7 Year Tribulation Challenged

[Stormcrow]

One more thing...there is no Biblical support for the idea of a 7-year tribulation anywhere. The tribulation of the first century church and apostles that began with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1) continues to this very day in many countries around the world.

The great tribulation that befell Jerusalem - civil war, famine, and the war with Rome (beginning in 66 AD), ended in 70 AD, 3.5 years after it started.

[Stormcrow]

The 2300 mornings and evenings...

Is a direct reference to the twice daily sacrifices the priests conducted in the Temple.

[DurbanDude]

Does everyone agree that the church is Christ's body and His temple? If not, you should:

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NASB)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NASB)
Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 2 Corinthians 6:16 (NASB)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 (NASB)

So if we - His church made up of believing Jews and Gentiles - are His temple, holy and consecrated to Him, what makes anyone think that God is going to consecrate a third temple in Jerusalem for the alleged "ANTICHRIST!" to profane it?

And even if it is built, how do you profane that which is not holy?

Dispensationalism/Futurism preaches and teaches another gospel wherein the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to save to the uttermost until God "86s" it to bring Israel back to Him through a new Temple and its renewed animal sacrifices.
.

I agree with all you say here. I am a futurist, yet your views and mine are the same regarding your wording above. I believe in 3.5 years and not 7 years of tribulation, I do not believe the antichrist will build a temple and then profane it. He will profane the temple mount area by declaring himself God there.

There's a plan "B" for those non-saved among Israel. Just like Cain and Abel had to accept sacrifices for sin as plan "B" because Adam and Eve sinned. I agree plan "A" is salvation through Christ, I pity those mortals described in Zech 14, Ezekiel 38-48, Isaiah 65 who are stuck with mortality and sacrifices because they did not turn to Christ timeously, and therefore missed the glory of God.

[DurbanDude]

One more thing...there is no Biblical support for the idea of a 7-year tribulation anywhere. The tribulation of the first century church and apostles that began with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1) continues to this very day in many countries around the world.

The great tribulation that befell Jerusalem - civil war, famine, and the war with Rome (beginning in 66 AD), ended in 70 AD, 3.5 years after it started.

The war was 4 years long, the Siege was 5 months long, nothing is 3.5 years long. Preterist history is based on inaccurate assumptions.

[Stormcrow]

The war was 4 years long, the Siege was 5 months long, nothing is 3.5 years long. Preterist history is based on inaccurate assumptions.

Patently untrue. There were several breaks in the hostilities, the first when Cestius Gallus fled with the 12 Legion, the second during the year of the 4 emperors. When the actual time Jerusalem's zealots spent fighting with Rome is added up, it's 3.5 years.

[DurbanDude]

Patently untrue. There were several breaks in the hostilities, the first when Cestius Gallus fled with the 12 Legion, the second during the year of the 4 emperors. When the actual time Jerusalem's zealots spent fighting with Rome is added up, it's 3.5 years.

Ok so some scattered battles occurring over the four year Jewish revolt add up to 3.5 years and this is the fulfilment of the following verses:

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.
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.
24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

So your view is that pieces of the 4 year period add up to a literal 3.5 years , that war was a greater tribulation than WW2, and Jesus symbolically arrived like lightning in 70AD to finish it all. At that time the stars symbolically fell from heaven, and the elect were symbolically gathered and all the symbolic tribes of the earth symbolically mourned:

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:
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.
24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Interesting symbolic view, is the bible really meant to be interpreted like this??

[SirToady]

I challenged both preterists and futurists to re-examine their view in this thread:
http://bibleforums.org/showthread.ph...moved-from-ETC

I see that it was mainly preterists who responded in that thread, and so I started this thread for futurists to respond to.
All verses that refer to a future period of persecution or tribulation refer to a short period or 3.5 years and NOT 7 years. The only place in the bible that refers to this 7 year period is Daniel 9:27: And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations `shall come' one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall `wrath' be poured out upon the desolate.

When reading this verse for the first time many years ago I was immediately struck by the similarity of the highlighted events with Jesus' own life. God made a covenant with the Jews that He would send them a Messiah to set them free. In the autumn of 26AD Jesus was anointed, this is the coming of the anointed one as per Daniel 9:25. Jesus then confirmed to Israel that he was the Messiah. 3.5 years later Jesus was crucified as the last acceptable sacrifice of the age. Jesus therefore put an end to sacrifice 3.5 years after confirming the greatest ever covenant, God's promise to send a Messiah.

Surely Jesus' 3.5 years of ministry would deserve some mention in Daniel's 490 year period for the Jews? Why would some antichrist's covenant deserve more mention than Jesus Himself confirming the greatest ever covenant of God's promise to send a Messiah to save the Jews and bring peace to mankind? And why would only the coming of the anointed one and not the greatest event ever , the CRUCIFIXION of the anointed one deserve any attention in the 490 year period? I therefore believe the 7 year trib view is incorrect because it ignores the strength of Jesus' fulfilment of Daniel 9:27 and thereby leaves the ministry of Jesus as unmentioned in the 490 year period of the Jews. It also places the crucifixion outside of the 490 year period in favour of a future approach to the verse.

Additionally why is there no mention of any warnings about a 7 year period and an antichrist's so-called covenant in the gospels or anywhere else in the NT? I believe its because the future tribulation is only 3.5 years long and starts with an abomination which is an evil display in Jerusalem. Any comments welcome.

Christ was rejected and was crucified just as the Prophets stated. How anybody can assume the he in Daniel 9:27 is Christ boggles my mind.


Daniel 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.
1260 Days - First 3 ½ years unto the midst, then 1260 Days last 3 ½ years

This is history repeating itself in our near future. Titus did not covenant, negotiate, or confirm anything except the destruction of Jerusalem by cause of a Jewish rebellion beginning in 66 A.D. Titus prevailed against the Jews – period, there was no Rapture, no Son of Man appearing in the clouds, no Kingdom established, no 1000 year reign of Christ, no everlasting dominion, no two witnesses nor satellites to see their dead bodies, no Prince of Princes…. Our understanding may not be God’s understanding, but these things and much more will happen because God does not lie.

There had to be another Israel (Ezekiel 37:21), another Jerusalem, another prince (antichrist), another form of the Roman Empire (E.U.? – Daniel 7:7-8, 23), a reason for a seven-year peace, and yes, at some point – probably after the Rapture - another Temple (Revelation 11:1-2) prior to the 3-½ year (42 month) midpoint of the Tribulation - where it also will be eventually destroyed. This time what has been determined shall be poured upon the (those who) desolate. Hallelujah!

Revelation 11
2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
1260 Days - Last 3 ½ years
3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
1260 Days - First 3 ½ years

Revelation 13
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
1260 Days - Last 3 ½ years

Daniel 12
11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
1290 Days - Last 3 years and 7 months

12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
1335 Days - Last 3 years 8 months and 15 days

Daniel 8
13. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14. And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
2300 Days - 6 years 4 months and 20 days.

Most agree that if there is but one day after 6 full years, then it is reckoned as 7 years.

[DurbanDude]

Daniel 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.
1260 Days - First 3 ½ years unto the midst, then 1260 Days last 3 ½ years

You use the phrase "boggles my mind". However you didn't actually confront the point that your view leaves out 3.5 years of Jesus' ministry and leaves out Jesus' crucifixion from the special 490 year period. This does boggle the mind.

Please be open to this point, MOST english translations SEPERATE the identity of the one who confirms the covenant (9:27a) and the one who sets up the abomination (9:27b). This point is ignored by most preterists and futurists, yet the Hebrew experts normally say "he" confirms the covenant and "one" sets up the abomination, two seperate people, the one being Jesus and the other one referring to the future antichrist period mentioned in Daniel 12 and elsewhere.

This is history repeating itself in our near future. Titus did not covenant, negotiate, or confirm anything except the destruction of Jerusalem by cause of a Jewish rebellion beginning in 66 A.D. Titus prevailed against the Jews – period, there was no Rapture, no Son of Man appearing in the clouds, no Kingdom established, no 1000 year reign of Christ, no everlasting dominion, no two witnesses nor satellites to see their dead bodies, no Prince of Princes…. Our understanding may not be God’s understanding, but these things and much more will happen because God does not lie.

I agree with all you say here, I am a futurist , not a preterist. I assign some obvious verses to the past about Jesus' ministry and crucifixion, I am not one to overemphasize minor historical events as fulfilments of dramatic prophecies about the Messiah. I focus on the first advent and the second advent, which take obvious precedence in prophecy.

Revelation 11
2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
1260 Days - Last 3 ½ years
3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
1260 Days - First 3 ½ years

Revelation 13
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
1260 Days - Last 3 ½ years

Daniel 12
11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
1290 Days - Last 3 years and 7 months

12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
1335 Days - Last 3 years 8 months and 15 days
.

I agree with most of what you say concerning the last 3.5 year period.

The two witnesses also fit in better with the last 3.5 year period because at the end of the 3.5 year period they rise up , just like the elect of Matthew 24 who are gathered at the end of the tribulation. So even this period could be interpreted as the final 3.5 year period and not the first 3.5 year period.

[SirToady]

You use the phrase "boggles my mind". However you didn't actually confront the point that your view leaves out 3.5 years of Jesus' ministry and leaves out Jesus' crucifixion from the special 490 year period. This does boggle the mind.

Please be open to this point, MOST english translations SEPERATE the identity of the one who confirms the covenant (9:27a) and the one who sets up the abomination (9:27b). This point is ignored by most preterists and futurists, yet the Hebrew experts normally say "he" confirms the covenant and "one" sets up the abomination, two seperate people, the one being Jesus and the other one referring to the future antichrist period mentioned in Daniel 12 and elsewhere.



I agree with all you say here, I am a futurist , not a preterist. I assign some obvious verses to the past about Jesus' ministry and crucifixion, I am not one to overemphasize minor historical events as fulfilments of dramatic prophecies about the Messiah. I focus on the first advent and the second advent, which take obvious precedence in prophecy.



I agree with most of what you say concerning the last 3.5 year period.

The two witnesses also fit in better with the last 3.5 year period because at the end of the 3.5 year period they rise up , just like the elect of Matthew 24 who are gathered at the end of the tribulation. So even this period could be interpreted as the final 3.5 year period and not the first 3.5 year period.

It appears you may be taking some liberties here - and that is just fine. It appears that you are hanging a lot on what you assert is the length of 3 1/2 years of Christ's mission. If you could scripturally support that then you might have my attention.

[vinsight4u8]

The he for Daniel 9:27 matches the he from verse 2.


The Babylonian king has time left to rule.


See Jeremiah 25:11-12.


This is one main thing that Daniel supplicated over.
Gabriel came to help Daniel understand the timing.

[DurbanDude]

It appears you may be taking some liberties here - and that is just fine. It appears that you are hanging a lot on what you assert is the length of 3 1/2 years of Christ's mission. If you could scripturally support that then you might have my attention.

Daniel said the Messiah would come after 483 years after the decree. Some refer to a 360 day Jewish year but the Jews had about 5 x 360 day years and then a 390 day year every now and then, and so the number of Jewish years and the number of "seasonal" true years always match perfectly, with the Jewish month of Nisan always being adjusted with an insertion of an extra month so it always remains in springtime. Therefore the ONLY decree that fits well occurred in 458BC, the decree of Artaxerxes which according to some historians was delivered to the administrators of the Jewish region around September/October 458BC. This means that the Messiah came in September/October 26 AD, 483 years after the only decree that can fit in with any aspect of Jesus' ministry. The crucifixion date of 30AD has become the most widely accepted date, exactly 3.5 years later.

This starting date for Jesus' ministry is also confirmed by two verses in the gospels, one which states that John's ministry began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (26 AD) (Luke 3:1) , and another which states that Jesus' first Passover of His ministry occurred in the 46th year of the rebuilding of the temple (March/April 27AD), the most widely accepted date for the rebuilding is 19BC. With both John's ministry and Jesus' first miracles occurring in that one year period, it makes sense that Jesus began His ministry in the latter half of 26AD , being crucified 3.5 years later.

Here is one link that supports the 30AD date rater than the 33AD date http://www.truthmagazine.com/archive...GOT028159.html

Generally going by the descriptions of the Passovers of His ministry, there were four. The first one occurred near the beginning of His ministry, the last one when He was crucified. This makes up 3 years and some months.

Another point to look at , the coming of the anointed one occurs at year 483 of the timeline. So does the confirming of a covenant occur at year 483 of the timeline. Given that Jesus was the confirmation of God's promise to the Jews to send a Messiah surely this is a better fit and there is no need for a gap then? Jesus confirmed this covenant.

And additonally as true searchers for truth, we cannot ignore the fact that nearly 75% of all English translations seperate the identity of the one who confirms the covenant and the one who sets up the abomination. Additional points to consider is that no mention is ever made of the peace treaty in the NT and yet there are many warnings of great signs amidst a great coming to power or an abomination (Matthew 24, 2Thess 2, Rev 13, Dan 11/12, Dan 7) preceding a 3.5 year period. (I'm repeating some points)

[SirToady]

Daniel said the Messiah would come after 483 years after the decree. Some refer to a 360 day Jewish year but the Jews had about 5 x 360 day years and then a 390 day year every now and then, and so the number of Jewish years and the number of "seasonal" true years always match perfectly, with the Jewish month of Nisan always being adjusted with an insertion of an extra month so it always remains in springtime. Therefore the ONLY decree that fits well occurred in 458BC, the decree of Artaxerxes which according to some historians was delivered to the administrators of the Jewish region around September/October 458BC. This means that the Messiah came in September/October 26 AD, 483 years after the only decree that can fit in with any aspect of Jesus' ministry. The crucifixion date of 30AD has become the most widely accepted date, exactly 3.5 years later.

This starting date for Jesus' ministry is also confirmed by two verses in the gospels, one which states that John's ministry began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (26 AD) (Luke 3:1) , and another which states that Jesus' first Passover of His ministry occurred in the 46th year of the rebuilding of the temple (March/April 27AD), the most widely accepted date for the rebuilding is 19BC. With both John's ministry and Jesus' first miracles occurring in that one year period, it makes sense that Jesus began His ministry in the latter half of 26AD , being crucified 3.5 years later.

Here is one link that supports the 30AD date rater than the 33AD date http://www.truthmagazine.com/archive...GOT028159.html

Generally going by the descriptions of the Passovers of His ministry, there were four. The first one occurred near the beginning of His ministry, the last one when He was crucified. This makes up 3 years and some months.

Another point to look at , the coming of the anointed one occurs at year 483 of the timeline. So does the confirming of a covenant occur at year 483 of the timeline. Given that Jesus was the confirmation of God's promise to the Jews to send a Messiah surely this is a better fit and there is no need for a gap then? Jesus confirmed this covenant.

And additonally as true searchers for truth, we cannot ignore the fact that nearly 75% of all English translations seperate the identity of the one who confirms the covenant and the one who sets up the abomination. Additional points to consider is that no mention is ever made of the peace treaty in the NT and yet there are many warnings of great signs amidst a great coming to power or an abomination (Matthew 24, 2Thess 2, Rev 13, Dan 11/12, Dan 7) preceding a 3.5 year period. (I'm repeating some points)

A few points concerning the assertion that the first (he) is Christ in Daniel 9:27

In 9:25 notice the difference in spelling between Messiah the Prince and the prince in 9:26, one is specific to Christ (Prince), and the other to antichrist (prince).

In 9:26 AFTER the Messiah is cutoff, the people of the prince destroy the city and sanctuary and desolations continue until the end of is determined.

In 9:27a “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:”
It does not specify confirming God’s covenant (Genesis 17) with Abraham, just a covenant with many and the word covenant has many meanings such as a covenant or compact between man and man (Gen. 21: 32), or between tribes or nations (1 Sam. 11:1; Josh. 9:6, 15), etc…

The colon punctuation mark ( in 9:26 and at the end of 27a is used to divide distinct but related elements, for example, clauses in which the second elaborates on the first, or to introduce a list, quotation, or speech

Either it is Christ’s acts that are prophesied in all of 9:27 or the antichrist - it can’t be both.

Christ ministered 3 ½ years?

We are told in (John 2:1) that 3 days after John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God (John 1:34) that Jesus, his mother, and his disciples attend a wedding in Cana (John 2:2) of Galilee. The changing of water into wine was the beginning of miracles (John 2:11). Afterwards, Jesus and the rest went to Capernaum for a few days (John 2:12) before going to the Passover feast in Jerusalem (John 2:13).
The first Passover is in (John 2:13), the second is (John 6:4), and the last supper Passover is (John 13:1).
Since Passover is the 14th Day of Nisan Christ did not minister more than just a few days - not months - after John’s proclamation unto his 1st Passover until his last (3rd) Passover in John 13:1 which is just barely over 3 years. One could even argue that because of the account of the den of thieves at the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17), among other events that John 2:13 should be placed in the John 13:1 account since that is where the flow of Matthew and Mark leads it. That would reduce Christ’s ministry by a full year and place it at just over 2 years.

Furthermore, it is 29 A.D. - not 26 A.D., that appears to be the year of John the Baptist:
Luke 3:23 ”And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age…” according to Luke, Jesus is about thirty years old at the time of his baptism. What is the meaning of about - plus or minus one, two, three or more years?

Luke 3:
1. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

The year 29 A.D. - not 26 A.D. - fits nicely with the time period of all the principle characters mentioned in Luke 3:1-3.
Tiberius (Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar), second emperor of Rome (August 14 A.D. -37A.D.)
Pontius Pilate procurator of Judea (26 A.D. – 36 A.D.)
Caiaphas the High Priest (18 A.D. – 37 A.D.)
Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4 B.C. – 39 A.D.)

The 15th year of the reign of Tiberius would be in 29 A.D. This is the year the word of God came unto John – perhaps the Word. Therefore, 29 A.D appears to be the year that John would have symbolically baptized Christ (32-33 years old) at Bethabara (John 1:28).

If the Passover/crucifixion year of 31 A.D. that I tend to lean towards is correct then Christ would have begun his ministry at 32-33 years of age in 29 A.D. and lasted about 2 years. If Christ’s ministry went one day over two years then his ministry is considered to be 3 years in length.

[DurbanDude]

A few points concerning the assertion that the first (he) is Christ in Daniel 9:27

In 9:25 notice the difference in spelling between Messiah the Prince and the prince in 9:26, one is specific to Christ (Prince), and the other to antichrist (prince).

In 9:26 AFTER the Messiah is cutoff, the people of the prince destroy the city and sanctuary and desolations continue until the end of is determined.

In 9:27a “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:”

It does not specify confirming God’s covenant (Genesis 17) with Abraham, just a covenant with many and the word covenant has many meanings such as a covenant or compact between man and man (Gen. 21: 32), or between tribes or nations (1 Sam. 11:1; Josh. 9:6, 15), etc…

The colon punctuation mark ( in 9:26 and at the end of 27a is used to divide distinct but related elements, for example, clauses in which the second elaborates on the first, or to introduce a list, quotation, or speech

Either it is Christ’s acts that are prophesied in all of 9:27 or the antichrist - it can’t be both.

It can be two characters. I looked into this earlier in this thread and 12.5 translations out of 17 refer to "he" who confirms a covenant and "one" who sets up the abomination. MOST Hebrew translators say its two people not one, 9:27 therefore definitely can be referring to two characters, and does refer to two characters in 12.5 translations (NIV has two versions).

As for your comment about the prince, the Hebrew word is "nagiyd" in both cases, the prince is mentioned twice, there is no reason to assume a change of character regarding the prince.

Christ ministered 3 ½ years?

We are told in (John 2:1) that 3 days after John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God (John 1:34) that Jesus, his mother, and his disciples attend a wedding in Cana (John 2:2) of Galilee. The changing of water into wine was the beginning of miracles (John 2:11). Afterwards, Jesus and the rest went to Capernaum for a few days (John 2:12) before going to the Passover feast in Jerusalem (John 2:13).
The first Passover is in (John 2:13), the second is (John 6:4), and the last supper Passover is (John 13:1).
Since Passover is the 14th Day of Nisan Christ did not minister more than just a few days - not months - after John’s proclamation unto his 1st Passover until his last (3rd) Passover in John 13:1 which is just barely over 3 years. One could even argue that because of the account of the den of thieves at the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17), among other events that John 2:13 should be placed in the John 13:1 account since that is where the flow of Matthew and Mark leads it. That would reduce Christ’s ministry by a full year and place it at just over 2 years.

Furthermore, it is 29 A.D. - not 26 A.D., that appears to be the year of John the Baptist:
Luke 3:23 ”And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age…” according to Luke, Jesus is about thirty years old at the time of his baptism. What is the meaning of about - plus or minus one, two, three or more years?

This 29AD date for John the baptist doesn't make sense because Jesus' first Passover was the 46th year of the rebuilding (27AD), so its impossible for John the Baptist to start his ministry after Jesus, he was the forerunner to Jesus.
John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

The year 29 A.D. - not 26 A.D. - fits nicely with the time period of all the principle characters mentioned in Luke 3:1-3.
Tiberius (Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar), second emperor of Rome (August 14 A.D. -37A.D.)
Pontius Pilate procurator of Judea (26 A.D. – 36 A.D.)
Caiaphas the High Priest (18 A.D. – 37 A.D.)
Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4 B.C. – 39 A.D.)

The year 26AD also fits nicely, taking into account that Tiberius Caesar began his co-regency in 11AD. Pilate/Caiaphas/Herod ruled through the whole period. But the year 26AD fits in better when we take into account its the 483rd year after the decree in 458BC (69 sevens until the coming of the anointed one), and also fits into the 46th year of the rebuilding. It also fits in better with the 30AD crucifixion date, you say 31AD but I did post a link pointing towards 30AD as the correct date:
http://www.truthmagazine.com/archive...GOT028159.html

The 30AD date fits well because Jesus was about 30 years old in 26AD when he began his ministry, he was born about 4 BC, during the reign of Herod the Great who died in 4BC. If Jesus began his ministry only in 29AD this would make him 33 years old, not 30 years old when he started his ministry.

[iconoclast2012]

....Excellent thought provoking thread w/incisive scriptural references...once again a tremendous effort by Double D & others HOWEVER...If I may, I'd like to apply one scriptural "wrench" to the 3 & 1/2 year "great trib" eschatology...After 14 pages of reading along, once again, there was not a single mention of perhaps the most curious "seven year verse" in all scripture...Ezk.39:9 "And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years" ....SEVEN YEARS....Now...this scripture in context is an obvious reference to the aftermath of the "battle of Magog" Ezk.38-39...I guess the question I have for you is...Where exactly does this 7 year period fit in ...? I'm inclined to believe the "battle of Magog"....precipitates the final seven years...

[vinsight4u8]

Israel has to dwell safely first. So, it us not till after Armageddon that she will burn the weapons for seven years.