The Great Tribulation Period: When Will The Rapture Occur

A. READ Foundational Scriptures: John 14:2-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17

B. When will the rapture occur

1. Daniel’s Seventy Week prophecy gives us big clues

2. Give some background information

a. Israel were a very disobedient people.

b. And because of their sin, God allowed Israel to split into two kingdoms

1. the northern kingdom called Israel that consisted of ten tribes and

2. the southern kingdom called Judah that consisted of two tribes

c. The Assyrians took the northern kingdom captive.

d. And Nebuchadnezzar took Judah captive

e. Daniel and his three friends were amongst the Jews who were marched off to Babylon.

f. Daniel Daniel and his three friends were assigned to serve the king.

g. It’s a powerful story of how they stayed true to God despite the temptations of Babylon.

h. When Daniel became an older man, he read the Book of Jeremiah and learned that Israel’s captivity would last for 70 years.

i. So Daniel became to pray to God to restore Israel

j. While he prayed, God sent the angel Gabriel to give Daniel a prophetic word and insight about Israel’s future.

k. The prophetic word and insight is contained in Daniel 9:24-27.

1. Dan. 9:24:

a. Gabriel says 70 weeks is the official timetable for Israel and Jerusalem b. He said six things had to happen during these 70 weeks. Specifically, Israel had to:

1. finish transgression (to stop all of Israel’s revolt against God),

2. put an end to sin (repentance),

3. atone for wickedness (reconciliation of Israel and God),

4. bring in everlasting righteousness,

5. seal up vision and prophecy (when God’s prophecies to Israel are finally fulfilled) and

6. anoint the Most Holy Place (the cleansing of Jerusalem)

2. Daniel 9:25

a. The three stages of the 70 weeks

1. 7 weeks of years (49 years)

2. 62 weeks of years (434 years)

3. 1 week of years (7 years)

b. The command to restore Jerusalem

1. The rebuilding of Isreal actually took 49 years or 7 times 7 weeks of years)

c. The triumphant coming of the Lord (Messiah) would be another 434 years or 62 weeks of 7 years

3. Daniel 9:26

a. Gabriel informs Daniel that the Messiah would be killed after 483 years b. And Jerusalem would again be destroyed

4. Daniel 9:27

a. Gabriel informs Daniel that at the beginning of the final week or 7 years, the antichrist will make a covenant with the world promising to bring peace, security and prosperity for Israel b. However, Gabriel tells Daniel the antichrist will break this covenant 3.5 years into the final week. c. This breaking of the covenant 3.5 years into the final week initiates the the worst days the earth has ever seen, i.e., the Great Tribulation Period

C. The Great Tribulation

1. Pre-trib

2. Mid-trib

3. Post-trib

D. Why I believe the church will be raptured pretrib

1. Christ will not allow His Bride to suffer with the world

2. God has not appointed us to suffer His wrath. 1 Thess. 5:9

3. God will remove His ambassadors before releasing His wrath. 2 Cor. 5:20

4. The church and Holy Spirit must be removed before full apostacy and the revealing of the antichrist. 2 Thess. 2