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For
you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord
will come just like a thief in the night. While they are
saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction
will come . . . (NASB) 1 Thess. 5:2-3
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The day of the Lord and Daniel’s 70th week both start with
peace and end with war. The first half of the week or 3.5 year
period is peaceful and the last 3.5 years is a time of war.
Both Daniel 7:25 and 2 Thess. 2:1-8 describe the activities
of the Antichrist (Daniel 7:8, 19-26 and in 2 Thess. 2:1-9).
Later in our study we will find that both Daniel 11 and 2 Thess.
2:8 agree that Satan is the real power behind the Antichrist.
The day of the Lord will begin with the Tribulation. The Tribulation
- the 70th week and the beginning of the day of the Lord - has
not yet come . It is coming in the future. That is the message
of 2 Thess. 2:2.
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. . . you may not be quickly shaken from your composure
or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter
as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord
has come. (NASB) 2 Thess. 2:2
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A timeline of Daniel’s 70th week is provided in the end
of the study.
Spirit of Elijah.
Jesus’ comments about John the Baptist also reveal that
He did not come to bring the kingdom. The prophecy of Malachi
says that Elijah will come before the day of the Lord.
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Behold,
I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of
the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts
of the children to their fathers . . . (NKJV) Malachi
4:5-6 |
Have you ever wondered if John the Baptist was Elijah? Luke’s
gospel tells us that John the Baptist came in the spirit and
power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). But He was not Elijah since Elijah
would not come until the day of the Lord. Jesus makes that point
first to a crowd of people and then later to His disciples in
Matt. 17:12-13.
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But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to
you, and one who is more than a prophet . . . For all
the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if
you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to
come. (NASB) Matt. 11:9-14 |
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