TIME, TIMES, AND THE HALF OF TIME 1260 DAYS 42 MONTHS 7 YEARS
The Tribulation that is set to come upon the world is not an event predicted or thought up by modern prophecy fictional writers. It is directly and point blank taught by Jesus Christ himself throughout the gospels. The classic reference for this time period is found in Matthew 24,
2 Thessalonians, Revelation chapters 6–19, and a host of passages from the prophets.
What is the tribulation? And where does this idea come from originally? It is revealed by the Angel [a]Gabriel and found in the [b]book of Daniel. It is for this reason that when our Lord Jesus spoke of it ... he quoted directly from [c]Daniel chapter 9 and [d]Daniel chapter 12. Let's consider the passage in Daniel chapter 12:
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."
Dan. 12:1
The tribulation, also known as [e]Daniel's 70th week, is a time period in the last days consisting of seven consecutive years. This one "week" of years is to be divided in the middle making two sections. The first three and one half years (called "the half week") followed by the great tribulation, the last 3 and one half years consisting of 42 months or 1,260 days.
There is an equation given to Daniel that is understood to mean 3 1/2 years where each year is made up of 360 days.
1 year = 360 days (Ancient Mesopotamian Calendar).
[f]Time, times, and the dividing of time, means:
One time, two times, and half a time =
One year, two years, and half a year =
Three and a half years.
It refers to the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation ...the great tribulatiion of 42 months or 1,260 days.
The algebraic equation is solved for x as follows:
Time + Times + 1/2 Time = 1,260 days
1x + 2x + 0.5x = 1,260 days
3.5x =1,260 days
where x = 360 days
3.5(360 days) = 1,260 days
(3.5 years)(360 days/year) = 1,260 days
See our page The Prophetic Year for full details.
A very curious and popular question is as follows: What will mark the official start of the tribulation? Will there be a set of signs to inform that it is coming? The answer is yes. This is because the tribulation falls into that window-frame of the times and the seasons of prophecy that St. Paul referred to in 1 Thes. 5:1-3.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.1 Thes. 5:1
Let us now take a look at the times and the seasons concerning the tribulation itself.
The First Three and One Half Years- "The Beginning of Sorrows"
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."
Matt. 24:4-8
So what will be the official starting point at which the tribulation begins? Deception will come as well as the appointed revealing of the Antichrist on the world scene. The world will be in turmoil with governments failing the people and there will be chaos. In the midst of this will come a Messiah-like figure who will appear to love the Jewish nation. In the midst of wars he will speak peace and will lull the world into a false hope. He will purposely deceive many and will attemp to emulate the true Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The seven year time period of the tribulation will consist of what Jesus called "the beginning of sorrows". The character of this time will be the second coming of the new age cult, in which a false and counterfit religion and ideologies will mingle together and take sway over the masses. It will claim itself as a universal [g]one-world religion for everyone and where everyone is accepted. The new religion will push for a one world government. However, for them it will never be. For amongst the nations wars and rumors of potential wars will abound and nation will rise against nation in fierce global competition. It will also be a time of instability in the environment when the world will begin to experience worldwide pestilence like never before (such as viral sickness), natural disasters, food shortages and mega earthquakes. This will characterize the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation ... [h]"the beginning of sorrows".
When Jesus says "the end is not yet" it indicates that the events in the above passage will precede the great tribulation (see chart "Timeline of the Endtimes" above). For the [i]great tribulation which is the last 3 1/2 years of this age will bring an end to Satan's current lease over the kingdoms of this world.
The Delusion
Referring back to the first 3 1/2 years ... the initial sign of the tribulation will be seen among those who dwell in the seats of the apostate church. These will have previously defected and departed from the faith and are now sitting ducks to be railroaded by seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. It does not mean that these will wish to depart from the church, but rather "from the faith", the one and only true faith. They will split from the true church to form their own wasp nests of apostate churches.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;1 Tim. 4:1
The spirit of ungodliness which is the spirit of the world will have a modern ideology that defies God's word and yet will be of the ancient rebellion. It will be after the manner of lawlessness and selfish ambition, and it will appeal to man's ego, pride, and indulgence. This spirit of the world will be manifested within the apostate church and the world over. The events of the tribulation will provide the [j]"trial by fire" by which some may be brought back to the faith if they repent, while others being self willed and hard hearted will be seduced unto perdition by the son of perdition ... the Antichrist.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.2 Tim. 3:1-8
Meanwhile, concerning those outside of the apostate church ... that is ... the unbelieving world who imagine this same spirit of the world to be the normal way of things .. they will believe the lie instigated by the Antichrist. For God will send them a strong delusion who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (2 Thes.2:10).
When and How the Antichrist (the Man of Sin) will Be Revealed- The Building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.2 Thes. 2:3-4
Three things are required for the tribulation. Without these, there can be no tribulation
1. The Jews must be a people (Israel became a nation state once again on May 14th, 1948). Fulfilled.
2. The holy city of Jerusalem must be restored as the capital city of the Jewish people (accomplished May 14th, 2018). Fulfilled.
3. The third temple must be built. Yet to be fulfilled.
The only remaining requirement is the building of the third temple. The Antichrist will strategically show himself to be a promoter of peace and will reaffirm a covenant of peace with many nations for seven years. The Jews will be duped into thinking he is their long awaited Messiah. Under his decree, the Jewish nation will rebuild a third temple in their capital city of Jerusalem and it will be built [k]speedily. Note that the third temple cannot, and will not be built until the Antichrist is first revealed. This explains why the temple is not in building just yet. A hindering force must be removed and will be removed allowing his arrival and by his decree the building of the third temple in Jerusalem.
Ten Horns On the Head of the Beast = Ten Kings of Revised Rome, They Will Rule for a Short Space. They will be Usurped by the Antichrist
During the first 3 1/2 years, there will be ten kings making up the seventh head on the beast. This seventh kingdom is to be within what was the old Roman Empire territory. They will form in the last days and must continue but for a "short space" of time. The ten kings will not follow one another in sequence but rather will rule simutaneously*. Antichrist will come out of one of these kings and shall be of the ten. They will hate the false one-world religion that has emerged on the global panorama and will put it to an end toward the end of the first 3 1/2 years. The goal will be to direct all worship to a one god dictator type of system that will be fully revealed when the kingdom of Antichrist, the eigth kingdom, fully takes power. St. John the Apostle saw a "beast rise up out of the sea". "Sea" meaning the beast will emerge out of the Gentile world of nations. Antichrist will become the sole dictator when he conquers three of the kings in war and the remaining six will yield their power to him without any further contest. These ten kings are the ten horns on the head of the beast and the ten toes of iron mixed with clay on the feet of Daniel's image in the second chapter of Daniel.
The Midpoint of the Tribulation- "When ye Therefore Shall See the Abomination of Desolation"
There is a specific event in prophecy, a sign, that precisley gives the determinate time relating to the midpoint of the tribulation. In fact, it would be well to note that this event is what divides the first 3 1/2 years (the beginning of sorrows) from that of the second half of the tribulation which is the last 3 1/2 years (the great tribulation). Jesus mentions this event to distinguish what will immediatley precede the great tribulation. We can know that the first 3 1/2 years are fulfilled and that the great tribulation is about to begin when this abominable act is fulfilled.
The abomination of desolation spoken of by [l]Daniel the prophet refers to the worship and the giving of allegience to a false god along with the outward denial of the true living God who is creator of the world. God calls it an abomination in the law and prophets and warned his people of Israel that it would lead to a total desolation of their city and land which God gave to them should they commit or allow such an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand).Matt. 24:15
Antichrist will do just that. He will flaunt himself in the temple in Jerusalem (in the holy place). He will proclaim himself to be god and will deny the true God of heaven and earth. He will [m]mock God and will appoint deification unto himself. Although he is a liar, he will cause all on earth to worship him as god or be put to death. This is the abomination of desolation that Daniel speaks of in Daniel 9:27... which also is the verse of scripture that Jesus quotes from when speaking of this in Matt. 24:15.
The Last Three and One Half Years of the Tribulation- "For Then Shall Be Great Tribulation"
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be"
Matt. 24:21
This time period is called the great triulation because like Jesus taught, it will be a time of distress beyond what the world has ever known. By this time, "a beast shall rise up out of the sea" referring to the Antichrist kingdom rising amongst the sea of nations in full prominence of power. The world system will be led by those who are in total defiance of God.The people too will have been branded with a mark and numbering system (666) and will be completley deceived and controlled by dark forces. No one will be able to buy or sell unless they receive the mark of the beast in their right hand or forehead.
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Rev. 13:1
The great tribulation will be a time of great martyrdom among those who have "the testimony of Jesus Christ." Those who will not give their allegience to the new world society and continue to honor the true God, will be put to death. It is at this time that God's wrath will be kindled to its maximum intensity. Primarily, it will be due to the mass wickedness and ungodliness of the people on earth who have by now strayed far away from God's righteousness. The earth wll be filled with violence, abominable and rampant sexual immorality, there will be no justice, and the transgressions of fallen angels, world leaders, and humanity under the spell of demonic forces, will have reached its zenith. Then will come the out-pouring of God's wrath upon the Gentile world.
The Tibulation culminates in the end of the age Judgement of God. The seven holy archangels from heaven are the executors of God's wrath and they will not delay any longer.
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.Rev. 16:1
The tribulation is not the end of the story ... it is only the end of the current evil age which God as a righteous and just God will judge. That is good news. The best news of all is how God has given us salvation in his son Jesus Christ. Here is more good news. Through Christ, we can escape the tribulation altogether. St. Paul promises that those who believe in Jesus will escape the tribulation time.
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.1 Thes. 2:10
Do you see the world we are living in today? Do you see the chaos? Man is not up to the challenge of where things are going but God has already planned and provided the answer. There is only one true God, the creator of the world and there is only one answer.
Go to the good news page and find out God's plan. You are invited. Take heed before it is too late!
Footnotes
a. The archangel Gabriel is sent to Daniel the prophet to bring instruction concerning the last days.
b. Dan. 9:21-22
c. Jesus quotes from Daniel 9:27 (Matt. 24:15)
d. Jesus quotes from Daniel 12:1 (Matt. 24:21)
e. Daniel's 70th week is a "week" of seven years and in no way refers to days. it is the one and final week spoken of in Dan. 9:27.
f. Time, Times, and the half time = 3 1/2 years. See St. Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, "On Daniel" ch. 2:43.
g. Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots rides the beast causing the inhabitants to fornicate and be drunk with her false religion. Rev. 17:1-5
h. "The beginning of sorrows" takes in the first 3 1/2 years of tribulation. See Rev. ch.6 - ch.11
i. The great tribulation takes in the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. See Rev. ch.13 - ch.18.
j. Trial by fire. Revelation 3:18, I Peter 1:7.
k. St. Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome. The jews will build the future temple speedily once the Antichrist is revealed. "On the End of the World" ch. 25 (AD 217).
l. The abomination of Desolation. Dan. 9:27. According to St. Hippolytus of Rome, this last week with the abomination is yet to be fulfilled in the future endtime in conjunction with the return of Christ. St. Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, "On Daniel" ch.2:21-22.
m. 2 Thes. 2:4.
"The Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" "Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come."
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