Curt Here...
So has the 70th week started? Well, the truth of the matter is I don't know for sure, but the evidence that suggests it might have started is quite compelling.
If you're familiar at all with Bible Prophecy then you are aware that there are 70 weeks which have been decreed for the nation of Israel in the book of Daniel. 69 weeks have already occurred and we are waiting for the final week, the 70th week. At the end of the 70th week Christ will return and we will enter the Millennial Reign. Here is a quick reference.
Daniel 9:24-27
24.
"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.
25.
"So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
26.
"Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
27.
"And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."
We know from vs 27 that the 70th week will start with the Anti-Christ making a 7 year firm covenant which will include the nation of Israel and the many. Once this agreement is started it will be approximately one week (or 7 years) until Christ returns.
We also know from vs 26 that the Anti-Christ will come from the people of the prince who destroy the city and sanctuary. This occurred in 70AD when the Roman Empire destroyed the Jewish Temple and the City of Jerusalem. So the AC will come from the Revived Roman Empire.
This is where it gets interesting, there is a current 7 year agreement between the EU and the nation of Israel. This agreement also includes many other nations. This agreement is called the European Neighborhood Policy or ENP. You can go to their website here.
http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/index_en.htm
This agreement started January 1st, 2007 and lasts for 7 years. It has a midterm review in 2010. The interesting part is that the ENP confirms an already existing agreement. This agreement is called the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership/Barcelona Process also known as Euromed. You can read about it here. http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/euromed/
This agreement was made in 1995 and it did not meet expectations. So, the ENP was drafted to strengthen and refine the Barcelona Process. The interesting part is that both agreements were authored by the same individual. His name is Javier Solana. He is currently the EU High Representative for Common Foreign Security Policy and is the front runner for the new position of Foreign Minister that was created under the Reform Treaty. The Reform Treaty will unite all of Europe under one system of government and truly revive the Roman Empire. You can read about this here. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/16/wbrussels116.xml
This new position of Foreign Minister will start once the Reform Treaty goes into effect on January 1st, 2009. The new position of Foreign Minister will be by far the most powerful position of office in the entire EU.
There is much more evidence to suggest that we may have entered the final week, including the number 666 being associated with Javier Solana multiple times. There is also a current push for peace in the Middle East which began with the kickoff of this process at the Annapolis Peace Conference in December 2007.
So are we in the 70th week? Again I don't know, if we are then a couple of things need to happen between now and the middle of 2010. We know from verse 27 above that in the middle of the 70th week the AC will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering. This means these things first have to begin in order for them to be stopped. We know that the Jewish Temple has not been rebuilt and sacrifices have not begun. Until this happens we are in a state of the unknown. If these things fail to happen all bets are off.
I also think, that by reading other prophetic passages of scripture there appears to be a strong indication there will be a period of false peace before the middle of the week. This is why I am watching the Middle East peace process very closely. President Bush and many of the worlds leaders are pushing for a comprehensive peace agreement buy the beginning of 2009 or before bush leaves office.
So, keep checking this blog as Mike and I will try to keep you updated with all the current news, and keep looking up.
Curt
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20 comments:
Very interesting. I am not sure of whether the 70th week has started or not but I do know that once the status of the temple mount is decided the we should see the Temple institute be given access to and allowed to use all of the pre existing, utensils, clothing and rituals to rebuild the temple and start the sacrifices. The Temple institute has now completed all of the furnishings and articles needed to do just that. They even have two corner stones prepared to use. The first corner stone having been stolen. I understand that training in the sacrificial rituals has ben ongoing and priests are trained to resume the sacrifical rites as proscribed by God to Moses. If the 70th week has not begun then in my estimation we are awfully close.
To anonymous,
I agree, I have heard exactly what you have stated that the Temple institute has gathered all of the necessary items needed to start sacrificies. They have also solicited a architectural team to draw up plans for the Third Temple. Everything that I have read leads me to believe they could begin sacrifices as soon as they get the okay. Some have even suggested that they would start sacrifices immediately while the Temple was under construction. I guess we will have to wait and see. Thanks for your comments.
Curt
Greetings Anonymous....
Thanks for posting.
I'd like to ask how you found us... more curious than anything.
We appreciate you taking the time to contribute to our discussion.
These are exciting times to be a believer.
Mike
So what we have right now is a possibility of a maybe that might happen sometime this year. At least that is what I have heard from listening to the various radio stations about the accord. Yes everyone whats it but it has not been agreed to by everyone. I'm thinking that verse 25 spells out that the accord would have to actually be completed before approval can be given. AM I not right? He (the antichrist) does not need to sign it, he only needs to approve it.
Ken,
Good to see you. Just for clairification, Vs. 25 is talking about the first 69 weeks and is predicting that there will be 69 weeks from Jerusalem being rebuit until the Messiah (Christ)is cut off (crucified). This has already occured when Cyrus the Great issued a decree to rebuild Jerusalem. That is when the 1st week started and the 69th week ended when Christ was crucified. We are waiting for the final week the 70th. I think the core of your question is does the AC actually have to complete a document or agreement to kick off the 70th week? My answer to that is yes I believe that he does. Vs 27 appears to be very clear when it says that "he (AC) will make a firm covenant". That is why the ENP that started in January of 2007is so intresting, as it has been completed and agreed to and has been in force for over a year. The peace agreement that so many world leaders are currently pushing for I believe is necessary to usher in the time of false peace before the mid-point of the 70th week, but in my humble opinion it is not the covenant. I could be wrong, so we will just have to wait and see.
Curt
let me get this right,you're trying to figure out how close we are to the second coming?
XX
Hi Connie,
Thanks for question. Let me start out by posting Vs 24 of Daniel 9.
24."Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.
As you can tell from this verse at the end of 70 weeks, there will be no more sin and there will be an everlasting righteous. These things can only happen with the second coming of Christ. The Bible never tells us exactly when Christ will return, but we are given signs, many signs. The 70th week being a huge sign. The whole point of my article was to ask the question "has the 70th week started", because the 70th week must be fulfilled before the second coming. I am not trying to figure out the exact date of the second coming, I am just trying to figure out if one of the major road signs is upon us.
One other thing I would like to add, I do not believe that if you know the day the 70th week has started that you can do the math and therefore predict the second coming. Here is a verse to support what I am saying.
Mathew 24:21-22
21. "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
22. "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
As you can see the days of the great tribulation will be cut short before Christ returns. How long? How many days, weeks, months? We don't know.
Curt
Hi Curt, your blog looks real good!
I would like to answer to your comment:
"As you can see the days of the great tribulation will be cut short before Christ returns. How long? How many days, weeks, months? We don't know."
My brother we do know!!... it is in
Daniel 12:11...
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days."
From the time that the Antichrist steps into the Temple and declared himself to be God at the midpoint of the 70th week the great tribulation will begin and will last exactly 3 1/2 years, that is when our Lord Jesus will return to earth with the Saints to the day that were rapture.
Your brother in Christ Jesus,
Myles
Myles,
Great to see you here, thanks for posting.
About your post Myles, you might be right, I need to look further into it.
The point I was trying to make with Connie is that I am not trying to predict the exact day of the second coming or the rapture of the church. I am just watching the news and reporting what is going on.
Talk to you soon Myles.
Curt
Myles,
Upon further review of the scriptures in Mathew and Daniel, I have come to believe that my original conclusion makes the most sense to me, and here is why.
Revelation 13:5
5. There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
and Daniel 7:25
25. `He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
We know that the length of the AC's reign and the length of the Great Tribulation are the same, which is 1260 days/42 months or 3 1/2 years. Correct?
We also know from Christ's words in Mathew 24 that even though these days are specifically numbered they will be cut short for the sake of the elect.
Mathew 24:22
22. "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
We also read that Christ returns immediately after the Great Tribulation, which remember has been cut short.
Mathew 24:29-31
29. "But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30. "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.
31. "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
So in my humble opinion the days of the Great Tribulation and the AC's reign are specifically numbered but Christ says even though they are numbered those days will be cut short for the sake of the elect. He will then return and gather the elect.
We don't know how many days, weeks or months he will cut short before his return.
Curt
Don't think that the Temple needs to be
built before sacrifices can begin,
See Ezra chapter 3.
Think of how this parallels the current
situation: Israel is surrounded by
enemies who don't want them to
begin sacrifices again, yet the Lord
"sets a table for them in the presence
of their enemies", and they begin
sacrifices before the temple is even
begun (v.6). It was an absurd situation
really,like today. Israel took control
of the city and the land back in '48,
yet they aren't allowed to pray on the
Temple Mount today. In fact it's
currently illegal to even "move one's
lips in prayer" there and the Moslems
actually enforce such a law !
We'll just see about that.
Yours truly
Paul
Paul,
I recently had this thought also, and I believe that you may be right. Ezra 3 is clear, sacrifices were started before the foundation was laid and before the Temple was built. It is not out of the question that we could see this happen again. I will post the scriptures for all to see. Good post Paul. Thanks for coming by.
Ezra 3:3-6
3. So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.
4. They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required;
5. and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD.
6. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, but the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid.
Curt
Hi there! Great and very interesting reading. I was wondering when is the first day of the seventh month? Could we see some action soon in Israel on the next 1st day of the 7th month? If we truly are in the 70th week - per a comment on this blog under a different title about Javier Solana and the ENP signed to come into effect on 1st January 2007 for 7 years. If all that is correct there certainly is not much time left!
Sharon
Sharon,
Please explain a little further with your concern for the 1st day of the seventh month. I am not sure what you may be referring to and I would love to learn.
I would agree that if we are in the 70th week, then time is short.
Curt
Hi Curt,
I was just wondering what the date will be in our calender for the next 1st day of the 7th month of the Jewish calender. It occurred to me that God has repeatedly used some dates to repeat certain actions eg 9th of Av for the destruction of the 2 temples, Kristall Nicht in Germany etc, so could this date be significant for the Jews in laying the new temple foundation? It followed on that if it is later in our year and the 70th week did start on 1st Jan 2007 we are already into the 2nd year with not much time left till the 3 1/2 years is up. So, the next equivalent of the 1st day of the Jewish 7th month for the Gregorian calender could see action in Israel in getting that corner stone laid! Just a thought.
BUT - what a time to be living! And to know our Lord Jesus is coming soon - is wonderful.
I am enjoying your research.
Sharon
Sharon,
What an interesting thought. I have not done a ton of research into dates and how they correlate to the Jewish calendar, but it would not surprise me one bit to see future fulfillments of Biblical Prophecy occurring on significant Jewish calendar dates. Thanks for the explanation.
Curt
Hi Curt,
I have been searching out the 1st of the 7th month - it is 1st of Tishri 5769 and this year in the Gregorian calender will be Tuesday 30th September. It is called Rosh ha Shanah, is the first day of the Jewish New Year and is one of the most important days in the Jewish calender. As one can imagine with new beginnings - a good day for laying a foundation stone for the new temple! A day to watch possibly?
Sharon
Sharon,
So the 1st of the 7th month is the same day as Rosh ha Shanah. Very interesting. I did not know that.
It would be very interesting if something were to occur on that day. Good research Sharon.
Curt
You wrote: 'If these things fail to happen all bets are off.'
Curt, what do you mean by this?
That the split 70th week from the other 69 weeks was a misinterpretation of the prophesy?
I was taught the suspended 70th week for the end time but I no longer hold this view.
Dan,
Thanks for your comment and question?
To clarify for you, if sacrifices and grain offering do not start by June 2010 so that the AC can put a stop to them, therefore fulfilling Daniel 9:27 then the ENP agreement can not be the covenant with many.
I still believe in a literal future 70th week. I believe 69 weeks have been fulfilled with one week yet to be fulfilled.
Is the the ENP the covenant that started the 70th week? I am still not sure, but time is quickly running out.
Curt
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