Practically all of us who profess Christianity, have listened to pastors and teachers who have declared certain subjects in the Bible to be essential doctrines, fundamental to our salvation. The virgin birth, the Holy Spirit, the Deity of Christ and the nature of the atonement are among them. Conversely, they are quick to add that “good men” everywhere, who hold the essential beliefs, may differ on non-essential beliefs, and because their salvation is assured, they enjoy fellowship in a spirit of toleration. I find this generalization to be dependent on the issue, for as I will illustrate, some non-essential beliefs spawn tragic results. The history of Christendom is ample illustration. Non essentials such as baptism, the clergy, the nature of worship, elders and deacons, the authority of the church, have produced a continuous record of division, persecution and war among individuals and nations, contradicting the unity, that the Lord Jesus prayed for in John, Chapter 17.
Something is wrong then, in the out-working of this ideal. Certainly, there is a need for tolerance to be exercised when differing opinions among Christians surface on non essential doctrines. In fact of all people living, Christians should be exemplary in their acceptance of fellow Christians, who hold contrary views that do not contradict the deity and person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, we are told in the apostle John’s letters to the church to be on guard only against the spirit of anti-Christ inferring that we need not be troubled that our experience and thought process on every subject be identical.
Historically, the cautions regarding the spirit of Anti Christ are…. understandable, Christians of that era would be the first generation to declare the coming of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the facts of which pagan religions and Judaism would be certain to attempt to undermine. The apostles therefore, were constant in their warnings to watch for false teachers who would infiltrate the infant churches in order to teach error.
But what if tolerance of a non essential doctrine undergirds and supports mayhem, death and destruction in our modern world? Historically, we consider the Spanish Inquisition to have been run by pagans, who named the name of Christ, but were intolerant to the extent that they executed those that did not accept all that was taught by the Roman church. At best the leaders were misguided Christians, and at worst, they were instruments of the devil discrediting the Christian faith. They went too far.
Should we then recoil from any stand ? To answer the question with a question, do we not err equally, if we tolerate the promulgation and teaching of non-essential beliefs, when that tolerance results in the death and destruction of peoples and nations targeted by Globalists with an imperial agenda? I refer to Dispensationalism to which there are an estimated 50 million Christian adherents world wide. This prophetic belief system is relatively recent arising out of the teachings of Irving and Darby in the 1830’s. By the early 20th century, the doctrine had been enshrined in the notes of the Schofield Reference Bible which is still with us today.
Almost diabolically, the publication coincided with the rise of Zionism, which in practice, trumpets the “exceptionalism" of the Jewish people over all others. Zionism has in fact, blossomed with the tacit support of all those that adhere to Dispensational beliefs. I submit there is absolutely No Biblical or historical basis for their confidence.
Few will say this in our time, because the tenets of Dispensationalism, the return of the Jews to Palestine, the secret rapture of the church, the return of Christ to rule for a thousand years, are attractive to Christians who do not want to believe that they will endure any significant persecution in the “end times”. Therefore, especially among new Christians, the doctrine is readily embraced.
In addition, Zionist teachings concerning the Holocaust of WWII, are so pervasive in western societies that the majority of people readily agree that the Jews should have some compensation for their suffering. 50 million Dispensationalists therefore agree that it’s quite okay to steal Arab lands, because it supports their belief that the Jews will be regathered to the land before the Lord’s return. They therefore join the Zionists in the belief that the Palestinians are expendable if they object to being forced from their land.
Initially, Holocaust exploitation and the charade at the Nuremburg Trials, set the scene for the United Nations to give the Jews Arab lands in 1948. Palestinians remember the 15th of May 1948 as the “Nakba”- (catastrophe) when many Palestinians were massacred; their people were expelled from 400 villages and untold degradation suffering and death has been imposed upon them ever since. Dispensational Christians have been among those in assent, because they believe in the eternal status of a Jewish nation, a factor which instills fear to express any opposition to Zionist apartheid policies. You have heard the time-worn cliche “Whoso touches the Jew touches the apple of God’s eye” ? Dispensationalists believe it.
So what is …..the historical position that was held by Christians for 18 centuries ? Surely we should be willing to consider it? Remember that 90% of the Christian world gives evidence that they have blindly accepted one side without examining the other. Unequivocal acceptance of Dispensationalism, anesthetizes our sensibilities to the sufferings of the Palestinians and many others in the Arab world. Surely, if on examination of both, there arises a reasonable doubt concerning the accuracy of dispensationalism, it would be better to oppose Israeli policies even on humanitarian grounds, rather than allow silent complicity to permit Israel to commit crimes unopposed ?
To begin let’s look together at a key chapter, where Dispensationalist say they have Biblical support. Open your King James Bible to Daniel 9: 24 -27.
V24- It is generally accepted principle in interpreting this passage that “weeks” are weeks of years. 70 weeks being 490 years. Note that the Spirit is revealing this many years earlier, to Daniel, who is a Jewish captive in Babylon of noble blood. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the “70 weeks determined on my people and my holy city” refers to the Jews and the City of Jerusalem. There are six events listed in this verse.
(1)" to finish the transgression “ is interpreted a transgression committed by national Israel; let’s call it rebellion against God of which there is ample evidence.
(2) “ To make and end of sins” means that sin will no more be a universal judgement against all mankind. The effects of Adam’s “fall” in the Garden of Eden will be reversed .
(3) "To make reconciliation for Iniquity” is perhaps better said by “exchange reconciliation for iniquity”, meaning fellowship between God and man will be restored.
(4) "To bring in everlasting righteousness” means that man can anticipate living forever in God’s Holy presence.
(5) “ To seal up the vision and the prophecy” means that prophecy and prophetic utterances that foretold these events will cease because the events are fulfilled on the earth.
(6) “ And to anoint the one most Holy” means to reveal the Messiah which was fulfilled at the baptism of Jesus, his transfiguration on the mount, and in the events of his ministry, crucifixion and resurrection.
V25 in general deals symbolically with the elapsed time for these things to occur.
“Know therefore that from the going forth…..” Cyrus the emperor of Persia gave the commandment to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The way it is worded, two events will take place. From the commandment of Cyrus until the temple is rebuilt will be 7 weeks or symbolically 49 years, and another 62 weeks or symbolically, 434 years until the Messiah shall die. The remainder of the verse refers to the fact that the city will indeed be resurrected with streets and walls during the first 7 weeks.
Note:
(a) that verses 26 and 27 have to be blended together for the right sequence, as the events, as they are written, appear to cross. This does not invalidate the prophecy for as German theologian E.W. Hengstenberg said in the 19th century, prophecy is a shadow, imperfectly seen, the symbolism of that which is to come, and therefore it can and should be considered“concealed definiteness”.
(b) Although the years portrayed from the “going forth of the commandment" and the “death of the Lord Jesus” are reasonably close, there is no issue if you assume Hengstenberg's view that prophecy is God’s preserve and that He chooses to conceal in symbolism what is definite in His plan for time and eternity. It’s an arrogant presumption to force a literal count of years on the Scriptures and in so doing, to abandon the sense of the passage for something else because it does not conform to a mathematical scheme.
V26 And after the “three score and two weeks” which was the second time allotment between the completion of the temple and the Messiah — He (the Christ) will be “cut off” or die. Further “but not for himself”— not because the Messiah deserved to die, but because a greater love persuaded him to die for others.
V27 - “He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” . Jesus will confirm the covenant or promise that he made to Abraham, that his spiritual seed (those born of the Spirit ) would be as the sand of the sea . Jesus confirmed this covenant during the 70th week, sending the gift of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost- Acts 2), during the time between his ascension and the destruction of the temple in AD 70.
“ The people of the Prince shall come…” refers to the Roman General Titus, who destroyed the City of Jerusalem, threw down every stone in the temple, and slaughtered 1.5 million people.
“ He ( Jesus ) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”.
The historical Christian interpretation views this passage as one period divided justifiably into three sections of weeks. (1) The rebuilding of the temple, (2) the Interim period which includes the birth, ministry and death of the Lord Jesus, and (3), the time between his ascension and his visitation in judgement upon the Jews in 70 AD. Literalism cannot be allowed discredit this story. It is all about the work and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, both to come, to minister, to die, and then to bring judgement upon the Jews for their ultimate rejection. This then is the “End of the Age” so often referred to in scripture. To the Jewish people alive at this time, the end of the Age is akin to the atom bomb at Hiroshima, only worse. The Jews had nurtured their “exceptionalism" for 2000 years starting with Abraham, and now it was at an end . The destruction of their city, their temple and sacrificial system, would be truly catastrophic.
In conclusion, there is no room in this continuous time frame for any possible argument to insert a future 2000+ year “Gap” that Dispensationalists believe is between the 69th week and the 70th week.This passage is about the Lord Jesus and his completed work up to, and including 70 AD. Any subsequent idea that Israel belongs in the land, or that the temple should be rebuilt and the sacrificial system restarted is a blasphemy against His completed sacrificial work. Bulls and goats could never take away sin, so when the Lamb of God became the acceptable sacrifice, it was appropriate that He Himself raise up Titus to destroy the temple, and put an end to the sacrificial system.
This view of Daniel 9 is not contradicted by any of the New Testament writers, and if this interpretation be true, are Christians not on dangerous ground, to hold a doctrine which derives its support more from temporal events, and pernicious propaganda, rather than a true exposition of the Scriptures?
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