Posted on 02/15/2010 3:13:56 PM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
The year was approximately 539 BC. The 70 year exile to Babylon was about complete as Daniel had discerned from reading Jeremiah's prophecy (Dan. 9:2). He was in prayer about the future of his people because it was their sin and transgression towards God that had sent them into exile. While in prayer, Daniel was visited by the angel Gabriel who had been sent by God to give him "insight and understanding" (Dan. 9:22) regarding a "70 week" program for his people and his holy city (Dan. 9:24-25). Upon completion of the 70th week, Israel's "transgression" would be finished, her "sin" ended and her "iniquity" would be atoned for.
Four questions to be asked regarding Daniel's 70 Weeks are: (1) When did the 70 week program begin? (2) How long is "70 Weeks"? (3) Where is Israel now in that program? and, (4) What does Israel's return to her ancient homeland mean for the church? Let's look at these four questions because they have direct implication for believers today.
1. When did the 70 week program begin?
Gabriel clearly told Daniel that the 70 week program would begin when a decree was issued to "restore and rebuild Jerusalem..." (Dan. 9:25). It is important to note that the decree was to restore and rebuild "Jerusalem". When that event took place, the countdown had begun.
Sir Robert Anderson, in his monumental work, The Coming Prince, has detailed for us when that decree was given and by whom. Here is a summary of his investigative research: "The edict spoken of was issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus (a Persian King) in the 20th year of his reign. (Neh. 2:1,5) The date can be computed via the Jewish calendar which has been closely regulated since the first paschal observance in Egypt, as well as the computation of the Astronomer Royal of England, who calculated the issuing of the decree of Artaxerxes to be on the 14th of March, 445 BC. According to the Jewish calendar, that decree was on the 1st of Nisan."
2. How long is "70 Weeks"?
In the original Hebrew, "70 weeks" translates from the expression, "seventy sevens". The reference could mean days, weeks, months, years, virtually anything. Daniel was told, "after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, ..." Seven plus sixty-two is sixty-nine. Gabriel said the Messiah would be cut off after the 69th week. By calculating when the decree was given and counting to when Christ presented Himself to the nation as her Messiah on Palm Sunday, the following summary from Sir Robert Anderson's book gives us a clear understanding that a "week" equals seven prophetic years:
Total Number of days = 173,880 days
173,880 days = 483 prophetic years - to the day! Therefore, a "week" is understood to be seven prophetic years of 360 days. See also Genesis 29:27 - 28.
3. Where is Israel now in the "70 Week" program?
After Christ presented Himself to Israel as her Messiah on Palm Sunday and was subsequently "cut off", a nearly 2,000 year gap ensued. When Christ was "cut off", the time clock was effectively stopped. Then, in May of 1948, Israel was once again back in the land. That was significant because she had to be back in the land before the prophecy to Daniel (9:24-27) could be fulfilled. God had dealt with Israel as a nation up to the time when Messiah was cut off. He does so again when He resumes the program with Israel for the 70th week, the final seven years.
The re-emerging of Israel as a nation among the nations of the world after nearly 2,000 years was essential before the 70th week could begin and before Christ could return for the second coming. Then, when Israel regained control over her ancient city, Jerusalem, in 1967, that nailed down the final preparations for the possibility of the 70th week. Why? Because the prophecy to Daniel was for "your people and your holy city" (9:24). With Israel back in the land, growing tired of the constant conflict of terrorism and Palestinian and world pressure, and looking for a real solution to peace, she is more ready now than ever before to sign a covenant with some power with the political and military resources to guarantee the peace she so desperately desires. One day, perhaps soon, she'll sign the covenant spoken of in Daniel 9:27 and Isaiah 28:15, 18. When that happens, the 70th Week will have begun.
4. What does Israel's return to her ancient homeland mean for believers?
Today, more than at any time in the last 2,000 years, the church can well expect the fulfillment of Daniel's "70th week" prophecy. With world conditions rapidly building to a point of readiness for the events of the 70th week, the church more than ever needs to get her spiritual house in order. With a plethora of prophetic teaching arising today, much of which is not biblically supportable, the believer needs to be a Berean (Acts 17:11) more than ever. With the potential beginning of the 70th Week at hand, it behooves the believer to know and understand what God has indeed said regarding the second coming of Christ. If the over 300 prophecies of His first coming were fulfilled literally, surely the prophecies of His second coming will be literal as well! This is a time for believers to know and understand what God has clearly said about the return of His Son.
Is Daniel's "70 Week" prophecy nearly completed? Yes. The first sixty-nine prophetic years are now history and the 70th Week could begin virtually overnight.
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 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 (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
I don’t know how this can be if the Temple is not rebuilt.
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INDEED.
However, being logical with most REPLACEMENTARIANS is about as fruitful as . . . welll . . . I’ll stop there.
I don’t know how this can be if the Temple is not rebuilt.
Already happened.
REPLACEMENTARIAN TWISTING OF SCRIPTURE
to be remotely Biblical nor fruitful in any good sense.
Quix, I can always tell when you run out of answers - you bring out the caps lock key.
INDEED TO THE MAX. THX FOR YOUR EXCELLENT WORK ON THESE THREADS. God alone can repay such faithfulness to HIS TRUTHS and HIS WORD.
What a straw dog.
No better wail or whine?
I thought EVERYONE knew I loved CAPS and use them liberally all the time.
More evidence you’ve been hiding under a rock?
In these days, you can say that with any sort of conviction?
There are breeders out there that are very, very close to perfect, blemish free red bullocks, as well.
What do you mean by "in these days"?
Please enlighten me.
Preterists, A-Mils, Post-Mils, Run-of-the-Mills
LOL!!! Well, this is a prophecy thread, and can't we always count on the Scripture-deniers to surface like dead fish on prophecy threads?
An entire thread all on it's own could be posted about the man-created (read fallen and deceived) origins of allegorizing Scripture, spiritualizing Scripture, stupidly believing that all end-time prophecy already happened in 70 AD- the list can go on and on and on of the utter futility in holding on to beliefs that can be substantiated nowhere in Scripture.
Unfortunately for those who discard Scripture, end-time prophecies are being fulfilled daily in our time and those who continue to deny God's Word still have to stand before Him, having spent alot of time and energy attempting to convince other human beings that most of God's Word is false.
And, as we can see, that day of reckoning is coming very quickly.
Nothing - nothing - is too far fetched these days. All traditions and assumptions are eroding - haven’t you noticed?
IIRC, I read awhile back they already had one red heifer.?
I thought it developed a spot as it grew. Sooner or later . . . sooner or later.
INDEED:
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An entire thread all on it’s own could be posted about the man-created (read fallen and deceived) origins of allegorizing Scripture, spiritualizing Scripture, stupidly believing that all end-time prophecy already happened in 70 AD- the list can go on and on and on of the utter futility in holding on to beliefs that can be substantiated nowhere in Scripture.
Unfortunately for those who discard Scripture, end-time prophecies are being fulfilled daily in our time and those who continue to deny God’s Word still have to stand before Him, having spent alot of time and energy attempting to convince other human beings that most of God’s Word is false.
And, as we can see, that day of reckoning is coming very quickly.
WELL PUT.
THX.
Some early ones were found to have a single or 2-3 white hairs.
Supposedly there are some viable ones in the works now.
Good to see you around, Bro.
How’s the weather in your parts . . . which I forget is where?
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