Why I believe Matthew 24 is Daniel’s 70th Week, the final 7 years.
.
+ Matt. 24:4-14 = Time of sorrows (birth pains – 3 1/2 yrs.)
+ Matt. 24:15 = Abomination of desolation (end of sacrifices)
+ Matt. 24:16-28 = Great tribulation (3 1/2 years)
+ Matt. 24:29-31 = (Rapture) End of 70th week / Times of the Gentiles fulfilled
Before I begin, let me say that profound mysteries in Bible prophecy are usually fulfilled in ways that most of us are not expecting. Let’s use the coming of Israel’s Messiah, for example. Israel knew the time was near for their Messiah to come, but nearly everyone, if not all were expecting a mighty conquering king. They had no idea that Messiah would be coming twice. So when He finally came as a humble, suffering servant, very few were able to recognize and receive Him, even though there were many other prophecies that also foretold of Him coming as the Lamb of God. But because Israel had grown very weary of being subject to the Romans, they were longing for their mighty king, so they focused on the prophecies that foretold His second coming instead. I believe this prophecy is very similar in a way.
.
Daniel 9:24-27 – “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
.
Many scholar’s believe that Daniel’s 70th week has already been fulfilled, because they do not see a gap in this prophecy. Well, it’s true, there is no mention of a gap in the prophecy above. However, there’s also no mention of Christ being baptized to begin the 70th week as some believe, especially when the previous verse (26) is clear He was already cut off after 69 weeks. He could not be both, cut off after the 69th week, and then be baptized and begin His ministry at the start of the 70th week. There’s also no mention that Christ, Himself, put a stop to sacrifices in the middle of the week, as some claim who believe the 70 weeks have already been fulfilled. And finally, this prophecy says nothing about the end of the week ending with the stoning of Stephen. Personally, I’d choose the gap any day, over those three assumptions that do not fit the scriptures. Now please allow me to tell you why there is a gap, even though it’s not mentioned in Daniel’s prophecy.
.
First, scripture is clear that the sacrifices did not stop in the middle of the week, when Christ was crucified. The sacrifices continued another 40 years, until the temple was finally destroyed in 70AD. Second, Daniel also tells us what will put a stop to the sacrifices in the middle of the week, and that is the abomination of desolation that will occur 1290 days before the resurrection/rapture.
.
Daniel 11:31 – “His armies shall rise up and desecrate the sanctuary fortress. They shall abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination that makes desolate.”
.
Daniel 12:11-13 – “From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 “But as for you, go your way until the end. Then you shall rest and rise again for your lot at the end of the age.” (resurrection)
.
Now about that gap that isn’t mentioned in Daniel. Since Israel chose to reject her Messiah, God’s plan was to open the way for the salvation of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). After all, Christ didn’t come to die for Israel’s sins alone. No, He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29); so yes, even though the 70 weeks prophecy was for the Jews and Jerusalem, the Gentiles must be included as well. However, there was no need for God to mention His plan for the Gentiles in Daniel’s prophecy for Israel, and I believe this may be why the Gentiles were not mentioned. So once Israel rejected and crucified Christ after 69 weeks (483 years), the 70th week was put on hold, and God turned His focus unto the Gentiles. Paul later told the Gentiles that Israel would be partially blinded until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled (Rom. 11:25).
.
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
.
When the nation of Israel officially rejected her Messiah on the day He came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey at the end of the 69th week (483 yrs.), He was cut off (crucified) just a few days later, not in the middle of the week or 3 1/2 years later. I believe that since Israel rejected Messiah, it was God’s plan to put the 70th week on hold, and then turned His attention to the Gentile nations. The times of the Gentiles will last for 2000 years, which is why Christ still has not returned. And I believe the 70th week will not begin until the following passage is fulfilled.
.
John 5:43 – “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”
.
Hosea 6:2 – “After two days He will revive us. On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him.”
.
In Hosea’s prophecy above, we know that Israel was not revived in 2 days or even 2 years. Christ was crucified almost 2000 years ago, so the 2 days can only represent 2000 years, if we are to understand this properly. Therefore, the only way this prophecy makes any sense, is when we apply (2 Pet. 3:8 and Psalm 90:4).
.
2 Peter 3:8 – “But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
.
Psalm 90:4 – “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”
.
We also know from other scripture that Israel would be partially blinded until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, which are also nearly 2000 years. Yes, we are still in the times of the Gentiles today. Israel is still partially blind as they still can’t see that Christ was their long awaited Messiah, so the 2000 years still have not yet expired.
.
Romans 11:25 – “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”
.
And we also know, according to scripture, that the times of the Gentiles won’t be fulfilled until after the great tribulation, after the 42 months, which is the second-half of Daniel’s 70th week. And the two witnesses will also be prophesying for 1260 days (42 months) during that future time as well. I guess people are still selling fools gold these days, and unfortunately some people are still buying it, but scriptures are not fulfilled by assumptions.
.
Revelation 11:2-3 – “But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
.
So this explains the 2000 year gap between the 69th and 70th week, and why the Lord has still not returned in nearly 2000 years. We are still in the times of the Gentiles and I believe the 70th week will begin when Israel receives the one who will come in his own name, and there will also be some type of peace settlement for one week (7 yrs.) involved. I believe the times of the Gentiles will end when the sign of the Son of man appears (rapture), as Christ will appear immediately after the tribulation of those days.
.
Matthew 24:29-31 – “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
.
So just because we don’t see the 2000 year gap mentioned in Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy to the Jews and Jerusalem, this does not mean there won’t or can’t be a gap. As I mentioned earlier, there are other prophecies that relate to the times of the Gentiles. God was not required to reveal His plan for the Gentiles within His plan for Israel. But we know that the Lamb of God died for the sins of the world, so His plan must include the Gentiles as well. Therefore, salvation was offered to Israel first, and then to the Gentiles. We remain today, in the times of the Gentiles, and desolation’s (plural) have been determined for the holy city, until the consummation, when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and the sign of the Son of man appears in all His brilliant glory.
.
2 Peter 3:3-9 – “Know this first, that there shall come scoffers in the last days who walk after their own lusts, 4 and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were since the beginning of the creation.” 5 For they willingly ignore that, by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed standing out of the water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed was flooded with water and perished. 7 But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”
.
……………………………………………
.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Feel free to share it with friends and you can also leave a comment as well. My mission is to prepare as many as possible for the soon return of our Lord and Savior. To God be the glory!
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DANIEL’S 70th WEEK – (The Gap Theory)
.
+ Matt. 24:4-14 = Time of sorrows (birth pains – 3 1/2 yrs.)
+ Matt. 24:15 = Abomination of desolation (end of sacrifices)
+ Matt. 24:16-28 = Great tribulation (3 1/2 years)
+ Matt. 24:29-31 = (Rapture) End of 70th week / Times of the Gentiles fulfilled
Before I begin, let me say that profound mysteries in Bible prophecy are usually fulfilled in ways that most of us are not expecting. Let’s use the coming of Israel’s Messiah, for example. Israel knew the time was near for their Messiah to come, but nearly everyone, if not all were expecting a mighty conquering king. They had no idea that Messiah would be coming twice. So when He finally came as a humble, suffering servant, very few were able to recognize and receive Him, even though there were many other prophecies that also foretold of Him coming as the Lamb of God. But because Israel had grown very weary of being subject to the Romans, they were longing for their mighty king, so they focused on the prophecies that foretold His second coming instead. I believe this prophecy is very similar in a way.
.
Daniel 9:24-27 – “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
.
Many scholar’s believe that Daniel’s 70th week has already been fulfilled, because they do not see a gap in this prophecy. Well, it’s true, there is no mention of a gap in the prophecy above. However, there’s also no mention of Christ being baptized to begin the 70th week as some believe, especially when the previous verse (26) is clear He was already cut off after 69 weeks. He could not be both, cut off after the 69th week, and then be baptized and begin His ministry at the start of the 70th week. There’s also no mention that Christ, Himself, put a stop to sacrifices in the middle of the week, as some claim who believe the 70 weeks have already been fulfilled. And finally, this prophecy says nothing about the end of the week ending with the stoning of Stephen. Personally, I’d choose the gap any day, over those three assumptions that do not fit the scriptures. Now please allow me to tell you why there is a gap, even though it’s not mentioned in Daniel’s prophecy.
.
First, scripture is clear that the sacrifices did not stop in the middle of the week, when Christ was crucified. The sacrifices continued another 40 years, until the temple was finally destroyed in 70AD. Second, Daniel also tells us what will put a stop to the sacrifices in the middle of the week, and that is the abomination of desolation that will occur 1290 days before the resurrection/rapture.
.
Daniel 11:31 – “His armies shall rise up and desecrate the sanctuary fortress. They shall abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination that makes desolate.”
.
Daniel 12:11-13 – “From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 “But as for you, go your way until the end. Then you shall rest and rise again for your lot at the end of the age.” (resurrection)
.
Now about that gap that isn’t mentioned in Daniel. Since Israel chose to reject her Messiah, God’s plan was to open the way for the salvation of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). After all, Christ didn’t come to die for Israel’s sins alone. No, He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29); so yes, even though the 70 weeks prophecy was for the Jews and Jerusalem, the Gentiles must be included as well. However, there was no need for God to mention His plan for the Gentiles in Daniel’s prophecy for Israel, and I believe this may be why the Gentiles were not mentioned. So once Israel rejected and crucified Christ after 69 weeks (483 years), the 70th week was put on hold, and God turned His focus unto the Gentiles. Paul later told the Gentiles that Israel would be partially blinded until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled (Rom. 11:25).
.
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
.
When the nation of Israel officially rejected her Messiah on the day He came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey at the end of the 69th week (483 yrs.), He was cut off (crucified) just a few days later, not in the middle of the week or 3 1/2 years later. I believe that since Israel rejected Messiah, it was God’s plan to put the 70th week on hold, and then turned His attention to the Gentile nations. The times of the Gentiles will last for 2000 years, which is why Christ still has not returned. And I believe the 70th week will not begin until the following passage is fulfilled.
.
John 5:43 – “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”
.
Hosea 6:2 – “After two days He will revive us. On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him.”
.
In Hosea’s prophecy above, we know that Israel was not revived in 2 days or even 2 years. Christ was crucified almost 2000 years ago, so the 2 days can only represent 2000 years, if we are to understand this properly. Therefore, the only way this prophecy makes any sense, is when we apply (2 Pet. 3:8 and Psalm 90:4).
.
2 Peter 3:8 – “But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
.
Psalm 90:4 – “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”
.
We also know from other scripture that Israel would be partially blinded until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, which are also nearly 2000 years. Yes, we are still in the times of the Gentiles today. Israel is still partially blind as they still can’t see that Christ was their long awaited Messiah, so the 2000 years still have not yet expired.
.
Romans 11:25 – “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”
.
And we also know, according to scripture, that the times of the Gentiles won’t be fulfilled until after the great tribulation, after the 42 months, which is the second-half of Daniel’s 70th week. And the two witnesses will also be prophesying for 1260 days (42 months) during that future time as well. I guess people are still selling fools gold these days, and unfortunately some people are still buying it, but scriptures are not fulfilled by assumptions.
.
Revelation 11:2-3 – “But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
.
So this explains the 2000 year gap between the 69th and 70th week, and why the Lord has still not returned in nearly 2000 years. We are still in the times of the Gentiles and I believe the 70th week will begin when Israel receives the one who will come in his own name, and there will also be some type of peace settlement for one week (7 yrs.) involved. I believe the times of the Gentiles will end when the sign of the Son of man appears (rapture), as Christ will appear immediately after the tribulation of those days.
.
Matthew 24:29-31 – “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
.
So just because we don’t see the 2000 year gap mentioned in Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy to the Jews and Jerusalem, this does not mean there won’t or can’t be a gap. As I mentioned earlier, there are other prophecies that relate to the times of the Gentiles. God was not required to reveal His plan for the Gentiles within His plan for Israel. But we know that the Lamb of God died for the sins of the world, so His plan must include the Gentiles as well. Therefore, salvation was offered to Israel first, and then to the Gentiles. We remain today, in the times of the Gentiles, and desolation’s (plural) have been determined for the holy city, until the consummation, when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and the sign of the Son of man appears in all His brilliant glory.
.
2 Peter 3:3-9 – “Know this first, that there shall come scoffers in the last days who walk after their own lusts, 4 and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were since the beginning of the creation.” 5 For they willingly ignore that, by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed standing out of the water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed was flooded with water and perished. 7 But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”
.
……………………………………………
.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Feel free to share it with friends and you can also leave a comment as well. My mission is to prepare as many as possible for the soon return of our Lord and Savior. To God be the glory!
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