Found here. Our comments in bold.
We previously commented on part four here. Part six and seven are here.
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The author quotes a bunch of Scripture, which gladdens our heart. It is so rare an event among so-called Bible teachers.But the problem is, the author fills in the gaps with his interpretations and speculations. He gives us no reason at all to believe or accept those interpretations and speculations. And in fact, they make no sense. It's like he made them up.
It's like a puzzle where the person is shoving pieces into place whether or not they fit. The author has a template, and all the evidence shall be made to fit, whether it does or not.
The worst thing is, in the end none of it is profitable. None of it applies to living a holy life. None of it contributes to worship, service, or evangelism. It's all empty, without meaning or spiritual profit.
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I. WHAT IS THE TRIBULATION?
The Tribulation also called the Day of the Lord (e.g. Joel 2, Zech 14, Isa 30), (Let's quote the verses:
Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
So this prophecy is for 70 weeks of the future history of Israel. A week here is not a week of 7 days, but of 7 years. So 70 weeks of years, 490 years of Israel’s future history, although not 490 consecutive years. (??? It's statements like this that first caused us doubt pre-trib ideas. How can there be a period of time that must be broken up into sections in order to fit the doctrine? So we are forced to regard the weeks as figurative so that they can equal 490 years, then we have to assert they are not consecutive.
I. WHAT IS THE TRIBULATION?
The Tribulation also called the Day of the Lord (e.g. Joel 2, Zech 14, Isa 30), (Let's quote the verses:
Joe. 2:31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.Zec. 14:7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or night-time — a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.Is. 30:25 In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill.
The day of the Lord is a single day, the Last Day, not a seven year period.)
the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jer 30:7), (Sigh. Let's quote it:
Je. 30:7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.
Again, a single day.)
and the 70th week of Daniel, is mentioned first in Daniel 9. (Our defining moment came when we considered the Last Days, and in particular, the Day of the Lord, or the Last Day [see below]. We have come to understand that the Last Days commenced at Pentecost with the outpoured Holy Spirit [Ac. 2:17], and culminates at the Day of the Lord, the very last day of the Last Days.
So it is now our opinion that all of history from the day of Pentecost, and the events of Revelation, all occur during the Last Days.
The Last Days is the hope of the nations (Mi. 4:1-3), the time when salvation is available and He may be found (Is. 55:6). Salvation became available to every tribe, tongue and nation (Re. 5:9). It is the unique period of time when the Kingdom of God has been advancing (Mt. 4:17, Col. 1:13, He. 12:28, Re. 1:6).
The Last Days includes the establishment and growth of the Church (Ac. 2:41, Ep. 2:20) by the power of the outpoured Spirit, various tribulations and troubles, the rise and fall of nations and kings (Da. 2:21), and the call to maturation and unity of the true Church (Jn. 13:34), all taught by Paul (Ep. 3:16-19), John (1Jn. 3:11), and Peter (1Pe. 1:22). There will be apostasy (Lk. 8:13) and revival (Re. 7:9, Is. 2:2) all through the Last Days. There will be great evil (Ro. 1:28-32) and great harvest (Lk. 13:29). The Church will be a beacon of hope for the nations (Mt. 5:14), but still, false prophets will arise to deceive the elect if it were possible (Mk. 13:22).
The Last Days includes the establishment and growth of the Church (Ac. 2:41, Ep. 2:20) by the power of the outpoured Spirit, various tribulations and troubles, the rise and fall of nations and kings (Da. 2:21), and the call to maturation and unity of the true Church (Jn. 13:34), all taught by Paul (Ep. 3:16-19), John (1Jn. 3:11), and Peter (1Pe. 1:22). There will be apostasy (Lk. 8:13) and revival (Re. 7:9, Is. 2:2) all through the Last Days. There will be great evil (Ro. 1:28-32) and great harvest (Lk. 13:29). The Church will be a beacon of hope for the nations (Mt. 5:14), but still, false prophets will arise to deceive the elect if it were possible (Mk. 13:22).
We believe the Church will go through the Great Tribulation (Re. 7:14), which will be the final tribulation, the last of many that have happened throughout history. Just as in prior tribulations, the Father will preserve and protect those who are His [2Pe. 2:9], and He will deliver them.
We do not believe in a pre-trib rapture. We believe the rapture will happen on the Last Day, the Day of the Lord, and everything wraps up on that day. We believe the rapture happens as the first event of that day, when the Church will be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds (1Th. 4:17). We believe Jesus will receive His Church but continue on to earth to the Mount of Olives (Zec. 14:4). It will be an awful, terrible day (Is. 13:6-13). He will execute judgment on the nations in His wrath (Re. 14:19).
We believe the Last Day is still in the future, because He comes like lightning [Mt. 24:27], and the nations have not seen Him and mourned (Mt. 24:30).
Martha's reply to Jesus is indicative of what was believed 2000 years ago, contrary to current pre-trib thought:
Jn. 11:24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
The resurrection of the dead will be on the last day.
There will be a period of time where Jesus will reign, there will be a last great battle, the lake of fire, and then He will then judge the dead from His Great White Throne (Re. 20:11).
After this there will be a new heaven and a new earth (Re. 21:1), and the Holy City (New Jerusalem [Re. 3:12], the Bride [Re. 21:10]) will descend. This is where the river of life will be (Re. 22:1), and the throne (Re. 22:3). He will make all things new (Re. 21:5). It is done. Completed (Re. 21:6).
There is no need for vain speculation when it's really much simpler.)
Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
So this prophecy is for 70 weeks of the future history of Israel. A week here is not a week of 7 days, but of 7 years. So 70 weeks of years, 490 years of Israel’s future history, although not 490 consecutive years. (??? It's statements like this that first caused us doubt pre-trib ideas. How can there be a period of time that must be broken up into sections in order to fit the doctrine? So we are forced to regard the weeks as figurative so that they can equal 490 years, then we have to assert they are not consecutive.
What a nightmare.
So how about we provide a simple explanation, without all the contortions, hoop-jumping, and speculation?
In Daniel 9:25 we see the first 49 years described:
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem [ie 445BC under Artaxerxes, the Medo-Persian king, Nehemiah’s boss] to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks [ie, the 49 years of Nehemiah’s career].
Then we see the next 62 weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks [434 years], it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (49+434 totaling 483 years from Nehemiah to the Triumphal entry on 9 Nisan 30AD).
Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. [The Messiah will be killed] And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. [This happened in 70AD, by the Romans, so the future prince will be of the Romans, or what we call Italians, or Romanians, or Sicilians or perhaps the Vatican] Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Then in Daniel 9:27 we have the reference to the final and 70th week, which has not yet come.
And he [the future prince or antichrist] shall make a strong covenant with many for one week [of years, so a 7-year period], and for half of the week [3.5 yrs, i.e. the middle of the Tribulation, cf Revelation 11:2 42 months, 1260 days] he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
So, we have had 69 weeks (i.e. 483 years) of this prophecy – these are the 483 years from Nehemiah (the rebuilding of Jerusalem) – to Jesus (the anointed one being cut off.) And the 70th week is still to come … but when? (Oh my. What a mess. Vain speculation, piecing together of unrelated concepts, and an explanation that is very nearly impenetrable. All for what? Well, nothing. It helps no one to know this. It does not come to bear on our faith in any way. It is completely irrelevant.)
II. WHEN IS THE TRIBULATION?
No one knows, but it hasn’t happened yet. It commences at Rapture and ends with Armageddon and the glorious coming. (No, it doesn't.)
III. WHY IS THERE A TRIBULATION?
The Great Tribulation is the time for God to judge the world for rejecting Jesus, (No, it's not.)
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In this passage Daniel had just finished pouring out his heart to God regarding the sin of Israel and his own sin [9:20]. He was still in prayer when Gabriel came [9:21]. Gabriel delivered the message quoted by the author.
Gabriel said, As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given... [Da. 9:23]. An answer to what? Daniel's prayer of confession! We must interpret this in the context of Daniel confessing the grave sins of his people.
The angelic message is a time frame of 70 weeks decreed for Israel and Jerusalem to do these things:
- Finish the transgression
- put an end to sin
- atone for iniquity
- bring in everlasting righteousness
- seal both vision and prophet
- anoint a most holy place.
The interlinear translation reads as follows:
Transgression, to finish [shut up, restrain]; [for] your holy city, for your people... are determined seventy weeks; and to [also] bring in; iniquity, to make reconciliation; for sins, to make an end of [chatham, to seal up]; Holy Holy to anoint; and prophecy, vision, to seal up [also chatham]; everlasting righteousness.
Let's insert a few of what we think are clearer words into the text:
Seventy weeks are determined for Israel and Jerusalem, to shut up and restrain the transgression, to seal up sin, and to atone for iniquity; to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up both visions and prophets, and to anoint the Holy of holies.
This list of things for the 70 weeks is the answer to Daniel's confession. Israel must deal with its sin, and a number of things will result. While it is possible that some part of the passage is messianic, it more naturally applies to the nation of Israel being called to repentance and cast out its sin.)
In Daniel 9:25 we see the first 49 years described:
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem [ie 445BC under Artaxerxes, the Medo-Persian king, Nehemiah’s boss] to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks [ie, the 49 years of Nehemiah’s career].
Then we see the next 62 weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks [434 years], it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (49+434 totaling 483 years from Nehemiah to the Triumphal entry on 9 Nisan 30AD).
Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. [The Messiah will be killed] And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. [This happened in 70AD, by the Romans, so the future prince will be of the Romans, or what we call Italians, or Romanians, or Sicilians or perhaps the Vatican] Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Then in Daniel 9:27 we have the reference to the final and 70th week, which has not yet come.
And he [the future prince or antichrist] shall make a strong covenant with many for one week [of years, so a 7-year period], and for half of the week [3.5 yrs, i.e. the middle of the Tribulation, cf Revelation 11:2 42 months, 1260 days] he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
So, we have had 69 weeks (i.e. 483 years) of this prophecy – these are the 483 years from Nehemiah (the rebuilding of Jerusalem) – to Jesus (the anointed one being cut off.) And the 70th week is still to come … but when? (Oh my. What a mess. Vain speculation, piecing together of unrelated concepts, and an explanation that is very nearly impenetrable. All for what? Well, nothing. It helps no one to know this. It does not come to bear on our faith in any way. It is completely irrelevant.)
II. WHEN IS THE TRIBULATION?
No one knows, but it hasn’t happened yet. It commences at Rapture and ends with Armageddon and the glorious coming. (No, it doesn't.)
III. WHY IS THERE A TRIBULATION?
The Great Tribulation is the time for God to judge the world for rejecting Jesus, (No, it's not.)
and it is a time to give the Jews an opportunity to repent so that all the Jews alive at the time will turn to their Messiah. (No, it's not.)
This is seen in many passages – see for example Zechariah 12–14 and Romans 11. (There is nothing in the Zechariah passage about giving the Jews the opportunity to repent.
Neither is there anything about repentance in Romans 11. There is nothing about all Jews alive at the time. There is nothing about the tribulation. The author is in error.
We are at the end or our patience and will cease our commentary. This disaster of a presentation apparently is what passes for biblical scholarship. )
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