WHEN WILL BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS BE CAUGHT UP? Pt 7 -
AS WE ARE DRAWING SO CLOSE TO HIS COMING, I FEEL LEAD TO SHARE AGAIN TO ENCOURAGE THE SAINTS TO LIVE CLOSE TO OUR REDEEMER AND ANTICIPATE HIS SHOUT ANY DAY NOW!
THE "70 WEEKS" OF DANIEL
Let me explain why the Tribulation is part of a completely different dispensation to the church age.
In Daniel’s prophecy, chapter 9:24-27, it is clearly revealed that “70 weeks” are allotted to Israel and the holy city, to make atonement for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to anoint the most holy place. This prophecy will be completely fulfilled when Messiah begins to reign.
The “70 weeks” are weeks of years, not weeks of days; i.e., each week is seven literal years. The first 69 “weeks” (483 years) started from the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, which was given by the Medo-Persian ruler, Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. It ended with the triumphant entry of the Messiah into Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), a few days before He was “cut off” - that is, crucified.
The remaining “one week” (seven years), was not fulfilled after the 69th week. And it has never been fulfilled. The 70th week has been put on hold for this 1970+-year period, while YAHWEH Elohim (God) is calling out of all nations, a people for His Name - a Bride for His Son.
When the Bride, which is also called the “Body of the Messiah,” is complete, the Bridegroom will take this body of believers to the Father’s House. YAHWEH Elohim (God) will then take up His specific program with Israel once more - during the 70th week. Thereafter He will bring in ever-lasting righteousness.
The reason why YAHWEH Elohim (God) has suspended the 70th week, and “stopped the clock” as far as Israel is concerned, is because;
- Israel has not been ready to receive the Messiah.
- The Master must call out a people for His Name - the Bride - out of all the nations, so that she might take her place alongside the King when He reigns over the whole restored world. After the Bride is complete. Israel will be saved, purified and prepared to become the center of the world, and a blessing to all the earth.
The teaching of the 70 weeks of Daniel is very important to our understanding of the Tribulation and YAHWEH'S dealings. Indeed, it is from Daniel’s prophecy that we know the Tribulation lasts for seven lunar years. (7 x 360 days). The Book of Revelation does not specifically say how long the Tribulation lasts, but it does speak of 1,260 days (the witness of the two prophets - ch 11); 1,260 days (the nourishment of the woman - ch. 12); and 42 months (the reign of the beast - ch. 13.)
If we ignored Daniel’s prophecy, we would not know if the Tribulation will be 3½ years, 7 years, or 10½ years.
Now if we accept and place significance on Daniel’s prophecy, we must accept the fact that there has been a long 1,970+ years parenthesis between the 69th and the 70th weeks.
Parenthesis means brackets ( ). A parenthetical period is a period that is inserted into another period, but which, although it may form a part of the whole program, is itself a separate period altogether.
We may illustrate the church age in brackets like this:
Pre-Trib... please check diagram in the comment picture below!
A-millennialists do not accept our interpretation for the 70th week at all. They claim the 70th week was fulfilled immediately after the 69th week, without a break - 3½ years after Calvary.
The timing of the Rapture - Before, in the Middle, or After the Tribulation - does not concern A-millennialists as they completely reject a 7-year Tribulation at the end of the age.
As the 70th week has still to be fulfilled, it is clear that the congregation (church) age must be a parenthetical period. Otherwise there would be no justification for a delayed 70th week.
It is not logical for the 70th week to be part of the parenthesis, while being part of the overall period!
We might have brackets within brackets, but we cannot have a period in the parenthesis and outside at the same time. This is the diagram that would be drawn by the Mid-Trib. and the Post-Trib. views.
* Again, please check Mid-Trib and Post-Trib views diagram in the comment below!
If you put the congregation (church) in the Tribulation, then you may as well put Daniel’s prophecy into the archives.
The dispensational aspect, and particularly the prophecy of the “70 weeks” supports, and demands, that the Bride of Messiah/Christ be removed from the scene before the 70th week.
The next reason why I believe the Rapture will take place before the seven years is because of the . . .
Total lack of evidence to prove the Congregation (Church) is on earth during the Tribulation
- The Master must call out a people for His Name - the Bride - out of all the nations, so that she might take her place alongside the King when He reigns over the whole restored world. After the Bride is complete. Israel will be saved, purified and prepared to become the center of the world, and a blessing to all the earth.
