After the Rapture of the Church age believers, we have Daniel’s seventieth week which is called the ‘Tribulation’ or Satan’s Desperation. Those seven years shortened a bit is the greatest period of historical disaster and suffering. Since the Thessalonians were experiencing some pressure and suffering, they thought that they were going through all or part of the Tribulation. In Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians, he had to straighten them out regarding who would be in the resurrection of the Church; in his second epistle to them, he needed to clear-up their confusion regarding the sequence of eschatological events.

 

God never mixes the Age of Israel with the Church. During the 1st Advent of Christ, there was so much apostasy in Judea that the Age of Israel was interrupted by the Church Age. The Age of Israel still has 7 years to bring it to completion. This completion will take place during the Tribulation which will occur after the Rapture of the Church Age.

 

A little history: We must remember that when Nehemiah had the walls rebuilt in 445 B.C., Judea technically began to function as a nation since they had at that time a defensive system. From 445 B.C., the Jews were promised 490 more lunar years as a Nation (483 solar years). Judea as the last Jewish Client Nation (until the 2nd Advent) came to an end on the Day of Pentecost in 30 A.D. Of the 490 years promised them, only 483 came to past. Thus, the Lord owes Israel another 7 years aka Daniel’s 70th week.

 

(490 lunar years equals 483 Solar years; so, in effect the Lord had promised them 483 more solar years; from the time of the promise in 445 B.C. to 0 B.C. gives us 38 more years; one year is lost from B.C. to A.D. and so by 30 A.D. there still remains 7 years owed to Israel. That seven years will be fulfilled during the Tribulation known as Daniel’s Seventieth week. In other words, 483 minus 445 equals 38 minus 1 via the transition from B.C. to A.D. equals 37 years minus 30 when the Church Age begins equals 7 remaining years)

 

Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks [490 lunar years] have been  decreed for your people [Israel] and your holy city, to finish the transgression [Israel’s 5 cycle of disciplines ends at the 2nd Advent], and to make an end of sin, and to make an atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness [resurrection of all Old Testament saints], and to seal up vision and prophecy [fulfillment of the unconditional covenants to Israel], and to anoint the most holy place [the Holy of Holies: Jesus Christ will dedicate the Millennial Temple].”