Are We In The Tribulation?

Q

I think we may have already entered the 7 year peace tribulation. I have been reading articles on a website that demonstrate some astounding evidence that Israel may have already signed the 7 year peace treaty, and therefore we are already in the 7 yr tribulation. There are also some great videos on You Tube that make the same point. Sounds far-fetched but there is some huge evidence there. I would really appreciate your views. If it is true its really important that Christians are made aware as we don’t have much time. Would you please review this evidence and tell me why it couldn’t possibly be true?

A

From time to time people who subscribe to a rapture view other than pre-Trib will offer an opinion that the 70th week of Daniel has already begun. These attempts to place us in the tribulation period are always put forth by Christians who don’t understand the Jewish nature of the last 7 years before the 2nd Coming. Simply put that 7 year period is called the 70th week of Daniel because of a 490 year prophecy that the angel Gabriel give to Daniel for Israel. (Daniel 9:24-27) 483 years of it had passed when the Lord was crucified, stopping the clock. The 7 years that remain are the subject of Revelation 6-18, or what some Christians call the tribulation period.

But those seven years can’t begin until Israel is back in a covenant relationship with God. That’s why one of the main issues of the 7 year treaty Daniel mentioned is the rebuilding of a Temple in Israel. It’s that Temple that will be desecrated by the anti-Christ, the very person who will confirm the treaty, in the middle of the 70th week (Daniel 9:27). In addition it’s the Battle of Ezekiel 38 that puts Israel back into a relationship with God making a Temple necessary (Ezekiel 39:22). Then of course there’s the matter of the Rapture, which has to take place before God turns back to Israel (Romans 11:25).

So, if these people are correct, then the Battle of Ezekiel 38 should have already happened (it hasn’t) there should be a Temple under construction in Israel (there isn’t) we should know who the anti-Christ is (we don’t), and we should be in Heaven (we aren’t).

I agree that some of the things that are happening now look very similar to what the Bible tells us about the last seven years. But they are really the final stages of birth pangs Jesus told us to look for in Matt. 24:4-8.