DANIEL'S SEVENTIETH WEEK 1
DANIEL'S SEVENTIETH WEEK 1
Before moving on we should look at the hundred and forty-four thousand Jews in Rev 7 who are given the seal of God. While they may not be integral to this study they are part of Daniel's seventieth week and integral to God's end-time purpose for national Israel. We need to know what that purpose is (CP Rev 7:1-8). These hundred and forty-four thousand Jews are not symbolic, as many believe. They do not represent the church or any professing Christian organization. They are true Jews - twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, named in V5-8 - who will be sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads to ensure their safety during the trumpet judgements of God on the earth during the first three and a half years of the tribulation (CP 8:1-2, 6 - 9:1, 13 with 9:4). The hundred and forty-four thousand are raptured to heaven between the seventh trumpet and the first vial, or plague judgements, are poured out upon the earth. This is in the middle of the tribulation (CP 14:1-5 with 15:1, 6-8). We know the hundred and forty-four thousand are in heaven at this time, because Rev 14:3-4 teaches that they were redeemed from the earth, and from among men. Mount Zion in Rev 14:1 is the heavenly Mt Zion (CP He 12:18-23).
Some in the church believe that the hundred and forty-four thousand Jews will be instrumental in the salvation of countless numbers of both Jews and Gentiles during the first three and a half years of the tribulation, and they use Rev 7:9-17 to support this teaching (CP 7:9-17). These saints were all saved out of the tribulation, but there is nothing in this passage of scripture to indicate that the hundred and forty-four thousand Jews were instrumental in their salvation. The significance of the hundred and forty-four thousand is that they will be the firstfruits out of the tribulation of a new redeemed Israel as Rev 14:4 clearly teaches (CP Ro 9:27; 11:1-5). The statement in Rev 14:4 that "these are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins", can be taken literally to mean that they were celibate, which enabled them to care more for the things of God (CP 1Cor 7:32-33). Or, it can be taken figuratively to mean that they were spiritually pure, not having defiled themselves with the uncleanliness and whoredom attendant on idolatry (CP 2Cor 11:2). Both interpretations can be applied to the hundred and forty-four thousand (CP Rev 8:1-6).
The opening of the seventh seal here reveals the seven trumpet judgements of God about to be unleashed upon the earth in response to the prayers of saints (CP V4 with 5:8; 6:9-11). When the seventh seal is opened there is silence in heaven for half an hour. Most bible commentators agree that this silence signifies the awe and anticipation in heaven at the grim reality of the seven trumpet judgements about to be unleashed on the earth. The trumpet judgements will not affect the church; it has already been raptured and is in heaven when the trumpets sound, as our previous studies on Rev 1:19 and 3:7-13 clearly prove. Many in the church believe the trumpet judgements are merely symbolic, not literal, but that is not correct. They are to be taken just as literally as the seven seals that precede them, and the seven vials, or bowl judgements which follow (CP Rev 8:7; 8:8-9; 8:10-11; 8:12; 9:1-12; 9:13-21; 10:7).
The trumpet judgements are also as literal as God's judgements which brought plagues upon Egypt in the Old Testament (CP Ex 7:19-21; 8:5-6, 16-17, 24; 9:5-6, 8-10, 22-26; 10:12-15, 21-23; 11:1, 4-7; 12:29-30). These were all literal judgements and so are all the judgements God will pour out upon the earth in the tribulation. They have been foretold throughout scripture (CP Mt 24:7-8, 21-22; Lu 21:22-26; Ro 2:5-9; 5:9; Eph 5:6; Col 3:5-6; 1Th 1:10; Rev 6:12-17; 16:1-12, 17-21). The first trumpet judgement in Rev 8:7 is similar to the seventh Egyptian plague in Ex 9:22-26, and will be just as literal (CP Rev 8:7 with Ex 9:22-23). The second trumpet judgement in Rev 8:8-9 undoubtedly refers to a huge meteorite cast into the sea. (Meteorites burn up when they enter earth's atmosphere). It contaminates a third of the sea, turning it into blood and killing a third of all the sea creatures. It also destroys a third of the ships. In the first plague in Egypt in Ex 7:19-21 every drop of water in the land turned to blood: streams, rivers, ponds, even pools of water (CP Rev 8:8-9 with Ex 7:19-21). The same thing will happen in the second and third vial judgements, after the trumpet judgements are complete (CP Rev 16:3-6).
This clearly refutes any suggestion that the seven trumpet judgements are not literal (CP Rev 8:13). Here an angel (KJV), flies in the midst of heaven warning the inhabitants of the earth of the terrible things they must still suffer when the three remaining trumpets are sounded. The first four trumpet judgements were bad enough, but they will be nowhere near as devastating as the next three (CP Rev 9:1-12; 13-21; 10:7 with 11:14-15 and 12:12). It should be noted here that Rev 8:13 is not teaching that angels have wings. Angels can fly without wings (CP Rev 14:6-20). Men in their imaginings have depicted angels with wings, but that is not taught anywhere in scripture. Most modern bible versions translate angel in 8:13 as "eagle" (CP Rev 9:1-2).
The fifth trumpet judgement and the first woe in Rev 8:13 are synonymous with each other. The fifth, sixth and seventh trumpet judgements will bring down unimaginable punishment on the inhabitants of earth. In the fifth trumpet judgement hordes of demon locusts are loosed upon the earth to torment the inhabitants for five months. They will inflict pain upon the people like scorpion bites. The pain will be so terrible that those who are stung will want to die, but cannot. The only humans the demon locusts cannot touch are the 144,000 Jews who will be raptured to heaven between the seventh trumpet judgement and the first vial, or plague judgement (CP Rev 7:1-8; 14:1-5 with 15:1, 6-8).
The star that fell from heaven in Rev 9:1, to whom was given the key of the bottomless pit, was an angel of God - not a fallen angel, or Satan, as so many in the church believe. God would not entrust the key of the bottomless pit, which is a prison for fallen angels/demon spirits, to another fallen angel, or Satan. Furthermore, Satan is in heaven at this time - he is not cast out into the earth until Rev 12 (CP 12:7-13). Also, a fallen angel would hardly cast his own master - Satan - in chains into the bottomless pit, as the angel with the key of the bottomless pit does (CP Rev 20:1-3). This is undoubtedly the same angel of God who was given the key of the bottomless pit in Rev 9:1. This angel is not to be confused with the angel of the bottomless pit in 9:11, who is a fallen angel (CP 9:11). This also is not Satan. This angel will be loosed together with the demon locusts when the angel of God opens the pit. He will direct the demon locusts. This completes the first of the three woes, but the worst is yet to come (CP Rev 9:13-21).
The sixth trumpet judgement is synonymous with the second woe in Rev 8:13. The four angels that are bound here are fallen angels. God has ordained their release to occur at a fixed moment in time, to kill a third of all who are left on the earth "... and the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month and a year, for to slay the third part of men" (CP V15). The four angels will lead the 200,000,000 demon horsemen, who are loosed from the bottomless pit, in executing this judgement on a third of the world's inhabitants. These will be wounded by the horses' tails, and killed by the fire and smoke and brimstone which issues from their mouths (CP V16-19). Those who are left on the earth still will not repent though, or give up their idol worship (CP V20-21). They would rather suffer and blaspheme God than let Him be glorified in their salvation (CP Rev 16:8-11, 21). This demonstrates the depths of man's depravity and underlines the reason why God will pour out His judgement upon the earth in the first place (CP Ecc 9:3; Jer 17:9-10 with Psa 62:11-12; Jer 32:19; Ro 2:5-6; Jas 5:1-8; Rev 11:3, 6). The next event in the chronology of Daniel's seventieth week - the seventh trumpet judgement - foreshadows the close of the first half of the week - the first three and a half years of the tribulation (CP Rev 10:1-7). The mighty angel here is Jesus. Only Jesus could refer, as this angel does, to the two witnesses in chapter 11, as my two witnesses (CP Rev 11:1-3). Also, the mighty angel is carrying the book Jesus received from God in Rev 5. Only Jesus could open this book and loose its seven seals (CP Rev 5:1-2, 5, 7-9). Rev 10:1-11 is a parenthetical passage. This means that it has been inserted here between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgements, to explain things that are not part of the trumpet judgements, but occur at the same time.
The mystery of God which He has declared to the prophets, that will be fulfilled during the seventh trumpet judgement, is revealed in Rev 12. The seventh trumpet judgement is synonymous with the third woe pronounced by the angel flying in the midst of heaven after the fourth trumpet judgement (CP Rev 8:12-13 with 11:14-15 and 12:7-12). The third woe synonymous with the seventh trumpet judgement is the casting down of Satan out of heaven to the earth in Rev 12:7-12, "... woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he has but a short time". This is the mystery of God which He has declared to the prophets that will be delayed no longer. It will be fulfilled during the seventh trumpet judgement. The casting down of Satan out of heaven to the earth has been prophesied since the world began (CP Gen 3:15; Psa 91:13; Isa 14:12-15; 24:21; 25:7; 27:1; Eze 28:11-19; Lu 10:17-19; Ro 16:20).
The casting down of Satan out of heaven to the earth precipitates the great tribulation - the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventieth week - when Antichrist sets up the abomination of desolation - the image of himself as God - in the temple (CP Rev 11:1-2). The temple of God here does not exist yet. It will be rebuilt by the Jews before the commencement of the seven years reign of Antichrist, who desecrates it in the middle of his reign by placing the image of himself as God, in it, and forcing people to worship the image or be killed. It will be made desolate for the last three and a half years of the tribulation after Antichrist breaks his peace treaty with Israel (CP Dan 7:25; 8:9-14; 9:27; 12:7-12; Mt 24:15-21; 2Th 2:3-4; Rev 13:11-15). The phrase a time, times, and half a time, or the dividing of time in scripture refers to the last three and a half years - or forty-two months, as in Rev 11:2 - of the tribulation (CP Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 12:14). Rev 11:3 and 12:6 refers to this period as a thousand two hundred and three score days (CP Rev 11:3; 12:6). During this time Antichrist makes war on Israel until God purges Israel of every rebel (CP Eze 20:33-38; Zech 13:8-9; Mal 3:1-6). We learn in Zech 13:8-9 here that altogether two thirds of the nation of Israel will perish in the tribulation. Measuring the Jewish part of the temple - the altar and those who worship there - and not the court of the Gentiles, symbolizes measuring the spiritual condition of the Jews preparatory to their being trodden underfoot by the gentiles, under Antichrist. They will trample down both the temple, and Jerusalem (CP Lu 21:22-28; Ro 11:25). We also learn from these scriptures that the times of the Gentiles will not end until the second three and a half years of the tribulation are finished, and Christ comes back to earth. He will deliver the Jews from the Gentiles under Antichrist, and set up an earthly kingdom over them forever (CP Dan 2:44; 7:13-14, 18, 27; Lu 1:32-33; Rev 11:15; 19:11-21).