Hi Bruce,


You wrote:


 
Daniel 9:27
"He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven', but in the middle of that 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering."
 
CONCLUSION:
 
The pre-tribulation rapture of the Church, our redemption, will happen just prior to the signing of the seven-year 'covenant with many' which begins the tribulation. The Gog-Magog War with Israel will come to an end with the signing of the seven-year 'covenant with many'. Therefore, 'the beginning' of the Gog-Magog War with Israel will be 'our sign' that the rapture is near. When the Gog-Magog War with Israel begins we will know that the rapture of the Church will happen just prior to the end of that war, but just before the seven-year 'covenant with many' is signed which ends that war and begins the tribulation. Jerusalem is now surrounded by armies of its enemies.
 
We watch for 'our signs' so, according to Your Word, Come Lord Jesus!
 
Bruce Warner



In Ezekiel 38:8 we can read " 8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has RECOVERED FROM WAR, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them LIVE IN SAFETY." (NIV)

In my understanding there has been a war already some time ago when Gog is attacking Israel; Psalm 83 speaks about a war that has never been in history. We know from Isaiah 17 that one day Damascus will be destroyed totally. This is the war that seems to be the nearest in sight. Syria's Assad has been just last week threatened again Israel with a war if Israel doesn't give Golan to Syria. After this short war AC is signing the seven-year 'covenant with many'.
   There comes a short time of relative peace in Israel with her neighbours, but long enough period of time that they feel safe. But before the midpoint of the tribulation Gog is breaking that peaceful life and attacks with his allies.

Ezekiel 38: 10,11 " ..On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. "

Gog is not yet in his place, but it's not very far when there will be a coup and Putin and Medvedev are put aside. Gog comes from the land of Magog (Ukraine, South Russia, Central Asia), Putin and Medvedev are from St.Petersburg. Then the bear (beast in Daniel) will arise and start to eat a lot of meat. It takes perhaps two to three years to prepare the attack to Israel.

However I'm with you when you speak about the Pentecost rapture. Even I hope so much the rapture to happen this July like so many write and I hope I'm wrong when thinking that there is something not yet ready or in it's place the tribulation to start. So; do we anyhow need to wait for the May 2010? Soon we'll know.

God bless you Bruce,
Marjatta