Hi Gino,The following excerpt is from my "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" study, and explains scripturally why I believe that the "covenant" in Daniel is a "peace covenant" confirming the Abrahamic land covenant after the Psalm 83 War:As was just mentioned, the Tribulation begins when a covenant is made between Israel and the antichrist:
Daniel 9:27 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."Daniel 9 reveals to us that God gave Israel 70 weeks, in which He would punish their transgressing of the Law (Daniel 9:24), before the Messiah would come to rule. History has shown us that the 70 weeks are 70 "weeks" of years, or 490 years. From the time of the command to Nehemiah to restore and build Jerusalem, after Israel's exile until Jesus died, was 483 years.
During that time, Israel was punished under the yoke of Gentile rule. After the cross, God turned away from Israel because they rejected His Son (Romans 11). It didn't take long for the nation to crumble after God turned from them. Seven more years are yet to be fulfilled before Jesus returns to make everything right. Today we live in the gap between the 483 years and the last 7 years. During this last 7 years, God will turn back to Israel. However, they will be punished along with God's enemies through the Tribulation Judgments. Daniel 9:27 above tells us that these last 7 years will be initiated by a covenant made with Israel that will be brokered by the antichrist.
The antichrist, coming as a peacemaker, is the first Seal Judgment released by Jesus. Having a bow with no arrows, show that the antichrist will use diplomacy as his weapon at the beginning of the Tribulation, rather than war. This fits with the antichrist brokering the covenant with Israel.
Revelation 6:1-2 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.The only other place we read of this covenant is in Isaiah 28:
Isaiah 28:14 ...hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves."Isaiah 28:18 & 22 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it... Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.Isaiah 26-29 are about God judging Israel and the "whole earth", which places these chapters in the Tribulation period. It appears that Israel makes the "covenant with death", because they mistakenly believe it will make them secure by becoming a refuge for them. The issue, is that Israel is not seeking security in God, so it will lead to death. The confirmation of the covenant will mark the beginning of the Tribulation, or more precisely, Daniel's 70th Week (Daniel 9:27).
Anybody who has followed the affairs of Israel, has been a witness to the many world leaders attempting to bring peace to the Middle East, over the last several decades. Their goal has been to push Israel to divide her land. The following passage suggests that the "covenant with death" brokered by the antichrist will finally see the fruition of this peace treaty that will involve dividing the land:
Daniel 11:36-39 "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.However, as is shown in the "Great Middle East War", which I believe to be near the beginning of the Tribulation, Israel defeats all her neighbors, and actually expands her borders greatly. One reason to time this war near the beginning of the Tribulation is because Israel will not be winning any wars when the antichrist comes to power. Therefore, even if the current peace treaty was actually signed, it would shortly be broken by Israel and not remain viable after the "Great Middle East War".
As we will show later, the covenant in Daniel will not be broken until the middle of the Tribulation by the antichrist. That said, we have the verse above that says the antichrist will divide the land for gain. Also, we see in the passage below that those involved in dividing the land, will come under God's Judgment at the end of the Tribulation:
Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.It seems likely that the "covenant with death", is not the peace agreement the world has been trying to push for. It makes more sense, in light of the "Great Middle East War", that the covenant that is confirmed could actually be the covenant that God made with Abraham concerning the land (Genesis 17:8).
The covenant would be a "covenant with death", because Israel will make an agreement with the antichrist, rather than trust that God will keep them safe and secure. In other words, as a possibility, the antichrist would agree to let Israel keep most of the land they won in the war in exchange for disarmament for peace, after the nuclear war in the Middle East. The borders would be similar to what Israel had under David's reign in the Old Testament. See my pastor's map of Israel's promised land and my map of Israel's land after the Great Middle East War in my "Speculation Corner".
If the covenant confirmed is actually the Abrahamic land covenant, then the dividing of the land would likely occur during the conquest of the antichrist, prophesied in Daniel 11:29-45. It's interesting to note, that the antichrist will not be able to conquer current day Jordan (Daniel 11:41). As is shown in the "Great Middle East War" study, this area will be a part of Israel after that war and before the Gog and Magog War.
Later, we will see that Israel will be supernaturally protected during the second half of the Tribulation in the area of Petra, which is currently in Jordan. In other words, the antichrist will have conquered all the land Israel gained in the Great Middle East War, except for the current area of Jordan, where God will be protecting the Jewish remnant. The greater Israel, after the Great Middle East War, would then be divided by the antichrist in his conquests. Ironically, the Jews will reside, through the last half of the Tribulation, in the portion of Palestine that was given to the Arabs in the British Mandate.Maranatha!Amy Van GerpenGino (7 June 2012)
"Question about "the covenant" in Daniel 9:27"
I have a question: of the 102 times that the expression "the covenant" show up in the word of God:
2 refer to the covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:12,17)
4 refer to the covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:11; I Chronicles 16:16; Acts 3:25; 7:8)
1 refers to the covenant with David (II Chronicles 21:17)
6 refer to the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:32,33; Hebrews 8:9,10; 10:16,29)
88 refer to the old covenant that he made with Israel by the hand of Moses when he brought them out of Egypt)
So why why would the only other one, Daniel 9:27, refer to some other kind of covenant, like a military or political agreement?
Even earlier in Daniel 9:4, and a little later in Daniel 11:22, it is still referring to the old covenant.
So why make this one, this one and only one, occurrence of "the covenant" to mean something different?
Maybe because it fits better with current headlines, since Israel is not abiding by the old covenant at the moment.
But what if this fellow in Daniel 9:27 does exactly that?
What if he confirms "the covenant", so that Israel would be then following the old covenant, including the daily sacrifices?
Even the Strong's word #01285 is used 93% of the time for covenant.
Therefore, why do so many insist that Daniel 9:27 must mean anything else but the old covenant?
Simply because someone can say that the word could be another word doesn't make it so.
It is wise to stick with the book.
After all, isn't the same fellow that confirms "the covenant", the same one who also breaks it?
And causes the daily sacrifices to cease, and places the abomination that maketh desolate?
So the latter end is his dealing with the old covenant by breaking it and profaning it.
So why cannot the earlier part deal with the the old covenant by his confirming it?
Thank you,
Gino