70th WEEK OF DANIEL
The 70th week of Daniel refers to the final seven-year period of the 490 years that God has allotted to Israel in order to accomplish His purposes in preparation for the Messiah’s 1000-year earthly reign (Daniel 9:24). It is separated from the first 69 weeks of years (483), which ended at the Messiah’s first advent, by an unknown period of time. This final "week" will begin when a powerful political genius ("the prince who is to come") establishes a seven-year covenant with "the many" (Daniel 9:27). It ends seven years later, just prior to the 7th trumpet when the two witnesses are killed in the streets of Jerusalem, 75 days before the Messianic reign will officially begin (Revelation 11:3-7, 15; Daniel 12:11-12).
This seven-year period of time is never designated in Scripture as "the tribulation," although the tribulation will begin at its midpoint.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
The term Day of the Lord, refers to a period of time that begins at the return of Jesus in the clouds of the sky (Joel 2:30-31; Matthew 24:29-30) at some unknown time (Matthew 24:44) after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). It is announced through the signs in the sun, moon and stars (Joel 2:30-31; Mat. 24:29; Rev. 6:12-17), which is portrayed at the 6th seal. In the Old Testament, the day is characterized primarily, by God’s judgment upon the unbelieving world (Isaiah 13:6-13, Zeph. 1:14-18). In the New Testament, the focus is on judgment upon the kingdom of the beast via the trumpet and bowl judgments of the book of The Revelation in preparation for the Messiah’s 1000-year reign upon the earth.
THE PREWRATH RAPTURE
The prewrath rapture position, which takes the scriptures in their normative, literal sense unless clearly identified in the scriptural context as figurative, associates the rapture of the church with the sixth seal of Revelation. It is at this time that the Day of the Lord begins, during which period of time, God will administrate his divine judgment and wrath upon those unbelievers who remain on the earth (1 Thessalonians 5:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 6:16-17; 8:5).
This position sees the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls of the book of The Revelation, as consecutive. The sixth seal signs are the same signs mentioned at Matthew 24:29-31 and Joel 2:30-31, and announce the Second Coming of Jesus at some unknown time during the second half of Daniel’s 70th week. This arrival of Jesus in the clouds of the sky is the "official" parousia (coming) of Christ, cuts short the great tribulation from its expected 3 1/2 year duration (Matthew 24:22, 29) and delivers living Christians from the beast’s oppression (2 Thessalonians 1:7) by gathering them into the sky with Jesus along with all other believers who had died throughout history (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
The Day of the Lord judgments are represented by the trumpets and bowls of the book ofThe Revelation and culminate with the Battle of Armageddon. The arrival of Jesus at Armageddon is not the "official" second coming, but is instead, the physical descent of Jesus to the earth with His army of angels for this final, climactic battle. At this descent, Jesus will destroy the armies surrounding Jerusalem and make final preparations for His literal 1000-year reign upon the throne of David.
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