“I will deliver you from the hour of trial…” Revelation 3.10

God’s plan for Israel  One of these days, Jesus will come back  His return involves 2 phases  1 st Rapture His Bride (the Church) before the Tribulation Jn 14; Rev 3.10  2 nd Rescue Israel at the end of the Tribulation Zech 14; Rev 19

Differences 1) The rapture occurs before the tribulation - Rev The second coming occurs after the tribulation - Rev 19. 1) At the rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air - 1 Thes 4. At the second coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth - Rev 19. 3) The rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance - 1 Thes 5.9. The second coming includes the removal of un- believers as an act of judgment – Matt 24. 4) The rapture will be secret -1 Cor The second coming will be visible to all Zech 14.

Why the Gap?  Called the Tribulation Period  Purpose  Prepare Israel to receive her Messiah  Judge Satan and Israel’s enemies  Lasts 7 years  Dan = the skeletal outline into which all prophetic events fit.

The 70 weeks of Daniel 9  Setting: Daniel praying re. God’s promise to bring the Jews back home…  Much of the book of Daniel shows how God would work through gentile rulers to chasten His people.  But here, God focuses on 490 years that are especially about the Jews and their Messiah - ‘your people and city’

Divided into 3 segments  1 st 2 have been fulfilled  7 weeks/49 yrs Temple and city rebuilt  62 weeks/434 yrs – Messiah The Prince arrives and “cut off”  1 week/7 yrs – Tribulation ending with Messiah’s return and setting up the Millennial Kingdom

Understanding the Tribulation  Various Names  Time of Jacob’s trouble; Tribulation; Hour of trial; Day of the Lord; Great Tribulation; The 70 th week of Daniel  Main Characters  The Antichrist; 144,000 evangelists; the 2 Witnesses; The Beast and False Prophet  Main Events  Peace Treaty made and broken; Global economy and gov’t; Abomination of desolation; Judgments; Battle of Armageddon; Israel repents

So What?  God cares about specific details  God keeps His promises  God does the impossible  Isa 55Doesn’t tell all  Titus