Multiple Raptures? (Part 4 of 4)

4. The Rapture is secret and instant (1 Co 15:50-54); the Second Coming is seen by all (Mt 24:29-30, Rev 1:7). I won’t repeat 1 Co 15:51-52 nor Mt 24:29-30, but the other verses are:

• 1 Co 15:50, 53-54 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. … For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
• Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

The Rapture is certainly instant – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Co 15:52), but how can it be in secret when it is preceded by a shout and the trumpet of God (1 Thes 4:16)? The transformation from perishable to imperishable, mortal to immortal is not in secret either, but public. Every eye will see the Lord coming, but they will see the sign of the Son of Man too – the resurrection and rapture! Hence this assertion is simply not valid.

5. The Rapture is imminent, likely to happen at any moment (1 Co 15: 50-54, 1 Thes 4:13-18, Titus 2:13); the Second Coming will not happen until certain events take place (Mt 24:15-30, 2 Thes 2:4, Rev 6-18).

• 1 Co 15:50-54, 1 Thes 4:13-17, Mt 24:29-30 see above.
• 1 Thes 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
• Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
• Mt 24:15-28 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
• 2 Thes 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
• Rev 6-18 Please refer to the Bible.

For sure, certain events must precede Christ’s return, including:

• The abomination of desolation (Antichrist) standing in the holy place (the temple of God), displaying himself as God;
• Great tribulation;
• False Christs and false prophets;
• Deception to mislead the elect (believers), plus others.

But these signs do not nullify the Lord’s plain statement:

• Mt 24:24, 42 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
• Mt 25:13 Be on the alert, then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
• Mk 13:32-33 But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come.
• Mk 13:35 Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—

The whole point is to “be on the alert,” even though we do not know the exact day and hour. Take heed.

And since the Rapture and the Second Coming are concurrent, being ready for the Lord’s return is being prepared for the Rapture. How else are we to look for “the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” when there are no signs as the separate incidents schools suggested?

Now, let me return to your original question, “Is the Second Coming a single event or a series of events, and can we have multi-raptures?” My answer is the Second Coming is a single event, and we do not need multiple raptures. Let me borrow from Dan 9:24. The purpose of the Second Coming is:

• to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

The Rapture brings all of God’s children home. Christ’s Return brings justice to punish all evil. Both purposes are accomplished in a single event at the consummation of the age. I believe the various schools are arguing over superficial differences. Feel free to disagree and show me what I overlooked. Blessings!

Abomination of Desolation

Q. Is the abomination of desolation Satan’s perception in the Temple which is in us? Could the second beast in the Book of Revelation be the Spanish inquisition? Why is everyone assuming there is no time between the second beast and Judgement?

The term “abomination of desolation” appears four times in the NASB:

• Dan 11:31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.
• Dan 12:11 From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
• Mat 24:15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
• Mark 13:14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

As you can see it is something “set up” and people “see,” so it is NOT Satan’s perception in the Temple which is in us.

You are referring to the beast from the earth in Rev 13:11-18

• Rev 13:11ff Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

The Spanish Inquisition could not be the beast from the earth or the False Prophet, as it does not fit the description in Revelation:

• Rev 13:12-17 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

The Spanish Inquisition prosecuted about 150,000 and executed 3-5,000 people to identify Catholic heretics, but it was nowhere near “all who dwell on the earth.” Nor could it make fire come down out of heaven, make the image of the beast (the Antichrist) speak, and mark all with the mark of the beast on the right hand or forehead. Roman Catholics would deny they are the first beast vehemently.

Not everyone assumes that there is not enough time between the emergence of the second beast and the Final Judgment. Evangelical Christians believe the first and second beasts will reveal their identity during the apostasy just before the seven-year tribulation:

• 2 Thes 2:3-4 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
• 2 Thes 2:8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 

The man of lawlessness (the lawless one), the son of destruction, is the Antichrist or first beast. The second beast is contemporary with the first beast. The Lord will judge both and throw them into the lake of fire:

• Rev 19:20 And the beast was seized, and with him, the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
• Rev 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Is mRNA the Mark of the Beast?

Q Is the COVID-19 vaccine the mark of the beast?

No. The “mark of the beast” appears only 6 times in the Bible, all in the book of Revelation:

Rev 13:17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Rev 14:9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Rev 16:2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was seized, and with him, the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

Rev 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Note the following:

• The mark of the beast (Antichrist) is linked with the worship of the beast and his image (Rev 14:9, 11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4). Receiving the mark means pledging allegiance to and obeying the beast. A person worships the beast of his/her own volition. There is no obeying the beast or receiving his mark inadvertently.
• The false prophet forces all (everyone) to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, or else they will not be able to buy or sell i.e. do any financial transaction to survive.
• Those who receive the mark will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb (Rev 14:10). The torment is forever (v 11) because they have chosen to obey the Antichrist rather than Christ.
• Those who had not received the mark will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years (Rev 20:6).

Some pastors and churches claimed that the mRNA vaccine changes the DNA of those who received it. They argued that God created man and his DNA in His image. By allowing their DNA to be modified, those who are vaccinated placed their faith in the vaccine rather than God to save them, and are therefore receiving the mark of the beast. I totally disagree. The Bible is clear in coupling receiving the mark of the beast with worshiping the Antichrist. No one is subjecting themselves to worship the Antichrist by receiving the vaccine. They are receiving the shots to immunize themselves against the COVID-19 virus. Period. They are not being marked for the beast unknowingly.

Furthermore, in terms of the timing of the mark of the beast, many futurists believe that it will come during the Great Tribulation, the second 3.5 years of the 7-year Tribulation. Although we are hearing of wars and rumors of wars, and there are famines and earthquakes, these are merely the beginning of birth pangs and not yet the end. The abomination of desolation, the lawless one, has not yet been revealed, so the mark of the beast is still to come. Since neither the purpose nor the timing of the COVID-19 vaccine fits the mark of the beast, I reject the speculation by over-zealous believers to equate the vaccine to be the beast’s mark.

Heavenly, Ezekiel, and the Third Temple

Q. What is the point of still having a “temple”, such as a Heavenly Temple in Rev 11, or the Ezekiel Temple (is it the physical Third Temple or not)? Is it just to satisfy the Antichrist’s act of desolation of sacrifices that requires a physical temple on earth? Why do we still need to do sacrifices, or the Jews to continue sacrifices if they will convert to become Christians?

Our Lord Jesus has already demonstrated His body as the temple so that we are also God’s Temple where the Holy Spirit dwells, so what is the need for a physical and a spiritual temple (though the heavenly temple appears to be where the converted in heaven worship God)? We can worship God with our heart and soul, in a church setting or anywhere including in heaven, so why still maintain a “temple” concept?

Let’s take your multi-parts question one part at a time. First, the Heavenly Temple in Rev.:

Rev 3:12a He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; …

Rev 7:15 For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.

Rev 11:19a And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, …

Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.

Rev 15:5 After these things I looked and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened.

Rev. 14:15; 15:6, 8; 16:1, 17

Rev 21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

I omitted Rev 11:1-2 as they refer to the temple of God on earth, not in heaven. All the verses in Rev chapters 3-16 refer to the temple of God in heaven, yet in Rev 21:22 John saw no temple in heaven. Why? The problem is that many readers are thinking of a physical temple, but Rev 21:22 tells us explicitly that “the Lord God the Almighty (i.e. the Father) and the Lamb (i.e. the Son) are its temple. In other words, the temple is spiritual, not physical. Rev 3:12 also implies this. The phrase “he who overcomes” means a true believer. The Lord “will make him (he who overcomes) a pillar in the temple of My God.” Obviously, the Lord will not turn a genuine Christian into a physical pillar in a physical temple. The verse simply means that the believer will not go out from God’s presence anymore. I interpret the Bible literally unless the text or context intends a symbolic meaning. The Heavenly Temple is one such example. Commentators even suggest that all of heaven is God’s temple, where He dwells and where His people worship Him. There is no need for a physical building.

Second, Ezekiel’s Temple, which I have written about before:

Ezekiel’s Temple 1

Ezekiel’s Temple 2

Ezekiel’s Temple 3

Ezekiel’s Temple 4

Since I do not have further insights into this subject, I have nothing to add at this time. Is Ezekiel’s Temple the “Third Temple”? No, I do not think so. The Third Temple has not yet been built, and commentators believe that it will last only for a brief time before its desecration by the Antichrist. Please refer to the above posts for my rationale.

Third, the Third Temple. Christians do not need animal sacrifices as we have Christ’s perfect sacrifice of Himself for our sins once for all:

• Heb 7:12 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
• Heb 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
• Heb 10:10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
• Heb 10:12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.

The demand for the Third Temple comes primarily from Orthodox Jews. They do not accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah and expect the Messiah to come and rebuild the temple to fulfill God’s promises to Israel. Even though we know that the Jews will eventually believe, they themselves do not know it:

• Rom 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”

They will continue animal sacrifices as atonement for sins since a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Rom 11:25).

Is the Third Temple required to satisfy the Antichrist desecrating it? I would not put it this way, as the Antichrist is not in a position to demand anything. The Bible mentions “abomination” and desolation/desolate” five times in the NASB:

• Dan 9:27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
• Dan 11:31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.
• Daniel 12:11 From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
• Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand).
• Mark 13:14 “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Preterists believe that Daniel’s prophecy about the abomination of desolation had already been fulfilled by the Hellenistic king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who persecuted the Jews 168-167 BC. He set up an image of Zeus at the Second Temple altar and sacrificed a pig on the altar to desecrate it. However, the Lord’s prophecy in Mt 24:15/Mk 13:14 two hundred years later proved that Antiochus IV was only a prefigure of the Antichrist to come. Others claimed that Daniel’s and the Lord’s prophecies were fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans under Titus in AD 70. However, Titus did not make a firm covenant with the Jews for one week (seven years) and break it midway. Nor is the Roman army carrying their standards (flags) with pagan images into the temple the same as forcing the Jews to worship them as a god. So the futurists’ position that this prophecy is still future is valid, which presupposes the Third Temple to be standing at that time. The Lord gave this as the sign of the start of the Great Tribulation to His disciples. The Antichrist is just a key piece of the sign.

The Abomination of Desolation

Another name unmistakably associated with the Antichrist, given by the Lord Himself, is the “abomination of desolation“:

• Mt 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— (Also Mk 13:14)

Daniel referred to it 3 times, in:
• Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
• Dan 11:31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.
• Dan 12:11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

There are different schools of interpretation. The historical school believes that Daniel’s 70th “seven” had already taken place at the time of Christ up to AD 70, and there is no future fulfillment. I hold the futurist view and believe there is a double reference here, both historically in Antiochus Epiphanes (168 BC) as a type, and in the future Antichrist as the antitype, who will abolish daily sacrifices and set up an abomination that causes desolation in the Holy Place. Which interpretation is correct? We just have to wait and see.

(To be continued)

No One Knows that Day or Hour – The Fuzzy End

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* Start of Great Tribulation: Abomination of Desolation in the middle of the 7 years
* When does 1290 days start?
* What’s the purpose of the extra 30 and 45 days?

Yesterday we discussed that we only know Jesus will return after the tribulation, but not the details. In the future, the antichrist will make a treaty with the Jews for 7 years, but in the middle i.e. 3.5 years, the false prophet will set up an image in God’s temple in honor of the antichrist, who will proclaim himself to be God:

* Dan. 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
* 2 Thes. 2:4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
* Rev. 13:14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Now 3.5 years (42 months of 30 days each) is 1,260 days, which is what’s specified in Rev. 11:2-3 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

But Dan. 12:11-12 mentioned 1290 and 1335 days, where do the extra 30 days and then 45 days come from? When do they begin and end? Are the 30 days an advance announcement before the mid-point of the 7 years, or a grace period at the end? Some think the 30 days are for the final judgment and destruction of the antichrist, while the additional 45 days are for the inauguration of the rule of Christ. But the fact of the matter is nobody really knows. The suggestions are only personal opinions, because Dan. 12 is the only time they are mentioned in the Bible. They do not appear anywhere else. Both Matthew and Mark said Christ’s return will be after the tribulation, with Matthew adding “immediately”. But how immediate? The moment after? The day after? There are lots of speculations, but it could be anytime within this 30 days window. So Christians only know the timeframe of Christ’s return generally but not exactly, and the Lord’s statement is true.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord lets us know He is returning, but He did not tell us when for a reason – He wants us to keep watch and be ready. The faithful and wise servant is the one carrying on his duties at the proper time. The wicked servant eats and drinks and mistreats his fellow servants. I hope the Master will find you faithful when He returns. Don’t be self-deceived.

No One Knows that Day or Hour – Can’t we count?

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* Days of Noah
* Noah as preacher of righteousness
* No evidence of flood

Q. You believe the rapture to be post-tribulation. Don’t you think that Christians will recognize the tribulation has started when it comes? If so, wouldn’t those people alive at that time know when Christ will return seven years hence? And yet the bible says no one knows, not now, not before, and not then.

A. First, let’s look at the text more closely and do not read into it more than it said: Mt. 24:36-39 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. The text says “no one knows”, but it does not say “no one will have any clue.”

Next consider the days of Noah which Jesus used as an analogy. There were two groups of people then – Noah’s family, and everybody else. God told Noah to build an ark, so his family should know something about God’s plan. What about everyone else? The ark measured 450’ X 75’ X 45’ (Gen. 6:15) and took 100 years (Gen. 5:32, 7:6) to build. Because of its sheer size and the long time it took to construct, it can be reasonably assumed that the ark attracted attention. While it was being built, as a preacher of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5) Noah would have warned his contemporaries of coming judgment, and by his faith he condemned the world (Heb. 11:7). So the people should know something about the judgment to come, yet the text said they knew nothing, why?

I believe it is due to unbelief. The people probably laughed at Noah and considered him a fool. They did not have a flood before, so why now? They just ignored him and continued with whatever they were doing, until the flood came and took them away. I suspect something similar at the coming of the Son of Man. With the proliferation of mass media, the internet and Christian broadcasting, one would expect that even non-Christians would have known something, or heard of, Christ’s Second Coming and the signs that precede it. The problem is they don’t believe it. And since they don’t take it to heart, they will be caught by surprise.

What about Christians? Since Jesus taught His disciples the signs of the end of the age (Mt. 24, Mk. 13, Lk. 21), and Christians have been studying that the trigger to the tribulation is the abomination that causes desolation standing in the holy place, I expect Christians would recognize that when it comes. Then can’t they add 1,260 days (3.5 years) to that date and know the day of Christ’s return? The answer is still no, because of Dan. 12:11-12 From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.

(To be continued)

Daniel’s 70 Weeks 4

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* Daniel’s 70 weeks
* Daniel’s 70th week

Yesterday I listed why I do not hold the preterist view (wrong start date, wrong calculation, wrong end result which does not fit the text) and why I believe the futurist view to be correct. Today we wrap up with the 70th week yet in the future:

Dan 9:26-27 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

We have already seen the Anointed One (Jesus) was cut off (crucified) in AD 33. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the sanctuary in AD 70, when Titus besieged the city and burned down the Temple. All these have happened exactly as Daniel predicted when he wrote the book around 530 BC, 600 years before the events actually took place, proving along with other fulfilled prophecies that the Bible is inspired by God and trustworthy.

Opponents to the futurist view object that the text continues without a break into “The end will come …”, so taking the last ‘seven’ to be future, with a gap between the 69th and 70th seven, is artificial. But the text is itself divided into seven ‘sevens’, sixty-two ‘sevens’, and one ‘seven’. Furthermore, an unseen time gap is not uncommon in prophecy. For example:

Isa 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago, but the government has yet to be on His shoulders and He has not yet reigned on David’s throne.

Isa 61:2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. In Luke 4:19, when Jesus inaugurated His public ministry, He quoted this verse but stopped after “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”, in the middle of a verse. Why? Because the day of vengeance of our God has not yet arrived and there is a time gap in between. So while the objection is valid, a time gap is reasonable when part of the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled, as is the case in this instance. What’s the gap for? We call it the church age, a period of time unknown to us for the propagation of the gospel, so that the good news can be preached to all people, and then the end will come.

What happens in the 70th week? The ruler who will come (the AntiChrist) will confirm a covenant with many for seven years. But in the middle of the 7 year period i.e. after 3.5 years, he will put an end to sacrifice and offering, by setting up an abomination of desolation in the Temple.

This is confirmed by the apostle John in Revelation. Rev 11:2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it (Temple) has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 42 months is 3.5 years, the second half of the last ‘seven’.

Rev 13:14-15 Because of the signs he (the false prophet) was given power to do on behalf of the first beast (the AntiChrist), he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

The apostle Paul added in 2 Thes 2:4 He (the man of lawlessness, or AntiChrist) will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

These things have yet to happen, that’s why we believe the futurist view to be correct. What should we do in the light of these prophecies? Mt 24:42, 44 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Come, Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20)

Daniel’s 70 Weeks 3

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* Futurist view starting 444 BC with 483 years ending in AD 33
* 483 lunar years conversion to 476 Gregorian years

Yesterday we concluded that the start date for the 70 ‘7s’ should be 445-444 BC, based on the fourth decree by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem. Today we continue to explain why I believe that is the correct interpretation. The key is in V 26:

Dan 9:26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

According to v 25 the sixty-two ‘sevens’ is after the seven ‘sevens’, since the Anointed will be cut off after the sixty-two ‘sevens’, it will be a total of 69 ‘7s’ after the decree.

Preterist View:
Remember the calendar jumps from 1 BC to 1 AD, as there is no year 0.
Start 457 BC + 483 years (69 ‘7s’) = 27 AD = Year Jesus baptized
457 BC + 483 years + 3.5 years = 31 AD = Year Jesus crucified
457 BC + 490 years = 34 AD = Year Stephen martyred

I have several problems with this mathematics:
1. The start date is only the decree to rebuild the temple, not to rebuild Jerusalem.

2. The end date of the 69 ‘7s’ is when Jesus was baptized, not cut off or killed according to the text. Preterists try to side-step that by arguing that Jesus’ crucifixion 3.5 years later is also after the 69 ‘7s’. Technically it is, but this contrived interpretation puts it in conflict with v 27:
Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

V 27 says The ruler who will come will confirm a covenant with many for 7 years, then in the middle of it he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. The above view would equate Jesus’ crucifixion to the ruler’s putting an end to sacrifice and offering, which it definitely is not.

3. The calculation is flawed because it mixes the lunar calendar used by the Jews with our Gregorian calendar. The Jewish calendar has 360 days, versus our solar calendar of 365.25 days. Daniel was Hebrew and used the lunar calendar, so by adding 483 or 490 lunar years to a Gregorian start date and assume the end result to be the nominal Gregorian year, of course it will be wrong. To convert lunar years to Gregorian years, you need to make the following adjustment:
483 lunar years X 360/365.25 = 476 Gregorian years

I believe the calculation should be:
Start 444 BC (4th decree) + 476 solar years = 33 AD (No year 0) = Year Jesus crucified

This interpretation fits all available data from the text and is not “forced”, and should therefore be correct. The only thing that remains is the last 70th week, which we will look at tomorrow.

(to be continued)

Daniel’s 70 Weeks 2

Futurist view starting 445 BC with 483 lunar years ending AD 32, plus 7 years in the future

Yesterday we determined that the seventy sevens refer to 490 years decreed for the Jewish nation, and looked at the preterist versus the futurist views. Today we continue to examine the clues. What time period does this 490 years cover? When does it begin and end? The answer is given in v 25-27:

Dan 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

The period starts with the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and is made up of 3 parts:
1. seven ‘sevens’ i.e. 49 years,
2. sixty-two ‘sevens’ i.e. 434 years
3. one ‘seven’ i.e. 7 years.
It ends with the final one ‘seven”, which in turn is divided into two halves by “an abomination that causes desolation” in the middle. Let’s pin down the start date first. When is the decree to rebuild Jerusalem?

There are four decrees as given in Ezra and Nehemiah:

1. Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia (539 BC), in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:
2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ” ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
3 Anyone of his people among you–may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.
4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’ ”

2. Ezra 6:1 King Darius then issued an order (512 BC), and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon.
Ezra 6:7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.
8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.

3. Ezra 7:20 And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, order (457 BC) all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you–
Ezra 7:23 Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and of his sons?

4. Neh 2:5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Neh 2:8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. (444 BC)

Which of these is the decree referred to in Daniel 9:25? Here is the second place where interpretations diverge. Preterists hold that everything is already fulfilled in the past; they typically subscribe to the third decree (457 BC), since 490 years later would bring it to 34 AD, the year Stephen was stoned and persecution of Christians started, leading to the spreading of the gospel to Gentiles. Futurists believe that one seven remain in the future, so generally they choose the fourth decree (444 BC), as 483 lunar years (69 ‘7s’) later would bring it to 33 AD (to be explained in the next post), the year Jesus was crucified. No reputable scholar pick the first two decrees as their end dates don’t match that of any significant event. Which is correct?

Again, the answer is in the text. The first three decrees, by Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, were all for rebuilding the temple, not Jerusalem, and would not fit Daniel 9:25. Only the last one, from Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, was to rebuild Jerusalem, so this is the decree, and our start date is 444 BC. (Note: Some commentators hold to a 445 BC to 32 AD period.)

(to be continued)