Hi,
 
I think the very idea of the Great Tribulation is from direct statement by Jesus and he says the Great Tribulation is from the time the abomination of desolation is set up. And I think he is the authority on the subject.
 
The Great Tribulation is from the half way mark of Daniel's 70th week. There is no reference in the bible that says the first half is just 'tribulation' and the latter 'The Great Tribulation.'
 
Then what should we call the first 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week? Well there is no official title but maybe we can call it the 'fig tree period'?
 
This is the time where there will be war everywhere, economic distress, and famine.
 
And he says when these things happen, know that the end is very near. To whom is he saying this to? He's telling this to you and me, and those who are not in spiritual darkness and who can read the seasons. And by then, we'd know exactly when the Great Tribulation will start and we'd also know the end is very very near by then.
 
 
I'm afraid when the covenant is made by the AC, most will still be in doubt whether the covenant was THE covenant. But as the time goes on and when we see AC letting Israel rebuild temple and to start sacrifice there, it will get more apparent.
 
We will realize it was THE covenant and we'd have to decide by then; decide what to do for the coming Great Tribulation.
 
 
So, I guess we'll see if these things happen in our time. (I think very close watching Israel right now. I think it's a matter of time before Syria gets involved.)
 
 
As for the rapture being a pre-requisite for AC coming into power, I think it will be the Ezekiel war that will lead to AC's dominance.
 
If you compare Mathew and Luke, Jesus says 2 different things to refer to the same point in time. In Mathew, he says when the abomination is set up, and in Luke he says when the Jerusalem is surrounded by armies.
 
I think, in Luke, Jesus is referring to the Ezekiel war where hordes of countries will surround Israel to attack. So, I think the Ezekiel war and the abomination setup will happen at around the same time.
 
In that war, the Russia is seriously weakened and also hordes of other countries. The U.S will have been removed from the world scene before then, at least not a super power anymore, because Israel will fight that war alone without the U.S helping. There is China but I think AC will have his way since God permitted his time.
 
Then AC proclaims himself God with no super power to oppose him. I know a lot of pieces are still missing but I think that's how it will happen somehow.
 
 
Well, we are going to be here when all these things unfold and I guess we shall see.
 
 
Eddie Sohn
 
esohn@rogers.com