Truth About Christ’s Return

Throughout history, God’s people have been longing for the Second Coming of Jesus.  It represents the end of all sin and sorrow and the establishment of eternal peace.  Even in our secular age, the theme of the Second Coming is still found in society.  Many Second Coming scenarios are portrayed in popular media, almost always including times of trouble and tribulation.

But what does the Bible actually teach about the Second Coming of Christ?  Will it be in secret?  What are the signs of His coming?  Can we know for certain whether that time is near?

The Bible mentions many signs given to tell us when Christ’s Second Coming is near.  What are those signs in history and around us today?

Signs of the Second Coming

Much of the Bible is dedicated to the theme of the Second Coming. There are over 1500 prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming recorded in the Bible. For every prophecy of His first coming mentioned in the Old Testament, there are eight predicting His Second Coming. Christ’s return is also mentioned once in every five verses in the New Testament.

Many Old Testament prophets were given visions and instructions concerning this period, often called “the time of the end.” Daniel was told that his writings were for the time of the end (Daniel 12:9). John’s book of Revelation is also full of prophecies concerning the Second Coming and the period just before it.

The Bible warns us of a period of great trouble and tribulation just before the Second Coming. As well, the Coming itself is not necessarily good news for all people, as the Bible warns that those that have rejected Christ will run from Him at His appearing.

The Scriptures tell us that there will be signs in the earth, distress of nations, and turmoil in the social structure of societies. In Matthew 24, Jesus discusses the events prior to His Second Coming. He intermingles His warnings about the destruction of Jerusalem with the destruction of the world at the end of time using the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem as a dual application. This discourse is also presented in Mark 13 and Luke 21.

Jesus Discusses the Signs of His Return
Sign of His Coming	Matthew	Mark	Luke
War and distress of nations	24:7	13:8	21:9-11
Earthquakes	24:7	13:8	21:11
As in the days of Noah	24:37-39	–	–
Gospel to be preached worldwide	24:14	13:10	–
Tribulation	24:21	13:19	21:12
False christs	24:5, 23-24	13:21-22	21:8
Signs in the sun, moon, and stars	24:29	13:24-25	21:25

It can be argued that many of the events portrayed in the Bible have always existed on the earth, but never has there been a time when all these events were evident in so many diverse places and in such frequency.

Signs of the Second Coming in History

The Bible speaks of signs that will show us when the end times are near. Some of these events have already occurred in history. Luke 21:25-26 tells us this:

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear. 

This passage in Luke refers to the Dark Day of 1780 and the meteor showers of 1833 that ushered in the great Advent movement. After the 1260 years of papal suppression of the truth, New England experienced the famous Dark Day on May 19, 1780, followed by signs in the moon as well.

On November 12, 1833, a great meteor shower occurred. Nearly 200,000 meteors fell per hour. These signs were seen across the United States. Many believe that these signs are a fulfillment of the Biblical signs of Christ’s Coming.

The parallel text can be found in Revelation:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind (Revelation 6:12-13).

History records these memorable events as follows:

The dark day of New England, so familiar to old and young, came May 19. 1780…Near eleven o’clock, it began to grow dark, as if night were coming. Men ceased their work; the lowing cattle came to the barns, the bleating sheep huddled by the fences, the wild birds screamed and flew to their nests, the fowls went to their roosts…At night it was so inky dark that a person could not see his hand when held up, nor even a white sheet of paper. (i)

During the whole time, a sickly melancholy gloom overcast the face of nature…Nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day; notwithstanding there was almost a full moon, no object was discernible, but the help of some artificial light, which, when seen from the neighboring houses and other places at a distance, appeared thro’ a kind of Egyptian darkness, which seemed impervious to the rays. (ii)

Herschel, the great astronomer, frankly admits, “the Dark Day, May 19, 1780, is one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest but which philosophy is at a loss to explain.”

Footnotes:
i. “History of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888,” (Boston Public Library).
ii. The Independent Chronicle (Boston, June 8, 1780): 4, as quoted in  W. A. Spice, “The Dark Day of 1780, Our Day (Review and Herald Publishing, 1918).

What do these events signify?

These events fulfilled some of the prophecies that must occur before Christ returns. Even though it seemed like the world was ending on the Dark Day and during the meteor shower, these events do not mean that Christ should have returned in the 1800s or that He will return now. Rather, they were an announcement that the Biblical “time of the end” had begun. This does not diminish the validity of these events as signs of Christ’s soon return.

The books of Daniel and Revelation tell us many things that must happen before the Second Coming of Christ. The 1260-year tribulation came to an end in 1798. It was then that God began the final chapter of human history in which we now live. 

Signs of the Second Coming in Today’s World

The Scripture gives many signs that will tell us when the return of Christ is near. These signs are prevalent in our world today:

•    An increase in knowledge (Daniel 12:4).
•    An increase in demonic activity (Revelation 16:13-14, 1 Timothy 4:1-7)
•    An increase in lawlessness  (2 Timothy 3:1-7)
•    Departure from the faith (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
•    Rise of false teachings such as evolution (2 Peter 3:3-7)
•    Rise of false Christs (Matthew 24:4-24)
•    Increase in traffic and modern transportation (Nahum 2:4)
•    Poverty and economic instability (James 5:3-4)

Violence

Jesus also predicted that tension between nations would increase prior to the Second Coming.  

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12 NKJV).
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places (Matthew 24:7).

The Greek word for “nation” used here is ethnos, from which we get the word ethnic. Sadly, there may be talk of peace today, but ethnic violence is rife.

Moral Decay

During the time just before Christ’s Coming, moral corruption and intemperance will abound.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV).

The Bible also tells us that before Christ’s Second Coming, many will be indifferent to these warnings:

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:37-39 NKJV).

Fear

…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth… (Luke 21:26 NKJV).

 There will be a growing fear amongst people on Earth, as they contemplate the future of the planet and their own way of life. 

The escalation of fear in our society is marked. This includes not only fear from the peril of increased violence, but also terrorism, globalism, governmental control, economic failure, and disaster. A strange mixture of indifference and fear characterizes our time.

Be Alert

Of all these signs, the one with the greatest finality is this:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (Matthew 24:14).

We are admonished to study the signs and to pay attention (Matthew 24:32-35). However, no one knows the time or the hour of Christ’s return (Matthew 24:36, 25:13). The Bible does state that this event will take place at midnight, but this could simply mean the final moment. However, legislative decrees of governments also come into effect at midnight and universal decrees are legislated according to midnight at specific longitudes.

Since we cannot determine a specific time for Christ’s coming, all this tells us is that God will destroy sin at the final moment. We can see this through types and examples in the Bible:

And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:29).

In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand (Job 34:20).

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him (Matthew 25:6).

Strange as it may seem, few mainline Christian churches teach the Biblical Coming of Christ today. Most churches, if they preach about the Second Coming at all, preach a coming of Christ that will bring peace to the nations, but the Bible teaches a destruction of nations. They preach conversion of sinners at the coming of Christ when the Bible teaches that Christ will come to destroy sin and sinners. Let us carefully examine the evidence. 

How Will Christ Return

Christ returning in glory is the hope of the Church. Jesus said, “I will come again” (John 14:3). This promise will be fulfilled. The return of Christ is the event that will finally release the people who love God and seek to honor Him from Satan’s earthly rule:

To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:28 NKJV).

Although Jesus did not tell us every detail about His Second Coming, His Word does give us some clues about how He will return. When Jesus left to go back to heaven after His resurrection, two angels stood by the disciples and gave them important information about Christ’s Second Coming:

…while [the disciples] beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they look stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:9-11 emphasis added).

We can glean three vital pieces of information from the Scriptures:

1. Christ will come in the clouds with His angels.

Jesus was taken up into heaven by a cloud, and He will return in the clouds. The clouds symbolize the angels of God that will surround Him, as can be seen in Hebrew parallelism:

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as is Sinai, in the holy place (Psalm 68:17).

…who maketh the clouds his chariots; who walketh upon the wings of the wind (Psalm 104:3).

Jesus Himself promised that He would return with the clouds:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

The glory of Christ’s coming will surpass anything we can imagine. He will return in the glory of His angels, and the Godhead: “when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26).

For further information see Matthew 25:31 and 26:64; Mark 13:26 and 14:62; Revelation 1:7; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7.

2. The Second Coming will be audible and universally visible.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:31).

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him (Revelation 1:7).

When Christ returns, every person in every nation will see Him. In fact, Christ warned against false comings of Christ that would not be universally visible:

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:26-27).

3. The Lord will not come down to the earth, but will await the redeemed in the sky.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:31 NIV).

At the Second Coming, Christ will call forth the dead and send forth His angels to gather the elect, and together they will meet Him in the air. Christ Himself will not come down to the earth—His feet will not touch the earth. He commands His angels, “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Psalm 50:5).

What Will Happen to the Righteous?

Christ is coming to retrieve His righteous followers, both living and dead:

The Dead Followers will be Raised

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Only those who have given their lives to Jesus and submitted to His authority will be resurrected at the Second Coming.

And I saw thrones, and they sat up on them, and judgment was given unto them…But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6).

In John 5:28-29, Christ tells us that all shall hear His voice. He talks of two resurrections: “the resurrection of life,” and “the resurrection of damnation.” These two events are separated by a thousand years. The followers of God are to be raised at the first resurrection, or “the resurrection of life.” The rejecters of God will not be raised until the thousand years are finished, at the second resurrection or “the resurrection of damnation.”

The Living Followers will be Translated

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The living people of God, “we which are alive,” will be gathered together with the resurrected righteous to meet the Lord in the air. The living followers will not taste death, but will be translated as Enoch and Elijah were (Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11).

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54 NKJV).

The living will be changed at the last trumpet. Our bodies will be changed into the likeness of His glorious body. For more information see Philippians 3:20-21, 1 John 3:2-3, and Isaiah 25:8-9.

What Will Happen to those Who Rejected Christ and His Mercy?

When Christ returns, those who chose to reject Him will be slain, and the nations will be destroyed.

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come” (Revelation 6:15-17 NKJV).

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads of many countries (Psalm 110:5-6).

There will be no peace or joy at the Second Coming of Christ for those who have ignored the mercy of Christ and sought to destroy His saints. These people will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. The Lord is not a respecter of earthly positions. Even the rulers of nations will have to give an account for their actions. Then the wicked one, the man of sin, will be revealed for what he is.

And then shall the Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground (Jeremiah 25:33).

These people will not be gathered, lamented, or buried because no living being will remain on Earth. God’s people will have been taken to heaven and everyone else will be dead.

I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth. I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, By His fierce anger. For thus says the LORD: “The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black, Because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, Nor will I turn back from it (Jeremiah 4:23-28 NKJV).

“I will utterly consume everything From the face of the land,” Says the LORD; “I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, The fish of the sea, And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the land,” Says the LORD (Zephaniah 1:2-3 NKJV).

For more information about the destruction of all things, see Psalm 21:10, 37:10, 110:5-6; Isaiah 24:1-3, and Hebrews 10:26-27.

Will There Be a Secret Rapture?

In stark contrast to this section of articles is the doctrine of the secret rapture. This doctrine is a dispensational view, proposing that the people of God will be secretly taken to heaven while everyone else remains on the earth to receive a second chance. The secret rapture doctrine is false, and gives a false hope. It does not encourage people to change their lives and make themselves right with God.

This is what Scripture has to say about getting right with God:

Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7).

“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 18:21-23 NKJV).

There is a clear “if” in these verses. Salvation is conditional to obedience. When the judgment comes, we will be held accountable for our deeds, and won’t have another chance.

The people of God will experience the tribulation and feel the wrath of the Antichrist. Their only hope will be the return of Christ. Just as the blood of the lamb was to be painted on the doorposts of the Israelite dwellings during the night of the final plague in Egypt (Exodus 12:7-13), so the blood of Christ the Lamb must be painted on the doorpost of the heart to alert the destroying angel that we have been purchased by God’s sacrifice.

And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation (Isaiah 25:9 NKJV).

The Secret Rapture and the Word of God

 The following passage is often quoted to support the secret rapture:

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming (Matthew 24:38-42 NKJV).

This text does not prove a secret rapture. It merely points out that at the return of Christ, some will be saved and others will be lost.

The dispensationalist view that the Antichrist will arise after the secret rapture is also not in line with the teaching of Scripture. The Bible clearly teaches that this power will arise from the Church, not after the Church:

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John 2:18-19 NKJV).

The secret rapture is not a Biblical teaching.

There will be posts forth coming on the following topics which have relevance here:
Rise and Fall of Futurism City’s Ancient Fall (Babylon)
End Tim Babylon
Cyrus
Darius
Tyre
Petra
Egypt
Probation Closes
Consequences Begin at the Executive Judgment
Prophecies of the Bible Regarding the End/Closing of Earth’s History

Dispensationalism

In the 1500s, Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera wrote a commentary on the book of Revelation that explained prophecy through a futurist interpretation. The goal of Ribera’s book was to convince Protestants that the papal system is not the Antichrist.

Ribera succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. From his early work arose dispensationalist thinking, a method of Bible interpretation that is common to nearly every Protestant church today. As a result, few Protestant churches would criticize the Pope or agree that the papal system is the Biblical Antichrist.

What is Dispensationalism?

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions defines dispensationalism as a “Millennial scheme of biblical interpretation. It divides history into seven ‘dispensations’, in which God deals differently, and progressively, with humanity.”

Dispensationalists insist their interpretation is literal, supported by the history and grammar in Scripture. They come to Scripture expecting to see a secret rapture, a seven-year tribulation for the Jews, and a third coming of Christ to establish an earthly thousand-year reign from Jerusalem.

As James M. Efird observes, “If we come to the text already knowing what it is going to say, all we find is what we wish to find…thus the biblical texts are not allowed to speak as originally intended.”

This doctrine creates false hope of a second chance. How many poor souls will be unprepared when Christ returns because they are expecting a secret rapture as an early warning to get serious with God?

Dispensationalism is a dangerous corruption of Scripture. Here are some of the errors in the dispensational viewpoint:

The Spread of Dispensationalism

Scholars and ministers spread dispensationalism across America in the 19^th century. John Nelson Darby, “the father of dispensationalism,” was a founder of the Plymouth Brethren movement. His most influential contribution was his promotion of dispensationalism and the secret rapture.

Darby, born in London, made seven trips to North America between 1862 and 1877, throughout and after the Civil War. Many saw his message of Christ’s return as hope in a dark world. James Inglis published Darby’s ideas in his journal Waymarks in the Wilderness. Brothers Paul and Timothy Loizeaux, part of the Plymouth Brethren movement in the United States, also helped to distribute Darby’s interpretations of Scripture.

Darby greatly influenced a Presbyterian minister named Dr. James H. Brookes, who developed the Niagara Bible Conference that met every summer from 1875 to 1897. The Bible studies held there were devoured by many eager young students—one of which was Cyrus Ingerson Scofield. Even to this day, Scofield is famous for his Scofield Reference Bible, which has dispensationalist footnotes.

Scofield established the Philadelphia School of the Bible. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, a staff member, went on to become founder of Dallas Theological Seminary. He taught decades of theological students and pastors the dispensational point of view. One of those students was Hal Lindsey. His books, including The Late Great Planet Earth, declare that the physical nation of Israel is still God’s chosen people and the key to Bible prophecy.

These dispensational ideas have strongly influenced American foreign policy. They have lead to support for Israel largely based on the supposed blessing that such support will bring.

The information in this section is derived from James M. Efird, Left Behind? What the Bible Really Says about the End Times (Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2006). Preview this book online.

“Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous.” ~ H.A. Ironside

Post Rapture Tribulation

Dispensationalism is the background for the blockbuster Left Behind series. It proposes that the rapture of the Church will occur at the secret coming of Christ, before the Antichrist rules the earth for a seven-year tribulation period.

The Ryrie Study Bible says that the seven-year tribulation period “is the 70^th week of Daniel and is therefore of seven-years’ duration” (Daniel 9:27). (i)

This statement illogically separates the 70^th week from the preceding 69 weeks. The seven years are placed over 2000 years into the future, to the time of Antichrist. A prophecy referring to Christ is twisted to refer to the Antichrist instead.  See the 70^th week prophecy of Daniel at the end, it is the last section. 

By stating that the Antichrist is an individual, dispensationalism ignores the Bible. The Antichrist is more than an individual. 1 John 2:18 says, “even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” These “antichrists” came out of the Church as apostate believers. Eventually, this Antichrist power found a home in a geo-political religious system, the papal system. It has harassed the Church for centuries, and is still a threat to believers in our time.

Footnote:
i. Charles Caldwell Ryrie, “III. The Tribulation,” Ryrie Study Bible King James Version Expanded Edition (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994): 1982.

The Separation of the Church and Israel

Dispensationalism creates an artificial difference between the Church and Israel. According to this view, the Church consists of those trusting Christ, while Israel consists of the physical descendants of Jacob. Israel receives the benefit of the Abrahamic covenant because it is still God’s chosen people.

Dispensationalist Cyrus Scofield wrote, “The Jew was promised an earthly inheritance, earthly wealth, earthly honor, earthly power. The Church is promised no such thing, but is pointed always to heaven as the place where she is to receive her rest and her reward.” (i) 

Dispensationalists say “the Kingdom” refers to the Jewish earthly kingdom, while the “Church” is composed of believers in Christ with a heavenly inheritance. Even conservative dispensationalist John Walvoord taught that Daniel 9:24-27 predicts the Antichrist rebuilding the temple to fulfill a covenant with the Jewish people in Israel. (ii)

 This may help the government of Israel obtain American foreign aid, but it is at the expense of the truth of God’s Word. Dispensationalists link the destinies of the secular state of Israel with the spiritual Israel—the Church.

The Truth about God’s Kingdom

Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36). Paul emphasized that both Jew and Gentiles become children of God when he said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek…for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:28-29).

Using an olive tree to represent Israel, Paul tells believing Gentiles not to be boastful because “…if God spared not the natural branches [i.e. Jews who did not believe], take heed lest he also spare not thee” (Romans 11:21). In God’s eyes a Gentile who has faith in Christ becomes part of Israel—while a Jew who believes in Christ returns to the “natural olive tree” (See Romans 11). Both the root and the branches are part of the same Israel.

The real “Israel of God” is not a country in the Middle East, but those who trust and follow Christ.

Footnotes:
i. Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, “The Biggest Failure of the Church Age.” Read this article online.

ii. John F. Walvoord, Prophecy in the New Millennium (Kregel Publications, 2001): 84.

Literal Versus Spiritual Israel

In the section above, ‘Will There Be a Secret Rapture?’, we looked at the false secret rapture doctrine held by dispensationalist. Now, we will further discuss the differences between the Biblical rapture and the erroneous secret rapture.

Typology Regarding the Rapture (Note: Typology is a relationship between two events in which the first event is seen as a type, or foreshadowing, of the greater second event, known as the antitype).

Dispensationalists do not believe in Spiritual Israel, which is the Church, but believe that the promises of Scripture are for literal Israel only. They thus separate the Church from Israel, but the Bible makes no such distinction:

Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16 NIV).

Dispensationalists say that the relief for God’s people and the consequences for those who disobeyed Him will occur seven years apart. They say that the rapture of God’s people will come first, followed by the destruction of the Antichrist at the Second Coming. During this supposed seven-year period, the Jewish people will go through the tribulation and will come to accept Christ.

However, the truth is that typology in the Bible always points to something greater. The symbolic lamb points to Christ—the latter being so much greater than the former. Literal Babylon points to end-time Babylon, comprising all the forces that reject God. Literal Jerusalem is a type of end-time spiritual Jerusalem, comprising the redeemed of all the ages. Despite this, dispensationalists await a literal reconstruction of Babylon and Israel, which would be the same as awaiting the return of a literal lamb. In the future a series of posts will be done on End-Time Babylon and Revelation.

According to the dispensationalist view, the end-time tribulation is for literal Israel only. This is not a Biblical teaching. The trials and tribulations are rather designed to purge and cleanse God’s faithful people around the world (1 Thessalonians 3:3).

And one of the elders answered, saying to me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said to him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13-14).

All will Experience the Tribulation

Contrary to dispensational doctrines, God’s people—those who have washed their robes in the blood of the lamb—have to go through the tribulation. “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 NIV).

According to these texts, relief for the accepters of God and recompense for the rejecters of God take place at the same time—at the return of Christ.

This is what Jesus told His disciples about the end- time tribulation:

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:41-43 NKJV).

Just like the wheat and the tares Jesus describes in Matthew 13, everyone will stay together until the return of Christ. When Old Testament Israel was delivered from the bondage of Egypt, the plagues did not fall when the Israelites were already gone. They were present and witnessed the events, being subjected to the first three plagues themselves (Exodus 8-12).

God divinely protected the Israelites from the effects of the last seven plagues in Egypt, just as He will divinely protect His people from the effects of the last seven plagues at the end of time (Revelation 3:10-13). God’s people are urged to hold on until He comes. They will not be taken to heaven before these events.

The glory of Christ’s Second Coming leaves no hint of secrecy. Everyone will be judged at the same time. The return of Christ is the blessed hope of the people of God: Jesus is to be revealed (1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7,13; 4:13).

A Break in God’s Plan

Dispensationalists see the “Church Age” as a parenthesis in God’s plan, during which many Gentiles will be saved. Then, the Kingdom will be established when geographic Israel receives its promised glory. According to this view, the time between Pentecost and the rapture is a temporary hiccup in God’s plan for Israel. The Old Testament and parts of the New Testament are meant for the Jews, and not applicable to Christians.

Dispensationalism teaches that God interrupts Daniel’s prophetic timeline to insert the “Church Age” between the 69th and 70^th week (see: ‘The 70-Week Prophecy’ below). This completely contradicts Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8, which say that the Lord does not change.

Scofield writes, “the church is not once mentioned in Old Testament prophecy.”ⁱ But if the Church is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, then prophecies such as Jeremiah 31:31-34 do apply to the Church. The Church is the New Israel (See Romans 9:21-26; Galatians 3:26-29, 6:15-16).

The term “dispensation” is used in the KJV Bible only four times—1 Corinthians 9:17, Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 3:2, and Colossians 1:25. In all four places, the Greek word is pronounced in English oy-kon-om-ee’-ah. It means an administration of a household or estate, essentially bookkeeping. It is often translated elsewhere in the KJV as “stewardship” (See Luke 16:2-4,8 and Titus 1:7).

J. N. Darby, the founder of dispensationalism, translated the word as “administration.” He thought it meant that God had different time periods when He dealt differently with different people groups. It could just as easily refer to the overall stewardship of God’s eternal plan for all the ages—one eternal plan, not many different “ages” and “times” where different plans were in effect. There is only one plan “from the foundation of the world.”

The Dispensations

Dispensationalism hinges on the view that there are different dispensations—different times and ways that God works in different groups of people. The seven dispensations are usually described as follows:

1. The Age of Innocence (Genesis 1 to 3:7) that leads up to Adam’s fall into sin.
2. The Age of Conscience (Genesis 3:8 to 8:22) from Adam’s fall to Noah’s flood.
3. The Age of Government (Genesis 9:1 to 11:32) from Noah, to the tower of Babel and to Terah (Abram’s father).
4. The Age of Promise (Genesis 12 to Exodus 19:25) from Abram (who becomes Abraham), through the 12 sons of Israel, to Moses (just before the Ten Commandments).
5. The Age of Mosaic Law (Exodus 20 to Acts 2:4) from Moses to the beginning of the Christian Church.
6. The Age of Grace (Acts 2:4 to Revelation 20:3) referred to as “The Church Age,” or the “Present Dispensation.”
7. The Age of the Millennium Kingdom (Revelation 20:4 to the end of the Bible) this is the literal earthly reign of Christ from Jerusalem for 1000 years. This is still to come in the future.

Another variation of classical dispensationalism has four periods:

     1. The Patriarchal Period (Genesis 1 to Exodus 20).
     2. The Mosaic Period (Exodus 20 to Acts 1).
     3. The Ecclesial or Church Period (Acts 2 to Revelation 20.)
     4. The Zionic Period including the millennium and the Eternal Kingdom (Revelation 20 to 22).

And still another variation has three periods of time:

     1. The Age of Law (Genesis to Acts 1).
     2. The Age of Grace (Acts 2 to Revelation 20).
     3. The Age of the Kingdom (Revelation 20 to 22 and into eternity).

The information in this section is derived from the Wikipedia article on dispensationalism.

“The day…may be very near when we shall all have to fight the battle of the Reformation over again.” ~ Grattan Guinness

The Seven Last Plagues – Revelation 16

In ancient times, God’s people the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God wanted to take them out but Pharaoh hardened his heart. When Egypt’s pharaoh refused to let God’s people go and instead took away their right to a Sabbath rest, God struck Egypt with plagues (Exodus 5). These events symbolize what will happen in the final days. The circumstances will be similar, and the application will be universal.

Because Moses reestablished the Israelites’ Sabbath, Pharaoh increased their workload, making it impossible for the Israelites to keep the Sabbath. When this law was enacted and God’s people could no longer worship according to their consciences, God intervened. The plagues came and Israel was freed from slavery and taken to the Promised Land.

In Revelation, John describes the seven last plagues that will fall at the end of the world’s probation. This close of probation, just like in Egypt, will come after the mark of the Beast is enforced, depriving God’s people of their freedom to worship Him according to the dictates of their conscience. In the end times, the Sabbath will once again be the issue.

I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God (Revelation 15:1).

In Revelation, John sees the heavenly temple fill with smoke. The heavenly temple service ends and probation is closed: “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (Revelation 15:8).

Let’s have a look at the symbolism found in the seven plagues of Revelation 16. Once these plagues start falling, there will be those who will attempt to explain away each of these plagues as a coincidence or as a natural occurrence. But the wise will understand where the plagues are coming from. 

First Plague

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image (Revelation 16:1-2).

In this text, the first plague falls on those who have the mark of the Beast; God’s people are divinely protected. In Egypt, God separated the Egyptians and the Israelites so that His people were not affected by the last seven plagues.

Later in Revelation, before Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, God warned His people about the coming destruction. He pointed them to the prophecies of Daniel and urged them to study and understand them. Those who listened to His counsel escaped with their lives, but those who did not perished. They suffered the consequences of their choice. God had pleaded long and it was only with aching heart that He gave them up.

Just as Pharaoh did not relent when the plagues fell, so the unrepentant will not cease in their endeavors to destroy God’s people. The crisis will escalate until it climaxes in the death decree against those who refuse to honor the Antichrist. The promises of God are, however, sure:

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it will not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plagues come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Psalms 91:5-11).

What a comforting thought—angels will protect those who have the seal of God.

Second Plague

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea (Revelation 16:3).

If we look closely at our planet today, we can see a foretaste of what this plague will be like. All around us, we can see the consequences of the toxic waste we have dumped into the delicate marine and fresh water systems of the world. Dangerous algal blooms in oceans and river systems are becoming more and more common. These blooms produce effects that are very similar to the second plague in Revelation.

Blood-red blooms of algae and microorganisms cause the death of millions of aquatic creatures by depriving them of the oxygen they need to survive. The algae and dead organisms then rot to form a blood -like sludge. 

However, even though humanity is producing enough pollution to duplicate this plague, when the second angel pours out his vial, it will be much worse than anything that humanity has managed to achieve.

Third Plague

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments (Revelation 16:4-7).

In this passage, while those who turned against God continue in their determination to shed the blood of those who love Him, the waters turn to blood. But the promise for the people of God is that “bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure” (Isaiah 33:16).

Just as Elijah was taken care of in his calamity, so God will take care of His children in their calamity. The prophet Elijah serves as a type of the end- time people of God. Elijah did not see death, but was translated and taken to heaven. Similarly, those that receive the seal of God will also be translated without seeing death.

Just as Elijah was persecuted by the church-state alliance of his day, so God’s people will suffer a similar persecution at the end of time. God provided Elijah’s needs, and God will also provide the needs of the faithful at the end of this great drama of rebellion against His government.

Fourth Plague

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory (Revelation 16:8-9).

During the fourth plague, the sun’s radiation will not only scorch the earth, but will also scorch people. As in the case of the aquatic disasters produced by the previous plagues, we also have present-day indicators of how this plague will affect humanity. With the destruction of the ozone layer, ultraviolet radiation has increased dramatically and some countries have introduced dress codes for school children to avoid exposure.

Weather patterns have changed dramatically over the last decades. Changing weather patterns have resulted in unprecedented droughts in some areas and massive floods in others. The droughts, often associated with the Él Niño phenomenon, have caused raging fires that have swallowed up millions of acres of forests and grazing.

What is being witnessed today is merely a foretaste of worse things to come. The prophet Joel foresaw this plague and had this to say:

How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flames hath burned all the trees of the field (Joel 1:18-19).

In the same way that God protected the Israelites from the plagues that smote the Egyptians (Exodus 11:4-8), God’s people will be protected from this plague. “The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night” (Psalm 121:6).

God protected the Israelites from the heat of the day by being a pillar of cloud for them, and protected them from the cold of the night by being a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21). He will also protect His people when this fourth plague comes to fruition.

Fifth Plague

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven (Revelation 16:10-11).

Blasphemy is claiming the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:6-11 and Luke 5:18-26), claiming to be God (John 5:18, 8:58-59, John 10:30-31).

This plague will strike at the throne of the Beast in particular. The Papacy has kept the people of the world in darkness, and so darkness will be their portion. With their tongues they deceived the nations, and they will gnaw their tongues in agony.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

Light emanates from God, and in Him there is no darkness. Any religion that replaced Jesus, the Light of the world, with its own systems are to be scrutinized with scripture.  If the religious practice in not supported by Scripture then it is error.  “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130).  God’s word is truth and His law stands forever.  The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant (Isaiah 24:5).

God does not change. Rather, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

The fifth plague will bring about a turning point. The inhabitants of the earth, already reeling under the effects of the previous plagues, will witness the agony of the Beast (long standing political/religious powerhouse) and begin to doubt its credentials. Just as Egypt’s support for Pharaoh waned when the plagues hit (Exodus 10:7), so support for this political-religious powerhouse will begin to wane, opening the way for the sixth plague.  Note: In the Daniel and Revelation Prophecy Series that will be forth coming, this power and others will be identified.

Sixth Plague

The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and its water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared (Revelation 16:12).

Two issues are brought forward in this passage: the Euphrates river dries up and this prepares the way for the kings of the East. The Euphrates was the river that fed into Babylon. This verse reminds us of this city’s ancient fall when the river dried up to prepare the way for the conquerors to enter the city. One hundred fifty years before Cyrus, the conqueror of Babylon, was born, the prophet Isaiah mentioned his name:

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron (Isaiah 45:1-2).

This is an amazing prophecy. Cyrus is here a type of Christ who will one day come and rescue His children from mystic Babylon and take them to the heavenly Jerusalem.

That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid (Isaiah 44:27-28).

Isaiah 44:27 says that God Himself will dry up the waters of the Euphrates and this will cause Babylon’s fall by opening the way for Cyrus to enter the city. History reveals that Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC because the waters of the Euphrates stopped flowing. Cyrus is called a shepherd, and in Isaiah 45:1 he was called the Lord’s anointed. Just as Cyrus set Israel free without price, Jesus will set His people free without price.

Just as the waters of literal Babylon dried up, so the waters of spiritual Babylon will dry up. The waters, according to Revelation 17, are the nations that support Rome. This support will begin to crumble.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15).

Cyrus and his father-in-law Darius, a type of father and son, were the kings of the East who conquered Babylon in 539 BC when the waters of the Euphrates dried up. Who are the kings that will come to our rescue once the antitypical Euphrates dries up? If Cyrus was a type of Christ, then the antitypical kings of the East must be Christ and His Father. The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel speak about Christ’s Second Coming:

Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow (Isaiah 41:2).

Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory (Ezekiel 43:1-2).

Jesus will come in His glory, His Father’s glory, and the glory of all the holy angels:

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).

Seventh and Last Plague of Earth’s History

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great (Revelation 16:17-21).

The final plague of hail will destroy the nations of the earth. Babylon will disintegrate into its three components. The greatest earthquake in history will destroy the last life on earth. Huge blocks of hail weighing over 100 pounds will end the rebellion. No one will be left. In the midst of this confusion, Christ’s people will be taken away.

In Job 38:22-23, we have a reference to this war of hail:

Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

Christ is the victor in this conflict:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11-16).

The redeemed will shout for joy when their conflict ends, because they will be taken to the heavenly Canaan.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this
is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation (Isaiah 25:9).

Misinterpreting the Plagues

The last plagues fall after probation has closed.  Just like probation closed in Noah’s day, Lot’s day, etc. it will close at the end of time when all those living just prior to Christ’s return will have made their choice. This is important to know because the last plagues could be misinterpreted. Probation closes after Jesus completes judging every soul, dead or alive.

As soon as Christ is done this great work, He throws down His censer and says, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revevelation 22:11). Then the seven last plagues begin to fall, and Jesus begins preparations to go get His people.

There will no longer be any need for delay. All those that have chosen God have made their decision and been sealed (Ezekiel 9:4-6). All those who have chosen Satan have made their decision. No matter how much time they would be given, they would not change their minds. They have become joined to what they have chosen—for some it is God’s ways, and for others it is sin and Satan’s way. There is no more hope of change, and therefore, no more need for God’s people to live in this world full of sin and sorrow any longer.

During the sixth plague there is silence in heaven, while Jesus and his entourage of angels comes to redeem the saints from the earth. But prior to this plague, the first five plagues will be falling on earth, and many will be tempted to misinterpret what is happening. Satan is aware of the prophecies of the Scriptures, and knows that God will eventually overthrow his counterfeit system. Satan knows that the last plagues are intended to punish his system, but the plagues will be a golden opportunity for him to heap the blame upon those that have resisted his system. He will have to devise a prophetic interpretation to explain why these plagues are falling.  Those that refuse to comply with his legislated plan will be targets of blame for the disasters befalling the world.  Satan will use many signs and wonders to bring the world to its knees believing that God is with this powerhouse religo-political system. The global disasters that will increase as we near the final moments of Earth’s history will be blamed on those who refuse to bow before this power. The disasters will be considered a result of the moral decline and departure from the teachings of this power, and this will lead the world leaders to cooperate even more with this power to restore “peace.”

Satan himself will personate Christ and will have his religio-political power at his feet.  This is Satan’s government in deceiving the world.  For some this may seem outrageous, and it is – we are in a war between good (God) and evil (Satan).  This conflict will rage more and more up to the point of Christ’s return.  In the future there will be posts regarding Bible prophecies of Daniel, Revelation, and End Time Events.

Because the close of probation is such a serious event, now is the time to turn to God and align our lives with His will, if we want to be among the ones redeemed when He comes to take His people home (2 Corinthians 6:2).

God’s Promise to You

When Jesus makes a promise, He keeps it! See Titus 1:2.

Read more about Christ’s promises to you in W. W. Prescott’s book Victory in Christ

“Without the belief in the resurrection the Christian Faith could not have come into being.” ~ William Lane Craig

The 70-Week Prophecy

The 70-week prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27), the greatest proof of Jesus as the Messiah, is found in these verses. They predict the time of the Messiah’s anointing, putting the issue beyond doubt.

Let us unravel the prophecy by allowing Scripture to be its own expositor.

The Day-Year Principle

Prophecies are couched in symbolic language that needs to be unraveled before the meaning of the words can be understood. Prophetic time is used as a symbol to be interpreted in the light of Scripture.

According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years (Numbers 14:34 NKJV).

I have appointed thee each day for a year (Ezekiel 4:6).

These two texts provide the key—the day-year principle. This principle takes prophetic days and converts them to actual years. Applying this principle to the 70-week prophecy will show that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.

Six Messianic Tasks

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (Daniel 9:24).

“Thy people” were God’s chosen people Israel. Seventy weeks resolves into 490 days. Applying the day-year principle, 490 days become 490 years.

The 490 years were appointed to the Jewish nation for these six reasons found in Daniel 9:24:
   1. to finish the transgression
   2. to make an end of sins
   3. to make reconciliation for iniquity
   4. to bring in everlasting righteousness
   5. to seal up vision and prophecy
   6. to anoint the most Holy

These six issues could only be fulfilled in and through the Messiah. Who else could make reconciliation for iniquity or bring in everlasting righteousness?

Jesus Fulfills the Prophecy

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Daniel 9:25-27).

The angel gives a breakdown of the 70 weeks as follows:

7 weeks of years for rebuilding of Jerusalem (verse 25)

62 weeks of years to the Messiah (verses 25-26)

1 week of years to the close of the period (verse 27)

The calculations are shown in the graph below, click on the link:

https://manna.amazingfacts.org/amazingfacts/website/bibleprophecytruth/documents/2300-day-prophecy.pdf?bghttp_Content-Disposition=attachment&bghttp_Content-Type=application/octet-stream&bghttp_Content-Transfer-Encoding=binary

The 2300-day prophecy, of which the 70-week prophecy is a small part, was to begin at the command that effected the restoration of Jerusalem. This command went forth under King Artaxerxes Longimanus in the year 457 BC (Ezra 7:12-13). (i)

From this starting point, we can determine all the other time markers of the prophecy. Seven weeks were allotted for the restoration of Jerusalem. True to the prophecy, Jerusalem was rebuilt 49 years after 457 BC, which was 408 BC.

Seven weeks (49 day-years) for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and another threescore and two weeks (62 weeks or 434 day-years) brings us to “the Messiah the Prince.” Beginning in 457 BC and applying the day-year principle, we can determine the passing of 483 years from 457 BC which brings us to 27 AD (allowing for the conversion from BC to AD being one extra year).

In 27 AD, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit on the occasion of His baptism which marked the beginning of His ministry (Luke 3:21-23). This baptism marked the event in Daniel’s prophecy “unto the Messiah the Prince.” When Christ proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15), He was referring to this part of the prophecy. (ii)

The end of the prophecy is 34 AD, 7 day-years after the baptism:

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease (Daniel 9:27).  Note: oblation is an offering to God.

Christ would confirm the covenant made with Israel for one prophetic week (7 years), but oblation (offerings) would cease in the middle of the week (3 ½ years after 27 AD). This mid-point brings us to 31 AD—the year Christ was crucified. It was at His death that he put an end to the system of offerings practiced by Israel for so many years.

Chiastic Structure

Some modern interpretations confuse the 70-week prophecy by applying it to the Antichrist, who (according to this interpretation) would arrive at the end of the Christian dispensation sometime in the future.

However, the prophecy in Daniel 9:26-27 has a chiastic structure, and if this is taken into account, the apparent confusion in its literary style is eliminated:

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The chiastic structure is as follows:
    * a. Messiah destroyed
    * b. Sanctuary destroyed
    * b1. Sacrifice terminated
    * a1. Ruler destroyed

Verse 27 has an additional chiasm: “he—week—week—he,” again emphasizing the role of the Messiah. It can thus be said that the destruction of the Messiah caused “the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” The Messiah would also confirm His covenant with God’s people by His sacrificial death “in the midst of the week.”   Note: a chiasm is a literary structure used in the Bible in which symmetry or patterns are used to emphasize concepts.

John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and Isaac Newton all connect the 70th week with the Messiah. When Christ cried “It is finished,” the priests were officiating in the temple. It was the hour of the evening sacrifice, and as the Passover lamb representing Christ was about to be slain, “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake and the rocks rent” (Matthew 27:51). 

After Christ died, rose again, and ascended to heaven, there were still 3 ½ day-years remaining in the prophecy. These ended in 34 AD with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:59-8:4). At that time the Gospel was given to the Gentiles by individual ambassadors from every nation. Paul, the very one who consented to the stoning of Stephen, became the apostle to the Gentile world. Israel ceased to be the recipient and channel of God’s truth. Note: In the Bible, Gentile is any non-Israelite person or nation.

Footnotes:
i. Rev. Stanley Leathes, Old Testament Prophecy—Its Witness as a Record of Divine Foreknowledge (1880).
ii. Rev. Joseph Tanner, Daniel and the Revelation.

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2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”   AND  1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

SLIDESHOW – LIVING IN THE END TIMES