How much religious freedom do the Jews have in the first half of the Tribulation?
During the first three and a half years of the Tribulation, the Jews for the most part enjoy a semblance of religious freedom. It is not a Sunday school picnic for the world, since war, famine, pestilence, and turmoil continue, but the Antichrist does not turn on them until the midpoint.
Les explains that Revelation 12 is addressing the midpoint of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist will come in and defile the Temple. At that point he turns on the Jew, who for the most part had enjoyed only a semblance of religious freedom during the first three and a half years. Although it is not a Sunday school picnic for the world, because there will be war, famine, pestilence, and much turmoil, the midpoint triggers the last half. That last half is beyond human description and is what Psalms 2 refers to as the wrath and vexation of God.