The Seventieth Week

 The Seventieth Week

Daniel 9:24-27

Daniel 9:24-27 (NKJV) 24 “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. 25 “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. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who 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. 27 Then 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. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

We previously examined the significance of this prophecy regarding the Messiah being cut off and the completion of 69 weeks. This timeline aligns remarkably with historical records, affirming that Jesus, who fulfilled this prophecy, was crucified around 33 AD. The evidence is compelling and reinforces the extraordinary nature of this prophecy.

Now, consider verse 26. Two things stand out. First, “The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” The prince who is to come is the Antichrist. However, be sure to note that it is the people of the prince and not the prince who destroy the city and the sanctuary. Second, war and desolations are determined until the end.

(The NKJV that I have quoted says it differently, but almost all translations have something more like what the NIV says, “The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”)

The phrase “The people of the prince who is to come” points to the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD and Israel in 135 AD. And as for the statement, “War will continue until the end,” Throughout history, from the time of Christ to the present day, we have witnessed an unbroken chain of wars and desolation. Not a single year has been free from conflict. This is exactly as Gabriel’s words said it would be.

Having established this context, let’s focus on the word “then” that opens verse 27. The wars and desolations precede the events prophesied in verse 27. These desolations have filled the 2,000 year “gap” that we have been living in while the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy waits to be fulfilled. Theologians call this “gap” the Church Age, while the Bible calls it the time of the Gentiles (Gentiles means Nations so another way of saying it would be the times of the Nations).

Let’s revisit the insights from verse 27, specifically what follows the word “then.” Gabriel states, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.” To clarify this, let’s examine how the New Living Translation (NLT) interprets verse 27.

Daniel 9:27 (NLT) The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

The ruler (prince) who is to come is the one the world knows as the beast or the antichrist. This person will make a seven-year treaty with Israel (the people). These seven years are the seventieth week of Daniel. The terrible deeds spoken of make up the Great Tribulation also known as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”

Both the Old and New Testaments contain many details about these seven years. Chapters 4 through 19 of the book of Revelation are about these seven years. The signing of the treaty that Daniel speaks of will mark the beginning of the seventieth week and will also reveal the “Beast.”

Over the centuries, many people have panicked, thinking this period of time had already begun or that we were in it. This happened with the Church in Thessalonica. Paul wrote to them to address this issue and we find his words in 2 Thessalonians 2.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains [will do so] until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Let’s look more closely at verses 6 and 7. First, verse 6 says that we know what is restraining him. And then, verse 7 says “He who restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

Wait! How do we know? Think with me. Jesus told us that we are salt and light. The Bible tells us that the world hates us because we reveal that their deeds are evil. Now, combine this with what we know of the Christian life. Romans 8 tells us if we walk by the Spirit we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Romans and Corinthians make it clear that we are made part of the Body of Christ by His Spirit. Combining these truths and others like them, it becomes crystal clear that the One who restrains is the Holy Spirit working in the Church.

Now consider another truth. Let’s review what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2 verses 2 and 3. 

We ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed,

This letter was addressed not only to the Church in Thessalonica but to all believers, including us today. Paul assures us that we can be confident the Tribulation, known as the Day of Christ, has not yet arrived. But how can he convey this certainty to future generations? The answer is clear: the Day cannot occur until the Holy Spirit withdraws, and the Holy Spirit will only depart when the Church is taken away. This assurance underscores the vital connection between the Church's presence and the unfolding of God's timeline. This is why in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul says:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

This does not speak of Jesus coming down to earth to set up His kingdom. This speaks of Jesus coming to gather His Church, His Bride, to Himself. He meets them in the air, not on the ground. He meets them in the air and takes them to be with Him. Later, at the end of the Tribulation, He will come down, defeat the Beast and set up His kingdom.

A chart of the timeline goes something like this:

I got this image of the internet and then lost the information on where I got it from. If it is yours, I apologize for not giving credit, and would ask you to let me know if it is okay to continue using it.

This is why we know that if we are still here, Jesus has not returned yet. 

How Lives Are Transformed

 How Lives Are Transformed

1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (NKJV) Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy traveled together for a while, and during those travels, they visited a place called Thessalonica. The letter of Paul to the Thessalonians tells a remarkable story of transformation and redemption. Verses says

1Thessalonians 1:8 (NKJV) For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.

God willing, we will examine this incredible transformation more closely later. But first, I want us to consider the transformation of the three men who sent the letter: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. We will spend some time with these three men, and through that, we will build our understanding and strengthen the foundations of our faith.

You may be wondering if God is working in your life, if God is transforming you, or perhaps you may be wondering if God has forgotten you.

When we think of Paul, we think of the great Apostle, the man whose letters compose a good portion of our New Testament. But he did not start out that way. He initially vigorously opposed Jesus and the Church. Today, we will consider God’s work in Paul’s life and his transformation, and I hope to cover Timothy and Silas later, assuming things proceed as planned. 

Let’s begin by reviewing a couple of things Paul said about himself.

First, when Paul told us about his background, He said:

Philippians 3:5-7 (NKJV) 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Paul was perfect. Of course, being a Hebrew, he went by his Hebrew name, Saul. In those days, the Jews had two names—a Hebrew name and a name used for the rest of the world. Saul’s Hebrew name was regal; he was named after the first king of Israel. His Greek name meant “little.” This is part of the reason some people say he was of small stature. Paul was a zealous, proud Jew—a Hebrew of Hebrews. In verse 7, he says these things were profitable for him. Living where he did in Jerusalem, these qualifications placed him among the elite, powerful, and wealthy. But, once he found Christ, look what he said, “I have counted loss.”

This term, loss, is incredibly important. The Greek word is “ζημίαν” (Zēmian). When I looked it up in the dictionary, the first definition given was “detriment.” Do you want to know what a detriment is? It is:

From Britannica and Oxford - causing damage or injury to

He was not saying loss in the sense that he missed these things. He is saying loss in the sense that these things hurt him. They were damaging. To say they were worthless or useless is not incorrect, but it does not convey the full meaning of what Paul is saying. Later, in verse 8, he talks about value when he says that compared to the value of knowing Christ, everything else is just garbage—yucky, stinky garbage.

For us, this lesson that Paul learned is essential. We all have backgrounds, and we are all proud. Our pride might be that we overcame our background, but it is still a form of pride. We may have a poor self-image and hate ourselves, but we still have pride. Pride is a part of being human. If you consider yourself human, know that you have pride. (Of course, for the smart aleck, there are exceptions, such as babies and those who might be severely disabled.) Whatever we are proud of, pride is a hindrance—a detriment.

In Paul’s mind, not only was his background perfect, he was successful. When he was explaining to the Jews in Jerusalem who he was, Paul said the following:

Acts 22:3 (NKJV) “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

Earlier in Acts, we see Gamaliel as a leader of the Jewish people when he cautions the Sanhedrin to think before killing the Apostles.

Acts 5:34 (NKJV) Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.

Paul was educated by the Rabbi, not “a” Rabbi, but “THE” Rabbi. Gamaliel is still famous among those who practice Judaism. He was and is revered as a man of wisdom. Paul had the best teacher and credentials anyone could have. He was as successful as a man can be in that he was precisely where he wanted to be.

He was active and involved in the life of the nation at the same time Jesus was. And he would have known about the proceedings when the leaders of the nation decided to kill Jesus. He was involved with the Sanhedrin when we first meet him in Acts. When the Elders and leaders of the nation stoned a man named Steven, Acts 7:57-58 tells us:

Acts 7:57-58 (NKJV) 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast [him] out of the city and stoned [him.] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Paul did everything within his power to stop the gospel until Jesus interrupted his journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. Acts 9:3-5 tells us:

Acts 9:3-5 (NKJV) 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It [is] hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Please notice two things about this passage. First, Jesus accuses Paul of persecuting Him. (I am pretty sure Paul was persecuting Christians.) And Second, Jesus says Paul is kicking against the goads.

These two things go together, and they, like pride, are part of us all. 

First, we all persecute Jesus before we accept Him. The Bible says,

Romans 8:7 (NKJV) Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

According to this passage, our flesh (our human will) considers God our enemy. We may not be in a powerful position like Paul, but our attitude can still be hostile toward Jesus. 

Along with this hostility, we all kick against the goads. We resist God’s work in our lives.

The oxgoad was a dangerous weapon, usually about seven or eight feet long and having an iron point. A goad could be used as a spear in a pinch. Judges 3:31 describes a judge of Israel who delivered the Israelites from the Philistines by killing six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. The usual use of a goad was to poke the backside of an ox to encourage it to pull a plow. If the ox complied, there was no problem. But, if the ox responded by lashing out with a hoof, it just bloodied itself—harsh, but it worked.

Paul knew the truth; he was fighting against it. If you read Acts, you will see that within days of accepting Jesus as his Savior, Paul was able to argue expertly from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. He knew the truth. He knew the Old Testament better than anybody else, and the Old Testament is about Jesus. Paul was fighting against what he knew, and by doing so, he was hurting himself.

We also can discern the truth, but often we resist. The Lord warns us of this repeatedly.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (NKJV) 11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son [in whom] he delights.

In Israel’s years in the wilderness, we see the results of resisting God’s proddings

Psalms 95:6-11 (NKJV) 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He [is] our God, and we [are] the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as [in] the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 When your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. 10 For forty years I was grieved with [that] generation, And said, ‘It [is] a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Paul surrendered to God and was transformed from a hate-filled persecutor to the one who gave his life preaching the gospel he once opposed. Surrendering to God is necessary for each of us. Another word that we can use in place of surrender is repent. Repentance or surrender is an act of a moment, but it changes everything. It transforms our lives. Just as one country surrenders to another in war, surrender is the act of a moment in time, but it changes everything, so it is with surrendering to God. As long as we refuse to surrender, we kick against the goads. We hurt ourselves.