Why do people think the tribulation will be 7 years long?

[B-A-C]

This comes from a number of scriptures. But generally this will two periods of roughly 3 1/2 years each.

First let us do a little math here.
How many months are in 3 1/2 years? 3yrs x 12months = 36months. + 6 months = 42 months. 42 months = 3 1/2 years.
How many days are in 3 1/2/ years? 3yrs x 365days = 1095 days. + 182 days (6 months) = 1277 days.
How many years are in 3 1/2 years? The answer may seem obvious but bear with me here. 3 1/2 years.

A lot of this has to do with the temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem. This hasn't happened yet.
But Jesus speaks of something called the abominination of desolation. This is also mentioned in Daniel.
Tradition says an evil king named Antiochis Ephipanes III sacrificed swine (the most unclean animal in Judaism)
upon the altar in Jerusalem. Jesus says this will happen again ( Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14; )
But it can't happen until the temple is rebuilt. There is currently no altar for this to happen on.

Dan 7:25 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
(Many post trib believers take this verse to mean the saints will have to go through the tribulation for 3 1/2 years - a time, plus times, plus a half of time)

Dan 8:14; He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

Now it sounds like this happened for roughly 6 years in Daniels time. ( 2300 days)

Dan 12:7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.

Dan 12:11 "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

Dan 12:12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!

Ok, where does the 1335 days fit in? Apparently there will be 45 days after the abomination is finished before something else happens.

We jump to the New Testament

Mat 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Mar 13:14 "But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Now we fast forward to Revelation.

Rev 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
Rev 11:3 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

The unbelievers will trample the courtyard of the temple for 42 months. ( 3 1/2 years) and then the two witnesses will prophesy for 1,260 days ( 3 1/2/ years)

Rev 12:6; Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Rev 12:14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

This is taken as a parallel prophecy. When Herod was killing all the new born baby boys in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt for 3 1/2 years.
Some believe many Jews will flee to Egypt for 3 1/2 years during the tribulation.

The beast will be blaspheming for 42 months (3 1/2 years)
Rev 13:5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.

 

[saginon]

This comes from a number of scriptures. But generally this will two periods of roughly 3 1/2 years each.

First let us do a little math here.
How many months are in 3 1/2 years? 3yrs x 12months = 36months. + 6 months = 42 months. 42 months = 3 1/2 years.
How many days are in 3 1/2/ years? 3yrs x 365days = 1095 days. + 182 days (6 months) = 1277 days.
How many years are in 3 1/2 years? The answer may seem obvious but bear with me here. 3 1/2 years.

A lot of this has to do with the temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem. This hasn't happened yet.
But Jesus speaks of something called the abominination of desolation. This is also mentioned in Daniel.
Tradition says an evil king named Antiochis Ephipanes III sacrificed swine (the most unclean animal in Judaism)
upon the altar in Jerusalem. Jesus says this will happen again ( Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14; )
But it can't happen until the temple is rebuilt. There is currently no altar for this to happen on.

Dan 7:25 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
(Many post trib believers take this verse to mean the saints will have to go through the tribulation for 3 1/2 years - a time, plus times, plus a half of time)

Dan 8:14; He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

Now it sounds like this happened for roughly 6 years in Daniels time. ( 2300 days)

Dan 12:7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.

Dan 12:11 "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

Dan 12:12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!

Ok, where does the 1335 days fit in? Apparently there will be 45 days after the abomination is finished before something else happens.

We jump to the New Testament

Mat 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Mar 13:14 "But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Now we fast forward to Revelation.

Rev 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
Rev 11:3 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

The unbelievers will trample the courtyard of the temple for 42 months. ( 3 1/2 years) and then the two witnesses will prophesy for 1,260 days ( 3 1/2/ years)

Rev 12:6; Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Rev 12:14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

This is taken as a parallel prophecy. When Herod was killing all the new born baby boys in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt for 3 1/2 years.
Some believe many Jews will flee to Egypt for 3 1/2 years during the tribulation.

The beast will be blaspheming for 42 months (3 1/2 years)
Rev 13:5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.

You've described several things that's generally believed by Christians about the tribulation and the end.

When Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation, he was was referring to Daniel 12:11 and Daniel 11:31, not Daniel 9. I have never believed that Daniel 9 or Jesus was refering to Antiochus. Both Daniel 11&12 and Jesus were referring to the AOD of the last days, not what Antiochus did sacrificing a pig on the alter of the temple. No pig will be sacrificed in an end-time Jewish Temple. In fact, no Jewish temple is needed for any of these prophecies to pass. Daniel 9 does have the word sacrifice in it, Daniel 11:31 12:11 doesn't. Why?

It's because it's NOT talking about animal sacrifices ceasing. It's talking about daily prayers at the Western Wall ceasing. When that wall is desolated, that is the sign birth pangs are here.

The AOD is better translated, "an abominable or hateful destroyer."

You quote Daniel 7:25...
He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

I know how some people believe one of the past Popes changed times and laws. This is what I think...

Daniel 7's fearful and dreadful beast is ISLAM under the Mahdi and/or Islamic false prophet. Changing times and Laws???

Today Muslim's bow toward Mecca, Islam's most 'holy place' 5 specific times a day to pray.

1. Fajr: This prayer starts off the day with the remembrance of God; it is performed before sunrise.
2. Dhuhr: After the day's work has begun, one breaks shortly after noon to again remember God and seek His guidance.
3. 'Asr: In the late afternoon, people take a few minutes to remember God and the greater meaning of their lives.
4. Maghrib: Just after the sun goes down, Muslims remember God again as the day begins to come to a close.
5. 'Isha: Before retiring for the night, Muslims again take the time to remember God's presence, guidance, mercy, and forgiveness.

After the wall falls and the Arab's/Muslim's take East Jerusalem (and maybe not just the old city) and the Islamic man of sin authenticates himself as the abomination - the Mahdi....

Within the heart of Islam lies the desire to make the Dome complex Islam's headquarters of their worldwide Islamic Caliphate. In changing (times and) laws the Mahdi/dajjal will demand that Muslim's worship him and he designate the Dome of the Rock or Alaqsa mosque, currently Islam's 3rd most hole place, as Islam's #1 most holy place. In changing 'times' he will demand that Muslim's worship him at different times and face toward East Jerusalem instead of facing east toward Mecca.

I think it was SueD who once asked me,...
Where do you get 45 days from the consummation of the age From?!

1290 days - Revelation 6 - Revelation 11
1335 Revelation 6 - Revelation 22 = 45 days from Revelation 11 to chapter 22. A lot happens in a very short period of time.
I know, I disagree with everybody, but hey, everybody disagrees with me! If we all agreed, it wouldn't be any fun!

 

[Sue D.]

I go to Daniel 9:27 for the one week -- one week being the last 7 yrs. That last 7 yrs. are still in the future.