...Continuing (Long post but worth the read)
I will show that the "Great Tribulation" that all the pre-tribbers keep yakking about pertained to the punishment of Israel at the hands of the Romans. I have always focused on Matthew's account but Luke actually tells the story much better. Let's set the table.
Jesus has just sent for the colt and He is getting ready for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem as KING but He has a heavy heart but NOT because He is about to suffer and die but because Jerusalem has not recognized Him AND because He knows the fate that awaits them and their city. Remember, 70 weeks were determined for both the people and the city. Luke 19:
[SUP]41 [/SUP]Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, [SUP]42 [/SUP]saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. [SUP]43 [/SUP]For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, [SUP]44 [/SUP]and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
The above was accomplished by the Roman solders. According to Josephus, every single last stone was removed not only from the temple but also every house and Jerusalem was absolutely left desolate, like a wilderness.
Josephus stated:
"And truly, the very view itself was a melancholy thing; for those places which were adorned with trees and pleasant gardens, were now become desolate country every way, and its trees were all cut down. Nor could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judaea and the most beautiful suburbs of the city, and now saw it as a desert, but lament and mourn sadly at so great a change. For the war had laid all signs of beauty quite waste. Nor had anyone who had known the place before, had come on a sudden to it now, would he have known it again. But though he [a foreigner] were at the city itself, yet would he have inquired for it" (War VI.1,1).
The heat from the fires which burned the temple and city was so hot that it melted all the gold and precious metals which ran down into the foundation stones. The Romans spared some Jews and used them as slaves to pry up every last rock even down to the bedrock to recover this gold. When they were done the Temple and the city were completely desolate with nothing left but 3 towers and the Roman fortress Antonia.
Moving ahead to Luke 21, Jesus warns His disciples about this coming event.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. [SUP]21 [/SUP]Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.
The Jewish-Roman War of 67-70 AD involved several Roman legions which surrounded and laid siege to the city. The people inside were starving. Many tried to flee but were easily captured and killed. When Nero died there was a brief respite. "Those days were shortened for the sake of the Elect." The Christians in Jerusalem were held up on Mount Zion (south of the temple) and saw their opportunity to escape. They fled east towards the mountains then north up to Pella. Not one Jewish Christian was lost.
Then in AD 70 Titus resumed the attack in full force. Jesus tells us what happens next:
[SUP]22 [/SUP]For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. [SUP]23 [/SUP]But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. [SUP]24 [/SUP]And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
So yes, the above is God's Wrath upon His people. His Elect (Christians) were spared. 1.1 million Jews were said to have been slaughtered. After the city was completely leveled with not one stone atop another, the slaves were taken off to Rome to follow Titus and his triumphant return. Titus Arch was erected next to the Colosseum depicting his victory and as a reminder and stands to this day. From there, the Jewish nation was scattered throughout all the world as we know.
Back to Daniel. Pay close attention to the semicolon in this line. Daniel is telling us that Messiah (which means "the Annointed One," will be cut off half way into the 70th week. We then have the semicolon because the rest of this verse tells us about Titus and what happens in the future to the temple and city because of their sins and because they did not end their sins nor did they reconcile themselves to God. Titus was the "Prince to come," not some future AntiChrist
“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
The "flood" was the Roman solders who over ran Jerusalem. The "desolation" was the city and temple. "NOT ONE STONE SHALL BE LEFT ON TOP ANOTHER" you can't get more desolate than that. According to Eleazar, the final Jewish commander at Masada as he saw Jerusalem 3 years after its destruction:
"And where is now that great city, the metropolis of the Jewish nation, which was fortified by so many walls round about, which had so many fortresses and large towers to defend it, which could hardly contain the instruments prepared for the war, and which had so many ten thousands of men to fight for it? Where is this city that was believed to have God himself inhabiting therein? it is now demolished to the very foundations, and hath nothing left but THAT MONUMENT of it preserved, I mean THE CAMP OF THOSE that hath destroyed it, WHICH STILL DWELLS UPON ITS RUINS; some unfortunate old men also lie ashes upon the of the Temple, and a few women are there preserved alive by the enemy, for our bitter shame and reproach."
Back to Daniel. Daniel mentions Messiah being cut-off, he then introduces information that would follow 36-40 years later then returns back to discussing Messiah:
"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering..."
Jesus did the above (NOT SOME ANTICHRIST)!! Jesus was confirming the new covenant with many (the world) for the first 3.5 years of the 70th week. The last 3.5 years of the 70th week, his disciples continued the message. This ended with the Stoning of Stephen, the first post Cross martyr. At the Cross Jesus put an end to sacrifice by becoming the sacrifice for all of us.
"...and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Because of their many sins (including killing Christ), Titus shall make the temple and city desolate. The consuming fire which was determined as their punishment shall be poured out upon these desolate people. They no longer have a home.
We see the above passage being related again by John in Rev 12:
[SUP]13 [/SUP]And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Satan, using Rome, persecuted God's people and he intended to wipe them out completely.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Rome's ensign or insignia was an great eagle. Rome had wiped Israel off the map. But the Christian remnant, the ELECT, they escaped into the wilderness of the Jordan River Valley, they crossed the river and headed north towards Galilee then the came to Pella and settled there.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Since then Satan has been attacking the Church, those who have the testimony of Jesus.
So you see, there is no 7 year great tribulation taught anywhere in the Bible. Because some have misinterpreted Dan 9:24-27 and invented a 2,000 year gap which was not taught, then took the works of Christ and the vengeance He taught in Luke 21 and His covenant and assigned it to some future AntiChrist, because they did this, they have invented an un-Scriptual mess!!