The Mid-Point Cry
I would like to appeal to the imagery used by the Lord in Matthew 25 in the Kingdom of Heaven parable of the 10 Virgins. He is talking about the Millennium Kingdom. However, I would like to use a phrase from this parable to address something else, if I could take that liberty.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (Matt 25)
Are we now in “The Tribulation”? Some people think we are. Some people think that is absurd. Certainly this time period will be ushered in by cataclysmic events, they say. For those who think we are presently in the time period known as Daniel's 70th week, When did it start? There was no global earthquake. There was no Rapture. There were no demon scorpions crawling out of the sewer.
Everyone is asleep
There are wise and foolish, prepared and unprepared, backward-looking and forward-looking, looking at history (both recent and ancient) and those looking toward the future. All are asleep.
Those who believe in a Rapture as the next event on the prophetic calendar do not know when it is, therefore they do not know the day of the start of “The Tribulation”. Those who believe we may already be in the 70th week or shabua are divided as to when it may have started. Therefore, no one knows that day or hour. Everyone is asleep as to the precise day of the starting of the final week of God's dealing with human government. Be it past or future, everyone is asleep as to the start of “The Tribulation”, in the sense of not knowing the day of its beginning. However, there is one way to tell. The day is only made plain and understandable at the midnight cry. At the midpoint of the final 7 years all is made clearly known.
In the Lord's parable, it was at the midnight cry that everyone, the wise and the foolish were awakened from sleep and made aware of exactly where they all were, in regards to the coming of the Bridegroom. This was the very thing they were all expecting, both the foolish and the prepared ones.
In our present day, everyone, both backward and forward-looking people, is asleep in the sense of knowing the exact time of the start of Daniel's 70th week, regardless of their eschatology. The Pre-Tribbers, the Post-Tribbers, the ones who believe we are in “The Tribulation” now, even the ones who believe there is no Rapture, Tribulation, or Millennium. And of course, some who just don't care. But at the midpoint, everyone wakes up. Everyone is forced to realize where we are chronologically regardless of their previous beliefs.
In our present day, it might be only at the midpoint that everyone, from every end-times interpretation, realizes exactly where we are on the eschatological timeline. Of course, it will be too late for the unprepared to prepare and nobody wants to see that for anyone. Why not prepare yourself mentally for the possibility of an extended stay instead of being overwhelmed with panic later?
And he hath strengthened a (existing) covenant with many -- one week, and [in] the midst of the week he causeth sacrifice and present to cease, and by the wing of abominations he is making desolate, even till the consummation, and that which is determined is poured on the desolate one.' (Dan 9:27 YLT)
There have been many antichrists throughout history, as John tells us (1 John 2:18), Epiphanes, Hilter, etc. Many believe this final antichrist will declare himself to be God (2 Thess 2:4). Many have already done exactly that but this final antichrist will be unique.
At the midpoint of Daniel's final week, it is made clear, even to the blind, that we are not only in the 70th week...we are at the midpoint of it! Whatever this event is, it is the “midnight cry” that wakes everybody up. At this point everyone knows what is going on, both the deniers and the ones who suspected it was so but couldn't prove it. “Forty and two months” (Rev 11:2), “time and times and half a time: (Dan 7:35), and “1,260 days” (Rev 12:6) are overkill to speak of the same unifying event: the midpoint where everyone wakes up and is forced to be united to every other Believer. Oh, no! It's real. I'm not dreaming anymore! Welcome to reality, everyone.
There are some Pre-Tribbers that if slapped by the antichrist personally, would deny it. There are some Post-Tribbers that if raptured earlier than expected, would insist on being sent back. But if the awakening is rude enough...maybe not. This might be a great unifying event.
I'm suggesting that at a certain point (midpoint) everyone will wake up and be on the same page. Is that what it will take for unity and civility?
Yes, I realize that there are many Christians that have a determined, dogmatic insistence about future unknowables. They are not so sure about the normal daily, scriptural Christian life but they know all about the future. This is a characteristic of children.
I would also be foolish to be dogmatic. So, I say that my speculation is only 95% certain.
Oct 1, 2025