Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy at Daniel 11:43 last month, which provided a description of the antichrist, who will appear in the last days during the great tribulation period, the 70th and final week of Daniel’s 70 weeks (of years) prophecy. Daniel 11 provides information about the rise of the antichrist and his conquests. The antichrist will come to power, as he feigns confirmation of a peace covenant with Israel, yet he will conquer countries throughout the Middle East, except Jordan (ancient Edom, Moab and Ammon), and he will have a strong alliance with Libya and Ethiopia, which included Saudi Arabia on the ancient map. I have to admit that I have often said that the rapture (catching up) of the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) should happen by the time the ink dries on the peace treaty Israel signs with the antichrist, because the peace covenant referred to in Daniel 9:27 is a seven-year (one week) peace confirmation, and I believe the scriptures (Old and New Testament) are clear that the rapture will take place before the seven-year tribulation period begins (the same timeframe of the peace treaty). However, since there are several outstanding peace accords already signed with Israel, and the scripture is clear that the antichrist will “confirm” the covenant (Daniel 9:27), a new treaty need not be signed at all. There are several outstanding treaties that can already be “confirmed” for seven years, the Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords, the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, with a few others. Some of these meetings have taken place in secret and there may not be any prelude to the confirmation of one, or several of the existing treaties. Jesus said, Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments (in holiness)…” Revelation 16:15. Every prophecy preceding the rapture of the saints has been fulfilled and the Lord could return at any moment. The prophecies are clear that during the middle of the last seven years before the Lord returns with His saints (Jude 1:14), the antichrist will break the covenant, “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 (end of the seven years), and that determined (remaining prophecies) shall be poured upon the desolate” Daniel 9:27. We can see here that not only will the antichrist break the peace treaty with Israel in the middle of the last seven years before the Lord returns with His saints, but he will also cause the oblation (sacrifice) to cease. In order for Israel to perform oblations, as outlined in the Old Testament (Leviticus 2:4-13; 3:1), the third Temple will have to be standing in Israel, but we can see that there is no Temple in Israel at this time. That fact could cause some relaxation about the imminent return of the Lord. Nevertheless, there are some very important facts to consider concerning the rebuilding of the Temple in Israel, before coming to that conclusion. In the February 2012 issue of the Prophetic Newsletter, I wrote about a Turkish leader, Adnan Oktar (also known as Harun Yahya), a very wealthy publisher of Islamic “holy” books, who has been meeting with the Sanhedrin Rabbis since 2009. He has offered to rebuild the third Temple in Jerusalem, as a gesture of peace, for Jewish, Muslim and Christian worship. He has offered to build the Temple according to Sanhedrin specifications and he committed to having it completed within one year of the agreement. This being the case, if Mr. Oktar and the Sanhedrin commence building such a temple after a seven-year peace treaty is confirmed, the Temple could be completed before the middle of the seven-year tribulation period. It could very well be standing and in full operation, in order for the antichrist to cause the oblation to cease within three and a-half years of the seven-year peace covenant. The Lord can rapture the saints at any time. Gabriel continued with the prophecy given to Daniel, “At that time, shall Michael stand up, the great prince (archangel) which stands for the children of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time, and at that time, your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book (Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 21:27)” Daniel 12:1. Jesus warned of the same, “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. I have run out of space for now. I will continue the study of this prophecy of the last seven years and the great tribulation to come next month, God willing.