How long is the Great Tribulation, and Does It Refer to "Tribulation" or "Wrath"

[Michael V. Frazier]

FIRST POINT
The Great Tribulation is only 3.5 years.

In traditional dispensationalism, the entire final week—seven years—of Daniel 9:27 is considered to be the Great Tribulation. When studying the Bible, there are only three passages referencing great tribulation that can be found in the KJV, NKJV, ESV, RSV, ASV, etc.: Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22, and Revelation 7:14. (Young's Literal Translation adds Acts 7:11, but I think we can safely exclude that one from the list.)

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

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds (Revelation 2:22).

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14).

Of these three passages, only two actually refer to the period of time which is expected to occur immediately prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The passage of Revelation 2:22 refers specifically to the church of Thyatira and, therefore, cannot fit the time period in question because the Seven Churches are part of the "things which are" that John was to write about as opposed to the "things which shall be hereafter" (Rev. 1:19, cf. 4:1).

Matthew 24:21 is part of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse in which He answered His disciples’ questions, “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3). In answering their questions, Jesus illuminated the series of events that would begin to transpire immediately in the disciples’ own lifetimes, and also those events at the “end of the world.” Beginning in verse 15, Christ says,

When ye shall therefore see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place . . . then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains . . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-21).

This passage, when associated with Paul's testimony to the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 2:3-4), clearly indicates that the Great Tribulation does not begin until the midpoint of Daniel's final week, i.e. the last three and one half years.

SECOND POINT
In my opinion, the "Great Tribulation" is the "wrath" of Satan.

In Revelation chapter 12, John is shown a vision of “a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev. 12:1) who is about to give birth. A great dragon is also portrayed, standing ready to devour her child as soon as it is born. The imagery of the woman and child appear to symbolize the nation of Israel and Jesus Christ. The dragon is revealed to be Satan in verse 9. Verses 1-5 portray the birth of Christ and Satan’s attempt to destroy Him. Verse 6, however, changes the perspective of time to the future, and portrays the woman fleeing into the desert for 1,260 days. A war occurs in heaven between the Archangel Michael and the dragon, and Satan is ultimately cast out into the earth (vv. 7-9). Verse 12 then gives a stern warning to Earth’s inhabitants: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Satan—the dragon—begins a severe persecution of the woman who flees into the desert for “a time, times, and half a time” (v. 13-14). If "a time" is equated with one year, and "times" with two years, then "half a time" is half a year, and this is exactly the same expanse of time as mentioned earlier regarding the 1,260 days: three and one half years. Satan, not being able to destroy the woman (Israel), turns his wrath towards the “remnant of her seed (Jesus), which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”, in other words, Christians.