I am studying your Revelation series. I am confused about your commentary on Chapter 7 verses 9-17. Specifically verse 14 where it describes that they came out of the Great Tribulation. Your commentary states that technically the Great Tribulation hasn’t started yet and that it is still the first half of Daniel’s 70th week. Sounds like a contradiction. Can you explain that better to me?
Daniels’ 70th Week is a seven year period that begins in Rev. 6. The Great Tribulation is the second half of the 70th week and begins in Rev. 13.
As I indicated in the commentary, The Greek word translated “out of” in the phrase “these are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation” (Rev. 7:14) is a primary preposition denoting origin. It means “from, or out of, the place, time, or cause” of a specified event.
The multitude shown in Rev. 7:9-17 will be martyred during the Seal judgments of Rev. 6 and their spirits will come to heaven in Rev. 7. They will therefore be taken out of both the time and place of the Great Tribulation. Out of the time means they’ll be martyred before the Great Tribulation begins. Out of the place means they will no longer be on Earth when the Great Tribulation begins.