Thursday, August 12, 2021

A Study of Prophecy - Tribulation Beginnings - Daniel's 70 Weeks

 Prelude to Daniel's 70 Sevens (490 Years) Vision

70 Years of Babylonian Captivity

Daniel understood that Judah's Babylonian captivity was decreed to last 70 years. The Babylonian Captivity had come about because Israel had disobeyed God's command that they give their land a Sabbath, meaning that every 7th year, the land was to lie fallow.

Lev 25:1-7 The LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, (2) "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD. (3) For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, (4) but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. (5) You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. (6) The Sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, (7) and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.

Israel had disobeyed the Lord in many areas, including planting and harvesting the land without giving the land a Sabbath rest. As a result, God said that he would send Judah into captivity for 70 years. Israel had planted for 490 years continuously without giving the land a rest. As a result Israel would now be forced to pay back all those years to the land, one year for each 7th day Sabbath. That amounted to 70 years. That payback took place as Judah was taken captive for 70 years in Babylon.

Jer 25:11-12 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. (12) Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste.

Lev 26:34-35 Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. (35) All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

2Ch 36:20-21 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, (21) to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

Jer 29:10 "For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Daniel, around 67 years into this captivity, had understood Jeremiah's statement in Jer 25:12 to mean that prayer would bring an end to the captivity, so Daniel in Dan 9:3-4 begins to pray (Dan 9:2-23).

Jer 25:12 "But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever.

Dan 9:2-3 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. (3) So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

Daniel would have known that in order for the Messianic Kingdom to come about, Israel would need to confess her sin, so Daniel's prayer includes a confession of sin in the hopes the Messianic Kingdom would be established following the captivity.

490 Years of Probation

The Archangel Gabriel was likely coming to correct Daniel's thinking regarding the coming Kingdom. Instead of the Messianic Kingdom being established at the conclusion of the 70 year Babylonian Captivity, Gabriel corrected Daniel's thinking revealing that another 490 years of probation would take place instead.

Dan 9:20-23 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill-- (21) while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. (22) He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. (23) As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:

And so the vision was provided to Daniel, which shall be covered in detail below.

Dan 9:24-27 "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. (25) "Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (26) After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. (27) He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

The 70 years of Babylonian Captivity turned into a consecutive 490 years of probation due to the unrepentant hearts of the Israelites during their time in the Babylonian Captivity.

Lev 26:27-28 "'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, (28) then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.

Israel had failed to come to a repentant heart during the captivity, and thus accrued an additional 490 year period of probation following the captivity.

Dan 9:25 "Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

This period can be seen as a probationary period of time during which they lost their kingdom and were under the control of Gentile powers, a period of time known as "The Times of the Gentiles". The "Times of the Gentiles" would stretch from when Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem in 586BC at the start of the Babylonian Captivity and will conclude with the second coming of Messiah and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom.

Luk 21:24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Daniel's 70 Sevens (490 Years) Vision

Daniel was given several details in the vision. We will take a look at each in turn:

"for your people" / "your holy city"

"to finish the transgression"

"to put and end to sin"

"to atone for wickedness"

"to bring in everlasting righteousness"

"to seal up the vision"

"to anoint the Holy Place"

Who are the 70 Sevens (490 Years) For?

Dan 9:24 a states for whom the 490 years are for.

"for your people"

Daniel was Jewish, and his people are Jewish. The 490 years are set aside for God to deal with the Jewish people.

"your holy city"

Daniel's holy city is Jerusalem, the capitol city of the Jewish people.

What is the purpose of the 70 Sevens (490 Years) of Years

Dan 9:24 b states the purpose of the 70 sevens (490 years). Three of the purposes are stated negatively:

"finish the transgression"

The "transgression" is specific. It is "the" transgression that is in view here, so the question is, which transgression is in mind. National Israel, which Daniel is told are "your people", are in rebellion against God. They have turned from Him, and in the future from Daniel's point of view will reject and crucify their Messiah per Isa 53:1-9 and Zec 12:10-14 and Zec 13:1.

Isa 53:3-9 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (4) Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. (5) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (6) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. (9) He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Zec 12:10-14, Zec 13:1 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (11) On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. (12) The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, (13) the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, (14) and all the rest of the clans and their wives. (01) "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

So the specific "transgression" in mind here is the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus, and the purpose is to bring National Israel to their Messiah in belief. (Isa 59:20-21, Rom 11:26-27)

Isa 59:20-21 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. (21) "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants--from this time on and forever," says the LORD.

Rom 11:26-27 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. (27) And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

"to put an end to sin"

This second purpose is put a stop to habitual sin and bring it to an end. This purpose is shown in Isa 27:9, Eze 36:25-27, Eze 37:23, and Rom 11:27.

Isa 27:9 By this, then, will Jacob's guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: When he makes all the altar stones to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing.

Eze 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. (26) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Eze 37:23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Rom 11:27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

This purpose is also shown in the New Covenant spoken of by Jeremiah in Jer 31:31-34. The end result of Israel accepting Jesus as Messiah and receiving the Holy Spirit will be the salvation of National Israel (Rom 11:25-26)

Jer 31:31-34 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. (32) It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. (33) "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (34) No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Rom 11:25-26 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, (26) and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

"to atone for wickedness"

This is the means through which the "finish the transgression" and "put and end to sin" are possible. In order to break the power of sin in the lives of the Jewish people, that power must have first been defeated so that they can submit to the power of the Holy Spirit. In order for Israel to end their rebellion and turn to their Messiah, and stop habitually sinning, the power that sin and death as manifested through our sin nature had to be broken.

Heb 2:14-15 shows that Jesus, through His atoning death broke the power of him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil. The devil's path to our human nature is the mind (Rom 7:23, Rom 7:25). The death of Messiah would free those who were captive to the fear of death, and enable them to be transformed in their mind, changing their behavior.

Heb 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- (15) and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Rom 7:23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.

Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

The fear of death is a powerful force that causes the unsaved to act in way that please the devil and not God. I.E. get all we can in this life because after that we become nothing. Such fear encourages the sin nature, and can define who we are, and this worldview becomes an integral part of us, and we act out according to this belief with wickedness.

Are you afraid of death?

Php 1:21-24 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (22) If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (24) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

No longer would sin, the power of death, manifested through our sin nature, keep us captive and define who we are, but now the people will have a choice. Death has been defeated through Christ's resurrection and we are free from the power of death and sin and our sin nature can be changed through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our mind.

Paul describes the struggle that ensues. He describes sin as a foreign entity inside of us (Rom 7:17-20). Because of the atonement which broke the power of sin, Israel will now have the choice and the power available to submit to the Holy Spirit which will be poured out upon them liberally.

Rom 7:17-20 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. (18) For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (19) For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. (20) Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Paul describes this struggles, and how to get the upper hand in Rom 12:2 and Tit 3:4-5.

Rom 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Tit 3:4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Paul describes the end result of this struggle in Rom 7:25. He will be a "slave to God's law", and not a "slave to sin". He is careful to attribute the power to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

So the third purpose for the 70 sevens, "to atone for wickedness", brings about the first two purposes. As the church, we are also the beneficiaries of these spiritual blessings that will come to National Israel in the future following the Tribulation period.

The next three of the purposes are stated positively.

"to bring in everlasting righteousness"

The fourth purpose of the 70 sevens is to establish an age of righteousness. This age of righteousness is known as the Messianic Kingdom during the Millennium (Isa 1:26, Isa 11:2-5, Jer 23:5-6, Jer 33:15-18). This is important to keep in mind. As we covered earlier, Daniel was mistakenly thinking that the Messianic reign of Christ would be instituted after the 70 years of captivity, but the Archangel Gabriel is placing this reign after 490 years.

Isa 1:26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."

Isa 11:2-5 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD-- (3) and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; (4) but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. (5) Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Jer 23:5-6 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. (6) In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.

Jer 33:15-18 "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. (16) In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.' (17) For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, (18) nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'"

"to seal up the vision and prophecy"

This fifth purpose is to "shut up", "cause a cessation of" or "bring to a fulfillment". This is speaking of all of Old Testament prophecy, known by Daniel and the OT prophets to complete fulfillment with nothing left to be fulfilled.

One might ask, if the end of all prophecy is contained within the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom and reign, what about the prophesies regarding the eternal state, as these will remain yet unfulfilled. It is important to note that the Old Testament prophets never saw anything beyond the Kingdom, so for the time of Daniel, the end of prophecy would occur at the end of this Kingdom. That is all that was written, and that will all be fulfilled.

Subsequent to the Old Testament times, additional prophecies were written and recorded in the New Testament that are not subject to the fulfillment that Daniel is speaking of. But all Old Testament prophesy will be fulfilled.

"to anoint the Most Holy Place"

The "most holy place" refers to the Messianic Temple as defined in Eze 40-48. There are 4 Temples described in scripture, the first was the temple that Solomon built, the second temple was the one that Zerubbabel, the third is the Tribulation temple that the unbelieving Jews are trying to get started on today, and this fourth is the temple that will exist on earth during the Messianic Kingdom.

The Start and Finish of the 69 Sevens (483 Years)

Dan 9:25-26 "Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (26) After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

The Start

Daniel is told specifically when the 70 sevens will start. This timeframe of 490 years will begin upon a decree that allows Israel to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. That decree as it turns out was decreed by King Artaxerxes (Neh 2:1).

Neh 2:5-8 and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it." (6) Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. (7) I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? (8) And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.

Neh 2:17-18 Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." (18) I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work.

The Finish of the First 69 Weeks

Daniel is also told specifically when the first 69 of 70 sevens will end. It is 7 plus 62 sevens, or 69 sevens, or 483 years after the decree. The criteria for the end of this period of time is "until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes".

This event was fulfilled at the Triumphal Entry. Up until the Triumphal Entry, Jesus had been telling His disciples not to tell people He was Messiah, for His time had not yet come.

Joh 7:6-8 Therefore Jesus told them, "My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. (7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. (8) You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come."

But now, at the Triumphal Entry, Jesus announces to the world that He is the Messiah. As Jesus makes His way along the path, the people begin to worship Him.

Luk 19:38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

The Pharisees give us a clue as to what the implications are of what the crowd meant by King. The crowd was quoting Psa 118:26. That Psalm shows that they were giving recognition to Jesus as "the King who comes in the name of the Lord", or, the Messiah.

Psa 118:26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.

The Pharisees recognized this and commanded Jesus to tell the crowd to keep quiet.

Luk 19:39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

Jesus of course, carried on regardless, telling the Pharisees that even the rocks would cry out. Jesus, looking ahead at His crucifixion saw that the people missed the time of their visitation, of Him as Messiah, and pronounced spiritual blindness on them.

Luk 19:41-44 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it (42) and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. (43) The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. (44) They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

The Timeframes

Dan 9:24-27 refer to four time periods of 490 years, divided into 49, 434 and 1 year.

Dan 9:24 - 70 sevens (490 years) - This is the total timeframe.

Dan 9:25 - "7 sevens" (49 years) - The time to rebuild the Jerusalem.

Dan 9:25 - "62 sevens" (434 years) - The time which when added to the 7 sevens arrives at Jesus coming as king. The total of these years is 483, leaving a remaining 7 years.

Dan 9:27 - "1 seven" (7 years) - The time remaining to complete the 490 years.

Events Between the 69th and 70th Sevens

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

"after the 62 Sevens"

The interpretation of Daniel's vision starts with 7 sevens time to rebuild Jerusalem followed by 62 sevens until Messiah would come in the Triumphal entry. Dan 9:26 then begins to explain events that happen after the 7 plus 62 sevens, or after the 69th seven.

Messiah Killed

"the Anointed One will be put to death"

The first thing that happens "after" the 62 sevens (69 sevens total) and before the start of the 7 sevens is that Jesus will die on the cross.

Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

"The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary"

The people in mind here are a specific people, and history shows that those people were the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 70AD.

This passage also reveals the nationality of the AntiChrist. "the ruler who will come" is of the people who destroyed the city and temple, so the ruler who will come is Roman. So the AntiChrist will be of Roman ancestry.

"The end will come like a flood:"

"Flood" is always a symbol of a military invasion. Jerusalem was destroyed by a Roman military invasion.

"War will continue until the end"

The "continuing war" speaks of the land area surrounding Israel and the Middle East. That area has seen continuing war for centuries.

The 70th Seven

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

The Start of the 70th Seven

"He will confirm a covenant with many for 1 seven"

When Dan 9:27 speaks of "he", an antecedent is required. To find that we go back up in the text to the previous reference. In this case, the antecedent is "the ruler who will come". This ruler destroys the city and sanctuary and is identified as the AntiChrist. So the "he" that "confirms the covenant" is the AntiChrist.

It is this confirmation of a covenant with Israel that will begin the 70th seven, and the covenant will last for 7 years. The Rapture does not start the 7th seven.

The Middle of the 70th Seven

"In the middle of the seven, he will put an end to sacrifice and offering"

It can be deduced that whatever was agreed to in the covenant, Israel was allowed to construct a temple and put in place a sacrificial system and a means to take offerings. In the middle of the 70th seven, 3 1/2 years in, the AntiChrist reverses his agreement to keep the covenant and breaks it, putting an end to the sacrifices and offerings.

This is also described in Rev 11:1-2, where the city of Jerusalem is trampled for 42 months.

Rev 11:1-2 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. (2) But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

"he will set up an abomination that causes desolation"

The abomination that causes desolation is described in literal translations as:

CLV - "on a wing of the sanctuary shall be desolating abominations."

KJV - "and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate"

NASB - "and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate"

The thought being conveyed in the Hebrew language is that of a spreading influence of idolatry emanating from the pinnacle of the temple. The overspreading influence of idolatry, led by the AntiChrist's demand for worship as god will make everything desolate.

The Finish of the 70th Seven

"Until the end that is decreed is poured out on him"

The completion of the 70th Seven will be marked by wrath poured out by God on the AntiChrist. This is the decreed end and completion.

God's View of the Covenant That Is Confirmed

Isa 28:14-22 records the word of the Lord concerning Israel's signing of a covenant that Daniel speaks of in Dan 9:27. This word of the Lord describes the signing of the covenant from God's point of view.

God starts off by addressing those that have entered into this covenant with the AntiChrist. He calls out the leaders of Israel as scoffers who have entered an agreement with death. The "overwhelming scourge" is the figure of a flood, and always represents military invasion. They think that when the armies come against the land, Israel will be spared, but it is a lie.

Isa 28:14-15 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. (15) You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place."

Next, the Lord call out a group within Israel that will not have anything to do with this covenant. Those people are standing on a sure foundation, and will never panic.

Isa 28:16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.

Next, the Lord describes the destruction that will result when the covenant is broken by the AntiChrist. The "water that will overflow your hiding place" and "overwhelming scourge" are speaking of an overwhelming military invasion that will over come Israel at that time.

Isa 28:17-18 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place. (18) Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.

In Isa 28:19-20 we read about the extreme discomfort the people will experience.

Isa 28:19-20 As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror. (20) The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.

Finally, in vs. 21-22, we read of the references tying this event to the Great Tribulation. The terms "strange work" and "alien task" refer to the Great Tribulation and the strangeness of it is that it calls for the destruction of the whole earth, and not just Israel.

This decree of destruction in vs. 22 is the same decree as that of the Seven Sealed Scroll in Rev  5:1. The signing of the false peace covenant triggers the opening of the seven sealed scroll and begins the Tribulation period. Isaiah is making the same point that Daniel does in Dan 9:27. It is the signing of the seven year peace covenant that is the trigger that begins the destruction.

Isa 28:21-22 The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon-- to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task. (22) Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.

360 Day Years

Historical Evidence

Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month--on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.

Gen 8:4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.

17th day of second month

17th day of third month = 1 month

17th day of forth month = 2 months

17th day of fifth month = 3 months

17th day of sixth month = 4 months

17th day of seventh month = 5 months

5 months x 30 days per month = 150 days (A 360 day year)

Gen 8:3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down,

Gen 7:24 The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

Prophetic Evidence

There are a number of biblical passages in Daniel and Revelation that speak of a time of Jewish persecution. These passages use various terms to describe the time period that this occurs in. The terms "3 and a half years", "time, times, and a half time", "42 months", and "1,260 days" all refer to the same time frame of Jewish persecution in the second half of the tribulation.

One "seven" is 7 years. The middle of the "seven" would be after 3.5 years. This passage speaks of the AntiChrist coming against the Jews and putting an end to their rituals and use of the temple.

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

A time, times and half a time is 3.5 years. This passage speaks of the AntiChrist oppressing His holy people. They will be delivered into the hands of the AntiChrist for a time, times and a half time, or 3.5 years.

Dan 7:24-25 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. (25) He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.

Rev 12:13-14 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. (14) The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.

42 months. Here we see that the time period and events are the same as those previously mentioned, where the AntiChrist (beast) is give power to wage war against God's holy people and conquer them for 42 months. The designation of 42 months, which describes the same events as the 3.5 years, gets us closer to determining if we are looking at 360 day years, or 365 day years.

(12 months per year x 3 years = 36 months, + 6 months = 42 months)

Rev 13:4-7 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?" (5) The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. (6) It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. (7) It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

1,260 days. Then finally this same period of time, where the Jews flee from the AntiChrist is also this same length of time, this time stated as 1,260 days.

(1,260 days / 360 days per year = 3.5 years).

(1,260 days / 30 days per month = 42 months).

Rev 12:6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

So from this we know that John is using 360 day years when reporting God's words.

Ancient Calendar Changes

The following is quoted from Koinonia House.

(https://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/577/)

"All ancient calendars appear to have been initially based on a 360-day year: the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Chinese, Mayans, Hindus, Carthaginians, Etruscans, and Teutons all had calendars based on a 360-day year; typically, twelve 30-day months. In ancient Chaldea, the calendar was based on a 360-day year. It is from this Babylonian tradition that we have 360 degrees in a circle, 60 minutes to an hour, 60 seconds in each minute, etc. It is also significant that the Biblical year is also based on a 360-day year reckoning. This critical insight unlocks several incredible prophecies which the reader is urged to discover - in particular, the remarkable 70 Weeks prophecy of Daniel 9, which is undoubtedly the most amazing passage in the Bible. However, all calendars seem to have changed after 701 B.C. In 701 B.C., Numa Pompilius, the second King of Rome, reorganized their original calendar of 360 days per year by adding five days per year."

Daniel wrote his book in around 530BC, well after the 365 day calendar was put in place.

The Math of Daniel 9:24-27

It seems clear both Daniel and John were directed by the Holy Spirit to use 360 day years when recording prophecy. However, for reasons unknown to me, the actual working out of the prophecy by number of days appears to be quite accurate when performing calculations using our present day calendar of 365 day years and by the 360 day year of Daniel.

Start and End Dates

445BC to 32AD = 476 years (Note: 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. is one year, There is no year zero)

476 years * 365 days per year = 173,740 days

Leap Years

476 years / 4 to find Leap Years = 119 Days

119 Leap Years - 3 days = 116 Leap Years (Note: Leap years do not occur in century years unless divisible by 400 [therefore, we must add three less leap years in four centuries)

173,740 days + 116 days = 173,856

Carry Over Days

March 14th to April 6th = 24 days

173,856 days + 24 days = 173,880 days

The Way Gabriel Calculated It

Dan 9:25 "Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

7 sevens of years (49 years) + 62 sevens of years (434 years) = 69 sevens of years (483 years)

483 years * 360 days = 173,880

Sources for 360 Day Year

(http://www.xwalk.ca/problem.html)

(https://www.khouse.org/articles/2004/552/)

(https://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/577/)

(https://jewishroots.net/library/prophecy/daniel/daniel-9-24-27/360-day-prophetic-year.html)

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