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05-Covenant of Peace

Another major identifying feature of the beast will be his specific solutions for the problems in the Middle East. It´s no secret that the Arabs and Jews have hated each other for centuries. It is the purpose of most Arabs to drive Israel into the sea. Since Israel returned in 1948, these two forces have opposed each other. War is an ever present threat to the area and to the entire earth. Something has to bend, compromise must prevail, or World War III will break out in the Middle East.

Everyone knows the security of this area is vital to world peace. This situation is what will compel world leaders to focus on the problems there and begin demanding solutions. Is it a coincidence that America is the only nation who can possibly solve the dilemma and secure peace? Or is America´s current position as peacemaker and mediator a direct fulfillment of Bible prophecy?

Daniel´s prophecies to Israel concerning its future include the covenant of peace proposed by the antichrist from the Neo-Roman Empire.

Daniel 9:24-27,

24)”Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25)Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26)And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end of the war desolations are determined. 27)And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of adominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

We know that each week in this prophecy represents a week of years. This fact comes from the sabbatical time measure of the Jewish calendar. So each week is really seven years. Thus, there is to be 490 years from the time Israel is commanded to restore Jerusalem, to the Second Coming of Jesus. It is then that everlasting righteousness will fill the earth. Jerusalem was invaded by Babylon around 604 B.C. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish temple. Some teachers suggest the command of Artexerxes, in Nehemiah 2:1-8, which allowed the Jews to rebuild, took place in 445 B.C. Then, by counting the days to the cutting off of Jesus on the cross, 483 years of the 490 year prophecy were then fulfilled. That being true, there remains only seven years to be fulfilled of that prophecy.

Those seven years begin with a covenant of peace and it is the Roman prince from the United States that will pull it off. He will bring together the opponents in the Middle East and a covenant of peace will be worked out.

To properly understand Daniel´s prophecy, we must know there is a gap of time between verses 26 and 27. Daniel couldn´t see this gap for the church age was a mystery to him. This gap of time is sandwiched between the crucifixion (cut off), resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and the 70th Week.