25 'in the midst of the week' or 'for half of the week'?

Ω      'in the midst of the week' or 'for half of the week' ?

= When will the great tribulation begin? = When does the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place? = When will the son of destruction sit in the temple building?

Matt.24:15 "When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), Matt.24:16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Matt.24:21 for then will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. Matt.24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened.

When the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place, the great tribulation that has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be, will begin. Until the abomination of desolation stood in the holy place, even in tribulation[1], there was still a realm where God's people could escape the Babylon's attack. But as the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place, the whole world is completely taken over by Babylon the great.[2] There would be no more Judea left.[3]

2Thess.2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, 2Thess.2:4 he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

The great tribulation begins at this time, when the abomination of desolation, the son of destruction, sits in the temple building and reveals himself to be God.

Dan 9:27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and upon the wing of detestable things shall be that which causeth appalment; and that until the extermination wholly determined be poured out upon that which causeth appalment.[JPS-jewish publication society] Dan 9:27 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 offering to cease; and on the wing of abominations [shall come] one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, shall [wrath] be poured out on the desolate.[WEB] Dan 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.[KJV]

At the end of the 70-weeks, sin and human history will be finished.[4] Now is the time when the 69 weeks have been finished and we are in a blank period. Someday the 70th week will begin. The beast forces people to worship the beast for 42 months, for 1st half of the 70th week out of the 70th week, and the mark of the beast is placed on those who worship the beast.  In the 'half of the 70th week' the son of destruction sits in the temple building and calls himself God. From this point on, the great tribulation begins. Therefore, depending on how we view this 'half of the 70th week', our view of when the great tribulation will begin may change.  One of the heads of the beast that will rule the world for 42 months, seems to have been wounded fatally, and the fatal wound is healed. This beast is the beast that is worshiped.[5] The false prophet makes an image of this beast and kills all who do not worship the image of the beast.[6] Those who worship this beast will receive the mark of the beast666.[7] Depending on how we view this 'half of the 70th week', we may have a different view of who this beast with its restored head is, or of when the beast forces worship. In other words, there may be questions such as 'How can he force people to worship him before he even claims himself to be God?', and also 'After he claims himself to be God at half point of the 70th week, does he cause the great tribulation for 42 months, for the 2nd half of the 70th week?'.  If we see 'week half' as 'during half a week', the beast calls itself God as soon as it takes over the whole world. Then, the entire period of the 1st half of the 70th week when the great tribulation takes place, will be the 42 months in which the beast forces to worship. If we view 'week half' as 'at half point of the 70th week', the beast forces to worship for 42 months, but does not even call itself God. Or, the 42 months in which the beast forces to worship, will be the 2nd half of the 70th week, not the 1st half of the 70th week.

Dan.12:11 From the time that the continual [burnt offering] shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days. Dan.12:12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.

Blessed is that person who has passed 1290 days after the beginning of the great tribulation and reached 1335 days. It means that 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation, very good things will happen. However, this does not seem to imply that the period of the great tribulation is 1290 days or 1335 days. This means that the period of the great tribulation may or may not be 1290 days. There are 2 main views as to what will happen 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation. ① One is the resurrection and the transformation of the martyr witnesses, ② and the other is the advent of the 1000-year kingdom.  There may be an opinion that the person who waits from the time when the son of destruction sits in the temple building, 1290 days and 45 more days until 1335 days, is said to be blessed. Also, there may be an opinion that there will be a blessing for that person who reaches 2625 days by adding another 1335 days from the time when 1290 days have passed since the son of destruction sat in the temple building. Here, we assume that it means 'blessed is the person who reaches 1335 days after 45 more days have passed at the end of 1290 days.'  ① The resurrection and the transformation of the martyr witnesses is an important event that perfects the free will of creatures. When the free will of the creatures is perfected, sin will not take place again in the creation world, so the atonement for the creation world finally begins. ② The 1000-year kingdom is a reward period given to the martyr witnesses, before the LORD Jesus burns all things related to sin, including sin and death, in the lake of fire. ① If we look at what will happen 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation as the 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses, it means that the great tribulation began with the 70th week. ② If we look at what will happen 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation as the coming of the 1000-year kingdom, it means that the great tribulation began at half point of the 70th week.  There are important events at the beginning of the 70th week, and at the end of the 1st half of the 70th week, that is, at half point of the 70th week, and at the end of the 70th week. At the beginning of the 70th week, the beast takes over the whole world for 42 months, for the 1st half of the 70th week, and after that 42 months, after the 1260 days, the martyr witnesses are resurrected or transformed. It means that around half point of the 70th week, the martyr witnesses will be resurrected or transformed. (Depending on how long the period of the great tribulation is viewed, there may be different views on this.) After that, for another 1260 days (or for 1260 days minus the period of the great tribulation), for the 2nd half of the 70th week, '7 plagues + judgment against the Babylon + judgment against the beasts + imprisoning Satan in the abyss' events happen. At the end of the 2nd half of the 70th week, that is, at the end of the 70th week, it means that Satan will be imprisoned in the abyss and the 1000-year kingdom will be established. However, there seems to be no special event in the intervening period. Therefore, to claim that the great tribulation does not occur at the beginning or end of the 1st half of the 70th week, but in the middle of the 1st half of the 70th week, it is also necessary to explain what the blessings will be on the 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation.      ① If we consider that the great tribulation begins with the 70th week, what will happen 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation, will be the resurrection and the transformation of the martyr witnesses. And the period of the great tribulation will be about 1260 days. It is the view that the entire period during which worship of the beast is enforced, belongs to the great tribulation. ② If we consider that the great tribulation will begin around half point of the 70th week, what will happen 1335 days after the beginning of the great tribulation, will be the coming of the 1000-year kingdom. And the period of the great tribulation will not be very long. It is the view that only the period of the half point of the 70th week when the persecution of the beast reaches its climax, belongs to the great tribulation.  The days of great tribulation will be reduced for the sake of the elect. ① If we consider that the great tribulation begins with the 70th week, the days of the great tribulation will be at least 1260 days. This is because the period of the 70th week is already set at 7 years, and the period of the reign of the beast is also set at 42 months. Therefore, to claim that the great tribulation begins with the 70th week, it seems that we should be able to explain what it means to say that the days of the great tribulation will be shortened. This is because for those who wait and come to the 1335 days from the beginning of the great tribulation, will be blessed. What would it mean when it is said that the already appointed days will be shortened? ② If we consider that the great tribulation will begin around the half point of the 70th week, the period of the great tribulation will be shorter. It means that the great tribulation will be unbearable to the extent that even a few days must be cut down in order to save the elect.

View 1: 'week half' means 'during half of the 70th week'

If the great tribulation takes place 'during half of the 70th week', the son of destruction, the Babylon prostitute, will sit in the temple building and call herself God as soon as the 70th week begins. And the worship of the beast which is enforced for the 1st half of the 70th week, will be the worship of the Babylon papacy who is the mother of the prostitutes who rides the beast.  If this view is correct, major bible translations that translate 'week half' as 'in the midst of the week' are incorrect, and a minor bible translations that translate 'week half' as 'for half of the week' are correct. If we look only at some bible translations among the English translations, it seems that the translations of the JPS, BBE, ESV, RV, ISV, ERV bibles translated as 'for half' were probably intended for 'for half of the week'. (I may have misunderstood the intention of the translation.)

View 2: 'week half' means 'at half point of the 70th week'

2-1: And there will be the great tribulation for a while until the martyr witnesses are resurrected or transformed.

If the great tribulation occurs at 'half point of the 70th week', the mother prostitute who rides the beast, that is, the Babylon papacy who has seized the superpower, will set up the image he made as God for the 1st half of the 70th week. And at the end of the 1st half of the 70th week, he will sit in the temple building and claim that he is God. From that time around the beginning of the 2nd half of the 70th week, there will be the great tribulation.

2-2: After the 1st resurrection at the half point of the 70th week, the great tribulation takes place for 42 months of the 2nd half of the 70th week.

The Babylon papacy will sit in the temple building at half point of the 70th week and cause the great tribulation for 42 months from that time. It is the view that the 42 months of beasts coming up from the sea and the earth to persecute the saints, are not the 1st half of the 70th week, but the 2nd half of the 70th week. In other words, from the time after the release of the 4 angels of Euphrates and the death of people1/3 until the worship of the beast is forced, there will be no worldwide worship of the beast as expressed in Revelation 13 at least for the 1st half of the 70th week, for 42 months. If that is the case, it means that the beast did not appear for the 1st half of the 70th week, or if it did, it would not have persecuted the saints. Since God said that it would firmly establish a covenant for 1 week with many people[14], the beast that firmly establishes the covenant must have appeared. Strangely, after the beasts appear, they do not persecute the saints for 42 months, and then after half a week has passed, they begin to persecute the saints for 42 months. What are the beasts doing for the preceding 42 months? I think this should be able to be explained.  Above all, after the 1st half of the 70th week is over, the 7th trumpet is sounded and the 1st resurrection takes place. In other words, when the 1260 days in which the 2 witnesses proclaim the prophecy are over, the 7th trumpet is sounded and the 1st resurrection takes place.[15] All the martyr witnesses who have resurrected or transformed, are caught up into the air to meet the LORD Jesus.[16] It means that there will be no more saints left on the earth. If the saints remain on the earth after the 1st resurrection, it means that there will be other resurrection of the martyr witnesses, other than the 1st resurrection which takes place at the time of the 7th trumpet, or it means that the saints left on the earth after the 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses, are not recognized as martyr witnesses.  Considering the 42 months in which the beast forces worship and marks, as the 2nd half of the 70th week, it means that the beast forces worship after the 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses. The mark of the beast666 is enforced after the 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses. Then, there must be one more resurrection of the martyr witnesses who rejected the mark of the beast for the 2nd half of the 70th week. This is because the saints who rejected the mark of the beast are also the martyr witnesses. If the saints who reject the mark of the beast cannot be resurrected or transformed, it means that those who reject the mark of the beast will not be recognized as the martyr witnesses. In other words, if the worship of the beast is forced after the 1st resurrection has already occurred, it means that the resurrection of the martyr witnesses will occur more than once, or that the saints who reject the mark of the beast will not be recognized as the martyr witnesses, or it means that the martyr witnesses may not be able to be resurrected or transformed.

[my thoughts on View 2-2]  But I believe that all the saints who rejected the mark of the beast are martyr witnesses.[17] I believe that if the price for rejecting the mark of the beast is paid[18], the saint who paid the price will be recognized as the martyr witness, whether the price is paid by death or by life of martyrdom.[19] And I do not think that there will be another 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses, other than the 1st resurrection at the time of the 7th trumpet.  Since the 1st resurrection of the martyr witnesses is not twice but only once, martyrdom cannot occur any more after the 1st resurrection occured. Therefore, I do not think the mark of the beast will be enforced for the 42 months of the 2nd half of the 70th week. Moreover, after the martyr witnesses are resurrected or transformed, the 7 plagues are poured out on the earth. It is also questionable whether the mark of the beast can be enforced in a situation where the earth is being destroyed to the extent that it completely loses its functions due to the 7 plagues. Rather, the Babylon papacy, the prostitute who lost her authority due to the 7 plagues, is burned by the scarlet beast, the superpower, in the 2nd half of the 70th week. The 7 plagues and the destruction of Babylon are not seen as the great tribulation, but rather as judgments on the transgressors.[20]

View 3: 'week half' means 'in the 70th week'

The whole earth marvel at the beast whose head is restored and follow it, and because the dragon gives power to the beast, they worship the dragon and worship the beast. A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy is given to the beast and the beast persecutes the saints for 42 months.[21]  This beast that came up from the sea was symbolized by the scarlet beast carrying the Babylon prostitute, and its reality is the superpower seized by the Babylon papacy. The beast forces worship and the mark of the beast666 during a certain period in 42 months. The beast worshiped during this period is not the superpower, but the Babylon papacy. Although the scarlet beast means the superpower that rules the whole world, it is because the Babylon papacy has been in control of that superpower for 42 months.[22] Since the beast burns the pope prostitute after the 7 plagues are poured out[23], the beast after the 7 plagues means only the superpower.  Although the beast is given authority to work for 42 months, it cannot be affirmed that it will be worshiped for 42 months. The worship of the beast and the mark of the beast are enforced only when the son of destruction sits in the temple building and proclaims himself God. In other words, the great tribulation begins when the pope prostitute sits in the temple building.  Since 'in the 70th week' refers to any point in the 70th week, the pope prostitute can sit in the temple building and the great tribulation can begin at any time in the 70th week. However, after 42 months of the 1st half of the 70th week are over, the saints are resurrected or transformed and caught up into the air[24], so the time when the pope prostitute sits in the temple building must be before the 1st resurrection takes place. This means that only for the 1st half of the 70th week, the pope prostitute can sit in the temple building.  After 1335 days have passed since the son of destruction sits in the temple building, a blessed event must occur. In other words, 1335 days before the blessed event, the son of destruction will have to sit in the temple building.

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[1] Rev.9:12 The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this. The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had one trumpet, "Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!" The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they would kill one third of mankind.

[2] Rev.18:2 He cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and has become a habitation of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury." I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come forth, my people, out of her, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don't receive of her plagues,

[3] Rev.13:5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.

[4] Dan.9:24 Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

[5] Rev.13:7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.

[6] Rev.13:14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given to him to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.

[7] Rev.13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, so that they should give them marks on their right hand, or on their forehead; and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.

[8] Rev.13:5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.

[9] Rev.11:2 Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don't measure it, for it has been given to the gentiles. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

[10] Rev.13:7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.

[11] Rev.13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, so that they should give them marks on their right hand, or on their forehead; and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.

[12] Rev.13:15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.

[13] Rev.12:6 The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.

  Rev.12:14 Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

[14] Dan.9:27 He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week(view2:for half of the week) he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and on the wing of abominations [shall come] one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, shall [wrath] be poured out on the desolate.

[15] Rev.11:12 I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly. The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!"

[16] 1Thess.4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

[17] Rev.15:2 I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, and his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.

[18] Heb.11:35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

[19] Rev.20:4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for the thousand years. The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

[20] Rev.16:5 I heard the angel of the waters saying, "You are righteous, who are and who were, you Holy One, because you judged this way. For they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this." I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments."

[21] Rev.13:3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.

[22] Rev.17:3 He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored animal, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth. And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.

[23] Rev.17:16 The ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute, and will make her desolate, and will make her naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her utterly with fire.

[24] 1Thess.4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.https://youtu.be/AupisuARmgQ?feature=shared