I am fairly new to Biblical studies and have been read some scholarly articles in the field of eschatology. I have studied the Bible in some depth in the past five years or so.
I think it is good to be aware that there is a debate amongst scholars as to whether it is appropriate to use the term "the tribulation" to refer to a 7 year period of God's wrath is correct. I posted below the three most commonly held views and their positions regarding the timing of the rapture.
Feel free to explain your reasoning as to why you think we currently are in "the tribulation" or not. Also, you can explain why you hold to a certain rapture position if you would like.
- A. Pre-Tribulational Raptures
This is by far, the most common viewpoint in America today. It's roots can be traced back to the Plymouth Brethren in 1830, although it did not really become prevalent in America until the early 1900's. Pre-trib teaches this:
- The final 7 year period of the world is called the tribulation.
- The last 3.5 years are called the Great Tribulation.
- The entire 7 year period is considered the wrath of God or the Day of the Lord.
- Since the church is not destined for God's wrath, then the church is raptured prior to the 7 year period.
- The rapture is considered to be an "any moment" event.
B. Mid-Tribulation Rapturism
This view is even more recent than pre-trib, becoming popular in 1941. This view believes:
- The final 7 year period of the world is called the tribulation.
- The last 3.5 years are called the Great Tribulation.
- The last 3.5 years are considered the wrath of God or the Day of the Lord.
- Since the church is not destined for God's wrath, then the church is raptured at the mid-way point.
C. Post-Tribulation Rapturism
Post-trib was by far the most popular opinion during the time of the reformation, but cannot be traced to a specific starting point. There are alot of variations on this view but in its classic sense post-tribbers believe:
- The church must endure the entire 7 year period, to be raptured at the end of the tribulation.
- God will protect his children through His wrath.
I've tried to explain these views as simply as I could. While there are variations of each of these views, as a whole this is basically what each believes. Each of these uses scripture to support and build its case, but each has its particular problems.
- The church must endure the entire 7 year period, to be raptured at the end of the tribulation.
- God will protect his children through His wrath.
https://pluto.sitetackle.com/15974/?subpages/Oct.252010---The-Case-for-the-Prewrath-Rapture.shtml
Daniel's 70th week has not started yet.
Israel has 70 weeks to be in the truth that Jesus is their Lord and Savior which they have not done yet so the 70th week could not of happened.
The 70th week, 7 years, is the time that God causes all people that do not love Him to follow the New Age Christ and when they do He will end sin on earth, and brings Israel to the truth that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.
The 70th week will start when the New Age Christ establishes peace in the Middle East, and then he will work as a man of peace in the world and the biggest influence in the world, and push the agenda of the new age movement until the world rebels against God.
The new age movement interprets the Bible and all religions according to the occult and evolution, and people are still evolving to be spiritual, and Jesus is not Lord and Savior but a good teacher and evolved to be an ascended master, and do not honor a personal God but acknowledge the God of forces, or the power of nature as their higher power the evolutionary process, and the New Age Christ is the final teacher in the evolving of people.
Alice Bailey the biggest prophet of the new age movement wrote a book called consciousness of the atom, and they believe the universe has a conscious so they follow that the evolutionary process and nature.
That is why they will be so dangerous because they believe they have to get rid of all people that oppose them for that is what nature wants for them to do for they are a disease on the earth like the body fights diseases in the body.
That is why the beast kingdom is the worse kingdom that has ever been on earth for there is no God to fear, no God to offend, no God to punish, and they will not show the love of God.
People say that religions cause the most fighting and if there was no religion it would be better but they are going to find out it is more crueler and worse in fighting when they cut out religions.
But they do not care for while they cry religions cause the most fighting they will fight for their beliefs and worse than the religions.
The 70th week has not started for if it did the New Age Christ would be working in the world pushing the agenda of the new age movement which he is not working in world.