Reply to Gino (9 April) 2023

 

Hi Gino,

Thanks for your comments; I will try to answer your queries…

My research into the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation began soon after 9/11, 2001. The international events that quickly followed got my attention and set me off investigating where the very evident Islamist animosity toward the West fitted into end time events etc.

During 13 + years of research, I found that the Dispensationalist interpretation of ‘Daniel’s Prophecy of 70 Weeks’ that I read about in American author’s books—that had been imported into my country since I was a teenager—did not hold up to scriptural scrutiny, or the New Testament’s proved historical events. When I once again studied the Old Testament Prophecies and compared them with New Testament fulfilments (rather than other people’s interpretations of them), as well as the Epistle to the Hebrews 8–10, I discovered that Jesus Christ had completed all six requirements listed in Daniel 9:24—for the forgiveness of sins for the Jews, whether they accepted it or not)—within the 490 year period pre-ordered in Daniel 9:24–27. There was nothing further that could or would be offered to the Jews! (Matt. 23:1–39)

Missing from my ‘knowledge’ at that time was the actual Covenant that had been promised to the Jews [after their days of captivity], which had to be confirmed to make it operative. This Covenant is plainly recorded in Jeremiah 31:31–34 and repeated for emphasis in Hebrews 8:8–12, and 10:14–22. It is this ‘Covenant for the forgiveness of their sin’ that Jesus came to confirm in the middle of the 70^th Week of Daniel’s prophecy, which His disciples then had to preach in Jerusalem until the end of the 70^th sabua/week period.  Once that critical piece of information was drawn to my attention, it became the ‘key’ that opened the door to further Biblical revelation and Messianic understanding.

Between 2003 and 2011, I was quite active on Five Doves, both learning from, and teaching other writers via the letters we wrote, and as I dismantled Dispensationalist teaching from my mind, my research began to expose other prophecies that had been fulfilled, which made sense alongside world history.  The two free books — The Curse and the Covenant (EAR - Five Doves 9 April) and The Little Horn of Daniel’s Fourth Empire and the Kingdom of the Jews (EAR - Five Doves 12 March, Re the Holocaust) — that I have posted on Five Doves are actually part of my background research. I have other background topics in book form that I might post later on.

The main topic of my research is in a book called The Beast and Babylon – the Revival of Radical Islam, (427 pages) which was written under my Pseudonym J.B. Whitelaw-Stevens. This book which contains a lot of historical information was aimed at the 42 month period (Rev. 13:5) —June 29, 2014, to Dec. 9, 2017—after the Islamist terrorist group ISIS declared their Islamic State (in Syria and Iraq) into existence as a latter day version of the Ottoman Empire that had suddenly revived after 95 years of dormancy.  The appearance of this entity fulfilled the statement in Daniel 7:12 regarding the ancient Babylonian (lion), Media-Persian (bear) and Macedon-Grecian (leopard) Empires being revived ‘for a season and a time’ as the tri-partite beast in Revelation 13. The original book was published locally in 2014, but the revised American version published in 2017 is still available, either in printed book or as an eBook on line.  www.beastandbabylon.com

Question 1 – What was the purpose for the ark not being in the second temple?

I think the absence of the Ark of the Covenant was to remind the Jews of their idolatry and disobedience that led to their exile and captivity. Even with the second temple rebuilt, they were stymied; they couldn’t solve their own sin problems on the Day of Atonement anymore!  Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9 focussed on the Ark’s absence and the nations’ sins. Think about this in reverse… if the Ark had been in existence for hundreds of years in the Second Temple, would the Jews have yearned for their Messiah via all the prophecies that had been pronounced about him? I don’t think so, they would think they were self-reliant, and their rejection of Jesus when he appeared would have been even worse!  (Refer Matt. 23 above)

Besides, just before the Jews returned to Judea from Babylon, Jeremiah had written to the exiles telling them that God would make a New Covenant with them (not like Moses’ covenant). They had to wait a long time, but God fulfilled His promise during Daniel’s 70^th week!

Re Haggai 2:7–9, I think there is still something to be resolved in the ‘future’ about those verses (cf. Ezek. 37:24–28; and Ezek. 40:1–48:35) regarding the sanctuary that will be set in their midst forevermore. If Ezekiel’s Temple is not actually built during the millennium, then his nine chapters with all the architectural measurements and directions are a waste of words. The date that is mentioned three times in Haggai 2:10, 18, and 20–22, i.e., ‘the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month’ for the foundation of the Temple to be laid, may also have significance during the millennium. (This date refers to the first Hanukkah, the 8-day Festival of Lights in the Hebrew calendar, which occurred in 167 BC when the altar was rededicated by the Maccabees, which is held Nov/Dec annually.)

Question 2 – In addition to the spiritual, will there yet be a physical kingdom with Jesus sitting on the throne of David on earth? 

I would have to give a similar answer to that above (regarding Ezekiel’s vision of the Temple); if there is no future millennial kingdom then much of what the New Testament has taught, and Jesus affirmed about the resurrection and the Kingdom is of no account. Jesus promised His disciples a place in His kingdom, and there are 111 + references to the kingdom in the four Gospels. I regard the Messiah’s kingdom as here and now spiritually, but not fully come in its earthly reality (Luke 10:9–11). My understanding is that the earth will be renewed at the consummation like it was before the fall, (e.g., back then the serpent spoke to Eve!)

Isn’t the Second Coming of Jesus and the Resurrection from the dead among the most emphasised features of the New Testament?  Refer to John 11:23–26;  Acts 3:19–21; 1 Cor. 15:42–58;  2Col. 3:4; Titus 2:11–14; and James 2:5, which are just a few of many verses affirming the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom of peace on earth for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:4–6, and see Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14). (See my answer to Donna Danna for April 23.)

Question 3 – There appears to be two personages contrasted in the book of Revelation by a number of different means.

My brief answer is that no single person in scripture is called the anti-Christ!

The Apostle John refers to anyone who opposes God and denies Christ, as having ‘the spirit of anti-Christ;’ there have been many who have that spirit, and they are still in the world.  He refers to the person his congregation were expecting to come under that name as a rumour (i.e., you have heard!).  Cf. 1 John 2:18, 22–23; 4:1–3.

In addition, the Apostle Paul uses other names: the ‘man of sin’ — the ‘son of perdition’ — ‘the lawless one’  or  ‘that wicked.’  KJV and NKJV — 2 Thess. 2:3–9

The Beast of Revelation 13:1–10 is not referred to as ‘the anti-Christ’ in scripture because this ‘beast from the sea’ represents a conglomeration of territorial empires that existed in the middle-east in the past, which reappear as a tripartite combination in the latter days, cf. Dan 7:12. This beast/empire is given ‘a mouth/spokesperson.’  It is empowered by Satan who gives it a throne (kingdom territory cf. Rev. 16:1–2, 10) and great authority! Thus, the Beast from the Sea (is a tripartite leopard-bear-lion beast/empire, situated in the heart of Mesopotamia).

The Beast from the land is a man called the False Prophet, who uses all the power of the beast/empire to create havoc amongst Christian believers, and Jews (Rev. 13:7). These two entities fulfil two separate functions!  

The long answer to your third question is contained in my 427 page book, mentioned above.

However, I see in my archives that I have prepared a study — Comparing John’s Revelation 13 vision, with Saint Paul’s teaching regarding end times—but it needs some tidying up before I post it.

Blessings.