The Plan of the Ages

God’s Dispensational Dealings with Humanity

The Time of the Rapture

Part II

Lesson XL

April 2, 2006

 

 

I         The word “weeks” in Daniel 9:24-27 means years

Daniel 9:24 Seventy “weeks” are upon Daniel’s people and city to complete the judgments upon Israel.

What does the word “weeks” mean in the context of this scripture?

The Hebrew word for weeks is “shabua” and translated into Greek, the word is “heptad.”

Both words mean a unit of measure

Vernon McGee, “The word (weeks) is like the word “dozen,” when it stands alone, it could mean a dozen bananas or a dozen eggs.  It is the context determines that the meaning.”

W.C. Stevens, “The seventy “weeks” means seventy sevens of years.”

Weeks doesn’t mean seventy sevens of bananas or eggs

Genesis 29:16-27 “fulfill her week (7 years)” Jacob had to work seven years for Rachel

II      When do the 70 weeks (years) occur in relation to the Cross?

                  Before the Cross                                After the Cross

Daniel 9:24  the weeks begin “from          Daniel 9:26  after Messiah is cut off

the command to restore and rebuild           people shall destroy the city and the

Jerusalem  (Nehemiah 2:1-8)                     sanctuary (the Temple)

to of Messiah the Prince                             The only time in history this has happened

Shall be  7 weeks  (7x7=  49 years)            since the cross was in A.D. 70.

And  62 weeks  (7x62) = 434 years            The Romans (not Jews) were the people

Daniel 9:26  after the 62 weeks                  From them a Prince shall come.

Shall Messiah be cut off.                             Daniel 9:27  This prince comes in the

Therefore, 7 + 62 or 69 weeks of the          70th week of Daniel

Seventy were before the cross.  No             Matthew 24:15  Jesus refers to the 70th

Longer prophecy, now history.                    week and tells us in Matthew 24:21,

                                                                      then shall be great tribulation, so the 70th

                                                                             week of Daniel is the Tribulation

 

III   Revelation describes the Tribulation as a time of wrath

Revelation 6:4, 16-17 the wrath of men

Revelation 12:12 the wrath of the Devil

Revelation 16:1 the wrath of God poured out on earth, all during the 70th week

IV   One reason the Church will not be in the Tribulation

The wrath of God against our sins has already been poured out on us when it was poured out on our substitute, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

Therefore we are not appointed to wrath as plainly stated in Romans 5:9.  We are appointed to Rapture.

Standing at the foot of the cross we are standing where the fire of God’s wrath has already fallen.  God will pour out His wrath again on this earth. Revelation 16:1, but it will not be on the Church.

V      Conclude

The 70th week of Daniel immediately before the Lord returns to earth, will be Israel’s greatest time of trouble, not the Churches trouble.

The Rapture having taken place before the tribulation of wrath, will make possible the coming f Anti-Christ 2 Thessalonians 2:4-8

The Tribulation, therefore must be after the Rapture because it is the time of Anti-Christ 2 Thessalonians 2:6

The Return and Revelation of Christ at the end of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:2,30) destroys the Anti- Christ 2 Thessalonians 2:8.  This age is marked by the presence of the Church not the Anti Christ.  To make the tribulation any part of this age is to mix law with grace Romans 6:14

The doctrine of the Rapture is to be a comfort to believers

1 Thessalonians 4:18

1 Thessalonians 5:11

We are to live looking for Christ, not the tribulation, nor the Anti-Christ

Titus 2:13

We are not to live in fear

John 14:1-3

The tribulation will be marked by the literal presence of Anti-Christ

1 John 2:18

The age to come (Hebrews 5:6, the thousand years will be marked by the return and literal bodily presence of Christ on this earth, a subject upon which few books have been written and few sermons preached.

Revelation 20:4