End-Times Fables which I embraced: I was taught many end-times doctrines by my pastor, grandfather and many other Bible teachers. But I embraced and taught many of them to others without ever having seriously searched the scriptures to see whether these things were so! But as I tested my own teachings by the marks outlined on this blog for distinguishing false teachings from sound doctrines all of the following were exposed as false teachings and I had to repent of and reject each one. Each of the following will be addressed in detail and with the related scriptures in upcoming posts:
-The teaching that Daniel’s 70 weeks are actually “sevens of years”,
– The teaching that Daniel’s 70th week is the “seven year tribulation”,
– The teaching that Christ’s return from heaven is an imminent event, i.e. that no prophecy of scripture must be fulfilled before He returns,
– The teaching that the rapture or catching up of the saints will happen before the tribulation,
– The teaching that following the rapture/catching up of the saints the Lord Jesus and His saints ascend to heaven, and
– The teaching that the Day of the Lord lasts over a thousand years.
See actual posts : “The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Fable“
Many Christians have been deceived and believe that the Christian’s eternal future involves being a “celestial halo-headed angel” sitting on clouds and playing a harp for eternity! It is no wonder that few anticipate the resurrection and immortality! In “YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT IN IMMORTALITY“ , I hope to challenge that warped thinking and give Biblical hope by introducing God’s people to the awesome reality of being made incorruptible and immortal!
False Teachings Sabotage Church Unity 
The weeks (Heb. “sevens”) of Daniel probably are years, but the rest of those points remain evangelical fiction. The 70th week took place between AD 30 and 37. (That was followed by another “seven” which included the first Jewish revold between 63 and 70.) There will be a “first resurrection” that will occur when Jesus “appears”, following some pretty nasty stuff of about 42 months, whilst the “Man of Sin” blasphemes God worldwide, with help from a religion that follows a false prophet. There will be a special 1000-year period following Jesus’ return to earth, but that is only the start of the eternal, earthy reign of King Jesus. (See Young, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy.)
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Hi Galen,
Just a question re Daniel’s 70 weeks….When every other Biblical prophecy which includes a time of known duration (days, weeks, months years etc which has been fulfilled historically) has been fulfilled in the very same time period as it was prophesied, why would Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks be interpretted in an absolutely unique manner?
If the 70th week was fulfilled between AD 30 and 37, what covenant was made with many for that week? Just wondering…
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Hey Bruce,
Can I respond to your question? We understand the 70 weeks of Daniel to span years because it makes no sense unless the “day for a year” principle found in Num 14:34 and Ez 4:6 is applied. The prophecy begins with the decree to rebuilt Jerusalem — “the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” (cf., Neh 4). That decree came to fruition with Artaxerxes. (cf., Ezr 7:11). The prophecy states that the work would be finished in 49 years (7 weeks) and that another 434 years (62 weeks) would pass before Messiah would come. So that would be a total of 483 years from the time the decree went forth to rebuild the walls and streets until the coming of the Messiah.
And, as you know, Messiah literally means “anointed one”. In the NT the word is Christ. So after 69 weeks (483 years) Christ would come. Jesus was anointed at His baptism when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove and His Father’s voice was heard proclaiming Him “My beloved Son.”
Bible scholars place the date of Artaxerxes command at 457BC. If you add 483 years to that date you arrive at 27AD–a date known to many as the time Christ was baptized and became Jesus the Christ.
So for the prophecy to be fulfilled it requires we understand the days to represent years. That knowledge has been the key to unlocking several prophecies, both OT and NT.
Now if we accept that this prophecy refers to Jesus the Christ and His coming and anointing then we will have no trouble understanding that this 70 week period was set aside as a period specifically for the Jews to fulfill 6 specific things–the last being “to anoint the Messiah.”
Furthermore, we will have no trouble understanding that Christ’s mission centered around the Jews during the 3 1/2 years after His anointing until His death, and 3 1/2 years afterwards by means of His disciples. If you recall He said to the woman, why should I give the children’s bread to dogs. And, when He sent out His disciples He told them to go only to the Jews and not other cities. This they pretty much stuck to except for Peter who preached to Cornelius and Jesus who had encounters with Samaritans. And, when Jesus left the Jewish temple for the last time He said, “Your house is left unto you desolate.” In other words, their time was up, their 70 weeks, and the glory of God had departed from among them. Remember, Jesus told the parable about the husbandman taking the vineyard away from [the Jews] who produced no fruit and giving it to [Gentiles] to produce fruit? Well, it occurred then. That happened in a very real way in 34AD, the 7th year, when Stephen was stoned. The believers were scattered by persecution by one Saul. “And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.” (Act 8:1 KJV). Then Saul was converted and became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
Now, about the covenant. The covenant that was confirmed with many for one week was the New Covenant that God promised to make with the house of Israel and Judah. Not with Gentiles, mind you, but with His people. And, it was ratified with His blood and sealed by His death. “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” (Heb 9:15-17 KJV). The covenant was the Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ. Thus, before His death, He instituted the Last Supper where we partake of the emblems of His body and blood which we do in remembrance of Him. “After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me.” (1Co 11:25 KJV).
As Gentiles, we are adopted into the family of God by faith in Jesus. We are not the natural offspring of Abraham. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. … And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:26-27, 29 KJV). Thus, we now have access to the promise of the New Covenant. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” (Eph 2:18-19 KJV).
So this is why the 70 weeks must be interpreted in what you call “absolutely unique manner.” Without all of these waymarks being absolutely fulfilled by scripture we haven’t that “more sure word of prophecy” but mere speculation of men.
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Hey Jeff,
Great to hear from you again! It’s been a long time!
I’m very familiar with the view you hold as I was schooled in it for most of my life! However the year for a day theory just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. In both Numbers 14 and Ezekiel 4 there was something that happened during the “days period” and something else which happened during the “years period”. Not so with the “70 weeks”! Sir Robert Anderson first popularized this theory in his book, “The Coming Prince” but his calculations have since proven to be very inaccurate! So it doesn’t “fit perfectly” as many claim! Nor was the New Covenant made for a week or seven years!!! It is an everlasting covenant! Nor does scripture ever speak of a “seven year tribulation”! All of this is simply surmising of men! Something else…. the seventy weeks are divided into three periods: seven weeks, 62 weeks and one week. Many commentators assume that they all run concurrently! But what is the point of the three divisions if it is simply 70 concurrent weeks??? Further many speak of a period of 69 weeks (7 plus 62) but scripture never does speak of a time of 69 weeks! I believe all prophecy of scripture is fulfilled in precisely the time periods which scripture specifies. We never have to “fudge” “70 weeks” to come up with “490 years” or 1260 days to come up with “3 1/2 years” as if we knew better than the Holy Spirit how to use human language!
If you would like, I could email you a chart which suggests how these end time’s events and time periods (understood literally) may fit together.
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce bwood4d@gmail.com
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Yes, Bruce, I’d be happy to review your timeline. Send it to me. But the man you refer to, Sir Robert Anderson, was a bit late on the scene and it does look as if his calculations are incorrect. If this is what you based your decision upon then I cannot fault you.
However, I am basing my beliefs on the writings of a baptist minister, William Miller, who predated Anderson. I’ll give a link to his writings at the end, but first a snippet of one of his lectures.
LECTURE IV.
_________
DANIEL ix. 24.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.”
OUR text is one of the many found in the word of God, which prove the authenticity of the scriptures, gives us a powerful weapon against Judaizing teachers, and meets the infidel on his own ground–the history of the world.
It sets a seal to prophecy that it is true, and shows that the prophets were inspired.
It gives incontestable evidence against the Jew, and proves that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah.
It unlocks the wonderful vision of Daniel’s four kingdoms; also the vision of the ram, the he-goat, and the little horn.
It brings to view the great blessings of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, reveals the exact time of its accomplishment, and shows the source of the gospel, proclaiming good news to lost man, even in anticipation of that important era when the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs with the Jews in faith.
It establishes the wavering, and gives hope and confidence to the tried and tempted child of God, that he will fulfil all his promises, according to the letter and spirit of his word.
This text furnished Simeon, Anna, Nathaniel, and others, with a strong faith that they should see the consolation of Israel. . . .
The seventy weeks shows that the Messiah must be cut off at the close of the last week, and not for himself. Also Peter had occasion to say in his epistle, “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what, or what manner of time, the spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow,” 1 Peter i. 10, 11.
Where was the exact time of Christ’s sufferings prophesied of but in Daniel’s seventy weeks? Again, to this Christ alludes when he says, “My time is not yet fully come;” and, “Then they sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come:” that is, the seventy weeks were not yet fulfilled, John vii. 8, 30. Mark tells us, xiv. 41, “The hour is come; behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
The seventy weeks were now being fulfilled. And then, at last, when Jesus had completed his work, when the fulness of time had come, he finished transgression, and made an end of sin: he then cried, “It is finished, and gave up the ghost.” The seventy weeks ended, our text was fulfilled; Christ had now become the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth; he that knew no sin had become sin for us, and Death had struck his last blow that he would ever be able to give the Son of God. Daniel’s vision is now made sure–the Messiah cut off, the time proved true, as given by the prophet Daniel.
Now, ye infidels, can this be priestcraft? And, ye Judaizing teachers, is not this the Christ? Why look ye for another?
I shall now take up the text in the following manner:
I. I shall show what is to be done in seventy weeks.
II. When the seventy weeks began, and when they ended.
Link: http://earlysda.com/miller/evidence3-7.html#LECTURE IV.
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The whole rapture/tribulation teachings are relatively new, see ‘John Darby’, et al. If we, as the Church, are Christ’s glory, why would we be spared a tribulation where He can showcase His Bride? I’m of the belief God’s purpose is to raise up a body of believers enabled to walk in His glory, reflecting both His love and His power, similar to the early church, yet stronger.
Christ will return to something He can be proud of, not to a bunch of people squabbling over whether or not women should wear hats in an assembly and other such nonsense.
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Paul,
You’re right in that the vast majority of teaching on the “pre-trib” rapture and subsequent 7 year tribulation” teaching has sprung from JND, Schofield etc. But scripture itself teaches much on tribulation (we all need it!) and on the subject of catching up or catching away! Unfortunately most have focused on one yet-future event of “catching up of saints” but have totally ignored quite a few other past events plainly described in scripture by the same Greek word “harpazo”!
You are also right about squabbles over whether or not women should wear hats in church !
There’s not a verse in the Bible telling women to do any such thing!
But there is a crucial chapter which instructs both men and women equally about how they are to bring honor and glory to their head by what they both do with their heads and their hair!
Just as an aside here:
Have you ever thought that while God gave the nation of Israel 3 physical practices which they were instructed to practice for ever to demonstrate features of their relationship to Jehovah…
-a one time initiation (circumcision),
-a regularly observed memorial meal (the annual Passover) and
-a continual reminder (the 7th day sabbath rest)….
and have you ever considered that God has given His new covenant people, the church, the Body of Christ 3 other physical practices which illustrate vital truths about our relationship to Him?
Consider the following 3 practices all of which have two parts (one would be meaningless without the other!)
-We have been given baptism a one time event at the very beginning of our new life in Christ. Since we go down into and come up out of the water, we ilustrate our union with Christ in death and resurrection.
-We have been given the Lord’s supper to demonstrate our communion with Him each time we eat and drink. and
-We have been given the practices which demonstrate headship and how glory and honour is brought to our head by how we obey.
Thus God has purposed to take two simple and common things relative to each to demonstrate vital truths that are close to His heart…
The first is illustrated in the picture of death and resurrection portrayed by what is done with the DEAD AND THE LIVING.
The second is portrayed by what we do with the BREAD AND THE CUP.
The third is portrayed by what we do with our HEADS AND OUR HAIR.
Food for thought???
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Hi Jeff,
I’m sending you by email a chart of end-times events as well as an article on the whole “Day -Year” theory which is the foundation of all teachers who claim the 70 weeks are “weeks of years”! It is an entire fabrication which does not stand the test of scripture itself. Many other prophecies of days, weeks, months and years were never interpreted in such a fantastic way, but all prophecies of scripture which have been fulfilled have been fulfilled in the very way in which they were prophesied.
William Miller claims his theory is indisputable but what covenant was made for seven years when John the Baptizer ministered? How was such a “covenant” broken when The Lord Jesus began His ministry? What 7 year covenant ended when the Lord Jesus died??? Just a few simple questions like these lay Miller’s theory to rest!
BTW, Jeff, IF you actually believe that scriptural doctrines are not necessarily stated in scriptural words….what objective standard do you have by which to distinguish between sound doctrines and fables of men???? This is a crucial question! If you don’t have an answer, you are subject to every wind of doctrine, to the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive and you will swallow men’s “good words and fair speeches which deceive the hearts of the simple”! Swallowing the “70 weeks of years doctrine” is just one example of many!
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce Woodford
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http://www.pre-trib.org/articles
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Dear Friend,
I see that your only recourse here is to the words of man’s wisdom rather than words which the Holy Spirit teaches. But the pre-tribulation rapture fable which I long embraced is marked by all six scriptural marks of fables…
F Fair speeches which deceive the hearts of the simple were not taught by the apostles. Romans 16:17,18
A Additional words to the pure words of the Lord must be used to state this doctrine. Proverbs 30:5,6
B Bereans and those who follow their example will not embrace such a doctrine. Acts 17:11
L Lying in wait to deceive children who are tossed about by every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness is the motivation of those who originate such doctrines. Eph.4:14
E Eye-witnesses of the Lord’s majesty (the apostles again) did not follow such cunningly devised fables. (II Peter 1:19)
S Statements in words which man’s wisdom teaches comprise such doctrines for they cannot be stated in words which the Holy Ghost teaches (I Cor.2:13) nor can they be stated in the pure words of the Lord. (Psalm 12:6)
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