Daniel 12.1b-The Last Three and a Half Years of the Seventieth Week Will Be the Greatest Period of Adversity in Human History
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday August 20, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 12:1b-The Last Three and a Half Years of the Seventieth Week Will Be the Greatest Period of Adversity in Human History
Lesson # 371
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 12:1.
Daniel 12:1 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” (NASB95)
“And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” presents the result of the previous prophetic statement that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, will come to defend Israel.
Daniel 12:1 “Now, during this particular period of time, Michael, your great ruler, who stands watch over the citizens of your people, will come to defend. Consequently, a vexatious period of time will occur which has never taken place since a nation has been in existence up to this particular period of time.” (My translation)
Daniel 12:1 contains three prophetic statements.
The first is that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, the angelic ruler of the Jewish people who stands watch over the citizens of the Jewish state, will come to defend her.
The angel’s prophetic statements here in Daniel 12:1 are directly linked to his prophetic statements in Daniel 11:36-45.
Daniel 11:36-39 describe the character of the Antichrist whereas Daniel 11:40-45 speak of his actions during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
Now, the prophetic statements in Daniel 12:1 describe God’s response to the actions of the Antichrist.
The first prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 should be compared with Revelation 12:6-9 since both passages deal with Michael’s actions in defending Israel from the attacks of Satan and the Antichrist.
Also both passages deal with Israel being persecuted and attacked during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
God will send Michael to defend Israel from the Antichrist’s Satanically inspired attack against the Jewish people.
The second prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 presents the result of the first prophetic statement.
It is indicating that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, will come to defend Israel with the result that a vexatious period of time will occur which has never taken place since a nation has been in existence up to this particular period of time
The Lord says the same thing in Matthew 24:21.
The reason why Michael’s intervention on behalf of Israel will bring about an unprecedented time of adversity in human history is answered by Revelation 12:6-9 which teaches that Michael will wage war in heaven with Satan and defeat him so that Satan is thrown down to the earth during this period of time.
The fact that Satan will be thrown to earth during the midway point of the seventieth week and will be on the earth during the last three and a half years is one reason why the last three and a half years of the seventieth week will be the worst time in all of human history.
Secondly, the Scriptures also reveal another reason why the last three and a half years of the seventieth week will be the worst period in all of human history, namely, God will be pouring out His wrath upon the inhabitants of planet earth (Revelation 6-18).
During this period of time, the Lord Jesus Christ will break seven seals, which contain judgments that will be poured out upon the earth at that time and are recorded in Revelation 6:1-17 and 8:1-5.
The seventh seal triggers seven trumpet judgments, which are recorded in Revelation 8:1-9:21 and 11:15-19 and the seventh trumpet judgment triggers seven bowl judgments, which are recorded in Revelation 16.
These bowl judgments complete the third and final portion of God’s program to exercise His wrath, i.e. righteous indignation during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth, which is also called by students of prophecy as the “Great Tribulation.”
Therefore, because of this unprecedented distress on the earth, the last three and a half years of the seventieth week are called by expositors of the Bible, “the Great Tribulation period.”
A survey of many passages indicates that the nature or character of this particular period of history is that of: (1) Wrath (Zeph. 1:15, 18; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19). (2) Judgment (Rev. 14:7; 15:4; 16:5, 7; 19:2). (3) Indignation (Isa. 26:20-21; 34:1-3). (4) Trial (Rev. 3:10). (5) Trouble (Jer. 30:7; Zeph. 1:14-15; Dan. 12:1. (6) Destruction (Joel 1:15; 1 Thess. 5:3). (7) Darkness (Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14-18). (8) Desolation (Dan. 9:27; Zeph. 1:14-15). (9) Overturning (Isa. 24:1-4, 19-21). (10) Punishment (Isa. 24:20-21).
The tribulation period will witness the wrath of Satan in his animosity against Israel (Rev. 12:12-17) and of Satan’s man, the Beast, also known as Antichrist, in his animosity against the saints (Rev. 13:7) but even Satan’s wrath does “not” come close to the intensity of God’s wrath.
The Scriptures plainly teach that the wrath poured out during the Great Tribulation period originates with God and is therefore a time of God’s wrath upon a Christ rejecting a world that is deceived by the devil (See Isaiah 34:1-2; Joel 1:15; Zechariah 1:14-18; Obadiah 15; Revelation 15:1, 7; 16:1; Revelation 19:11-21).
The Scriptures plainly reveal that the last three and a half years of the seventieth week is distinctly the time when God’s wrath and judgment fall upon the earth.
This is not wrath from men, nor from Satan, except as God may use these agencies as instruments for the execution of His will, thus the wrath during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week is tribulation from God.
This period differs from all preceding tribulation, not only in intensity but also in the kind of tribulation, since it comes from God Himself.
The first great purpose of the tribulation is to prepare the nation Israel for her Messiah (Deut. 4:30; Jer. 30:7; Ezek. 20:37; Dan. 12:1; Zech. 13:8-9).
Many in Israel will accept Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah during the Tribulation period and along with Old Testament saints, they will enter into the millennial reign of Christ, which is subsequent to the Second Advent of Christ, which terminates the Tribulation period.
The book of Revelation teaches that the Tribulation period is a time when God deals with His covenant people Israel (Rev. 7:4-6; 12:1-2; 17).
These Jews who turn to Jesus Christ as Savior will enter into the blessings of His millennial kingdom and will experience the fulfillment of all Israel’s covenants.
The good news that the King is about to return will be preached (Matt. 24:14) so that Israel may turn to their Deliverer.
The book of Revelation teaches that many Jews will believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior (Rev. 7:1-8; Matt. 25:1-13) and also, many Gentiles will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and will be martyred according to Revelation 7:9-17.
The second great purpose of the tribulation is to pour out judgment on unbelieving man and nations (Joel 3:2; Revelation 3:11).
God judges the nations since they have fallen for the deception of the apostate religious system (Rev. 14:8) and have partaken of the “wine of the wrath of her fornication” and they have followed the false prophet in the worship of the beast (Rev. 13:11-18) and therefore must be judged (Rev. 6:15-17).
Since the kingdom to follow is a reign of righteousness, this judgment must be viewed as another step in the progress of God’s program in dealing with sin so that the Messiah may reign.
This program of judgment on sinners constitutes the second great purpose of the tribulation period.
The divine judgments that will fall on the inhabitants of the earth are designed to lead men to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ since God desires all men to be saved.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NASB95)
The divine judgments that will fall on the earth are also designed to destroy Satan’s cosmic system and establish Christ’s millennial rule.
Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (NASB95)
The Bible also teaches that the church is delivered from the wrath to come during the Great Tribulation period.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (NASB95)
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NASB95)
The seventieth week begins with Antichrist’s treaty with the Jewish leadership at that time but this Great Tribulation which will take place during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week begins with Antichrist desecrating the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem by displaying himself as God (Daniel 9:27).
The Second Advent of Jesus Christ will terminate the seventieth week and thus this great tribulation.