Hi Keith,

You've got me wrong, Keith. I do NOT believe that 'The Church' is tribulated. I believe that Scriptures tell us that the "great tribulation" is the time of 'Jacob's trouble', NOT THE CHURCH'S, so that it is focused on Israel (Jacob). Also I do not believe that 'the tribulation' covers the entire '70th week of Daniel', but rather that it begins in Judea (Israel) during the first-half of the '70th Week' at the time that the abomination is seen standing in the holy place 1,290 days before the 'Second Coming' of our Lord. (Matt 24:15 & 21)(Daniel 12:11)

The "great tribulation" of Israel will be cut-short for the sake of the (Jewish) elect who are saved out of it as the remnant protected in the desert during the last-half of the '70th Week'. The 'tribulation' ends immediately before the 'Day of the Lord' begins with the rapture of The Church on the 'Day of Christ'.

Matthew 24:29-31
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days.....(the rapture is described here).

IN SUMMARY:
I believe that the Scriptures tell us that the 'shortened tribulation' begins in Israel, is focused on Israel, localized to Israel and ends in Israel with the elect remnant saved. It is about 30 days in length and ends at the mid-point of the '70th Week of Daniel' just before the 'Day of the Lord' begins. It is the time of 'Jacob's trouble', and not a world-wide event. The Church has no part in it.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days" the 'Day of the Lord' begins, which is a world-wide event, with the rapture of the Church on the 'Day of Christ' which is the first-day of the 'Day of the Lord'. The rapture of the Church is a mid-week event of the '70th Week of Daniel' before the wrath of God is poured out upon the whole earth.

The '70th Week of Daniel' contains separate basic events: first is the time of Jacob's trouble, ie. 'the shortened tribulation, immediately followed by the world-wide 'Day of the Lord' which begins with the 'rapture of the Church' on the 'Day of Christ'.

YBIC, Bruce Warner

P.S.

Hi again Keith,

You stated in your post to me, "Scholars much more intelligent than you or I have already done the heavy lifting for us."

Please consider the following Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"Test ALL THINGS; hold fast what is good."

This Scripture tells us to do our own 'heavy lifting' by testing "ALL THINGS" for ourselves in the Scriptures. I would not advise anyone to follow someone else without knowing, for certain, that the one he is following knows where he is going no matter how many are following him.

The only one that I advise to blindly follow is Jesus Christ. We are 'individually accountable' to the Lord for our ourselves. When people leave it up to others to 'show them the way' they end up with _____________ , or worse. (you fill in the blank)

I am not trying to get anyone to follow me or my interpretations of Scripture. I am merely posting what I believe the Scriptures are saying to me for others to consider. It is up to each one of us to "test all things" and "hold fast what is good."

In many of my interpretations of Scriptures, I present an alternative view to what is the commonly accepted interpretation. I have found in my 'scholarly' research days in the three Universities I have attended is that the commonly accepted view of things was not necessarily the correct one. I am not saying that I am correct either, but rather I am presenting my alternative view to consider. Until prophecy is fulfilled no one is proven wrong.

Once one's mind becomes closed to alternative views, that is the end of his learning anything new.