How to Tell If We’re Living in the Tribulation

How will we know that the tribulation has definitely begun?

This is an important question to address because many speculate about when the tribulation will begin or what people will see before it begins.

It would be useful for us to have clear signposts to look for so we do not get caught off guard when the tribulation begins or get caught up in premature claims that the tribulation has already begun.

I will provide a few definitive signposts that can help us assess whether the tribulation has begun or is about ready to begin in this article.

Signpost 1: A Very Charismatic Leader Arises

The Book of Daniel indicates that the Antichrist will begin his rise to power from relatively humble beginnings. Daniel 7 refers to Antichrist as a “little horn” when he begins his rise. This portrayal suggests he will be lesser in stature than other leaders (horns) initially:

“(20) And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows…(24) And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.” (Daniel 7:20, 24)

The Antichrist will not be an ordinary political leader. The Bible emphasizes that he will be very charismatic; he’ll speak “very great things”:

“And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.” (Daniel 7:20)

I view Adolf Hitler as a forerunner of the Antichrist. Hitler rose from nothing to become the most infamous person in history. Eye-witnesses indicate that Hitler had an extraordinary level of charisma. He was so charismatic that many people (including his generals) said that he had a hypnotic effect on them.

It’s likely that the Antichrist will be even more charismatic than Hitler. Therefore, you should look for a leader who can hypnotize large crowds and can hypnotize people one-on-one as he rises to power.

Signpost 2: The Covenant with Many

The confirmation of the covenant with many may be the most visible signpost that’ll alert people that the tribulation has begun. Daniel 9:27 indicates that this event will occur at the start of the tribulation (or 70th week):

“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.” (Daniel 9:27)

It’s very likely that people alive at that time will hear about the covenant since the Mideast attracts a lot of media attention.

The Bible gives us clues about what we can expect from the covenant. Here are four things we should look for in the covenant:

1. The Length of the Covenant

Daniel 9:27 suggests that the covenant is intended to last for “one week” (or “one seven” in Hebrew). A prophetic week is seven years long, so a person should look for an agreement that is seven years long.

2. The Signee

Daniel 9:27 mentions that “he” will confirm a covenant with many. This implies that one signee of the deal may be a person instead of a political organization.

Some argue that the person could work for an organization like the United Nations. However, Daniel 9:27 later says the same “he” will halt temple sacrifice and set up an abomination that causes desolation. This suggests that “he” will work on his own behalf.

I believe “he” is the Antichrist. Therefore, you should look to see if one of the key signees is a man working on his own behalf instead of working for a political organization. You should be extra suspicious if “he” gets much of the credit and accolades for being the driving force behind the agreement.

3. The Nature of the Covenant

Many speculate about the details of the covenant. I believe Isaiah 28 reveals the true nature of the covenant. The chapter gives the covenant an ominous nickname: the “covenant with death”:

“(14) Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. (15) Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:” (Isaiah 28:14-15)

The Antichrist may promise to protect Israel as part of the deal. Isaiah 28:15 indicates that Israel’s leaders will be overconfident about their safety as a result:

“Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:” (Isaiah 28:15)

Therefore, you should look for a covenant that many (including Israel’s leaders) claim will bring peace to Israel and the Mideast. But be aware that any peace created from such an agreement will not last long.

4. The Timing of the Covenant

The tribulation most likely will begin between late October and middle November of a given year. As a result, the confirmation of the covenant with many is likely to occur during this time frame.

Therefore, you should be particularly alarmed if a covenant is confirmed between late October and middle November and meets the other criteria mentioned above.

Signpost 3: A War Leader Dominates His Opposition

The Book of Daniel depicts the Antichrist as a war leader who will dominate anyone who crosses his path, including the strongest of opponents:

“(36) And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (37) Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. (38) But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. (39) Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.” (Daniel 11:36-39)

You can probably identify that the Antichrist is rising to power when you see him fighting and defeating very strong opponents.

Signpost 4: Extreme Global Famine & Widespread Death

Revelation 6:5-8 describes extreme famine and death impacting the entire world. The famine will be so extreme that the price of wheat and barley will skyrocket to unprecedented levels:

“(5) And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (6) And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

Meanwhile, death will become so commonplace that a 25% of the world’s population will die from various causes, including from disease:

“(7) And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (8) And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death [disease], and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:7-8)

You should be able to conclude that you’re living in the tribulation when you see extreme global famine and observe the death of a quarter of the world’s population within a short time span.

A Potential Signpost: The Third Temple

The Antichrist cannot set up the abomination that causes desolation and demand worship at the midpoint of the tribulation unless:

  • The Third Temple is built in Jerusalem
  • Temple sacrifice is underway.

Some speculate the covenant with many will lead to the building of the Third Temple. However, the Third Temple may be built before the tribulation begins.

The Third Temple’s construction and completion would be a major sign that major events may soon unfold because there has not been a temple of God in Jerusalem since the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 A.D.

The start of temple sacrifice would be even a greater sign that the Lord is readying to proceed with His end time plan.

We’re Not in the Tribulation Yet

I do not believe we are living in the tribulation because we have not yet seen the signposts I’ve listed. There’s not yet a “solution” to the problems in the Middle East. In addition, there has not been a highly charismatic leader who has dominated the strongest military opponents in the world recently.

If you would like to learn more about identifying the Antichrist, click this link for an article on the topic: Identifying the Antichrist: Some Characteristics to Look For

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Wayne Croley
Wayne Croley

Hi! I’ve studied and written about Bible prophecy since I was a teenager. My goal is to make Bible prophecy easy for you to understand while avoiding the sensationalism seen elsewhere. I am the author of several end time books, including Prophecy Proof Insights on the End Times, a comprehensive book about the end times. I hold an M.B.A. and degrees in Managerial Economics and Political Science.

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  1. “How Can We Tell When We Are Definitely in the 70th Week of Daniel?”

    Just count the years.

    In the year 1535 AD, Suleiman the Magnificent ordered the reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem.
    69 weeks x 7 = 483 years.
    1535 AD + 483 years = 2018
    We are now in the 70th week!

      • There is not one verse in the Bible about a 7 years great tribulation.
        Time, times and half a time = 1260 days = 42 months = 3 1/2 years. So if we ever consider that a second fulfillment of Daniel 9 begining in 1535 AD is valid, then we have to wait until the end of 2021.

        There have been too many Israeli-Palestinian agreements since 1949, we don’t know which one has to be “confirmed” the last week. Anyway, the devil is not crazy to appear on the TV to show and say “Now I am confirming the Daniel 9:27 agreement for 7 years”!

        The third temple is not absolutely necessary.

        There is not one verse in the Bible about a pre-tribulation rapture, and there is no rapture in Revelation 4:1, for the church is still warned in Rev. 16:15, after the 6th vial:

        “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)

        This is exactly the same kind of warnings of coming “as a a thief” to the church of Sardis in Rev 3:3. and of being “clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” to the church of Laodicea in Rev. 3:18. So this is for the CHURCH, and the church is still here after the 6th vial.

        “The deads in Christ shall rise FIRST”, then and only then “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds” (1 Tes 4:16-17). And in the FIRST resurrection (Rev.21) are included those who already “were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands” (Rev 20:4). As in the Bible “FIRST” always means “first” (no other before), and “LAST” always means “last” (no other after), a pre-tribulation rapture is impossible.

        FULFILLMENT OF DANIEL 9 (first one, if we consider a second one):

        1. JERUSALEM WAS TO BE RESTORED
        This has been fulfilled

        2. THE STREET AND WALL WERE TO BE REBUILT IN TROUBLOUS TIMES
        This has been fulfilled. See the book of Ezra some of the troubles that confronted the people in those years of rebuilding.

        3. THE MOST HOLY WAS TO BE ANOINTED
        Jesus said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath ANOINTED me” (Luke 4:18)
        “God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost…” (Acts 10:38)

        4. MESSIAH WAS TO BE CUT OFF
        “He was cut off out of the land of the living” (Isaiah 53:8)

        5. “TO FINISH THE TRANSGRESSION”
        As Jesus was dying, he cried: “It is FINISHED.” At Calvary, Jesus finished transgression by becoming sin for us.
        “He was wounded for our TRANSGRESSIONS” (Isaiah 53:5)

        6. “TO MAKE AN END OF SINS.”
        Jesus “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrew 9:26)
        “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3)
        “He was manifested to take away our sins” (l John 3:5)

        7. “TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR INIQUITY”
        Jesus made “RECONCILIATION for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17)

        8. “TO BRING IN EVER LASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
        He who came “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mat 3:15)
        “…or he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in him” (2 Cor 5:21)

        9. “TO SEAL UP VISION AND PROPHECY”
        Christ “sealed” Old Testament prophecy by fulfilling what was written of him. “All the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Mt. 11:13) Jesus is the fulfillment of vision and prophecy.

        10. “HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT.”
        Jesus said: “This is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mt. 26:28). His shed blood is called “the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Heb 12:24).

        11. “HE SHALL CAUSE THE SACRIFICE AND THE OBLATION TO CEASE.”
        The perfect sacrifice was Jesus Christ. The old system of repeated sacrifices could only end at Calvary—when Christ became the perfect, eternal, and final sacrifice (Heb. 9 and 10). “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10: 18, 26).

        12. THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE
        The subject matter of verse 26 is the Messiah who shall be cut off. The rest of the verse, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple is parenthetical, dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D when the armies of Titus brought the city to desolation.

        The whole of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy from the times and corresponding events has been fulfilled to the very letter. (Clarke’s Commentary, note on Daniel 9)

        • We disagree on this topic, but thank you for sharing your thoughts so that others might consider different viewpoints on this subject matter.

        • Except, Matthew 29-31 was not fulfilled in 70AD.

          The Elect were not gathered. The new Testament wasn’t even finished being written then. John was still walking around. Wouldn’t the disciple John been part of the Elect?

      • I ran across this article. Today is March 2, 2021. The last post here was 2018. So I hope this finds it’s way to you.

        Do you believe we are now in the tribulation period with the Abraham Accord?

        People are dying like crazy from a “pandemic” and dying from the “vaccinne”
        More likely the cabal is trying to reduce the population. Things are very bad right now and are getting worse by the day.

        Thank you for your time.

  2. This may change the expectations of some that think that a peace treaty is required for the Temple to go up. All it requires is for God to confirm the last seven years of the covenant He made with Israel for 490 years. I believe they own the City of David. They can put the temple up when they want, if they do.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tzom66XhZ8

  3. Wayne, as the word “confirm” means to strengthen, do you not see this covenant as being something that already exists and gets confirmed or strengthened by the antichrist, but rather as merely being created by him? I always tended to believe that there is a covenant already in existence that has to be confirmed or rebooted in some way. If it already has to exist, then that would alter how we view the matter.

    • I could see it being either strengthening an existing agreement to give it real legitimacy or it being something groundbreaking. I lean towards the idea that Antichrist is likely going to come up with something groundbreaking which permits temple construction, permits temple worship, and has a security guarantee for Israel in it.

  4. We furthermore hope there is a single
    well-respected origin. I do believe Josephus is usually a person to see, however the international locations transferred even with his period. Find out more result what is real estate

  5. what about the European Neighborhood Policy and then the Lisbon Treaty? Could that the be treaty that promises peace with Israel and Many, and the Lisbon Treaty be the confirmation? 

  6. I also wish there was a single authoritative source. I think Josephus is someone to look at, but the nations moved even after his time.

  7. I wish that there was an authoritative source on the location of all the tribes. I get so many different locations for the same tribe that I don’t know who to believe. I do know that the City of Meshech changed its name in 1147A.D. to Moscow which is directly Noth of Jerusalem which leads me to believe that the tribe of Meshech is modern Russia. I am also lead to believe that Tubal settled the city of T’bilisi in the Soviet state of Georgia. These two are brothers as mentioned in Genesis 10:2 which makes sence that they would settle close to eachother.

  8. Israel’s PM planning to visit Washington D C in May 2011 to discuss peace talks…

    Extract from AFP :

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/03/07/11/israel-may-offer-interim-peace-plan-soon-report

    “JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may move up a trip to the United States and present an interim peace plan to head off growing pressure on the Jewish state, Israeli radio reported Monday.

    Citing sources close to the prime minister, the radio said Netanyahu had been expected to present the plan during a May 22 visit to Washington”

    Israel planning some renovation works (Building the 3rd temple?)

    Extract from Reuters :

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/03/06/11/israel-plans-work-contested-jerusalem-holy-site

  9. Extract from CNN :

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11968304

    “The letter sent to European governments and EU institutions, asks EU foreign ministers to reiterate that they “will not recognise any changes to the June 1967 boundaries and clarify that a Palestinian state should be in sovereign control over territory equivalent to 100% of the territory occupied in 1967, including its capital in East Jerusalem”.

    It also asks ministers to set the Israeli government an ultimatum that, if it has not fallen into line by April 2011, the EU will seek an end to the US-brokered peace process in favour of a UN solution, according to the EUobserver website.

    The EU should link its informal freeze on an upgrade in diplomatic relations with Israel to a settlement construction moratorium; ban imports of products made in settlements; and force Israel to pay for the majority of the aid required by the Palestinians, it adds.

    Israel seeking interim Peace Treaty

    Extract from Reuters :

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/01/us-palestinians-israel-idUSTRE72025Y20110301

    We should definitely keep our eyes alert in April 2011…

  10. I agree with you that we are not there yet. One thing that I would like to toss out is that to have a peace treaty signed there would have to be a war. I know right now Isreal is not at peace, but they are also not at war in the traditional sense. Any leader that brought “peace” to the Middle East would be a hero to the world, but if Isreal was attacked by its neighbors, and one person signed a peace treaty with Isreal and her neighbors, and as part of the treaty allowed the rebuilding of the temple, all countries in the surrounding area would be “happy” and you would have no need for walls.