Rebuild the Temple in the Tribulation? - Part 2
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There is no Scripture that says that the Temple will be rebuilt in the Tribulation. The Temple cannot save anyone.
- No Scripture speaks of THE Tribulation
- The 7th Seal never opened
- The sixth Seal only refers to the Tribulation
- There is another possible Temple site
- The 7 weeks of Daniel did not involve the Temple
- William Branham copied mistakes from Clarence Larkin
- 1977 error due to using wrong date by Archbishop Ussher
No Scripture speaks of THE Tribulation
The closest we can get is "the tribulation of those days".
This is a specific Tribulation that refers to the Holocaust where 6 million Jews were murdered during the 6 years of World War 2 when the dictator Hitler unleashed those pagan Roman spirits onto the Jews.
MATTHEW 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days ...
The 7 church ages end in a 3.5 year period called "great Tribulation" in the Bible.
Will the Temple be rebuilt during the 3.5 years of great Tribulation?
The churches virtually all say yes. But are they right?
It is always difficult to try to disagree with the majority opinion. People tend to go with the flow. So do dead fish.
DEUTERONOMY 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
There are many mysteries that have been revealed. But some remain hidden behind a veil.
Is the mystery of the Tribulation Temple revealed, or is it still behind a veil of uncertainty?
Do we have much information about Tribulation events?
I CORINTHIANS 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Much about the Tribulation still lies unseen over the spiritual horizon in terms of our current knowledge.
Denominational Bible scholars make a very unsuitable analysis of the revelation of the Seven Seals in Revelation Chapter 6.
Their lack of insight about this crucial Chapter 6 leads to a very wrong understanding of the Book of Revelation.
There is also no Scripture that speaks of "THE Antichrist".
So we need to tread carefully before we rush into THE Tribulation with THE Antichrist. They do not exist in the real world.
In 1963 it took 7 angels to reveal to William Branham in America what the subtle clues were that others had missed in this critical Chapter 6 that reveals the ride of many antichrist spirits through the 7 church ages to Armageddon.
I JOHN 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Many antichrists were already unleashed 2000 years ago. Antichrist is a spirit or spirits.
I JOHN 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
That is what a revelation means.
A deep eagle-insight into each symbol that exposes how sin infiltrated and took over the church during its 2000 years of history. We need to be warned about how Satan fools human beings. We are not as clever as we think we are.
REVELATION 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
The first rider had no arrow. That makes him a bluffer. A white horse was symbolic of being religious. So Satan entered as a religious deceiver.
A religious church leader finally got crowned.
Finally, by around AD 860 Pope Nicholas even wore a single crown to show that he was the equal of kings.
That elevation was not sufficient so the crown evolved into the famous triple crown shortly after 1305 when Clement V became Pope. The triple crown made the Pope superior to kings as the Pope was now king of heaven, earth, and purgatory where demons dwell.
Purgatory is unscriptural as is Trinity, Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Monday. But the churches no longer were concerned with being strictly Scriptural because that spirit of antichrist was successfully conquering the church world with his popular blend of churchified paganism.
Popes wore the triple crown until 1963 when six of the seven Seals were revealed by William Branham.
Religious deception relies on unscriptural doctrines and traditions. What everyone missed was that there was only one rider, the Devil, who as the years went by rode on three horses or antichrist spiritual powers.
"Another horse" but no mention of "another rider".
REVELATION 6:3
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
So the same rider ended up on three horses.
The white horse of religious deception. The red horse of political power and the black horse of Big Business demonology in the churches.
What fooled the church was when they adopted pagan religious customs and beliefs dressed up in Christian terminology. Their next fatal mistake was their political involvement which gained them worldly power, and finally the demonology of big-money church systems.
Then Satan finally merged the three horses into one pale mixed-up horse during today's chaotic uniting time of error and unbelief which drove Jesus outside the modern Laodicean churches. Thus the King James Version of the Bible is no longer regarded as being the Absolute. Being strictly Scriptural is now regarded as being wrong. Human quotes and opinions are now regarded as truth.
Thus the first seven verses of Revelation Chapter 6 represent the complete 7 church ages, as 7 is the number of completion.
Eight then represents a new system. So verse 8 represents the new system of the 3.5 years of great Tribulation where Death can only enter after Life has left when the Holy Spirit catches the true church up to meet the Lord in the air.
REVELATION 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
The fifth Seal shows God’s grace towards the Jews who were killed for their faith during the 7 church ages. They are given white robes of salvation. They demand revenge. Jews are allowed an eye for an eye. Christians pray to forgive their enemies.
The 6th Seal is the interruption of nature in the 3.5 years of great Tribulation.
This starts with a massive earthquake and ends at the great battle of Armageddon.
The 7th Seal is silence.
The greatest mystery in the universe.
The as-yet-unknown Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Without brother Branham’s insights, we would never have put all these clues together to understand Chapter 6 correctly, as it deals with many very cunning antichrist spirits.
So it is pointless to guess our way through the seven Trumpets and the seven Vials.
These apply to the 3.5 years of great Tribulation and thus have no application to the Bride who miss the dark night of great Tribulation by being caught up to Heaven for the Wedding Supper.
People have tried to explain the Vials and Thunders but their opinions are shallow and uninspired.
John the Revelator had the difficulty of describing many antichrist spirits of religious deception, church involvement in politics, and Big Money demonology that unleashes the love of money and material gain in the churches. He described these spirits in terms of physical things like horses and a rider.
When it comes to the Tribulation events we can only know in part. The seven Trumpets are hidden behind a veil of symbols that it is pointless for us to guess about. So are the very similar seven judgement Vials.
God did not want brother Branham to preach on the seven Trumpets as they apply to the Jews in the Tribulation and the Tribulation has nothing to do with the Bride.
64-0719M THE FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS
What is the matter that everything is cut off from preaching those Trumpets?" And then He came and revealed it. And now, this morning, I want to speak to you on the reason why.
… Now, I have been anticipating for some time to speak on the subject of the Seven Trumpets in the Book of Revelations. And now we are going to review this, just a moment, to bring out the real cause of me not speaking this time, because the Holy Spirit would not let me speak at this time on these things. I know that sounds very juvenile, maybe, to people of great learning and understanding, but to the Christian it's different. We follow the leading of the Spirit, that alone.
… Now, the reason that these Seven Trumpets does not apply to this Church and this age, is because it's to Israel only. It's the calling, of the gathering of the people. And now there's only one significance in here that I want you to get to, in a few minutes, is where you'll see why this doesn't apply to this age that we're living in; the Seven Trumpets.
… When I went into the room, to try to understand, it was there that the Holy Spirit opened up this, to show me the reason it not profitable even for the Church at this time, 'cause it has nothing to do with the Church, at all.
So the seven Trumpets remain a mystery as do the seven Judgement Vials.
A very important point.
We do not know much about the 3.5 years of great Tribulation that involve the Jews.
So be very careful when you claim that the Temple has to be rebuilt.
The 7th Seal never opened
You are then making a definite prediction about a time that we are very uncertain about.
Brother Branham had a revelation of the opening of the seven Seals in 1963.
This revelation was an outline of the events during the seven church ages as well as how God deals with the Jews during the church ages and during the Tribulation.
This revelation was a most informative outline but we have to research the many details of church history that fit into this revelation.
But the seventh Seal never opened in this revelation. It remains a total mystery.
64-0719 THE FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS
The Seventh Seal hasn't opened yet, you know. That's His Coming.
The Bride is actually in Heaven during Revelation Chapters 4 and 5. The Rapture occurs at the start of Chapter 4. John is caught up to Heaven, one individual representing the Bride.
REVELATION 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Thus when the Lamb actually opens the seven Seals in all their details in Revelation Chapter 6, then the Bride will be in Heaven.
AMOS 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
God will not open the seven Seals before He first reveals them.
In 1963 the Seals were opened in the form of a revelation to tell us what they refer to.
But the literal opening happens during the Wedding Supper in Heaven.
64-0719 THE FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS
The Gentile, when them Seals was opened, is sealed away; time is ended; the Church is called.
The seventh Seal will only open at the Coming of the Lord when time ends for the Bride as they step into their new immortal bodies that never age or change.
As long as you age and change, you are still in time.
Time causes the changes that age us.
REVELATION 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
We, in this body, cannot understand time ending.
We do not know what time is. We cannot even measure time.
We measure the movement of a pointer across a watch face, but we do not actually measure time.
How time ends is beyond our ability to understand.
Thus the seventh Seal which deals with the Coming of the Lord remains a mystery.
We will need a glorified body and a brand new glorified brain to cope with that event.
In addition, the sixth Seal can only be opened by the two prophets in the Tribulation.
The sixth Seal only refers to the Tribulation
64-0719M THE FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS
Remember, all Trumpets sound on this Sixth Seal. The Sixth Seal finishes the mystery, under the Sixth Seal, just before the Seventh is opened.
Who opens the sixth Seal when the Bride is in Heaven? The two prophets.
63-0323 THE SIXTH SEAL
... and [Moses and Elijah] have power over the waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with plagues as oft as they will.
What is it? What can bring these things but the Word? They can do nature any way they want to. Here it is. They're the one who brings on this Sixth Seal. They uncover and open it up. It's the power of God to interrupt nature. See, the Sixth Seal, is completely an interruption of nature.
Do you get it now? There's your Seal. Who does it? It's the prophets the other side of the rapture. With the power of God, the Word of God, they just condemn nature. They can send earthquakes, turn the moon into blood, the sun can go down or anything at their command. Amen.
… It's Moses and Elijah, 'cause there's their ministry re-impersonated again: both men. Oh, my. Do you see it now? See what the Sixth Seal is? It's those prophets.
Now, notice. Don't let it choke you, but watch what opened that Seal: prophets. See? Amen. There you are. Oh, we're living in the eagle day, brother, head up among the clouds. They opened that Sixth Seal. They have power to do it. Amen. There's your Sixth Seal coming open. See?
We have a revelation of the opening of the sixth Seal which is a basically an outline of certain Tribulation events but the real details will be known by the two Jewish prophets. Moses and Elijah actually open the sixth Seal by interrupting nature and striking the earth with plagues and a world-wide drought for 3½ years.
REVELATION 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
1260 days is 42 months of 30 days each. That adds up to 3½ years.
REVELATION 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
So we look at the Tribulation events with a degree of uncertainty. We know some things about the Tribulation but there is a lot that we do not know.
We know that the Tribulation will be an interruption of nature, but we have no power to interrupt nature in such a way that makes nature obey us. Moses got the Red Sea to open up to save the Jews from Pharaoh.
But the two Jewish prophets will speak and nature will obey them in order to destroy their enemies.
There is another possible Temple site
Will the Jewish Temple be rebuilt in the Tribulation?
This raises the question of where the original Temple was.
The Romans had built a large Fort called Antonia just north of the Temple. The Temple was destroyed by the Roman general Titus in AD 70 and then further destroyed by the Roman emperor Hadrian in AD 135. They built a Roman temple on the site which was later destroyed by the emperor Constantine. The Persians conquered Jerusalem in AD 614 and destroyed many churches. The Arabs then conquered Jerusalem in AD 638 and built a wooden Mosque of Omar which lasted a few decades and was destroyed. In 691 the Dome of the Rock (D) was built and by AD 710 the Al-Aqsa mosque (A) was built. But it would be destroyed and rebuilt at least five times.
This large rectangular area (outlined in red) became known as the Temple Mount and people generally believe that the Temple was built somewhere on this rectangular Temple Mount, as shown in the next sketch.
But this topic is controversial.
Certain scholars believe that the Temple was built at the Gihon spring (the smaller red square) and that this area was once known as Zion. It is the only natural source of water within 5 kilometers.
PSALM 87:5 And of Zion it shall be said…
PSALM 87:7 … all my springs are in thee.
Today there is a road and a parking lot in this area. If the Temple was built there then no rocks have been left standing.
MATTHEW 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down
Dr. Martin makes a strong case for the Gihon spring being the original Temple site. He has made a reconstruction of Herod's Temple and Fort Antonia, and his sketch is found in his recent book,The Temples That Jerusalem Forgot, ASK Publications. Web site: www.askelm.org.
So we look through a glass darkly. The site of the Temple was thoroughly destroyed by the Romans 2000 years ago and is very controversial.
The original wooden Mosque of Omar, built almost five hundred years after the Temple was destroyed, was also destroyed perhaps a few decades after being built. Nobody seems to know exactly where it was situated nor how it was destroyed.
It is very difficult to get any definite information about this original wooden Mosque of Omar.
There is a Mosque of Omar shown about half a kilometer to the left of the Dome of the Rock on a 1915 map of Jerusalem. It was built in 1193. It is south of the church of the Holy Sepulchre (in the green rectangle) and not on the east side of the church where Omar is believed to have built his original mosque.
All we know for sure is the Dome of the Rock was built about AD 691. It dominated what is called the Temple Mount.
Sometimes referred to as the “Mosque of Omar,” actually the Dome of the Rock is neither a mosque nor the Mosque of Omar. Omar built an earlier structure, on the east side of the church of the Holy Sepulchre just after AD 638, but he did not build the Dome of the Rock that was built in AD 691. And this building is considered a shrine and not a mosque. Men pray instead at the Al Aqsa mosque located 200 meters to the south. Muslims believe that this is the place where Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Ishmael. (BiblePlaces.com)
Then the Al-Aqsa mosque was built by around AD 710 – 715. It has been destroyed many times by earthquakes and re-built about five times.
So if the Temple is to be rebuilt then we are a little uncertain about the exact spot. The details of the 3.5 years of great Tribulation time always seem to be a little out of focus.
The following photograph is by Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30066666
The above photograph shows the rectangular Temple Mount as it appears today. The Al-Aqsa mosque is in the red rectangle. The Dome of the Rock has the golden dome and is in the green circle.
If the Temple is to be rebuilt in this space, then it is uncertain if either the Dome or the mosque (or both) will be demolished or whether the Temple will be fitted in somewhere to share the space with the Dome and the mosque. But that will not be how the Temple originally was. The Temple alone occupied the site.
The 7 weeks of Daniel did not involve the Temple
Let us consider a brief history of the Temple of Solomon.
The Babylonians invaded Judah in 606 BC and 587 BC. This resulted in the Jews being taken captive to Babylon and the Temple and the wall that was around the city of Jerusalem being destroyed.
Then things changed and the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon in 538 BC.
The Persian king Cyrus told the Jews that they could return to Israel and rebuild their Temple.
EZRA 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
In 536 BC the Jews began to rebuild the Temple having been given permission by king Cyrus the Persian.
EZRA 3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem,EZRA 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD,
Then for about 17 years they were stopped by their enemies. But they then built hard for about four years, thanks to new permission from king Darius the Persian, and by about 515 BC the Temple was rebuilt. Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and the two prophets Haggai and Zechariah were the four men most responsible for the rebuilding of the Temple.
Darius became Persian king around 521 BC.
EZRA 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
Then there was a pause for about 56 years before Ezra spent about 10 months restoring the Temple treasure and Temple worship. This was about 459 BC.
Nothing happened for another 13 years until Nehemiah arrived around 446 BC to rebuild the city wall and the gates. The gates were where the streets meet the wall. He built the wall around Jerusalem and the gates in 52 days.
With Nehemiah, we meet Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks.
In prophecy a day can represent a year.
Laban made Jacob serve seven years before he could marry Rachel. He called this a week.
GENESIS 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Thus a week can be seven years in prophecy.
DANIEL 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
70 x 7 = 490 years from the commandment to rebuild the city wall and the gates in the wall where the streets were.
DANIEL 9:25 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.
When was the commandment given to Nehemiah?
NEHEMIAH 2:1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king,
NEHEMIAH 2:5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
Artaxerxes became king in 465 BC.
So his 20th year would be 446 BC. (Dates are always a bit tricky).
The red number indicates his first year as 465 BC.
“the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times”.
NEHEMIAH 2:17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
They built with one hand on their weapons. Those were dangerous days.
NEHEMIAH 4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
NEHEMIAH 4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded.
The wall was built in 52 days.
NEHEMIAH 6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
So, starting in 446 BC of our Gentile calendar the Jews had 490 Jewish or Bible years left to them.
This was divided into three sections.
7 weeks, 62 weeks, one week.
49 years, 434 years, 7 years (assuming one week represents 7 years)
It is difficult to puzzle out what the 49 year period means.
This had nothing to do with the Temple.
The Temple had been built almost 70 years before Nehemiah got the commandment to rebuild the city wall that only took him 52 days to build.
The Temple had been built by about 515 BC. Nehemiah only built the wall in 446 BC.
Scholars struggle to accurately place the date of Malachi, the last prophet.
They usually assume a date somewhere between 430 BC and 400 BC.
Doctor Scofield, in his footnotes, chooses the date of 397 BC.
This would be approximately 49 years after Nehemiah got his commandment to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem in 446 BC.
Thus Daniel’s prophecy seems to promise the Jews a time period of 49 years before prophetic guidance would end when Malachi’s prophecies ended the Old Testament.
Malachi means “messenger”.
Thus he blends in with John the Baptist who is introduced as
MARK 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Then there will be 62 weeks (434 years) before John the Baptist, who appears in the year AD 29, and after a dynamic ministry of about 6 months, would baptize Jesus just before the year AD 30.
LUKE 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age
The Roman emperor Augustus died in AD 14. His adopted son Tiberius was later declared to be emperor by the Senate. A man only became emperor when the Roman Senate declared him to be emperor. Tiberius was declared co-emperor by Augustus in AD 12 but dates were still based on the life of Augustus. After the death of Augustus and once the Senate had confirmed him as emperor, only then would dates be reckoned in terms of Tiberius.
LUKE 3:1 in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar …
:2 … the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
So John began preaching in 14 + 15 = AD 29.
Spring began around March-April so an approximate 6 month ministry would bring the time to September-October AD 29 when Jesus would be baptized (almost the year AD 30).
Three months at the end of AD 29 and 3 months at the beginning of AD 30 would mean Jesus had a ministry of 6 months when the first Passover was celebrated around March-April of the hear AD 30.
Three years later in AD 33 Jesus would be killed at the Passover, making His ministry 3½ years.
The ministry of Jesus stretched over four Passover feasts.
JOHN 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day,
(This would be March-April). The first Passover in AD 30.
JOHN 6:4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
This was the second Passover in AD 31.
Then Jesus speaks to the Samaritans in December AD 31 (four months before the barley harvest in March-April AD 32, at the time of the Passover, which starts the next year’s feasts).
JOHN 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?
JOHN 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
This was the third Passover attended by Jesus. The year was AD 32.
Or else, if it was not the Passover, then it was one of the feasts that came after the third Passover. The Passover was always the first feast.
So there was a feast during AD 32 after the winter of AD 31. If it was not the Passover, then it was one of the feasts that followed the Passover of AD 32. That means the Passover of AD 32 had already happened, which would have been the third Passover in the ministry of Jesus.
JOHN 11:55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand:
This was the fourth Passover that Jesus attended. The year was AD 33.
Four Passovers mean that three years had passed. Plus the six months of His ministry before the first Passover. His total ministry was thus 3½ years.
The water baptism of Jesus, almost at the year AD 30, marks the end of the 69 weeks.
There are seven years left. But Jesus will only fulfill 3½ years.
DANIEL 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and 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.
Jesus was supposed to have a 7 year ministry called the 70th week, and then set up the Millennium reign of 1000 years of peace.
“and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”.
Jesus got killed in the midst of the last seven years.
His death did away with the Passover lamb.
God tore up the Temple veil and ended the Jewish Law.
37 years later the Romans under Titus destroyed the city and the Temple. Since then there have been no more sacrifices.
DANIEL 9:25 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.
“Messiah the Prince”.
A Prince is the Son of the King. The emphasis is on the Sonship.
This Scripture was fulfilled at the baptism of Jesus.
LUKE 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
The baptism placed the emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit came down to rest on Jesus and anoint Him.
MATTHEW 1:20 … Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
The person who places the seed of life in a woman’s womb is the father of that child.
Thus the Holy Ghost is the Father of Jesus.
Thus the Holy Ghost is God the Father.
So the Holy Ghost spoke as He descended to rest on Jesus as an anointing. The Holy Spirit did not go into Jesus.
John the Baptist said:
JOHN 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
ACTS 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:
“Messiah the Prince”.
Messiah means the anointed One.
Prince means the Son of the King. The Son of God.
When Jesus was baptized or washed as the sacrificial Lamb, this was the start of His ministry.
7 weeks plus 62 weeks = 69 weeks.
69 x 7 = 483 Jewish years
But from 446 BC to AD 30 = 476 Gentile years. Why the difference?
A Jewish year is 360 days and is 5.24 days shorter than a Gentile year.
So in every 70 Jewish years there are only 69 Gentile years.
(69 x 5.24 = 361 days = one Jewish year)
Every 70 years the Jews gain one year on the Gentiles.
In 490 years they will gain 490 / 70 = 7 years more than the Gentile years.
So 476 Gentile years + 7 extra Jewish years = 483 Jewish years, which is 69 weeks.
REVELATION 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
1260 days is only 42 months if a Bible month is 30 days.
This also means that the Jews have 42 months owing to them. That is three and a half years.
The 70th week was cut in half.
The two halves are separated by the seven church ages, represented by the 7-branched candlestick.
Jesus was crucified in AD 33 and God stopped dealing with the Jews.
The Holy Ghost came down to fill the church on the day of Pentecost and then guided the church through the seven church ages.
The Holy Ghost will then take the Bride up to meet the Lord in the air at His Coming (often called the Rapture).
The Gospel returns to the Jews in the Tribulation time as Moses and Elijah call out the 144000 Jews.
55-0109E BEGINNING AND ENDING OF THE GENTILE DISPENSATION
Now, then all to these visions He showed him just where the nations would be standing. He showed them how that there were so many years depended yet on the Jews. He said the Messiah shall come. He will prophesy in the seventieth week, which is three and a half years, and in the midst of it He will be cut off, which is seven years.
[Brother Branham splits the 70th week into two halves. Jesus preached the first half of 3½ years].
Now, when Messiah come, Jesus, He preached exactly three and a half years and was cut off for a sacrifice. The daily obligation was taken away and the desolate, the abomination that maketh desolation, the Mosque of Omar was stood today in the place of the holy temple. The Mosque of Omar stands exactly where the temple stood.
Brother Branham seems to think that the Dome of the Rock is the Mosque of Omar.
Some scholars agree with this viewpoint. Other scholars disagree. It is a controversial issue.
57-1002 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON HEBREWS.2
And the Messiah would come (the Prince) and would prophesy in the midst of the seventieth week, which was the seven years, He'd be cut off in the midst. Look how perfect it was. Jesus was exactly preached three and one-half years and was crucified.
There's three and a half years yet allotted to them, to the Jew. It's got to be.
So there are three and a half years left to the Jews.
61-0618 REVELATION CHAPTER FIVE.2
And the daily sacrifice would be done away with; and the abomination that maketh desolation (which the Moslem of Omar stood on the temple grounds the day when they burnt the temple), and then there is three and a half years yet left to the Israel.
This quote has a factual mistake.
The mosque of Omar was not built when the Temple was burned down.
The Temple was burnt in AD 70. The Muslims conquered Jerusalem in AD 638 which was 568 years later.
Sometime after that the wooden Mosque of Omar was built and then destroyed.
Then in AD 691 the Dome of the Rock was finally built, which is about 621 years after the Temple was burnt.
William Branham copied mistakes from Clarence Larkin
There are also certain factual problems in the sermon “Daniel’s Seventy Weeks”.
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
Look, there's exactly forty-nine years in the time of the building of the temple, 'cause there's was seven weeks determined to the temple, to rebuild the temple; and it was built in exactly forty-nine years.
And it was exactly forty-nine years building the temple from March the 14th B.C. 538 until the temple was restored again and the streets was restored, exactly forty-nine years.
These dates are incorrect.
The Temple was not rebuilt in 49 years, it took about 21 years due to interruptions from their enemies.
The Temple was restored by 515 BC. The wall and streets were restored in 446 BC. A difference of 69 years.
Cyrus gave the order to rebuild the Temple after he conquered Babylon in 538 BC.
EZRA 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Building began two years later in his second year, around 536 BC.
EZRA 3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, …
EZRA 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD
The Temple was finished in 515 BC in the sixth year of king Darius who became king around 521 BC.
EZRA 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
536 – 515 = 21 years (approximately).
The Temple was built over a time period of about 21 years. During that time interval the building was stopped for about 17 years.
But this rebuilding of the Temple has got nothing to do with Daniel’s 70 weeks.
This commandment to start the 70 weeks was given in 446 BC and it was to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and the gates for the city streets.
This was 69 years after the Temple had been rebuilt.
DANIEL 9:25 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.
No mention here of rebuilding the Temple.
For the next quote, brother Branham quotes from Clarence Larkin's "Dispensational Truth" book which many Bible scholars regard as truth.
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
Now, now, Jesus, Messiah, rode into the city of Jerusalem, triumph, on the back of a white mule on Palm Sunday, April the 2nd, A.D. 30.[Larkin’s date] Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, A.D. 30. And now, now, from B.C. 445 to A.D. 30 is exactly 475 years.
This quote is puzzling due to its factual errors.
Jesus rode in on a donkey not a mule. (Solomon rode a mule to get anointed as king).
A white mule? The colour of the donkey is not mentioned.
ZECHARIAH 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
I am not sure who brother Branham is quoting here in connection with the white mule. But the statement is wrong.
However, the date of April 2nd AD 30 comes from Clarence Larkin (page 71 of his book Dispensational Truth).
Larkin also starts with the date of 445 BC. And does the following calculation:
445 BC + 30 AD = 475 which is 8 years difference from the 69 weeks before Messiah, 69 x 7 = 483 years.
Larkin claims to be accurate to a day but he fails to mention that when Julius Caesar reformed the calendar he made the year 45 BC to be 445 days long.
Then from 44 BC until AD 12 the Romans mistakenly added in an extra day as a leap year every 3 years instead of every 4 years. This was another error of about 4 days.
So trying to calculate to a day, as Larkin tried to do, is not that accurate.
But Palm Sunday did not recognize Jesus as the Prince. He was hailed as the King.
ZECHARIAH 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee
This next picture is what we get from Larkin, Scofield and most Bible scholars and pastors.
According to them Daniel’s 69th week ends with the death of Jesus, leaving the last or 70th week as the time of the 7 year Tribulation.
These are Larkin's dates that brother Branham used for the sermon “Daniel’s 70 Weeks”.
But now we get a contradiction as brother Branham uses two dates, AD 30 and AD 33 for Palm Sunday and the Day of Pentecost when those two dates are only about 57 days apart.
53-0607E A TESTIMONY
Peter speaking, the theme is Jesus Christ. The time is AD 33, at the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
Brother Branham placed the birth of the church in AD 33 on the Day of Pentecost.
This contradicts the AD 30 that he copied from Larkin, as Jesus died in the same week as Palm Sunday.
In the sixth Seal brother Branham again refers to AD 30.
63-0323 THE SIXTH SEAL
… He set upon... mount... Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when these things shall be?... what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
These three verses, it took place actually on Tuesday afternoon, April the 4th, AD 30.
But in a later sermon brother Branham claimed that the church, which began on the Day of Pentecost, was established in AD 33.
65-0815 AND KNOWETH IT NOT
The church of Christ, established AD 33.
So, did Christ die in AD 30 or AD 33?
There are quotes for both dates.
If you want the true answer you cannot use the quotes that contradict each other.
You must follow the history of the events through Scripture.
Now, notice how brother Branham uses both dates, AD 30 and AD 33, in the same sermon.
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, A.D. 30. And now, now, from B.C. 445 to A.D. 30 is exactly 475 years.
But as we have already seen that the sixty-nine weeks makes 483 years... Now, there's where the trouble comes, right there. See? We've got only with the marking of the Bible here, time, only 475 years, and actually it's 483 years, a difference of eight years.
Now, God can't make it miss. If He said it would be so many days, it's so many days. If He says it's so much, it's so much. So what are we going to do? Now, the B.C. 475 to A.D. 30 are Julian or astronomy years, which are 365 1/4 day in each. But when we reduce them days to our prophetic calendar. [Bible years of 360 days].
Now, let me stop right here just a minute. That you might know beyond one shadow of doubt, I just wouldn't take that one place. I can take it through the entire Scriptures and prove you that seven days is seven years in the Bible. I just did it over here in Revelations the 11th chapter and the 3rd verse. Them prophets will prophesy one thousand two hundred and three-score days, which is in the midst of the last week of the Jews. Then they're cut off and the Armageddon sets in. Then if that be so, there it is again exactly thirty days in a month. See? Then it's not no thirty-one days and twenty-eight days and so forth; it's exactly thirty days in a month each time.
[Here he follows Larkin who believed in a 7 year Tribulation.
Brother Branham has the two prophets cut off in the middle of this 7 year Tribulation].
Our prophetic calendar brings us to 360 days as we use now in the Scriptures. We have exactly 483. Here we have exactly proof of the prophecy, exactly the truth. For from the time of the going forth to build the temple until the destroying... Or when they rejected Christ and killed Him in A.D. 33 when Christ was killed is exactly 483 years.
You cannot base your beliefs just on quotes. Christ could not die in AD 30 and AD 33.
The command to build the Temple was given around 538 BC and building started around 536 BC.
The command “to build the Temple” had nothing to do with Daniel’s 70 weeks. That is a mistake.
This was not the date that the 70 weeks or 490 years began with.
The proper command was the command to build the wall and streets which was given in 446 BC.
In the next quote, notice the muddling up between the commandment to rebuild the Temple (538 BC) (mentioned twice) and the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall and gates (446 BC).
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
For from the time of the going forth to build the temple until the destroying... Or when they rejected Christ and killed Him in A.D. 33--when Christ was killed is exactly 483 years. Now, from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem was determined seven weeks, which meant forty-nine years, and forty-nine years hit it exactly. Well, from the rebuilding of the temple to the Messiah was 438 years, so 434 years and 434 times 49 makes exactly 483 years.
Notice the mistake “and 434 times 49 makes exactly 483 years”.
This needs correcting. “Times” should be “plus”.
434 x 49 is not 483. 434 + 49 = 483
Another problem.
In Daniel’s 70 Weeks brother Branham changed his viewpoint from a 3½ year Tribulation to agree with the accepted church tradition of a 7 year Tribulation.
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
… this one seven weeks left--one seven years, rather--seven days, seven years, will hit exactly according to the Scripture
… Where will that seventieth week begin? Exactly after this church is cut off. Then God returns to the Jews.
… Now, when's God going to start their last week?
… and we know we're at the end of the Gentile age, then there's one more week left for the Jew. Is that right? And that's exactly seven years.
… And in the middle of the week, the middle of this Jewish week (See?), that's three and a half years . The antichrist, the prince, a prince that is to come... And remember, he comes out of Rome.
… And he makes a covenant with them, and in the midst of the seventieth week, the antichrist breaks his covenant with the Jews, "thy people."
And after three days and nights, the spirit of life will come into them, and they'll be raised up and go into glory. A tenth part of the city fell at that time. Is that right? See? What is that? In the middle of this last seventy years. [correction: last seven years]
… Now, notice here. In the middle of the week, three and a half days--three and a half years, rather, he breaks the covenant and causes the sacrifice and oblation that they will have set up already...
[This implies that the Jewish temple worship has been set up. Thus implying that the temple must be rebuilt]
… 'Cause they'll go right back and say, "Now, look, you all are churches; you can be received in this image unto the beast.
… But now watch. And set up, and set up to this--the daily worship--the sacrifice will come back into the city when the temple is rebuilt. And this prince that's to come in the middle of this week will break his covenant and do away with this sacrifice as I said, he'll scatter it, and what he'd do lasts on till the consummation.
[Here he says that the temple will be rebuilt]. [The covenant is broken in the middle of the week]
… "I give power unto My two witnesses, and they'll prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days." How many is it, a thousand two hundred and threescore days? Three and one half years. And then they shall be killed in the streets, right in the midst of this seventieth week.
But in the “Revelation of the Seven Seals” brother Branham the refers to there being half a week left, 3½ years.
63-0324E THE SEVENTH SEAL
You see these Jews begin to put forth their buds over yonder, when that Israel begins to turn back, getting into her country, when she gets there, the Church is ready to rapture, and there's only three and a half years left unto the end of the old world,
… They are Jews, the elect that's called out during the time of the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventy weeks.
63-0318 THE FIRST SEAL
And he makes this covenant with the Jews, and in the midst of this three and a half years, he breaks his covenant as soon as he gets the thing wrapped up and gets the money of the Jews tied up.
[Now he says that the covenant is broken in the middle of the last 3½ years.
He also says it is a financial covenant because the Jews control the Stock market. Not a temple covenant].
… and Christ has prophesied for the three and a half years, and three and a half years are yet determined. Is that right? And this prince in that time is to make a covenant with Daniel's people, which is the Jews.
63-0116 THE EVENING MESSENGER
Notice, if the Gentile church has to be taken away first, for the Jews, then the end of the Seventy weeks of Daniel takes place. The three and a half years Messiah prophesied, and then He was cut off, the Prince, in the middle of the seventieth week. And, then, there's three and a half weeks left yet.
63-0324M QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON THE SEALS
QUESTION: Brother Branham, I noticed your referring to Daniel's seventy weeks on the First Seal message. I understand on the tape of Daniel when the Gospel returns to the Jews, the seventy weeks [correction: 70th week] will begin. Is there one week, seven years, left for the Jews, or yet is there only one-half week, one three and one-half years left for them?
ANSWER: Only one-half week: Jesus prophesied the first half week, as was predicted, only one-half week left for them.
63-0324M QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON THE SEALS
QUESTION: Brother Branham, you said that Rome would take the government of the Jews at the last three and a half years. That is going to be the first three and one-half years of the tribulation or will it be the last three and a half years? Is this correct?
ANSWER: It will be the last three and one-half years (That's right.), not the first, 'cause it's already passed.
… Now, now, in the last part, the seventieth week, the last part of it will be during the time of the tribulation period, after the rapture of the Church. Then there is the three and a half years here that it will be confirmed to them again by prophets (See?), Moses and Elijah: Revelations 11.
So, are there 7 years or 3½ years left?
You cannot settle this issue on quotes as brother Branham makes both statements.
Again, if you want the truth, you must track the dates through the Scripture.
Then the answer is clear, there are three and a half years left.
So Daniel's 70 Weeks unfortunately quoted Clarence Larkin with the date of Calvary as AD 30 and a 7 year Tribulation. Both of these times are wrong.
Daniel's 70 Weeks is also the one time that brother Branham said that the Temple would be rebuilt in the Tribulation.
This is another doctrine that he got from Clarence Larkin.
So you must decide how valid this statement is.
64-0830M QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.3
QUESTION: Brother Branham, when you gave the message on the seventy weeks of Daniel, I believe that you mentioned that the full last week or last seven years will begin when the Bride was taken in the rapture.
ANSWER: No, no, no, no, no, nah, nah, nah. You got that wrong (See?), not the full seven weeks. The week started when Jesus came on earth.
He said, "The Messiah, Prince, shall come and prophesy, and in the midst of the seven weeks [correction: 70th week], He'll be cut off." And Jesus preached exactly three and one half years, which is half of the seventy weeks [correction: 70th week], the seven days, weekdays. See? And there's three and one half years left.
The 70th week is 7 days or 7 years . Half has gone during the ministry of Jesus.
Jesus was baptized just before the year AD 30 and He died in AD 33.
This was the first half of the 70th week.
64-0830M QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.3
Now, when Moses and Elijah comes on earth, which is Revelations and Zechariah. When Zechariah 4 and Revelations 11, them two olive trees and so forth--which is Moses and Elijah--when they come on earth they prophesy 1,264 days [correction: 1260 days]. What is it? Exactly three and one half years. There's exactly the same thing.
… Never did I believe that the whole seventy weeks [correction: 70th week] would be over here. Messiah's cut off. How many remembers that in preaching up here? Certainly. See?
Here brother Branham denies ever believing that a whole week of 7 years is still left.
But that is what he said in Daniel’s 70 weeks. So he was just quoting Clarence Larkin on the 7 year Tribulation. It was not his own belief. It was Larkin’s. And most of the churches believe Larkin's theory of a 7 year Tribulation.
Brother Branham’s error was to just quote Larkin rather than getting his own revelation.
There is not a 70th week or 7 year Tribulation over at the end. The way most churches believe.
But it is Larkin who claimed that the Temple would be rebuilt in the Tribulation. And brother Branham just quoted Larkin.
Was that another mistake?
1977 error due to using wrong date by Archbishop Ussher
Now we come across a big error in date setting that brother Branham quoted from Archbishop Ussher of Ireland.
It starts with Ussher’s date for the call of Abraham. This date is very difficult for historians to pin down.
1961-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
From the time God made the promise to Abraham (Don't miss this.)--from the time God made the promise to Abraham, Genesis 12:3, to the time of Christ being rejected in A.D. 33, by the Jews, according to Galatians 3:16 and 17, and according to Usher's (U-s-h-e-r-s) Usher's Chronology of the Hebrews, the power of God was with the Jews exactly 1954 years. God dealt with the Jews 1954 years according to the chronology of the Jews and according to Galatians 3:16 and 17.
[Usher had the call of Abraham happening about 1921 BC. Jesus died in AD 33. 1921 + 33 = 1954]
Now, counting the time, we find that we have exactly (Listen.) seventeen years left, and we will have the same span of time given to us as God dealing with us in the power of the Holy Spirit since A.D. 33 until 1977, the same span of time of 1954 years. God deals with us the same as He did with the Jews.
[33 + 1954 = 1987 So the date of 1977 was not valid. It was a very unfortunate adding mistake.
By then Message-believers were just running on quotes without checking anything].
… He give Abraham the promise until the rejecting of the Messiah in A.D. 33, was 1954 years.
Here brother Branham uses AD 33, not AD 30. AD 33 is the correct date for Calvary.
AD 30 was about the time of the baptism of Jesus. AD 33 was His death.
Let us try to approximately check the date 1921 BC.
Solomon began to reign about 970 BC according to many historians. This is an approximate date.
David reigned 40 years. Saul reigned 40 years. The Judges reigned 450 years.
ACTS 13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
The Jews were in the wilderness 40 years. The Jews were in Egypt 430 years (30 years after the death of Joseph when Joseph was still remembered and honoured. Then 400 years as afflicted slaves).
GENESIS 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
EXODUS 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
40 + 40 + 450 + 40 + 430 = 1000 years from the death of Joseph to Solomon.
(Leaving out the time to conquer the Promised land until the death of Joshua and the elders)
Abraham’s call to Isaac’s birth = 100 - 75 = 25 years
GENESIS 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
GENESIS 21:5
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
Isaac was 60 when Jacob was born.
GENESIS 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Jacob was 91 when Joseph was born.
The next age is not quite so obvious.
GENESIS 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Joseph prophesied 7 good years followed by 7 bad years.
GENESIS 41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
By the time the 7 good years were over, Joseph was 30 + 7 = 37 years old.
GENESIS 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
After the famine started, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for food. Joseph said that there were still 5 years of famine left.
GENESIS 45:11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine;
Thus two years of famine had passed, so Joseph was 37 + 2 = 39 years old.
The brothers went back to get their father Jacob who then stood in front of Pharaoh claiming to be 130 years old.
GENESIS 47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years:
So Jacob was 130 when Joseph was 39.
Thus Jacob was 91 when Joseph was born.
Joseph died at 110. Then 30 years after his death the Jews began to be persecuted.
GENESIS 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
25 + 60 + 91 + 110 = 286
These dates add up to 286 years.
So from the call of Abraham to Solomon is about 286 + 1000 = 1286 Jewish years
Every 70 Bible years are 69 Gentile years, so subtract about 1286 / 70 = 18 years.
1286 – 18 = 1268 Gentile years from Abraham’s call to Solomon.
From Abraham’s call to the birth of Jesus was roughly 1268 + 970 = 2238 Gentile years
So Abraham was called more than 2200 years BC.
(This is a rough calculation that omits the time to conquer and settle the Promised Land but it puts Abraham’s date around 300 years or so before 1921 BC. Thus Ussher’s date for the call of Abraham in 1921 BC is not accurate. Hence using this date to predict 1977 was wrong.)
61-0806 THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
… That was in 1933. And I predicted that there would be some great tragedy happen to this United States before or by the year of 1977. How many remembers me saying that?
Thus it was no surprise that the United States was not destroyed in 1977.
So a number of mistakes was made in this sermon on DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS.
It was in this sermon that brother Branham said that the temple would be rebuilt.
He quoted Larkin’s date of AD 30 for Palm Sunday. This was a mistake.
He quoted Larkin’s idea of a 7 year Tribulation. This was also a mistake.
He quoted Ussher’s date of 1921 BC for the call of Abraham. This was also a mistake.
He made an arithmetic mistake when he calculated 1977. America was not destroyed by explosions.
He had Jesus on Palm Sunday riding on a mule. Wrong. It was a donkey.
He quoted Larkin’s idea that the temple would be rebuilt in the Tribulation. Is this also a mistake?
So will the Jewish Temple be rebuilt in the Tribulation?
A very difficult question to answer as we know so little about the Tribulation. And there is much about the Tribulation that we do not know.
We need to be careful. A small mistake or misinterpretation can be amplified and lead to a totally wrong belief.
People suffer from confirmation bias. They see what they want to believe and ignore all other evidence.
In part 2 we will consider the few Scriptures that are quoted by the churches as evidence for rebuilding the Temple in the Tribulation.
We will investigate to see if they have correctly interpreted those Scriptures.