Has the tribulation started? Will it be 7 years in length? Will it be 3 1/2 years in length? Could it be longer or shorter? To answer these questions we must first identify what period of time the tribulation actually is as defined by scripture.Matt 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… 29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [KJV]
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [KJV]
From these scriptures we can conclude that the tribulation is defined as the period of time immediately preceding the 2nd coming of Yeshua. I believe all would agree on this definition. Next we will determine the length of this period of time as well as its occurrence relative to other end times events. Going back to Matthew 24, verses 15 through 21 clearly place the tribulation as being AFTER the Abomination of Desolation as prophesied by Daniel. No other conclusion can be made.
Matt 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 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. [KJV]
Now that we know this period of time identified as the great tribulation follows the Abomination of Desolation as prophesied by Daniel, lets look at what Daniel says about this event.
Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book… 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 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 sware by him that liveth for ever 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. [KJV]
Daniel 12:1 describes a "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time". Just as Yeshua stated "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" in Matt 24. We see that Yeshua was quoting Daniel in His prophecy of the same event, the great tribulation. Daniel gives a timeframe as well. Verse 7 states all these things shall be finished in a time, times, and an half or 3 ½ years. From Dan 12:1 – 7 alone we can make a reasonable conclusion that this time of trouble / great tribulation is 3 ½ years, but there are additional details in both Daniel and Revelations.
Dan 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them… 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. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [KJV]
Daniel 7 describes how the Antichrist will make war with and prevailed against the saints, and how they shall be given into his hand for a period of a time and times and the dividing of time or 3 ½ years, the same time measurement prophesied in chapter 12 using the same words. Moreover, chapter 7 provides details of the same event of chapter 12 when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people. We also see in verse 26 & 27 that this event is placed immediately preceding the 2nd coming of Yeshua. At the completion of the 3 ½ yearsthe Antichrist loses his dominion and the Kingdom of God is established. This same 3 ½ year period is confirmed further in Revelation.
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. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. [KJV]
As we can see from Revelation, this period time or tribulation is again stated to be 3 ½ years [I.E. 42 months]. Revelations 13, Daniel 7 & 12 are all describing this same tribulation event. The harmony of the above scriptures is amazing, with similar language being used, and even Yeshua quoting Daniel almost verbatim, both in Matt & Rev. We can conclude several things from these scriptures regarding the tribulation:
Some might take exception to the 3 ½ year length and point to Yeshua’s words in Matt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
- It occurs after the Abomination of Desolation and before the 2nd coming.
- It is 3 ½ years in length.
- It is the time when the Antichrist is given power over the Earth.
- It has not yet begun. We know this because the Antichrist is not making war with and overcoming the saints, and does not have dominion over the Earth in our present time.
The interpretation of the shortening of the days of great tribulation has traditionally caused some confusion.Yeshua is not saying that this period will be shortened beyond the period of time predicted in Daniel. He is simply saying that the great tribulation will be so bad, that if it was allowed to go on beyond 3 1/2 years, nobody could survive. Therefore, it has been limited to 3 1/2 years. One thing that is interesting about this verse is that in Mark's parallel account of itthe past tense is used, rather than the future tense, as in Matthew.
Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. [KJV]
So, according to Matthew, God will shorten the days, but according to Mark, He has already shortened the days. The reason Matthew uses the future tense is because the tribulation has not arrived yet, but the "shortening" seems to already be figured into the period given in Daniel and Revelation. Moreover, the Revelation is the words of Yeshua given to John. Yeshua cannot contradict himself between the Gospels and Revelation.
For the edification of the Doves,
Chris, AKA Prophbuff