6. Old Testament Prophecy

     There are portions of three Old Testament Prophetic books that figure heavily in popular end-times scenarios about the “end times” - Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.  The amazing thing about this is that the New Testament doesn’t cite any portion of these books in reference to discussions of the return of Christ.  All three books deserve a closer look.

The Book of Daniel

     This book, which is clearly linked to the Apocalypse (Daniel 7 - Revelation 13 & 17), has been one of the main sources for eschatalogical speculation.  Although clearly tied into the unfolding of Middle Eastern history from Daniel’s time on (2:37-38; 8:20-21; 11:1-2), dispensational interpreters want to insert a “church-age gap” between verses (David Reagan’s chart - right) so as to make the prophecies appear to be pointing to Christ’s return rather than His first coming.

Daniel 2:31-45

     The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream which troubled him.  Suspicious of “invented” dream interpretations, Nebuchadnezzar now required the “wise men” to tell the vision before their explanation of it.  The dream, recorded in 2:31-35, is simply this: he saw a statue of four sections destroyed by a divinely-cut stone.  The materials of the four sections are separated to the four winds, but the cut stone became a great mountain and filled the earth.  The explanation follows in 2:36-45.  Daniel identifies the four sections of the statue as representing four kingdoms which will rule, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon (37-38).  Two more kingdoms, unnamed, would follow (39) and then would come the strongest and most awesome fourth kingdom (40-43).  The paradoxical fourth kingdom would be a vicious conqueror, but a divided and mixed kingdom of dissimilar elements.  The second and third kingdoms would be Medo-Persia and then Greece (the focus of Daniel 8), while the fourth kingdom would be the Roman Empire.  During the fourth kingdom, the divinely-cut stone (the Messianic “cornerstone”?) would initiate an eternal kingdom (44-45).  This is the most general of Daniel's prophecies, predicting the arrival of Messiah's kingdom in the days of the Roman Empire and also providing the “Messiah to come during the 4^th kingdom” format furthered in chapters 7, 8, and 11. 

Daniel 7

     The dream/vision in Daniel 7 is a variation on Daniel 2.  Instead of four sections of a statue, the same four kingdoms are portrayed as four successive beasts which arise from the "sea" of humanity.  The "winged lion" who is humbled and becomes a man (v.4) is Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3 & 4).  The "bear which has one side higher" and "devours much meat" is the Medo-Persian empire (in which Persia dominated), which extended its conquest to a sacking of Greece (v.5).  The third beast, a "four-headed/winged leopard" given dominion is Greece, rapidly spreading out through Alexander the Great’s conquests (v.6).  The fourth beast, still a savage and powerful conqueror, is Rome.  However, it is different from the previous three in its "ten horns" (divided power) and a "boastful, man-like" horn - the blasphemy of emperor worship (vv. 7-8; Revelation 13).  Instead of a "crushing stone/kingdom of God," this vision pictures the heavenly throne of God and the crushing of the fourth kingdom's blasphemy (vv. 11-12).  Another new element is the "son of man" who returns to heaven in the clouds and is given world-wide dominion - a clear picture of Messiah (vv. 13-14; Luke 19:11-27; Ephesians 1:18-23; 1Peter 3:21-22; Revelation 1:5-6; 3:21; 12:1-5,10).

     The interpretation begins with verse 17, as it is again explained that the "four beasts" represent "four kings/kingdoms" (v.17).  Although a struggle will come with the fourth beast and persecution of the saints, the final outcome is certain and the victory of the saints is assured because of God's sovereignty (vv.18-27).

Daniel 8

     The vision in Daniel eight focuses on the 2^nd and 3^rd of the four kingdoms which have so far been given little attention (2:39; 7:5-6), but which would play crucial roles in the history of Israel as they awaited the messianic kingdom.  The first portion of the vision (8:3-8) portrays the Persian "ram" (539-332 B.C.) conquering and expanding towards the west, north, and south in the early days of its power.  The most westward extent of Persian conquest were the campaigns into Greece (490,480 BC), which left provided the driving force behind Alexander the Great's later conquest of Persia.  The conquests of the Persian "ram" would be followed by a rapidly moving Grecian "male goat" that would come from the west and trample the Persian "Ram" (Alexander's conquest of Persia, 336-323 B.C.).  The goat's "large horn broken" is the death of Alexander, followed by "four horns" or the four generals among whom the Grecian empire was divided.

     The remainder of the vision predicts/portrays the struggle between two of these "smaller horns" because from 323-164 B.C. Palestine was the prize over which the Egyptian Ptolemies and Syrian Seleucids fought - Egypt wanted a “buffer” state, while Syria wanted Egypt’s wealth.  Towards the end of that period, the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV sought to forcibly Hellenize Judea after Rome’s presence ended his hopes of conquering Egypt.  His attempts to end the Jewish religion even involved the desecration of the Temple's altar and for about three years (167-164 B.C.) there was no daily offering or atonement offering.  The Maccabean revolt drove the Syrians out after 142 B.C., but the horrors of the persecutions under Antiochus IV were such that warning and encouragement were needed.  Daniel identifies the subjects of his dream in vv. 20-25 - Persia, Greece, the first great king of Greece, the four-way division of Alexander's empire, and the evil ruler who will trouble the Jews toward the end of that period. 

Daniel 9:24-27

     Of all the prophetic material in the book of Daniel, the last four verses of chapter nine contain the most explicit information about the first coming of Jesus.  The interpretation of the passage, however, has not been a matter of general agreement because of differences over the "time element" and the identity of "he" in verse 27.  It is my belief that this lack of agreement is due to a prejudiced reading of the text by dispensationalist writers (Scofield Reference Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, Walvoord, Lindsey, van Impe, etc.).  The dispensational view, focusing on the 2^nd Coming rather than the first, assumes that a “church age” gap needs to be inserted between vv. 26-27, thus, separating off a final seven years as the basis for their “tribulation period.”  It is my hope that the following treatment of the passage will be more faithful to the text and the intended meaning of the Scripture in question.

9:24/ "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

This verse summarizes what will take place during the 490-year period.  Earlier in the chapter (9:1-2), Daniel realized that the 70 years of Judah's captivity in Babylon were almost over.  The land had been fallow for 70 years as the Lord's means of giving the land the sabbatical rest it was owed from centuries of Jewish neglect (Jeremiah 25:12; 2Chronicles 36:21).  Daniel acknowledged that the Babylonian conquest and captivity were the fulfillment of earlier curses for covenant disobedience (9:4-15), and then began to pray for God's restoration of Jerusalem and the Jewish people (9:16-19).  A messenger, Gabriel, is sent to tell Daniel what would occur (9:20-23) - 490 years are decreed to finish God’s work with the Jews and earthly Jerusalem (9:24).  There is a period of 70 shabuim (units of seven), which most commentators do agree on as being years (9:2).  Straightforward reading makes this a 490 year period within which everything in verse 24 will be accomplished - the whole point of identifying a time period for prophetic fulfillment is lost when you insert imaginary “gaps” into a stated 490 year period so that it stretches into an alleged 2500 year period.  That is like claiming that it is 490 miles from Miami, Florida to Juneau, Alaska and then proving it by driving 483 miles from Miami and then disconnecting your speedometer until you are 7 miles from Juneau.  It should be noted that no particular event marks the end of the 490 years.  The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple come after the elements of 9:24 are fulfilled, but not until Jesus are we told “how long after” (Matthew 23:29 - 24:34).

     "to finish the transgression" ‑ The end of “the transgression “ could refer to the Messianic response to the “transgression of Adam” that impacted humanity (Romans 5:15-20).  However, since the focus is on Daniel’s “people & holy city,” it is probably Israel's transgression (Isaiah 53:8; 58:1; Daniel 8:12), which began with the golden calf at Sinai (Ex. 32), continued through Numbers, was to continue after Moses' death (Dt. 31:29), is recorded in Exodus/ Numbers/ Judges/ Samuel/ Kings/ Chronicles (summarized in 2Kgs. 17 & 2Chr. 36:14-16, and was a major theme in Jesus' parables (Mt. 21:33-22:14).  The "finish" of the transgression was killing God's Son (Is. 5:1-7; Mt. 21:33-45; 23:29-38; Acts 7:51-53; 1Th. 2:14-16).

     "to make an end of sin" ‑ a central purpose for Jesus’ first coming (Hebrews 1:1-3; 9:12,26; 1John 3:5)

     "to make atonement for iniquity" ‑ Jesus "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26).  The once-for-all sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice is the point of Hebrews 9:11-10:22.  Hebrews 1:3 calls His work "purification for sins".  Second Corinthians 5:17-21 speaks of reconciliation and Jesus "becoming sin for us so that we might become righteous before God".

     "to bring in everlasting righteousness" ‑ in this we see the superiority of Jesus' blood to the Levitical offerings, which did not make the worshippers "perfect" in God's sight.^[1]  Those "in Christ" are made holy and blameless (Col. 1:21-22), eternally perfect by His blood (Heb. 10:12-14), pass from death into life (Jn. 5:24), and are no longer under condemnation for their sins (Rom. 8:1-4).  Jeremiah predicted a day when the Lord would "be our righteousness" (Jer. 23:5-6) and the New Testament Scriptures tell this has been done in Jesus' first coming.^[2]

     "to seal up vision and prophecy" - when a message was finished, it was sealed with hot wax or some such material.  Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that God had communicated through the prophets in many ways and amounts, but has finished speaking through His Son (in the “last days”).  Jude 3 speaks of "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints," a message not to be changed by anyone (Gal. 1:6-9).

     "to anoint the most holy" ‑ literally, this verse does not specify a person, place, or thing.  Hence, we can view this either as the anointing of Jesus (Jn. 1:29-34; Lk. 4:18; Mk. 14:8; Acts 10:38) or, to Jesus' carrying of His own blood into the true "tabernacle" in heaven (Heb. 6:19-20; 9:11-12,22-24).  The verb mashah means "to anoint, spread with a liquid" and was twice used by the OT Prophets in reference to Messiah (Is. 61:1; Daniel 9:24).  These things were all to be accomplished within the "70 sevens" (490 years).  The implication is that the prophecy is meant to be understood as a whole unit of time which, although subdivided in verses 25-27, is not stretched or broken up with "gaps" or delays between sections.  The reader is expected to view the 490 year period as an uninterrupted whole, followed closely by Jerusalem's destruction.

9:25/ Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

This verse marks the beginning of Gabriel's breakdown of the period into sections with other events that will occur.  The crucial point of this verse is the identification of a timing mechanism between "the issuing of a decree to rebuild Jerusalem" and the appearance of "Messiah, the prince".  For no other reason than to make the prophecy fit their "gap" theory, dispensationalists have taken "until Messiah" to mean "until Messiah's death," but I believe Messiah's appearance and official presentation to Israel is much more likely.  The prophecy, then, declares that "7x7 + 62x7 = 483 years" from a decree to rebuild Jerusalem will bring us to the appearance of Messiah.  The major problem lies with determining what decree is intended, for there are several contenders: (a) the decree of Cyrus allowing the rebuilding of the temple (536 B.C. - Ezra 1:2-4); (b) the decree of Darius for resuming the work initiated by Cyrus (518 B.C. - Ezra 6); (c) the decree of Artaxerxes allowing willing Jews to return with Ezra, the appointment of judges and magistrates, restoration of the Jewish commonwealth (457 B.C. - Ezra 7 recorded in full in the original Aramaic version); (d) the decree of Artaxerxes allowing Nehemiah to go and rebuild city walls (444 B.C. - Neh.2)

     My vote is for the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C., which allowed for the restoration of the Jewish commonwealth, as being the one intended.  Perhaps, this is why it is the only one recorded in its full and original Aramaic form.  The 457 B.C. date also finds an interesting historical element of support: 483 years after 457 B.C. John baptized Jesus (26 A.D.) and declared this to be the official presentation of Messiah to Israel (Jn. 1:29-34).  This would mean that Jesus' 3 1/2 year ministry coincided with the first half of the final "seven" (vs. 27) and this has major ramifications for understanding elements in that verse.

     "It will be built again...even in times of distress" may reflect the pressures involved in the rebuilding of Jerusalem, as evidenced in Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah.

9:26/ After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

My assertion, that the previous verse pointed to Messiah's appearance rather than his death, is supported by the fact that this verse seems to assume verse 25 as speaking of Messiah's appearance and now specifies his death (cut off - Is. 53:8).  It would have been easier for verse 25 to say "until Messiah is cut off", but it doesn’t say that.  I have concluded that "AFTER the sixty-two sevens" means that Messiah dies sometime during the final "seven," perhaps in the midst of it (v. 27).

     "have nothing" speaks of Messiah's death in material poverty (Mt. 8:20) and even without the support of His followers (Mt. 26:31,56; Jn. 12:12-19 & 19:15).

     "destroy the city and sanctuary" is the destruction Jesus looked ahead to in 70 A.D. and specifically cited Daniel’s prophecy in connection with it (Mt. 23:29 - 24:22; Lk. 19:41-44; 21:5,6; 20:24)

     "its (the city & temple) end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war" is much like Jesus described Jerusalem’s approaching fall in the same context (Mt. 24:1-22)

     "desolations are determined" is paralleled in Matthew 23:37 - 24:2,15; Lk. 19:43-44; 21:20.

In perfect harmony with this verse, Jesus told His hearers that He would be rejected and killed (Lk. 17:25; Mt. 16:21) and this would be followed by the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.^[3]  The destruction of "city and sanctuary" following Messiah's visit was described by a Jewish eyewitness named Flavius Josephus.  In 66 A.D. a rebellion broke out in Judea and a Roman army under Vespasian entered Palestine to crush it.  However, before ending the rebellion and regaining control of Jerusalem, the emperor died and Vespasian broke-off the campaign to return to Rome to take the throne.  He sent his oldest son, Titus, to put down the rebellion.  Titus and his troops laid siege to Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and, after seven months siege, they entered the city, slaughtered 600,000-1,100,000 Jews, tore the temple to the ground, destroyed Jerusalem, and led away 97,000 prisoners.  As Vespasian's son, Titus was the "prince" of Rome and followed his father on the throne.  The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple are not specifically included in the 490 year period (vs.24), so this does not present a problem.  The destruction simply follows Messiah's being "cut off."  I believe Rome was acting as God’s agent to demolish Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24; Revelation 11:1-2; 13:5; 17:12-17), as Assyria (Isaiah 10:5-15) and Babylon (Jeremiah 25:8-11) had been earlier (Deuteronomy 28:47-49).

     It is at this point, following verse 26, that dispensational interpreters declare Daniel's discussion of first century events to be concluded.  They say that an indefinite "church age gap" is to be inserted/understood between verses 26 and 27.  Thus, their interpretation holds that after the church age, there will be a resumption of Jewish/Mosaic time with attention focused on Jerusalem, an anti-Christ making a covenant with the Jews, and a seven-year "tribulation period" filling the final "seven" of this prophecy.  This I disagree with.

9:27/ He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

     The unlikely nature of the dispensational “gap” interpretation is heightened by the use of a pronoun (“he”) in verse 27 - if we have now jumped 2500 years later, then who is the “he” that makes a firm covenant with Israel and ends the sacrificial system?  The dispensational “he" is their future "antichrist" who, allegedly, will make a "peace treaty" with restored Israel, halfway through the seven years he will stop Jewish temple worship of YHWH by putting a statue of himself in the temple and demand worship as God (2Th. 2:3-4), and then go on his "Great Tribulation" rampage.  This view requires a crucial "gap" of several thousand years be understood between verses 26/27 and, at least to my mind, ruins the whole point of setting out a "490 year period" in which all (vs. 24) will be accomplished.  It turns a "490 year" time-piece into a timeline that marks 483 years, breaks for 20 centuries (4 times longer than the predicted focus time!), and then starts ticking again for 7 years.

     I reject this entire scenario because: (1) it requires a major "gap" to be inserted between verses where there is no hint that such a break in the text is required, (2) it makes Christ's first coming and Jerusalem’s fall in 70 A.D. virtually meaningless, and (3) is incorrectly based on principles of Greek rather than Hebrew grammar.  In Greek, confusing pronouns require back-tracking until you come to the first suitable noun that agrees in person, number, and gender.  Thereby, the "he" of verse 27 is assumed to refer to one like the last clear subject noun and this would be the "prince/people who destroy Jerusalem and the temple" in verse 26, thus a European/Roman antichrist of the future (?).  However, Daniel was not written originally in Greek, but in Hebrew you rely on context as much or more than mechanical backtracking to discover the subject of a pronoun.  The Hebrews also used "parallelism,” where one or two ideas are presented and then restated in parallel with different terms.  I suggest that verses 26 and 27 make more sense as parallels than separated by a 2,000 year gap!

    The Jews had reason to expect a new "covenant" from God (Is. 61:8; Jer. 31:31-34; Mal. 3:1).  All in all, this interpretation seems to be much more in harmony with Hebrew thought, the text of Daniel 9:24-27, and the later events surrounding Jesus' ministry: (1) all the elements of 9:24 were fulfilled in Jesus' ministry, within 490 years from 457 B.C., (2) Jerusalem was rebuilt during troubled time and Messiah appeared in 26 A.D. - 483 years from a major decree regarding Jerusalem's restoration, (3) Messiah was "cut off" after the sixty-two sevens (in the midst of the final seven years - after a 3.5 year ministry), followed by the coming of a prince and his people to destroy Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D., as decreed (Matthew 24:15ff; Lk. 21:20-24).  (4) Jesus mediated a new "covenant" with many thru His death (Matthew 26:28).  According to the book of Hebrews, Jesus’ death provided a better hope than the Law of Moses (7:19), a better covenant (7:22), better promises (8:6), better sacrifices (9:23), a better possession (10:34), a better Promised Land (11:16), something better from God (11:40), and better blood than Abel shed (12:24).

Daniel 11:1 - 12:4

     Daniel 11:36 - 12:4 is cited by some as a detailed predictive prophecy of what a post-church age "antichrist" will do and how the Battle of Armageddon will develop.^[4]  Yet, the historical interpretation (which still makes it predictive from Daniel's standpoint) of Intertestamental conflicts over Palestine has much to commend it.  Perhaps the greatest plus is that this view does not require the invisible "church age gap" between 11:35/36 that the Dispensational view requires.^[5]  For an excellent treatment of this prophecy, see Paul Butler's commentary on Daniel.^[6]

The Book of Ezekiel

     "Ezekiel" is, perhaps, one of the most misused and misunderstood books in the Old Testament canon.  Portions of the book employ symbolism similar to the book of Revelation.

     Ezekiel was a Jewish priest/prophet that was among the captives taken to Babylon in 597 B.C. (1:1).  The Israelite nation (Northern Kingdom) had been torn and crushed by the Assyrian nation a century before and now the Babylonian armies were slowly dismantling Judah (southern kingdom).  The bulk of Judah's population were either killed or taken into Babylonian exile between 606-536 B.C.  The prophecies in Jeremiah (in Judah), Daniel (at the Babylonian court), and Ezekiel (Babylonian exiles) come from this time.

     Chapter 1/ "Ezekiel saw the wheel" from which comes the popular notion that Ezekiel saw a "UFO."  As appealing as such a notion is to modern science-fiction buffs, the text of Scripture says Ezekiel saw "visions of God"(1:1) and the Lord's throne (1:26). Compare Ezekiel 1:4-28 with Revelation 1:10-18; 4:1-11.  Ezekiel tells us what he saw (1:1-3; 2; 3) - it was "identified"!

     Chapters 2-36/ In these chapters, God was speaking to pre-Christian Israel and surrounding nations.  There is repeated mention of why the Jews have been taken from their land and there is also repeated assurance that they will be restored to that land as vindication of God's holiness and purpose.  Daniel (Daniel 9:1-15) saw the Babylonian captivity as the fulfillment of earlier promises that such would occur if Israel did not obey God (Dt. 28:15ff).  Ezekiel records that God was "about to act" (36:22) on His promise to "restore Israel to the land," as did Daniel (Daniel 9:16-19).  Unfortunately, the historical context and prophetic declared meaning of these prophecies have been overlooked, due to the zeal of dispensationalists claiming the dispersion and restoration of Israel from/to their land are church age events (70 - 1948 A.D.).  However, Ezekiel said Israel "restoration would coincide with national "repentance" (36:33) and, one assumes, a return to the Mosaic system.  Ezra (9-10) and Nehemiah (8:1 - 9:3,13) record this for the restoration from Babylon.  Modern Israel is not a "religious" state, has not restored the Mosaic system, nor does it have any loyalty to Jesus and the New Covenant.  Which best fits Ezekiel's prophecy - the return from Babylon, allowed by Persia (536 B.C.) or the 1948 AD event in which a national Jewish state claimed the land but has struggled ever since to maintain?

     Chapter 37:1-14/  The vision of the "valley of dry bones" has been cited as proof for the modern charismatic movement, Israel's 1948 A.D. "restoration", and who knows what else.  When it was given, the city of Jerusalem and the temple were rubble.  Israel had ceased to be a nation, resembling "a valley of dry bones" in the eyes of the exiles (37:11).  However, God was going to "restore them as a nation in Canaan" and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah record this.  Israel would "come to life again" (37:12-14) and be one people united under Messiah (37:21-28; cf. Eph. 2:11-22).

     Ezekiel 36-48 is the only part of the book usually cited, since it is that portion which dispensationalists use to support their “battle of Armageddon.”  Their view is Ezekiel 36-48 refers to a "restored Israel" to follow the church age!  Chapter 37 is claimed to be Israel's 1948 A.D. "restoration," while chapters 38 & 39 picture an alleged future Russian invasion of Israel and world war III (a.k.a. "battle of Armageddon"), followed by a "millennium" of earthly peace with restored Jewish temple worship (chapters 40-48) with Jesus ("the prince"?) sitting on a restored "throne of David" in Jerusalem and being served by Levitical priests (Eze. 44).

     Chapters 38 & 39/ After 536 B.C., the Jews were allowed to return to their land.  Initially, about 42,000 returned to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.  They lived in relative peace for almost 350 years under Persian and Ptolemaic rule.  Around 170-142 B.C., Judah was the scene of a violent struggle between Antiochus IV and the forces that wanted to Hellenize the Jews against the faithful Jews who wanted to preserve the Law (see: 1Maccabees 1; Josephus Ant. XII:v).  The invasion came from the north and Ezekiel said "Gog" was the subject of earlier prophecies (38:17), which may be Daniel 8:9-14,23-26; 11:29-35.  The Maccabean/Hasmonean family led a grass-roots revolt that successfully drove out the Syrians, with Temple sacrifice being restored in 164 B.C.  Independence was achieved in 142 B.C. and continued until the Romans arrived in 63 B.C.

     I am convinced that Ezekiel’s picture fits Israel restored from Babylon much better than post-1948 A.D. “Israel.  Ezekiel portrayed Israel dwelling peacefully in their land (38:8) and defenseless (38:11), which Judah was under Persian and Ptolemaic rule (536-170 B.C.  Post-1948 Israel has not dwelt peacefully in the land, nor are they defenseless - constant terrorism/wars continue and Israel has the best military machine in the Middle East!  When they were attacked from the north by Antiochus IV’s forces, the weapons described are appropriate (Eze. 38:4-5,15; 39:9,20), but who expects a future Russian invasion to use such weapons instead of AK-47’s and modern military hardware.  After the Maccabean revolt, there might have been a "7-month burial detail" (39:12), but why should such occur when Jesus returns and (according to dispensationalists) cleanses the surface of the earth after "Armageddon" for the millennium?  Why is there no reference/inference made about the Lord's return, resurrection, or judgment between Ezekiel 39 and 40, if they are future?  Few seem to notice that 40:1 indicates a break and a completely new and separate vision being recorded!

     Chapters 40-48/ This is the section which describes a great temple.  Literalists want to put this off to a future millennium (Revelation 20:1-6).  There is some parallel between Eze. 40:2ff and Revelation 21:10ff, but the book of Hebrews seems to pretty well rule out, at least in my mind, any future restored Mosaic system (Eze. 40-48).  Is Ezekiel really telling us that after Jesus returns, there will be:

     A) a restored Levitical priesthood (40:46; 43:19-28), restored animal sacrifice (39:17-20; 40:38-43; 43:18-27), and the complete the Mosaic System with Sabbath Day (46:4,12). Hebrews 4-10 would seem to argue powerfully against such a situation.

     B) the "prince" (presumably, Messiah Jesus) will have to have: {1} a "sin offering" for Himself (45:22-25; 46:12), which Hebrews 7:26,27 rules out; and {2} a Levitical priest offer sacrifice for Him (46:2-5), which Hebrews 5:6-10; 6:20; 7:1-28; and 10:1-19 rule out!

No, I just can't accept any interpretation of Ezekiel 40-48 which makes this an earthly system of restored Mosaic religion after the return of Christ!  Hebrews tells us we are under a "better covenant" now (Heb. 1:4; 7:19,22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16,40), Jesus holds a priesthood higher than the Levitical system, and I can see no valid reasons for thinking that God wants to return to an inferior system.  Besides, the Apostles taught consistently that the church age is the predicted "last days" (Acts 2:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1Pet. 1:20) and the final age for this earth (Mt. 24:35-42; 1Cor. 10:11; Heb. 9:26; 2Pet. 3:10-13).

     Perhaps the increase in size from 18,000 cubits (Eze.48:35) to 12,000 stadia or 1378.9792 miles (x4?; Revelation 21:16) is meant to show the increase in the kingdom of God once it was opened to the Gentiles in the New Covenant.  A great temple is currently under construction.^[7]

     The interpretation that looks to the New Covenant for fulfillment has much to commend it:

     43:2-4/ it is predicted that the glory of the Lord would approach and enter the temple from the east, and Jesus approached Jerusalem/temple from the east in His "triumphal entry" (Mk.11:1).

     44:1,2/ it is predicted that after the Lord has entered by the east gate, it will be closed and never opened.  Both the original east/Golden gate (below current ground level) that Jesus entered through and the present gate are blocked up as mute evidence that this has been fulfilled.  Still, many "do not recognize the time of visitation" (Lk. 19:44).

     47:1,2/ like the Holy Spirit, this water originates from God (Revelation 22:1,2)

     47:2-5/ as Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, the trickle becomes a spring/river (Jn. 4:14; 7:37-39)

     47:6-10 this river, like the Holy Spirit, goes into seemingly dead areas and brings life.  We also see "fishermen" (Mt. 4:19) and they are catching all kinds of fish (Mt. 13:47-50).

     47:12/ the water spoken of will produce different kinds of "trees", but each produces "fruit"^[8] that brings "healing" (Pr. 3:7,8; 16:24; 1Cor. 12:9).  The water that flows out from the temple, deepens and gives life wherever it goes^[9] - a picture of the Holy Spirit's work during the Gospel/New Covenant age.

The Book of Zechariah

     While futurist eschatological interpreters of prophecy would apply Zechariah 14 to some future "end of the church age" or "Jewish millennium."  However, I am impressed with the number of elements of in Zechariah that seem to point toward the first coming of Jesus rather than the second.  In the following material, I offer you my observations on a number of things in the book of Zechariah that could be explained with Christ's first coming and church age events.

     2:10-11/ The Lord is coming, He will dwell in Israel's midst (for how long?), and as a result many nations (Gentiles) will join themselves to the Lord and become His people (Jn. 1:1-3; Mt. 28:19; Acts 15; Eph. 2:11-3:11).

     3:7-10/ The High Priest of that time, Joshua" is given "government" and is called "a symbol...of My Servant the Branch."  The various elements point to Jesus: "the stone,"^[10] "Joshua" is Jesus' name in Hebrew, "remove the iniquity of the land in one day" (Mt. 1:21; 20:28; 26:28; Heb. 9:26,28).  "Everyone of you will invite his neighbor" speaks of fellowship/hospitality (Acts 2:44-46; 4:32-37).

     4:14/ "Two anointed ones who stand before the Lord of the whole earth" (Mt. 17:3).

     6:11-15/ Again Joshua is a symbol of the coming Branch, of whom Pilate said publicly "behold the Man" (Jn. 19:5).  The Branch will "bear the honor" (Jn. 5:22-23) and "rule on His throne" (Revelation 1:5-6; 3:21; Heb. 1:3; 2:9; 8:1).  He will be a priest/king (Ps. 110:1-4; Heb. 6:19-8:6).  He "will build the temple of the Lord" (Jn. 2:19; 1Pet. 2:4-5) and "those who are far off" (Gentiles) will come and help build this temple (Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:11-22).

     8:18-23/ Jerusalem will be restored after the Babylonian captivity and then "many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts" seeking Israel's God (Is. 2:1-4; Acts 15).

     9:9-10/ Here is the prophecy of Israel's Messianic King coming to Jerusalem with justice and salvation, humbly riding on a donkey (Mt. 21:1-11).  He would "speak peace to the nations" (Acts 10:36; Eph. 2:13-17) and would have dominion over all the earth (Mt. 28:18; Jn. 17:1-2; Revelation 1:5-6).

     11:10-14/ Israel's Shepherd will be valued at "30 pieces of silver" and this will be thrown to the potter (Mt. 26:15; 27:3-10; Acts 1:18-19).  In connection with this, both {1} God's covenant with Israel (Mt. 21:43; Hebrews 8) and {2} their brotherhood with each other (Mt. 10:34-36; 12:49-50; Rom. 9:6-8,23-33; Gal. 3:26-29) will be broken over their rejection of Messiah the shepherd (13:6-9; Mic. 5:4; Is. 40:11; Jn. 10).

     12:2 - 13:1/ Jerusalem will be surrounded/besieged by the nations.  However, "in that day" Jerusalem will "look on Me whom they have pierced" (12:10; Jn. 19:37) and "will mourn for Him" (Lk. 23:27,48).  Yet, "In that day a fountain will be opened up...for sin and impurity" in Jerusalem (Mt. 26:28; Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:21-26).  Clearly, Jesus' first coming and atoning death.

     13:6-9/ "Striking the Shepherd" causes the sheep to scatter (Mt. 26:31,55-56), yet the Lord will gather and purify a remnant who will call on the Lord and be His people (Rom. 11:1-5).  Clearly, this was predicting Jesus suffering and the desertion/scattering of the Apostles.

     14:1-3/ Jerusalem will again be captured, ravaged, and exiles led away.  New prophecy or a continuation?  This could be: Antiochus IV (168-164 B.C.), Pompey (63 B.C.), Titus (70 A.D.), or Bar Cocheba’s revolt (132-135 A.D.). Then, the Lord will respond and deal with the nations (Acts 17:30-31).

     14:4-5/ The Lord will "stand upon the Mount of Olives" (Mt. 24:3) and a way of escape will be given (Mt. 24:1-22; Lk. 19:41-44; 21:20-24,36).  Christian Jews did escape Jerusalem prior to the siege of 70 A.D. by fleeing across the Mount of Olives (as David did 2Sam. 15:23,30) and the Jordan to Pella (Eusebius H.E. III.iv.3).  "The Lord came with His Holy ones" but from where: from heaven with angels (Jd. 14; 1Th. 3:13; 4:14; Mt. 16:27) or from Bethany with His Apostles (Mk. 11:1)?

     14:6-7/ "in that day there will be no light" in the midst of the day, a unique day (Mt. 27:45).

     14:8/ In connection with the unique day (6-7), continuous "living water" (Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Jn. 4:10-14; 7:37-39; Acts 1:4,5,8; 2:16-17,38-39) will flow out from Jerusalem – the Holy Spirit accompanying the Gospel message.  Revelation 22:1-2 is a futurist alternative.

     14:9/ "And the Lord will be king over all the earth" – a reality since Jesus' first coming (Mt. 28:18; Jn. 17:1-2; Revelation 1:5-6).

     14:10/ "the land will be changed into a plain" (Is. 40:1-11; Lk. 3:3-6), "Jerusalem will rise" (Is. 2:1-4; Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22) - perhaps this points to the transition of focus for the faithful from earthly to "heavenly Jerusalem" as their capital city.^[11]

     14:11/ "people will live in it securely and there will be no more curse" could refer to the church (Dt. 27:26 & Gal. 3:9-14), but I think "heavenly Jerusalem" is more likely (Revelation 21:1-22:6).

     14:12-15/ This does not appear to follow verses 1-11 chronologically in time, but introduces a new thought or section.  It speaks of God's plague/destruction of the enemies (Is. 66:24).  It also bears some similarity to possible punishment of unfaithful Jews (Lev. 26:16; Dt. 28:15-31).

     14:16-21/ The "feast of booths" was one of three annual Jewish feasts and it represented the wandering of God's people (Lev. 23:42-43) and thankfulness for the finished harvest each year (Dt. 16:13-15).  Thus it could describe either church age worship (wandering away from home - Php. 3:20-22) and Gospel "harvesting" with thanksgiving - or life in Heavenly Jerusalem (parallel 14:16-21 with Isaiah 66:20-23).  It could be a call to faithfulness during the Intertestamental period?  With the first coming of Jesus, the Sinaitic (earthly Jerusalem-centered) Covenant ended and was replaced (Hebrews 8) and earthly Jerusalem ceased to be the central worship site (John 4:20-24).

Conclusions

     As you can see, I tend to interpret these OT passages as pointing to the first coming of Jesus and its results - the church age.  I do this because the New Testament suggests that the first coming of Jesus was the focus of OT Messianic prophecy (Luke 18:31-33; 24:25-27,44-47; Acts 3:18-26; 13:27-29; 26:22-23; 1Peter 1:10-12).

---------------------------------------------

Charles E. McCoy

11/13/06