Recent Reader Questions & Answers
- Q. –
- For several years you claimed that 1994 is prophetically significant. You published a number of charts and materials indicating that the Great Tribulation was going to begin during that year. Now that 1997 is here, what are your thoughts? Have you changed your mind?
- L.W. –
- I still believe 1994 is prophetically significant when considering that some time-periods in Daniel and Revelation are literal and others require the operation of the day/year (Jubilee) calendar. You may remember that apocalyptic Rule #4 states: “The presence or absence of the Jubilee calendar determines how God reckons prophetic time-periods.” For me, March 20, 1994, serves as an important line of prophetic demarcation. On that date, I believe the day/year reckoning (the Jubilee Calendar) came to an end. Therefore, all prophetic time-periods occurring after March 20, 1994 must be reckoned as literal time. True, I did anticipate that end-time events would commence in 1994. The passage of time has proved my anticipation to be premature, however, I have not changed my anticipation and understanding of coming events. The Great Tribulation is coming, and coming very soon. The sequence of predicted events will occur. I have not found any reason to change my position on these matters.
- Q. –
- Do you believe the 1,335 days of Daniel 12 began in 1994?
- L.W. –
- No. The 1,335 days of Daniel 12 begin when the censer is cast down. (Revelation 8:5) This event will be marked with a global earthquake.
- Q. –
- Do you believe that Jesus will come during the year 2000?
- L.W. –
- It is possible, although I do not attach any significance to that particular year.
- Q. –
- A lot of people are talking about the coming millennium that begins in the year 2000. What do you make of this excitement?
- L.W. –
- Very little. The year A.D. 2000 is not the beginning of a new millennium. Jesus was born around 4 or 5 B.C. Therefore, the 2,000th year since the birth of Christ was either 1995 or 1996!
- Q. –
- I have heard you say you believe that Jesus will return during the 6,000th year of sin, thus the 1,000 years of Revelation 20 is the seventh or Sabbatical millennium. When do you believe the 6,000th year will occur?
- L.W. –
- I find sufficient evidence in the Bible to believe that Jesus will return during the 6,000th year of sin. According to my calculations, God created Adam and Eve about 4100 B.C. and I assume they could have lived in the Garden of Eden about 100 years before sinning. Because the genealogical records of the Bible are not specific, there is a window of about 20 years during which the 6,000th year of sin will occur. It would be very interesting, in light of the worldwide swell of millennial fever, if the Great Tribulation began in the year 2000.
- Q. –
- I attended one of your seminars in Riverside, California in the Spring of 1995. At that time you made a presentation using the 1994-1998 time-frame as “the time of the end.” You said something about the days being shortened “on the front of the Great Tribulation,” so the Great Tribulation could begin in 1996 and still conclude in 1998. How does that view fit with your current view on prophetic timing now that 1997 is here?
- L.W. –
- I specifically remember that seminar presentation because several people were asking about prophetic time-periods. To illustrate how time could be shortened, I presented how 1998 “could be” the 6,000th year, even though prophetic events had not begun at the time of the seminar. I made three points: (1) The 1,335 days of Daniel 12 represent a maximum number of days for the Great Tribulation, (2) the appointed number of days (1,335) will be shortened for the sake of the elect (Matthew 24:21, 22), and (3) the reduction of the Great Tribulation requires the reduction of all prophetic time-periods that are running concurrently. For example, if the 1,335 days are shortened 27% (or some percentage), then other time-periods operating during those days are also shortened proportionately. Maybe this illustration will help: According to Daniel 12, the Great Tribulation is 1,335 days in length and the coming persecution of the saints is 42 months (Revelation 13:5). If the 1,335 days are shortened 27%, so the Great Tribulation is actually 975 days in length, then the 42 months of persecution would be reduced to 30 months and 19 days. The net effect is this: If the 6,000th year was 1998, then God could start the Great Tribulation 975 days before 1998 and still accomplish all that He intends to do by the 6,000th year. Regardless of when the tribulation starts, the good news is we will have way-marks to help us count off the days.
- Q. –
- Are you discouraged that the 144,000 have not yet appeared?
- L.W. –
- No. The end of the world is God’s business. I am confident that God’s timing is perfect. He will appoint and anoint His servants right on time and the results will be marvelous. I watch for evidence of this coming development every day.
- Q. –
- For the past few months, you have not presented prophetic studies in the Day Star. I hope this will not become a pattern.
- L.W. –
- Oh no! For the past few months, we have felt it was necessary to present the five major doctrines of the Bible. You may remember that I itemized these doctrines in the first chapter of my book, Warning! Revelation is about to be fulfilled. The reason that I felt compelled to write on these doctrines is that Bible prophecy is much more than future telling. Apocalyptic prophecy includes matters concerning the future, but more importantly, apocalyptic prophecy concerns the long range plans and glorious purposes of God. The five doctrines (five S’s) are integral to apocalyptic prophecy. Therefore, I felt it necessary to present these doctrines so that our readers can see the big picture. The Day Star remains focused on proclaiming all of the elements that connect with Revelation’s grand story. For example, this month’s study on Gog and Magog (Ezekiel) is connected to Revelation 20!