CHRIST’S PRECEDENT: SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT HAS NO EXCEPTIONS
The principle established by Christ in the Gospels reveals a systematic approach to the New Testament that has no exceptions. When you finish this article, you will see the New Testament through the eyes of Christ and His precedent. When Christ’s precedent is applied to the revelation given to the apostles, the interpretation of their revelation is provided by Christ. For, it is His precedent that is being applied.
For years, I was aware of the three popular theories of Christ’s appearance for His church: Pre-tribulation (“signless Rapture”), mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation. Like most in Christ’s kingdom, I subscribed to one of the three. That was until the year 2000, when I experienced six weeks of divine intervention—which ultimately led me to the path of Christ’s precedent.
Christ’s precedent is found in the answer to this question:
Why did Christ quote Old Testament prophets?
Christ quoted Old Testament prophets to reveal the present tense fulfillment of prophecy or the future tense fulfillment of prophecy. And, He quoted the Old Testament prophets in light of New Testament revelation.
In the revelation Christ gave from the right hand of God to His apostles, He continued to combine Old Testament prophecy with New Testament revelation. By doing so, Christ revealed the mystery of the church/Christ’s kingdom hidden in the Old Testament. In essence, He showed us the harmony between the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles. And, by handing us multiple witnesses on identical subjects, Christ’s revelation yields unmistakable conclusions.
To summarize: Peter, Paul, and John are in complete agreement and all three apostles disagree with the three popular theories (regarding our future salvation). The apostles’ harmonious voice is founded upon a profound—yet grossly neglected—biblical truth established by the Son of God in the Gospels. That was a revelation to me.
From this biblical truth, this truth is evident: the Rapture, accompanied by dramatic heavenly and earthly signs, prior to the wrath, is sound doctrine. Additionally, Christ’s second coming to Israel will come to pass at the end of Daniel’s “seventieth seven”—the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. Finally, all these prophecies are in alignment with the Hebrew calendar. These truths emanate from Christ’s precedent.
CHRIST’S PRECEDENT: PRESENT TENSE FULFILLMENT: LUKE 4
Christ said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).
In Luke 4, Christ quoted Isaiah (61:1, 2a).
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:17-21)
Christ quoted Isaiah to reveal the present tense fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy when He said: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Christ proclaimed His ministry that day.
CHRIST’S PRECEDENT: FUTURE TENSE FULFILLMENT: MATT. 24
In Matthew 24, Christ quoted Daniel.
[T]his gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. (Matt. 24:14-16)
Christ quoted Daniel and, in doing so, He revealed the future fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in light of New Testament revelation.
This precedent established by Christ is His standard—as to why an Old Testament prophet is quoted. Thus, when an apostle quotes an Old Testament prophet, it is either to reveal the present tense or future tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the context of New Testament revelation. This is the systematic approach to the New Testament that has no exceptions.
Prior to addressing the Old Testament prophets quoted by Peter, Paul, and John, I thought it would benefit this article to establish common ground by referring to Paul quoting Habakkuk in Romans 1, revealing the present tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
PAUL: HABAKKUK (2:4)
In Romans, Paul quoted Habakkuk:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Rom. 1:16, 17)
Habakkuk prophesied, “The just shall live by his faith,” and Paul quoted it in the context of New Testament revelation: “salvation to every one that believeth.” Why did Paul quote Habakkuk?
By the authority of Jesus Christ we know why: it is either the present tense or future tense fulfillment of prophecy, placed in the context of New Testament revelation.
Paul quoted Habakkuk in the context of “salvation to every one that believeth.” This applies to the present tense. Thus, Paul quoted Habakkuk to show the present tense fulfillment of Habakkuk’s prophecy, which applies to our present salvation. Paul expounded upon “The just shall live by faith” later in Romans when he presented, “the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Rom. 10:8–10).
Habakkuk prophesied of faith, and Paul quoted Habakkuk in the context of New Testament revelation. This New Testament revelation is the “mystery,” which is the hidden wisdom of God, fully revealed through Christ’s revelation to His apostles.
The mystery is composed of brand new revelation that Christ gave His apostles and, in addition, prophecies in the Old Testament. This is exactly what Paul presented in Romans:
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. (Rom. 16:25, 26)
The revelation of the mystery is composed of:
1. What is “now is made manifest” which is revelation never before revealed.
2. And, “by the scriptures of the prophets” which is the mystery hidden in plain sight in the Old Testament, and quoted by the apostles to demonstrate what pertained to the mystery, the church. (Note: These Old Testament prophecies were not understood at time given because God kept the true meaning a “mystery”—which would not be fully revealed until after the Ascension of Christ.)
Together, the Old Testament prophecies and New Testament revelation combine to reveal to us the mystery. This is exactly what Christ revealed to Peter, Paul, and John about our current salvation (“the just shall live by faith”), and our future salvation (the Rapture).
PETER: JOEL (2:28-32a)
On Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel:
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:12–21)
On Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel. Why?
By the authority of Jesus Christ we know why: it is either the present tense or future tense fulfillment of prophecy. Or, in this case, it is both.
Present Tense
The crowd asked Peter, “What meaneth this?” And Peter quoted Joel.
Peter quoted Joel for the same reason Paul quoted Habakkuk: it is the present tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the context of New Testament revelation.
Peter quoted Joel because it was the present tense fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28, 29). God poured out His Spirit and He continues to pour out His Spirit on those who believe the message of faith. In essence, on Pentecost, Peter revealed the mystery—which pertains to the church—hidden in Joel. Joel’s prophecy of the Spirit being poured out was directly connected to New Testament salvation, for, Peter said: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Peter quoted Joel to demonstrate the present tense fulfillment of prophecy, just as Christ did when He quoted Isaiah in Luke 4. This is Christ’s precedent.
Future Tense
Additionally, Peter didn’t end his quote with Joel 2:29. He continued until Joel 2:32a, prophesying about the day of the Lord: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:20, 21).
Peter prophesied about the day of the Lord for the same reason Christ quoted Daniel in Matthew 24: to reveal the future tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy—which is when the day of the Lord comes to pass. And according to Peter’s prophecy, our future tense salvation is accompanied by heavenly signs: the sun will turn black and the moon will turn blood red.
By quoting Joel 2:28–32a, Peter revealed the future tense and present tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. In doing so, Peter connected our present tense salvation (filled with the Spirit), with our future tense salvation (the Rapture, which will come to pass on the day of the Lord).
In his quote of Joel, Peter referred to all those who call on the name of Lord—which, in the context of Peter’s prophecy, are those filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s us: Christ’s church/kingdom. The mystery of this kingdom was hidden in Joel, 2:28–32a.
Peter answered a question: “What meaneth this?” This is what it means: Our present salvation means future salvation which will come to pass with the arrival of the day of the Lord. Peter answered a question providing present tense fulfillment, and continued to future tense fulfillment.
Note: The rest of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:32b & Chapter 3) applies to Israel’s future salvation.
PAUL: ISAIAH (25:8) & HOSEA (13:14)
In Corinthians 15:51-55, when Paul quoted Isaiah and Hosea, he did so in the light of New Testament revelation. What is the New Testament revelation? Paul began his prophecy by saying this: “Behold, I shew you a mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51). Christ gave Paul revelation about a mystery, which included Paul quoting Old Testament prophets when he said, “the saying that is written.”
Here is “a mystery” and the Old Testament prophets, together:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:51-55)
Paul revealed a mystery, and part of that mystery was already hidden in the Old Testament. Paul revealed the mystery hidden in the Old Testament when he quoted two Old Testament prophets. Isaiah: “He will swallow up death in victory” (Isa. 25:8). Hosea: “O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction” (13:14). In essence, Paul revealed the mystery hidden in the Old Testament, which pertained to the future fulfillment of prophecy for Christ’s kingdom: the Rapture.
At the time of the Rapture, “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written.” At this time, the prophecies given by Isaiah and Hosea will be fulfilled. This conclusion is based on Christ’s precedent: Old Testament prophets are quoted to show the fulfillment of prophecy in light of New Testament revelation.
Like Paul and Peter, John also quoted the Old Testament in the context of our future salvation (the Rapture).
JOHN: ISAIAH (49:10; 25:8)
In the Book of Revelation, John quoted two prophecies from Isaiah:
“They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.” (Isa. 49:10)
“[T]he Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Isa. 25:8)
John quoted Isaiah for the same reason Paul quoted Isaiah and Hosea, and for the same reason Peter quoted Joel: to reveal the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in light of New Testament revelation, the mystery. Paul and John both quoted from the prophecy found in Isaiah 25:8. This is not a coincidence; it is Christ’s precedent; it is His revelation.
Here is John’s Revelation 7 prophecy regarding the future of Christ’s kingdom:
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Rev. 7:9-17)
John is describing those who “have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” These are those in Christ’s kingdom, which, in this prophecy, are raptured to His throne. John’s vision of the church raptured to Heaven concludes with John’s quote of Isaiah (Rev. 7:16, 17). John’s prophecy follows the sixth seal, and comes before the seventh seal. Thus, John’s quote of Isaiah is part of the sixth seal revelation:
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (Rev. 6:12-14)
This seal presents the same signs as prophesied by Peter: the sun turning black and the moon turning blood red. Through John, Christ expounded upon Peter’s prophecy on Pentecost: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:20, 21).
In John’s prophecy, Christ is expounding upon what it means to be saved in the future, and places the timing of the Rapture at the opening of the sixth seal. The plagues of the wrath begin after the seventh seal opens in Revelation 8. With the church already raptured to Heaven, it is saved from the wrath—just as Paul prophesied.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Rom. 5:9)
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thess. 1:10)
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:9)
The “salvation” prophesied by Paul is the same salvation prophesied by John: “Salvation to our God.” These prophecies are founded upon Peter’s prophecy: “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It is the future salvation of Christ’s kingdom.
All three apostles revealed our future salvation and quoted Old Testament prophets in their prophecies. When applying Christ’s precedent, Peter, Paul, and John quoted these prophets to reveal what will come to pass—in light of New Testament revelation. Thus, the following conclusion is unmistakable: The Rapture, which is accompanied by dramatic heavenly and earthly signs, will occur before the wrath (God’s judgment upon the world). Christ’s kingdom does not go through this judgment for the very reason Paul stated: those in the kingdom are “justified by his blood.” The kingdom isalready judged righteous.
Critical to this study is Paul’s prophecy of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 & 5, and what Paul says about the day of the Lord coming as a thief, and what Christ has to say about coming as a thief in Revelation.
PAUL: 1 THESS. (4:13-18; 5:1-11)
Paul began his prophecy of the Rapture in 1 Thess. 4:13 and ended his prophecy by declaring Christ’s kingdom is saved from the wrath (1 Thess. 5:9, 10). Thus, the “effect” of being saved from the wrath has an unmistakable “cause,” the Rapture.
The Rapture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Paul’s prophecy reveals exactly what will come to pass when the Lord Jesus Christ appears in the clouds: the dead in Christ are resurrected and those alive in Christ are transformed immortal to ever be with Him. In the midst of this prophecy, Paul prophesied about the time that this prophecy will be fulfilled: the day of the Lord—just as Peter did on Pentecost. Paul prophesied:
Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thess. 5:1, 2)
When Paul prophesied about the day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night, he prophesied about “times and dates,” not the lack of signs.
When Christ prophesied of His return to Israel, He said: “Behold, I come like a thief!” (Rev. 16:15). This prophecy is in the context of Armageddon, which is “the battle on the great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). As prophesied, God will save Israel in this battle.
Who among us would say Armageddon is a “signless” event?
If Christ doesn’t use “thief” to mean a “signless” event, then what right does anyone in His church have to claim that Paul’s use of “thief” means the Rapture is a “signless” event?
This prophecy of a “thief” issued by Christ has a precedent in the Old Testament. Isaiah prophesied of Israel’s salvation and how that salvation would be instantaneous and dramatic.
But the multitude of your enemies [that assault you] will become like fine dust, And the multitude of the tyrants like the chaff whichblows away; And it will happen in an instant, suddenly [that your enemy is destroyed]. You will be punished by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire. (Isa. 29:5, 6)
Isaiah, Christ, and Paul are all referring to the same subject, “timing,” not the lack of the signs. Christ’s reference to a thief speaks not of a quiet return, but of the sudden surprise of His return—just as Paul prophesied of the sudden nature of events pertaining to Christ’s descent during the Rapture: “While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thess. 5:3).
Paul completes his prophecy by giving Christ’s kingdom instruction, wisdom, and comfort:
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. (1 Thess. 5:4-11)
Amen!
Those in the kingdom—“the children of lightand children of the day”—will be raptured suddenly, but it will not come as a surprise. The kingdom is expecting their King.
CONCLUSION
Christ’s precedent has been applied to the prophecies of Peter, Paul, and John. This precedent is a systematic approach to the New Testament that has no exceptions. From this biblical truth, this truth is evident: the Rapture, accompanied by dramatic heavenly and earthly signs, prior to the wrath, is sound doctrine. Peter, Paul, and John all quoted Old Testament prophets, and each provided different pieces of the prophetic puzzle to explain what those prophecies mean in light of New Testament revelation.
To ignore Christ’s precedent is to apply man’s opinion which yields unsound doctrine.
UNSOUND DOCTRINE
Pre-tribulation (“signless Rapture”): The belief the Rapture occurs without any signs, prior to the wrath.
Mid-tribulation Rapture: The belief the Rapture occurs 3.5 years into Daniel’s seven-year prophecy (known as the “seventieth seven” (“Jacob’s trouble”))—with the church being on the Earth for 3.5+ years of wrath.
Post-tribulation Rapture/Salvation: The belief that there is only one descent of Christ from the right hand of God, saving the church and Israel simultaneously at the end of Daniel’s seven-year prophecy—with the church being on the Earth during the entire time of wrath.
SOUND DOCTRINE
Pre-wrath Rapture: The Rapture, accompanied by dramatic heavenly and earthly signs, will come to pass prior to the wrath (of the seventh seal).
If we choose to embrace Christ’s precedent, then we have His interpretation of our present tense salvation and our future tense salvation.
CHRIST’S SECOND COMING TO ISRAEL
CHRIST: LUKE 21
This study will continue by applying Christ’s precedent to Christ’s prophecies in the Gospels about His second coming to Israel. After Pentecost, Christ gave revelation to Paul and John expounding upon His own prophecies in the Gospels.
Just as with the Rapture, Paul quoted an Old Testament prophet and he did so in light of New Testament revelation—only this revelation speaks of the mystery (the church) and Israel in the same breath, and sheds light on Christ’s prophecy in Luke 21.
CHRIST: LUKE 21
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” (Luke 21:5-7)
Jesus’ answer included this:
When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:20-24)
“They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations.” Christ’s prophecy about “punishment” expounds upon the prophecy given by John the Baptist:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matt. 3:7)
Historians reveal the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the stones were thrown down, and the Israelites were scattered. Importantly, following this prophecy of punishment, Jesus issued a second prophecy: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” And, as history has revealed, Jerusalem would be trampled throughout the times of the Gentiles.
The question is this: When are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled?
In the revelation Christ gave to Paul, He provided an unmistakable answer. In Romans, Paul issued the same prophecy about the times of the Gentiles while quoting Isaiah.
PAUL: ISAIAH (59:20, 21; 27:9)
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:25–27)
In this prophecy Paul states:
1. Israel will remain in a state of partial blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
2. When the fullness of the Gentiles does arrive, all Israel will be saved.
3. All Israel will be saved because “The Deliverer will come out of Zion.”
(Note: Jacob was renamed Israel: “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Gen. 32:27, 28).)
In Romans, when Paul prophesied of turning away ungodliness from Jacob, he quoted Isaiah 59 and 27: “as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.’” Applying Christ’s precedent, Paul quoted Isaiah to reveal the fulfillment of prophecy in light of New Testament revelation.
How does Paul’s quote of Isaiah shed light on Christ’s prophecy?
Here are Isaiah’s prophecies:
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord. (Isa. 59:20, 21)
By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. (Isa. 27:9)
When Jacob’s iniquity is purged, Isaiah prophesied:
In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. (Isa. 27:12, 13)
What will sound? The great trumpet (not the last trumpet).
Who will be gathered? Israel.
All of this will come to pass when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and the Deliver/Redeemer will come to Zion. Isaiah also prophesied this: “thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified” (Isa. 60:16, 20, 21).
When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, “Thy people also shall be all righteous” and “shall inherit the land for ever.”
Now, look at Christ’s prophecy in Luke 21:
“Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:24b-28)
When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, nations will be in anguish, people will faint from terror, and they will see the Son of Man. Then, redemption is drawing near. Whose redemption is Christ referring to in this prophecy? Israel! How do we know? Paul’s prophecy connects the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles to the atonement (redemption) of Jacob/Israel, and that is precisely what Isaiah prophesied when the Redeemer comes to Zion.
In Christ’s prophecy in Luke, there are two very distinct outcomes for Israel: “punishment” and “redemption.” Punishment came to pass in the first century. Redemption has yet to come to pass.
The prophecy that separates “punishment” from “redemption” is this: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Thus, in this one prophecy, the Son of God takes Israel from the destruction of the temple in the first century AD to a future generation when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and redemption arrives.
CHRIST’S PRECEDENT: LUKE & PETER
Jesus (in Luke 21) Peter (on Pentecost) and were questioned. Their responses mirror one another: Jesus and Peter presented the present tense fulfillment of prophecy and the future tense fulfillment of prophecy. Peter ended his prophecy with the redemption of the church and Jesus ended His prophecy with the redemption of Israel.
JOEL 3
The prophet Joel prophesied of Israel’s redemption, also prophesying when the Deliverer will come out of Zion. It is the time of the day of the Lord:
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk. (Joel 3:13-18)
When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, Jerusalem shall be holy. In Christ’s prophecy in Luke 21, He prophesied of what will come to pass during His first coming to Israel (punishment) and He prophesied what will come to pass at His second coming (redemption), on the day of the Lord. Christ’s revelation to Paul in Romans connects the revelation of the mystery with Israel, and makes plain the time gap between “punishment” and “redemption.” And during the times of the Gentiles, Christ builds His kingdom, His church, the called out—which is the mystery, revealed.
The prophecies of Jesus, Paul, Joel, and Isaiah reveal this: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Rom. 11 & Isa. 59), and bring “redemption” (Luke 21) when “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11 & Luke 21). It is then “Thy people also shall be all righteous” (Isa. 60). “[T]hen shall Jerusalem be holy” (Joel 3). Then “shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged (Isa. 27).
In Romans, Paul quoted the Old Testament when he said, “as it is written.” Based on Christ’s precedent we know why: it is to show the future fulfillment of prophecy in the context of New Testament revelation. In essence, Christ’s revelation to Paul expounded upon the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and Christ’s own prophecy in Luke.
PAUL: 1 CORINTHIANS
Just as Christ’s revelation to Paul in Romans 11 shed light on Christ’s prophecy in Luke, so did Christ’s revelation to Paul in 1 Corinthians.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul declared:
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor. 2:6-8)
What was the mystery that Christ revealed to Paul in 1 Corinthians, which—if the rulers of this age understood it—they would not have crucified the Lord of glory?
In Chapter 15, Paul revealed this mystery. He said:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:51-55)
Paul revealed a mystery, some of which was revealed to Paul, and some of which was hidden in plain sight in the Old Testament scriptures, “the saying that is written” (Isaiah and Hosea).
Yet, there is so much more to what Christ revealed in 1 Corinthians—and it’s all tied to this mystery. The bigger picture of what Paul revealed in 1 Corinthians is this: The holy days.
The “last trumpet” sounds on the Feast of Trumpets. It is the first fall holy day (Rosh Hashanah), and speaks of our future tense salvation: “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Rosh Hashanah is referred to as Yom Teruah: the “Day of the Sounding of the Shofar (trumpet),” or the “Day of the Awakening Blast.” Teruah means “an awakening blast” and is also translated as “shout.” This day is also referred to as Yom Hakeseh, or the “Day of Hiding” because it was the only holy day that began with a lunar signal: the seventh new moon. No one knew when it would actually appear.
This revelation of the mystery (1 Cor. 15:51-55) is our future tense salvation, but Christ didn’t start and stop with the Feast of Trumpets (the fifth holy day). He revealed God’s plan as found in the Hebrew calendar. Paul revealed four other holy days which speak to our present tense salvation:
Passover
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Cor. 5:7)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26)
The Feast of First Fruits
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,the first fruitsof those who have fallen asleep.For since death came through a man,the resurrection of the deadcomes also through a man.For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits;then, when he comes,those who belong to him. (1 Cor. 15:20–23)
The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Cor. 12:13)
In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people. (1 Cor. 14:21)
Is it any wonder that Paul declared the prophetic holy days in the very letter that affirms God’s enemies were outwitted and defeated?
The first four holy days are the spring holy days (Leviticus 23). With His first coming, the Messiah fulfilled them: Jesus, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), was sacrificed on Passover. He was in the burial tomb on the Feast of Unleavened Bread; He was resurrected from the dead on the Feast of First fruits; and, finally, Christ sent the Holy Spirit to His apostles on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), which was 50 days after the Resurrection. These events occurred as appointed by God.
In the future, Christ’s kingdom will be raptured according to the same divine timetable. The kingdom will be transported to Heaven on the fifth holy day: the Feast of Trumpets. Satan was clueless that a mystery was hidden in the holy days, and had he known he would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
To Paul, Christ revealed a mystery: The plan of salvation and redemption is, and will be, according to the Hebrew calendar. This applies not only to the church but Israel as well. In Corinthians, Paul revealed the mystery and redemption of the church, and in Romans, he also revealed the mystery and redemption of Israel.
As previously discussed, Paul prophesied: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26, 27). In the future, God will take away ungodliness from Jacob/Israel. The Deliverer is Christ, and this prophecy refers to the second coming to the Holy Land. That is when Israel will be redeemed, and that is precisely what Christ prophesied in Luke: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Christ is prophesying about Israel’s redemption. And, in light of Paul’s revelation on the holy days, this will come to pass according to God’s Hebrew calendar. The holy day after the Feast of Trumpets is the Day of Atonement.
The Day of Atonement
The sixth holy day is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Old Testament prophets, Christ, and Paul prophesied of Israel’s future redemption, all use terminology and prophecies that tie into the Day of Atonement. In essence, the Day of Atonement speaks of atonement for Israel. On a future Day of Atonement, this prophecy of turning away ungodliness will come to pass.
The Holy Days: A Shadow
Paul summarized God’s plan in the holy days by referring to them as a shadow of what was to come: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come” (Col. 2:16, 17).
Now, Christ’s revelation to Paul in Romans and 1 Corinthians, and Christ’s revelation to John in Revelation, will be applied to Christ’s own prophecies in Matthew 23 and 24.
MATTHEW 23 & 24
The prophecies in Matthew 24 begin with two prophecies in Matthew 23.
MATTHEW 23
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matt. 23:33-39)
Jesus issued two prophecies for Israel.
First: “Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.”
Second: “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
In Matthew 24, Christ addressed both prophecies when He responded to the disciples’ questions.
Note: Christ’s coming to Jerusalem, entering as King, had already taken place (Matt. 21:5-11), and the multitude cried, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 21:9). Now, with His new prophecy, “Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” Christ is prophesying of His second entrance to Jerusalem as King. The apostles will ask Him about this
MATTHEW 24
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matt. 24:1-3)
The disciples posed three questions.
1. “Tell us, when shall these things be?”
The temple destruction occurred in the first century AD. “All these things shall come upon this generation.” What generation? Judgment came upon the generation of the first century AD. (Jesus expounded upon that in Luke 21:20-24.)
The apostles asked 2 more questions:
2. [W]hat shall be the sign of thy coming?
Why did the apostles ask this question?
It is because Christ had just issued this prophecy: “Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:39).
The apostles asked, “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
In response, Jesus issued prophecies, and quoted two of Daniel’s prophecies in the process—connecting Daniel’s prophecies with “the end”:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened…. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt. 24:15-22, 29-31)
In Matthew, Christ quoted Daniel from Chapters 9 and 12.
DANIEL 9
Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27)
Seventy “sevens”are decreed for your people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 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. (Dan. 9:24-27)
“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people.” “Your people” is Daniel’s people, Israel. During the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy, Daniel prophesied that an “abomination that causes desolation” will be set up in the temple. Thus, in Matthew, Christ is referencing the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy (known as the “seventieth seven”).
In Daniel’s prophecy, he also describes exactly what comes to pass on the most solemn day of the Hebrew calendar, the Day of Atonement, which is “to make reconciliation for iniquity.” Daniel’s prophecy is the same as Paul’s prophecy in Romans 11, as well as that of Isaiah’s prophecy.
PAUL
[U]ntil the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Rom. 11:25-27
ISAIAH
By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin. (Isa. 27:9)
From the vantage point of Old Testament times, Isaiah and Daniel are both prophesying of atonement, looking forward. But the fact that a mystery was hidden in the holy days kept the Old Testament prophecies from being fully understood—until Paul revealed it to us in Romans and 1 Corinthians. Paul is giving Christ’s kingdom perspective, looking back in time through the lens of the mystery.
Daniel: “to make reconciliation for iniquity.”
Paul: “turn away ungodliness from Jacob, when I shall take away their sins.”
Isaiah: “Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, the removal of his sin, Israel, will be gathered.”
All of this comes to pass at the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. Christ quoted Daniel to show the fulfillment of that prophecy in the context of His second coming to Israel and “the end.” This will coincide with the future fulfillment of the Day of Atonement—and this holy day of Atonement began with Moses.
MOSES
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. (Lev. 16:29-34)
This annual Day would ultimately have a future tense, final fulfillment. On this future Day of Atonement, Christ the high priest will make atonement for Israel—once and for all. Prophecies associated with Christ’s second coming to Israel include atonement, a resurrection (of Israel), judgment, and renewal.
It is then that Daniel’s prophecy will be fulfilled: “to bring in everlasting righteousness.” Everlasting righteous for Daniel’s people can only become a reality after the second coming of the Messiah to the Holy Land when He makes atonement for Israel. And that is exactly what Jesus prophesied in Matthew 23:“Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” On a future Day of Atonement, Christ’s prophecy will come to pass; this is His second coming to Israel, as King, to restore the kingdom.
On the day of His Ascension, Christ addressed this subject of Israel’s future kingdom when He responded to the apostles:
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” (Acts 1:6, 7)
Christ had already prophesied of the restoration prior to the Crucifixion: “[I]n the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). Now, with Christ in His resurrected body, the apostles were looking to see if this (the first century) was the time of regeneration and restoration. Obviously, it is still future tense to this day.
This redemption and regeneration is in Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24. By quoting Daniel 12, Christ marked a unique point in time when this regeneration will come to pass.
MATTHEW 24
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matt. 24:21, 22)
In this prophecy, Christ quoted Daniel 12.
DANIEL 12
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Dan. 12:1-3)
By connecting Daniel Chapter 12 with Chapter 9, Christ Himself revealed the timeframe of the fulfillment of His second coming to Israel: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Following this unprecedented time, prophecies of Israel’s future will come to pass:
1. “[A]nd at that time thy people shall be delivered.”
2. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Awaking from sleeping in the dust of the earth is a resurrection of “thy people,” followed by judgment by the 12 apostles.
The judgment and the resurrection of Israel will come to pass at the time of regeneration, which is still future tense. By quoting Daniel, Christ marked time: a unique, unprecedented time, never to be repeated; it will precede the fulfillment of Israel’s atonement. This unique time is the time of the following:
1. The Abomination that causes desolation
2. His coming (in the name of the Lord)
3. Israel’s gathering, resurrection, and judgment
4. Atonement for Jacob/Israel
5. Regeneration/Restoration of Israel’s Kingdom
To show all this, Christ quoted Daniel, and in doing so, He expounded upon this prophecy: “Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This prophecy will come to pass with the fulfillment of the seventieth seven—which is still future tense. By quoting Daniel 9 and 12, Christ revealed the future tense fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy—in the context of New Testament revelation.
Note: In Matthew, at the Last Supper, Christ issued a similar prophecy of His second coming to Israel:
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. (Matt. 26:28, 29)
“My Father’s kingdom” is the restoration of Israel’s kingdom, and that will come to pass at the end of Daniel’s seven-year prophecy.
JOHN & DANIEL: THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Christ quoted Daniel in Matthew 24 to show the fulfillment of prophecy—the seven-year prophecy that ends with His second coming to Israel when it is gathered, resurrected, judged, and restored. In His revelation to John, Christ expounded upon a seven-year prophecy—which also marks the second coming of Christ to Israel (Rev.19:11-21). Applying Christ’s precedent, Matthew 24 and Revelation 19 both mark the end of a seven-year prophecy: the same one. In essence, just as Christ gave Paul revelation that expounded upon Christ’s own prophecies in the Gospels, so He did with John. It is Christ’s precedent.
The similarities between Daniel and John are unmistakable. John’s seven-year prophecy is divided in half, commencing with two prophets of God:
“And I [God] will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth” (Rev. 11:3). (1260 days is exactly 3.5 years on the Hebrew calendar: 30 days/month x 42 months = 1260 days.)
The second 3.5 years is the reign of the Antichrist (beast): “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months” (Rev. 13:5).
Like John’s prophecy, Daniel’s seven-year prophecy is divided in half: “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” (Dan. 9:27). “[H]e” is identified in the previous verse; “he” is “the prince that shall come” (Dan. 9:26). John’s prophecy sheds light on Daniel’s prophecy: “the prince” is the “beast,” the Antichrist, and he will reign at the time of the abomination that causes desolation.
(Note the similar characteristics of the fourth beast/king in Daniel 7 with the beast in Revelation 13, and how the prophecies of each end exactly the same: the beast is burned (Daniel 7:9-11 & Rev. 19:20), and Christ reigns (Dan. 7:22, 27 & Rev. 20:4.)
Additionally, another similarity is that both John and Daniel issued prophecies of judgment in their prophecies.
John: “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great” (Rev. 11:18).
Daniel: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:2, 3).
Finally, the last verse of Daniel Chapter 12 speaks to Daniel directly: “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” The resurrection of Daniel and Israel is “at the end of days.” It is “the end” that Christ prophesied of in Mathew 24. It is then that Israel’s kingdom will again arise; Daniel and Israel will receive their “allotted inheritance,” and Christ will reign.
CHRIST’S PRECEDENT: CONCLUSION
At the beginning of His ministry, Christ quoted Isaiah to herald the fulfillment of prophecy (His first coming to Israel). At the end of His ministry, Christ quoted Daniel to reveal the future fulfillment of prophecy (His second coming to Israel). In the revelation He gave to His apostles from the right hand of God, Christ opened our eyes to the mystery of the church in the Old Testament, revealing our current and future salvation in light of New Testament revelation, and He did likewise with the future salvation of Israel. Applying His precedent brings sound doctrine.
