Jesus Christ told His disciples on the Mount of Olives, days before His
crucifixion, in a prophecy for the End Time, �For then there will be great tribulation
(affliction, distress, and oppression) such as has not been from the beginning of the world
until now � no, and never will be [again]. And if those days had not been shortened, no
human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God�s chosen ones)
those days will be shortened� (Matt.24:21-22, Amplified Parallel Bible).
Moffatt has these verses, �For there will be sore misery then, such as has never
been, from the beginning of the world until now�no, and never shall be. Had not those
days been cut short, not a soul would be saved alive; however, for the sake of the elect,
those days will be cut short.�
It will be a time of awesome martyrdom of true saints, Israelites, and Christians who refuse to accept the mark of the Beast and to be identified with his system. The apostle John foretells in the book of Revelation, speaking of these End-Times:
"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they
had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, 'How long, Sovereign
Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge
our blood?' Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told
to wait a little longer, until the number of the FELLOW SERVANTS and
BROTHERS who were to be KILLED AS THEY HAD BEEN was
completed" (Rev.6:9-11).
Notice! The preaching of the two witnesses will be during the time when the BEAST has control over the earth, and is ruling over Jerusalem. During this time Temple worship will be restored (Rev.11:1-2). But the rest of the city of Jerusalem will be given over to the Gentiles for 42 months (v.2). This is the period when the Beast will reign (Rev.13:4-5). This represents the final 3 and 1/2 year period of the final WEEK of Daniel 9:27! This is the period of time covered by fifth, sixth, and seventh seals of the book of Revelation (Rev.6:9-17).
The fifth seal refers to the Great Tribulation (Rev.6:9-11). This Great Tribulation is instigated by the Beast himself while he is in authority! (Rev.13:6-8). The fifth seal is followed by "heavenly signs" (Rev.6:12) of the sixth seal. And these introduce the seventh seal, which is composed of the seven last trumpets (Rev.8:1-2). During the sixth seal, the 144,000 servants of God are sealed in the foreheads -- meaning they are given God's protection and spared from the wrath of God yet to come. They have repented and turned to God during the Great Tribulation, and have come "out" of it (Rev.7:1-4, especially verse 14). The fact that they are "sealed" means they will be protected -- come under God's mark or sealing (compare Ezek.9:1-6). Only those who are "sealed" or "marked" will come under God's protection (Ezek.9:4).
The final and seventh seal, then, is opened, containing the seven trumpets which pour out the wrath of God on the earth, as opposed to the wrath of Satan on the church of God and God's nations, during the Great Tribulation. Jesus Christ tells us that the heavenly signs (sixth seal) occur after the great tribulation (Matt.24:29-30), whereas the prophet Joel tells us these heavenly signs precede the day of the Lord (Joel 2:31-32).
The whole period of great tribulation through the wrath of God is to last a prophesied 42 months (Rev.13:5) -- the period that the BEAST is in power, and who pours out the tribulation!
Therefore, contrary to the theory that the two witnesses only prophecy during the "second woe," the truth is that they prophecy during the fifth, sixth and seventh seals of Revelation -- beginning with the time of the great tribulation, lasting about 2 and 1/2 years (Hos.6:1-2), through the heavenly signs, and the final "day of the Lord" -- a period of about one year in length (a "day" equals a "year" so the "Day of the Lord" in this instance lasts one year in actual fulfillment!) -- a total, then, of 3 and 1/2 years!
The second woe does not represent the Beast causing persecution of God's people. It foretells an invasion of the Beast power by the hordes of Asia at the closing months of the "Day of the Lord" (Rev.9:13-16). They must cross the Euphrates river in order to reach Palestine, where the final "SHOWDOWN" for world supremacy will occur (Rev.16:12-16). This is not the whole period of the witnessing of God's two appointed servants! , ALL the world's armies will converge at a place in Israel called "Armageddon" or "Har Megiddo" -- just north of Jerusalem about forty miles -- and then the battle for world control will be fought, as the world fights against Christ and HIS returning armies from heaven!
I'm curious as to where Scripturally you come up with the Day of the Lord lasting for a year.
Also, there are a couple things that would not make sense if this were true. The antichrist would either have to enter the scene before mid-trib or his power would have to be cut short by a year, which we know is untrue Scipturally, in order to fit his 3.5 years and your year long Day of the Lord into the 70th week without going over the specified time.
The Day of the Lord is one day. It also does not begin until the Sun and Moon signs occur which is after the Great Tribulation. None of the Tribulation is included within "The Day of the Lord".
Zec 14:7 It shall be ONE DAY Which is known to the LORD Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.
The context of that scripture was dealing with the Day of the Lord.
Isa 2:17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
During the Tribulation many gods will be exalted including the Anti-Christ and the False idol, the Abomination. This precludes any possibility of the Day of the Lord including any of the Tribulation time as "The Lord ALONE will be exalted in THAT day.
Acts 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Mat 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: NKJV
