3. The booklet of John

3. Booklet of John.pdf

(Revelation 10: 9) 9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
.                                 (All quotations from the New King James translation)
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The Bible works with patterns, patterns that come back more often.
In the first fulfillment of the pattern an imprint is given of what is about to happen, of what will be fulfilled exactly the same in the second fulfillment.
As in the double fulfillment of the 70th year week, whose first fulfillment was in the days of the Messiah on earth, and whose second fulfillment is yet to come.

Summary of previous article:

The parallel of the booklet that John had to eat with the booklet that Ezekiel had to eat.
Ezekiel had to speak to the rebellious Jewish people with God’s words based on lamentations, mourning and woes.
It was bitter for Ezekiel to know what calamity would befall the Jewish people.
Like the Jews, apostate Christians now need to be warned of calamity and return to their heavenly Father in repentance.
The purpose of the measurement is to identify and protect the called, chosen and faithful.
All those who have God’s seal.
The Gentiles will trample the Christian way of life for 42 months or 3.5 years.

Theme: The 70th year week, the run-up to Armageddon. 

The statement of time and times

Why are times so important in the Scriptures?
Only through a thorough – but no easy – study comes the deeper insight into the times.

We want to demonstrate the reasoning below in this section:
When the term ‘time’ and ‘times’ is used, this indicates that a time means a year of 360 days. And that ‘times‘ means the double of ‘time’, two years of 360 days.
These are called ‘prophetic years ‘, because solar years count 365 days.

Destruction of the power of the Saints:
Jesus is talking about the times of the Gentiles in Luke’s Gospel:

(Luke 21:24) 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Thus, time and times provide insight into events, such as the destruction of the power of the saints what keeps coming back:

(Daniel 7:25) 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
(Daniel 12: 7) 7… that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

According to Revelation 12: 6, 14 it appears that: time and times and half a time = 1260 days:

(Revelation 12: 6, 14) 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.……. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

So it turns out to be a remarkable sum of time and times.
Added up is: time + times + 0.5 time = 3.5 time = 1260 days.
1260 days = 3.5 years of 360 days each (see later in the article)
This also corresponds to Rev. 13: 5-7 of a period of 42 months = 3.5 years:

(Revelation 13: 5-7) 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them….

The two prophets (in Rev. 11: 3-14) will testify for 3.5 years (= 1260 days):

(Revelation 11: 3) 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

For that reason we speak of ‘prophetic‘ years of 360 days each.
Prophetic years deviate from the Hebrew calendar, which is lunisolarly based (lunisolar = based on the moon and the sun). A Hebrew month is based on a lunar cycle and starts on the new moon and lasts about 29.5 days.
There are 29.5-day months and 30-day months. However, a solar year lasts 365 days.
For that reason, an extra month is sometimes inserted into the Hebrew calendar.
The above reasoning about time and times is the most logical to accept.

The 70 (year-) weeks prophecy

Daniel 9: 25-27 (see below) describes the 70 weeks prophecy. This prophecy provides an extraordinarily clear insight into what we can expect in the last days too.

Hypothesis of the 70 week vision:
The Hebrew word for ‘weeks’ is less specific in itself, meaning a group of ‘seven’, a heptad. In fact, it says: 70 groups of 7.
It could not have been a literal 70 weeks (or well over a year) in this prophecy.
Then, Christ could not be the promised Messiah.
In this case we better speak of year-weeks, each week (7 days) represents 7 years.
As also applied with Ezekiel 4: 6 ‘For every year I lay upon you a day’, with Numbers 14:34 ‘forty days, for every day a year’ and as also that the 7th day had to be a Sabbath day, but for the land, the 7th year had to be a Sabbath year according to Lev. 25: 3-4.

It seems logical that it took 7 (year-) weeks = 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem.
7 year-weeks + 62 year-weeks until the Messiah = 69 year-weeks. The 70 weeks prophecy has a separately named 70th week, which is related to the previously cited times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24):

(Daniel 9: 25-27) 25 “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 and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks 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. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

The angel Gabriel confirmed Daniel that the Jews in exile would return to their country, and Jerusalem with the (2nd) temple would be rebuilt. He also told about a Messiah the Prince, who was to come:

The coming of the Messiah
The beginning of the present era indicates approximately the year of birth of Jesus.
But in what year did Jesus become the promised Messiah?
Jesus became the Messiah (anointed by the Holy Spirit) immediately after His baptism, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove (Matthew 3:16) (see also Isa. 61: 1).
John the Baptist began baptizing in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3: 1-3).
Tiberius’ reign began +/- 14 AD.
So the 15th regnal year was +/- 14 AD. + 15 years = +/- 29 AD.
That means that Jesus has become the promised Messiah in about +/- 29 AD.
Jesus was then about 30 years old (Luke 3: 21-23).

The word that goes forth to rebuild Jerusalem
From ‘the going forth of the word to rebuild Jerusalem’ until Messiah, 7 + 62 = 69 weeks would pass (Daniel 9:25). We are now going to calculate back from the Messiah.
69 year-weeks = 483 years, in this case prophetic years of 360 days.
483 prophetic years are +/- 476 solar years (of 365 days).
The year of the word to rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2: 1-8):
+/- 29 AD. – 476 years = +/- 448 BC. (The year 0 does not exist)

In the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering:
After the 69 weeks, the Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself (Daniel 9:26).
Jesus gave His life ‘not for Himself’ and was killed as a ransom for sinful mankind:

(Mark 10:45) 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

The flood is the Hebrew metaphor for great armies. ‘Until the end’ there will be war.

(Daniel 9: 27a) 27a Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering….

Jesus died for us after +/- 3.5 years of preaching at about half the year-week.
In the middle of the week, He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering and the covenant will remain in effect for 1 week. That is the total 70th or last week:

(Daniel 9: 27b) 27b And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

It means nothing more than that the holy city with God’s temple would be destroyed by ‘a ruthless adversary’, an unbelieving destroyer until the consummation.
Jesus lamented the coming destruction of Jerusalem:

(Matthew 23: 37-38) 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate….

Patterns in Scripture

The preaching of Jesus versus the preaching of the 2 witnesses

The coming of the Messiah                 The two witnesses sent by the Messiah
o          (Matthew 3:16)                        o          (Revelation 1: 1, 11) 
3.5 years preaching to Jews               3.5 years preaching to all the people
o          (Daniel 9: 27)                          o          (Revelation 11: 3) 
Messiah does miracles                       Two witnesses do miracles
o          (Acts 2:22)                              o          (Revelation 11: 6) 
Hated by the people                            Hated by the people
o          (Matthew 27: 22-23)               o          (Revelation 11: 9-10) 
Death sentence in Jerusalem              Death sentences in the ‘anti typical’ Jerusalem
o          (Matthew 2 7:24)                    o          (Revelation 11: 7-8) 
3.5 day dead body in grave                 3.5 day dead bodies in the street
o          (Matthew 12:40) rounded       o          (Revelation 11:11) 
Resurrection from the dead                Resurrection from the dead
o          (Matthew 28: 6)                      o          (Revelation 11:11) 
Old covenant still in effect 3.5 years   New covenant still in effect 3.5 years
o          (Daniel 9:27)                           o          (Daniel 9:27) 
The rapture to heaven                         The rapture to heaven
o          (Acts 1: 9)                               o          (Revelation 11:12)

(For the sake of keeping this article clear, we do not want to cover the details of the ‘prophetic’ years used in the table)

Sacrifice and other offering cease after 3.5 years (Daniel 9: 27a).
The Mosaic Covenant was to be in effect for the last week. The New Covenant will also will be in effect for the last week. This week of the New Covenant during the two witnesses prophecy will mark the end of the times of the Gentiles in Luke 21: 5-24 (and Matt. 24: 1-22).

The first sanctification on Pentecost ‘Pentēkostēs’ was 50 days after Easter ‘Pesach’. After Pentecost, preaching took place in Jerusalem to Jews of all parts of the world in their own language, and the good news was also spread by this to all parts of the world (Acts 2: 4-11). The Saints preached and made disciples among the Jews in the second half of the 70th week. The Mosaic Law Covenant would remain in effect for the Jews for another half year-week (+/- 3.5 years) after Jesus’ death. After that, their returning sacrifices would no longer be accepted in the temple. Then after these 3.5 years, the Gentiles were also baptized like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8: 26-39) and preaching was done towards the Samaritans and to the Gentiles. Just before the rapture into heaven, Jesus spoke the following words:

(Acts 1: 8) 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

After that, pagans were also sanctified, such as the Italian centurion Cornelius with his family. Below is what Peter saw – as a Jew – 3 times in a vision:

(Acts 10: 10-13) 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”….

Peter was sent to the Gentile Cornelius (and to his family):

(Acts 10: 19-20, 28, 44, 48) 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”….28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean….44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word….48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord….

So eventually, 3.5 years after Jesus’ death, an end came to the delay of grace for the Jews and after the 70th week the Law of Moses did not apply anymore. The same will happen with the New Covenant (Matt. 26:28) in the last days.
Most logically, the two witnesses will preach against all people with the support of faithful Christians, who will recognize their shepherds as sent by God:

(John 10: 1-4) 1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

The double fulfillment’s

The times of the Gentiles
In order to better understand the 70 weeks prophecy in the Scriptures, it is important to know what Jesus said about this. During His preaching, Jesus announced the destruction of Jerusalem with its temple:

(Luke 21: 5-6, 24) 5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see–the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”….24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Jesus relates ‘the destruction of the holy city’ with ‘until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled’.
Jerusalem with the 2nd temple was destroyed and trampled by the Romans in 70 AD.
Were the times of the Gentiles then fully fulfilled? Unfortunately they were not.
John also prophesies in the book of Revelation about trampling the holy city:

CSB (Revelation 11: 2) 2 But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

In 4. The secrets from the book of Daniel unraveled, the explanation is described about the double fulfillment of the abomination of desolation, the tribulation and the recurring sacrifice.
In 5. The secrets from the book of Daniel unraveled, the explanation is described about the double fulfillment of the deception with Antiochus IV Epiphanes as king and with the Antichrist as king.

Double fulfillment’s already discussed:
The double fulfillment of the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15)
The double fulfillment of the tribulation (Matthew 24:21)
The double fulfillment of the deceit of Antiochus IV and of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:23)
The double fulfillment of taking away the daily sacrifices (Daniel 11:31)

The 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9: 25-27 is the basis for the times of the Gentiles.
For not only in the years after the death of the Christ did this prophecy come true, but also in the last days this prophecy will be fulfilled anew. We will discuss this further.

The 70th year-week in the last days

(Daniel 9: 27a) 27a Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.

With the coming of the promised Messiah at that time, the Mosaic covenant remained in force for one week (or 7 years) for the Jews. In the middle of the week (after 3.5 prophetic years), Jesus has made an end to sacrifice and offering by His death as a one-time sacrifice:

(Hebrews 10:12, 18) 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God….18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

In the 70th year-week again, praise offerings and spiritual sacrifices will come to an end (Hebrews 13:15) (1 Peter 2: 5), after the death of the two witnesses (Rev. 11: 7).

The 1st fulfillment of the 70th year-week
The 70 weeks prophecy is a consecutive period for the 1st fulfillment (Daniel 9:24).
From the coming of the Messiah in +/- 29 AD. + 7 years = +/- 36 AD.
Although the destruction of the 2nd temple would take place after the ‘seventy weeks’, the destruction would have a direct connection with the events in the first half of the 70th year-week. Because during Jesus’ ministry, many Jews disbelieved the Messiah and rejected Him.

The 2nd fulfillment of the 70th year- week
The 2nd fulfillment will begin with the two witness’s prophecy (Rev. 11: 1-14).
The fulfillment of the two witness’s prophecy – through the two Holy Prophets – will take 42 months (of 30 days) or 1,260 days. That is also 3.5 prophetic year or the first half year-week:

(Revelation 11: 2-3) 2 But leave out the outer court of the temple and measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles. And they will trample the holy city forty-two months long. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy in sackcloth for twelve hundred and sixty days.

Revelation 13: 5-7 also speaks of a 42 month or 3.5 prophetic year period of blasphemy and persecution of the holy prophets:

(Revelation 13: 5-7) 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them….

First comes a testimony for the apostates of God’s people and for all the wicked and for all the idol worshipers for 3.5 years under the leadership of the 2 prophets.
Most logically, as stated earlier in this article, is that the two witnesses’ preaching will take place to all people, with the support of faithful Christians.
It is the same pattern of the three and a half years of preaching to be saved as during Jesus’ days of preaching.
Also in the last days, a second half-year week of the New Covenant will be in force for another 3.5 years. After the holy prophets have been killed:

(Daniel 7: 25-26) 25 He (another little horn, the Antichrist) shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. 26 ‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.
(Daniel 12: 7) 7… that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

It is the double fulfillment of the last half week ‘to the consummation’:

(Daniel 9: 27b) 27b And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.

This will be the end of the 70th week in the last days for God’s people, the Christians, after which an everlasting righteousness will be established (Daniel 9:24).
Immediately thereafter, God’s kingdom will begin (Rev. 11:15) and the ‘destroyer’ (Dan. 9:27) – the Antichrist – will be destroyed and Satan will be bound for 1000 years:

(Revelation 19:20) 20….These two (the beast and the false prophet, the Antichrist) were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
(Revelation 20: 2) 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;….

Introduction to the two witnesses’ prophecy

The two witnesses’ prophecy (Revelation 11: 3-14)
(see also Newsletters: 3. The two witnesses)

Then it is announced that during the great tribulation two witnesses of the Lord Jesus will prophesy on earth:

(CSB) 3 I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”

The two witnesses are the ‘messengers’ for the coming of the King Jesus as savior of his disciples. They will begin to prophesy with an urgent message that it is the last chance for mankind to be saved, according to John’s opened booklet that is sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the stomach.
The two witnesses are clothed in sackcloth, with a message that includes repentance.
That means that their witness work is a warning against the prevailing idolatry and wickedness so that people will humble themselves and worship their Creator again.
They will prophesy and testify for 1,260 days or 3.5 years (of 360 days).
John’s little book is bitter in the stomach, because the holy prophets know that judgment will be pronounced on all people who do not repent before the Creator and His Son.

Resume:

The statement of time and times
The 70 (year-) weeks prophecy
Patterns in Scripture
The double fulfillment’s
The 70th year-week in the last days
Introduction to the two witnesses’ prophecy

In the following article, we will explain the two witnesses’ prophecy verse by verse.

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