Revealing Eschatology.

http://www.twospiritshendora.com/articles.htm

http://www.twospiritshendora.com/Dating of Revelation Expanded.pdf

http://www.twospiritshendora.com/Preterist time texts.pdf

Preterist time texts.pdf

The Seven Assemblies of Revelation.pdf

http://www.twospiritshendora.com/Dating Revelation 1.pdf

http://www.twospiritshendora.com/Olivet Discourse 1.pdf

 I wish to state up front that I'm certainly not an expert in the field of science, history or archeology, but just a layman. But in my research in evolution, astrology, and Creation, I have found much evidence that refutes the old age creation, which hints of evolution, though one who holds this view may not realize it. I wish to present these findings to the readers out there to decide for themselves their views on this subject.
    Over the last 50 years, scientists who believe in a  6 day creation have made some very interesting discoveries and convincing arguments for a young earth and worldwide biblical account of the flood. A remarkable body of evidence refuting evolutionary notions has been assembled by creationist scientists. They demonstrate that several processes which formally were thought to require long periods of time actually occur rapidly, and testify to a young earth and recent creation.

   The most widely accepted theory of the universe's origin says that at one time all mass and energy were compressed in a “cosmic egg.” Then about 15 billion years ago the egg exploded creating the universe in a Big Bang. Supposedly, the explosion first resulted in radiation which later became matter. The evidence for the Big Bang consists largely of (1) detection of cosmic radiation reaching the earth uniformly from all directions. (2) Wave-length changes in the light emanating from stars (called red shifts), which suggests they are moving away from us and that the universe is therefore expanding. Evolutionists exclude creation by God because supernatural events fall outside the realm of “natural law,” which is what science deals with. But the Big Bang itself violates natural law. The law of physics states that matter and energy can “neither be created nor destroyed.” This is the first law of Thermodynamics, the law of conservation of energy.

  Thus, if evolutionists “allow” for a miraculous event (the Big Bang) beyond natural law, then it is logically “inconsistent” to exclude other events, such as “creation by God.” If there was a “cosmic egg” who put it there? The cosmic chicken? Scientists have always agreed that there is a “cause” for every effect. How then  can the greatest effect of all, the universe itself, have risen without a cause? One problem for the Big Bang is that explosion produces disorder. Example, a hand grenade thrown into a building does not create anything orderly, systematic, or harmonious as is seen in the universe. How can an explosion result in something as orderly as the solar system, with its orbiting planets?

  “Clusters and voids” present another problem for the Big Bang. Galaxy clusters are millions of light years apart. Why is there so much empty space between them? The Big Bang model does not give rise to lumpiness. This model assumes the universe started out as a globally smooth expanding gas. If you apply the laws of physics to this model, you get a universe that is uniform. Yet our universe with its lumps, clumps and clusters say otherwise.
 
  Earth is far from ordinary, and rotates every 24 hours. This keeps the planet evenly heated. Venus, although similar in size, rotates only once every 243 days. If we did the same, half our planet would scorch and the rest would freeze. The tilt of earth's axis of rotation gives us seasons; the northern hemisphere slants toward the sun in summer, away from it in winter. Without this tilt, temperatures in any region would be the same in July as in January. The planet would be much less habitable, and farmland less productive. The oceans absorb heat from the sun during the day, and release it at night, further stabilizing temperatures.

  The atmosphere also filters out ultraviolet light which would be deadly to life. And it burns up the meteors that approach earth every day; with a thinner atmosphere, they would all strike the planet. Oxygen makes up about 21 percent of our air. Without enough oxygen we couldn't breathe, and would have no ozone protective layer.  Yet with to much oxygen, the excess would burn up many biochemicals, adversely affecting life, fires would be abundant, and metals would quickly rust. Only 0.03 percent of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide, but its vital to plant growth and climate stability. Dramatically changing the concentration in either direction would be disastrous.

  Then there is our water supply, vital to life, and absent on other planets. Earth has a nice balance between oceans and dry land, but only because of our rugged topography. Without raised continents and low ocean basins, that is, if all terrain had a uniform elevation, then water would cover the earth to a height of over one mile. Then we have gravity. Without it, there would be no tides and rain wouldn't fall. The atmospheric gases would be lost, we and everything else would fly off the planet, and the earth would not revolve around the sun.

  Another factor, if earth traveled much faster, centrifugal force would drive us away from the sun, much slower we'd be drawn toward it. Then there's our magnetic field, which protects us from cosmic rays and solar winds. And there's the remarkable balance of living things. For example, if birds did not eat insects, keeping their population in check, insects would proliferate, and decimate the world's vegetation. More could be said, but clearly innumerable circumstances must be just right for earth to sustain life. Concerning the theory of evolution, Creation scientist Stuart Nevins put it well: “It is somewhat like supposing that Mona Lisa came into existence from globs of paint hurled at a canvas.” In other words it is all guesswork and theory. Unfortunately these theories to often become “fact” once brought forth and published.

  The sun is aging, it is not a constant. As it gives us energy, it loses that energy at 4 million tons per second. The math research, if accurate, and it is said to be, meant that  a hundred thousand years ago, the sun would have been twice its size, making life nearly impossible, if not impossible to exist, let alone millions of years. One hundred million years ago when dinosaurs were supposedly roaming about, the size of the sun would have extended well beyond where earth is today and then. In other words, at that time the earth would have been a part of the sun, where obviously it would no longer exist as a planet. This alone, if correct, shatters the theory of the alleged age of our planet and evolution's theory.

  Comets were presumably formed at the same time as the solar system (about 5 billion years old). But they disintegrate considerably as they orbit near the sun. Some comets have been observed breaking apart. So how could they last for 5 billion years? Research shows by comparing the number of meteorites in the earth to the rate at which they fall, it can be roughly estimated concerning our planet's age. The scarcity of meteorites, they found, suggests that earth is only several thousands of years old. They are found only in very recent uppermost terrain. If the earth's layers slowly formed over millions of years, as evolutionists say, they should be full of meteorites.

  Also, Helium leaks through the earth's crust at a measurable rate and enters the atmosphere, and the helium in the atmosphere comprises only a small fraction, five parts per million. Some helium escapes in outer space, but it must overcome gravity's pull, and cannot escape as quickly as it enters. The problem becomes then that there should be a lot more helium if the earth is billions of years old. A research study of the “Helium flux through the atmosphere” makes a strong case that helium accumulation limits the earth's age to about 10,000 years.

  Another research study found these facts. The earth is a giant magnet, that's why compasses work. In 1967, a study found that the magnetic field's intensity had decreased by 7 percent since first being measured in 1829. The report predicted that if the decay continued at the same rate, earth's magnetic field would vanish by the year 3991. So this tells us that the field was previously stronger. Therefore, if the planet is billions of years old, the magnetic field would have been impossibly high in ages past, making life utterly impossible. A model by researchers shows how, even taking possible fluctuations into account, the magnetic field limits the earth's age to roughly 10,000 years.

  An intriguing theory by creationist scientists research has proposed which involves a black hole cosmology, with a bounded universe, an initial water mass, and Einstein's theory of general relativity. This cosmology allows for a literal six day creation in the frame of reference of the earth (which is taken here to be somewhere in the vicinity of the center of the universe), thus allowing sufficient time for star-light (light traveling at a 186,000 miles per second) to have traveled distances of billions of light years in order to reach the earth today. It also allows for an expanding universe and red shifts such as are observed today. This theory offers a viable alternative to the Big Bang theory, and solves the longstanding problem of “light travel time” in a recent creation of the universe.

  An entirely legitimate question is how we could possibly see stars millions and billions of light years away if the earth is so young? Part of the reason creation scientists have in seeking these answers is drawn from good science with a belief and understanding of the Bible. This answer is drawn from important clues from the Bible, while applying general relativity. The result is a universal model that differs from the Big Bang models in two essential respects. First it does not assume the so-called cosmological principle evolutionists stand by, and second, it invokes or brings in inflation at a different point or time in cosmological history.

 As noted,the most widely accepted theory of the universe's origin says that at one time all mass and energy were compressed in a “cosmic egg.” Then about 15 billion years ago the egg exploded creating the universe in a Big Bang. Supposedly, the explosion first resulted in radiation which later became matter. The evidence for the Big Bang consists largely of (1) detection of cosmic radiation reaching the earth uniformly from all directions. (2) Wave-length changes in the light emanating from stars (called red shifts), which suggests they are moving away from us and that the universe is therefore expanding. Evolutionists exclude creation by God because supernatural events fall outside the realm of “natural law,” which is what science deals with. But the Big Bang itself violates natural law. The law of physics states that matter and energy can “neither be created nor destroyed.” This is the first law of Thermodynamics, the law of conservation of energy.
 
  The Big Bang principle is the assumption that the universe has no edge, boundary or center, therefore an expanding and open universe. This assumption allows simple solutions of Einstein's equations of general relativity. And these solutions form the basis of all Big Bang models. But there is growing observational evidence that this assumption is simply not true. A recent article in the journal “Nature” for example, describes an analysis of galaxy distribution to large distances in the cosmos that contradicts this crucial Big Bang assumption.

  Therefore, if instead the cosmos has a “center” then its early history is “radically different” from that of all Big Bang models. Its beginning would be that of a massive black hole containing its entire mass. Such a mass distribution has a whopping gradient in “gravitational potential” which profoundly effects the local physics (its immediate areas), including the speed of clocks or time. In other words “effecting time itself.” Clocks near the center of the black hole would run much more slowly, or even be stopped during that earliest portion of the universe history's creation. Since the heavens on a large scale are isotropic from the vantage point of the earth, the earth must be near the “center” of such a universe. Light from the outer edge of such a universe, at its center of its early creation would reach it (the earth) in a brief time as measured by clocks. And in regard to the “timing of the universe's inflation,” this creation model has inflation occurring “after” stars and galaxies form( see Gen. 1-14-19, the making of the heavenly bodies on the 4th day: Sun, moon, stars, and beginnings of time).

  It is worthy to note here, that recently two astrophysics groups studying high red shift type 1A supernova both concluded that cosmic expansion is greater now then when these stars first exploded. The article in the June 1998 issue of “Physics Today” describes these as “astonishing results” which has caused “quite a stir in the astrophysics community.”

  It should not be so surprising for the Bible repeatedly speaks of God “stretching” out the heavens. “O Lord my God, you are very great---stretching out heaven as a curtain” (Ps. 104-1-2). “Thus says God the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out” (Isa. 42-5). “It was I who made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with my hands, and I ordained all their host” (Isa. 45-12).

  It is commonly claimed that there were “many” ice ages, however evidence shows that one ice age appears much more likely. This is seen by the advance and retreat of a single ice sheet, where there are seen “drift-less areas” showing “no evidence of glaciers at all,” as in southwest Wisconsin. This strongly weighs against multiple ice ages, and against evolution and the fossil record. For nearly all of the extinctions of large mammals occurred after the last ice age. Therefore, how could they have survived multiple ice ages over a 2-3 million year period, and then go extinct after the last one?

  Most scientists agree and have calculated from evidence found that the last ice age occurred about 10,000 years or so ago. Which agrees with all the facts and evidence given by many scientists in different fields and books written on these subjects, that the earth is certainly not much older than 10,000 years or so. Which is the approximate date given of the last (one and only) ice age. And certainly not as many claim as being billions of years old.

  When God created the universe he brought it into full operation as if “it had existed for many years.” The various parts of the universe, the stars, the animals, and the first man and woman were given an apparent age, even though they were created in a moment of time. We are told that in 2 Peter 3-3-6. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they willfully are ignorant of that by the word of God the heavens were (created) of old (given an age), and the earth standing out of the water and in the water (the waters above and below); whereby the world that then was (in Noah's time) being overflowed with water perished.”

  Was there a great flood? Evolutionists will allow for other catastrophes, like a big asteroid wiping out the dinosaurs, but the Flood, no way! During the 1997 Pathfinder Mission to Mars, “Science” reported that the first images found evidence and confirmed their suspicions that billions of years ago a great flood swept the region. Yet Mars is dry, it has no water except for tiny traces of water vapor in its atmosphere, and it has polar caps of undetermined composition. Nevertheless scientists say it once had “a great flood.” On the other hand, more than 70% of earth is covered with water, but a great flood here, nah, impossible! For after all that would agree with the Bible.

  Yet the Bible provides a rational explanation. The flood would have brought about eruption of the thousands of now dormant volcanoes as the Biblical “waters below” gushed out and “all the springs of the great deep burst forth.” The earth's interior is hot, with these volcanic eruptions, the springs of the great deep and the oceans would become much warmer. And warmer oceans mean more evaporation and precipitation. Thus causing the floodgates of heaven to open. The Bible says there was “water under” when earth was created, and when the flood came “all the springs of the great deep (the earth) burst forth.” We know springs yield water and deep sea exploration have revealed they are common to the ocean floor. And the Bible's description is one of great quantity and great force, most likely implying volcanic activity. Few volcanoes are active now, but thousands of extinct ones exist over every area of the globe. Thus the flood were from combined waters from above and below.

  Where did the waters go? The earth's original surface may have been relatively smooth. For the Bible says that after the flood, “the mountains rose, the valleys sank down.” The valleys sinking down would cause ocean basins to form. It also explains why mountains today have so many marine fossils. And where did the water go? Take a walk to the ocean, you'll be looking at it. Seventy two percent of the earth's surface is covered with water.

  As noted, the scientists who believe in the Biblical Creation by God draw their science research and conclusions based on their faith in God's word and important clues seen there. They have made some very interesting discoveries, which bring their views to be, at its creation, a bounded universe with an initial water mass, with the earth being created somewhere in the vicinity of the center of the universe we see around us today. Thus this would also allow sufficient time for starlight to have traveled distances of billions of light years to reach the earth today. Also it allows for an expanding universe and the red shifts that we observe today. This model also agrees with Einstein's theory of general relativity. Most importantly, their research shows that at its creation, at or near its center, that being earth, clocks would move very slowly, or even be stopped at that earliest time of creation.

  Where then this model allows for the timing concerning inflation, or “the stretching out of the heavens.” The second creation model has inflation occurring “after” the stars and galaxies formed. This is seen in Gen. 1-14-19, where on the 4th day is seen the making of the heavenly bodies. When looking to the scripture verses of the creation account, we can see an agreement given with the creation model that the scientist's research have come up with. This is confirmed by the Lord's word in different scripture verses given of the “Lord's stretching out the heavens.” This stretching out of the heavens scientists call inflation where light would take billions of years to reach us. Again, this can be seen in Gen. 1-14-19 where God made the heavenly bodies on the 4th day. The sun, moon and stars which began time. It began the time of the days, months, seasons and years as the context states.

  Gen. 1-1 to 2-1 gives us the creation account or phases of that creation that occurred in those six days. As we follow the Biblical account, we will apply the model that the creationist scientists have come up with to see how this model fits with God's creation account given us in Genesis.

  Gen. 1-1, “In the beginning God created the heaven* and the earth.” This creation marks the very beginning of the making of the material earth. This beginning creation therefore marks the creating of matter and energy that created the heaven and the earth.

  The Hebrew word for “heaven” is “samayim,” and is used in context to mean either singular, “heaven,” or plural “heavens.” Depending on the context, it is also used for “sky” where birds fly (Deut. 4-17). Where snow and rain comes from (Isa. 55-10; Joshua 10-11; Gen. 8-2). The meaning of “samayim”/heaven is seen in Gen. 1-7-8 where God made the firmament and divided the waters under the firmament from the waters above the firmament. And God called the “firmament” samayim/heaven. Samayim also represents the realm in which the sun, moon and stars are located. “And God said, let there be lights (sun, moon, stars) in the firmament (heaven/samayim) to divide the day from the night.” So since the word “heaven” in Gen. 1-1,8,14,15,17 and 20 by the context given speaks of heaven in the singular, it is best to see and follow the inspired word in that way. Gen. 2-1 gives us that sure indication, for there we read: “Thus the heavens* (plural) and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” We see here only “after the completion” of the creation is the word “heavens” given in the plural. For all was completed and seen as one whole unit. Where before its completion they are seen as separate realms as the context dictates to us. In this way we are given a clearer picture of these phases of creation in those six days.

  So when looking to Gen. 1-1, we see it as marking the very beginning of the making of the material world and its heaven. The creation model we are following states that the creation began at or near the universe's center. So here, this center or near center is seen as “earth and its immediate vicinity (heaven) thereof. So in this phase we would see “heaven” as not being the entire universe as such, but only the heaven in the earth's vicinity at the center of the universe in its beginnings.

  Gen. 1-2, “And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness (was) upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved (hovered over) upon the face of the waters.” Without “form and void”, Hebrew “tohu wabohu” means unformed and unfilled. This describes the condition of earth after the first act of creation, the creation of matter, energy and a water mass. This agrees with the creation scientist's model. “Deep” refers to the water covering the earth at that time.

  Gen. 1-3-5, “And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God saw the light, that (it was) good; and God divided (separated, stretched) the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. The “light” created here from the darkness and separated from, “the evening and morning,” God calls “Day.” The “light” created here is not the sun that gives earth the light of day, but a “light source” outside of the earth. This can be seen where God divided/separated this light source from the “darkness of the earth.” For the earth was still in darkness and without form at this time as is seen in Gen. 1-2. This agrees with the creation model that God separated/stretched out the heavens and the light far from the earth. The “lights” that were created on the 4th day seen in Gen. 1-14-19, the sun, moon and stars, is that which began the time; the evenings and mornings called “days” for us and the universe.

  Gen. 1-6-8, the second day. “And God said, Let there be a firmament (expanse/separation) in the midst of the waters, and let it divide (separate) the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament and divided the waters which (were) under the firmament from the waters which (were) above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” This firmament/expanse between the waters above and below would become the Seas below and the Clouds above which holds and brings water masses upon the earth. The firmament called heaven here by God is our sky and upper atmosphere that holds these waters above from the waters below. This agrees with the creation model of this beginning creation as having not only matter and energy, but a large water mass also.

  Gen. 1-9-13, the third day. “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven (on the earth) be gathered together unto one place and let the dry (land) appear; and it was so. And God called the dry (land) Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas; and God saw that (it was) good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed (and) the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed (is) in itself upon the earth; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, (and) herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed (was) in itself, after his kind; and God saw that (it was) good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.”

  On this third day we see the making of the Seas and the appearing of dry land. There we see the Lord's creation of vegetation on the earth as well. Though on this 3rd day the earth was still without the sun, the vegetation would survive, for the following day, day 4, the Lord would give the life source, the sun, it would require in order to survive. It should be noted here that evolutionists claim that “all plants and animals” developed over hundreds of millions of years from a single speck of life, originating “in the ocean.” But Gen. 1-20 speaks and confirms otherwise, for it not only dates the creation of marine life in “its 5th day”, but that they were created “after” the creation of the life of plants, grass and fruit trees, which were created “in the 3rd day.”

  Gen. 1-14-19, the fourth day. “And God said, Let there be lights (plural; context shows different light source divided and sent out from earth in Gen. 1-3) in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night (for the earth); and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven (our solar system) to give light upon the earth; and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; the stars also (he created). And God set them (placed them) in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide (separate) the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning was the fourth day.”

  This here again agrees with the creation model that the time of inflation which includes starlight as occurring “after” the creation of stars, which would then take millions of years for its light to reach us today. Whether we follow the separating or stretching out of the light or lights on the 1st or 4th day, it still agrees with the creation model, when applying and following the word of God with their principles and research.

  Gen. 1-20-23, the fifth day. Here we see God creating animal life in the sea and the fowls of the air. The fowls to fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven here is to mean our sky.

  Gen. 1-24-25, the sixth day. In this 6th day the Lord created living creatures after their own kind. In that same 6th day the Lord created  man and woman as we are told in Gen. 1-26-28. “And God said, Let us make man in our image ( In the image of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his (own) image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish (fill) the earth, and subdue it; and  have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

  Gen. 2-1, “Thus the heavens (plural; the universe) and the earth were finished and all the host of them.”

  Gen. 2-4, “These are the generations (its creation history) of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day* that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”

  Isa. 45-12, “It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with my hands, and I ordained all their host.”

  As noted, it is commonly claimed that there were multiple ice ages, with the last ice age occurring approximately 10,000 years or so ago. However it has been found that one ice age appears to be more likely by the advance and retreat of a single ice sheet during climatic changes. By evidence seen where there are “drift-less” areas showing no evidence of glaciers at all, as in southwest Wisconsin. Strongly weighing against multiple ice ages, as also does fossil and other archaeological evidence. The same can be said of the fossil and archaeological evidence found concerning human origin beginnings. All evidence found to date shows that mankind has only existed for 10,000 years or so ago, which agrees with the approximate time of the earth's ice age given by scientists in those fields of research.

  It is also commonly held that about 10,000 B.C. (about 12,000 years ago), a climate somewhat like today's began to return, and continued to persist. As the ice sheets and glaciers melted, the sea began to rise. But at the height of the ice age, the ice sheets covered almost one quarter of the earth's present land surface. In the northern hemisphere, they reached as far south as Berlin, London and Chicago. The huge quantities of water locked up in these ice sheets were no longer available to fall as rain (see Gen. 2-5).

  About 9/10,000 B.C. (about 12,000 years ago) the first evidence of man's origin is seen in the near east as the melting of the ice sheets released water that had been frozen, and increased over-all humidity.Releasing water in  the hills and mountains of the near east, the Zagros, Taurus and Palestinian uplands. The next evidence of man's origins is the sowing of cereals found at sites in northern Syria around 9,000 B.C. Shortly afterward, about 8500 B.C., the first fully domesticated cereals made their appearance at Jericho in the Jordan Valley. Jericho was a town of 10 acres, and was a farming village surrounded by a stone wall. By 7000 B.C., wheat and barley cultivation was widely established throughout the near east. From Anatolia to the Zagros mountains and spread shortly afterwards, to Greece and the Indus Valley.

  Farming was introduced to Greece and Bulgaria around 6500 B.C., and by 5500 B.C. Agricultural communities had grown up along the banks of the River Danube. From this point the spread was rapid, reaching the Paris basin in little more than 500 years (from 5300-4750 B.C.).

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A major argument between Preterists and Dispensationalists is the so-called "time gap" between the 69th and 70th seven of Daniel 9-26-27. Those who oppose, the Preterists, argue that it is not supported anywhere in scripture. Are they correct? If so this would make those who believe and insist in a time gap (the futurists) to be in error in their teachings, and rightly so. Yet if it can be seen and "supported by scripture", then the preterists would be wrong in their teachings, and rightly so. Therefore those who truely wish to find the Biblical truth, can see how vital and important it is concerning this major issue called the "time gap" of  Daniel's 70th seven. For the answer would have tremendous consequences on the teachings and doctrines of either the preterist or futurists' camps. In all fairness, it will be noted here that I do not hold to the majority of Full preterist teachings, nor do I hold to the majority of the Dispensationalist's teachings on eschatology. I hold only to the teachings of what God's Holy Inspired Word reveals, and hold to that only, the rest I discard. 

Full Preterists believe that the text of the gospel prophecies, particularly those found in the Olivet Discourse, and all Old Testament prophecy were fulfilled by 70 A.D. In essence  all prophecy seen throughout the scriptures. Whereas partial preterists believe that all but Christ"s second coming, the resurrection of the dead, and the gathering of the elect which accompany it have not yet occurred in history. Unlike full preterists, partial preterists place these things in the future.

Preterists also hold that all of the New Testament books were written prior to 70 A.D., including the book of Revelation. This is essential to their theory because if prophetic texts such as Revelation were written after 70 A.D. they could no longer assert that prophecies concerning such things seen there took place in 70 A.D.

Since Matthew 24 is so critical to the Full Preterist's argument and is the chief proof-text upon which its system rests, it becomes vital to determine if their interpretation of Matthew 24 is correct. Before we discuss Matthew 24 and related passages, we must talk about the eschatological anticipation of the Old Testament and the role it played with the Jews of Jesus' day concerning the coming of the Messiah. What kind of picture does the Old Testament, without the aid of the New Testament, paint for us concerning the coming of the Messiah? Second, what did the Jews of Jesus' day anticipate would occur when the Messiah came? The answers to these questions will accomplish two things: First, they will aid in our interpretation of passages like Matthew 24 because they will help us to understand how the disciples thought at that moment. This will help us understand what they meant when they asked, "When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matt. 24-3). We must always seek to understand the context by asking some key questions: Who is speaking? To whom are they speaking? About what are they speaking? In what manner are they speaking? How would their original audience have understood them?  We want to know what Jesus intended the disciples to learn from his words, and why Matthew included them in his gospel.  Matthew's theme in his gospel is that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah that brings the kingdom of heaven to earth and his intended audience is Jewish. Matthew's readers did not need Jewish customs explained, they knew all about them. Matthew intended for his Jewish readers to understand that Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Son of David, who brings the promised kingdom, but it is a heavenly kingdom, not an earthly one. The answers to these questions will help us to build the framework for addressing the more difficult issues posed by full preterism, to sufficiently recognize the distinction between what the Old Testament promised concerning the coming of the Messiah and what the New Testament explains about its fulfillment.

For the Jews of Jesus' day, the coming of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God meant "to the Jews" that the Messiah would rule from David's throne in Jerusalem bringing with it restoration, comfort and peace to the nation of Israel, and judgment to her enemies. Jesus' definition of the kingdom of God caught the Jews off guard. Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, Here it is, or There it is, because the kingdom of God is within (among) you" (Luke 17-20). They expected a literal fulfillment to the covenant promise God made with David and missed the point that what God had promised to David would find its complete fulfillment beginning in a "spiritual nation" under the New Covenant, the church (1 Peter 2-9-10). Ending in its complete fulfillment with the New Heavens and New Earth when God's judgment over all enemies is complete. (Revelation chapters 21-22).

The Davidic Covenant can also be seen in Jeremiah 31-31-40. We read in verse 31, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah;---." In verse 35 he promises that if the sun, moon, and stars cease to shine, only then will "the seed of Israel also cease from being A NATION before me forever." This is clearly to mean a "literal earthly nation of Israel." we read the fulfillment of this promise in verses 38-40: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord---." Like we read in Jeremiah, the Davidic covenant has these same promises in this New Covenant. The promise that Israel would never cease to be a nation while the earth continues, is indicated by the disciple's question, which they scripturally understood, that we read in Acts 1-6; "---Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Which is also the reason why Jesus answered their question in the way he did: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons (literal earthly times and seasons), which the Father hath put in his own power. But (meantime) ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you (then you shall understand); and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Note here, that Jesus did not give the disciples a direct answer to their question concerning the kingdom being restored to Israel. That the literal kingdom of Israel would not, nor would ever be restored to Israel. If that were to be he would have told them that then and there, but since they would "in time" become a literal nation again is why Jesus responded in the way he did. That "the time" of "when it was to be restored" was "in his Father's power only"; was the answer he gave the disciples. But meantime they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel throughout the world, in what we call the church age. God in his time would keep his promise of restoring them as a literal nation again, and we have seen that fulfillment in our time.  The time of this restoration would be fulfilled during the course of the church age and after the events of Luke 21-20-24 are fulfilled. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh" (v.20). We then read in verse 24, "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 TIME OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED."

It can be seen that at the time of the ascension of Christ, the disciples were not clear "how this promise of Christ's kingdom would be fulfilled." Thus their question was not whether Christ would bring in or restore the kingdom, but rather "when" he would "restore" the kingdom (a nation kingdom) to Israel. He told them that it was not for them to know the times (of this prophecy) set by the Father. In effect, Christ confirmed that the prophesied restoration of the kingdom of Israel would in time occur. The question asked Christ here is important to understand concerning "what" was to be "restored?" They were not asking for a "spiritual restoration," but rather the prophesied restoration of "Israel's return to their land as a kingdom again, predicted in the Old Testament." The disciples obviously had difficulty in understanding that prior to the restoration of Israel, the present age would need to be fulfilled to a point, in which Gentiles would be brought in; this being the church age. This question came up in the Council of Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 15. In solving the problem, James quoted the prophecy of Amos 9-11-12. James concluded that scriptural prophecy indicated that there would be a time of Gentile blessing before the restoration of Israel as a kingdom could be brought in. This of course, is exactly what has occurred to this present age.

We first need to note that Jesus prophesied that the temple would be destroyed in Luke chapter 21. Whereas Matthew chapters 24-25 and Mark 13 both contain a discourse which occurs later in the evening on the Mount of Olives, hence the name, the Olivet Discourse. Luke 21, while containing some of the same aspects, is significantly different from Matthew and Mark. The first difference is that the basic framework of Matthew and Mark is missing from Luke.  Matthew and Mark both possess sections which mention the beginning of birth pains, Matthew 24:4-8, Mark 13:5-8, the preaching of the gospel in the midst of persecution unto the end of the age, Matthew 24:9-14, Mark 13:9-13, and the section in Matthew 24:15-31, Mark 13:14-27, containing the clear sequence of ; 1. The Abomination of desolation, 2. The great tribulation, 3. the cosmic signs, 4. The coming of Christ, 5. The gathering of the elect. But Jesus' immediate response to the crowd recorded in Luke 21, occurred earlier in the day and not on the Mount of Olives.

In Luke, we have some description of those things which are described as birth pains in Matthew and Mark, but they are not designated as such. In Luke, we have persecution, but there is no mention that the gospel will be preached during this time of persecution for a witness " in all nations and then the end [of the age] will come. "The Abomination of Desolation, Daniel the prophet, the Great Tribulation, and the Gathering of the Elect are nowhere to be found in Luke 21. We do have mention of signs in the sun, moon, and stars, but not specifically what those signs will be. We also have mention of the Coming of the Son of Man. Also, there is no mention of the Discourse beginning on the Mt. of Olives in Luke. Jesus responds directly to the crowd speaking of a number of things including false Christs, wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and even great signs from heaven. He then talks about persecution for those who believe in Him. Then Jesus answers the question posed to Him concerning the destruction of the temple to the general public. He tells all who are standing in the temple court that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies that the destruction (of which He had just spoken) is near. Every person clearly understood what Jesus the Prophet from Nazareth was saying. In the not too distant future, armies will surround Jerusalem and the temple will be desolated. Jesus goes on to say that this will begin a dispersion for Israelites during a time period which Jesus terms "the times of the Gentiles". Note that these comments are unique to Luke.

We see in Luke that the sign they asked for concerning the destruction of the Temple was given. The sign being that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies. But then Jesus goes on to describe other events. After verse 24, the narrative continues. But there is a break in the text at that very point. The narration from verse 25 through 36 may very well be from a later point in time as Jesus is speaking only with His disciples. It is also possible that Jesus spoke these words in the hearing of the crowds as well. Either way, the main topic of this discourse was the destruction of the temple. The culmination is clearly seen  in verse 24. The main point still stands that Luke lays out Jesus' initial response as "occurring at the temple." Then "later on in the evening" when four of Jesus' disciples come to Him privately, the subject is slightly different. While we do not have the words in Mark, Matthew points out that the disciples are inquiring concerning "two things" which He had also spoken of throughout His ministry on different occasions. Those two things are His Coming and the End of the Age. The disciples' curiosity is peaked, for earlier they had heard Jesus speaking of those things in front of the crowds concerning the destruction of the temple. After this inquiry of his coming and the end of the age by the disciples, the response is what we know as the Olivet Discourse whose main subject is the coming of Christ not the destruction of the Temple since Jesus had already given those details in front of the crowds earlier.

Now at this point we shall begin to give scriptural evidence that can be seen concerning the "prophetic time gap" in the text of Dan. 9-24-27 itself. But first, following that the 70 weeks refer to 490 years, it is necessary to decide by what calendar and sequence the prophecy is to be measured. The possible interpretations of the calendar include the following:

--The Julian/ Gregorian calendar: Measurement of the new year from January 1^st is nowhere found in scripture therefore cannot be used.

--The Exile calendar: This calendar began the new year in Nisan in the spring and was in use at the time the decrees were issued. It is the same as the Persian reckoning of the new year and the reign of their kings. The Second Temple calendar at the time of Jesus also began the year in Nisan. Most likely the calendar of the seventy weeks.

--The diaspora calendar: This calendar began the new year in the fall month of Tishri. It does not appear as a calendar of scripture except indirectly. This calendar is incorrectly used in many interpretations of the seventy weeks.

--The prophetic year: A prophetic year of 360 days has been suggested as the method of reckoning of the seventy weeks. The "new year" would regress 5 to 6 days each year. This mystical year is not found in scripture, but only supported by a particular interpretation and comparison of passages in Daniel (Dan. 12-6) and the Revelation (Rev. 12-6;12-14;13-5).

The End of the Seventy Weeks.

The interpretations that include Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecy of the seventy weeks will be considered here as we continue. These all center around the crucifixion of Jesus in 30, 31, or 33 A.D.

The seventy weeks are given in the sequence of seven, sixty two, and one seven. The interpretations here to be considered take the first sixty nine weeks "unbroken," and without a satisfactory explanation of the seven and sixty two sevens. In the interpretation to be given using the Diaspora calendar the seventieth week is in sequence and divided by the crucifixion of Jesus in the middle of the week. In the interpretation using the "prophetic year" calendar, the sixty nine weeks end with Jesus being hailed as king five days before his crucifixion. The last seven years are then discontinuous until the future time of the tribulation preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The following dates have been suggested as pertinent to the chronology of Daniel's seventy sevens. They will be given in order to serve as potential reference points.
605 B.C. --Jeremiah's prediction of Judah's captivity. First captives deported to Babylon, Daniel being one among them.

587 B.C. --God's word came to Jeremiah promising the re-inhabiting of Jerusalem.

586 B.C. --Jerusalem fell, the first temple was destroyed, and most of the remaining Jews were deported to Babylon.

558 B.C. --Cyrus II (the great) became king of Persia and enlarged his kingdom to include Media (among others).

539 B.C. --Cyrus' general, Gobryas, attacked the Babylonians.
538 B.C. --Gobryas defeats Babylon, kills Belshazzar, & becomes king (a.k.a., Darius the Mede). During this time Daniel receives the "Seventy Weeks" prophecy, and the time Cyrus decreed an end to the Jewish captivity allowing the rebuilding of the temple.

536 B.C. --Foundations of the second temple were laid, thus ending the 70 year captivity (605-536).

458 B.C. --Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild temple.
445 B.C. --Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

The four decrees that are often discussed in relation to Daniel 9:24-26:
1. The decree from Cyrus in 538 BC. (see Ezra 1:1-4).
2. The decree from Darius in 520 BC. (see Ezra 5:3-7).
3. The decree from Artaxerxes to Ezra in 458 BC. (see Ezra 7:11-16).
4. The decree from Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 445 BC. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).

Now since these times are highly important to the prophecy of Daniel's seventy weeks, there is a need here to correct, if need be, the ascension dates on their thrones that would effect and concern the decrees and times given by them that we read in scripture concerning those times.

--Decree of Cyrus, 538 B.C.: In the 1^st year of Cyrus' reign, he issued a decree to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem and "rebuild the house of God." (2 Chron. 36-22-23; Ezra 1-1-4). Isaiah had prophesied that God would forgive Israel and that Cyrus would be the instrument of his forgiveness (Isa. 44-21 to 45-7). The sacrifices were re-instituted on Tishri 1, or September 17, 538 B.C. (Ezra 3-6). But the foundation of the temple was not laid yet. It was not until the 2^nd year of Cyrus' reign in the second month in 536 B.C. of their return to Jerusalem was the foundation of the temple laid. (Ezra 3-8 to 4-4). Ezra 4-5 tell us that the temple would not be built "until the reign of Darius king of Persia." (Ezra 5-5;6-1).

--Decree of Darius, 520 B.C.: The work on the foundation of the second temple began in the 2^nd year of Darius' reign (Haggai 1-1), completed on the 24^th day of the 9^th month (Haggai 2-18), or December 18, 520 B.C. The Persian governor objected and appealed to Darius. King Darius issued a decree to search for the decree of Cyrus which confirmed that he did allow the Jews to rebuild the temple (Ezra 6-1-12. Darius confirmed that Cyrus' decree related to the return of the Jews, and the rebuilding of the temple, not the city of Jerusalem. The temple was completed "in the sixth year of the reign of Darius," March 12, 515 B.C. (Ezra 6-15).

--First decree of Artaxerxes, 465 B.C.: To prevent the rebuilding of Jerusalem counselors were hired to petition the kings of Persia from the days of Cyrus until the reign of Artaxerxes. He became king at the death of Xerxes sometime by August of 465 B.C., or shortly after that. Since the decrees of Cyrus and Darius did not allow the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Artaxerxes stated, "So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that the city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me." (Ezra 4-4-23).

--Second decree of Artaxerxes, April 8, 458: Artaxerxes issued a second decree, but added to the decree of Cyrus it was to "adorn the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem." The king commissioned Ezra with authority to return to Jerusalem to bring civil and religious order among the people of the new community, along with finances to furnish the temple which the returned captives had rebuilt.(Ezra 7-11-27). The decree is dated as Nisan 1 in the 7^th year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7-8-9), or April 8, 458 B.C. The decree did not overturn his first decree that prohibited the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

--Third decree of Artaxerxes, April 13, 445 B.C.: In the month of Nisan in his 20^th year (Neh. 2-1) Artaxerxes issued letters (a decree) to allow the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem (Neh. 2-1-8). This decree overturned the decree of 520 B.C.

Here we shall give the two interpretations that the majority of Christians hold too.

The most conventional interpretation begins the seventy weeks, or 490 years with the 2^nd decree of Artaxerxes on April 8, 458 B.C. The Diaspora calendar is used in doing this, which makes the beginning of the year Tishri of 457 B.C. By this reckoning the first 69 weeks, or 483 years ends in the fall of 26 A.D. Where the beginning of Jesus' ministry is dated to that time, followed by three and a half years to his crucifixion. Where then the final seven years are marked in the middle by Jesus' crucifixion in the spring of 30 A.D. The following three and a half years end with the stoning of Stephen and the dispersion of the new church.

The difficulties with this interpretation include: The starting point that is followed with the second decree of Artaxerxes. The starting point should be from "a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem." The second decree of Artaxerxes was given in order that the temple be adorned and to have a civil and religious structure of laws to bring order to the community as a people and nation in order that they may grow and prosper. Artaxerxes' first decree was still in effect that prohibited the rebuilding of the city.

The use of the Diaspora calendar is not valid. The Jews and the Persians used a calendar that began the year in Nisan (March-April). Therefore the end of the 69 weeks would be in Nisan of 26 A.D. Which leaves a gap of 6 months until the proposed beginning of Jesus' ministry said to be in the fall of 26 A.D.

In following this Diaspora calendar dating they use, the beginning of Jesus ministry would be in the fall of 26 A.D., where Jesus' ministry ends three and a half years later in Nisan of 30 A.D., making it the 1^st half of the 70^th seven. But the Diaspora calendar used is not valid, the new year began in Nisan 26 A.D. Therefore the three and a half year ministry they follow falls short by 6 months, or the crucifixion of Jesus would have had to occur in the fall of 30 A.D., and scripture validates otherwise. So their proposed use of the 1^st half of this final seven cannot be validated.

The following three and a half years ends the 70^th seven which is the time of the stoning of Stephen and the dispersion of the church is also a stretch and assumption. The resurrection of Jesus followed by the first conversions of 3,000 (Acts 2-41) and 5,000 (Acts 4-4) would have quickly created a mix of joy, wonder or anger among those in Jerusalem. The murderous mood of the chief priests that led to Jesus' crucifixion was only heightened by the preaching of Peter, the apostles, and their many disciples. The Jewish leaders would not have allowed such a challenge to their traditional teachings to continue for a long length of time. The momentum the young church gained in the first months culminated in the death of Stephen, probably about six months later by the accounts given in Acts. That one to over three years might be included at this time for the growth of the church does not fit the context of events described in Acts chapters 3-6.

This second interpretation begins with the 3rd decree of Artaxerxes that allowed the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They date the decree as being Nisan 1, on March 5 of 444 B.C. The year is then calculated using a "prophetic year" of 360 days. The first 69 weeks equals 69 times 7 times 360, or 173, 880 days. This ends exactly on March 30, 33 A.D. That day was Nisan 10, the day of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matt. 21-9). Jesus was then "cut off" later in that week. The seven years of the 70th week are then taken up as that time yet future of the great tribulation. The problems with this interpretation includes:

The use of the Diaspora calendar is again used and dates the decree a year later. The decree is correctly dated by the Exile or Babylonian calendars from a Nisan new year being April 13, 445 B.C.

Their dating of March 5^th is to early for Nisan 1 to begin in 444 B.C. or any other year. Nisan 1 fell on April 3 in 444 B.C.

The "prophetic year" of 360 days is not supported in scripture. The use of such a calendar at the time of the flood is unwarranted. A 360 day year would cause a quick and rapid shift of the new year through the seasons to the same starting point about every 70 years. The required seasonal feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles would fall at the wrong time of year.

This interpretation, like the other, fails to provide a reason for the division of the first sixty nine weeks divided into seven and sixty two weeks.

All the interpretations of Gabriel's prophecy given to Daniel of the seventy sevens falls short of satisfying scripture and history.

In continuing, we read in Dan. 9-24, "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city." The Hebrew word for "determine" in this verse is "chathak" which means "to cut," to "cut from" or "cut off." In the same way that the word "cut"-"cut off" (Hebrew "karath") is used of  "Christ being cut off " in Dan. 9-26. Now for one to deny the Hebrew word "chathak" meaning to "cut" in Dan. 9-24 as not applying to the units of the 70 sevens; would also mean it would not apply to Dan. 9-26 where the word "karath" is used of Christ being "cut off;" for the two words have the same meaning. One cannot accept the word meaning in one verse, Christ being cut off in verse 26, but reject the word meaning in verse 24! You either reject both verse texts or accept both verse texts, for the meaning of these two Hebrew words given are the same. The proper exegesis is used when one uses the word meaning in both verse texts, and in doing so he may find the proper meaning and understanding to the prophecy of Daniel's seventy sevens.

So this tells us that the time determined or cut will be completed after these peculiar 70 weeks of years have been fulfilled. We see that Daniel is informed that 490 years of time were to be divided on his people and city. This time is composed of 70 units of seven years totaling 490 years. But "within" these 490 years of 70 units are specific points of division or time that may occur regarding these events given in the text, as the text indicates. That is there may be a time or "gap of time between" the fulfillment of one or more of these "units of seven." Then continuing to the beginning and fulfillment of the next "unit or units of seven" given in the text. These events then would allow us to hopefully find and establish the times involved of the prophetic time given to their fulfillment. Another indication that these 70 units of time are indeed "cut up" and the reason why the Lord had Gabriel use that word is seen in the way the 70 weeks were given Daniel. This is seen in Dan. 9-25, "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 troublesome times."

Now if the 70 units of years given were "not to be cut", why then would there be a need for Gabriel to state it in the manner he did? He would have stated, if the units were to be continuous;--from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince there shall be "seventy weeks---," would he not? Also if they were to be continuous, it would "--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" (Dan. 9-24). These things stated here continue to this very day and are certainly not fulfilled, which indicates that the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled and it was to be fulfilled in the manner it was given by Gabriel to be cut up, what we may call "time gaps" between events.

Gabriel came in answer to Daniel's prayer concerning his "people and Jerusalem." He then informs Daniel when this period of time given would start. We read that it is "from the going forth of the command (word) to restore and build Jerusalem." Gabriel then gives more specifics about this command and restoring of the city and Jerusalem. "---the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times." Daniel received the vision of the 70 week unit in the 1^st year of Darius, which was 538 B.C., and into the 68^th year of the Babylonian captivity. The 70^th year of Judah's captivity was drawing to a close. Jerusalem was in ruins and without walls and a temple. As we continue we shall see that the time of the 70 week units began with the 1^st decree given by Cyrus in 538 B.C.

Before continuing, we need to establish which of the decrees given in scripture qualified to be the commandment to "restore and to build Jerusalem." Isaiah gives us prophetic proof as to whom would be the one whom the Lord would choose to bring the prophecy to fulfillment. We read in Isa. 44-28, "That saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, thou shall be built; and to the temple, thy foundation shall be laid."

Of all the decrees to "restore and build Jerusalem," only one carries the authority of the word of God, the decree of Cyrus. This commandment was witnessed by the two prophets Haggai and Zechariah (see Zech. 1-16; Haggai 1-8). We read in Ezra 5-2, "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zarrubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them."

That very decree given by Cyrus in 538 B.C. which allowed the Jews to return and build the temple; the decree given by God through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah; and the decree by Darius in 520 B.C., confirming the original decree by Cyrus of Persia in 538 B.C. Here is where we have the time and decree mentioned in Dan. 9-25 that would begin the countdown and fulfillment of the 70 units of seven years.

In 538 B.C. Cyrus decreed the return of the Jews from their captivity and the rebuilding of the temple. By 537 B.C. A minority of Jews had returned and they began the building of the temple. It is in this year that the foundation of the temple was laid. But because of much hardship and persecution the temple was not completed until 515 B.C. (see Ezra chapter 6). By the end of this second year of the laying of the foundation, because of opposition, the work was forced to cease. So here we see that from the decree of Cyrus in 538 to 515 B.C. Nearly 23 years had gone by before the temple could be completed. Ezra chapters 5-6 tell us the details, that in the 6^th year of Darius the temple was completed (March 12, 515 B.C.). Darius began his reign in 520 B.C., and the Jews had laid the foundation in the 2^nd year of Cyrus' reign, which totals to 7 years in the temple's construction. Yet because of resistance it took nearly 23 years to fulfill the "1^st seven" of these seventy units of sevens. The 2 years of this first "seven" would be from 538 to 536 B.C. The time of their return to the laying of the foundation. The remaining 5 years of this first "seven" was from 520 to 515 B.C., totaling 7 years or one seven, with 68 sevens remaining.

Here we have the beginning of the fulfillment of the seven sevens and sixty two sevens with this decree given by Cyrus and Darius from 538 to 515 B.C., with this unit of time fulfilling the "1^st seven" of the 69 sevens; with 68 sevens remaining to be completed. The next decree scripture speaks of is seen in Ezra chapter 7, the decree from Artaxerxes given to Ezra in 458 B.C. (see Ezra 7-11-16).

This second decree of Artaxerxes was given in order that the temple be adorned and to have a civil and religious structure of laws to bring order to the community as a people and nation in order that they may grow and prosper. Artaxerxes' first decree was still in effect that prohibited the rebuilding of the city. But nevertheless this was an expansion of Artaxerxes' first decree and pertinent to the fulfillment of the units of sevens. For we must remember that the prophecy not only was for the building of the city but also for "your people" (Daniel's) and your holy city." Jerusalem could not be rebuilt without the proper establishment of the Jewish community as a people and nation. Ezra 7-9 tell us that he began his mission in the 1^st day of the 1^st month of 458 B.C. In the 7^th year of the king's reign. He arrived in Jerusalem on the 1^st day of the 5^th month. Ezra 10-17 tell us that what he went to accomplish was completed by the first day of the first month of 457 B.C., a year later. This first year of the 2^nd seven or remaining 476 years would be from the 1^st month of 458 to the 1^st month of 457 B.C.; leaving a remaining 475 years of the 69 sevens.

After Ezra's mission, he again returned to Jerusalem 14 years later in 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah chapter 8). The countdown of the remaining units of sevens (475 years) begin with the decree by Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2-1-8). Where a short time later in 444 B.C. Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding the city walls, which he completed a short while later. He then later returned in Artaxerxes 32^nd year (see Nehemiah 13-6), making this about 432 B.C. And stayed until he corrected all the problems spoken of in the chapter.

As noted, the "1^st seven" of the 69 units of sevens was fulfilled beginning with the decree of Cyrus in 538 B.C., being the time of the beginning restoration of the building of Jerusalem; at that time being the building of the temple. The 69 sevens amount to 483 years, minus one seven equals to 476 years or 68 sevens remaining of the 69 sevens to be fulfilled, where it is prophesied that after that time "Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself" (crucified). Now with this 1^st decree by Artaxerxes in 458 B.C. it would begin to fulfill the following units of the 68 sevens, minus the 1 year of 458 B.C., leaving a remainder of 475 years. Now beginning this countdown of the remaining 68 sevens or 475 years, it will be seen that it would continue with no interruptions or gaps of time as occurred in and with the first two units of these sevens. Then it may be seen that we have found the answer to the understanding of this highly debated and problematic prophecy of Daniel's seventy sevens.

Now beginning with the decree of Artaxerxes in the 20^th year of his reign, in 445 B.C. when he allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and confirm that he was sent by the king and during the time of Ezra's return and the completion of the wall is where the time of these remaining sevens begin. The wall was completed as we are told in Nehemiah 6-15 "--in the twenty and fifth day of (the month) Elul, in fifty two days." This would be Aug.-Sept. of 444 B.C. So from April 13, 445 B.C., the time of the decree, we would begin to count the remaining time of these 475 years to the point where "Messiah would be cut off," or crucified; bringing us to the end of the 69 sevens, with only the final seven to be fulfilled. In adding these 475 years to April 13, 445 B.C. We would come to April 13, 30 A.D. (0 B.C. would become A.D. 1, for there is no 0 B.C.). This time then would be seen as being the time that Jesus was crucified or "cut off." Chapter 17 gives the full details of Christ's birth ministry and crucifixion. The time of his crucifixion is given there as being Thursday, April 6, 30 A.D. Since we see a 7 day discrepancy given here between April 6, 30 A.D., Jesus' crucifixion to April 13, 30 A.D., noted as being the fulfillment time of the 69 sevens; this must be discussed in order to confirm the accuracy or inaccuracy of the fulfillment of these times.

For this confirmation we need to look into the dating system used of the beginning of their new year Nisan 1. The months began in the evening following "the first observation of the new crescent moon." The Pharisees would declare the month as the beginning of the new year once the new moon was observed at sunset. This was not the actual new moon, for it is invisible, but rather the first evidence of the disc that occurs about 18 hours later. Thus, the new year would not be declared until a day or two after the actual time of the new moon. That is there might be a one day delay if the weather obscured the skies for any length of time. In this system the new year and every month was declared by "observation" and not "calculation." So we see a delay of up to 72 hours in the declaration in the starting of their month and new year. But we when discussing a date that gives Nisan 1 as being the date of that time, it is an astronomically calculated date being given, while the actual observation of the first crescent of the new moon at that time was different; it was done observably rather than calculated where the "day date" would differ from the calculated date.

So we see there is at least up to a 3 day margin of error to be considered for any given year. Now in considering that 475 years of calculation have to be taken into account under the "observable system used" as opposed to calculated dates we use today, it is certainly not unreasonable to take this 7 day difference as being a margin of human error due to the observable dating calendar system that was used through those years. Nevertheless, it can be seen here how remarkably precise they were in the system they used when compared to what we have at our disposal today; only erred by a very small margin of time in those hundreds of years. Here I leave with the words of the Lord given in Isa. 1-18, "Come now let us come together and reason----."

Note how this fulfills the prophecy of the sixty nine sevens given Daniel to the time that Christ would be cut off or crucified. As prophesied we see from the 1st decree (commandment) by Cyrus, where in its fulfillment opposition occurred, ceasing that fulfillment; it would again require a decree (commandment) to "continue," or start the time fulfillment of the prophecy. This is seen each time the decree (commandment) or word is given in this prophecy. Exactly how the Lord gave it to Gabriel to give to Daniel: "Seventy sevens are determined (cut) upon "thy people and upon thy holy city,"---. Know therefore and understand from the going forth of the commandment ( the decree of Cyrus', and/or other decrees relating to it) to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself;--." (Dan. 7-24-26a).

The Evidence putting Daniel and related Prophetic Texts in their proper Exegesis.

"Seventy weeks (seventy sevens of years) are determined (cut) upon thy people (Daniel's people, Israel) and upon thy holy city (Jerusalem), to close the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make expiation for iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal vision and prophecy, and to anoint the holy of holies. Know therefore and understand: From the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah, the Prince, are seven weeks, and sixty two weeks (69 weeks of years). The street and the moat shall be built again, even in troubling times. And after the sixty two weeks (the 7 weeks and 62 weeks of years, and not after 69 and a half weeks, and into the 70^th week.) shall Messiah be cut off (Jesus' death at the cross), and shall have nothing(his earthly kingdom glory, Rev. 21-22); and (sometime "after" the 69 weeks of years) the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."

Not the mysterious coming prince himself, but the "people" of this prince that shall come; and not the people of the Messiah/Prince who was cut off, but the people of this mysterious prince that is yet to come here. The prophetic figure spoken of earlier in Dan. 7-7-8,20-21,24-26, who is seen in verse 27, the next verse.

It is this "people" that shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, which was fulfilled in the 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Roman "people," the Roman Empire. This after an almost 40 year gap from the expiration of the 69 weeks of years and the "cutting off" of the Messiah. Then we read,"And the end thereof shall be with an overflow, and unto the end, war the desolations determined. And he (the prince that shall come spoken of in the preceding verse) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week---," The final seven of the 70^th week of years, at an unrevealed time in history "after" the 70 A.D. destruction of the city and sanctuary. And certainly Christ, the Messiah/Prince never confirmed any covenant with anyone for a specific "seven year period" after 70 A.D., or at any other time; nor did Titus Vespasian. "--- and in the midst of the week (the midpoint of the 70^th week) he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease and because of the overspreading of abominations he shall make desolate even until the consummation and what is determined shall be poured out upon the desolate" (Dan. 9-24-27).

We see, according to Daniel, the destruction of Jerusalem takes place nearly 40 years "after" the end of the 69 weeks, and after the Messiah/Christ is cut off by death on the cross, and that "before" the start of the 70^th week, not "during" the 70^th week. Therefore the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. could not have been the fulfillment of Daniel's 70^th week. The 70^th week would have to be fulfilled sometime after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Further Evidence of the Seventy Sevens "Determined/Cut" given in Daniel.

The preterists and others who reject a "time gap" between the end of the 69^th week and beginning of the 70^th week when it would come to fulfillment can be seen when we apply this passage of Daniel with Luke 21-20,22 and 24. We read in Dan. 9-26, "And the people (Rome and its armies) of the prince* that shall come* shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (the temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D.) and the end thereof (of the temple and Jerusalem shall be) with a flood, and unto the END OF THE WAR (the) desolations (that) are determined." Now what is meant, AFTER JERUSALEM'S FALL of "until the end of the war and desolations that are determined to occur AFTER that period and length of that time?" Our answers to that are seen in the passages of Luke chapter 21. There we read:

(V.20), "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies (by Rome in 67A.D.), then know that the desolation thereof (the trampling of Jerusalem) is nigh."

(V.22), "For these be the days(times) of vengeance, that all things which are written (all prophetic scripture to be written) may be fulfilled."* Now its very important to note here that at the time Jesus prophesied this (in 30A.D.), "all prophetic scripture" (the New Testament), had not as yet been written.*

(V.24), "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." This passage in Luke 21-24 answers the prophetic passage given us in Dan. 9-26. "--unto the end of the war (the fall of Jerusalem and temple in 70A.D.) AND (also the) desolations (that) are determined." That time (time gap*) being between the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and fulfillment of the end of the "desolations" or trodding down of Jerusalem." Where as noted, history shows us the truth of this prophecy's fulfillment. Since the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Jews were persecuted and scattered worldwide and the desolations continued until they became a nation again in 1948, thus fulfilling that part of the prophecy. And Jerusalem was trodden down by the Gentiles until 1967, where then Israel recaptured the city in the 1967 Eight Day War; ending the time of the trampling down on Jerusalem by the Gentiles. This passage of Dan. 9-26, and Luke 21-20-22-24 involve two events, the world wide persecution of the Jews and the desolation and trampling of Jerusalem by the Gentiles until its fulfillment, and separated by a span of time. That span of time, or "time gap," being fulfilled when "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

This is why the disciples expanded their question to Jesus while on the Mt. Of Olives later in the evening after he had given the discourse given to his public earlier in the temple grounds given us in Luke chapter 21. Of the Jews persecution, the fall of Jerusalem, and trampling of Jerusalem "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled," (Luke 21-20-24); and time of his coming. ( Luke 21-27-28). The first part of the question "When shall these things be?" relates to what was asked earlier in the temple grounds by the disciples as is seen in Luke 21. But here in Matthew, later on the Mount, they ask, "When shall these things be? AND what shall be the sign of thy coming, AND of the end of the age?" Then Jesus goes on and gives his discourse of all the events that would need to occur to their fulfillment, prior to his second coming. "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21-28).

Matthew 24-29-31 speaks of the fulfillment of those times spoken of in Luke chapter 21: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."---"Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION (living then) SHALL NOT PASS, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth SHALL pass away (Rev. 21-1), but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24-34-35).

For the Jews of Jesus' day, the coming of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God meant "to the Jews" that the Messiah would rule from David's throne in Jerusalem bringing with it restoration, comfort and peace to the nation of Israel, and judgment to her enemies. Jesus' definition of the kingdom of God caught the Jews off guard. Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, Here it is, or there it is, because the kingdom of God is within (among) you" (Luke 17-20). They expected a literal fulfillment to the covenant promise God made with David and missed the point that what God had promised to David would find its complete fulfillment beginning in a "spiritual nation" under the New Covenant, the church (1 Peter 2-9-10). Ending in its complete fulfillment with the New Heavens and New Earth when God's judgment over all enemies is complete. (Revelation chapters 21-22).

The Davidic Covenant can also be seen in Jeremiah 31-31-40. We read in verse 31, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah;---." In verse 35 he promises that if the sun, moon, and stars cease to shine, only then will "the seed of Israel also cease from being A NATION before me forever." This is clearly to mean a "literal earthly nation of Israel." we read the fulfillment of this promise in verses 38-40: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord---." Like we read in Jeremiah, the Davidic covenant has these same promises in this New Covenant. The promise that Israel would never cease to be a nation while the earth continues, is indicated by the disciple's question, which they scripturally understood, that we read in Acts 1-6; "---Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Which is also the reason why Jesus answered their question in the way he did: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons (literal earthly times and seasons), which the Father hath put in his own power. But (meantime) ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you (then you shall understand); and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Note here, that Jesus did not give the disciples a direct answer to their question concerning the kingdom being restored to Israel. That the literal kingdom of Israel would not, nor would ever be restored to Israel, rather it would be a different kingdom. If that were to be he would have told them that then and there, but since they would "in time" become a literal nation again is why Jesus responded in the way he did. That "the time" of "when it was to be restored literally" was "in his Father's power only"; is the answer he gave the disciples. But meantime they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel throughout the world, in what we call the church age. God in his time would keep his promise of restoring them as a literal nation again, and we have seen that fulfillment in our time. As history shows, they became a nation again in 1948. The time of this restoration would be fulfilled during the course of the church age and after the events of Luke 21-20-24 are fulfilled. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh" (v.20). We then read in verse 24, "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 TIME OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED."

At the time of the ascension of Christ, the disciples were not clear "how this promise of Christ's kingdom would be fulfilled." Thus their question was not whether Christ would bring in or restore the kingdom, but rather "when" he would "restore" the kingdom (a nation kingdom) to Israel. He told them that it was not for them to know the times (of this prophecy) set by the Father. In effect, Christ confirmed that the prophesied restoration of the kingdom of Israel would in time occur. The question asked Christ here is important to understand concerning "what" was to be "restored?" They were not asking for a "spiritual restoration," but rather the prophesied restoration of "Israel's return to their land as a kingdom again, predicted in the Old Testament." The disciples obviously had difficulty in understanding that prior to the restoration of Israel, the present age would need to be fulfilled to a point, in which Gentiles would be brought in; this being the church age. This question came up in the Council of Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 15. In solving the problem, James quoted the prophecy of Amos 9-11-12. James concluded that scriptural prophecy indicated that there would be a time of Gentile blessing before the restoration of Israel as a kingdom could be brought in. This of course, is exactly what has occurred to this present age.

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Who is Mystery, Babylon the Great?

The book of Daniel, more than any other book in the Old Testament revealed very specific prophecies concerning the future. The book of Daniel is not only important as a key to understanding the past in God's supreme control of both Gentile and Jewish history, but also gives insight concerning the future, and helps to understand the symbolisms in the book of Revelation. Daniel gives the most comprehensive and detailed picture concerning the time of the Gentiles of any book of the Bible as well as the future history of Israel from Daniel's time to, if I may use the words, the second coming of Christ.

Beginning in Dan. 2-36-45, Daniel explains to the king the meaning of the dream concerning the statue. He tells Nebuchadnezzar that he was a great king and that God had given him a great dominion (verses 37-38). He declared to the king "You are that head of gold" (v.38). Daniel explains that the upper part of the body represented another kingdom but inferior to the kingdom of Babylon (v. 39), and that it would be followed by "a third kingdom", one of bronze, who will rule over the whole earth" (v.39). We see later in Daniel that these kingdoms are named Med o-Persia and Greece (Dan. 8-20-21). Daniel then gave the meaning of the fourth kingdom in verse 40. Here he declares "Finally there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron-for iron breaks and smashes everything-and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others" ( Dan. 2-40). Then in verses 41 to 43, Daniel gives a separate explanation of the feet and toes of partly iron and clay, which Daniel explained as being "the divided kingdom" (v. 41).Why a separate explanation of the feet and ten toes on this statue? The logical answer when following the text is because it is to be a fifth kingdom. There are not four kingdoms but five kingdoms that make up this statue. Daniel speaks of a fourth kingdom "strong as iron" so it will crush all the others. This fourth kingdom is Rome, the legs of iron of the statue. The feet, the divided kingdom, being the fifth kingdom, would have the strength of iron, i.e. Rome in it, but the weakness of clay (v.42). Daniel explains this mixture of people "mingling themselves with the seed of men," thus they represent a "divided kingdom" (v. 43); but a kingdom nonetheless. Daniel then explains the vision of the rock that destroyed the image and then grew to be a mountain. "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands-a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and gold to pieces ( verses 44-45). The kingdom represented by the rock is the kingdom of Christ that God "set up in the time of those kings," at Christ's first coming. The "kingdom that will endure forever" represented here as the rock is what Christ will bring in at his, second coming when he destroys all kingdoms.

Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., but the beginning of Belshazzar's service as co-regent with Nabonidus in 553 B.C. became important because it was in that year that Daniel had the first of his four visions in Daniel chapter 7. Actually Daniel chapters 7 and 8 both occur in the time period between Daniel chapter 4 and chapter 5, and are out of chronological order for whatever reasons Daniel had for doing so. The fact is that Daniel had received the revelation of chapters 7 and 8 before he came to Belshazzar's feast, where at that time Babylon fell ( see chapter 5). Beginning in chapter 7, Daniel is shown visions of future world history. In Dan.7-1-7, the vision of this chapter occurred, as told to us by Daniel. "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon" (v.1), probably the year 553 B.C. or 14 years before the Med es and the Persians conquered Jerusalem. As was noted, this vision already was past when Belshazzar held his feast in chapter 5. In seeing this vision Daniel records he saw "the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea" (Dan.7-2). The four beasts described later that came up out of this sea (verses 2-3).

The first beast was compared to a lion having the wings of an eagle (v.4). As Daniel watched the wings were torn off and the eagle was lifted off the ground, and "the heart of a man was given to it" (v.4). Daniel describes the second beast as "like a bear." Raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth, and it was told, "Get up and eat your fill of flesh" (v.5). The third beast resembled a leopard with four wings such as a bird would have and four heads. This beast also "was given authority to rule" (v.6). The fourth beast, Daniel sees as the most frightening. "It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the other beasts, and it had ten horns."

In Dan. 7-8-10, Daniel continues recording the vision. He saw a small horn coming out from the 10 horns on this fourth beast; "a little one," which came up among them, where in which three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully" (v.8). It is at this time in the vision, when the little horn comes forth from the ten horns, that we see the vision changes to a scene in heaven. Daniel sees one as "the ancient of days" (v.9). A countless number stood before him and worshiped him. "The court was seated, and the books were opened." This scene is parallel to what is seen in chapters 5 and 6 of Revelation, of Christ approaching God and opening the seals, which represent God's judgment. This is the time of God's judgment and coming wrath on the beast, i.e., the "little horn." Rev. 6-17, "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Dan. 7-11-14 continues recording the vision, where there he sees that "the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire" (v.11).

This verse shows that those of the preterist camp who see the beast in chapter 13 of Revelation as being Rome in the first century, concerning the fulfillment of the prophecy are in error. For this verse which agrees with the texts in Revelation tell us that the beast, Rome, was slain and its body, representing its kingdom, was destroyed at that time; yet history records, contrary to the preterist view, Rome continued into the late fourth century! So this beast that was slain seen here in Daniel could not be Rome. At this point of the beast's destruction, we are told : "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time" (v.12). It is here we see that the beast to come was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. This is seen in Rev. 19-20, "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him,---these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Again, this certainly did not happen to Rome, nor the false prophet, whomever it is claimed he be. Then Daniel saw "One like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed" (verses 13-14). This is the time of the fulfillment of God's kingdom bringing in the eternal state. Note in the passage the words worshiped him, this is past tense, and goes far beyond the time of 70 A.D. It is the time for Christ's coming and fulfillment of all prophecy.

Like the image in chapter 2, these four beasts represent four kingdoms. The first which was like a lion and an eagle represented Babylon. The second kingdom represented the Med o-Persian Empire which conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. ( Dan. chap. 5). Like a bear it had great power, but not like Babylon. The third kingdom represented Greece (Dan. 8-21), the rapid conquests of Alexander the Great who conquered all of western Asia was the fulfillment of the Leopard. The Leopard is a beast capable of great speed like Alexander's conquests. When Alexander died in Babylon in 323 B.C., the Empire was divided among his four generals, represented by the four heads and four wings. They were Lysimachus who was given Thrace and Bithynia; Cassander who was given Macedonia and Greece; Seleucus who was given Syria, Babylonia, and land to the east; and Ptolemy who was given Egypt, Palestine and Arabia Petrea.

The fourth kingdom, the legs of iron was not named, but most scholars see it was historically fulfilled by the Roman Empire. The ten horns we can symbolically represent here as being past empires including Rome, and a future empire, i.e., the little horn, the 10 toes of iron and clay, the feet of the statue, which would appear in the end time. The little horn represents the kingdom and its ruler who would come up in this final kingdom. As noted, scripture only speaks specifically of "kingdoms and their kings" that in one way or another concerned Israel. And here in Daniel it begins with the kingdom of Babylon and its king. It is important at this time, for a better understanding, to bring the kings i.e. kingdoms mentioned in scripture forward here. 1. Egypt-king Pharaoh, 2. Assyria-king Shalmaneser V, 3. Babylon-king Nebuchadnezzar, 4. Medo-Persia-king Darius, 5. Greece-king Alexander the Great. The divided Greek kingdom, 6. Thrace and Bithynia-king Lysimachus, 7. Macedonia and Greece-king Cassander, 8. Syria and Babylon-king Seleucus, 9. Egypt, Palestine, Arabia Petrea-king Ptolemy, 10. The Roman Empire-king Julius Caesar. So we have here including the Roman Empire, 10 horns. With each horn representing not only a king but a kingdom also, as the texts in Daniel show us, seen in Dan. 7-7,8,11,17,20,21. Not only here but throughout Daniel chapter 8. Dan. 8-3,5,8,20,21, and 22. And these Kingdoms and kings are used interchangeably in Daniel, with the exception of Dan. 7-24. There it speaks of ten horns representing kings coming out from that one kingdom. This is why Daniel saw the fourth beast having ten horns on its body in Dan. 7-7; this fourth beast many see as being Rome. To that time the ten horns represented ten kingdoms, including Rome, for this "fourth beast" represented a kingdom as well. So also would the "little horn" be seen and represent a king and kingdom. So we see here in the book of Daniel that the horns are to represent kingdoms and their kings as well. Then we read in verse 8: "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,---." This horn, we now can see as being the fifth kingdom, i.e. The ten toes of iron and clay of the statue in Daniel chapter 2, the future and final prophetic kingdom to come. This kingdom is seen in Rev. 13-1.

In Dan. 7-15-22, he did not understand the image, and he asked one who was standing by the meaning of the vision (verses 15-16). Daniel was told "The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever, yes, forever and ever" (verses 17-18). Daniel then declares, "Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws--the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell; the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully" (verses 19-20). He continues, "As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them (Rev. 13-7), until the Ancient of days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints and the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom" (verses 21-22). Dan. 7-23-28, here Daniel is given this explanation; "The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time" (verses 23-25).

Daniel is told that this final kingdom described as the fourth beast will "devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it." Note that the angel tells Daniel that the fourth beast is not The Fourth Kingdom,Rome, chronologically speaking, but A fourth kingdom that would appear on earth. The fourth kingdom Daniel saw in his vision and inquired about. Unlike the other texts where the horns represented kingdoms as well as kings, here the text speaks differently. In this context we are told that the ten horns represent ten kings coming out of this final kingdom. This is seen in Rev. 13-1, 17-12,16 and 17. We see in verse 12 they are kings who have not received a kingdom, but (rather) receive power/authority as kings one hour along with the beast. So this indicates that the kingdom they received was the beast/kingdom, as kings but only for one hour. The title kings indicates a person having and ruling a kingdom. And these ten would receive a kingdom,i.e., the beast/kingdom, but for one hour. Verse 17 goes on to explain the meaning of this passage. "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree (be of one mind) and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." So we see these ten kings as having no kingdom of their own, for they have given their power, authority and allegiance to the beast kingdom.

The image in Daniel chapter 2 is clearly marked as consisting of five parts: gold, silver, brass, iron, and iron and clay. This is clear enough, only we have been so accustomed to hear the fifth spoken of as part of the fourth, or the fourth revived, that we read the scripture in the light of our tradition. To say that Daniel chapter 2 mentions only four Gentile kingdoms is not any answer, nor the answer. Daniel 2 says nothing of the kind. It mentions the fourth, that is not four. The original Hebrew word is not "arbag"--four; but it is "rebegahe"--fourth. It nowhere says there were only four. The five are not only mentioned separately, as to their material, but diversely as to their order; so as to distinguish the clay as being one of five, and not as part of the iron, the fourth kingdom, as is usually done.

Most agree that the first three kingdoms have come and gone in history, they being Babylon, Med o-Persia and Greece. The fourth Empire, when viewing the beasts in succession, though not named here, is seen by most scholars as being the Roman Empire. But the fifth kingdom seen in chapter 2 of Daniel as being the feet and toes of the image, called "the divided kingdom", was never fulfilled. Nothing in history shows that fulfillment, neither by Rome or other kingdoms. Dan. 7-26-27, tells us the conclusion of these events after their fulfillment. "But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him." We see that this interpretation runs parallel to chapter 2 where the prophecy of the destruction of the feet of the image and the whole image itself is destroyed, bringing in God's Kingdom forever. If it were not future prophecy, but prophecy fulfilled in history, then also would Dan. 7-26-27 here, be past fulfillment. It is clear from scripture that it was future prophecy to be fulfilled in the end time.

This ruler is described by Daniel in Dan. 11-36-45, "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard of things against the God of gods" (v.36). Some interpretors have attempted to relate this king to Antiochus, however, the evidence of history is that Antiochus died shortly after fulfilling the preceding verses in the year 164 B.C. He did not fulfill any of the events described in this last part of the chapter, beginning in verse 36. Daniel goes on, "He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place" (Dan. 11-36). This is seen in Dan. 7-27-28 and the destruction of this final ruler/ kingdom is seen in Rev. 19-20. He fulfills the prophecy of speaking "against the God of gods" (v.36) and Rev. 13-5-7. This ruler is described in an unusual way, "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all." ( Dan. 11-37). Daniel goes on to describe him, "Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses, a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts" (v. 38). He will place material things above all else, which will enable him to increase his power militarily and politically. "He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price" (v.39). He will be successful as is seen in Rev. 13-8, "All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." The final verses of Daniel chapter 11, beginning with verse 40, describes the final war or battle which occurs in the period just before Christ's second coming.

The Middle East, Israel and Jerusalem will be the catalyst that brings about this final war and battle prophesied for the end time. The battle called Harmageddon i.e. the Day of the Lord. Daniel describes this, "At the time of the end the king of the south will engage him in battle, and the king of the north will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships" (v.40). "He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood." Daniel goes on, "He will also invade the Beautiful Land" Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him" (Dan. 11-41-45). Daniel is given further information in chapter 12 concerning this vision of events given him of this final battle to come in the end time. He records that "at that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the Book--will be delivered" (v.1). This brings us to Rev. 7-1-8 where we see 12,000 Jews from each of the 12 tribes would be sealed (protected) in this tribulation, because their names were found written in the book "of deliverance." Dan. 12-2 clearly speaks of a resurrection, not only of Jews but Gentiles as well. "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth (worldwide) will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." This prophecy clearly gives the fact of a great resurrection at the prophecy's fulfillment. This passage confirms the fact that those who believe that Antiochus Epiphanes IV completed the prophecy seen in verses 11-36-45 are in error. The scripture here is given to us clearly and is not in any way to be speaking figuratively. It concerns the end time as is seen and told to us in Dan. 12-4. "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end."

Most agree that the iron legs of the statue represented Rome as being the fourth Empire. But there is a difference of opinion concerning the identification of the feet and toes of the statue. The key to understanding the passage rests on the interpretation of the rock that fills the earth. This rock that symbolizes the Kingdom of God and is declared in Dan. 2-44-45. So it follows that if the dominion described in verse 44 refers to Christ's second coming, then the last part of the statue, the feet of ten toes made up of iron and clay, must represent an earthly empire existing prior to Christ's return. In this case, it could not be ancient Rome. It must also be noted, that since Rome is part of western Europe, when the empire of Rome dominated and the activities of the empire was centered there, it is reasonable to assume the prophecy's fulfillment to be stating that this area of the world would play an important role in this future kingdom to come. That kingdom being the feet and the ten toes that would come and extend from the kingdom of ancient Rome who dominated from western Europe, just as Christianity did.

When the birth of Christianity came through our Lord Jesus Christ, Christianity spread quickly throughout the Roman Empire in spite of persecution. In the first several centuries it had spread as far as Spain in western Europe. For Christianity a major turning point came when the Roman Emperor Constantine, in A.D. 312, granted the Christians the freedom to worship. By 392 A.D., he had Christianity become the state religion of the entire Roman Empire, from England to Asia. All other religions were either banned or suppressed, and Christianity became an organized church with a hierarchy closely identified with the Roman Empire. The organized church gained great power in governmental and civil matters. From the 11th century on, there was a single church for the whole of Christendom ruled from Rome, later extending over the entire continent. From Iceland to Italy and from Sweden to Spain. By the time of the 17th century, most rulers were convinced that the key to stable government was the sovereign's exclusive control of both religion and politics. By this time much of western Europe had become monarchies. From the early days of the Reformation (the 1550's) monarchs found that extending their authority over the church greatly enhanced their power over the state. But this only caused chaos and wars throughout Europe. By the 18th century, it became the age of absolute monarchy in Europe. That time brought about the "Age of Revolutions" (1776-1848). The age of Revolution that brought about the birth of the United States.

The four beasts given in Daniel represent kingdoms and kings who would be ruling when these prophecies would come to fulfillment. Though certainly many kings can come in an on-going kingdom. The 1st kingdom which was like a lion and an eagle represented Babylon, its king at that time being Nebuchadnezzar. The 2nd kingdom represented the Medo-Persian Empire seen in Dan. 8-20; its ruler, king Darius (Dan. 5-31) which conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. (Daniel chapter 5). The 3rd kingdom represented Greece, its king Alexander (Dan. 8-21). When Alexander died in 323 B.C. the Empire was divided up among his 4 generals, represented by the "4 heads and 4 wings" seen on the beast leopard. Its kings and kingdoms divided into smaller kingdoms was; Lysimachus given Thrace and Bithynia. Cassander its king, was given Macedonia and Greece. Seleucus its king, was given Syria, Babylon and land to the east. And Ptolemy its king, was given Egypt, Palestine and Arabia Petrea. The 4th beast kingdom seen in Daniel's vision was not named, but most scholars and many today see it as being the Roman Empire. Officially its first sole ruler/king at the time was Julius Caesar, 100-44 B.C.

As noted, scripture only speaks specifically of "kingdoms and their kings" that in one way or another concerned Israel. And here in Daniel it begins with the kingdom of Babylon and its king. Now taking the others not mentioned in Daniel into account, these would be: 1. Egypt, in the time of their captivity and Exodus. Since the king ruling at the time is unsure, he will be called "king Pharaoh" of the kingdom of Egypt. 2. The kingdom of Assyria, with its king at the time being king Shalmaneser V. And as noted, thus far in Daniel as the vision of the beasts and horns are mentioned, we see that the "horns" not only represent "kings" but also "kingdoms" when these prophecies would come to fulfillment. Therefore, the term "horns" spoken of in Daniel represent not only "kings" but "kingdoms," unless the texts speak otherwise.

This is why Daniel when given the vision of the fourth beast, its body consisted of having on it 10 horns. Not only representing ten kings but also representing all the past kingdoms and their kings, including Rome and its king when it would come into existence. And why Daniel was given the vision in Dan. 7-8 of another little horn coming from out of the ten horns representing kingdoms. For this horn, besides Rome, would also be a future kingdom to come that would come in contact with Israel, as the others did in the past, but in a different manner. "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings" (Dan. 7-24). We see in this final kingdom, which Revelation chapter 13 and 17-16-17 confirms, is there are to be ten kings, not kingdoms, to come out of this final kingdom to fulfill the prophecy.

When we speak of Babylon the Great, what is the intended meaning of the words great city used of mystery Babylon in Rev. 17-18? "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Is the "great city" here literally intended to mean a city, or is it intended to mean a great nation? In scripture the word great, Greek "megas," can be used to describe those of superior rank. An example of this is Christ being described as a "great priest" in Hebrews 10-21. The plural "great ones" signify those who hold positions of authority in Gentile nations; as seen in Matt. 20-25 and Mark 10-42.

The Greek word for city is "polis" and means "a town enclosed with a wall." Originally to the Greeks, polis meant a fortified settlement. But in time, with political development, "polis" began to signify a state or ruling center and the area ruled by it. In essence, polis is a protectively fortified dwelling place. This word is not limited in meaning to our contemporary concept of a city.

In scripture the words country and city are used interchangeably depending on the context. For example when reading Hebrews 11-10-16, both city polis and country patris, one's own native land, are used to describe the heavenly Jerusalem. Rev. 17-15 describes the whore, the woman or great city, as being composed of a global collective body of inhabitants. "And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Rev. 17-18 also speaks of this woman or great city "which reigneth over the kings of the earth." In summary, based upon the contextual analysis of the text, Rev. 17-18, there is no reason to limit the meaning of the word city to the modern sense of the word for the following reasons: Historically, its been countries, not cities that have been the wealthy, militarily strong ruling centers of the world. Its nations and not cities that have kings.

A question arises in determining who Babylon the Great is concerns the timing of John's vision. Was the angel showing John a vision of the great Roman Empire that ruled over the world at the time of the vision? Or was the angel showing John a vision of a future great city or superpower? John is told in Rev. 17-12-17 that the ten horns, i.e. kings "have received no kingdom as yet,---." If the woman or great city was Rome of John's day, the 10 kings would have been described as having already received kingdom authority. Instead, they are described as 10 kings which have received no kingdom as yet---.

There are preterists and others that believe that the book of Revelation was written prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. That Revelation was written about 66-69 A.D., and hold that the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was the fulfillment of Revelation and other prophecies of scripture. Some, if not most also hold that the woman i.e. the city was Jerusalem which was destroyed by Rome in 70 A.D., as just noted. But Jerusalem could not be the woman or city seen in chapter 17 because the text says that the woman, that great city, reigneth over the kings of the earth. The Jews and its city Jerusalem were certainly not reigning over the kings of the earth at that time, nor did they have a Jewish king reigning over them. Rome and its kings of the earth were not subject to the Jews nor the city of Jerusalem. Rather quite the contrary, the Jews and the city Jerusalem was subject to Rome and its Emperor kings of the earth.

Rev. 17-18, "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." The verb is used is "estin" the present tense, from the root verbeimi meaning "to be," or in other words is reigning. It could be accurately paraphrased; "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which is reigning over the kings of the earth." The whole vision is in the context of the future. Verse 18 is part of that future vision. You have to violate grammatical rules and remove verse 18 from its future context in order to say that the verse is speaking about first century Rome at the present time of the vision.

The preterists who hold to these views refer to Rev. 11-2 as further confirmation that the temple was still standing when Revelation was written; and that the city mentioned in this text is Jerusalem. The Greek word temple used here is naos, and is the same word used by Paul in 2 Thess. 2-4;1 Cor. 3-16;2 Cor. 6-16; and Ephe. 2-21-22. So here we read, "Rise and measure the temple of God," the holy place and the alter. But not its outer courts or precincts, for they are to be trampled on. First we see by the word "naos" given that it is indicating this temple is not a literal building. Also, in the Old Testament scriptures, Jerusalem is called the holy city. But since they rejected Christ, the New Testament teaches us that Jerusalem is no longer the holy city, it has been left desolate since the time Christ spoke those words in 30 A.D., (Matt. 23-38; Luke 13-35;19-41-44;21-24) unto the end. In God's eyes, it was no longer seen as the holy city, because of their rejection of Christ as their Messiah. "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Heb. 13-13-14; see also Ezek. 48-35; Rev. chap. 21). We read in 1 Peter 2-9, "But ye (are) a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,---." Here in 1 Peter 2-9, the saints of Christ now represent what the Old Covenant nation of Israel and the holy city Jerusalem was before they rejected Christ, seen in 1 Peter 2-7-8. Now the New Covenant holy nation is considered to be the house and holy city of the God of Israel, where he would dwell. Those who hold the teaching that Rev. 11-1-2 refers to a literal temple in Jerusalem are incorrect. Rev. 11-2 only states that where this temple sanctuary resides in, is considered as being a holy city, for the Lord's sanctuary is in its midst. It does not state that this sanctuary would be in the holy city of Jerusalem. For Jerusalem is no longer considered the holy city of God. What is given us here in Rev. 11-1-2 is what is given us and parallels with Ezekiel chapters 40-48.

Preterists also refer to Rev. 11-8 as confirmation that the city in the text is Jerusalem. "And their dead body in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." All the critical texts of scripture show in verse 8 the word "body" in the"singular" as is the word "corpse" in the first part of verse 9, they shall look upon "their corpse",--and do not suffer "their corpses to be---." Here, this city is called a great city, not a holy city as is seen in Rev. 11-2. This great city is "spiritually" called Sodom and Egypt, to indicate the great bondage, idolatry and fornication in it (Rev. 14-8; 17-1-7, 18; 18-2). We note that the G.L.T.Tr. A. WH, and RV read the Greek word "auton" to mean their, instead of "hemon' to mean our. The translators changed the word "their" to the word "our," in that passage. The critical texts give us the word auton, "--where also their Lord was crucified." This is important to note, for it was the apostle John under inspiration that wrote this book. And the apostle John witnessed the Lord's crucifixion outside the gates of Jerusalem himself. It was written to indicate that these witnesses were not in Jerusalem where the Lord was literally crucified, but rather in a "great city" spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where "their" (the witnesses) Lord was crucified spiritually.

This can be seen in Heb. 6-6 and 10-29: "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh (again), and put him to an open shame" (disgrace). (Rev. 11-8).

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who had trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done (insulted) despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Rev. 11-2). It is they in this "great city"that crucified the Lord again, and put him to open disgrace, and not in the city of Jerusalem.

We read in Rev. 17-9, "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." Can Rome be considered the woman or great city because Rev. 17-3 and 9 tell us that the seven heads of the beast are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and Rome is known as the city on seven hills? The word mountain, Greek "oros" is used here for the Hebrew word "Har" for mountain. The Greeks and Romans used the word hill, Greek "bounos," not "oros," mountain, when referring to the seven hills Rome was built upon.

Rev. 13-1 and other scriptures tell us that the horns and heads symbolize crowned kings. If the vision John was seeing was Rome of his day, the ten kings would have already been crowned and the seven heads or mountains on which the woman sitteth would not be named "blasphemy." The name of blasphemy attached to the seven heads or kings, as this is what they represent in 17-10; symbolizes their overall personality, as being arrogantly opposed to God. These seven heads that represent kings are not seen crowned in Rev. 17-3. The seven heads cannot refer to seven Emperors of the Roman Empire because there has been more than seven Emperors of Rome historically. (Source: World News and Bible Prophecy, Charles H. Dyer, pages 151-152). The seven heads are clearly identified in Rev. 17-9-10 as seven kings, not hills. We read, "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short time."

The words there are in Rev. 17-10, translated from the Greek "eisen" which is from the root verb "eimi" meaning "to be." Eimi is present tense third person plural meaning "they are." This verifies to us that the seven heads represent seven kings. In the Old Testament the word mountain, Hebrew "Har," was used symbolically to describe a national kingdom. In Dan. 2-35 it describes the rock that smote the feet of the image as growing into a huge mountain. This huge mountain we know to be the Kingdom of Christ. In Jer. 51-25, Har is used figuratively to describe Babylon as a "destroying mountain." Mountain symbolizes Babylon's destructive military power. "Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth;---." The seven heads spoken of in Rev. 17-9-10 are described as being both seven mountains and seven kings. They are also to represent kingdoms as we see in Jer. 51-25.

From the Old Testament usage of the word mountain, we can conclude that the seven heads refer to seven kingdoms and their kings. Also the use of the word mountain represents that on which the kingdom rests. And it is much larger in area than a hill or mount that many make the word out to be.

Rev. 17-1 describes this superpower as "the great whore that sitteth upon many waters." Rev. 17-15 tell us that the waters where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Peoples "laos" describes people of the same stock and language gathered together. Multitudes, "ochlos" is referring to casual groups of common people. Nations, "ethnos" refers to non-Jewish foreign immigrants. Tongues, "glossa" refers to distinct languages used by the various nationality groups. In other words, water symbolizes a melting pot of various nationalities having settled within the borders of this superpower nation. Is this superpower beginning to sound familiar yet?

In Matt. 16-18 Jesus describes how the church will be built when he said, "Upon this rock I will build my church;---." The same word "upon" is used to describe the great whore, the woman in Rev. 17-1: "---the great whore that sitteth upon many waters." The word "epi" is a primary preposition properly meaning superimposition of time, place, order etc. Superimposition refers to the act of laying or the state of being placed on something else. For example, Jesus would begin building his church by adding people to himself. Likewise, the great whore was settled over time by many different nationality groups through immigration. This then fits in with the idea of distribution of the participle sitteth where we have mixed groups of people migrating or being distributed from other nations to the superpower. Does this not fit the description of the U.S.?

In Rev. 17-18, the Greek "echo" and "basileia is translated "reigneth" echousa, from the root "echo" means to have or to hold something. Here that something is the word "basileian." It means to rule or have predominance over the kings of the earth. From the context however, the woman is not the sovereign world ruler. She does not have absolute control over the kings of the earth. Rev. 17-7 teaches us that the beast carrieth the woman. This word carrieth is in the genitive case signifying possession. It means to support, sustain, carry, uphold or bear what is burdensome. In other words, the relationship of the woman to the beast is one of bondage. The woman is in some form of bondage to the beast in spite of the fact that she is the world's preeminent superpower nation. In the broader sense, carrieth indicates the spiritual bondage of the superpower to evil demonic powers. Rev. 18-2 teaches that the superpower nation lives under the attack of evil, demonic spiritual powers of wickedness. Her golden cup once filled with God's blessings and opportunities is now overflowing with his curses and the evil fruit resulting from her covetousness and idolatry.

Although she is being carried in a position of power as the world's number one superpower because of her combined economic and military strength, she is in financial and spiritual bondage to the Satanic power of the beast kingdom. This is why we hear the cry recorded in Rev. 18-2-4 concerning this superpower nation: "---is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

Most doubt that Babylon the Great could be the U.S. because of the large number of professing believers within the nation and its lead role in world evangelization. Yet the cry to come out of Babylon the Great in Rev. 18-4 is written to God's people, the followers of Jesus Christ. Would it not make sense that this cry to come out of Babylon the Great would be written to a nation filled with God's people like America is?

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Jesus' Resurrection and the Teaching of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles.

Before Jesus' crucifixion, he told his disciples that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to them in Jesus' name. And “he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14-26). Scripture tells us that after Jesus' resurrection, he appeared to Mary and his disciples in the course of 40 days as Luke records in Acts 1-3. “---being seen of them (the disciples) forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

Though all the Epistles in the New Testament are important, most important are the epistles of 2 Timothy and 2 Peter, for they tell us of Paul and Peter's departure from this world. The internal evidence of these epistles show that they were written shortly before their deaths as martyrs. The internal evidence shows that Peter's second epistle was written a year to a year and a half after 1^st Peter, a short time before his martyrdom which he anticipates in 2 Peter 1-14. This would date it between 64, the 1^st epistle, and 67 A.D., the 2^nd epistle shortly before his death in Rome during Nero's reign.

Concerning Paul, the evidence shows that in the summer of 66 A.D. He returned to Ephesus and left Timothy in charge (1 Tim. 1-3). In the summer of 67 A.D. he wrote Timothy from Macedonia, he later went on to Crete and left Titus there (Titus 1-5). He wrote Titus from Ephesus in the autumn of 67 A.D., visited Miletus (4-20), Troas (4-13), Corinth (4-20), and spent some time at Nicopolis (Titus 3-12). He was imprisoned again in the spring of 68, tried, and was sent to Rome. He was placed in a dungeon cell from which he knew he would never be set free (4-6). Second Timothy was written in the fall or winter of 67 A.D. He was beheaded in Rome in May or June of 68 A.D.

Full preterists hold and maintain that all New Testament writings, including Revelation, were completed prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., thus fulfilling all prophetic scripture. Yet Paul in his second epistle to Timothy, written in late 67 A.D. before his arrest, speaks not a word of the fate of Jerusalem as being “the coming of Christ” to fulfill all prophetic scripture. That this was to be the “sign in heaven” spoken of by Jesus in his Discourse. That this was the fulfillment that he (Paul) and Peter wrote about of the time being “at hand” (eggus); not excluding here the writings of the apostle John, who lived to be in the mid to late 90's A.D.

If ever there was a time to reveal these things it was then, for at that time Jerusalem certainly was under siege; and Paul, in his travels would certainly have known this! Not only that, Paul knew he was going to be killed: 2 Tim. 4-6, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand.” So he certainly would have revealed it to the church, if it had to do with the second coming of Christ for his saints, and not God coming in judgment on Jerusalem. The coming of Christ in certain passages do speak of Christ's coming as being “at hand,” in judgment on Jerusalem in 70 A. D. Here this writer agrees, but it is not the second coming of Christ spoken of in Revelation. Neither is the book of Revelation about Jerusalem's destruction in 70 A.D. The book was written after the fall of 70 A.D. and speaks of prophetic events that lay for a future time. Since the dating of Revelation is highly debated and rejected when looking to the historical and external evidence by preterists, we will attempt to prove it with the internal evidence as we continue.

Another thing that is striking is seen in 2 Tim. 3-1-9. We read in verse 1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Paul gives a large list of sinful and ungodly things that would occur not only in the secular world but the church also, as Paul indicates in verse 5. Now are we to believe, as the preterists teach, that the things Paul speaks of, in those short 3 years before Jerusalem's destruction, they would be fulfilled? Remember Paul said in the last days when he wrote this epistle, all these sinful events would occur, clearly indicating a large span of time would be required for its fulfillment. Yet according to the preterist view they were in the last days, so why would Paul speak of these days as yet future? It is more reasonable to see these last days of particular prophetic texts in the New Testament as being those that would overlap and continue into the New Covenant age till all be fulfilled, would it not?

The last days are different from the end times. The last days refer to the last days of Old Covenant Israel; “as” the body of Christ was being brought in during that 40 year transition period. The New Testament authors did write about prophecy but a good percentage of their prophetic messages dealt with the immediate fate and future of national Israel. Thus, when they wrote prophetically they wrote primarily about Israel's last days (i.e. end time/age), while writing prophecy about the early Church's end time/age to come for them; as we read in Hebrews: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear a second time without sin unto salvation. (Heb. 9-28).

There are other New Testament passages that use the very same kind of time text references that speak like verses seen in Revelation of a soon coming. Such as Heb. 10-37, "For yet a “very little while” he that comes will come, and will "not delay." Peter 4-7, "But the end of all things is "drawn nigh” (“has approached”; “eggizo,” Strongs #1448);"---." Phil. 4-5, "---The Lord is near." (“”eggus,” Strongs #1451); Rom. 13-11-12, "---and the day is near;"---." (“eggus,” Strongs #1451); Rom. 16-20, "But the Lord of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” (“tachos,” Strongs#5030, speedily, suddenly) James 5-8-9, "--for the coming of our Lord is at hand.”(“has approached;”eggizo, Strongs #1448)---behold the judge "standeth before the door." These are just some of others that could be given seen in the New Testament that speak of imminence, of a soon, or quick coming. Paul admonishes godly living in light of the fact that the "night is almost gone, and "the day is near" (eggus#1451; Rom. 13-12). Peter says, "The end of all things "is near," (eggus#1451) therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer" (1 Peter 4-7). James also speaks in this way, "--you to be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord "is near" (“has approached;”eggizo#1448, James 5-8).

As noted, the last days refer to the “end age” of the Old Covenant age for the nation of Israel; while the body of Christ began to be brought in during that 40 year transition period. This is seen in Hebrews 9-28. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear a second time without sin unto salvation,” not “judgment.” This is also made clear in 1 Cor. 10-11 where we read: “Now all these things happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition (instruction), upon whom the ends of the world (ages) are come.” Who have the end of the ages come upon? The church! The end of the Old Covenant age for the Jewish nation was “at hand.” Thus the ends of the final ages, being the end of the Old, and the New Covenant age which “are come,” has begun; has come upon the church. What has come to be called, the church age, and at its end, comes the second coming of Christ as is seen in the book of Revelation.

As also 1 Cor. 15-24-26 tells us: “Then (cometh) the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, (the church age) till he hath put all enemies under his feet; the last enemy (that) shall be destroyed (is) death.”

As noted, since the dating of Revelation is extremely important to the prophetic texts and their proper understanding of God's word; we will attempt to prove the late date of the book of Revelation by its internal evidence. To show that it was written post 70A.D. and prophetic for a future time.

In Luke 21-35, when speaking concerning "that day" given in verse 34, "that day---will come on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth" (tes ges). Here the meaning is quite clear, it is the "entire earth," and not just a specific land area in the world. In Rev. 12-9, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into the earth (gen) and his angels were cast out with him." In verse 12, a woe "for the earth (gen) and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you." Here again, the word for earth is "gen", the entire earth. Using "earth" and "sea" together indicates that this speaks of the entire world which consists of the land and the sea. This is not speaking of a restricted area of earth/land, neither in Jerusalem or the Roman Empire.

The Greek word "ge" is to mean the entire world. When "ge" is used in the limited sense, it is used in a limited sense of land within a specified region given in the text. A few examples are; Matt. 11-24, "Land (ge) of Sodom"; John 3-22, "land (gen) of Judea." Hebrews 8-8-9, "land (ges) of Egypt"; Matt. 14-34, "land (gen) of Gennesaret"; Acts 13-17-19, "in the land (ge) of Egypt---in the land (ge) of Canaan." The contexts throughout the New Testament determined when "ge" was being used in the sense of the entire earth or a specific land area. Rev. 1-7 reads, "all the tribes of the earth "(ai phulai tes ges) will mourn because of him." Here the word "phulai" means "tribes" and "ges" means "earth," the entire world/earth.

The Greek word for "tribes" is phule, the Septuagint also used phule, but also in reference to non-Hebraic tribes and nations. To give here a few examples; Gen. 12-3, "---and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth (phulai tes ges) be blessed." This is also seen in Gen. 28-14 when the promise was given to Jacob. "---in thee and thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth (phulai tes ges) be blessed." These tribes of the earth are seen in Ezek. 20-32, "--we will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth (phulai tes ges) to worship stocks and stones."

This passage parallels the other passages of Christ returning as he ascended, in a cloud, or clouds. (Matt. 24-30; 26-64; Mark 13-26; Luke 21-27; Rev. 1-7). All these passages parallel each other. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth (ai phulai tes ges) shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Rev. 1-7).

Here we must note that the word “fulfilled” is a poor and incorrect translation seen in Matt. 24-34. It should read, “Verily I say unto you , this generation shall not pass, until all these things begin to take place.” Not “fulfilled.” The Greek word is genetai from genomai, to begin to be, to come to be, and is quite different from pleroo, to fulfill. In Luke 21-32, which is the parallel passage, we have the word genetai, begin to be, while in verse 24, we have the word pleroo, fulfilled. “--until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21-32). So when reading Matt. 24-34 following the correct translation, we read: “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, til all these things begin to take place.” This is what the Lord Jesus said, and they did begin to take place during that very generation. For following the Lord's death there would be many coming saying, “I am Christ,” (v.5), but in order that we might clearly understand, Jesus immediately adds in Matt. 24-6,”--for all must come to pass, but the “end is not yet.”

In continuing, one time text they use is seen in Luke 21-22. "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." From this text they conclude that absolutely all prophecy, rather than just the prophecy about the vengeance on Jerusalem was fulfilled in 70 A.D. When doing a word study on all these things written, they would see they overlooked these verses spoken by Jesus before his resurrection. "---Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished” (Luke 18-31). Then after his resurrection we read in Luke 24-44, “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled,which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” In these two passages all things written refer to the things in the context concerning Jesus, rather than to all things prophesied that are not in the context or written as yet. Therefore, as in Luke chapter 18 and 24, so it is in Luke chapter 21.

Matt. 24-34,"Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, until all these things begin to take place.” Mark 13-30,"Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done." Luke 21-32, "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, til all begin to be” (to take place). The Greek word for generation used in these passages is genea. It conveys the idea of linage or a duration of time defined by the human life-span from birth to death.

Jesus declared that society would be in a state of normalcy when he returned. That is there would be no sense of imminent danger or catastrophe (read Matt. 24-38-39; Luke 17-28-29). However, as the days of the destruction of Jerusalem approached, things were anything but in a state of normalcy. Jesus prophesied about this in Luke 19-43 where he speaks of Jerusalem's siege and fall.

Speaking of the events preceding the time when Christ's second coming would draw near, Jesus said; "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21-28). What is there about the word "redemption" that could possibly be associated with the destruction of Jerusalem? Every place this word is used, it is associated with salvation, not cursing, with deliverance not judgment. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. had nothing to do with what we read in Luke 21-28. Christ's second coming would be for the redemption of his saints which certainly did not occur in 70 A.D. That coming still awaits fulfillment.

In continuing, a question arises in determining who Mystery Babylon the Great is concerning the timing of John's vision. Was the angel showing John a vision of the great Roman Empire that ruled over the world at the time of the vision? Or was the angel showing John a vision of a future great city or superpower? Some, if not most hold that the woman i.e. the city was Jerusalem which was destroyed by Rome in 70 A.D. But Jerusalem could not be the woman or city seen in chapter 17 because the text says that the woman, that great city, reigneth over the kings of the earth. The Jews and its city Jerusalem were certainly not reigning over the kings of the earth at that time. Rome and its kings of the earth were not subject to the Jews nor the city of Jerusalem. Rather quite the contrary, the Jews and the city Jerusalem was subject to Rome and its Emperor kings of the earth.

Rev. 17-18, “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” The verb is used is “estin” the present tense, from the root verbeimi meaning “to be,” or in other words is reigning. It could be accurately paraphrased; “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which is reigning over the kings of the earth.” The whole vision is in the context of the future. Verse 18 is part of that future vision. You have to violate grammatical rules and remove verse 18 from its future context in order to say that the verse is speaking about first century Rome at the present time of the vision.

The preterists who hold to these views refer to Rev. 11-2 as further confirmation that the temple was still standing when Revelation was written; and that the city mentioned in this text is Jerusalem. The Greek word temple used here is naos, and is the same word used by Paul in 2 Thess. 2-4;1 Cor. 3-16;2 Cor. 6-16; and Ephe. 2-21-22. So here we read, "Rise and measure the temple of God," the holy place and the alter. But not its outer courts or precincts, for they are to be trampled on. First we see by the word “naos” given that it is indicating this temple is not the literal temple building of the Jews. For in the Old Testament scriptures, Jerusalem is called the holy city. But since they rejected Christ, the New Testament teaches us that Jerusalem is no longer the holy city, it has been left desolate since the time Christ spoke those words in 30 A.D., (Matt. 23-38; Luke 13-35;19-41-44;21-24) unto the end. In God's eyes, it was no longer seen as the holy city, because of their rejection of Christ as their Messiah. "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Heb. 13-13-14; see also Ezek. 48-35; Rev. chap. 21).

We read in 1 Peter 2-9, "But ye (are) a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,---." Here in 1 Peter 2-9, the saints of Christ now represent what the Old Covenant nation of Israel and the holy city Jerusalem was before they rejected Christ, seen in 1 Peter 2-7-8. Now the New Covenant holy nation is considered to be the house and holy city of the God of Israel, where he would dwell. Those who hold the teaching that Rev. 11-1-2 refers to a literal temple in Jerusalem are incorrect. Rev. 11-2 only states that where this temple sanctuary resides in, is considered as being a holy city, for the Lord's sanctuary is in its midst. It does not state that this sanctuary would be in the holy city of Jerusalem. For Jerusalem is no longer considered the holy city of God. What is given us here in Rev. 11-1-2 is what is given us and parallels with Ezekiel chapters 40-48.

Note what is being measured here, and why: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” (Revelation 11:1–2). This temple is measured, protected, as we see in other passages of scripture (Ezek. 42-20; Zech. 2-1-5), measuring means “protection” not “destruction.” The measured temple and the unmeasured outer court and city receive opposite fates in this passage. The temple is protected, while the rest is to be trampled on. But in 70 AD, in following the preterist view, there was no difference, both the temple and the city suffered the same fate, they were destroyed. Here in Revelation, the temple is measured and protected, not destroyed as the 70 A.D. temple was. Therefore, this measured temple is not and cannot be the destroyed temple of 70 A.D.

We also note that the holy place in the Bible refers to the holy place in the temple. In context, Matthew 24-15-16, the holy place refers to Daniel, and Daniel's location is temple related rather than city related. Besides Daniel, to which Matthew directly refers, see also Acts 6:13, Hebrews chapter 9, and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that speaks about the holy place. The preterists say the anointing of the “most holy” (Dan. 9-24) happened when the Holy Spirit descended upon Messiah at the baptism of John. The word holy in verse 24 is the same Hebrew word as sanctuary in verse 26. Just as the desolation in chapter 8 ends with the cleansing of the sanctuary, so also the desolation in chapter 9 ends with the anointing of the sanctuary (most Holy). That is the ultimate goal of the seventy weeks, not the annihilation of the sanctuary, but rather the anointing of the sanctuary, if goals and weeks be coterminous.

Now that we know that holy and sanctuary are the same word, what does most mean? Actually, it's the same word as Holy, except plural. It's a plural of superlative, and most Holy can also be translated holy of holies. This expression appears forty-six times in the Old Testament, and it is never used of the Messiah, never used of a person. The expression always refers to the temple, the holy of holies within the temple structure or tabernacle, furniture within the tabernacle, or articles used in temple or tabernacle worship.

Preterists also refer to Rev. 11-8 as confirmation that the city in the text is Jerusalem. We read there: “And their dead body in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” All the critical texts of scripture show in verse 8 the word "body" in the“singular” as is the word "corpse" in the first part of verse 9, they shall look upon "their corpse",--and do not suffer "their corpses to be---." Here, this city is called a great city, not a holy city as is seen in Rev. 11-2. This great city is “spiritually” called Sodom and Egypt, to indicate the great bondage, idolatry and fornication in it (Rev. 14-8; 17-1-7, 18; 18-2). While Isa. 1-9-10 and Ezek. 16-46-49 are usually cited as passages where Jerusalem is called Sodom in the text of Isaiah, it is the Jewish people,not the city who are designated as such. And in Ezekiel, Jerusalem is being compared with her sisters, Samaria and Sodom. In neither of these passages noted is Jerusalem actually called Sodom; and in the Old Testament Jerusalem is never designated Egypt.

We note that in verse 8, the G.L.T.Tr. A. WH, and RV read the Greek word “auton” to mean their, instead of “hemon” to mean our. The translators changed the word “their” to the word “our,” in that passage. The critical texts give us the word auton, “--where also their Lord was crucified.” This is important to note, for it was the apostle John under inspiration that wrote this book. And the apostle John witnessed the Lord's crucifixion outside the gates of Jerusalem himself. It was written to indicate that these witnesses were not in Jerusalem where the Lord was literally crucified, but rather in a “great city” spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where “their” (the witnesses) Lord was crucified spiritually. The whole passage was meant to be taken spiritually, figuratively, not literally, why John used the word spiritually---. “Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also (spiritually) their Lord was crucified.”

This can be seen in Heb. 6-6 and 10-29: “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh (again), and put him to an open shame” (disgrace). (Rev. 11-8).

“Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who had trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done (insulted) despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Rev. 11-2). It is they in this “great city”that crucified the Lord again, and put him to open disgrace, and not in the city of Jerusalem.

We read in Rev. 17-9, “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Can Rome be considered the woman or great city because Rev. 17-3 and 9 tell us that the seven heads of the beast are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and Rome is known as the city on seven hills? The word mountain, Greek “oros” is used here for the Hebrew word “Har” for mountain. The Greeks and Romans used the word hill, Greek “bounos,” not “oros,” mountain, when referring to the seven hills Rome was built upon.

The seven heads are clearly identified in Rev. 17-9-10 as seven kings. We read, “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short time.”

The words there are in Rev. 17-10, translated from the Greek “eisen” which is from the root verb “eimi” meaning “to be.” Eimi is present tense third person plural meaning “they are.” This verifies to us that the seven heads represent seven kings. In the Old Testament the word mountain, Hebrew “Har,” was used symbolically to describe a national kingdom. In Dan. 2-35 it describes the rock that smote the feet of the image as growing into a huge mountain. This huge mountain we know to be the Kingdom of Christ. In Jer. 51-25, Har is used figuratively to describe Babylon as a “destroying mountain.” Mountain symbolizes Babylon's destructive military power. “Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth;---.” The seven heads spoken of in Rev. 17-9-10 are described as being both seven mountains and seven kings. They are also to represent kingdoms as we see in Jer. 51-25.

From the Old Testament usage of the word mountain, we can conclude that the seven heads refer to seven kingdoms and their kings. Note that there are, and represent seven of each. That is they are (represent) seven heads, they are seven kings, they are seven mountains, representing kingdoms. Not one kingdom which seven kings rule in at different times, but seven kingdoms, with each having a king ruling within it. Also the use of the word mountain represents that on which the kingdom rests. And it is much larger in area than a hill or mount that many make the word out to be. “--five are fallen, and one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short time.” Remembering the biblical principle given that kingdoms or world powers are reckoned only when they come into contact with Israel, the five that are fallen are: Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth, one is, was Rome at the time. The other “has not come yet, but when he comes, he must continue a short time.” And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition (destruction).” This eighth beast, “of the seven” is seen in Rev. 13-11-18, the beast of the earth. Noted as being the fallen Church of Christ. He is also seen in 2 Thess. 2-3-4,6-12, The “son of perdition,” the beast of the sea and the beast of the earth; for he has rule in both these kingdoms.

“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition (destruction).” This verse shows that the Preterists and others who see the beast in chapter 13 of Revelation as being “Rome” in the first century, are in error. For this passage and others tell us that the beast, Rome, was slain (Rev. 19-20), as well as the false prophet after Jerusalem's destruction, and its body, representing its kingdom, was destroyed at that time (thrown into the lake of fire); yet history records Rome continued into the late fourth century! So this beast that was slain given us here and in the parallel passage of Daniel 7-11 could not be Rome as preterists claim. Which also brings to doubt the preterist claim that the book of Revelation was written in the mid-sixties before Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Where then Rome at that time would also have been destroyed by the opening of the seals, and fulfillment of the book of Revelation. History clearly shows that this did not occur, the reason being that Revelation was written post 70 A.D.

Preterists also refer to Rev. 18-24 as a proof text that Babylon is Jerusalem. “And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.” They hold that only Jerusalem shed the blood of Old Testament prophets, directly or by instigation. But what about the prophets to come in Christ of the New Testament? We read in Ephe. 4-11-12, “And he (Christ) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers:” This verse identifies some of the spiritual gifts given to the church.

“For the perfecting (equipping) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” This verse is clear, the gifts are given the New Testament body of Christ, the church, for the work of the ministry and the edifying of it. And the gifts given us by Christ include prophets. These are the prophets and saints spoken of in Rev. 18-24 that this Mystery Babylon is said to have slain, and not Jerusalem. The very word Mystery itself is to mean something “secret,” or hidden from sight. Something that is not known rather than obvious to many, like literal Babylon or Jerusalem, but the mystery can be known from scripture and historical events as to Revelation's true meaning.

Romans 16-25-26, “---according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:”

Ephe. 3-3,5, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;----Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;---.” (Col. 1-26).

Among other reliable sources, some notes from “Godet's Bible Studies” agree with other reliable sources presented concerning the Revelation's date. There he gives internal evidence to corroborate the date of Revelation. He quotes: “The condition of the churches indicated in the second and third chapters of Revelation render the early date improbable. These churches were not founded before 55-58 A.D.” (And as noted earlier concerning the preterists claim of a pre-date writing of Revelation; Polycarp, who was the bishop of Smyrna recorded that no church in Smyrna existed during the ministry of Paul. Paul died around 66-67 A.D. (Paul died in May or June of A.D. 68; emphasis mine). So to the preterists who hold to a predate 70 A.D. writing, the question then is "how or why" is it that John would have written to the church of Smyrna "when they didn't even exist as a church yet?" The second and third chapters of Revelation describe a condition which could only have arisen a generation later than the date of Paul's intercourse with these churches.”

Godet goes on and notes the fact that a church organization reveals itself in the 7 churches spoken of in Revelation. He notes that this church organization did not come forth until about the close of the 1st century. In each church there is one man, “the angel of the church,” through whom the whole church is addressed. There is no hint of any individual enjoying a distinction like this until about the beginning of the 2nd century. He notes that the expressions in chapters 2-9 and 3-9 point to a complete separation between the church and the Jewish synagogue. This complete separation did not take place until the “destruction of Jerusalem was completed in 70 A.D.” He notes, “---therefore we see by this language of Rev. 2-9 and 3-9 that Revelation belongs to a later date beyond 70 A.D.”

The large amount of evidence given here only speaks of the internal evidence of the dating of the book of Revelation. There is also a large amount of external evidence as well that is given in these pages. When adding these together, it becomes virtually certain that the book of Revelation was written post 70 A.D. by John the Apostle.

God has not left us to interpret the book, of what “The Day of the Lord” is to be. There is a Divine plan in the structure of the book; and if we believe and follow this on its lines, believing what God says, all will be clear. The structure of chapter 1 forms the Introduction to the whole book. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” This is the Divine title of the book. The book is often called the Apocalypse, which is the transliteration of the Greek word Revelation. It literally means an unveiling. It may be understood as either taking a veil from a person, causing him to become visible; or of taking the veil from the future, and disclosing the course of events which shall take place. “--what things which must in speed (Greek; en tachei) come to pass--.” And he “sent and signified it by his angel---who bore witness (testified) of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ.”, the past tense shows that the Introduction, though coming first, was necessarily written last. And “of all things that he saw.” Not only what he heard but all that he saw in the vision of this prophetic book.

The key that unlocks the door to the understanding of Revelation is its relation to “the day of the Lord,” and not to a particular day of the week (Sunday), as some suggest. What John saw was by the Spirit's power which was “the Day of the Lord,” and the whole course of future events connected with that day. Just as the vision which Isaiah saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem was future, and made known to him by the Spirit; so it is with John. Isaiah's vision included “the last days” (Isa. 2-1-2), and John's visions refer to “the Day of the Lord.”

Ezekiel to saw visions of the future by the Spirit (Ezek. 11-24-25;40-2-3) concerning the events connected with the restoration of the house of Israel. In precisely the same way, by the Spirit, John saw the events that would take place in “the day of the Lord.” This is the foundation on which the entire book is based. In order to get a true understanding of any passage, or book, the interpretation of the “words” must be determined by “the scope of the context.”

In Romans 16-25, we are told of the “mystery” or “secret” concerning the church of God. We are told that it “was kept secret since the world began.” That “in other ages it was not made known unto the sons of men” (Eph. 3-5). That it “from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God” (Eph. 3-9). That it “hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to the saints” (Col. 1-26).

In the Epistles we learn what is to be the future and end of the body of Christ. The members of that body are waiting to be “received up in glory” (1 Tim. 3-16). They are waiting for their “calling on high” (Phil. 3-14). They are looking for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change their corrupt bodies that they may be changed like unto his glorious body (Phil. 3-20-21).

In Rev. 1-9 we are told that John saw and received the Revelation on “the Lord's Day.” Objections have been taken to the proper interpretation of the Lord's day here because we have the adjective “Lord's” instead of the noun, “of the Lord,” as in the Hebrew. In the Hebrew language if a Hebrew wanted to say “the Lord's day,” he must say “the day of the Lord,” by using these two nouns. In the Greek there are two ways of expressing this, either by saying literally, as in Hebrew; “the day of the Lord, using the two nouns, or by using the adjective “Lord's” instead. It comes to exactly the same thing as to its “meaning.” The difference lies only in the emphasis. So what is the “DAY of the Lord” or “the LORD”S day”? The first occurrence of the expression, which is the key to its meaning is in Isa. 2-11. It is the day when “the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted.”

Laying tradition aside, in Rev. 1-9, John tells us he “was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” There is no idea of banishment in these words as tradition holds. These words tell us that John went to Patmos “for” the purpose of receiving the revelation, just as Paul went into Arabia (Gal. 1-17). “On account of” is the meaning of the word used here-for-. The truth recorded here is that John was there on account of (to receive) the word of God; i.e., the prophetic message, “the words of this prophecy.”

It is prophecy concerning the events which shall take place “hereafter,” during “the day of the Lord.” All the words are “the words of this prophecy.” John was to bear witness of all the things that he saw (v.2): and “what thou seest write in a book.” The whole book therefore is prophecy.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” this is the Inspired title of the book. The book is often called the Apocalypse,which is a transliteration of the Greek word rendered “Revelation,” which means an unveiling, or taking away a veil from the future and disclosing the course of events which shall take place. “Which God gave to him (Christ) to show to his servants what things must need come to pass in speed” (en tachei). This word is used in two senses depending on the context. Greek scholars note the word to first be taken to mean “quickly” as to speed, or action in fulfillment of the prophetic events. For the very word itself speaks of an action. Greek verbs emphasize kind of action, with time relationships being secondary. Two, “soon” as to the time in which the events described reach their fulfillment when the prophetic events come to pass. So the context is important in applying en tachei as to its proper usage.

So when we come to the word en tachei, we know it to mean “quickly in action of its prophetic fulfillment.” And secondly, as to its “time,” the prophetic events would occur, that is in a short span of time, as can be seen by the context given in the book. We can see this from the very first words of Revelation that it is prophecy, and that when it comes, its fulfillment and appointed time, will occur in speed (en tachei). This is the proper meaning in the opening passages of Revelation, in how we are to understand the prophetic book. Not that the prophecy would occur “soon” as to the time after it was written or revealed, but that “when” these events would occur, they would come to pass in quick succession. “The second woe is past; behold, the third woe cometh quickly” (Rev. 11-14).

Examples: Act 25:4, “Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave “shortly.” We see once Festus was "informed" he moved "shortly,” that is in a short space of time.

Act 12:7, “ And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.” We see Peter once “informed,” he moved "quickly."

Act 22:18, “and I saw Him saying to me, “Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem “quickly,” because they will not accept your testimony about Me.” Again, "once Paul was informed" he moved "quickly,”in a short space of time.

We see in the context of these passages, the word “en tachei” is used to (first) denote the action or speed in which it was then (secondly) accomplished in a short space of time. Just as in Revelation, its meaning is "once Christ is "informed,” that is to mean the time has come to approach God and “open the seals,” the time of its fulfillment comes."

The Greek word "tachu" is to mean "swiftly" or "quickly" In Rev. 1-1 and 22-7, the Greek "en tachei" given there, literally reads (en) in (tachei) speed. In swiftness, in speed, or with swiftness with speed. "Tachos" speed is translated "quickly" in 22-7, and "tachos" is translated "shortly" in Rev. 1-1. In reading Rev. 1-1 literally, it is "---things which must in speed"(en tachei) come to pass;---." In Rev. 22-7 it literally reads, "Behold I come in speed; blessed (is) he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” So we see by the wording used here in Rev. 1-1 and 22-7, it is not referring to something happening soon as in the very near future as preterists take these words to mean. Rather the wording refers to rate of speed in which these series of events given in Revelation will occur when they come to pass. We read in Romans 16-20, "But the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet "shortly"---." This Greek phrase "shortly" is "tachos" or speed that is used here and is also found in Rev. 1-1 and 22-6, "---the things that must shortly (in speed) come to pass---." Here Romans 16-20 serves as a further argument against preterist time text references, for Satan has yet to receive his final crushing blow. Even though it has been nearly 2000 years since Paul wrote that this would shortly take place. So we have seen by the proper use of the wording and its context, the book of Revelation is not referring to something happening soon as preterists take these words to mean. Rather the wording refers to the rate of speed in which these series of events would occur when they came to pass.

John writes in Revelation 4-1, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard (was) as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.” We see in Rev. 5-1, In God's right hand he held a “sealed book;” sealed with seven seals. In Rev. 5-7, Christ is seen as the one worthy to open the seals and takes the sealed book from God's hand. And in chapter 6 we see he begins to open the seals and release the prophecy of the Revelation's contents.

The Inspired Word says in Rev. 1-11, "What thou seest write in a book, and send (it) unto the seven churches---." The very first words he heard when he "became in Spirit" (verse 10). We then read in Rev. 1-19, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." Then Christ tells him that the mystery of what John had seen represented the angels and the seven churches. Then goes on to give a message to each of the seven churches of what their current situations were at the time. But in each letter they were told to persevere and overcome and they would be rewarded; except for the church in Laodicea which was told to repent.

The point is it applied to the churches that would then be in existence, when we consider the audience relevance,and those of the body of Christ thereafter. The "hereafter” begins in chapter four. John hears a voice saying, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter." And these things to be “cannot begin to be fulfilled until Christ opens the seals seen in chapter six.”

“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Rev. 5-5).

The prophecy of Jesus Christ, when “the time shall come,” Jesus shall do it, quickly, suddenly, “in speed,” as we see he testifies such in Rev. 22-20, with speed it shall be accomplished “---and he (Jesus) signified it by sending his angel to his servant John.”(V.2) “--who testified---,” the past tense shows that the introduction, though coming first, was of necessity written last. It connects the introduction with the conclusion. Compare Rev. 1-1 with 22-16-20, the only three occurrences in this book.

It means not only having testified, but written and made known, “---of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ what things soever he saw.” As John testifies in Rev. 22-8, “I John saw these things, and heard them.” Another proof in this past tense passage that Rev. 1-1-2, the introduction was written last, and put there for a very good reason just established. In order to confirm that from the very opening words, the entire book is prophecy of a future time. Not “soon,” but when that appointed time shall come, its events would occur in speed (en tachei), as Jesus testified in those passages.

The indication of these “short prophetic times” are seen in Matt. 24-22 and Mark 13-20, “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.”

Verse 3 reminds us of that again: “Blessed he that readeth, and they who hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things written therein, for the season is near.” The word “kairos” refers to the ordained appointed time, the Advent of the Day of the Lord.

We read in 1 Thess. 5-1-2, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” It is the “day of the Lord,” which is the subject of Revelation, and in Rev. 3-3, the Lord warns us as to his coming “as a thief,” the very opposite of what we read in Ephe., Phil., and Col.; for mark the sudden change of pronouns in the following passages. “For when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them---and they shall not escape. But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” As we have noted, the book is prophecy, and meets its fulfillment, at the appointed time, in the Day of the Lord. When the Lord shall be unveiled as the Son of Man, and every eye shall see him.

We read in Rev. 1-7, “Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye will see him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail because of him.” Yea; Amen. Here we have a double confirmation of the truth of this statement. Compare the conclusion in Rev. 22-20. The figure is called synonymia, to mean the use of synonymous words in order to strengthen the certainty of this prophecy.

This is the one great object of all the future events seen by John in vision, and recorded in Revelation. The book of Revelation consists of a series of visions which will take place during “the Lord's Day,” which is connected with “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Also we must note that John was not told to send seven separate letters to seven separate assemblies; Jesus said: “What thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven assemblies.” John tells us in Rev. 1-10 “I was in (or came to be in) the Spirit, in the day of the Lord,---.” In order to see visions of God the prophet Ezekiel (1-1) was under the direct influence and power of the Spirit. John also was transported by spiritual power into the scenes which would take place in the Day of the Lord; in vision. And John heard “a great voice as of a trumpet.” Saying, “What thou seest write in a book,---.” Not in seven separate epistles, but in this book which we have at our disposal today; the book of Revelation. “Write the things which thou hast seen,and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” The command to write here (1-19) refers to all that John saw, and not merely what he had seen in verses 12-16. We must also take into account that the Introduction of the book was written last.

Early, post-apostolic Christianity made much of the fact of the destruction of the temple as evidence of God’s rejection of the Jew. Let us survey a few early Christian references to the destruction of the temple.

The Epistle of Barnabas is dated between A.D. 75 and 100. In Barnabas 16: we read: “Moreover I will tell you likewise concerning the temple, how these wretched men being led astray set their hope on the building, and not on their God that made them, as being a house of God. . . . So it cometh to pass; for because they went to war it was pulled down by their enemies.” It is indisputably clear that Barnabas makes much of the fact of Jerusalem’s fall as an apologetic for Christianity.

Ignatius wrote around A.D. 107. And although clear and explicitly detailed reference is not made to Jerusalem’s fall in Ignatius’s letters, there is what seems to be an allusion to the matter. In his Epistle to Magnesians 10 we read: “It is absurd to speak of Jesus Christ with the tongue, and to cherish in the mind a Judaism which has now come to an end.” With the demise of the temple, Judaism is incapable of worshiping in the manner prescribed in the Law of God; it “has now come to an end.”

Justin Martyr wrote his 77 First Apology of Justin about A.D. 147. In this work we read in Chapter 32: “For of all races of men there are some who look for Him who was crucified in Judea, and after whose crucifixion the land (i.e. Israel) was straightway surrendered to you as spoil of war.” In chapter 53 he writes: “For with what reason should we believe of a crucified man that He is the first-born of the unbegotten God, and Himself will pass judgment on the whole human race, unless we had found testimonies concerning Him published before He came and was born as man, and unless we saw that things had happened accordingly- the devastation of the land of the Jews.”

In the fragments of the works of Melito of Sardis (written about A.D. 160-180), we read of his words against the Jews: “Thou smotest thy Lord: thou also hast been smitten upon the earth. And thou indeed liest dead; but He is risen from the place of the dead, and ascended to the height of heaven.”

Hegesippus, in the fragments of his Commentaries on the Acts, writes (A.D. 170-175): “And so he suffered martyrdom; and they buried him on the spot, and the pillar erected to his memory still remains, close by the temple. This man was a true witness to both Jews and Greeks that Jesus is the Christ. And shortly after that Vespasian besieged Judea, taking them captive.” He ties in the persecution of Christ’s apostle James to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Clearly, early Christianity made much of the fall of Jerusalem and the Jews. Bu