Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s 70th week of seven years as Gabriel told Daniel, “You, oh Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased” Daniel 12:4. Daniel was instructed to write only so much of the prophetic details, until knowledge would increase and understanding of the prophecy would be made clear. Daniel’s prophecy could not have been fully understood in his day, until after Artaxerxes decree to rebuild Jerusalem, or until Jesus came into the world and died for our sins. These events clearly fulfilled the 69 weeks of the 70-week prophecy, which Gabriel described to Daniel (Daniel 9:24-26). The final 70th week was not only defined singularly to Daniel in Daniel 9:27, but that particular week, being the final week and the culmination of all Biblical prophecies combined (Daniel 9:24), is actually defined throughout the scriptures. “And after threescore and two weeks (62 years) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince (those who have the spirit of antichrist and follow that evil “prince”) that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Jerusalem and the Temple), and the end thereof shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war, desolations are determined” Daniel 9:26. Those having the spirit of antichrist fight against God’s people, i.e.: Antiochus Epiphanes, Adolph Hitler, the Catholic church, Muslim Caliphates, etc…, and they have warred against Jews and Christians like a “flood” and they have brought ruin and “desolations” to God’s people, killing millions of Jews and Christians throughout history. “And he (the antichrist) 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” Daniel 9:27. Here we can understand that the antichrist, who comes to power in the name of peace, will confirm a peace covenant for one week (seven years), which will actually mark the start of Daniel’s 70th and last prophetic week. I think it is interesting to note here that Barack Hussein Obama said the first thing on his agenda when he took office would be to establish a peace deal between the Arab nations and Israel. He began meeting right away with the President of Egypt Hosni Mubarack, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. As we move quickly toward the onset of the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy, at some point, these nations will confirm a peace covenant for seven years. I believe the “catching up” of the saints of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) will occur near simultaneously, because the scriptures are very clear that God’s people will not endure His wrath, and that’s exactly what will be poured out upon the entire earth during the last seven years of Daniel’s 70th week, otherwise known as “Jacob’s trouble.” According to Daniel’s prophecy, the antichrist will confirm a peace treaty for seven years, but break the treaty “in the midst of the week,” after 3 ½ years, or “42 months,” as described in Revelation, “…and the holy city (Jerusalem) shall they (the antichrist and his followers) tread under foot forty and two months” Revelation 11:2. Here is where John the Revelator expounds further on the seven-year tribulation prophecy, which had first been given to Daniel. John also wrote about the antichrist, as he comes to full power, “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months” Revelation 13:5. Here, John also confirmed Daniel’s prophecy concerning the antichrist, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hand, until a time (one year) and times (two years) and the dividing of time (half a year = 3 ½ years)” Daniel 7:25. The pieces of the prophetic puzzle are all over the scriptures. During the middle of the 70th week, the “midst of the week,” the antichrist will break the peace covenant with Israel and cause their temple sacrifices to cease. As Jesus explained to His disciples things that would occur before His return, He also referred to Daniel’s prophecy, “When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place (whoso reads, let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee to the mountains” Matthew 24:15-16. I am out of space, but plan to continue with this fascinating study next month, God willing.