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The pattern of prophecy that culminates in the Tribulation period Prophesy is often seen in patterns that are repetitious until the final culmination takes place for its fulfillment. There is a season in the last day period when all the events spoken of take place being synchronized. Mt. 24 Jesus says see to it- to watch,why? Because there will be great deception, and confusion everywhere, mankind will be misled in various ways. Only those aware of this ( by knowing the word) will understand what is taking place and where we are in the timeline. Jesus explains in Mt 24 the gospel that is preached during this time period, encompasses the prophecies of the end of the age. Paul writes in 1 Thess. 5:2-3 “the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” Thus the 70 th week begins. This is the Tribulation, ‘ the time of Jacobs trouble’ to which John says to those who persevere in Rv. 3:10-11, they will be kept “ from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
The tribulation is a set time of testing of whom mankind will serve, God or Satan. This is the last week (the 70 th 7) reserved, put aside in mankind’s history before the return of the king. Daniel who is in captivity in Babylon understands the 70 years ordained for Israel's captivity is nearing its close. He is visited by an angel that gives him a specific revelation of the end days for his people, which is the vision that he saw. The Angel says, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand”(Dan 9:22). Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city.” To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy .”
V.24, “Seventy or seventy "sevens" (each day for a year- Num. 14:34). Each
day of the week represents one year. Thus, the seventy weeks of years equal
a total of 490 years (7 days x 70 weeks = 490 days). Four hundred and
ninety years. Decreed- God has decided the period of time this would take
place and has conveyed it to Daniel. "to finish, to make” (is said twice). The first three statements apply to the first coming of Jesus. He has made an end to sin by his sacrifice. And “To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy .”
The next three terms: "to bring in," "to seal up," and "to anoint” pertain
to Israel at the return of Jesus and the commencement of the Millennium.
The return of Jesus Christ the Messiah will complete and finish this vision
and prophecy. Jesus will return to the earth; and be king ruling from
Jerusalem, just as it is written. Dan. 9:25 “ Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; “The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.” This was during the 69 weeks, to today. In Dan. 9:27 he states: “he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week.” This is the last of the 70 weeks spoken of; after the 69 weeks (62+7) have already occurred. A covenant is made by the future false messiah with Israel. He is known as the antichrist who will be accepted by many of the people (who are deceived), but not with all. Some of the Jewish people will refuse to have anything todo with the covenant, as they will see it for what it is.
To Confirm means, he will 'enforce the covenant upon the many.' But He breaks it halfway through, “But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” This refers to the person who stops the sacrifices for his own selfish reason, to be worshiped. We need to understand Jesus did not make a covenant for only one week, his is an everlasting covenant. Second, he did not end the sacrificial covenant in the middle by making HIS covenant, for he did not come the first time in the 70 th week. At this time Israel makes a covenant, God says it is with sheol. This peace that was promised is a false statement from the liar of all liars, the one who rides the white horse with the bow. 1 Thess. 5:13 is to be fully realized. The Tribulation begins with the signing of the covenant by a false peacemaker but is not the antichrist yet, not until he goes into the temple halfway through the 70 th week. At the time he is a politician. The whole world is affected as this first rider on the white horse has a crown given to him, he goes out to conquer (Rv. 6:2-4), carrying a bow without using its arrow (not by war but by convincing the people). It is when the second seal is opened, v.4 “ Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth , and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.” Jesus refers to the event starting recorded in Mark 13:13-14 "And you will be hated by all men for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Endure to the end of what? We all need endurance in our faith to see our salvation complete, but here it addresses something entirely different. He is speaking of ‘the time of the start of the Tribulation.’ This is what is taking place during this time period that he is speaking found in detail in Mt.24. This abomination, is a man and an idol that will be in the 3 rd temple in Israel during in the second half of the tribulation.
We read: “in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” Although the covenant is made to last for sevenyears, it will be broken by him, who agreed to the covenant at the halfway point (At the 3 1/2 year point, the covenant will be broken.) This is the same point that is made in Revelation 11:1-2 of the two witnesses, God's prophets who are in Israel being slain by the middle of the tribulation period by the world leader that will then become the antichrist.
This event occurs in the middle of the tribulation to the end. "And
there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and
power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months." (Rev
13:5) And we also read: “upon the wing of abominations shall come one that makes desolate.” As a result of the breaking of the covenant, the ongoing Judaic sacrificial system is stopped, and desolations and abominations will fall uponthe Jewish people. The one that makes desolate is called the Antichrist, who will cause these desolations to fall upon the Jewish people. The word abominationsin Hebrew is ‘shik-koots’, which means disgusting, i.e. filthy is in reference to “images” or “idols,” we are told an image of the Antichrist will be set up in the Temple. This is also spoken of in Daniel 12:11 and Matthew 24:5. The image itself is spoken of in Revelation 13:14-15. The Antichrist’s false prophet makes an image, which is set in the Holy of Holies of the Temple. He keeps the Temple as the center of worship, for Himself! More than likely technology will be involved with the supernatural in this event where the image speaks. He (as the man of sin) will set up a throne and sit in the Holy place of the temple with an idol called the ‘image of the Beast (Rv.13:15). Jesus warns in Mark 13:14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not” flee. This abomination is first being spread in the temple. Jesus spoke of this also recorded by Matthew, 24:15-16 " Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Revelation 12:6, 14 " And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." The Jews who do not want to be part of this now broken covenant flee in the wilderness at this time, others who do not will be persecuted, those who flee will be protected in Bozrah (S. Jordan), known as the sheepfold, they are the remnant.
Isaiah speaks on this, 28:14-15 “ Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves."
They rejected the truth and they will trust in the lies of the Antichrist for peace. They believed this covenant with the Antichrist would protect them from the overwhelming scourge. Israel does not trust in God for their protection, they choose to make this false covenant offered to them their protection, but it does not work. Daniel states,“even unto the full end, and that determined.”The term even unto the full end” means “to finish” or “to complete.” Once initiated it cannot be stopped, this last week of Daniels's prophecy is underway to be completed. Isaiah 28: he continues in V.19-22 “ As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, (overflowing scourge) And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report." For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon--That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.” Jesus said that Jerusalem would be trampled down by Gentiles "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). This is not completed until the tribulation ends. The functioning of the temple comes to halt at this time in the Tribulation, it is taken over by the Gentiles under the auspices of the man of sin, the antichrist, for the last 31⁄2 years (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 11:1-2). Dan. 9:26 tells us of a prince who shall come. The “people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.” speaking of the Antichrist's origin, he shall be from the people that destroyed Jerusalem and the temple (which later were the Romans). The people that follow him during his time are those who ruined the city and the temple before Israel was scattered from the land. Here is what is applied to the saints during this time. Dan. 11:32-34 “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.” He will convince those to reject Christ Jesus by flattery, but those who know God will serve the Lord even though he makes war with the saints and to overcome them .” (Rv 13:7) Rev. 13:13-15 “ He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Wrath comes upon the world as they choose this man as the Christ over Jesus, who alone is Christ. Jesus often spoke on the same subject numerous times adding different points of what is to take place. Matt 22:4-9 “ I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' "But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business."And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them." But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 'Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” In Luke 14:17-23 as the supper is prepared Jesus sends out his servant, he returns, telling Jesus of the excuses they made not to come and that there is room for more. "Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” And then says “none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.”
This is for us today, compel them to come while there is still time. This will continue through the tribulation period by 144,000 Jews until Jesus returns. Excerpts from the book “the day of the Lord and the salvation of Israel” |
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