7 Year tribulation or 7 year covenant?

7-year tribulation or 7 year covenant?

After studying into the 7-year tribulation I realized something. There is no such thing as a 7-year tribulation in scripture. What we refer to, as a 7-year tribulation is really the 7-year covenant. The period of tribulation is stated in scripture but never as a 7-year period.

First of all Ill explain the 7-year covenant.

Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Again this is Daniels 70 week prophecy. As you can see the doctrine of the 7-year covenant comes from this verse “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week”. A week here literally means 7 in the Hebrew, which is believed to be years because the other events in this prophecy work out to be years (360 days is a year in the Old testament). This period is split in half, which equals 42 months or a time times and a half time. This is often referred to in the New Testament as well as throughout Daniel. You may be wondering why time is a year? The reason is again the original meaning of the Hebrew word substituted for time in the King James Version is literally a year.

Where does the 7-year tribulation come from?

The 7-year tribulation is not an explicit teaching of scripture. In fact it’s quite complex and its going to take some effort to explain it. Now I don’t actually believe this although I have read several books and articles on it and this is the accumulated understanding I have come appreciate.

The 7 year tribulation does come from the 7 year covenant in Daniel 9:27. The doctrine is that the 70-week period ended at week 69 when the messiah was cut off. Then the dispensation of the Church begins, however there is one week left in the prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. This is supposedly for the nation of Israel and the remaining Church has nothing to do with it.

For the actual word tribulation we turn to Matthew 24.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

That’s how we know that the Lord Jesus is speaking specifically about the 7 year covenant period because he talks specifically of an event that happens right in the middle of it.
Then we read of Great tribulation after this event at mid-7 year covenant.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Ok so why the whole event is thought to be tribulation is stated in the following verses.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Some theologians had the idea basically based on notions of how Daniel is to be interpreted that the Son of Man comes at the end of the 7-year covenant and therefore the 7-year covenant and the Tribulation are synonymous.

Why I believe the 7-year covenant is scriptural as opposed to 7-year tribulation.

I can’t find any basis for these assumptions anywhere in scripture. In fact every place I have studied the coming of the Son of Man or the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord clearly comes before the end of this particular 7-year period.

I have read several books of people who believe this doctrine. One thing I haven’t seen any one explain is what the Lord Jesus Christ means in his mount Olivet discourse when he says.

For context
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Cutting Short
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

What are those days?

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Well if those days has anything to do with what the Lord Jesus was speaking about in this chapter then we would have to conclude that “those days” are the days of tribulation and great tribulation.

Shortened from what?

As already stated in scripture at the time of The Lords Mount Olivet discourse, and specifically referred to in this Chapter the 7 year covenant or one week covenant was already established so the only thing to dock from is the 7 year covenant.

So if the tribulation is really 7 years then why would the Lord Jesus say those days are cut short?