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Tutorial Seven: Tribulation Chronology

[Time to complete: approximately 3-4 hrs.]

 

Because of the complexity of unraveling a tribulation chronology, this material has been placed in a separate tutorial. Such a detailed study may seem unnecessary on first glance, but understanding the chronological relations of the events of the tribulation greatly aids in understanding the events themselves.

 

Instructions:

1.   Look up all highlighted references.

2.   After completing all reading, go back and answer all of the questions in the Study Questions guide for this chapter.

 

 

7A.     Tribulation chronology

1B.     Absolute external chronology

2B.     Relative external chronology

3B.     Internal chronology

1C.     The length of the tribulation period

1D.     Daniel’s seventy “weeks” (Dan. 7:24-27)

2D.     Confirmation of the length of the period

 

2C.     Major divisions within the period

3C.     Understanding the individual chronologies of Daniel, Matthew 24:3-31, and Revelation 6:1-20:3

1D.     The chronology of Daniel

2D.     The chronology of Matthew 24:4-31

3D.     The chronology of Revelation 6:1-20:3

 

4C.     How an overall timeline of the tribulation period can be constructed

5C.     Timeline of the tribulation period

6C.     Chronological aspects of the first half of the tribulation

7C.     Chronological aspects of the second half of the tribulation

 

Tribulation chronology

Just as is it important to understand the features and events of the tribulation, it is also important to understand the chronological relationships that those events have to one another, and to other major prophetic events, such as the rapture of the Church and the mil­lennium. The development of a chronology for the tribulation is not a simple task, but it is rewarding because it greatly aids our understanding of the events themselves. We need to address three areas of chronology: 1) absolute external chronology—when the period begins with respect to the present; 2) relative external chronology—when the period occurs in relation to other prophesied future events; and 3) internal chronology—the approximate chronology of the events within the tribulation.

Absolute external chronology

Right at the outset, we run into our first major obstacle. We are not able to determine an absolute external chronology for the tribulation because it is impossible to know when, with respect to the present, the tribulation will begin. The reason is that the length of the church age in which we are presently living is nowhere stated in Scripture (see Figure 7.1); even if it were, it would only give us a close approximation of when the tribulation would begin since we do not know precisely when, in relation to the tribulation, the rapture occurs. That this chronological information is missing from the Bible is a very important fact to note. Failure to understand this can lead, and has led, to misinterpretations of Scripture and even a few misguided predictions regarding the timing of the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation period. There are two things that need to be borne in mind concerning this prob­lem. 1) God did not reveal the future existence of the Church to the Old Testament proph­ets. This is a fact explicitly stated in the New Testament (cf. Eph 3:1-10). The absence of the Church from Old Testament prophecy is easily observed from passages like Isaiah 61:1-3, Daniel 9:27, and Zech. 9:9-10, in which the prophet’s perspective includes events of both the first and second advent of Christ viewed as one event, with no indication of the future existence of the Church. Given that the Church age was unforeseen in the Old Testament, and the fact that the church age is parenthetical to God’s prophesied program for Israel (i.e., the Church “interrupts” the timeline of events for Israel, e.g., Daniel 9:24-27), there is no way to determine from the Old Testament when the tribulation period will begin. 2) The New Testament nowhere indicates the length of the church age, making it impossible to know from the New Testament the starting date the tribulation period (and consequently, an approximate date for the rapture of the Church). Many people have tried to work out a method for calculating the date at which the rapture will occur, or at which the tribulation will begin; however, all such attempts are futile since the prerequisite chronological data is not revealed in Scrip­ture.

 

Although it is not possible to know the calendar date at which the tribulation will begin, it is possible to know when it occurs in relation to the millennium, and it is possible to know a great deal about the internal chronology of the period. These are the two areas in which we will focus our effort.

Relative external chronology

By “relative external chronology” is meant the chronological relationship of the tribulation to other future events. The Bible indicates that the tribulation period is a prelude to the millennium. Its purpose is both to prepare Israel for the return of Jesus Christ to usher in His eternal kingdom (Zech. 13:7­9), and to judge the world for its unbelief and rejection of God and His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:8-11).

The tribulation is a future event (from the present perspective)

The tribulation period immediately precedes the millennial kingdom and from the present perspective it is a future event. While some covenantal premillennialists agree with this observation, amillennialists, because of their allegorization of Bible prophecy and their belief that we are currently living in the millennial period, almost universally deny that the tribulation is in the future, preferring instead to identify it with past events—usually the Roman persecution of Christians.[This position is generally true only of conservative amillennialists. Liberal amillennialists usually do not believe in a tribulation, or predictive prophecy. Some covenant premillenialists hold to a similar position, identifying the tribu­lation as a past event, usually the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem, or the early persecu­tions of the Church; that position is called “preterism”—signifying “past” fulfillment.] A few covenant premillennialists known as “imminent posttribulationists” even suggest that we may now be in the tribulation. This presents us with our first major chronological ques­tion concerning the tribulation: “Is the tribulation to be found in past history, present real­ity, or in the future?”

 

 

Future Chronology and the Church Age

 

[Figure 7.1: It is not possible to derive the date for either the rapture of the Church or the onset of the tribu­lation period. The Church was unforeseen in the Old Testament, and the New Testament does not indicate the length of the Church age.]

 

 

Let’s ask three questions that can help us to clarify our understanding of the relative exter­nal chronology of the tribulation period. 1) Is there any evidence to suggest that we are currently in the millennium (thus implying that the tribulation is past)? 2) Has there been any set of world events in history that matches the description of the tribulation given in the Bible (implying that the tribulation is either past or present)? 3) Are there any prerequisite conditions that would have to be met in order for certain tribulation events to take place; and if so, have they been met (indicating that the fulfillment of tribulation prophecy must be in the future)? [Question one addresses amillennialism. Questions two and three address the preterist position, and the imminent posttribulational position.]

 

The millennium is a future event (from the present perspective)

When we compare what we know about the millennium to the present age in which we live, there is simply no evidence to support the idea that we could be in the millennium now; you would think that would be fairly obvious, and it is—even to amillennialists! That’s why they must engage in allegorization of the millennial prophecies (such as suggesting that Christ is presently ruling over His kingdom from Heaven, instead of on earth as pictured in every millennial passage in which locational references are made). Every prophecy of the second coming in which a chronological relationship with either the tribulation or the millennium is given places the second coming of Christ either immediately at the end of the tribulation, or immediately prior to the inception of the millennial kingdom (note especially Zech. 14:1-11, Matt. 24:29-31 and Rev. 19:11-20:6). If we really want to know when the millen­nium is going to take place, we should listen to the words of Christ in Matthew 25:31-34 where He says,

 

But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as he shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed of my father, inherit the king­dom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [NASB, underlines added]

 

Jesus tells us very plainly that He will sit on the throne of His kingdom—“when [He] the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him.” Note the clear time reference; He will sit on the throne of His kingdom “when” He comes (Gr. hotan, indicating a specific point in the future, which is further specified as, “then” [Gr. tote, adverb of time, meaning “at that time”]). This is not a reference to some “mystical,” or “spiritual” coming; Jesus had just described His second coming with His angels in great detail within the context of this discourse (Matt 24: 3-31). He now associates the inauguration of His kingdom with that coming. The temporal structure of this passage (“when/then”) is very precise. Christ is clearly indicating that it will be at His second coming that He will His take His seat on the throne of His kingdom. (Although He is presently seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, that seat is not the throne of His visible, earthly kingdom.) Concerning the second coming of Christ, Zechariah says,

 

[14:4-9] On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earth­quake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.

 

Notice the precise correspondence of this statement to the Lord’s statement in Matthew 25:31-34. Messiah will come and His feet will rest upon the Mount of Olives (note the physical details—the mount will “split”), He will return with His “holy ones” (the angels) and the Lord, physically present, will be King over the whole earth. Note also John’s description in Revelation 19:11-20:4.

 

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had per­formed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 

There is no question that this is a description of Christ’s second coming. We see in this description, as in the rest, that Christ does not return alone, He returns with what are here described as “the armies of Heaven,” undoubtedly a reference to the angels (cf. 19:17-18; 20:1-3; Matt. 24:29-31). He will strike down His enemies and rule the earth “with an iron rod.” Satan will be bound and sealed in the Abyss, and the saints will be resurrected from their graves to rule with Christ during the millennium. One only has to read this passage once to understand why the Book of Revelation was temporarily excluded from the New Testament Canon when the eastern branch of the church adopted amillennialism in the second century. Nothing in this description fits with amillennialism. To underscore how poor the amillennial view of the visible kingdom is, we need only ask a few simple ques­tions like these: “If we are now living in the kingdom described in these passages, in what sense is Satan both ‘bound’ and ‘sealed,’ and unable to ‘deceive the nations?’” “In what sense are the saints now ruling?” “When did the resurrection described in Revelation 20:3 occur?” The amillennial answers to these questions will inevitably involve either a diminution of the prophetic source material itself, or our ability to interpret it; or more likely, a wholesale allegorization of the passages. If Scripture is taken at face value, there can be no question that the millennium is yet in the future. Since we can be certain that the second coming has not occurred, we can be sure that amillennialism is incorrect, and equally certain that the tribulation did not occur in the first century, or at any period in the past.

 

The prophesied events of the tribulation have never been fulfilled

To determine whether the tribulation events have been fulfilled in any prior age since the time of the New Testament, or are being fulfilled at the present, the reader need only com­pare the descriptions given of the tribulation with history. Covenantalists have already made this comparison and found no match with history—that’s why they arbitrarily switch to an allegorical method of interpreting tribulation prophecies, despite the fact that they apply a normal/literal method to most other prophecy (for example, the birth of Christ). The bias of this procedure is obvious. Only through a process of selective allegorical interpretation can one claim historical (or present) fulfillment of the tribulation prophecies. For example, we might ask: “When, since the writing of the New Testament, did an object from space hit one of the world’s oceans destroying most of the life in it?” Or, “When did Christ return, as is clearly indicated to be the concluding event of the tribulation (Zech. 14:1-21; Matt. 24:3-31; Rev. 19:11-21)?” There simply is no match to the tribulation prophecies in history, nor do we see the events we have previously described (in the last lesson) occurring at present—nor do covenantalists—which is why they suddenly (and with patently biased intent) switch to an allegorical interpretation of these events.

 

The prerequisites for the tribulation have not been met

The final question we will ask is whether there are any prerequisites that must be satisfied before the tribulation can be fulfilled; and if so, have they been met? The answer is, “Yes”—there are prerequisites, and “No”—they have not been met. The following examples will illustrate this point.

 

The abomination in the temple originally described in the Book of Daniel, and repeated by Christ and Paul, cannot take place unless the temple is standing (cf. Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15 and 2 Thess. 2:3-4). The reason is that owing to the nature of this act, it must be performed in the temple. There are two ways to demonstrate that this precondition to the fulfillment of the tribulation could not have been met in the past. 1) The Book of Revelation, as nearly as we can date, was written between A.D. 81 and 96—some twenty years after the destruction of the temple by the Romans in A.D. 70. From the perspective of Revelation, this abomina­tion was yet to be fulfilled (Rev. 13:5-10). This means that the reconstruction of the temple is a prerequisite to the fulfillment of this prophecy. Since the temple has not been rebuilt since its destruction in A.D. 70, it is not possible that the tribulation prophecies have been fulfilled in the past as some covenantalists claim. In response to this argument, Preterists claim that we do not know the precise date of the Book of Revelation; however, even if that objection were sustained, it wouldn’t matter because the same argument can also be proved differently. 2) That the temple must be rebuilt after its A.D. 70 destruction (in order for the prophecies of the tribulation to be fulfilled) can be deduced from the prophecy of the sev­enty “weeks” in the Book of Daniel (9:24-27, see Figure 7.3). This prophecy pictures the tribulation period (the seventieth “week,” v.27) beginning after the prophesied destruction of the temple (v.26), which would have to have been the A.D. 70 destruction of the second temple, since the 586 B.C. destruction of the first temple was, by the time of this prophecy, years in the past. This prophecy requires that the temple (i.e., a third temple) be rebuilt after the A.D. 70 destruction of the second temple (prophesied in v. 26) in order for the abomi­nation spoken of in verse 27 to take place. The third temple has not been built; therefore, no set of events prior to the construction of the third temple (in the future) could fulfill the conditions of the tribulation. Let’s see how this is derived from the passage. [I have added the explanations in brackets.]

 

[Dan. 9:24-27] (24) “Seventy sevens are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. (25) Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (26) After the sixty-two sevens, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. [This refers to Christ’s death April 6, A.D. 33] The people of the ruler who will come [i.e., the Romans] will destroy the city and the sanctuary. [Referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and the second temple in A.D.70] The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. (27) He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. [The Prince to come, i.e., the Anti­christ, will make a covenant with Israel for a seven-year period.] In the middle of the seven he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” [After 3 ½ years he will break his covenant by desecrating the temple. This event must happen in the third temple since it is represented as occur­ring after the destruction of the second temple, cf. v. 26. Since the third temple has not been built (as of this writing), the fulfillment of this prophecy can only be in the future.]

 

It is interesting that some covenantal interpreters, in an effort to avoid this problem, place the fulfillment of the abomination in the intertestamental period, when Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) eighth ruler of the Selucid dynasty desecrated the temple by offering a pig on the alter (167 B.C.). This interpretation directly contradicts Christ’s statement two hundred years later to the effect that the abomination spoken of in Daniel was yet future (Matt. 24:15), as well as Paul’s statement to the same effect in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9; and entirely removes it from the context of the tribulation events of which it is a part; thus again contra­dicting Daniel (Dan. 9:27), Christ (Matt 24:15-31), Paul (2 Thess. 2:3-4), and John (Rev. 13:1-10), all of whom picture this event as part of a set of future events. We might also note that Christ did not return with His angels to rule the earth any time in the second cen­tury B.C., nor to our knowledge was Satan at that time bound and sealed in the Abyss (all of which are elements directly associated with the conclusion of the tribulation).

 

Another prerequisite to the fulfillment of the tribulation prophecies is that Israel must be in existence as a nation. Daniel 9:24-27 pictures the tribulation as beginning when the Prince who is coming (Antichrist) makes a covenant with Israel. Additionally, the nation of Israel is at the center of many tribulation prophecies (Jer. 30:4-7; Dan. 9:27; Joel 2:1-11; 3:1-16; Zeph. 1:2-3:11; Matt 24:4-31; Rev.7:1-8; 11:1-2). One of the descriptions applied to the tribulation period in the Old Testament is “a time of trouble for Jacob” (Jer. 30:7). Since Israel as a national entity ceased to exist in A.D. 70 and did not come back into existence until 1948, it is impossible that any events between A.D. 70 and 1948 could qualify as the fulfillment of the tribulation prophecies. That no event prior to A.D. 70 qualifies as the ful­fillment of the tribulation prophecies is evident from two facts: 1) Revelation, written after the destruction of Jerusalem, views the tribulation period as yet in the future, and 2) Daniel 9:24-27 clearly indicates that the tribulation will occur after the destruction of Jerusalem, (i.e., contextually this can only refer to the A.D. 70 destruction, since it is said to occur after the Messiah is killed, cf. 9:24-26.) Therefore any set of events prior to A.D. 70 could not qualify as the tribulation (nor could any set of events after A.D. 70, until Israel came back into existence in 1948.) Given these observations, it should be apparent that any attempt to find a historical fulfillment for the tribulation prophecies simply is not consis­tent with biblical facts. The tribulation is not to be found in the past but in the future.

 

The relationship of the tribulation to the millennium

The Scripture presents the judgment aspect of the tribulation and the blessings of the mil­lennium as two aspects of the same period called “the day of the LORD.” For this reason, many passages treat these as a unit (Isa. 1:24-2:4; 24:1-25:12; 34:1-35:10; Joel 2:1-32; Zech. 12:1-13:9). The Old Testament knows no other relationship than that the beginning of the day of the Lord is the prelude to the establishment of the visible earthly kingdom of Christ on earth (see Figure 7.2).

 

A study of the second coming of Christ also sheds light on the chronological relationship of the tribulation to the millennium. Many passages that deal with the second coming pic­ture it as the consummation of the tribulation period and the beginning of the millennium (Zech. 14:1-11; Rev. 19:11-20:6; see also Isa. 35:4-10; 61:2b-3; Joel 3:9-21; Zech. 2:6-13); given this, along with the purpose of the tribulation period as a time for Israel to un­dergo a national conversion in preparation for Messiah’s return (Isa. 1:24-2:4; Zech. 13:7-9), it is apparent that the tribulation immediately precedes the premillennial return of Christ and the establishment of the millennial phase of the visible kingdom.

Internal chronology

The internal chronology of the tribulation presents the most challenges to the student of future prophecy. This is because the chronology of the period is not laid out in a single pas­sage, or even in a single book of the Bible. One problem that is frequently seen in proffered chronologies of the tribulation is the tendency to work from the Book of Revelation with­out first properly aligning its events to the timeline given in Daniel 9:24-27. Another diffi­culty is the failure to recognize the rather complex chronological scheme employed in Revelation (see Figure 7.5), as well as in other passages that bear heavily on tribulation chronology, like Matthew 24. Our look at internal chronology will focus on three areas: 1) determining the length of the period from beginning to end; 2) noting major divisions of the period; and 3) development of an approximate timeline for specific events within the period.

 

 

The Tribulation and the Day of the Lord

 

[Figure 7.2: The tribulation is often confused with the day of the Lord; this results in misunderstanding the nature of the tribulation period itself, and incorrect theological deductions regarding the relative timing of the rapture. The tribulation is a seven-year period of great distress upon the earth. The day of the Lord begins sometime in the second half of the tribulation as a time of divine wrath (possibly at the seventh seal of Revelation), and transitions into a time of great blessing in the kingdom to follow.]

 

 

The length of the tribulation period

There is only one book of the Bible from which the length of the tribulation can be derived, and that is the Book of Daniel. Not only does the Book of Daniel reveal the length of the period, it also reveals its two major divisions, and gives specific events that signal the beginning, middle, and end of the period. Because of the critical role of this book, Daniel is rightly viewed as the “key” to the study of the tribulation.

 

Daniel’s seventy “weeks”(Daniel 9:24-27)

The prophecy of the “seventy weeks” is perhaps the most important of all prophecies in understanding the chronology of the tribulation. This prophecy was given for the express purpose of conveying specific chronological information concerning God’s future plans for the Jewish nation, which was at that time in Babylonian captivity. The prophecy of the sev­enty “weeks” (Dan. 9:24-27) was conveyed to Daniel by the angel Gabriel (9:21) in response to Daniel’s prayer for understanding concerning previous revelations that troubled him as he pondered the future of the Jewish people. In this passage (9:24-27) Gabriel says,

 

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgres­sion, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteous­ness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. Know and under­stand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven,’ but in the middle of that ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

 

While this prophecy might seem a bit cryptic at first look, we must bear in mind that Gabriel was communicating to Daniel details of events some of which would not be ful­filled for hundreds of years and others for thousands of years. It will help if we identify the various elements of the prophecy before trying to decipher the chronology. The phrase “your people” refers to Israel, and the “holy city” is Jerusalem (note: Gabriel is speaking to Daniel, a Jew). The statement, “to put an end to wickedness, to bring in everlasting right­eousness, to seal vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy,” would seem to refer­ence a historical progression up to the visible earthly kingdom which had been promised previously. The “Anointed One” refers to Messiah [Heb. meshiah], the Prince of God, who will come to rule (cf. Isa. 9:6-7). The Anointed One being “cut off” is a reference to Messiah’s death. The destruction of the city and the sanctuary is a reference to the destruc­tion of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70, after Christ’s death. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist who will come to power during the tribulation (cf. Matt. 24:15-22; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 13:1­9). The “covenant” is a treaty made between Israel and the Antichrist. The last (or seventieth) “seven” (v.27) represents the period we have come to refer to as “the tribulation.” “Desolations” refers to the horrible and destructive events to take place during the tribulation period. The “abomination on a wing of the temple” or as alternately rendered, “one who will come on the wings of abomination,” is a reference to Satan’s prince seating himself in the temple and claiming to be God (cf. Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess 2:3-4; Rev. 13:1-9), and possibly to the setting up of an image to the Antichrist in the temple (Rev. 13:14-15). The “end that is decreed” is a reference to the destruction of Satan’s prince at the arrival of Christ (at His second coming), who will crush the Anti­christ’s kingdom and establish God’s kingdom on earth (cf. Dan. 2:44-45; 7:1-27; Rev. 19:19-20).

 

Having identified the key elements of the prophecy, we are now able to tackle the chronol­ogy. The references to units of “seven” in the prophecy (vv. 24,25,27) are actually refer­ences to units of seven years (one “seven” equals seven years). We know this because Gabriel said there would be 69 units of seven (7 “sevens” + 62 “sevens”) from the time of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah comes (possibly His official presentation in the temple) and is “cut off,” (i.e., killed). This is precisely the time from the decree of Artaxerxes on March 5, 444B.C. to Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the temple on March 30, A.D. 33, just three days before He was crucified (see, Figure 7.3). [Nehemiah 2:1 places this decree at Nisan 444 B.C., but does not specify a day. The date of March 5 (Nissan 1) assumes the first day of the month was intended. In calculating the first 69 “sevens” of this prophecy we see that (62+7) x 7 x 360 days (Daniel and Revelation both appear to use 360 day calendars for prophecy) = 173,880 days. Starting from March 5, 444 B.C., this gives a date of March 30, A.D. 33 as the point just prior to Messiah’s death. This calculation adjusts for 116 leap years and the transition from B.C. to A.D. (2 B.C. to A.D. 2 is two years because the first year is “1”). Jesus was crucified April 3, A.D. 33, just three days after the conclusion of the 69th “seven” of this prophecy, precisely fulfilling the prediction of His death in v.26 as occurring after the 69 “sevens” expired. ] If the first sixty-nine units of “seven” in this prophecy are units of seven years, it stands to reason that the seventieth “seven” is also a unit of seven years; that being the case, we are able to conclude that the seventieth “seven” (or “week” AV) of this prophecy, which represents the tribula­tion period, is a seven-year period (at least approximately). Note also the complete absence of any reference to the church age that occurs between the sixty-ninth and seventieth “weeks.” This is consistent with the point made earlier that the future existence of the Church was not revealed in the Old Testament. [The calculations used here are from Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, by Harold W. Hoehner, (Zondervan Publishing House, 1977).]

 

 

Daniel’s Seventy “Weeks”

 

 

 

[Figure 7.3: The prophecy of the seventy “weeks” traces God’s plan for Israel from Daniel’s time unto Messiah’s kingdom (the millennium). It is the most detailed and precise chronological information in the Bible with respect to future prophecy. Calculations: 62 x 7 x 360 days (Daniel and Revelation both use 360 day calendars) = 173,880 days from March 5, 444 B.C. (the date of Artaxerxes’ decree) = March 30, A.D. 33 (the date of Christ’s presentation at the triumphal entry). Christ was crucified three days later (April 3rd A.D. 33). These calculations account for leap years in the Gregorian calendar (116 days) and the transition from B.C. to A.D. (2B.C. to A.D. 2 is two years; remember the calendar starts with year “1,” not “0.” Since the first 69 “sevens” of this prophecy are units of seven years, the seventieth “seven” must also be seven years. Since the seventieth week of the prophecy represents the tribulation, the period must be seven years long (approximately).]

 

 

Confirmation of the length of the tribulation period

It is possible to confirm from within the Book of Daniel the length of the tribulation as approximately seven years. Daniel 7:25 refers to the fact that the saints living in the tribu­lation period will be given over to Satan’s prince (for persecution and martyrdom, cf. Rev. 13:5-7) for a period designated as “a time, times and half a time;” this expression is equivalent to three and one half (“a time” = 1, “times” [Heb. dual] = 2, and “half a time” = ½), the unit of time is not specified. We know by comparison of Daniel 9:27 with Matt 24:15-22 and Rev. 6:9-11) that the time of severe persecution and martyrdom of believers breaks out in the middle of the period, in connection with the Antichrist’s abomination in the temple, and extends to the end of the period. So, from the middle of the period to the end is three and one half “somethings” (undefined units). The fact that this represents three and one half years (approximately) is confirmed in Daniel 12:11 when Daniel is told that the number of days from the abomination that causes desolation (which occurs at the mid­point) to the end of the period is 1290 days (1335 days apparently marks the beginning of the millennium). Given the 360-day year that is used in Daniel, this gives the length for the second half of the tribulation as 3.58 years. (The precise length of the first half of the period is nowhere given in Scripture.)

 

Another confirmation of the length of the period comes from Revelation 13:5-7. Here the authority of Satan’s Prince to overcome the saints and to compel the inhabitants of the earth to worship him is said to extend for forty-two months (v.5). It is clear from a comparison of Daniel 9:27 and Matt. 24:15-22 with Revelation 13:5 that this activity commences at the middle of the tribulation period. This would mean the second half of the tribulation is approximately forty-two months, or three and one half years in duration. This comports with the information from Daniel 7:25. So, from the seventy “weeks” prophecy in Daniel, we are able to determine that the approximate length of the tribulation period is seven years; and as we have seen this figure can be shown to be consistent with other chronological informa­tion from both Daniel and Revelation.

 

Major divisions within the tribulation

Not only does the prophecy of the seventy “weeks” in Daniel provide us with the data needed to determine the length of the tribulation, it also contains the most important “key” to the internal chronology of the period. That key is the reference to the fact that the abomination in the temple marks the middle of the period. Since several important prophe­cies reference this event, or are linked in some way to prophecies which do; without this piece of information it would be impossible to construct a useful chronology of the period. Because the abomination in the temple occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation, and because it marks a turning point in the character of the period, the study of the tribulation is easily arranged according to this subdivision of two approximately equal halves. This is the arrangement Christ gave in Matthew 24:4-31, where verses 4-8 describe the first half of the period and verses 9-14 describe the second half, with a recursive section (vv.15-31) starting back in the middle with the abomination and giving a more detailed description of the second half of the period (see Figure 7.4).

 

While there is no special designation given in the Bible for the first half of the period (Christ says in Matthew 24:5 that it is the “beginning of birth pangs,” but this does not seem to be a period title), the second half is described as a time of “great tribulation” (Matt. 24:21 AV)—though that too seems to be more of a description than a period title; it is also referred to according to the designation, “a time, times and half a time” (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 12:14), signifying its length as three and one-half [years].

 

A special problem arises with respect to the precise length of the second half of the tribu­lation period. While Daniel 9:11 indicates the length to be 1290 days, other passages appear to indicate a length of 1260 days (Rev. 11:2-3; 12:6,14; 13:5). One solution proposes that the 1260 days extend from the midpoint of the period to the second coming, and that the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11 extend from the midpoint to some unspecified event 30 days after the second coming—possibly the cleansing of the temple (though the chro­nology of events occurring between the second coming and the millennium is uncertain). Accordingly, this view holds that the interlude between the second coming and the begin­ning of the millennium is 75 days (1335 days minus 1260 days [Daniel 12:12] seems to indicate that the millennium begins on the 1335th day from the abomination). However, there are two problems with this view. 1) It leaves the 1290 day figure given in Daniel 12:11 with no definite terminal event. This seems strange since the figure was clearly intended to predict the terminal point of the period. 2) In every case where the 1260 day figure is used, including references to forty-two months and three and one-half years, the beginning point of the 1260 day period is not precisely located at the midpoint of the tribulation (when the abomination occurs), but shortly afterward. For example, Revelation 12:6 indicates that some Jews will be protected in the wilderness for 1260 days, these are undoubtedly people who will flee Judea at the time of the abomination (cf. Matt. 24:15-21). However, they are not in the wilderness when the abomination takes place, they must flee to this place after the event occurs. Also, the Antichrist’s inability to stop this flight may indi­cate that his control in this region (also stated to be 1260 days) has not come to its full power, though it certainly follows very quickly. In light of these difficulties, it may be best to regard the length of the second half of the tribulation to be 1290 days, as indicated in Daniel 12:11, with the 1260 day period of intense persecution and divine protection for those who flee to the wilderness beginning 30 days after the midpoint of the period. This chronology would allow 30days from the abomination for the Prince to come to his full power in the region. Thus, according to this view, the second coming occurs on the 1290th day from the midpoint with a 45 day interlude between the second coming and the beginning of the millennium (1335 days minus 1290 days).

Understanding the individual chronologies of Daniel, Matthew 24:3-31, and Revelation 6:1-20:3

Before we can determine how the chronological details of the various tribulation prophe­cies fit together, we must first understand them separately. The three major tribulation prophecies that convey significant chronological information are: Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:3-31; and Revelation 6:1-20:3

 

The chronology of Daniel

While many details about the tribulation are revealed throughout the Book of Daniel, the basic chronology of the period is presented in the prophecy of the seventy “weeks” (or “sevens”) cf., Dan. 9:24-27, also see Figure 7.3. Daniel identifies three key events that are linked to the timeline of the period. These three events are: 1) the signing of a treaty be­tween Israel and the Prince to come, which begins the period; 2) the abomination which marks the midpoint; and 3) the close of the period marked by the destruction of Satan’s prince.

 

From the prophecy of the seventy “weeks,” we learn that the duration of the tribulation is seven years (see Figure 7.3) and that the period naturally breaks into two approximately equal parts (9:24). Daniel indicates that there will be 1290 days from the abomination to the end of the period (12:11). He also mentions in 7:25 that the saints will be given into the hands of the Antichrist for three and one-half “times,” which appears to correlate with the length of the second half of the period (three and one-half years). [See the previous discus­sion for an explanation of Daniel’s seventy “weeks” prophecy.]

 

The chronology of Matthew 24:4-31

In His Olivet Discourse (Matt 24-25; Mk. 13; Lk. 21:5-36) Jesus gives an overview of the tribulation, including the judgment of the nations, which falls between the close of the tribulation, and the beginning of the millennium (Matt. 24:31-25:46). The chronological structure of 24:4-31 is of considerable importance in understanding tribulation chronology. Several schemes have been proposed for the chronology of this passage. The following are three examples. 1) One proposal suggests that verses 4-14 refer to events in the church age, leading up to the tribulation period, which according to this scheme, are described in verses 15‑31. The problem with this view is that it places events clearly associated with the second half of the period into the first half, and events associated with the first half of the tribula­tion into the period prior to the tribulation. 2) Another proposal is that only verses 4‑8 refer to the church age. The difficulty with this view is that it jumps from the church age (vv.4-8) directly to the second half of the period (vv. 9-31), with no mention of the events of the first half of the period. (The time of severe persecution described in verse 9 clearly falls into the second half of the period, cf. Dan. 7:25.) 3) Yet another proposal is that verses 4-14 describe the first half of the tribulation, whereas verses 15‑31 describe the second half. This view faces the same difficulty as number one above, in that it places events clearly associated with the second half of the period (vv.9-14) into the first half of the period (e.g., the martyrdom of the saints, cf. Dan. 7:25)

 

A better option is the chronology illustrated in Figure 7.4. According to this chronology, verses 4‑8 refer to the first half of the tribulation and verses 9-14 refer to the second half, with verses 15‑31 being a recursion back to the middle of the period in order to amplify certain details of the second half. (The second half of the period is, after all, when most of the significant events occur.) That this is the correct view is confirmed by the following: 1) it does not require events in one period to be shifted into another period; 2) it recognizes the natural breaking points between verses 8 and 9, as well as verses 14 and 15; 3) it recog­nizes that recursions are natural in this type of literature, perhaps owing to the inherent problems of explaining future events in a linear medium (cf. Figure 7.5 for examples of recursions in the Book of Revelation).

 

 

Chronological Structure of Matthew 24:4-31

 

 

 

 

[Figure 7.4: Matthew 24:9 begins the second half of the seven-year period (we know this because Daniel 7:25 establishes that the time of severe persecution and martyrdom begins in the middle of the period and extends to the end). Therefore, verses 4-8 refer to the first half of the period. (Note the transition between verses 8 and 9.) Verse 15 picks up at the abomination (which begins at the midpoint, cf. Daniel 9:27) and from verses 15 to 31 the details of the second half of the period are expanded upon.]

 

 

The chronology of Revelation (6:1-20:3)

The Book of Revelation (from 6:1 through 20:3) is essentially in sequential order (see Figure 7.5). However, there are four features to the chronology of Revelation that must be given special attention. 1) Revelation 6:1-20:3 contains three parenthetical sections (7:1‑7:17; 10:1-10:11 and 14:1-15:8). These parenthetical sections do not advance the timeline. 2) This portion of Revelation also contains two “recursive” sections (11:1‑11:13 and 12:1‑13:18); in both cases these recursions return to the middle of the period and continue to the end of the period. 3) Time compression and expansion can present problems in that a relatively short section of the book may cover a much longer period of time than a more expansive section. (The first half of the tribulation period occupies only eight verses.) 4) Some events may overlap, since it is not necessary for one event to completely run its course before another begins.

 

One major difficulty with the chronology of Revelation is that it only mentions one of the three chronological markers given in Daniel, which is the “end” of the period. (The abomi­nation described in Daniel 9:27 is alluded to in 13:1-10, but that statement is in one of the two recursive sections of the Book—disconnected from the main timeline.) This makes aligning the events of Revelation with the events of Daniel somewhat more difficult. How­ever, Matthew 24 is very helpful in aligning Revelation with Daniel.

 

 

Chronological Structure of Revelation 6:1-20:3

 

 

 

 

[Figure 7.5: The four solid lines in this figure represent four forward movements in the Book. These four movements form the base timeline of the seven-year period (as far a the Book of Revelation is concerned). In addition to the base timeline there are three parenthetical sections that do not advance the timeline, as well as two recursive sections that return to a previous point and continue forward. While this structure may seem cumbersome, it simply illustrates the difficulty of explaining multiple historical threads in a linear medium.]

 

 

How an overall timeline can be constructed

Because the Book of Daniel gives the most specific chronological information regarding the tribulation period, Daniel’s chronology serves as the foundation for a timeline (see Figure 7.6). To this foundational timeline, Matthew 24:4-31 can then be added. The reason for adding Matthew 24:4-31 before Revelation is that while both Matthew 24:4-31 and Revelation refer to many of the same events, Matthew 24:4-31 indicates the place in the sequence of events where the abomination occurs, thus marking the midpoint in relation to these events. Because the only reference to the abomination in Revelation (13:1-10) is in one of the recursive sections of the Book, it is not possible to know from Revelation how the other period events relate to the abomination. This makes it impossible to construct a useful timeline from Revelation alone (13:1-10). Overlaying Matthew on top of Daniel allows us to align specific events with the three chronological markers provided in Daniel 9:27 (the beginning, middle, and end of the period). Because the descriptions of events given in Matthew 24:4‑31 and Revelation match very closely, we are then able to align many of the events of Revelation with those of Matthew 24:4-31. It is possible to align Revela­tion directly with Daniel by matching the fifth seal of Revelation (6:9‑11) with Daniel 7:25, which indicates that the time of severe persecution begins in the middle of the period; how­ever, the alignment method using Matthew 24:4-31 is preferable, since it yields a more finely grained picture, permitting us to definitively place the first four seals in the first half of the period, and the fifth seal immediately after the abomination at the midpoint. Finally, any miscellaneous references from other sources can be attached to this composite time­line. Of course, we must bear in mind that it will not be possible to place every event precisely. While a few events can be placed with a fair degree of certainty, many can only be placed in approximate locations. Nevertheless, the picture that emerges is helpful in understanding the character of the period.

 

 

How a Chronology of the Tribulation Period Can Be Developed

 

 

 

[Figure 7.6: The Book of Daniel serves as the “base timeline” in developing an overall chronology of the tribulation; next Matthew 24 is aligned. Since Matthew 24 mentions both the “abomination” and many of the events of Revelation, the proper alignment of Matthew makes possible a more precise placement of Revela­tion. Finally, events from other sources can be matched to the timeline; however, these are mostly duplicate references to events already described in Daniel, Matthew, or Revelation.]

 

 

Timeline of the period

When the key passages of Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation are properly aligned (see Figure 7.6), it is not difficult to arrive at a combined list of tribulation events (see Table 7.1). Once we have that list, we can begin to decipher the overall chronology of the period (see Figure 7.7).

 

Chronological aspects of the first half of the tribulation

[The following paragraphs are numbered to correspond with the events listed in Table 7.1 and Figure 7.7.]

 

1. [The covenant made with Israel]

The tribulation begins with the signing of a treaty between Israel and an alliance of nations, roughly corresponding to the people groups of the Roman Empire.

 

2. [Seal #1]

It is important to restate here that the seals are not themselves discrete events; they are “movements” within the tribulation period. In other words, they are “times” during which God sovereignly allows certain events to take place. This is apparent from the description of the scroll of which these seals are a part (Rev. 6:1-14). As a seal is broken, the scroll can only be unrolled so far before the necessity for breaking an additional seal. Apparently the events that are permitted during the time of each seal are the things written on the scroll itself. Only those events “unlocked” by the breaking of a seal can transpire, clearly symbol­izing God’s sovereignty over the events of each movement of the period. The first seal (Rev. 6:1-2) is the first movement of the period. A comparison of the seals with the sequence of events in Matthew 24:4-31 indicates that the time of the first four seals will occur before the abomination in the temple at the midpoint of the period.

 

3. [Spiritual deception]

Jesus in His teaching on the tribulation mentioned spiritual deception (false messiahs) as the first characteristic of the period (Matt 24:4-5). Because the reference to “false messiahs” is plural, it is to be expected that this is a general characteristic, extending at least until the middle of the period. After the abomination by Satan’s prince, these claims by others will likely be eclipsed, and suppressed, by his own claim to deity (cf. 2 Thess. 2:4).

 

4. [The Jewish temple (the third temple) rebuilt]

Although there is no reference to the rebuilding of the temple in any tribulation passage, there are several passages which presume the temple to be in operation by the middle of the period, when the abomination occurs (Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 11:1-2). Since the abomination must take place in the temple, and since as a part of the abomination the regular sacrifices will be halted, it is apparent that the temple (i.e., the third temple) must be rebuilt and in operation sometime prior to the midpoint. Actually, the con­struction of the temple structure could occur anytime during the first half of the period, or possibly even before the beginning of the tribulation; however, it is likely that the covenant made with Satan’s prince at the beginning of the period is what allows the rebuilding of the temple to take place, and secures for him some sort of quasi “messianic” standing (at least in the first half of the period, until he breaks his covenant).

 

5. [Seal #2]

The second seal allows war to break out, and seems to correspond to the “wars and rumors of wars” of Matthew 24:6. These wars likely represent the geopolitical reconfiguration of the initial alliance of ten nation groups into the “kingdom” of the Antichrist—sometimes referred to as the “revived Roman Empire” because of its historical and geographic connection with the ancient Roman Empire (Dan. 7:8,20-24). This could also include the invasion of Israel by “Gog” (Ezekiel 38‑39), though the timing of that event is uncertain.

 

6. [Seal #3]

The time of the third seal allows for great famine, which corresponds to “famines and earth­quakes” in Matthew 24:7. All we know about the chronology of these events is that they fall between the second and fourth seals. Since the time of the fourth seal occurs prior to the midpoint, the time of the third seal falls into the first half of the period.

 

7. [Seal #4]

During the time of the fourth seal one-forth of the world’s population will perish. This appears to be the last seal prior to the middle of the period. The reason for this conclusion is that the fifth seal (persecution and martyrdom) seems to correspond to the martyrdom of Matthew 24:9, which appears to be the first event after the abomination. How close the opening of the fourth seal falls to the midpoint is unknown (cf. Matt 24:15-22, which seems to expand upon verse 9).

 

 

Combined List of Tribulation Events (in Sequence)

 

Daniel Matthew 24                      Revelation                                       Combined List of Events

9:27                                                                                                                                1. Covenant made with Israel

                                                                6:1-2                                                               2. (Seal #1) political conquest

                                24:5                                                                                                3. Spiritual deception

 [9:27]                     [24:15]                    [11:1-2]                          [2 Thess. 2:3-4]    4. {Jewish temple rebuilt}

                                24:6                        6:3-4                               Ezek. 38-39?        5. (Seal #2) war

                                24:7                        6:5-6                                                               6. (Seal #3) famines, earthquakes

                                                                6:7-8                                                               7. (Seal #4) death

                                                                12:7-17                                                          8. {Satan confined to earth}

                                                                11:1-14                                                          9. {Two witnesses begin ministry}

 9:27                       24:15                                                              2 Thess. 2:3-4      10. Abomination in the temple               

                                                                13:11-18                                                        11. {Ministry False Prophet begins}

                                24:15-22                12:13-14                                                        12. Judean believers flee for refuge

 7:25                       24:9,15-22            6:9-11                                                            13. (Seal #5) persecution, martyrdom

                                24:10                                                                                              14. Apostasy

                                24:11                      13:11-18 cf. 17:1-18    2 Thess. 2:8-12   15. Spiritual deception/false prophets

                                24:12                                                                                              16. Lawlessness (moral?)

                                24:29                      6:12-17                          Isa. 24:17-23        17. (Seal #6) cosmic disturbances

                                                                7:1-8                                                               18. 144,000 Jews sealed

                                                                8:1-6                                                               19. (Seal #7) the trumpet judgments

                                                                8:7-13                                                            20. (Trumpets #1-4) cosmic events

                                                                9:1-12                                                            21. (Trumpet #5) demonic affliction

                                                                9:13-21                                                          22. (Trumpet #6) war

                                                                11:15-19                                                        23. (Trumpet #7) the bowl judgments

                                                                16:1-11                                                          24. (Bowls #1-5) plagues

                                                                16:12-16                                                        25. (Bowl #6) preparation war

                                                                16:17-21                                                        26. (Bowl #7) global destruction

 [7:13-14,26-27]   24:30-31                19:11-21                        Zech. 14:1-11       27. Second coming of Christ

                                                                19:17-21                                                        28. Armageddon

 9:27                                                       19:20                                                              29. Judgment on Antichrist, False Prophet

                                                                19:21                              Zech. 14:1-4         30. Judgment Antichrist’s armies

                                                                20:1-3                                                            31. Satan confined to the Abyss

 

[ ] = implied,   { } = position in sequence is only approximate

 

[Table 7.1]

 

 

Chronological aspects of the second half of the tribulation

 

8. [Satan and his host confined to the earth]

The confinement of Satan and his host to the earth occurs near the middle of the period. Although the account of this event (Rev. 12:7-17) follows the sounding of the seventh trumpet in 11:15, this event (which is recorded in one of the recursive sections of the book) actually occurs well before the trumpet judgments. [The entire section 12:1 to 13:18 is recursive and jumps back to the middle of the period. Failure to recognize this could lead one to misplace the seventh trumpet at, or near, the middle of the tribulation, or to incor­rectly assign Satan’s confinement to the earth to a time later than it actually occurs (see Figure 7.5)].

 

The angelic conflict occurs at, or very near, the middle of the period, as is indicated by Revelation 13:4‑5 where the reference to forty-two months corresponds to the last three and one-half years of the period. (For confirmation that this conflict occurs near the middle of the period, we note that Revelation 13:4-6 indirectly refers to the abomination that makes desolate, and verse 7 indicates the persecution immediately following the abomina­tion. Daniel 7:25 indicates that this persecution will begin three and one-half years from the end of the period.)

 

9. [The ministry of God’s two witnesses]

The ministry of God’s two witnesses is said to extend for 1260 days (Rev. 11:3), which seems to be associated with the forty-two months during which the Gentiles will tread down Jerusalem (11:1-2), clearly a reference to the last half of the tribulation period. This indi­cates that the two witnesses will begin their ministry at (or very near) the middle of the period, in close connection with the abomination in the temple.

 

10. [The abomination in the temple]

The abomination in the temple (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4) is easy to locate on the timeline, since it is one of the three events for which the precise time is given in Daniel 9:27. This event occurs at the midpoint of the period.

 

 

Chronology of the Tribulation

 

 

[Figure 7.7]

 

 

11. [The work of the false prophet begins]

The beginning of the work of the false prophet seems to be closely connected with the abomination in the temple, and also with the martyrdom of the saints who refuse to worship Satan’s false messiah (Rev. 13:11-18). This places the beginning point of the false prophet’s ministry close to the middle of the period.

 

12. [The saints flee from Judea]

Matthew 24:15-22 indicates that the emergency exodus of believers from Judea will need to take place immediately at the time the abomination occurs. The reason given in Matthew is that the abomination will mark the beginning of the period of severe persecution of Christians (cf. Rev. 6:9‑11), undoubtedly the most severe persecution of believers the world has ever known.

 

13. [Seal #5]

During the time of the fifth seal God will allow the Antichrist to overcome and kill multi­tudes of Christians. This corresponds to the persecution and martyrdom mentioned in Matthew 24:9,15-22. In Matthew this persecution is pictured as following on the heels of the abomination, indicating that it will commence shortly after the midpoint of the period. Daniel 7:25 also says the time of severe persecution will begin three and one-half years prior to the end of the period and continue to the end. Likewise, Revelation 12:13-17 indi­cates the onset of severe persecution begins at the middle of the period and extends for three and one-half years. [While it may seem strange to equate an event in Revelation 12:13-17 with an event in 6:9-11, we must bear in mind that 12:13-17 is one of the recur­sive sections of the book, which harkens back to an earlier point, see Figure 7.5.]

 

14. [Apostasy]

The apostasy mentioned in Matthew 24:10 is stated to be the result of the severe persecu­tion commencing at the midpoint of the tribulation. It likely begins soon after the martyr­dom of Christians starts. Since many Christians will be put to death, many who merely profess belief in Christ but are not truly redeemed will fall away. Two other conditions that seem to be causally connected with this apostasy are “spiritual deception” and “lawless­ness.”

 

15. [Spiritual deception]

Spiritual deception (largely attributable to the ministry of false religious leaders) will follow the apostasy (cf. Matt. 24:11). Although many false prophets will mislead large numbers of people, the epitome of spiritual deception is the false prophet (Rev. 13:11-18). This individual, referred to as “another beast” in Revelation 13:11 will promote the worship of the Antichrist through deceptive miracles (v.14-15). He will also devise an identification scheme to mark those who worship the Antichrist; they will receive a mark on their right hand or forehead. Only those who receive this mark will be allowed to legally engage in commerce (vv.16-18). The nature of the mark is stated in Revelation 13:17-18; it is either the name or the number of the Prince’s name (the number being six hundred and sixty-six). Revelation 14:9­11 says that all who worship the Prince or receive his mark will be tor­mented forever (indicating they are unsaved, and will suffer the fate of all unsaved people). A description of the awful condition into which the apostate religion will fall, and its final end, is provided in Revelation 17:1-18.

 

16. [Lawlessness]

In Matthew, Jesus refers to a general condition of lawlessness that will result from spiritual deception (Matt. 24:12). The reference is most likely to spiritual and moral lawlessness resulting from a complete defection from biblical moral principles. This lawlessness (or failure to order one’s life, at least generally, along biblical moral and ethical principles) will result in a greatly decreased manifestation of love, care, and compassion for others, especially the saints, who will be enduring the full brunt of persecution (v.12b). This glimpse into the character of the period gives new insight into the reason Jesus propheti­cally declared that only those worthy to enter the kingdom will give a believer a cup of water or care for the sick or afflicted or imprisoned saint during this period (Matt. 25:31-46).

 

17. [Seal #6]

The cosmic disturbances that occur during the time of the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17) appear to occur sometime in the middle of the second half of the tribulation. The reason for placing them at this point is that in Matthew 24:9-31 they seem to be associated (at least loosely) with the second coming of Christ, yet there has to be a sufficient amount of time left for the remaining events to occur. It is probable that the astrophysical event that occurs during the sixth seal is the last warning of the judgment to come during the time of the last seal.

 

18. [The 144,000 Jewish witnesses]

The 144,000 Jewish witnesses are sealed for the purpose of protecting them from certain aspects of divine wrath. (Rev. 7:1-8). While the possibility of an overlapping timeline does exist, the text seems to indicate the sealing occurs after the breaking of the sixth seal (cf. Rev. 7:1, “After this...”) and before the breaking of the seventh seal. It is interesting that they are sealed at this point in the period, re-enforcing our suspicion that the day of the Lord is confined to the time of the seventh seal.

 

19. [Seal #7]

The seventh seal (Rev. 8:1-6) is the movement that contains the seven trumpets, and thus the seven bowls (since the seventh trumpet is the seven bowls). It cannot be closer to the end of the period than five months, since the fifth trumpet alone will require that amount of time (Rev. 9:1-12). In addition to the five months required by the fifth trumpet, additional time must be allowed for the other six trumpets and all seven bowls. This could reasonably push the seventh seal back a year or more from the end of the period.

 

20. [Trumpets #1-4]

The first four trumpets (Rev. 8:7-13) involve cosmic disturbances similar to those during the sixth seal, but more severe. Chronologically, we know only the sequence; there is no hint of how much time each event might take.

 

21. [Trumpet #5]

The demonic affliction associated with the fifth trumpet (Rev. 9:1-12) will require a minimum of five months (v.10) and, therefore, cannot be any closer to the end of the period then five months, likely much longer, allowing for the remainder of the trumpet and bowl judgments. One complication that must be kept in mind is that while these events do proceed in sequence, there is no necessity for one to be completed before the next begins.

 

22-26. [Trumpet #6 through bowl #7]

There are no chronological clues that allow us to place the remaining events through the seventh bowl on the timeline with any more accuracy than to say that they occur in sequence between the fifth trumpet and the end of the period. This entire movement composed of war, plagues, more war, and destruction, appear to be rather tightly connected.

 

27-31. [Events associated with the second coming of Christ]

The remaining events of the period are all associated with the second coming of Christ (Rev. 19:11-20:3). The sign of Christ in the sky may simply be the visible procession itself, rather than a symbolic phenomenon (Matt. 24:30). The first order of business at Christ’s return will be to have the Antichrist and his false prophet taken and thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:19-20). As far as Scripture indicates, these two are the first to be thrown into the Lake of Fire. (Those already in Hades (the place of the dead) will not be cast into the Lake of Fire until after the millennium, cf. Rev. 20:11-15.) Christ will then slay (by the word of His mouth) the armies that oppose Him (Rev. 19:21, cf. Zech. 14:12-15). The only remaining item of business will be to bind Satan and confine him (and his host) to the Abyss, where he will remain for a thousand years until he is let out for a season near the close of the present earth’s final dispensation—the millennium.

 

 

Adapted from What the Bible Says About the Future

Copyright 1995, 2004, by Sam A. Smith

All rights reserved.

 

 

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