The End of Shadows or Daniel’s 70th Week Postponed

[Mike Bull]

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9:2

A great deal of time has been spent on the chronology concerning Daniel’s seventy sevens. Quite frankly, chronology is not my strong point [1], but perhaps the solution for this enigmatic problem is not chronological but theological.

Firstly, a quick definition of the “abomination of desolation.” Jordan observes that this is a crime that can only be committed by God’s priests. It is the “desolating sacrilege”, and the subsequent destruction of the Temple by Gentiles is the punishment, not the crime. When considering the deeds of Antiochus Epiphanes, many people think the sun shone out of the Jewish priests, but they need to remember the sons of Aaron and the sons of Eli. Antiochus was the punishment. The crime, as in Genesis 6, was the sin of the sons of God. [2]

Anyhow, some commentators believe that the abomination of desolation that Jesus refers to is His crucifixion. Slaughtering God-as-man outside the Temple should qualify for this like nothing else. Jordan observes that Jesus forgave His murderers, which actually put Daniel’s prophecy on PAUSE. Yep, after all that, there IS a gap. But it doesn’t stretch for two millennia. It stretches for one generation. Of course, Jesus knew this even before He died.

“But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” Luke 23:28

What we do see at the end of this “postponed” week is the glory departing. But is was inside people. It was the fire-filled saints of Pentecost. The centre of worship moved from Jerusalem to Antioch, and the reigning Herod became a human Gehenna. Both these events were “liturgical” symbols of what was to come in AD70.

The postponement is predicted typologically by Israel’s initial failure to enter the Land of Canaan due to unbelief. The first century situation was the same, hence the warnings in the book of Hebrews, only, this time it was a heavenly country. We see the giving of the new “Levitical” Law in Christ and the apostles. Then, in the early 60’s, there is a “Deuteronomic” repeating of the Law to the Jews of the diaspora, just before the destruction of Jerusalem as Jericho.

Revelation also shows this postponement. The four angelic army commanders, four winds of judgment, the four horns of the Altar looking for blood, are told to hold off until the saints are sealed.

So, the Messiah was “cut off” in the middle of the 70th week. Due to His grace, there would be a remnant. Israel would not be totally destroyed like Sodom (Romans 9:29). But when the unbelieving Jews started slaughtering Christians, the end was truly nigh. Guess when this happened? In the midst of the 70th week, the second giving of the Law. This is the subject of Revelation 14, the harvest of the saints as bread and wine. Their blood is symbolically spilled across the Land of Israel (the four-cornered Altar) and the avenging angels are finally let loose with seven bowls - the seven “sprinklings” to atone for this shedding of innocent blood. This time, there was no forgiveness. There was no more sacrifice for sins. [3]

This final week began with Nero’s torching of Rome and Herod’s COMPLETION of the Temple in AD64. Is there any wonder many saints were losing their nerve? Both tyrants would build their new world orders on the blood of Christians. For Nero, the saints were a helpless minority, the perfect patsy for his bloody crime. For Herod, the completion of the Temple proved that Jesus was a false prophet. The irony here is delicious. While the saints “filled up” the sufferings of Jesus, Jesus let the Herods “fill up” their sins.

Wonderfully, Revelation measures the last three and a half years of the apostolic witness in DAYS, but during the same period, the blasphemies of Herodian worship are measured in LUNAR months (Rev. 11:1-3). The Old Covenant festivals took place “during the night”, but the Sun of Righteousness had risen and the true shadows had fled. Those who preferred the shadows had replaced them with their own demonic traditions. In AD70 they were cast into outer darkness. [4]

The following three and a half years of hell on earth for Israel during the Roman siege are also measured in lunar months. The Old Covenant, like Jesus, like the Passover Lamb, like the blood on the Ark at Yom Kippur, was tipped out in the dark.

The whole idea is that the Law is given, the Lord postpones judgment for 40 years, then the Law is received by the next generation before conquest of the Land. Perhaps the “wilderness” between AD30 and AD70 solves the chronology problem.

The postponement allowed for the ascension of the whole sacrifice, head (Jesus) and body (the apostolic church).

Endnotes:

[1] Jordan is brilliant with chronology. Start here. For his comments on chronology concerning Daniel, see The Handwriting on the Wall, currently available as an ebook here. (Second printing is due in Sept-Oct.) This work took seven years and is indispensable.
[2] See Jordan on The Abomination of Desolation.
Part 1 (PDF)
Part 2 (PDF)
[3] See No More Sacrifice for Sins.
[4] Those terrifying scenes in the movie Ghost come to mind.

[Brother Les]

by Mike Bull »
Jordan observes that Jesus forgave His murderers, which actually put Daniel’s prophecy on PAUSE. Yep, after all that, there IS a gap.

A 'pause' of 40 years or 2,000 years makes Daniels '70 week 'prophecy' false....
Daniels prophecy was fulfilled as stated within the '70 week period. God/Jesus was no longer 'Married'/bound to the Mosaic Covenant Marriage contract, His Harlot wife had 'killed' Him. The Fulfilling terms of that Mosaic Marriage contract were consemated in AD70. The holocaust of AD70 was an effect that was caused by The Cross ("we have to King but Caesar"), but was not with in (or needed to be) with in the time frame of the '70weeks'.


Brother Les

[Mike Bull]

I hear you, Les. I agree totally.

But this repeated '70th week' not only follows exactly the same structure, it explains a lot of the symbolism in the Revelation. For instance, the literary structure puts the harvest of Rev 14 at the centre of a '7', at Pentecost.

[Brother Les]

by Mike Bull »
I hear you, Les. I agree totally.

But this repeated '70th week' not only follows exactly the same structure, it explains a lot of the symbolism in the Revelation. For instance, the literary structure puts the harvest of Rev 14 at the centre of a '7', at Pentecost.
.

I believe that it is 'Daniels 70th week' that is the 'repeat'.... (type/antie-type) It was the First Passover when 'Israel' came out of Egypty. Mount Sinia was 'The Betrothal (Mosaic Marriage Covenant proposal given) as was also Pentecost was 'The Betrothal' of the Messianic Marriage Covenant.

IMO Rev 14 is the 'Anti-type' (Marriage) to Joshua 5:2-10 , 'type' (Marriage) that happened at Gilgal. It is 'The Children' of those who left Egypt, that Married YHWH at Gilgal ("The Reproach of 'Egypty' rolled of 'you'") . At the Holocaust/Marriage (Coming of The King) it was the 'Children' (born again believers as a child) of those who had' come out of 'Sodom/Egypt (Jerusalem) that 'married' YHWH. The 144,000 in Rev 14 are 12,000 from each tribe...ie, "all Irael' (Judah + Ephraim/the Nations). So many with in 'the church' are 'looking' for 'the mariage' to 'come'.... when in reality 'we' need to realise that 'we' are 'Married to Jesus/God, now....


blessings Mike
Brother Les

[Tammy]

Jordan observes that Jesus forgave His murderers, which actually put Daniel’s prophecy on PAUSE.

What is this "Pause"? Why do you think there is a Pause? The passage that you refer to about Christ forgiving his murders, I believe is, (Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.). If you notice, also this is the only passage from the gospels that talk about the parting of his clothes and casting lots. I believe he is not forgiving the Jews, because they knew the law, they knew what they were doing was wrong, and they didn't care. The Roman soldiers didn't know the laws of God, so I believe Christ is forgiving the Roman soldiers.

Do you not believe that the 70 weeks ended 3 1/2 years after the crucifixion? If the crucifixion happened in the middle of the seven years, shouldn't it have ended then?