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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King – Part 6

Conclusion

By GF Herrin

                Given the late dating of the book of Revelation, which correlates with prophecies in the book of Daniel, and also given that history lacks any single figure that has fulfilled the prophecies of Daniel 9:2-27, it is reasonable to expect a future fulfillment of Daniel’s predictions. Also, to fully understand the events of the Seventy Weeks revelation of Daniel, it must be fully understood for whom the prophecy was originally written: Daniel, his people, Israel, and their holy city, Jerusalem. The preterist view (which Mauro holds to) of the activities of God toward His covenant people, Israel, is one that is short sighted in scope. The preterist view seems to emphasize the judgment of Israel as the final decision of God, without any future chance for redemption or reconciliation for His chosen people. The preterists seem to underestimate God’s ability to forgive and woo Israel back to Him through the working of His ultimate plan for reconciliation.

Mauro claims:

The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks is manifestly an account, given beforehand of the second period of the national existence of the Jewish people. They were to last as a nation only long enough to fulfill the Scriptures, and to accomplish the supreme purpose of God, in bringing forth the Messiah, and putting Him to death. The time allotted for this was 490 years. This being accomplished, God had no further use for Israel (Mauro, 21).

Mauro’s statement is careless in that it seems to discard all of the promises of God that reveal His faithfulness to Israel and His intentions to deliver them for His name’s sake.

Ezekiel states the reason that God will deliver Israel from the enemy in the end times:

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sake. O house of Israel, but for my holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes (Ezek. 36:22-23).

Gabriel’s revelation to Daniel is given as an answer to his fervent, longing, and pleading prayer. God esteemed Daniel and in His grace revealed His plan for Israel’s reconciliation to Him. God has a covenant relationship with Israel that is not dependent on Israel’s faithfulness, but His own faithfulness. His sovereign power to bring forth Israel’s chosen King is the great Guiding force through the ages. To summarize, the seventy weeks are about God working through the age of the Gentiles to bring about His desired purpose: The end of the rebellion and transgression of the nation of Israel, the sealing up of sin, reconciliation to Yahweh, the fulfillment of prophecies, and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness to Israel when Jesus is anointed as King at the beginning of His millennial reign in Jerusalem. His program for accomplishing these things occur inside and outside of the seventy weeks. The decree to rebuild Jerusalem, given by King Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. to Nehemiah, marks the beginning of the Seventy Weeks. The finishing of the first seven weeks marks the restoral of Jerusalem as a re-built city.

The entrance into Jerusalem of Messiah, King Jesus, on April 6th, A.D. 32 marks 483 prophetic years (each consisting of 360 days), or sixty-nine weeks, after the decree is given (Anderson, 128). Then, outside of the sixty-nine weeks, but before the seventieth week begins, the Messiah is cut off, the people of the Roman prince who will come in the future, destroy Jerusalem, and the temple and the beautiful land lie desolate from the onslaught of war. Then, in the final week, the Roman prince, who is the antichrist, makes a covenant with Israel, but in the middle of the seven year period stops sacrifices and grain offerings from taking place at the third temple. Finally, after the antichrist commits abominations that desecrate the holy temple and offend God, the Lord pours out destruction on him. It is understood from the text of Daniel 12:3 and 12:12 that the millennial reign will begin shortly after.

Application

The truths of the Seventy Weeks prophecies of Daniel have a broad application today. They can be applied in leading a Bible study or delivered in a sermon to Christians anywhere. In knowing that many of the prophecies of Daniel 9:25-26 have been fulfilled as Gabriel’s message said they would be, we can stand firm on the promises of 9:27, which foretell the end of the Gentile age and the beginning of the Messianic kingdom. The message of Daniel focuses on the faithfulness and sovereign ability of God to work His plan and guide mankind to His desired conclusion. Specifically, God’s plan for Israel is in focus for the seventy weeks. The reader must remember that God’s promises remain in effect today. To conclude that God is finished with Israel and discard His covenant promises is to discard His sacred Word, itself.

Paul writes:

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27).

Christians everywhere should be encouraged by Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy to live holy lives in anticipation of living one day under the rein of the Lord Jesus Chris. Ultimately, God’s purposes will be fulfilled and the Messiah will come again to restore Israel and usher them into the millennial age in righteousness and faithfulness.

 

 

 

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Eye on the End Times – Lots of Questions in 2015

By GF Herrin

Lots to watch in 2015 in regard to prophecy… And.Lots of Questions…

What will happen with the current situation in the Ukraine? Russia is clearly an endtimes player that scholars believe is spoken of in Ezekiel 38. Will the present oil crisis they are experiencing be the impetus to make them continue to exert their aggressive nature?

What about Turkey? Several years ago the nation of Turkey had a good relationship with Israel. Now, since the coming to power of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, the country’s tone seems to have taken a very hostile turn.

Who will win the election in Israel this year? The national election in Israel is slated for March 17th. Will staunch conservative, Benjamin Netanyahu, win the election and stay in power? Or will his main rival, Isaac Herzog, win?

It seems like the Obama presidential election team has set up camp in Tel Aviv with the mission to defeat Netanyahu in the upcoming election for prime minister. Is Barack Obama working behind the scenes in Israel to prevent Netanyahu from being re-elected? If so, how much of a price will the United States pay for its cursing of God’s chosen people, Israel, yet again (see Genesis 12:3)?

 

http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/The-View-from-Israel/Obamas-shocking-interference-into-Israels-election-process-389858

 

“The “Anyone but Bibi” mission is headed by Jeremy Bird, Obama’s National Field Director in his successful presidential campaigns.

Under Bird, a group called “Victory 15” has been set up. It has recruited the young activists from Israel’s 2013 social protest movement and will man a massive social network and personal contact campaign to defeat Bibi. V15 is financed by an NGO called “One Voice” whose motto is to be “the voice of mainstream Israelis and Palestinians.” Research finds that One Voice is funded by John Kerry’s State Department.”

If someone else is elected, will the solar eclipse on March 20th portend rough waters for Israel in the future with Herzog in power?

Many biblical scholars believe that the anti-christ will be someone with a Jewish background. If a new president is elected in Israel, could he be the one?

What about Iran, another end time player (Persia) in Ezekiel 38? Will Obama give away everything to make a bad deal with Iran and cause the Gog – Magog war to begin?

I, and many of others have reason to believe that we very close to the day of the Rapture of the Church.

With Yom Kippur 2015 coming 49 prophetic years (a jubilee) to the day after the re-claiming of Jerusalem by the nation of Israel (on June 7th, 1967), it sure seems like it could happen this year. Or something significant could take place regarding Israel that has a major impact on the Great Tribulation beginning soon.

I still have no reason to believe that the Rapture will take place before Brother Billy Graham is called home. The one and only time I have heard the Lord’s audible voice was in 2008 when I felt that I heard Him tell me, “Shortly after I call Billy Graham home, I will come for my people”. I want to emphasize that this was an experience that I personally had. In all of my beliefs and when speaking to people about my faith and my eschatological writings I emphasize the concept of “Sola Scriptura”, or Scripture alone. By this I mean that my doctrine is founded on what I read in the Bible, and not any experiential event . But, just as there were people on earth when the Lord came the first time who were told they would not die before seeing Him, I believe that it is certainly possible that He can give us personal revelation on His second coming, also.

So, stay tuned, and Maranatha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Old Testament Prophecies with Personal References to the Messiah

The Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), which was completed at least 400 years before the Messiah, Jesus, was born, contains many prophecies that predicted His coming. References to His physical birth to a virgin, His life, suffering, and death for mankind’s sins, along with references to His personality, mission, and future earthly Kingdom are all contained in these prophecies.

Several  are shown below.

Much of this information is taken from J. Barton Payne’s book, The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, 1973, pages 665-670.

*Denotes prophecies that will be fulfilled at Christ’s Second Coming

Scripture Prediction Text
Genesis
3:15 Jesus will reconcile men to God, at painful cost. He will be a man, springing from the seed of a woman crushing Satan, casting him down, and eventually destroying him “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
9:26 He will come from the Semitic branch of humanity And he said: “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. “
22:18 Within this branch, His descent will be through the family of Abraham “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
49:10 He will come from the royal tribe of Judah and receive the obedience of the peoples The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
Numbers
24:17* As a star of Jacob, He will strike down all defiance (at Armageddon) I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.
Deuteronomy
18:15 He will be a prophet, like Moses, speaking the words of God The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
32:43 The angesl of God will worship at His birth Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.
1 Samuel
2:10* God will strengthen His anointed (the first use of the term Messiah for Jesus) for His rule The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.”
2 Samuel
7:13 He will descend from the line of David as an eternal king He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
7:14 God will be His father, and He will be His Son “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. “
23:3* His rule will be righteous and good, in reverence toward God The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.
Job
17:3 As the divine Angel of Yahweh, he will ransom men and restore their righteousness Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself. Who is he who will shake hands with me?
19:25* He will come again and stand over the dust of the righteous, to resurrect them For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
Psalms
2:1 Gentile rulers will unite with Jewish people against Him at His trial Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
2:2 He will be anoointed, in gladness above al others The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
2:4 He will break the nations with a rod of iron at Armageddon He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.
2:6* God will install Him on Mount Zion as king over the nations “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”
8:3 He will ascend to the Father’s right hand, gloriously crowned When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
16:10 God will not allow His holy One to see corruption For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
22:1 He will be forsaken of the Father while bearing men’s sins To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘The Deer of the Dawn.’ A Psalm of David. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?
22:6 Men will wag their heads in mockery at His crucifixion But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
22:10 He will trust in God the Father, from His birth onward I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
22:11 He will suffer from thirst and pierced limbs, as men gamble for His clothes beneath the cross Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.
22:19 But God will answer Him after His sufferings and receive Him But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
22:22 Shortly thereafter He will honor God in the midst of the church I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
22:27* Men will pray for Him continually and give worship to God All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.
40:6 He will delight to do the Father’s will Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
72:7* He will come down like showers upon the earth and cause abundance In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more.
72:8* He will rule from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.
72:12* He will have a particular concern for the poor For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.
72:17* His years will have no end His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed.
89:4 He will be the everlasting seed of David Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’ ” Selah
89:26 He will be God’s Son, His firstborn He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
110:1 He will be deity, “Lord” even to King David A Psalm of David. The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
110:3* In the day of His battle (Armageddon), young people will offer themselves to Him Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
110:4* He will be a priest, after the manner of Melchizedek The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
110:6 He will strike down the Antichrist over a wide land He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries.
Isaiah
2:4* Kings will arise before His exalted presence, and princes worship He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
7:13 He will be born of a virgin Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?
7:14 He will be Immanuel, God with us, the “Mighty God” Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
7:15 He will experince moral growth, although in an oppressed land Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
8:17* He will wait for Yahweh to convert Israel again to Himself And I will wait on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.
9:1 He will bring the light of His ministry to those in Galilee Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.
9:4* He will proclaim the day of vengenance of our God For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian.
9:6* He will govern the world For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
9:7* He will sit on the throne of David and be swift to execute righteousness Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
11:1 He will be a neser: a “branch” from David, living in Nazareth There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
11:2 He will be anointed by God’s Spirit, for preaching the Gospel The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
11:4* He will decide with equity for the poor and the meek of the earth and will slay the wicked, the Antichrist But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
12:1* He will furnish His people with joy and praise And in that day you will say: “O Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
24:16 He will be a Light to the Gentiles, with worldwide salvation From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: “Glory to the righteous!” But I said, “I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.”
26:21* The victorious Redeemer will come to Zion 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.
40:3 John will be His forerunner: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
42:1 He will come as the prophetic Servant of Yahweh “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
42:2 His ministry will be unpretentious He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
42:3 He will be gentle toward the weak A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.
42:6 He will embody God’s redemptive testament “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
49:1 He will be called before His birth to be God’s Servant “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
49:7 He will be worshipped by Gentiles Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.”
52:15 His death will serve as an atoning sacrifice to justify many So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.
53:1 He will be rejected by Israel Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
53:4-6 He will take on Himself the sins of the world Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
53:7-8 He will voluntarily submit to suffering He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
53:9 He will receive honorable burial in the tomb of a rich man, Joseph or Arimathea And they made His grave with the wicked– But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
53:10 He will triumph over death Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
53:12 He will be exalted Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors
Jeremiah
23:5 God will raise up out of Israel an eternal Branch of David and He will execute justice and righteousness in the land “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
23:6* He will be called “Yahweh (is) our righteousness,” as men live in safety In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
30:21 He will pledge His life in priestly mediation for God’s people Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
Ezekiel
17:23 He will be an offshoot of David, through Jehoiachin and Zerubbabel On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell.
21:27* Yahweh will grant the Davidic throne to the One whose right it is “I also will beat My fists together, And I will cause My fury to rest; I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Daniel
7:13* The son of man will come with the clouds of heaven I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
9:25 His Coming as Prince will be in 32 A.D., 483 years after King Artaxerxes gave the decree to Nehemiah to re-build Jerusalem Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem 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.
9:26 He will be cut off (crucified) after the 69th week is completed And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Hosea
1:11* The Jews will seedk the Davidic King, whom they accept as their head Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel Shall be gathered together, And appoint for themselves one head; And they shall come up out of the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel!
6:2 After two days, i.e. on the third day, He will be raised from the dead After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.
Joel
3:16* Through Him, Yahweh will “roar” from Zion and judge the attacking nations The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.
3:17* Representing Yahweh, He will dwell on Zion the holy mountain “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”
Amos
9:11 In Christ, God will raise up the booth (humbled house) of David On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;
Micah
2:13* As the “Breaker” of restraints, He will move befre His people The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the Lord at their head.”
4:3* He will be great unto the ends of the earth He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
5:2 The future ruler will be born in the little town of Bethlehem. Yet, He will have been with the Father from all eternity and brought forth by a woman, through childbirth “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
5:5* He will deliver His people from the Antichrist’s attack from Assyria And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
Zephaniah
3:15* The King of Israel, of the essence of Yahweh, will be in Jerusalem The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.
Haggai
2:9 In the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel, God will give peace, in Christ The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah
2:5 God will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem as its glory For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ “
3:8 The Lord will bring forth His “Servant”, who is the One called the “Branch,” out of David ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
3:9 He will remove the iniquity of the land in one day by His counsel of peace For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. ‘
6:12 The Branch will grow up, where He is, through childhood Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; “
6:13* But He will bear glory and sit and rule upon His throne Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ‘
8:3* The Jews will look upon Him as He return to Zion as He resides in Jerusalem, as deity present “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’
9:9 His kingship will be one of justice. He will be granted saving help from God and will enter Jerusalem humbly, riding on a donkey “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
9:10* His dominion will be from sea to sea ” I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’
11:12-13 He will be betryaed for 30 pieces of silver Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”–that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.
12:1* He will go forth and fight against the nations gathered at Jerusalem The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:
12:10* At His return, the Jews will mourn for Him and accept Him. God will identify the Savior with Himself as deity, “My fellow”. The Good Shepherd will be smitten and “pierced”. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. “
13:7 He will bring back His hand over “the little ones” of His flock (the disciples) and regather them to Galilee “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. “
14:4* His feet will stand in that future day upon the Mount of Olives And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south
14:5* He will be accompanied by a host of holy ones, angels (or saints or both) Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You.
Malachi
3:1 His way will be prepared by a messenger, John the Baptist. As deity and as redeemer, “the Angel of the Testament”, He will come to His temple “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.
3:2* At His second coming, none will be able to stand before His refining power “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap. “
3:3* He will purify His people who serve as Levites He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.
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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King Part 5

Daniel 9:27 – Gabriel Reveals the Events of the Seventieth Week

By GF Herrin

                Daniel 9:27 is perhaps the key verse in properly understanding the entire seventy weeks revelation. Interpreting this verse correctly is also the key to understanding many of the other End Times prophetic passages in the Old and New Testaments. The passage begins with a confirmation of a covenant or agreement between “he” and the “many”. Since this revelation is given to Daniel in regard to his people and his holy city, it is logical to understand that “many” refers to the people of Israel. The question briefly touched upon earlier in regard to verse 27 is, “What is the identity of the person who is referenced to by the pronoun ‘he’?” Preterists, such as Mauro and Michael Blume, hold to the belief that “he” refers to the Messiah, Jesus, who is referenced early in verse 26 as the one “who shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (Michael F. Blume, “What Do Preterists Believe About “The Prince” in the 70 Weeks of Daniel?” http://www.preteristarchive.com/Modern/2001_blume_daniel-9.html 2001). Blume says that the Messiah, in verse 26, is the main subject of the passage while the prince is only a “sidenote”. He claims that to interpret the word, “he” in the verse as the antichrist is to employ bad grammar.

In reality, though, if one interprets the passage using the standard Hebrew grammar rules, it is apparent that the “he” in verse 27 is indeed the antichrist who is also referred to in Daniel 7:25 and 11:36-45. The interpretation of “the coming prince” in verse 26 as the antecedent for the pronoun, “he”, in verse 27, makes more sense because it is closer in proximity to the pronoun than the word “himself”. To argue that the “Messiah” is the subject of the sentence and therefore it must be the antecedent for “He” is to create Hebrew grammar rules that just do not exist (Thomas Howe, 9.113, see also, Daniel in the Preterists’ Den, 2008).

Mauro states: “(1) that it was by the cutting off of the Messiah that the six predicted things of verse 24 were to be accomplished; (2) that it was by the cutting off of the Messiah that the covenant with many (verse 27) was to be confirmed and the sacrifice and oblation caused to cease” (Mauro, 21). Most assuredly, the Messiah’s sacrifice for sins is the one single event that enables the six predicted things of verse 24 to be realized. But, to suggest that Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary was an actual covenant that the nation of Israel literally entered into for a period of seven years is inaccurate. It is true that Jesus’ covenant sacrifice negated Israel’s necessity to perform any more sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, it does not represent a literal covenant that has been accepted or entered into by the people of Israel at any time in their history.

The overarching problem in Mauro’s interpretation of the passage is his attempt to spiritualize the reference dealing with the entering of a literal covenant or agreement with many. Many scholars, such as Mauro, make the mistake of interpreting Scripture in a spiritual or metaphorical manner. That is, they discard the most literal type of interpretation to fit it into their own view. However, that system of interpretation is inconsistent and flawed. The more consistent manner of interpretation is the historical grammatical method. As Robert L. Thomas says, “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise” (Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 1, 1992, 50).

In addition, to suggest that the Messiah, who is God, would make a covenant for a limited period of time (seven years) is inconsistent with God’s nature, which is eternal. God, being eternal, possesses a nature that is unchanging. So, any truth, acknowledgement, or agreement affirmed by Him would not be of a temporal or changing nature but of an eternal nature. Since He is eternal, His faithfulness or adherence to His covenants must be eternal as well. To suggest that God would make a covenant for a limited period of time is also inconsistent with the nature of His other covenants (see Gen. 13:15; Gen. 15:18; Gen. 17:7-8; Gen. 28:13; Gen. 35:12; 1 Chron. 16:17-18; 2 Chron. 20:7; Dan. 7:18; Jer. 7:7; Jer. 25:5; Jer. 31:35-37; Jer. 33:20-22) made with Israel. Regarding the nature of the covenant made in verse 27, Dwight Pentecost writes, “Inasmuch as all the covenants made by Messiah with Israel are eternal covenants, Messiah cannot be the one making the covenant, inasmuch as it will be temporary” (Pentecost, Things to Come, 250).

So, in interpreting verse 27, it can be determined that the ruler or the prince who is to come will confirm a literal covenant with the nation of Israel for a period of seven years (the final week). In the middle of the final week (or after three and a half years) he will put an end to the sacrifice and offerings. Verse 26 describes the destruction of the second temple which actually occurred in A.D. 70. So, it can be discerned that during the time of the seventieth week, there must be a third temple in existence since Israel is obviously making sacrifices again when “the prince who is to come” puts an end to them. Israel, traditionally, has offered their sacrifices and offerings to God in the temple. So, it makes sense to believe that they will offer them again if given the chance. Even now, there is an established Temple institute in place in Israel that has in place blueprints for the third temple, along with the vessels, menorah, pure olive oil to be burned in the menorah, priestly garments, a red heifer, and even priests from the tribe of Levi who are ready to begin the sacrifices whenever the temple is re-built.

The second part of verse 27 describes an event after the sacrifices and offerings are brought to an end in which the ruler will apparently do something that is so offensive to God that the Lord must intercede and pour out his wrath on the one who performed the desecration. The text “on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate” could be interpreted to mean that the Ruler’s desecrating actions to the temple will cause it to be unclean.

The actions of Antiochus Epiphanes (who set up an image of Zeus in his own likeness on the altar, and sacrificed a pig in the Temple), which are in fact foretold in Daniel 11:31, could be a typology of the nature of the desecrations performed by the future prince. Like Antiochus, the future ruler or prince will do something “abominable” in reference to the use of the temple and its holiness to God. But, Antiochus could not have been the ruler that Daniel was writing of in verse 27 because Jesus’ statement concerning the future desecration of the temple was made long after Antiochus desecrated the temple.

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. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved (Matt. 24:15-22).

This future event of the “’abomination of desolation” is a more logical fit for the events describe in Daniel 9:27. According to 12:7, the time period during which the daily sacrifices and offerings are suspended matches the time period of verse 27, exactly. It is “time, times, and half a time” (Dan. 12:7) or three and a half years. Also, John’s Revelation describes a matching timeline in which the “beast” will exercise his authority over Israel as well: “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:5-6).

The prophecies in Revelation and Daniel regarding the forty-two months (three and a half prophetic years), during which Jews will be persecuted, correlate with each other and seem to be addressing the same event. In addition, there is substantial evidence to believe that John’s Revelation was written in the 90s A.D. (Norman L. Geisler, “A Friendly Response to Hank Hanegraaff’s book, “The Last Disciple” [online], Available: <http://normangeisler.net/articles/theology/Eschatology/FriendlyResponseToHHanegraffsBookLastDisciple.htm>). Since Revelation was written at the end of the first century, the destruction of the second temple and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. would have taken place prior to its composition. Given the late dating of the book, which contains the prophecy that details the anti-christ’s oppression of the people of Israel for a period of forty-two months (three and a half prophetic years), it is more reasonable to understand the event as futuristic and taking place at the same time as Daniel 9:27.

 

 

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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King Part 4

Daniel 9:26 – Gabriel Reveals Events in the Gap between Weeks Sixty-Nine and Seventy

By GF Herrin

Verse 26 describes some of the events that were to take place after the first sixty-nine weeks had been completed. It is commonly believed that the prophecy regarding the Messiah being cut off refers to the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice for sins on the cross at Calvary (Anderson, 125). So, “cut off” could be understood to mean “killed”. It is obvious from the wording of the text, “after the sixty-two weeks”, that the cutting off would take place after the second set of weeks had been complete. The phrase “cut off” is similar to the wording used by Isaiah: “He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people He was stricken” (Isa. 53:8). The interpretation of the verse in Daniel could also be that the Messiah would be cut off both from life and from having children. Jesus did not have any natural descendants so He was left with nothing and no one to survive Him. Also, the text states “but not for Himself.” This implies that the Messiah would die sacrificially, or for someone else. We know now that this refers to Christ who died as a ransom for our sins so that men could be reconciled to God through His Son’s shed blood on the cross. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

The second part of this verse introduces “the prince who is to come” as someone who is distinctly different from the Messiah. The passage states that it will be the people “of the prince who is to come” who will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (temple). The text states that the end would come like a flood. And until the war ended in Jerusalem and in Israel, desolations were determined that would occur. The understanding here is that a sudden attack or influx of a large army would cause the desolations to occur. We know from history that Jerusalem and the second temple were destroyed in A.D. 70 when the Romans laid siege to it.

Josephus describes the desolation of Israel after the war:

And truly, the very view itself was a melancholy thing, for those places which were adorned with trees and pleasant gardens, were now become desolate country every way, and its trees were all cut down. Nor could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judaea and the most beautiful suburbs of the city, and now saw it as a desert, but lament and mourn sadly at so great a change. For the war had laid all signs of beauty quite waste. Nor had anyone who had known the place before, had come on a sudden to it now, would he have known it again. But though he {a foreigner} were at the city itself, yet would he have inquired for it (Flavius Josephus, The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 1901, Chapter 1.1, 666).

Futurists, those who believe in a future fulfillment for certain prophetic Scripture, interpret “the prince who is to come” to be the same person who is the subject of verse 27 – “he”. This is the one who “shall confirm a covenant” and “bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” So, there is the understanding from verse 26 that the people who are of the same nationality as a future prince to come will be the ones who destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Since the destruction was in fact carried out by the people of Rome, or the Roman soldiers, we discern that future prince from verse 27 who confirms a covenant and stop the sacrifices and offerings made at the temple will in fact be a Roman or one of the people of the Roman Empire.

Preterists, those who believe that most of the prophetic Scripture of the Bible has been fulfilled, contend that this reference to the “prince who is to come” refers to Titus (Mauro, 26), who along with his soldiers besieged Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Mauro interprets this passage to say that the people under a contemporaneous ruler will destroy the city and temple rather than interpreting that the destruction will be accomplished by the people who are the same nationality as the ruler whose coming is yet future. Mauro seems to make this assertion because of his presupposition that “he” in verse 27 (see next section) refers to Christ, instead of the future ruler from the Roman Empire who many scholars believe is also referred to in Daniel 7:25 (Mauro, 29). Mauro, in essence, holds to the opinion that all of the prophecies of the seventy weeks were fulfilled by A.D. 70. Mauro writes, “Thus the entire prophecy of the Seventy Weeks encompasses in its scope the rebuilding of the city and the temple, and the final destruction of both. It covers the stretch of time from the restoration of the people to their land and the city in the first year of Cyrus, down to their dispersion by the Romans into all the nations of the world” (Mauro, 26).

But how is that possible? There is nothing in the text in verse 26 to cause someone to conclude that the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, along with the dispersion of God’s people, Israel, takes place within the seventy weeks. All that can be concluded is that the events in verse 26 take place after the first sixty-nine weeks. Since the Messiah’s death, the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem all occurred between the years of A.D. 2 and 70, well after the completion of the sixty-ninth week, this by necessity creates a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks. Yet, Mauro insists that to suggest a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks is to “destroy the prophecy as a whole” (Mauro, 37).

But Alva McClain suggests that Old Testament prophecy is not always given in a continuous chronology:

Although certain areas of the future are definitely clocked as to time sequence and extent, we shall find in Old Testament prophecy no absolutely continuous and unbroken chronology of the future. The prophets often saw together on the screen of revelation certain events which in their fulfillment would be greatly separated by centuries of time. This characteristic, so strange to western minds, was in perfect harmony with the oriental mind which was not greatly concerned with continuous chronology. And the Bible, humanly speaking, is an oriental book (Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom, 1974, 137).

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Eye on the End Times – Ezekiel’s Gog – MaGog War Coming Soon?

Scholars commonly interpret the country of Togarmah, which is mentioned as being one of the countries that attacks Israel in the Gog – Magog war (Ezek. 38-39), as the modern country of Turkey. So, this news item below, in which the Prime Minister of Turkey mentions invading Jerusalem should serve notice that the End Time stage setting to the war could be speeding up.  Since Ezekiel’s prophecy tells us that it will take 7 years for the weapons from this war to be destroyed (Ezek. 39:9), I believe that the Gog – Magog war will take place just before the Great Tribulation and may even be the catalyst that leads to the Jews’ re- building of the third Temple in Jerusalem (since God will miraculously prevent Israel from being destroyed – Ezek. 39:6-8).

 

The Prime Minister of Turkey Is Now Having Talks About Invading Jerusalem, In A Major World War

http://shoebat.com/2014/12/29/prime-minister-turkey-now-talks-invading-jerusalem-major-world-war/

 

By Walid and Theodore Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive)
A major talk was organized in Konya the birth place of Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu and in his presence before a jubilant crowd shouting in Nazi style Davutoğlu can be seen elated at the statements spoken by the leader of Hamas, Khalid Mashal. The fiery speech hailed Turkey headed by Erdogan and Davutoğlu as the representative and head of the entire Muslim world and praised him for the soon invasion of Jerusalem in the coming world war.

In the speech, which was not aired in major media (Shoebat.com was able to obtain the footage thanks to Willi Adelberger) and after the crowd calmed down their Nazi style chants, Mashal reminded that “Jerusalem is the first center of direction for Muslims. It was Konya that in 1980 when Jerusalem was threatened rose up for Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque”. Looking towards the near future Mashal declared:

As Turkey for centuries was the main defender of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, likewise with you are the center of the Muslim Umma (Muslim nation) which will carry on the mission of liberating Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.

At the 6:10 mark of the video Khalid Mashal declared:

know this, that strong Turkey is the strength of Palestine and of Jerusalem.

At around the 7:14 mark he exclaimed:

Turkey is the strength that represents all Muslim nations.

Ahmet Davutoglu, Erdogan’s right hand man, is seen instantly clapping in jubilation at such affirmations the moment Khalid Mashal spoke of conquering Jerusalem with the crowds waiving flags that stem from the Turkish favorite colors in which the Ottomans prided themselves with the “fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow” (Revelation 9:17) which are also the colors of the flags the neo-Ottomans like to carry. In every time one can see Davutoğlu, he is smiling in joy.

Mashal complemented the AKP Islamic party of Turkey of their accomplishments in what he termed “lightening speed to have accomplished what they accomplished for the advancement of the Muslim world”. “Allah is with us and is with you for victory” Mashal reminded of war against Israel. He ended his speech reminding that he will invite Erdogan and Davutoğlu into the Temple Mount: “We were welcomed in Istanbul and now in Konya and tomorrow we will welcome you into the platform of Al-Aqsa (Temple Mount) in the next conferences, by the will of Allah”.

It is obvious what this signifies: the Turkish government wants to invade Jerusalem in a holy war, or jihad. World War III will then be over Jerusalem, which indicates one glorious coming event: the Crusades will be revived, and the Final Crusade is will occur.

What is very sad, though, is that the Muslim world still has the spirit of jihad, and we in the West are still stuck in the mindset of the Enlightenment, in which the idea of Holy War or a Crusade is mocked and seen as lunacy, and where secular wars are praised over religious wars.

We must revive the spirit of Holy War, for no secular war will fully extinguish the enemies of Christianity. With secular wars there is an invasion, battles, and then compromise. In religious war there is no compromise, only obliteration of evil for the cause of the good.

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Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible

I was surprised when I talked to a Muslim man recently and he questioned why the Bible was different in validity from the Qur’an. Well, for starters, the Bible is a much older book than the Qur’an, which was only written in 632 A.D. But, also, in contrast to the Qur’an, which contains no prophecies that have come true, the Bible contains numerous prophecies that have fulfilled.

Below are several biblical prophecies that have all been supernaturally fulfilled:

Prediction Prophetic Scripture Fulfillment
The Succession of Great World Kingdoms Daniel 2:37-42 (written between 605 B.C. to 520 B.C.) The Kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome
Cyrus King of Persia Isaiah 44:28; 45:1 (written around 700 B.C.) predicts by name the reign of Cyrus Cyrus founded the Persian Empire, conquered Babylon in 539 B.C., and allowed the Jews to re-build and return to Jerusalem
The Destruction of Tyre Ezekiel 26:3-14 (written around 590 B.C.) Partially fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city of Tyre in 575 B.C. and left it in ruins, then, completely fulfilled when Alexander attacked the city and removed the stones, dust, and timber when he utterly destroyed it in 332 B.C.*
Jesus Christ’s coming Daniel 9:25 predicts that the Messiah will come 483 years after the command to re-build Jerusalem is given (see Nehemiah 2:1-8) Matthew 21:1-12 – April 6th, A.D. 32 – Messiah Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was worshipped as King
The Return of Israel to the Land Isaiah 11:11 The modern State of Israel was re-gathered and became a country in 1948, nearly 2000 years after the Jewish people were sent into exile
The Closing of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem Ezekiel 44:1-2 In 1543, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent closed the gate and walled it up. It remains sealed to this day awaiting the return of the Messiah when it will be re-opened for Him to enter through it*

 

*Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, 1999, 613-14.
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Immortal and Unstoppable – The Power of the Resurrection

 

 By GF Herrin

They were world beaters, maybe not in the traditional or worldly sense, but for sure in the manner that they went about their work. The original eleven disciples, hand-picked by the Lord Jesus when He walked the Earth, possessed boldness, courage, and determination to spread the Gospel despite the obstacles that stood in their way. Perhaps the most determined of all of them was an uneducated fisherman, a man of action, who, as far as anyone knew, had always been that way. Never content to sit around, Peter had an energy about him that was apparent to everyone. If a matter presented itself to be talked about, discussed, debated, and pondered, he wanted to resolve the question quickly so that the real work could begin.

After he met Jesus, Peter knew (Matt. 16:16) he had met God in the flesh, the Messiah, and also knew that the long awaited anointed one who was prophesied from long ago (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 42:1-4;Dan.9:25; Mic.5:2) had finally come.

It was Peter who offered to build tabernacles (shelters or booths) for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the high mountain (perhaps Mount Hermon) when Christ was transfigured (Matt. 17:1-9). It was Peter who got out of the boat to join the Lord in walking on the water (Matt. 14:20) it was also Peter who, filled with dismay, spoke up at the thought of His Lord being struck down by the chief priests, elders, and scribes (Matt. 6:21-22).

But, even Peter, in his moment of weakness had denied Christ, and along with most of the other disciples, had avoided the scene of the cross. What had occurred to transform the disciples from doubtful, un-motivated men mourning their dead teacher into determined, fearless witnesses for Christ? One event was the indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The major event, though, was the Resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus and His appearance to the disciples three days after He died.

The disciples must have felt the change inside of them. A boldness rising up within….A need to proclaim the Gospel….As if their very souls were bursting with joy and the power that His Spirit gave them all at once…and all their doubts had been erased in an instant…By His glorious appearance and Resurrection on that Sunday after the Passover. In one instant Christ had made everything new. No longer was there any uncertainty of what awaited each of them after they died. The disciples knew that they would be resurrected just like their Savior and Lord. Death’s grip would never truly have a hold over anything they did again.

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55)

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14-15).

Regarding the early followers of Christ’s willingness to surrender their lives for their faith, the second century Greek satirist, Lucian wrote, (these) “creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all times, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them.”

We can see from the Acts of the Disciples that the certain belief that they had in their own resurrection made a significant difference in their actions as well:

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words… Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know– Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it” (Acts 2:14, 22-24).

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them–walking, leaping, and praising God” (Acts 6:7-8).

Today, we are live in a dark time. Many Christians worldwide are persecuted on a daily basis for their faith in Christ. Christians in Iran and other Muslim countries choose to stand for Jesus and willingly die rather than deny Him and live in a world where there is no hope. Many Chinese brothers and sisters gladly gather together in secret so that they can worship the Lord, encourage each other, and continue to live boldly for Him. In the United States, now, many are concerned that we will be persecuted for our proclamation of biblical values and pointing out sins to our neighbors in order to tell them how they can be saved.

It is interesting to note that the word witness in Greek is “martyr”, which means, testimony. In the English language, the word, “martyr” brings up connotations of someone who has died for what he or she has believed in. They have paid the ultimate price. To witness or testify for Christ means that you in a sense do become a martyr. You die to yourself, so that you are faithful and loyal to Jesus who loved you and paid the ultimate price for your salvation. This should not be a strange concept to us, as we all die to ourselves when we come to Faith in Jesus Christ.

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39).

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

Though we have died to ourselves, God’s spirit now lives in us, regenerating us and giving us strength and assurance that we belong to Him, no matter what happens now or in the days to come.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Be bold and encouraged to live and stand for Christ. Remember, you are essentially immortal and unstoppable!

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Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy – The Coming of Israel’s Chosen King Part 3

Daniel 9:25 – Gabriel Reveals the Events of the Sixty-Nine Weeks

By GF Herrin

            This passage references the period of the first sixty-nine weeks of Gabriel’s Seventy Week revelation. This period spans from the rebuilding of Jerusalem until Jesus Christ presented Himself as messiah to the people of Israel. In question is when the prophetic clock for the period of seventy weeks actually began ticking. Philip Mauro contends that the decree that Cyrus gives (2Chron. 36:22-23) and Ezra 1:1-3) marks the beginning of the seventy weeks (Mauro, 19). Others have believed that the period might be identified by Artaxerxes’ decree given to Ezra in 458 BC (Ezra 6:3-8). However, these decrees only refer to the re-building of the temple in Jerusalem., not the actual city or city walls. The only reference in Scripture in which an actual command is given to rebuild the city of Jerusalem is the one from Artaxerxes given to Nehemiah (Neh 2:1-8) (Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, 1958, 244). The year it was given is widely believed to have been 445 BC (John Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, 1971, 228). Certainly, the book of Nehemiah validates the “troublesome times” that the builders would experience in thethe city of Jerusalem as they strived to restore their city, as predicted in Daniel 9:25.

The first seven periods of weeks refer to the length of time required to re-build Jerusalem. That period seems to have begun in 445 and concluded a generation, or forty-nine years, after the debris of Jerusalem had all been cleared out and the city was re-stored (Walvoord, 227). The second set of weeks, the sixty-two, or 434 years, is generally believed to have been completed in Jesus’ time. But which event signifies the time of Messiah the Prince mentioned in verse 26? Mauro argues that the time of messiah the Prince must have been the event of Jesus’ baptism that would have been the time of His “anointing” by the Holy Spirit (Mauro, 19).

However, Robert Anderson, who thoroughly researched the chronology of the time period from 445 B.C. to the time of Christ, calculates that the time of Messiah the Prince would have been April 6th, A.D. 32, the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was worshipped as King (Robert Anderson, The Coming Prince, 1954, 126-27). This would have been 483 prophetic years, (360 days per year) or sixty-nine prophetic weeks, after the command to re-build Jerusalem was given, on March 14th, 445 B.C. According to Anderson (Anderson, 128), prophetic Scripture validates this event as a significant moment as well: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).

This time of Christ’s presentation to Israel (Matthew 21:1-12) would have represented the arrival of the long awaited King come to His people. It was the manifestation of the God-man coming in peace and mercy. Also, this represented the time that Jesus accepted the title of King and welcomed the worshipful cries of “Hosanna” because He knew that it was His appointed time. It was the time of Messiah the Prince. Anderson writes, “The twofold ministry of His words and His works had been fully rendered, and His entry into the Holy City was to proclaim His Messiahship and to receive His doom” (Walvoord, 229).

That this day was knowable by the Jews of Jesus’ time is attested by Jesus’ haunting message delivered to Israel:

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation. (Luke 19:41-44).

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Eye on the End Times – Palestinians seek UN resolution to end Israeli occupation

Is this the beginning of stage setting for the scenario of Israel becoming a burdensome stone?

Nimr Hammad, an adviser to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, has said that he will push to submit a UN resolution this week that will give Israel two years to negotiate a peace settlement that will ultimately lead to their giving up the land that they acquired when they defended their country from annihilation in the six day war in 1967.

The U.S. has historically vetoed any such resolution, but if that is the cas this time, then why is Secretary of State John Kerry wasting so much of the taxpayer’s money jetting across Europe and the middle east to speak with different heads of state?

http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-meet-palestinian-negotiator-london-000611664.html

 

Zechariah 12:3

And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Daniel 9:27

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”