Revelation - Part 3 - Lecture 8

Daniel 2 - 

Daniel 2:34-35 “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35“Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.....Daniel 2:45 “Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

605BC Nebuchadnezzar’s captivity of Jerusalem begins the 70 years of Jewish captivity. (Note that in there were 3 sieges of Jerusalem: 605, 597 (Ezekiel taken captive), 586 (Jerusalem & Temple destroyed)

536BC The 70 years of captivity are completed and the Jews (a remnant) return to the land. So obviously Gentiles were trampling on Jerusalem.

539BC Medes & Persians conquered Babylon and Cyrus made a decree (prophesied by Is44:28-45:1 150 years earlier) telling the Jews that they could return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple (2 Chr 36:22-23). The remnant of Jews returned from Babylon the year in 536BC and under Zerubbabel they began rebuilding the Temple.

534BC The Jews were discouraged and stopped rebuilding the Temple. Now during this time there were no Gentiles trampling on the Temple mount area and yet Jerusalem is still under the authority of the Medo-Persian kingdom.

520BC Under Haggai Temple rebuilding began again.

516BC Temple completed.

331BC Alexander the Great, swiftly moved across the land like a leopard (his feet hardly touching the ground, cp. Dan 7:6) and conquered the Medo-Persians as well as Jerusalem, so they are still under Gentile dominion.

Daniel 11: Gives a detailed account of all the Grecian Kings (ptolemies in south and seleucids in the north) and how their rule affected Israel (click here for lecture on daniel 11)

Da 11: 2 …Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then …he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece…. 21 "And in his place a despicable person (Antiochus Epiphanes ~ ‘glorious one’) will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue." (click here for lecture on daniel 11)

175-163BC: Antiochus Epiphanes reigns. God uses this Syrian (Seleucid) king (from the Grecian kingdom) as a preview picture of one who is to come, who will also set up an abomination of desolation in the Holy Place in the last days just before God sets up His Kingdom.

Mt 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;… 21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.

In 2 Th 2:3-4 we saw a man of lawlessness will walk into the Holy Place and stand there declaring himself to be god, desecrating the sanctuary (the abomination of desolation). We also know that the Day of the Lord cannot begin until the Apostasy occurs and that man stands in the Holy Place. So there has to be a defection of some people from their faith.

Da 11:29 "At the appointed time he (Antiochus Epiphanes) will return and come into the South (to Egypt, and in this campaign has to pass through Israel, the beautiful land), but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 "For ships of Kittim will come against him (and tell Antiochus Epiphanes that if he continues on to Egypt, he will have to face them so Antiochus turns around); therefore he will be disheartened, and will return (again going through Israel and this time he is mad) and become enraged at the holy covenant (of the Jews) and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.

To a Jew the most important thing was the covenant and the sign of the covenant, circumcision. So many of the Jews wanted to please Antiochus, to such a degree that some of the Jews forsook the Holy Covenant and refused to have their children circumcised. Antiochus threatened to kill any Jewish child that was circumcised. He took the Old Testament and desecrated it, placing heathen symbols in it. Many Jews submitted to Antiochus demands because it was EXPEDIENT!

In the last days, specifically the last 3 ½ years the Beast will cause many to take a mark on their hand or forehead in order to buy or sell. The beast will make a statute of himself and tell all to bow down and worship that image or be put to death. So here is an opportunity for apostasy similar to that which was described in Daniel 11.

Da 11:31 "And forces from him (Antiochus Epiphanes) will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, (the Temple) and do away with the regular sacrifice. (Parallels Da 9:27 when he puts a stop to sacrifices and grain offerings) And they will set up the abomination of desolation. (statue of Zeus placed in the Holy of Holies). 32 "And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, (those that APOSTATIZE) but the people who know their God will display strength and take action."

So the people who know their God are the ones who will not defect! They will display strength. They will take action. They are the ones that do not compromise. This is the passion of Precept’s Ministry---this is why we have labored hours and hours to understand this Book—so that you and I can KNOW OUR GOD, and can know that His word is true and will walk in His truth, not turning from it to the right or to the left

Who is going to be led astray? See Daniel 11:33 below

Da 11:33 "And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; (that those Jews who know their God will then be able to give understanding to others…not just so that we can have knowledge that will puff us up or recite but so that we know that we know and are able to take this sure Word and explain it to other people Precept upon Precept so that they understand for themselves and are enabled to stand firm & to take action even if it means death! Indeed, Revelation clearly teaches there will be those who are martyred because they hold to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles) yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days. (They were willing to stand in the face of persecution.)

165BC Mattathias, was the head of a family which refused to offer sacrifices to Zeus and led to the Maccabean Rebellion, led by Judas Maccabees (Maccabees means Hammer). Within 3 years the Jews had reclaimed and cleansed the Temple (commemorated by the Jewish feast of lights or Hanukkah every Dec 25^th). For a while Jerusalem was not trampled under foot by the Gentiles. (Click here Kay's Lecture notes on Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel 8; Click here for lecture notes on Daniel 11 relating to Antiochus Epiphanes)

63BC Marked the cessation of Jewish control of the Temple. Pompeii, a Roman, conquered Jerusalem, taking the Temple Mount area and walking all the way into the Holy of Holies (Note: the Ark of the Covenant was not there having last been described at the time of the beginning of the Babylonian captivity). Because of this desecration, the Jews never forgave Pompeii. So now we find the Roman Empire ruling over Israel. Although the Roman Empire is never mentioned by name we know that the 4th Beast in Daniel 7 is clearly referring to Rome.

20BC Herod an Idumean declared himself ‘king of the Jews’ with Rome’s permission and began elaborate reconstruction on the Temple (the Temple had been completed under Haggai in 516 BC but was very plain.) This reconstruction took 46 years (John 2:26) not being completed until after Herod the Great had died (see below).

4BC Herod died and Jesus Born (turn your chart over). Jerusalem is still being trampled under foot by the Gentiles (with the brief respites noted above). Some scholars believe that the times of the Gentiles encompass all of these times just discussed, beginning with the Babylonian exile and continuing to the present and into the future to be terminated by the return of Messiah.

Da 7:3 "And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 "The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle… 5 "And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear… 6 "After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying (''DT Beast'') and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7 parallels Daniel 2:

Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue with HEAD of GOLD (Babylon) = LION (Dan 7), chest of SILVER (Medo-Persian) = BEAR (up on one side~ one side more powerful than the other, picturing the stronger Persians while the Medes faded away) ; BRONZE (Greece) = LEOPARD with 4 wings & 4 heads. Alexander the Great died suddenly and his kingdom was split among 4 generals (thus the 4 heads).

The FOURTH BEAST is not described as an animal. In Daniel 8 the bear equates with a ram and the leopard with a one horned goat, but the DT BEAST is described as having 10 HORNS (Horns in Scripture are often a symbol of power) which equates with the 10 Toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue.

Daniel 9 gives a prophecy of 70 Weeks which begin when a decree went forth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. The Jews were under the rule of the Medo-Persian Empire when they returned to Jerusalem after the 70 Years of Babylonian captivity. In 445BC Artaxerxes, a Persian King, makes a decree to allow the Jews to go back and rebuild Jerusalem. The Jews had rebuilt the Temple by this time but they had not rebuilt the WALLS of Jerusalem. So under Nehemiah they rebuilt the walls. Daniel’s initial 7 weeks a time period that might equate with the time it took to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. Then follows 62 weeks for a total of 69 weeks (483 years of 360 days/year using the Jewish rather than the Gregorian calendar, the latter having 365 days) which takes us up to Messiah the Prince and His Cross. During all this time the Jews are under Gentile dominion. So from Da 9:24 up to Da 9:25 takes us to the time of Messiah the Prince.

Da 9:26 "Then after the 62 weeks (7 + 62 weeks) the Messiah will be cut off (crucified) and have nothing, and the people (Romans) of the prince (Antichrist) who is to come will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (Temple - occurred in 70AD). And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined."

So we are still missing 1 week (one 7 year period, Daniel's 70th Week) after the crucifixion & the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. This week does not directly follow the 69 weeks and most evangelical scholars agree will follow a period of time, a gap which is now almost 2000 years long (see timeline above). There is some disagreement as to when the ‘times of the Gentiles’ begin, some saying they begin with the Babylonian exile in 605 BC while others say these times begin with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. When will the end come and Jerusalem no longer be trampled under foot by the Gentiles (when will ''the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled'' Lu 21:24+)? When the STONE (Da 2:34-35, 45), Who is Jesus Christ, returns (in Rev19:11ff) and crushes all of the other kingdoms and sets up His Kingdom initiating the 1000 reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Daniel's 70th Week
Click for Chart

Da 9:27 "And he (Antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the many (Jews) for one week (7 year period), but in the middle (at 3.5 years) 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." and

We know from Revelation that in the days of the TEN KINGS is the time when the ANTICHRIST enters into the Holy Place and sets up the ABOMINATION of DESOLATION initiating the last 3 1/2 years (time, times, half a time). So what you do is that you back up with the 70th WEEK. In that week the ANTICHRIST makes a COVENANT with ''the many'' (Jews) but breaks it in the middle of the week (3 1/2 years), stopping the sacrifice and initiating the last 3 1/2 years during which you have TRIBULATION on of the face of this earth.

When does the last 3 1/2 years begin? From the Revelation study it appears to begin at the 7th Trumpet.

Daniel 7:23-27
Describes the LAST 3.5 YEARS
Of Daniel's 70th Week in Daniel 9:27

Da 7:23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth… and it will devour the whole earth… 24 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another (this makes ELEVEN) will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. (this leaves EIGHT) 25 'And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints (JEWS) of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they (JEWS) will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 'But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 'Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.'

The ANTICHRIST'S kingdom is taken away when the STONE crushes the statue at its ''TEN TOE'' stage (which equates with TEN HORNS).

Rev 12:3-4 And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, & threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

In Rev 12 the DRAGON tries to devour the WOMAN pregnant with a MALE CHILD Who is to RULE THE WHOLE EARTH. This would take us back to just before the birth of Jesus Christ. Note that the Dragon has 10 horns which is a picture of the revived Roman Empire, the Fourth Beast (''DT Beast''). Then in Rev 13 you have a description of this BEAST: In Rev 13:1 the Beast comes out of the SEA and has 10 HORNS & 7 HEADS with 10 diadems on his horns. This description parallels Dan 2 & Dan 7.

Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority… 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for 42 months was given to him.

So the BEAST is given authority to act for 3 1/2 YEARS… the FOCUS then is on the last 3 1/2 years. But what is happening in the first half? Before the 7th Trumpet sounds we know that there have been 2 WITNESSES calling down fire from heaven for 3 1/2 years, tormenting those who DWELL UPON THE EARTH. During the first 3 1/2 years there is a COVENANT with Israel & the Jews have a TEMPLE. Maybe they are not trampled during the first 3 1/2 years--see Rev 11:1-2.

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 "And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for 42 months.

Jerusalem has been trampled on and off for many years but it looks like possibly during this first 3 1/2 years it will not be trampled down because there is a COVENANT with THE MANY (the Jews) and the Jews are LIVING AT PEACE, until the ANTICHRIST walks into the Temple, sets up the Abomination of Desolation and WEARS DOWN THE SAINTS (the Jews, Da 7:25) who are GIVEN INTO HIS HANDS (Da 7:25) for time, times and half a time and he makes war with the saints and overcomes them for 42 months (Rev 13:5-7). The Antichrist holds that AUTHORITY ''until the Ancient of Days (Jesus Christ, the Stone crushing the statue) came'' and He sets up His Kingdom. Rev 17:7, 12-13 describe the TEN KINGS who give their authority to the BEAST and how they rule.

The times of the Gentiles will end
when ‘the stone’ crushes their dominion

We have surveyed the Gentile dominion of Israel. But is God through with Israel? No. There is a STONE coming, a STONE that is going to crush all of the Gentile dominions and then Jesus Christ and the elect (Jewish saints and Gentile saints) will live with Him and reign with Him forever and ever. The Kingdom will be given to the Jewish saints of the Most High God.

(Da 7:27) 'Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the (JEWISH) saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.'

God is not through with the Jews even though most have rejected their Messiah. But THEIR REJECTION becomes OUR SALVATION! During THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES God is doing another thing. During this GAP OF TIME between the DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM and the time of the TEN TOES & THE 70th WEEK of Daniel God is drawing out a BRIDE for Himself and when the FULNESS OF THE GENTILES has come THEN ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED! (Ro 11:26). Why? Because ''"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." The Stone will crush the statue and set up a Kingdom that will not be destroyed.

Know your God
Do not defect.
Know His Word
Have that insight and give it to others.

Know this then that when you stand before Him, you will not need to be ashamed. There will be others standing there because you have been faithful to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. All that we have discussed tonight is part of the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, the good news that He is coming again not as SUFFERING SAVIOR but as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. The King of the Jews is COMING and God is not through with the Jew. And He is not through with you or I, so keep studying!