The marvelous book of Daniel is one of the most prophetic books in all of Scripture. When Revelation, a prophetic powerhouse in its own right, is studied alongside Daniel, amazing truths shine forth! Many have devoted countless hours trying to decipher the exact meanings of the metal man statue, the fantastical animals, and for the purposes here, the 70 Weeks Prophecy. Several interpretations abound but “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20). We must let the Bible interpret Itself. To do so, one must start by actually reading the text:
"Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the princewho is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. … he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” Daniel 9:24-27
It is clear that this whole section is talking about the same person, Yahushua. It does not make sense that in the middle of the text it uses a pronoun to start talking about someone different, the antichrist.
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WLC takes the Historical view when understanding the 70 Weeks Prophecy. In other words, the “Seventy Weeks” happened in the past in chronological order.1 To be clear, these prophetic 70 Weeks do not equal 70 weeks of seven literal days. According to Numbers 14:33 and Ezekiel 4:4-5, Prophetic Time is given in days but counted in years. Therefore, 70 Prophetic Weeks equal 490 prophetic days, which are actually 490 literal years. Thus, the Historical view of this prophecy is that 490 years were determined for the Children of Israel. The “going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” happened in 457 BC. See Ezra 7. During the first 7 weeks (49 years), Jerusalem was rebuilt and completed in 408 BC. Then 62 weeks (434 years) followed and at their completion, Yahushua was baptized in 27 AD, beginning His earthly ministry. During the 69th week or the last 7 years of the prophecy, Yahushua confirmed the covenant with the Children of Israel. His crucifixion 3 ½ years into the final 7 years in 31 AD, brought the end to sacrifice and offering (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38). Then at the end of the second 3 ½ years, with the stoning of Stephen in 34 AD, the time allotted for the Children of Israel was completed, the covenant fulfilled, and the Gospel went to the Gentiles. Yahuwah’s promise to Abraham was brought to fruition. His promise to Adam and Eve was carried out. He upheld His end of the bargain. Although not the thrust of this article, it must be noted that from this point forward in History, the Children of Israel were NO LONGER Yahuwah’s chosen people.
One would assume, after seeing this outline, that this understanding of the “70 Weeks” would be how all Christians would understand it. And if you were living in the days of the Apostles, you’d be right. The Apostles and subsequent remnants, like the Waldensians, held tight to this understanding. However, as the Papal system began to rise in power and authority over the world so, too, did their untrustworthy interpretations of Scripture. Daniel and Revelation prophesied the antichrist power would rise in religo-political strength. They controlled the belief system for the majority of humanity and kept the world shrouded in darkness for 1260 years – “times, time, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 12:14; much more on this here). There were pockets of true Christians spread abroad, like the Waldensians, who held on to Apostolic Christianity, and this came with heavy persecution from the Church of Rome.
As the time determined for Papal Rome’s control over the world began to wind down, the precious knowledge of their true identity as the little horn and antichrist power began to resurface. ALL of the Reformation leaders and believers knew and preached that the Roman Catholic System was the foretold antichrist power, even before the completion of the 1260 day/year prophecy in Revelation Chapter 12 and Daniel 7:25. Even Paul warns of “the man of sin…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshiped, so that he sits as Elohim in the temple of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) Queue the most vicious and deplorable organization. Queue the Jesuits. Rome knew that they could not allow this growing band of Protestant “heretics” to continue preaching the true Gospel if they wanted to remain in power. Thus the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits, was officially formed to combat the Reformation. The Dragon was truly enraged with the Woman. They went about the tearing away of Truth in several ways, with burning at the stake and torture being some of the most gruesome. However, more cunning and decisive measures were used as well, and they are still being used today and deceiving millions, even being used by Protestants themselves! A highly effective way to deceive is to teach lies and claim all other views are heretical. This is exactly the function of the Counter Reformation with the false teachings of Futurism and Preterism.
The plan to wipe out the Reformation with the death of “heretics” backfired. The more they killed Protestants, the more faithful believers grew. The Roman Church needed a way to intellectually distance themselves from being the “little horn” of Daniel 8, a fact all Protestants at the time were well aware of. Francisco Ribera, a Jesuit scholar, introduced Futurism in 1585. Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, one of the best known Jesuit apologists, helped to promote Ribera’s ideas. Ribera took the last week of the 70 week prophecy, split it into two halves, and applied it to the antichrist, rather than to Christ. He also placed this one week way into the future, as if the antichrist power would not be around until 7 years before the second coming of Yahushua. This is the “7 years of Tribulation” that people are always speculating about. Therefore, many have been deceived into waiting and watching for the antichrist while staring him right in the face! A flood of incorrect doctrines have come from this false teaching – the Secret Rapture, 7 years of Tribulation, a group of Super Jews who fight at the end of time after the Secret Rapture – just to name a few.
Futurism also required the creation of the State of Israel, which happened in 1948. Zionist and Jesuits are working together for a common deception. Because of their false interpretation of Daniel 9:27, they need a third temple to be built and abominable sacrifices to be reinstated in order to herald in a phony “antichrist” to be brought down by the REAL antichrist posing as the true Christ. It is the perfect crime against humanity because almost all of popular Christianity unknowingly embraces this counterfeit eschatology.
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The fact is Daniel 9:24-27 has already been fulfilled in its entirety, in the life and ministry of Yahushua and the subsequent death of Stephen, the first Christian Martyr.
Since they love confusion, Rome, however, was not finished with their faulty interpretations to eschew their true identity. There is a second false teaching surrounding the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, Preterism. Not long after Ribera concocted Futurism, Spanish Jesuit Luis De Alcazar wrote a commentary called Investigation of the Hidden Sense of the Apocalypse. He proposed that all of Revelation and Daniel applied to pagan Rome and “found no application of prophecy to the middle ages or to the papacy.”2 It is truly remarkable just how gullible people were/are to accept these two teachings. Futurism and Preterism were spread abroad and are now deceiving almost the whole world, even Protestants.
It must be noted that many publications aided this deception, namely the works of Margaret McDonald, Samuel Maitland, John Darby [known as the father of the modern Rapture], Samuel Tregelles, and Cyrus Scofield. Scofield was “greatly influenced by the writings of J. N. Darby, incorporated Futurism in the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible. First published by Oxford University Press in 1909, one million copies were printed by 1930. The Scofield Bible was instrumental in firmly establishing the Jesuit inspired Futurist interpretation in the Protestant Bible schools of the United States in the 20th century.”3
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Thus, the Jesuit Futurist lie spread through America’s Protestant Seminaries.
- Dallas Theological Seminary (a nondenominational Protestant school): Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952), a student of Cyrus Scofield, founded Evangelical Theological College (now DTS) in 1924, which is likely the most influential seminary in the United States today. Futurism, and the secret rapture (which they call the blessed hope), are covered in articles 18-20 of the DTS Full Doctrinal Statement.Some of the more well known alumni and faculty of DTS:
- John Walvoord (Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology, President of Dallas Theological Seminary from 1952 to 1986, Chancellor of DTS since 1986), author of The Rapture Question (1957), and member of the revision committee for The New Scofield Reference Bible.
- Chuck Swindoll (Insight for Living), President of Dallas Theological Seminary since July of 1994.
- Charles C. Ryrie (Professor Emeritus Dallas Theological Seminary), author of The Ryrie Study Bible, which has been characterized as the updated Scofield Reference Bible for the end of the twentieth century.
- Hal Lindsey, (hallindsey.com - hallindseyoracle.com) author of The Rapture: Truth or Consequences (1983), perhaps the best known prophecy author of the last 30 years. Sole credited Bible authority for Trinity Broadcasting's recent Futurist antichrist movie Omega Code.
- J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988), Through the Bible Radio series.
- Kenneth N. Taylor (former director of Moody Press, founder of Tyndale House Publishing), author of The Living Bible. Tyndale House publishes the hugely popular Left Behind Futurist series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
- Thomas Ice (Executive Director of the Pre-trib Research Center), Th.M. from DTS, co-founder of Pre-trib Research Center with Tim LaHaye.
- Renald Showers, Most High God: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel.
- Moody Bible Institute of Chicago: In 1890, C. I. Scofield began a Comprehensive Bible Correspondence Course, later taken over about 1914 by the Moody Bible Institute (Dwight. L. Moody, founder of the Moody Church, had converted Scofield, and Scofield preached and presided at Moody's funeral in 1899). [It is worth noting that Dwight Moody himself may have had nothing to do with this teaching.]
- Moody Press supplied Sunday School lessons to the Assembly of God churches about 1914, introducing Pentecostals to Futurism and the secret rapture theory.
- The Ryrie Study Bible, by Charles C. Ryrie, a graduate Dallas Theological Seminary, boasts 10,000+ study notes and is listed among the best selling books published by Moody Press.
- Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series, is the former vice president for publishing of Moody Bible Institute, and former editor of Moody Magazine. Currently he is Moody Bible Institute's writer-at-large.
- Western Theological Seminary (Reformed Church in America).
- Alma Mater of Tim LaHaye, founder of the Pre-trib Research Center, co-author of the Left Behind series of books, by far the most popular series promoting Futurism and the secret rapture, which has sold 20+ million copies. Published by Tyndale House, at least 12 titles are planned for the series. The film version of the first book in the series has been produced by prophecy authors Peter and Paul Lalonde of Cloud Ten Pictures. Released first on video cassette, and then in theaters in early 2001, people who have seen Left Behind say it is confusing, and lacks a Gospel presentation of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, making it of little (if any) evangelistic value, much like TBN's Omega Code and Megiddo (Omega Code II).
- Tim LaHaye School of Prophecy - opens in January 2002 on the campus of Liberty UniversityLynchburg, V.A., Dr. Jerry Falwell - Chancellor. Tim LaHaye says he was impressed by the prophecy conferences of Albury Park and Powerscourt held in Britain in the 1820's and 1830's and this led directly to his co-founding the Pre-trib Research Center. Edward Irving and J. N. Darby attended, and apparently greatly influenced, these 19th century British prophecy conferences where the secret rapture and futurism gained in acceptance among Protestant prophecy scholars.
Well known ministries teaching Futurism and the Secret Rapture:
- Trinity Broadcasting - perhaps the largest Christian TV Broadcasting Network, TBN has produced two futurist themed movies: Omega Code and Megiddo (Omega Code II). TBN also airs the following movies with end-times, secret rapture / futurism themes:
The Moment After - TMA Productions.
Two FBI agents investigate the reason for the sudden mysterious disappearance of millions of people.
The Gathering - DRC Productions.
Two unbelieving women and a believing husband have disturbing visions of the impending tribulation and sudden rapture of Christians.
End of the Harvest - Christiano Film Group.
A college student, who experiences strange dreams of a farmer harvesting wheat, reluctantly defends end-time Bible prophecy when another student fails to give the presentation to a group of die-hard atheists in a philosophy club. Subtly promotes spiritualism(communications from the dead).
- Jack Van Impe Ministries - Author of The Jack Van Impe Prophecy Bible and a verse-by-verse commentary on the book of Revelation entitled Revelation Revealed. On his TV program, Jack claims that God Himself has shown him the error of previous Bible interpreters and given him the absolutely correct interpretation of the book of Revelation. Producer of the following futurist-themed movies:
- Apocalypse I: Caught in the Eye of the Storm.
- Apocalypse II: Revelation.
- Apocalypse III: Tribulation.
- Apocalypse IV: Judgment.
- Jerry Falwell Ministries - heavily promotes the Tim LaHaye School of Bible Prophecy, which opened in January 2002 on the campus of Falwell's Liberty University.
- John Hagee Ministries - Offers the John Hagee Prophecy Study Bible, billed as "the only Prophecy Study Bible of its kind", with over 300 pages of Bible Prophecy study notes and having unique Bible Prophecy charts. John Hagee has strongly promoted the Left Behind books and movie with hour long infomercial TV programs.
- The King is Coming, World Prophetic Ministry, Colton, California, Ed Hindson President. Founded by Dr. Howard C. Estep (1916-1986), author of The Catching Away (1967). Committed to the literal interpretation of the Bible. Dr. Dave Breese, former President of W.P.M. and Teacher on "The King is Coming." referred to Scofield's margin notes when teaching the Futurist interpretation of Daniel's 70 weeks on The King is Coming. Contributed to the Tim LaHaye Study Bible, billed as "the most complete study Bible ever!". Tim LaHaye has been guest speaker for a series of programs on the "The King is Coming".
- Grant R. Jeffrey (Prophecy Online)
- Hilton Sutton World Ministries
- Zola Levitt - Zola Levitt Ministries "holds to a strictly literal and inerrant Bible interpretation, salvation through Christ alone, a soon pre-tribulation Rapture of all believers and the establishment of a thousand-year kingdom on Earth."
- John Ankerberg (Ankerberg Theological Research Institute), (Harbor Lighthouse)
- Perry Stone (Manna Fest), Founder and President of Voice of Evangelism Ministries Inc.
- Chuck Missler (Koinonia House). Questions Continue: The Great Snatch?
- Dave Hunt (The Berean Call) - author of A Woman Rides the Beast, remarkably enough, teaches the secret rapture and future antichrist.
(taken from Biblelight.net/antichrist.htm)
So, is all hope lost? Certainly not! Yahuwah’s faithful are preaching out against these false doctrines. Tried and true Protestants will always speak against popery. Joseph Tanner had this to say 100 years ago, even before the “deadly wound” was being healed in 1929:
So great a hold did the conviction that the Papacy was the Antichrist gain upon the minds of men, that Rome at last saw she must bestir herself, and try, by putting forth other systems of interpretation, to counteract the identification of the Papacy with the Antichrist.
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Accordingly, towards the close of the century of the Reformation, two of her most learned doctors set themselves to the task, each endeavouring by different means to accomplish the same end, namely, that of diverting men's minds from perceiving the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Antichrist in the Papal system. The Jesuit Alcasar (sic.) devoted himself to bring into prominence the Preterist method of interpretation, which we have already briefly noticed, and thus endeavoured to show that the prophecies of Antichrist were fulfilled before the Popes ever ruled in Rome, and therefore could not apply to the Papacy. On the other hand the Jesuit Ribera tried to set aside the application of these prophecies to the Papal Power by bringing out the Futurist system, which asserts that these prophecies refer properly not to the career of the Papacy, but to that of some future supernatural individual, who is yet to appear, and to continue in power for three and a half years. Thus, as Alford says, the Jesuit Ribera, about A.D. 1580, may be regarded as the Founder of the Futurist system in modern times.
It is a matter for deep regret that those who hold and advocate the Futurist system at the present day, Protestants as they are for the most part, are thus really playing into the hands of Rome, and helping to screen the Papacy from detection as the Antichrist. It has been well said that "Futurism tends to obliterate the brand put by the Holy Spirit upon Popery." More especially is this to be deplored at a time when the Papal Antichrist seems to be making an expiring effort to regain his former hold on men's minds. Now once again, as at the Reformation, it is especially necessary that his true character should be recognized, by all who would be faithful to "the testimony of [Yahushua]."4
These two Jesuit interpretations could not be more different; however, they were both created to be diversionary to the Protestant Reformation. No matter how improbable or contradictory these two interpretations may be, they have successfully fulfilled their purpose in deceiving almost all of modern Christianity.
In what could only be described as a stunning reversal, Protestants have over time actually become the papacy's greatest ally by spreading its Jesuit spawned propaganda. What irony that Protestants, who originally broke away from what they clearly recognized to be the harlot antichrist led church of prophecy, now champion the Futurist interpretation from high profile global ministries. Futurism has without doubt, been successful beyond the wildest dreams of its Jesuit authors. The same can be said for the Preterist interpretation of Luis De Alcazar, although to a lesser degree.5
Papal Rome is the little horn, the antichrist power, the drunken harlot, the blasphemous seat of the man of sin. Almost all of Christendom has lost this precious Truth and is being steered off course. Think of how popular Pope Francis is today. The world loves him. Be not deceived, Beloved of Yahuwah. Find yourself covered in His Shadow. Be prepared, keep the Commandments, and have the Testimony of Yahushua, for the Dragon is wroth and time is short.
1 There is absolutely no Biblical precedent for dividing the 70 weeks up and postponing the final week to some point in the future. The prophecy was given as one timeline.
2 http://biblelight.net/antichrist.htm
3 Ibid.
4 From Daniel and the Revelation: The Chart of Prophecy and Our Place In It, A Study of the Historical and Futurist Interpretation, by Joseph Tanner, published in London by Hodder and Stoughton, 1898, pages 16,17.
5 http://biblelight.net/antichrist.htm
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