In Revelation 16:6 when the bowl judgments are poured out, verse six states “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets.” I’m assuming saints here speaks of people who are saved after the rapture but who are these prophets? Also in verse 15 Jesus says, “Behold, I am coming as a thief…..” That seems a little confusing since the Bible tells us how many days the 7 years of tribulation/great tribulation will last. It seems that people who are still alive could pretty much calculate when the 2nd coming will take place. Any thoughts on this?
I believe God will be holding the people of Earth responsible for the crimes of their ancestors, and that the phrase “saints and prophets” refer to all who have been slain for their faith throughout the Age of Man. There is precedent for this. Is Matt. 23:29-36 Jesus also held the generation alive at the time liable for the deaths of the righteous people who had preceded them.
As for your second question, if you read Matt. 24-25 carefully you’ll see that by referring to Daniel (Matt. 24:15) Jesus confirmed the duration of the Great Tribulation as being the last half of Daniel’s 70th Week. But He never clearly identified how soon after that He would come again. He said when the great tribulation ends the sun and moon will cease to shine (Matt. 24:29), and after that they would see Him in the clouds (Matt. 24:30). But four times in the following verses He said they would not know the day or hour of His coming in advance (Matt. 24:36, Matt. 24:42-44, Matt. 24:50, and Matt 25:13).