Mark of the Beast may be only 2 1/2 years away

[Esaias]

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
(Rev 13:11-18)

I'm going to make a few observations here:

1. The mark is instituted by the SECOND beast, not the first beast.

2. The first beast is generally understood by most if not all historicists as representing the Roman Empire, or at least the Roman political/secular system.

3. The second beast has "two horns like a lamb", thus indicating a certain "lamb-like quality" to it. The lamb, in the Revelation, is Christ. The second beast then appears to be a sort of substitute Christ, a counterfeit, or what claims to represent Christ. Yet it "speaks as a dragon". Now, what this particularly refers to, this speaking like a dragon, I am not really getting into at the moment, but I think it is important to notice that most historicist commentators have simply assumed what a "dragon" would speak like. Or else based their ideas on medieval and Renaissance European folklore. I would simply remark that "dragon" in Scripture may not be exactly synonymous with the "dragon" of medieval folklore.

4. In any event let's look at "the mark". The mark is a sign or token, placed upon individuals, identifying them as belonging to the beast. It is placed in the right hand or in the forehead. It is distributed to all classes of persons, excepting none. It is accompanied with an ability to "buy and sell", that is, to carry on mercantile activities or trade or "business". Failure to have the mark results in an inability to buy or sell, that is, to carry on business or trade. It is identified with a name, and a number. The name and the number signify the beast, and the mark (being a representation of ownership by and allegiance to the beast) therefore is a symbol or sign of that name and number. In other words, the mark, the name of the beast, and the number of the beast are all connected, signifying the same basic thing - submission to the beast. There is however a distinction between the mark, the name, and the number: "...save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." They all signify the same essential thing, yet they are each distinct in themselves. A person might have the mark, OR the name, OR the number of the beast.

5. The mark is connected with worship:

And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(Rev 13:4-8)

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
(Rev 13:12-15)

So, in summary, we have an essentially religious system being put in place, which ostracises from society, and which persecutes and even kills those who refuse to participate in it. It is a worship not only of a created "image of the (first) beast", but is also worship of that first beast itself, and in fact is worship of the dragon. This worship is primarily characterised by fear, and a sense that the object(s) of worship here is/are "unbeatable", that nobody "can make war" with them. In other words, the worship essentially consists in being resigned to the belief that resistance is futile and ineffective. This worship and obedience/allegiance is symbolised by a mark in the right hand or forehead.

Now, this is in contrast to another mark that has already been mentioned in the Revelation:

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
(Rev 7:1-4)

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
(Rev 14:1)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
(Rev 3:12)

There are two marks in the Revelation, one identifying the servants of God and of the Lamb, and the other identifying the servants of the beast and of the dragon.

We read something very similar in Ezekiel:

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
(Eze 9:4-6)

In Ezekiel, a symbolic mark was placed upon those who were faithful to God and who were not in agreement with the corruption that had befallen the nation. The judgment of death that was to go through the city was to pass over those who had been marked as belonging to God. In Revelation, the same basic concept is presented, the plagues are stayed until the servants of God are marked, and thus the plagues fall upon those not so marked (as in Ezekiel).

Both marks are said to be in the forehead, although the mark of the beast can also be in the right hand. What does this signify?

Scripturally, the right hand symbolises power and activity. Christ on the right hand of God means Christ is the agent through which God operates, through whom His power is active and accomplishing things. Therefore, the right hand symbolises action and activity.

The forehead is the place in the front of the face, between the eyes. What is on the forehead represents that which is "before one's eyes", ie that which is always in remembrance and in thought, that which is in one's plain sight, and thus signifies thinking and belief and awareness and knowledge. Especially as it relates to the motives and direction one takes in life (ie one's choices):

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
(Psa 101:3)

So what we are seeing in the Revelation is a dichotomy, a comparison between two rival systems of worship and allegiance. God has marked His servants, and the beast has marked his.

We should keep in mind that John's vision is just that - a vision. He is seeing spiritual truths communicated to him via symbols. We should not expect a literal physical mark placed upon people's hands or foreheads, anymore than we should expect God's servants to have a literal physical mark placed upon them, or that there should be a literal seven headed monster rising from the Mediterranean Sea, followed by a large monster with lamb horns rising from the earth. Just as the beasts represent certain things, so do the marks.

(cont in next post)

[Esaias]

(cont from previous post)

So what do the marks represent? How would the early apostolics have understood the Revelation? The early Christians, remember, had a working familiarity with the old testament Scriptures. In reading about the servants of God being sealed in their foreheads they would have immediately recognised Ezekiel 9 and the mark being placed upon the foreheads of all those still faithful to God and standing in opposition to the abominations of false religion and apostasy that had swept through Judah. In reading about the beast giving forth a mark "in the forehead or right hand", they would have understood two things:

First, they would have immediately recognised a counterfeit marking. The beast is in opposition to God, therefore his mark is an evil copy of God's mark. In other words, the beast would be substituting something of his own in place of the thing signified by the mark upon God's people. There would be a parallel, one genuine, and one counterfeit. One of God, one of the beast, or of the dragon. The mark of God represented something identifying the people of God, and the mark of the beast represented something identifying the people of the beast that would be a copy of that which represented the people of God.

Second, they would immediately have recognised what a mark or token in the hand or forehead spiritually signified, based on a simple familiarity with the Law of God:

Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
(Exo 13:6-9)

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
(Exo 13:14-16)

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
(Deu 6:4-8)

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
(Deu 11:18)

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
(Pro 1:8-9)

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
(Pro 3:19-21)

The Law of God was to so envelop and saturate the lives of God's people, that it was described as wearing an ornament on the head and on the hand. That is, they were to adorn or decorate themselves with obedience to God and His ways. Their following God and obedience to Him and sole worship of Him was a mark of allegiance to and ownership by Him. God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, as expressed in His commandments, statutes, and judgements, as expressed though His revealed Word, was to guide His people's thoughts and actions.

Later on, the Pharisees would intentionally misinterpret these instructions to mean the wearing of literal "phylacteries" on the hand and the forehead. They attempted to obey these instructions by writing a verse or two of Scripture on parchment, rolling it up and stuffing it into a little box, and then tying that box to their forehead and hand. As usual, they strained out the gnat and swallowed the camel, and completely missed what was actually being commanded. The obedience, the actual doing of the will of God, was to be itself the token "on the hand and upon the forehead".

It should be pointed out that this token or mark or signet consisted of essentially TWO things, or rather was demonstrated in two aspects:

1. The rites of worship as established in the divinely prescribed liturgy. And,

2. The daily obedience to the various ethical and moral commands of God for human behaviour.

In other words, "religion and ethics", or "faith and practice". Both the rites of formal worship, and the day to day living, were to be in keeping with the instructions of God, glorifying Him and identifying Him as the worshipper's actual God.

With that in mind, we can discover two things:

One, the mark of the beast would be a counterfeit or substitute for the things God had previously identified as the marks or tokens or signets of His faithful people. Obedience to God's commandments would be replaced by obedience to the beast's commandments. The worship of God - as specified by God in His Word - would be replaced by worship of the dragon and of the beast and of the image of the beast, as specified by the beast through its proclamations. Just as the worship of God specified formal, corporate worship rites, so the worship of the beast would be in accordance with specified formal, corporate worship rites. Just as the worship of God specified rules for daily living and human relations, the worship of the beast would specify rules for daily living and human relations. In other words, the mark of the beast in the Revelation symbolises a beast-system of religious rites and ethics, put forward as an alternative or counterfeit or substitute for the faith and practice originally ordained by God and propagated through Christ's apostles.

Two, we can see that the mark of God in Revelation needed only to mention the forehead, and not also the hand, and we can understand why. The hand representing outward action, it was possible for unregenerate men to engage in outward action that appeared to indicate allegiance to Christ, yet inwardly being full of spiritual death. So, the true faithful servants of God would be spiritually characterised by the inner actuality of faithfulness. Their outward actions would of course conform to their faith, for "faith without works is dead", but the inward faith would be the key thing, because there are many who appear outwardly to be sheep but are inwardly ravening wolves. So the Revelation pinpoints the key determiner as being the mark of God in the forehead, to signify they are actually motivated by and directed by the faithful adherance to the Word of Christ ("before their eyes, between the eyes, forehead", etc).

And this teaches us something else, also: the mark of allegiance to the beast need not signify an inward faithfulness to the beast. The mark of the beast could be in EITHER the hand OR the forehead. Simply going along with the outward motions in conformity to the beast's law would be sufficient to constitute being marked as owned by the beast.

So, in conclusion, in reading Revelation, we would expect to see arise a religious system imitating apostolic Christianity, counterfeiting genuine Christianity, claiming to represent Christ, which put in place a substitute religion, replacing the rites and ethics of BIBLICAL religion with something else, different rites, different ethics, a different worship. This different, substitute, counterfeit religion, while claiming to represent the Lamb of God, would in fact constitute a worship of the (first) beast (the Roman system), and indeed of the dragon ("called the devil, and satan"). It would literally be devil worship masquerading as Christianity, propagating the worship of the Roman culture, system, religion, society, power, etc. It would be empowered by social ostracism and persecution and even murder, so that any who refused to follow this counterfeit Christianity would be shunned, outlawed, hunted down, and put to death. Participation in this false beast system could be accomplished merely by outward conformity to the rites and commands of the beast counterfeit system even without inward desire or "faithfulness" to it.

[Esaias]

One of the biggest problems is the fact that the singular future Antichrist and computer chip interpretative scheme is part and parcel of a larger scheme of interpretation called futurism. However, if futurism itself is erroneous, then the entire singular future Antichrist character and forbidden computer chip implants becomes largely a moot point.

So, is futurism the correct way to interpret Bible prophecy? No, and here are just a few reasons why:

Futurism is an approach to Bible prophecy that assumes that most if not all New Testament prophecy, especially Matthew 24 and the bulk of the Revelation, describe still-future events, which are to take place in a short period of time right before “the end” climaxing in the Second Coming. Futurism inserts a nearly 2000 year (and growing) gap in Bible prophecy, between the first century believers and the “end time believers” who are supposed to be the ones experiencing the fulfillments of prophecy. This is error, and is based on unproven, and unprovable, assumptions. There is no reason to believe that New Testament prophecy is reserved for a future short period of time, yet most of today’s prophecy teachers and students have bought that assumption without any critical examination of it. Both the Bible itself, and history, demonstrate that futurism is an erroneous approach to Bible prophecy. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation demonstrates a continuous historical fulfillment of prophecy, as history is nothing less than the outworking and the unfolding of God’s Divine Plan revealed through prophecy. Historically speaking, futurism was literally invented by Roman Catholic Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera in the 16th century, as part of the Papacy’s “counter-reformation” in an attempt to deflect criticisms of the Vatican which were the result of a continuous historical understanding of prophecy. Futurism is literally a psyop, a propaganda operation conducted by the Jesuit Society to convince anticatholic Christians that Bible prophecies did not in fact apply to the centuries old Papacy, but rather to a still-future “end time”. A proper Biblical approach to interpreting Bible prophecy, which is discovered by studying how the Bible itself interprets prophecy, renders futurism an impossibility. A single example will suffice to illustrate the point:

And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
(Genesis 49:1)

This is Jacob’s series of prophecies concerning each of his sons. These were to take place “in the last days”. Futurism insists that the “last days” is a yet-to-be future period of time immediately prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Yet, a brief perusal of these “last days prophecies” in Genesis 49 reveal that futurism is simply wrong in its approach to prophecy. The chapter identifies the various tribal allotments to be given to each of Jacob’s sons and their descendants in the Promised Land. It includes the fact that Levi and Simeon would be “divided in Israel”. Levi of course was not given any particular land inheritance but was divided throughout Israel to serve as priests and teachers. Simeon was essentially absorbed into Judah during the period of the monarchy. These prophecies came to pass during the Conquest under Joshua and the period of the Judges and the Kings. Yet they were supposed to take place “in the last days”. Obviously, the “last days” weren’t sometime in the 21st century or even further off in our future! Also, verse 10 speaks of the tribe of Judah maintaining the divinely granted kingship over Israel until the arrival of “Shiloh” (universally understood as a reference to Christ). Again, this was fulfilled from the time of David up to the time of Christ, yet is called “the last days”.

The point is, Bible prophecy simply is not what futurists say it is. Bible prophecy does not say nor does it teach what futurism claims it says or teaches. Bible prophecy itself follows a pattern of continual historical fulfillment, as we saw in the Genesis 49 example above. Prophecy is given, and begins to unfold, and continues to unfold over centuries and even millennia. The “last days” is not a specific time period in our future (some 2000 years after the last book of the Bible was written) but instead refers to a period in which prophecies find their culmination and fulfillment. Thus, John is able to say that he and his fellow first century Christians were in “the last time”:

1 John_2:18.. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Notice, he knew they were then – 1900 years ago – in “the last time” because of the appearance of antichrist, which he explicitly states is a plurality (not a singular individual). Futurists are expecting to know they are in the “last time” when “The Antichrist” appears, yet the apostle stated this was happening already 1900 years ago!

[Esaias]

Singular Antichrist. Futurism presupposes a singular end time individual known as “The Antichrist”. However, the concept of the singular antichrist is a largely Catholic (Jesuit) invention included as part of Francisco Ribera’s Jesuit futurism. The futurist inserts this Antichrist character into Jesus’ Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24, even though Jesus made no mention of “The Antichrist” nor does He even mention any particular “Antichrist” individual. The Bible uses the term antichrist only four times, all in John’s epistles. Here they are:

1 John_2:18.. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1 John_2:22.. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John_4:3.. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 John_1:7.. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

According to the Bible, “antichrist” is anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ, or anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. The “spirit of antichrist” is any spirit that does not confess Jesus is come in the flesh. And most importantly, as expressed in the very first reference to “antichrist”, there are many antichrists. The Biblical antichrist is not a future singular individual. According to the Bible itself, antichrist is a group, collection, band, company, or class of persons holding to heretical beliefs about Jesus, and was present already in the first century.

[Esaias]

“Tribulation” and the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. The futurist view of “Tribulation” is that at some point in the still-yet-to-be future, there will be a period of 7 years (some say only 3 and a half years) of intense suffering, cosmic disturbances, global calamities, persecution, etc, known as “The Tribulation”. Some divide the Tribulation into two parts, a 3.5 year “Tribulation” followed by a 3.5 year “Great Tribulation”. All of them presuppose the time frame (either 3 and a half years or seven years) is determined by correlating Daniel’s prophetic Seventy Weeks and certain time statements in Revelation. Then, Matthew 24 (the Olivet Prophecy of Jesus Christ) is brought in and is inserted into that time period. This is erroneous for several reasons. But namely, because Daniels’ Seventy Weeks was completed during the ministry of Jesus Christ:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, 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 threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore 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 the 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 9:24-27)

The prophecy identifies a time period of “seventy weeks” as being determined upon Daniel’s people and upon the holy city Jerusalem. The purposes for this prophetic time period are listed as: to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Daniel is then told that from the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto Messiah would be 69 weeks. 69 weeks is literally 483 days (69 weeks X 7 days). The commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given centuries before Messiah, so obviously the time frame is not a literal 483 actual days. Rather, the time frame concerns prophetic days, where one day of prophecy corresponds to one actual year. This is known as the Year-Day Principle in Bible prophecy interpretation, and is denied by futurists even though when it comes to Daniel’s Seventy Weeks they use it. The Year-Day Principle was established by God in Numbers 14:34 when He determined that Israel was to remain in the wilderness for forty years, corresponding to the forty days in which the spies searched out the Promised Land but brought back an evil report and caused the people to lose faith in God’s promises:

But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
(Numbers 14:32-34)

The Principle is reaffirmed by Ezekiel:

Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about. Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it. (Ezekiel 4:1-7)

When applied to Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, the 483 prophetic days, corresponding to 483 actual years, brings us to the time of Jesus’ appearance in Galilee and His life and ministry. The prophecy says “after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself.” The Seventy Weeks were given in three sections including a first Seven Weeks, then Sixty Two Weeks for a total of 69 weeks unto Messiah the Prince (Jesus). It identifies Messiah being cut off at the end of the Sixty Two Weeks, which take place after the first Seven Weeks. Thus Messiah is cut off at the end of the 69th Week. Messiah was cut off when He was crucified, which means the 69 Weeks occur before the Cross. Since ALL 69 weeks occurred without interruption or “gaps”, there is no reason to believe that the 70th and final week should be separated from the previous 69 weeks by a 2000 year (and growing) gap.

Daniel’s Prophecy also specifies that the city would be destroyed by “the people of the prince to come”, they would destroy both the city and the sanctuary. This is stated in direct connection with Messiah being cut off. According to Jesus and the Gospels, the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed by a coming invading army, and the sanctuary itself would be destroyed so that “not one stone would be left upon another”, as a direct consequence of their rejection of Him and their crucifying Him. This was fulfilled in the year AD 70, when the Roman armies under Titus besieged Jerusalem and destroyed both it and the Temple.

The prophecy also specifies that “he” would confirm the covenant with many for one week. Futurists assume this “he” is the future Antichrist character, making some yet-to-be seven year peace treaty. However, as we have already seen, there is no future, singular “Antichrist” character in Bible prophecy. So then who is the “he”, and what covenant is being confirmed? The covenant is THE Covenant that is always being talked about in the Bible – God’s Covenant with His people. It is not “a” covenant that is being confirmed, but THE covenant. Christ did indeed confirm the Covenant. He did this by His life and ministry, and especially by His death, resurrection, and by pouring out His Spirit upon the Judeans, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. All of which occurred within the three and a half years of His ministry, and the three and a half years after His Ascension, by which time the Gospel had been spread to the Gentiles. The prophecy says in the midst of the week He would put an end to sacrifice. When He was crucified, 3 and a half years into His ministry (in the midst of the Week), the veil in the Temple was torn and all Levitical sacrifices ceased to have any efficacy as regards to atonement. He put an end to sin and transgression and brought in everlasting righteousness. Over the next three and a half years, the Gospel went to the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. Thus, the last and final 70th Week of Daniel was fulfilled by the time the Gospel had been given to and accepted by the Gentiles as a representative people group.

In Revelation, the first beast from the sea is said to enjoy a reign for “forty two months”, which is three and a half years (half of seven). This is the basis for the futurist view of the “Great Tribulation” section being three and a half years. But assuming this they ignore the Year-Day Principle, which would instead lead the Bible student to understand the beast’s reign to comprise 1,260 actual years. 42 months is 3.5 years, or 1,260 days. Applying the Year-Day Principle suggests the beast’s reign would be 1,260 prophetic days, which would be 1,260 actual years. So the time of trouble in which the beast was running rampant is a long time, filled with persecution of the saints along with numerous trials and miseries afflicting society. It is no coincidence that the period of actual Papal power and persecution of Bible-believing Christians lasted literally 1,260 years. Space does not permit an exhaustive inquiry into the identification of the beast, the mark of the beast, the significance of the number 666, and related subjects. However, an understanding of the Biblical antichrist, and the Biblical Year-Day Principle, and the meaning and significance of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, effectively rules out the possibility of practically any common futurist interpretation of the “tribulation”. Tribulation must then be understood within a different framework, a Biblical framework.

[Esaias]

Olivet Prophecy applied to a future tribulation period. This has already been touched on before, but it is important to note that futurism assumes that Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 is about the “end time tribulation period”, when such is simply not the case. Jesus describes the events heralding the impending destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of Rome, which occurred in AD 70 exactly as He prophesied. For example, the futurist assumes that the “abomination of desolation” in Matthew 24 is some idol or other repugnant event placed in a future temple by a future Antichrist character. But is that what the abomination of desolation is?

Luke 21 gives a parallel account of Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24. Luke’s account begins thus:

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
(Luke 21:5-7)

Matthew’s account begins thus:

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
(Matthew 24:1-2)

So we can see this is the same event, and the same discussion. Now the abomination of desolation passage in Matthew reads thus:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
(Matthew 24:15-20)

Here is Luke’s version:

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
(Luke 21:20-24)

Matthew has abomination of desolation, fleeing to the mountains, woe to the pregnant and nursing mothers, etc. Luke has Jerusalem surrounded by armies, fleeing to the mountains, woe to the pregnant and nursing mothers, etc. Clearly, the parallel in Luke to Matthew’s “abomination of desolation” is “Jerusalem surrounded by armies”. The abomination that makes desolate standing in the holy place is the presence of the uncircumcised heathen Roman armies surrounding and then entering Jerusalem with their idolatrous flags and ensigns and then desolating the city. This was fulfilled in AD 70 during the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem. It is not some yet-to-be future event, but has already been fulfilled as Jesus said it would.

The Olivet Prophecy contains mentions of cosmic disturbances, such as the moon turning red as blood, the sun going black, stars falling from heaven, etc. Futurism unfortunately does not properly interpret these signs by allowing the Bible itself to do the interpreting. Consider the fact that Isaiah 13 is the prophecy of the Medes conquering and destroying the Babylonian Empire, which occurred during Daniel’s time. Part of that prophecy includes this statement:

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
(Isaiah 13:9-10)

This is prophetic language, used in prophecy to describe the Divine punishment being meted out upon a nation under God’s judgment. It is NOT describing actual literal cosmic disturbances. Notice also that the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes is described as “the day of the LORD”. Terms like “the day of the LORD” and descriptions of cosmic disturbances are misinterpreted by futurists because they have not studied how the Bible itself uses those terms. We have already seen this in regards to terms such as “antichrist”, “the last days”, and “the abomination that maketh desolate”. Futurism uses these and other terms in ways the Bible does NOT, and futurism does NOT use those terms the way the Bible DOES. Which in simple terms means futurism is NOT BIBLICAL.

[Esaias]

Conclusion

There are numerous additional errors in futurism's view of "end times prophecy", but it is not necessary to go through them all. Those errors are for the most part due to the errors already discussed above, they grow out of them and follow from them. Futurism is not a valid Biblical approach to Bible prophecy, because its presuppositions and foundational structure is simply contrary to what Scripture itself actually says. It is a method of prophecy interpretation that the Bible itself does not follow. It has a known history stemming from a Roman Catholic Jesuit propaganda campaign launched during the Reformation in order to introduce confusion and error. Futurism as a system of interpretation makes predictive claims which are either clearly false when compared to Scripture, or which are unfalsifiable (that is to say, cannot be tested at all) because they involve wild speculations about future events. The Bible itself shows that history is the outworking of prophecy, and therefore the proper approach to Bible prophecy is that of a continuous historical interpretation. Prophecy is, and always has been, relevant to all of God’s people no matter in which century they lived. There are no 2000 year gaps of total prophetic silence to leave God’s people without prophetic guidance for two millennia! And yet this is what futurism asks us to believe. God however asks us to believe His Word. Prophecy has been fulfilled across numerous centuries and millennia, constantly proving its Divine origin, constantly providing comfort and hope and guidance to His people, and constantly demonstrating that JESUS CHRIST, Who is none other than JEHOVAH GOD OF THE BIBLE, ALONE, IS THE ONE TRUE GOD, and that all other gods are dumb idols.

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
(Isaiah 46:9-10)

[Esaias]

Too many want to "study Bible prophecy" and they start with Revelation. And naturally either get all confused or all deceived, usually both.

The study of prophecy should begin with Genesis, and follow the unfolding of the Divine Plan through the OT, to the numerous fulfillments recorded in the Gospels. New Testament prophecy is an expansion on OT prophecy, providing more details. The two are not separate themes, separate books, etc. One God, of both Testaments, with One Plan, revealed in both Testaments.

The more familiar you are with the OT and it's overall message, the more Revelation will seem like an old familiar friend when you read it.

The Oneness doctrine ties into this as well: the identity of Jesus Christ, and just exactly why He came in flesh, died and resurrected, and takes up residence within His people, are primary keys to understanding prophecy. It teaches us there is a unity, not just a continuity, between the OT and the NT. God did not change His mind, nor His Plan, from OT to NT. The same God who called Abraham is the same One who declared "before Abraham was, I AM."

Trinitarians and Arian's, etc often think "The OT is Father dealing with Israel, but the NT is the Son dealing with everybody." Obviously, this thinking is fundamentally flawed at its foundational Theological beginnings, because Jehovah in the Old is Christ in the New. Unfortunately, many Oneness believers have borrowed trinitarian thinking and applied it to prophecy, by thinking God's Program in the OT has undergone a fundamental change in the New, almost as if there is one "God of the OT, but another God of the New."

An examination of the implications of Oneness truth to eschatology and prophecy will prove amazingly fruitful.

[BroGary]

Agree to disagree is not a cop out at all, just simply saying we do not agree on some understandings of scripture and it seems obvious neither of us are going to change so then it becomes a waste of time to simply rehash things with the same person.

Time will tell which view of prophecy is correct, when the 6th trumpet war happens, followed by an evil one world government which will make it mandatory to have the mark in a person's hand in order to "buy or sell" then it should be pretty obvious.

We are not going to change the world into a good place, we can only try to warn people of the necessity of obeying Acts 2:38 so individuals are ready.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by BroGary

Time will tell which view of prophecy is correct,

Time has already told that, you just don't want to see it, apparently.