What is the Great Tribulation?
I don't see this topic as terribly complex like some other topics, but I have found it is important to define this clearly as part of the overall discussion on the topic of End Times prophecy.
- Jesus calls it "Great Tribulation" (Matthew 24:21)
- The Great Tribulation is more than the "tribulation" that all christians experience in the world (John 16:33)
- The Great Tribulation is "short" (Matthew 24:21-22)
- The Great Tribulation is either 3.5 or 7 years long. There are two primary portions of the Bible that establish these time periods which I map to the label "Great Tribulation"
- Daniel 9:24-27 establishes a 7 year period (the 70th week of years) which is split into two 3.5 year halves.
- Revelation establishes a 3.5 year period - 1260 days (Rev 11:3, 12:6), 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), time, times and half a time (Rev 12:14). It may not be obvious at first, but if you study the text and events described in Revelation closely, I believe it is valid to conclude that each of these references (1260d, 42m, etc) to 3.5 years is actually referring to the exact same period of 3.5 years with different references/labels.
- My belief is that there is a continuous 7 year period (referred to in Daniel) where the last 3.5 years is the subject of a large portion of the Book of Revelation.
Note: every time I say year, I mean the 1260 day lunar year, not the 365.25 day long solar year.
Personally, I believe the Great Tribulation is 3.5 years long but I hold my belief "loosely". I accept that my choice of what to believe could be wrong and that a 7 year view of Great Tribulation is viable. I choose the 3.5 year option with an 80% likelihood, but recognize that it could be 7 years. It is not important to me to say that I have it right. It is important to me to be aware that both options are possible and I will depend on the Lord to further clarify my understanding at the right time IF he chooses to do so.
Simply put, I think I have a good interpretation with a 3.5 year long view of "the Great Tribulation", but I DON'T CARE IF I AM RIGHT. I care that I have a good attitude about listening and hearing if and when God reveals and clarifies.
Who is in the Great Tribulation?
The portion of Revelation that dives into the period we know as the Great Tribulation refers to some groupings with key labels.
- 144,000 Sealed Ones
- Saints
- Earth Dwellers
I believe most dispensationalists further refine their definition of "saints" to be "tribulation saints" which are completely distinct from the church. With many of them holding a pre-tribulational rapture viewpoint, they see the church as removed from the earth and the remainder of Revelation being applied to "Israel".
I agree that a large portion of Revelation applies to "Israel", but I do not agree that this necessarily dictates that that rapture of the whole church has occurred. I already know most of the views and all the supporting scripture used to back up the pre-tribulational rapture of the church. I'm not going to try to argue that the pre-tribulational rapture is wrong. Instead, I am going to list the options that various people believe in (including the pre-trib view) and review them. There are other views that have strong validity from scripture. I'm not ready to dive into this subject yet, but I am being forthright that I can show at least one different view that I believe competes against a pre-trib view very competitively.
Based on the text of Revelation, when does the Great Tribulation (3.5 years) start?
I am presenting this part without the foundation that brought me to this conclusion. I may have to "fill in the blank" (i.e. foundational elements of this assertion).
I believe the 3.5 year Great Tribulation starts with the opening of the 6th seal (Rev 6:12-17). I believe this correlates with Joel 2:30-31 where it says that the events happening in the creation (sun, moon, etc) precede the "great and dreadful day of the Lord". Take close note of the condition of the moon. In Rev 6:12 and Joel 2:31 describe a blood moon. This is distinct from Matthew 24:29 and Joel 2:10 where the moon is darkened. Matthew 24:29 says the moon is darkened AFTER the time of Great Tribulation. So, I think the Great Tribulation is book ended with great disturbances in the creation in the heavens and on the earth, but the moon is the key to setting the opening book end and the closing book end. The moon is turned to blood as the opening book end and the moon is darkened as the closing book end.
Matt