What Is This World Coming To? Part 3: Daniel's 70 Weeks

We're going to begin reading in a few moments from verse 20. Daniel chapter nine verse 20. Start a series couple weeks ago. What is this world coming to? I've heard several people ask that question over the past few years of my life.

Particularly Christians or people that are concerned about the direction that the world is headed in and it doesn't seem to be a good direction. But that shouldn't catch us by surprise as Christians. The Bible tells us what is going to happen with this world. It it isn't shouldn't be a great mystery to us. God leaves out a few of the details but he gives us the overall picture.

We started last two weeks ago by looking at what we called the big picture. You see, God wasn't taken by surprise in the Garden Of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. He knew that that's what they would do and he already had a plan in place to redeem, to redeem, to buy back, to bring back, to reconcile to himself, humanity through his son, Jesus Christ, and his atoning sacrifice on Calvary. God already had a plan in place to foil the plans of his enemy, the devil. The devil thought he won a great battle in the Garden Of Eden but the devil is already a defeated foe.

He cannot match his maker. No one is as great as God. He stands alone. He is the sovereign Lord. He is king of kings and Lord of lords.

He will defeat his enemy. He will establish his kingdom here on this Earth. He will win. The Bible tells us so. There is a big picture and nothing's going to stop that plan from happening.

God is sovereign. That's why God can tell us in advance exactly what is going to happen because he has the power to make it happen. But then we narrow down our focus a little bit last Sunday morning. We didn't have the image upon the screen but I'll have it up there this morning just for review. We looked in Daniel chapter two at what the Bible calls the times of the Gentiles.

The times of the Gentiles. This is a vision given to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon interpreted by Daniel that tells us what is going to happen to this world from the time of Daniel even until the return of Jesus Christ. Of course, it's a very broad view but it gives us a chronology of kingdoms and some events that will take place. A few more details are filled out in visions in Daniel seven and eight that we looked at parts of last Sunday morning. During the times of the Gentiles, we have first the kingdom of Babylon with its head Nebuchadnezzar who is the head of gold followed by Babylon comes the kingdom of the Medes and Persians and led first of all by Cyrus who is mentioned in scripture ahead of time is being the one who will send Israel back to the land to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple which he did and that is followed by the bronze thighs of brass up there, the Greek Empire.

Of course, that's headed by Alexander the Great and at his death, the his kingdom was divided into four parts until finally, it was taken over by the Roman Empire. The Babylon, the Persian Empire, and the Greek Empire are all named in the book of Daniel. By name, and before Persia and Greece ever came to power. Now, why is that? How can that be?

How could Daniel know that information? Well, critics want us to think it's because Daniel wrote the book later on. After these events took place but that's clearly not the case. Daniel was a prophet. He got his information from who?

God. Got his information from God and therefore, God told me what was going to happen before it ever came to be. This image here represents the times of Gentiles. We see the Babylonian Empire which is largely today the country of Iraq. What's left of it.

We have the Persian Empire, which today, by the way, is largely the country of Iran, what is left of, just fairly recently in terms of, you know, a hundred years, changed from Persia to Iran. And then, of course, the Greek Empire and followed later by the Roman Empire under Julius Caesar and other emperors to follow him. Those are the legs of iron because in Rome's time of great power, they split eastern and western Roman Empire and so you have the two different branches or here the two iron legs and Rome lasted for a very long time and it can be said in a in a sort of divided way that it still sort of exists in the power of the European Union in Europe today. That may be in some part represented by, at the very bottom, the feet of iron and clay and this gives us an idea of the times the Gentiles, we would be in that last part down there at the ankles and the feet of the kingdom of iron and clay, partly strong and partly weak and divided up into at least 10 parts there. At the end of this time period, what happens?

Well, there's a stone cut out of a mountain and it crashes into the feet of the statue that represents the times of the power of the Gentile nations and destroys it. It turns to dust or to like the chaff of the threshing floor and it's blown away so that there is no nothing of it left at all. As though it never existed and that stone becomes a great mountain and Daniel tells us who the stone is. The stone is the Messiah. The stone is Jesus Christ.

The kingdom, the mountain is his kingdom and it will last for how long? It will last forever. So, this gives us shrinks down our picture a little bit rather than starting at creation. Now, we're starting at the time of Daniel moving forward and we're going to shrink it down a little more this morning. Though the vision in Daniel two and seven and eight give us a chronological order of events leading up to Christ's return, they give us little to no indication of a few things.

Of the duration of this intervening time, we're not up on the up on the screen here, you can't probably see it from where you are but underneath each name, there's time period. BC 06/2005 to 05/9331 and those kingdoms that are already passed, we have time periods because they're past history to us. However, in these prophecies that we just read about and learned about, there are no time periods given. So, the duration of these times are not specified. Any specifics concerning the nation of Israel is not seen in this until we get to what?

Until we get to the very end and Christ returns to establish his kingdom of which Israel will be a great part. In Jerusalem, that you can go visit today. But other than that, we don't have a lot of specifics as to what is happening to Israel or of the first coming of Christ to redeem humanity through his sacrifice on the cross but we're going to fill in a few more of those specifics today. Daniel chapter nine verse 20, okay? Daniel nine twenty.

Daniel writes, and whilst I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord, my God, for the holy mountain of my God, the holy mountain there would be Jerusalem. Yea, whilst I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, who was also called an angel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening, oblation, or offering. And he informed me and talked with me and said, oh Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications or prayers, the commandment of came forth and I am come to show thee for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore, understand the matter and consider the vision.

Here we go. Verse twenty four, seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. The holy city again is Jerusalem. To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. That would be Jesus.

Know therefore and understand that from the beginning, going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the prince shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks, the street shall be built again in the wall even in troubles times and after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary that would be the temple and the end thereof shall be with the flood until the end of the world, end of the war, desolations are determined and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. That is the antichrist and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determine shall be poured upon the desolate. Let's pray. Dear Lord, please direct in the message today. Guide in the words that I say, the explanation that is given.

May the Holy Spirit take these words, give us understanding. Lord, today, and to the plan that you have set forth, that you have given here in your word, for this world the return of Christ your coming kingdom, That all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. Will be blessed to be part of. Thank you Lord for your word today. Lord, help us piece by piece today to be able to put this puzzle together.

To bring glory and honor to the soon coming king, Jesus Christ. For it's in Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. Now, as we read those verses there, particularly verses 24 to 27, it's a mouthful and at first, it may seem a little bit confusion, confusing. However, we'll take it piece by piece and we'll put it together and help us to see this morning what God is telling Daniel that is so important.

Now, some people say, well, this this prophecy stuff and you know, revelation and all this that I just can't understand that and I just, you know, we'll leave that to somebody else but you know something, God wrote it here for you. God wrote it here for you and there's something he wants you to understand. There's something that does apply to you today. And hopefully as we pray and go through God's word, the holy spirit will help us to grasp those things this morning. Daniel's seventy week prophecy.

Is very pertinent not only to the time of Christ first and second coming but also to God's dealing with here the primary focus is the nation of Israel. First, let's look at the context. Daniel is praying. He is praying concerning the seventy year prophecy. Now, the seventy year prophecy, the seventy week prophecy are two different things.

So, don't get em confused. He is praying concerning the seventy year prophecy of Jeremiah concerning the exile of Israel for their sins. Israel was exiled from the land because they departed from God to worship what? Idols and God sent Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and to take the people captive and they were to be captive for seventy years until God deposed the line of Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon and then they were sent back seventy years later by order of King Cyrus of Persia, the second kingdom up there on our list. That image is largely about these Gentile kingdoms, these pagan kingdoms but this prophecy is specifically concerning Israel.

Look if you would in chapter nine verse one. Chapter nine verse one of Daniel. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, that which was formerly Babylon. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books, the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet and he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem and I set my face unto the Lord God to seek my prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. This is what Daniel is referring to as a prophecy given in Jeremiah twenty five nine through 11.

Just listen as I read. Jeremiah says, behold, I send and take all the families of the North. Saith the Lord and Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against the land that is the land of Judah and against the inhabitants thereof, the Jews, and against all these nations round about and will utterly destroy them and make them an astonishment and an hissing and perpetual desolations. In other words, they're just they're just going to just obliterate them. Moreover, I will take from them that is the Jews, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, the voice of the bride, and the sound of millstones, and the light of the candle.

And this whole land shall land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Now, that's the seventy year prophecy. It started when Nebuchadnezzar came in and took Jerusalem and it ended seventy years later when King Cyrus sent them back to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding. Daniel is praying to God because he senses that according to his determination, that seventy years is soon to be up. Daniel who was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar is a very young man is now an aged man and much time has passed and he's praying and seeking the Lord's forgiveness for the sins of Israel that they would be restored to the land and as he is praying and and thinking on this promise that God is going to send them back, that God is going to free them from the oppression of Babylon.

The Lord sends Gabriel to him with a new prophecy, not the seventy year prophecy but the seventy week prophecy. This prophecy is specifically concerning Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Look if you would again in verse 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. The people of Daniel are the Jews, the Israelites.

The holy city is Jerusalem referred to several times throughout the Old Testament as the holy city. It's it's set us, it is set apart. That's what holy means. It's set apart unto the Lord. It's it's his city and one day, he's going to come back and he's going to rule and reign for a thousand years from the throne in that city.

It's his city. It is special place that God has chosen. There are seventy weeks determined. That means there are seventy weeks that have been appointed. This time period, this duration of seventy weeks to finish God's plan of redemption specifically here for the nation of what?

For the nation of Israel. God has a plan. He's going to redeem. He's going to redeem, has redeemed us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ but he's also going to redeem Israel one day. They're going to come back to Jesus when he comes the second time.

They will embrace him as their Messiah and he will restore their kingdom and he will save them as he has saved us. And so seventy weeks are appointed time to finish this plan of redemption for us and for Israel to seal up the vision, to finish up the prophecy that was given in the previous chapters. Now, seventy weeks. Seventy weeks. It's not actually weeks.

The word week is a set of seven and in the Hebrew, that's exactly what it means. It's not seventy sets of seven days which would be four ninety days, okay? That would mean that God's plan ended a very long time ago and we are in the eternal state which obviously we're not. God's plan hasn't been finished. It's not four ninety days.

It's not seventy weeks of days. It's seventy weeks of years. Seventy sets of seven years, sabbatical years. Four ninety years in all. Look if you would on the screen if you can read that.

It's a little bit small for some of you in the back. Leviticus twenty four four and five says this, but in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord. Thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard, that which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest shall thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undress for it is a year of rest unto the Lord. Israel not only celebrated a Sabbath week of days but Israel also celebrated a Sabbath year and in the seventh year, they weren't to plant the fields. They were to lie fallow.

So, we have a Sabbath of days and we have a Sabbath of what? Years. We have a set of seven days and we have a set of seven years. This would have been understandable to the Jews. When they looked at this passage, they wouldn't have seen seventy weeks.

They would have seen 70 sets of seven. In this case, 70 sets of seven years or four ninety years is the duration of this time period given of this prophecy, not four ninety days but four hundred and ninety years. During this time period, he tells what is going to happen here as an overview in verse 24, okay? Verse 24 again, seventy weeks or four ninety years to determine upon the people, the Jews, and upon thy holy city Jerusalem. To finish the transgression, the transgression.

What is transgression? That's transgressing or breaking the law of God. The Gentile nations particularly in their rule of this world have transgressed their maker and his law. They have broken his laws. They don't particularly care about his laws.

They've made their own laws. They've done their own thing. They are following not the the king of kings and Lord of lords. They're following the prince and power of the air. Their father, the devil.

But four ninety years, this prophecy that is to be finished. To finish the transgression particularly of the Gentile nations. To make an end of sins. To make an end of sins. The Bible says, for all have what?

Sinned and come short of the glory of God. We all sin. But when Christ returns, the sinless one and takes his place upon the throne. He will rule with a rod of iron. He will redeem those who trust in him as he does this day and forgive them all their what?

Sins. To make an end of sins. Look, if you would, continue verse 24 and to make reconciliation for iniquity. Iniquity is another word for sin. It means going my own way.

Going my own way. We've all gone our own way. The Bible says, all we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him that is Jesus the what? The iniquity of us all. God took our iniquity and laid it on Jesus Christ.

Our sins and he suffered on Calvary's Cross that he might bring us back together with who? That he might bring us back together with God. And four hundred ninety years are appointed for this to be finished and for God to reconcile the world unto himself. To bring in everlasting righteousness. That can only happen through the righteous one, Jesus Christ.

Second Corinthians five twenty one says, for he that is God hath made him Jesus to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the what? The righteousness of God in him. One day, the righteous one who has redeemed his people unto himself has forgiven us our sins and has given to us his righteousness. We'll rule in his place. The righteous one.

In his kingdom upon this earth. And bring in everlasting righteousness. To seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. The end of all of these prophecies ends, finishes with the return and rule of Jesus Christ on this Earth. That is his rightful, rightful place because he is our maker, our creator, and he is also our redeemer.

And so we see here at this time period, these four ninety years are appointed to bring about the plan of almighty God to redeem fallen man through faith in Jesus Christ and what he did on Calvary's Cross. That when he returns, he will establish with his redeemed, his kingdom upon this earth. This is the vision that has been given in chapter two and chapter seven and chapter eight, but we're not done yet. So we see there's four ninety years. When will that four ninety years begin?

Well, we're given an exact time. If you look in verse number 25, know therefore and understand from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the prince, that's Jesus, shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, the street shall be built again and the wall even in trouble times. We are told that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Jesus will be added together sixty nine weeks or sixty nine sets of seven years, four eighty three years from a particular command. Hold your place in Daniel. Turn with me to first Chronicle, second Chronicles chapter 36, okay?

Second Chronicles 36, I want you to see this with your own eyes. Second Chronicles 36 and we're going to begin reading in verse 21. Thirty six twenty one. From the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the coming or the presentation of Messiah, the prince, okay? That's Jesus.

Four eighty three years. Verse 21. To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah unto until the land had enjoyed her Sabbath for as long as she lay desolate, she kept her Sabbath to fulfill three score in ten years, three score in ten years is 70. Now, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished. The Lord stirred up in the spirit of Cyrus, of Persia, then he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing saying, thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth, hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem is in Judea.

Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord, his God, be with him and let him go up. That's the command. That is the beginning of the four hundred and eighty three years, the sixty nine sets of seven years that is given here from the time of this announcement until the coming or the presentation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah in Jerusalem. Okay, back to Daniel nine.

Back to Daniel nine. So, we see it this prophecy commences with the command to return and rebuild Jerusalem. We know approximately when that is. Now, I won't pretend to be doctorate in history or those things but it is around April that that command came down, alright? Next, the first forty nine years or seven weeks, Jerusalem will be rebuilt.

Over the course of that first set of seven weeks mentioned here, Jerusalem will be rebuilt in trouble times. It won't be the easiest of times for the Jews as they rebuild their city and rebuild their culture and rebuild their their nation. They're not going to have freedom to do everything they want to. They're going to be attacked and you can read Ezra and you can read Nehemiah and you can read Zechariah and you can see the troublesome times that they went through in rebuilding the city and the temple and the surrounding communities under Ezra, Nehemiah, Joshua, and Zerubbabel. The next four hundred and thirty four years or sixty two weeks will conclude with the presentation of Jesus in Jerusalem, okay?

It says, until the coming of the Messiah, the prince. It's seven weeks plus three score and two weeks and at that time, the Messiah, the prince, will come, okay? And he did. And he did come. And he was presented to Jerusalem as the Messiah around thirty AD.

Four eighty or so years later. Jesus was born, yes, around February, most likely and at the age of 33, he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey just as Zechariah had told what happened, foretold, what happened. How that Jesus would be presented to Jerusalem as their Messiah, hundreds of years previous to Jesus's birth and his presentation at the beginning of what we call the Passion Week to Jerusalem. Four hundred and eighty three years later. From the commencement, the command of Cyrus to return and rebuild Jerusalem.

Just as this prophecy foretold. The Jews had no excuse, no excuse, none whatsoever, and not recognizing Jesus as their Messiah. He did everything that they prophesied that he would do. He healed the blind. He preached the gospel.

He fed the multitudes He rose again from the dead. He presented himself to the nation beginning of the Passover week on a donkey, just like the prophecy foretold, at the very day the prophecy foretold. Israel had no excuse in not recognizing who their Messiah was. But sadly, they did not. Recognizing.

In Matthew twenty one six through nine, it tells us of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I'd like to read that for you. It'll take just a moment. Says there and the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them and brought the ass and the colt and put on them their clothes and they set him there on and a very great multitude spread their garments in the way. Others cut down branches from trees and straw them in the way and the multitudes that went before and that followed cried saying, Hosanna to the son of David.

That's a messianic title. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. That's called the triumphal entry. A few that day recognized who he was but most sadly, did not. The prophecy continues in Daniel chapter nine if you would in verse 26.

It says in verse 26 and after three score and two weeks, that's the seven weeks plus the sixty two weeks, that's sixty nine weeks or four hundred and eighty three years. After that, after that has completed, shall the Messiah be what? After that, the Messiah shall be cut off. Now, what does that mean? What does it mean that when it says the Messiah will be cut off?

Well, it means he'll be slain. He'll be killed. And he was. In less than a week, a right about a week, after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem as prophesied by Zechariah, as told us here by Daniel, he died on the cross. He was slain.

Just as it foretold. Not only that but it says in verse 26 again, he'll be cut off. The next phrase says, what? But not for himself. He won't be cut off or he won't be killed or he won't be slain or he won't be executed for himself.

Well, then, why will he be executed? Why will he be slain? Why will he be cut off? For me and for you. He was slain on that cross Just as foretold.

For my sins and not for his. Another prophet in the Old Testament wrote concerning this event. Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53, surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. That was the determination of the Jews that day as they mocked Jesus at the foot of his cross. That he was dying for his own sins.

We know that to not be the case. As Isaiah tells us but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him. That is Jesus, the iniquity of us all. The Bible tells us in Romans five eight, but God commended demonstrated his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. According to God's almighty plan and yes, there was a time period given. Israel should have recognized that this was Jesus for many many reasons but they didn't.

As a nation, they turned away from him. Even after his resurrection, they would not receive him. Not only does this passage tell us that after the conclusion of the six hundred, the sixty ninth week or the four hundred and eighty three years. After that, the Messiah will be cut off but also it says, and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. While Jesus was here on Earth, he prophesied, he told his disciples and other people standing around as they were looking at this beautiful, magnificent temple originally built by Ezra, Nehemiah, and those that returned but then added to and added to and and made absolutely gorgeous by Herod the great.

As they looked at that temple sitting on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Jesus said, that it would be what? Destroyed and whatnot. One stone left on another. Well, in AD 70, just as this verse 26 foretold, the prince of the people that should come or the people of the prince that should come that is the Roman Empire. Came to Jerusalem not forty years later after the death of Jesus and they destroyed the city and guess what they did to the temple?

They left not one stone upon another. They completely destroyed it. All that's left of Solomon's Temple and all that's left of Herod's Temple is the retaining wall and the foundation on which it was built. But there is no temple there today. A matter of fact, the Dome Of The Rock, a Muslim.

Holy place is built on that site today. As you'd ride in Jerusalem, you see a beautiful gold dome but it's not it's not the temple. It's Muslim mosque that sits there today. All of this happened after the conclusion of the four hundred eighty three years. The sixty nine weeks of this prophecy prophecy and it continues on.

It says in verse 26, and the end thereof shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. It'll continue. It won't get a whole lot better. Israel will be wiped out in AD seventy and Israel up until the late 1940s wasn't even a people or a nation had no sovereign authority over themselves till recently again and they're still in a lot of hot water. They still have a lot of enemies that would love to push them right back into the Mediterranean Sea and take their land from them.

But God is not done with Israel yet and God is not done with his plan yet. You see, this is the sixty nine week prophecy or the seventy week prophecy. This is the seventy week prophecy and we've just covered the first one. Sixty nine weeks. The first four eighty three years, what's left?

Seven years. There are seven years left. Well, what's that? Well, God tells us what's going to happen that last seven years and as we'll see, that last seven years hasn't happened yet. Hey, look if you would in verse 27.

And he shall confirm. Now, this he here is the prince not of heaven but the prince of the world. At that time, the puppet of Satan, the Antichrist, and he, the Antichrist, shall confirm the covenant with many, including Israel, for one week, or for seven years. And in the midst of the week, in the midst of that seven years, he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determine shall be poured out upon the desolate. Okay?

So, the seventieth week. See, we finish that. I forgot to put that up there. So, now, the seventieth week. We call the seventieth week the what?

The We call it the tribulation and in the seventieth week at the beginning of that seventieth week, when that seventieth week, that last seven year period commences, it will begin with the signing of a treaty between the Antichrist and Israel and other nations. There will be great turmoil which there is and I think will very likely get worse according to Matthew 24. Particularly concerning the nation of Israel. And a man will step on to the scene. The Antichrist.

A man with great power, a man with great eloquence. And will convince the world that he is their Messiah. That he can save this world. That he can bring peace to this world. There's a lot of those people out there this very day that would like everybody to think that they're the person to do that.

The Bible doesn't tell us the name or the specific identity of this man but when he does come on the scene, he will bring at least a temporary peace to the situation. And in the middle of us this seventieth week, this last seven years, he will turn on Israel. In the middle of this seventy years, he will break that treaty and he will desecrate the then temple that will be built in Jerusalem and he will set himself up to be worshiped as God. In the middle of the three and a half years, in the middle, that's three and a half years, the Antichrist will break the treaty attacking Jerusalem and desecrating the temple. We read about that in the Book of Revelation, particularly in Revelation 13.

We also read about that in Matthew 24. Matthew wrote, when you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, stand in the holy place. When that abomination takes is put in the holy place in the temple desecrating it, then you'll know that the time of Christ is just around the corner. Look if you would in second Thessalonians chapter two. Second Thessalonians chapter two.

Yes, I am winding up, alright? This is a mouthful today. I appreciate your attentiveness. Thessalonians chapter two verses three and four. It says, let no man deceive you by any means for the day shall not come.

It's the day of God's judgment except there be a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. That is the antichrist who opposes and exalted himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. He's going to present himself as God before the world and he will put an image. The Bible tells us in Revelation 13. In the temple, there to be worshiped.

And he will desecrate it and he will break his treaty just as the book of Daniel said will happen in the middle of this seventieth week. And then it closes this verse and says, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation or the end, and that determine shall be poured out upon the desolate. What is this? This seventieth week, particularly the last three and a half years is a time of great judgment. Upon the Gentile world, upon the nations.

God will begin destroying that great image that man has erected. Of his power and of his greatness which will be smashed to bits at the end of the tribulation when Jesus returns. To set up his kingdom. The tribulation will not be a time you want to be here for. It'll be a time of great sorrow as billions of people are killed.

As God brings terrible judgments on the kingdom of Satan. And the kingdom of man. Just before he returns. To make everything right. What about the church age?

What about us? Where are we in this prophecy? Well, apparently, there is a gap in time between the sixty ninth week and the seventieth week. Between the first four eighty three years and the last seven years. That gap is us.

An indefinite time period between the sixty ninth week, the four hundred and eighty third year and the seventieth week, the four hundred and eighty fourth year of this prophecy. And that's where we are. It's called the church age. Paul called it a mystery. He said in Ephesians five thirty two, this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ in the church.

He called it a mystery several times. What a mystery is is something that wasn't revealed in the Old Testament that is clearly revealed in the New Testament. The gap between the sixty ninth week and the seventieth week because the sixty ninth week concluded with Jesus's presentation of himself to Jerusalem as the Messiah and the seventieth week begins with the treaty between the Antichrist and Israel. We exist in the gap. That's where we are.

In between those two weeks. Therefore, as Jesus said, no man can know the what? The day of the hour of his return because he doesn't give us the duration of the gap between the sixty ninth week and the seventieth week. So, we don't know when he'll return but it may be very soon. The Bible tells us of something wonderful.

We're not going to have time this morning to really address it but we will. It's called the rapture and before the seventieth week commences and God begins to turn his attention back to the nation of Israel, he is going to take his church home. We're told of this in first Thessalonians four thirteen if you'd like to read it and first Corinthians 15. I don't believe I'm going to be here for that seventieth week because we're the Bible says in Thessalonians, for God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ and I believe that not only includes eternal punishment in hell but in context that includes the tribulation period. God is going to come and take his people home.

And we won't be here. We'll be watching from heaven just as John did. As he gave the vision in the Book of Revelation. So, the question is this, What does it mean to us? Well, God has a week appointed yet to conclude his work with Israel Beginning with the covenant with the Antichrist, it's not yet been presented to the world.

During this week, he will bring Israel back to himself. He's not done with Israel yet. Don't let anybody tell you that. He's not done with Israel yet. He will also judge the Gentile world and destroy it.

And what will happen at the end of this week? Jesus will return with his saints. To establish his kingdom God has not appointed us who know Jesus to face this judgment, I do not believe. Question this morning is this, when Jesus comes to take his children home before the tribulation. Are you going?

When Jesus comes to restore his kingdom on this Earth, Are you going to be part of it? John three three, Jesus said to Nicodemus, except a man be what? Born again. He shall not see the kingdom of God. These events are yet to happen but they are sure and as we look a little closer at these events in the coming weeks, I think we'll see that they may be very close at hand indeed.

Are you ready? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior? For as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name. Let's pray.

Dear Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you Lord. For this passage, I pray Lord that you would help to give us understanding to grasp Lord What is happened and what is going to happen? In the coming weeks, Lord, I pray that it might be impressed upon our heart that we indeed are in the last days, that you're coming could be very very soon. Lord, we have friends and neighbors who need Jesus.

Let us not put off an opportunity we have been given to share Jesus with them. Lord, the day of our departure from this world may be sooner than we think and we will stand before our God in heaven. We'll give an account. Lord, I pray that we would be ready, prepared. Lord, there's so much to distract us here in this world.

Lord, help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and eternity. And not just the busyness of things here. Lord, I pray if there's anyone here that's never trusted Christ as savior, I pray today would be their day of salvation that they would come as we give this hymn of invitation. We pray. In Jesus name, amen.