When does the Tribulation start?

Introduction

The answer can be found if one understands the prophecies of Daniel, who lays out the timing of events related to the Time of the Gentiles in his seventy weeks passage in chapter 9. Note at the outset that the term ‘week’ merely means 7. Only ‘year’ makes sense in relation to the period of time, thus 70x7 weeks is 490 years.

Daniel understands that he and his fellow Israelites are in captivity due to their sin, and according to Jeremiah 25:11, 12, this was to be for a period of 70 years. But Daniel misinterprets Jeremiah and assumes that the coming Messianic Kingdom, when Messiah would rule from Jerusalem, would occur immediately after the 70 year period of captivity, so he prays a prayer of confession on behalf of Israel (9:1-19), which is a requirement of the Law and which Daniel refers to in verse 11, and thus fulfilling Leviticus 26:30, 42, Daniel assumes.

We note that this pray of confession is necessary, but is not the prelude to the coming Messianic period. To clarify God sends the angel Gabriel (Daniel 9:20) to Daniel to show him what first must take place before the Messianic Kingdom is brought in. Gabriel points out there will be three periods of time (each divisible by 7), with the first two blocks of time contiguous (running on from each other): block one (rebuilding the temple) and block two (inter-temple period, ending with the death of Messiah). This is the well- known 70 weeks of Daniel passage. What causes confusion is the block three does not follow immediately upon block 2. Indeed Daniel reports an underlined period between the death of Messiah and the final seven years of this world, as we know it. Verse 27 does not connect time-wise with verse 25 and 26, but rather provides an undefined period between block two and block three. This period is the Church age, or Age of Grace.

The question therefore is asking; what ends the period between Jesus dying and the start of the final 7 years of Daniel’s prophecy? And Daniel is provided the answer:

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." (Daniel 9:27)

Short Answer

We see in Daniel’s prophecy that there is a period of 490 years decreed, and in verse 24, sixty-nine sevens or 483 years is decreed when Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Further, verse 25 states that during this period, Israel would experience troublesome times (war, desolations). At the end of the 483 years, that is after the sixty-ninth seven, a gap appears where we are told three things:

1. The Messiah will be killed (ending block two period of time);
2. Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed; and
3. A very long period of desolation would follow.

The first event occurred around A.D. 30 and the second event in A.D. 70. Since that time the Land of Israel (Holy Land) lay in desolation which only improved slightly when Jews renewed the State of Israel in 1948. There is, however, one more week of years to run (of Daniel’s prophecy), and that is the seven years of the Great Tribulation (which Revelation spells explaining the events down to the half hour e.g. Revelation 8:1).

Daniel 9:27 says that a single event that will start the last seven years commencing with the signing of the covenant between the Antichrist and Israel. Therefore, one way that the Antichrist is involved with the beginning of the Tribulation is that the Tribulation cannot begin until he signs that seven-year covenant.

Thus the answer to the question is, when Israel signs a covenant (of peace) with the Antichrist, the Tribulation commences.

Why do we know it’s the Antichrist with whom Israel signs a covenant?

The signing is between “one” and “many” for one week, which means one 7 year period. At the end of this the “one” meets complete destruction.

The one must be a person, and the many must be Israel, since this is the subject of the entire discourse – Daniel wanting his fellow Israelites to be saved.

The “one” occurs at the end of the Age, and only “one” Daniel knows about, due to God’s revelation, is the Antichrist. Daniel was informed in a vision of the Antichrist in Daniel 8 where he sees a king with a bold (cunning) countenance/face, who understands riddles ,.. who by his cunning shall make deceit prosper, … and without warning shall destroy many, and he will also rise up against the Prince of princes (Jesus Christ) (Dan 8:23-25). This is the Antichrist.

Thus it is the Antichrist, who is the counterfeit Messiah that signs a covenant with Israel, which sets off the start of the Tribulation.

What precedes the Tribulation

The only outstanding prophecy to precede the Tribulation is the coming of Jesus for his Church Saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). There is absolutely nothing that needs to be done prior to this, except, in the eyes of God, the final Gentile to be saved is saved; ending the Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). Further evidence of this comes from Paul in Romans who points out to Jews that Israel cannot be saved until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Rom 11:25). In this Paul means when the last Gentile that is to be saved, has been saved, after which Israel will be sifted (through the Tribulation) and Jews who put their faith and trust in Messiah will be saved.  

Other Scriptures

One further scripture adds to this discussion: Isaiah 28:14-22 which explains the outcome of a covenant of death Israel makes with the counterfeit Messiah (Antichrist). Jehovah promises a judgement that will ensure justice and righteousness prevails (v17) and ends the ill-founded convent of death which is annulled (v18):