Taking Stock — What Holly Thinks

What Needs to Happen

Did we enter the 70th Week of Daniel on Jan. 1, 2007? Let’s look at what’s happened in the past year and a half and see if this theory still holds up.

At least three things will occur in the first half of the 70th Week, according to Bible prophecy. The late Herb Peters, the founder of this Web site, listed them in his Overview and Timeline of Events.

• The gradual dawn of false peace over the Middle East with the return of Israel’s temple sacrifices
• The rise of a global religious movement that will include evangelical leaders
• The establishment of a new global order

Let’s look at each of these.

Peace in the Middle East

Starting with the Annapolis Conference last November, the current push for peace in the Middle East is unprecedented. An article that appeared in The Globalist on Tuesday says the new urgency is due to regional dynamics in the wake of the Iraq War — the threat of Iran and the rise of Muslim extremism. The only way to stem the tide of these threats is for Israel and Sunni Muslim nations to make peace.

Even Syria has begun indirect talks with Israel. During the launch of the Union for the Mediterranean on Sunday, Syrian president Bashar Assad said Syria has no choice but to make peace with Israel. See here. An Israeli-Syrian peace deal could be the domino that knocks down all the other dominoes — leading to peace between Israel and its other neighbors, including the Palestinians and Lebanese, according to this article. A movement to rebuild the temple and reinstate Jewish sacrifices would follow.

Global Interfaith Movement

Calls for a global interfaith movement are growing louder. The United Nations continues to expand its religious dialogue through the Alliance of Civilizations, and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation has recruited Rick Warren and other evangelical leaders to its cause: getting religions to join forces and solve the world’s problems. Such a movement — one that seeks to create a utopian world apart from Christ — will play directly into the hands of the Antichrist. A growing false apostles and false prophets movement — seen in the so-called Lakeland Revival in Florida — is prepping Christians to embrace the False Prophet.

New Global Order

The European Union’s plans to create a global order are detailed in my father’s book, Recommendation 666, published in 2003. Since then, the need for global governance has become obvious to all. Global threats like climate change and WMDs must be met with a global response. U.S. presidential hopeful Barak Obama spoke of the need for a “new era of international cooperation” on Tuesday, when he laid out his foreign policy plans. See his speech titled “A New Strategy for a New World” and his remarks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Obama intends to throw America’s weight behind the efforts of Europe and the United Nations to forge a global order.

Where We’re At

Recent events bolster the theory that the 70th Week has begun. We’ll have to see if they continue to unfold this way. In the meantime, the important things are that we’re watching for the signs of Christ’s return and we’re ready for it.

If you haven’t trusted Christ for your salvation, then you need to do so. If you’re already a Christian, then make sure you know what the Bible teaches — really know it — so you’re not taken in by religious deception. And, of course, urge others to be ready.

— Holly Pivec
7/17/08