"Those who have once committed themselves to an erroneous Theory, seem to be incapable of opening their to the untrustworthiness of the fabric they have erected, even when it comes down in their sight, like a child's house built with playing-cards,---and presents to every eye but their own the appearance of a shapeless ruin." [Dean John William Burgon]
The standard teaching in prophecy, including all rapture theorists; post-tribbers, mid-tribbers, and pre-tribbers, is that "the Tribulation" is a seven year period of time, also known as Daniel's 70th week and the time of Jacob's trouble.
Tribulation is never used as a name for a time period in the Bible. Daniel's 70th week and the time of Jacob's trouble are not the same time period, nor the same amount of time.
Deuteronomy 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Judges 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
1 Samuel 26:24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
Matthew 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:29 ¶ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
No scripture which uses the word "tribulation" does so as a name of a time period. In Deuteronomy 4:30, tribulation is clearly events within a time period called "the latter days". In Judges 10:14, again tribulation is clearly within the time of that tribulation. It is so obvious upon close examination of the scriptures that "tribulation" is not a time period in 1 Samuel 26:24 although "thy life", "my life", and "this day" are. "A while" is a time period. "Tribulation" and "persecution" are not. "Great Tribulation" is events within "this time" in Matthew 24:21. And one of the favourites, Matthew 24:29 has "the tribulation" as events inside of a time period called "those days".
Daniel's 70th week is most agreeably a seven year time period, the last of the 70 weeks of years of the prophecy of Daniel. The time of Jacob's trouble, however, is a different thing. Again notice that Jacob's trouble is events within a time period while the time period is called "the time". To get the scriptural answer of the length of this time of trouble, we simply examine other scriptures regarding prophecy and their use of the word time.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that 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.
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman 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.
It is a standard interpretation that the word time in the previous three verses means year, and that the collective time, times, and an half is 3 & 1/2 years, half of Daniel's 70th week. I would offer the following scriptures also with the word "time" used as "year".
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
(Jeremiah 30:7) "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."
Notice in this verse it is called "that day" and "the time". "Day" is also equally agreeably a representative of a year. The time of Jacob's trouble is a day of battle and of war.
(Job 38:22-23) "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, {23} Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"
Again the words "time" and "day" are used interchangeably. They are both used to represent a year.
(Jeremiah 10:14-15) "Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. {15} They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish."
(Jeremiah 11:23) "And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation."
Again we see clearly the word "time" used interchangeably with "year" in regard to the time of Jacob's trouble.
It is clear from scripture that the time of Jacob's trouble is one year and not equal to Daniel's 70th week.
Next is the word "rapture". It is always best to call the event of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 the catching up of the saints, call the coming of Christ the coming of Christ, and call the redemption of the body the redemption of the body.
And it is always best to recognise the difference between the coming of Christ, the redemption of the body, the catching up of the saints, and a resurrection.
When words like "rapture" are used, the meanings can be made up as you go along.
The standard teaching in prophecy, including all rapture theorists; post-tribbers, mid-tribbers, and pre-tribbers, is that "the Tribulation" is a seven year period of time, also known as Daniel's 70th week and the time of Jacob's trouble.
Tribulation is never used as a name for a time period in the Bible. Daniel's 70th week and the time of Jacob's trouble are not the same time period, nor the same amount of time.
Deuteronomy 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Judges 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
1 Samuel 26:24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
Matthew 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:29 ¶ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
No scripture which uses the word "tribulation" does so as a name of a time period. In Deuteronomy 4:30, tribulation is clearly events within a time period called "the latter days". In Judges 10:14, again tribulation is clearly within the time of that tribulation. It is so obvious upon close examination of the scriptures that "tribulation" is not a time period in 1 Samuel 26:24 although "thy life", "my life", and "this day" are. "A while" is a time period. "Tribulation" and "persecution" are not. "Great Tribulation" is events within "this time" in Matthew 24:21. And one of the favourites, Matthew 24:29 has "the tribulation" as events inside of a time period called "those days".
Daniel's 70th week is most agreeably a seven year time period, the last of the 70 weeks of years of the prophecy of Daniel. The time of Jacob's trouble, however, is a different thing. Again notice that Jacob's trouble is events within a time period while the time period is called "the time". To get the scriptural answer of the length of this time of trouble, we simply examine other scriptures regarding prophecy and their use of the word time.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that 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.
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman 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.
It is a standard interpretation that the word time in the previous three verses means year, and that the collective time, times, and an half is 3 & 1/2 years, half of Daniel's 70th week. I would offer the following scriptures also with the word "time" used as "year".
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
(Jeremiah 30:7) "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."
Notice in this verse it is called "that day" and "the time". "Day" is also equally agreeably a representative of a year. The time of Jacob's trouble is a day of battle and of war.
(Job 38:22-23) "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, {23} Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"
Again the words "time" and "day" are used interchangeably. They are both used to represent a year.
(Jeremiah 10:14-15) "Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. {15} They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish."
(Jeremiah 11:23) "And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation."
Again we see clearly the word "time" used interchangeably with "year" in regard to the time of Jacob's trouble.
It is clear from scripture that the time of Jacob's trouble is one year and not equal to Daniel's 70th week.
Next is the word "rapture". It is always best to call the event of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 the catching up of the saints, call the coming of Christ the coming of Christ, and call the redemption of the body the redemption of the body.
And it is always best to recognise the difference between the coming of Christ, the redemption of the body, the catching up of the saints, and a resurrection.
When words like "rapture" are used, the meanings can be made up as you go along.
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