10-Year Tribulation?

Many Christians believe the tribulation will last 7 years. But I don't believe the Bible itself says this, but that Daniel 9:27 refers only to a 7-year peace treaty. I believe Daniel 11:23 refers to this same treaty, and that the great Middle East war of Daniel 11:13-19 has to happen before this treaty is signed.

About 3 years before the treaty, I expect there will be a magnificent predecessor to the Antichrist who will conquer and unite the Middle East (Daniel 11:13-19) who could come from Iraq or Syria. After he suddenly dies or disappears, his weak successor (Daniel 11:20) will be followed by the Antichrist himself, who will take control stealthily (Daniel 11:21) and make a peace treaty under which he will consolidate his power (Daniel 11:23-24).

I believe most Christians will have been certain that the magnificent predecessor to the Antichrist was the Antichrist himself, so that when he suddenly disappears from the scene they will be left bewildered and more easily open to deception.

The war of the magnificent predecessor (Daniel 11:13-19) and its aftermath of famines and epidemics (Revelation 6:4-8) may be "the beginning of sorrows" spoken of by Christ (Matthew 24:7-8), after which comes great deceptions and apostasy (Matthew 24:11-12), all leading up to the rising up of the Antichrist and the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

A 10-year tribulation may be typified in Revelation 2:10, where Jesus says "ye shall have tribulation 10 days," and in Daniel 1:14, where Daniel was "proved for 10 days." I believe each day could stand for a year, as in Ezekiel 4:6, where God says "I have appointed thee each day for a year," and in Numbers 14:34, where he says "each day for a year."

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3 1/2 - Year Tribulation?

Some say the tribulation will last only 3 1/2 years. But I believe all that will last 3 1/2 years is the reign of the Antichrist after the abomination of desolation (Revelation 13:5).

Some say no part of the tribulation can begin until after the abomination of desolation, per Matthew 24:15, 21. But I believe Matthew 24:15, 21 only refers to the persecution the Antichrist will be allowed to inflict upon us Christians (Revelation 13:7). Before the Antichrist even arises, I expect the seals will bring a nuclear war and resulting famine which could kill 1/4 of mankind (Revelation 6:8), including a great multitude of us Christians (Revelation 7:9, 14).

I don't believe "the great tribulation" is a technical term that must always refer only to the final 3 1/2-year period of the end-time tribulation. John said he was going through "the" tribulation (Revelation 1:9, see the Greek), and "great" tribulation has been around since at least the 1st century (Revelation 2:22). Christians have always gone through much tribulation (Acts 14:22). Note that the Greek word for "much" in Acts 14:22 is translated 59 times in the New Testament as "great."

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Days Shortened?

Some point out that Jesus said in Matthew 24:22 that the days would be shortened for the elect's sake. But Matthew 24:29-31 still says he gathers the elect "AFTER the tribulation." Because of Daniel 12:11-12, I believe that from the abomination of desolation until Jesus comes we'll have to wait 1,335 days, and that Matthew 24:22 is saying if it went much longer than that nobody would survive.

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Daniel 12:1

See AODRapture.html