The bible states that in the time just prior to the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ, the world will experience a time of unprecedented trial and tribulation. This seven year period is referred to by most Christians as “the tribulation.” But the bible refers to it by many names, including “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” “the seventieth week of Daniel,” and “the day of the Lord’s vengeance.” Regardless of the phrase used to describe it, the tribulation will be a time of great testing for every person on earth as it will be a time of enormous pain and suffering.

When asked by His disciples to describe the signs of His coming and the end of the age, Jesus pointed to this time period as a time of anguish greater than any since the world first began:

“‘The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about – the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.’ (Reader, pay attention!) ‘Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.’” Matthew 24:15-21 (NLT)

While the tribulation will be a worldwide experience, it will strike the nation of Israel and the Jewish people with particular severity. The last three and a half years of the tribulation are a time period the bible describes as “the Great Tribulation,” and it will be a time of unrivaled persecution of the Jewish people.

Given our generation’s firsthand experience of the Holocaust, it’s difficult to fathom that a time of greater horror is yet future for the Jewish people. But according to the bible, this will be the case. Nevertheless, hope still exists, because this time period will end with the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Righteous Kingdom.

Daniel’s 70 Weeks

The Book of Daniel, written over 600 years before Christ was born, provides some of the clearest and most detailed prophecies concerning the tribulation period. During one of his heavenly visions, Daniel learns the following from the angel Gabriel:

“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.” Daniel 9:24 (NLT)

What does this passage mean? Let’s examine it piece-by-piece:

1) Seventy Sets of Seven: This phrase is sometimes translated as seventy sets of weeks, and it can be confusing to the modern reader. Nevertheless, bible scholars are in full agreement that the original Hebrew word for “week” is best translated as “seven years,” much like the English word “decade” is best translated as “ten years.” Therefore, seventy sets of seven (70 sets of 7 years), in the context of this passage, is 490 years.

2) Your People and Your Holy City: In this context, “your people” means Daniel’s people, and “your holy city” means Jerusalem. Therefore, this passage is in reference to the Jewish people and the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Knowing these two things, Gabriel’s message from God to the Jews is this – 490 years have been decreed to:

1) Finish their rebellion against God (accept Christ as the Messiah)

2) Put an end to their sin (make a conscious decision to stop sinning)

3) Atone for their guilt (accept the blood of Christ as payment for sin)

4) Bring in everlasting righteousness (witness the establishment of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom)

5) Confirm the prophetic vision (witness the fulfillment of all Messianic prophecies)

6) Anoint the most Holy place (witness the anointing of the Temple by means of the physical presence of the glorified Messiah, Jesus Christ)

According to the angel Gabriel, God has promised the Jewish people that all six of these objectives will be achieved within a 490 year period, and that 490 year period would begin with the decree to rebuild the Temple. However, what the prophecy didn’t reveal is that the final conclusion of the 490 years would be interrupted in year 483 by the most significant event in human history – the arrival of the Anointed One who will be killed “appearing to have accomplished nothing.”

483 Years Until the Messiah Appears

The heavenly message Gabriel relayed to Daniel provides one of the clearest biblical proofs that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God:

“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler – the Anointed One – comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” Daniel 9:24-25 (NLT)

According to the Book of Daniel, 483 years [(7 sets of 7 years) + (62 sets of 7 years)] will pass between the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (the Messiah) comes. Since a biblical year is 360 days, we’re actually being told that 173,880 days will pass. To calculate the exact date of the Messiah’s arrival, readers of this prophecy would need to count forward 173,880 days from the time of the command and look for the Messiah’s arrival in Jerusalem at that time.

The date of the command to rebuild the Temple is recorded in the Book of Nehemiah.

According to Nehemiah 2:1-8, the command to rebuild Jerusalem was given in the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes (446 B.C.) during the month of Nisan (March/April). Counting forward 173,880 days from both the first day and the last day of Nisan (since the bible isn’t clear of the exact day), one will calculate a target arrival date for the Messiah of somewhere between 13 April A.D. 31 and 12 May A.D. 31.

Did anyone appear in Jerusalem between those dates who fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah and was killed, “appearing to have accomplished nothing”?

Yes.

During the Passover festivities in Jerusalem in the year A.D. 31, Jesus of Nazareth was killed in such a way, thus fulfilling the prophecy given to Daniel:

“After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.” Daniel 9:26 (NLT)

The latter part of this prophecy was fulfilled in A.D. 70, thirty-nine years after Jesus was crucified. In that year, the future Roman Emperor Titus led his armies into Jerusalem where they destroyed the City and the Temple.

7 Years of Tribulation Remain

Following the crucifixion of Jesus, the final seven years of the 490 years decreed were put on hold. Many explanations have been offered as to why these final seven years have been put on hold and recounting them all is beyond the scope of this article. But regardless of the reason, we can be certain these final seven years are yet future. Why? Because Jesus Himself said so.

While speaking to His disciples in reference to the end of the age and His Coming, Jesus said:

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about – the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” Matthew 24:15 (NLT)

This verse describes an event which has not occurred. Therefore, it is yet future.

“Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:29-30 (NLT)

Obviously, this verse also describes a future event, and it’s a key verse in determining the length of the tribulation, when it will begin, and when it will end.

When Will the Tribulation Begin?

According to the Book of Daniel, the tribulation will begin when Israel and the Antichrist confirm a covenant:

“The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.” Daniel 9:27 (NLT)

This treaty between the Antichrist and Israel will signal the beginning of seven years of tribulation. Three and a half years later, the Antichrist will break this covenant by entering and desecrating the Jewish Temple.

How Long Will the Tribulation Last?

According to Jesus, His return will take place immediately after the turmoil and tribulation which follow the abomination of desolation. This particular period of the tribulation (the last 3 ½ years) is known as the Great Tribulation, and it will be the most horrible time in human history. The fact that this time period will last 3.5 biblical years (or 1,260 days) is evidenced by numerous scriptural references (italics added are mine):

“He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.” Daniel 7:25 (NLT)

“Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.” Revelation 13:5 (NLT)

“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.” Revelation 12:6 (NLT)

“There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.” Revelation 12:14 (NLT)

“They will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.” Revelation 11:2-3 (NLT)

“Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing on opposite banks of the river. One of them asked the man dressed in linen, who was now standing above the river, ‘How long will it be until these shocking events are over?’ The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took a solemn oath by the One who lives forever, saying, ‘It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.’” Daniel 12:5-7 (NLT)

Jesus Offers Hope

The bible is clear. The tribulation will be a time of unprecedented suffering and horror. Nevertheless, humanity’s future is not bleak. The Lord Jesus Christ offers hope to all who trust in Him, and He offers the following promise:

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.” Revelation 3:10 (NLT)

Those who commit their lives to Jesus Christ before the arrival of the tribulation will experience the blessed hope of the rapture, rather than endure the judgments of the tribulation. This is because God has appointed those filled with the Holy Spirit to enjoy His salvation, not to endure His wrath:

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NLT)

This wonderful blessing is not due to any great feat on the part of those who receive it, but is, by all accounts, evidential proof of God’s merciful grace.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, while those filled with the Holy Spirit will escape the tribulation by means of the rapture, the nation of Israel will be left to endure the final seven years of her 490 year purification process. In fact, Israel will bear the brunt of the tribulation. Nevertheless, the tribulation should be viewed as a time to rejoice. Its arrival, just like the pain of childbirth, foreshadows a time of indescribable joy. For the tribulation signals the imminent return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the eternal exaltation of Israel.

God makes this promise in the Book of Jeremiah:

“In all history there has never been such a time of terror. It will be a time of trouble for my people Israel. Yet in the end they will be saved!” Jeremiah 30:7 (NLT)

As well as the Book of Daniel:

“Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.” Daniel 12:1 (NLT)

The people of Israel will be rescued by the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ:

“Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:29-30 (NLT)

After destroying Israel’s enemies, He will establish a Kingdom that will never be destroyed:

“Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

One of God’s most wonderful promises to those who love Him is the creation of the new Jerusalem, a place of unimaginable beauty and perfection. In fact, Jesus promised to go ahead of His followers and prepare a place for them in the new Jerusalem, and the Old Testament heroes who exhibited unwavering faith in the Word of God had their eyes trained on this future city, a place where justice would reign and righteousness would endure for all of eternity.

“All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:13-16 (NLT)

The same New Testament chapter points out that Abraham himself confidently looked forward to the new Jerusalem:

“Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.” Hebrews 11:10 (NLT)

So when will this city arrive?

It will arrive in the aftermath of the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT)

As history proves, this child has already been born to us, and He freely offers the gift of eternal salvation to all who will accept it. Unfortunately, the entire world can see that His government and its peace have not yet arrived. But just as surely as the first part of this prophecy was fulfilled, it is a certainty that the rest of this prophecy will be fulfilled. And someday soon, those who love Him will witnesses the following:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 (NLT)

The Promise of Jesus

In a conversation with His disciples, the Lord Jesus said the following:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NLT)

Where is this place that Jesus is preparing? What does His Father’s home look like?

The bible provides us with a number of details. The place, of course, is heaven – His Father’s home, the place where God dwells.

Just as whatever plane the President of the United States occupies is known as Air Force One, wherever God chooses to dwell is known as heaven. And the bible clearly states that God will one day dwell with human beings in the new Jerusalem. Biblical descriptions of the new Jerusalem are descriptions of the place Jesus has prepared for us. The new Jerusalem is heaven.

So let’s examine what the bible says about this place:

The Pearly Gates

The physical description of the new Jerusalem paints the picture of a city beyond compare in its magnificence and enormity. The apostle John provides us with some details:

“So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone – like jasper as clear as crystal. The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. There were three gates on each side – east, north, south, and west. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:10-14 (NLT)

The new city will shine with the glory of God, perfect in its beauty. And, as revealed in the following passage, its enormity will be unprecedented.

“The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).” Revelation 21:15-17 (NLT)

The length, width, and height of the new Jerusalem will all be 1,400 miles in length. To put this into perspective, this is a distance equivalent to almost half of the continental United States! Opinions differ as to whether the new Jerusalem is shaped like a cube or a pyramid. Whether a cube or a pyramid, it would still be the largest city any human being has ever entered. And its beauty is accentuated by the following construction materials:

“The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.” Revelation 21:18-20 (NLT)

The human mind cannot begin to imagine the true beauty of the new Jerusalem. Pure gold as clear as glass? An entire wall made of jasper? Its foundation stones will be inlaid with some of the most colorful and exotic stones ever created, and to top it off, the twelve gates will each be constructed from a giant pearl:

“The twelve gates were made of pearls – each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.” Revelation 21:21 (NLT)

Almost everyone has heard of the pearly gates of heaven. But unlike most of the artist renderings we’ve seen, the actual pearly gates will each be composed of a single pearl.

God Will Dwell Among Us

But the most glorious aspect of the new Jerusalem has nothing to do with its material splendor. The best part of the new Jerusalem will be that God Himself will dwell among men:

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.’” Revelation 21:3 (NLT)

In the new Jerusalem, physical and spiritual life will be illuminated by the presence of the Lord Himself. There will be no need for the sun, the moon, or the building of a temple:

“I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.” Revelation 21:22-23 (NLT)

In the new Jerusalem, we will see the very face of God:

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there – no need for lamps or sun – for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:3-5 (NLT)

The new Jerusalem will be heaven, the place of final destination for those who believe in Jesus Christ. For He Himself will live among us:

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.” Philippians 3:20 (NLT)

The River of Life

In addition to the presence of God, a river filled with the water of life will flow from the throne of the Father and the Son and down the main street:

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2 (NLT)

The river will be flanked by a tree of life, bearing a new fruit each month, and its leaves will be used to heal the nations. The prophet Ezekiel witnessed this same vision:

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12 (NLT)

The scriptures describe a new Jerusalem bursting with life, sustained by the living water of Christ:

“Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.” Isaiah 35:6-7 (NLT)

To all who wish to drink from this water, the Lord Jesus Christ issues a free invitation to come:

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” Revelation 22:17 (NLT)

More Characteristics of the New Jerusalem

The aforementioned aspects of the new Jerusalem don’t even begin to offer a comprehensive view of what God’s city will look like. Below are a few verses which provide further illustration of the new Jerusalem’s characteristics:

No More Disabilities

“And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” Isaiah 35:5-6 (NLT)

No More Death or Crying or Pain

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 (NLT)

“I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.” Isaiah 65:19 (NLT)

“Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.” Isaiah 35:10 (NLT)

No More Darkness

“The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory.” Revelation 21:24 (NLT)

“Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there.” Revelation 21:25 (NLT)

Conclusion

The descriptions of the new Jerusalem provide a laundry list of the very things which mankind longs for – fellowship with God, the presence of justice, the achievement of everlasting life, the admiration of exquisite beauty, and the absence of fear, crying, and pain. By every account, the new Jerusalem is the paradise of which mankind has dreamed since the fall of man. How then, does a person become a citizen of this new Jerusalem?

The bible tells us that citizenship is freely granted by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ:

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’ And he also said, ‘It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.’” Revelation 21:5-7 (NLT)

To all who are thirsty, Christ will give freely from the springs of the water of life. However, certain people will not be allowed to enter the city:

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars – their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 (NLT)

“Outside the city are the dogs – the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.” Revelation 22:15 (NLT)

The reason these people will never be allowed to enter the new Jerusalem is because nothing evil can ever be allowed in the presence of the Holy God, and God will reside in the new Jerusalem:

“Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty – but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27 (NLT)

Unfortunately, the list of those who are not allowed to enter provides an accurate description of mankind:

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NLT)

In spite of our shortcomings, not all hope is lost! A person can be made new again by belief in the living Son of God, Jesus Christ. Known as the Lamb of God, He gave His life as a sacrifice for our sin so that God can call us righteous and allow us entry into the new Jerusalem:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NLT)

If a person believes in Jesus Christ, that person will not perish, but will have instead, eternal life. And this eternal life will be lived out in the confines and vicinity of the new Jerusalem, where God dwells among men:

“All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God – the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God.” Revelation 3:12 (NLT)

This is a promise from the Lord Jesus Christ. May His coming be soon!

“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.” Revelation 22:20-21 (NLT)
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!