All:

 

The third statement repeated often by Steven "Mark" Wohlberg follows on the two dealt with in Part 2 of this series of posts.  Recall point #3 of Wohlberg's claims:

 

++ Inserting a 2,000 year "Gap" between weeks 69 and 70 is completely "illogical".

 

This statement is closely related to the first two statements.  I remind the reader these are the words of Steven "Mark" Wohlberg!  He offers nothing more than saying that it is "illogical".  It is an arrogant mind that Steven "Mark" Wohlberg communicates as if his statements are truisms when in fact they are baseless opinions, backed up with no Biblical evidence.  The "two" minute warning the NFL hardly ever ends at the close of the two-minute warning clock.  It could take much longer with time-outs, and steam strategies, not to mention the built-in TV commercials packed into the two-minute warning.

 

Now if we are to agree with Steven "Mark" Wohlberg's "illogical" premise, then there are other Biblical concepts and events that are equally "illogical" such as the Biblical story of Noah; Abraham & Sarah bearing a child at 100 and 80 years of age respectively.  The concept of the "Trinity" (Godhead), sin, salvation, a non-consuming bush, a talking donkey, and all the things Jesus did, like walking on water, feeding thousands, raising the dead, and we could go on and on about "illogical" facts of the Bible.

 

We should note the Jews' Exodus event at Yom Suph, which for thousands of years had not one stitch of evidence it was true, at least until Dr. Lennart Moeller documented in his book 'The Exodus Case' back in 1998, and the land bridge beneath the surface of the Red Sea.  Now that was truly "illogical" until you know the facts.

 

The Bible is filled with events and situations that defy the "logical".  They clearly ask us to suspend our disbelief because they are "illogical", from a human perspective.  They demand faith.  This is part of the nature of God.  This is how He has chosen to work where humanity is concerned.  God, at times, appears completely "illogical" to us.  God is God and we shouldn't forget that God is supernatural, and as such, He is outside of space and time.  He is not affected by any laws that we are affected by.

 

If God decided to divide 70 weeks into three sections, and have the first two run concurrently, with a "Gap" what is that to us?  Just because it might seem "illogical" 

 

In further proof of the "Gap" in time and a total refuting of Steven "Mark" Wohlberg and his view that gaps are "illogical" it should be understood by the reader there is ample evidence of convincing reasons.  In fact, the deeper one descends into the prophetic Word, the greater in number and importance do these pieces of evidence appear.

 

1.  In such a "gap" in time before the 70th week of Daniel is implied by the most natural basic reading of the prophecy.  It is not "after threescore and two weeks" but "after THE threescore and two weeks" that Messiah is "cut off".  Omission of the definite article "the" in the Authorized Version has obscured the meaning.  Obviously, however, Messiah could not be cut off seven weeks before He appeared!

Beware of discrepancies that occur because of misuse of the various "articles of speech".  In this case, the definite article "AND" makes all the difference in the world.  Read very slowly verses. 25 and 26 again to see what I am talking about.

 

2.  A "Gap" in time between the 69th and 70th week is demanded by the historical fulfillment of the predicted events of Daniel 9:26, like the death of the Messiah and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

 

3.  The fulfillment of the astonishing events in Daniel 9:24 cannot be found anywhere in know recorded history of those six things that have to be fulfilled.

 

4.  An unseen "gap" in prophetic time is not at all an unusual phenomenon in Old Testament prophecy.

 

5.  As the final argument in favor of the "gap" concept, I offer the testimony of our Lord Himself to show the 70th week is future.  Get it, it hasn't (the 70th week) happened yet.

 

In Matthew 24:15, He warns His Jewish audience to flee from their houses to the mountains, "When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place."  The reason for His warning is indicated in verse 21:  "For there shall be great tribulation."  But they are not to be utterly disheartened, for "immediately after tribulation of those days... "They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory"  -(Matthew24:29-30).

 

This should settle issue once and for all.  Our Lord has not yet come in glory; the 70th week is future; and there is a great "Gap" of time between the 69th and 70th week of the prophecy.  Just keep in mind those who reject the Pre-Trib Rapture will keep trying to poison the water with their babbling.  They are "blinded" by the "Replacement" theology or "Supersessionism" and their allegoricalizing the plain word of the text reflect they are a consequence of the "blind leading the blind.

 

The "GAP" concept makes it utterly impossible for date-setting because the "Gap" is both unrevealed and suspended from our viewpoint of history.  Now if you follow the "Scripturalist for the Lord" at that other sight you might already know the date of the Rapture.  "He declared on May 3rd when the Rapture will occur.   The "Scripturalist for the Lord" said the Rapture will occur on Nisan 10/April 17th, 2016 which is Palm Sunday, 1,260 days before the Feast of Trumpets September 30, 2019."  That other sight pontificates, obviously from having heard from on High, I suppose. 

 

Every scheme of date-setting requires for its basis a continuous prophetic chronology covering the present age.  Without this, the date-setters are helpless.  This is precisely the reason the Millerites (pre-SDA's) and Ellen G. White, Doug Batchelor, Steven "Mark" Wohlberg, Marvin Rosenthal, are all wrong.  Those having bought into their way of reading Scripture have truly been deceived into a maze of confusion.

 

Previously I noted there are at least 24 "GAPS" in Scripture.  I said that I would list them and that is what follows here:

 

1. Psalm 34 (10-12 quoted in 1 Peter 3:10-12)

2. Psalm 118 - middle verse 22

3. Isaiah 9:6 - after the first clause

4. Isaiah 53 - middle verse 10

5. Isaiah 61 - middle verse 2

6. Lamentations 4 - verses 21, 22

7. Daniel 9 - verses 26, 27

8. Daniel 11 - verses 20, 21

9. Hosea 2 - verses 13, 14

10. Hosea 3 - verses 4, 5

11. Amos 9 - verses 10, 11

12. Micah 5 - verses 2, 3

13. Habakkuk 2 - verses 13, 14

14. Zephaniah 3 - verses 7, 8

15. Zechariah 9 - verses 9, 10

16. Matthew 10 - middle verse 23

17. Matthew 12 - middle verse 20

18. Luke 1 - verse 31, 32

19. Luke 4 - verses 18-26 quoting Isaiah 61:1-2

20. Luke 21 - middle verse 24

21. John 1 verse 5, 6

22. 1 Peter 1 - verse 11

23. 1 Peter 3 - verses 10-12 quoting Psalm 34:12-16

24. Revelation 12 - verses 5, 6

 

I'm not willing to bet against there not being more.  My point is what is "illogical" to Steven "Mark" Wohlberg IS logical to the Creator!

 

In truth, the Bible is filled with one "illogical" event after another, which is why so many people have such a problem with much of the Bible.  I discovered personally something pertinent to what the Apostle Paul talked about the "foolishness of the cross to the world" and the "foolishness of the cross to the believer.  I experienced an ah ha moment of transformation of my own understanding over the issue of the "Six-Day Creation."   I had two years of geology in college, part of my science requirement.  So I was a skeptic of the Biblical "Six-Day Creation", 

 

Dr. Gerald Schroeder, a Jewish Rabbi, with two Ph.D's, one in Nuclear Science and one in Planetary Science.  He did an explanation of the "Six-Day Creation" event through the eyes of science.  The "key" was in the Bible Genesis is looking "forward" in time while Astronomy is looking "backwards" in time through the telescope at the universe.  Time "dilates" like when the eye doctor's assistant puts drops in your eyes so that the doctor can see inside your eye.  The Biblical and scientific explanation of God's "Six-Day Creation" and the 15.5-billion year creation are not in conflict at all.  BOTH ARE CORRECT!  When I viewed Dr. Schroeder's video explanation, my chains of doubt and scales of blindness fell off.

 

The axiom here is I'm not from the "show me" state.  You believe first without preconditions of intellectual doubt, by total faith, and God will show you amazing things in His Word!  Doubt God for even the slightest and the veil of blindness will hang over you like it has over the Jews the past approximately 2,000 years.

 

In fact, theologians like Steven "Mark" Wohlberg have great difficulty understanding prophecy in a literal fashion.  Because of his "Covenant/Reformed" theology background, he apparently adopted the way the Reformers thought regarding Eschatology.  If you are from a Catholic background, and this includes all the mainline Protestant denominations as well [they treat the Bible as an over-simplified Two Covenant system / Old = Law  -  New = Grace].  The truth being is the Bible has more than just two covenants called the Old Testament and the New Testament.

 

Everyone is fascinated with prophecy given world events unfolding before our eyes.  As a result, we sponge everything we can get our hands on or watch whatever is on television.  The problem becomes when we can't differentiate the differing views, opinions, interpretations.  Believe me, and I have watched them all.  Were it not for the fact that I am formally trained, in separating the various schools behind what we see and read, I would be in a rubber room.  A word of advice, take it for what its worth to you; Don't be swayed by the "Covenant/Reformed" "Allegorical/Spiritualizing" of Scripture. You just may as well walked the Catholic labyrinth because it is all designed to confuse and exacerbate your understanding of God's Word.  God is not a God of confusion.

 

In my next post on the "Standing in the Gap" I will cover more about methods of proper understanding.

 

Pastor Bob