PROPHETIC NEWSLETTER - "...In such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh" Matthew 24:44

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off this study last month discussing Daniel 7:25, and how the scripture bears out the fact that people will be saved during Daniel’s 70^th week of prophecy, otherwise known as the tribulation. This may sound hopeful to some who know enough about the Word of God to realize they are not spiritually where they ought to be with the Lord, believing if they don’t make the “catching up” of the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), they still have an opportunity to serve the Lord during the tribulation. I would only say to those who might entertain such a thought, that if they find it difficult to be faithful to the Lord now, and miss the catching up when most of the saints are not even suffering martyrdom at this time, how in the world might these believe they will lay down their necks for Christ and His Holy Word during the tribulation? In his visions, John the Revelator saw the saints that were beheaded during the great tribulation, “I saw thrones and those who sat upon them and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast (antichrist), neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Millennial Reign – after the seven-year tribulation)” Revelation 20:4. Daniel prophesied, “And he (antichrist) 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)” Daniel 7:25. We know this is the last half of the seven-year tribulation period, because Daniel prophesied that the antichrist would confirm a peace covenant with Israel for one week (seven years) and in the middle of the week he would cause the oblation to cease (Daniel 9:27). So, it is clear from Daniel’s prophecy that the antichrist will feign a peace treaty with Israel, but he will break it after three and a-half years. Since his treachery is not revealed until the middle of the tribulation, we might assume that the beheading doesn’t begin until he breaks the treaty and declares himself to be God in the Third Holy Temple (2 Thessalonians 2:4), which will have been built in Jerusalem by that time. In fact, it seems very likely that the Temple will be built during the first three and a-half years of feigned peace, and not probable at all before that time, because nothing can be built until there is “peace” between the Arabs and Jews. We are heading rapidly toward the peace agreement. Pope Frances held an unprecedented prayer meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel’s (former) President Shimon Peres on Sunday, June 8, 2014. If these three can get together for an interfaith prayer meeting at the Vatican gardens, everyone should know that the time of the peace covenant is near, which will also mark the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period. Jesus said (speaking to the faithful church in Philadelphia, among seven churches), “Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from (out of – original Greek [EK THC]) the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth” Revelation 3:10. Right here in this passage, after the resurrection of Jesus, He promised the faithful church that He would keep us out of the temptation to come upon all the world. There can be no other interpretation, this is the only tribulation period spoken of in the Word of God after Jesus’s resurrection, and that He will keep us, who are faithful, out of this temptation to come upon all the world. There is no other interpretation that can accurately be given from this passage of scripture. The “temptation” Jesus is referring to will be the temptation to take the mark of the beast in one’s hand or forehead, as described in Revelation 13:16-18, or be beheaded, as described in Revelation 20:4. I don’t know about anyone else, but I certainly don’t want to be here. I want to be faithful to the Lord now, so I can reap this promise given to the faithful in Revelation 3:10. The promise is also explicitly spelled out in Matthew 25, the parable of the ten virgins. We have gone over the meaning of that parable previously, so I won’t belabor it, but for anyone who may have missed it, this parable given by Jesus reveals that only five, among 10 who were all virgins (indicative of the last days churches), were allowed to escape the earth with Christ; the other five foolish virgins, who did not have oil in their lamps (indicative of the Holy Ghost dwelling within) were left behind to face the great tribulation and martyrdom, because they were not ready. Are you ready for Jesus’s imminent return?   

Daniel’s 70th Week

Last month, we left off the study of the final week of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy with an explanation of how both Daniel and John foretold that the antichrist will move with great force against God’s people, and that this will be a time of “Jacob’s trouble,” as highlighted also in the April newsletter. The Jews were taken into captivity by the Babylonians, Assyrians and Egyptians because they sinned against the Lord’s commandments and worshiped other gods. The Jews (God’s firstborn - Exodus 4:22) were again taken into captivity by the Romans and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in 70 AD. Once again, they were nearly wiped out during Hitler’s holocaust, between 1933 and 1945, when more than 6 million Jews were slaughtered. Why have the Jews been targeted throughout history? First, because they sinned and rebelled against God, and again because they “missed the time of their visitation” (Luke 19:44). The Word of God tells us that “Whatsoever things written aforetime were written for our learning...” Romans 15:4. If God spared not His firstborn who sinned, why do so many “Christians” today believe they are getting away with sin and disobedience to God? The Apostle John wrote, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not; and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” 1 John 2:1. He went on to say, “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ but keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” 1 John 2:4. “Damnable heresies” (2 Peter 2:1) and “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1) are rampant in the last days. I didn’t intend to take this route apart from Daniel’s prophecy, but I am going to follow the leading of the Spirit. Churches would be better off to prayerfully follow the leading of the Spirit today, instead of adhering so closely to their own agendas. Multitudes of Christians nowadays want rather to believe a one-time sinner’s prayer is going to take them through this life and on to glory. Their faith hangs on an isolated scripture here and there, such as, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9. This scripture is absolutely true, but it is only the beginning of God’s work in His people and this scripture cannot be isolated against all others that teach us to “...walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Romans 8:1 and “Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14. It is important to bear in mind that the scriptures have to be “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15) and that “no prophecy of the scripture is of private interpretation” 2 Peter 1:20. God’s Word is clear in warning us, “Know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16. Many “Christians” adhering to the doctrine of Calvin are quick to respond that we are not saved by works, but by faith alone. That is very true, but since when is abstinence from sin “works?” How laborious is it to abstain from something? Abstinence means to stay away from something; It is a “do-nothing” word. Abstinence = works? This is not an accurate interpretation of the word. The Bible tells us that we can’t earn our salvation by works, which Jesus purchased on the cross. This truth has nothing to do with obeying God’s commandment to abstain from sin. The Lord brought this to my attention. I didn’t think of it myself; I am not that wise. The entire Bible is full of scriptures which convey to us that sin destroys the soul and we must follow Christ to be saved. Jude wrote to the early Church, “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not” Jude 1:5. The point being made, they were destroyed after having once been delivered. James faced off with some “Calvins” of his day when he wrote, “...You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” James 2:18. He went on to say, “You believe there is one God; you do well; the devils also believe and tremble. But will you know, oh vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-20. Getting back to Daniel’s last week of the prophecy; the antichrist will persecute the saints during the great tribulation period, according to Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 7:25), and according to John’s prophecy (Revelation 13:5; Revelation 20:4). Contrary to some teachings and misinterpretation of the scriptures, people will be saved after the rapture, or “catching up” of the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), in that 144,000 Jews will be sealed with the seal of God (Revelation 7:3) and they will be protected during the great tribulation to come, the time of “Jacob’s trouble.” I am out of space. To be continued, God willing.

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s 70^th 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 70^th 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 70^th 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 70^th 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 70^th 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.

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s 70^th week last month at Daniel 12:1, as Gabriel told Daniel there would be “a time of trouble, such as never was...” Gabriel was referring to a time spoken of throughout the scriptures, which has been described as the great tribulation. Jesus confirmed this prophecy given to Daniel, when He said, “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. As we approach this study of the last week of the 70 weeks prophecy that the archangel Gabriel gave to Daniel, it is important to keep in mind the context of the prophecy, so we will recap what Gabriel told Daniel. He told Daniel that 70 weeks of years would transpire to bring in everlasting righteousness and seal up the prophecy, meaning to bring about the end of days at the Lord’s return to set up His righteous Kingdom on earth (Daniel 9:24). He told Daniel that from the restoration of Jerusalem (decreed by Artaxerxes in 445 BC) to the arrival of Messiah the Prince (Jesus) would be 69 weeks of years (69 X 7 = 483 years), which prophecy transpired exactly to the day in 32 AD (Daniel 9:25). Gabriel told Daniel that after this, the Messiah would be “cut off,” but not for Himself; which came to pass as our Lord and Savior was crucified, not for Himself, but for the sins of the whole world (Daniel 9:26). There remains one more week of the 70 weeks of years, which will bring about the fullness of time, as we know it here on earth. This time of great tribulation is also referred to in Jeremiah’s prophecy, “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it” Jeremiah 30:7. I can’t help but stop here and focus on the fact that Jeremiah prophesied that this great time of trouble is referred to as “Jacob’s trouble.” If you don’t believe in a pretribulation rapture (taken from the Latin Vulgate rapio, “to catch up”), spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, this is something to consider. The reason why Jeremiah prophesied that this would be a time of “Jacob’s trouble” is because the “bride,” referred to as the saints in Luke 5:34-35 and Revelation 19:7-9, will not be here; but God’s “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), who are Jacob’s children - Jews - will be here. It will not be a time of trouble for the church, or Jews who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, but it will be a time of great tribulation for Jacob (Israel). The wrath of God that will be poured out upon the wicked during the tribulation will not be poured out upon a remnant of Jews (144,000), who will be saved during that time (Revelation 7:3-8). These Jews will be sealed with the seal of God on their foreheads (Revelation 7:3), so they will not be hurt during the last week of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy, which happens before Jesus returns with the saints. Why do you suppose all of the saints are not sealed with the seal of God and protected from the wrath of God during the great tribulation? The answer is given right after John saw the Jews sealed on their foreheads in his vision, “After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, kindreds, people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb (Jesus), clothed in white robes and palms in their hands” Revelation 7:9. The saints of God are in heaven and they will return with Jesus after the great tribulation (Revelation 19:11-14). Gabriel continued with the revelation he gave to Daniel, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever” Daniel 12:2-3. This is confirmation that at the end of the tribulation period, the martyred saints will also be resurrected. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about the catching up of the saints (rapture), “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Gabriel then told Daniel, “But 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 told to seal up the book of the prophecy, until the time of the end, when knowledge would increase. The prophecies given to John expound on those which had already been given to Daniel hundreds of years earlier. I’m out of space – to be continued next month, God willing. In the meantime, are you ready, should the trump of God sound at any moment?

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 70^th 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.

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off this study of Daniel’s amazing 70 weeks prophecy last month at Daniel 10:13, as Gabriel explained to Daniel that his prayers were heard before God on the very first day of his fast and prayer vigil, but the prince of Persia delayed the Lord’s response sent by His archangel, Gabriel. Gabriel continues his conversation with Daniel and explains to him how a vile king (the antichrist) will come to power during the last days (chapters 10-11). “Now I have come to make you understand what shall befall your people in the latter days, for yet the vision is for many days” Daniel 10:14. Gabriel then tells Daniel about a series of events concerning Middle Eastern rulers in the latter days, specifically the rulers of the northern and southern kingdoms (from the vantage of Israel), and how the antichrist will come to power. “He shall enter peaceably, even upon the fattest places of the province, and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He shall scatter among them the prey, the spoil and riches; yes, and he shall forecast his devices against the strongholds, even for a time” Daniel 11:24. I can’t help but mention that Barack Obama has plundered America like no other president has before him, spending more than all US presidents before him combined. He has caused millions of dollars (cash) to be delivered to Afghan officials in suitcases and backpacks. No other national leader has gone into the Middle East and taken down presidents, like Libya’s Muammar al-Gaddafi and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak (southern kingdoms), while he also has his eyes set on taking down Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad (a northern kingdom) – something to think about. The antichrist will come to power as a figure bringing peace, but he will “work deceitfully” (Daniel 11:23). John the Revelator was given prophecies which expound on the prophecies that had already been given to Daniel. Gabriel told Daniel to “shut up the words and seal the book” on some of the revelations given to him, “until the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4), which revelations are actually given later to John and are written in the Book of Revelation. John wrote of two riders on white horses in the Book of Revelation. Many people have confused the first rider on a white horse (Revelation 6:2), who has a bow in his hand and a crown on his head, who goes forth conquering and to conquer, with Christ at His return; but that interpretation is incorrect. The first rider on a white horse is the antichrist, not Christ. Jesus appears on a white horse in Revelation 19:11, and His description is quite different than that of the first rider. The first rider appears with a bow, but no arrow, indicative of feigned peace. Yes, he has a crown, but the antichrist will rule, until the Lord’s return. When Christ appears in Revelation 19:11, He arrives on a white horse, but He is described as “Faithful and True and in righteousness He will judge and make war.” The two descriptions are very distinct. We need to be filled with the Spirit of God and very perceptive, because Jesus forewarned us, “There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” Matthew 24:24. Gabriel continues further with his description of the antichrist, “And the king shall do according to his will and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, until the indignation (God’s wrath) is accomplished, for that which is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the god of his fathers, nor the desire of women, or regard any god, for he shall magnify himself above all; but in his estate, he shall honor the god of forces and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, silver and with precious stones and pleasant things…He shall enter also into the glorious land (Israel) and many countries shall be overthrown, but these shall escape out of his hand: Edom (modern Jordan) and Moab (also a mountainous area in Jordan today) and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand upon the countries and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver and over all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps Daniel 11:36-38,41-43. These prophecies concerning the last week (seven years) of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy are very telling. We covered the events of the first 69 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy in the first two newsletters of this study. We are now covering the 70^th week of the prophecy. I am out of space – to be continued next month, God willing.

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s amazing 70 weeks prophecy at Daniel 10:6, as the archangel Gabriel has just appeared to Daniel once again, after Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks. “His body also was like the beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision, for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore, I was left alone and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption and I retained no strength” Daniel 10:6-8. This is amazing. Daniel was not alone, but he was the only one who saw the angel; the others felt an earthquake of sorts and fled the scene. We have experienced a lot of earthquakes, haven’t we? Aren’t we generally hiding somewhere, like under a table or desk? This causes me to wonder if possibly someone who has been fasting, praying and seeking God with all of their heart is seeing visions from God, while I am hiding. We might want to think about that. This reminds me a bit of Jacob’s experience too. He wrestled with the Lord all night for a blessing from Him, even to the point that his hip was placed out of joint and he was left with a limp afterward (Genesis 32). God changed his name to Israel and we know the magnitude of the blessings after that. God has a cache of dreams, visions, revelations, and even heavenly visits at times, if we are willing to demonstrate to Him how eager we are to receive the blessings! This is for real, folks. Are we willing to lay our lives out before the Lord and say, “Take me, Father; I’m yours. Lead me and guide me; I am here, Lord.” Sometimes, as in Daniel’s case, it takes up all of our strength, but what greater reward than to experience heavenly things? Daniel continued, “Yet heard I the voice of his words, and when I heard the voice of his words, then I was in a deep sleep on my face and my face toward the ground. And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O, Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto you and stand upright, for unto you am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the very first day that you did set your heart to understand and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I am come for your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (Iran today) withstood me one and twenty days, but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me and I remained there with the kings of Persia” Daniel 10:9-13. It is noteworthy that from the time Daniel humbled himself again before the Lord and began his three week fast and prayer vigil, Gabriel explained to him that his prayer was heard and he was sent to deliver the answer, but the prince of Persia, a fallen angel who worked in Persia, withstood Gabriel, fighting against him for 21 days. We need to understand that when we pray, God always answers the sincere prayers of His people, but we are informed here that sometimes satan’s fallen angels, also known as princes (“prince and power of the air” Ephesians 2:2), fight against the delivery of the answers to our prayers. Persia was a very wicked country in the Middle East, and it still is today. It wasn’t until 1935 that the name of the country was officially referred to as Iran, instead of the historical name of Persia. Some of satan’s fallen angels are assigned “territories” over evil nations, and other principalities consistently try to take over new areas of the world. If you are a child of the Most High God, you can be certain that your “territory” is inhabited by angelic beings, who work to not only set a boundary around your space, but they ward off attacks from satanic influences in response to your prayers.

This does not mean Christians will never be attacked spiritually, as in Job’s case (Book of Job); but in spite of Job’s horrendous battle emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually (he was hit with everything), was he not victorious in the end? Job was patient. The Word of God tells us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1. That commitment having been made to God each and every day will allow the holy angels to “ascend and descend” (Genesis 28) from and to your territory. To be continued, God willing.

Daniel’s 70th Week

We left off our study of Daniel’s 70 Weeks last month, after calculating that the time period between Artaxerxes’s commandment to rebuild Jerusalem on March 14, 445 BC, to Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as “King of the Jews” on April 6, 32 AD, is exactly 483 years (69 weeks of years) to the exact date! Therefore, we can see that 69 “weeks” have already been fulfilled, just as the archangel Gabriel described them to Daniel, and there remains one more “week” (7 years) to Daniel’s “70 Weeks” prophecy.

It is interesting to note that Gabriel described to Daniel the first 69 weeks of the prophecy in Daniel 9:25, then he summarized that the Messiah will be “cut off” in verse 26, leaving a gap between his explanation of the first 69 weeks and the last 70^th week described in verse 27. There is, in fact, a timeline gap between the 69^th week, when Jesus enters Jerusalem as King of the Jews, and the 70^th week, the seven-year tribulation period (also known as “Jacob’s Trouble” in Jeremiah 30:7), when the antichrist will make a covenant with Israel, but he will break that covenant in the “midst of the week” (three and a-half years), verse 27. Gabriel told Daniel,

“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” Daniel 9:26.

The crucifixion of Jesus is summarized after Gabriel’s explanation of the first 69 weeks, which did occur after Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Then Gabriel goes on to describe the 70^th and final week,

“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” Daniel 9:27.

Here, Gabriel describes how the antichrist will “confirm the covenant with many for one week,” seven years. This could have been a vague prophecy, but we are not left bewildered, for Gabriel appeared to Daniel again, and throughout the remaining chapters of the Book of Daniel, he went on to describe in greater detail the revelations given to him,

“Now I am come to make you understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days” Daniel 10:14.

Gabriel is about to explain to Daniel things that would occur in the latter days, which describe our generation, as they are lined up with other prophecies concerning the last days. At the beginning of Daniel chapter 10, we see Daniel mourning before the Lord,

“In those days, I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel, then I lifted up my eyes and looked and, behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz” Daniel 10:2-5.

I must pause here briefly to relish what is happening in Daniel and what tremendous blessings are being poured out on him at the time of this visitation. Daniel has already been visited by the archangel Gabriel and a prophetic mystery has been revealed to him, which is profound, because during that visit, Gabriel revealed to Daniel, in summary, everything that would happen from Artaxerxes’s decree, which would happen shortly, all the way through history to the seven-year tribulation - the end of time. Daniel received revelation from his day, to the end of time, but he didn’t stop seeking God.

Daniel was given a profound prophecy by the archangel Gabriel, yet he humbled himself further and mourned for three weeks. In our day, the prophet might contact the nearest scribe and set up a contract to write a book and sell recordings of the event, so on and so forth. The prophet would, no doubt, become very rich.

Yet, here is Daniel, having received so much, but he is back before God mourning for three weeks, mourning for three weeks and fasting.

Where are our hearts today, friends? Are our hearts for seeking God, or are they pondering the next big purchase, etc.

Space has run out, so more on the 70^th and final week next month. Until then, let’s seek God with our whole hearts, because when we do, God will begin to do great and mighty things in us.

May the Lord bless you and yours at Christmas and throughout the New Year.