Posted on 10/09/2001 9:19:31 AM PDT by FresnoDA
Is there a prophecy in Psalm 101 that will be fulfilled in 2001? Just how significant is this psalm in God's plan for the return of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom? For the past several years we have followed the progressive prophetic unfolding of the Psalms. Each psalm appears to be related to a corresponding year in the twentieth century - that is, Psalm 1 corresponds to 1901; Psalm 17 alludes to 1917; Psalm 48 matches 1948; etc. This 19th book of the Old Testament appears to be an unmistakable overview of the 1900s. We have observed with astonishment how the Psalms speak about the conclusion of Israel's long exile and their return to the Promised Land.
Psalm 48 alludes to a replanting of the tree as it uses the term "beautiful for situation" in verse 2. Though it does not appear in the English translation, the Hebrew word noph (translated as "situation") actually refers to a tree - the tree of Israel replanted on the holy hill of Jerusalem. Verse 6 alludes to the birth of Israel:
"Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail."
Indeed, every psalm (1-100 to date) contains some reference to the year corresponding to the number ascribed to that psalm.
One of my favorites is Psalm 91, which alludes to the Gulf War against Iraq. This psalm is so descriptive of the Desert Storm conflict that TIME magazine (February 25, 1991 issue) devoted three pages to its incredibly uncanny verses:
"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
"Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
"Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked" (Psalm 91:5-8).
Psalms 90-100 were written by Moses. These eleven stanzas, along with Deuter-onomy 32 comprise the entire work that should be recognized as the "Song of Moses." Each psalm is dedicated to one of the twelve tribes. Deuteronomy 32, dedicated to Simeon, opens the collection and Psalm 100, dedicated to Asher, concludes it. These twelve stanzas comprise a prophetic song written just prior to Moses' death. Only the first is recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. The remaining eleven were published in Psalms 90-100.
In our book, Hidden Prophecies in the Song of Moses, we observed that Joseph incarcerated Simeon in an Egyptian prison and thus provides a prophetic precedent as to why his stanza in the Song of Moses is published in Deuteronomy - under the law. Simeon sets forth a prophecy of the fall of Israel. The remaining eleven stanzas were placed in the Psalms to represent the rising again of Israel.
According to the Tehillim, a rabbinical commentary, Psalm 100 "deals with the gratitude that will be due to God in the Messianic age, when the world has reached perfection." That comment alone makes this psalm applicable to the concluding year of the sixth millennium. The Jewish commentary continues: "Thus Psalm 100 serves as a finale to the previous psalms concerning the approach of the Messianic era" (Tehillim, p. 1215).
Have we reached that time in human history for the "Messianic era" to begin? That appears to be what Israel's revered rabbis are suggesting. Psalm 100 is the last in the series of these eleven psalms composed by Moses (90-100) and has been designated as a psalm of thanksgiving that should be sung in the Temple during the service of a thanksgiving offering - "an offering that one would bring … after having survived great danger."
History is laced with danger to the survival of Israel. The Jews have had plenty of occasions to sing this song. However, the prophets predict that Israel is yet to suffer one last series of dangers as the "day of the Lord" dawns. Perhaps the eleven stanzas attributed to Moses are introductory to the events of the Tribulation Period. Many scholars certainly agree that Psalms 90-100 allude to the judgment of God upon the nations. Dr. Henry Morris, in his book, Treasures in the Psalms, noted that Psalms 95-100 are distinctly speaking of the coming worldwide kingdom wherein Christ will reign as King of kings. On pages 158,159, he writes: "When we look into the themes of the six psalms, we note that all seem to focus on the Lord as the great King and Judge of all the earth, looking forward to His coming millennial kingdom … they are best understood in the context of the future thousand-year reign of Christ on earth."
David included eleven stanzas from the Song of Moses in this collection of seventeen psalms (90-106) in order to connect his prophecy of the last generation with the significance of Israel's 40-year wilderness pursuit of the Promised Land. Just as the generation of the Exodus spent those early years in unbelief, prior to the accession of Joshua to lead them into the first kingdom, David wanted Israel to know that their progeny will return to the Promised Land in unbelief during the last generation, just prior to the appearance of the future Joshua - the Messiah.
As we have earlier noted, the first stanza in the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) predicted the "fall" of Israel, whereas the remaining eleven stanzas (Psalms 90-100) pointed to the future "rising again" of Israel. Luke's account of Simeon's prophecy that the Divine infant was "set for the fall and rising again" of Israel (Luke 2:34) demonstrates that the theology of the Song of Moses was recognized by the priesthood in Jerusalem.
David adds to the Song of Moses six psalms (101-106) that seem to allude to years of tribulation leading up to the onset of the Messianic kingdom. This collection of seventeen psalms comprises the fourth book of the Psalter that corresponds with the fourth book of Moses, the book of Numbers, which tells about Israel's wilderness journey.
David left the Psalter incomplete. He collected only two volumes - the first 41 psalms that correspond to Genesis and these seventeen psalms that correspond to Numbers. He left the compilation of the Exodus and Leviticus Psalms to his son, Solomon. As we reflect back upon the fact that Solomon published Psalms 42-72 and Psalms 73-89, we are struck with the thought that Solomon, the builder of the Temple, should be the one to collect those psalms that tell the story of Israel's future quest for the kingdom (as depicted in Psalms 42-72) and their preparations for the third temple (as depicted in Psalms 73-89).
David also left the fifth book of the Psalter for a future generation to collect. That compilation was made some 500 years later, at the end of the Babylonian captivity. Upon their return, Ezra collected the final forty-four psalms. It is fitting that the Deuteronomy psalms - those psalms that speak about the future kingdom - should be compiled at a time when Israel had returned from exile. It corresponds with the prophecy that the Messianic Era will follow Israel's future return from exile - not the 70-year exile in Babylon, but Israel's long and final exile among all nations.
The fifth book of the Psalter opens with God's final judgment upon Babylon - not the Babylon that Ezra knew, but a future "mystery" Babylon. In fact, Psalm 107 does not even use the term "Babylon," but a reading of verses 23-40 immediately reminds us of a worldwide system of trade and commerce that John later calls "Mystery Babylon."
When we connect this opening psalm (107) with the previous psalms (101-106) a pattern emerges. David was preparing Israel for a future seven-year period, wherein the Chosen People would experience their final Divine redemption.
Now, I cannot tell you that the years 2001-2007 will be the years of the Tribulation Period. Obviously, no one knows the future. We can only look back at the first 100 psalms and suggest that they allude to the return of Israel as history lays out the story in the years of the twentieth century. However, I would like to suggest that a simple reading of the text in Psalms 101-107 affords us a glimpse at Israel's future. Those psalms allude to apocalyptic events so unique, we are convinced they can only be descriptive of the Tribulation Period.
David follows the Mosaic psalms with one of his own - Psalm 101, which speaks of two things - God's mercy upon Israel and His divine judgment upon an unbelieving world:
"I will sing of mercy and judgment" (v. 1).
In verse 2 David sighs, "O when wilt thou come unto me?" He demonstrates a desire for the Messiah to bring in the promised Kingdom.
In verse 8 he suggests that the Lord's judgment will come at the dawning of the proverbial day:
"I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD" (v. 8).
I consulted a rabbinical commentary on this verse and found this assessment: "Targum maintains that this refers to the World to Come, which is likened to a new morning which will dawn for all mankind."
The word "early" is the Hebrew "boker" meaning "at daybreak, the breaking forth of light." It is a fitting term for Psalm 101, provided the psalm stands for the year 2001, because that year represents the first year of the next millennium. It may well refer to the dawning of the millennial day. It is here that God promises to destroy all the wicked and prepare the Holy City for His presence.
There is so much more to the story. But this will suffice to show that the Psalms describe the century that saw the return of the Jews to their Promised Land. The Song of Moses (Psalms 90-100) yields a prophecy that will culminate in the seven-year Tribulation Period. Perhaps we have arrived at that special time in history for the final fulfillment of ancient biblical prophecies. The kingdom of God is at hand!
The "seven year trib" heresy is based by dispensationalists on the "seventy week" of Daniel's prophecy. They proclaim that there is a "gap" or "parenthesis" between week 69 and 70. The 70th week was "postponed" until God can deal with Israel as a nation again. They misread "prince" to be an "antichrist." But Christ was the prince of peace. It was He who finished the transgression, made an end to sin, made reconciliation for inquity, brought in everlasting righteousness, sealed up vision and prophecy and was anointed the Most Holy.(see Daniel 9:24) The prophecy is also the only Old Testament prophecy that tells exactly when Christ will die - in the middle of the 70th week. No wonder Christ said many times, "My time has not yet come." In the middle of the 70th week, Christ was cut off and in His death He brought an end to sacrifice and offering because He had become the sacrifice and offering for His people!!!! Oh, it saddens my heart to have a passage so Christ centered as Daniel 9 is, put off on some "antichrist." Friends, we are talking about our redemption here. So dear friend, my point is this, if the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy is about Christ then it has nothing whatsoever to do with a "tribulation" period because that time is already passed.
Now the phrase "great tribulation" appears in Matthew 24:21 but the context places it in the time of "Jacob's trouble" that happens to the Jews in A.D 70 when Titus and the Roman army sacked Jerusalem.
Everyone refers to the "last days" or "in the last days." Well, if you read your New Testament carefully, the apostles considered themselves in the "last days." (See Peter's address on the day of Pentecost. also see Hebrews 1:1-3) Chirst, in His first advent, ushered in the "last days." The "last days" will continue until His second advent. We are only looking for the "last day." The final "escaton" is you would. Christians are told not to look for "signs" but to look for the Blessed Hope - the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior. Times are no worse now than they were during the first century. Every generation has to proclaim the gospel. No generation is immune from sufffering. Some have suffered more than others.
Are we any nearer to the second coming than the first century Christians? Of course we are. Are we living in the time when Christ will return? Who knows? Only the Father knows. And I am willing to labor until He returns. I want to be found faithful when He returns.
I don't see the need for an interpretive authority. If the words of Christ or his apostles need further interpretation, why don't the words of the Pope? Perhaps we need someone to interpret the Pope. And then someone to interpret the interpreter.
With regard to the Catholic Pope, that seems to be a big hangup for most Protestants. However, the only real difference between Catholics and Protestants in that regard is that Catholics have one Pope and Protestants have thousands.
Protestants are supposed to have none, though some Protestants behave as if a particular person were.
Catholics have one guy who under very strict circumstances can declare infallibly that the Holy Spirit has spoken. Protestants have tens of thousands of guys who without restriction can and do declare that the Holy Spirit has spoken.
I do not claim to speak for the Holy Spirit, and I denounce anyone who does. I believe the Holy Spirit speaks for itself. This does not mean that teaching is impossible, however. But the authority of that teaching is maturity, and admits fallibility.
By the by, my screen name here has its roots in the work of a Catholic author by the name of G.K. Chesterton. So don't suppose that I'm attacking Catholicism wholesale. He was a great writer, thinker, and Christian.
Yes, but idiots, posing as prophets, running around trying to insist they know the times and seasons that God has NOT given them to know... MUST be mocked and rejected. In the context of those who insist on imposing the old testament on the new... I guess we should remind them that the penalty for prophesying in God's name something that does NOT actually happen, was death by stoning... False prophets had a hard way to go...
LOTS of folks who LOVE Jesus, don't buy into the weirdness that IS fundamentalist whackism...
"If you don't believe it my way... you MUST be in need of salvation" they scream. They demand to be heard. I will grant them they have a right to speak... but NO RIGHT TO BE HEARD... as they are idiots.
They feign folks need to "let Jesus into our hearts", while they manuever their fears to "let them into our wallets and add to their fund raising lists." Shame on them.
Jesus does not need these nutcases in order to speak to the kingdom of men's hearts... a kingdom that these nutjobs are denied access to, by God.
Anybody who claims to "know the end times" is pretty much the same in my book as the ones who said the same thing last millenia... false prophets. God keeps these things on a "need to know" basis... and at this time we apparently don't "need to know."
These MAY be the end times. These may not be. Constantly reinterpreting the Bible with revised hermeneutics to fit today's current events, cheapens the scripture, destroys the faith of sincere Christians who are duped time after time, and overthrows the sense of trust we should have in our ordained Christian leadership.
I think it is likely that along with reviewing "tax exempt" statuses of 501c3 orgs... we may need to start reviewing the "credentials" of the religious crackpots who prophecy in the name of a "Holy GOD" what usually turns out to be nothing but spectacular and inflamatory lies, for the purpose of raising funds and building kingdoms for selfish men, instead of God.
God is looking for hearts... not whacko religious extremists that take the whole of life out of context for the sake of building their own kingdom...
...and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Anyway, when did Christ or his followers destroy Jerusalem and the Temple? When did Christ confirm a 7-year covenant? Cause the cessation of the sacrifices with "abominations [that] make it desolate"?
Looks like you oversimplified Daniel 9:24ff.
This refers to Titus and his Roman army that beseiged the city of Jerusalem. The desolation mentioned can be found in Matthew 24:15 with further info added in Luke 21:20.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
This refers to Christ. The pronoun he must refer back to the Messiah the Prince not to the people of the prince because in His death Christ caused the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. Though the Jews continued to sacrifice God did not accept them because they ignored to only acceptable sacrifice - Jesus Christ. He confirmed the covenant with His people. Remember the scripture that said that He came unto His own but His own received Him not. And the gospel was first offered to the Jews and then the Gentiles. Paul often accentuated this point - first to the Jew and then the Gentile. But when the day of grace was over for the Jews the gospel went forth in it's fulness to the Gentiles.
Call it what you will kind sir, but the Scriptures teach it. Paul goes to great lengths in Ephesians 2 and 3 to make known the mystery that now through the Chruch there is one body, joined from Jew and Gentile, to make known the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Paul also stated in Romans 2:29 that a true Jew was one who had the circumcision of the Spirit in the heart not one who was circumcised in the flesh.
You need to study the "continuity" and "discontinuity" between the Old and New Testaments. The old has passed away and the new has come. The whole book of Hebrews deals with this issue. Open and read my friend.
That doesn't work. Christ did not cause sacrifices to cease from abominations. The "he" does not refer to "Messiah the Prince," nor even to the people of the prince, but the 2nd prince. The one referred to immediately before. The Messiah is not the antecedant of the sentance, but rather the prince over the people.
Right about now, the Taliban are painting...
ROMANI ITE DOMUM...all over their cave walls.
Mark W.
Hmmm, the 70th seven was, and is not, and yet is. Time, times, half; 7, 62, half; number, weigh, divide...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.