Event Horizon

Event Horizon

By Pete Garcia

It is times like these, that I am thankful for having a decent understanding of end-times prophecy. While I may not know when everything is going to happen, I can be certain what things must happen, and generally, in what order. It is my understanding that black holes are still considered theoretical, since no bonafide, verifiable proof of their existence has ever been proven. It is believed by many within the scientific community, that a vacuum is created when something as powerful as a dying star collapses inward. The entrance to that black hole is something then known as the event horizon, which serves as the space surrounding the mouth of the black hole where nothing can be seen beyond, or can escape once crossing through it.

What is not theoretical, however, is the coming time period known as the 70^th Week of Daniel. This seven-year period will be the absolute worst, darkest, wickedest, and most abysmal point in all of human history. It will be so bad, that God will have to cut it short to prevent all life from being snuffed out prematurely (Matt. 24:20-22).

In a way, where we are today, is like that event horizon. When the Church (the universal, multi-membered, singular, body of believers) was conceived at Pentecost in Acts 2, mankind was inextricably thrust into the final, period of human history known as the Dispensation of Grace. This period has lasted two-thousand years thus far, and can be viewed in light of the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches as found in Revelation 2-3. In effect, we have been in the last days since Christ’s ascension back to heaven. We are now in those final moments before the end, of which there is no return. Let me explain.

The Prophet Daniel was given a prophecy by the Angel Gabriel, which would foretell the rest of the entire history of the Jewish nation (Daniel 9:24-27). They were given seventy-weeks of years (or 490 years), by which everything pertaining to the covenanted nation of Israel (Gen. 12, 15) would be summed up. Clearly, there has been more than 490-years since Daniel received this (circa 540BC), but this time, like the other 490-year cycles, only counted when Israel was back in their land, and had a functioning tabernacle/temple.

The Four Great Jubilee Redemption Cycles of 490 years are:

(i) Birth of Abram to the Exodus (Israel’s first Great Jubilee).

(ii) The Exodus to the Dedication of Solomon’s Temple.

(iii) The Dedication of Solomon’s Temple to the Decree to Restore Jerusalem. At the close of these 490 years was a DECREE by the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes Restore Jerusalem (Ezra 7). In response to this Decree were the efforts of Ezra and Nehemiah to return and rebuild the City of Jerusalem and Israel’s national life. Thus at this Jubilee they were restored to make a fresh start as a nation.

(iv) Decree to Restore Jerusalem to the Death and Resurrection of Christ.
This is the period described by Daniel’s 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27)
This is the final cycle for Israel before Messiah comes to establish His Kingdom. (Source)

This last 490-year cycle was cut short by seven-years at the crucifixion of Christ (Dan. 9:26), leaving one “week” of years left. This last week of years has many names, but it is referring to the 70^th Week of Daniel, the ‘Day of the Lord’, or most commonly known as ‘the Tribulation.’