The Tribulation

Length of the Tribulation

Fallacies in limiting it to seven years

In a previous lesson, we argued that when Christ spoke of a future rebudding of the fig tree, He was referring to spiritual revival in the nation of Israel, and we placed this event near the beginning of the Tribulation. Many who read our presentation will find it difficult to accept because Christ said that after this tree "putteth forth leaves," as much as a generation will elapse before Christ returns in glory (Matt. 24:32). Our interpretation of the imagery therefore implies that the Tribulation will last about forty years, whereas most pretribulationists believe that its overall length will be only seven years, equal to the seventieth week of Daniel. The common belief that the Tribulation will be a very short period is, however, not supported by a careful look at Scripture.

It will suffice here to present some brief arguments that the Tribulation will be a considerably longer period.

1. In Revelation 11, we read that two messengers of God will appear on the earth and carry on their ministry for 1260 days (Rev. 11:3). Virtually all students of prophecy who believe that Revelation speaks of actual future events agree that the remainder of Revelation treats events following the messengers' appearance. At the end of their period of ministry, the Antichrist will return from the dead, kill them, and sit as world ruler for another 1260 days (Rev. 12:6). These two periods add up to the seventieth week of Daniel. But the same students of prophecy generally agree that Revelation begins its survey of the Tribulation at the beginning of chapter 6. Thus, when will the events foreseen in chapters 6 through 10 happen? There are three possibilities.
   1. The first is that events before chapter 11 coincide with events afterward. Yet this is not a tenable solution. Between onset and conclusion of the Tribulation will come three cycles of seven judgments upon the earth. The first cycle is known as the Seven Seals, the second as the Seven Trumpets, and the last as the Seven Vials. The names speak of heavenly events. Before each judgment in the first cycle, for instance, Christ removes a seal from a great scroll in heaven. In the second cycle, an angel blows a trumpet to announce each new judgment. Each judgment in the third cycle comes after an angel pours upon the earth the contents of a great vial, or bowl.
             The three cycles are obviously consecutive. We know that the Seals precede the Trumpets because, at the time of the Sixth Seal, a command issues from heaven’s throne that no harm should come to the earth, the sea, and the trees until the 144,000 receive seals upon their foreheads (Rev. 7:1–3), whereas, at the time of the First Trumpet, hail and fire fall upon the earth and a third part of the trees are burnt up (Rev. 8:7), and at the time of the Second Trumpet, a third part of the sea becomes blood (Rev. 8:8). Yet the earth does not suffer these disasters until all of God’s appointed servants have in fact been sealed (Rev. 7:4–8), and mention of the former development comes soon after mention of the latter. As a result, the reader gains a clear impression that he is reading a sequential account—that the first two trumpet judgments appear not as a flashback to a time before the Sixth Seal, but as a fulfillment of God’s decree that destruction on such a massive scale should not come to pass until the 144,000 had been sealed.
             We know that the Trumpets precede the Vials because, at the time of the Sixth Trumpet, the Beast ascends from the bottomless pit to fight against the two witnesses (Rev. 11:7), whereas, at the time of the First Vial, the Beast has set his mark upon the worshipers of his image (Rev. 16:2). Also, the Seven Vials are called "the seven last plagues" (Rev. 15:1).
             Thus, all the judgments that precede the coming of the witnesses in the layout of Revelation—the opening of all seven seals and the sounding of six trumpets (as well as the sounding of seven thunders; Rev. 10:4)—must also precede their coming in future history.
   2. The second is that the events foreseen in chapters 6 through 10 take hardly any time. But squeezing these events together on the time scale is not a fair treatment of the text. Consider what will happen. At the very beginning of the period is not one war, but a series of wars with calamitous effects upon the environment, food supplies, and public health (Rev. 6:1-8; Matt. 24:7). Then, after a terrible plague attributed to stars falling from the sky (Rev. 6:12–13) comes a pause lasting through the period of the Seventh Seal (Rev. 7:1–2; 8:1). Judgment later resumes with another wave of holocausts, culminating in an invasion by demonic creatures that will destroy a third of the world’s population.
   3. The only reasonable solution is that the Tribulation will be considerably longer than seven years.
2. In my commentary on Daniel, I demonstrate that the Antichrist will control world government for a period that prophecy measures as a week and a half.¹ By the reckoning employed in Daniel's seventy weeks, a week and a half is about ten years. The time when the Antichrist exercises power will include an earlier reign lasting seven years and a later reign lasting three and a half years. The earlier will terminate at his assassination. The later, coming at the very end of the Tribulation, will terminate at Christ's return in glory. If he will spend ten years on the throne, the Tribulation must be more than seven years long.
3. In His promise that He would take Philadelphia at the Rapture, Jesus said, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3:10). Why did He measure the Tribulation as only one hour? A reader's natural assumption would be that "hour" should be taken figuratively, as a term signifying a fairly short time in relation to the overall span of history. But this interpretation evaporates under the light of another text in Revelation.

   And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

   Daniel 11:45

   Here, it is unreasonable to imagine that "hour" is merely a figure of speech. To signify a short time, it would be enough to say "an hour." There would be no need to specify half an hour. And it would be ridiculous to say "about" half an hour. ("About the space of half an hour" is a fair rendering of the Greek text.²) Another option would be to understand the expression as a use of familiar units to specify an actual amount of time. But why would there be any need to tell us that for roughly a literal half hour, heaven was silent? No, the Book of Revelation does not step aside from its march of profound truth to say things of trivial importance. Also, why would heaven measure time as we do on earth? What then does "hour" signify? An hour is one twenty-fourth of a day, and Scripture teaches an equivalence between one day and one thousand years.

   But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

   2 Peter 3:8

   In our reckoning of time, a common measure is the week. Where does this measure come from? The week was instituted by God to commemorate the seven days of creation. It has no basis in astronomical rhythms. That it is nevertheless recognized and employed throughout the world, even where the Genesis account of creation is hardly known, is a striking testimony to divine sovereignty. Yet the week not only mirrors the beginning of history; it also mirrors history itself, with each day corresponding to a thousand years. So far, the earth has lasted about six thousand years, and we are near the dawning of the last thousand years, known as the Millennium. Just as every ordinary week ends in a Sabbath, known in Old Testament times as "the sabbath of the LORD" (Exod. 20:10; Lev. 23:3, 38; Deut. 5:14), so history will end in the "Day of the Lord."

   But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

   2 Peter 3:10

   The Day of the Lord will begin when the thief comes to steal away His people from this world (Matt. 24:43; 1 Thess. 5:2, 4)—in other words, at the Rapture—and will end when the present universe is dissolved and replaced by new heavens and a new earth (Rev. 20:11; 21:1)—in other words, at the end of the Millennium. It was therefore only natural in the Lord's reckoning of time to use a similar unit when measuring the length of the Tribulation. If a day is a thousand years, an hour is 41 2/3 years. If this is the length of the Tribulation and if the rebudding of the fig tree will take place during the opening years, it was therefore completely appropriate for Jesus to say that a generation would not pass before the coming period of horrific judgment reached its climax at the glorious return of Christ.
4. The belief that the Tribulation will last only seven years rests on assumptions which might be labeled ultradispensational. The core assumption is that the Rapture will bring an end to the Church Age. If true, the time remaining before the Millennium will necessarily belong to another dispensation. The common view is that the dispensation supplanting the Church Age after the Tribulation begins will be a revival in some measure of the Mosaic. A natural outgrowth of this reasoning is to equate the Tribulation with Daniel's seventieth week. But I show at length in my commentary on Daniel that the Tribulation will be a transitional period between two dispensations, between the Church Age and the Millennium.³ For this period to last about forty years would be consistent with divine procedure in the past. Israel's forty years of wandering in the wilderness fell in the transitional period between the Abrahamic and Mosaic dispensations. The forty years elapsing between Christ's resurrection and the destruction of the Temple fell in the transitional period between the Mosaic dispensation and the Church Age.
        In what sense was the latter period transitional? What do you think would have been the eternal fate of a devout Jew who died after Christ's resurrection but who never heard of Christ? I am sure that God counted his soul among Old Testament saints. I am sure also that after AD 70, there were no remaining non-Christian Jews who could claim the same standing in God's sight.
5. Throughout Scripture, the number forty often measures the duration of events that might be seen as foreshadowing the Tribulation, whether because they bring divine judgment upon sinners in rebellion against God or because they take God’s people through a time of testing. “Testing” would be an even better translation of peirasmou, the Greek word translated “temptation” in the phrase “hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:10).⁴
   1. The water level of the worldwide flood in Noah’s day increased for forty days (Gen. 7:17). This horrific disaster brought divine judgment upon all humanity aside from Noah’s family. For all those inside the dark prison of the ark, their long seclusion in the midst of waters rising and rain descending surely tested their faith that God would be able to provide a wonderful new life on dry land.
   2. The nation of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years (Exod. 16:35; Num. 14:33; Ps. 95:10). For the older generation that refused to enter Canaan soon after the Exodus, long banishment to mere wilderness was divine judgment. For the younger generation, the long wait put their faith through many trials which so strengthened it that they were willing to follow God’s directions when they invaded the Promised Land. As a result, they were an irresistible army.
   3. Not long after the nation began their wanderings in the wilderness, Moses spent forty days in fellowship with God on Mt. Sinai (Exod. 24:18). When he descended to the people’s encampment and found that many had worshipped a golden calf, he broke the tables of law that he was carrying and sent out the sons of Levi to slay the rebels against God (Exod. 32:15–35).
   4. Later, after he had spent another forty days on the mountain and received new tables, he returned to the people and found that they now possessed an obedient spirit. They were allowed to see Moses’ face shine with glory derived from God’s presence (Exod. 34:28–35). It is evident that each period of forty days was a time of testing for the nation. Together they seem to picture the two destinies that will befall people when Jesus descends from heaven at the end of the Tribulation. Worshippers of the Antichrist will be destroyed. The people of God will see His glory and receive His blessing.
   5. The spies searched the land of promise for forty days (Num. 13:25). Their expedition served to test whether each believed that by the power of God, the people of Israel could take possession of Canaan. Two passed the test, but ten failed it. The same expedition offered yet another prophetic picture. During the Tribulation, raptured saints will spend much of their time exploring the marvelous new world that they have inherited (Matt. 24:31).
   6. Under the leadership of Othniel, who conquered the king of Mesopotamia, the land of Israel had rest for forty years (Judg. 3:11). Its people enjoyed God’s blessing because, in rejection of alternatives, they accepted the leader that God provided.
   7. When Goliath challenged the army of Israel for forty days, the army pleased God by refusing to flee from the field of battle. They passed the test. Therefore, God sent David to challenge Goliath and put him to death (1 Sam. 17:16). Here we have a foreglimpse of the whole Tribulation, when another giant, the dragon, will threaten Israel for forty years before David’s heir, Jesus Christ, will descend and cast him into hell (Rev. 19:19–20:3).
   8. After Jezebel threatened Elijah, he fled ever deeper into the wilderness for forty days until the Lord appeared to him, rebuked him for his lack of faith, and sent him back to the northern kingdom so that he might continue his prophetic ministry (1 Kings 19:8). Elijah failed a crucial test that God brought into his life. Here we have a foreview of a choice that servants of God will have during the Tribulation. Either they can hide in fear or they can please God by boldly maintaining their ministry for Christ.
   9. God instructed Ezekiel to lie on his right side for forty days as a picture of how long the house of Judah would remain in captivity before returning to their homeland (Ezek. 4:6). Each day represented a year. Indeed, for forty years the nation of Israel will lie captive to the Antichrist and other evil forces during the Tribulation. The people of Judah passed the test of their loyalty to God by welcoming the opportunity to return to their homeland. Will Jews during the Tribulation refuse to worship the Antichrist and thereby gain admission to Jesus’ millennial kingdom?
   10. Jonah warned the people of Nineveh that the city would be destroyed after the passage of forty days (Jon. 3:4). That period was a time of testing. If they repented, God would spare the city. Likewise at the end of the Tribulation, God will withhold judgment from all who have chosen to love God’s chosen people, the Jews (Matt. 25:31–46).
   11. Jesus spent forty days of fasting in the wilderness before Satan tempted Him (Matt. 4:2; Luke 4:2). The whole period served as a test of His righteous character. Would He choose fellowship with the Father rather than earthly comforts? Would He prepare Himself to resist Satan?
   12. The risen Jesus appeared to His followers on several occasions during the forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3). Passing each test of their faith in the risen Christ strengthened their willingness to devote the remainder of their lives to His service.

The significance in heaven's half hour of silence

If our reasoning so far has been correct, we come to an intriguing question. Why will the Tribulation be interrupted by a silence in heaven lasting about twenty years? The evident meaning is that judgment will be suspended during this period. After about ten years of horrible disasters at the beginning of the Tribulation, and before another ten years or so of even worse calamities at the end of the Tribulation, a perfect calm will descend upon the world. There will be a protracted lull in the storm of divine wrath.

The Book of Revelation gives some strong hints as to the reason. The silence occupies the whole period after the opening of seventh seal (Rev. 8:1) and before the sounding of the first trumpet (Rev. 8:7). Just before the silence begins—sometime after the opening of the sixth seal—the angels of God place seals on the heads of 144,000 men of Israel (Rev. 7:3-4). We are told nothing more about these chosen ones until we reach Revelation 14, speaking of events after the Antichrist has set up his final world empire in defiance of God (Rev. 14:1-5). At that time, the 144,000 stand with Christ on Mt. Sion. A common and probably a correct interpretation of the mysterious texts concerning the 144,000, called "servants of God" (Rev. 7:3), is that they will serve as worldwide missionaries during the half hour of silence. God will grant the shattered nations of man a reprieve from judgment so long as these spokesmen for God are preaching the gospel and establishing churches. Their work will apparently continue with success for quite a few years until corruption and false teaching overtake revival and replace it with resistance and persecution. Then the ministry of the 144,000 will end, and God will order judgment to resume. When we see them later on Mt. Zion, we are not told whether they have been lifted out of this world by rapture or by resurrection from a martyr's death. Yet we do learn that as they stand in close attendance upon Christ, they are singing with thunderous voices,⁵ surely a sound that would cause the Lord's enemies to tremble and flee. The scene may suggest that the 144,000 will be in the vanguard of heaven's army when Christ descends to vanquish His foes at the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21).

The evangelistic labors of the 144,000 are foreseen in Jesus' Olivet Discourse.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 24:14

Notice the placement of these words. They follow Jesus' brief survey of "the beginning of sorrows" in verses 7 and 8 of the same chapter.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Matthew 24:7-8

In these two verses, He is evidently summarizing what will happen when the Tribulation first descends upon this world. As I show in my commentary on Daniel, the disasters foreseen in these verses are parallel to events that Revelation sets during the periods triggered by opening of the first four seals.⁶

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Revelation 6:1-8

In the next portion of Matthew 24, in verses 9-13, Jesus speaks of terrible persecution falling upon His followers.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:9-13

Here we see a likely picture of conditions on the earth after the opening of the fifth seal.

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Revelation 6:9-11

It is evident that there will be many deaths by martyrdom during this period.

Next in the Olivet Discourse comes verse 14, quoted above, predicting worldwide evangelism. Next in Revelation 6 comes the opening of the sixth seal, when the 144,000 are set apart for divine service. It is evident that both accounts set worldwide evangelism at the same place in the sequence of events.

Both the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:15 ff.) and the account in Revelation (Rev. 11:7 ff.) agree also that this evangelism will precede the last phase of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist will seize the Temple and demand worship of himself.