7YT
Seven Year Tribulation:
True
or False?
I. A Summary of This Theory
II. Difficulties with this theory
should
cause us to ask
the question, "Is it true or false?"
III. If the theory is false, then
what was
the Tribulation?
IV. When is the second coming
according to
Jesus?
___________________________________________
I. A Summary of The Seven Year
Tribulation
Theory
The tribulation is a future time
of world distress
lasting seven years. The Antichrist will rule the world as a political
and religious leader for the seven years. The first three and one half
years will be a time of peace and prosperity. The Antichrist then puts
an end to sacrifice and offering in the rebuilt temple. The last half
of
the seven years is a world holocaust never matched since the beginning
of time. The Christian believers will be raptured out either in the
beginning
(pre-trib), middle (mid-trib) or after the seven years (post-trib).
Armageddon,
the last big war, will bring an end to this world as we know it. Christ
will then come again with His raptured saints to establish a Kingdom of
God on earth called the millennium.
II. Difficulties with this theory
should cause us to ask
the question, "Is it true or false?"
This tribulation scenario is not found in
the Bible. This
theory is created by combining interpretations of various passages from
both the Old Testament and New Testament, assuming they are related,
and
piecing them together into this theory of prophecy. The basis of this
theory
is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Jesus told the disciples
the
temple would be completely torn down. The disciples asked Him when this
would happen, what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the
age.
Jesus proceeded to list the signs of things to come. The events He
listed
showing the signs of His coming and the end of the age is known as the
Olivet Discourse. Although this discourse is the foundation of the
Seven
Year Tribulation Theory, they show almost nothing in common. Consider:
1. Jesus never said the tribulation
would be 7 years.
2. Jesus said all would happen in their
generation.
3. Jesus never suggested any sizable
time gaps between
the signs.
4. Jesus never said the Antichrist would
rule the world.
5. Jesus never said the tribulation
would involve the
entire world.
6. Jesus never suggested the temple
would be rebuilt after
it was torn down. There is no prophecy in the entire Bible that a
fourth
and future temple will be built.
7. Jesus never said the first half of
this tribulation
would be prosperous, while the second half would be the time of great
distress.
8. Jesus never said Armageddon would
bring an end to the
entire world.
III. If this theory is false, then what
was the Tribulation?
In about A.D.30, speaking of the temple
building standing
before them, Jesus said it would all be torn down. The disciples asked
Jesus when this would be, and what would be the signs of His coming and
the end of the age. In the sequence of signs, Jesus replied that
Jerusalem
would be laid desolate in a time of great distress. This time of great
distress is the Tribulation. Known history shows the first century
desolation
of Jerusalem happened EXACTLY as Jesus said it would. That was the
Tribulation,
the time of great distress.
IV. When is the second coming according
to Jesus?
An author's intent can only be determined
by an evaluation
of the consistency of his statements, without regard to the desired
outcome.
The desired outcome of the Seven Year Tribulation Theory is that Christ
will come again in our near future. Curiously, Bible statements
consistently
show God intended that Christ would return a second time in the
generation
of the disciples, in their future. The disciples were not to know the
day
or hour, but they were given a time frame. Many biblical statements
consistently
confirm a time frame of the late first century. Read the time
statements
and reconsider! A partial listing of the time statements is found at Bible
Prophecy: End Time in the First Century
Time statements indicate a time frame
for the end of the
age and the second coming.
The last day, the day of visitation, the
end, the end of
the age, and the last hour are always associated with the second coming
of Christ, which the New Testament consistently says would happen in
the
first century in the generation of the Apostles. These are the "time
statements."
Though no one knew the day or hour, the disciples did know a time
frame.
See A
Christian
Dilemma: time statements for a partial list of the time statements.
PROPHECY PARADOX: The Case for a
First Century End
Time presents a literal case for the complete fulfillment of Bible
Prophecy by the end of the first century. This book is documented from
original sources. Every sign Jesus predicted leading to the end of the
age and His second coming is historically documented in His generation.
This book is supported by extant Greek and Roman history in conjunction
with biblical history. Sources for this book include The Life and
Works
of Josephus, a history of Rome by Dio Cassius, the Dead Sea Scrolls
and many others. This book is unique in that the second coming is shown
to be a literal event which occurred in A.D.79 instead of A.D.70. Read
the historic fulfillment of prophecy This site reviews PROPHECY
PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time.
If you would like to order a copy of PROPHECY
PARADOX:
The Case for a First Century End Time, see Order
Information for more information.
A
Visible Second Coming: This list of New Testament verses shows
consistent
biblical intent that first century Christians would live to see both a
literal and visible return of Christ to gather His elect.
Creative
Christianity: New evidence is turning up that Jesus did indeed
return
for His elect, in power and glory during the first century. In our
attempt
to place the second coming of our Lord in OUR future, rather than the
generation
of the Apostles, are we creatively altering the Bible to suit our own
preference?
Bible
Prophecy: Faulty Assumptions Faulty assumptions distort accurate
assessment
of Bible prophecy. Have you made any faulty assumptions? Check out this
list!
Tough
Questions for Tough Christians If Jesus preached He would return a
second time in the first century, perhaps we should consider He was
right.
Link to other
preterist pages The Preterist Archive
You may order PROPHECY
PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time,
through Amazon.com
or
the publisher.
:
E-mail
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