54 8 On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. 55 They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets. 56 9 Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. 57 Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. 58 So they used their power against Israel, against those who were caught, each month, in the cities. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the altar erected over the altar of holocausts. {PLACE OF THE BURNT OFFERING} 60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree, 61 with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed. 62 But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; 63 they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.…

Antiochus IV Epiphanies tried, very aggressively, to force the complete Hellenization of Israel and he had the help of the corrupt high priesthood. Don’t miss behind this historical attack on the nation of Israel the determined efforts of their greatest adversary, Satan.

David Jeremiah writes:

To kill the Jews was one thing, but to destroy their faith was another. Antiochus decided to substitute Greek worship and culture for the Jewish religion. Instead of the Jewish feast of the Tabernacles, he brought into the temple the Feast of bacchanalia, worshipping Bacchus, the god of pleasure and wine. He forbade the observance of the Sabbath and the reading of the Scripture, even burning every copy of the Torah he could find. The Jews in the city were forbidden to practice anything Jewish on the penalty of death….

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The Jews were forbidden the practice of circumcision, and history records that there were two mothers who, because of their deep commitment to their culture, were determined to circumcise their baby boys. When Antiochus heard about it, he took the babies and killed them, hung them around each mother’s neck and marched the women through the streets of Jerusalem to the highest wall. There the women and their babies were thrown headlong over the precipice. Another story was told of a mother who had seven sons who defied Antiochus’ law. He cut out the boys’ tongues in front of their mother and fried them to death on a flat iron one at a time. Then the mother was murdered. Is it any wonder that the Jews hated this Greek ruler and changed his name to Antiochus Epimanes, which means “Antiochus the Madman.” (The Handwriting on the Wall, pp. 164-165)

The god Zeus Olympias The chief god of the Greeks

Daniel 11:31

The greatest outrage committed by Antiochus occurred in 167 B.C. when he entered the Temple of God, erected an altar to the pagan god Zeus near the Brazen Altar, and sacrificed a pig on it (the pig is considered an unclean animal by the Jesus). Also, he took the pigs blood and sprayed it all over the inside of the Temple.

This is desecration of the temple is called “the abomination of desolation” (i.e., the idol). This is a critical piece of history which, as we will see, is tied to the prophecies of the Antichrist.

About this event, Grant writes: His reason was he found the Jesus troublesome, and felt it best to merge local religion into the main currents of paganism, in keeping with this general empire-wide policy of Hellenizing the constitutions of local communities. Although he, while a keen plunder of sacred funds, had never actually tried to extirpate {to root out, eradicate, to totally destroy, to wipe out} the cults of other temple states in his domain. No doubt, since such a blending (syncretism) of deities was so much in the air, it was suggested that Zeus and the local Jewish God were much the same, and could easily be merged or assimilated” (p. 73)

The abomination of desolation: refers “to violations of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem…It conveys the feeling of horror that God’s people feel when they witness criminal and barbaric acts of idolatry. These acts rendered the Temple ritually unfit for the worship and service of God…The Israelite considered acts of ritual impurity and especially of foreign invasion of the Temple as ultimate violations of sanctity and as a sign of judgment” (The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy, LaHaye and Ice, p.3)

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For the Greek (Hellenistic) religion there was no problem with simply adding another god – “what’s one more among so many?” But the majority of the Jesus still held to the truth of there being only one true God and pagan religion was not only a worthless and meaningless religious expression of human thinking, it was a false religion that would lead people away from Truth – it was not neutral.

There were faithful Jesus who refused to “go along with the crowd.”

“But the assessment of Antiochus, or his advisors, that the Jesus would take this lying down showed very faulty intelligence. On the contrary, his action united the entire population – except Hellenistic extremists – in opposition to his plans…” (Grant, pp. 73-74)

The desecration of Antiochus started a rebellion in 167 BC by a group of Jesus led by the priest Mattathias the Hasmonean and his five sons. When Mattathias died in 166 B.C., the leadership went to his son Judas, who was nicknamed “the Maccabee” which means “the hammer” because it was said he struck hammer blows against the enemy. The name Maccabee (also called Hasmonean) was also used for other members of the family who took part in the uprising.

Daniel 11:32-33 was fulfilled by the Maccabees but it does picture the faithful believers in Jesus Christ in during the coming Tribulation (Rev. 6:9-11).

After about three years of fighting and defeating a Greek army more than six times their size (in 164) the Maccabees captured Jerusalem and they purified the Temple and rededicated it on December 25, 164 BC. This event gives rise to the Jewish festival of Hanukkah which means “dedication”

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THE HANUKKAH STORY

“According to tradition, the ceremony that would reconsecrate the temple, would take eight days, but when he found only one cruse oil, he knew he didn’t have enough to last for all that time. However, as the story goes, that small amount of oil lasted for the entire eight days. To this day the Jewish people celebrate the feast of reconstruction and dedication of their temple. They call it the feast of Hanukkah, celebrated during our Christmas season” (Jeremiah, p.167) The nine-candle menorah uses the center candle to light the others, one evening at a time for the eight day ceremony to remember this period of

history that was prophecy at the time of the writing of the book of Daniel. At the time of Christ this feast was called the Feast of Dedication which Jesus celebrated (John 10:22- 23). Today Hanukkah is also referred to as the Festival of Lights. The dates of Hanukkah moves a little each year – in 2008 it begins at sundown December 21.

Daniel 8:13-14 – “2300 days”

This is the length of time of the worst of the atrocities of Antiochus’ persecution in 170 BC to the end of them in 164 BC. This prophecy, once again, was literally fulfilled by the events in Israel at the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanies: though it was prophecy, after 164 BC it was history.

The Seventh Day Adventists base part of their false doctrines on a total misunderstanding of the literalness of these 2300 days. They make them into years and at first predicted that Christ would return in 1844. When he did not, they claim He did enter a “spiritual temple” to “cleanse” it, etc. Once again the importance of a proper understanding of isagogics and exegesis is seen as well as the importance of literal interpretation.

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In Antiochus IV Epiphanies we see some things about the coming Antichrist: • Both start out being popular as a likable, charismatic, generous, intelligent person who is seen

as the perfect man, a leader with great social ideas.• Both are from Gentile stock• Both seem to be a friend of the Jewish people and nation at first• Both are really anti-Semitic (against the Jesus) in the extreme• Both portray themselves as God seeking His glory and honor• Both become intensely and aggressively violent and murderous• Both desecrate the Temple of God• Both cause the Jewish Temple sacrifices to cease• Both of these desecrations are called the “abomination of desolation”

The abomination of desolation and the antichrist Daniel 9:27 (future), 11:31 (past), 12:11(future); Matthew 24:15 (future)

The Matthew passage is from what is called “The Olivet Discourse.” That is, Jesus was speaking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. This was about 200 years after Antiochus IV Epiphanies. Jesus’ disciples had asked for a sign of the end of the age and the beginning of the Messianic Millennial Kingdom.

The act of desecration committed by Antiochus will be repeated, but in a little different way, by the Antichrist. This event is at the midway point of the Tribulation period – 3 ½ years into it.

(This also means that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt! Later there will be on both this and the Olivet Discourse.)

SHADOWS OF

THE ANTICHRIST

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“The ‘sign’ he gave them was that of Daniel’s Abomination of Desolation. This, then, was the sign for the Jewish messianic deliverance or restoration, for the desecration of the Temple would begin the persecution of the Jewish people (that is, the Great Tribulation). Only the Messiah Himself will be able to bring redemption from their enemies (Matt. 24:30-33; Mark 13:26-27; Luke 21:28)” (The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy, p.4).

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NASB) 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

(Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah)

THE FIRST PART OF THE FUTURE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION The Antichrist will be seated in (or enthroning himself in) the rebuilt Jewish Temple – most likely in the Holy of Holies – where he declares to the world that he is God. This is the first part of the Abomination of Desolation.

THE SECOND PART OF THE FUTURE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION The second part of the Abomination of Desolation is seen in this passage:

Revelation 13:11-15 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had* the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

This living image will be set up in the Holy of Holies and the city of Jerusalem will become his religious capitol and the Temple will be the center of the worship of the Antichrist.

Satan, working in and through the coming antichrist, will continue to work out his wicked desire to “exalt (his) throne above the stars of God” (Isaiah 14:13) and to make himself “like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14).

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The second half of the Tribulation is called the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22) because of the intensity of the last 3 ½ years (42 months). It will be a period of time in which the worst and most terrible judgments ever in all human history will be experienced on the earth. The Tribulation ends with the Second Coming of Christ (Matthew 24:29).

Jeremiah 30:7 (NASB) 'Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's distress, But he will be saved from it.

Daniel 12:1 (NASB) "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

Revelation 14:19 (NASB) So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

We will learn more of this with our study of the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel.

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IN THE GREAT WORLD DRAMA Luke 2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

When the New Testament opens, there has obviously been a major change in the political structure over Israel. Caesar was a Roman title. The fourth kingdom predicted by Daniel was in power and ruling over vast territories, including the nation of Israel. God’s people were now in subjection to the Roman Empire. (Ironside)

The Kingdom of Greece was no more. Rome, the Iron Kingdom, now ruled.

Daniel 2:31-33, 40-45

Remember, in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar he sees the coming kingdoms of the Gentile nations as a beautiful statue that is very imposing.

In our study of the “Times of the Gentiles” we are now down to the “legs of iron.” These lead into two feet which are a mixture of iron and clay.

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Though not revealed in the passage, history demonstrates that this was the mighty and long-lasting Roman Empire.

Note the words used in verse 40 to describe this Kingdom:

“strong as iron” – “crushes” – “shatters” – “breaks into pieces”

All this speaks of the military strength, might, and power of Rome. Roman armies would crush all the kingdoms that opposed it and divide up “into pieces” the territories they had once ruled. All the people were assimilated into one vast empire with Roman rulers over the various territories. It is also interesting to note that the Roman army was known for it use of iron in its weaponry.

In 146 BC Rome, under the general Scipio Aemilianius, defeated the Greeks. In 63 BC the Roman general Pompey conquered Syria and defeated the final remnants of the Seleucid Empire. At this same time Rome occupied Israel, bringing the Jews under their control with a Roman governor.

Herod the Great (c. 74 – 4 BC) was King of Judaea, but only by the blessings of Rome. Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of Israel, was born in Bethlehem at the time Romans controlled the Land of Israel. Herod the Great ruled the land. In Matthew 2, the wise men from the East asked Herod the Great where the King of the Jews was to be born. Herod was deeply disturbed because he had earned the title, King of the Jews, from the Romans, and he was planning that one of his sons would inherit the title from him. Equally disturbing was the news that the child would be born in Bethlehem, the site of Herod's summer palace. Herod the Great ordered the slaughter of all boys under the age of two years, and Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety. Joseph did not bring his family back to Nazareth until after Herod the Great's death in 4 BC.

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Daniel 7:7, 15-27

As we will see, the depiction of Rome in both the statue and the non-descript beast shows that some of the prophecy of the Roman Empire has already been fulfilled and is history, but much has not – its fulfillment still lies in the future.

There w ill be a revival of the Roman Empire – although it has really never died out - and it w ill be the fifth k ingdom of the Times of the Gentiles, yet it is really a continuation of the fourth.

That will make you think!!!

“SPAIN, GAUL, ASIA MINOR - each area consisted of a number of Roman provinces. AD 43 etc. - territories captured by Rome after the Birth of Jesus

Black area - of Germania lost to Rome after the Battle of Teutoberg AD 9

Preacher

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The Roman Empire which, by the birth of Jesus, controlled most present-day countries bordering the Mediterranean basin - including North Africa - was still expanding. Territories remaining to be conquered before the Empire of Rome reached its greatest extent under Trajan (emperor 98-117 AD) included:

Mauretania - present day Morocco and parts of Algeria, Britannia - Britain, Dacia - Rumania and part of Hungary, Armenia, Mesopotamia and Assyria - which includes present day Iraq, Arabia - modern Jordan.”

(I lost the source for the above quote and map)

The prophecy of Daniel 7:7 that this Empire would trample “down the remainder” (that is, the remaining nations) was fulfilled repeatedly. “people seized in conquered countries were sold by the hundreds and thousands, and all menial tasks were performed by these slaves…Everywhere as country after country fell under the heel of Rome, thousands were carried into slavery and extreme brutality became the order of the day. The glory of Rome was built on the misery of its conquered peoples. Thus were the prophecies of the fourth kingdom accurately fulfilled as in Daniel 2:40” (Walvoord, The Nations in Prophecy, p.p. 83-84). The fourth empire was far fiercer than the other kingdoms before it.

Daniel 2:40 (NASB) "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces.

Gaius Julius Caesar and the armies of Rome

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Rome also developed crucifixion as a particularly cruel and horrible death for those non-Roman citizens who were slaves, criminals, or for those who were involved in rebellion. It is known that the Romans would line a road coming into a rebellious place with the crucified bodies of rebels. Sometimes these would number in the thousands at a single time. Truly the Roman Empire was in many ways “dreadful and terrifying” more than the first three seen in the book of Daniel.

THE CRUCIFIED MAN FROM GIV'AT HA-MIVTAR

In 1968 building contractors working in a suburb north of Jerusalem accidentally uncovered a Jewish tomb dated to the first century after the death of Christ.6 Lying in a Jewish ossuary bearing the Hebrew inscription 'Jehohanan the son of HGQWL' were the skeletal remains of a man in his twenties, who had been crucified. The evidence for this was based on the right calcaneum (heel bone) of the individual, pierced by an iron nail 11.5 cms. in length. The nail penetrated the lateral surface of the bone emerging on the middle of the surface in which the tip of the nail had become bent. The bending of the tip of the nail upon itself suggests that after the nail penetrated the tree or the upright it may have struck a knot in the wood thereby making it difficult to remove from the heel when the victim was taken from the cross.

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Remains of olive wood found between the head of the nail and the heel bone suggest that prior to penetrating the heel bone the nail was driven through a wooden plaque so as to increase the head of the nail thus making it difficult for the victim to free his legs from the upright.

From www.centuryone.org

Crucifixion was abolished by Constantine I in AD 337 after his “conversion” to Christianity.

Daniel 2:42-45 – These prophecies about the final configuration and destruction of the fourth empire (Rome) have never been fulfilled. The ancient empire of Rome gradually declined from its united form into a divided form into two divisions: east and west (the two legs of the image).

The East / West division came in 364 AD under the Roman Emperor Valentinian.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes: “From the point on, the Empire of Imperialism was divided into an east-west balance of power. Since then, history continued to develop essentially in an east-west balance of power. It began in A.D. 364 with the Western Roman Empire headquartered in Rome and the Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople. In the original division of the east-west axis, these two cities controlled the balance of power. Since then, the centers of power have shifted, but it has remained an east-west division” (Footsteps of the Messiah. p.34).

The Western division headquartered in Rome ended in 476 AD and the eastern division (also known as the Byzantine Roman Empire) continued until 1453 when the Muslims from Turkey invaded and took over the territory. The eastern division had lasted for over 1,000 years.

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In its religious expression, both the east and the west empires were considered “Christian.” The western was ruled by what developed into the Roman Catholic Church, while the east was under the Orthodox Church. Sometimes referred to as Byzantine Christianity, the "Eastern Orthodox Church" (as it is known today) broke officially with the Roman Catholic Church on July 1054. They call themselves the "Holy Orthodox Church", or the "Orthodox Church of the East", and are called by others, "Greek Orthodox" or "Russian Orthodox".

The Eastern Church was (and still is) given over to mysticism and an experienced-based, intuitive “Christianity” (so-called) and had long departed from the Word as the sole basis for their faith. This form of deception continues today in the Orthodox Church.

The Western Church (Roman Catholicism) blended pagan (Babylonian) worship with all its ritualism and symbols with Christian dogma to create a grand deception of works-salvation over the peoples of the western nations. The deception continues today in the Roman Catholic Church.

Many of the eastern religious leaders, “political rulers, scribes, and scholars fled northward to Russia, setting up a type of a Roman government (imperialism). The rulers called themselves Czars, which is Russian for ‘Caesar.’ After a while, Russia gave herself the title of the Third Roman Empire. Eventually, the eastern balance of power was centered in the Soviet Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)” (Fruchtenbaum, p.34).

The original form of the Roman Empire gradually declines and dies out, collapsing more from within than without. Though there were many battles and military defeats, the Empire as such does not go down in military defeat from another empire as did the previous three kingdoms of man in Daniel.

In the west the Roman Catholic Church was gaining increasing political power. “The vacuum created by the absence of a central authority in Rome was filled by the Church, the only Roman institution capable of doing so. The Church played the major role in education and charity. Gradually, however, the popes took over the civil government of Rome and its surroundings…As their ambitions grew, the new Roman pontiffs took upon themselves the titles and much of the flavor and function of the emperor” (Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, p.230).

On December 25, 800 AD Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, the king of Germany, as Emperor of an empire that was known as the “Holy Roman Empire.” The Holy Roman Empire was an attempt to revive the Western Roman Empire. It was not until the time of Napoleon that this form of the empire ended (1806) when Francis II renounced the title of “Emperor.”

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One can trace the continued efforts of the Europeans to reunite and bring back the Empire they once had. We will be studying this re-forming of the “revived” Roman Empire in a future study.

Remember this statement from earlier?

There w ill be a revival of the Roman Empire – although it has really never died out - and it w ill be the fifth k ingdom of the Times of the Gentiles, yet it is really a continuation of the fourth.

Now we can see that in several very real ways the Roman Empire is still around and will come back as a one-world government in the Tribulation period. This global government will “devour the whole world” (Daniel 7:23) and, eventually, the Antichrist will be the new “Emperor” – the “little horn” of Daniel 7:8:

"While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.

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A chart to keep us on track – note this chart starts the “Times of the gentiles” in 606 BC. I believe it started a little later in 586 BC with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. But, no big deal either way!

If you notice, the church age runs along with the present form of the Roman Empire – the two-division stage of the east-west balance of power.

The religious dominate power is, of course, the Roman Catholic Church, another expression of Roman influence in today’s world.

Time is running out on the church age, the Age of Grace. The final form of the Roman Empire is soon to come. God’s prophetic time piece is going to start again shortly after the rapture of the church. How soon will God “turn it over” and the End Times begin?

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GLOBAL GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL ECONOMICS, GLOBAL RELIGION = PEACE, SECURITY, EQUALITY, PROSPERITY AND HARMONY!

ARE YOU SURE?

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Daniel 2:31-33 (NASB) 31 "You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 "The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Daniel 2:31-33 (NKJV) 31 "You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

IT’S TIME TO FOCUS ON THE FEET OF THE IMAGE:

THE WORLD EMPIRE THAT IS YET TO COME BUT IS A CONTINUATION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Daniel 2:40-43 (NASB) 40 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 "In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 "As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 "And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.

Daniel 2:40-43 (NKJV) 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

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As we have seen, verse 40 refers to the original Roman Empire, the Fourth Kingdom, that – through it died out as an empire – its form changed and shifted and, in many ways, is still with us today. The world is still in a balance between the east and the west.

Verses 41-43 refer to that manifestation of the Empire that is yet to come – some refer to it as a “Revived Roman Empire” and that term fits very well for what is yet to come in world history. This continuation of the “Times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) is the last act in the drama of Gentile rule in the world. This coming expression of man continuing to operate independent of God and – whether it is recognized or not, under the rule of Satan - will probably yet go through three forms of government before the Second Coming of Christ brings the kingdom of man to an end.

“Inasmuch as the first portion of the prophecy concerning the Roman Empire was so graphically fulfilled in history just as other prophecies relating to the preceding empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, it is most reasonable to conclude that the final stage” [or stages] “of the Roman Empire will also have its precise fulfillment. At that future time the stage will be set for its complete destruction and the bringing in of the fifth kingdom, by the Son of Man, which will occur at the second coming of Christ” (Walvoord, The Nations in Prophecy, p. 87)

As we study this I will be following (for the most part) the outline and exposition given by Arnold Fruchtenbaum in his great work on the sequence of prophetic events where he focuses on the coming world events and the Tribulation entitled The Footsteps of the Messiah.

Daniel 7:7 (NASB)7 "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7:7 (NKJV) 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7:23 (NASB) "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it.

Daniel 7:23 (NKJV) "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces.

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Key phrase 7:23: “and shall devour the whole earth”

has this happened in the past or is it yet future?

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, State of the Union Address, January 27, 2000 quoted in Global Warning, Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, p.143

“We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crises… ” David Rockefeller speaking at the UN, September 14, 1994 in “The Emerging New World Order” by Berit Kjos, June 25, 2006. www.crossroad.to (interesting web site – check it out!)

Infamous Quote from Henry Kissinger

"Today Americans would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful. This is especially true if they were told there was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will plead with world leaders to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well being granted to them by their world government."

Quote by: Henry Kissinger (1923- ) Former US Secretary of State Source: Speaking at Evian, France, May 21, 1992. Bilderburgers meeting. Unbeknownst to Kissinger, his speech was taped by a Swiss delegate to the meeting.

(underlining in the above quote added by Pastor David) www.libertytree.ca

“Globalization is the central reality of our time. I t is coming and you can’t stop it!”

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I recently heard someone on television (Fox News), whose name I do not know, make this astounding statement:

“Crises is the friend of the state”

I did see that JOHN STOSSEL, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST AND CO-HOST OF ABC NEWS "20/20", MADE THE SAME STATEMENT, SO MAYBE IT WAS HIM. ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, Friday, September 26, 2008, www.ocregister.com

The march toward a global economy and a global governing body is moving forward relentlessly. The leaders of the various world governments are pressing on every side to bring their dream of a one-world government into reality. By the means of various “crises” – real, imagined, or manufactured – human governments move to increase their control over the people. Along with this comes the push toward global religion. All of these things are fully predicted in the Scriptures, as we will see. How far it will advance before the rapture of the church is unknown.

Remember: God established civil government (Gen. 9:5-6; Rom. 13:3-4) as one of the five divine institutions. Furthermore he established the nations (Gen. 9:25-27; Gen. chapters 10-11; Deu. 32:8) [see appendix The Five Divine Institutions]

Acts 17:26 (NASB) and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

Acts 17:26 (NKJV) And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

IT WAS AT BABYLON THAT MAN FIRST TRIED TO ESTABLISH A ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT! From there God divided them by confusing their language.

Gen. 10:5: the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

Remember this fact as it has a significant impact on our future studies about the rise of Babylon and the world government to come.

TOMMY ICE: "WHY DID GOD WANT TO SEPARATE MANKIND? MANY BELIEVE THAT MANKIND SHOULD COME TOGETHER IN UNITY. GEN. 11:6 EXPLAINS WHY GOD CONFUSED HUMAN LANGUAGE:

Genesis 11:6 (NKJV) And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

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THE ONLY REASON WHY HUMANITY WANTS TO UNIT ITSELF IS IN ORDER TO MORE EFFECTIVELY REBEL AGAINST GOD.

Satan desires this one-world control so that he can be more effective in his attempt to be “like the most high” (Isaiah 14:14). It will be his greatest effort in his rebellion against God, the rebellion in which mankind is also involved. Yet, it will fail!

NOTE: THE ANTICHRIST WILL BRING IN THE FINAL FORM OF THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT: NATIONALISM LITERALLY FUNCTIONS AS A BARRIER TO A WORLD CONTROLLED BY SATAN. GLOBAL GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL ECONOMY, GLOBAL RELIGION ARE ALL OF THE EVIL ONE.

TOD KENNEDY: "GOD PLANNED THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIVE IN GROUPS CALLED NATIONS. THESE NATIONS WOULD HAVE SIMILAR CULTURE INCLUDING LANGUAGE, GEOGRAPHY, AND HERITAGE. EACH OF THESE NATIONAL DISTINCTIONS PROVIDES A BALANCE OF POWER AMONG NATIONS AND PROTECTS AGAINST A MONOLITHIC POWER OVER MANY GROUPS.” WWW.SPOKANEBIBLE.COM

INTERNATIONALISM AS A UNION OF NATIONS IS UNBIBLICAL - UNITED NATIONS, COMMUNISM, WORLD COURT, WORLD BANK, WORLD MILITARY, GLOBAL TREATIES THAT BIND NATIONS TOGETHER SO THAT NATIONAL CONTROL IS GIVEN OVER TO INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODIES. “CRISES” ARE MOVING THIS FORWARD: ECOMOMICS {A CRISIS!}, ENVIRONMENTALISM {A CRISIS!}, GLOBAL WARMING {A CRISIS!}, ANIMAL ABUSE {A CRISIS!}, OVERPOPULATION {A CRISIS!} THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF MANY THINGS HAPPENING TODAY.

PATRIOTISM IS BIBLICAL! Alva J. McClain: “The founding fathers of our own American state, approaching their task with a deep suspicion of human nature, designed an ingenious system of checks and balances to separate these functions into departments and keep any one of them from usurping too much power. Although it seems clumsy and inefficient at times, lacking in both unity and economy, nevertheless our government has furnished a welcome refuge for political liberty in a sinful world, and will continue to so do – if we can keep it” (The Greatness of the Kingdom (1959), p.207/

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“and shall devour the whole earth” While we cannot be ABSOLUTLEY sure of this scenario, several eminent prophecy scholars believe that this phrase from Daniel 7:23 has not yet been fully fulfilled. Therefore, there will be a global, one-world government of some kind that will appear on the world scene before the Tribulation period. It does not seem that Daniel 7:23 has yet happened in the aspect of the Fourth Empire devouring “the whole earth.” After this will come the ten division stage of government and then the one world government that is ruled by the Antichrist at the middle of the Tribulation.

There is at least one other important prophetic event that, I believe, will also come before this final time of man which ends with the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. That event is the battle of Gog and Magog which is revealed in Ezekiel chapters 38-39. We will study this soon but it has a bearing, I believe, on the appearance of the coming one world government.

Will these events of the attack on Israel and the one-world government be before or after the rapture of the Church? Who knows. But after much study I do believe these events will happen before the Tribulation, either before the rapture or after the rapture but before the start of the Tribulation. This all will be studied later.

Listen to Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum:

“At some point the East-West Balance of Power will break down, leading to a one-world government. This stage is seen in Daniel seven, but not in Daniel two. Daniel 7:23 clearly states that at some point the Fourth Empire devours the whole earth. This is something that Rome never did. Some attempt to make this expression mean the ‘then known world,’ but it cannot be said that Rome even conquered the then-known world. As soon as one empire conquers up to a certain point of territory, it is very obvious that there is more to follow beyond that. So it is foolish to say

that Rome conquered the then-known world. Rome did not even extend as far east as the empire of Alexander the Great…. Furthermore, other usages of the word in the Old Testament clearly teach universality (Gen. 8:9; 9:19; 11:1; Isa. 6:3; 14:26; 28:22; 54:5; Jer. 15:10; Zech 4:10, 14). Although in Daniel 2:39 the word is used of the Hellenistic Empire, it only states that such authority was given to it as it was to Babylon in Daniel 2:37-38, and neither of these two empires chose to exercise this authority. In the case of the Fourth Empire, the wording states that it will devour the whole earth. The text demands that the Fourth Empire will at some point control the whole world and devour it. So if literal interpretation is maintained, then the Fourth Empire of Imperialism is yet to control the whole world in the formation of a one-world government, which is something not yet accomplished.” (Footsteps, p.p. 35-36)

It certainly seems as if the Battle of Gog and Magog, in Ezekiel 38-39, would provide just such a crisis that would push us into this world-changing event. World government come into existence quickly because both the desire on the part of world political, business, and religious leaders and the plans for it are already in the works!

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There is an older work by Dr. David L. Cooper that agrees with this analysis. This small book was first printed in 1940 (my copy is 1958) and is entitled When Gog’s Armies Meet The Almighty In The Land Of Israel. The chart on the next page is from him. Here is what he states about the aftermath of this battle:

“Such universal wreckage and disorder will pave the way for Satan to bring forth his man and to establish a world kingdom upon the ruins of the former nations….Thus the probability is that there will emerge out of the chaos of the world at this future time a world empire. It will appear very suddenly and will disappear about as quickly, collapsing and falling into ten separate divisions, over each of which will arise a king who will seize authority and establish his government therein. The rise of this universal empire upon the ruins of the wrecked world is indicated by the fifth arrow of the series [on the chart]. Its collapse and division into ten kingdoms is likewise shown by the sixth arrow.” (p.114)

Of course, some of this is not clearly revealed and both authors are giving informed speculation, but it is an attempt to make sense of the Scriptures involved and I think they are right.

Satan is working relentlessly to pull together the various aspects of a worldwide Gentile empire in an attempt to demonstrate to God that he can rule this world by his own authority and thus frustrate the plan of God. As believers we must not be fooled and deceived by these things of “globalism” and a “New World Order.” This is nothing “new” - it is simply the old Babylonian attempt at a world order with new make-up on! But it is still Satan warring against God and mankind joining him in rebellion.

Remember the three dominate things around which the empire of the Antichrist will revolve and watch for these developing in politics, business, and religion::

1. A global government (with a united military)2. A global economy (with, probably a common currency)3. A global religion (that is all-inclusive)

Satanic View Point (SVP) and Human View Point (HVP) are merging more and more. Yet, in spite of this, believers who know and accept the truths of Bible prophecy (Divine View Point – DVP) need only look up and say with the Apostle John:

Revelation 22:20 (NASB) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

How much time is left? Only God knows and we trust Him! With that faith we can rest and wait with eager anticipation the Rapture of the Church. Until then we just keep on working to win souls, disciple others, and mature in the faith personally before time runs out. We must keep our priorities and doctrine straight and not be deceived!

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Having said all this about a one-world government before the Tribulation, I must add that there is another way of viewing this Daniel 7:23 passage. Most commentators simply do not cover the phrase we have focused on. If they do they seem to think or, some say explicitly, that the old Roman Empire fulfilled the prophecy “to devour the whole earth,” and believe that only the “ten toes” or “ten horns” stage is yet in the future (this is next in our study). This is definitely the majority position. Others believe the ten division stage will fulfill it.

Perhaps the future ten division government will fulfill the prophecy. Yet, the Daniel passage seems to involve a sequence in time. Let’s look at it again:

Daniel 7:23-24 (NASB) 23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.

Daniel 7:23-24 (NKJV) 23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. 24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.

FOURTH KINGDOM

DEVOUR THE WHOLE EARTH

OUT OF THIS KINGDOM TEN

KINGS

ANOTHER WILL ARISE (ANTICHRIST)

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Daniel 2:33 (NASB) its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Feet have ten toes (imagine that!). So the key is “ten.” Let’s tie some other scriptures together with these ten toes:

Remember horns are a symbol of power in Scripture! Daniel 7:24 (NASB) As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.

Daniel 7:24 (NKJV) The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.

Revelation 12:3 (NASB) Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.

Revelation 12:3 (NKJV) And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery

red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

Revelation 13:1-2 (NASB) 1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

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Revelation 13:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. {Note that each horn has a crown}

Revelation 17:7 (NASB) And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.

Revelation 17:7 (NKJV) But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum (p.36)

“This stage is seen in both Daniel two in the ten toes and in Daniel seven in the ten horns. The Ten Division stage is clearly stated to come out of the One World Government Stage. For some reason not given by the text, the One World Government will divide into ten kingdoms that will cover the whole world – not merely Europe….A careful reading of the Daniel passage states that once the Fourth Empire rules the whole world, then this One World Government will split into ten kingdoms. This requires the ten kingdoms to cover the whole world, not just the territory known as Europe…More consistent with Daniel’s prophecy is the recommendation of the Club of Rome that the world be divided into ten administrative districts to avoid economic collapse” (p.36) Below is the chart from the Club of Rome to which he refers:

The following chart is from www.americalastdays.com (I do not know the content on this site!)

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www.americaslastdays.com

“On September 17, 1973, they released a Report called the "Regionalized and Adaptive Model of the Global World System" which was prepared by Directors Mihajlo Mesarovic and Eduard Pestel as part of the "Strategy for Survival Project". This revealed the Club's goal of dividing the world into ten political/economic regions... which would unite the entire world under a single form of government. These regions are: North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Rest of Developed World, Latin America, Middle East, Rest of Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and China. The same plan was published in a Club of Rome book called Mankind at the Turning Point, which said:

‘The solution of these crises can be developed only in a global context with full and explicit recognition of the emerging world system and on a long-term basis. This would necessitate, among other changes, a new world economic order and a global resources allocation system...’”www.modernhistoryproject.org

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Arnold Fruchtenbaum comparing Daniel two and Daniel seven:

Daniel Two I. The Babylonian Empire

2. The Medo-Persian Empire3. The Hellenistic Empire

4. The Fourth Empirea. The United Stage

b. The Two Division Stagec. The Ten Division Stage5. The Messianic Kingdom

Daniel Seven I. The Babylonian Empire

2. The Medo-Persian Empire3. The Hellenistic Empire

a. The United Stageb. The Four Division Stage

4. The Fourth Empirea. The United Stage

b. The One World GovernmentStage

c. The Ten Division Staged. The Antichrist Stage

5. The Messianic Kingdom

The idea of ten economic regions has some challenges. Let’s see if we can work out the details.

We have to remember that this future world kingdom is a continuation of, and an outgrowth from, the Fourth Empire – as such it must be prophetically tied to the old territory of the Roman Empire and not something from outside that territory. I do not believe that a simple outgrowth from its ideology, laws, language, or governmental forms would fulfill the prophecies. The ten toes on the image and the ten horns that are on the head of the beast - the image and the beast both represent the Roman Empire - these ten kings and their kingdoms grow out of, and are attached to, the old Roman Empire.

Rene Pache: “The prophecy seems therefore to announce that on the territory of the ancient Roman Empire shall arise ten dictators (Rev. 17:12) who shall group themselves into a narrow confederation around one great head to come, the Antichrist” (The Return of Jesus, p.p. 157-158)

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LaHaye and Hindson: quoting Arno Froese, executive director of Midnight Call Ministries: “’The new European power structure will fulfill predictions which tell us that a one world system will be implemented. When established, it will fall into the hands of the Antichrist.’ What we are now witnessing in Europe are the initial steps leading to the global system of the last days” (Global Warning, p.159)

Thus, it seems to me, the control of this worldwide ten kingdom confederacy, each with its own king or dictator, will be controlled by ten nations in Europe – nations which once belonged to the old Roman Empire. This confederacy will still “devour the whole world” (Daniel 7:23). Perhaps this ten kingdom stage will look a lot like the Club of Rome map above.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum: “Textually, after the world falls under the One World Government, then and only then does the One World Government split up into ten kingdoms. But these ten kingdoms cover the whole world, and not Europe alone” (p.126)

Plus, it is said of the Antichrist who is the eventual political dictator of this empire, “and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him” (Rev. 13:7b). He – and his false prophet sidekick - will also control a global economy:

Revelation 13:16-18 (NASB) 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

Revelation 13:16-18 (NKJV) 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

“An absolute control will be extended over the traffic of all merchandise and over the activity of everyone” (Pasche, p.192)

This grouping of ten, who rule together, will control the world prior to the takeover of the ten by the Antichrist and prior to his forming the world into an empire ruled over by a single man – himself.

Revelation 6:2 (NASB) I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

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Revelation 6:2 (NKJV) And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Revelation 13:7 (NASB) It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Revelation 13:7 (NKJV) It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

The ten kingdom stage will last until the middle of the Tribulation and then the Antichrist takes over.

He will rule over the world because the people consent to his rule. Democracies will probably elect this man into power!

Arno Froese: “Consider the Facts: • Democracy is the most popular government system in the world • A global economy already exists • Instant communication is readily available around the world • A one-world religion is right around the corner” www.midnightcall.com

Revelation 17:12-13 (NASB) 12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13

These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Revelation 17:12-13 (NKJV) 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13

These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

Revelation 17:12-13 (AMP) 12 Also the ten horns that you observed are ten rulers (kings) who have as yet received no royal dominion, but together they are to receive power and authority as rulers for a single hour, along with the beast. 13 These have one common policy (opinion, purpose), and they deliver their power and authority to the beast.

Revelation 17:17 (NASB) "For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.

Revelation 17:17 (NKJV) For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

Daniel 11:39 (NASB) "He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.

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Daniel 11:39 (NKJV) Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

Yet, as we will see, there will be turmoil, opposition, and war. These various people groups will not have the unity and peace they thought they were going to achieve.

The things, then, that we see taking place in Europe today, such as the European Union, are significant because they show the drive toward a single government. This single unified European government would be a very powerful force on the face of the earth and they would be perfectly positioned to take over the control of the world when the time comes.

The European Union

Grant Jeffery, Prince of Darkness, p.60

“Today it is fashionable in the media to criticize the nation-state as the cause of many, if not most, of the world’s problems. We are constantly persuaded by our media and politicians about the great advantages of joining super-national organizations and reducing our independence, patriotism and loyalty to our own country. The old nation-states are blamed for was, poverty, racism and lack of efficiency. One-world government is offered as the solution to many of the massive social, economic, and environmental problems facing mankind. Globalism is promoted in schools, the media and speeches as the answer to the great challenges confronting our nations today.”

Nothing could be further from the truth! Yet, it is coming.

WHAT ABOUT THE MIXTURE OF THE FEET – IRON MIXED WITH CLAY?

Daniel 2:41-43 (NASB) 41 "In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 "As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 "And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.

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Daniel 2:41-43 (NKJV) 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Robert Dean, referring to Ezra 9:1-2, states that the “seed of men” refers to the people of various cultural groups. In Ezra it points out that Israel was culturally to be separate from the pagan cultures and that it does not refer to anything racial. A Jew could marry a Gentile IF they converted to Judaism (for example, Boaz who was a Jew marrying Ruth who was a Moabitess).

The point seeming to be that the various people groups, cultures, and special interest groups will not work well together under the ten division / Antichrist stage of the Empire to come.

Though the ten division grouping and the one-world Antichrist stage are going to be strong politically and militarily (iron), still the groups will be at odds with each other, each pulling for their own special interests and ways of thinking (clay). The clay is fired clay, ceramic or pottery which is easily broken and is “fragile” or “”brittle.”

Once again, even when mankind achieves what appears to be the greatest solution of all to the problems of the world, there will still be opposition, strife, and rebellion! People will be insisting on their “rights.” Lawlessness and disorder will increase. Mankind always discounts the reality and strength of the sin nature! We’ll look at this more later when we study the Tribulation Period.

Prophecy scholar and head of the Pre-Trib research group Tommy Ice says this about the European Union:

Flags of the EU “Publicly, the European Union describes itself as "a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity." Since its six-nation beginning, the European Union has increased to 25 countries [now 27]. Based upon the European Union's own expansion plans, they see the union growing in the near future to 80 countries with over 430 million people. Looking to the future, the Director of Foreign Policy at the Centre for European Reform projects the ultimate growth of the renamed "Union," to include 109 nations of the world-including both North and South America.”

www.pre-trib.org I highly recommend this site for reading about Bible prophecy. It is a site you can trust. Tim LaHaye, author of the left behind series is also one of the founders of this group.

While there is no way of knowing for sure if the EU is the biblically predicted rise of the European super state, or if this state of today will be the one to control the world in the tribulation period, it is – at the very least – a clear picture of what is predicted.

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The EU now covers 27 nations

Description Blue: The European Union Light green: National government expressed interest in membership Dark green: Candidate Yellow: Membership debate

It is very interesting to compare these maps side by side! Though the EU does not yet cover all the exact same territory of the old Roman Empire, is fascinating that there is a great similarity. And the EU continues to expand. We will have more to study about the EU when we get to the tribulation study and the study on the Babylon as seen in the book of Revelation. Revelation 17:12-13 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Daniel 7:8 (NASB) "While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.

Daniel 7:8 (NKJV) I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

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Daniel 7:19-26 (NASB) 19 "Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. 23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 'But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.

Daniel 7:19-26 (NKJV) 19 Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. 21 I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. 23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. 24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. 26 'But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.

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TEN HORNS AND A LITTLE HORN WHICH DESTROYS THREE OTHER HORNS BECOMES GREATER THAN THE OTHERS

We will be doing a more detailed study on the Antichrist in our study on the Tribulation period of future history. For now let’s notice some key facts from these passages in Daniel:

The “little horn” (7:8) or “the other horn” (7:20) comes up from among the ten horns which are already in existence, ruling simultaneously, at the time of his rise. He will rise up after them (7:24), that is after they are already ruling.

He would be an eleventh horn or ruler – this may mean he has a kingdom also but that it is small or it may mean he is ruling along with one of the ten other rulers (a co-ruler)

This also means that the Antichrist will have his rise from within the territory of the old Roman Empire.

He has “eyes” which shows that this is speaking of a real human being. “These notable eyes suggest the penetrating insight and discernment of an imposing personality” (Lehman Strauss, Daniel, p.212)

In some way he is “different from the previous ones.” In what way he will be is not revealed, but something sets him apart from the rest. (Demon or Satan possessed?)

This horn is the political leader usually called the “Antichrist” from 1 John 2:18 (NKJV) “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”

He is already a political ruler before the beginning of the Tribulation at the time of the ten kings.

He starts off “little”: insignificant and hardly noticed (7:8) but he becomes larger (7:20), that is, stronger politically and more powerful.

He conquers, in some fashion (murder? war?). He “shall subdue three kings” (7:24) after the original ten horns are in power. The word “subdue” seems to imply he kills them. It seems logical that these three will oppose his rise to power and his political control. The others submit to his control (Rev. 17:17). This occurs in the middle of the Tribulation as we will see later. He now takes establishes a “full global dictatorship” (Fruchtenbaum, p.567).

Now there are eight: 7 plus 1 = 8 (duh!). The one is the Antichrist.

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He is extremely arrogant and challenges the One True God openly: “speaking pompous words” (7:8), “a mouth uttering great boasts” (7:20 NASB), “He will speak out against the Most High” (NASB) or “speak pompous words against the Most High” (NKJV) (7:25). This is seen also in Revelation:

Revelation 13:5-6 (NASB) 5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

Daniel 11:36 (NASB) "Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.

Daniel 11:36 (NKJV) "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.

Revelation 13:5-6 (NKJV) 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

He persecutes the tribulation saints (7:21). The primary reference is to the Jews, but from the book of Revelation we learn that he will persecute those who become believers also during the same time:

Revelation 13:7 (NASB) It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Revelation 13:5-6 (NKJV) 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

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Most think that the idea of “changing times and laws” (7:25) refers to his attacks on Jewish worship and their ceremonial calendar of Holy Days as given under the Mosaic Law (Robert Dean).

“For a time and times and half a time” (7:25) means three and a half years which we will see in our study of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel.

He eventually becomes a world dictator as we have seen, but will have full control for only 3 ½ years.

This also means that when this all happens Israel will be in their land as a nation and there will be a Jewish temple that has been rebuilt.

A question, then, we will have to answer is this; where are the Muslims in all this? Where are the Islamic nations? How is it possible they will allow a Jewish Temple to be built on the Temple Mount – where the Dome of the Rock stands today? We will answer that critical question in our study of Ezekiel 38-39.

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Daniel 2:34-35 (NASB) 34 "You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

THE STONE IS JESUS CHRIST

Daniel 2:34-35 (NKJV) 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:44-45 (NASB) 44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 "Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy."

Daniel 2:44-45 (NKJV) 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

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Daniel 7:13-14 (NASB) 13 "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14 (NKJV) 13 "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. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:21-22 (NASB) 21 "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.

Daniel 7:21-22 (NKJV) 21 I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

Daniel 7:27 (NASB) 'Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.'

Daniel 7:27 (NKJV) Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'

Revelation 19:11-16 (NASB) 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12

His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV) 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

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In Daniel 9:24-27 we have one of the most remarkable prophecies in all of Scripture and it is the prophetic framework underneath and supporting all the rest of Bible prophecy. A correct understanding of this passage produces clear thinking on the rest of prophecy; misunderstanding at this point results in fuzzy and improper handling of the other relevant biblical passages dealing with prophecy especially God’s work with the nation of Israel.

This section could be called “prophecy basic.” It is as basic to prophetic understanding as the alphabet to understanding language. It really is the:

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To get a clear understanding of the prophecy of the “seventy weeks” we will study the entire chapter and learn several lessons as we go.

Dr. David L. Cooper wrote:

We are told upon good authority that ‘a text apart from its context is a pretext.’ The correctness of this statement immediately becomes apparent, when one notes the present day use of the Scriptures. All too often a verse of the sacred Word is snatched from its setting and is used as a basis for a lecture or sermon. Very frequently only a portion of a sentence is selected because certain words appearing within the statement seem appropriate as a title for the subject discussed. Such a practice led one of my seminary professors to remark on many occasions: ‘I know the Bible is true because it has survived so very much poor preaching’” (The Seventy Weeks of Daniel, 1941, p.7).

Daniel 9:1-2 (NASB) 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Daniel 9:1-2 (NKJV) 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans-- 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

At this point Daniel was most likely already near or past 70 years of age. He had lived through the fall of Jerusalem, the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the time of Belshazzar, the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, and now was under the rule of Darius who had been set as ruler over Babylon by Cyrus the Great of Persia. His reign lasted only some two years.

“Darius the Mede is to be identified with Gobryas (Gubaru), the governor of Babylon under Cyrus” (Unger’s Bible Dictionary).

It was under this king that Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den (Daniel 6:16-28).

Even though it was late in life for Daniel, he had not stopped his study of the Word of God, the Scriptures that had been written up to that time frame. Such an orientation toward understanding Bible doctrine demonstrates the spiritual maturity of the elderly prophet. He says “I, Daniel, observed” (“I understood”). This was no casual reading of “Our Daily Baked Goods”! He was doing careful

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analysis of the text. Although he probably had other Scriptures, at this point he was studying the prophet Jeremiah (25:11-12; 29:10-14). He was studying Bible prophecy!

M.R. DeHaan writes about this:

It is interesting to note that Daniel himself was a great student of the Scriptures, and this in itself will account for much of the revelation which God was pleased to give to him, for it is an inviolable principle that the more we study God’s revelation, the more He gives us of His revelation [That is, the understanding of the meaning of Scripture]. The more we exercise ourselves in knowing His will, the more He reveals His will to us (Daniel the Prophet. P.234).

It is stated in verse 2 that he was studying “the books” (plural). These could have included the book of Isaiah, and maybe the closing writings found in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Daniel knew

the Bible was the perfect Word of God and, as a result, he was a serious student of the written text and placed everything in his daily life under its authority. He knew it was absolute Truth and without error. It was his compass for the guidance of daily living. He trusted it. It drew him closer in his fellowship with the Lord and he was spiritually strengthened. This is exactly how he “got through the going through”! How about you?

Daniel realized that the prophesied 70 years of captivity for the nation of Israel was almost over. Figuring from the first captivity under Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC (when Daniel was taken), there was only two to three years left to go. Notice: he followed a literal understanding of the text – that is, Daniel knew that when God said 70 years He meant a literal 70 years! (You can study more about this under an earlier section of our studies entitled “Why Seventy Years.”)

Remember the Golden Rule of Interpretation: “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 context indicate clearly otherwise.” (Dr. David Cooper)

Jeremiah 25:9-12 (NASB) 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the Lord, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. 10 'Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 'This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 'Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' declares the Lord, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.

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This is the original 70 years prediction. It is repeated a short time later. In Jeremiah 29 the prophet writes to the captives in Babylon to help correct the lies being told by the false prophets there.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NASB) 10 "For thus says the Lord, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 'I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJV) 10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

It both of these key prophecies it is important to note that after the captivity of seventy years, the Lord promised to return the people to the land of Israel. He said He would “cause them to return to this place,” the land promised to their fathers in the Abrahamic and Land covenants. The Lord says clearly: “I will perform My good word toward you.” When God gives us His Word – including that of prophecy – it will come to pass no matter what others may say or the length of time involved between the prediction and the fulfillment.

Some 10 or so years after the fall of Jerusalem, false prophets had come on the scene among the captives in Babylon and among the few left in Jerusalem. They were predicting a quick return of the captives back into Israel. One by the name of Hananiah claimed it would happen with two years (Jeremiah 28:3-4). He claimed to be saying things he received from the Lord: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,” (Jeremiah 28:2). This man (and others) was saying what they wanted the Lord to say, but it is not what the Lord said. Repeatedly in Scripture the Lord warns His people about false prophets who claim to speak for the Lord but are not:

Jeremiah 27:14-15 (NASB) 14 "So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you; 15 for I have not sent them," declares the Lord, "but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."

In the church age, we know a teaching is true only because it is in accordance with the written Word of God correctly handled. We must evaluate every teaching and teacher by this absolute measure. Because a person says it comes from God, or says this or that is what the Bible says does not mean it is true. Just as in Old Testament times, people speak lies in the name of the Lord.

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The premier Bible prophecy scholar John Walvoord writes:

What is intended, accordingly, in the statement in Daniel 9:2 is that Daniel realized that the time was approaching when the children of Israel could return. The seventy years of captivity were about ended. Once the children of Israel were back in the land, they were providentially hindered in fulfilling the rebuilding of the temple until seventy years after the destruction of the temple had also elapsed (Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p.p. 204-205)

It is important to note that the Jeremiah passages go on to discuss the ultimate fulfillment of a time of blessing for Israel which is the reign of the Messiah during the Millennial Kingdom. By the prayer that follows it seems to indicate that Daniel, as a result of his study, was thinking that this Kingdom would be established at the end of the 70 year Babylonian captivity. The additional revelation given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel guided Daniel to think correctly about God’s plans for the nation of Israel. As we will see, “God was not ready to bring history to its destined final climax” (Thomas Ice, “The Seventy Weeks of Daniel,” www.pretribe.org).

Jeremiah 29:14 – “I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you”

While this was partially fulfilled with the return from Babylon, ultimately this goes beyond the Babylonian captivity and on to the world-wide dispersion of the Jews that happened after 70 AD and continues through today. This specific prophecy will be fulfilled in its completeness only at the time of the Second Coming of Christ. That is why this prophecy refers to “all the nations and all the places.” At that future time Israel will be returned permanently to the Land.

Matthew 24:29-31 (NASB) 29 "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

His elect = the nation of Israel

The reason Daniel went into a prayer of confession was because he knew that the promises of the return required a confession of sins on the part of Israel: Jeremiah 29:12-13; Isaiah 1:18, and others.

By the way, this is the longest prayer in the Old Testament.

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THE RESPONSE OF A FAITHFUL MAN Daniel 9:3-19 (NKJV) 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who

keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6

Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day--to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the

countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. 8 O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15

And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day--we have sinned, we have done wickedly! 16

"O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

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It is important to notice a few things about this ancient and amazing prayer:

Daniel includes himself in his prayer of repentance: notice the words “we” and “us.” He does not get arrogant by saying “them” and “they.” He sees himself as part of the larger whole of the nation of Israel and takes personal responsibility. In praying for our nation and the church, this is a good principle to remember.

He responds to what he has seen in Scripture with prayer because he took the writings seriously. Look back at Jeremiah 29:12-14.

He admits that God is right in His judgment on Israel’s sin: “for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does” (v.14). Admitting sin and then accepting divine disciple as being right is a key to turning discipline into blessing. What great humility this takes! Daniel never plays the “victim” role, there is no “poor me.”

Daniel knew the Scriptures so well that in his prayer he referred to other passages such as the Law of Moses and to the Exodus from Egypt. He pulled the correct lessons from these passages. Daniel had real doctrinal orientation and it guided his life, his attitude, and his praying. (Check out Deuteronomy 28:63-67 in reference to what Daniel knew.)

He also knows about the character of God, which certainly includes His righteousness but also His love and mercy (v.v. 4 & 18). “It is on this ground, of course, that Daniel is basing his petition” (Walvoord, Daniel, p.206).

Daniel’s prayer is an example of a man practicing the faith-rest drill over many, many years. It shows how learning and living by doctrine can carry anyone through difficult and demanding times without panic, depression, or rebellion.

Daniel was satisfied with where God had placed him even though he never again saw his beloved Jerusalem. For Daniel, it was all about trusting God!

Don’t miss verse 6 – it points out how sinful it is to ignore the ones God sends with His Word. The disregard of the Word of God and those who tried to teach them His Word was the beginning of their downfall as individuals and, finally, as a nation.

In verses 17 -18 Daniel places the reason for the answer he is seeking in the best possible place, the glory of God: “for Your own sake, my God” (v.18).

He does not say, “Because we have been faithful to You therefore do this for us”: “we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds” (v.18). Our service to the Lord is never the ground of prayer requests.

The focus of his prayer is the temple (sanctuary, v.17), the city (v.v. 18-19) and the people (v.19). This reminds us of the plan of God for Israel and the Jewish people. Daniel saw his situation as well as that of the entire nation from the divine perspective.

What lessons are here for us, beloved?

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THE ARRIVAL OF GABRIEL

Daniel 9:20-23 (NASB) 20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. 22 He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. 23 "At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.

Daniel 9:20-23 (NKJV) 20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

V.21: about the time of the evening offering {or oblation}. This refers to the offering performed at the Jewish Temple which was also a time of prayer – but the Temple had been destroyed in 586 B.C. Yet, Daniel continued the practice of organizing his prayer time around the prescribed times. The evening oblation began around 3:00 p.m.

“then the man Gabriel” – the angel appearing as a man.

V.22: to give you insight with understanding or skill to understand – The underlying assumption of Daniel’s prayer was that he expected the immediate beginning of the promised Messianic Kingdom. The Lord gave him additional revelation to help him understand that God would indeed fulfill His promises to Israel, but not as soon as Daniel expected. The word “insight” means to give him additional information he did not have.

This reminds us of the doctrine of progressive revelation: God reveals Himself and His plan progressively through time and not all at once. He did this ONLY through the writers of the Bible and not through any other “prophets,” religions, books, or “faiths” nor does it continue today. Revelation ended with the finishing of the book of Revelation in 96 A.D.

v.23: “so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”

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Daniel was to give up any preconceived notions or understandings of he had about the meaning of the text and listen to the message the angel carried from God. Daniel listened because he wanted to know the truth. How important it is for believers of all time to pay careful attention to the correct interpretation and teaching of the text! Even as great and loved by God man as Daniel had to be teachable by maintaining an attitude of humility. Daniel was in a Bible Class taught by an angel!

TO “GIVE HEED TO THE MESSAGE” {FOCUSED ATTENTION, THINKING, AND CONCENTRATION} AND GAIN UNDERSTANDING” SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF EVERY BELIEVER IN APPROACHING THE WORD TAUGHT IN BIBLE CLASS AS WELL AS ONE’S OWN STUDY.

Daniel 9:24-27 (NASB) 24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

Daniel 9:24-27 (NKJV) 24 "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 "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. 26 "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. 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."

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While the previous prophecies of Daniel had dealt with the Gentile world powers, this prophecy deals with God’s program for the nation of Israel. This is one of the most – if not the most – important prophecies in all of the Old Testament. On the framework of the future provided by this prophecy hangs all other prophecy especially as it relates to Israel.

In this prophecy we learn of the time of the arrival of the Messiah.

In this prophecy we learn the purpose for the long delay in the promised Messianic kingdom and the Tribulation

In this prophecy we learn that the Messiah {Jesus Christ} will be “cur off” or killed as a substitute for others

In this prophecy we learn that a new Jewish temple will be built

In this prophecy we learn of the destruction of that Temple

In this prophecy we learn of the group of people out from whom will come the Antichrist

In this prophecy we learn of what begins the Tribulation

In this prophecy we learn what will happen in the middle of the Tribulation with a special “abomination”

In this prophecy we learn the duration of the Tribulation

In this prophecy we learn that the Tribulation will come to an end on an exact day and what will happen when it does

That makes this a most amazing prophecy! Are you, like Daniel, ready to learn more of the truth of the Word of God?

9:24 – seventy weeks

The word translated “weeks” has been noted by many biblical Hebrew scholars as a very poor translation. The Hebrew word simply means “sevens.” It can mean seven of anything, as it is simply a number reference – like “12” can mean 12 of anything.

Here the word would refer to seven years. Daniel had been counting up the 70 years predicted by Jeremiah, so he was already thinking in terms of years.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes: “In the Hebrew text there is a play on words. Daniel is told that it is not ‘seventy years’ but ‘seventy sevens of years’ must pass before the introduction of the Kingdom. In this passage, then, it means seventy sevens of years, for a total of 490 years. The angel is telling Daniel that a 490-year period has been decreed” (Footsteps of the Messiah, p.188).

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Dr. David Cooper paraphrases it this way to clarify the meaning:

“Daniel, you have been thinking that the final restoration will be accomplished and the full covenant blessings will be realized at the close of these seventy years of exile in Babylon. On this point you are mistaken. You are not now on the eve of the fulfillment of this wonderful prediction. Instead of its being brought to pass at this time, I am sent to inform you that there is decreed for your people and the Holy City a period of ‘seventy sevens’ of years before they can be realized. AT THE CONCLUSION OF 490 YEARS THE NATION OF Israel will be reconciled and will be reinstated into divine favor and will enter into the enjoyment of all the covenant blessings” (Cooper, The 70 Weeks of Daniel, p.23).

The meaning, then, of the “seventy weeks” is that of seventy weeks of years. NOTE: the 490 years are figured according to Jewish custom of “having years of 360 days with an occasional month extra month inserted to correct the calendar as needed” (Walvoord, Daniel, p.220). These 360 day years are also referred to as “prophetic years.”

“The proof that this is the case is furnished by the fulfillment of the prophecy itself” (A.C. Gaebelein, Gaebelein’s Concise Commentary, p.646).

v.24 - have been decreed (or apportioned out)

The word “decreed” means “determined” or “to cut off.” That is, the almighty and sovereign Creator-God has a perfect plan which He is following and nothing and no one can stop its coming to completion. This time has been set apart out of the Times of the Gentiles to bring about the restoration of Israel with the coming of the promised Messianic Kingdom.

v.24 - for your people – the Jews were, of course, Daniel’s people

v.24 - and your holy city – Jerusalem, the Holy City of God – picture (left) is Jerusalem today.

We are reminded here that the Jewish people, the land of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem are the central focus of all Bible prophecy. This plan of God explained as the “seventy sevens” has nothing to do with the Church of the New Testament. This is important because this passage deals with the Tribulation and its purposes. One of the reasons we

know that the Church does not go through the Tribulation is because of the fact that the “seventy sevens” which ends with the seven year Tribulation is about Israel and not God’s program for the Church.

The chart on the following page, “The 70 Weeks of Daniel,” is from Charting the End Times, by Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice. It will be our guide as we go into more detail on this prophecy. The chart is not included in the page numbering!

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The following four charts are from www.deanbible.org

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The reason for 490 years is that Israel had missed the required seventh sabbatical year of rest for a total of 490 years. Just as there was 490 years in the past so there is 490 for the future.

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The Seventy Sevens (weeks) of Daniel – a “clock that almost ticks” (S. Ellisen). Israel is the time clock for all of Bible prophecy. More than anything else this explains the hatred of Satan and his cosmic system for the nation of Israel.

The prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 lays out the time in human history God has established for the Jewish

people, the temple, and the city of Jerusalem.

Daniel 9:24 (NASB) "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

The second part of this verse lists six things that are to be accomplished during the period of the seventy-sevens of years (490 years). God has made specific promises to Israel and there is a distinct future for the nation of Israel in the specific land promised to Abraham and the Patriarchs. These six things are God’s purpose in the plan for Israel, the plan of the 490 years. These are the things are results that are “decreed.”

To finish the transgression

To make an end of sin

To make atonement for iniquity

To bring in everlasting righteousness

To seal up vision and prophecy

To anoint the most holy place

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The first purpose that God will accomplish is “to finish the transgression.”

The word finish means “to restrain firmly or completely,” ‘to bring to an end, to complete.”

The word “transgression” means “to sin, to transgress, to rebel.” The main idea is that of a willful and deliberate choice to rebel, “this word primarily expresses a rebellion against God and His laws” (Complete Word Study Dictionary Old Testament, Baker and Carpenter, #6588)

All are agreed that in the original Hebrew the meaning is not some general idea of transgression, but it literally says “the transgression,” that is, some specific transgression that stands out from all the others. While it is true that Israel had repeatedly rebelled against God in worshipping idols, this is a national sin of some kind, a specific sin that stands out above all the other national sins or acts of rebellion of the nation of Israel.

There is only one such act in all the nationally history of Israel that come up to this level of rebellion: the rejection that resulted in the crucifixion of their Messiah, Jesus. They rebelled by killing their King. Though modern-day Jews did not crucify the Lord Jesus Christ, they continue in the rebellion and are thus still guilty of “the transgression.” It remains a national transgression and is the one transgression to which the angel Gabriel referred.

Isaiah 53:1-9 describes the transgression from the point of a future change of mind, a future repentance by the people of the nation of Israel. When will this happen?

In Zechariah 11:1-14 the prophet predicts the rejection of the “good Shepherd” by Israel – this was fulfilled just as prophesied. He then predicts that they will accept one who he calls the “worthless shepherd” (verses 15-17). This will be fulfilled when Israel places themselves into a relationship of trust (a treaty of protection or covenant that we will see in the Daniel 9:27). Then, in chapter 12 of the same book, verses 1-9 deal with the close of the coming Tribulation period which ends with the campaign of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. This sets up the scene for the yet-to-come national repentance (change of mind) of the nation of Israel in Zech. 12:10-14:

Zechariah 12:10-14 (NASB) 10 "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. 11 "In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 "The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; 14 all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves.

This “look upon” – or look unto with confidence and faith (Unger)- is a reference to a spiritual “looking.” That is, when they finally place their faith alone in Christ alone and admit to the national transgression of rejecting their Messiah, then – and only then – will Christ return.

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In the above verses one can see that the national repentance is the result of individual repentance – “every family by itself.” This individual mourning is universal among the remnant of Jews left alive (about 1/3) by the end of the Tribulation. The result is that the sin of the rejection of the Messiah by Israel is brought to a climax by their acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Their national sin will be forgiven and Israel’s relationship to their Messiah will finally be right.

“The intensity of Israel’s mourning is emphasized in verse 10. In the world of that day, there was greater mourning for the loss of a firstborn son than for the loss of any other child. The mourning for the Messiah is not only a mourning related to loss, but also a mourning in hope that this Son might come back and be restored to life. This is the kind of mourning that the Jewish people will have for the messiah. They will mourn over the fact that Israel rejected His Messiahship at His first coming, and they will also mourn so that He might come back. Indeed, in this case, He will come back” (The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary, p.309).

We will review and expand on this aspect of the Second Coming when we get to that portion of our study of the end of the Tribulation.

To make an end of sin

The second purpose of the seventy sevens. “The Hebrew word translated to make an end means ‘to seal up,’ or ‘to shut up in a prison house.’ ‘to be securely kept,’ ‘to be locked up,’ to be prevented from roaming at random.’ The Hebrew word for sins means ‘to miss the mark’ and refers to sins in the daily life. Sins, then, would be put to an end or taken away” (Fruchtenbaum,p.190). Sins in the daily life of Israel will have run their course by the end of the Tribulation.

This is a phrase that has received multiple interpretations, but it seems to me most of them miss the obvious – that as far as the Jewish people are concerned they will not sin again in any way: individual sin will be shut up and will not get out again. The issue of sin in the life of Israel is brought to a conclusion or an end.

Remember: this prophecy focuses only upon the Jewish people. This removal of any ability to sin applies during the Millennial Kingdom only to the Jews, not the Gentiles. This ending of sin is seen in the following:

Ezekiel 36:26-29 (NKJV) 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses…

Ezekiel 37:23 (NKJV) They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

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Romans 11:26-27 (NASB) 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "The deliverer will come from Zion , He will remove ungodliness from Jacob." 27 "This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."

The amazing thing is that there will be no sinning of any kind by any living Jew during the Millennium.

To make atonement for iniquity

The word “atonement” in the NASB is translated “reconciliation” in the NKJV. It means “to cover, to forgive, expiate, atone for.” Though there is a division of understanding about what this exactly means, it seems that the following quotes are on the mark:

Dr. David Cooper:

The word translated ‘iniquity’… means primarily ‘perverseness, sin, guilt, crime.’ It is quite probable that in this series of phrases iniquity might properly be termed perverted human nature, which is the result of man’s original disobedience and fall. When Adam rebelled against the Lord, his nature became corrupt. A new power or force, evil and diabolical, entered his very being, perverted his nature, and plunged him and his descendants into their present miserable state” (70 Weeks, p.30).

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum:

This is the means by which the first and second purposes will be accomplished. The means by which Israel’s national sin of rejecting the Messiah will be removed and the means by which their daily sins will be removed is by an atonement.

The third purpose is to make an atonement specifically for iniquity. The word iniquity refers to the sin nature. The program of the Seventy Sevens is a cleansing of Israel that will include the removal of all three things: first, the national sin of rejecting His Messiah ship; second, sinning daily; and third, dealing with the sin nature itself” (Footsteps, p.191-192).

Just to clarify, we have to remember that the people of the church age (now) will have been removed in the rapture before the Seventieth Seven (week) of Daniel begins (the Tribulation). They will have received a new glorified body free of any sin nature as will have all the Old Testament saints and those who die in the Tribulation. However, there will be many people, Jew and Gentile alike, who will survive the horrors of the Tribulation and go into the Messianic Kingdom in their physical bodies.

Since Israel exists in a special covenant relationship with the Lord, and since they will receive all the promises made under these covenants, they alone will receive the freedom from their old sin nature while still in their flesh, that is, it will be removed or, at the very least, made totally inoperative. They will be sinless. All that can be said about this is that it will be something miraculous God will do. Thus the Jews will be in the same original state of Adam before the fall. All of this is, of course, possible because of the cross.

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To bring in everlasting righteousness

Better translation would be “to bring in, or to cause to come in, the righteousness of the ages” or “to bring in an age of righteousness.” Righteousness is God’s perfect standard of what is right in every aspect of life. “God’s righteousness would, therefore, consist of His correct attitude and actions towards His creatures and His standards for them” (Cooper). Righteousness is the standard; justice is the application of the standard. In this time all will be perfectly just (right).

Jeremiah 23:5-6 (NASB) 5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.'

Isaiah 11:2-5 (NASB) 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

Psalms 85:13 (NKJV) Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

This is the time God’s standard of righteousness will rule in the physical world of mankind. Thus it refers to the establishment of the long-awaited Messianic Kingdom, the 1,000 year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. This event will come at the end the 490-year period of Daniel’s vision and God will bring in the “age of righteousness.”

To seal up vision and prophecy

The fifth purpose of the Seventy Sevens. “To ‘seal up’ a prophecy is to preserve the prophecy until it finds its complete fulfillment or confirmation…” (LaHaye and Hindson, p. 248).

All of the prophecies given in the Old Testament will be completely fulfilled by the time of the close of the 490 years when the Millennial Kingdom begins. The reason and purpose for prophecy will cease with the Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah.

Ryrie puts it this way: “To set God’s seal of fulfillment on all the prophecies concerning the Jewish people and Jerusalem” (Ryrie Study Bible).

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To anoint the most holy place

The sixth aspect or purpose of the prophetic time clock. “From the Hebrew, it should actually read to anoint the most holy place.’ It is not a most holy person but a most holy place that is to be anointed. The most holy place is the Temple, not the First Temple of Solomon, nor the Second Temple of Zerubbabel, and certainly not the Third Temple of the Tribulation. Rather it is the Fourth Temple, the Temple of the Messianic Kingdom, built by the Lord Himself, and it will be anointed as part of the program of the Seventy Sevens” (Fructenbaum, p.192).

This Temple is seen in Ezekiel 40-48.

Ezekiel Temple model built by John Schmitt (see below). The focus of so much prophecy is the Temple Mount. In Genesis 22 it is where Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Moriah. This is where David bought the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite in 1 Chron. 22 and set up an altar. It was here that Solomon built the first Temple and it was the place of the building of the Second Temple

under Zerubbabel in Ezra 1. The Tribulation Temple will be built there as well as the Millennial Temple which Jesus Christ will build (Ez. 40-48).

“Central to the entire temple complex is the Temple building itself. It is the reason all other parts and functions of the Temple area exist. In it are housed the most important elements of worship and ministry.”

Future Hope Ministries’ Executive Director, John Schmitt www.futurehopeonline.org The chart “The

Tabernacle, Temple, and Ark in History and Prophecy” on the following page is from Charting the Ends Times. Page is not numbered.

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All six of these aspects or purposes of the 490 years are yet to be fulfilled. They will be brought to completion at the end of the coming Tribulation with the Second Coming of Christ. The sixth issue reminds us of the importance of the Temple and Temple Mount. Is it any wonder that the focus even today in Israel is the Temple Mount? The Muslim world stands ready to fight to the last person to defend the mosques (including the Dome of the Rock) that today stand on the Temple Mount. We know and Satan knows there has to be a Jewish Temple standing in this exact spot in order to fulfill these prophecies, thus the central importance of this tiny piece of land! Satan does not want the Jews to have the Temple Mount because they will rebuild when they get it. God’s prophetic plan, however, will not be stopped and Satan will be defeated.

The Jews are God’s chosen people. God’s plan for Israel still stands and nothing can ever stop it from coming to completion. We are living in a temporary time when God’s clock in reference to the 70 Weeks has been on pause – but it will start again! When it does all God’s sure and firm promises to the nation will be fulfilled.

Daniel 9:25-26 (NASB) 25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

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This chart has a start date of 445 B.C. not 444 as the chart between pages 136-137. See below

The three divisions in the Seventy Sevens:

1) 7 x 7 = 49 years

2) 62 x 7 = 434 years

3) 1 x 7 = 7 years

Total = 490 years

The Starting Point

“from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem”

There are in Scripture four decrees by Persian rulers that are possible points of beginning for this prophecy.

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The first decree of that of Cyrus the Great and it dealt with the rebuilding of the Temple in 538 B.C. This is the decree that initiated the promised return of the Jews to Israel.

Ezra 1:1-4 (NASB) 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: 2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3

'Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 'Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.' "

While there is some divergence of opinion on when the date of the Decree of Artaxerxes was – a difference of about a year – it does not effect the overall understanding. Modern prophetic scholarship holds mostly to the March 5, 444 date, so we will work with this.

This is the initial answer to Daniel’s prayer – the people are allowed to return.

Ezra 5:12-15 (NASB) 12 'But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. 13 'However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14 'Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 'He said to him, "Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place."

See also 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

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This is the tomb of Cyrus the Great in south-central Iran. He was the founder and ruler of the vast Persian Empire which had conquered Babylon. The king was buried here in 530/529 B.C.

"O man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know that you will come--I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who founded the Empire of the Persians and was king of the East. Do not grudge me this spot of earth which covers my body."

- Cyrus

This was the fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah given about 200 years earlier:

Isaiah 44:28 (NASB) "It is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.' "

However important this decree is to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, this does not seem to be the decree mentioned by Gabriel to Daniel. Some do not agree with this (like Arnold Fruchtenbaum) and think this decree is the one that initiated the 490 year prophecy and it ended with the birth of Jesus Christ. Most of the prophecy teachers go with a later decree.

Two other decrees involve the Jews but are not relevant because they do not deal with the rebuilding of Jerusalem:

Darius I in 520 (Ezra 6:1, 6-12)

Artexerxes Longimanus in 457 (Ezra 7:11-26)

The decree that most seems to be the one involved with this prophecy is the following:

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Nehemiah 2:1-8 (NASB) 1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" 4 Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. 7 And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go." And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

“Rebuilding Jerusalem was the subject of only the fourth decree, one issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus on March 5, 444 C.C. (Neh. 2:1-8). This generous decree, given in response to Nehemiah’s concern, made it possible for Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall” (John Walvoord, End Times, in Understanding Christian Theology, p.1312).

This is the decree and date used in the chart by LaHaye and Ice published between pages 136-137 in this study guide.

THE THREE-FOLD DIVISION

Daniel 9:25-27 (NASB) 25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

490

483 49 THE PROPHETIC

CLOCK

7 49 years years

434 Years

Israel Jews

Jerusalem Temple

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During the first Seven – 49 years – the wall of Jerusalem was built “in times of distress” under Nehemiah and Ezra. Read about it in the books titled by these names.

Wall (center foreground and below wooden staircase) dated by Eilat Mazar to Nehemiah's time

www.bibleplaces.com

Another section of Nehemaih’s wall that includes a tower (this section rebuilt).

Artist’s depiction of rebuilding the walls in a time of distress

Nehemiah 4

Ezra 4

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Being built “plaza and moat” refers to the re-establishment of the economy (the plaza – the central place of business) and a rebuilding of the walls (which are a re-extablishment of defensive measures). By the end of the first seven the building was completed (395 B.C.) The next portion of the Seventy Sevens (or 62 weeks in 9:24 or 483 years) ends with a specific event: “until Messiah the Prince.” The Anointed One (Messiah) would come. This happened on March 30, A.D. 33 which was Christ’s triumphal entry.

This dating focuses on the presentation by the Lord Jesus Christ as Israel’s promised Messiah and King. Though His entire ministry confirmed this reality that He was the Promised One, only on the day He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey was the presentation made officially that He was the King which fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah:

Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) "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.

This is called the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. This is found in Matthew 21:4-5.

This is the same time the crowds of people shouted:

Matthew 21:9 (NASB) The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!"

Matthew 21:15 (NASB) But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became indignant

NOTE: The Lord Jesus Christ is not today ruling as the promised King of Israel. In one sense He is the King of the universe, but we have to be careful to distinguish this from the earthly rule that is yet to come. He is not today on the throne of David – this will be after the Second Coming.

In the prophecy given to King David in what is called the “Davidic Covenant,” he is promised a earthly king from his own linage will sit on the throne during the Millennial Age to come. This is recorded in 2 Samuel 7 and is an unconditional and everlasting covenant. Jesus Christ is the specific “seed” or descendant of David Who will rule over Israel during this time yet to come. By the way, this is why the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are so important.

Then there is a significant event that follows or comes “after” the 62 weeks:

“after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing.”

This is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, an event that happened a few days after the Triumphal Entry.

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This clearly shows that there is a gap between the close of the last 69th week and the start of the 70th. All of the things that are mentioned in verse 26 occur in this gap before the 70th seven (week).

The entire church age fits into this gap as the prophetic clock for Israel remains stopped until after the rapture.

Daniel 9:26 (NKJV) "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.

Daniel 9:26 (NASB) "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

“And after the sixty-two weeks” – the first two sections of Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy sevens (seventy weeks of years, 490 prophetic years) has been completed for a total of 483 years. After it is completed the “Messiah will be cut off.”

“cut off” – This term was used for accomplishment of the death penalty on a criminal. In other words, it refers to the crucifixtion of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as a common crimnal.

In the passage of the Suffering Servant, a reference to Christ, we read:

Isaiah 53:8 (NASB) By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

Once again the cutting off refers to the death of the Messiah: “out of the land of the living”

It goes on the refer to the substitutionary work of Christ: “For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?”

While the Isaiah text refers to this work of Christ, does the Daniel text refer to the same? This is a place where translations differ because the Hebrew phrase can be translated in differing ways.

“but not for Himself” (NKJV/ KJV) or “and have nothing” – (NASB and many others). Either could be correct. The word literally means “not to (or for) him” or “no one” or even “nothingness.” M. Unger in his Old Testament Commentary says it can mean “and there is nothing for him” (p.1667).

If it is “not for himself” it would refer to the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross.

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If it is “and have nothing” it most likely would refer to the fact that He did not have the promised inheritance of the Messianic Kingdom. This is the meaning I think is most likely correct. Here are three reasons why I think this is correct:

1. The focus of this prophecy is the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ died as the substitute forall mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, not just the nation of Israel.

2. The passage directly refers to the Messiah, the King Who is to have a kingdom.

3. In verse 25 it refers to “Messiah the Prince.” The reference to a “Prince” points to thegovernment of a kingdom. It does not refer to Him as Savior.

M. Unger: “…nothing of the divine and kingly glory that was rightly His as ‘Messiah, the Prince’ (v.25; cf. John 17:5; Phil. 2:6-8), and only shame and suffering as the sacrificial Lamb of God sent by the Father to bear the sin of the world (John 1:29)” (p.1667).

Bible Knowledge Commentary:

“At His crucifixtion He would ‘have nothing’ in the sense that Israel had rejected Him and the Kingdom could not be instituted at that time. Therefore He did not then receive the royal glory as the King on David’s throne over Israel. John referred to this when he wrote:

John 1:11 (NASB) He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Daniel’s prophecy, then, anticipated Christ’s offer of Himself to the nation Israel as her Messiah, the nation’s rejection of Him as Messiah, and His crucifixion” (p.1364).

For the promised Messianic Kingdom to begin it was required that the nation of Israel to accept Jesus as Israel’s Messiah: but, He was rejected. The result of this rejection was (1) divine discipline of the nation, and (2) the long delay in the institution of the promised Kingdom. Both the discipline and the delay continue today. But as we have seen, this rejection will end and the promised Kingdom will come to pass!

Daniel 9:26 (NASB) "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

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“the city” – Jerusalem

“the sanctuary” – the Temple

(Above) Model of Jerusalem and the Second Temple (Roman Period). At the Holyland Hotel in Jerusalem. Looking Southwest.

“the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Roman army under General Titus attacked the city, burning and overthrowing the Temple in Jerusalem. He also killed thousands of Jews.

This was the result of the rejection by the Jews of their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Matthew 12:24 (NASB) But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

Jesus warned of the coming destruction:

Matthew 23:38 (NASB) Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

Matthew 24:1-2 (NASB) 1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."

Luke 19:41-44 (NASB) 41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying,

"If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation”

All of this was fulfilled in exact detail about 40 years after Christ gave this prophecy.

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The Jews should have known that the seventy sevens prophecy of Daniel was fulfilled on the very day of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and then accepted Him as Messiah. Not only would they have avoided this destruction, but the Kingdom would have begun. Because of these prophecies they should have known “the time of your visitation.”

Stones thrown from the Temple Mount by the Romans in 70 A.D. that lie on a street that Jesus would have walked on.

A stone from the Second Temple. The words on it say “the place of trumpeting”

“The top stone on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount bore an inscription which read in part, "to the place of trumpeting." The priests would signal the start of Shabbat and festival days by blowing the shofar from this point. The

inscription was apparently only a notice to the construction workers as to the final destination of this specially-cut stone.” (www.bibleplaces.com)

Because of a full scale revolt against the Roman Empire, Nero sent the Roman Tenth Legion under General Vespasian, in A.D. 66, who conquered all the rebel territory except for Jerusalem. When Vespasian became the Emperor, his son Titus was placed in charge of the Legion with the duty of putting down the rebellion still going on in Jerusalem.

It is said that when the Temple burned the gold that was both in and on the Temple melted and ran down between the stones. The Roman soldiers pushed the stones over to get the gold. This Temple had stood from 516 B.C. until 70 A.D.!

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“The next year, Titus made a triumphal procession into Rome before his father Vespasian. In front of Titus were paraded 700 hundred Jewish captives as well as some of the vessel from the Temple, a menorah, a table of showbread, and some silver trumpets. Rome had conquered, the Temple was in ruins, and the Jewish people were scattered into exile” (Randall Price, The Coming Last Days Temple, p.84).

Many of those going to Rome were in the slaves who built the Roman Coliseum. Others Jews not taken to Rome were tasked as slaves with building the canal of Titus.

Bridge across the Canal of Titus in Seleucia, Syria

This scattering is called the Jewish Diaspora began: this is the dispersion or scattering of the Jews from the Land of Israel following the destruction in 70 A.D. This continues until this present time. Below is a picture of the Arch of Titus that was built to commemorate the conquering of Jerusalem. It still stands today in Rome.

The Arch of Titus in Rome.

“Located at the highest point of the Via Sacra which leads to the Roman Forum, this triumphal arch, with only one passageway, commemorates Titus' conquest of Judea which ended the Jewish Wars (66-70). Engaged fluted columns frame the passageway, the spandrels depict Victories in relief, the attic contains an inscription (see below) and the internal faces of the passageway depict in relief triumphal processions (see below). The arch was erected posthumously, after Titus had already become a ‘god.’” www.bluffton.edu

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A detail from the arch of Titus showing the Jews coming into Rome carrying the menorah and other Temple articles.

The Menorah

Following this in 73 A.D. came the fall of the famous Masada

“Masada today is one of the Jewish people's greatest symbols. Israeli soldiers take an oath there: "Masada shall not fall again." Next to Jerusalem, it is the most popular destination of Jewish tourists visiting Israel….

After Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70, the Great Revolt ended-except for the surviving Zealots, who fled Jerusalem to the fortress of Masada, near the Dead Sea. There, they held out for three years. Anyone who has climbed the famous "snake path" to

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Masada can understand why the surrounding Roman troops had to content themselves with a siege. Masada is situated on top of an enormous, isolated rock: Anyone climbing it to attack the fortress would be an easy target. Yet the Jews, encamped in the fortress, could never feel secure; every morning, they awoke to see the Roman Tenth Legion hard at work, constructing battering rams and other weapons. If the 960 defenders of Masada hoped that the Romans eventually would consider this last Jewish beachhead too insignificant to bother conquering, they were to be disappointed. The Romans were well aware that the Zealots at Masada were the group that had started the Great Revolt; in fact, the Zealots had been in revolt against the Romans since the year 6. More than anything else, the length and bitterness of their uprising probably account for Rome's unwillingness to let Masada and its small group of defiant Jews alone…

Ironically, the little information we have about the final hours of Masada comes from a man whom the Jews there considered a traitor and happily would have killed: Flavius Josephus. When he wrote the history of the Jewish revolt against Rome, he included an extensive, largely sympathetic section on Masada’s fall. According to Josephus, two women and five children managed to hide themselves during the mass suicide, and it was from one of these women that he heard an account of Elazar ben Yair's final speech. Josephus probably added some rhetorical flourishes of his own, but Elazar’s speech clearly was a masterful oration: "Since we long ago resolved," Elazar began, "never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice.... We were the very first that revolted [against Rome], and we are the last that fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom." Even at this late juncture, Elazar could not accept that the main reason the revolt had failed was because Rome's army was vastly superior. Instead, he dwelt on his belief that the Lord had turned against the Jewish people. Finally, he came to an inescapable conclusion: "Let our wives die before they are abused, and our children before they have tasted of slavery, and after we have slain them, let us bestow that glorious benefit upon one another mutually." Elazar ordered that all the Jews' possessions except food be destroyed, for "[the food] will be a testimonial when we are dead that we were not subdued for want of necessities; but that, according to our original resolution, we have preferred death before slavery."

After this oration, the men killed their wives and children, and then each other.

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

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The siege ramp built by the Romans can still be seen on the right side of the picture.

Inside the ruins of Masada

“And its end w ill come with a flood” – All of this destruction certainly is described in this simply phrase. The term “flood” in the Scripture, when it is used symbolically, refers to military invasion, especially one that is seen as absolutely overwhelming. This “flood” of the armies of Rome was as dramatic as anything that can be imagined.

However, this was not – and is not – the end of war and conflict in the Land of Israel: “even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

War and destruction with the resulting suffering and death are “determined” by God to “end” which is the Second Coming of Christ. Until the start of the seventieth seven, the Tribulation period, this time of “war” and “desolations” will continue. Even the peace treaty of the antichrist in v.27 will only be very temporary accomplishment. Peace will not come until the Prince of Peace comes!

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There will be no “Middle-East Peace Settlement” that will bring the conflicts of the modern day to an end. There is no “Road Map to Peace” that will overcome what God Himself has “determined” – no matter how hard some people try to accomplish it!

Even before the establishment of the modern state of Israel on May 14, 1948, the land was fought over by first one group and then another. The history of the Land is a steady drumbeat of “war” and “desolations.”

Palestine Post (now known as Jerusalem Post) May 16,

1948

On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered

at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of

Israel. The new state was recognized that night at 11:00 AM Israel time by the United States and three days later by the

USSR. www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

You can go to this website and read the proclamation of this most significant day.

THE TWO OPPOSING PRINCES

Daniel 9:25-27 (NASB) 25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

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This passage speaks of two different men, each called a “prince.” One is called “Messiah the Prince” and the other is “the prince who is to come.” The first prince is obviously the Lord Jesus Christ as we have seen. But who is the second one? As we will see, he is the coming antichrist. He is the one spoken of in verse 27:

Daniel 9:27 (NASB) "And he {THE PRINCE OF V. 26} will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

Chart from Herald of Hope magazine, Australia, Bible Prophecy CD

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Chart from Herald of Hope magazine, Australia, Bible Prophecy CD

"And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week” The making of the “firm covenant” with “the many” (Daniel’s people, the Jewish nation) is the event that will start the clock ticking again in relation to the prophecies of Daniel about the nation of Israel. As we have seen, one prophetic week equals seven years. This covenant, then, will launch the seven-year tribulation period and will happen after the removal of the church-age believers in the rapture.

The rapture does not start the Tribulation.

“but in the middle of the week”: This verse divides the Tribulation into two equal halves each being 3 ½ years in length. These two halves are referred to in different ways in other texts. In Daniel 7:25 it says:

Daniel 7:25 (NASB) 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

This refers to the last 3 ½ years when the “firm covenant” is broken and he turns to attack the nation of Israel in an attempt to destroy all Israelites.

Revelation 11:2-3 (NASB) 2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. 3 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

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