“At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come (that is “the man Gabriel” in answer to Daniel’s Prayers) to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined UPON THY PEOPLE and THY HOLY CITY, TO FINISH THE TRANSGRESION, and to MAKE AN END OF SINS, and TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR INIQUITY AND TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, and TO SEAL UP THE VISION and PROPHECY, and to ANOINT THE MOST HOLY. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to RESTORE and to BUILD JERUSALEM UNTO THE MESSIAH the PRINCE, shall be SEVEN WEEKS AND THREE SCORE and TWO WEEKS, the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after THREE SCORE 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 end of the WAR DESOLATIONS are determined. 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 9:23–27 (KJV)

In this series we want to critically examine one of the basic evangelical and supposed Christian doctrines, as it relates to prophecies pertaining to the end times.

Let us understand one basic fact; what you know and believe determines your personal attitude, approach to life now and the hereafter, your relationship with people, your estimation of Christ and the Father God.

Again, it determines what you teach people and how you prepare them, for what you may call the end time, and how to face it, the hope they should have etc.

A WORD TO OBSERVE

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be FALSE TEACHERS among you… (But) my brethren, be not many masters (teachers) knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” 2 Peter 2:1, James 3:1 (KJV)

While it is good to aspire to be a teacher of the word and the intent and purposes of God to the people. The word says we ought to be careful, for we stand the risk of facing greater condemnation. Why? Because the teaching ministry is one of the calls, that truly lays the foundation for true worship, and that give directives and clear vision to the body of Christ.

Therefore, any wrong teaching from a wrong premise, will lead to a faulty foundation and deception, leading to a deviation from divine purpose and the will of God.

Looking at the above quoted scripture in the book of Daniel, there are many elements we are going to consider. Among other things are, what THE 70TH WEEK really stands for in relation to man’s salvation, the nation of Israel, and how it relates to the kingdom of God.

A NEED TO RE-EXAMINE THE COMMON EVANGELICAL/SUPPOSED CHRISTIAN BELIEF “THE POSTPONED KINGDOM”

The common belief of 80% of Christendom, tie this 70th week of Daniel to the postponement of the Kingdom, as a result of the rejection of Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding on a donkey (Palm Sunday). Therefore, not accepting their king and the kingdom sent to them. Most often, the scripture quoted to back up this, is the question of the Apostles to Jesus at His ascension.

The Apostles themselves did not even yet at this stage, truly understand most of what Jesus taught, because the Holy Ghost, the greatest teacher, had not yet been given to them.

And so they asked:

“Saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6

Therefore, the Bible teachers say, they meant to agree that the Kingdom was postponed till His supposed second coming. But remember, Jesus never gave them a yes or no answer, but rather told them to wait for the Holy Ghost, why?

Then the understanding to their question shall be made known to them, because then they too lacked the understanding of what the Kingdom is all about, as they were still thinking that the Kingdom is an exclusive reserve of the Jewish nation. So much for what Christians still believe to date, yet we claim to have the Holy Ghost.

Now, this is what the Christians teach, even in most Bible colleges and seminaries:

“That upon their rejection of the Kingdom, God withdrew the offer (or postponed the Kingdom) then introduced a 2000 years of Church history, which none of the Old Testament Prophets knew about, for this can’t be found in any of the Old Testament writings. At that very moment of rejection, God stopped the time clock for Israel, and He stopped it at the 69th week of Daniel’s 70th week prophecy. After the church has been raptured out of the earth, God will then restart the time clock for Israel, then a start of Daniel’s 70th week.

At this time, the church will already have been in heaven, enjoying the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Here they meant to say that, God introduced the Church to fill the gap in His agenda because the Kingdom was withdrawn and the prophets of old knew nothing of such.

This supposed 2,000 years of Church history is called “the great parenthesis” i.e. a kind of ‘stop gap measure’ designed to fill a space.

Furthermore, this theory of the “great parenthesis” says that, as soon as the Church is raptured out of the earth, the time clock will commence running to complete the 70 weeks of Daniel.”

But can this be true?

Now, the major proponents of this theory that have kept the body of Christ bound for years with a blurred vision are: Scofield in his Scofield Reference Bible, Dake’s, Lindsay, Irving and John Nelson Darby, Larkin, with their Footnotes.

But we must begin to understand that, Footnotes are not necessarily inspired writings, but men’s opinions and human conjecture resulting from “formal education” but knowing nothing of what the Holy Spirit did, said or intended.

Should the body of Christ continue with these or begin to embrace a reformation in all ramifications of her structure, which must of necessity include her doctrines – teachings – in order to attest to the mind of Christ?

To be continued…