Chapter Nine

The Seventy “Weeks” Program

Daniel 9:1-2

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes ( a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom – in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

Daniel had learned through reading the writings of Jeremiah that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. Why a seventy-year period? God had prescribed Sabbatical years for the land according to Exodus 23:10-11, Leviticus 25:1-22, Leviticus 26:33-35, Deuteronomy 15, II Chronicles 36:19-21. However, the Israelites had not followed these rules for 490 years which meant that 70 Sabbatical years were still outstanding. Consequently, God decided to discipline them for seventy years, thereby giving the land a seventy-year rest at the same time. Also, see Jeremiah 25:11-12 and Jeremiah 29:10. On the basis of these prophecies Daniel was encouraged to pray for the restoration of Jerusalem and the re-gathering of the people of Israel for he realised that the years of captivity were about to end. However, Daniel realised too that the Word of God would only be fulfilled on the basis of prayer as we can read in:

Daniel 9:3-19

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. Lord, You are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame – the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to You. O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against You. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your laws and turned away, refusing to obey you. Therefore the curses and sworn judgements written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disasters. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favour of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous is everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him. Now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy city. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us. Now, Our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, look with favour on Your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.”

Gabriel’s Visit

Daniel, while still praying, was interrupted by a heavenly visitor as we can read in:

Daniel 9:20-23

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord for His holy hill – while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision.”

Gabriel’s Explanation

Gabriel had come to give Daniel understanding as we can read in:

Daniel 9:24-27

Seventy “sevens” are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Ruler, comes, there will be seven “sevens” and sixty-two “sevens”. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two “sevens”, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one “seven”. In the middle of the “seven” he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple, he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

Jesus referred to this passage in:

Matthew 24:15-22

So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’, spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

This is part of his reply to some of the questions the disciples had asked him in:

Matthew 24:1-3

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” He asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

The disciples asked Him three questions:

1. When will this happen?

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. And what will be the sign of the end of the age?

Jesus’ focus was on Israel and not on the Gentile world. He covered a very long period of history and ended up with a prophetic statement about the end of the age which would end with the time of the Great Tribulation mentioned by Daniel in:

Daniel 12:1b

There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.

He spoke as well of the “Abomination of Desolation” mentioned by Daniel in Daniel 9. This had happened before in 167 BC when a pagan idol was placed in the Holy of Holies by Antiochus Epiphanes. However, Jesus was speaking prophetically about an event which would eventually happen and has not happened as yet. The Holy of Holies is the place where only the high priest was allowed to enter and only once a year. But Jesus said: “When you see standing….” meaning others will be able to see it as well. So how will other people be able to see this event taking place? One possibility is that it will be a major political event, which will be televised and watched on news broadcasts all over the world. We need to remember as well that since 70 AD there has not been a temple in Jerusalem but Jesus predicts an event will take place in the temple. This must mean that a temple will be rebuilt before this event happens and is therefore still a future event.

Let’s now go back to Daniel 9:24-27 and take one verse at a time.

The Scope

Daniel 9:24

The angel Gabriel explained that seventy ‘sevens’ have been decreed for the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem:

1. To finish transgression

2. To make reconciliation for iniquity

3. To bring in everlasting righteousness

4. To seal up the vision and prophecy.

5. To anoint the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies)

One “seven” equals one period of seven years. This means that seventy “sevens” equal a period of 490 years.Gabriel continued in Daniel 9:25

Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven “sevens”, and sixty-two “sevens”. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

The first sixty-nine “sevens” or 483 years, are split into seven “sevens” and sixty-two “sevens”. The seven ‘sevens’ or 49 years may possibly refer to the period it took to rebuild the Temple. According to the prophecy, the period between the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and the time the Anointed One would come was going to be 483 years.

A total of 4 Decrees have been given to rebuild Jerusalem:

Cyrus 537 BC Ezra 1:2-4

Darius Ezra 6:1-5, 8,12

Artaxerxes 458 BC Ezra 7:11-26

Artaxerxes 445 BC Nehemiah 2:5-8,17,18

The first three decrees dealt only with the Temple.

The fourth decree dealt with the city of Jerusalem when the streets and the wall were rebuilt and is the decree the angel Gabriel referred to in Daniel 9:25.

According to the Jewish calendar 483 years are 173,880 days.

The Decree was given on 14 March 445 BC.

And the Triumphal Entry of Jesus took place on 6 April, 32 AD. The period between the Decree and the Triumphal Entry covers exactly 173,880 days. Gabriel was correct to the day!! Luke wrote of the Triumphal Entry in:

Luke 19:28-36

After Jesus had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As He went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

Luke’s words were a fulfillment of:

Zechariah 9:9.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

At that time the people were declaring Him to be the Messiah by quoting from:

Psalm 118:26a

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

As we can read in Luke 19:38a

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Pharisees understood this and told Jesus to tell His disciples to stop shouting these words because, according to them, Jesus’ followers were blaspheming according to:

Luke 19:39

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

However, at that time, Jesus declared judgement on Jerusalem for a season as we can read in:

Luke 19:41-42

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Jesus expected the Jewish people to know His Coming as prophesied in Daniel 9. But they did not, and 38 years after His words, the city fell in 70 AD as foretold in:

Luke 19:43-44

The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time of God’s coming to you.

Jesus made them accountable to understand prophecy. They should have known the hour of their visitation. That puts a responsibility on us as well to know and understand the times we live in today.

The Interval

Gabriel then gave an explanation of what was to happen after Daniel 9:25 but before Daniel 9:27 in:

Daniel 9:26

After the sixty-two “sevens”, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

This verse deals with events that will occur after Daniel 9:25 but before Daniel 9:27. After sixty-two “sevens” shall the Messiah be cut off, shall be killed, but not for Himself. The angel Gabriel in this passage refers to the period after the first seven “sevens”, which is a period of 434 years and is the year the Messiah would be killed, which took place in 32 ADwhen Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world. “The ruler who will come” refers to the Roman leader who, with his people, destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Verse 26 indicates an Interval after the Messiah was killed during which time many things would take place. This Interval would last at least 38 years because Jerusalem was destroyed 38 years after the crucifixion of Jesus in 70 AD. However the Interval is still ongoing.

See also Daniel 2:31-33

You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue – an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, it chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.

This passage is connected to:

Daniel 2:40-43

Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron – for iron breaks and smashes everything – and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.”

And Daniel 7:7

This verse is connected to Daniel 7:19

And Daniel 7:23

He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.

The original fourth kingdom, which was the Roman Empire in power at the time of Jesus, did not have ten horns or ten kings in it. This kingdom split in two parts, its Western and its Easter part as was predicted in:

Daniel 2:43

And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more that iron mixes with clay.

The Interval Implied

The interval of Daniel 9:26 has been implied in other passages of Scripture:

Luke 4:18-20

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

This passage refers to Isaiah 61:1-2

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God.

However, Jesus did not speak out the line of Isaiah 61:2 “and the day of vengeance of our God”, for it was not yet the time for the day of God’s vengeance. This day will be fulfilled at a future date.

The interval of Daniel 9:26 has also been implied in:

Isaiah 54:7

For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

This verse refers to the return of the Israelites to their land which is happening today after nearly 1900 years.

And Hosea 3:4-5

For the Israelites will live for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stoned, without ephod or idol. Afterwards the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to His blessings in the last days.

And Amos 9:10-11

All the sinners among My people will die by the sword, all those who say, “Disaster will not overtake or meet us.” In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins and build it as it used to be.

And Zechariah 9:9-10

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle-bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

And Luke 1:32-33

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the House of Jacob for ever; His kingdom will never end.

And Luke 21:24

They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Interval Defined

The Interval has been defined in:

Luke 19:41-42

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He (Jesus) wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace –but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Jesus declared that Israel would not know what would bring her peace but not for always. It was to be hidden for a season as we can read in:

Romans 11:25

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

Paul declared that the Israelites as a nation would experience true peace after all the Gentiles who would come to the Lord had become believers.

The Church

God is using the time of the Interval to bring forth the Church, which is something of a mystery in the Old Testament according to:

Ephesians 3:4-5.

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

And Ephesians 3:9

And to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.”

The Church was born at Pentecost according to:

Acts 2:1-11

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pont us and Asia. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Lybia near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs - we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

However, the Church could not be born until certain things had taken place such as:

1. The Atonement according to Matthew 16:21

From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

2. The Resurrection according to Ephesians 1:20

...which He (God) exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.

3. The Ascension according to Ephesians 1:20b –21

And seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

The Church is distinguished from Jews or Gentiles according to:

I Corinthians 10:32

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the Church of God.

The Apostle Paul talks about ‘The fullness or the full number of the Gentiles’ in:

Romans 11:25

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited; Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

He refers here to the full number of believers. They will be raptured. “The fullness of the Gentiles” is not the same as “the Times of the Gentiles” which Luke mentions in:

Luke 21:20-24

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“The times of the Gentiles” refers to the time period from Nebuchadnezzar to the Antichrist.

The 70th “Week”

We will now go back to Daniel and look at:

Daniel 9:27

He will confirm a covenant with many for one “seven”. In the middle of the “seven” he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

This verse deals with the 70th “week”, the final seven-year period of God’s discipline of Israel. This period is divided into 2 periods of 3½ years. “And he, the ruler that will come, will confirm the covenant” with Israel for seven years. This refers to the final world ruler who is still to come. And he will ignore his agreement after 3½ years and force sacrifices to cease. Furthermore, he will set up a pagan idol in the Holy of Holies. That means that a Temple must have been built in Jerusalem at the time this ruler comes on the world scene.

Also, see Daniel 2:31-33

You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue – an enormous dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.

This passage is connected to Daniel 2:40-43

Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron – for iron breaks and smashes everything – and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crash and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were party iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

And Daniel 7:7-8

After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast – terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn has eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

This passage is connected to Daniel 7:19-26

Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws – the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell – the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. As I watched this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgement in favour of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. He gave me this explanation, “The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress His saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

This time we are dealing with a revived Roman Empire which has ten horns or ten kingdoms in it. Interestingly, the United Nations has divided the world up into ten sections or ten kingdoms. They are not yet properly established but no doubt this will happen one day in the near future. The Antichrist will come out of one these nations and be in charge of all these nations, which means in fact that he will be in charge of the world as foretold in:

Revelation 13:7b

And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

And Daniel 8:25

He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

And Daniel 11:36-45

“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regards for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. Instead of them, he will honour a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honour with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honour those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”

And Daniel 12:1

At that time Michael, the great Prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not has happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the Book - will be delivered.

The Great Tribulation

Apart from Daniel 9:27, a number of passages declare that the time of the Great Tribulation will be a 3½ year period, or 42 months period,or 1260 day period, the time of the Great Tribulation.

Daniel 12:7

The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand towards heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives for ever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.”

And Revelation 11:1-2

I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, ‘Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshippers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.”

And Revelation 11:3

And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophecy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.

And Revelation 13:5

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.

As we have already seen, Jesus made reference to the Temple standing during the Great Tribulation according to:

Matthew 24:15

“So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation”, spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand.”

Such an event had already happened in the past, namely in 167 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a Syrian Greek, acted in the following manner:

He made reading the Torah punishable by death.

He slaughtered a pig on the Altar.

He erected an idol to Zeus in the Holy of Holies.

However, Jesus in Matthew 24:15 speaks prophetically about a time still to come.

The prophet Zechariah declared that, at that time, two-thirds of the Jewish people will die according to:

Zechariah 13:8-9

“In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My Name and I will answer them; I will say, “They are My people,” and they will say, “The Lord is our God.”

When Israel cries out to God, the Lord will return according to:

Hosea 5:15

Then I will go back to My place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek My face; in their misery they will earnestly seek Me.

Jesus went back to Heaven nearly 2000 years ago and He is patiently waiting for the Jewish people to cry out to Him for His return. This will happen at the time of the Great Tribulation.

Titles of the Antichrist

Some of the Old Testament titles of the Antichrist are:

“The Offspring or the Seed of the Serpent” according to:

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.

‘The Idol Shepherd’ according to:

Zechariah 11:16-17

For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hoofs. Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!

‘The Little Horn’ according to:

Daniel 7:8

While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.”

And Daniel 7:20

I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell –the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.”

“The ruler who will come” according to:

Daniel 9:26

After the sixty-two “sevens”, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of “the ruler who will come” will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

“The king who will do as he pleases” according to:

Daniel 11:36

The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed , for what has been determined must take place.

“The Assyrian” according to:

Isaiah 10:5-7

Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of My anger, in whose hand is the club of My wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger Me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy to put an end to many nations.

And Micah 5:5b

….When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

New Testament Titles of the Antichrist

Some of the New Testament titles of the Antichrist are:

“The one who comes in his own name” according to:

John 5:43

I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not accept Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

“The man of lawlessness” and “the man doomed to destruction” according to:

II Thessalonians 2:3

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

“The Beast” according to:

Revelation 11:7

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

And Revelation 13

And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with then crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name……….This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

“The false prophet” according to:

Revelation 13:11

“Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.”

We need to remember that there are two Beasts according to Revelation 13, a political leader as well as a religious leader, the false prophet. They work very closely together under the Dragon, who is Satan.

The Characteristics of the Antichrist

The characteristics of the Antichrist are as follows:

He will be an intellectual genius according to:

Daniel 7:20b

- the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

And Daniel 8:23b

…. a master of intrigue will arise.

He will be a persuasive orator according to:

Daniel 7:20

….and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

And Revelation 13:2b

…and a mouth like that of a lion.

He will be a shrewd politician according to:

Daniel 8:25a

He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior….

He will be a financial genius according to:

Daniel 11:38b

….a god unknown to his fathers he will honour with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.

And Revelation 13:17

So that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

He will be a forceful military leader according to:

Daniel 8:25b

…When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes…

And Revelation 6:2

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

And Revelation 13:4

Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?

He will be a powerful organiser according to:

Revelation 13:1

“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.”

And Revelation 17:17

For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.

He will be a person who unifies all religions according to:

2 Thessalonians 2:4

“He will oppose and exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

And Revelation 13:14b

He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

The Antichrist, a Jew or a Gentile?

Will the Antichrist be a Jew or a Gentile?

This leader will be the "Son of Satan" according to:

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (or seed) and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.

And Revelation 13:2b

The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Some believe this leader will be a Jew because of:

Ezekiel 21:25-27

O, profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose days has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban remove the crown. It will not be as it was. The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until He comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to Him I will give it.

Daniel 11:37

He will show no regard for the God (or gods) of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.

John 5:43

I have come in My Father’s Name and you do not accept Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

Others believe he will be a Gentile since he must be a prince from the Roman Empire, a Syrian according to:

Isaiah 10:5-7

And Micah 5:5b

….When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

At the end of the Great Tribulation, Armageddon will take place when Christ returns to deal with the Antichrist and to put an end to the Time of the Great Tribulation. After that the Millennium age will begin. The Church will not go through the Great Tribulation but will be raptured before that event will take place because the Church is not to experience God’s wrath according to:

1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Moreover, the Church will come back with Christ when He returns to earth according to:

Revelation 19:14

The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Chapter Ten