82    The Bible and the Future of the World 

kings. Then out of one of these areas a powerful, but evil leader arises, who 

is the Antichrist (Dan 8:9 14). The Northern part of the great monarch's 

kingdom (Europe) becomes the kingdom of the North in the kingdoms of 

the ten kings, and the Southern part of the great monarch's kingdom (Israel, 

the Middle East, parts of northern Africa) becomes the kingdom of the 

South. These two kingdoms will be at war with one another for generations 

prior to the Antichrist. The Antichrist is born and raised in the kingdom of 

the South, but he eventually becomes the king of the North. 

Seventy Weeks of Years (Dan 9:24 27) 

      `Seventy weeks of years are concentrated on your people and on your 

holy city, so that transgression shall be finished, and sin shall reach an end, 

and iniquity shall be wiped away, and so that everlasting justice shall be 

brought in, and vision and prophecy shall be fulfilled, and the Saint of saints 

shall be anointed.  Therefore, know and take heed: from the going forth of 

the word to build up Jerusalem again, until the Christ leader, there will be 

seven weeks of years, and sixty two weeks of years; and the wide path will 

be built again, and the walls, in a time of anguish.'   (Dan 9:24 25, CPDV). 

    Seventy weeks of years is 490 years. A week of years is seven years; 

seventy weeks of years is seventy times seven. After the 490 years, a time of 

great holiness begins with little sin and much righteousness. This time is 

called the Millennium:  They came to life, and reigned with Christ a 

thousand years  (Rev 20:4, RSV). 

    The  the going forth of the word to build up Jerusalem again  occurred in 

A.D. 1948, when the State of Israel was declared. The phrase  vision and 

prophecy shall be fulfilled  means that the prophecies of the Old and New 

Testaments will be fulfilled during the 490 years, including the tribulation. 

The phrase  the Saint of saints  has multiple meanings. First and foremost, 

it refers to Christ, who will Return at the end of the 490 years and establish 

His kingdom on earth. Also, it refers to the Church, the body of Christ, 

which will be transfigured to become holier and purer than it has ever been 

before. And it refers to a transfigured Jerusalem, which shall be the seat of 

the Church (Rev 21:2 4). Counting forward 490 years from 1948 brings us to 

A.D. 2437 (counting inclusively) as the  year of the Return of Christ (the 

Second Coming) and of the end of the reign of sin on earth. The Millennium 

of peace and holiness begins not long thereafter. 

The Temple 

      `Therefore, know and take heed: from the going forth of the word to 

build up Jerusalem again, until the Christ leader, there will be seven weeks