3 1/2 year time frames

Daniel’s 70th week is 7 years. Tribulation isn’t defined as lasting that long.

The rapture is never said to precede the covenant with many.

As far as a gap goes, there was never a gap on the previous 69 weeks. Either there is a full week as future, a half week at future or the week was fulfilled for the Jews and the future coming is a different event.

Was going to just edit my post to answer your second point/question but decided to just make a new one...

Looking at verse 27, "he" makes a covenant for a "week". That seems to say that the covenant starts the 70th week. I don't think there are any verses that say the rapture kicks off the 70th week.

disciple4life what is your nationality D4L?
Polish, Scottish, German, American?

I knew it was extensive but not that detail, WOW! Quoting from the phone/app isnt easy. Sometimes I switch to the 'desktop' version, but that makes things quite difficult to navigate.

I asked the question to ensure I understood and with your response it did help. I want to ask how someone like you who has the cultural experiences with various other people groups help or hinder your view on things like you said previously.
According to your stated heritage, you are also a Jew...Doesnt the 70th week apply to you too? Daniel didnt escape the captivity, being a Jew he suffered with all of the rest. (Insert sarcastic tone) why do you get to escape the 70th week? Because you say you're a Jew on the internet (I believe you-not sarcastic) shouldnt you also be a part of the 70th week? Anyone reading...please know the D4L & I have absolutely zero animosity and do not trynot to argue, rather sharpen each other. Sometimes my humor may not be as clear to some as it is to others

SO if the 70th week started tomorrow, shouldnt you be a part of it as being part Israel (physically)?

Natalie you dont think Gal 3:28 is exactly the opposite of what you've said? which is my point and you are proving it

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

We are grafted into Israel, like a marriage the two become one.

Outside of Christ there is one thing. We can call it Anti-Christ, unbelief, no faith or whatever, but you are in Christ or you are not in Christ. This goes back to Daniel, Moses, or the days of Jesus, the apostles the Kings, we can pick anyone and find 'in faith' and 'not in faith'. We find those who were called Jews in both categories. We find this same delineation today on Sundays, etc.

The 70th week isnt only about 'national' Israel although they are a part of it, as is the land of inheritance.

findtruth ,mike ,venge ,Natalie ,disciple4life ,david ,


mike said "I asked the question to ensure I understood and with your response it did help. I want to ask how someone like you who has the cultural experiences with various other people groups help or hinder your view on things like you said previously."

I'm always open to questions, - but you have to remember that Otters are usually verbal processors, so we sometimes don't get it right on the first or second take. heheh.
So i'll  answer this question, and it will help with the second question, and clarify what i should have said in the previous post. 

Our ministry focus was Students - but this was to Poles, as well as foreign students in Poland from across the Globe. We planted an international Church, and over the 13 years, we interacted with people from about 37 countries on 5 Continents. Understanding the culture is huge and can open doors even when you don't speak the language perfectly.
On the other side, when you speak the language - any language, people expect you should know the cultural rules, so it's possible to deeply offend someone because the rules are not written.

One of the best examples of how understanding the culture is helpful as it relates to end-times, 
Let's say Paul was speaking to an International Church in NW Poland, with people from Asia, Europe and a few from North and South America, - the church has about 150 people, - and he says that "The rapture happens at the Day of Fireworks."
The 15 Americans are like, "It's so obvious - every one knows that's 4th of July."
The other 135 people from Asia, South America and Europe are all shaking their heads. They represent 17 countries and have to communicate with each other through a 2nd or 3rd language, German or English, but they all understand that the Day of Fireworks is not 4th of July, - it's understood by everyone else in most of the world that the day of fireworks is New Years Eve.

In another case, Paul is speaking to a mixed group, mostly Europeans and Asians, with a few Americans, and he says something about the Great Football match.  All the Americans instantly think of the Superbowl, and the oblong thing that is mostly thrown with the hands.   
95% of the rest of the world who have different food, currency, language, religion, dress and climate all understand that Football is the Game of the world, and it's round, and it's the thing you can't touch with your hands. 

It's not a bad thing that Americans think of American football.  People from every culture tend to interpret things from their cultural worldview.  But the bad thing is that most Americans do this when it comes to scripture.   A major principle of Bible interpretation is "Before we can ask, What does this mean to me, in my culture, we have to ask What did it mean to the audience and the writer in their culture."    A classic example is that the tribulation is the time of Jacob's trouble. If it were called Tyler's trouble, or Augustus' Trouble,  or Wolfgang's trouble, then this would have a different meaning.   

Let's look at the passage of Galatians 3, with this concept of the cultural context in view.    www.gotquestions.org/neither-male-nor-female.html

            In Galatians 3:28, Paul makes a startling statement: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). The emphasis of this passage is that believers are one in Christ. When we are saved, we are all equal in Christ. No matter our race, status, or sex, we all stand on the same footing in Christ.



This passage is not altering or removing male and female distinctions, nor can it be used to invalidate gender roles in the church. “Neither male nor female” solely refers to the matter at hand: salvation. In the previous verse, Paul says, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:27, emphasis added).
The context makes it clear that “neither male nor female” refers to our salvation status.
All people, whether male or female, Jew or Gentile, must be saved the same way, through faith in Christ, and once they are saved, they have the same rights and privileges of salvation, being equal members of the family of God.



Saying that there is “neither male nor female” does not mean that there are no differences between the two sexes or that there are not different roles. The distinctions between men and women remain, but once we are saved, our individual differences are not what define us. Our unity in Christ removes all favoritism and bias in the church. In the matter of salvation, the playing field has been leveled, and we are all on equal footing.



Political, societal, and cultural norms will change, but men and women are equally valuable in God’s eyes and able to be saved. There are differences between Jews and Greeks, yet “both are reconciled to God through the cross” and “both have access to the Father by one Spirit”

What I want to add that is missing in this piece, is the cultural context.  In Christ, there is now, no longer the "Wall of Separation" or wall of division.   
**Again, most Americans would instantly think the division between Republicans and Democrats, or Northerners and Southerners, or social class barriers,  but that's missing the deeper point. 
In the time of Christ, there was a Literal wall that divided the men from the women in the Temple, and another literal, physical wall of stone that divided the Jews from the court of the Gentiles.    Think about that.  Three literal divided walled off spaces, just as real as the walls that separated the Jews in the Ghettos. 

Just like the Samaritans, the Jews could not even drink after an uncircumcised Gentile.  He would be unclean.  
Paul is saying that in Christ, there are no 2nd and 3rd class citizens.  We are all equally in need of grace, and all must come to Christ by repenting and accepting the gift of Christ's shed blood.  

The Catholic church for centuries blamed the Jews for crucifying Christ, and this twisted blaming of the Jews, continues to this day.  Christ gave his life willingly, for the sins of the whole world.  

No honest person would say, "In my church there are no men or women - only one neutral gender."    Of course not.    Paul is not suggesting that Gentile Christians are the same as Ethnic Jews who are believers any more than he is suggesting that men and women are the same.  In Christ, we can all worship as one unified body - no court of Jews and separate place for Gentiles.   

God is not finished with the Jewish people.  Scripture says over and over and over again, that they are his chosen race of people and they have a unique role in end times.   The church is not Israel, and Israel is not the Church.  They have distinct roles that are as different as men and women. 
The church is made up of believers of every nation.  Israel is one nation, and fulfilled the prophecy that it became a nation in one day - May 14, 1948.  The Church was around since Pentecost.   
The church is the Body and Bride of Christ.  Paul said that all of Israel will come to Christ.  The church is already the body of Christ.   

What I should have said in the previous post is that the "Prophecy of the 70 weeks of Daniel" is for his people,  Israel, - non-believing Jews, and the focus is on the capital, Jerusalem.   
Paul confirmed this and said that "Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled/ended".   
  
            

            "Romans 11:26 plainly says, “All Israel will be saved.  The classic text (Romans 11:16–24) depicts Israel as distinct from the Church: the “natural branches” are the Jews, and the “wild branches” are the Gentiles. The “olive tree” is the collective people of God. The “natural branches” (Jews) are “cut off” the tree for unbelief, and the “wild branches” (believing Gentiles) are grafted in. This has the effect of making the Jews “jealous” and then drawing them to faith in Christ, so they might be “grafted in” again and receive their promised inheritance.
The “natural branches” are still distinct from the “wild branches,” so that God’s covenant with His people is literally fulfilled. Romans 11:26–29, citing Isaiah 59:20–21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33–34, says: “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”



Here, Paul emphasizes the “irrevocable” nature of Israel’s calling as a nation (see also Romans 11:12). Isaiah predicted that a “remnant” of Israel would one day “be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD” (Isaiah 62:12). Regardless of Israel’s current state of unbelief, a future remnant will in fact repent and fulfill their calling to establish righteousness by faith (Romans 10:1–8; 11:5)             www.gotquestions.org/all-Israel-saved.html


To say Jews are Enemies of the Gospel, is 40% true.  It leaves out the most important part that this blindness is temporary, but one day, their eyes will be opened, and all of Israel will be saved.    The same Holy Spirit that convicted us and leads us to repentence is the same Holy Spirit that will convict them, and all of Israel will be saved. 

Maranatha,