Latest Bible Prophecy Commentary
Bible Prophecy Signs That Will Confirm When We Are Living In The Tribulation Period
The Lord has compelled me to write an article on the signs that will prove the tribulation period has begun. This article will not be valid until after the rapture of the church has taken place.
Following the rapture of the church, the tribulation period could begin immediately or a gap of time could pass before it commences. Personally, I believe time will pass before the tribulation period begins that could run into years.
So what will mark the beginning of the tribulation period? The Bible says that the first day of the tribulation period will be marked when the Antichrist signs a peace agreement with Israel (and many, likely the Arab League) for seven years. He will later break it midway through the tribulation period. Most Bible believing prophecy scholars believe the Antichrist will likely rise up out of the old Roman Empire which is today's modern day European Union (Daniel 9:27).
The Bible states that the tribulation period will be comprised of two halves of 3 1/2 years or 1,260 days each (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:21). All Bible believing scholars and ministers believe that time frame to be literal days opposed to figurative. The tribulation period will end, to the day 2,520 days later marked by the Second Coming of Christ.
The beginning of the tribulation period will also be marked by the appearance of two other important individuals sent by God. As Satan begins his earthly conquest through the Antichrist, God will send two witnesses (Holy Spirit empowered) of His own who will preach on the streets of Jerusalem dressed in sackcloth for the beginning 3 1/2 years of the tribulation period (Revelation 11:3). For the first 3 1/2 years, these two men will openly preach the Gospel and will be openly hated for doing so. They will be so hated, that many will try to kill them but they will be supernatural beings who will not be able to be killed. In fact, by whatever means a person may try to kill them, that person will immediately die that death (Revelation 11:5). They will also have power over weather to stop the rain from falling, to perform miraculous plagues whenever and on whomsoever they wish, and to turn any body of water into blood (Revelation 11:6). They will be unstoppable in their mission to spread the Gospel. Even the Antichrist will be powerless to destroy them during the first three a half years (Revelation 11:7 & 8).
In conclusion, the tribulation period has not begun and won’t start until the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed (II Thessalonians 2:3). Furthermore, when the Antichrist is revealed, God's two witnesses will also be revealed during the same time period. They will perform great miracles and induce a worldwide revival that will be mind-boggling and undeniable. When you see the Middle East peace agreement confirmed and the appearance of these two witnesses know that you are living in the beginning of the tribulation period. The battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38 & 39) will likely come in the early stages of the tribulation period followed by the rebuilding of the holy Temple (Revelation 11:1 & 2) and the revealing of the Ark of the Covenant.
One other thing, most assume that the rapture marks the immediate beginning of the tribulation period. Not necessarily! There is a very interesting scenario in Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins book Are We Living In The End Times? They state in their book (as a possible scenario) that in the middle of the peace process, Russia and its Arab allies could stage their attack on Israel (Ezekiel 38 -39). Of course, they will be miraculously defeated. Here’s an excerpt from their book regarding this future battle.
It could happen prior to God’s last soul harvest just before the rapture. Or it could come after the rapture and before the tribulation. Keep in mind, there could be a period of days to several years between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation. Since the Jews will burn the remains of the war described in Ezekiel 38-39 for seven winters (39:9) and because they will be driven out of the Holy Land by the antichrist during the last three and a half years of the tribulation (Revelation 12:6, 14), it would seem logical that the destruction of Russia and her allies will occur at least three and half years prior to the Tribulation. If that deduction is correct, there will be ample time for the Jews to rebuild their temple. In one moment God will have broken the back of the Muslim hordes who hate Israel so intensely, freeing Israel to rebuild her temple. This would be a drawing card to Jews around the world to return to the Holy Land to worship in their third temple.
This scenario doesn’t mean that the tribulation period will not begin for at least another three and one-half years following this war, but it does open up the possibility that the rapture could occur at any moment. Every prophetic detail need not be in place before the rapture can transpire. Actually, I wouldn’t rule out the prospect of a lapse in time between the rapture and the signing of the final peace accord. It could be a matter of months or even years after the rapture takes place before the Antichrist comes on the scene with his deceptive plans.
Are you ready to meet the Lord? If not, your time is running out!
Terry Malone
Calvary Prophecy Report
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