If you have some patience, there are some things in here that blew my mind and maybe will blow your mind (namely the precise solution to Daniel 9; if you have been stumped by this prophecy, I don't think you will be disappointed!) First, I'll go through some general timing elements that seem appropriate and look at the 'sign of the son of man' that Jesus mentions, some bits of Revelation, and then an in-depth look at Daniel 9. First though we'll look at just a quick overview of Dan 9.
In general, the word 'seven' above is translated as 'weeks' (the Hebrew word 'shabua' http://biblehub.com/hebrew/7620.htm ), but!.... In addition to 'shabua' meaning 'weeks', it also means 'heptad' / group of seven.
In other words, the 'seventy 'seven's above can also be read as.. '77' (70 + '7 years')
Now watch what happens:
So, Jerusalem has been desolate for 70 years.... and it needs 1 more '7' years period to reach... 77 years to finish the transgression. (77 solar years after May 14, 1948 : dusk May 13, 2025)
In other words, what people call the 70th week (not really synonymous with the tribulation) seems to be this last '7' of the 77 years. If this is talking about Jerusalem, Israel, then its 70th anniversary is 5 Iyyar, 5778 (our April 20, 2018) or May 14, 2018 (70 solar years after May 14, 1948). One of the reasons why the 70th anniversary of Israel is important is because of Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. There seems to be a parallel between the Babylonian captivity & the modern nation-state of Israel.
Don't worry, there is a lot more to Daniel 9:24-27 to discuss, more on this in a bit - with the exact meaning of all these verses!
But back to our generalized overview of Revelation, how does this 70th anniversary through the 77th anniversary of Israel relate to the book of Revelation sequence of events?
Let's look at a few landmark events
**Note: I don't believe in a whisked away rapture. In my opinion, it is a lie of Satan to cause the apostasy. So, talking about the 'sign of the son of man' is not to be taken as promoting a 'rapture date'. Nor it is to be taken as setting a date for Christ's return, which is not possible to determine and may only have a symbolic fulfillment.
IMO, here is the 'sign of the son of man in heaven' (Matt 24:30), which will occur on Feb 11, 2021.
the sun, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus form one axis of the cross (with Jupiter & Venus in conjunction), and Mercury and the moon forming the arms of the cross.
the neat thing about this cross sign is that it occurs 3.5 days short of exactly 42 months from Sept 23, 2017's star sign. Revelation 12:1-2 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.
From 3 Tishri, 5778 to 3 Adar, 5781 (starting at dusk Feb 14, 2021) is exactly 42 months and thus early morning Feb 11, 2021 is 3.5 days shorter. (lunar month is about 29.5 days, multiply by 42 to get roughly 1240/ 1239 days depending on the month
So, let's go to Matt 24 and put a few pieces together
When Jesus refers to the abomination of desolation (in the historical sense, this is the statue of Zeus that was placed in the 2nd Jewish temple), he's not exactly referring to Daniel 9:27 (which is generally where people understand the 'abomination statue' to show up - ie the 'middle of the 7 years', but this understanding is not correct, I'll show you why later), he's referring to Daniel 12:11-13, the 1290 days & 1335 days.
Dan 12: 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
The main action would be concentrated on 1335 days + 70 'weeks' (literally 490 days). That's the 'great tribulation'. And I'll show you exactly what it means in the expanded Daniel 9 discussion later on! (here's a hint: it is extremely literal!)
I am fairly sure that this is how it gets put together:
On Feb 11, 2021 is the 'sign of the son of man
So, again, Feb 4, 2021 cuts off the great tribulation (the attack on the 'city') (immediately afterwards is the cross in heaven sign) and then Satan goes to attack Christians (the 'sanctuary' attack) referred to in Rev 12 (Satan attacks the woman, then attacks Christians).
So now let's get to a more expanded & detailed look at Daniel 9:24-27. Some of the more experienced prophecy students are thinking, "oh, if the 7 years go from May 2018 to May 2025, then the abomination of desolation must be set up around Nov / Dec 2021. Why is this fool saying that the 'great tribulation' begins a whole year earlier?!" I wondered about this also, because the evidence clearly did not support the position that the great tribulation 'started in the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation'.
And so to answer this question, we have to get extremely literal. Hopefully no one can find fault with that...
Daniel 9's prayer says that it starts at the end of 70 years of desolations of Jerusalem.
The modern state of Israel was started on May 14, 1948 / 5 Iyyar, 5708. 70 years later is 5 Iyyar, 5778 (our April 20, 2018).
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. [...]
24 “Seventy 'sevens' are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. 25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks.
Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one 'seven', and in the middle of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
In general, the word 'seven' above is translated as 'weeks' (the Hebrew word 'shabua' http://biblehub.com/hebrew/7620.htm ), but!.... In addition to 'shabua' meaning 'weeks', it also means 'heptad' / group of seven.
In other words, the 'seventy 'seven's above can also be read as.. '77' (70 + '7 years')
Now watch what happens:
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. [...]
77 is decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. [...]
And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one 'seven', and in the middle of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
So, Jerusalem has been desolate for 70 years.... and it needs 1 more '7' years period to reach... 77 years to finish the transgression. (77 solar years after May 14, 1948 : dusk May 13, 2025)
In other words, what people call the 70th week (not really synonymous with the tribulation) seems to be this last '7' of the 77 years. If this is talking about Jerusalem, Israel, then its 70th anniversary is 5 Iyyar, 5778 (our April 20, 2018) or May 14, 2018 (70 solar years after May 14, 1948). One of the reasons why the 70th anniversary of Israel is important is because of Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. There seems to be a parallel between the Babylonian captivity & the modern nation-state of Israel.
Don't worry, there is a lot more to Daniel 9:24-27 to discuss, more on this in a bit - with the exact meaning of all these verses!
But back to our generalized overview of Revelation, how does this 70th anniversary through the 77th anniversary of Israel relate to the book of Revelation sequence of events?
Let's look at a few landmark events
**Note: I don't believe in a whisked away rapture. In my opinion, it is a lie of Satan to cause the apostasy. So, talking about the 'sign of the son of man' is not to be taken as promoting a 'rapture date'. Nor it is to be taken as setting a date for Christ's return, which is not possible to determine and may only have a symbolic fulfillment.
IMO, here is the 'sign of the son of man in heaven' (Matt 24:30), which will occur on Feb 11, 2021.
the sun, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus form one axis of the cross (with Jupiter & Venus in conjunction), and Mercury and the moon forming the arms of the cross.
the neat thing about this cross sign is that it occurs 3.5 days short of exactly 42 months from Sept 23, 2017's star sign. Revelation 12:1-2 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.
From 3 Tishri, 5778 to 3 Adar, 5781 (starting at dusk Feb 14, 2021) is exactly 42 months and thus early morning Feb 11, 2021 is 3.5 days shorter. (lunar month is about 29.5 days, multiply by 42 to get roughly 1240/ 1239 days depending on the month
So, let's go to Matt 24 and put a few pieces together
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
When Jesus refers to the abomination of desolation (in the historical sense, this is the statue of Zeus that was placed in the 2nd Jewish temple), he's not exactly referring to Daniel 9:27 (which is generally where people understand the 'abomination statue' to show up - ie the 'middle of the 7 years', but this understanding is not correct, I'll show you why later), he's referring to Daniel 12:11-13, the 1290 days & 1335 days.
Dan 12: 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
The main action would be concentrated on 1335 days + 70 'weeks' (literally 490 days). That's the 'great tribulation'. And I'll show you exactly what it means in the expanded Daniel 9 discussion later on! (here's a hint: it is extremely literal!)
I am fairly sure that this is how it gets put together:
Dec 21, 2020 is the 'winter' day that starts the 'great tribulation' (Matt 24:20) (Prince William is 38.5 years old, aka breaking the covenant in the 'middle of 77 years). this is the beginning of the 1335 days.
45 days later is Feb 4, 2021 and the start of the 1290 days & start of the 5th Trumpet 5 months (see Joel chapters 1-4, especially how the locusts 'cut off the wine & grain/ ie bread sacrifices in Joel 1:9). Here is where it gets tricky. The temple is trampled for a shorter amount of time than the 2 witnesses are testifying. (the 2300 'evenings & mornings' of Dan 8 is 1150 days, shortened by 7 days which is required to cleanse the temple: thus the 5 (Bible lunar not Gregorian calendar) months of the 5th Trumpet is 147 days + 1143 days of the inner court of the temple attacked with the abomination = 1290 days. Which takes us to Aug 17, 2024. Start 70 literal weeks (Dan 9:24-27) to 'finish the transgression' to end the 69th week on the start of Hanukah, dusk Dec 13, 2025. Again, the temple is separate timing from the 2 witnesses. The final 70 weeks/ 490 days will complete the anointing of a holy place.
After the 5 months of the 5th Trumpet that started on Feb 4, 2021, we get to July 4, 2021 which is the middle of 70 '7's/ middle of 490 years, ie 245 years. The covenant of the Declaration of Independence is broken in the middle of this '7': July 4, 1776 + 245 years = July 4, 2021. ***Note that 5 Bible/ lunar months go from 22 Sh'vat to 22 Tammuz, 5871 which is July 2, 2021, not July 4, 2021.
July 2, 2021 starts the 1260 days of the 2 witnesses (Rev 11:3) which ends on Dec 13, 2024. Thus Dec 13, 2024 to Dec 13, 2025 is the 'year of recompense' (see Isaiah 34:8 & Isaiah 63:4)
Subtract the 7 months of clean-up of the Gog war corpses (Ezekiel 39:12) from dusk Dec 13, 2025 to get to dusk May 13, 2025 which would be the '77th' anniversary of Jerusalem/ Israel mentioned in Daniel 9. In other words, the Gog war ends at the 77th anniversary of Israel, then the 7 months of clean-up finishes out the 1335 + 69 weeks sequence at dusk Dec 13, 2025 (the end of 70 weeks would end on Dec 20, 2025).
Special note about Feb 4, 2021: this is the time of the 6th Seal & Trumpets 1-4 (the events of which mirror each other: the 'stars that fall' = the 'burning mountain' of the 2nd Trumpet & the 'star that falls, aka Wormwood' of the 3rd Trumpet; the 'powers of heaven being shaken' = the 1st & 4th Trumpets) . This is the attack on the 'city'/ Jerusalem mentioned in Daniel 9:26 (And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary) and is the same as Matt 24:15-21 where the people of Judea have to flee (i.e. Jerusalem is being attacked). The attack on the sanctuary in Daniel 9:26 is the same as the 1260 days of the 2 witnesses in the 6th Trumpet / 2nd woe. The following passage applies to just after the attack on the city: Matt 24:29
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
On Feb 11, 2021 is the 'sign of the son of man
So, again, Feb 4, 2021 cuts off the great tribulation (the attack on the 'city') (immediately afterwards is the cross in heaven sign) and then Satan goes to attack Christians (the 'sanctuary' attack) referred to in Rev 12 (Satan attacks the woman, then attacks Christians).
Rev 12
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
Rev 13
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
So now let's get to a more expanded & detailed look at Daniel 9:24-27. Some of the more experienced prophecy students are thinking, "oh, if the 7 years go from May 2018 to May 2025, then the abomination of desolation must be set up around Nov / Dec 2021. Why is this fool saying that the 'great tribulation' begins a whole year earlier?!" I wondered about this also, because the evidence clearly did not support the position that the great tribulation 'started in the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation'.
And so to answer this question, we have to get extremely literal. Hopefully no one can find fault with that...
Daniel 9's prayer says that it starts at the end of 70 years of desolations of Jerusalem.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
The modern state of Israel was started on May 14, 1948 / 5 Iyyar, 5708. 70 years later is 5 Iyyar, 5778 (our April 20, 2018).
24 “Seventy 'weeks' (*** also '77' **) are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place
[Here, the 77 meaning finishes out the transgressions, ending at the 77th anniversary of Jerusalem, Israel on May 13, 2025 (77 solar years).
The 2nd meaning is also '70 weeks'/ literally 490 days.]
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks.
[Start at the 70th anniversary, April 20, 2018 and add 7 weeks: June 8, 2018. This is the most probable (unannounced) date for Prince William's upcoming visit to Israel.]
Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
[Add 62 weeks to June 8, 2018: August 16, 2019]
26 And after sixty-two weeks (***translations generally put a 'the' before the '62 weeks', but in the original Hebrew there is no preposition 'the' there), an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.
[Add another 62 weeks here, for the date of someone being 'cut off' (has the meaning of being 'covenanted' or 'killed'.] this takes us to October 23, 2020. this could be the very date that the 'antichrist' receives his mortal head wound.]
And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
[These events take us to the end of 70 weeks where a desolation is decreed. To finish out the 8 more weeks past Oct 23, 2020 takes us to the end of 70 weeks on Dec 18, 2020. All in all, we have gone 69 weeks, then another 70 weeks.]
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and in the middle of the 'seven' he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.
[At the end of the 70 weeks ending on Dec 18, 2020, the prince/ ruler to come makes a covenant and breaks it in the middle of 1 week, literally the middle of 7 days. Again, he places the abomination of desolation 3.5 days after Dec 18, 2020 which would be dusk Dec 21, 2020, which is when Prince William will turn 38.5 years old (the 'middle of 77 years' = 38.5). Dec 21, 2020 is the start of the 1335 days of Daniel 12:13. ]
And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
So, whereas most people assume that the 42 months of the beast from the sea = the abomination of desolation showing up in 'middle of 7 years', it is more likely that the 'middle of the 'week' means a literal week that started at the 70th anniversary of Jerusalem, Israel + 7 weeks + 62 weeks + 62 weeks + 8 weeks + 1 week, this last 1 week being broken in the middle thereof that starts the 1335 days of the abomination of desolation, finished by 70 weeks/ 490 days.
