The Battle of Gog and Magog_part 1

 

2500 years ago the prophet Ezekiel forecast a great battle against Israel by a leader from the 'uttermost' North named Gog. Gog is the leader of Magog. He is also called the chief prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. These events are to happen 'after many days' and 'in future years.' Most students of Bible prophesy understand these phrases to point to an end time scenario, especially since they haven't happened yet.

To most people, names like Gog, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal are meaningless, but scholars have studied them for hundreds of years and they actually have fairly clear meanings. In this study, I will use the most common understandings, although some of them do have various interpretations.

 Gog is a term for a leader, either a personal name or a spiritual being such as Daniel's prince of Persia. It is important to note that God is against Gog and you don’t want to be for someone God is against!

Magog was one of Noah's grandsons and is found in the Table of Nations listed in Genesis 10.  Josephus, the Jewish historian from the first century, equates them with the Scythians which moved into what is now southern Russia. Wilhelm Gesenius, author of the foundational Hebrew Lexicon in the 1800's, also equated Magog with Russia. Also, Russia is the only country to the 'uttermost north' of Israel.

Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal have also been linked to Russia. Rosh is said to be a name for Russia (Hebrew Lexicon of Brown, Driver, and Briggs) or it could mean 'head', however Israeli newspapers commonly use the name Rosh when referring to Russia even today. Meshech is most often equated with Moscow and Tubal is equated with Tobalsk. These identifications were made long before Russia ever became a super power.

The confederates of Gog are listed as Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth Togarmah and "many nations with you."

‘Persia’ is easy to identify as it was called this until recently changing its name to Iran. ‘Cush’ represents the upper Nile region and has long been equated with Sudan and Ethiopia. ‘Put’ historically is Libya. Ancient archers from Phut were elements of the Egyptian armies coming from the area of modern Libya.

‘Beth Togarmah’ means house of Togarmah. Most scholars agree that they come from the area of Turkey and Armenia. ‘Gomer’ is harder to locate but many believe is refers to Germany. During WW1 Germany was known as Gomer land. It could also refer to a region north of the Black Sea which is controlled by Russia. If the first is true, then we will see Germany increasingly becoming anti-Semetic.

After many years, Gog is told to gather his forces together and take command of them. Many believe this is what Russia is doing right now. In 1982, Israel made a pre-emptive strike into Lebanon uncovering stockpiles of weapons and documents which proved Russia was ready to attack later that year. This is documented in the book Magog 1982 - Canceled by David Allen Lewis.

Once again, we see Russia building ties with Iran, Syria, Libya and other radical Islamic states. Putin announced that "Russia is determined to enhance cooperation with the Islamic world." Silly American diplomats have handcuffed themselves by joining with the so-called Quartet (Russia, EU, UN, and U.S.) to try and solve the Mideast problems when Mideast turmoil is to the advantage of at least half of the Quartet! But, as usual the nations of the world fail to take into account God’s feelings on the issue. God says "I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army." Two things are clear: 1) God is in charge of the situation, and 2) something will happen to force Russia's hand.

(To be continued in Gog, part two)

We Must Choose - Blessing or Curse

If you are Christian, you have to rise up and protest the treatment our President is giving our ally, Israel. He is demanding that Israel give up half of Jerusalem for the sake of peace with terrorists! He is demanding that Israel negotiate with Hamas who recently stated -

“Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the most exalted wish.”

Their answer to diplomatic initiatives is the following-

“ ... the so-called peaceful solutions to the Palestinian problem, contradict Hamas’ ideological position. Giving up any part whatsoever of Palestine is like giving up part of [the Muslim] faith …. There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except jihad. Regarding the international initiatives, suggestions and conferences, they are an empty waste of time and complete nonsense.”

The United States is giving $500 million a year to support the Palestinian Authority who has just recently joined with Hamas, a proven terrorist organization. And President Obama is further giving millions of our tax dollars to Hamas refugee’s right here in the U.S.! All of this in face of the clear Scriptural admonition about the land of Israel —

'The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. – Leviticus 25:23

Israel doesn’t have the moral right to go back to pre-1967 borders (Samara and Judea) or give up half of Jerusalem! The land isn’t theirs to give—it belongs to God and the Jews are just tenants in it!

Because Israel depends on us to be a source of military hardware and parts, Obama is threatening Israel with a cut-off if they don’t go along with him. He also is threatening them to not veto the upcoming Palestinian petition for statehood in the UN. All of this from an administration who actively backed the takeover of Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood, who recently rebuffed a United States offer to negotiate with them, saying “If you want diplomatic relations with us, first stop your support of Israel!” We seem to be quick to back Libyan rebels with armament and weapons and  fighting their battles for them, even though they are past and current supporters of Al-Qaida! It makes me wonder if the information I received, from a source I cannot reveal, isn’t true after all –

Obama is reportedly to have told a high ranking Muslim government official, “Give me Osama and I’ll deliver Israel to you.”

Scripture is very clear – God will bless those who bless Abraham and his posterity but, He will curse those who curse them. If we love our country we had better pray that its leaders reverse their present course and we had better let the text of those prayers be heard by Washington as well as by God.

The Ministry of the Prophet

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7

We know God is at work because Jesus said, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." (John 5:17). Amos said the Lord GOD reveals what He is doing to His prophets. So, the question is, “Who are His prophets?”

Paul reveals that when Jesus was resurrected He gave ministries to the Church.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: - Ephesians 4:11, 12 (emphasis added)

These gifts to the Church from Jesus have never been rescinded, the ministry of the Church is not yet finished, and the saints are not yet perfected, therefore there is still a need for prophets.

In the Church today we hear of pastors and teachers and even evangelists but, we seldom ever hear of apostles or prophets. Why is that? Did they mysteriously pass away like many claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit were just for another day? Or perhaps, we should be questioning those church leaders who claim to have the authority to pick and chose certain gifts or ministries from listings contained in the same verse as being relevant and others, from the same verse, as not being relevant. I notice the gifts and ministries they usually reject are those who challenge their control. After all, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were poured out on ALL the body, not just the pastors.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. – Acts 2:17, 18

The list of candidates for the Holy Spirit to work through seems to include everyone in the body of Christ. The problem for those who want to control is stated by Paul when he was listing the gifts of the Holy Spirit -

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. – 1 Corinthians 12:11

The Holy Spirit seems to have the strange idea that as Christ’s empowerment to the Church He should be the one to set the agenda, not man.

Now as a pastor, I understand the pressure to control. It often comes from human intellect trying to get all the programs of the church packed into a one or two hour service. After all, if you are blessed with church growth you likely will have to hold several services each Sunday morning. And if you have more than fifty in your service, to let everyone speak or have a part would end in pandemonium – even though that seems to be what Scripture teaches.

How is it then brethren? Whenever you come together, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. - 1 Corinthians 14:26

This Scripture does not say that everyone in the Body has to fulfill all these operations of the Spirit, but that room should be made for all these ministries to come forth, as the Holy Spirit wills, to edify the Body.

There are several possible answers to this seeming problem that keeps the modern church from acting like the original church.

• 1.   One, perhaps the 1 – 2 hour service is not what God wants. Perhaps He wants His Body to meet for longer periods at a time.
• 2.   Two, perhaps the frequency of meeting needs to increase as Scripture indicates – “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46, 47).
• 3.   Three, maybe when church numbers reach an unworkable size a new fellowship needs to be formed. After all, this would not only multiply the members of the Body, but also the leaders and the 5-fold ministry Paul talked about (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers).

As we approach the end of the age, I believe the Holy Spirit is remolding the Church of Jesus Christ into one that can better function in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of Satan is more powerful even now than mere human intellect can cope with. What will it be like when the devil is cast down to earth, as Revelation 12:17 reveals –

“the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

By that time the Church must be clothed in the heavenly armor of the Holy Spirit and equipped with spiritual weapons given only by the Holy Spirit. And, we must be experienced in their use before that time comes! We absolutely need the 5-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers now in the Church.

I began this article with a verse from Amos –

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7

While I believe there are prophets among us, they are mostly not recognized nor received. What is a prophet? He is one who hears from God and delivers the message to man. It can be a word of encouragement in the battles of life or it can be a word of chastisement and correction as God often chastises those whom He loves. The message can also be one of revelation foretelling what God is about to do, as it was in Amos.

There is the office of Prophet, given only to a select few, but there is also the gift of prophesy, given to many in the Body of Christ. Jesus reveals –

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. – John 15:15 (emphasis added)

The Body of Christ is to know what the Father is doing because Jesus has called us friends and wants us to know what the Father is doing. That is exactly why one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophesy.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. – John 14:26

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. – John 16:13

Not only will the ministry of the Holy Spirit remind us and teach us all things, He will show us things to come!

When Paul was teaching the Corinthian church about the gifts of the Holy Spirit he said –

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. … But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. – 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3

Jesus wants us to know what the Father is doing and the Father wants us to know what He is doing so we can join with Him in doing it! He has given us the job of “wrestling with principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and even spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). We can speak God’s word into situations and see them change for the better. This is the work of the prophet.<

Proclaiming Truth

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,  against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. – Ephesians 6:10-13

Real Christianity is not anemic, and it doesn’t shy away from political topics! Satan loves it when he can convince the Christian Church that it shouldn’t be involved in politics because that leaves the field to him, so to speak. But the true church of Jesus Christ is and should be the beacon of truth in every area of life!

Sarah Palin is hated by the left because she speaks a little truth as she recently explained to Sean Hannity -

“If we were really domestic terrorists, shoot, President Obama would be wanting to pal around with us wouldn’t he? I mean he didn’t have a problem with palling around with Bill Ayers back in the day when he kicked off his political career in Bill Ayers apartment, and shaking hands with Chavez and saying he doesn’t need any preconditions with meeting dictators or wanting to read US Miranda rights to alleged suspected foreign terrorists. No if we were real domestic terrorists I think President Obama wouldn’t have a problem with us.”

It is true that Bill Ayers is a self-confessed terrorist and it is true the President Obama fellowshipped with him even announcing the start of his political career in Ayres’ apartment. It is true that Obama attended the Reverend Wright’s church for many years and listened to much ‘terrorist-like’ rhetoric against the United States, Jews, and white people. It is true that left-leaning media and even some political appointees and elected have called the Tea Party ‘domestic terrorists’. So why is Sarah Palin hated so much for simply speaking the truth? Isaiah explains it -

Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.  So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.  For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. – Isaiah 59:14-17

It is because there is no love of the truth and also because the truth exposes to the light what many would rather remain hidden. God sees this and He doesn’t like it! So He will put on righteousness like a breastplate to protect His heart, the helmet of salvation for thought life, the garments of vengeance for His clothing, and He was clad with zeal as a cloak. Wait a minute! Isn’t this how we are to react? Ephesians 6:13 says –

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

It then goes on to list our armaments and guess what – they are like God’s! Only to help us, He sends us the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, to fight with. Church don’t be like the Israelites who stayed in their tents when Goliath was on the field, be like David who challenged evil in the Name of the LORD! When you stand up for God, He will stand for you, even though all you have is five smooth stones!

However, we need to understand that we are not just fighting flesh and blood, but the spiritual wickedness that is behind them.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. – 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

We have the power to wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. So why should the true Church shy away from speaking the truth about homosexuality (it is an abomination to God), or about abortion (he who promotes the killing of these little ones would better off being cast into the sea with a mill stone around his neck), or lying (no liar will inherit the kingdom of God), or stealing (no thief will inherit the kingdom of God and any politician who takes money for one purpose, such as Social Security, and uses it for another is a thief). I could go on for the list is almost endless. I will just finish with this – anyone who knowingly votes for those who practice or support the above is also guilty of them!

Some will say I’m being legalistic or too harsh but God’s truth is brutal when cutting the flesh (the flesh is any attitude, thought, or action that is worldly and not of God) in our lives, in fact He even advises to crucify it (the flesh). The alternative is too terrible to contemplate.

The coming of the lawless one (antichrist) is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. – 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10

Failure to love truth (search for it and embrace it) can cost you your life eternally, which of course is Satan’s goal for us all.

It should not be just a few, like Sarah Palin, who speak the truth. The truth, on every issue, should be proclaimed from every pulpit in the land, held up an illuminated by the Word of God.

Daniel's 70 Week Prophesy_part 3

In the last edition we studied the 2^nd section of Daniel’s 70 week prophesy and learned how it accurately predicted the exact date of first coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

In the 1^st and 2^nd sections of Daniel’s 70 week prophesy, 69 of the 70 weeks are fulfilled leaving us with 1 remaining week. But, we also learned that with the Messiah being ‘cut off’ a period of 2000 years begins in which the Jews are also ‘cut off’ from their capital Jerusalem and their country Israel (I will explain later why a 2000 year period is indicated). Jesus also prophesied of this time:

“"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near… they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” – Luke 21:20-24.

Jesus was speaking of the time when the armies of Rome surrounded the city of Jerusalem to destroy it. He warned those who would listen to flee Jerusalem and He warned that Jerusalem would be under Gentile domination until the end when ‘the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The prophet Daniel introduces this period of time by saying “… and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” – Daniel 9:26ff. The prophet Hosea also gives us a clue concerning this length of time –

Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Hosea 6:1-3

The Apostle Peter helps us to interpret this passage by telling us that one day with the Lord is as 1000 years (2 Peter 3:8). The Hosea passage is saying God has ‘torn’ them for two days (2000 years) but then He will heal them and they shall return to the Lord. But, before this ‘healing’ the 3^rd section of Daniel’s 70 week prophesies will come to pass.

And he shall confirm the (or a) 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 (or desolator).  Daniel 9:27

The ‘he’ in this verse is the Roman prince that is referred to earlier:

“and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” – Daniel 9:26

We know this ‘prince’ will be connected in some way with Rome because it was the Romans that destroyed Jerusalem. When he comes on the scene it will be to confirm a 7 year covenant with many in Israel. While the King James Version translates “confirm the covenant”, the text actually says “confirm a covenant”, in other words another treaty of peace. And it is important to notice that this treaty is made with many, in other words, not all in Israel agree to it.

So this is the setting in which the 3^rd section of Daniel’s 70 week prophesy begins. A 2000 year period of suffering for the Jews is coming to an end. They have come back to their land of Israel and they are in control of Jerusalem. The promise of peace is at last visible. But, instead there is one war after another and it looks like all the nations of the earth will turn against them.

Isaiah 11:14, Psalm 83, and Ezekiel 38 & 39 describe the constant wars they have had and are expecting in the short 63 years the returned nation of Israel has existed. Furthermore the threat of Zechariah 14, otherwise known as Armageddon is starring them in the face. While some in Israel will begin looking to the LORD for help, many will look to man for the promise of peace.

This will be the political situation that ushers in the ‘man of sin’ the Apostle Paul warned about (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He will come offering a way out of the constant turmoil and war the Jews have been living under. He will suggest a seven year peace treaty that even allows for the Jews to rebuild their Temple and begin once again their sacrificial system of offerings. Many in Israel will see this as an answer to their problems and embrace it with joy. This covenant will be touted as the solution to the Mideast turmoil and worldwide economic upheaval. But not all in Israel will buy into to it and when he later tries to set up his own statue in the Temple the Jews will revolt and he will break the treaty, stopping the sacrifices and offerings. As Jesus prophesied –

Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whosoever reads, let him understand) – Matthew 24:15

This will begin the 3½ years of ‘great tribulation’ Jesus warned about –

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. – Matthew 24:21

Revelation 12 and 13 also describe this time period in great detail. It will be worst time of testing the world has ever seen and Jesus said unless this time had been shortened not even the elect would survive. But, the elect do survive and even overcome this antichrist beast.

…until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. – Daniel 9:27ff

Daniel declares that this desolator will come to an end and that the judgment of God will be poured out upon him.

Revelation reveals to us how we can overcome this beast and win even though he will appear to have all the power.

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. – Revelation 12:11 (emphasis added)

The angel Gabriel gives Daniel an outline of history that is to come for his people. Two parts of it have happened just as he said and the third part is being prepared to happen even now. I believe we are privileged to live during its fulfillment. But to overcome we must know by personal experience what the blood of Jesus Christ has done for us and its power over Satan. We must not only know about the blood of the Lamb but, we must openly declare it to a lost world. That means we must be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Before Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell on them, the disciples were hiding from the Pharisees, but after being filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost they were boldly declaring the blood of the Lamb even at the risk of their own lives. They were transformed into over comers.

Friend, that same Holy Spirit is offered to you. As Peter preached that Pentecost day –

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:39

The promise of the Holy Spirit has never been withdrawn and He comes with all His gifts, just as at the first. All you have to do is obey the call of the Lord and ask. Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive.” And Jesus doesn’t lie.

Daniel's 70 Week Prophesy_part 2

The Revelation Daniel received from the angel Gabriel is sweeping in its scope; beginning with the return from Babylon captivity and rebuilding of Jerusalem, in Daniel’s time, then stretching forward in time to the first coming of Messiah, and culminating with the coming of antichrist at the end of the age. It is found in the Book of Daniel, chapter nine, and verses 24 through 27.

This prophesy is divided into three sections and in the first edition I covered the first section. In this edition I will cover the second section.

“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 (1^st section), and threescore and two weeks (2^nd section): the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself (or and shall have nothing):” – Daniel 9:25-26f section inserts added

In the 2^nd section, threescore and two weeks are added, which equals 62 weeks of prophetic years or a total 434 pyrs. When this is added to the 49 pyrs of the 1^st section we have 49 + 434 = 483 pyrs until the first coming of Messiah (this will be important for the calculations that will follow later).

Gabriel reveals to Daniel that when Messiah comes, He “shall be cut off, but not for Himself”. This must have been a startling thought for Daniel who had been faithfully waiting for the coming Messiah. But we have the benefit of history to explain it to us and we know He was rejected and did not receive the Messianic kingdom when He first came. He was indeed ‘cut off’ but not for His own sins, but for ours.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

Now we come to the calculations of the date Messiah will come the 1^st time and the reason why many Jews today no longer count Daniel as a prophet. 

First, this 2^nd section reveals Messiah will come in 483 pyrs. Since a prophetic year is 360 days, this time period will be: 483 pyr x 360 day/pyr = 173,880 days on our calendar. Now we will examine the date of the crucifixion of Jesus according to the Bible.

• 1.   Scripture fixes the Lord’s 1^st Passover of His ministry as the Hebrew month of Nisan A.D. 29.
• 2.   His crucifixion took place at the 4^th Passover of His ministry, or Nisan A.D. 32.
• 3.   At this time, He went up to Jerusalem on the 8^th of Nisan, which was a Friday, spent the Sabbath in Bethany, and entered Jerusalem the following day, which was Sunday, the 10^th of Nisan. This date in our calendar was April 6, A.D. 32.
• 4.   What is the interval between March 14, B.C. 445 (the date of Artaxerxes command to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem) and April 6, A.D. 32? It is 173,880 days, or seven times 69 prophetic years of 360 days! Jesus made His Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem on the exact day Daniel prophesied He would. There is no doubt Jesus is the Messiah – God proves it in His Scripture. (If you are adventuresome and want to calculate these dates for yourself, remember there is no 0 year. The calendar goes from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D.)

This 2^nd section of Daniel’s revelation finishes the period of kings for Israel. 38 years after the crucifixion of Jesus the Romans destroy the Temple and the city of Jerusalem, ending the sacrificial system and Jewish rule over the city of Jerusalem. The Roman general Titus did this in 70 A.D...Then in 134 A.D., after an unsuccessful revolt by the Jews led by Bar Kochba, the Jews were dispersed throughout the world and the period of the Diaspora began. This also began the period Jesus called “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), a period of time in which Gentiles would rule over Israel and Jerusalem.

“… and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” – Daniel 9:26ff

The angel Gabriel’s descriptions of this time apply describes the 2000 year time gap that follows. Over the period of time known as the Diaspora a ‘flood’ of Gentile people have persecuted the Jews and many have tried to exterminate them altogether. The phrase “unto the end of the war” can best be understood by reading Revelation 12 where the war of Satan against the Jews is fully described.

But this is not the end of the story! As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 11:26 & 27 –

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."

As we have witnessed the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem once more under Jewish control, we know this ‘times of the Gentiles’ is soon over. And the time for finishing ‘transgression’ and ‘make an end of sin’ is fast approaching.

If you have not yet turned your life over to God and made peace with the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, it is time to do so. Don’t wait for you do not have much time left.

Understanding Daniel's 70 Week Prophesy_1

Seventy weeks (seventy sevens) 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.  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. 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.  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 (or desolator).  - Daniel 9:24-27

God has revealed His plans for man’s history in many places in the Bible and this is one of them. He has given to us the privilege of searching them out.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. – Proverbs 25:2

I would remind you that the New Testament often refers to believers as ‘kings and priests’, so it is our responsibility to search out the hidden wisdom God has left for us in His Scriptures.

Now in this revelation given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel the term ‘seventy weeks’ is literally ‘seventy sevens’ , or 70 x 7 = 490 prophetic years. Throughout the Bible a prophetic year is a 360 day year. 

Before continuing, we need to understand the 6-fold purposes of this prophesy:

1. 1.   To finish the transgression
2. 2.   To make an end of sins
3. 3.   To cover iniquity
4. 4.   To bring the righteousness of the ages
5. 5.   To seal up the vision and prophesy
6. 6.   To anoint the most Holy

In other words, this prophesy will see the coming of Messiah which “takes away the sins of the world”, brings restoration and forgiveness to both Israel and Gentiles, establishes the Messianic kingdom of God on earth, fulfills all the visions and prophesies God has given to man, and I think the last one talks about the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem which is the only place God has set His Name.

We are told this prophesy will begin its countdown when the command is given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This command was issued by the Persian King Artaxerxes and is found in the 2^nd chapter of Nehemiah. We know from history the exact date of this proclamation – the beginning of the month of Nisan, 445 B.C. or March 14, B.C. 445 on our calendar. With the beginning date established, we are now ready to see how the rest of this prophesy unfolds.

The 1^st division of the ‘seventy weeks’ is a 7 weeks interval, or 49 years, in which the ‘street and the wall shall be built again even in troublous times’. This phase speaks about the first rebuilding of Jerusalem. Reading the Book of Nehemiah testifies to the truth of this account.

From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. – Nehemiah 4:16-18

They suffered threats and attacks from the non-Jews of the area and from complaints and disunity among themselves. It was indeed a ‘troublous time’.

This will be the first installment of this teaching. The second installment will begin the 2^nd division of the prophesy in which Messiah comes as predicted. It is the reason why many modern Jews do not like to credit Daniel with being a prophet of Israel, even though before Messiah came the 1^st time Daniel was well respected as a Hebrew prophet.