Someone asked what a "Week" refers to. a very important question!<br />The Sabbatical week was given to Israel - they were to work the land for 6 years and let it rest a 7th. this required faith. they did not keep this for quite some time, and their time in Babylon was in part a consequence for this failure. They were to spend a year in Babylon for each of the Sabbath years they owed the Lord, for a total of 70. They understood this and so when Daniel speaks of "weeks" he's speaking of the Sabbatical week, a week of years. That' s where we get "7 years" for the 70th week. <br /><br /><br /><br />The great tribulation is the second half of the 70th week, marked by the "abomination of Desolation" where Antichrist presents Himself to be worshipped in the Temple. The same figure inaugurates the 70th week by confirming a covenant. (see Daniel 9:27). <br /><br /><br /><br />A pre-tribulation rapture really refers to a rapture prior to the 70th week (the 7 year period), and should be distinguished from a pre-wrath rapture, which is a rapture that happens immediately prior to the beginning of the great tribulation at the midpoint of the week. That view is called "pre wrath" because that's when the wrath of God is actually poured out in full on the earth. However, the 3 and 1/2 years leading up to that event are also a time of wrath and judgment. The Church was not present on earth for the first of the 69 weeks (483 years) and we pret-tribulation rapture folks don't believe the church will be here for the final 7 years, which were determined upon Israel and the city of Jerusalem specifically (Dan 9:24).<br />...<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcz94HyqF8k" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcz94HyqF8k</a>