One Reason Why Most Christians Have the Wrong View of the End Time by Frank Allnutt

There is a popular teaching that before the second coming of Jesus Christ that the Antichrist will sign a 7-year peace treaty with Israel, after which Jesus Christ will return—His "second coming." As the extra-biblical narrative goes, all living Christians will be "raptured" (caught up bodily into heaven) prior to the start of the 7-year peace treaty. The "left behind" non-Christians will incur the wrath of God because of their unbelief and having never "invited Jesus into their hearts." So, the pre-tribulational rapture will spare all living Christians from the terrible "great tribulation" He will bring upon the world. (Scaring people unto salvation is not a biblical doctrine.) The first half of the Antichrist / Israeli 7-year peace treaty is said to be a time of peace. In contrast, the second half will be a time of tribulation. Like so many prophecy writers of a few decades ago I incorporated the teaching of the coming Antichrist 7-year peace treaty with Israel in some of my early books back in the 1970s. However, the more I read the Bible, the more I felt uneasy about about the many preaching and teaching evangelicals of that time. Then, God allowed me to go through many years of brokenness. Finally, I began studying the Bible—not simply reading it, but really studying! It's amazing what truths I began learning when I opened the eyes and ears of my heart to the truth of God's word. I delved deeper into the mysteries of end-time Bible prophecies. Time and again I was taken back to Daniel 9:20-27. In general terms, Daniel was writing about the redemption of spiritual Israel (sometimes called "the house of Israel,"which, according to the Apostle Paul, consists of God-chosen Jews and Gentiles who comprise the everlasting Church—the spiritgual "body of Christ. In some of Paul's writings, he called them new creatures in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Antichrist's Peace Treaty with Israel is not Biblical The so-called Antichrist's 7-year peace treaty with Israel is pure speculation based upon an erroneous definition of Daniel's 70th Week of years which is not seven contiguous years.

The Split 70th Week of Seven Years In Daniel 9:20-27, an angel delivered a prophetic message to Daniel concerning the future of God's Chosen Ones. Often referred to as "Daniel's 70 Weeks," The 70th and last week would consist of seven years." Just as the 70 weeks were divided into three periods of years (3.5 + 63+ 3.5 =70), so also is the last (70th week) divided. The time-line in Daniel 9:20-27 calls for a divided or split 70th week, comprised of two periods of approximately 3.5 years each, but with an unspecified number of years in-between (the present "Church Age"). The first half corresponds to the 3.5 years of the ministry of Jesus on earth, from His baptism to His crucifixion. The second half of the 70th week will commence with the appearance of the Antichrist and the "Great Tribulation" or "great distress" prophesied by Jesus (Matthew 24), and will conclude with His second coming at the end of the age (Matthew 24; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Daniel 12:10-12; Revelation 13:5). In Daniel 9:20-27, we read that “Messiah the Prince” (Jesus Christ) will be “cut off” (crucified) at the end of His 3.5-year ministry, which coincides with the end of the Old Covenant and the advent of God's Everlasting New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus through the cross (Jeremiah 31:33,34; 32:38, 40; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 37:26). The crucifixion of Messiah the Prince “put a stop to sacrifices and grain offerings” (Daniel 9:25), as they were supplanted by the supreme sacrifice of Jesus at the cross. That is a widely accepted truth. But few understand much else about God's Everlasting New Covenant. Daniel 9:27 discloses: “he will make a firm covenant with the many [God's Chosen Ones] for one week” [the 70th Week of seven years]. “He” is “Messiah [Christ] the Prince,” the antecedent of “he” in Daniel 9:27. However, it has been wrongly taught for a long time that the “he” who makes a firm covenant is the people's “prince who is to come” — the Antichrist (Daniel 9:26), and that he, the Antichrist, will institute a 7-year peace treaty with the nation of Israel. But that is not what the angel Gabriel told Daniel. Keep in mind that the so-taught Antichrist's 7-year peace treaty with Israel is by far the most popular interpretation of the passage — and has been for generations. But it is a flawed product of eisogesis (reading one's own presuppositions into the text). I'll briefly sort this out for you. In the phrase, "the people of the prince who will come," the subject here is “people,” not the “prince who is to come.” “People” is a plural word which requires the plural pronoun “they,” not the singular “he” that appears in verse 27. As for “of the prince who is to come,” this is a modifying phrase that gives identity to the “people.” So, neither the Antichrist nor his "people" enter into any 7-year peace treaty or covenant with God's chosen ones. Those “people” in verse 26 were not the Jews but Romans — governing authorities and military legions — who occupied Jerusalem. Titus, who later became the Roman Emperor, at the time held jurisdiction over Jerusalem. When the Jewish Zealots rebelled against Rome in 70 A.D., Titus sent Josephus to negotiate a truce, but the Zealots rejected this and continued their revolt. So, there was no “firm covenant” by Titus with the Jews, and there is no collaborative Scripture to see a “dual fulfillment” in which the coming prince is both Titus and the Antichrist. Therefore, an Antichrist-brokered “seven-year peace treaty” with Israel is not Scriptural but a construct of errant exegesis. In fact, Titus and his Roman soldiers did the opposite of fomenting even a fraudulent peace with Israel: they lay siege against Jerusalem, and the city and its second temple were reduced to ruins (see the rest of Daniel 9:25). Therefore, an Antichrist-brokered “seven-year peace treaty” with Israel is not Scriptural but a construct of errant exegesis. In fact, Titus and his Roman soldiers did the opposite of fomenting even a fraudulent peace with Israel: they lay siege against Jerusalem, and the city and its second temple were reduced to ruins (see the rest of Daniel 9:25). Daniel’s 70th Week. Iwill culminate with the second coming of Jesus. Thus, the redemption of God's Elect will be inaugurated through the first resurrection (with Jesus) and consummated in its entirety when He returns. More of Frank's books and articles to READ FOR FREE: The Antichrist FrankAllnutt.com/FS.FranklySpeakingIndex.html FrankAllnutt.com/B.BookstoreHome.html ______________ This article is Copyrighted © 2015-2017, 2020, 2022, 2021, 2023, 2024 by Franklin Allnutt. All rights reserved. Content herein may be quoted, subject to the "fair use" doctrine of U.S. Copyright Law, and inclusion of the preceding copyright notice. Content may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial use, and cannot be reproduced or distributed in any manner, without the express written permission of the copyright owner.