Timeline

The Tribulation

The Tribulation in non-negotiable: It must happen after the rapture

Events immediately before the seven-year period
Church raptured (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:16-18; Rev. 3:10)
Restrainer removed (2 Thes. 2:7)
The judgment seat of Christ (in heaven, 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)
Antichrist rises to power over the Roman confederacy (Dan. 7:20, 24)
At the beginning of the seven-year period Antichrist (the coming ”ruler“) makes a covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:26-27)
Events in the first half of the seven-year period
Israel living in peace in the land (Ezek. 38:8)
Temple sacrifices instituted (Rev. 11:1-2)
World church dominates religion and the Antichrist (Rev. 17)
Gog and his allies invade Palestine from the north (Ezek. 38:2, 5-6, 22)
Gog and his allies destroyed by God (Ezek. 38:17-23)
Events at the middle of the seven-year period
Satan cast down from heaven and energizes the Antichrist (Rev. 12:12-17)
Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, causing her sacrifices to cease (Dan. 9:27)
The 10 kings under the Antichrist destroy the world church (Rev. 17:16-18)
The 144,000 Israelites saved and sealed (Rev. 7:1-8)
Events of the Second Half of the seven-year period: These three-and-one-half years are called ”the Great Tribulation“ (Rev. 7:14; ”great distress, “ Matt. 24:21; ”time of distress, “ Dan. 12:1; and ”a time of trouble for Jacob, “ Jer. 30:7)
1. Rebellion (apostasy) against the truth in the professing church (Matt. 24:12; 2 Thes. 2:3)
2. Antichrist becomes a world ruler (Rev. 6:1-2) with support of the Western confederacy (Rev. 13:5, 7; 17:12-13)
3. Antichrist revealed as ”the man of lawlessness, “ ”the lawless one“ (2 Thes. 2:3, 8-9)
4. War, famine, and death Rev. 6:3-8
5. Converted multitudes from every nation martyred (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-14; Matt. 24:9)
6. Natural disturbances and worldwide fear of divine wrath (Rev. 6:12-17) Moon to Blood
7. Antichrist’s image (an ”abomination“) set up for worship (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:14-15)
8. Two witnesses begin their ministry (Rev. 11:3)
9. The false prophet promotes the Antichrist, who is worshiped by nations and unbelieving Israel (Matt. 24:11-12; 2 Thes. 2:11; Rev. 13:4, 11-15
10. Mark of the beast used to promote worship of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:16-18)
11. Israel scattered because of the anger of Satan (Rev. 12:6, 13-17) and because of the ”abomination“ (Antichrist’s image) in the temple (Matt. 24:15-26)
12. Jerusalem overrun by Gentiles (Luke 21:24; Rev. 11:2)
13. Antichrist and false prophets deceive many people (Matt. 24:11; 2 Thes. 2:9-11)
14. The gospel of the kingdom proclaimed (Matt. 24:14)
15. Israel persecuted by the Antichrist (Jer. 30:5-7; Dan. 12:1; Zech. 13:8; Matt. 24:21-22)
16. Trumpet judgments (Rev. 8-9) and bowl judgments (Rev. 16) poured out by God on Antichrist’s empire
17. Blasphemy increases as the judgments intensify (Rev. 16:8-11)
Events Concluding the seven-year period
1. Two witnesses slain by the Antichrist (Rev. 11:7)
2. Two witnesses resurrected (Rev. 11:11-12)
3. Signs appear in the earth and sky (Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:10, 30-31; 3:15; Matt. 24:29)
4. Christ returns with the armies of heaven (Matt. 24:27-31; Rev. 19:11-16)