Why 1948 And Not 1967?

Q

Thanks for your honesty- you seem really sincere in your writing, and not a bit frustrated or tired of the same questions over and again. That means a lot! Keep it up… I know that must be a struggle. However, I guess I do not really see how you conclude Mt. 24:34 to mean a lifetime from 1948- why not 1967? I really appreciate you andyour ministry, it has been a huge blessing to me in my walk, and my own personal study.

A

I used to see 1967 as an alternate to 1948, primarily because the prophecies of the 1st coming in Daniel 9:24-27 all keyed off the rebuilding of Jerusalem, not the restoration of the nation. But a few years ago I was reviewing Luke 21:24 and when I read the phrase “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” it struck me that the same wording appears in Rev. 11:2 where it says the Holy City will be trampled on by the Gentiles for 42 months, the duration of the Great Tribulation. And Zechariah 14: 2 tells of Jerusalem being captured in connection with the Battle of Armageddon. From this I concluded that even though God’s focus will be on Israel for the last 7 years, the times of the Gentiles will not end when the Church is raptured. They’ll only end at the 2nd Coming, when the Lord returns to restore Israel’s Kingdom. To me this disqualified 1967 as a start date for the final generation’s lifetime.