Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites because they
were able to discern the signs of the seasons, but not the signs of His coming as proclaimed in Scripture. This is the real
issue that I'm trying to draw attention to: The King is Coming!
Granted I understand how hard it is to believe God's Word
as being completed in our day. The simple profoundness of it all I think is overwhelming to many, and they would just rather
not think about it, as an escape from facing such issues.
But Abraham walked by faith, believing in the God Who would complete
what He initiated. This is also why I have come to realize that the faithful remnant Israel (144,000) are indeed a small remnant
who believe in the fulfillment of God's prophetic Word.
God’s chosen people. First the Jewish nation and then those who were grafted into the
vine, are God’s instrument to show mankind the spiritual reasoning and purposes for mankind.
I disagree with the church
in general whose position is increasingly becoming that of Replacement Theology.
God’s covenant with the nation of Israel is everlasting. The church was grafted into the vine, not replacing the vine. I consider it almost heresy, if not heresy itself,
to consider that the nation of Israel is of a separate dispensation of time.
Ezekiel 37 prophesied that Israel
would no longer be two nations but one in the latter days. This prophecy was fulfilled in 1948. Likewise Jesus stated that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles
would be fulfilled. This promise was
completed in 1967 when Jerusalem was recaptured by Israel.
A good example of Israel still being God’s
chosen people is Daniel’s 70-week prophecy (Dan. 9:24-27) where God clearly states “I have determined 70 periods of seven with the people (Israel)
and the holy city (Jerusalem)”.
Then
in verse 25 Daniel states a prophecy of God’s promised deliverance of a Messiah when he states: “Know therefore
and understand, from the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of Messiah the Prince shall be 69 periods
of seven.” This prophecy was
ultimately fulfilled with Jesus’ first coming; the fulfillment having been initiated when Artexerxes gave the order
to Nehemiah (Neh 2:1,8). This prophetical
fulfillment gives us confidence that God will complete His covenant of 70 periods of seven with the people (Israel) and with
the holy city (Jerusalem) for one period of seven (Dan. 9:24-27).
John Darby in the 1850s started all this nonsense of Dispensational theology, which is
the foundation for Replacement Theology. His
position was then heretically expanded by the Scofield Bible, which is today the New American Standard and other variations
of NASB, which actually changes the Hebrew word for “confirm” to be translated as “make”
in Dan. 9:27. The consequences of this ‘one-word-change’
are huge; it virtually eliminates the two major prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming
for one period of seven as God had so covenanted with Israel and Jerusalem.
By this simple one-word change, they used the word “make” to justify their interpretation
that it is the antichrist “making” a covenant (contract) with Israel in the latter days. The fact is, the word is “confirm” infers confirming a covenant of one period of seven, God’s
covenant which only God can “confirm”. This gave rise not only to Replacement theology, but to Pre-Tribulation Rapture theology, held by the majority of the
Church today.
It is God’s covenant with Israel and the people of Jerusalem. Consequently in 1948 when Israel became a nation after the Diaspora of nearly 2000 years, it fulfilled
the first part of the prophecy in Daniel 9:24,27 where God says He has determined 70 periods of seven upon the people (Israel);
….. and verse 27 “and He shall confirm His covenant with Israel for that one period of seven”. So you see that, a) God’s covenant with His
chosen people has not been replaced by the church and b) Replacement Theology is heretical.
Likewise, the second part
of verse 27 speaks of God confirming His covenant with the holy city (Jerusalem).
This prophecy was fulfilled in 1967 when Jerusalem was recaptured by Israel (the people).
Obviously, God cannot confirm His covenant with the people and the holy city of Jerusalem unless the people (Israel) and the holy city (Jerusalem) exist.
Do you see the profound importance of the one word change???
See
the following references on Israel being the chosen Remnant who will be protected as they go through the complete “Tribulation
Period”. From what I can see,
they are the only ones left to rule and reign with Jesus for His 1000-year reign who survive the complete ordeal.
While the entire website revolves around the completion of God’s
covenant with Israel through the 2nd Coming of the Lord, the most related website pages to this topic are the following
for your reference:
Daniel 9:24-27 70 Weeks
PROPHECY CHART #1
Feast of Trumpets to Atonement to Jubilee
Pre-Wrath Rapture Hermeneutics
PRE-TRIB "PARALLELISM" HERMENEUTICS
Historical, Prophetic, Numerological, Biblical Sequential Correlations
The
144,000 (of Israel) are protected from the wrath of God to come during the "Day
of the Lord” & His wrath.
See: Rev. 7:3-4, 9:4, 18:4, Ezek. 39:29, Isa. 26:20-21, John 19:37
Rev. 7:3-4 speaks of the faithful 144,000 of Israel protected from the wrath about to be unleashed by a seal of protection.
See
also Rev. 9:4 (those sealed not hurt)
See also: http://www.feastsofthelord.net/id34.html
The principals of Astrophysics, Mathematics and Astronomy all point towards perfection. Daniel, I believe, was possibly one who would be considered a
‘Magi’, or a ‘wise man’, who studied the stars.
Scripture states “the heavens declare His glory”. The magi interpreted Jupiter, the king of planets, aligning with Regulus, the king of stars, and Venus,
merging to become brighter in the sky. This
phenomenon occurs every 12 years. So
over a 50-year career of a magi, they may have observed this phenomenon twice.
In and of itself, this may have meant nothing, but combined with Daniel’s 9:24-27
prophecy and other Scripture, such as Messiah being born in Bethlehem, the association of Messiah with the tribe of Judah
and the triple conjunction within the constellation of Leo, followed by the constellation of Virgo (Virgin) and Jupiter appearing
to join with Venus and probably many other factors associated the anticipation the King’s birth with Messiah the King
in Bethlehem. The magi presumably described
the timing of events in 3 B.C. continuing through 2 B.C. as documented by Josephus regarding the reign of Herod until 2 B.C.
This combined with the 69 periods
of seven prophesied by Dan. 9:24-25, equals 173,883 days based upon a 360-day prophetic year as noted in Daniel chapter 12. With the 173,883 days applied to the biblical lunar
calendar according to the Feasts of the Lord (God’s calendar of redemption), completed on Sivan 6, the Feast of Pentecost/gift
of His Spirit until He returns – means prophecy was fulfilled.
Note: Jesus’ ascension was on the 40th day between Passover and Pentecost
(i.e. one 40-year generation) leaving 10 days (Trumpets to Atonement) for the completion of His work; culminating on start
of “The Year Of Jubilee”. In
other words, the 50 days from Passover to Pentecost, broken by the 40 days leaving 10 days, are typological foreshadowings
of the 50-year Jubilee period.
The “Year of Jubilee” is made up of 7 periods of seven,
with the last 7-years being the Tribulation Period, prior to the Year of Jubilee.
The ‘Year of Jubilee’ is also comprised of a 40-year
generation plus 10 years of repentance, i.e. the period between the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Atonement, culminating
with the year of Jubilee, where all things that are God’s get returned to God, i.e. the 100-year millennial reign.
