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VOICEOVER: Welcome to End Times Today with Author, Speaker, and Bible teacher: John Claeys. In today’s episode we are going to explore the astounding accuracy of one of Daniel’s prophecy. 

Before we do, I’d like to remind you what’s available at End Times Today Dot Org. You can sign up for notifications concerning upcoming episodes, watch previous broadcasts, and even send in your own questions for John. 

In addition you can get a copy of John’s book Impending Apocalypse by going to End Times Today Dot Org. 

We’ll take a look at that astoundingly accurate prophecy in just a moment, but first let’s take a look at what’s happening in our the world right now. Here’s John Claeys

What in the World Is God Doing?

Viewer Screen: Energy Discoveries in Israel.

For this week’s segment, “What in the World Is God Doing?”, let’s go back a few years and then come up to the present.

In the 1990s, Israel National Oil Company (now Israel Oil Company) made a small discovery at the Zuk Tamrur field near the Dead Sea that produced 150-200 barrels of light oil per day from the Lower Triassic Ra'af formation. Ultimately, the well produced approximately 250,000 barrels of oil. 

Oil shale deposits cover approximately 15% of Israel, mainly in the northern and central parts of the country. There are more than 30 known occurrences of oil shale. 

Viewer Screen: The total oil reserves in Israel are estimated to be about 300 billion tons.

The total oil reserves in Israel are estimated to be about 300 billion tons.

Viewer Screen: Israel’s Natural Gas

In June 1999, the Tethys Sea Partnership announced the discovery of gas west of the coastal town of Ashkelon. The Noa field was the first significant natural gas reservoir found offshore Israel. 

Then natural gas was discovered at the Leviathan Field, then Tamar Field, followed by Mari-B Field in 2000. Then Greece’s Energean Oil & Gas signed a massive deal to develop the Karish and Tanin Fields, which hold an estimated 2.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas with an equal amount of potential reserves. Experts estimate Israel’s gas as enough to meet Israel’s needs for the next 200 years. 

In December 2018, Israel, Cypress, Greece, and Italy, with the backing of the EU, reached an agreement to construct the world’s longest underwater pipeline (more than 1,300 miles!) for the export of gas from Israel to Cypress and from there to Greece, Crete, and Italy. According to Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy, and Water Resources Yuvai Steinitz, “The agreement we have drawn up will enable Israel to become an energy supplier to Europe, and that has both economic and political importance.” It is expected to take five years to lay the pipeline with the hope of opening it by 2025. 

As Steinitz stated, “Israeli waters are swimming in gas, and what we have discovered is only the beginning.”

Viewer Screen: What might this mean?

So, what does this mean? 

Viewer Screen: God may use this energy to confirm the 7-year treaty that begins the Tribulation period.

God may use this energy to confirm the 7-year treaty (Dan 9:27) that begins the Tribulation period. I have been predicting that ten national leaders will confirm the treaty with Israel—five from the Middle East and five from Israel. What will draw each to the table? Middle East leaders: Iran. European leaders: Oil & Natural Gas. 

To understand the future, keep your eyes on Israel; this is what God has told us in His word. Do you think these discoveries of oil and gas in a tiny country that was dependent on others for its energy needs are coincidental? The Bible teaches us that nothing with God is coincidental. The One who called His people to the land of Israel made the land rich in resources, and He will use those resources to accomplish His plan.

It is fascinating that these resources have been lying there for thousands of years and just, in the past 20 years, or so, have been discovered. Europe is already being drawn to Israel by these resources. Might the pipeline being built to reach from Israel toward Europe be a key component to bring five European leaders to the table to confirm the 7-year treaty with Israel? Is that too far-fetched? We have already seen God do a miracle by using the terrorist state of Iran to bring at least five Middle Eastern leaders to Israel, promising the Jewish state a treaty of peace and security. 

God is at work to bring about the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. This is what God is doing in the world today.

FULL STOP. WAIT FOR MUSIC AND VOICEOVER

VOICEOVER: It’s amazing to see what’s going on in the world. Now let’s consider what in the Bible God is saying to us, as we take a look of God’s astoundingly accurate prophecy, recorded by Daniel in Chapter 9? Here’s John to explain.

What in the Bible Is God Saying?

An Astoundingly Accurate Prophecy!

Viewer Screen: Daniel 9:24-27: God’s unique, 490-year prophetic timeline for Israel.

In our last broadcast, we did an overview of Daniel 9:24-27, God’s unique, 490-year prophetic timeline for Israel. 

Viewer Screen: The purpose of Daniel 9:24-27: To prepare Israel for the return of Christ to bring God’s kingdom to the earth.

As we focused in verse 24, we discovered that the purpose of this timeframe is to prepare Israel for the return of Christ to bring God’s kingdom to the earth. 

Viewer Screen: In this broadcast: 

How God Has Incredibly Fulfilled the First 483 Years of the Jewish Prophecy

In this broadcast, we will zero in on verse 25 and 26 of the 490-year prophecy and see how God has fulfilled the first 483 years of that amazing prophecy—with incredible accuracy! 

Viewer Screen: Verses 25 and 26 will galvanize your faith in the accuracy of God’s word!

I believe that once you see the astounding accuracy of the fulfillment of verses 25 and 26, you will be unwavering in the trustworthiness of God’s word, the Bible!

Verses 25 and 26 zero in on some key events in the first 483 of the 490-year prophetic revelation. These significant occurrences also mark out, with incredible pinpoint accuracy, key periods of this revelation for Israel, in this way:

Viewer Screen: “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks [sevens] and sixty-two weeks [sevens]; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks [sevens] Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined” (Dan 9:25-26). 

Viewer Screen: 69 “sevens” = 483 years

We saw from verse 24—in our last broadcast—that God’s purpose for Israel would be fulfilled in a 490-year time period, which equals seventy sevens of years. Each “seven” equals a seven-year period. Verses 25–26 divide the first sixty-nine sevens, or 483 years, into two major periods of time. 

Viewer Screen: The First 49 Years: Seven “sevens”

The first of those periods of time consists of seven sevens, equaling forty-nine years. Let’s look at the first part of verse 25 again:

Viewer Screen: “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven sevens [49 years] . . .”

As signaled in verse 25, this 490-year era began with “the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem.” The command surfaced in this verse representsthe decree from King Artaxerxes to Nehemiah (2:1-5), which was given in response to Nehemiah’s request to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. 

Viewer Screen: This decree occurred on March 5 (Nissan 1, Jewish calendar), 444 B.C.

The decree occurred on March 5 (Nissan 1 on the Jewish calendar), 444 BC. 

Viewer Screen: This restoration of Jerusalem took 49 years.

While Nehemiah sought to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, the decree of Artaxerxes also involved a comprehensive restoration of the city, taking forty-nine years for its completion.

Viewer Screen: The Next 434 Years

Another key event, which provides crucial measurement in this 490-year prophetic timeframe for Israel, appears in verse 26:

Viewer Screen: “And after the sixty-two sevens Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; . . .”

The angel announces it in this way to Daniel: “Messiah shall be cut off.” 

Viewer Screen: Messiah, the English translation of the Hebrew word for anointed 

(Christ, the English translation from its Greek equivalent.)

Messiah is the English translation of the Hebrew word for anointed, while Christ is the English translation from its Greek equivalent. 

Viewer Screen: “Cut off” = being put to death = the crucifixion of Christ

The phrase cut off is a translation of a Hebrew word that is used elsewhere in the Old Testament of being put to death, indicating that the phrase “Messiah shall be cut off” refers to the crucifixion of Christ. 

Verse 26 announces that this event would occur after the 434-year period(sixty-two sevens) following the restoration of Jerusalem. Let’s see that verse again:

Viewer Screen: “And after the sixty-two sevens [434 years], Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; . . .”

In fact:

Viewer Screen: Messiah was “cut off” one week after this 434-year measurement of time ended!

Notice that this 434-year period begins with the completion of the Jerusalem building project—forty-nine years after the rebuilding began—and ends with the introduction of Messiah the Prince. It is after the 434-year period that Messiah would be “cut off.” 

Viewer Screen: Review: Jerusalem restored in 49 years; 434 years after the restoration of Jerusalem, Jesus was publicly recognized as “Messiah the Prince,” before being crucified. 

Let’s look at this again from our passage in Daniel 9:

Viewer Screen: . . . from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, . . .

Thus, Jerusalem was restored in 49 years; 434 years after the restoration was completed, Jesus was publicly recognized as “Messiah the Prince” at his triumphal entry. 

Viewer Screen: Jesus was recognized as “Messiah the Prince” at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

This can especially be seen in Matthew 21:8–11 and John 12:12–13. At His triumphal entry, Jesus was hailed as the coming King, sent by God. However, because He had not yet ascended His throne (and won’t till He returns to the earth), He was not yet King; instead, He was King in waiting, “Messiah the Prince.”

Viewer Screen: At His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Israel recognized Jesus as Messiah the Prince, one week before He was “cut off” (crucified).

This fulfills Daniel 9:25 in amazing fashion! Let’s see how amazing this fulfillment really was.

Viewer Screen: Jesus recognized as Messiah the Prince on March 30 (Nissan 10, Jewish calendar), 33 AD.

It has been calculated that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem—when he was acknowledged as Messiah the Prince—occurred on March 30 (Nissan 10 on a Jewish calendar), 33 AD. 

Viewer Screen: A Jewish calendar year is 360 days. 

This makes the time period from March 4, 444 BC to March 30, 33 AD is 173,880 days. 

173,880 days = 483 prophetic (Jewish) years to the very day!

Using a Jewish calendar, this date would be 483 years (49 years  [seven sevens + 434 years [sixty-two sevens]) to the very day! Because a Jewish calendar year is 360 days (rather than 365 days of a solar year), the time period from March 4, 444 BC (“from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem”) to March 30, AD 33 (“until [the introduction of] Messiah [as] the Prince”) is 173,880 days, which equals 483 prophetic years to the very day! 

Isn’t that incredible?!

Viewer Screen: His word can be completely trusted—down to the most specific detail!

This perfect fulfillment of God’s prophetic word clearly shows us that God is in complete control. It also demonstrates that God’s word is absolutely trustworthy! 

Viewer Screen: We can trust God, knowing He is in control of the future. And He will fulfill His word perfectly—down to the minutest detail!

This should encourage us to trust him all the more, knowing he is in control of the future, and he will fulfill his word completely and perfectly—down to the minutest detail! 

We have seen, thus far, that God’s plan for Israel involves a 490-year time frame to bring in everlasting righteousness. Let’s see how that plays out on this timeline: 

The First 483 Years of God’s Prophetic Plan for Israel

        Restore Jerusalem              Till Messiah the Prince (Triumphal Entry of Jesus)

444 BC                                                                                                                                    AD 33

  49 years (seven sevens)                                434 years (sixty-two sevens)                          

This plan includes three major divisions: 

Viewer Screen: 

1) a 49-year period—to restore Jerusalem; 

2) a 434-year era from the completion of the restoration of Jerusalem until the recognition of Jesus as Messiah the Prince; and 

3) a future seven-year era. 

Viewer Screen: Next Time: The Final 7 Years

In our next broadcast, we will explore the last 7 years of this incredible 490 year prophecy for Israel. In doing so, we will learn just how significant that 7-year era will be—for Israel, as well as for the entire world. This period will be the initiation of that period is when the clock starts ticking down toward the greatest event in God’s prophetic plan. 

FULL STOP. WAIT FOR MUSIC AND VOICEOVER

VOICEOVER: What an amazingly accurate prophecy! Thank you John for shedding light on this fantastic reminder of the reliability of God’s word. Before we go let’s take a look at some questions from viewers just like you.

Questions / Answers

VOICEOVER: our first question comes from an anonymous viewer from Illinois: Who will be saved in the book of Revelation? ---viewer from Illinois

A: First, two prophets of God will believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life. Then, as a result of their prophetic ministry to Israel, many thousands of Jews will believe in Jesus Christ. 144,000 of those will go worldwide to take the good news of Jesus Christ and His offer of eternal life to the Gentiles. As a result, people from “all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” (Revelation 7:9) will believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life. Then, during the very last part of the seven-year tribulation, the rest of surviving Jews in Israel will believe in Jesus Christ.

VOICEOVER Thank you John. Here is another. Vickie from Beaumont Texas writes: Q: You talked recently about how to receive the gift of salvation by believing in Jesus for it. Do you mean “to believe that it was personal for me to receive” and not a general concept? When I read James 2:19 ("You believe that there is one God, Good even the demons believe that and shudder") and Matthew 7:13 ("Enter through the narrow gate etc") I wonder if believing is enough. It seems like there is more that is required.  What does it really mean to enter through the narrow gate? Thank you. ---Vickie, Beaumont, TX

A: Vickie, the key to receiving eternal life is to believe Jesus’ offer for it. To do so, one must believe Jesus for eternal life—life with God that will never end. At the moment one simply believes Jesus (alone) for eternal life, one knows for sure he or she will be with God forever, because that is what Jesus promised. This is the offer and the promise Jesus makes over and over again in the Gospel of John, the one book in the Bible with the stated purpose that it was written to show readers how to receive eternal life. (See John 20:31.)

When one believes that, the purpose is believing the promise for himself; and he knows he has eternal life, because he has believed Jesus for it. 

According to James 2:19, the demons believe “God is one.” But no one receives eternal life by believing God is one. The issue there is not the faith; it is the content of faith. 

In Matthew 7:13, Jesus is the narrow gate. There is only one way to eternal life, and that way is through Jesus. (Also see John 14:6.) While people may seek various ways of entering into God’s kingdom—such as through various religious practices, philosophies, efforts to make oneself good enough, sincerity, etc.—there are not many ways into the kingdom; there is just one. The kingdom is entered by believing Jesus for eternal life. (For example, see Jesus’ point with Nicodemus in John 3:3 that unless he is “born again,” he will not see the kingdom of God. Then, later in that chapter, Jesus announces how to be “born again”: It is by believing in Jesus for eternal life [see verse 16; also see John 1:12].) 

According to the Gospel of John, believing (or faith) is enough; but the content is all important. In the Gospel of John, a form of the word “believe” is used ninety-nine times; and no other condition is given for receiving eternal life. Thus, based on the Gospel of John, faith is enough; but the content of what one believes is critical. One must believe Jesus for everlasting (eternal) life—life with God forever. If one believes that, one has everlasting life. (See, for examples, John 3:16-18; 5:24; 6:47; 11:25-26; etc.) Nothing else should be, or can be, added to that equation.

FULL STOP. WAIT FOR OUTRO VOICEOVER. 

VOICEOVER: A big thanks to John, for the content into today’s eye-opening episode. 

A COUPLE OF QUICK REMINDERS before we go. If you’d like to sign up for notifications, see recent episodes, or even ask John a question you can do that and more at ENDTIMESTODAY.ORG 

If You would like, you can also get a copy of John’s book, Impending Apocalypse you can also do that at Endtimestoday.org. Thanks for watching and we will see you next time on End Times Today, With John Claeys.