The phrase “Achilles’ heel” refers to a weakness or crucial vulnerability. When applied to a set of beliefs, it denotes a flaw that undermines the credibility of the whole.

Is there such a weak spot in amillennialism that undermines all its other precepts?

The basic assumption of amillennialism is that God is finished with Israel. They reach this conclusion in at least a couple of ways. Some claim that God rejected Israel after Jesus’ crucifixion and replaced the nation with the church (Replacement Theology). Others insist that the Lord always intended for Israel to become the church as part of a continuing covenant of grace.

The four basic tenets of amillennialism, listed below, rest entirely on its core assumption that God’s purpose for the nation of Israel has ended:

1. The church is the new Israel.
2. There will be no future restoration of a kingdom to Israel.
3. There will be no literal seven-year Tribulation.
4. There will be no literal thousand-year reign of Jesus in-between the Tribulation and eternal state.

What if God is not done with Israel? Is there one passage in particular that refutes the basic assumption of all amillennial beliefs? I believe there is.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15-18 is the text that I regard as the Achilles’ heel of all the teachings that dismiss Israel as irrelevant to Bible prophecy. If these verses await a future fulfillment, it demonstrates that God’s purposes for the Jewish people remain intact to this very day.

Amillennialists, on the other hand, must place the temple defilement, the event Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24:15-18, in AD 70 when the Roman general Titus ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the second temple. If His words refer to a still future time, then amillennialism and all its offshoots cannot be true.

What makes these verses in Matthew 24 so vital? It’s their link to a critical prophecy found in the book of Daniel.

It’s the Seventieth Week of Daniel

One must interpret Jesus’ prophetic words in Matthew 24:15-18 in light of their context in Matthew 24 as well as that of Daniel 9:24-27.

The Matthew 24:1-2 conversation between Jesus and His disciples regarding the temple began with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem when He said “your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:39). Trying to make sense of His words, the twelve pointed out the grand buildings that comprised the temple as they left its courtyards. Can you imagine their shock when the Lord responded by predicting its total destruction?

When they reached the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the end of the age and His “coming” (Matthew 24:3). After listing several signs of the last days, the Lord spoke these words as recorded in Matthew 24:15-18:

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.”

The words, “the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel,” tie Jesus’ words to the seventy weeks’ prophecy recorded in Daniel 9:24-27. There, God specified seventy weeks of years for the fulfillment of His purposes for the Jewish people and Jerusalem. Jesus’ prophecy in the above passage predicts the defilement of a temple, which Daniel 9:27 says will happen at the midpoint of the seventieth week.

God said the last week will begin with a seven-year covenant between a future “prince” and “the many” (a group that certainly includes Israel). He also stated that three and a half years later, the midpoint of the week, this ruler will break the covenant by desecrating the temple. That’s the event Jesus refers to in Matthew 24:15.

Is it possible that Titus’ destruction of the temple in AD 70 fulfilled what Jesus predicted in Matthew 24? No, it is not. I say that for the following reasons:

1. There is no record of any seven-year covenant or agreement between the Roman general and Israel such as the Lord told Daniel would initiate the seventieth week.
2. Paul wrote that the Lord Himself would destroy the temple defiler at His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8). However, Titus died of natural consequences eleven years after destroying the temple; the Lord didn’t directly kill him at the end of the seventieth week.
3. Paul also wrote that this “man of lawlessness” would proclaim himself to be God while sitting in the temple (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Why would he destroy the very place he needs to maintain his ruse of deity?

The above arguments might settle the argument once and for all if not for a passage in Luke that many equate with Matthew 24:15-18.

What About Jesus’ words in Luke 21:20-24?

Those who believe that Titus fulfilled Jesus’ words concerning Daniel’s “abomination of desolation” say that Luke 21:20-24 is another version of Matthew 24:15-18. They say that, together, they represent Jesus’ full response to the disciples’ question regarding the temple destruction.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Do the above verses point to the events of AD 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple? Yes, I believe they do.

On the other hand, is it possible to harmonize the Luke passage concerning the events of AD 70 with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15-18? No, it is not possible. The two passages cannot be harmonized into a single response to the disciples’ question regarding the temple destruction because of the following key differences:

First: There’s a key difference in what happens to the temple. In Matthew 24:15-18, Jesus predicts the desecration of the temple by a future ruler. His words in Luke 21:20–24 depict the time when Titus would destroy the temple.

Second: The most significant difference between the Matthew and Luke passages is the warning signal that Jesus gives of imminent danger. In Luke 21:20, it’s the sight of “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” that alerts the Jewish people to the threat. In Matthew 24:15, it’s entirely different—it’s when those in Judea “see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place.” The passages refer to two separate events with two very different signs that alert the Jewish people of the imminent threat to their lives.

Third: In Matthew 24:15–18, Jesus instructs the Jews living at that time to flee for their lives when they see antichrist standing in the holy place of the temple. Although Luke’s reference to the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem also includes a warning to leave the area, there is a key difference. In Luke 21:24, the Lord also predicts that the people will “be led captive among all the nations.”

Fourth: Although the persecution of the Jews that follows both events is quite similar, there is one glaring difference: in Matthew 24:15-28, the judgments extend to the entire world in what Jesus describes as a time of “great tribulation.” He says this period will be so severe that unless “those days had been cut short, no human being would be saved” (Matthew 24:22). There is no forced captivity of the Jews here, but only that of persecution aimed at their annihilation along with the rest of humanity.

Fifth: The worldwide calamity that follows Jesus’ prediction of the temple desecrations leads directly to His glorious return to the earth (Matthew 24:29-31). His Second Coming will cut short this time of “great tribulation” and prevent the ending of all human life on the planet. This is far different than the “distress” mentioned in the Luke passage, leading to the trampling of Jerusalem “underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” which aptly sums up the past two thousand years (Luke 21:24).

If Jesus’ words in Luke 21:20-24 refer to a completely different event than that of the temple desecration, and they do, then His words in Matthew 24:15-18 must await a future fulfillment when they will lead directly to His return and the rescue of Jews living in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:1-8).

How Do We Account for Two Different Prophecies?

Since Jesus’ words in Luke 21:20-24 and Matthew 24:15-18 refer to distinct events separated by nearly two thousand years, how do we account for the fact that He spoke them so close together, perhaps during the same afternoon?

The most likely explanation, and the one I favor, is that Jesus spoke the words recorded in Luke 21:20-24 as He and His disciples walked out of its courtyard shortly after predicting its total destruction. After they reached the Mount of Olives, He addressed the future defilement of the temple—the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by the prophet Daniel.

It’s also possible that Jesus addressed both matters on the Mount of Olives, but only Matthew recorded His words concerning the fulfillment of Daniel 9:27.

What we do know, however, is that the differences between these passages are far too significant to harmonize them into a single prophecy describing one event.

God Is Not Yet Finished with Israel

Because Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15-18 await a future fulfillment, we know that God’s purposes for the entire seventy weeks of Daniel’s prophecy also await a future fulfillment:

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place” (Daniel 9:24).

Please note that the Lord did not decree sixty-nine weeks for the completion of His purposes for the Jewish people and Jerusalem, nor did He declare His purposes for Israel would end halfway through the final week with the temple destruction. The above words dictate Israel’s existence for the entire seventy weeks.

If the seventieth week indeed awaits a future fulfillment as I have shown, then it’s also certain God’s purposes for the nation of Israel remain to this day because He has not yet completed His stated purposes for His people and city. This invalidates the core belief of amillennialism, namely that God is finished with Israel, upon which all its other beliefs rest.

In other words, the church cannot be Israel’s replacement, nor can it be a new spiritual extension of its kingdom.

And if this is the case, and it is, it exposes the Achilles’ heel of amillennialism, namely that God is not yet finished with Israel.

There are many other biblical references that affirm Israel’s restoration during Jesus’ thousand-year rule over the nations. It will have a prominent place in His kingdom as He reigns from Jerusalem.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15-18 confirm that Daniel’s seventieth week awaits a future fulfillment and, as such, exposes the fundamental flaw of amillennialism: its insistence that God is finished with the nation of Israel.

My book, The Triumph of the Redeemed–An Eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is available on Amazon. This book provides a great deal of biblical support regarding the restoration of a kingdom to Israel. It’s the basis of our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing to take us to the place that He’s preparing for us.

Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/. It will greatly help me in reaching more people with the truth regarding Israel’s future. Thanks!

 

I have included a Special message at the end of this article. I hope you will read it and take it to heart.

This article is unashamedly leading to a specific point, and it is not that America is going to go on for another 250 years. It may distress those who have placed all their hope for the future in the survival and strength of this country, but things are what they are.

Let me begin by saying that I grew up loving America. As a kid, I was always enamored of my country having saved France, England, et al, from the Nazi’s and generally being a shining light on a hill to the rest of the world. America was much more noble then.

But…that was then, and this is now.

I think that after all these years, I may love the America that once was more than what it has been allowed to become by Godlessness and (intentional?) corruption.

My stepdad was a WWII and Korean War veteran, and the rest of my family – brothers, uncles, cousins – served. I was inspired to follow the same path, and so I did as well.

I was just 19 when I went to Vietnam and other locations in Southeast Asia. I was decades older when I came home to the silence and indifference of family and friends as well as the indifference of some strangers, and the hatred of others. Reality can do that to you, and it can do that for you!

Please understand, I’m not looking for sympathy, kudos, or understanding.

After 20 additional years of anger and of bitterness, a Cure found me. His Name is above all names, and His Love is above all love. He was and is the Great Healer and Answer to every human need. He was and is Jesus, the Son of the Living God.

So, after 40 years of evasive maneuvers on my part, He gave me His gift of Spiritual Rebirth (John 3:3), and strength to open my eyes as well as my heart, and the desire to give that heart back to Him. He gave me freedom, and I will not waste it.

In addition to the myriads of other blessings, He gave me something else. A gift of the love of His Word (especially prophecy), to be a Watchman on the wall (Ezekiel 33:6), and a wonderful place (Rapture Ready) to reach many people with the message of the Gospel, prophetic understanding, and the eternal efficacy of His Word.

As anyone who is also a Watchman will likely testify, it is sometimes a challenge, especially when confronted with a world that is largely determined to live apart from God and even rebel against His every effort to rescue its people from themselves.

The recent celebrations of America’s 250^th Anniversary and the resurgence of patriotism are good to see, but they should be salted by some other very sobering realities.

I think a good way to present these realities is by the use of bullet points.

So here is the crux of this article.

>The prophecies in the Word of God that have occurred over the thousands of years thus far in history have been 100% accurate in every detail. Therefore, the balance of them will be as well (Isaiah 40:8).

>The Christian Church does not and will not replace Israel or the Jews. God’s promises to them are eternal to them (see Jeremiah 31:35-37, Psalm 105:10, Ezekiel 37:26, Numbers 23:19, Genesis 22:16).

>There is no reason to believe that mankind, any country, any nation, or any human agency will ever solve the burgeoning problems worldwide that are growing at an exponential rate and can be clearly seen.

>These problems are described in numerous places in God’s Word, as becoming intrinsic in the “last days,” meaning the days just prior to God’s intervention in human events, AKA: The return of Jesus Christ (as He promised).

>The current alignment of nations and their attitude toward Israel is perfectly consistent with God’s prophetic declaration of end-of-days conditions.

>A human “leader” will soon arise who will promise to solve all the world’s ills, but He will, in reality, turn out to be a horror and a lie: God’s Word refers to him as the Beast – The Antichrist. He will be the antithesis of the Savior – Jesus Christ.

>God’s Word indicates that he is exactly who the unbelieving people of this world will embrace, and what will be the result of it (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

>The Biblical Book of Revelation describes the ultimate end of human history, and it indicates that it will be brought about by God and God alone – no human government or individual will determine the outcome (Revelation 19:11-20:14).

>Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of all penitent people, will physically return at the end of the 7-year period of time alternately referred to as The Tribulation, the 70^th Week of Daniel, or the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, which is clearly foretold in the Word of God (Matthew 24:21 / Mark 13:19).

There is very much more that could be speculated about America’s near future, but most important is: In God’s eyes, America is just one more nation among the nations of the world, and it is overflowing with evil and sinful, God-rejecting behavior.

It is the root of all this misery and what will bring about God’s judgment. He has provided every warning possible (Isaiah 5:4).

Just as are individuals, nations are viewed by God in terms of their obedience to and service to Him. He makes His viewpoint clear:

“Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing” (Isaiah 40:15).

And He is not unaware of those people and nations that dishonor Him with their words and their behavior:

“You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips but far from their hearts” (Jeremiah 12:2 and elsewhere). Emphasis added.

Ultimately, we cannot know what America will become or if it will survive, but we can conclude, if we believe God and understand His holiness and righteousness, that all nations are subject to Him and He will deal with them according to His own authority.

We must also understand that, according to the Lord Jesus, there is no future for any individual outside of repentance:

“No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:3 and 5).

And, spiritual rebirth by receiving Him as your One and Only Savior:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3). Emphasis added.

All nations, including America, will be judged by the same standards, and there is no indication that any nation of this world will pass muster.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“The Lord is at your [Jesus], right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth” (Psalm 110:5-6).

Conclusion: Because of God’s Mercy, He has provided a way to escape the inevitable judgment that He must execute on a rebellious world and any who reject His Mercy.

Every Word of the prophecies of God will take place as described and as He declared:

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isaiah 46:9-10). Emphasis added.

The One True God has already declared the end from the beginning in His written Word, and so has made it clear where your hope must be placed:

“Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22).

As long as you draw breath, God has promised that He will not reject anyone who will repent.

“Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19).

I hope you will read on and act while you are yet in your living years.

The special message I promised you:

For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no real hope or peace in your life.

You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding.

It requires that you come before God on His terms and that you do so in your living years.

And, what are His terms according to His Word?

• Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him).
• Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God).
• That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
• To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt.
• Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross and rose from the grave three days later, conquering death, just as He promised.
• To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.

This is what leads one to the Spiritual Rebirth that Jesus requires (John 3:3).

God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.

• No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one.
• No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will.
• Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.

If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.

“Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life” (John 5:24).

There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics or politicians. They are incapable of it. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.

The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God, with all your heart, He will hear you.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Pro Salvator Vigilans                      

To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com