The annapolis peace conference nov-dec - 2007

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SubscribeNow I www.endtime.com I Call 1.800.Endtime ENDTIMEMAGAZINE I November - December 2007 3

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FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

Annapolis Peace ConferenceCONFIRMATION OF THE COVENANT IN 2008?While in Israel, President Bush said he was sure a final treaty between Is-rael and the Palestinians would be achieved before he left office inJanuary 2009. If this happens, it appears this would be the prophesiedconfirmation of the covenant. The confirmation of the covenant is theevent that will signal the beginning of the final seven years toArmageddon and the Second Coming.

Number of the Beast—666 or 616?In a few ancient manuscripts of the Bible, the mark of the beast isrecorded as 616, not 666. Since we are instructed to “count” or calcu-late the number of the beast, we asked our resident Greek and Hebrewadvisor Dave Novick to explain which is really correct.

Daniel’s EquationsThe book of Daniel gives more specific time-frames for prophetic fulfill-ment than any other book in the Bible. In this article, Craig Treadwellgives us two of the prophetic equations given by Daniel. These twoequations give us formulae that enable us to understand the timing ofendtime events.

616

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Cover : (Nov. 27, 2008) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, left, President George W. Bush, and Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas shake hands following President Bush's address to more than 50 counties and organizations at theAnnapolis Conference in the Naval Academy's Memorial Hall. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy by Gin Kai.


M A G A Z I N E

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CEO

Irvin Baxter, Jr.

MANAGING EDITOR

Craig Treadwell

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Ginger Boerkircher

Gail Simmons

Dana Grohman

PARTNER RELATIONS

Jana Robbins

CONFERENCE DIRECTOR

Kara McPeak

INTERNET

David Novick

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Simeon Young Jr.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of

God, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world,

and that He will come again to establish a

kingdom that shall never be destroyed (Daniel

2:44). Those who are born again (John 3:3-5).

will have eternal life and rule as kings and

priest with Christ forever.

WHAT IS ENDTIME?

In 1968, Irvin Baxter jr. discovered the United

States and other modern nations in the Bible.

He also found the Berlin Wall in the Bible and

that one day it was to be torn down, re-uniting

Germany, and that event would be the cata-

lyst to spark an international movement called

the “New World Order.” These things have now

come to pass. Irvin Baxter Jr., a Pentecostal

minister, began Endtime Ministries in 1986

when he wrote A Message For The President, a

book explaining the major prophecies of the

Bible which he had been teaching since 1968.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, prophetic fulfill-

ment accelerated rapidly. The decision was

made to launch Endtime magazine. The pur-

pose of the magazine is to explain the prophe-

cies of the Bible and to show that they are now

being fulfilled in intricate detail. Articles focus

on the soon return of Jesus Christ, the truth of

the Bible, and the need for salvation. Endtime

does not deal with doctrinal controversies, as

valid as they may be. This will be left to other

publications.

ENDTIME is published bi-monthly by Endtime Inc., 2701 EGeorge Bush Turnpike, Plano, TX 75074. Subscription priceis $29 for 12 issues. Copyright 2007 Endtime, Inc. All rightsreserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without writtenpermission is prohibited. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Endtime, P.O. Box 940729, Plano, TX 75094-0729. For subscriptions call 24 hrs/day, 7days/week 1-800-Endtime. Other inquiries call 1-972-530-0100 9:00 a.m. to5:00 p.m. (Central).

Ihave been studying the prophecies of the Bible for fortyyears now. In that time, I have witnessed some in-credible prophetic fulfillments. However, what is hap-pening now is different. The only way I can describe

what I am feeling is “convergence.” I’m not talking aboutone or two, or even three, prophecies developing at thesame time. I am saying that all of the prophecies that arespoken of in scripture for the endtime are converging rightnow!

For example, the Bible prophesies a war that will beginfrom the Euphrates River. We are fighting along the Eu-phrates River in Iraq today.

Scripture foretells that the international community willconfirm the right of Israel to live in the Holy Land within in-ternationally recognized borders. President Bush claims thatwill happen before he leaves office.

Revelation 13:16-18 speaks of a time when every per-son will be forced to have a mark or a number withoutwhich he or she will not be able to buy or sell. Out of 192nations on earth, 187 either have a national ID system orhave passed legislation to create one by 2010. The nationalID is the mechanism that will be used by the Antichrist toimplement his mark of the beast program.

The Bible prophesies a world government will be inpower just before the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth.

EditorialIrvin Baxter Jr. - Editior-in-Chief

PropheticFulfillments

ConvergeThe Bible prophesies a

world government will be inpower just before the

Second Coming of Jesus tothe earth. The world is

presently undergoing thegreatest restructuring

process of all history. It iscalled “globalization” be-

cause it is the setting up ofa global government. Wenow have the World TradeOrganization, the WorldHealth Organization, theWorld Bank, the WorldCourt, the International

Monetary Fund, the WorldCommunity, and on and on.

“So ye in like manner, when ye

shall see these things come to

pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall

not pass, till all these things be done”

—Mark 13:29-30

When

1The final seven years will begin when the Antichristand the international community give their support to

Israel’s right to exist in the land promised to Abraham byGod. This is called the confirmation of the covenant (Daniel9:27 & Genesis 15:18). Israeli Prime Minister has openlystated that the number one goal of his administration is toobtain the support of the international community for Is-rael’s final borders. He hopes to achieve this by the end of2008.

2A war will begin from the vicinity of the EuphratesRiver (Revelation 9:13-16). Most of the Euphrates

River is in Iraq. The United States has 140,000 troopsstationed along the Euphrates at this time. The conflictbetween the U.S. and Islamic Fundamentalism is not di-minishing, but increasing around the world.

3The West Bank (Judea) in Israel will become a placeof great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). Ehud Olmert

has openly said that he will withdraw from the West Bank(Judea) by the end of 2008. When Israel withdraws, theHamas terrorist state will take over in Judea, precipitatinga bloodbath.

4The Temple Mount in Jerusalem will be placed undera sharing arrangement between Jew and Gentile

(Revelation 11:1-2). President Clinton suggested thesharing of the Temple Mount in July of 2000. It is gener-ally believed this is the only possible solution to the Tem-ple Mount dispute whenever the issue is finally resolved.

5The Jewish temple will be built on the Temple Mount(Revelation 11:1-2 & 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). All the

furniture for Israel’s Third Temple is now complete; Israelhas her long-sought-for red heifer, which is needed be-fore the re-establishment of temple worship; and in Juneof 2005, the newly re-born Sanhedrin announced theywere proceeding with building the temple. They intend topre-fabricate it off-site.

6The Temple Mount will be placed under the supervi-sion of the world community and the leader of the

world community, the Antichrist will stand on the TempleMount, claiming to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). EhudBarak, Israeli Prime Minister in the year 2000, suggestedplacing the Temple Mount under UN control in order tomake a sharing of the Temple Mount possible. When theUN takes control of the Temple Mount, the leader of theworld government will feel justified in claiming ultimateauthority there.

7A world government will dominate the world for threeand one-half years prior to Armageddon (Daniel 7:23

& Revelation 13:7). The nations of the world are increas-ingly recognizing the authority of international law. Wenow have the World Bank, the World Trade Organization,the World Health Organization and the World Court—justto name a few. We have a World Court to adjudicate theinternational laws of the emerging world government.

8Each person on earth will be required to have a markor a number in order to buy or sell (Revelation 13:16-

18). On May 11, 2005, President Bush signed the Real IDAct. The law requires that every American must have anational ID card by May 11, 2008. Without this card, aperson will not be able to hold a job or open a bank ac-count. Without a job or a bank account, how much buyingand selling will an individual be able to do? Oh, by theway, you can’t get your card without giving your num-ber…your social security number.

9The world community, led by Russia and Iran, willinvade the nation of Israel (Zechariah 14:2-4 &

Ezekiel 38 & 39) Iran (Persia) and Russia (Meshech—root word for Moscovi or Moscow) are now in alliance.Iran is the leading advocate of “wiping Israel off themap.” e


ARE WE APPROACHING

ARMAGEDDON?Nine specific prophecies in the Bible will occur within the final seven yearsprior to the Battle of Armageddon. By examining these prophecies, wecan get a sense of how close we are to Armageddon.

The world is presently undergoing the greatest restructuringprocess of all history. It is called “globalization” because itis the setting up of a global government. We now have theWorld Trade Organization, the World Health Organization,the World Bank, the World Court, the International MonetaryFund, the World Community, and on and on.

The Bible states that as it was in the days of Lot, soshall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man. Theprominent social condition of Lot’s day was homosexuality.Lot lived in Sodom, which bequeathed to the world the hor-rible sin of sodomy (homosexuality). California recentlypassed a law against using the terms “father and mother”and “husband and wife” in public schools. This was donein an effort to not discriminate against those from homosex-ual lifestyles. The law also states that males can use femalelocker rooms and restrooms if they feel like they really arefemale. And females can use the male restrooms and lockerrooms if they feel like they really are male. Is this the stanceof some weirdo fringe group? No! This was passed by theCalifornia legislature and signed by Governor ArnoldSwarzneggar!

All the prophecies given to us about the endtime arecoming to pass right now! Jesus said about convergence,“So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things cometo pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I sayunto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all thesethings be done” (Mark 13:29-30). eAll of the prophecies thatare spoken of in scripturefor the endtime are con-verging right now!

6th Trumpet WatchTaiwan referendum could lead to 'high-risk period'Beijing's top official on cross-Straits affairs is condemninga referendum being pushed by Taiwan. Chen Yunlin, ministerof the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, called thereferendum to join the United Nations under the name ofTaiwan a "scheme" aimed at de jure independence. Taiwanleader Chen Shui-bian says the referendum for Taiwan'sadmission to the UN will be slated for March, and that hehas no rights to "veto the referendum". Yunlin warned thatBeijing will stay on high alert, and if Taiwan's secessionfrom China should occur, we shall resort to necessarymeasures without hesitation.

Iran indicates it is building another nuclear plantIran confirmed that it had received the first fuel shipmentfor its nuclear power plant, but also indicated for the firsttime that it was building a second plant. The 360-megawattindigenous nuclear plant is being built in Darkhovein. Iran'sAtomic Organization, Gholamreza Aghazadeh said that Iranneeds to increase the centrifuges at the Natanz enrichmentplant from 3,000 to 50,000, saying that with the current3,000, it could only produce fuel for a 100-megawatt plant.

U.S. moves closer to space-based combatThe United States is developing a new space vehicle, whichcould attack targets anywhere in the world within minutes.Space warfare is deemed necessary to counter possiblemissile attacks from enemy nations. A spokesman for thePentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency(Darpa) said that a first test flight was scheduled for some-time this year.

Bush warns of World War III if Iran goesnuclear, then does about faceU.S. President George W. Bush warned world leaders theymust prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons "If you'reinterested in avoiding World War III." “We've got a leader in

Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel,"Bush said at a White House press conference. But Bushseemed to do an “about face” when an intelligence reportcame out saying that Iran had stopped its nuclear weaponsprogram in 2003 just after invasion of Iraq.

EU WatchHungary first country to ratify new EU TreatyHungary set an example of the swift ratification needed toimplement the EU’s institutional reforms by January 2009.The Commission welcomed the vote as an important firststep in bringing the concrete benefits of the new EU Treatyinto effect. An overwhelming majority of 325 members ofparliament voted in favor of the new Treaty, with only fiveopposed and 14 abstentions.

EU embassy mergers are stepcloser to a superstateEurope has taken another big step towards becoming a su-perstate by proposing joint EU embassies throughout theworld. This suggestion came just days before the signing ofthe EU treaty.

EU defense ministers give boost tomilitary spendingIn a bid to improve the bloc’s military performance, EU de-fense ministers increased the European Defense Agency'sannual budget by one third. “Investing in the right technol-ogy is critical for the future of European defense and thestrategy is exactly in line with the absolute requirement forus to spend more, spend better and spend more together,"says EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

EU treaty to become UK lawThe EU Reform Treaty will be transformed into United King-dom law by an EU Reform Treaty Bill expected to be intro-duced into Parliament early in the year. At a ceremony inLisbon, the Treaty was formally agreed upon by Gordon

Brown and other EU heads of state. Now the ratificationprocess will begin and is expected to be completed beforethe end of 2008. The Treaty will come into effect on January9, 2009, and will create the new posts of permanent Pres-ident of the Council of Ministers and a new foreign policychief with supporting diplomatic service as well as abol-ishing vetoes in around 60 policy areas.

Mark of the Beast WatchFederal ID plan raises privacy concernsAmericans may soon need passports to board planes or topicnic in a national park if they live in one of the states thatare defying the federal Real ID Act. The Department ofHomeland Security insists Real ID is an essential weaponin the war on terror. But more than half the nation's statelegislatures have passed symbolic legislation denouncingthe plan. The ID cards would be mandatory for all "federalpurposes," which include walking into a federal building ornational park, according to Homeland Security SecretaryMichael Chertoff.

Millions more ID records go missingRecords of more than three million British learner driversare missing from a “secure facility” in the United States.Minutes after ministers admitted that they still did not knowthe whereabouts of two discs holding sensitive informationon 25 million people, they were forced to confess they hadlost the details of all candidates for the driving theory testbetween 2004 and 2007. The security breach came as min-isters were toughening sanctions against the willful abuseof data.

ACLU presses candidates to repeal Real ID card lawThe American Civil Liberties Union and its New Hampshireaffiliate are trying to pressure presidential candidates topublicly reject the Real ID law and to pledge to repeal it.NHCLU Executive Director Claire says it’s important to knowwhere the candidates stand on this issue. Although the New


WORLD REVIEWWORLD EVENTS THROUGH THE EYES OF BIBLE PROPHECY

B Y G I N G E R B O E R K I R C H E R


Hampshire Legislature, along with legislators in 16 otherstates, have rejected the de facto national ID card, andstatutes or resolutions have passed one chamber in elevenmore states and have been introduced in eight states andthe District of Columbia, it's going to take congressional ac-tion to repeal the legislation.

Privacy no longer means anonymityDonald Kerr, the principal deputy director of national intel-ligence, says privacy no longer can mean anonymity. Pri-vacy should mean that government and businesses properlysafeguard people's private communications and financialinformation. In 1978, the Foreign Intelligence SurveillanceAct was hastily changed by lawmakers to allow the govern-ment to eavesdrop inside the United States without courtpermission.

AT&T gave feds access to all Web, phonetraffic, ex-tech saysMark Klein, a former AT&T technician, says he stumbledupon documents that show the National Security Agency(NSA) gained access to massive amounts of e-mail, Websearch and other Internet records of more than a dozenglobal and regional telecom providers. Klein says AT&T al-lowed the agency to hook into its network.

There’s no hiding from the truth – you’reon camera!Mayor Bloomberg has said New Yorkers must face the factthat they're being watched. Countless private security cam-eras eye the city at all times. Within just eight blocks, a Postreporter walking in Times Square was captured by at least54 outdoor surveillance cameras.

Middle East WatchBush travels to Israel, West BankPresident Bush recently made his first trip to Israel as pres-ident. The visit followed up on the progress made at the An-napolis conference in helping Israelis and Palestiniansadvance their efforts toward peace and achievement of thePresident's vision of two democratic states.

Blair: Palestinian state by end of 2008 'possible'According to Tony Blair, the establishment of a Palestinianstate by the end 2008 is possible. He said that he knowsPresident Bush well enough, and Bush would not have setsuch a goal if he didn't believe it was possible.

Herod’s quarryIsraeli archaeologists have found the quarry that providedKing Herod with the huge stone blocks used to renovate theSecond Temple compound. Rabbi Chaim Richman of theTemple Institute sees this as a confirmation of the presenceof God, saying the quarry was found at a time when Moslemauthorities are trying to destroy any proof of the existenceof two ancient temples on the Temple Mount.

Priestly blessing on Temple MountThe Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) has been recitedon the Temple Mount for arguably the first time since the1st-century destruction of the temple according to RabbiChaim Richman. A group of some 25 Jews, organized by theTemple Institute in Jerusalem, visited the Temple Mount tocommemorate the 842nd anniversary of Maimonides' fa-mous visit to the Temple Mount.

World Government WatchUN agency announces global standardsfor Internet television servicesThe lead United Nations agency for Information and Com-munication Technology (ICT) has announced the first set ofglobal standards for providing television services over theInternet, a move that is expected to fuel innovation andcompetition. Standards for Internet Protocol Television(IPTV) have been developed by the UN InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU) with input from serviceproviders and manufacturers.

U.S. agrees to Bali compromiseThe United States made a dramatic reversal when it ac-cepted a compromise to set the stage for intense negotia-tions in the next two years aimed at reducing carbon dioxideemissions worldwide. The head of the U.S. delegation wasbooed when she announced that the United States was re-jecting the plan, but a delegate from Papua New Guineaseemed to carry weight with the Americans when he chal-lenged the United States to "either lead, follow, or get out ofthe way.”

Global Carbon Tax Urged at UN Climate ConferenceA global tax on carbon dioxide emissions was urged to helpsave the Earth from global warming at the United Nationsclimate conference. At least $10-$40 billion dollars per yearcould be generated by the tax, and wealthy nations like theU.S. would bear the biggest burden based on the polluterspay principle.

Ex-Mexican president: 'Amero' on the wayFormer Mexican President Vicente Fox has confirmed theexistence of a plan conceived with President Bush to createa new regional currency in the Americas. Fox admitted heand President Bush had agreed to pursue the Free TradeAgreement of the Americas – a free-trade zone extendingthroughout the Western Hemisphere.World Religion

World Religion WatchCatholic leader rejects 'Jewish state'During a pre-Christmas address, a top Roman Catholic cler-gyman in the Holy Land said that Israel's identity as a Jew-ish state discriminates against non-Jews. He said, “Thisland cannot be exclusive for anyone.”

Christians, Muslims pledge to seek common groundA wide range of Christian theologians and leaders endorseda document calling for increased efforts to work with Mus-lims. The new document, “Loving God and Neighbor To-gether: A Christian Response to ‘A Common Word betweenUs and You,’” was signed by almost 300 Christians. TheYale document expanded to include endorsements fromChristian voices including Rick Warren, Robert Schuller, andDavid Neff, editor in chief of Christianity Today.

Rise of Pentecostalism spurs call for Catholic 'self-ex-amination'A top official at the Vatican called upon the Catholic Churchto critically self-examine itself in response to the “expo-nential” rise of Pentecostal movements. Cardinal WalterKasper, who serves as president of the Pontifical Councilfor Promoting Christian Unity, said, “We must not ask firstwhat is wrong with the Pentecostals but ask what our pas-toral failings are and come to a spiritual renewal."

Pope urges ‘reconciliation’ for world religion meetingPope Benedict XVI urged “reconciliation among peoples”ahead of the religious summit in Naples. It was the largestinter-faith meeting held by the Pope. Benedict spoke withleading Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Anglican, Orthodox andother Christian figures. The meeting followed an open lettersent to the Pope and other Christian figures by 138 Muslimleaders, which urged greater efforts to bring the two reli-gions together. e


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& QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO ENDTIME EVENTS

Q: I know there are many speculations on what theseven thunders could be and why John was told not towrite them. After listening to Endtime radio, readingPaul William's book, and praying for wisdom, this ideacame to me. Could the seven thunders be the AmericanHiroshima, when terrorists have plans to hit seven UScities with nuclear bombs?

Why was John not allowed to write what he saw? Myopinion is that God has not yet decided the severity ofthese attacks. He is still listening to the prayers of hissaints concerning the safety of America. – Barbara

A: From the outset, allow me to be explicitly clear. I don’tknow what the seven thunders are. Would I like to know?Absolutely!

It has been reported that Al Qaeda is planning to bombseven U.S. cities with nuclear weapons. I don’t know if theyhave the wherewithal to carry out their threat or not. I con-fess that I have wondered if such an attack could be theseven thunders. But again, I don’t claim to know.

Why did God tell John not to write what the seven thun-ders said? Either He did not want anyone to know whatthey said, or else He wanted to heighten the mystery. I tendto think God may want someone to know. If not, why did Hemention the seven thunders at all. If God does want some-one to know, He will have to reveal it to whomsoever Hechooses.

Q: Where can I find a chronologic chart of endtimeevents?

A: You will find this in our course, Understanding the End-time–Level 3, also called “Sequence of Endtime Events.”We recommend that you get the DVD’s and the study man-ual in order to obtain a complete picture and well-roundedknowledge base. You may order UTE, Level 3, online atwww.endtime.com or by calling 1.800.endtime(1.800.363.8463).

We strongly suggest that you go through Understandingthe Endtime–Level 1 before experiencing Level 3.

Q: Hello. First off I want to say I've appreciated read-ing/listening to your prophecy teachings. I am fairlynew to your website.

Now for my question: When Jesus comes after thebattle of Armageddon and establishes His kingdom,what is the 1,000-year reign of peace that He will usherin? What is that about?

A. The 1,000-year reign is the time known as the kingdomof God. It is referred to in many scriptures.

Daniel 2:44 described it this way: “And in the days ofthese kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall notbe left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and con-

sume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”Revelation 11:15 says, “And the seventh angel

sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying,The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms ofour Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever andever.”

Revelation 20:6 describes the 1,000-year reign thisway: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first res-urrection: on such the second death hath no power, butthey shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reignwith him a thousand years.”

We read yet another description in Isaiah 2:4, “And heshall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many peo-ple: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, andtheir spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift upsword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

The 1,000-year reign of Christ will be a time of peacewhen mankind lives the way that God intended for him tolive from the beginning of creation.

Q: I thought there was a red heifer in Texas, but I havejust read this article: Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, Director ofthe Temple Institute, explained to Arutz-7 some of theHalakhic [Jewish legal] aspects of the fashioning of thevessels for the Temple. "For one thing," he said, "theyare made in impurity—for now we are impure, and will


Due to increased demand, Endtime is offering members of its prophecyteam for local prophecy conferences. All team members work closelywith Irvin Baxter and have studied his material for years. Each ministeris available for conferences throughout the year, presenting the very bestand latest prophecy news and commentary

remain impure until we are able to have a red heiferwhose ashes can be used in the Torah-prescribed pu-rification ceremony. If no red heifer is available for pu-rification, then the High Priest must even serve in theHoly of Holies on Yom Kippur in a state of impurity."Can you enlighten me on this? - Thanks Lola

A: A few years ago, Rabbi Chaim Richman, Executive Di-rector of the Temple Institute serving under Rabbi YisraelAriel, visited Mississippi to examine some red cattle aspossibly qualifying as the red heifer Israel needs. At thattime, he said the heifers he saw would qualify. Later aheifer was born in Israel that they thought might qualify. Is-rael would prefer an Israeli-born heifer. This heifer thendeveloped white hairs in her tail and was disqualified bythe rabbis.

In May of 2006, Rabbi Richman told our tour group thatIsrael had a qualified red heifer. I have attempted to findout more about this, but the sources of information havedried up.

The statement by Rabbi Ariel that the High Priest couldserve in the Holy of Holies in a state of impurity is a newstatement to me. The times ahead are certainly going tobe interesting!

Q: Please cover what Jordan's relationship with Israelis, and why do they have a part in the Temple Mount, orare they gaining control of it? And why? How does thisrelate prophetically. In Daniel 11:41 Moab, Edom andAmmon seem to be protected from the Antichrist. Why?God bless you, and thanks for all your hard work. -Tamie

A: After the Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War I,Palestine was made a British protectorate by the League ofNations. The United Nations voted on November 29, 1947to partition the Holy Land into a Jewish and Palestinianhomeland. When Israel declared independence on May 14,

1948, the Arab nations surrounding her launched a waragainst her. Jordan was among those who launched thewar. When the ceasefire was reached in 1949, Jordan con-trolled the area of Judea and half the city of Jerusalem in-cluding the Temple Mount.

Jordan controlled the Temple Mount and the West Bankfor the next 19 years until the 1967 War. Jerusalem andthe West Bank came into Israeli possession at that time.Some Israelis wanted to remove the Muslim shrines fromthe Temple Mount and to rebuild Israel’s temple there.However, the Israeli government returned the Temple Mountto Islamic control for three reasons. 1. They feared precip-itating an attack by all the world’s Arabic nations. 2. Theyfeared the adverse reaction by the world community. 3. Is-rael’s secular leaders did not want the rebuilding of thetemple. They feared the Jewish revival this might trigger,suspecting it might topple them from power.

When Israel placed the daily operation of the TempleMount under Islamic control, they requested that Jordancontinue to be the overseer of it.

Jordan has been the most pro-western and pro-Israeliof the Arabic states. Jordan’s late revered King Hussein re-ceived his education and military training in the UnitedStates. He also married an American wife. Jordan has beenthe most skilful of all Arabic countries at straddling thefence in volatile Middle Eastern politics. It appears thatshe will succeed till the end.

As you mentioned, Daniel 11:41 prophesies that Edom,Moab and the children of Ammon will escape the hand ofthe Antichrist. Edom is Petra in southern Jordan, the MoabMountains are in central Jordan and Amman is Jordan’scapital city.

Q: Thank you for "standing" against the Real ID Act. Iam against it, and many of my friends are against it.What should we do? – Galen

A: The plan of action is to first of all stand with us in prayer.

Secondly, join the effort to inform every person you know.One of the best ways to do this is to purchase our DVD onthis subject: “666–How Close.” Once you have your ownmaster copy, you have permission to make as many copiesas you wish to pass out to your friends and family.

Third, contact your lawmakers urging them to pass abill against the Real ID in your state if they have not alreadydone so. Seventeen states already have. You can find outthe current status of your state by going to www.nonation-alid.com and clicking on the “resources” link. Under the“websites” heading, click on the link for the “Real Night-mare” website. This will bring you up to speed with howyour state is fairing up against Real ID.

Lastly, contact U.S. senators and congressmen askingthem to repeal the Real ID Act at the federal level. e

Comment: I simply wanted to inform you about our ac-tivities here in Alabama. We will be lobbying for a Res-olution against REAL ID, sponsored by Rep. Cam Wardthis coming session. – Mike - No2RealID.org


THEANNAPOLISPEACE CONFERENCEC O N F I R M A T I O N O F T H E C O V E N A N T I N 2 0 0 8 ?

I R V I N B A X T E R J R .


The confirmation of the covenant, as prophesied in theBible, will mark the beginning of the final seven yearsto Armageddon. This confirmation will consist of two

things:1. The confirmation by the world community of Israel’s

right to exist in the Holy Land within internationally recog-nized borders.

2. The establishment of a sharing arrangement on theTemple Mount between Jew and Gentile. This sharingarrangement will allow for the building of Israel’s Third Tem-ple there, while not disturbing the Muslim holy sites.

The goals of the international peace conference in An-napolis, Maryland on November 26-27, 2007 were:

1. To launch negotiations to determine the final inter-nationally recognized borders between Israel and a Pales-tinian state.

2. To settle the final status of Jerusalem, which wouldinclude the final status of the Temple Mount.

In other words, the stated goal of the peace conferencein Annapolis, Maryland was the confirmation of thecovenant as prophesied in scripture!

It was known going into the conference that this goalwould not be achieved at Annapolis. The purpose of theconference was not to conclude an agreement, but rather torestart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that has laindormant since the Camp David talks broke down in July of2000.

A timetable has been set to conclude a final treaty re-solving all outstanding Palestinian-Israeli issues. The SaudiArabian government claims the Bush administration prom-ised that an agreement would be achieved within twelvemonths of the conference. On November 21, 2007, just days

before the conference began, Secretary of State Con-doleezza Rice said the United States will try to close a peacedeal between Israel and the Palestinians before PresidentGeorge W. Bush's term ends in January 2009, but she cau-tioned there is no guarantee of success. Rice said Israeliand Palestinian leaders have pledged to work for a deal set-ting up an independent Palestinian state before PresidentGeorge W. Bush leaves office.

If this is accomplished, it appears the confirmation ofthe covenant will take place within the next twelve months.If the confirmation does occur, the final seven years proph-esied in the Bible will begin.

Once again, if the goals set at Annapolis are actuallyachieved, it appears that the final seven years to Armaged-don and the Second Coming will begin in 2008!

What is the confirmation of the covenant?Daniel 9:27 states that the leader of the international com-munity, the Antichrist, will confirm a covenant with Israel forseven years. The “covenant” refers to the Abrahamiccovenant spoken of repeatedly in scripture.

“In the same day the LORD made a ‘covenant’ withAbram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, fromthe river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.”Genesis 15:18

“I also established my ‘covenant’ with them to givethem the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens.” Ex-odus 6:4

The covenant is God’s promise to Abraham and to hisdescendants after him that the land of Israel will be theirhomeland forever.

We know the covenant referred to in Daniel 9:27 is the

covenant made by God in Genesis 15:18, because the othertwo events foretold in the Daniel 9:27 prophecy also pertainto the Abrahamic covenant. The other two things theprophecy says the Antichrist will do are: to stop the offeringof sacrifices and to stand in the Jewish temple claimingsupreme authority there. Both of these events will takeplace three and one-half years after the confirmation.

Understanding these things enables us to know withcertainty two major things that will happen during the firstthree and one-half years immediately following the confir-mation of the covenant. 1. Israel’s Third Temple will be re-built on the Temple Mount. 2. Animal sacrifices will beresumed in the rebuilt temple.

We know this because the Antichrist could not stand inthe temple, as he is prophesied to do (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 & Revelation 11:1-2), if there were no temple. He alsocould not stop the sacrifices like the prophecy says unlessthe sacrifices were in progress.

So the confirmation of the covenant is simply the recog-nition by the world community of Israel’s right to exist inthe Holy Land within internationally recognized borders. Fur-thermore, it will open the door for the building of the Jewishtemple and the resumption of animal sacrifice.

A little history leading up to AnnapolisSince the stated goals of the Annapolis Conference matchperfectly the things prophesied for the confirmation of thecovenant, the conference is of incredible interest to Christianseverywhere. If these goals are actually achieved, we couldfind ourselves entering the final seven years to Armageddonand the Second Coming.

So what was Annapolis all about? For a long time, it has

A timetable has been set to conclude a final treaty resolving all out-

standing Palestinian-Israeli issues. The Saudi Arabian government

claims the Bush administration promised that an agreement would

be achieved within twelve months of the conference.


been believed by many world leaders that the Israeli-Pales-tinian conflict is the core of the international war on terror-ism. Many have said that we will never have true peace onearth until we resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On December 12, 2006, in one of his last speeches asUN Secretary General, Kofi Annan made an impassionedplea to the UN Security Council for peace in the Middle East.He pointed out the potential for the region to disintegrateinto a new and unpredictable round of violence if freshmoves toward peace were not taken soon. “We need a newand urgent push for peace…with principled, concerted helpfrom the international community,” he said.

Annan contended that there is no serious question aboutthe broad outline of a final settlement between Israel andthe Palestinians, since the two sides have come very closeto an agreement on terms in previous negotiations. Theagreement will provide for two states, Israel and Palestine,within secure, recognized and negotiated boundaries basedon those of June 4, 1967. The final terms will allow both Is-rael and Palestine to establish their internationally recog-nized capitals in Jerusalem, and ensure access for peopleof all faiths to their holy places.

In his first speech as the new UN Secretary General onJanuary 1, 2007, Ban Ki-Moon said that the Israeli-Pales-tinian issue was at the core of solving all the problems inthe Middle East. This belief echoed similar statementsmade about the Middle East by British Prime Minister TonyBlair. Blair had expressed the opinion that peace in the Mid-dle East was the world’s number one priority.

In early 2007, it became apparent that a major peaceoffensive for the Middle East was being launched by the

The Annapolis DeclarationTHE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE ANNAPOLIS DECLARATION

The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and the PalestinianLiberation Organization, represented respective by Prime Minister EhudOlmert, and President Mahmoud Abbas in his capacity as Chairman of the PLO

Executive Committee and President of the Palestinian Authority, have convened inAnnapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the UnitedStates of America, and with the support of the participants of this international con-ference, having concluded the following joint understanding.We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and

decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based onfreedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate aculture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whethercommitted by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israeland Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediatelylaunch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolv-ing all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specifiedin previous agreements.We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations, and shall

make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008. For this pur-pose, a steering committee, led jointly by the head of the delegation of each party,will meet continuously, as agreed. The steering committee will develop a joint workplan and establish and oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues,to be headed by one lead representative from each party. The first session of thesteering committee will be held on 12 December 2007.President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a bi-weekly

basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance fortheir advancement.The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations

under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to theIsrael-Palestinian conflict, issued by the Quartet on 30 April 2003 - this is called theroad map - and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, ledby the United States, to follow up on the implementation of the road map.The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing obli-

gations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty. The United States will mon-itor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the road map.Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treatywill be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the UnitedStates. (EDITOR’S NOTE: “As judged by President Bush”)

In his first speech as the new UN

Secretary General on January 1,

2007, Ban Ki-Moon said that the

Israeli-Palestinian issue was at

the core of solving all the prob-

lems in the Middle East. This belief

echoed similar statements made

about the Middle East by British

Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair

had expressed the opinion that

peace in the Middle East was the

world’s number one priority.


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History of the Temple Mount2000 BC (APPROX)—ABRAHAM OFFERS ISAAC ON MT. MORIAHAnd he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get theeinto the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the moun-tains which I will tell thee of. Genesis 22:2

1000 BC (APPROX)—DAVID PURCHASES THE TEMPLE MOUNTAnd the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neitherwill I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 2 Samuel24:24

TEMPLE MOUNT IS MT. MORIAHThen Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah,where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had preparedin the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 Chronicles 3:1

JERUSALEM: I WILL PUT MY NAME THEREAnd he (Manasseh) set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house,of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and inJerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever:2 Kings 21:7

968 BC—FIRST TEMPLE DEDICATEDNow when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, andconsumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled thehouse. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the gloryof the LORD had filled the LORD’S house. 2 Chronicles 7:1

JEREMIAH PROPHESIES 70 YEARS OF EXILE IN BABYLONAnd this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nationsshall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12And it shall come to pass, when sev-enty years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation,saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it per-petual desolations. Jeremiah 25:11-12

586 BC—NEBUCHADNEZZAR DESTROYS FIRST TEMPLEAnd in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth yearof king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard,a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9And he burnt the house of theLORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’shouse burnt he with fire. 2 Kings 25:8-9

CYRUS PROPHESIED TO REBUILD THE TEMPLEThat saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: evensaying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall belaid. Isaiah 44:28

538 BC—CYRUS COMMANDS BUILDING OF SECOND TEMPLENow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by themouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrusking of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put italso in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earthhath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him anhouse in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? TheLORD his God be with him, and let him go up. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

516 BC—ZERUBBABEL FINISHES TEMPLEThen he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD untoZerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD ofhosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain:and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace-unto it. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerub-babel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thoushalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. Zechariah 4:6-9

19 BC—HEROD THE GREAT BEAUTIFIES AND ENLARGES THE TEMPLE

JESUS PROPHESIED DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLEAnd Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him forto show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not allthese things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another,that shall not be thrown down. Matthew 24:1-2

CRUCIFIXION—MESSIAH REJECTED

70 AD—SECOND TEMPLE DESTROYED BY ROMANS

70 AD–1948 AD—1878 YEARS OF JEWISH EXILE

1948—ISRAEL REBORN

1967—TEMPLE MOUNT CAPTURED BY ISRAELIsraeli government places Temple Mount under Muslim control

1993—OSLO ACCORDS SIGNEDThe Accords called for settling the status of Jerusalem by 1995.

2000—CLINTON PURPOSES SHARING OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT

2002—QUARTET ALLIANCE FORMED FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

2003—ROADMAP FOR PEACE PRESENTED TO ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS

2004—SHARON ANNOUNCES DISENGAGEMENT PLAN

2005—SHARON WITHDRAWS FROM GAZA IN AUGUST

2005—SEPTEMBER 20, 2005: QUARTET REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR ROADMAP

JUNE 2007—BLAIR APPOINTED ENVOY FOR QUARTET

NOVEMBER 27, 2007—ANNAPOLIS PEACE CONFERENCE

GOAL FOR 2008: CONFIRMATION OF THE COVENANT

The Third Temple will be rebuilt and animal sacrifices resumed within three and one-half years after the confirmation of the covenant.


world community. Condoleezza Rice let it be known thatPresident Bush would love to see an agreement betweenPalestinians and Israelis before the end of his presidency.

The year 2007 became the year of the Middle East. Ricetraveled to Israel eight times in eleven months. EU HighRepresentative for Foreign Affairs Javier Solana continuallymet with the different key players in the region. Even UNSecretary General Ban visited the state of Israel.

Before stepping down as Great Britain’s prime minister,rumors began to fly that Tony Blair would become specialenvoy to the Middle East from the Quartet, thus representingthe entire world community to the Middle East. Within days,the rumors were validated. Blair accepted the position. Withthe appointment of such a high-profile person to the envoyposition, it was obvious that a decision had been taken bythe world community to make peace in the Middle East itshighest priority.

In July, President Bush announced his plans to hold aninternational conference on the Middle East in the fall. Is-raeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian Chairman Abbasbegan to meet bi-weekly in an attempt to arrive at a positionpaper that would be agreed upon at the conference. In spiteof much cajoling and arm-twisting, a joint declaration ofprinciples just could not be agreed to.

The date for the peace conference was left very much upin the air while Rice, Abbas and Olmert attempted to poundout a document of agreement. Finally, a date wasset…agreement or no agreement. The meeting would beheld in Annapolis, Maryland, on November 26-27, 2007.

What happened at Annapolis?From the outset, the jury was very much out on who wouldrespond to President Bush’s invitation to Annapolis. ThePalestinians said they would not attend unless there wasagreement in advance on the core issues. Egypt was in. Jor-dan was in. Saudi Arabia seemed ready to stay home untilthe U.S. used all of its diplomatic capital to get the Saudisto change their minds. Finally, the Saudis said they were

not interested in a peace process that would drag on for manyyears, ultimately creating more problems than it solved. TheBush administration promised it wouldn’t happen. “We intendto conclude a final agreement on all issues within one year,”President Bush promised. The Saudis were in.

By the time the delegates were counted, an amazing forty-six nations sent representatives to Annapolis. Each of the G8,the world’s eight richest nations, sent delegations. All five ofthe permanent members of the UN Security Council werethere. Interestingly, the Vatican’s undersecretary of foreign af-fairs Pietro Parolin was in attendance. The head of the WorldBank and the head of the International Monetary Fund at-tended. It was obvious that any deal in the Middle East wasgoing to require big investments to implement. That’s the rea-son it was critical for these international financial organizationsto be represented.

*NOTE: For a complete list of attendees, see side bar,“Delegates attending Annapolis Peace Summit.”

Twenty-four hours before the conference began, Con-doleezza Rice still did not have a declaration of principles thatboth Israelis and Palestinians would sign. Finally, at theeleventh hour, the deal was struck. The Annapolis Declarationwas signed.

List of Annapolisdelegation leaders

THEHEADSOFEACHDELEGATIONATTENDINGTHEMIDEASTPEACESUMMIT

INANNAPOLIS,MARYLAND,ASPROVIDEDBYTHESTATEDEPARTMENT:

ISRAEL,PRIMEMINISTEREHUDOLMERT

PALESTINIANAUTHORITY,PRESIDENTMAHMOUDABBAS

UNITEDSTATES,PRESIDENTGEORGEW.BUSH

EUROPEANUNIONCOMMISSION,BENITAFERRERO-WALDNER,

EXTERNALAFFAIRSCOMMISSIONER

EUROPEANUNIONHIGHREPRESENTATIVE,JAVIERSOLANA,HIGHREPRESENTATIVE

FORCOMMON FOREIGNANDSECURITYPOLICY,SECRETARYGENERAL

OFTHECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANUNION

EUROPEANUNIONPRESIDENCY,PORTUGUESEFOREIGNMINISTERLUISAMADO

RUSSIA,FOREIGNMINISTERSERGEYLAVROV

UNITEDNATIONS,SECRETARY-GENERALBANKI-MOON

QUARTETREPRESENTATIVE,TONYBLAIR,MIDDLEEASTENVOY

SAUDIARABIA,FOREIGNMINISTERSAUDAL-FAISAL

EGYPT,FOREIGNMINISTERAHMEDABOULGHEIT

JORDAN,FOREIGNMINISTERSALAHEDDINEAL-BASHIR

LEBANON,FOREIGNMINISTERTAREKMITRI

SYRIA,DEPUTYFOREIGNMINISTERFAYSALMEKDAD

ARABLEAGUE,SECRETARYGENERALAMRMOUSSA

CHINA,FOREIGNMINISTERYANGJIECHI

FRANCE,FOREIGNMINISTERBERNARDKOUCHNER

GERMANY,FOREIGNMINISTERFRANK-WALTERSTEINMEIER

JAPAN,TATSUOARIMA,SPECIALENVOYFORTHEMIDDLEEAST

VATICAN,PIETROPAROLIN,UNDERSECRETARYOFFOREIGNAFFAIRS

INTERNATIONALMONETARYFUND,MANAGINGDIRECTORDOMINIQUESTRAUSS-KAHN

WORLDBANK,PRESIDENTROBERTZOELLICK

ALGERIA,FOREIGNMINISTERMOURADMEDELCI

BAHRAIN,FOREIGNMINISTERKHALIDBINAHMEDAL-KHALIFA

MOROCCO,FOREIGNMINISTERTAIEBFASSIFIHRI

QATAR,FOREIGNMINISTERAHMEDBINABDULLAAL-MAHMOUD

SUDAN,AMBASSADORJOHNUKEC

TUNISIA,FOREIGNMINISTERABDELWAHABABDALLAH

YEMEN,FOREIGNMINISTERABUBAKRAL-QIRBI

CANADA,FOREIGNMINISTERMAXIMEBERNIER

ITALY,FOREIGNMINISTERMASSIMOD'ALEMA

UNITEDKINGDOM,SECRETARYOFSTATEFORFOREIGNAFFAIRSDAVIDMILIBAND

BRAZIL,FOREIGNMINISTERCELSOAMORIM

DENMARK,FOREIGNMINISTERPERSTIGMOELLER

GREECE,FOREIGNMINISTERDORABAKOYANNIS

INDIA,KAPILSIBAL,MINISTEROFSCIENCEANDTECHNOLOGYANDEARTHSCIENCES

INDONESIA,FOREIGNMINISTERHASSANWIRAJUDA

MALAYSIA,FOREIGNMINISTERSYEDHAMIDALBAR

MAURITANIA,FOREIGNMINISTERMOHAMEDAHMEDOULDMOHAMEDLEMINE

MEXICO,FOREIGNRELATIONSUNDERSECRETARYLOURDESARANDA

NETHERLANDS,FRANSTIMMERMANS,MINISTERFOREUROPEANAFFAIRS

NORWAY,FOREIGNMINISTERJONASGAHRSTORE

ORGANIZATIONOFTHEISLAMICCONFERENCE,SECRETARY-GENERAL

EKMELEDDINIHSANOGLU

OMAN,FOREIGNMINISTERYUSUFBINALAWIBINABDULLA

PAKISTAN,FOREIGNSECRETARYRIAZMOHAMMADKHAN

POLAND,FOREIGNMINISTERRADOSLAWSIKORSKI

SENEGAL,FOREIGNMINISTERCHEIKHTIDIANEGADIO

SLOVENIA,FOREIGNMINISTERDIMITRIJRUPEL

SOUTHAFRICA,FOREIGNMINISTERNKOSAZANADLAMINIZUMA

SPAIN,MINISTEROFFOREIGNAFFAIRSMIGUELANGELMORATINOS

SWEDEN,FOREIGNMINISTERCARLBILDT

TURKEY,ALIBABACAN,FOREIGNMINISTERANDCHIEFEUNEGOTIATOR

UNITEDARABEMIRATES,FOREIGNMINISTERABDULLAHBINZAYEDALNAHYAN

CONFERENCECHAIRPERSON,U.S.SECRETARYOFSTATECONDOLEEZZARICESecretary of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts a Pentagonmeeting with European Union Secretary General and HighRepresentative Javier Solana. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy /Department of Defense by R.D. Ward

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Edmund Gi-ambastiani, left, talks with European Union Secretary Gen-eral and High Representative Javier Solana in the Pentagon.Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy / Department of Defense byR.D. Ward

President George W. Bush visits the Azores for a one-dayemergency summit with Portuguese Prime Minister JoseManuel Durao Barroso (left), British Prime Minister TonyBlair, and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (right), todiscuss the possibilities of war. Photo courtesy of U.S. AirForce by Staff Sgt. Michelle Michaud



President BushThe first speaker at Annapolis was the host of the meeting,President George Bush. His message was clear: “We meetto lay the foundation for the establishment of a new na-tion—a democratic Palestinian state that will live side byside with Israel in peace and security.” President Bush isthe first U.S. president to openly call for the establishmentof a Palestinian state.

The President then proceeded to read the AnnapolisDeclaration that had been agreed to by Israeli Prime Min-ister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mah-moud Abbas.

President Bush concluded his speech by listing threereasons why the time is ripe for the achievement of peacein the Middle East. He said, “First, the time is right becausePalestinians and Israelis have leaders who are determinedto achieve peace. Second, the time is right because a battleis underway for the future of the Middle East—and wemust not cede victory to the extremists. Third, the time isright because the world understands the urgency of sup-porting these negotiations.”

President AbbasPalestinian Authority President Abbas was the next speakerat Annapolis. He said that the Annapolis Conference sym-bolized the crystallization of the entire world's will in itsmarch towards achieving a comprehensive and lastingpeace in Middle East and in bringing long-anticipated jus-tice to Palestine where oppression, wars, occupation and vi-olence have prevailed in the previous decades.

To President Bush he said, “We hope that this will bethe culmination of your legacy for the world—a world morefree of violence, persecution and fanaticism.”

Abbas went on to stress that “…the exceptionally broadparticipation of our brothers and sisters from Arab and Is-lamic countries, the Quartet, the G8 and the permanentmembers of the United Nations, in addition to many Euro-pean and Asian countries, as well as members from theNon-Alliance block and the African continent, in a confer-ence unique in the conflict's history, is a driving force thathelps imbue the conference with added legitimacy.”

Expressing the urgency of the Annapolis Conference,Abbas said, “It is no exaggeration to say, Your Excellency,that today marks a juncture in the history of our region—a juncture between two eras: The Pre-Annapolis era and itsaftermath. In other words, the exceptional opportunity thatthe Arab, Islamic and international presence brings today

coupled with overwhelming Palestinian and Israeli publicopinion in support of Annapolis, must be seized in order tobe a launching pad for a negotiations process. The possi-bilities offered by today's conference must not be wasted.This window of opportunity might never open again and ifit does, it might never claim the same consensus or mo-mentum.”

Abbas concluded his remarks by expressing hope that“…a genuine peace can be achieved soon, before the endof your term, Mr. President.”

Prime Minister OlmertThe third speaker of the Annapolis Conference was IsraeliPrime Minister Ehud Olmert. After enumerating all of theobstacles that stand between the Middle East and peace,Prime Minister Olmert went on to say, “I do not ignore all theobstacles which are sure to emerge along the way. They areright in front of me. I came here, despite the concerns anddoubts and hesitations, to say to you, President MahmoudAbbas, and through you, to your people and to the entireArab world: it is time. We no longer, and you no longer, havethe privilege of clinging to dreams which are disconnectedfrom the sufferings of our peoples, the hardships they ex-perience daily and the burden of living under ongoing uncer-tainty, with no chance for change or hope.

“We want peace. We demand an end to terror, incite-ment and hatred. We are willing to make a painful compro-mise, rife with risks, in order to realize these aspirations.

“The negotiations between us will not be here in An-napolis, but rather in our home and in yours. It will be bi-lateral, direct, ongoing and continuous, in an effort tocomplete it during the course of 2008.

“It will address all the issues which have thus far beenevaded. We will do it directly, openly and courageously. Wewill not avoid any subject; we will deal with all the core is-sues.

“The negotiations will be based on previous agreementsbetween us, UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338,the Roadmap and the April 14, 2004 letter of President Bushto the Prime Minister of Israel.

“On conclusion of the negotiations, I believe that we willbe able to reach an agreement which will fulfill the vision ofPresident Bush: two states for two peoples. A peace-seek-ing, viable, strong, democratic and terror-free Palestinianstate for the Palestinian people. A Jewish, democratic Stateof Israel, living in security and free from the threat of ter-ror—the national home of the Jewish people.

“I believe that there is no path other than peace. I be-lieve that there is no just solution other than the solution oftwo national states for two peoples. I believe that there isno path which does not involve painful compromise for youPalestinians, and for us Israelis. I want to thank you, Pres-ident George Bush, an ally in the path of peace, for yourwillingness to assist in the historic process of peace andreconciliation between us and our neighbors.

“I believe it is time. We are ready. I invite you, my friendMahmoud Abbas, and your people, to join us in this long,tormenting and complex path, for which there is no substi-tute. “Together we will start. Together we will arrive.”

With the conclusion of the Annapolis Conference, nego-tiations between the Palestinian and Israeli negotiatingteams began immediately.

During the week of December 17, 2007, an internationaldonors’ conference was held in Paris to raise the funds thatwould be needed for building the new Palestinian state.Eighty-seven countries and international organizationspledged $7.4 billion over the next three years to the Pales-tinians.

What does it all mean?We know that the event called the confirmation of thecovenant is going to take place. It’s in the prophecies of theBible. The only question is when. In light of recent events,it appears that the most likely time for the confirmation ofthe covenant is during this year of 2008.

Whether it does happen in 2008 or a little later, one thingis certain: The endtime clock is ticking louder than ever! Ifwe are to reach this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ,we must do it now! If the church is ever to rise to the occa-sion of world evangelism, the time for it is now!

What if the final seven years does begin in 2008? Whatwill we do about it? Will we be galvanized into an escalatedpassion for the lost? Shouldn’t we be mobilizing even now?We can’t be energized too early! We are definitely going torun out of time no matter how quickly we move. Let’s do itnow!

At this moment, I hear the lone prayer request of ourLord and Savior Jesus Christ ringing in my ears: “Pray yetherefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth la-borers into his harvest.” Will you respond to Jesus’ prayerrequest? e

We know that the event called the confirmation of the covenant is going to takeplace. It’s in the prophecies of the Bible. The only question is when. In light ofrecent events, it appears that the most likely time for the confirmation of thecovenant is during this year of 2008.


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Pick up almost any English version of the Bible, andturn to Revelation 13:18. It will read something like,“Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding

count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a

man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”While this Biblical verse may not be the best known, thenumber six hundred and sixty six contained within it is rec-ognized by most. This number’s association with the last

days’ character known as the antichrist has caused it to bepopularized, sometimes glamorized, and often feared byreligious and non-religious people alike. However, somehave cast doubt on the authenticity of this reading, and

616?

666or ??

The Numberof the Beast

D A V E N O V I C K

SOME MODERN VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE AS WELL AS RECENT NEWS ARTICLES CALL THE ACCEPTED

READING OF REVELATION 13:18 INTO QUESTION. DO THESE CLAIMS HAVE MERIT?


asked the question, “Is 666 really the number of thebeast?” For example, the margin of the New Revised Stan-dard Version reads, “Other ancient authorities read six hun-dred sixteen.” The notes in the New American StandardBible say, “One early manuscript reads 616.” Furthermore,news articles have appeared with such ominous titles as,“Beast’s Real Mark Devalued to ‘616’” and “666 WrongNumber of Prophetic Beast?” All of these things raise thequestion, “What is the real number of the beast asrecorded in Revelation 13:18?”

Answering this question accurately is of great impor-tance for two reasons. First, this verse was not penned ina casual work of literature. Its origin is the Bible, God’sWord. How important is the Bible? Deuteronomy 8:3 statesclearly that, “Man doth not live by bread only, but by everyword that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD.” TheBook of Revelation gives clear warning that its words areprecious, and are not to be tampered with. In Revelation’sclosing verses, we find Jesus saying, “For I testify untoevery man that heareth the words of the prophecy of thisbook, If any man shall add unto these things, God shalladd unto him the plagues that are written in this book: Andif any man shall take away from the words of the book ofthis prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the bookof life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which

are written in this book.” - Revelation 22:18-19. Knowingthe number of the beast as given to John by God and notchanging it is essential, if we are to please the Lord. Thesecond reason for seeking an answer to this question isfound in Revelation 13:18, the verse under discussion. Itbegins, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understandingcount the number of the beast.” It is God’s will thatmankind gain wisdom and understanding from His Wordwith respect to end time Bible prophecy and the signs giventherein – including the number of the beast. Only by havingan accurate understanding of the number of the beast canmankind successfully interpret Bible prophecy as it relatesto the person of the antichrist. Given that we live in thelast days, where many of these prophecies are now beingfulfilled, this understanding is essential. Because Revela-tion 13:18 is found in God’s unchanging Word, and becausewe know that God wants us to understand Bible prophecy,let’s look at the evidence and answer the question, “Thenumber of the beast – 666 or 616?”

New Testament ManuscriptsUnderstanding why some question the reading “666” inRevelation 13:18 as well as determining the correct readingof this verse requires an investigation into the area of NewTestament studies known as textual criticism. Textual crit-

icism is a branch of philology that studies manuscripts orprintings to determine the original form of a text. New Tes-tament textual criticism seeks to study the large body ofmanuscripts, early quotations, lectionaries (readings used forchurch services), and translations in an effort to ascertainthe accurate reading of the New Testament. Somewould ask,“Why is this necessary? Don’t we have the original manu-scripts, as penned by their authors?” The answer unfortu-nately is no. No original New Testament writings exist today.However, we do have an abundance of New Testament man-uscripts written in the original Greek language. In addition wehave many citations of the New Testament contained in quo-tations from early church writers and lectionaries, as well asnumerous ancient translations into other languages such asLatin, Coptic, and Syriac. With such a large number of docu-ments spanning such a long period of time, it is no surprisethat some differences have emerged between manuscripts,including those of the book of Revelation. New Testament tex-tual criticism seeks to understand and resolve these differ-ences. Textual criticism is an area of study that is very deepand very wide. In fact, some scholars are dedicated to nothingbut the study of New Testament textual criticism. In light ofthat, it is impossible to present a complete treatment of thetextual factors that go into determining the number of thebeast in this article. In addition, research in this field contin-

The margin of the New Revised Standard Version reads, “Other ancient authorities read six hundred sixteen.” Thenotes in the New American Standard Bible say, “One early manuscript reads ‘616.” Furthermore, news articleshave appeared with such ominous titles as, “Beast’s Real Mark Devalued to ‘616’” and “666 Wrong Number ofProphetic Beast?” All of these things raise the question, “What is the real number of the beast as recorded inRevelation 13:18?”

(FIGURE 1) P115 (also called P. Oxy. 4499), dates fromaround 300 AD and contains some or all of 12 chaptersfrom the book of Revelation, including Revelation 13:18.It records 616 as the number of the beast using Greekletters.

Understanding why some questionthe reading “666” in Revelation13:18 as well as determining thecorrect reading of this verse re-quires an investigation into thearea of New Testament studiesknown as textual criticism. Textualcriticism is a branch of philologythat studies manuscripts or print-ings to determine the originalform of a text.


ues and new discoveries are continually made. However, whatfollows is an overview of key factors that help to explain thequestions and seek to provide reasonable answers.

Textual WitnessesAccording to Aland’s “The Text of the New Testament”, awell known text on New Testament textual criticism, over2300 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament exist today[Aland, “Text of NT” 83]. Of these manuscripts, more than280 contain some or all of the Book of Revelation. Exam-ining Revelation 13:18 in these manuscripts reveals thatthere are differences between them. Some manuscriptsspell out the number using Greek words, some use lettersto represent numbers (similar to Roman numerals). Al-though the vast majority of manuscripts give the numberof the beast as six hundred sixty six, four (two pre-sixthcentury and two no longer existent post-eighth century) areknown to state 616 as the number and one 11th centurymanuscript gives 665. This explains why the questionabout 666 vs. 616 has been raised. Although one couldargue that the fact that the majority of manuscripts contain666 closes the question, textual criticism acknowledgesthat not all manuscripts are created equal. Some are morereliable than others, based on numerous factors, includingage, condition, and history. So, let’s look at some of theoldest and most respected Greek manuscripts that containthis passage.

Much of the recent stir about 616 has arisen due to re-newed studies of a group of very old manuscripts originallydiscovered in 1895 by archaeologists at the site of an an-cient garbage dump in Oxyrhynchus in Egypt. Many of theOxyrhynchus manuscripts consist of New Testament pa-pyri, and are very old when compared to other manu-scripts. One of them named P115 (also called P. Oxy. 4499),dates from around 300 AD and contains some or all of 12chapters from the Book of Revelation, including Revelation13:18. It records 616 as the number of the beast usingGreek letters (see figure 1). Because of this manuscript’sage, some have jumped to the conclusion that this must bethe original reading. However, this conclusion cannot bemade. Other evidence must be considered. For example,three manuscripts from the Chester Beatty Papyri includeportions of the New Testament. One of these named P47,dates from the 3rd century and contains chapters 9-17 ofRevelation. In its reading of Revelation 13:18, it states thatthe number of the beast is 666, using Greek letters (see fig-ure 2). So, two equally old papyri have both readings – 666and 616.

Other ancient manuscripts contain similar differences.The uncial manuscripts consist of those written with Greekcapital letters. Around 100 of these date from before the7th century. Six uncials are known to contain Revelation13 [Aland, “Text of NT” Chart 6K] and are noteworthy inthis discussion. Codexa (Aleph – the first letter of the He-brew alphabet), also known as Sinaiticus, was discoveredby Constantin von Tischendorf in St. Catherine’s Monastery

Although the vast majority of manuscripts give the number ofthe beast as six hundred sixty six, four (two pre-sixth centuryand two no longer existent post-eighth century) are known tostate 616 as the number.

(FIGURE 2) P47, dates from the 3rd century and contains chapters 9-17 of Revelation. In its reading of Revelation13:18, it states that the number of the beast is 666, using Greek letters.


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on Mt. Sinai in 1859. It dates from the fourth century andis one of the most revered NT manuscripts, due to its ageas well as the fact that it contains all of the New Testa-ment. Its reading of Revelation 13:18 denotes 666 as thenumber of the beast, spelled out with Greek words. CodexAlexandrinus (A/02), a fifth century uncial as well as CodexP/025 of the ninth century, and codices 046 and Codex 051of the 10th century all agree with Codexa in their readingof 666 (with slight spelling differences). However, CodexC/04 of the fifth century has 616 spelled out with Greekletters as the number of the beast. So, it agrees with P115

as the only other ancient witness of this alternate text.In summary, of the almost 300 Greek manuscripts con-

taining Revelation, almost all of them state 666 as thenumber of the beast. The two oldest papyri are evenly di-vided in their reading, and over 80% of uncial manuscriptshold the reading of 666.

Early Church Writings and TranslationsIn addition to the evidence of Greek manuscripts, we canalso look to Biblical quotations found in early church writ-ings, as well as ancient translations of the New Testament.One early church writer by the name of Tyconius recognized616 as the number of the beast in his 4th century Latinversion. In contrast, the writings of Origen and Hippolytus(both of the 3rd century) attest strongly to the value of 666as the correct reading [Burgon 136]. Most noteworthy how-ever are the statements of Irenaeus, the 2nd centurybishop of Lyon, known to be a disciple of Polycarp. Polycarpis believed to have been a disciple of John, the author ofRevelation. In his treatise, “Against Heresies,” Irenaeusdeals with the subject of Revelation 13 and the number ofthe beast. In Book 5, Chapter 28 of this work, he statesthat the number of the beast is 666. In addition, Chapter30 of the same work makes the following statement re-garding the number 666:

“Such, then, being the state of the case, and this num-ber being found in all the most approved and ancientcopies [of the Apocalypse], and those men who saw Johnface to face bearing their testimony [to it]; while reasonalso leads us to conclude that the number of the name ofthe beast, [if reckoned] according to the Greek mode ofcalculation by the [value of] the letters contained in it, willamount to six hundred and sixty and six…(portionelided)…I do not know how it is that some have erred fol-lowing the ordinary mode of speech, and have vitiated themiddle number in the name, deducting the amount of fiftyfrom it, so that instead of six decads (author’s note: adecad is 10) they will have it that there is but one. [I aminclined to think that this occurred through the fault of thecopyists, as is wont to happen, since numbers also are ex-

pressed by letters; so that the Greek letter which expressesthe number sixty was easily expanded into the letter Iota ofthe Greeks.] Others then received this reading without ex-amination; some in their simplicity, and upon their own re-sponsibility, making use of this number expressing onedecad; while some, in their inexperience, have ventured toseek out a name which should contain the erroneous andspurious number.” [Roberts 558]

In this illuminating passage, Irenaeus states that 666is the reading found in the most reliable copies of Revela-tion, including those copied by men who saw John. In ad-dition, he acknowledges the existence of the 616 reading,but considers it erroneous, attributing it to copying errorsand the failure of some to properly examine the authenticityof the alternate reading.

As the knowledge of Greek decreased in the ancientworld, many translations of the Greek New Testament intothe common languages of the people were created. Theseearly translations agree in their readings of Revelation13:18. The 5th century Armenian, the Syriac of the 6th cen-tury, the Old Latin of the 13th century, the Coptic, and theLatin Vulgate all agree that the number of the beast is 666.

Providence of GodWhile New Testament textual criticism seeks to understandand resolve differences among versions of the Greek NewTestament, our confidence in the text of the Bible is not re-liant upon the intellect of men or the tools of science. Mostimportantly, we have a promise from God that He will al-ways preserve the integrity of His Word. Psalm 100:5states that, “His truth endureth to all generations.” Withthis promise, we can rest, knowing that God has carefullywatched over the transmission of the New Testament fromits original writing to the present day. Whereas 666 has al-ways been the dominant reading of Revelation 13:18, itseems clear through faith in God’s promises that this isthe original reading of the verse as penned by John on Pat-mos.

Conclusion“And his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Thisstatement from the last days’ prophecy of Revelation 13gives a clue to the identity of the antichrist. God’s statedpurpose in this verse is that we understand it correctly.This is especially true for those of us who live in the daysimmediately preceding the coming of Jesus Christ. Unfor-tunately, some have questioned the accuracy of 666 as thenumber of the beast. Some have suggested that 616 is thereal number. However, the majority of almost 300 Greekmanuscripts, including the oldest and most valued, alongwith the evidence of early church writings and translations,

all stand together as a great witness to the authenticity of666 against a rather small set of four manuscripts and oneearly writer that make their claim for 616. eCitations and References

“666 wrong number of prophetic beast?” World Net Daily. WorldNet-Daily.com. 8 May 2005. 10 Jan 2008.<http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44169>.

Aland, Kurt and Barbara Aland. The Text of The New Testament .Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.

Aland, Barbara, Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Carlo M. Martini, BruceM. Metzger and Allen Wikgren. The Greek New Testament. 4th ed.Federal Republic of Germany: United Bible Societies, 1993, c1979.

“Beast’s Real Mark Devalued to ‘616’”. ReligionNewsBlog. Religion-NewsBlog.com. 4 May 2005. 10 Jan 2008. <http://www.religion-newsblog.com/11134/beasts-real-mark-devalued-to-616>.

Biblical Studies Press. The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NETBible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2006; 2006.

Burgon, Dean John William. The Revision Revised. Paradise: Conser-vative Classics, 1883.

Charles, R.H. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on The Revelationof St. John. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1985.

"Chester Beatty Papyri." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Jan2008. 10 Jan 2008.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Beatty_Biblical_Papyri>.

"Codex Sinaiticus." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Nov 2007. 10Jan 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus>.

Comfort, Philip Wesley and David P. Barrett. The Text of the EarliestNew Testament Greek Manuscripts. A corrected, enlarged ed. of Thecomplete text of the earliest New Testament manuscripts. Wheaton,Ill.: Tyndale House, 2001.

“Irenaeus.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Jan 2008. 10 Jan2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irenaeus>.

Metzger, Bruce Manning and United Bible Societies. A Textual Com-mentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition a CompanionVolume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (4th Rev.Ed.). London; New York: United Bible Societies, 1994.

Nestle, Eberhard, Erwin Nestle, Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland and Uni-versitat Munster. Institut fur Neutestamentliche Textforschung.Novum Testamentum Graece. 27. Aufl., rev. Stuttgart: DeutscheBibelstiftung, 1993, c1979.

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: TheLockman Foundation, 1995).

Novum Testamentum Graece. Ed. Constantin von Tischendorf, CasparRene_ Gregory and Ezra Abbot. Lipsiae: Giesecke & Devrient, 1869-94.

"Oxyrhynchus." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 20 Dec 2007. 10Jan 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxyrhynchus>.

Roberts, Alexander, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe. TheAnte-Nicene Fathers Vol.I : Translations of the Writings of the FathersDown to A.D. 325. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, 1997.

"Textual Criticism." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jan 2008. 10Jan 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textual_criticism>.

The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edi-tion of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos ResearchSystems, Inc., 1995).

The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: ThomasNelson Publishers, 1989).

Whereas 666 has always been the dominant reading of Revelation 13:18, it seemsclear through faith in God’s promises that this is the original reading of the verse aspenned by John on Patmos.


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The prophecies of the Bible are certain and are inprogress at this very moment. They cannot bechanged or stopped. Ultimately events will climax

into the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. Theold saying, “Sometimes things must get worse before theyget better,” certainly applies today. If you think our world isin chaos right now, just hold on! Just ahead is the “greattribulation.” It is described by Jesus in Mathew 24:15-21:“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of deso-

lation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holyplace, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let themwhich be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him whichis on the housetop not come down to take any thing out ofhis house: Neither let him which is in the field return backto take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child,and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye thatyour flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since thebeginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.The Bible speaks clearly that this time called the great

tribulation is coming. So what really is the great tribulation?It is a 3.5 year period of time, just prior to the battle of Ar-mageddon, during which horrible slaughter will begin in bib-lical Judea and then extend around the world. Judea is thearea in Israel known as the West Bank.At the same time, an influential global leader will arise

in Europe and implement a numbering system to controlthe human race. The Bible says he will ultimately rule overthe entire world.

Daniel did not understand his own equationsAn Old Testament prophet named Daniel foresaw a periodof time, which he did not quite comprehend. It was even-tually named after him—“Daniel’s 70th Week.” We findthis bit of information in Daniel 9:27:“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one

week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sac-rifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreadingof abominations he shall make it desolate, even until theconsummation, and that determined shall be poured uponthe desolate.”Daniel did not understand that this week referred to a

week of years, or a 7-year period of time. (The Good NewsTranslation renders this passage: “That ruler will have afirm agreement with many people for seven years, andwhen half this time is past, he will put an end to sacrificesand offerings.”)So what do we know? The confirmation of the covenant

begins the final seven years. Three and one-half years afterthe confirmation, the great tribulation begins. Manyprophecy teachers have taught that “The great tribulation”period lasts for the entire 7 years. However, this is not whatthe Bible says. Only the second half of this 7-year periodis actually the great tribulation. Jesus Himself said this inMatthew 24:15-21. He said when we see the abominationof desolation (which will occur halfway through the final 7years according to Daniel 9:27), then will be great tribulation.Revelation 13:5-7 teaches the same thing. “And there

was given unto him (the Antichrist) a mouth speaking great

things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him tocontinue forty and two months…And it was given unto himto make war with the saints, and to overcome them: andpower was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, andnations.” This scripture goes right along with what Danielsaid because forty-two months equals 3.5 years. So weknow from these scriptures and from others that the greattribulation will last for three and one-half years.

Daniel’s EquationsDaniel 9:27 gives us a simple mathematical calculation:“…and in the midst (middle) of the week (7 years) he shallcause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,” thus 7 ÷2 = 3.5. In other words, the final 7 years will be dividedinto two equal periods of 3.5 years!From this simple mathematical truth, we are able to un-

derstand Daniel’s two equations. The first 3.5 -year timeperiod will begin at the confirmation of the covenant. Thesecond 3.5-year time period will mark the beginning of thegreat tribulation and will be ended by the battle of Armaged-don and the second coming of Jesus. So the secrets ofDaniel’s 70th week can be summarized in two equations:• Confirmation of the covenant + 3.5 years= the great tribulation.• Confirmation of the covenant + 7 years= Armageddon & 2nd coming.

Now you know! e

Daniel’sEquations

C R A I G T R E A DWE L L

CONFIRMATION OF THE COVENANT + 7 YEARS = SECOND COMING

Daniel 9:27 gives us a simple mathematical calculation: “…and in the midst (middle) of the week (7

years) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,” thus 7 ÷ 2 = 3.5. In other words, the

final 7 years will be divided into two equal periods of 3.5 years!




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