so what happened to bring about "The Church Age......between the 69th week and the 70th week. "
why the huge 2000 year GAP?
why the huge 2000 year GAP?
Well when the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as their King, the Millennial Kingdom was put off for a time. And that is what brought in the Church Age (Dispensation of Grace).
why did the prophetic clock stop?
Well I believe it stopped for the very reason given above Zone. You see, the Prophetic Clock (490 years). We get 490 years from 70 weeks of years.
24 Seventy weeks are determined 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 to anoint the most Holy. - Daniel 9:24 (KJV)
In order to understand God's Prophetic Clock and Time Table, we must look at the Scriptures and see what they tell us concerning Israel and it's future.
Now we know from reading Daniel 9:24, that at the end of 490 years there will be an end of sins will be accomplished and also the transgression will be finished. And knowing that sins have not come to an end yet, that clearly shows that the Prophetic Clock has been stopped for a time. Like I had mentioned in my previous post on this thread, 69 weeks (483 years) have already been fulfilled. The only week that is remaining is the 70th week (7 years).
So again, the Prophetic Clock stopped at the end of the 69th week because Messiah the Prince (Jesus Christ) was cut off (at the time of his Crucifixion).
because the jews rejected Jesus so God decided to blind them and call gentiles (in an Age of Pure Grace, the Church Age)?
Well again, remember Zone, that the Gospel that the Lord Jesus and His apostles preached during Jesus's three and a half year ministry on earth, was the Gospel of the Kingdom. They were offering the Kingdom to the Jews.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. - Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. - Matthew 9:35 (KJV)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. - Matthew 24:14 (KJV)
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, - Mark 1:14 (KJV)
You see, they were preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews. Today, we do not preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, but we preach the Gospel of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-6)
Another thing that must be considered is that when the Gospel of the Kingdom was being preached to the Jews in the time of the Lord Jesus and His apostles, the Old Testament was still in effect. You see, the New Testament was brought in by the death of Jesus Christ.
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. - Hebrews 9:15-17 (KJV)
You have to be dispensational. Otherwise, there are just going to be things that you will not fully understand in Bible Prophecy. I have heard this saying before a couple of times, but it is very true:
"Non-Dispensational Christians make a mess of the Bible."
So to conclude in answering your question Zone, the putting off of the Millennial Kingdom until a later time is what brought in the Church Age (Dispensation of Grace) for the Gentiles. And the main reason that the Millennial Kingdom was put off was because the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus and His offer of the Kingdom to them.
then gentiles get raptured away just before....what?
The time of Jacob's trouble (Daniel's 70th week). Once the church is gone, then the focus shifts back to the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people.
God returns to The Jews and and what....they build a Temple?
Well yes God's focus on Israel in the time of Jacob's trouble.
And the Jews start rebuilding the temple in the time of Jacob's trouble from the 7 year covenant that the anti-christ makes with them to rebuild the temple and to restore the temple sacrifices. But of course, in the middle of the 7 year peace covenant (3.5 years), the anti-christ will break that peace covenant with Israel and will cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And as a result, it will be made desolate by the overspreading of abominations (Dan. 9:27).
is He happy with a New Temple?
do they sacrifice animals again?
Good question Zone, again, I am not too sure if they what they will be sacrificing in the time of Jacob's trouble will be exactly animals. Is it possible? Sure. But I cannot say for sure though.
the Antichrist appears where?
Another good question.
The anti-christ appears on the world scene by using force to conquer the nations (see Revelation 6:2).
Now we do know that he will be officially revealed when he stands in the temple and proclaims himself to be God in the middle of Daniel's 70th week (2 Thess. 2:4). So obviously, he will be in Jerusalem when he is offically revealed in the middle of Daniel's 70th week.
Now where will he first appear? That I do not know.
in Jerusalem obviously because you have people being told to pray it's not the Sabbath, to flee Judea and so on. he sits in the New Temple?
Well yes, in the middle of the time of Jacob's trouble. That is correct.
and that makes God angry? or what?
Yes, I believe that this very act is what sets of the Great Tribulation.
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. - Mark 13:14-20 (KJV)
who is the Antichrist?
Well just as we know that Satan always counterfeits everything about God.
Just like there is a Holy Trinity.
There also is an unholy trinity. Composed of Satan, the anti-christ, and the false prophet.
"The Dragon" (Satan) - is the anti-God.
"The Beast" - is the anti-Christ.
"The False Prophet" - is the anti-Spirit.