Has the church really replaced Israel or have they remained two distinct groups?
In previous posts we have brought to light in Daniel 9:24, that the seventy weeks have been decreed “for your people.” We have said that “your people” means Daniel’s people, the Jews. Therefore, this firmly establishes the fact that the Tribulation period, which is the seventieth week, is meant only for Israel.
But some have insisted that the church has now become Israel; and so, for them, this changes everything.
Well, this is just not true! In this post we will bring to light this error of reasoning that the church has now replaced Israel.
THE ERROR OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
The definition of replacement theology. Kenneth Gentry, one of its leaders, defines it this way: “We believe that the international church has superseded for all times national Israel as the institution for the administration of divine blessing to the…
This verse (Daniel 9:27) encapsulates the focus of the seventieth week, which will be a time of great evil known at the tribulation period.
We have been studying Daniel 9:25-27.In these three verses is the timeline of the entire seventy week period (490 years), referred to in verse 24. Last time we looked at verse 26. We will pick up our study now in verse 27.
And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.
From this verse, the holy church of Christ has just departed in the rapture and only unbelievers are left. But in…
We have been studying Daniel 9:25-27.In these three verses is the timeline of the entire seventy week period (490 years), referred to in verse 24. Last time we looked at verse 25. We will pick up our study now in verse 26, which we will see as a gap of time between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week.
Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
Many do not agree that this is a gap of time; they (Preterists) believe that the events described here, and also in verse 27, are all in the seventieth week. And because they say that, since…
Floor Plan of Millennial Temple. The Key on the right are references in Ezekiel.
3D Animated Video of the Temple. Click HERE to See.
I have been writing about the six things that will happen to Israel and to their city as a direct result of the seventy weeks (from Daniel 9:24; starting on my post on Jan 29).
Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.
In this sixth promise (or decree), the most holy, or literally the most holy place, is clearly a reference to a new temple, which will be built at the beginning of the millennium. This decree is that a holy temple will be anointed or consecrated…
In the last four years, up until Covid-19, a lot of good has been happening in America. But now, since we have a new president and a new administration, I see nothing good on the horizon. I will divide this post into two sections: Immediate and ongoing changes.
Immediate Changes
We have already seen many immediate changes to the country due to all of Biden’s executive orders (over 60 of them)—all changes to the bad. I will mention only two things: the canceling of border wall funding and the canceling of the Keystone XL permit.
The canceling of border wall funding is not because they don’t want an ugly wall or because it will have an effect on nature. The only reason why they don’t want a wall is because they want more democrat votes; and they will make any sacrifice to get them. Unfortunately for America, by letting in illegals we are letting in many criminals and drug dealers and drugs. They are pouring in through our southern border right now—and it will continue every day.
The immediate affect of canceling the Keystone pipeline permit has been most devastating. It has meant that many thousands of workers are now out of work. And what was the administration’s response? Get another line of work! Just find another job. Instead of building a pipeline maybe you can build windmills or electric cars. Not a good answer!
Ongoing Changes
Sadly, due to the Biden administration, I see nothing but bad news coming for America. Since illegals will continue to be let into our country, criminals and drugs will continue to flow into every state. And it won’t be stopped anytime soon. Very sad.
I also see America’s economy taking a huge dip downward. I don’t know much about economics, but anyone can logically reason that because Donald Trump in four years made America so economically prosperous, the new administration, by reversing all of Trump’s executive orders, will reverse that surge of prosperity. I think we will quickly see America falling into economic depression like never before.
Thirdly and last, I see an increasing effort to make America more secular—or less of a God believing nation. Recently I found two web sites that promote this effort: Secular Coalition for America, and Secular Democrats of America. If you click on these, you will see that these groups are dedicated to stopping any effort of Christians to pray or witness or to do any of the things that God calls Christians to do. And Biden is all on board with this secular movement. He may term it differently, like stopping right-wing extremism or white supremacy. But, believe me, he wants to make America a secular country—without God, and he is going to make every effort to do it.
The good news for Christians is that all of the bad news for America means that Jesus will be coming very soon. We need to be ready. And, in the meantime, we should take comfort in the knowledge that our new country is waiting for us!
There will come a time (during the Tribulation) that evil will not be restrained—when the restrainer (the Holy Spirit) is “taken out of the way” and when evil dominates the world (2 Thess. 2:7-8). During that time, in his book, “What On Earth is Happening?” Ray Stedman wrote,
The arrogant pride of humanity will break out into the open as the Antichrist steps forth and claims to be God…Evil will reign in triumph…lawlessness will fill the earth…men and women will stubbornly refuse to repent. Fear will not drive humanity to prayer but to further defiance. The human race will not wish to be delivered but only to be destroyed. People will take no delight in good but will celebrate the triumph of evil.
But that has not happened yet, and will not happen until the Tribulation. As long as believers are in the world, evil will not be allowed to dominate. Stedman said,
[In this world now] only the good is really acceptable. Evil must dissemble and disguise itself to gain acceptance. Once evil is unmasked, it is rejected by the world. This fact alone is ample proof that even the massive power of evil that we see on every hand is still in check by the even more massive power of good… Evil is powerful, but hemmed in by forces of good.
As a Christian, I see so much evil going on in the world, and sometimes I get discouraged and can hardly see any good. But, as Stedan indicated, overall, only the good is acceptable, and evil is masked and sort of hidden—but still we can see the results of it. Evil is now kept in check because of the salt and light in Christians. As Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-14). “Salt [said Stedman] doesn’t merely add savor to food. It is also a preservative, halting the process of corruption.”
This puts a grave responsibility on us as Christians to be in the word and in prayer, so that we remain salty and light—so that evil will continue to be unmasked and hemmed in. I fear, and I can feel that we as Christians are becoming less and less salty and evil is becoming more and more bold. The spirit of Antichrist is on the rise. So, let us battle against it. He is coming soon!
I have been writing on the six things that will happen to Israel and to the city as a direct result of the seventy weeks (of years) according to the determined purpose of God (from Daniel 9:24).
The following article is an excerpt from this book.
Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.
These six things have been labeled as goals or accomplishments; however, we must also see them as the promises of God—things that will definitely happen as it has been decreed by God as Israel’s future.
Like the second clause, “to seal up” means to “make an end of” and it carries the idea of completion…
I have been blogging about six promises made to Israel as a direct result of the seventy weeks (of years) according to the determined purpose of God.
Daniel 9:24Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. NASB
In this fourth point, to bring in everlasting righteousness, falling in line after the first three promises of God’s atonement and cleansing is God’s promise of righteousness. Since Daniel had just prayed (in verse 7), “ Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face,” we may see this promise as a direct response to his prayer, in which God says back to him, “I have heard your cry of humility…
Since the election of the new President (Jan. 20), I’ve been feeling rather sad. And I’m wondering why. I guess I feel that righteousness in the country and in the world is not being done. Good people are being stopped and stepped on, and bad people are being praised. The media, who are supposed to just report the news are really Satan’s instruments of deception. Our new president who has taken every step to prop up sin and to put our country on a path to destruction, is being praised and worshipped as if he is the new Savior of mankind.
Meanwhile, our former President, who has done so many good things for our country—in spite of being harassed and ridiculed every minute of every day for the last four years—is now being impeached. For what? For inciting a riot, which he did not do. He was trying to bring justice to an unjust election.
So, this is why I am feeling sad. But I must break out of this mood, with prayer, and look toward heaven. I can be comforted by the good news (in 1Thess. 4:15-17) that soon …
The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Such wonderful news to think about!
Though we live in the world we must not let the world get us down. For we have been raised up with Christ and we sit with Him in the heavenly places. And He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Though we should pray for the country and the world, we must set our mind on things above where Christ is, not on all the things of this world. For our real life is hidden with Christ in God. Soon, when He comes and we see Him, we will be revealed with him in glory (Eph. 1:3; Col. 3:1-4).
I have been blogging about promises made to Israel as a direct result of the seventy weeks (of years) according to the determined purpose of God. They have been labeled as goals or accomplishments; however, we must also see them as the promises of God—things that will definitely happen as it has been decreed by God as Israel’s future.
In this third Israeli promise, the work of Christ’s atonement is in view. Thus, the promise points to the second part of Hebrews 9:26: “He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Italics are for emphasis). His blood shed on Calvary will make atonement for Israel’s long standing iniquity. This work of atonement will affect the entire process of their salvation—their repentance, conversion and regeneration, as seen in the first two phases (click HERE and HERE)—making it all of God’s work and nothing of their…
