Dear Doves,
 
Here is what I believe the Scriptures tell us:
 
The great tribulation begins when the abomination, the anti-Christ, desecrates the temple and declares himself to be God.. Ten days later the 'wrath of God' comes down from heaven AFTER the rapture of the Church to heaven. The  "shortened" great tribulation, for the Church, is the ten day time period between the beginning of the great tribulation and the rapture. The rapture is the event that "cuts short" the great tribulation to a period of ten days for the Church.
 
The rapture of the Church is a 'pre-wrath of God' event that "cuts short" and removes the Church from the "shortened" great tribulation ten days after it begins.
 
According to Your Word, come Lord Jesus!
 
Bruce Warner