Page 77 - Satan in the Sanctuary

The Bible Tells Me So 79

to the events surrounding the reestablishment of the Jerusa-
lem Temple, and gave time figures corresponding to the
ancient prophet's reckoning (Rev 11).
It should be said that Temple prophecy, as a field of
prophecy, has been completely reliable. The first two Tem-
ples have come and gone on schedule, as it were—that is,
in agreement with prophecies. It is hard for us, living in
the modern world, to give the ancient prophets their due,
considering their different circumstances and archaic
language. But some of our ancestors were as lax as we are
on this score. With all of the scriptural knowledge of the
first century Jews, and their lip-service devotion to the
Word of God, only a minority recognized their Messiah, the
Second Temple destruction, and other forseen events.
Let's not be caught napping. Let's look into the Word:
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be
cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince
that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;
and the end 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 abomina-
tions he shall make it desolate, even until the consuma-
tion, and that determined shall be poured upon the deso-
late (Dan 9:26-27, italics added).
A great deal is revealed in these two verses. Satan's evil
prince—the Antichrist—will make a covenant with the
people of Israel. The agreement is to last seven years
(Daniel's "weeks" are actually seven-year periods). But
the Antichrist will not keep his side of the covenant. In the
midst of the seven years he will cause an end to the sacrifice
and the oblation.