My Response to JOHN RICH'S Interview with TUCKER CARLSON Concerning The Mark of the Beast, The Tribulation, and The Rapture

Recently (12-1-25), Tucker Carlson interviewed country star John Rich.

John said the rapture will not take believers to heaven before the Great Tribulation, therefore, they should prepare themselves now to not be deceived so they do not receive the mark of the beast.

John thinks we are living in these days...the last days...the end of the age...the days of the mark of the beast and the Great Tribulation.

For 40 years, I held to most of John's views...though I did think the rapture would take believers away, and they would not be around for the Great Tribulation and the mark of the beast.

I no longer hold these views.

Two years ago I began to re-examine my views.

In this thorough two-year study, I have concluded the Great Tribulation was the tribulation period in the first century when believers were persecuted and martyred by unbelieving, Christ-rejecting Israel starting with Stephen in Acts 7 (AD 34).

Rome joined Israel in this persecution during the reign of Nero in AD 64.

From AD 66 to AD 70, judgment was poured upon unbelieving, Christ-rejecting Israel when the Roman armies were brought against Israel, its cities, and people, resulting in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

Jesus pronounced this judgment. (see Matthew 23-24; 26:64; Luke 19:41-44; Luke 21:5-25; 23:26-30; Mark 13).

This was the Great Tribulation on Israel, the day of God's vengeance that brought great distress in the land of Israel - see Luke 21 NKJV.

The time period of the persecution of believers by Israel and Rome was from AD 64-66.

During this time, the mark of the beast (identifying with Nero and rejecting Jesus) was taken by those who rejected Jesus as the Christ.

Because of their rejection of Jesus, they were identified as those who could buy and sell in the Roman economy.

Though sincere, John Rich has his timeline wrong (in my opinion).

What he sees as in our future was in our past.

The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70 brought an official end to the old covenant age.

The days leading up to this destruction were the last days of old covenant Israel as foretold in Deuteronomy 32 and Acts 2.

These were the times of the mark of the beast and the Great Tribulation from AD 34-70 as told in Revelation .

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