How Long Is The Tribulation? - Soul Choice Ministries

Many people believe that the tribulation period will last only 3 ½ years, while others believe it is a seven-year period. We personally believe that the scripture is clear it is a seven-year period. We also believe it is the seventieth week of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). The weeks are weeks of years, as we will establish. The 70th week is the seven years of tribulation. Commentaries say the following:

Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, pg. 1113, “there will be great tribulation on the earth for a period of seven years.” He is calling the whole 7 years the Great Tribulation.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary pg. 867, 963, 1767, “These seven years constitute the seventieth week of Daniel…the abomination of desolation takes place at the midpoint of the tribulation.” He is saying the tribulation is 7 years.

Believer’s Bible Commentary pg. 1085, 1294, “Each week represents seven years…The Great Tribulation, the middle of the tribulation.” They are stating that the 7 years are the tribulation, but the last half is the Great Tribulation.

Holman Bible Dictionary, pg. 1624, “a period of seven years, whose latter half is the great tribulation.”

The man who is called the antichrist is revealed at the beginning of this seven-year period and makes a covenant for those seven years with Israel.

Got Questions.org says, “According to Daniel 9:27, the tribulation begins with the signing of a peace treaty between the antichrist and Israel.”

The beginning of the tribulation also starts with the opening of the seals in Revelation 5:5-9.

Nelson’s Bible Commentary pg. 1743, “The emergence of this first rider most likely occurs at the beginning of the seventieth week of Daniel.” This is that first seal referring to the first evil rider, the antichrist, on a white horse conquering the earth.

Then in the middle of the seven years, the antichrist breaks the covenant. The Bible says that after he breaks the covenant there remains 1260 days. This time period is repeated in nine verses as either 1260 days, or 3 1/2 years, or times, time, and half a time, or 42 months.

This defines the length of time of the second half of the tribulation. We know it lasts for seven years because nine Bible verses tell us the length of the half. Remember, one week represents seven years.

Read the following verses from the Bible:

Dan. 9:27 “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.” This is the middle of the tribulation.

Rev. 13:5 “and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” This is the antichrist.

Dan. 12:6-7 “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? It shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”

A time is a year, and times is 2 years, and half a time is a half-year making 3 1/2 years.

This is clear that from the middle of the tribulation the end shall be in 3 1/2 years.

Dan. 12:11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”

Believer’s Bible Commentary pg. 1092, “Perhaps the abomination of desolation will be set up in the temple of Jerusalem 30 days before the Great Tribulation begins.”

Dan. 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” A time is a year.

Rev. 11:2 “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”

Rev. 11:3 “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”

Rev. 12:14 “And to the woman (Israel) were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”

This occurs in the middle of the tribulation after the antichrist enters the Jewish temple and declares he is God. He demands that all bow down and worship him. Then the Jewish people realize he is not the Messiah. Many of them flee to the city of Petra, a rock fortified city, where they are kept safe from the Antichrist and his armies.

The 3 ½ years is reiterated in Dan. 7:25 and Rev. 11:2 as well.

Dan. 12:12 “Blessed is he that waits, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and thirty five days.”

This number encompasses the additional 30 days, plus 45 days, which many see it as the time Jesus separates and judges the sheep and goat nations.

The next verse describes the 70 weeks of years determined upon Israel:

Dan. 9:24-26 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…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” or 69 weeks. The 69 weeks are completed when Jesus makes His entry into Jerusalem and is presented as the Messiah. This stops the clock on the weeks of years. It resumes when the antichrist makes a covenant with Israel. Then the clock starts. This will be the last week, the 70th week, which is the seven-year tribulation period.

When did the 69 weeks start? The 69 weeks of years started with a command given by king Artaxerxes to Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. This establishes that the weeks are seven-year periods. We know this because after this command went forth it was 69 times seven years, or 483 years, before Jesus would make His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

This next verse states who gave the command, and when:

Neh. 2:1-8 “And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king…Nehemiah asked the king if he would give him permission to rebuild Jerusalem. The king granted his request and gave him a letter of authority. The King reigned from 465 B.C. to 425 B.C.”

The verse we just read tells us the date it was issued: 20 years into his reign. As scholars have discovered, the command was given on March 14, 445 B.C. From the issuing of the commandment until Jesus entered Jerusalem (5 days prior to His crucifixion) would be 69 weeks of years, or 483 years.

Dr. Chuck Missler in his teaching called, “Daniel’s 70 Weeks” and also in his book, “Cosmic Codes” pg. 236 and 238, he explains that the Jews were accountable to know the exact date Jesus entered the city and allowed Himself to be proclaimed as King (Zech. 9:9, Luke 19:42, Rom. 11:25).

“This occurred on April 6, 32 A.D., exactly 173,880 days between the decree of Artaxerxes and the presentation of Messiah the King to Israel.” Jesus fulfilled the scripture 483 years to the exact day. We are living in the pause or the Church Age now. We are living between the 69th and 70th week.

We need to ask – what is the purpose of the Tribulation? It is to bring Israel to their knees to realize that Jesus Christ is their Messiah, and cause them to repent and be saved.

The Jewish people believe their Messiah hasn’t come yet, and so they will be deceived into believing that the antichrist is the Messiah. They will believe a lie. It is referred to as the time of Jacob’s trouble in Jer. 30:7 (Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15). Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, so he represents the nation.

Also Dan. 9:24 states that these seventy weeks are determined upon “thy people and the holy city.” “Thy people” is referring to God’s people, Israel, and the holy city of Jerusalem. Its purpose is primarily to deal with Israel, and not the Church. The other purpose of the Tribulation is to punish the evil people on earth who have rejected Jesus Christ (2 Thes. 1:8-9; Rev. 14:10-11).

Christians will not be present during this seven-year period. God deals with Israel for the full seventieth week, and not just half a week. As a biblical number, the number seven means “completeness.” The number seven is found frequently throughout the book of Revelation.

Thank God Christians will not be here for the last week…that seven-year period.

Luke 21:36 says, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass.”

What things was Jesus referring to? It is the horror that will take place on the earth during that period. For this reason we most definitely look forward to the escape, the rapture of the Church, as Jesus told us we should do.

Meanwhile, we must continue to fulfill the assignment the Lord has given us…to win souls, and to be about our Father’s business.