This past week at our men’s Bible study we were discussing the meaning of Daniel 9:26 – 27.  In the 24^th chapter of Matthew Christ refers to Daniel’s end-time prophesy.  So I began researching, what do theologians think these verses of Scripture mean.

Daniel 9:26 – 27 – “After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.  He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’  In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Previously I have written that I believe the last seven years before Jesus returns will start either at the agreed upon peace treaty between Israel and Palestine or at the completion of the temple.  I am led to believe from Jesus saying it will be like the time of Noah that the end time begins with the completion of the Jewish Temple next to the Muslim Dome of the Rock on the temple mount.  The flood came as Noah completed the Ark.  However, there is a temporary peace agreement, (“a covenant with many for one ‘seven”) that will be for seven years.  When 3½ years of that agreement, the antichrist stops all animal sacrifice and Jews living on the west bank under the Palestine state will be slaughtered if they do not flee as Jesus foretells in Matthew 24.

Verse 27 says the antichrist will set up an abomination that causes desolation.  This we believe to mean that it will be an unprecedented time of trouble and great anguish that has never occurred before and will never occur again.

Daniel outlines the events that will happen before the last seven years that the angel Gabriel predicted would come to pass and when Jesus would return.  It was called the “Great Tribulation”.  Daniel describes a wicked ruler who will come to destroy God’s people and with a plan to take over the world with only those who will be his followers remaining.  His power and the miracles he performs will be given to him by Satan.  His deceit will give him great influence.  We all know the power of deceit that comes from Satan and his followers.  His end will come as the end occurred during Noah’s time.  It will end this time with a war and not a flood.  The war will be known as Armageddon.

Matthew 24:3 – 25 – “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains.   “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,  but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.   “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house.  Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.  How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!  Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.   “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.  At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

These are probably some of the most misunderstood Scriptures in the Bible.  Many believe this occurred in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed.  Some believe there will never be another temple built.  However, Jesus referring to Daniel’s prophesies, I believe it has to be at the end times.

There will be false prophets as the world ends that will teach: God wants you to be rich, healthy and wealth sermons, there is no hell or sin messages, you may do whatever your desires tell you, accept same-sex marriage, abortions are okay and things that followers want to hear.

The most important thing we can learn in times of persecution, even mature Christians will find it difficult to remain true to Christ.  To keep from being deceived by false prophets, (False doctrine is any belief that doesn’t agree with the Bible.) we must realize that when Jesus returns He will come from the sky with believers following Him.  No one will doubt that it is Christ because it will be obvious to everyone.  So don’t be one who mourns because you have chosen the wrong Messiah.

We see America’s dominance in the world fading.  I have never been able to find where it refers to America in the Book of Revelation.  Daniel talks about the eagle, America that separates from the lion, Great Britain.  Scripture indicates that no one will come to Jerusalem’s defense during the War of Armageddon but God.  Most who feared America’s power and dominance will no longer do so.  It is my opinion that another nation will overtake America’s dominance in the world.  That nation will be anti-God and anti-Israel.

I believe there will be a last chance for a spiritual revival as God will not want anyone to perish.    There will be no excuses.  Once that revival is over, the end will be close.  It is even possible that spiritual revival is taking place at the present time.  Thousands daily are accepting Christ throughout the world and the Gospel is being preached worldwide.  Many Christians are being persecuted as our news media reports.  So will John Kerry, our Sec. of State, assist in a peace treaty in 2014 as predicted?  Will the Jewish Temple be built as we believe is prophesied?  If that happens, you can almost count the days until the end.  It is possible America, at that time, will just be another nation because of our leaders and America’s majorities’ rejection of Christ and our failing to keep God’s commandments.  It happened to Israel when they disobeyed.

Always keep in mind:  No one knows the day or hour when the end will come.  However, Scripture tells us if we are able to discern what the angel Gabriel told Daniel and what Christ told His disciples, we living in the last days, may be able to get an idea as to when Jesus will return for His 1000 year reign.