Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013 or 2014? Is it the Time of the Gentiles?

By COGwriter

Can the Great Tribulation start this year?  Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2014? Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2015?

No, it cannot. Not according to Bible prophecy. And while sorrows and tribulation are prophesied to happen prior (Matthew 24:4-12) to the "great tribulation" (Matthew 24:21), the Great Tribulation (the final times of the Gentiles) itself cannot start in 2013 nor prior to 2016.

Related each individual year beginning in 2008, I have denounced false prophets as well as those that speculated on each of those years when they were much to close to that date/year to be possible.

At this moment it is now impossible that the Great tribulation can begin in 2013, or 2014 or 2015. 2016 is the earliest possible start date, with a later date more likely at this stage (you may also wish to watch a YouTube video titled Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013?).

There are various clues in the Bible, and specifically in the Book of Daniel that makes the prospective of the Great Tribulation happening anytime that soon impossible. This article will discuss the earliest timing of the Great Tribulation, the Beginning of Sorrows, some of what happens in the Great Tribulation itself, and the Day of the Lord.

There is No Final King of the North or King of the South Yet

One reason that the Great Tribulation will not begin yet is that one known as the final King of the North needs to rise up.

The Bible shows that the coming "the King of the North" will make a deal of some sort with one called the King of the South just before the appointed time of the end:

27 Both these kings' hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time (Daniel 11:27).

Daniel chapter 11 tells much about the end times and it involves both a King of the South and a King of the North. And while there was a president of the South and a president of the North in the Union for the Mediterranean (see Deal Leading to Psalm 83?), these individuals have not held the type of power (nor prerogatives) of the prophesied King of the North and the King of the South.Nor will the current head of the post-Lisbon European Union, Herman Van Rompuy, likely be the final King of the North as he does not seem to fit that description. However, if he raises taxes, he may fulfill the role of the person listed in Daniel 11:20 (Herman Van Rompuy: Might He Fulfill Daniel 11:20?).

Since the Great Tribulation will not start before there is an actual King of the South and an actual final King of the North)--and while the "prince" will apparently confirm a peace deal with Israel (probably somewhat including the United States and some Arab lands as part of the "many" in Daniel 9:27), Daniel 11:27 requires two kings, which suggests that the future "prince" will gain more and more importance after the deal in Daniel 9:27 (for more information on the sequence of Daniel 11, please see the article the King of the North). It may take a regional or other war in the Middle East to trigger a peace deal. And if Isaiah 17:1 concerning the destruction of Damascus is to be fulfilled prior to the start of the Great Tribulation, the destruction of Damascus in Syria should be a clear sign to those who discount biblical prophecy that Bible prophecy will come to pass.  Damascus has claimed to the longest continuously inhabited city on the earth and its destruction would be unprecedented.

As far as the King of the South goes, there simply is not a confederation of Islamic nations that work close enough together yet in order to be led by the King of the South.  While it is true that there are two groups that ultimately may ultimately allow this (see Iraq & the King of the South and Mediterranean Union Makes Deal With Israel and Arab States), the Islamic Mahdi/Caliph has not yet been recognized. And while this is possible to occur in 2013, the King of the South also will not be ready militarily to fulfill prophecies such as those in Daniel 11:40.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that there is an old 17th century Shiite prophecy that when a black man will lead the government of the "strongest armies" of the West (see also Who is the King of the West?), he will do something that results in the rise of an Islamic Mahdi, who is probably the final King of the South (see Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy?). So, the end, even according to that "prophecy" seems to be getting close. But the great tribulation itself will not start in 2013.

A "Prince" Comes First

As alluded to earlier, the Bible shows that prior to being referred to as "the King of the North", there is an individual who initially appears to be referred to as a "prince" in Daniel 9:26-27 (one is normally a "prince", or rising leader, before one becomes a "king").

Since this deal has still not been made, this would suggest that contrary to claims of various false prophets (Ronald Weinland of CGPFK and Harold Camping comes to mind) the great tribulation has not already began. Nor cannot it start around late 2013 or in 2014 as James Malm seemed to claim in October 2012 that it could:

Scripture tells us that no agreement can be concluded and ratified until a miracle working final false prophet called “A Desolating Abomination” is set up in the Papacy, Rev 13, 2 Thess; and calls for the new European Order; which will amount to a revival of the unHoly Roman Empire.

Once this false prophet is set up in the Vatican [Due to the advancing age and health problems of Benedict this is now highly likely to be a NEW pope], and he uses his influence to set up the New Europe, he will go to the Holy Place within 75 days of the date he is set up and the tribulation will begin as he visits the Holy Mount and Peace and Safety is proclaimed to be achieved.

It is an interesting note that IF this abomination were to be set up around 6 Oct 2013, then he would go to the Holy Place around Dec 25 2013 to declare peace in the Middle East.

There is NO likelihood that the final abomination will be set up in 2013. Nor will the Great Tribulation start prior to 2017. The reality is that his blog has repeatedly provided incorrect dates and still does so. Perhaps I should add that on February 10, 2013, James Malm confirmed with me that he believes that 2013 or 2014 are possible dates for the Great Tribulation to start. He also stated that the actual date is entirely dependant on when the biblical signs are present, and on God's will. But, I do not believe that it is biblically possible for the Great Tribulation to start prior to 2016, with 2017 a more likely earliest possible start date. And I will, again, be proven right about when the Great Tribulation cannot begin (and when it gets closer, proven right about when the Great Tribulation actually will begin, presuming I publicly comment about that--which is the current plan).

Notice that in the book of Daniel there is a prophecy related to the end times that states:

26 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.
27 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.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate (Daniel 9:26-27).

There are several reasons that this "prince" is referring to the leader of the developing European empire (see King of the North and Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation). One is that it was the people of the Roman Empire of the 1st century that fulfilled the portion of Daniel 9:26 as they destroyed the city (Jerusalem) in 70 A.D. The European Union includes much of the land and peoples that were part of the ancient Roman Empire.  And it is the "prince" coming from that people that verse 27 is referring to. Thus, this prophecy tells us that a lower level European leader will officially start to rise up about 3 1/2 years before the great tribulation (and yes, according to Jesus, some "tribulation" does happen prior to the start of the Great Tribulation). Another is the fact that the "beast of the sea" (Revelation 13:1) fits with the beasts from the "great sea" (Daniel 7:2)--and that is the Mediterranean Sea according to the Old Testament--hence this is an empire like the old Roman one (for more details, please see Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation).

This portion of scripture in Daniel seems to be discussing some type of peace deal that the Europeans will either propose or at least one from Europe will endorse. Such a deal did not exist as of December 0f 2012, or at least was not confirmed by the "prince" then (some have speculated that an earlier deal, like the Oslo accord could be confirmed, and while that is remotely possible, it has not been confirmed by the "prince" as far as can be told as of late 2012).

Since this Middle East peace deal has not been completed (at least not publicly), then if one adds 3 1/2 years to now, the earliest this could be would be the year 2016 (and if the prophesied peace deal is not until September 2013 would push this to 2017, which would seem to be the earliest possible date). We are simply not yet to the part that a "prince of the north" has come on the scene in that major way. Which of course means that there still is no final King of the North--though he is alive now, but not yet in that role.

While there have been various understandings of the above passage in Daniel 9 (and many falsely believe it requires a third temple to be built, please see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?), notice what two commentators somewhat correctly state (bolding/italics in source):

Shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself (or, and shall have nothing, ASV): and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. It is agreed by almost all evangelical interpreters that these two events, the cutting off of the Messiah (Anointed One) and the destruction of the sanctuary refer to the crucifixion of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. These two events were separated by a period of nearly forty years (29-70 A.D.). Yet, in the literary order of the passage, they are both after the sixty-ninth week and before the final "one week" mentioned in the next verse. Thus the very syntax, grammar, and word-meaning indicate a gap in the succession of the seventy weeks.
Other important reasons for supposing a gap here are: (1) Jesus placed the culminating week, with its "abomination" in the times of final Antichrist, just before His second advent (Matt 24:15). (2) Dan 7:25, which describes what appear to be the very same events as those of 9:27, the seventieth week, is certainly a prophecy of the times of final Antichrist. (3) The period of three and one-half times or years (the second half-week of v. 27) is often mentioned elsewhere in Scripture and always in an eschatological setting (Rev 11:2-3; 12:6,14). (4) The six things to be accomplished in the seventy weeks (see Dan 9:24 and comments) require the second advent of Christ, and the restoration and conversion of Israel.
These considerations show that the idea of a gap in the weeks at this point is a matter of exegesis. Considerations of theology are not primarily involved. It is not this author's opinion that the Church is a mere provisional consideration thrust into this hiatus or gap. Both 'dispensational' and 'covenantal' theologians, doubtless, find more in this prophecy than is properly there. Let us stay by what the passage says. C. F. Keil (Comm., in loco) is correct in asserting that the prince is said to be coming (habba'), because he has already been introduced and discussed in the prophecy of chapter 7 as the final Antichrist. The Romans who destroyed Jerusalem (A.D. 70) were his people because they and he belong to the fourth stage (the Roman) of world empire (chs. 2; 7)...
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (make a firm covenant, ASV). The language higbir from gabar, "be strong") does not signify confirmation of a covenant but causation of a firm covenant. And he shall cause to prevail is an excellent translation. The most natural antecedent for he, the subject of the clause, is the wicked "prince" of verse 26. This is the nearest noun in grammatical agreement, and it fits the sense. The many here, as elsewhere, is a reference to the Hebrew people, the subject of discussion throughout chapter 9 (cf. vv. 2,12,18,19, esp. 24, "thy people ... thy holy city"). Evidently the covenant is to be made between Antichrist and Israel when the Jews are back in their homeland in the last days. The exact nature of the covenant is unknown.
The evil and destructive events described in the remainder of this verse should be interpreted as summary information concerning the final "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer 30:7 and context) set forth rather more fully in Dan 12:1 ff; 2 Thess 2:1 ff; Rev 13; 14; and other passages (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press).
The final revelation in Daniel 9:27 states, "He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven,' but in the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to the sacrifice and offering..."...the covenant of Daniel 9:27 is not the covenant of grace...this refers to the coming world ruler at the beginning of the last seven years...He will make a covenant with Israel for a seven-year period. As Daniel 9:27 indicates, in the middle of the seven years he will break the covenant, stop the sacrifices offered...and become their persecutor instead of their protector (Walvoord JF. The Prophecy Knowledge Handbook. Victor Books/SP Publications, Wheaton (IL), 1990, pp. 256,257).

And the portions cited above appear to be the case. A prophetic week is generally understood to refer to seven years. And half a week is 3 1/2 years (approximately 1260 days).

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Read more: http://www.cogwriter.com/when-will-the-great-tribulation-begin.htm