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Unraveling the End A Biblical Synthesis of Competing Views

The Historical Setting and Defining Characteristic of the Time of the End(Daniel 12). Divine Perfection Proposition

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Unraveling the End A Biblical Synthesis of Competing Views

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    1. Unraveling the End A Biblical Synthesis of Competing Views

    2. The Historical Setting and Defining Characteristic of the Time of the End (Daniel 12)

    3. Divine Perfection Proposition #3 One and only End the Bible consistently proclaims. Covenantal, not cosmic. Timely, and not delayed. Framing context for the time and nature of eschatological fulfillment. Everything else was to happen “at just the right time”—at this time.

    4. Three Big Objections 1) ”The End of the World?” 2) God only promising never again to destroy the world by water? 3) The “New Heaven and a New Earth?”

    5. Objection #1 “The End of the World?” #1 reason so many have been hamstrung in their understanding of end-time prophecy.

    6. Objection #1 “The End of the World?” What does the book of Revelation say? Nothing! What does the Bible say? Nothing! The historic creeds? Nothing!

    7. Objection #1 “The End of the World?” The world ending “as we know it?” Nothing! Jesus say? Nothing! An “end of time” or “end of human history”? Nothing!

    8. Objection #1 “The End of the World?” The biblical truth about the proverbial “end of the world” Is contained within the biblical phrase “world without end, Amen.” The Bible says that the world had a beginning, but is without end . . . “from the beginning of the world . . . . throughout all ages, world without end. A-men. (Ephesians 3:9, 21, KJV)

    9. Objection #3 The “New Heaven and a New Earth?” Three different entities in the Bible termed “heaven and earth.” Planet Earth and the cosmos creation (Gen 1:1; also Acts 4:24; 14:15-17). The Old Covenant creation. (Deut. 32:1; Isa. 1:2-3; 51:13, 15-16). 3. The old world empire of Babylon (Isa. 13:13, 1, also 19-22).

    10. Divine Perfection & The Appointed Time of the End Applied his order, design, a plan, purpose, a fixed and specified timeframe. Into his plan of redemption. Foretold it all hundreds of years in advance. Fulfilled it all with timely and mathematical precision. Everything else happened “at just the right time” (Rom. 5:6) and “in its proper time” (1 Tim. 2:6).

    11. Divine Perfection Proposition #2 How we humans can know Who the one true God is: Isaiah. 44:6-8 Also see Isaiah 41:21-24; 42:8-9; 45:20-22; 46:9-11; 48:3-6

    12. Divine Perfection Proposition #2 The God of the Bible foretold—many times and in many ways—what was going to happen in the future. All has happened. No other god, faith, religion, or ideology in the world can claim this. Nor has anything to compare with the validating evidence of fulfilled prophecy.

    13. Divine Perfection & The Appointed Time of the End “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3)

    14. Daniel’s Two Time Prophecies Daniel’s 70 Weeks (9:24-27) Time of the End (12:1-13). Like bookends . . . Bracketed the exact time in history. The “last days.” Front bookend—the coming of the Messiah. Back bookend—Habakkuk’s “appointed time...of the end.”

    15. Daniel’s Two Time Prophecies Much disagreement. A “contemporary” forgery. Most misunderstood and misapplied passages of Scripture. Delayed, deferred, or put on hold, somehow. In direct contradiction of Habakkuk’s text of “will not delay” (Hab. 2:3).

    16. Daniel—the Key to the End Times God doesn’t play word games. Daniel got it exactly right. Literal, exact, chronological, and sequential fulfillment. Daniel’s two time prophecies. No interruptions, no gaps, no gimmicks! Perfectly!

    17. Daniel’s Two Time Prophecies Daniel’s 70 Weeks / Time of the End Clearly understood. Not confusing and divisive. Most straightforward, historically documentable, and inspirationally impressive. By its exactness.

    18. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline The total elapsed time of 490 years. Decreed [determined] upon the Jews and your holy city (Jerusalem). Achievement of the six purposes (vs. 24). Exact time and number of years until the “Anointed One, the ruler,” the Messiah. Confirm a covenant for one week (7 years)

    19. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline A specific starting and finishing point. Subdivided into three time segments: 1) Initial period of “seven sevens” (49 years) 2) Period of “sixty-two sevens” (434 years) 3) Final period of “one seven” (7 years)

    20. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline “One of the most puzzling prophetic texts to decipher.” Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times, 425.

    21. Daniel’s Two Time Prophecies “The historically defensible interpretation has greatest authority. That is, interpreters can have maximum confidence in their understanding of a text when they base that understanding on historically defensible arguments.” Klein, Blomberg & Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, 149.

    22. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Starting Point 457 B.C. …from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem… (Dan. 9:25). Cyrus’ Decree in 538 B.C. (recorded in Ezra 1:2-4) Darius’ Decree around 520 B.C. (Ezra 6:3-12) Artaxerxes’ Decree at 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-26).

    23. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline First Segment: the Seven Sevens (49 Years) 457 – 408 B.C. …It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble…(Dan. 9:25). Read about this Nehemiah 2-6. Finished settling Jerusalem in 49 years.

    24. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Second Segment: Sixty-two Sevens (434 More Consecutive Years) 408 B.C. – A.D. 27 . . . and sixty-two ‘sevens’… (Dan. 9:25). No gap suggested between segments. Messianic expectations began running high. Jesus born in 4 B.C.

    25. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Third Segment, One Seven (First Half – 3 ˝ Years) A.D. 27-30. …until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ and sixty-two ‘sevens’… (Dan. 9:25). No gap suggested between segments. Jesus is publicly identified as the Messiah with his baptism in the Jordan River. And anointed by the Holy Spirit.

    26. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Third Segment, One Seven (First Half – 3 ˝ Years) A.D. 27-30. …until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ and sixty-two ‘sevens’… (Dan. 9:25). Wilderness—forty days. Read from scroll (Isaiah 61:1-2) Stopped in mid-verse—why?

    27. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Third Segment, One Seven (First Half – 3 ˝ Years) A.D. 27-30. …until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ and sixty-two ‘sevens’… (Dan. 9:25). “The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15). The 70th week was upon them. Precisely, “at just the right time.”

    28. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline After 483 Years A.D. 27 …After sixty-two’ sevens’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed [determined] ...And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple until the end that is decreed [determined] is poured out on him. (Dan. 9:26 [KJV]).

    29. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline After 483 Years The same Hebrew word [charats], translated as “decreed” or “determined” (Dan. 11:36). Used in a future fulfillment sense, “...for what has been determined must take place.” Does not require that all events “happen” during that same time frame, although some did. Integrity of Daniel’s two interrelated and interconnected time frames without resorting to interruptions, gaps, or gimmicks.

    30. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline The Middle of the Final Week A.D. 30. …He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven,’ but in the middle of that seven, he [Jesus, the Messiah] shall put an end to sacrifice and offering… (Dan. 9:27).

    31. Daniel’s 70 Weeks The Second Half of the Final Week A.D. 30 – 34. (3 ˝ Years) Stayed in Jerusalem awaiting and then experiencing the events of Pentecost (Luke 24:49). But after Pentecost they did not yet disperse and “Go…and teach all nations” or “make disciples of all nations,” as Jesus had commanded (Matt. 28:19 KJV - NIV). Why didn’t they?

    32. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline The Finishing Point A.D. 34. When “Philip went down to a city in Samaria, and proclaimed Christ there” (Acts 8:5). The time restriction was now over. The Gospel was now free to go to the Gentiles.

    33. Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline Commenced in 457 B.C. with the decree of Artaxerxes. Determined in A.D. 30 at the Cross. Confirmed by the New Covenant for 3 ˝ years before and 3 ˝ years after the Cross. Concluded in A.D. 34 when the Gospel had been preached to the Jews and was now freed to go to the Gentiles.

    34. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline Starting Point July A.D. 66. (Dan. 12:11) …from the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished... Jewish Zealots stormed Jerusalem. Burned the palace of Agrippa and Bernice. Burned the palace of the Jewish High Priest, Ananias. Killed him. Massacred a garrison of Roman soldiers. Stopped performing the twice-daily Temple sacrifices for Caesar and the Roman people. This cessation of the daily sacrifice was the true beginning of the Roman-Jewish War—Josephus.

    35. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline 1,290 Days Later (Dan. 12:11) ...and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. A major abomination in the Temple. Roman Army encamped in Caesarea. Strife between rival Jewish factions reaches a climax. Rival Zealot factions defiled the Temple with murders. The Temple is defiled with carnage at every corner. Even worshipers were killed while offering sacrifices. The Jews burned down their own grain storehouses.

    36. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline Finishing Point 1335 Days Later A.D. 70 (Dan. 12:12) Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. Shortly before Passover in the Spring of A.D. 70. 45 days after the cited desecration of the Temple. Titus’ Roman legions advanced toward Jerusalem. They “set up” three encampments overlooking Jerusalem. Fourth and final encampment of armies surrounding Jerusalem during the war.

    37. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline The “time of the end” was now at hand. In April of A.D. 70, the Romans began their fourth and final siege. In September, it was over. Not only the city and the Temple but the whole of biblical Judaism was utterly destroyed and left desolated. Fulfillment of “the day of vengeance of God.” The portion of Isaiah 61:1-2 which Jesus, 43 years earlier did not quote (Luke 4:13-21).

    38. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline A.D. 70 Within 3 years, “every stone” was dismantled in fulfillment of Jesus’ most dramatic prophecy (Matt. 24:2). At just the right time, the “appointed time of the end” had . . . “certainly come,” “not prove false,” “not delay.” Just as God’s prophet, Habakkuk, had perfectly prophesied almost eight centuries earlier.

    39. Daniel’s Two Time Prophecies Daniel’s 70 Weeks / Time of the End Literally, exactly, chronologically, and sequentially. Within their two respective time periods. Precisely as foretold. No gaps, no gimmicks, no delay. The historical setting and defining characteristic of Daniel’s “time of the end” achieved fulfillment. When the “the power of the holy people” was “finally broken” (Dan. 12:7).

    40. Daniel’s Time of the End Timeline Thus The end the Bible proclaims is past. Habakkuk’s “appointed time...of the end” certainly came and is over. Not the end of human history, the end of time, or the destruction of the physical creation. Behind us, not ahead of us. Past, not in the future.

    41. The End Times Last Days ? Fullness of Time ? Daniel’s 70th Week A.D. 27-34 FRONT BOOKEND Daniel’s Time of the End A.D. 66-70 BACK BOOKEND

    42. Next Week The New Testament. How does all this fulfillment fit, match up, and/or dovetail with Jesus, the early Church, and the NT writers? Perfectly! “Earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3)

    43. Next Week The Second Coming / the Return of Christ? Did this also happen in A.D. 70 at the “time of the end”? Or, is it still future? What does the Bible say and not say?

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