Readers, THIS POST by endofallfears is dispensational ERROR.
Yes, there is a 7 year period, and it is clearly marked in Revelation by the sevens: it begins with the 7th seal (the Day of the Lord begins at the same time) the exact midpoint is marked by the 7th trumpet, and it ends at the 7th vial (the Day of the Lord continues on). The truth is, the wrath of God is being poured out in the vials, while at the same time, the wrath of Satan is causing days of great tribulation. They are concurrent. That is why it is written that some of the vials are poured out on those having the mark, and on the seat of the Beast. It is the vials of God's wrath that "shorten" those days of GT.
But Jesus comes to rapture the church before ANY of the 70th week. That is why John was shown the raptured church in heaven, BEFORE the 70th week begins. And Paul wrote clearly in 1 Thes. 5 that the rapture comes before the day of the Lord. That Day is a day of wrath, and Paul tells us we have NO APPOINTMENT with wrath, so while those in darkness get the sudden destruction, those in the light get raptured, and get to live together with HIM!
Coop
What shall be the sign of the coming of the Day of the Lord's Wrath upon the earth.
10*The earth quakes before them,
The heavens tremble;
The sun and moon grow dark,
And the stars diminish their brightness.
11*The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?
30*“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31*The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32*And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:10-11, 30-32)
25*“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26*men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27*Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28*Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Lu 21:25-28)
29*“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30*Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31*And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Mt 24:29-31)
24* “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
25*the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26*Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27*And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. (Mk 13:24-27)
20* Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:20)
12*I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
13*And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14*Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15*And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16*and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17*For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev 6:12-16)
It would appear the Old Testament prophets, and Jesus Christ, tell us the Day of the Lord is proceeded by a darkened sun and a moon turning to blood. This corresponds with the opening of the 6th Seal.
Chapter 7 is a brief respite while the 144,000 are sealed and those within the tribulation appear in heaven (the Rapture). Afterward, the 7th Seal is opened, revealing the 7 trumpets, and the Day of the Lord begins.
I find it hard to believe God would start the event of His Wrath upon the earth, and then have the sign of His wrath come later. That's like putting stop signs at the far end of an intersection.