The Time of Jacob’s Trouble

The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
By Shirley Mitchell

“How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.”
Jeremiah 30:7

While Daniel was studying the Scriptures written by Jeremiah, he realized that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years. Jeremiah 29:10 says, “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.” Knowing the end of the 70 years was near, Daniel cried out to God and confessed his sin and the sin of his people of Israel. While he was still praying, God sent the angel Gabriel to give Daniel revelation about another set of 70 years. Seven sets to be exact.

I don’t believe Daniel stopped reading at Jeremiah 29. Although they didn’t have chapter breaks like we do, I believe Daniel kept right on reading what we call Jeremiah 30. God freshly poured into him the words given to the prophet Jeremiah about the restoration of Israel through the time known as the time of Jacob’s trouble. It is referred to as Jacob’s trouble because when Jacob wrestled all night with the angel, God renamed him Israel (Genesis 32). It is the time of Israel’s trouble. It is the time when God deals with the nation of Israel.

So when the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel, he unveiled more about God’s calendar, His plans for Israel, and this time of trouble. Gabriel said in Daniel 9:24, “Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” In this context, sevens is measuring seven years. These 70 sevens are equivalent to 490 years.

This Daniel 9 prophecy goes on to say the Messiah would be cut off after 69 weeks of years, which was fulfilled exactly at the time of Jesus’ death. Then, God’s calendar switched to the times of the Gentiles. It left one final week, the 70th week of Daniel, the final 7 years, to be fulfilled. This 70th week is known as the time of Jacob’s trouble. We Christians call this period the tribulation.

Gabriel said to Daniel that "seventy sevens" or 490 years were decreed upon his people and upon the holy city of Jerusalem so that six things might be accomplished: to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

God will discipline Israel for committing spiritual adultery. He singled out this nation from the other nations on earth. He gave her the Law. He spared her from destruction time after time. He gave her the Messiah through whom all nations on earth would be blessed. He longs to remove the names of false gods from her lips. He desires to lure her back to Him. He longs to end all sin, bring in everlasting righteousness, and set up His Son’s reign.

The time of Jacob’s trouble will be an awful time. There will be no other days like it. The false prophets will spread their lies. The earth will cry out for the return of its Creator and Healer in the form of famines and earthquakes. Much blood will be shed in wars. Christians and Jews will be persecuted. In fact, no one can buy or trade goods unless they have the mark of the beast, the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will be a ruler who rises to power. He will deceive Israel into cutting covenant which marks the beginning of this 70th set of 7 years. His lying tongue will promise peace. The third temple of Ezekiel 40-48 will be built on Mount Moriah, the site of the first two temples and the site of the Dome of the Rock, the Muslim mosques. (Gosh, I wonder how God is going to do this one!) The Jews will restore worship and animal sacrifices. However, it won’t happen for long. Daniel 9 says after 3 ½ years he will come and destroy the city and the sanctuary. He will set up an abomination that causes desolation (v.26-27).

Jeremiah 30 also goes on to say that God will bring Israel wealth. God will heal their severe wounds and incurable injuries. He will care for the outcast Israel. He will restore the land. He will fill Jacob’s tents with fortunes. Then, at the end of Jeremiah 30, the Lord proclaims through His prophet in verse 22, “So you will be my people, and I will be your God.”

We can know the time of Jacob’s trouble is near by looking at Israel herself. Jesus says in the Olivet Discourse, where He prophesied about the end times to His disciples, that we will know the time is near when the fig tree is in season (Matthew 24:32-34). The fig tree is Israel. Israel’s rebirth as a nation in 1948 for the first time in almost 2,000 years and the regathering of the Jewish people who were scattered across the earth demonstrate to us that this sign is being fulfilled.

Oh, precious one, are you gaining in knowledge of the days to come? God’s Word is being fulfilled. You and I must remain in Him to receive His peace when the world around troubles us.

Pray with me: Oh, Lord, we cry out like Daniel did for our sins and for the sins of Israel. We are so sorry for turning to other gods. We repent for our sins. We ask that You give us Your peace for the troubling days ahead.

We know that the time of Jacob’s trouble is near. The signs are being fulfilled before our eyes. We ask for You to continue bringing the Jews back to Israel for this time. We ask for more and more to believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. May they realize that You, Jesus, fulfilled it all! It’s in Your Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

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