Critique of book: “The Revelation of the Seventy Weeks” by Brian Donovan

1. Critique of book: “The Revelation of the Seventy Weeks” by Brian Donovan
Page 15
“Remember thatthe church age doesnot begin with His [Jesus] birth, but with His
death (Eph 2:15-16)”
Eph 2:15-16 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
The Church age gospelis not preached until Acts 10; and even Peter does
not know it is the “body of Christ” that Cornelius is becoming a partof, he
only knows now Gentiles are permitted to receive the Holy Spirit as well as
Jews. The mystery of the church age more than likely begins in Acts 7 with
the stoning of Steven. The Sanhedrin officially rejects Jesus as Messiah on
behalf of the nation. This also matches the event given in Luke 13:6-9
concerning the fruitless fig tree. Jesus comes by for three years (the same
as his earthly ministry) seeking fruit. The result is the fig tree is given One
more year then cut down. Israelwas given one year fromthe time of
Christ’s crucifixion to bring forth “fruit meet for repentance”. Oneyear
fromthe cross is Acts 7.
Page 20
It is very interesting to study the teaching of a seven-year tribulation period and
note the lack of proof for it after the apostle John is caughtup in Revelation 4.
Almost all Bible believing dispensationalists seem to agree that John’s“come up
hither” to the third heaven in Rev.4 matchesa perfectpicture of the pre-
tribulation rapture of the church age saints, yet there is nota single verse from
Rev 4 through Rev 19 that even hints at a seven-year period.
I can see the typology used to picture the raptureof the Church (loosely).
When the rapture of the Church takes place, we go up bodily not justin
spirit (Rev 4:2; 1Cor 15:51-52) also thereis no mention of the dead rising in
Rev4. However, the churches in Rev 1-3 are not “church age” assembles.
The churches in Rev. are trying to obtain and maintain salvation and

2. blessings that have already been granted to anyone who is in Christ Jesus.
This could justas easily picture a Mid. Tribulation rapture.
Page 23
One of the six reasonsfor the seventy weeksis to anointthe most Holy (Dan 9:24),
so this anointing musttake place during the weeksof Daniel’s prophecy.Since the
scripture points to His baptism at the beginning of His ministry for His anointing
(Acts 10:34-38), thiswould be the event that bringsus to the conclusion to the
sixty-nine weeks(unto Messiah the Prince), which would mean thatduring the
three and one-half year ministry of Jesus Christ, which followed Hisbaptism and
anointing, Daniel’s seventy-week prophecy clock wasstill running rightup to the
crucifixion of Christ when Messiah was“cut off but notfor himself” Dan 9:26.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks aredetermined upon thy people and upon thy
holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and toanoint the most Holy.
The time table for the anointing of the mostHoly is not given as 69 weeks
but Seventy weeks. So, theanointing of the passageis after the Tribulation.
Seventy weeks is also the time for all of the other elements of the verse:
finish the transgression, and end of sins, reconciliation for iniquity,
everlasting righteousness…
A prince is not anointed, a king is anointed. There are three anointings of
Jesus becauseHe is the head of three offices (Prophet, Priest, King).
He was anointed Prophet at His baptism(Isa 61:1; Luke4:18; Acts 10:38).
He was anointed Priest at His resurrection (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:8-9; 9:11).
He will be anointed King at the end of the Tribulation (Ps 2:6; Dan 7:13-14;
Mic 4:7).
Page 25
As a greattype to the church, John’s“come up hither” matchesthe church being
caughtup “to meet the Lord in the air” (1Thes4:17), prior to the tribulation period
that John looksdown on from the third heaven. As a type of the church “which is

3. his body” (Eph 1:23), John isa greatmatch. He is the “disciple whom Jesus loved”
(John 13:23), asChrist“Loved the church” (Eph 5:25); he is caughtup to heaven
prior to the tribulation (Rev 4:1), asis the church (1Thes1:10); and John hasthe
antichrist revealed to him before he beginshis work (John 13:23-28),aswill the
church (2Thes2:1-3).
Itis a stretch to claim the body of Christwill know who the antichrist is
before we leave. Itcould be revealed to us however, there is not a Bible
verseto say that. Let’s look at the passagegiven as proof we will have the
antichrist revealed (2Thes 2).
2Thess 2:6 And now ye know whatwithholdeth that he might be revealed
in his time.
The body of Christ (the Church, 2Thes 2:1) is holding back the
antichrist becauseit is not his time (it is the time of the Gentiles).
2Thess 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
He who now is preventing the antichrist(either the Church or the
Holy Spirit) will continue to prevent until he is taken out of the way
(2Thes 2:1).
2Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whomthe Lord shall
consumewith the spiritof his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness
of his coming:
Once the Church (or Holy Spirit) is taken out, the man of sin will be
revealed; but we will be gone (taken out of the way).
Page 30
When John is caughtup in Revelation chapter 4 it is before the tribulation
period.
In Rev 1:19 John is told to write aboutthings in three categories
(past, present, and future). We were told in Rev 1:10 John was in the
Spirit on the Lord’s day; so, the present tense for the book of Rev is
the second Advent, things pasttense are the events of the

4. tribulation, and things future are the events of the Millennium and
eternity. John is not caughtup before the tribulation period he is
caught up after the tribulation, both in figure and reality.
Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in
tribulation, and in the kingdomand patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 1:10 I was inthe Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard
behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Page 30
…Christianscannottake partin anything going on during the tribulation
period, which is partof the seventy weeks. The apostle Paulis very plain
aboutthe eternalsecurity of the believer in this church age…while those
who go into the tribulation period have no such security.
True however, this fact shows the churches addressed in the first
three chapters of Rev are in the Tribulation Not Church age; and
someone is told after 10 days they will escape [the] great Tribulation.
All of the things they can gain as blessing for enduring, the church
age Christian either automatically gets or CAN get without a curse
attached.
Page 32-33
Are we to believe that John is looking down over a seven-year period and
repeatedly tells us that it is only three and one-half years? Why doeshe skip
over a so called ‘three and one-half yearsof peace’ thatis supposed to
precede three and one-half yearsof greattribulation? Itwould be
instructive for the Bible studentto go back and read Revelation chapters4-
19 and find this three and one-half yearsof peace thatprecede the three
and one-half yearsof greattribulation.
The first half of the Tribulation is in the firstfour chapters of Rev as
well as other places (14:14-16). Thefirstthree and one-half years of
the Tribulation are not peaceful. One of Paul’s selling points to

5. getting saved now is to be taken out of and not be appointed to the
wrath to come, nothing about the tribulation will be enjoyable.
Page 35
The closest you can come to say that [a three and one-half year time of
peace that precedes the greatTribulation] is to say that since the first seal
opensto bring in the antichrist, which it does(Rev 6:1-2), and since he
comes in peaceably, which he does(Dan 8:25; 11:21-24), then thattime of
peace must be three and one-half years.
To say the firsthalf of the Tribulation is peaceful is not Biblical or
logical. The antichristcomes in peaceably, as in not by war as the
other kings have done (notice the context of Dan 11). The reason the
world will accept the antichrist is becausethe world will be in a great
upheaval. If there was peace there would be no need to sign a league
of nations (Dan 11:23).
Page 39
…the book of James…two of the old testament charactersgiven as
illustrations for the types are Job and Elijah, as a type of the Jew fleeing the
antichrist during the tribulation… That doesnot sound like Job was given
three and one-half yearsof peace to precede his three and one-half yearsof
tribulation…
The two are given becauseeach typify a half of the Tribulation. Elijah
will picture the firsthalf and be raptured out, justas the Tribulation
saints who are looking for Christ (Mat 25, Rev 14:14-16) in the first
half of the Tribulation will be raptured out. Job will picture the Jews
who endure to the end and receive the kingdom, as Job received
double after enduring his tribulation without leaving his property.
Page 41
According to Galatians3:17-18, God “confirmed” the covenantof
Abraham’sland grantin Jesus Christ. This “inheritance” (verse 18) was
given four hundred and thirty yearsbefore the law, dating it to when Abram
wasseventy-five yearsold in Genesis 12:1-4 when he waspromised the

6. land. It is the belief of this author thatJudas is the antichrist and that he
performsa dualfulfilment of the prophecy. Asone of the twelve apostles
(Mat 10:1-7), aswellas being the greatimitator of the true Christ, Judas
wassent outand he confirmed the covenantwith signs and wonders(Mat
10:8). Notice that he did not make the covenant, butconfirmed it.
The covenant given to Abramwas given by God (the father) and
confirmed by a witness, Jesus, four hundred and thirty years before
the law. What Paul is saying is the land God covenanted to Abram
will not be broken. However, theinformation about the “law that
was 430 years after” is a reference to the law given by Moses (Deut
28). In the re-giving of the covenantby Moses they are blessed with
more than land but, this is conditional unlike the one given to Abram.
In the law, the conditions are if they do not follow the law they will
receive Tribulation (Daniel’s seventy weeks). Deut 28:25 gives the
loss of their homeland as a punishmentfor breaking their covenant
with God under Moses. Israeldid break the covenantgiven therefore
Daniel’s seventy weeks must playout; however, Israelwill still get
their land because God in the sightof Jesus and angels made an
everlasting unconditional covenant (Gal 3:19) to Abram.
The confirming of the covenantwas not done during the earthly
ministry of Christbut was confirmed by Jesus and angels at the time
it was given 430 years beforeMoses.
Judas will most likely be the antichrist I do agree with that statement.
However, neither Judas nor the other eleven disciples were going
about confirming a covenant they werepreaching fact; the kingdom
is at hand.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirmthe covenantwith many for one week:
and in the midstof the week he shall causethe sacrificeand the
oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall
make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined
shall be poured upon the desolate.
The antichrist confirming the covenant with many is a future event,
the covenanthe confirms is a policy and league (Dan 8:25; Dan

7. 11:23) of nations. The antichrist does confirmthis false peace plan it
is confirmed by him not made by him. The other nations bring this
plan to him and he signs it into law (Dan 11:23 “leaguemade with
him”). No doubtthe antichristinfluences these other nations to bring
him this covenant through demonic influence (Dan 8:25 “through his
policy also he shall causecraft to prosper in his hand”).
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The reader should take note that Daniel’sseventieth week is NOT the
tribulation period. Nowhere in the scripturesare you told that the
seventieth week is the tribulation.
All seventy weeks are tribulation. God’s plan of retribution for Israel
breaking their covenantwith God increases in severity as it proceeds
(Lev 26:16; Lev 26:18; Lev 26:21; Lev 26:24; Lev 26:28 God’s
punishmentplan is 7 times the power of 5=16,807). Thelastweek is
by far the most severeof all seventy weeks.
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With the rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah, the last week
wasbroken in the midst, as prophesied (Dan 9:27), butwith a mystery
church age stuck in the middle of that one week…
With the rejection of the Lord Jesus Christas their Messiah Israel
ended the 69th
week and God unplugged the clock. The 70th
week has
not started until the antichrist has signed a covenantwith many
nations- Judas never did that so the 70th
week has not yet begun.
One thing you will clearly see as you read through the Bible God considers
“seven” a complete unit like we usethe word dozen (Seven days is one
week). In Lev. Purification always accompanies seven days outsidethe
camp 28 times this is given in the book of Lev. And never is this week
suspended it always runs consecutively. Of special interest is Leviticus
chapter 26 (two time 13). This chapter starts with a command against any
“standing image” then goes on to give seven curses for breaking God’s

8. covenant (Lev. 26:16). God promises to increasethe punishmentby seven-
fold (fivetimes in the chapter). Of special interest to God is the property of
Israel, in verse34 God tells Israelthe land mustenjoy her sabbaths
(sevenths). In verse40 God tells Israelwhathe expects of them, “If they
shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their
trespass which they trespassed againstme…” and that is where we find
Daniel in Dan.9:4-5 confessing thesins of Israeland God gives him the
revelation of the seventy weeks. The final cleansing for Israelwill follow the
instructions of the cleansing process of the Old Testament “seven days”.