| THE TRIBULATION PERIOD | |||||||||
The Tribulation Period is the last 7
years on earth before Jesus returns at His Second Coming. Daniel gaves
us a "prophetic clock" which predicts the first and second comings of
the Messiah (Dan. 9:24-27).
Daniel's 70 Weeks ProphecyThis prophetic clock is split up into three sections:
The clock began ticking when the Artaxerses signed a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem in 445 B.C. (Dan. 9:25, Neh. 2:1-8). The first 69 weeks was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the Messiah on Palm Sunday (Luke 19: 37-44). The clock stopped ticking on that day. After the clock stopped, two things were to happen before the clock could start ticking again: The Messiah was "cut off" (crucifixion) and Jerusalem was destroyed, which happened in 70 A.D. (Dan. 9:26). The clock will start ticking again for the last week of years when the Antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel for 7 years (Dan. 9:27). In the middle of this 7 years, he will stop the sacrifices in the temple, thus splitting the Tribulation Period into two halves. For further study, I highly recommend Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks, by Alva J. McClain, Zondervan Books, 1974. The Abomination of Desolation Daniel informs us that the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices in the Jewish temple "in the middle of the week," splitting the 7 years into two sections of 3 1/2 years. This act is referred to as the "abomination of desolation" (Dan. 9:27). Paul also speaks of the abomination when he informs us the Antichrist will take his seat in the Jewish Temple and declare himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:3-4). Jesus said, "Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place [Jewish rebuilt temple] (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains" (Matt. 24:15-16). Isn't it interesting Jesus said, "let the reader understand." What is the reader (someone reading his or her Bible) supposed to understand? That when they see the Antichrist go into the temple, there are only 3 1/2 years left until the Second Coming! The Antichrist will be destroyed on the same day Jesus returns to earth. (2 Thess. 2:8, Rev. 19:20). It's clear that the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation are talking about the same things. Daniel gives us generalities, Revelation gives us the details. Most of the book of Revelation deals with the last 3 1/2 years on earth. The chart below depicts the scripture verses that pertain to each half of the Tribulation. 7 years of Tribulation
On the 1,260th day, these things will happen... It is amazing that Daniel, Paul, John, and Jesus all warn us about the 1,260th day, the exact middle of the 7 years. On that day:
Who are the 2 Witnesses? During the first half of the 7 year Tribulation Period, two men will prophesy for 42 months (3 1/2 years). They have the power to shut up the sky from sending rain during the time of their prophesying, turn water into blood, and smite the earth with plagues (Rev. 11:6). At the end of the 42 months, the Antichrist will and they will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. Then God will resurrect them and they will be caught up into heaven with their enemies beholding them (Rev. 11:7-12). Many people have tried to guess their identity. Some have said they are Moses and Elijah because of their miracles. Moses had the ability to turn water into blood (Ex. 7:17-19) and Elijah had the power to stop the rain for 3 1/2 years (James 5:17). But there's a problem with Moses. He died a long time ago (Deut. 34:6, Jude 9) and would have to be resurrected in order to do this. Since resurrected people can't be killed, this would eliminate him as a candidate. On the other hand, Elijah is an interesting possibility. Not only did he shut up the sky from raining (1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17), he did it for the exact amount of time (three and a half years) as the prophets in Revelation 11. Coincidence? In addition, Malachi 4:5 says, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord." John the Baptist went forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17), but he himself was not Elijah (John 1:21). Elijah was caught up into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:9-11), so we must assume God had a reason for this. Is it possible that God has kept him preserved in his natural body in order to send him back to earth to prophesy during the Tribulation Period? That's a definite possibility. The only other person who has never died is Enoch. "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God" (Heb. 11:5). Is it possible that he is the other prophet? An interesting writing from the 4th century A.D., the gospel of Nicodemus (which is not scripture) reads, "I am Enoch who pleased God, and was translated by him. And this is Elijah the Tishbite. We are also to live to the end of the age; but then we are about to be sent by God to resist Antichrist, and be slain by him, and to rise after three days, and to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord." Again, this is not scripture, but it does give an insight into what some people believed in the 4th century concerning the identity of the two witnesses. We believe the 2 witnesses are Enoch and Elijah, although they could also be two people who are saved after the Rapture. They will prophesy during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation because after they are killed, they lie in the streets of Jerusalem for over 3 days. If they prophesied during the last 3 1/2 years, those 3 days would be after the Second Coming. That doesn't fit, so their prophesying has to be during the first half of the Tribulation. So here's the scenario. The two witnesses prophesy for 42 months, bringing plagues upon the earth, and no one is able to (Rev. 11:5). On the exact same day, the Antichrist goes into the temple in Jerusalem and stops the sacrifices (Dan. 9:27). Then he takes his seat in the temple and declares himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:3-4). He walks out of the temple and immediately meets the two prophets, who have just finished their testimony. No one on earth has been able kill the two witnesses for 42 months, but because their ministry is finished, the Antichrist is able to . (Rev. 11:7). This gives him instant credibility in the world's eyes as the most powerful man on earth. After lying dead in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days, the two prophets suddenly are resurrected and ascend into heaven. Some people have used this passage as proof as a "Mid-Trib" Rapture, but this can't be the case for three reasons: First, because these two are the only ones resurrected, not the entire Church. Second, the Rapture happens quickly in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:52), but these two slowly ascend into heaven with people watching (Rev. 11:12). Third, this occurs three and a half days after the middle of the Tribulation. This is not the Rapture, but a special resurrection and ascension for only these two people. 144,000 - Who & Why Many people wonder about the 144,000. Who are they? Why are they singled out as a special group of people? They are mentioned in two places in the book of Revelation. In Rev. 7:1-8, they are sealed by God for protection through the Tribulation. Rev. 14:1-5 is a prophetic vision of them standing triumphantly with the Lamb on Mount Zion in Jerusalem at the beginning of the millennial reign. Who are the 144,000? Rev. 7:4-8 tells us exactly who they are. They are 144,000 Jews--12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Although some have taught the tribes have been "lost" God knows where they are. As a matter of fact, long after the tribes were supposedly lost, James wrote of letter to them. "James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings." (James 1:1) These are 144,000 Jews who will be converted to Jesus after the Rapture of the Church. The apostle Paul tells us "a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved…" (Rom. 11:25-26). After the Rapture, the ministry of the gospel will be handed back to believing Israel, those Jewish people who receive Jesus as their Messiah just prior to the Second Coming. Why are they important? Jesus told His disciples, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).
Israel will inherit the land Israel has never received all the land promised to them (Ex. 23:31, Numbers 34:3-12, Deut. 11:24, Joshua 1:4). However, after Jesus returns to earth and sets up His kingdom, Israel will inherit the entire promised land (Ezek. 47-48). The 144,000 will then be allotted their portions, each tribe of 12,000 receiving the land promised to them. The Millennial Kingdom will look like this:
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