Is
the Great Tribulation 7 years or 3 ˝ Years?
I have heard and been taught
all of my life that the Rapture would happen before the Tribulation begins. In
some circles, in the majority of circles it is taught that the Tribulation is 7
years long. Well I began to look at the Bible and the Bible specifically states
that the Great Tribulation last 3 ˝ years. Let me give you some scripture so
you can check for yourself. You know when we hit up against tradition it’s like
trying to move a rock wall sometimes it just doesn’t move very easy and that’s
o.k. . If it shouldn’t be moved and can stand being tested then it shouldn’t be
moved. Never the less we have 4 or 5 scriptures in the Bible that specifically
say the great tribulation is 3 ˝ years long.
Daniel 7:25
25And 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.
Time is one year, times is 2
years, and the dividing of time is ˝ year we know that because there is another
verse in…
Revelation
13:5-7
5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months.
How long is 42 months? …3 ˝
years
6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them
that dwell in heaven. 7And 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.
Revelation 12
6And 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.
(3 ˝ years)
13And when the dragon saw that he was cast
unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14And
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.
Jesus taught
that the Great Tribulation started at the Abomination of Desolation. Which is
halfway through the final 7 year period, according to
27And 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.
So with these scriptures we can
see that the great tribulation last 3 ˝ years.
So now the question is, if your
pre-trib or post – trib your 3 ˝ years apart in your position.
Being taught or listening to
people teach pre trib my spirit troubled me all the time knowing these
scriptures. It was hard for me to take the side of someone who taught pre trib
when JESUS himself taught that the Great tribulation started halfway through
the final 7 years. When you hit scriptures that conflict with your theology you
have 2 choices you either change your theology or you start trying to bend the
scriptures. You try to go to the Greek and see if there is anyway around this,
or something is misunderstood.
I was determine not to bend the
scriptures, to read them for what they are and pray for understanding. Now I
will not sit here and tell you I got this vision and this is GOD’s word in
stone, absolutely not. Maybe GOD has not yet revealed to me the actual meaning
all I’m telling you is this is what is written, so this is what I believe. I
always leave an open mind so that the LORD can reveal to me his truth. My
understanding does not supersede the CREATOR. He always has final authority in
my life and can correct me at anytime and I pray that he does. I never what to
mislead anyone and always ask the LORD for understanding of his word in my
prayers. I am glad to humble myself before the LORD to correction.
Matthew 24 drove me nuts… the
Great tribulation starts halfway through the final 7-year period.
Matthew 24
15When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16Then
let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17Let
him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18Neither
let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19And
woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Read these scriptures below
23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false
Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold,
I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you,
Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret
chambers; believe it not.
If I am gone
already then why would JESUS say this? He has no reason to bring this up who is
there to obey this command if the church is long gone.
JESUS himself said
Matthew 24
27For as the lightning cometh out of the
east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
Why would he
tell his disciples the founders of the Christian Church who he used to bring
the gospel to the world that his coming would be as lightning? This event is
not just for the sinners but also for the Church.
This is what I
believe, sometime after the start of Armageddon the LORD starts his return to
Earth. At some point before this event is fully fulfilled he sends his angels
to gather the elect. We have the marriage supper with him in the clouds 3-4 hrs
is usually how long a get- together last. Our bodies or changed from mortal to
immortal, after the feast we return with our LORD and SAVIOUR to put an end to
all this mess once and for all.
Now
Matthew 24
29Immediately after the tribulation of
those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of
the heavens shall be shaken:
30And
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And
he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.
Now read this
4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon
them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that
were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and
which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had
received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they
lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5But
the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This
is the first resurrection.
So we see here
that GOD is speaking of someone who has not taken the mark of the beast or
worshiped his image he can only be speaking of those (Christians, the Church)
who have come through great tribulation. It is during the great Tribulation
that the antichrist reveals himself as GOD or a god that he has all the answers
and can fix all the problems and there will have been things up to this point
to make some people think he is the one. But he is not and we the Church are
here to testify to that. There is another whom we are not worthy to loose his
sandals. Well this antichrist has a friend who has brought all the religions of
the world under one roof and is telling these people that this is the one.
Worship him pledge your allegiance to him take the mark so that you may show
your loyalty. Take this mark to show him that you will participate in this new world
that he is creating. That you trust in him. But there will be resistance these
Christians who want to stir up trouble who claim that there is only one GOD and
one way to GOD. Behead them behead them all, there will be a mass slaughter of
Christians and the world will not blink an eye. Get rid of the troublemakers
once and for all. Let everyone live like that want to so as not to make
trouble. Take Jerusalem, run off the Jews who want to claim Jerusalem is
theirs. Turn it into the international city for all religions, to avoid
conflicts no more.
Now with all
this said, “This is not a Salvation Issue” JESUS said be ready at all
time, don’t turn this Great event, the return of the LORD into a major issue as
to get into fights over it. We are called to be ready at all times. My wish is,
is that the Pretribulation theory was right; I would love to miss this trouble
time. I just can’t go against scripture. I am not greater than my master, just
as he was persecuted so shall I be for the testimony of JESUS CHRIST.
Matthew 24
42Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your Lord doth come.
43But
know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief
would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be
broken up.
44Therefore
be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45Who
then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his
household, to give them meat in due season?
46Blessed
is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47Verily
I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48But
and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49And
shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50The
lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an
hour that he is not aware of,
51And
shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
None of us are
guaranteed to see the sunrise tomorrow. Learn of your CREATOR his work is all
around us as proof he exist. This world did not just develop out of thin air.
Read his words (The Holy Bible). Learn what JESUS said about salvation, go to
our website www.nbapu.com
read what do you mean Saved, learn what being saved means. Give your life over
to the LORD and I guarantee you will have peace to make it through this world
until the return of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
Peace be with
you!!
For more information on the Rapture go to www.nbapu.com
look in Understanding Revelations under the title : Pre-Trib or Post-Trib Does it Matter