How Will We Know When We're in the Last Three and a Half Years?

If you have read my previous post entitled, "How Will We Know When We're in the Last Seven Years?", you will know that I pointed out the "signing of the covenant" as one of the signs that begins the last seven years of life "as we know it" on this planet.

I singled that out so that it would be clear, emphatic and easy to remember.

But, what about the beginning of the last three and a half years? How will we know for sure when that has begun?

It was Jesus Himself Who warned us about the "Great Tribulation" in Matthew, chapter 24. We know from other verses in the Bible that the "Great Tribulation" lasts for three and a half years. Revelation chapter 13 describes the world dictator or "Antichrist" and the time period that he will be given to continue.

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.

If you divide 42 by 12 (12 months in a year), you come up with 3.5 years. That's not a coincidence. That's God reinforcing His word by using months as well as years. He also tells us the time period in days.

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. (3.54 years)

During this time of tribulation, the woman (or believers) flees into the wilderness.

Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

(One score is 20 years. So, that adds up to 1260 days.)

If you divide 1260 days by 364 (there are 364 and 1/4 days in a year), you will get 3.461 years.

If you choose to use the Jewish months, there are roughly 355 days in a Jewish calendar year, so by dividing 1260 days by 355, you come up with roughly 3.54 years.

In another verse, Revelation 12:14, it says, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."

That's three and a half years.

So, the question is: How will we know when we're in the last three and a half years?

Matthew 24:15 WHEN YE THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE...
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.

Jesus made it very clear. He said "when". "When you see." We are going to see the Abomination of Desolation. Now, in this time on the earth, everyone is able to simultaneously see something important. Just like we all saw the twin towers fall. We'll see the placing of this "thing" when it is erected "in the holy place".

Is there a question about where the "Holy Place" is? No, it's not the Vatican. It's Jerusalem. If you haven't read the Bible, God has always referred to Jerusalem as His own holy place and the place Jesus will return to very soon.

Now, at this point in time, there is a mosque sitting on the temple mount. However, the Jews intend to build their own temple in the same vicinity. Therefore, the signing of the peace covenant (Daniel 9:27) may even make that possible, since, at the moment, it seems to be a political and religious impossibility.