It Happened At Jericho
TEXT: JOSHUA 2:1-24
A STORY OF TWO GENERATIONS AND WHAT EACH REAPED BECAUSE OF THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD. ONE A PATHETIC GENERATION OF UN-BELIEVERS WHO, AFTER WITNESSING THE MIRACULOUS POWER OF GOD, FAILED THROUGH FEAR AND UNBELIEF, THUS BEING OVERTHROWN IN THE WILDERNESS ONLY TO HAVE BECOME AN EXAMPLE UNTO ALL WHO WALK CONTRARY TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (II Cor. 10:6-11, Hebrews 3:7-19). THE YOUNGER GENERATION, SEEING THE MISTAKE OF THE FIRST, PROSPERS GREATLY AND DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE. HOW DOES THE NATURAL CONQUERING OF JERICHO ON THE 7TH DAY APPLY SPIRITUALLY TO THE HOUR IN WHICH WE LIVE? WHAT DOES THE LONG BLAST OF THE RAMS HORN ON THAT 7TH DAY IMPLY?
Turn with me into Joshua 2, where today we are discussing the subject, “IT HAPPENED AT JERICHO”. Although this beautiful story is of a historical occurrence, I feel we should study and observe the pattern of it because just as certain things happened at Jericho, I feel we can expect certain things to happen in a similar manner for us. Even though these are natural occurrences which happened here at Jericho, still I believe our conditions and circumstances in later days will bring about God’s purpose, therefore, all of this study should be looked upon strictly from a spiritual significance.
For a basis of thought you should read Joshua 2:1-24. (1) And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went and came unto a harlots house, named Rahab and lodged there.” Since the fall of Jericho does not take place until chapter 6, it would be well worth the readers time to read those first six chapters.
CHARACTER STUDY – JOSHUA AND RAHAB
First off, let us take a quick run down on several characters found in verse 1, namely Joshua and RAHAB, who after this setting is also found mentioned in a number of places throughout the scriptures. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, (Numbers 13:8). The Grecian form of his name was Jesus. (Acts 7:45) In that he led his people into the promised land he may have well been a prototype of his great successor the Lord Jesus who in turn will lead His own sheep into the promised land of glory.
Throughout the 40 years of wilderness wanderings Joshua had been a personal attendant to Moses having first been seen with Moses in the Mount, (Exodus 24:13). Also he was one of the twelve spies sent to spy out the land of Canaan, (Numbers 13:8-16). According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, Joshua was 85 when he succeeded Moses and died at the age of 110.
Israel, now with only a fragment of what one day will be the complete word of God, namely the first five books of Moses’ writings, had enough of an understanding as to what God wanted and expected out of them, however through unbelief the first generation after the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai was unable to fulfill their obligations to Jehovah and all were destroyed in the desert this side of the promised land. Only two out of the first generation made it to the promised land for which they had been delivered to enjoy, not even that great servant Moses who longed for the sight of this promised land as it had been he who was ordained to lead between two and three million Israelites from slavery and servitude out of Egyptian bondage.
MOSES, GOD’S SERVANT REPRESENTS OLDER GENERATION
At the age of 120, his eyes not dimmed or his natural force abated, Moses, the aged servant of God, though never allowed to enter into his dream, the promised land, was kindly permitted by the Almighty to climb along to the height of Mt. Pisgah (today called Mt. Nebo), some 8 miles from the boundary line of the promised land (the Jordan River), to view that promised land upon which he would never be allowed to set foot (Numbers 20:11-12). From the top of Mt. Pisgah on a clear day one can see as far to the north as the snow capped peak of Mt. Hermon where Jesus was transfigured and where, strange enough, in a vision he (Moses) appeared with Elijah talking with Jesus, (Matthew 17:3). Somewhere on those lofty peaks of Mt. Pisgah, 8 miles east of the mouth of the Jordan River, Moses’ earthly journey ended. Moses could no doubt see the hills of Judaea and Galilee as well as Mt. Carmel where Elijah, some 500 years later would call fire down from heaven. It was here God lifted his soul into even a better land and buried his body. Of his sepulcher no man knows; undoubtedly he was removed from the reach of idolatry by Israel. (Deuteronomy 34:1-12)
APPROACHING JORDAN FOR CROSSING
The Jordan, being the boundary line for the promised land, is now ready to be crossed by Joshua and the new generation. In our story of Joshua 2, we note Joshua with his army of Israelites are now encamped just this side of the Jordan waiting word from his two spies who were already in the land gathering certain information for him, namely, WHAT IS THE REACTION OF THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO AND THROUGHOUT THE LAND OF CANAAN CONCERNING THIS NATION OF ISRAEL WHO ARE NOW READY TO MOVE INTO THE LAND TO TAKE THEIR FATHER ABRAHAM’S INHERITANCE! (Deuteronomy 34:1-5) Notice carefully verses 9-11 declared how the people of Jericho felt in their hearts about what happened at the Red Sea 40 years prior, as well as what happened to various kings along the route of Israel’s desert journey. Furthermore, RAHAB brings them up to the present hour informing these two spies who have entered her home how she is aware the Lord has given Israel the land and how the terror of Israel has fallen upon all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan and furthermore their hearts are faint because of what God has done for Israel. And last of all she asks for protection for herself and her family when Israel did conquer Jericho. (Joshua 2:12-21)
WOMAN OF FAITH
Briefly, let us take a quick look at this woman, RAHAB, who provided shelter to the two spies of Joshua. Informed by some outside source, RAHAB, along with all the people of the land are by no means ignorant of the miracles wrought by Almighty God in behalf of Israel within the past 40 years. Somehow through this she had become convinced Israel’s God was the true God – not Baal and Estar, the Babylonian gods of that period.
CANAANITE PRIESTESS PUBLIC PROSTITUTE
And upon meeting these spies she decided to risk her life by casting her lot with the people of Israel and their God. Although the scripture calls her a harlot, she may not have been altogether as bad as the word harlot today would imply. Recall she lived among a people whose morals were extremely low. Priestess’ of the Canaanite religion were always public prostitutes, therefore no doubt, her profession was considered by her own people among whom she lived as honorable and not such a disgraceful thing as the word would imply among us today. Three other places mention RAHAB in the scripture. According to Matthew 1:5, RAHAB married an Israelite named Salmon; I Chronicles 2:51, Caleb (one of the original 12 spies) had a son named Salmon – it is possible this is the same Salmon whom RAHAB married. If that be true, she married into a leading family of Israel and that could account for how she came to be within the ancestral line of Boaz, David and Christ! Furthermore, it is learned from Hebrews 11:31, that RAHAB is listed among the heros of faith of the old covenant. God certainly honored this Canaanite harlot’s choice in siding with Israel before the city fell. Perhaps her salvation was a reward for the kindness shown toward the spies which Joshua had sent into Jericho to get an account of the feeling of the people within the land before his invasion. It had been within RAHAB’s power to turn the two spies over to the king’s soldiers when word leaked out and reached the king’s ears that RAHAB was entertaining two strangers. Instead, she hid the spies pretending they had left her establishment, sending the king’s soldiers away on a false trail.
PART 1 – TWO SPIES GATHERING INFORMATION
Therefore, from the scriptures do we learn somewhat of our present setting. It is in the spring of the year and the river Jordan is by no means shallow as we shall later learn, because it is not the time of the year for the Jordan to be shallow, instead it is well out of its banks during the month of Abib, Israel’s first religious month of the year. And it is this time of year during the pass-over season God has chosen to take the people across the Jordan into the land of Canaan where no more than six miles away stands their first target, this fortified city of Jericho. From the walls of Jericho the river Jordan is in plain view where along its banks now encamps a nation of people who just recently buried all their dead of the older generation, except for Caleb and Joshua, and now await word from the two spies who are inside Jericho gathering certain information.
MEMORIES OF YOUNGER GENERATION AND HOW IT BENEFITED THEM
Perhaps no generation ever carried the memories as does this entire new generation of Israelites who now, under the leadership of Joshua, is ready to cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan. A few days ago God Commissioned Israel, through Joshua, to prepare for the crossing saying, Now that my servant Moses is dead it is time to prepare the pass over the Jordan River. This they will do as soon as the report is brought back by the spies now gathering secret information in Jericho.
Why had Joshua only chosen to send two spies into the land when 40 years prior Moses had sent 12 to spy out the land, Joshua and Caleb being two of those spies? And had it not been for the good report Caleb and Joshua brought back out of the land they too would be as dead as the rest who all died in unbelief (an unpardonable sin). Yes, it is only because of this good report Joshua stands alive to direst Israel.
UNBELIEF OF PEOPLE AT KADESH-BARNEA
Turning back the pages of time 40 years we see Moses, along with perhaps 2½ or 3 million people camped at Kadesh-Barnea: Moses, having received the Law at Sinai planned to go directly from Sinai to Canaan, therefore, he journeyed straight to Kadesh, 150 miles north of Sinai, 50 miles south of Beersheba, the southern gateway into Canaan, intending to enter the land at once. However, his 12 spies, one from each tribe, returned from their scouting party with such a discouraging and frightening report, the people of Israel balked and refused to go any further and would have stoned Moses had it not been for the miraculous intervention of God. There they were within sight of the promised land and had reached a most crucial point of their journey and turned back! Caleb and Joshua, being the only spies out of the 12 who even encouraged the people to go forward, assuring the people God was with them regardless if the Israelite people did look like grasshoppers compared to the giants they saw and what if their cities were well fortified, that would be nothing compared to the power of God! Nevertheless, the people turned a deaf ear to their report, instead listening intently to the 10 spies who instructed the nation they would never be able to take the land! These two men were the only two out of approximately 600,000 men over 20 years old who were permitted to enter the land 40 years later while the others died in unbelief. Throughout the New Testament we are constantly reminded of the failures of this first generation, who died in unbelief. For instance, read John 6:27-49, Christ’s words were, your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead (eternally)!! (Hebrews 3:7-12)
TRIBES SELECT REPRESENTATIVE
At Kadesh-Barnea the men were selected to spy out the land of Canaan. Each tribe had been allowed to choose one man to represent them. This was so each tribe would have a voice in the matter and none would feel neglected. However, as we shall learn this was a grave mistake to give all the people a voice. Moses, no doubt, did not want any of the tribes to feel left out saying he was showing favoritism, however, 10 tribes definitely made a poor selection to represent them. Their choice of selection caused the first generation after the giving of the Law to die in unbelief and resulted in a 40 year wandering in the wilderness until the death of the first generation. The journey from Egypt to the promised land would not have required over 90 days at the most, however, because of Israel’s listening to the report of the spies and their refusal to enter into the land, it resulted in a wondering period of 40 years waiting until the present generation died off and a new generation would become old enough to take their place and go into the promised land, under a new leadership.
JOSHUA’S CHOICE OF ONLY TWO SPIES
It had been upon the evidence of what happened at Kadesh-Barnea 40 years ago that prompted Joshua to send only two spies into the land and not 12, when the hour arose that he was faced with the same ultimatum as Moses. This time each tribe was not given a voice in the matter, and since only the report of two spies had been inspiring and pleasing to God 40 years ago, only two spies are now chosen to cross the Jordan and enter Jericho to gather information for Israel.
Looking back through 40 years from our present setting gives us a better understanding as to why this new generation is now camped on this side of the Jordan River in sight of Jericho ready to enter the promised land given to Abraham their father by Almighty God in Genesis 12. Jericho is certainly not ignorant of the presence of these millions camped at Jordan. They know all about what happened at the Red Sea along with their wilderness journeying for 40 years, and because of what they know it has produced great fear in Jericho and throughout the land of Canaan concerning these people who had the Red Sea to open before their path; who has since then never gone into any town to buy either food or raiment and how had never known what it was to plant a garden or dig a well. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO FEED AND CLOTHE A NATION OF POSSIBLE 2 OR 3 MILLION PEOPLE? These and other reports are the things which terrify the idolatrous Baal worshipers of Jericho and various cities throughout Canaan.
NEW GENERATION REPRESENTS FULL BELIEF AND TRUST IN GOD
None, however, can be less ignorant of what all has happened these 40 years, although many were small children at the time, than is this new generation of Israelites now ready to cross Jordan into Canaan. Standing in Israel’s ranks under Joshua’s leadership are men and women who, not like their parents, full of unbelief, are now ready to take the land their parents could have easily taken 40 years ago. Men, who 40 years prior were young tots; women who now hold their own babies and are now ready to cross the Jordan River, were held by their mothers or led by the guiding hand of their parents as they crossed the Red Sea! These children now all grown into adulthood can still recall those fearful nights in Egyptian bondage when they did not know whether their parents would ever return home alive at night. Yes, within the minds of this new generation standing ready for the crossing, is that full unbroken story which relates a continual picture from the horrors of Egypt through the Red Sea and 40 long years of desert wandering because of disobedience. No, there is not a single thread missing in understanding, in responsibilities and decisions from the hour they left Egypt until their present hour, 40 years later. Many standing in those ranks now ready to cross the Jordan under a new leadership can well remember the terrible tragedy Egypt suffered at the Red Sea, the following day after Israel left Egypt under God’s leadership heading straight for the promised land which as of this time, 40 years later because of unbelief they still have not entered. They can easily recall how God did not choose to lead them by the way of the usual camel caravan route from Egypt to Canaan, instead God chose to lead them in a route which seemed utterly impossible, revealing to them it will be only God himself who can take them through and not their own initiative and might. Therefore, from this I can say it will not be what you and I think (about the scriptures) or what we feel we know nor will it be our power or ability which will get us through either, it will be nothing short of the grace of God! Nevertheless, within the grace of God there always comes that responsibility or obligation upon our part to be sure we remain in His will while we are attempting to walk with and obey God. Forty years ago, that older generation, which is now all dead because of unbelief, was then the parents and carried many of these who are now standing at the Jordan River in their arms as small children. They well remember that hour approaching the Red Sea when suddenly they looked back only to see that terrifying Egyptian Army in hot pursuit (somewhere around 1300 B.C.). Egypt at that time was the only nation known who could breed such swift horses as used to pull their chariots. They were known to be the swiftest horses in the world and here that Egyptian Army was dashing across the desert in hot pursuit with the finest of these military horses of the day. With Egypt they had been a standard of military pride and might and here stood, as the world would look upon it, a handful of helpless, bedraggled people. And what could they do against such military might and power? Israel having been in bondage so long had no weapons of defense – she was totally dependent upon the grace, mercy and power of Almighty God to preserve and sustain her from whatever situation that lay in her pathway. There they stood at the banks of the Red Sea! How foolish it must have looked for a man to lead between 2-3 million people in such a route as this. Moses moved his people out of Egypt by night, silently and swiftly in so much not even a dog barked nor a cry was made after the midnight hour when the death angel passed through Egypt striking all the first born, even Pharaoh himself suffered loss; through utter despair he had ordered the people out. Moses takes them from Goshen along with all their flocks and herds which numbered into the thousands. The route Moses chose to move this mass migration out of Egypt was toward the Sea of Reeds also called the Red Sea at a northern marshy place, south of the bitter lakes which are a geographical extension to the sea and today is the site of the Suez Canal. The land there was marshy and the waterway somewhat shallow, however not as shallow as one unbeliever of whom I heard trying to explain away the miracle of the Red Sea said Moses crossed at a spot where the water was only a few feet deep. Isn’t that amazing, that is even a far greater miracle seeing the entire Egyptian Army was drowned in such a small amount of water! Every kind of excuse has been offered to explain away the miraculous, well-timed wind God created that night to part the waters. Some Russian scientists recently explained that a meteorite coming into earth’s orbit did not burn itself out thus crashing into the Red Sea and causing this gigantic opening, splitting the waters which allowed the people to cross. Wouldn’t it be more simple just to believe the Bible and accept what the scripture says – God caused a strong wind to part the waters! Israel, with not one boat and with nothing materialistic with which to build a boat, stood at the sea – God had certainly not chosen to lead these people in a way natural or convenient. May I say, neither has God chosen to lead us in a way that looks natural or pleasing as far as man’s way is of looking at the thing. So often God chooses a way which appears completely foolish for a man to walk, yet He will allow him to make a decision by following Him through some truth which appears completely foolish or unnecessary to believe or accept. Nevertheless, here stood a people at the Red sea, mighty in number which had been beaten mistreated and poor. Yet in one sense they were not poor because the scripture declares only a few days prior to their leaving Egypt God had caused this same bedraggled people to find favor with many of the Egyptians and from the scriptural term they “borrowed” from the Egyptians.
ISRAELITES “BORROW” FROM EGYPTIANS
However, since they were never going to return I am more of the opinion their “borrowing” from the Egyptians was more or less in this sense – God had caused a certain class of Egyptians to show kindness toward the Israelites, especially after all the plagues etc., had fallen upon Egypt, they no doubt knew the Israelites were involved with them which caused the Egyptian people to want to do something good for them. Moreover, when the Israelites asked to “borrow”, I believe God had given Israel such favor with the people, it was more or less like, here is my savings, take it. Furthermore, we know from scripture it was a mixed multitude which left Egypt, meaning certain Egyptians left to follow Israel to the new land. When Israel left Egypt that night she took with her a great amount of Egyptian wealth. Therefore, I say why did they simply “borrow” something, knowing they would never return?
VICTORY AND DISASTER AT RED SEA
Standing at the banks of the Red Sea all that night we realize Israel was waiting for something to happen. Their fear was the army would take them back into captivity. However, they were waiting somehow to cross over when suddenly as daylight began to appear here came that mighty, powerful Egyptian Army. As Israel saw the dust from the advancing military chariots crossing the desert, they began to cry out and complain against Moses why he had done this to them! Naturally complaining against Moses they were complaining against God who was maneuvering the entire thing. This caused Moses after hearing the complaining Israelites, to lift his eyes to God and begin to cry out. God in turn told him to instruct the people to stand still and they would see the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord. What happened? First, God placed as a separation between the Israelites and Egyptian Army a pillar of cloud and fire whereby the Egyptians might not advance upon the camp of the Israelites. As night came the scripture says a strong east wind began to blow and when light came the next day God had parted the waters of the Red Sea. Never in the history of the world had such a phenomena happened! Stepping down into the sea on dry ground to walk across to the other side was all of Israel, her domestic animals etc., while on both sides of them stood a quivering wall of water! By the time the Hebrews reached this place for crossing, Pharaoh, whose heart God had once again hardened, changed his mind and decided he didn’t want to loose all these Israelite slaves, thus he sent his army out to bring them back. However, according to the scripture, the army never quite overtook them. As Pharaoh’s men attempted to pursue the Israelites across the Red Sea, the wind ceased and the water surged back like a flash flood. In the swirling waters of the sea the Egyptians and their horses were submerged and drowned.
MEMORIES OF WHAT CAUSES OLDER GENERATION TO MISS
GOD SPURS YOUNGER GENERATION
Now forty years later a new generation of Israelites are camped at the Jordan waiting instructions from their new leader, Joshua, to cross into the promised land. Many of these were mere children that unforgettable day when an entire nation stepped down into the bottom of the Red Sea and walked across on dry ground! What an impression that must have left upon their little minds as they watched that gigantic opening within the sea. Such an indelible impression was stamped upon their minds they would carry it to their graves. The psalmist described it as “the sea saw it and fled before them” (Psalms 114:3). Yes, many of these standing by the Jordan, 40 years ago well remember seeing dead Egyptians floating to the surface of the Red Sea; many no doubt recall hearing their parents murmuring and complaining against Moses as to why had he brought them out to the sea, saying it would have been better had he left them in Egypt to die. They remembered the complaining and grumbling of their parents; they remembered the unbelief which caused them to miss the promised land; they remembered seeing thousands dying as they were being bitten by serpents and Moses erecting a brass serpent upon a pole instructing the people to look upon it and be healed. In their minds there wasn’t a single thread missing of that story of 40 years ago which caused their parents to die in unbelief, never entering the land. Being children 20 years and under had caused them not to be responsible for the attitude and decision of the adults which were made in their journeyings. Therefore, all these experiences caused this new generation to be a far wiser generation in their trusting God because of what they had seen and heard, and moreover they definitely intended to prosper from the mistakes of the older generation. This event which happened at the Red Sea, I am sure, went down in history as the greatest defeat Egypt ever suffered although perhaps never recorded in Egyptian history because they certainly would not want to face the shame of such a defeat.
INFORMERS AT JERICHO
According to Joshua 2:10, who do you suppose informed all the people of Canaan, especially Jericho, about the disaster at the Red Sea and how God worked in behalf of the Israelites? Certainly not the Egyptians who were ashamed of such a defeat, and not the Israelites who were never permitted to cross over because of unbelief: therefore, it must have been the camel caravans traveling from place to place in those days who carried those stories of such an unforgettable and frightening nature. I imagine all through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness just waiting for the first generation to die off, Israel encountered many such caravans coming across those very same desert sands and no doubt the Red Sea had washed up many an object only to be buried in the sands, later to be discovered as signs of what happened at the Red Sea. No doubt over the years it had become quite a tourist attraction for many of the caravans to filter through the sands and dig up items revealing the great defeat in that hour. Man is much the same today, he still has that curiosity to investigate such things. Those boys and girls who then were under 20 years of age could never forget how those waters looked as they came crashing down on those frightened, screaming, terrified horsemen and horses which reared backward while chariots overturned and spilled their occupants into the swirling angry waters, nor could they forget seeing the rubbish drift to the surface and float off. I imagine many night in their tents those children talked about such things. I am relating all this to show you what was in their minds and these experiences resulted in this younger generation being a wiser, more obedient generation to God’s word than the previous one, as they stood ready to cross the Jordan 40 years later waiting for God to do exactly the same for them – to again open the waters!
That early generation slowly moved from the Red Sea up through the wilderness unto Mt. Sinai and on to Kadesh-Barnea where they were preparing to cross over into the land of Canaan. However before crossing, Israel sent 12 spies to spy out the land, the people, the industrial, military, agricultural and scientifical standpoint and anything else which affect their cultural life. I have a definite reason for brining all this in as you will later see. Note, 40 years later after God has maneuvered the children of Israel through their desert wandering and the last of the old generation has died off, He now moves the new generation up to the Jordan River in view of the greatest fortified city throughout all the land of Canaan; militarily, economically, and scientifically this gentile city was the greatest, BUT IT IS GOING TO FALL! And how will the fall of Jericho apply to our day and hour? This we must later examine!
ARCHAEOLOGISTS DESCRIBE JERICHO “OLDEST CITY KNOWN”
In has been well over 500 years since Abraham walked in this same land and it is not strange not once in Genesis do we find Abraham ever dwelling around or mentioning this city, yet it was very much a city even in his day. As a matter of fact, recent archeological discoveries made while digging around the old foundations of fallen Jericho show signs of civilizations reaching much farther back than just the period of destruction of Old Jericho, around 1400 B.C. Now they determined from new evidence discovered this could well be the oldest known city in the world! Recall, when the 12 spies ventured throughout the land 40 days investigating it, they returned with the same report as they were told coming out of Egypt; that it was a land flowing with milk and honey; it was a land filled with all kind of sweet things. Moses, after leaving Egypt, the Red Sea and Mt. Sinai, progressed slowly through the southern deserts of the Sinai peninsula. Making their laborious journey to be northward through the rugged highlands east of the Dead Sea, at last they were poised, ready to infiltrate the pasture lands and wooded hills which lay invitingly open to Israel between the fortified walled cities of Canaan. However blocking their pathway into this green pasture flowing with milk and honey of the promised land was the River Jordan, and between the river and the fertile valleys of the west lay that fortified city of Jericho; that ancient city which even during that hour was undoubtedly one of the oldest occupied cities in that part of the world. Although Jericho is 825 feet below sea level, as one would have viewed the city from the Jordan, it appears to be standing on a high plateau backed by towering cliffs. From a distance it looked green carrying a fragrant smell, and because of its good water supply the fields and groves of balsam were under intensive cultivation.
JERICHO’S LOCATION AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
Jericho’s location was strategically important as it domineered the Jordan crossing, on the direct East-West route which ran from Chaldea up the Euphrates through the Arabian Desert; crossed the King’s Highway at Petra and ended in the North-South coastal route along the Mediterranean from Sidon and Tyre to Egypt. Jericho, with its striving commerce was situated on a high plateau, well watered through irrigation. Its rich soil abundantly grew vegetables, grapes, grains, figs, dates and the famous balsam tree which from it was produced an aromatic resinous substance (sometime now used medically in cough syrups, etc.). Furthermore, it served to sweeten the stench laden air of the cities in that day. In short, we can say Jericho was the prize of the gentiles. Yes, the spies thrilled the hearts of Israel in describing the lands as truly a land flowing with milk and honey, nevertheless, ten of the spies had more to add to their report which produced a far different attitude within the people. Those people there said the spies, make us look like grasshoppers they are so large! They also have great walled cities, the like of which we have never seen before, you see, they had spied Jericho and the sight of Jericho frightened them. But what Israel did not know was the inhabitants of this land were terrified of them. How often God tries our faith only to see if we are willing to walk with Him or will we lean on the arm of flesh and then begin searching for an easy way out. Beloved, remember this, if God has promised He will do a certain thing, it matters not how impossible it may look according to the law of reason, God will do it! God had promised them the land, He would not have wavered in His promise, however when the 12 returned after having spied the land for 40 days only 2 came with a good report, Caleb and Joshua.
A NIGHT OF DECISION AND WHAT IT COST
WHAT A NIGHT THAT WAS IN THE CAMP OF ISRAEL AS THE REPORT OF THE TEN SPIES CIRCULATES THROUGHOUT THE VAST CAMP OF ISRAEL. Laying there in the tents that night many of them scarred from beatings received from the whips of hard taskmasters in Egypt. How often had they been knocked down and left to die in some slime pit as they were compelled to make brick! For some reason they seemed to have forgotten all those miserable days very quickly because now they are making a great decision and that decision must be reached on the basis of what someone has seen! That something is a report delivered by ten men which overnight turned the camp of Israel at Kadesh-Barnea into nothing but a frightened, confused, grumbling mess. The longer they talked the more confused and frightened they became. Finding so much fault with their present situation they finally declared in despair; WOULD TO GOD WE HAD STAYED IN EGYPT AND DIED THERE! MOSES BRINGS US OUT HERE TO FALL BY THE SWORD, etc. And like us, so often, little did they realize all their murmuring and complaining that night was being registered in heaven and by morning God declared – THIS GENERATION IS NOT GOING OVER!
OLDER GENERATION DIES IN UNBELIEF
We are only refreshing your memory on a story perhaps you already know, how God told Moses that first generation which had been out of Egypt only a few months would be required to wander aimlessly throughout the desert 40 years until the old generation perished and the only ones permitted to go over would be those 20 years and under, which naturally included the babies for it had been the older generation, not the children, who grumbled and complained. You led us out in the desert for our babies to die with no decent memorial! However, I want you to notice God was going to reverse this thing. He was going to permit the young ones to live and go over into the land but cause the old ones to die off in the desert. God did just this, and beloved, once God has spoken such a thing it cannot be changed under any circumstances. Although not permitted to enter the land, I want you to note for 40 years that old generation continued to enjoy the manna which fell from heaven and never knew what it was for 40 years to wear out shoes or clothing.
CURSED GENERATION ALSO ENJOYS BENEFITS OF GOD
Think of it friends, today with all of the modern technology we are unable to make clothing as durable as that! Many may say, that is too much to believe, that is one account I can’t accept in the scriptures. Beloved, it we can’t accept that we might as well throw the entire book in the ditch! Israel for 40 years never had a tailor shop nor shoe cobbler shop. After the experience of Kadesh-Barnea, Israel began that long period of wilderness wandering of uncertainty. God is now going to keep them out in the middle of all these desert sand dunes and hot rocks with nothing for company but scrub brush as they drift and wander from place to place, seeing nothing day after day but hot blistering sun and burning desert sand and barren bleached rock when they could have been inside the land feasting on the riches and goodness of God He had promised to them. Oh yes, there was another miracle Paul spoke which went with them for 40 years, A ROCK! From that ROCK, they, their children, their cattle and everything drank from it (Numbers 20:8) yet they continued to wander aimlessly on in the hot burning desert with seldom a shade tree in sight. Had they obeyed God they would have been sitting under shade trees in the promised land, but now their only comfortable shade would be from a sheep or goat skin. Once in a while a calf would die or a curse would fall upon Israel claiming the lives of many thousands (I Corinthians 10:8) yet wherever they wandered, they mourned and buried their dead. No, there wasn’t any certain burial place in the desert; no markers to mark the graves yet the younger generation who stands at the Jordan ready to move into the promised land can no doubt recall every location of every graveyard wherein they buried dad, mother, uncle and aunts as well as they can recall the day they stepped into the Red Sea walking on dry ground.
NEW GENERATION BELIEVERS
Beloved, this new generation standing ready for marching orders to cross the Jordan was not a generation which doubted and had to be destroyed as was that older generation which the Lord moved out of the land of Egypt only to have to destroy because of unbelief (Jude 5). No sir, this was s new generation which laid hold to the promise of God, and as they stood on the other side of Jordan they were fully aware it was the grace of God which would take them across. No doubt about it, this new generation had certainly been put through the mill. Just think, many of them had come all the way from Egypt; many had slid down the banks of the Red Sea and climbed out on the other side; many could easily recall seeing those terrified Egyptians disappearing beneath the great wall of water as their screams were silenced by the roar of tons of water. I imagine they had spent many nights with these events fresh in their minds as they drifted off to sleep, and for 40 years they had been forced to wander realizing in their hearts they were wandering because Dad and Mother had grumbled and complained and found disfavor with God. Yes, in this younger generations’ heart they knew the day would come they would see that promised land. However, it would not be until the old crowd was dead! Nevertheless, this older generation still drank from that same ROCK as did the younger generation (I Corinthians 10:1-5) and ate the same manna, but through it all it had not changed their attitude nor their mind in the least nor had it changed God’s mind concerning their destiny. God said to the older generation – YOU WILL WANDER UNTIL EVERYONE OF YOU DIE!
Many times God brings people to a point of decision and there is a place in making that decision if you grumble and complain too much, after that it isn’t going to do you one bit of good to entreat God because as these Israelites found out, it wouldn’t work! You don’t change the mind of God, once He has offered something to you and you fail in it, then you just don’t change God’s mind.
YOUNGER GENERATION PREPARES FOR CROSSING
As this new generation stood there that day watching those two spies cross the Jordan and go trudging toward that great city, Jericho, they knew why they were going and they began making the necessary preparations. Every woman was making preparations concerning her children and her tent; every man knew he was a soldier and now he has a far different attitude and outlook concerning the whole thing than did that of his dad or his uncle 40 years prior. All they had encountered had shaped their lives, the Red Sea experience, crossing the hot burning, blistering sands of the desert, etc.. (When Israel’s army went through that Sinai desert with armored tanks in her 6 day war, 1967, one report of how they handled their captured prisoners (when there would be so many) was this, not wanting to kill off part of the prisoners whereby only a few soldiers could handle them, they made the Egyptians take off their belts and shoes. They wear loose trousers. Watch the psychology of this. When you are standing on hot sand with no shoes and no belt to hold up hour loose trousers, you aren’t going to cause much trouble). Israel in that hot blistering sand of the Sinai had buried their fathers, mothers and family and though unmarked they knew where they all lay, however in times to come all traces would be destroyed.
NEW GENERATION REQUIRES NEW LEADERSHIP
Picking up our story 40 years later, the older generation is dead. A new group (new blood) has come on the scene. Moses, God’s servant, has gone off the scene as well as Miriam and Aaron. For this new generation it will require a complete new leadership although they still have the same commission; they still have the same goal and objective as when they left Egypt! Yes, they still have the same God who spoke to them, only now they have an obstacle in the way. (Jericho) However this obstacle looks somewhat different to this new generation than did it to the older crowd. Two men are out spying the land. Recall, 40 years ago they had all waited at Kadesh-Barnea quite a ways down the river, no where near that large metropolitan city of Jericho, doing exactly the same thing they were now doing, waiting for a report! However, the spies this time had been sent out from this new generation and it is not from Kadesh-Barnea but from just across the river of Jordan in sight of Jericho, the very strong-hold of the Canaanite, the city which the 10 spies looked upon 40 years ago and declared could not be taken.
Therefore, notice God has brought this new generation face to face with the very ultimate of impossibility! It is very strange, is it not, these two spies were not told to go spy out all the land as they were 40 years ago! No, they were told only to go spy out Jericho! In other words, they know we are coming so just go in and find out what they think about the whole situation. Israel is encamped by the river making preparations to cross in just a few days. God is setting this beautiful scene in motion. Two men have crossed the river late in the evening and walked in through the gates of Jericho, the very pride of the gentile Canaanites (such as would New York, Chicago, Berlin, Paris, Montreal and Rome of our day). This was the metropolitan city of the Canaanites and these two spies have just walked in the gates. WHY? To listen, to hear what is being said. Beloved, this new generation is going to take the land and note, they are going to begin with the toughest city first; they are going to the hard place first! Nevertheless, there is a great test that lies here for this new generation.
STORIES HEARD IN MARKET PLACE
What kind of stories do you suppose these spies heard in the market places and streets? For 40 years every kind of weird story imaginable had come to Jericho concerning that mysterious nation of wandering Israelites who left Egypt 40 years ago. No doubt the spies overheard such reports as; they never plant a garden, they never go to a grocery store and there are millions out there! How do they live? Oh, so many things they had heard! They are in the desert but never dig a well! How on earth do they survive? Someone said, I hear they all drink from a ROCK! A ROCK, YOU MUST BE CRAZY! Some say they live off the grace of their God! Yes sir, those people living in metropolitan Jericho no doubt had received every caravan passing through or returning from countries round about and these Camel caravans had picked up stories as they had traveled through the desert of how that little nation could exist. How could a desert supply enough for millions? IMPOSSIBLE! Oh sure, at times they died like flies and they left big graveyards here and there, however they never left any signs of having planted a garden; they never appeared in a town to buy groceries or clothing; they never dug a well for water and each morning they always had manna for food and a ROCK went constantly with them. These Canaanite simply couldn’t understand how anyone could exist that long-surely somewhere at sometime they would run out of something! (Deuteronomy 8:1-10)
THE ONE PERSON GOD PERMITTED SPIES TO CONTACT
These spies had come into Jericho for one purpose, to spy out the city and look the situation over. While doing this they came in contact with Rahab, the harlot. Now, in the eyes of all logical reasoning this was a very foolish person for God to allow them to meet, an ill-famed woman of the street. In our day she would have had the worst reputation of anyone in town, nevertheless she happened to be the very one they met! During their conversation she began to tell them of the things they had heard concerning the children of Israel. The report of what happened at the Red Sea 40 years ago. Recall, Jericho was not too far from the Red Sea. Who had given this report? Certainly no Israelite had been there to tell the story nor would an Egyptian have told of such a crushing defeat for them! How else could Jericho have heard these reports except by the passing caravans and brother, I don’t believe these reports stopped at Jericho but went all the way to Chaldea of what God did at the Red Sea. No doubt as these Canaanites at Jericho listened to the stories their hearts continually melted within them for fear! They also had heard of the terrible destruction of the Ammorite kings Sihon and Og, and their hearts became more faint for this was reaching closer to home. Each report that came to Jericho was brining the Israelites closer. WHY? Because the 40 years of wandering was coming to an end. It wasn’t until the very ending of that period that God took Moses, Aaron and Miriam. The old leadership which had weathered the storm had been taken home! And now beloved, God has brought it to another place and equipped it with new blood and new strength!
TERROR 40 YEARS YET ISRAEL UNAWARE
There in Rahab the harlot’s home she begins to inform the spies how well the inhabitants of Jericho know what had happened the past 40 years and how it brought terror to the city. These two spies had no idea what God was going to do, they only knew they were here on a mission and were to report all these findings back to Joshua, who in turn would set the battle plans in order. As these two spies were being informed the gate watchers began to spread word around that Jericho had a couple of strangers in town. When this news reached the king he called in his forces instructing them to find the strangers. News reached Rahab’s house just in time for her to hide the spies. She told the soldiers a couple of men had come to her house and left although she had no idea who they were, but they could possibly overtake them if they would go quickly. Rahab certainly covered for the spies. She had hid them on the roof until the soldiers left in search of the strangers. Returning to the rooftop listen to what Rahab says, we know your Lord has sent you here and we also know you are coming into our land. We have heard how He promised you when you were in Egypt He was going to give you this land and we know our days are numbered. SHE KNEW IT! Rahab was a part of this city. She well remembered from a child those stories concerning those people and she knew the day had come that this people of Israel, who had wandered in the desert for 40 years, were now ready to occupy the land.
Beloved, is that not true spiritually speaking concerning this message. Sure there are some bad stories which have attached themselves to this message, that is in the way people do with what they hear, stories which have filtered through denominational people causing them to say they want no part of this message. By no means am I justifying the argument or confusion about it. I am defending the objective that is within this message! God would not justify the grumbling, complaining of the old crowd, no sir, but He certainly will justify the loyalty, ability and faith of this little bunch that had the same commission, the same vision and the same goal which was given to them in their hearts by God. They had the same story the old ones had, however this new group just saw things a little different! They saw everything the old ones saw because there were those now 50-60 years old who were teenagers when they walked out of Egypt when they heard the ram’s horn and Israel began to line up and stream out of Egypt toward the Red Sea. Now that new generation is camped just across the river in sight of Jericho; in sight of the strong-hold of the Canaanites, and if ever there was built a strong fortress this was it! Abraham never mentioned anything about Jericho although he did about Hebron, Bethel and Salem, yet God has caused this new generation to camp just across the river.
RAHAB HIDES SPIES AND RECEIVES SALVATION
Rahab warned the spies to go into the hills. I have seen those old archeological diggings of the old Jericho. Just about ½ mile behind old, ancient Jericho stands a mountain called today the Mt. Of Temptation. It was behind that mountain (history says) Jesus went to be tempted of the devil at the end of 40 days fasting. Throughout that chain of mountains are little honey-combed caves and it was there Rahab told the spies to flee and stay for three days before leaving. By that time the soldiers would have given up the search. She advised them of this route because if they crossed the lowlands to the river they would be spotted. Rahab’s house was built into the wall, therefore she lowered them down out side the wall through the window by a cord. As they were leaving Rahab asked the spies to promise to remember her and her household when they came into the land. They instructed Rahab when they should come into the land to gather all her kin in her house and hang the same scarlet cord out the window which she used to help them escape and all the Israelites would know it was the home of the one who sheltered the spies and they would be spared. However, if she should tell this to anyone she was as good as dead, she would NOT BE SPARED.
JERICHO TERRIFIED
I believe the thing that made those two spies return to camp rejoicing was all the people within the city were terrified. THAT WAS THE REPORT THEY WANTED TO HEAR! Certainly they also saw those great gigantic walls of the city, however these two spies never said, how are we ever going to get over the thing; we haven’t a latter nor is there any tree; how could we ever get our entire army over those walls. Through it all they felt God knew exactly what He was doing. The one thing they discovered, JERICHO WAS FRIGHTENED! They did not have courage for anything and that feeling is not only in Jericho but everywhere up and down the length and breadth of the land, THEY ARE ALL AFRAID OF ISRAEL! They were in that condition 40 years ago although Israel did not know it!
GENTILES STILL FEAR ISRAEL
That is the way they still are over there today, beloved. I don’t say that disrespectful toward any race of people, I only state it in the light of God’s word. GOD IS STILL WITH ISRAEL. Why, because it is through that race of people God is intending to fulfill certain prophecy for this earth, therefore these statements are made in respect to God’s word.
PART 2 – WHERE JOSHUA PLACES MINISTRY IS IMPORTANT
Returning to camp, the two spies enthusiastically reported their findings to Joshua, THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO ARE AFRAID, THEY HAVE NO COURAGE! Chapter 3 informs us the order of Israel’s crossing the Jordan. My, this crossing of the Jordan was quite different from that at the Red Sea. Since that crossing Israel had been given the Law which was written upon the two tablets of stone and carried in a box called The Ark of the Covenant which had a lid on it and golden rings on each side whereby a pole could be inserted and the box could be carried on the shoulders of priests (or ministry). Recall, Moses did not have that when they crossed the Red Sea. Nevertheless, Joshua does, and now he informs this new ministry or the (new) priests they are to bear this ark of the covenant. Now watch carefully, when the time comes for crossing, Joshua made sure there would be a certain interval of distance between the ministry who bore the ark and the congregation of the people. The purpose was once the priests stepped into the water carrying the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Law on the tablets of stone, there would be a pillar of smoke hover over the Ark day and night wherever the box was. As the priests moved out the distance was maintained between the ranks of people and the priests which enabled everyone of the huge multitude, from the rear to the front, to see exactly the route taken by the priests, whereas if the priests were jammed right in front of the people, only those close up would be able to see which way the box went and those on the end of the line would only be FOLLOWING THE CROWD. That beloved has quite a meaning.
ARRANGEMENT OF PEOPLE BEHIND MINISTRY AND WHY
The distance God placed between those priests carrying the box and the people themselves allowed those in the very rear ranks to see the route the box was taking. This arrangement let him know he was not just following something because the crowd was; he could see the box, he could see the Shekinah Glory; he could see the same body of priests (or ministry) as did those in the front ranks. I want you to know as they prepared for the crossing this was just as thrilling and adventuresome to those Israelites of the new generation as it ever was to that old generation, seeing they neither had bridges, boats or barges available. On the opposite side of the Jordan (6 miles) in sight lay the huge fortified city of Jericho, all illuminated by the rising of the sun. Beloved, as that early morning sun rises over the valley on the camp of the Israelites that morning they were to make their glorious crossing, I can see every camel packed for the crossing; every ordained priest who is to carry the box stoops over and places it upon their shoulders. Oh, what a sight to behold, THE MINISTRY STANDING IN THEIR PROPER RANKS and the sound of a rams horn is heard throughout the camp to MOVE OUT and a cheer goes up throughout the entire Israelite camp. For days they have waited for this event and upon hearing the report of the two spies that Jericho is in terror because of them they are ready to move. The priests step forward to the water, recall, this move came in the month Abib, the spring of the year when Mt. Nebo sent her melting snow down into the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan’s banks are overflowing as the waters rush on toward that Salt Sea. God let them cross, not in the dry summertime when the Jordan would be shallow in places, no sir, He let them cross when the Jordan was in full blast. No sooner did those priest’s feet (those carrying the Ark of the Covenant) hit the water, WATCH WHAT HAPPENED! (Joshua 3:13-17)
JORDAN CEASES FLOWING
We believe it happened because it is Bible history, yet to these people it was an experience which made them jump up and down along the bank. Suddenly when those priest’s feet hit the water the Jordan stopped flowing! (Psalms 114:3) Some magnetic force had stopped that river right there while the rest of the waters below them kept flowing down to the Salt Sea. After awhile dry rocks began to appear on the bottom, and beloved this sight sent a chill and a thrill throughout the entire host of Israel. WHY? Because they could remember when as young boys and girls a strong wind once blew all night and they watched the mighty Red Sea divide, and here they are seeing rocks becoming bleached and dry as the sun shines directly upon them.
JERICHO AND REACTION TO STOPPED WATER
Some 6 miles from the Jordan the same sun was rising upon a city from which the two spies had escaped after gathering information for Joshua. Watching from the wall towers the guards in Jericho saw what was happening! They had been closely observing the people. Looking at it from a military standpoint, in Jericho every soldier on that wall knew that group of people wasn’t camped across the Jordan for nothing. No doubt the guards have been doubled and all reserves were alerted for standby duty! I can imagine those nervous soldiers walking from post to post saying, WHAT ARE THEY UP TO? The reports of what had happened 40 years ago had never died down. Now they, like Pharaoh, are about to experience something. As the sun rose higher in the heavens the entire valley was bathed in light and with the atmosphere perfectly clear there wasn’t a single obstacle to hinder or block the view which God has ordained for this new generation. I can see high on the walls of Jericho walks the guards protecting a city built so impregnable that the Canaanites thought there wasn’t anything that could take it, (now they are not so confident). Considering Jericho was built upon a high plateau, the tops of those massive walls possible reached 150-200 feet into the air, certainly it provided them with a marvelous view. I can see these watchful guards as they nervously walked their post and continually file their reports back down to the officers in charge, who in turn keeps the king informed.
When that great eventful morning took place and those priests set foot into the Jordan River and the waters began to roll back you can rest assured the hearts of those guards observing from the high walls of Jericho were pounding with fear. Beloved, the minute those guards spotted the waters of the Jordan backing up, I can see them as their hearts melts within them for the scripture declares Israel crossed in sight of Jericho. In Israel you have never seen such excitement as they simply could not contain themselves, and yet they had the very commission of God to follow His leadership as did the older generation. Along the walls of Jericho brother the story was different. I want you to know that guard didn’t just casually say, Officer of the day, guess what? Sir, you won’t believe this, but it is the truth, the Jordan River just stopped flowing. NO SIR, that was not the way he reported it at all. When this phenomena happened I can see those guards rushing around asking what was going on? With fear and trembling voices they shouted, THE JORDAN ISN’T RUNNING! THE WATERS HAVE STOPPED FLOWING! Below the divided waters, it continued flowing on toward the Salt Sea and up and down the Jordan those rocks began to shine and it wasn’t long until they began to dry off as the wall of water simply continued to stand there. Those poor frightened guards began to run from post to post as the city now calls in the reserves – MAN THE TOWERS!! The city of Jericho was shaken as it had never been before, LOCK THE GATES, BAR THEM! As those priests stepped into the swelling Jordan waters and stood there, Israel crossed over. No, there wasn’t a strong east wind blowing, just some men standing in the water carrying a box. Whoever heard of such a ridiculous thing.
Looked silly didn’t it, but it worked, and on the walls of Jericho guards watched those men step into the water with a box on their shoulders AND SAW THAT RIVER STOP FLOWING. Every guard was now posted, all reserves called out as the report began to circulate among the terrified people of Jericho – THE JORDAN HAS STOPPED FLOWING! YOU DON’T MEAN IT, OH MY, WE ARE DONE FOR! I am dramatizing it, but I want you to know as those guards stood there on the wall sending the report down no doubt the king sent special runners throughout Jericho to warn the people, because when Israel had fully crossed over the report had gone throughout the Canaanite city and also the land of Ammorites that THE JORDAN HAD STOPPED FLOWING! The report had to come from Jericho as this was the point of crossing. The crossing took hours, long enough for Jericho to sound the alarm, call out all their guards and soldiers, secure the gates, etc.
RAHAB JUSTIFIED BY WORKS – JAMES 2:25
What about Rahab the harlot whom the spies had promised protection, what was she doing? I can see her saying to her kin, they are on their way, come on if you want to be saved. It is time to get under the protection of God’s grace. When the Jordan stopped flowing the entire city was alerted and recalling what happened to Pharaoh’s Army 40 years ago, knew what was in store for them.
12 MEN, 12 STONES
That evening as the sun was setting, all Israel was now safely on the west side of Jordan in the Land. As the last of the Israelites crossed over, Joshua instructed twelve men to return into the Jordan and take up the best stones and set up an altar to the Lord in the Jordan which would be a memorial to the generations that should follow. The wise counselors of Israel declared: “He who sees the spot on the Jordan, where Israel crossed, is bound to offer up thanks to God.”
TWO CROSSINGS IN SAME MONTHS AND WHAT IT MEANS
Is it not strange that Israel’s new generation crosses the Jordan River in the same month as that of the older generation when they came out of Egypt (Abib). This lets me know that God gave to this younger generation the same promise He gave to the older generation 40 years prior. In a sense, He is going to give this new generation the same kind of experience or protection He gave the older group. Yes, they have the very same God to move away every obstacle before them the older generation had. Although it should be noted here five days after Israel crossed Jordan the manna which had followed them throughout their desert journey ceased falling and now they must eat the fruit of the promised land.
Try to visualize the turmoil and terror God has now allowed Jericho to encounter as word reaches them the Jordan was dried up! It literally frightened the entire land. Fear which has possessed them for 40 years has now suddenly had a revival. Those guards standing awestruck and dumbfounded upon the wall witnessed a sight which could never be erased from their memories as they watched the Jordan cease flowing. Just think, beloved, when a soldier has been trained to be brave in the face of the enemy and sees something like this he knows it is something he can’t cope with. Sure, he may stand unmoveable and face an oncoming chariot charging against him, that is something in the natural realm. However, when he witnesses water dividing and standing upright, that is something his spirit can’t cope with, he knows that is coming from some power of the supernatural and he has not been trained to deal with the supernatural. Therefore, with a trembling, frightened voice, from his position on the high wall he gives out such an alarming sound it further terrifies the city causing their hearts to melt that much more within them. Reserves are called in, but what good can they do. Their hearts have melted also! This report the scripture says went throughout all the Ammorite camp and over all the cities up and down the sea coast. In short, it terrified the entire land.
REPORT SAME AS 40 YEARS AGO
Isn’t this pathetic! What had already happened 40 years ago had already terrified the inhabitants of the land, yet these twelve spies said the land could not be taken. We look like grasshoppers in their sight! Oh, had Israel only known, grasshoppers nothing! It was Israel God had made to look like giants into these people. Note, these giant size people were in the land 40 years later and this new generation had to face the same thing their parents faced, however, experience had taught them regardless to the obstacles the grace of God was on their side. They carry the same commission, the same vision, and the same objective as did that of the older generation. Now they have a job to do and an obligation to fulfill, they have a loyalty to uphold and their hour for action has come.
Note, Israel, having fully crossed the Jordan, seems now in no hurry to attack and destroy Jericho. The fourth day has fully arrived in the promised land and the new generation is camped roughly three miles or half way between Jordan and Jericho at Gilgal, (Joshua 4:19, 5:10) It is here Israel keeps the annual passover. Recall, it is also here God sent His invisible army (angels) to insure or encourage Joshua (5:13-15). Furthermore, it is here on the fifth day the manna which has followed them through the desert ceases, Joshua 5:12.
FALL OF JERICHO – CHAPTER 6
God has brought them into the land to face what militarily would be thought AN IMPOSSIBILITY, yet He is going to take the impossible and reduce it to nothing. This miracle alone furnishes Israel with enough courage and confidence they do not stop until all the land has been taken from the Canaanites. The day approaches when God Himself has plans to set the battle. His plan of attack is quite simple, no military strategy has ever been used like this. The walls of that city will fall before one arrow or one sword has been used. Jehovah tells Joshua His plan is to send seven priests with seven ram horns serving as trumpets along with those carrying the ark of the covenant to lead the possession around the city once each day for 7 days. No attack is to be made, instead they are simply to return to camp after this is accomplished. As you are making the trip around the city each day have the priests blow the ram’s horn. Furthermore, God told Joshua the host of people following the priests must remain in complete silence at all times.
For days the nervous guards along the high walls of the city have been on double duty with all reserves called in. Every move Israel had made has been observed in her camp 3 miles away. None around Jericho has had much sleep, just sitting, watching and impatiently waiting for days. This uncertainty alone is enough to work on the nerves of the Canaanites. The Israelite camp has been under constant surveillance, although no effort has been made in the camp to move any closer. Then one day the guards noticed some strange movement in the Israelite camp. Look, their priests are placing that strange box back on their shoulders again. We might say this is putting a revival in Israel’s soul while it is putting great fear and turmoil in the hearts of the Canaanites in Jericho. Their report comes from the wall, THEY ARE ON THE MOVE AGAIN! Beloved, I can see those priests begin to slowly move out, armed not with carnal weapons but armed only with Ram’s horns. As the camp of Israel is forming ranks it is here they begin to slowly ascend the slopes reaching up to the plateau where sits their massive target – THE CITY OF JERICHO. MAN YOUR STATIONS, is the cry of the alarm! Every man is on the wall at his post of duty with arrows drawn, however Israel remains, throughout their march around the city, just outside the reach of the range of the arrows. On the wall every man stood with his weapon in hand, his neck stretched like a turkey gobbler wondering which way they were going and what were they up too! From the natural standpoint this looked completely silly, an entire army following peculiarly dressed men carrying a box. Note, once Israel had completed their circle around the city, whose walls through excavations have proven to be approximately seven acres around, when the last man completed his round it no doubt had made a full circle.
THE 6 DAY MARCH THE SAME
Everything had been dead silent up to this point and it is only the priest who breaks that silence as they lift to their lips the ram horns, blowing a loud clear sound which of course brings fresh terror to Jericho for they believe this is a signal for an attack. Instead there is no attack, the marchers simply return to Gilgal, their camp. Back to camp and the sun set. The next morning the same thing is repeated, however, once again they did not attack only returned to camp as before. By the third day fear temporarily begins to leave the Canaanites and the soldiers may find this affair of marching around their city quite humorous, wondering just what they are going to do next. Little do they realize God is simply throwing them off guard as He lulls them to sleep. The next day the same procedure. Feeling now the Israelites will not attack, Jericho sees this more and more humorous. I imagine some began to say, look at that old fellow down there, isn’t he dressed strange! And they began to jest and make jokes. For the moment fear seems to have subsided a little with each passing day. Next day, the identical same march is repeated, always remaining out of firing range but by now Israel’s thousands of troops marching around the city have made quite a visible beaten path as they have marched day after day. No doubt from the inside the soldiers are beginning to feel, they are only trying to scare us, leave them alone they will go away. They know they can’t get in. The sun rises on the 6th day and the same procedure is repeated. None makes a sound, only the ram’s horn is sounded during the march. Why, they have been doing this six days and no one has gotten hurt, some of the officers in Jericho, may have said. Call off the reserves and let them get some sleep, after all we won’t need them. But oh, my, about the time those reserves were catching up on some much needed sleep the sun is ready to rise on the dreadful 7th morning, the day Jericho will sleep the sleep of death forever!
7TH DAY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER 6
The Israelite camp is up and ready before dawn. This is the morning Israel has long awaited. Today she must make seven trips around the city. As the sun rays breaks, the horizon that morning everyone is in ranks, the priests know exactly what to do, as well as does every man know his position. Arming themselves with their weapons as the entire valley is now well lit with sunlight and the priests take their position in front of the army to lead the way back to Jericho, inside Jericho most are slumbering and relaxing for no doubt they think this will just be another day for another march, they will hear the same old horns blasting away again.
7 TRIPS ON 7TH DAY
As those seven priests step out leading the march that will carry the army of Israel around the wall on their well beaten path 7 times today the first guard on the tower probably says, Look, it is the same old circle! But beloved something strange happened after they had made one complete circle, this time they did not return to camp but instead began marching around again. As they were making their second round those puzzled tower guards began to wonder, WHAT IS GOING ON NOW, USUALLY THEY ONLY MARCH ONCE A DAY! The second time round and they still did not return to camp. The third time around, the fourth time around, the fifth, and sixth time around the walls, in the heart of the Israelites they can hardly wait until the 7th time round. No doubt in the minds of the Canaanites, when are they going to stop this? Today every man in Israel has his sword, however Jericho doesn’t know that. Israel knows what is going on but Jericho is in the dark. Jericho is confused. God has completely thrown them off guard, she has been taken in by so many circles and her excitement has built again by the strange action of Israel and it causes their hearts to melt inside them. That is just the way God does things. He shakes you up, you are so confused, He takes you on a merry-go-round and when He turns you loose you don’t know what happened. Beloved, I see these priests as they start around the wall for the final trip.
Imagine what a peculiar sight this scene must have presented from the wall as day after day some 40,000 warriors and the rest of the host of Israel marched slowly, cautiously and silently following only priests, ram horns and a box! And with this they are going to tear down our wall? In this procedure was no siege machines to throw huge boulders; no tower or battering rams to bring down the wall; no ladders or hooks to be used to go over the wall; and above all, no noise other than the constant marching of feet. Occasionally the silence would be broken by those piercing shattering blasts of the ram horns which in itself brought cold fear as despair crept over them and their hearts grew faint.
THE 7TH ENCIRCLEMENT THE LONG BLAST
As they marched around that wall the 7th time and the last man has completed the circle, there the army of Israel stops with a complete circle all around the seven acres or so of the city, having now made seven complete circles around on the 7th day – THEY COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN DEAD SILENCE! Suddenly the silence is broken by the blast of those ram’s horns and Joshua cries out to the people, Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! How God actually brought down the walls is really unimportant. Whether by earthquake tremors at just the precise moment or those vibrations from the victorious shouts of Israel’s host or some other miracle, the point is: through complete obedience of the ministry (or priesthood) the soldiers and people in general, those walls came flat down. (Joshua 6:20) So the people went into the city of luxury and evil and utterly destroyed every living thing saving only Rahab and her family.
WALLS COME FLAT DOWN
For a moment I would like to discuss this phrase, “the walls came flat down.” To do so we must use an archeological discovery of the noted Dr. John Garstang, director of the British School of Archeology in Jerusalem. In excavating the ruins of Old Jericho, 1929-36, Dr. Garstang and his trained staff found vivid evidence that the city had been destroyed some time around 1400 B.C., coinciding with Joshua’s period and, in a number of details, dug up evidence confirming the biblical account that the walls did fall down flat as declared in Joshua 6:20. The wall was double and the two walls being 15 ft. apart, showed the outer wall to have been 6 ft. thick while the inner wall was 12 ft. thick. Apparently the walls had been built on somewhat of a faulty, uneven foundation of brick 4 inches thick and 1-2 ft. long, lay in mud mortar. The two walls were linked together by houses built across the top, as scripture referred to Rahab’s house being on the wall. Dr. Garstang found the outer wall fell outward and down the hillside which naturally dragged with it the inner house. The evidence of the streak of bricks gradually getting thinner down the slope proves it fell in this angle. The foundation walls of the palace of the king (Joshua 2:2-3) was four courses of stone high, remain, tilted outward. The archeologist feels there are indications remaining to show it might have been an earthquake which brought down the wall. However, it is also interesting to note vibrations have been known to bring down well constructed objects. For instance, a similar incident happened (though on a much smaller scale) in Mayette, Kansas on Sunday, May 17, 1959, when the spectator bleachers at a rodeo collapsed suddenly as the people were leaving resulting in the death of one person and injuring 149 other people. The promoter stated the only explanation he could account for the collapse of the stands was THE RHYTHMATIC STEPS OF THE CROWD AS IT SHUFFLED TOWARD THE EXITS MAY HAVE STARTED THE STRUCTURE SWAYING UNTIL IT CRUMBLED.
Another point of interest I would like to touch on is, after Israel fulfilled Joshua 6:21 (destroying all the living) they burned the city with fire. Dr. Garstang found signs of the conflagration and destructions were very well marked. The archeologist found great layers of charcoal and ashes and walled ruins reddened by fire. The outer wall suffered most. Houses along the wall were burned to the ground. The area generally was covered with a dep layer of black burned debris, under which there were pockets of white ash overlaid with a layer of fallen reddish brick. In connection with verse 18, wherein Joshua instructed the people to keep themselves from the accursed things, “lest ye make yourselves a curse when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel accursed and trouble it.” And you recall, Achan did not agree with this taking unto himself several items. After the army was stopped at Ai, it resulted in the death of he and his family.
The archeologist further discovered under the ashes and fallen walls a most interesting thing. In the ruins of storehouses was an abundance of foodstuff, wheat, barley, dates and lentils and such, turned to charcoal by intensive heat, untouched and uneaten. Evidence the conquerors refrained from confiscating the food.
JOSHUA’S CURSE
Concerning the amazing prophecy of a curse pronounced upon anyone who ever would attempt to rebuild the city (verse 26), read I Kings 16:34. It is interesting to note that the New Testament Jericho is built approximately 1 mile south of the ruins of Old Jericho.
PART 3 – SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Have you ever wondered what the significance of these seven ram horns are? Many times I have asked myself what do these seven ram horns signify? Israel as a nation we know did not have 7 ages or 7 dispensations in the sense the gentile church did, nevertheless, there was things represented about that city that applies strictly to our day. Furthermore, why did Israel march around the walls 7 times on the 7th day and then blow the horns? Last, why was the 7th day different from the other six, and what does it signify?
HEIGHT OF GENTILE ACHIEVEMENT
First, I want you to note this city of Jericho stood for the highest of man’s gentile achievements in that hour when Israel was coming into the land. For centuries of time that city was the gentile’s pride, their culture, their scientific achievements were all represented within that city’s structure. Their architecture was represented there; their material advantage and benefits were all represented within this city. Jericho was the capitol of the Canaanites. Their military might, all their growth, their progress, their achievements of whatever in human life that could be obtained in that hour was represented in that day.
As for modern culture Israel had little to offer having been in the wilderness. All they knew was THERE WAS A GOD LEADING THEM. They were minus that great military training of that hour. True, they had helped erect many of the great pyramids and sphinx over in the cities of Egypt, although you might say they were not great architects. But oh, brother, God had brought Israel face to face with the very might, the best the gentiles had to offer.
WHAT WAS FULLY REPRESENTED HERE WAS A FUTURE PICTURE OF THE GENTILE AGES WHEN ISRAEL WOULD ONCE AGAIN BE LED BACK INTO THAT LAND OUT OF ALL GENTILE NATIONS AFTER HAVING BEEN BROUGHT THROUGH ALL SERVITUDE AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE AT THAT TIME THEY WOULD SETTLE IN THAT LAND TO NEVER BE PLUCKED UP AGAIN. AND IT WOULD BE WHEN THE MIGHT OF THE GENTILES HAS COME TO ITS CONSUMMATION OR PEAK. WHEN WOULD THAT BE? ARE YOU LISTENING? THAT WOULD COME ABOUT ONLY AT THE END OF SEVEN GENTILE CHURCH AGES! THOSE SEVEN PRIESTS REPRESENTS SEVEN MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN GENTILE CHURCH AGES AND NOTE BELOVED, THE DESTRUCTION AND FALL OF THE PRIDE OF THE GENTILES WOULD NOT COME UNTIL THE MESSENGER OF THE 7TH CHURCH AGE PICKS UP THE ECHO OF ALL THOSE OTHER SIX MESSAGES AND ALL THIS CLIMAX WITHIN THIS 7TH MESSAGE. THAT 7TH MESSAGE HAS BEEN SOUNDED AND BLASTED. WHEN? AT THE CLOSING OF THE LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE AND IT WOULD BE AT THAT TIME (NOTE THIS) WHEN GOD WOULD DEAL WITH ISRAEL AS THE MIGHT OF THE GENTILES HAS REACHED ITS FRUITION. THE GENTILES ARE AT THEIR END. INTELLECTUALLY, SCIENTIFICALLY, AND MILITARILY!
U.S. PRIDE OF GENTILES, BUT LOOK AT HER FEAR
United States is supposed the greatest world power of any nation in the world, and is a perfect illustration of what we mean! We have been fighting in a little nation called Vietnam over 10 long years, 1961-1972. America has lost 45,884 lives with a total wounded of 303,475. South Vietnam reports lost 157,917 lives with approximately 417,167 wounded. The civilian population killed is estimated at 425,000 with an estimated 900,000 enemy troops killed, making a grand total of soldiers and civilians dead of 1,539,082. America alone has spent since 1964, $107.8 billion. An amount second only to that of World War II where she spent $664 billion. Here we are with the most modern weapons man has ever killed with, the best gunboats, the best fighter planes, radar equipment, etc., we have gone back and forth across Vietnam like a man losing a checker game, but like Jericho, we too are scared.
On the other hand you take the little nation Israel, give her a handful of obsolete guns and she will simply scare the daylights out of anything that gets in her way. I am not trying to debase us gentiles, but it is a fact. Beloved, we have run our course and that includes every gentile nation on the face of the earth; we have built our fortifications, our atomic and hydrogen bombs and now we are scared to death. What we have allowed to continue in Vietnam for 10 years is the proof of our fear. We built powerful battleships only to rust in mothballs; we built a gigantic air force and what do we do, we sit around and argue, fuss and stew, while Israel is pleased to get our obsoletes and with them, and the guidance of God, she modifies a little here and there and down in the Sinai she goes.
Face it, Israel has returned to the land, she has come out from gentile nations this time to be established in the land forever. When? At the time the gentiles have reached the time of their fruition.
This is a day the gentiles boast of having gone to the moon. AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN? As seven church ages come to a close! God sent His 7th church age messenger and his message was not only for this hour, nor did it consists of something new just for this age – HE REACHED BACK INTO THE OTHER AGES AND PICKED UP THE FIRST (BLAST), AS WELL AS THE 2ND, 3rd , 4TH, 5TH AND 6TH (this covers the 7 gentile church ages) ALTHOUGH EACH AGE HAD THEIR MESSENGER, THE LAST MESSENGER BROUGHT THEM DOWN AND INCORPORATED ALL THESE MESSAGES (ram horn blasts) INTO HIS MESSAGE (blast) WHICH WAS THE LAST TO SOUND.
When did this message come to us? At the close of the 7th church age, and as it did it went around this earth, and I can see God reach out and strike the economical situation of the world. Beloved, as a nation, America is broke. Furthermore, every gentile nation is broke! DO YOU KNOW WHY? God has to do this in order to bring things to naught, to glorify Himself. If Israel had Uncle Sam’s military potential she wouldn’t need anyone to support her, she would be sitting in a position to laugh at the world! Why? Because God can take a handful of Israelites in an hour when it is time and God desires to do a certain thing, and do to the gentiles, through that little nation, that which resembles what He did to a group of Jerichoites – and their hearts melted (within themselves) when they saw the Jordan’s waters back up.
Now to finish our lesson, on that final 7th day, that same day Israel marched around Jericho 7 times and blew those ram horns a long blast just before that tremendous shout of victory came. This lets me know the sounding of all 7 church age messengers message throughout all the seven church ages would already become and already have been sounded before the shout. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
WHAT LONG BLAST ON THE 7TH DAY MEANT
The last one represented the work and ministry of the 7th messenger as he incorporated all the revelation of those other messengers into this last great and final blast which shook the foundation of this religious world as it has never before been shaken! You see, God didn’t just send a prophet to this 7th church age to fulfill Malachi 4:5 simply to have the people going around the world saying GOD SENT A PROPHET, GOD SENT A PROPHET, but the important thing is – WHAT DID THAT PROPHET SAY? WHAT WAS THE BLAST OF HIS (ram horn) MESSAGE. I am interested only in what he said, he said GET BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD! And when he said BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD, it is back to what the original (33 A.D.) pentecost was; it is back to what our early apostolic fathers Peter, James, John and etc. taught. Beloved, this message encompassed the message of each messenger and brought it all right back to the word and as that messenger to this 7th church age was sounding, I can see little Israel over there – the fright of the gentiles, the fright of the world! It appears the entire world is against her! And you know, beloved, God has to allow it to be that way.
In the early months of 1972, Israel was getting her greatest influx of tourist trade. In 1971, her tourist trade went up 40 percent over the year before. January was really starting heavy until that Lod Airport massacre came and it looked as though the tourist trade would slow down – that was one of the purposes of the massacre. By doing this it would scare off many gentiles who would not want to be caught in such a situation. It is a way of shutting off dollars of Israel’s tourist trade! God is using this trade to milk the gentiles dry. Next there was that terrible, brutal thing at the Olympics.
We powerful nations won’t do anything about it but I know God will use that little nation to do something. You are not playing with a little kid, Israel might look like a small kid, nevertheless that little nation won’t take this sitting down. Before she is through someone will pay dearly!
When the 7th or last horn sounded after the circle had been completely united – oh, as that blast went up into the sky that morning, the earth began to tremble; those gigantic walls which had been built so impregnable by the architectural design of men who thought they knew how to do such a thing began to crumble! DOWN WENT THE WALLS! As it did, every man in that circle did a left flank and marched straight forward over that old crumbled wall of Jericho and slew everything in his path. May I say this, before Israel had marched around that city 7 times and even before the Jordan dried up, great fear had already possessed those poor Jerichoites, and once those walls did begin to tremble as that great shout went up, the earth began to tremble and the walls began to tremble and fall there simply wasn’t any courage whatsoever left within them. They were so frightened no doubt all they did was fall on their face. Over the walls with swords gleaming in the sunlight came the victorious fearless Israelites. GOD HAD BROUGHT THE GENTILE STRONGHOLD TO AN END!
As the victory report spread throughout the land, there was not an Ammorite nor Canaanite that was not full of fear. God did that to allow everyone to know HE WAS ON THE MOVE; HIS PEOPLE WAS ON THE MOVE! You will recall their next stop was Ai, that little city which they should have taken in an hour’s time, however, God did not let them capture Ai, because there was sin in the camp. It was a lesson well learned and after the problem was removed (stoning of Achan and family) the army moved on undefeated. When Israel was in the perfect will of God there wasn’t a tribe could stand against her or a city to stand in her way!
Beloved, this has been said to let you know there has been one powerful trumpet message sounded over this land. To me I can see the beautiful prophetical picture of things being unfolded, and looking at it from a spiritual standpoint I believe there has also been many people privileged in years go by to have entered into it and had they seen the true spiritual objective of God in the beginning they would have moved on with God. However, they did exactly like many of the older generation of Israelites did! There is a lot of fanaticism and by the time some people get through saying the prophet said this or that, THEY WERE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BIBLE REVELATION OF TRUTH AND OVER IN A LAND OF FEAR AND UNBELIEF.
Beloved, may I say this in closing, if you ever intended to be anything for God; if you ever intended to truly walk in fellowship, victorious over your battles with the enemy, this message that the 7th church age messenger prophet uttered is that which can place you back on the true foundation of the Word and place within you the kind of faith whereby we can say with Paul – God hath not given us the spirit of fear (that which possessed the older generation causing them to die in the wilderness) but of power and of love and a sound mind! (II Timothy 1:7) This message shows us how to rightly divide the Bible and how to use this sword against the enemy without fear. No wonder for centuries of time the devil has sought to destroy the effectiveness of this book. If he can ever get you out of its revelation and into a tradition, cult, or creed, HE HAS YOU LICKED! If you have suffered this defeat, RETURN TO GOD’S WORD OF REVELATION WHEREBY YOU HAVE SOMETHING UPON WHICH TO STAND WITHOUT FEAR AND UNBELIEF!
Key To The 70th Week
INTRODUCTION: LITTLE IS EVER STATED ABOUT DANIEL 9:26. HOWEVER THIS VERSE HOLDS THE KEY TO VERSE 27. LINKING TWO MYSTERIOUS CHARACTERS TOGETHER AND CONNECTS BOTH VERSES TO ROME. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? WHAT HAPPENED IN HISTORY REVEALING WHO THE PEOPLE OF THE PRINCE WERE IN VERSE 26? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE ISRAEL COULD ENTER INTO A COVENANT WITH CHRIST 3 1/2 YEARS LATER BREAK IT AND A FEW MONTHS LATER BE ACCEPTED BACK INTO THE COVENANT? WHAT MAJOR ItOLE DOES THE WRITINGS OF HEBREWS PLAY AS IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED FOR ONLY A FEW YEARS AND HOW DOES IT REVEAL UNTO US ISRAEL COULD NEVER HAVE ENTERED INTO A COVENANT WITH CHRIST BROKE IT AND EVER BE RE-ESTABLISHED?
I am not ignorant to the fact this subject has become a controversial issue throughout the land. Wherever I go constantly I am faced with confused hearts asking many questions concerning this topic. Furthermore, I am as aware as anyone how Bro. William Branham stated various thoughts along the line of this subject after having already thoroughly delivered from the revealed scripture, history, the calendar and his own chart how the death of Christ the Messiah Prince, being cut off but not for himself, completed 69 full prophetic weeks leaving Israel the balance of one week to complete her 70 prophetic weeks. By no means are these natural weeks, instead one week is represented by seven years as plainly shown in Gen.29:18-30 where Jacob agreed to serve Laban seven extra years for the privilege of marrying Rachel after being tricked into receiving the older daughter Leah. He had to work another seven years or one week to have Rachel his true love, making a total 14 years or 2 weeks as the Jewish people figured time. Therefore Daniel being a Jew knew the angel’s language when it spoke of weeks of time, and being a prophet knew full. well what these weeks represented in measurement of time. Moving across the country from place to place you begin to see, wherever this message has left an effect upon people, their feelings concerning what they believe to have been the teaching of Bro. Branham on this subject and why this situation exists today as it does. I have always stated concerning his dual statements, especially on the 70 WEEKS OF DANIEL, were ordained of God having been presented in the manner they were. And that purpose was to cause you and I to search the scriptures. Therefore, together let us search the scriptures.
Our subject, KEY TO THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL, will be presented in such a manner, this difficult subject should be easily understood by any honest-hearted, sincere, Bible believing christian and furthermore will show why it has become one of the major issues throughout this endtime message and no doubt will be used by many as a dividing factor to gauge whether a person is in this message or not. Already there are those in this movement (shall we say a minority element) who will openly express themselves here and there concerning their feelings about the life and ministry of Bro. William Branham as they try to influence other weak-minded, unstable believers that he (Bro. Branham) was the Messiah or the Word of God himself, until it has become enough of a growing issue to form a spiritual block. By the way, it is just such subjects and issues as these which are always brought up by these people over meanings of certain scriptural statements made by the prophet. These issues have grown to such a point and become so powerful and important to them if you refuse to line up with their unscriptural dictates and usage in respect to certain statements on the same subject and you happen to embrace other statements made by him which line up perfectly with scripture, statements made by this prophet that places your thinking back perfectly in line with revealed scripture, you are automatically classified by these people as one who is against the prophet. Note, these individuals will never say you are against the Bible. It is always you who are against the prophet! And just let me or some others who accept those statements which will place our i thinking back in line with the precious Word of add (through the prophet’s message—come around, these individuals say–there is ) that scarecrow, let us take a shot at him!
Get one thing straight—I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS JOB. It just worked out this way. However it becomes plainer each day if someone doesn’t take a scriptural stand (while embracing this message) sooner or later the entire thing will drift into a deification plot! It is a trick of Satan to force the endtime believers into this route using the very thing they love to do so! I don’t make these issues neither can I run from them! The issues are made by certain individuals who allow Satan to fill their minds with what is needed to cause carnal issues. God has merely presented this hour to see if you and I will drift along with it or not! Not to drift along will mean the structure of many families will be hurt or even severed! What a pathetic picture to think of it in this manner nevertheless we are at the end and are no better than those early Jewish disciples who, after the death of Christ, found their homes split over this great salvation; of a new and different covenant and over the messenger of the covenant, a man called Jesus who had stated whosoever forsaketh houses, lands, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters shall in this life receive persecution, yet in the end they shall receive eternal life! Nevertheless in this life Christ promised that believers would receive houses, lands, brothers, sisters etc., which meant they would find a new family. They would find many spiritual fathers who would greet and treat them with compassion and understanding much like that of an earthly blood father. Homes would often be opened to you in christian hospitality as though they would be your own, (don’t abuse this hospitality). Extending this hospitality would not mean you could go in and tear things up! Over the years people have risen up in this message who have brought a reproach to the precious truth given in this hour. For example some time ago we were ministering in an area and were extended the courtesy of being allowed to eat a free meal each day in the restaurant owned by a christian brother who attended the church. Sometimes God will do this but that doesn’t give us the right to sponge every free meal we can. What a shame how some misguided individuals calling themselves christians take advantage of christian hospitality. He told us about a minister who came through and he had extended the same hospitality to him allowing him also to stay in his home. When the minister left our brother found several of his suits missing and a suitcase which was never returned. We live in a world of unreasonable fanaticism. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. What we are we have become through the grace of God yet Christ never saved anyone to allow them to remain a sinner; instead his intention is to make a real man or woman out of them giving a strong christian character and principles. In the sight of God those true principles are such things as decent and upright conduct. Those issues people are making over the scriptural matters today as this spirit runs rampant reminds me much of a great round-up on the western plains as little calves are scattered out in the bushes, ravines and gullies. When the round-up is ready several cows are brought into the corral and after a while the calves begin to separate as they follow the cows through the chutes. This illustrates how God is allowing Satan to work, using all these different splits, approaches and issues of this message to implant in people’s minds certain things, yet behind II all is that overall plot to head into a great spirit of deification (roundup) whereby the sole purpose of that spirit is to deny a man who was a prophet! The Bible shows it would be that way and either we make a stand as an individual Christian in defense of the Word of God from which we all must receive our faith (including the prophet to the age) and get our experience in the Lord Jesus Christ else we will sell ourselves out to this jealous spirit of Satan through his antichrist work, Unless we line ourselves up with God’s Word and stick with the Holy Ghost the revelator of revealed scripture, in the end we shall fail! However if we choose to stick with God’s Word standing on the revelation of rite Wont and what it contains, we shall he triumphant!!
Isn’t it strange how Satan will take a little something which seems so important to you as a true believer and makes such an issue out of it, it ends up having sown nothing but discord and placed such division in the minds of people it has served Satan’s purpose beautifully and note how many Pete will absolutely reject Bible truth just to go along and remain in fellowship with certain people. Beloved, I seriously remind you Christ didn’t say he who clings to friends and multitudes or groups will gain such and such, no sir, he said he that forsaketh such and such shall receive In this life persecution and ridicule, however In the world to come he will receive eternal life! Therefore don’t sell out and by all means don’t turn your back on the revealed truth of the scriptures irregardless with whom it may cut cross-grain! If this contusion of religious chaos would make you turn back saying I didn’t know it was going to be like this, I think I will just quit –why beloved, you would have been just as well off had you never started, but gone straight on out into the world and into destruction for that is the way you are going if you turn back!
From August through November 1971 we printed certain articles dealing with that allotted amount of time for the Jewish people in reference to their 70 prophetic weeks of Daniel and showed clearly from the scriptures as well as material from the prophet messenger to the age there were yet seven more years remaining for the Jew. This discouraged a number of people from standing with us, nevertheless it is the truth and truth shall stand!
PURPOSE OF ARTICLE
Now I must say the purpose of this article is to show why I believe within the structure of scriptures there is formed and undisputable KEY which Can be used to unlock this great mystery of Dan, 9:23-27. Although our primary interest is in verses 25-27, a brief review of Dan. 9:23-27 will help our new readers form somewhat of a better picture of understanding as to what the angel meant when he instructed Daniel that Israel had yet remaining for her in God’s program 70 more prophetic weeks of time (before the millenium would enter).
The angel begins by saying, in the very beginning of thy supplications (prayers and pleas) the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee (show you that which you are so greatly concerned over seeing your people are in Babylonian captivity) just how much time your people has left within the program of God for thy art greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined (determined means already settled and fixed in God’s mind and can in no way be altered; these seventy prophetic weeks are forever settled in the plan and purpose of God for his people and the world in general) upon thy people. Whose people? Daniel’s people! None other than the Jewish or Israelite people.
6 THINGS DETERMINED
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy People and the Holy city(Jerusalem) to accomplish Six things— (1) To finish the transgression-make an end to their disobedience and sin —sins speaks of man in general (2) To make reconciliation (which will Include the age of grace in restoring man back into spiritual fellowship) for iniquity, and (3) to bring In everlasting righteousness meaning to bring in the millennium, (4) to seal up the vision to bring to an end) (5) prophecy and (6) to anoint the most holy. Anointing the most holy is not anointing Christ, He is not the most holy, Christ himself, according to Rev. 19, is already anointed at the wedding supper, Rev. 19 portrays him in heaven clothed in a vesture dipped in blood and upon his thigh is a name written which is a new name and yet he is called the Word of God, Yes, at the wedding supper he is crowned with many crowns-that is already his office which includes his anointing as well as his authority. No, beloved, when the angel said anointing the most holy he has no reference to Christ being anointed here on this earth, Christ does not wait until he is on earth to be delegated as King for the scripture shows when he reaches earth he Is already executIng wrath and Judgment upon the kings of the earth. Therefore the word anointing the most holy is dealing strictly with the place wherein the King shall sit once he comes to this earth, it is anointing the temple(not palace) where he is to sit In his millennium position reigning over that age of regeneration or age of righteousness whereupon the righteous are those classified worthy to step from this age unto the next having stepped out upon the ashes of the wicked to begin the millennium.
BREAKDOWN OF WEEKS
Then in verse 24 the angel begins a break down of these seventy prophetic weeks into certain dispensations of time (3 periods with a certain number of weeks in each) to show how various things would transpire over a lengthy period of time. Explaining it in this fashion he said, know therefore and understand the going forth of the commandment (commandment here means the going forth of some kind of decree, law or rule which would trigger the beginning of these prophetic weeks still somewhere in the future of Daniel’s generation for this decree would affect the Jewish people as it marked the beginning of this long seventy prophetic week period.)
DECREE TRIGGERS BEGINNING
Note what this commandment was for — TO RESTORE AND BUILD JERUSALEM UNTO THE MESSIAH. Therefore we see the seventy weeks would begin with a decree being made which would stretch all the way across time unto Messiah the Prince. The purpose here was to rebuild Jerusalem, walls etc., for recall during a period of seventy natural years Jerusalem had laid waste, burned to the ground while the Jews had remained in Babylonian captivity and Daniel, knowing the prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah was almost fulfilled (where he prophesied the Jews would remain in captivity for seventy years) was greatly concerned over the future of his people knowing this seventy year period of captivity was almost up! Daniel was sincerely praying over the future of his people when the angel came unto him telling him there was much in store for his people still left in God’s program, that the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was to get it back in shape for the coming of the Messiah during his first appearance or advent. Note if you will, Messiah spelled with a capital letter; it is impossible to take the word Messiah and make anything else out of it other than that which it was intended — and that represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ alone was the Jewish Messiah and that is why the city and the temple had to be rebuilt to its original state from the charred ruined condition. It had to be rebuilt into a state of habitation and function for the first appearing of the Messiah (still some 450 years away.) I am using the phrase first appearance because we are here speaking about a past tense event. Had it been still in the future we would refer to it as a future tense event or not an event which had yet happened, although it has already happened! Nevertheless the beginning of the time measurement for this extended period of seventy prophetic weeks had to be measured by something and that something was a certain decree, law or commandment which would be made and would extend up to the arrival of the Messiah, the Prince (covering 69 weeks).
WHY PRINCE CAPITALIZEDNote carefully how the Holy Ghost capitalizes that word Prince, which implies is the same person as that of the Messiah. It is most important that you notice the word Prince is capitalized (Capital P) as you will find it throughout the scriptures whenever it relates to deity. The word Prince is capitalized in such places as Isa. 9:6, Acts 3:15, etc., yet with references to other princes in the scriptures the word prince is not usually capitalized, therefore showing the Holy Ghost has some definite reason for making this distinction granting the capital (P) to distinguish this Prince to be represented only with deity; while other vast references of the scripture gives the other princes a much lesser position and showing it by spelling with a small (p). Now in no way can you separate the word Prince from the word Messiah for both words go together! It must be understood in verse 25 the angel is not speaking of two separate persons because the word Messiah means the anointed one. The Greek word is Christ while the English word is anointed one. Therefore to rebuild and restore Jerusalem to the anointed one (the Prince) would cover 69 weeks.
WHAT IS A PRINCE
Let us spend a few moments of time to see what a prince is. Among the many definitions used by Webster a prince is the son of a sovereign; a male member of a royal family. In our terminology speaking of the Prince of Life or Prince of Peace Isa. 9:6, we would say prince comes from the house of royalty and not from a house of peasantry. While he is growing up in life he holds the title prince; one day he can fill the position of king, however until he takes that office his official title will be prince. Therefore the word Prince In Dan, 9:25 carries with it the meaning of Ambassador of Peace. In ancient times countries did not have various forms of government such as Democrats, Republicans, etc., as we do today who are voted in and out in the form of an election. This is not done where royalty heads the government, Kings were in charge of almost every empire, Sons born to these royal families were schooled and reared as a prince with princely character until they reached a certain age as these men would in the future fall in line to be king. Until that hour they would in some capacity serve in their government. Is that not what our Heavenly Father has done? As the word Messiah holds a dual meaning, Anointed One and Prince or Ambassador, Christ came with a covenant of peace, did he not? (Mal. 3:1) The peace of which he spoke of in the book of John 14:27 was not a period of economical or world peace because his statement was, peace I give unto you not as the world giveth peace! The peace I give unto you will create contentment, satisfaction, happiness and joy although in the world you will have trials, persecutions etc.
CHRIST, AMBASSADOR OF PEACE
Christ was an Ambassador of Heaven sent peace to be granted to the sinful race. Peace and joy was to flood the redeemed sinner’s heart as he recognized through his redemptive work God has offered his Son Christ Jesus and doing so had extended unto us peace and consolation of soul, knowing through the shed blood we can have forgiveness of sin by accepting him. Most assuredly Christ was an Ambassador from another country or kingdom, offering a condition of peace whereby man could surrender peacefully unto God and not be destroyed. Therefore I repeat the two words Messiah and Prince are inseparable applying to only one person who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and then as the commandment was to be given according to Jewish history that commandment came in 445 B.C. declaring the Jews to return and rebuild the city, the walls, etc. We want to note here in the angel’s discussion how he mentioned to Daniel there was to be three divisions in this period of time called seventy weeks and the first division would consist of a seven week period which covered 49 literal years while the next division would cover a threescore and two week period (62 prophetic weeks). Adding the first seven prophetic weeks to the 62 prophetic weeks would give a total of 69 weeks from the time the commandment was to go forth and after the 69 weeks (5 days after) the Messiah the Prince of Life (Acts 3:15) would be cut off, but not for himself. Naturally this all covered the first advent of Christ up to his crucifixion offering himself as Saviour to mankind and not for himself.
Note in Gen. 29:27 where Laban instructed Jacob to fulfill her week and he could also have Rachel! The fact Jacob worked another seven years shows the biblical language of seven weeks was in the mind of a Jew, not weeks of days but of years, making 70 weeks of years actually be 490 years. It is a symbolical language used by the angel but well understood by the Jews as a measurement of time!
FIRST 7 WEEKS OF 49 YEARS
Therefore in his first measuring of time the angel spoke of seven weeks or 49 years in which something would happen which would go along with the rebuilding of Jerusalem etc. Then under the second breakdown of sixty and two weeks period the streets and other walls to be rebuilt in troublesome times covered the period of the Maccabees etc., after the close of the Old Testament period. As we well know Jerusalem sat in the cross-fire or crossroads of all international squabbles of that hour and the city was constantly harassed by invading armies going into other territories. In either the going or the coming. Jerusalem usually fell victim to these powers which existed all around her. Many times other countries even used her as a mandate territory and through those long periods of time Jerusalem and her people were constantly harassed. Nevertheless through this harassment unbeknowing to her, her real purpose of being back from Babylon was to rebuild the city into its original state of beautification and habitation whereby the people would actually be getting everything ready for the first advent of Christ the Messiah the Prince. Since the Jewish forefathers had returned from Babylon after their 70 year captivity all they thought they were doing was rebuilding their city for the purpose of never being taken out again by any power. However in verse 26 we shall see after the cutting off of the Messiah the Prince they were once again taken out as their city and temple were once again destroyed, this time not by Babylonians by Romans –not for 70 years but over 1900 years did they remain outside their city! The Jews had been kicked from pillar to post among the gentile nations being a man without a country and the state of that Jew did not change until Israel became a nation in 1948! However the city of Jerusalem was not retaken until 1967!
LAST PERIOD OF 7 WEEKS
After a period of time the poor Jew, having returned from the Babylonian captivity, experienced first of all a mighty revival and then after the first generation of the return, they slowly fell back into a spiritual state of slumbering, even though they still dragged themselves through their various forms of religious rituals; going to the temple and praying similar to the way the average person in church would today who has little concern about eternity — only a concern for tomorrow and was little aware his life was playing a major part in the structure and program of God to rebuild and beautify the charred burned city making it in readiness for the coming of the Messiah the Prince to bring his covenant of peace, Mal. 3:1.
60 AND 2 WEEKS MUCH TROUBLE
Therefore the Jew continued in labor and strive during an hour of trouble, depressions and being overrun from time to time by different powers. Armies continually invaded and used Jerusalem as a Grand Central Station or constantly a place for people to float in and out abusing and mis-using. Nevertheless according to the angel the city would eventually through the centuries reach a state of restoration for the Messiah during his first advent which, according to verse 25 would last through 62 prophetic weeks. Although we realize the 69 week period was broken into two separate intervals of time. First, the 7 week period and then the 62 week period making a grand total of 69 weeks which add up to a total of 483 actual years from the time the commandment went forth until we pick up the word Messiah(Prince).
ANOTHER PRINCE
Therefore begin with the middle part or B-part of verse 26, which the Amplified Translation is careful to denote, after the cutting off of the Messiah Prince it says, And the people of the other prince who shall come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. (Recall it has already been destroyed once—by the Babylonians.) Now don’t think this topic to be unimportant when people all across the country are making such an issue of it! Beloved, there is no way we can have a hundred different ideas about what this Bible teaches! That is the reason God sent us a man (prophet) to set our thinking hack in unity and in line with the holy revealed scriptures. And then for us to have so many different ideas we are like a bunch of quail when a dog gets in their midst. If we are not careful we will find ourselves going along with our own frame of thinking, People seem to take for granted and treat certain things in such a way it shows they are unaware of the hour in which we live–how God said he would separate the entire thing. By what means will he separate it—ON THE BASIS OF THE BIBLE. THE HOLY REVEALED SCRIPTURES! If we fail to line up with God’s revealed truth and instead get ourselves all entangled into some other frame of thinking. God will simply permit us to mold ourselves into that frame of thinking and we will find ourselves slowly deviating from the plan of God.
Dan. 9:26-THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS
Now if you will listen to what the Bible says concerning the latter part of Daniel 9:26 God’s word can help you get your mind in the right channel of thinking whereby upon reaching verse 27 you won’t run into a snag and snare yourself as multitudes of people are doing today simply because they cannot see a distinction between the angel’s terminology of TWO princes! And yet the key that unlocks the mystery is found in verse 26 (the people of the prince; or as the AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION teaches ( the people of the OTHER prince) indicating although both princes will present a covenant. They are by no means the same: Not only is one prince spelled with a capital (P) showing its major importance while the other prince is spelled with a small (p) showing it is a minor prince or in the minority to the big Prince. the Messiah. Scripture indicates when Christ or Deity is referred to in either in Old or New Testament the letter is always indicated with a capital showing a distinction between that and all other princes whether it be the prince of men or the prince of demons. For instance, satan was the prince and power of the air (Eph. 2:2; and in Matt. 9:34 Jesus was accused of casting out devils by the prince of devils. In each of these verses we note prince Verse 26 declares after 3 score and 2 weeks (62) shall Messiah be cut off (during his first advent ) but not for himself; no it was not for any purpose or wrong which he had done. (This cutting off happened 5 days after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Every charge brought against him in the Jewish Sanhedrin Court was false; all four gospels bear out the fact each accusation was a hatched up lie. Taking statements which Christ had used while preaching or speaking with various ones, individuals twisted these statements to make them imply just the opposite to what he had actually taught. All this led to him being cut off. No, he wasn’t crucified because he was a sinner: scripture teaches there was no guile found in him yet he took upon himself the sins of the whole world. Not for himself he was cut off, Dan. 9:26, instead it was for Jew and Gentile whereby man might find eternal life through the atonement of Christ the Lord.
JERUSALEM 37 YEARS AFTER CHRIST’S DEATH
It must be noted a period of approximately 37 years elapsed between A-part of verse 26 and B-part. since it was the birth of Christ which in the beginning determined the usage of B.C. time from A.D. time, in other words his birth ends B.C. time and begins A.D. time and if you figure it from that basis only as it should be figured ignoring some historians account who declare Christ could have been born as early as 4 B.C.. you will find the year of his earthly stay to have ended in 33 A.D., however the Jewish temple was not destroyed by the Romans until 70 A.D. therefore Christ had left the earthly scene approximately 37 years when the B part of verse 26 reaches fulfillment.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE
Learning who these people of the prince in verse 26 are will throw light on who the prince is in verse 26 and how he can be connected to verse 27. And the people of the prince–this prince in verse 26 is the prince who is connected with the character in verse 27 who breaks his established covenant with many after 312 years and is absolutely not connected with the Messiah Prince in verse 25! If verse 26 is properly interpreted one may use this verse as a key to unlock the mystery to the prince as (1). who the prince is in verse 26—whether the true Christ or anit-christ and (2). Who is this person referred to only in the masculine pronoun he in verse 27? We are prepared to show you this character referred to only as he in verse 27 is linked with the prince only in verse 26 and is not associated with the Prince in verse 25 called the Messiah who was cut off some 5 days after the close of the prophetic 69th week!
OTHER PRINCE
Prayerfully note B-part of verse 26 which says “And the people of the prince shall come and destroy the city and the sanctuary” or as the Amplified Translation declares in a much clearer reading from the original “the people of the other prince”. What could be more clear than this! This translation definitely places a distinction between the two princes showing they are not connected-although some have mistakenly felt all these verses 125-27) refer to one individual, making that one individual to be Christ the prince, in V-27 who made a 7 year covenant with many and in the middle of that covenant agreement which would have been 3 1/2 years broke his covenant! We are prepared later to show from scripture how Christ was the messenger of a covenant, (Mal 3:1,) however I want someone to show me in the-scriptures where Christ ever made a 7 year covenant with Israel or with anyone and then later broke it! IT IS SIMPLY NOT THERE! There is no indication in the scripture where Christ ever made a 7 year for one week) covenant with Israel and broke it after 3 1/2 years of any prophetic week as did this character found in Dan. 9:27!
JEWS ADDED AFTER MESSIAH CUT OFF
No my friend, the covenant of grace which Christ brought was still extended to the Jewish people by the messenger of the covenant, the Lord. the Messiah Prince, (Mal. 3:1 i for no less than 35 years after the death of Christ! This is ridiculous, if God cut his covenant off when Christ the sacrificial lamb was slain, who do you think was being saved 50days after his death on the Day of Pentecost? The Bible shows those 3000 to be Jews and what about the 5000 a few days later when Peter preached his second sermon? This I remind you happened sometime after the cutting off of the Messiah the Prince. Some people would have you believe Christ the Prince was cut off in the middle of the week to correspond the 3 1/2 year period with verse 27 as the sacrifice was cut off and then Christ broke his covenant (of grace) with the Jewish nation some 3 1/2 years after he began preaching. No beloved, these 3000 and 5000 Jewish souls converted in the first two sermons of the Apostle Peter saw 8000 Jews added to the church. If God had broken off his covenant with the Jewish people at the time Christ was cut off to fulfill Dan. 9:27, as some think, why was there this great influential church standing in Jerusalem from which the gospel went forth into all the world? The Book of Acts is completely a Jewish setting for some years after Christ was cut off. For no less than 10 years before the gospel of grace was ever taken to Cornelius’ house, that Roman gentile centurion, by the Apostle Peter in Acts 10, it is strictly a Jewish setting! Note we hear the church at Jerusalem rejoicing over the salvation of the gentile converts in Chap. 11. However even at this time Jews are still accepting Christ and entering into his new covenant, a covenant of which some people think he broke with the Jew in the middle of the week to correspond with Dan. 9:27. However verse 27 has nothing to do with Christ at all!! And also note it was a considerable time after the gospel went to Cornelius’ house before the covenant of grace was given strictly to the gentiles!
WHAT CHRIST PREACHING 3 1/2 YEARS PROVES
Furthermore, to say Christ the Prince broke his covenant with Israel after 3 1/2 years or in the middle of the week to correspond with a covenant which was broken in the middle of the week in verse 27 would be to say Christ made a covenant with Israel when he-began his ministry in order to have enough time elapsed to break it in 3 1/2 years for he only preached that long! There is not a scripture in the New Testament to verify such a theory! No beloved, to back up that theory you will have to find something else and that something else is not in the Bible! The Bible does not show Christ entering a covenant with the Jew as did the prince in Dan. 9:27. As a matter of fact Christ was not even received by the heads of state which represented the nation of Israel (their religious leaders.) John 1:11-12 declares, He came unto his own but his own received him not—
ISRAEL REJECTS CHRIST, NOT RECEIVES CHRIST
Now how then could Christ enter into a covenant with Israel when it takes two to make a covenant and Israel for his own) received him not! To verify this further. Christ said to the religious leaders at the beginning of his ministry came in my father’s name and you received me not, however another will come in his own name (having reference to Dan. 9:27) and him you will receive! Again we find Christ saying, you received me not -therefore no covenant could have possibly been made between Christ and the Jewish leaders or people and then 3 1/2 years later result in a broken covenant. People only assume that is what happened, however, assumption is not scripture! You can teach anything. but if you cannot prove it by the Bible, it is useless. Any revelation outside the holy scriptures is a false revelation!! Israel as a nation rejected Christ thus rejecting his covenant of Mal. 3:1. She never at any time entered into a covenant with the Messiah Prince as she will one day with the anti-christ in order to fulfill Dan. 9:27!
RELATIONSHIP TO PEOPLE AND PRINCE
Now recall the people of the prince in verse 26 came to Judah and did one thing although according to history we shall show the people of the prince never came with any intentions of destroying Jerusalem or the temple but were provoked into doing it by the actions of the Jewish people themselves, nevertheless it was all to fulfill the scripture in Dan. 9:26—And the people of the prince as we shall show are definitely related to this masculine individual referred to only as he in verse 27 who actually does not come until some 1900 years later, but has no connection with the Prince of Life and Peace who is the Messiah in verse 25!
NATIONAL RELATIONSHIP
Yes, there is positively a national relationship and is thus a kindred relationship though not necessarily genetic between the people of the prince in verse 26 who appear after the cutting off of the Messiah in verse 25. The people of the other prince shall come and do what—destroy the city and the sanctuary whereupon the angel says, the end thereof shall be with a flood (flood of heavy persecution and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Hold that thought in mind and turn to the New Testament, especially Luke 21:20 for further light on Dan. 9:26.
CHRIST WARNS DISCIPLES
Christ enters Jerusalem triumphantly riding a donkey, cleanses the temple and prepares for his last passover supper with his disciples before being cut off. Knowing that Jerusalem will be destroyed by the people of the prince, referred to in Dan. 9:26 in Approx. 37 years, Christ begins to instruct his chosen disciples concerning the fall of Jerusalem telling them when they see certain things transpire they are no longer to remain in that area-but to get out! However note, the carnal minded Jew has no knowledge of this other than the fact after Christ did cleanse the temple, he rebuked them with a parable and it was clear enough the Jews understood what he was driving at when he said the son would be cut tiff and the Lord of the vineyard would come and destroy these husbandmen and give the vineyard to another-whereupon the carnal Jews who heard this answered God forbid. Luke 20:9-18. The other places we shall discuss was Christ’s warning only to his chosen disciples. Listen to him as he says in Luke 21:20-29. when you believers shall see Jerusalem compassed for encircled with armies know then the desolation thereof is near.
ROMAN PAGANS PROVES CHRIST NOT THEIR PRINCE
Now we are going to find out who the people of the prince in Dan. 9:26 are. Are they a people connected with the Messiah Prince or will they be a people connected with another prince altogether separate from the Messiah Prince in Dan. 9:25? Christ says to his followers-seeing this army encircling Jerusalem you will know to get out and this is what you do—let hint which is in Judaea (meaning territory around Judaea flee to the mountains! Now note, this procedure of protection is just the reverse from that done in ancient times. The walled cities were always used as fortresses to protect the people. Whenever the people in the communities around a walled city sensed a foreign enemy about to invade them. they would always gather up their possessions–cattle, provisions and everything and go into the city, not out of it! It was here they sought safety behind great walls. However. Christ in 33 A.D. is warning his disciples-when you see that army of people-you flee to the Mountains and let them who are in the midst of it (meaning Jerusalem to depart out and let not them who are in the countries (or communities) enter into it.
WRATH IS NOT AGAINST MS PEOPLE
Naturally this warning will only affect the christian believer. These will be days of vengeance that all things written may be fulfilled. It will then be time for the people of the prince to fulfill scripture and note this is the Prince of Life warning his disciples ( people) concerning the work of another prince (who shall come) and reminding them what to be looking for in order to know when to flee. Howbeit, because of this serious warning Christ had given his Jewish followers before the city was to be cut off they were able to he in safety before the actual wrath hit the city. No. it was not wrath against the Jewish Christian who had accepted Christ’s covenant even long after he was cut off. The Jewish historian Josephus mentioned little about what happened to the christians around 70 A.D. but don’t forget that great church at Jerusalem which sent the gospel into all the world was still located there and in operation although no christians fell with the city. Why, because the christians had already fled the city. They knew what to look for however those who rejected Christ ran just the opposite way and were caught in the onslaught. This lets me know God had his true Jewish believers already spiritually prepared for this event when once the city of Jerusalem did become compassed or encircled by Titus, the Jewish Christians fled as instructed. Undoubtedly they fled to regions far beyond and were absorbed into the societies of the other countries which had accepted the gospel truth.
PEOPLE IDENTIFY YOURSELF
Time has now arrived in the program of God for the people of the prince to identify themselves in Dan. 9:26-to learn who will destroy Jerusalem and furthermore we note the prince who has the people that will destroy Jerusalem is not the Messiah Prince. If they were the Messiah Prince’s people in 70 A.D. they would have been christians and we have just. read where Christ told the Jewish christians to leave the country. No, it is pagan Rome with her army who had never accepted christianity that destroys Jerusalem and shortly we shall examine how the prince in verse 27 is associated with verse 26 although being 1900 years apart! Yes, it seems the christian Jews had vanished when Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D. having followed the instruction of their Lord.
CHRIST PROPHESIES TEMPLE DESTRUCTION
Linking this together with Jesus’ other statements we find more upon this subject of the people of the prince who will come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple which was first mentioned in Dan. 9:26. although here it only states they were the people of the prince. Luke 21:5-6 also Matt. 24:1-2 states Jesus was leaving the temple for the last time when his disciples commented on the beauty of the temple. To this Christ remarked, the day is coming when not one stone shall be left upon another (in this temple) that shall not be thrown down. Again we see him prophesying the destruction of the temple by the people (army) of the prince. The disciples were awestruck by the temple’s beauty as they saw it decked with much gold and silver and decorative ornaments and trim work within its interior was superior in beauty. The statement Christ made concerning this temple being destroyed, even to the condition of the stone dovetails perfectly with Dan. 9:26 when the people of the prince came. Let us now learn from history who these people of the prince are-spoken of in Dan. 9:26 who shall come sometime after the Messiah Prince is cut off. Jesus was cut off in the 33rd year of his life and time rocked on until 37 years had passed by before God was ready to fulfill Dan. 9:26. Christianity usually refers to it as 40 years after his death however knowing the birth of Christ is what ended B.C. time and began A.D. time and knowing the city fell in 70 A.D. it was actually only approx. 37 years.
ISRAEL STILL REJECTING
The Jewish nation had now for over 30 years steadily rejected God’s covenant of grace which was still being extended to any Jew who desired to enter into it-though some may have mistakenly thought the Messiah Prince was the prince who made a 7 year covenant with Israel in V.27 and broke it after 3’2 years. Not so! Again I say, Jesus, the messenger of the covenant, Ma1.3: 1, did by no means make a 7 year covenant–with anyone. GOD FORBID! As a matter of fact the book of Acts proves the grace of God was still extended long after the Messiah was cut off to any Jew who would accept Christ. The messenger to the new covenant, and thousands of Jews after the Messiah was cut off were saved and brought into the church!
NATION ISRAEL STILL REJECTS TRUTH AFTER 37 YEARS
Howbeit the nation as a whole continually rejected God’s new grace covenant still feeling their old one was sufficient. For better than 35 years God had been most lenient. The first christian martyr was a Jewish deacon in the church of Jerusalem. Excessive hatred came against the Jewish churCh at Jerusalem nevertheless they pressed on winning thousands. The. Jewish nation continually grew more and more rebellious toward the gospel of the good news found in the grace covenant until there came the day God declared, alright if you feel that way about my covenant I will give it to the gentiles. Honestly where could anyone fit Christ into a 7 year covenant to be broken in the middle of the week! During this time Peter had already visited Cornelius’ house as they became the first gentiles to receive the gentile portion of this covenant, Acts 10. Acts 11:18 declares the rejoicing of the Jewish christians ( who were also in this new covenant when they heard God had now granted the gift of life unto the gentiles as well as them. You see beloved, if Christ the Prince had made a particular covenant with the Jew as does the prince in Dan.9:27, he would have had to make it at the very beginning of his ministry in order to last 312 years before it was broken in the middle of a week as declared by verse 27 of which some want to say this is Christ being cut off. How can you possibly believe the prince breaking a covenant in the middle of the week found in Dan.9:27 could possibly be the Christ who has saved thousands of Jews after he was cut off as shown by the book of Acts! If Dan.9:27 applied to Christ there could have been no Jewish church in Jerusalem winning Jewish people after the Day of Pentecost. BUT THERE WAS! Paul visited that church in Acts 15 as late as 46-48 A.D. with gentile believers.
PEOPLE OF THE PRINCE COME
Time rocks on nearer to the hour for the destruction of Jerusalem by the people of the other prince. The gospel is well rooted now in gentile territory presses its way into around 65 A.D. where the 7 churches of Asia Minor in the regions of Greece, Corinth, as well as many other gentile areas are being established as we are now approaching the fulfillment of Dan.9:26. Things in Jerusalem with the carnal minded orthodox Jew continually reaches a hostile attitude toward christianity and things otherwise are critical also for around 64-66 A.D. the political orthodox Jew now divided in three parties began to witness much political upheaval within their social structure. All three parties desire their particular man to be high priest and the holy temple area in Jerusalem becomes a bloody mess as fightings, bloodshed, and killings between these three parties break out. Blood runs heavy around the altar of the temple and it is not blood from sacrifices of animals either, it is blood of Jewish men from these political factions or parties who fight and die to see their man become high priest if it is only for a few days before he is killed off by another party as that party would place their man in as high priest etc. Yes, Jewish history relates things had gotten so serious these party members would meet one another at the sacred altar, not to worship God but with spears, knives and clubs they slaughtered and butchered one another, This is the point to which the ministry of that hour had degraded itself when Jerusalem fell. In Malachi’s prophecies we saw the degrading of the ministry of the temple when only the wrong sacrifice and polluted bread were brought before the altar; 400 years later in Christ’s hour the temple area had been turned into something like a Chicago stockyard as men bought and sold animals for profit however 37 years later this is how the ministry who were suppose to minister before God and the people is ending! Surely the church at Jerusalem which we now hear so little about in this hour must also be feeling the effects of this carnality and brutality. No doubt by now the Spirit is quickening the minds of the Jewish believer concerning the prophecies spoken by Christ concerning the city and temple.
IN TEARS CHRIST PROPHESIES DESTRUCTION OVER JERUSALEM
No, by no means was it Vespesian’s intention to destroy the city. It was only destroyed because of the rebellious Jews who would not submit to the Army of the Roman Empire. This was the farthest thing from his mind however recall, the angel told Daniel the people of the prince would destroy the city and temple and Jesus had prophesied unto his followers that was what would happen and for them to get far away (Luke 21:22-24). These are the days of vengeance and wrath. Matt. tells how Christ stood at the temple and declared there would not be one stone of that temple left upon another. Luke brought how Christ wept over Jerusalem saying the day would come that thine enemy (who were actually the people of the prince) shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee around and keep thee in on every side and lay thee even unto the ground and thy children within thee and they will not leave in thee one stone upon another, Luke 19:41-44. Another place spoke of a moat being cast about the city (meaning a parapet of dirt encircling the city) to cut off any escape and level it even to the ground. Therefore beloved when you take all these statements of Christ (the Prince) shortly before he was crucified or cut off fulfilling Dan.9:25 and connect all these scriptures together it tells you exactly how Dan.9:26 will be fulfilled and Christ warned his disciples. In reality we have here the Prince of Dan.9:25 standing warning his own people about another prince in verse 26 who would be sending his people to Jerusalem and they would destroy the city arid Christ is telling his people when they see certain things begin to transpire to get out. Who then are the people of the prince who destroyed Jerusalem? Every history records after 70 A.D. it was the pagan Roman Army, who in reality was the people of the prince in verse 26 and therefore you cannot connect the prince in verse 26 with the Prince of Life in Dan.9:25! They are entirely two separate princes!! Christ’s people are not pagans!
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Very few actually know why Rome destroyed Jerusalem – in 70 A.D. This is the Actual account as recorded by Josephus, the Jewish Historian. It seemed that the sixties (especially between 65 & 70) witnessed much religious struggle for power. The Major three groups struggling for the religious power, especially the high priest office were the Zealots, the Sadducees and Essenes . It seemed that no one group could hold the High priest office and temple offices for any length of time before the other rival group would soon rise with enough strength to overthrow the present administration-and place their man in the priest chair. This overthrow of power developed into civil war between these religious factions in the religious circle until it became a continual Civil war involving far more than mere religious struggles for power. Multitudes of innocent bystanders were being killed, caught between their struggles. This became so alarming that the Sanhedrin sought government aid from Cestius Gallus the Roman governor to suppress these social party uprisings. To do so, the Governor sent 30,000 men to restore imperial authority, Autumn 66′ the troops under the command of Sesutes entered Jerusalem. The Jews retreated to the temple, leaving to him the possession of the city which he burned. Their encountering battles with the Jews were insufficient to put down the Civil religious uprising, while the Victorious Jews returned to the City putting on a demonstration of Joy-The Roman soldiers, beaten and battle scarred with their heavy loss of 9000 men, returned to Gallus the Roman Governor who immediately sought Imperial Aid from Nero the Roman emperor who dispatched Vespacian with 60,000 troops. Vespacian encountered very little opposition crossing Galilee. First spot to put up any resistance was Gabara which resulted in the death and destruction of the city and people. Next to offer resistance was Jotopata, a rock fortress which fell after 47 days and then only because a traitor from within betrayed the fortress, resulting in the slaughter of 40,000 Jews overnight. Josephus, an officer in the fortress was miraculously spared and prophesied to Vespecian. “Oh, Vespecian knowest not thou shall be emperor of Rome!” Unbeknownst to Vespecian a runner was already on his way bearing the news of Nero’s death. Jaffa and Tiberius offered no resistance as the army passed through. No resistance was shown until the army reached Galama which resulted in 9,000 more Jews, including King Herod, being slaughtered.
The civil war inside Jerusalem raged on among the Zealots and Sadducees, with the Zealots in present power as Vespecian arrived near Jerusalem with fifty thousand of his original sixty thousand crack troops’ and 160 bombardments machines. Having previously defeated 30,000 Roman troops these crazed, over-confident Jews decided to fight the entire Roman Army. Simon the Zealot priest with 2400 men seized the temple and fortified themselves within it. Three hostile garrisons were determined to defend themselves against one common enemy—THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Vespecian made no real attack against the city before being summoned back to Rome to become emperor, turning the new command over to his son Titus who began the siege on the Jewish Passover 70 A.D. Five miles from Jerusalem the Roman army encamped at Gibeath-Saul Taking an escort of 600 forces, he proceeded to the city only to find the gates closed and the surrounding peaceful and quiet. As the squadron turned toward the Tower Psephenus a band of defenders rushed through the gate separating Titus from his men. Retreat nor advance seemed possible. Titus dashed through his assailants, cutting his way through. The following day he advanced his troops to Jerusalem. The 12th and 15th legions were camped in front, the fifth behind them, the 10th on Mt. Olive. While inside Jerusalem on the eve of the passover was another attack upon the present administration in the high priest’s office—more civil war had broken out between the various parties. The 10th legion seized work at Mt. Olive and began digging trenches, certainly expecting no trouble from the Jews who were engaged inside in their own civil war, but the Jews surprised them, rushing irresistibly forward causing the 10th legion to retreat. The safety of the entire legion became impregnable until Titus arrived with reinforcements, driving the assail-ants into the valley of Kidron.
Later that day the troops resumed operations only to be face; with another vigorous attack from across the valley. Again the 10th legion took flight. The Romans began cutting down trees and leveling all rocks that stood between them and the city. So many hands were employed to this work it was accomplished in four days. Meantime Titus sent offerings of peace to the city only to have his soldiers driven away as those on the walls were clambering wildly for peace. Titus again sends new officers along with Josephus to the city to reason with the Jews but to no avail. As the ambassadors were driven away by a stream of arrows, the besiegers danced on the ramparts at their success. Titus, moving nearer to the city, established himself one quarter mile from the first wall (which was the lowest). Work now began by the Roman troops in readiness for bombardment, building themselves platforms, some the height of 70 feet making it level with the wall. Huge platforms were necessary to roll about their bombardment machines, support companies of bowmen, stingers, and javelin men. The engines were constructed on two principals– 1. The catapult, an enormous crossbow for the discharging of arrows that could send arrows at such a rapid flight, sparks of fire were created. 2. The ballista was composed of a spring of tough wood which, being drawn by human force or by a screw to a horizontal position, was suddenly set free by the blow of a hammer, hurled stones at such considerable force that Josephus related he witnessed a stone cut off a man’s head at 600 yards. Their engines were powerful and when well directed, shook the wall with the force of a cannon.
Titus divided his army into 3 divisions, each forming an embankment of its own. Between the embankments he placed his machines. Behind the machines the archers were placed. The 10th legion attacked by constructing ballista, throwing 50 lb. stones to the distance of two furlongs. Jewish watchmen, recognizing the stones by their whiteness, cried out, the bolt is coming, thus enabling them to avoid the blow. Finally the Romans discovered the whiteness of the rocks were give-away so they blackened the stone making them invisible and crushed numbers of men at a time. The Jews themselves also had a few weapons called siege engines taken from Cestus before Vespacean arrived, however ignorance of their usage made them of little effect. Their major harassment of the enemy was frequent assaults but the Roman missiles wrought terrible havoc before the rams were brought into place. When all was in readiness three of these engines were ad-vanced to begin their battering of the wall and the effect struck terror in the heart of the Jew. Jews launched fire upon these machines and operators. They would dash out, tear away the screen and slay the men protected behind them. At last the ram belonging to the 15th legion brought down the corner of the tower. This threw such terror into the Jews all operations were suspended temporarily. While Roman soldiers congratulated themselves upon, their success and set working plans in operation to penetrate the next gate, suddenly from an unperceived gate a complete unit of Jews came pouring forth with flaming brands to set the machines afire. Had it not been again for Titus arriving on the scene with more troops the day’s work would have been lost. Titus alone killed 12 men with his bare hands. On the 4th night after the commencing of the siege the first wall was completely weakened by the ramming machines. The Jews fled the area retiring to their second place of defense. As orders were given to attack the 2nd wall the conflict became most furious. Jews fought more daring and courageous than ever. Having sections of the outer wall removed Titus now advances his ramming engines into position against the 2nd defense. As the ramming commenced against the second wall the Jews showed signs from the wall of surrender. While at the same time signaling to the 2nd group of their conflicting parties fighting for the high priest control to prepare to give the Romans a warm reception. Titus discovered this maneuver and moved more vigorously in his assault against the Jews. The Jews now set fire to the great tower and fling themselves into the flames as the rams demolished the tower wall. The 2nd enclosure was taken on the 2nd day of its attack. In this area and part of the new city was where the braziers, woolstaplers and clothiers’ warehouses were situated. The Romans now in the streets of the city felt sure Titus would give an order to demolish all of these houses but he did not. He warned his men against plunder. Whenever possible Jews would fall upon the troops as they entered the city. From house to house; from courts and every street and gate the Jews would pour into these enclosures and fight with rage. Again Titus hastened to the aid of his troops placing archers at the head of the lanes and streets to gain time for his beaten soldiers to retreat outside the wall. This victory raised high the spirit of the Jews for as the Romans had captured the 2nd line they had been repulsed. For three days the Jews barricaded the breach and defended it, however, on the 4th they were compelled to retreat and Titus once again entered.
Clearing away a part of the wall and the towers, this left only one wall remaining with the larger part of the city in Roman control. Still there remained the most important work to be accomplished for the strongholds of the 3rd wall and what lay behind it would be the most important stand for the Jews. Titus withdraws his troops for 4 days giving the Jews time to reconsider surrender at which time he held a review of the troops, paid them their salaries and gave a new supply of provisions. The legions marched with glittering shields and gay accoutrements, while the calvary was decked in their glorious trappings. Seemingly, the only sad ones in the crowd were Jewish people beholding the doom of their city. The entire length of the third wall was crowded with spectators, even standing on rooftops.
HORRIBLE FAMINE STRIKES CITY
Titus had hoped such a display would bring the Jews to terms. His hopes were shattered when his messengers returned. On the 5th day he resumed his offensive. Each Roman leader was given 300 catapults and 40 ballista. The condition of the inhabitants inside Jerusalem was growing more severe. Famine was evident; Corn was nowhere to be seen. The search for food grew severe. Anyone looking sleek was suspected of having a secret storeroom. His house was visited and if nothing was found he was tortured. If the stores were discovered, he was punished for not producing it on demand. If it was possible to purchase a single measure of wheat or barley, one would do it at the cost of one half of his property and then eat it in a most secret place of his house, either raw or half cooked. No one dared set a table for a meal. Wives would steal the last morsel from their husband, children from parents and parents from children. Mothers would rob crying infants of the milk nature supplied them by consuming it themselves. Any kind of food was readily acceptable and eaten in peril of robbers for they were sure to be near. People would burst into others homes and pluck crumbs from the eater. Old men were scourged until they surrendered their last morsel clutched between their fingers. Women were dragged by their hair until they gave up what they possessed. Children seized, whirled and dashed against the stone wall and then robbed of little morsels held in their unconscious hands. It was said of the two rival parties causing all the trouble whose high priest was Simeon and John. One party would plunder the poor only to have the other party Starving Jews who had wandered out in search of food were captured and put to death. 500 per day were crucified until there were no room for crosses. Titus pretended he did not have enough men to handle so many prisoners. This was a military necessity. The Jewish soldiers delighted to point out acts of cruelty. by the Romans to their citizens. Titus sent prisoners back to talk terms of surrender with their sword hand missing. The Jews shouted defiances at Titus saying they despised death but preferred it to slavery. As long as they could breathe they would do all mischief possible to the Romans. Seventeen days later after building a high embankment against the tower of Antonia, the engines were brought into striking positions against the wall. As the attackers were ready to commence, John sprang a mine which had been constructed under the banks and down they rolled amidst smoke and flame and half smothered combustibles. The Romans were thunderstruck, giving up all attempts to preserve their works. Two days Simon and his party made an attempt to destroy the other embankments. Here the Romans faced their heaviest attacks by the starving Jew as they fought desperately to hold this last wall, pouring hot liquid fire down upon the Romans, driving them back and destroying their mounts causing them to suffer loss of all their labor.
TITUS PLAN – STARVE THEM OUT
The Romans now began to despair in capturing Jerusalem by ordinary means of warfare. Now thwarted in his efforts, Titus held a special meeting where 3 plans were proposed to capture the city— 1. Storm the city with all available troops; 2. Block it and starve the city into submission; 3. Repair the engines and resume the operations. Titus opposed the first plan saying, men fight harder when driven in desperation. Settling on the second, he moved his large force outside the city and waited to starve them out. His plan was to surround the city five miles by an embankment which was accomplished in 3 days. The Jews were now cut off on every side and the famine took a wider range devouring entire families. Houses were full of dying men, women and children while in the streets lay the dead, old and infirm. Young men staggered about the market place only to fall dead. Burying their dead was an impossibility, others were too weak to do so. Many died while attending to the dead. Amidst these horrors no wailing or weeping could be heard but with dry eyes and open mouths the living witnessed the dead go to rest. Robbers continued plundering not only the living but the dead, testing the temper of their swords upon dying men. The first order was for the public to bear the cost of burying the dead, soon the expense became so heavy they merely hurled the dead over the walls into the valley. The death toll amounted to 600,000. Titus, as he made his rounds, is said to have groaned and stretched his hands toward heaven, to have called God to witness that this was not his work. Deserters now begin to arrive in the Roman camp, throwing themselves over the walls or pretending to go out to fight the enemy. Their description of things inside were terrible houses now being turned into catacombs; sewers and old dung hills were searched for food. Mcn ate their belts, shoes and even leather covering on their shields. The rich managed to live on old hay for they alone could afford it. Robbers roaming the street, broke into a house after smelling flesh cooked, horror struck upon witnessing a woman eating her infant. Meantime military operations began against the city. Realizing their former bombardments had not been too successful when attacking the wall, decided upon another plan of attack. Locking their shields over their heads, protecting themselves from attack above, dug with crowbars at the foundation of the 3rd wall until 4 stones had been loosened. The following night the wall fell. In the morning a new wall appeared. In order to cut off all communications with the temple, the Jews set fire to the stately galleries of the north cloister which connected to the sacred edifice tower which had already fallen. Once again Titus sent Josephus to discuss plans to surrender before the temple should be injured, only to have the high priest John to reply he feared not the taking of the city for it was God’s own.
TEMPLE, LAST STRONGHOLD
The Temple had to now become their fortress, in the area of the last stronghold before actually arriving on temple grounds. For 8 hours the battle raged with not a foot of territory gained. The roman legions now commence 4 mounds to operate against the Temple, but in 6 days the strongest engines of the Romans had not made the slightest dent in the well jointed stones of the Temple. Attempting the scaling of ladders, the Romans were met with the most fierce defense, being slaughtered on their ladders by 100s. They were driven to fight on. The soldiers, now enraged, applied fire to the gates of the porticoes and the silver melting, the wood work was soon in flames, rapidly extending to the inner court, would have continued all night but was extinguished by Titus who was resolved to spare the temple. While determining the next day upon a general assault THAT NIGHT the infuriated Jews made two assaults upon the Romans, many of whom were engaged in putting out the fire in obedience of Titus. It was at this time one of the soldiers, empelled by fury, snatched a brand from the burning gallery and being lifted by another soldier set fire to a little golden window leading to one of the passages of the holy place. The fire raged heavily as Titus who had already retired for rest rushed forth in all his efforts to stop the raging fire. His soldiers pretend in his calamity not to hear his command; from court to court the flames were spreading but still the sanctuary by fury, snatched a brand from the burning gallery and being lifted by another soldier set fire to a little golden window leading to one of the passages of the holy place. The fire raged heavily as Titus who had already retired for rest rushed forth in all his efforts to stop the raging fire. His soldiers pretended in his calamity not to hear his command; from court to court the flames were spreading but still the sanctuary remained unscarred. With words and even blows Titus restrained his soldiers but their passions had reached such a peak and their hatred of the Jews was too much to spare their temple. A soldier thrust a brand beneath the door and the temple was burned. The heads of the two rival factors for high priest office who had caused all the trouble in the beginning rushed to the upper Zion and refused to surrender at any cost. This so exasperated Titus he plundered and set fire to the lower city to which he had possession. The town was taken by storm and thousands slaughtered. Those who were kept alive were sold into slavery or put in the arenas to serve as galdiators.
Titus ordered the demolition of the city with all of its noble structures and fortifications, nothing being left but a piece of the western wall and the 3 towers. Over the site, we are told Titus carried the plough, a sign of its eternal devastation. Now we are seeing the people of the prince coming to Jerusalem-(Dan.9:26).
4TH BEAST–ROMAN EMPIRE (CHRIST’S DAY AND END OF WORLD)
The question is, how does the prince in verse 26 find himself connected with verse 27 when there is over 1900 years between the two settings? It is really very simple however in order to understand it we must remember one thing and that is both princes in verse 26 and 27 deal with leadership of the Roman Empire. Scripture teaches from the book of Daniel as well as Revelations the last world empire to ever rule the world would be that of the Roman Empire however, at the end of the age, ten nations which formerly were territories of the Old Roman Empire would join together in a joint political union in Europe and form one of the strongest powers of the world of that day. This would be what has been referred to as a resurrection of that same old empire which lived and ruled the world in the day Christ was cut off and recall was the imperial Roman Army who came and destroyed the city and temple of Jerusalem. Europe today is rapidly forming itself into that prophetical picture uniting themselves into the strongest economical and political union in the history of the world. These ten nations alone have over 280 million subjects. Furthermore this empire is spoken of in Revelations 18 as anti-christ battling the true Christ who will no longer be a Prince but a King when he returns to earth the second time to take charge of all world government.
HEADS SHOW CONNECTION BETWEEN V.26 & V.27
In order that we may touch only the highpoints of this thought I would encourage you to re-read carefully our article FROM ROME TO THE VATICAN, Vol. 3 No. 7 which thoroughly discusses the beast seen by both John and Daniel in visions. Daniel saw only the great head however John in Rev. 13 describes how he saw the same beast which was none other than the revival of the old Roman Empire rising up out of the sea. John described his entire bodily makeup. The creature was most peculiar having seven heads and ten horns and it is here we must understand those seven heads will show us the connection between Dan.9:26 & 27. The seven heads on the beast (which was the old Roman Empire) was none other than seven separate forms of Roman government or rule over the empire throughout its various stages of existence. The first head on the beast represented the long line of caesars who sat on the Roman throne ruling the subjects with an iron hand. This first head or caesar rulership lasted until the death of Nero in 68 A.D. Recall. Nero the Roman Emperor (prince) had sent Gen. Vespesian, along with his son Titus and a portion of the Roman army to quieten the rebellion or revolt among the Jews. This of course brings; you into or through the setting of Dan.9: 26. With the death of Nero, a new head is formed on the beast which is represented through the period of Vespesian who was recalled from Jerusalem to take charge of the Roman throne and he Emperor. However, protruding off the beast in Revelation 13 John saw six heads which are not as large as the main head on the beast because the other heads or forms of governments could never be as strong as the first one when the caesars ruled the Roman Empire; thus with the addition of each head or form of government to appear we see the empire weakening and crumbling though not until seven heads have fully represented in rulership. Since our article ROME TO THE VATICAN, covers thoroughly the third through sixth head which mushrooms itself out upon the head of the beast which John saw, we will not touch on them but pick up with the seventh one.
WOUNDED HEAD TO BE HEALED
By 800 A.D. the empire is extremely weak , having already attempted several revivals unsuccessfully. Actually with the seventh head we find not one but two men on separate thrones ruling the Roman Empire which has by now broken itself off into ten separate horns. One of these men ruling is called an emperor who sits over the Holy Roman Empire as it is called at that time, while the other rules the spiritual state of the people of the empire. He is referred to as a pope and by 800 A.D. has gained far more influence over the empire in both matters of church and state than the poor emperor. John saw the 8th head which was not actually another head placed on the beast but only the 8th form of government which was a religious office, ruling alongside the 7th head, the emperor over the empire.
Recall, John said the 8th was of the 7th which simply meant the office of the pope of Rome had grown to such an exalted throne position he was able to topple the 7th head, a very weak head of that hour, and leave only himself in charge of both church and state transferring all the power and authority of the emperor’s chair over to his own chair thus making him the last form of government before his office was finally toppled, mainly through the birth of Protestantism. That is where we come to the statement John said he saw one of the heads of the beast wounded unto death (Rev. 13:3)—it was that papal office wounded unto death, the 8th of the 7th. And what are these heads over—the Roman Empire—although they have now been broken up into those ten horns or ten European powers. This wounded head was the last head on the beast and it being healed in later years shows that papal office must once again revive to the point it can set over her subjects as in the day when the last head was in power. To make a long story short and still show how the Roman prince or ruler in verse 26 is connected with that person in verse 27 who makes a covenant with many and in the middle of the week breaks his covenant when there are 1900 years between is to say,. the prince or the 8th head which is of the 7th, once wounded unto death, is that wounded head now healed as we see these ten European nations come together. They shall accept one head and he who is in the office of the 8th head yet of the 7th whose deadly wound is now healed and the world wonder after him, will become ruler as this territory of ten horns is resurrected into one power for the end of the age and to him (verse 27) who shall sit holding the reins of these ten horns, John says, God placed it in the heart of these ten horns to give their power to this one called the beast until the word of God be fulfilled. (Rev.17: 17).
RELATING TO PRINCE 1900 YEARS LATER
As these ten nations unite into one power they will accept the last form of government that ever ruled this people before it was wounded, that is the pope’s office! Whether it be the man in office now who shall fulfill Dan.9:27 or whether it be another yet remains to be seen, however it is this office which once carried the deadly wound now almost healed! Yes, it shall once again be that last head on the beast as no other head can be added—it is a revival of that last head which was wounded unto death whose authority and number of a man is 666! He is the false prince or false peace maker; he is the one who will have control of that power which lay dormant in Europe so many hundreds of years then to be seen in the resurrection of the same Roman Empire, which was in Christ’s day. Whether it will reach its full potential is not really important, the important things is it will be resurrected and its last head or form of government be placed back in authority.
As he (V27) has control of these ten nations, he will make a covenant with Israel also and it shall be, though unbeknowingly to him or Israel, when an agreement is signed between the two of a political, economical and peace agreement, it triggers the final week of Israel’s prophecy and after his covenant has been in progress for only 3 1/2 years something happens and it happens in Israel which causes the prince of Rome who is connected with the people in the manner we have mentioned who destroyed Jerusalem in 70A.D. to now break the covenant which causes the sacrifice of Israel to be cut off in the middle of the 70th week—this has nothing to do with Christ being cut off! Christ was cut off in A-part of verse 26. Over 1900 years has transpired since that hour. Therefore we note the prince in B-part of Dan.9:26 could either have been Nero who closes the last head power or Vespesian who fulfilled Nero’s office and is under the 2nd head of power. Nevertheless it is the pope or prince ruler in verse 27 who is that last head or form of Roman government restored and back to power. Therefore, it is the people of the prince who destroy the city. Emperors who ruled over these Roman people were never favorable to Christianity thus causing some of the greatest religious persecutions from Nero’s hour until 300 A.D. when Constantine came to power and favored what was known in that hour as chrisitanity. Thus there is no way biblically or historically to show the prince in verse 26, who had the people which destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, could possibly be referred to as christian thereby destroying any link between the Prince of Life in verse 25 to that of the prince of Rome in verse 26-27! Had the prince in verse 26 been Jesus his people would not have been God haters. heathen and pagans: his people would have been believers and the prince in verse 26 was certainly no believer. It was the belief of the Roman people the gods through flesh ruled their empire thus their emperors were worshipped as gods. So also will the last head of the Roman Empire. the 8th which is of the 7th, be looked upon as a god as confirmed by Paul in II Thess. 2:3-4 who said, the man of sin to be revealed (the son of perdition) who opposeth and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped—so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God (in Jerusalem) showing himself that he is God! This is positively a fulfillment of Dan. 9:27.
HEBREWS PROVES CHRIST NEVER MADE SHORT TERM COVENANT
Much has been said up to this point that according to Ma1.3: 1 the Messiah Prince of Dan. 9:25 brought a covenant as did also the false prince in verse 27, and it is now these two covenants we wish to discuss. If you have not already determined the Prince in Dan. 9:25 and 9:27 could not be the same prince and furthermore that the Messiah Prince did not at anytime make a covenant with any nation or people for only 7 years, perhaps as we study his covenant we can show how his covenant could not have been a 7 year covenant which he broke in the middle of the week-as some teach today.
The covenant Christ brought was not a political, economical, peace among nations or one leading to great prosperity, as will be the covenant made in Dan. 9:27. Turn to Mal. 3:1 where we first noted the Lord would come as the messenger to the covenant, however, recall in the beginning of Christ’s ministry we hear him already telling the rebellious Jew (John 5:43) he had come in his father’s name but they would not receive him! Malachi was Israel’s last prophet of the early or old testament period; his prophecies against the priesthood fall during the closing hours of that prophetic time referred to by the angel as the first 7 weeks or 49 years. This prophetic time began with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, her walls etc., which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army. Very little actual history was recorded for 400 years during Israel’s period of apostasy following Malachi’s ministry until the arrival of John the Baptist, clothed in the spirit of Elijah, to forerun the first advent of Christ, who, though not called by name, was prophesied would come by Malachi himself (Mal. 3:1 & 4:5-6) between 400-450 B.C., near the end of that 7 week or 49 year period. Ezra and Nehemiah, returning in that first wave of the 7 prophetic weeks, wrote how the people rebuilt the walls and the city (having earlier completed the temple)
GREAT REVIVAL FIRST OF 7 WEEKS
We believe Malachi was at the end of this 49 year period because his prophecies differ much from the actual conditions of the priesthood during Ezra and Nehemiah’s period who expresses what great revival came in during the first part of that 49 year period, after their return from Babylon and the city and walls were rebuilt. Ezra and Nehemiah records building a platform from which the reading of the law took place and how the people stood before the Lord weeping–their period was expressed by a mighty awakening revival. Recall how they put away unclean things and dedicated themselves to the true temple worship! During the first part of that 49 years (or 7 prophetic weeks) the ministry was in fine shape, however, at the end of that 49 year period the picture is not the same as in Malachi’s day. He prophesies strongly against the ministry and priesthood, temple worship, altar sacrifice etc.. Israel had had a mighty revival centered around temple worship however, shameful to say, now at the end of this period the priesthood has diverted from the true Word of God and Israel is now on another downward course.
Malachi prophesied against Israel for bringing lame animals for sacrifice and offering polluted bread on God’s altar. Isn’t it strange, the longest any people can keep a great revival pure is approximately one generation! The first generation had a pure truth but polluted it and as the 2nd generation embraced it, it become more polluted and by the arrival of the 3rd generation you can’t even recognize what it was in the beginning! Throughout the seven church ages when a revival of truth would come to the church world, especially after the Dark Ages, it was kept pure for only about one generation. By the time the 2nd generation played with it and passed it on the 3rd it wasn’t worth looking at!
For instance the 20th Century when the Holy Ghost Pentecostal revival shook the world shortly following the great California earthquake. The people of that hour sought diligently having a genuine hunger for the Holy Ghost, living as dedicated and holy to God as they knew how and God did give them this glorious experience for which their hearts bled, seeking him through many tears and material sacrifices. Certainly it cost people something in that hour to receive the blessing regardless to which denomination they belonged—they had to leave it! In order to follow on with God they had to leave their old line of denominal teaching however, as the next generation took hold of this blessed truth of experience by the time they hacked away at the standard of the early father’s we find it in quite a degraded state and now look at it today as glossolalia takes hold of it! They couldn’t care less about a person’s appearance, hair, dress, and etc. or morality: with glossolalia you have no standard! According to them anyone in any old way could get the very same experience for which it cost their forefathers everything to receive! Again it must be remembered this was in the first part when the experience came and the people were willing to remove from everything to have God’s blessing. However three generations later it’s just as polluted as it was in the days of Malachi’s prophecy. With Israel now nothing was wrong; they offered polluted bread upon God’s altar and you know today just any old unclean polluted gospel will easily mix with a glossolalia experience. That’s exactly the way it was in Malachi’s hour after the real temple revival simmered down when the priesthood lived close to God, now several generations later we find polluted bread on the altar of God is perfectly alright.
Laodicea also began with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and the people were most particular about what they ate spiritually especially after that great experience entered into their lives, however look today at modern christianity and her ministry–they care less what the poor people eat spiritually just as long as they are willing to support certain programs. So it was with Malachi at the closing of those first 49 years.
MALACHI’S VISION 106 YEARS LATER
Malachi is in the process of severely rebuking the priesthood and it’s corrupted ministry of that hour concerning the functions of the temple when suddenly God gives Malachi a vision allowing him to see the situation as it would exist some 400 years later. Malachi is allowed to see the first advent of Christ the Messiah Prince coming with a new and different covenant or message. Let’s notice the condition of the ministry surrounding the temple in Malachi’s day as it would be extended 400 years later when the Lord would come to the temple, the messenger of the covenant. The ministry in Christ’s hour had degraded itself considerably since Malachi’s day as now they were no longer offering polluted bread on the altar of God but were doing something far worse as will always be the case when repentance is not sought after, following the rebuke.
BEFORE ME
Before looking at what was actually taking place in the temple when Christ came with his covenant, turn back to Mal. 3:1 where we see the Holy Spirit upon Malachi sternly rebuking the ministry of his hour through prophecy saying unto them “Behold I send you my messenger (John the Baptist)” and note the Eternal spirit through prophecy says, he shall prepare the way before me! Now note, the spirit prophesying is the one who says I am coming with a message as he says, I’ll send my messenger before me and the Lord (God) whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple! And if you will note the Lord (God) in that verse says he. not another, is the messenger of a covenant! Where is this messenger ( the Lord God) coming to – his temple. However beloved he wasn’t coming to offer Israel any 7 year agreement or contract which he would be obliged to break in 3 1/2 years to comply with Dan. 9:27; no, but he is a messenger of a new covenant and that new covenant is a covenant of grace!
Before discussing this covenant of grace and how one may enter into it and what they expect once they have entered into it, let’s take a closer look at what this messenger, the Lord of the covenant, found when he came to his temple in Jerusalem. Note please, 400 years ago they were offering polluted bread and animals upon God’s altar but in Christ’s day they had turned the temple grounds into something somewhat like the Chicago stockyards! Money-making Jews were sitting in the temple with their special built bull pens and pigeon coops and etc., for they had a money making racket. Jews had long ago forgotten how to go to the stockyard in Jerusalem and buy a certain sacrifice then bring it to the temple to be offered. For convenience sake they had moved the stock-yard right into the temple area! What a stench and noise-making affair this must have been and furthermore it seems Israel now has 2 high priest’s Annas and Caiaphas (Luke 3 and John 18:13) who both judged Jesus and later questioned his apostles.
The Jews of that hour had commercialized and made a fortune selling animals; naturally the price would vary considering the size of purchase no doubt they purchased their merchandise in large quantities much like the A and P and sold it for a considerable profit. People today go to grocery stores, pick over various items, squeezing and handling the fruit and etc. until it is actually unfit for anyone. No doubt, this picture was the same in Christ’s day when the messenger, the Lord of the new covenant came to his temple—people squeezing and examining and picking over the pigeons and oxen and etc. until you would wonder if they were even worth sacrificing. No wonder the messenger of the covenant the Lord came angrily to his temple Mal. 3:1 overturned the tables of the money changers, made himself a whip and drove out those who sold in the temple area declaring the first time he did so in John 2:13-16 take these things hence and make not my father’s house a house of merchandise.
Did this correct the situation? By no means! They paid no heed at all! Years later he repeated it again, this time it was after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem ending the 69th prophetic week riding the foal of a donkey to fulfill Zachariah’s prophecy 9:9. Most people think of Christ being rejected by Israel when actually he was never accepted except by a few followers! For he came unto his own and his own received him not but to as many as received him gave he them power to become the sons of God even to them who believed on his name (John 1:11-12). Then 37 years later we see that ministry among orthodox Jews drop to its lowest ebb of corruption shortly before the temple fell in 70 A.D. Fighting, slaughtering, butchering became the order of the day on the holy temple grounds as those 3 leading Jewish parties tried to place their own man in the high priest office! The result was annihilation and starvation of perhaps a million Jews as the others were led into captivity and slavery which resulted from rejecting the Lord the Messiah Prince of Dan. 9:25 of whom they had been seeking-however because they had not taken heed to the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 weeks they missed his coming and his covenant! Even though 1900 years would have to pass, the day will come when Israel will accept that covenant but it will be only shortly before the millennium (during their final week).
COVENANT NOT OF NATURAL KINGDOM
Time has come to examine this covenant which the Lord himself brought in order to show it is by no means a material, political, prosperous, economical peace covenant such as will be offered by the anti-christ the office of (the recovered wounded head) as he and Israel enter into an agreement which will be broken after 3’2 years (Dan. 9:27). As Christ stated, I came in my father’s name and you rejected me! Rejecting him shows they could not have entered into any covenant with Christ!
Recall how various individuals came to Jesus the messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1) seeking knowledge from him as to when this kingdom of God would appear of which he had often spoken! Their minds understood the kingdom of God to be of some natural kingdom and as Christ saw this certain environment building up about him being the king, as various ones enquired when this kingdom would appear and when he was to take charge Christ informed them the kingdom of God comes not by observation (is not something visible, seen by the naked eye) instead the kingdom is within you (Luke 17:20-21). Now beloved if this kingdom of which Christ the covenant messenger deals w.th a kingdom that is to be within you ( in your hearts), how is it possible then to think Christ could have made any natural. material political covenant with anyone! Because the kingdom of which Christ was to be the messenger was by no means of any political or economical value! However the covenant made by the prince in Dan. 9:27 will do just exactly that for 312 years before he breaks it. His covenant is supposed to convey peace and prosperity wherein Christ’s kingdom is to be in you throughout this covenant of a grace dispensation, therefore no one would be able to say LOOK, HERE IT IS OR THERE IT IS, because the kingdom of God is within you. All the New Testament points out. Christ is within you and him being in you is your hope of glory (Col. 1:27). It is only by Spirit that Christ is in you! Money can’t buy it and politics can’t affect it because it is a spiritual kingdom! Recall Christ’s remark to Pilate when he told Pilate his kingdom was not of this world, John 18:36! Therefore no way could it be a covenant agreement to be broken in 3 1/2 years.
COVENANT SEALED IN BLOOD
Christ entered no agreement with Israel as some suspect he did for Hebrews is careful to point out the covenant agreement such as Christ represented had to first be sealed with his blood before it could ever be put into effect or become official. The writer of Hebrews tells us the covenant or (new) testament of grace which was first offered to Israel (only offered) before it was ever offered to the gentiles could not even be official until after his death or shall we say this covenant could not go into effect until after his death and that death took place where he was cut off (Dan. 9:26).
COVENANT OF NO VALUE UNTIL DEATH
Carrying this thought over into Heb. 9:16-21 we learn it is totally impossible for a testament (which is a covenant ) made to benefit another party to be in effect without first the death of the testator who leaves the testament or will!! Therefore the word testament must be understood to mean covenant as this new covenant is the new testament of grace which will affect certain people who have believed upon Christ (to the Jew first). Christ came in his father’s name, died and left a testament or will over 1900 years ago for his loved ones (Eph. 5:25). However, in the mind of God those who truly would accept his covenant of grace were already foreordained before the foundation of the world and God knew these would never reject his covenant, therefore in God’s mind Christ was (already) slain even before the foundation of the world to cover the death penalty for every name to be saved whereby that name could already be entered in the Rook of Life—WHEN?–Before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4, Rev. 13:S). Therefore in reality this covenant or will) the same as any will cannot be opened without a legal attorney after the death of the testator. Although this will is not one of riches in dollars and cents, instead we who became heirs and joint-heirs with Christ through this new covenant of grace inherit and enjoy all the father’s spiritual riches! It was only through the death at Calvary (Dan. 9:26) after he was cut off that Christ was even able to bring this will or covenant into effect to the benefactors. Think of it—Had he not died the covenant or will would have never been able to be opened. Therefore had he made some agreement or covenant with Israel only to break it in the middle of the week as some think he did, it was a covenant of no value until after his death. HE WAS BORN TO DIE!! How could we think Christ being cut off could possibly cause a covenant to be broken when it could not even go into effect until after his death!!
Paul tells the Jewish Christians it is not until after the death of Christ who made the will or covenant for his loved ones (the Jew first), could the will even be opened and possibly go into effect. Beloved it was on the day of Pentecost we see that covenant or will, having now been opened by the power of attorney. go into effect for the Jewish disciples only, because they are the first ones to receive of the benefits drawn up in this will or covenant that came about through the death of Christ (Dan. 9:26).
PETER DECLARES JEW IGNORANT
If Christ broke his covenant with Israel after 3 1/2 years of being in effect, as some people think, although without his death it could not even be in effect, it is, most assured Peter didn’t know anything about it because in Acts 3:17 he preaches his 2nd sermon to. Jews only and we hear him saying–you killed the Prince of Life whom God raised from the dead..etc.. and now brethren I wrought that through ignorance you did it as did your rulers. Verse 19—Repent ye and be converted that your sins may be blotted out…Now beloved, I ask you one question—how could you possibly make what Peter said fit into Dan. 9:27 making it read, when Christ was cut off in the middle of the week he (Christ) broke his covenant with Israel and began a great persecution upon the people. CHRIST CANNOT FIT INTO Dan. 9:27! Peter said, YOU CUT HIM OFF IN IGNORANCE, REPENT! He did not say, HE CUT YOU OFF but YOU CUT HIM OFF!!! They repented for cutting him off and accepted him in reality, for the first time they are accepting him and being added to the church.
JEWS ENTERING NEW COVENANT FOR FIRST TIME
The Bible says 5000 Jews were added to the church! Their names had been on the Lamb’s Book of Life even before the foundation of the world! Beloved those 5000 Jews are just now entering into this new covenant with Jesus Christ yet those 5000 who had a share in his death are being saved at this very moment! If any new covenant had been broken with Israel at Christ’s death not one Jew would have ever been saved. How could they! They would have had no covenant to enter into . Are you in his covenant of grace and mercy?
Now don’t think me silly but if this would have been like some people want to make it appear—watch, here Peter would have had 5000 Jews repented and ready to enter into this new covenant with Jesus (Acts 2:38) and the Holy Ghost would have had to say, Peter, I am sorry, I gave them a chance, you know the Jews were already in my new covenant; we had an agreement but after 3 1/2 years I had to break it therefore I can’t save these 5,000. No my friends, Christ came with a new covenant agreement, however he made no covenant with Israel. Israel was already under a covenant with God and had been since Abraham. Beloved, according to Paul’s writings God will save and accept any Jew when they turn to the Lord (II Cor. 3:16- 17). These 5000 Jews are doing just that. They repented and turned to the Lord accepting Acts 2:38 (the door to this new covenant.) and they came into this new covenant of his grace which we have already seen could not go into effect until after Christ was cut off.
Therefore the Lord, the messenger of the new covenant or will came in his father’s name and spoke to the Jew first–WHO RECEIVED HIM NOT, although later some did (John 1:11-12). They wanted to know what the father’s will was and he answered, the will of the father is that you should believe on him whom he (the father) hath sent, and doing so will give you eternal life (or Zoe—God’s (father) life). They flatly said, NO!
Recall, Paul said as long as the testator liveth this will or covenant cannot be put into force. It is only after he who made the will dies leaving his inheritance to the loved ones that the lawyer can lawfully open the will and issue to each one whose name appears there as a recipient concerning his part in the will. Is it any wonder once the new will or testament is opened by the Spirit only certain ones ever receive the benefits of its riches and revelation! It is only those to whom the testator writes the will or covenant who can be beneficiaries thus receiving of its contents when once opened by an attorney and I remind you not until Acts Chap. 10 does a gentile receive anything out of that will, it was strictly Jews receiving the benefits of the covenant will. Yes, the word testament means covenant because it was the Jews who called the riches of the old testament the covenant of that hour. However this would be a new covenant or testament of which Christ (not Abraham or Moses) would be the messenger.
ISRAEL UNDER OLD COVENANT IN CHRIST’S DAY
Recall Hebrews is a book written by a Jew for the Jewish christians of that hour (some six years before the fall of Jerusalem ). Not one gentile wrote in this Bible. We gentiles have only borrowed this book, that is all and when God is through with us this same book will return to them. Therefore recall in Heb. 8:6 when the writer says we have been offered a better covenant (showing it is better than something they had previously) that can only refer to a Jew as this grace gospel is the only covenant we Gentiles have ever had with God. Jews had a covenant but not gentiles. Paul speaks in Eph. 2:1-22 as to the condition of the gentiles before they were privileged to enter into God’s grace covenant. Hebrews plainly distinguishes to these Jewish christians the difference between the two covenants, old and new, showing how the old covenant died at the death of Christ. Therefore there is no way you could say this old covenant lasted only 312 years—that covenant lasted over 1900 years. The new covenant did not last just 312 years, it too has also already lasted over 1900 years leaving the thought of either the old or new covenant being the broken covenant after 312 years with Israel strictly out of the question.
OLD COVENANT LASTED OVER 1900 YEARS
The old covenant lasted from Abraham until the death of Christ! Nowhere in the history of mankind has Christ ever made a covenant with man that lasted only 3 1/2 years. therefore there is no possible way you can fit either the old or the new covenant in Dan. 9:27 as the one which referred to some prince breaking with Israel after 3 1/2 years. Hebrews, the book written to the christian Jews, goes into explicit detail to exemplify Christ’s position as a new law giver or covenant maker saying first, Moses was faithful over all of his house (Israel’s first covenant) likewise Christ was faithful over his house–Moses as a servant and Christ as a son who gave us this covenant.
WILL NOT TO BE OPENED WITHOUT ATTORNEY
The covenant of grace which was Eternal Life could not be put into effect until after Christ’s death and who do we find receiving the benefits of this new covenant after his death–THE JEWS! As a natural father would write his will declaring certain names to be the benefactors of what the will contained, so did our heavenly Father make his will–the will of the father was for everyone to believe on him whom he had sent. That will could lay there for years and never come into effect or force until after the death of him who made the will and then only by the power of attorney can the will be opened to represent those names before anyone in the will or covenant agreement can possibly begin to say. I want my portion. Who do you think, the attorney is that will open the (Spirit-Father’s) will? Oh, beloved, don’t miss this—the Eternal Spirit Father could trust no one to come and be the messenger of this will or covenant and certainly it cannot be put into effect until after the death of the testator nor can it be opened without the power of attorney;
Watch what the Eternal Spirit Father did for us gentiles after Christ brought the covenant and offered it, (first to the Jew) then died on the cross to make it effective and pay the sin debt for everyone whose name was written in the will, both Jew and Gentile, in order to have a power of attorney or power to open thewill. Still unable to trust anyone with such a delicate position as power of attorney we now see Christ himself, according to Hebrews, enter into the Holy of Holies to become the power of attorney to represent all those names which appear in this will or covenant. The covenant can now be put into force because the testator has died. He who died_rose again the third day has become the power of attorney to divide the inheritance among those whose names were found in the will, thus 50 days later who do we see getting the initial down payment on that inheritance which has come into effect but those Jews on the day of Pentecost as the father’s riches are being divided. Therefore, anyone should now be able to see Mal. 3:1 has no reference to the Lord bringing any natural covenant to the people; proving again and again it is a different covenant altogether from the covenant which was made and broken in Dan. 9:27! It is true the Messiah Prince came and ministered to Israel the last 3 1/2 years of that 69th prophetic week then being cut off 4 days later. However his ministry by no means extends into the 70th prophetic week because he never preached beyond his 3 1/2 years which closed out the 69th week.
JEW HATED CHRIST THUS NEVER ENTERING COVENANT WITH HIM
Again I repeat, “Christ made no new covenant with Israel because Heb. 8:7-13 that book written to the Jewish christian declares Israel in the day of Christ was living under a covenant with God which was still in effect! Recall throughout the earthly ministry of Christ those Jews, knowing his teaching was different, tried their hardest to force him into saying something against Abraham or Moses’ teaching or even the law because he who was God and became flesh was now subject to his own law. flow often did the Jews try to trap Christ into saying something by which to accuse him and say he had spoken against Moses and the law because the covenant which extended from Abraham, throughout Moses period, and the Law and had been added unto Israel 440 years after the covenant was made with Abraham was still in existence in the day Jesus walked the earth! When Christ was questioned by people often he would say, what saith the law and the prophets? This people as a whole hated Christ from the first day he ever preached. Does that sound like a people who entered into a covenant with him, IT DOES NOT.
FAULT FINDING PROMOTES NEW COVENANT
Hebrews 8 tells us somewhere the old covenant was going to be exchanged for a newer one for had the first one been faultless there would have been no place (in the program of God) ever sought for another, but finding fault with them (the people) not his old covenant but with them!! Finding fault with them was not in Christ’s day, Oh, No, but far back when Israel and Judah went into captivity hundreds of years before Christ came to earth. The spirit says I’ll make a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah not according to the covenant I made with them as they came up out of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant, this is the new covenant I will make with them, after those days-saith the Lord, I’ll put my laws into their minds and write them upon their hearts; I shall be their God and they shall be my people.
JEW STRICTLY RECEIVED BENEFITS UNTIL ACTS 10
Recall, Malachi saw him coming to his temple the messenger of that grace covenant; however note, when Christ was here the old covenant was still in existence! Christ knew it, and so did the Jews and the new covenant where the will was made was open and extended unto the Jew on the day of Pentecost only after Christ had died and gone to glory to serve as the attorney over the will and many thousands of Jews came to Christ and accepted their Messiah and not until Acts Chap. 10 do we see this gospel even making a slight turn from the Jew whatsoever going to the gentile however around 60 A.D. less than 10 years before the Jerusalem destruction do we hear Paul writing to his gentile converts concerning the people of Israel speaking concerning Moses who encountered the glory of God on the Mount and whose face had to be covered with a veil because Israel could not steadfastly look unto the end of that which is abolished (or annulled) but their minds were blinded and unto this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament which vail was done away in Christ (Messenger of the new covenant); but even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their hearts. Listen to this next statement clearly-nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away! The Lord is that spirit and etc., 11 Cor. 3:11-18. We note Paul saying when Israel turns unto the Lord that veil will be lifted and we realize though they rejected this grace covenant and it has been given to the gentiles for over 1900 years soon our day will be over as far as this grace gospel is concerned and because of 2 prophets that will be in Israel we know of no less than a 144,000 that shall turn to the Lord Rev. 7; how many others we do not know, but the scripture gives this number for a certainly and the covenant they rejected throughout the days of the apostles. in which the gentiles accepted will be the very same covenant they shall accept as the gospel returns back so the Jew shortly. Beloved it was because of their constant rejection of the Prince of life and his covenant of grace God much later turned to the gentiles and gave whosoever will the invitation to come and drink of the water of life freely. But gentiles did not even begin to drink until after the 10th chapter of the book of Acts.
Just another word concerning this kingdom of God to show it is not a materialistic kingdom. Paul teaches in Rms. 14:17 it is not a kingdom of meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is the kind of covenant Christ offered to the Jew first. Here is the covenant the Jews rejected not desiring any part of it, nevertheless this is the covenant the gentiles accepted to enter into the kingdom of God.
HEB. 10:26-31 EVIDENCE NO COVENANT MADE
The last point I want to present for your consideration as to why I believe it would have been totally impossible for the Jews to have entered into a covenant with Christ and broken it as some think happened in Dan. 9:27 and then only a few months later start being saved and entering into this same covenant from which they departed is to read Heb. 6:1-12 and Heb. 10:26-31. Studying these verses carefully, what do you see? You see the writer warning the Jewish people who have already accepted Christ a few years prior and have now entered into his new covenant of grace if they were to turn their backs on this truth and walk away from it, like some people think happened, the writer says there is nothing else left for them. Friends you can’t walk in and out of God’s covenant when you desire–AT IS IMPOSSIBLE! If a Jew ever did something in the Old Testament that brought about the breaking of God’s covenant and was cut off, he was forever on the outside. Therefore in the light of this it would have been totally impossible for those thousands of Jews to have broken a covenant with Jesus Christ and then received salvation after the day of Pentecost The fact they are saved so easily by mere repentance, as Peter said, of the ignorance in crucifying him proves they were not in any covenant agreement with him only a short time before because the Jews who were saved after the day of Pentecost were still the best they knew how clinging to or embracing their old covenant which was established with Abraham. Now less than 22 years later do we hear the writer warning these Jewish christians never to depart from this faith or covenant because if they got there simply wasn’t any way to get back in. Heb. 10:26-29, but rather instead there was only a fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation. However the fact thousands of Jews are being saved after Pentecost shows there is something for these people to enter into and it wasn’t fiery indignation and judgment but love and mercy. Heb. 10:26-29 says concerning the new covenant and anyone departing from it–you don’t deserve that much mercy which was shown under the old covenant if you trample underfoot the blood of this covenant of grace and do despite the spirit of grace.
Therefore beloved, Christ’s coming, as a messenger of the grace covenant was not set upon any 7 year basis, God forbid anyone should think along those lines.
FLOODED TWICE
The people of the other prince v. 26 who destroyed the city and the sanctuary, the angel said, would cause the city to end with a flood. What did he mean – the city would end with a flood? It must be noted here and proven by history that the word flood has no connection with a natural flood of water anymore than does the word flood in Rev. 12:15 refer to water of the natural after the children of Israel had eventually returned unto their homeland at the close of the gentile dispensation. Rev. 12:15 discussing a time when Israel is back in her homeland and Dan. 9:27 has then reached the middle of the 7 year covenant made by the antichrist and that great time of persecution is on after the breaking of the covenant. Rev. 12:15 says, “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman (Israel) that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. Is it not strange that in both Dan. 9:26 and Rev. 12:15 we see that word flood in both cases? Both scriptures definitely refer to Israel and implies a horrible drastic flood of persecution which shall come against the Jewish people for the purpose of destruction and annihilation. The first flood mentioned in Dan. 9:26 is after Titus finally captured the city in 70 a.d. Truly the city did end in a flood (of persecution against the people not a flood of natural water! Titus ordered the demolition of the city along with all of its noble structures and fortifications. Over the site we are told Titus carried a plow which spoke of its eternal devastation. That is the flood we see Jerusalem end in 70 A.D. However in Rev. 12 again the word flood appears and we see its fulfillment will come after Israel’s long dispersed period of some 1900 years among the gentile world where time and again they were forced to flee for their lives until finally in 1948 Israel once again became a nation. It is true she still faces serious problems with the Arabs who even today would delight to push her into the sea nevertheless this is no comparison to the persecution that Israel is going to encounter once that office of the 8th head is finally revived and reestablished being set back over the territories of those 10 European nations and that covenant will be made with many nations which includes the nation of Israel whereby they will be suppose to enjoy a peaceful atmosphere with great economical blessings. It is that type of covenant she will enter into and beloved that falls right in line with the thinking of many of the political Jews today!
MODERN JEWISH MINUS REIN; PREPARED FOR ANTI-CHRIST
In Israel we have talked with some who told us that some feel the coming of the Messiah is a period of political, economical blessing and prosperity upon the nation! In other words, many of the Jews are not looking for an actual man-Christ himself instead they’re looking for a period of prosperity; to them this is the coming of the Messiah and this line of thinking is a perfect setting for that which is about to happen as the prince will offer them just such a covenant as what already many of the political minded Jews now feel the coming of the Messiah is a period of prosperity! And it will be in the midst of such an environment, as their temple worship has been restored and the offering of sacrifices on the altar of sacrifice has been restored that another flood of persecution as described in Rev. 12:15 will hit that nation head-on as the man of sin breaks his covenant with Israel and causes their sacrifices and their evening oblation to cease. We know Israel is already deeply involved with the Common Market nations, even today exporting to them her finest citrus fruit, and finally in the middle of that final week or last remaining 3 1/2 years, Israel shall once again taste the wrath of Rome as she did over 1900 years ago. Rome now pretending to be the friend of Israel breaks the covenant of agreement which would grant to Israel that period of prosperity so many now in Israel look for and fulfill the word of Jesus in John 5:43 – if another come in his own name you will receive him! Yes they will receive him for what they receive, they feel that great long awaited period of prosperity wherein they all may live in peace, the world is tired of war, their one cry is peace at any cost. Israel as much as any nation in the world wants peace and there is coming a man in Dan. 9:27 who will offer her what she wants, that is for 3 1/2 years before he breaks the covenant and then starts such a flood of persecution upon Israel it is described in Rev. 12:15 as the serpent seeking to destroy the seed of the woman or totally annihilate her bringing her Gays of distress she’s never known before. Nevertheless according to Rev. 12 it is declared there is a place prepared for her (seed) in the wilderness whereby she may be nurtured for the space of 3 1/2 years after the covenant was broken in Dan. 9:27 a period of 1203 score days. The Jews shall once again face the onslaught of that Roman army which will come forth out of the Common Market nations, just as she faced the onslaught of Rome in 70 A.D. when the people of the prince came and laid Jerusalem to the ground. Now get this beloved, the setting of (Dan. 9:26 and 9:27) are practically the same only 1900 years apart, just as God had a place prepared for his true Jewish believer before the fall in 70 A.D. when he instructed his disciples and church once they saw Jerusalem compassed by armies they knew exactly what to do! We know also according to Rev. and Dan. in that 7 year covenant which triggered the 70th week, 2 prophets appear in Israel, a great revival breaks out resulting in no less than 144,000 Jews entering into the covenant which Israel as a nation rejected, and is the means through this great revival delivered through prophets that those believers will know what to do when Rome once again will bring pressure on Jerusalem who now has her temple sacrifices and evening oblation back in operation after a long period according to Dan.9:27. Israel is told what to do by these 2 prophets who in their hour shall be killed by the beast and lay dead in the street that all the world shall look upon Rev. 11: 1- 12 & Rev. 12:13-16. Just as Jesus instructed his disciples when to flee and where to go, so does the Spirit of God again tell the true people of that hour, who have accepted him through the preaching of these 2 prophets, what to look for and when to flee! No more than did Rome kill the christians in 70 A.D. who had fled having been previously warned by Christ, but instead butchered those carnal-minded Jews who tried to fight that beastly system in 70 A.D. and lost. Once again as that flood of persecution spoken of in Rev. 12 will also be more so against that carnal Jews who felt the peace and prosperity covenant offered by the false prince of peace was his Messiah or a period of prosperity to be ushered in, angered now at what the false prince will do in stopping their sacrifice and evening oblation which can only go on at the temple area, which today the Jew does not have in his possession, that deceived carnal minded Jew who neglected to hear those 2 prophets preaching in Israel will do as their fore-fathers did in 70 A.D. only to be the loser as were their fore-fathers as Rome once again pushes her way with her army upon the city as she did in 70 A.D. There we see the two periods where Israel shall be hit with a flood of persecution and it’s by the same beast power 1900 years only this time Rome does not annihilate the city – how much she will take and how much she will destroy is yet to be seen. The last portion of v. 26 states – and the end of the war (against Jerusalem 70 a.d.) desolations are d termined.
DESOLATION 1900 YEARS
Let us look for just a moment on desolations that are determined. Continually after 70 A.D. Jerusalem remained in just such a general state of desolation even on up into the 20th century. Jerusalem many times after 70 A.D. though not by the hands of the Jew would be in the process of trying to be rebuilt only to have invading armies passing through the holy land and attack the holy city. When Jerusalem wasn’t being a victim of attack it was some devastating earthquake which again would fulfill those words desolations are determined. That’s why Jerusalem (the old walled city) throughout centuries could never grow any larger but remain after 70 A.D. to be inhabited by only a small remnant of people. The angel declared desolations are determined upon the city. Yes desolations for no less than 1900 years are declared for that city and the worst and last desolation to be fulfilled in Dan. 9:27 after the antichrist or false prince of peace has broken his covenant.
JERUSALEM ONCE AGAIN MUST FACE ROME
Some time ago I read an editorial entitled IS MAN’S DESPERATE CRY FOR PEACE ONLY AN INVITATION FOR SATAN TO PLACE SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY TO BRING ABOUT THAT PEACE! The answer is yes! Out of Rome the person he (or the prince) one day soon shall come. There is no more powerful man today in Rome than the pope. Some think communism in Rome is stronger. Beloved I care not how strong the communist party in Rome is, it is only the pope of Rome who, as he proved in the 11th and 12th centuries under that last head on the beast before it was wounded, could absolutely paralyze the whole economical structure of not only Rome or Italy but any country he so chooses where his subjects are the dominating factor!
He shall confirm the covenant with many nations including Israel which their signing of the covenant triggers the 70th week; Christ’s coming and being cut off ended the 69th week leaving somewhere in history a period of 7 years for God to especially deal with Israel. Once she returns to her homeland after that long dispersion. Here it is! She’s back where she was 1900 years ago before Rome drove her out into the Gentile world, awaiting Rome once again!
God has now brought her home; she alone has faced 3 wars and still has many bitter enemies. She too is tired of fighting and would like to hold on to the almighty dollar (or pound) along with all these other natural benefits, and the confirming of this covenant will be just the thing economically, socially and politically she will need to do just that. However after 3 1/2 years he will break his own covenant! Oh, how I wish people could see this. Christ concerning his covenant never broke it – man breaks it—Christ offers it and it’s you and I who break away from it. God doesn’t break his covenant. His covenant is Lo I am with you even unto the end of the world – and if for some means he’s no longer with me it’s because I left him, he never broke anything! However this man in v. 27 did!
CARNAL MINDED JEW TAKES ON FORE-FATHER’S SPIRIT
It’s the anti-christ who makes the covenant and then can’t live up to it because something he didn’t plan on is happening in Jerusalem which causes him to break his covenant.
Everything goes along smoothly until these 2 prophets appear on the scene in Rev. 11 and Israel begins having a revival which leads to no less than 144,000 being converted. What happened? They began to receive the revelation of who Jesus Christ is and this won’t please the pope at all- he can’t have that much attention given to 2 prophets. Read Rev. 11 and see how it parallels with Dan. 9:27. It’s this revival he can’t allow to continue, therefore after 3 1/2 years, which is actually the middle of the prophetic week, he breaks his covenant and naturally during that hour, according to Dan. 9:27 Rev. 11 and 12, Israel has been offering her animal sacrifice. Furthermore they have been worshipping at the temple which is her holy ground; Jehovahs’s 2 prophets appeared on the earth doing mighty signs and wonders and such action has caused Israel to receive a spiritual awakening and the antichrist must put a stop to it, therefore fulfilling prophecy he breaks that covenant and automatically throws those carnal Jews into the same temperamental feeling which their ancestors faced when they saw the Roman army approaching the city around 68 A.D. The minute the antichrist breaks that covenant, cutting off temple worship, there will be a certain segment of those Jews who will walk away from that holy spot so angry they are ready to fight and when this takes place something terrible is going to happen in Jerusalem, because in the middle of that week he shall cause the sacrifice to cease. A brother once asked me, did not the sacrifice cease when Jesus hung on the cross? No my friend, no, for 37 years when Titus put an end to it.. The veil of the temple was rent, but nevertheless, the Jews continued right on with their worship entering into the holy place and etc., sacrificing on their altars until 70 A.D. Therefore you can’t tie Christ or his death into this verse anywhere. It is the anti-christ himself who breaks that covenant and will not permit those Jews to offer sacrifice on the altar of that temple ground neither will he permit their evening oblation which symbolizes the prayers of the people ascending up to God at the closing of the day.
Exo.29:38-42 declares this daily sacrifice consists of sacrificing two lambs daily, one in the morning and the other in the evening. Note, these lambs could not be over one year old! Furthermore he causes the overspreading of abominations to be ushered in meaning a period of excessive hatred against the Jew, a hatred as they have never known before and he shall make it desolate even unto the consummation meaning the completeness or fulfillment of it and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Yes, he built a covenant for a 7 year period strictly upon politics, economics. social reorganization and everything else, yet it had no spirituality about it at all. However thank God the covenant God gave us was a spiritual covenant reaping great spiritual benefits and it will be this covenant taken from the gentiles and given back to the Jews by those 2 prophets who give, especially to the 144,000 in Israel, this covenant and what rejoicing it will bring over that true spiritual covenant they enter into with God himself.
ANTICHRIST POSES AS GOD
Our gentile age is fast closing out today with the greatest cry for peace it has ever witnessed. It is looking for a leader who can solve the world’s problems, not aware they have bypassed the only one who could have done that, the Lord Jesus Christ! In closing we are reminded of the words of Jesus who spoke to a rebellious nation perhaps in the first year of his ministry when he said I came in my father’s name and you rejected me, if another will come in his own name, him you will receive-and this they did in v. 27! Inspired of Satan, as the man of sin will sit there in Jerusalem after he has broken his covenant) according to Paul he will place himself in the temple and for 3 1/2 years the people left here upon this earth will bow to the image of that system and be forced to go to Jerusalem to worship him, the antichrist, as God! Can’t you see how the anti-christ runs every type with that of Christ? Christ’s preaching for 3 1/2 years has nothing to do with the last week of Israel’s prophecy wherein she makes a covenant with the antichrist or the one who came in his own name only to say Christ’s preaching of 3 1/2 years establishes a yardstick whereby as Christ was bringing a spiritual covenant-was none other than the Lord the Messiah Prince who was God in the flesh. The anti-christ who comes in his own name in v. 27 also offers a covenant and the Jews enter into the covenant with him. They liked what he brought, but after 3 1/2 years he who came in his own name broke his covenant thus declaring himself God before all the world and for 3 1/2 years dictates to them that he is God all because when God in Christ did actually come to Israel as a Messiah Prince of life and offered them his covenant of peace and salvation, they rejected it! Thus as Christ will sit in the temple as God in the millennium worshipped as God (Zech 14:16, Ezek. 43:7) so does the antichrist sit in the temple declaring himself to be God desecrating the temple that had been rebuilt for the Messiah to sit in and no wonder we find in Dan. 12: there shall be a certain number of days between the cutting off of the sacrifice and before those blessed days of the millennium are to set in where in Daniel speaks of certain days which shall be only for a cleansing period whereby the temple is to be cleansed before the true Christ will sit in it to begin his millennium reign.
IRENAEUS’ TEACHING
In the ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, Vol. 1, Page 554, Irenaeus the 2nd Church Age Messenger refers in his work against heresy to the anti-christ who would sit in the temple at Jerusalem during those last 3 1/2 years and spoke of the tyranny brought against the saints who offered a pure sacrifice unto God:
ENTERING COVENANT
Let’s discuss briefly how you may get into this e covenant of grace with Christ e which Judah rejected clinging to d her old covenant. We realize this new covenant or testament holds the benefits of eternal life which grant us access to all the spiritual riches in Christ of our Heavenly Father. Moreover we have seen how Christ died and rose the 3rd s day paying for every name connected with that new covenant before assuming his position as power of attorney to make certain every person would receive their benefits granted in the will or testament. Our first requirement is to realize we are sinners and in order to receive our portion of this new will or covenant we-must-first be willing to meet certain conditions which he requires, (1). Repent of our sins and (2). be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins, that is to wash away all the evil deeds of the flesh according to Acts 2:38 and 22:16. Having done this now you’re ready to receive your first official benefits-that is the baptism of the Holy Ghost, our portion of the Holy Ghost is the earnestness or down-payment on our inheritance. Having received the spirit, without which we are none of his, we’re now ready to begin walking with God as his child and to grow in his grace as he continually leads us. We now continually add benefits of that grace already received as we are given the revelation of his will whereby our lives may be enriched and we may cultivate within us the nature of Christ. There are still other benefits which we will receive from the will that I do not have time to pursue only to mention this one very important one and that we shall receive (provided our body should be lying in the crust of the earth at his appearing) that body shall be brought out to stand in his presence clothed in immortally and then there is still more in his will for us, especially as we go on into the millennium or 1000 year reign with Christ wherein only God knows what all actually is in store for us who are beneficiaries of that will in the next age to come the 8th day!
