A detailed time line of events from the start of Daniel's 70th week through the posttribulational rapture of the church to the eternal state is presented and defended with numerous biblical references.

If you have not read my Posttribulation Rapture discussion, you can do so by clicking The Posttribulation Rapture.

The following time line has been developed by comparing Scripture with Scripture. If more than one passage contains specific details of a future event, they are assumed to be describing the same event. Then the time indicators are matched like pieces in a puzzle to form a coherent, consistent picture of prophecy. (An example of this is seen in the discussion of the sun being darkened, the moon turned to blood, the stars falling from the sky, and the powers of heaven being shaken.)

If there are no differences between the premillennial tribulational views (such as that the seven seals begin to unfold at the beginning of Daniel's 70th week), the standard premillenial view is used.

To view the time line one section at a time, click on the letters A-K below.

A. DANIEL'S 70TH WEEK BEGINS

1. Antichrist makes a covenant with "the many" for 7 years

2. Restrainer steps aside

#2Thes 2.6-7

3. Begin seven seals

B. SEALING 144,000

144,000 sealed before trumpets begin (compare these two passages)

#Rev 7.3, 8.6-11

C. TRUMPETS BEGIN TO SOUND

This event is placed before the Great Trib. because it is mentioned in Revelation after the discussion about the seals (which begin at the start of Daniel's 70th week and extend to the posttribulational second coming at the 7th seal) but before the second half of Daniel's 70th week, the Great Tribulation is mentioned in Rev 11.

D. BEGIN THE GREAT TRIBULATION

1. Middle of Daniel's 70th week.

#Dan 9.27

2. Antichrist puts a stop to sacrifices and grain offerings.

#Dan 9.27

3. Antichrist given authority to overcome saints; they can't buy or sell without the mark of the beast.

#Rev 13.5-10, 16-17

4. Abomination of Desolation set up

#Dan 9.27, Matt 24.15, 2Thes 2.4

5. Two witnesses given authority for 1260 days (possibly Moses and Elijah).

#Mal 4.5, Matt 17.11, Rev 11:3

(John the Baptist was not this Elijah because when Jesus made His statement in Matt 17:11, John had already been killed.)

6. Nations start to trample on the holy city (Jerusalem) for 42 months (when the Antichrist sets up the Abomination of Desolation).

#Rev 11.3

7. Believers in Israel nourished in the wilderness 1260 days

#Matt 24.15-23, Rev 12.6-14

E. LAST DAY OF DANIEL'S 70TH WEEK

1. Two witnesses killed but resurrected in 3 1/2 days

#Rev 11.7-11

2. End of authority of the Antichrist.

#Rev 13.5-10

3. Immediately after the tribulation:

a. the sun is darkened (or black)

b. the moon turns to blood

c. stars fall from the sky (wonders in the sky)

d. a great earthquake occurs (every mountain and island is moved)

#Joel 2.30-32, 3.9-21

#Matt 24.29-30, Mark 13.27, Rev 6.12-17

4. sixth seal

#Rev 6.12-17

5. The time of God's wrath has come

#Isa 2.12-21, Rev 6.12-17

6. Bowls of wrath begin (placed here tenatively because:

a. wrath is said to have arrived at the sixth seal which is after Daniel's 70th week.

#Rev 6.16-17

b. Rev 11:18 implies that God's wrath had recently arrived in the days of the seventh trumpet.

#Rev 11:18

c. The first bowl leaves the impression that the mark of the beast has been available long enough for people to accept or reject it.

#Rev 16:2

d. The third bowl is an answer to the question raised in the fifth seal. (Note the parallel concepts in the 5th seal and the 3rd bowl: (1) martyrs, (2) the alter, (3) judgment, (4) blood, (5) God as the Lord, (6) holy and (7) true, and (8) the wicked as deserving of vengence.)

#Rev 6.9-10, 16.4-7

7. Last chance to repent is coming up

#2Pet 3.9-10, Rev 16.8-11

F. JUST BEFORE THE RAPTURE/SECOND COMING

1. sixth trumpet (men did not repent, no more delay, 1/3 of mankind killed, 200 million horsemen)

#Rev 9.13-21, 10.6

2. sixth bowl of wrath, prepare for Armageddon

#Rev 16.12-14, 19.19

3. John eats bittersweet book, just before the seventh trumpet. Compare the sweet effect of the rapture/second coming on Christians (giving relief to you who are afflicted) with the bitter consequences of the second coming on unbelievers (dealing out retribution to those who do not know God etc). Placed here because it follows the announcement that the 7th trumpet is about to sound.

#2Thes 1.7-10, Rev 10.7-10

G. THE RAPTURE/SECOND COMING

1. Begin the day of the Lord (which extends through to the eternal state)

#Isa 2.12-21, 13.9-16, Joel 2.30-32, 3.9-21

#Zeph 1.14-18, 2Pet 3.10-12

2. Second coming (including rapture): believers meet Christ in the air and join His triumphant and victorious descent to earth, first reaping of

#1Thes 4.17, Rev 14.14-16

includes:

a. Christ coming

b. in the clouds

c. gathering elect from heaven and earth

d. angelic participation

e. a trumpet sound

#Zeph 1.16, Matt 24.30-31, Mark 13.26-27, Acts 1.9-11, 1Cor 15.52, 1Thes 4.16-17, 2Thes 2:1, Rev 11.15-18, 14.14-16

3. Dead believers of all time resurrected (first resurrection)

#Dan 12.1-2, Rev 20.5

#Isa 25.8, 1Cor 15.54

5. The mystery of God is finished

#Rev 10.7

6. The saints are rewarded

#Rev 11.18

7. Christ begins to reign on earth

#Ps 2.1-8, Rev 11.18

8. The Lamb stands on Mount Zion (in Jerusalem) with the 144,000

#Ps 2.6, Rev 14.1

9. Christ comes like a thief

#Matt 24.43-44, 1Thes 5.2-4, 2Pet 3.10, Rev 16.15

10. The second reaping of Rev. 14

#Rev 14.17-20

11. seventh seal

#Rev 8.1-5

12. seventh trumpet

#1Cor 15.52,Rev 10.7, 11:15-19

13. seventh bowl

#Rev 16.17-21

14. Lightning, thunder, an earthquake, a great hailstorm

#Rev 8.1-5, 11.19, 16.18-21

15. Armageddon

#Joel 2.10-14, Zeph 3.8, 2Thes 2.8,11, 2Pet 3.10, Rev 16.16-21, 17.11-21, 19.11-21

16. Babylon is fallen

#Rev 14.8, 18.2

17. End of the Abomination of Desolation

#Dan 9.27, 12.11, Zeph 1.8-9

18. All Israel turns to God

#Joel 2.32, Zech 3.8-9, 12.3

#Zech 12.9-14

#Zech 13.1-9, Mal 3.1-6, Rom 11.26-27

(144,000 may be the first fruits of this harvest of Jewish souls)

#Rev 14.4

19. Marriage supper of the Lamb

#Luke 22.18, Rev 19.7, 21.9-14

20. Day of Atonement

#Zech 12.10-11

H. BEGIN MILLENNIUM

1. Begin millennium (apparently 1335 days after the middle of Daniel's 70th week)

#Dan 12.12

2. Satan bound for 1000 years

#Rev 20.1-3

3. Antichrist and False Prophet cast into the lake of fire

#Rev 20.11-15

I. SEVEN YEARS INTO MILLENNIUM

Seven years into the millennium weapons of Ezekiel finish burning

#Ezek 39.9

J. END OF MILLENNIUM

1. Satan released

2. Battle with Gog and Magog

3. Devil thrown into the lake of fire

4. Great White Throne judgment

5. Judgment of unrighteous dead

#Rev 20.7-15

6. Judgment of the nations.

(Placed here because the evil men are thrown into the eternal fire.

#Matt 25.31-46, Rev 20.7-14

K. ETERNAL STATE BEGINS

New heaven, new earth.

#Rev 21

I trust this time line and The Posttribulation Rapture convinces you that the posttrib position is scriptural and that the church today should begin moral and spiritual preparations to go through Daniel's 70th week. I also encourage you to read Dr. Robert Gundry's excellent book, "The Church and the Tribulation" from which much of the information in this time line and in the preceding discussion on the posttribulation rapture was gleaned. Also, Dr Gundry has just (1997) written a new book published by Baker Book House called "First the Antichrist". It has very similiar arguments to his first book but the first book is out of print.

If you need to contact me for clarification of any points in this paper or for any other reason please feel free to email me at dandudley@juno.com. I am also looking for additional posttrib arguments to add to this page. If you have one that would fit, please e-mail it to me.

Thank you for considering this important subject.

Until He comes,

Dan Dudley, O.D.