In Daniel 9:20-27, he discusses a decree for Israel. First, in verse 25, he begins laying out the timeline from the command to rebuild and restore Jerusalem (the book of Nehemiah) until the Messiah comes will be 69 sevens. I won’t get into all the math, but that is roughly 483 years (69 x 7). There is one “seven” left, or one period of seven years left. There will be a ruler who comes and takes over (the Anti-Christ). In the middle of the seven, he will break the treaty with Israel, and do a lot of bad things. In other words, he will do this 3 1/2 years into the last seven, or what we would call the Tribulation period.

Now we believe the Rapture is the next event because of the doctrine of immencency (He will come as a thief in the night). It states in 1 Thessalonans 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:9 that we will be saved from the wrath to come. However, the “wrath” doesn’t actually start until 3 1/2 years into the tribulation. However, if we were pulled out of here right before the wrath, then we would be able to count off and know when the rapture will take place, because it’s 3 1/2/ years into the last seven. Hence, the thief in the night experience wouldn’t come true, as well as Jesus’ statement that none of us will know the day nor the hour (Matthew 24:36).

However, what’s confusing is that it seems that Jesus meshes the rapture (Matthew 24:40-41) with the experience of the wrath (like the days of Noah). So, hmmm, I’m confused.

That’s why I stated Sunday God doesn’t want us to worry about WHEN, but HOW we need to live in light of the fact that these things will happen. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and 2 Peter 3.