(The 70th Week of Daniel 9:24-27)
CLAIMS OF THE RAPTURE THEORY
I. Second coming of Christ secret and invisible.
1. Angels take one of elect here and one there to meet Him in the air.
2. Secret coming introduces special period of seven years.
3. At end of seven years Christ comes again.
4. At beginning of seven years antichrist appears as a world prince-"beast-king." (Supposed to symbolize composite beast of Revelation 13 :1-To.)
5. Claim : At beginning of seven-year period world ruler enters into league with Jews to protect them.
6. Jews, persecuted in many countries, will flock to Palestine, believing it to be safe. (Ezekiel 40-47 will be fulfilled.)
7. Temple to be built on ancient temple site. (Now occupied by Mohammedan mosque. Ancient Mosaic sanctuary to be resumed.)
8. After three and one-half years antichrist will repudiate his treaty with Jews. ro. This will "cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease" in midst of seven years.
9. Instead of adoration of God by Jews in temple, rapturists say, worship of antichrist, beast-king, will become established religion of world.
10. This event in middle of seven years will mark beginning of great tribulation of Christ's prophecy in Matthew 24:21, 22.
11. Tribulation will be caused by "violation of the covenant," between antichrist and Jewish people.
12. Substitution of man worship for worship of Jehovah in Jewish temple at Jerusalem.
II. THE THEORY EXPLODED
1. Fundamental principle of Scriptural interpretation violated.
2. Source of the seven-year period of rapture theory is the seventieth week of the seven-year period of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people."
3. 70 weeks-7 weeks, 62 weeks, and I week, or 490 prophetic days or years. Each period follows the other in unbroken succession.
4. A day, or literal year (Moffatt and Goodspeed-7o weeks of years). Eze. 4:6.
5. Tells when 490-year period began-"going forth of the commandment." Dan. 9:25.
6. When vision was given to Daniel, 70-year desolation of Jerusalem about ended, and now there was to be a restoration. Jer. 25:11; 2 Chron. 36:21.
7. Three decrees by Persian kings-Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-11) ; Darius (Ezra 6 :1) ; Artaxerxes (Ezra 6:14; Ezra 7).
8. Complete decree by Artaxerxes in seventh year of his reign, of 457 B.C. Four hundred and eighty-three years (69 prophetic weeks) of 490 years were to reach to Messiah. Dan. 9:24-27. Christ the Messiah. John i :41.
9. Decrees fully effected in fall of 457 B.C. Ezra 7:9. Four hundred and eighty-three years would reach over into fall of A.D. 27.
10. Jesus anointed by Holy Ghost. Matt. 3 :A ; Acts 10:38. Baptized by John in A.D. 27. Luke 3:21.
11. Messiah "cut off." (Christ's vicarious atoning death on cross.) Dan. 9:26. "In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." Dan. 9:27. Seventieth week reaches from fall of A.D. 27 to A.D. 34. Halfway between these points Jesus died-spring, A.D. 31.
12. His death caused sacrifice of Mosaic law to cease, because He as "Lamb of God" was antitype of all sacrificial offerings of earthly sanctuary. John 1:29, 36; Heb. 9 :8-12 ; 10:1-9.
13. "Reconciliation for iniquity." Dan. 9:24. Reconciled to God by death of Jesus. Rom. 5:10. Veil of temple rent. Matt. 27:51. Every event of seventieth week of Daniel 9:24 was between A.D. 27 and A.D. 34.
14. Rapturists acknowledge that 69 weeks of Daniel 9:25 are 483 days, or prophetic years, reaching from Persion king to first advent of Christ. They detach seventieth week from 70-week period, which is a unit. They carry it over into future and mark it beginning of Rapture. But this is "private interpretation." 2 Peter :20.
15. Seventieth week, with all its events, is over 1900 years in past. Antichristian power arose in early century of Christian Era. We need not wait for it in future.
16. Rapturists concur that "little horn" of Daniel 7:8, 25 is "man of sin" of 2 Thessalonians 2 :3-8 ; composite beast of Revelation 13 :i-To, 18 is antichristian power that would oppose true church of God.
17. Daniel saw in vision four beasts arise from sea—a lion, bear, leopard, and a terrible monster with ten horns. Saw another horn among ten, displacing three. This eleventh horn symbol of Antichrist. Angel Gabriel told Daniel that the four horns were four beasts, or four kingdoms. Ten horns were ten kingdoms. Dan. 7:17, 23, 24. Little horn that arose was antichrist. Among ten kingdoms which succeeded world kingdom represented by fourth beast.
18. Ten kingdoms were progenitors of modern nations of Western Europe. Collapse of Roman Empire in A.D. 476. Antichrist power foretold in prophecy arose among them. Since it arose after ten horns came up, must .arise after A.D. 476.
19. It "shall wear out the saints of the Most High." Dan. 7:25. A persecuting power. This power was Papacy, or Roman power. Arose in past, not future. A resurgence of this power after healing of deadly wound of composite beast in Revelation 13.
(See Watchman Magazine, August, 1945, article by J. C. Stevens, "Is the Rapture Theory True ?")
