In the last three parts of this series, In the Midst, I have given many plausible timelines for the upcoming seven-year Tribulation. Of course, these are just hypothetical examples based upon Jesus returning to the earth on one of the Feast of the Lord days known as Trumpets. He will appear in all of His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords at the Battle of Armageddon and defeat all of His enemies, including the Antichrist, false prophet, Gentile militaries of the world, and Satan himself.
The three great judgments of God (Seals, Trumpets, and Vials) will end at this time, having lasted for 2,520 days. 1,260 days will have elapsed since the Antichrist committed the abomination of desolation in the Jewish 3rd temple and started his campaign of persecution and genocide against the Jewish people. “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days” (Revelation 12:6).
During this future day of the Feast of Trumpets, Jesus will come to the earth as “the” King, riding on His white horse and accompanied by a vast army of saints and angels.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11-16).
Jesus Christ will save the remnant of His chosen people, the Jews, from total annihilation at the hands of the evil and possessed Antichrist. There will also be Gentile survivors from every nation that will survive the 7-year Tribulation as well. Jesus will then judge the nations and peoples of the earth (for their faith or lack of) to determine who is eligible for citizenship status in His “new world order” known as the Millennium Kingdom. This is known as the sheep and goats judgment (Matthew 25:31-46).
I thought the hypothetical example in part III would be the last one, but there is truly just one more that needs mentioning. Although I have given several 7-year timelines, I still haven’t mentioned the obvious “800-pound gorilla” in the room. I am talking about the Tribulation occurring in the years 2026-2033. If Jesus returns in 2033, it will have been 2,000 years since he was last seen on planet Earth, as He was crucified in A.D.33. The Church will have been raptured for at least 7 years prior to 2033. More than likely, there will probably be a gap of time of several years between the Rapture and the official start of the Tribulation. It will take some time for the Antichrist to gain power and then “subdue” three of the ten kings (kingdoms/regions) that rule the earth at this time.
For this hypothesis to have merit, the year of AD 33 needs to be substantiated as the year Jesus was crucified. Although this can’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt by any written documentation or scientific analysis, there are several truths that lead to this conclusion:
1) According to Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist began his ministry in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Tiberius began his official reign (not co-reign) in the fall of AD 14; so the fifteenth year would be AD 29. It is believed, therefore, that John and Jesus’ ministry began in the spring of AD 30. There are three definite mentions of Jesus observing the Passover feast in the gospel of John: John 2:13, John 6:4, and John 13:1. This would account for two years of ministry, which puts us at AD 32. Many scholars suspect there was another Passover that wasn’t recorded in the gospels, or perhaps the “feast” mentioned in John 5:1 was the fourth one. If this is the case, then that places us in the year AD 33.
2) In my view, the late Bible teacher and scholar Jack Kelley proved (according to the gospel scriptures) that the crucifixion occurred on a Thursday. Here is the article he wrote back in 2016 explaining his reasoning: https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/solving-the-three-day-three-night-mystery/.
The only year that works (for a Thursday Passover) within the possible five-year timeline of AD 29-34 is AD 33. For proof of this, you can use the Jewish calendar and simply count backwards using the seven days of the week (Saturday, Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday, Sunday, etc.) until you come to Nisan 14, 33 on the Jewish calendar. This might take a while (lol) so I would just suggest going to the calendar convertor website and let it do the work for you: https://www.360calendar.com/360-days-Calendar-Converter.html.
The first full moon of spring always occurs on Nisan 14th during the Feast of Passover. As you can see from the calendar convertor, the full moon of Passover (Nisan 14) occurred on the following dates: Tuesday in AD 30, Sunday in 31, Sunday in 32, Thursday in 33, and Sunday in 34. AD 33 is the only date that meets the criteria for a Thursday crucifixion. You can also use NASA’s website to trace full moons in the past and ancient past.
Hypothetically, in the year 2033, Jesus will return physically to the earth after a 2,000-year absence. 2,000 years is as two days for the Lord; for Peter said, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). The Old Testament prophet Hosea had this to say about the subject (in my opinion): “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:2-3).
It has been 2,000 years since Jesus was on the earth and 4,000 years of mankind existed before that, which adds up to 6,000 years of human history. According to my article Epochs in Bible Chronology – 6000 Years of Mankind – http://www.rev310.com/2018/12/epochs-in-bible-chronology-6000-years-of-mankind, we are currently (AD 2020) 20 years away from the 6,000 year anniversary of mankind. By my reckoning, in 2033 we will be 7 years shy of the benchmark 6,000 years of human history. Of course, human error always figures into the equation and could account for the seven-year discrepancy.
As mentioned in my last article, the years of AD 2026 and 33 are an exact match on the Jewish and Gregorian calendars. For instance, the feast of Passover/Nisan 14 occurs on March 31st of the Gregorian calendar and April 2nd on the Julian calendar for both years (2026 and 33). In this example, 2026 would be the start, 2030 would be the “in the midst” (middle), and 2033 would be the end of the Tribulation and start of the glorious 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ.
So in this hypothetical example, the start of the Tribulation (confirming of the covenant with the many) will occur on Kislev 20/November 29, 2026. The “in the midst” event of the “abomination of desolation” will occur 1,230 days later on Nisan 10/April 12, 2030. Jesus will return to the earth at the battle of Armageddon 1,260 days later on Tishri 1/September 23, 2033. The actual end of the Tribulation and start of Jesus’ millennium kingdom will occur 30 days later (1,290 days after the abomination of desolation) on Heshvan 1/October 23, 2033.
During this time, the prophecy of Daniel 9:24 will have finally been fulfilled regarding the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem: “Seventy sevens (490 years) are determined upon your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). These words of Gabriel, to Daniel, point to a future time when all iniquity shall be restrained, sin will be atoned for, and Jesus Christ will be anointed as our High priest and King. He is the Most Holy!
I believe the double marriage ceremony of God the Son to His saints, and God the Father to His chosen people (the believing remnant of the sons of Jacob), will occur 45 days after Jesus Christ begins his millennium kingdom. “Blessed is he that waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty and five (1,335) days” (Daniel 12:12). Blessed indeed!
Gabriel told Daniel the words he spoke were to be closed up and sealed until the time of the end. That time is now, as we are living in the end times before the Great Tribulation, otherwise known as Jacob’s trouble or the day of the Lord. “Many shall be purified and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).
Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Randy Nettles