of Yahweh comes, cruel and with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land waste; and He shall destroy its sinners out of it. 10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations shall not give light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not reflect its light. 11 And I will visit evil on the world, and their iniquity on the wicked. And I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the pride of tyrants.
Joe 2:30-31 And I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of Jehovah.
I understand that after the Lord takes His Elect to Heaven, is when the Wedding of the Lamb will take place...
Rev 19:5-9 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all His servants, and the ones fearing Him, the small and great. 6 And I heard as the sound of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. 9 And he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God.
Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride ...
Eph 5:30-32 For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two of them shall be one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
There will be at that time The Celebration, the biggest Party that ever existed. Hallelujah!!!
Then Daniel says… 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
1,335 - 1290 = 45 days
Which tells us that there will be 45 more days ... but of what? = Forty-five more days of the Wrath of God. Well, we can deduce that because the Angel says… Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days;
Why blessed? Because they will survive during those 45 days of more of Wrath of God and will manage to see the Kingdom of God established here on Earth.
We can read about the Wrath of God in Revelations 16.
Take notice that chapters 17 & 18 of Revelations go back in time & tell the story of the world’s kingdoms, the rise of the Antichrist last world empire & the judgment of the Great Whore, which is another big lesson, on which I have also written about. https://www.concerning-thekingdom.com/post/mystery-babylon-the-great-the-mother-of-the-prostitutes-and-of-the-abominations-of-the-earth
But the Wrath of God ends in… Rev 19:19-21 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, being gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet doing signs before it, (by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast), and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword of Him who sat on the horse, it proceeding out of His mouth. And all the birds were filled from their flesh.
It is these people who survive on Earth the Wrath of God, the ones who will live through to the Millennium & will get to live under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ & His Elect.
Dan 7:9-14 I watched until the thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, and His wheels like burning fire. 10 A stream of fire went out and came out from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 Then I was looking because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke. I watched until the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 AND THE REST OF THE BEASTS, THEIR DOMINION WAS TAKEN AWAY. YET THEIR LIVES WERE MADE LONGER FOR A SEASON AND TIME. 13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14 And dominion and glory was given Him, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages, should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
You see, I highlighted the fact that after the “beast was slain” & that is referring to the Antichrist empire, the other kingdoms or nations where given a time to live, even though it says for a “season” we know for Revelations 20 that it is talking about 1,000 years
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor his image, nor had received his mark on their foreheads, nor in their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Well I pray that will inspire you to do your best for Jesus & the Kingdom…
Blessings... Alejandro
If this reading has been a blessing to you, please don’t hesitate to share it with the world. We need to be a blessing to others today, tomorrow may be too late. John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day. Night comes when no man can work.
As you may have noticed, all our material is there for you totally free. If the Lord leads you to give a donation to help us continue to share the Word with the world, there is a link to our Pay Pal account in our Home page. We will be forever thankful... Blessings in Jesus Name..!!!
Comentarios