The false doctrine of the ''Seven Year Tribulation'

[Hobie]

You find or come across this corruption of a "Secret Rapture" and following it a "Seven Year Tribulation", but they are not scriptural. First the proponents claim Christ will come secretly to take the church to heaven, and then, seven years later, He will come in an open demonstration of the Second Coming. In between those two events, the Antichrist is supposed to come into power and the great tribulation period of seven years takes place. None of it is scriptural but what you can call a deception to confuse good people and misdirect them into a lie.

The Seventy Year prophecy of Daniel 9 was not pointing to a "Seven Year Tribulation", but to Christ who was the point of the prophecy. The replacement of the ceremonial law and sacrificial system, the sacrifice of the lamb which pointed to Christ was replaced by Christ sacrifice at the cross and the tabernacle veil torn from top to bottom as the type replaced the antitype.

Matthew 27:51

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Mark 15:38
And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Luke 23:45
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

 

[Hobie]

Many believers in the 7-year Tribulation don't know that this belief is rooted in the Daniel 9 prophecy. They use a verse to support this idea and it is also from this verse Dan 9:27 that the idea on "The Antichrist" and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple on the temple mount comes from.

The idea of this false theory is that:
1) There will be a secret rapture that takes all true Christians away leaving others behind.
2) Then a 7-year tribulation occurs where those who were not taken in the secret rapture will get a chance to "clean up their act" so that when Christ's public appearance happens they can be judged worthy.
3) During the course of the 7-year tribulation the Antichrist will appear, make a covenant with the Jewish nation, then break that covenant in the middle of the 7 years, then he will walk inside the Jewish temple and declare himself to be God.

But this is not biblically accurate or the context at all of what it has in the verses.

 

[Bradley D]

The veil was rent to open access to God the Father without the earthly Priest having to go in alone. We have a new Priest in heaven the Lord Jesus.

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;.." (Hebrews 6:19).

 

[Hobie]

The veil was rent to open access to God the Father without the earthly Priest having to go in alone. We have a new Priest in heaven the Lord Jesus.

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;.." (Hebrews 6:19).

Very true, so why do we have many theories out there in regards to a 7-year tribulation just prior to Christ's second coming. Let’s read through the entire prophecy.

Daniel 9
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 And 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.

For every day that is mentioned in this and all other biblical prophecies they are equal to a prophetic year. There is virtually no debate about this point in Christian circles and we'll find that the rule holds true in this prophecy.

The Timeframe:
The angel Gabriel starts the prophecy by giving a block of time in verse 24, seventy weeks. Seventy weeks is equal to 490 days, or 490 prophetic years. That is our timeframe for this prophecy from beginning to end.

Verse 25 tells us when this timeframe begins, “from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem”. When did this occur? See Ezra 7; for this is the command where the rebuilding of Jerusalem was actually accomplished and that command was given by Artaxerxes, king of Persia which occurred in 457 BC.

So then its just a matter of following the timeline for total 70-week block given by Gabriel in verses 25 & 27:
Block 1: 7 Weeks - (49 years) - Starts in 457 BC
Block 2: 62 Weeks - (434 years) - Starts in 408 BC
Block 3: 1 week - (7 years) - Starts in 27 AD

Now look closely at the last week or 7-year block (Block 3) for this is the period of time that many think will be the famous “Seven-year Tribulation” of the future:

3 ½ Years + 3 ½ Years = 7 years (one week)
This block starts in 27 AD. What happened in this year? Christ was baptized, anointed, and started His public ministry.

The "midst of the week" started in 31 AD (3 ½ years later). What happened in this year? Christ was killed on the cross.

This block ends in 34 AD. What happened in this year? Stephen, the last disciple to the Jews, was stoned by the Sanhedrin and the Gospel went out to the Gentiles.

 

[iamaberean]

What you say looks good, but it does leave other questions.

Rapture:
Joh 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
Joh 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

The last day:
Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The scriptures above point to the rapture of all those that died under law happened when Jesus died on the cross.

Under the age of grace, Jesus said:
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

If believers never die spiritually, then we are taken to heaven when our body dies.

So the question is: Where does the destruction of the temple come in?

 

[SaulToPaul 2]

:noid:

 

[Zeke]

The veil was rent to open access to God the Father without the earthly Priest having to go in alone. We have a new Priest in heaven the Lord Jesus.

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;.." (Hebrews 6:19).

Which temple did this rent happen, the one made hands that God never dwelt Acts 17:24 or the one your carrying around on your shoulders not made with hands that God who is Spirit does dwell in 1 Cor 3:16. Its the carnal dead letter verses its spiritual discernment Galatians 4:24.

 

[Bradley D]

Which temple did this rent happen, the one made hands that God never dwelt Acts 17:24 or the one your carrying around on your shoulders not made with hands that God who is Spirit does dwell in 1 Cor 3:16. Its the carnal dead letter verses its spiritual discernment Galatians 4:24.

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;..." (Mt. 27:51).

 

[Zeke]

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;..." (Mt. 27:51).

Your being a little vague about which temple this rent takes place, two options hand or not hands which one are you referring to? I'll make a lucky guess the historical one made with hands.

Does seem odd that God who is spirit who doesn't dwell in man made temples would be the one rent or even qualify for being the one made desolate according to the literal scenario, unless it's symbolic for a spiritual event in the temple that Paul tried to educate is carnal minded students they were it 1 Cor 3:16, as did Jesus Luke 17:21, Job went through this trembling Job 4:14 as do all being put through tribulation of their dark night of the soul Psalms 119:120 Daniel 10:11 etc..but tradition as mangled that into a solidified tumor in the western mind that hasn't gotten past a Christ of flesh 2 Cor 5:16.



(All Christian history would have been markedly different had not the historical Jesus been interpolated into the spiritual drama. By this diversion the aims of a true spiritual culture were sentimentally turned outward to the worship of an extraneous but romantic impersonation. The consecrated devotion of hundreds of millions of souls in Christendom for centuries, instead of being focused upon the effort to nurse to life a Christly spirit within the collective body of Western humanity, has been dissipated in almost total fruitlessness upon the figure of an historicized myth. The present demoralized state of civilization in countries most thoroughly saturated with Christian doctrinism confirms the sorry truth of this statement. And the earlier Christian history lends further corroboration in its record of bickering, heretical persecution, violent warfare and ghastly crucifixions that sicken the heart. And all this was perpetrated in the name of the personal Jesus! It could hardly have been done in the name of the spiritual Christos. Alvin Boyd Kuhn) ouch.

 

[Hobie]

Your being a little vague about which temple this rent takes place, two options hand or not hands which one are you referring to? I'll make a lucky guess the historical one made with hands.

Does seem odd that God who is spirit who doesn't dwell in man made temples would be the one rent or even qualify for being the one made desolate according to the literal scenario, unless it's symbolic for a spiritual event in the temple that Paul tried to educate is carnal minded students they were it 1 Cor 3:16, as did Jesus Luke 17:21, Job went through this trembling Job 4:14 as do all being put through tribulation of their dark night of the soul Psalms 119:120 Daniel 10:11 etc..but tradition as mangled that into a solidified tumor in the western mind that hasn't gotten past a Christ of flesh 2 Cor 5:16.



(All Christian history would have been markedly different had not the historical Jesus been interpolated into the spiritual drama. By this diversion the aims of a true spiritual culture were sentimentally turned outward to the worship of an extraneous but romantic impersonation. The consecrated devotion of hundreds of millions of souls in Christendom for centuries, instead of being focused upon the effort to nurse to life a Christly spirit within the collective body of Western humanity, has been dissipated in almost total fruitlessness upon the figure of an historicized myth. The present demoralized state of civilization in countries most thoroughly saturated with Christian doctrinism confirms the sorry truth of this statement. And the earlier Christian history lends further corroboration in its record of bickering, heretical persecution, violent warfare and ghastly crucifixions that sicken the heart. And all this was perpetrated in the name of the personal Jesus! It could hardly have been done in the name of the spiritual Christos. Alvin Boyd Kuhn) ouch.

The sacrifice of the Temple in the city was no longer needed as it pointed to the Lamb of God, Christ. Thus at the cross, the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom.

 

[Hobie]

What you say looks good, but it does leave other questions.

Rapture:
Joh 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
Joh 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

The last day:
Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The scriptures above point to the rapture of all those that died under law happened when Jesus died on the cross.

Under the age of grace, Jesus said:
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

If believers never die spiritually, then we are taken to heaven when our body dies.

So the question is: Where does the destruction of the temple come in?

The resurrection is at the Second Coming of Christ, that is clear, we are not immortal so we wait for the resurrection in the grave. The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks pointed to Christ, so when He came, the Temple with the sacrificial system were no longer pointing to the Messiah. Yet the Jews kept at it basically denying Christ, thus what happened to the Temple. If you study the prophecy of Daniel chapter 9, simply the 490 years is an uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BCE to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple. The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind, by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 CE when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples, or the Gentiles as it were.

 

[Right Divider]

The veil was rent to open access to God the Father without the earthly Priest having to go in alone. We have a new Priest in heaven the Lord Jesus.

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;.." (Hebrews 6:19).

The body of Christ never had a priesthood and we're not Hebrew.

 

[iamaberean]

The resurrection is at the Second Coming of Christ, that is clear, we are not immortal so we wait for the resurrection in the grave. The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks pointed to Christ, so when He came, the Temple with the sacrificial system were no longer pointing to the Messiah. Yet the Jews kept at it basically denying Christ, thus what happened to the Temple. If you study the prophecy of Daniel chapter 9, simply the 490 years is an uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BCE to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple. The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind, by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 CE when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples, or the Gentiles as it were.

11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
No death, no waiting after we leave our body. Resurrection is a continuous happening since the last day, which was at his Crucifixion.