Commentary on Daniel’s Timeline
*The wave sheaf offering (the firstfruits) is not a feast. The wave sheaf offering is offered DURING the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Sunday after the weekly Sabbath.
*The 8th day, which is both the 7th feast and also the 7th holy day was totally left out.
The Hebrew calendar is not a solely lunar calendar. It’s a lunar-solar calendar. The Roman “Christian” (really Catholic) calendar is a solar calendar. The Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar. It’s interesting, when one thinks about it...Catholicism worships the sun god, Islam worships the moon god. The former has a solar calendar, without taking into consideration the moon. The latter has a lunar calendar, without taking into consideration the sun. The Hebrew calendar is lunar-solar or “lunisolar”. This is one of the reasons why it is the most accurate calendar in the world.
*An actually positive comment I have is that he observes the correct date for Passover. I commend him for this. This was surprising to me, since it seems he is along the Messianic belief system, and most of them make the mistake that most in Judaism make, which is observing it incorrectly on the 15th day of the month.
*He’s making assumptions when he says that it took Noah 120 years to build the ark. The bible does not state this. God said that man’s days would be 120 years. As a matter of fact, I can show that it could NOT have been 120 years for Noah to build the ark. Also stating that the 120 years were jubilee years is another assumption.
*He claims that Christ will return on the Feast of Trumpets in 2017. It may be true that Christ will return some year on the Feast of Trumpets, but who's to say that maybe the first trumpet will be fulfilled on the feast of trumpets. Really, we don't know for CERTAIN how the feasts of trumpets will be fulfilled, and the seventh trump may not blow on the feast of trumpets, and we sure do not yet know which YEAR His return is.
There is NO year 0 B.C. It went straight from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D.
*He even admitted himself that he ASSUMED the 6-day war was a Jubilee year. It may have been. I don’t know. But even he himself admitted that it was an assumption.
*The second beast in Daniel’s prophecy was not Greece. It was Medo-Persia. The first beast was not Medo-Persia. It was Babylon.
*It is an assumption to apply the fig tree parable to Israel (Judah) having the state re-established in 1948. Although that event was very important, this is NOT to what the fig tree parable is referring. All it’s saying is that when we see all the signs culminating, that we are to KNOW that His coming is soon. When we see all that He talked about, the generation then alive will not pass before He returns. It’s VERY important to compare scriptures. Matthew and Mark just say “fig tree.” Luke 21:29 says “fig tree and ALL trees,” and verse 30 says, “When THEY shoot forth.” This is a real problem for those who want to make the fig tree mean something it doesn’t. If Israel (or Judah) in those verses mean “fig tree,” then what do the other trees mean? The tree parable is an analogy. We all know when we see trees start budding that summer is on its way and that it will not take long. When we see all the events Christ spoke of happening all together, then we will know His coming will not be far off.
*He goes on and on about the “commandment in 1947.” WHAT commandment? He’s changing what the bible says. The bible says, “the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince....” Of course, if he realized that Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy was fulfilled 2,000 years ago, that would clear up the confusion. Daniel wrote this while in Babylonian captivity. During that time, Darius the Median overtook the Babylonian empire. Remember, Daniel told Belshazzar that the kingdom would be divided and given to the Medes and the Persians. Daniel was under the Median king Darius. Ezra and Nehemiah were in captivity under Cyrus, king of Persia. Cyrus gave Ezra permission to go back and rebuild a TEMPLE in Jerusalem (from when Babylon overtook them and led the Jews into captivity), and Nehemiah continued this after Ezra. THAT was the commandment. That commandment happened over 2500 years ago, in 537 B.C. Ezra 1:1-3 shows the commandment (see also 2 Chronicles 36:23). Isaiah (44:28) prophesied this a century and a half in advance. The granted request from Nehemiah to Persian king Artaxerxes rebuild the CITY of Jerusalem happened in 446 B.C. and can be read in Nehemiah 2:5-8. Ezra had already requested this of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:6), but apparently the WALL had still not been built by 446 (Nehemiah 1:3-4). Ezra’s request in 457 B.C. was the starting of the counting of the 70 weeks (490 years, a day for a year and 7 days in a week). 69 weeks brings us up to 26 A.D. when Christ would have begun his ministry. Three and a half years later, in 30 A.D. Christ died in the middle of the week (3.5 years is half of seven years, and he also happened to die in the middle of a literal week on Wednesday). He totally IGNORES where it says that Messiah was CUT OFF (killed). This referred to Christ’s crucifixion. He won’t be dying anytime in the future. This was FULFILLED. The NEXT time Jerusalem and a temple will be rebuilt will be AFTER Christ’s return, as Ezekiel explains.
*Not only does he put the 70 weeks prophecy in our days, rather than it being fulfilled long ago, but he gives a week for a year, rather than a day for a year, as is the correct thing to do for prophecy. A day=a year, not a week=year. Daniel 9:24’s “seventy weeks” is literally “seventy sevens.” See your bible footnote, if it has one. Seventy times seven is 490. So, we’re dealing with 490 years, not seventy years. Again, the 70 weeks prophecy was fulfilled thousands of years back.
*Bruton claims that the abomination of desolation is an abominable sacrifice on an altar. Much like the example of the fig tree I gave above, this is another instance in which it is vital to read all the gospel accounts on a given subject. Once again, it’s Luke that gives us the answer. Matthew and Mark speak of the “abomination of desolation,” and Luke defines what it is. Luke 21:20 explains that armies surrounding Jerusalem are the “abomination” that will make the city “desolate.” I’m now careful to look at all parallel accounts.
*According to Bruton, this “abomination of desolation” that supposedly takes place on an altar, will take place in the year 2013. This is supposed to be the halfway point of a seven-year period he assigns. So, in other words, we ought to be expecting an altar (and perhaps a temple in which the altar will be located) less than two years from now...perhaps as soon as a year and a half or less away. I do not foresee this occurring. Besides, as I said, the abomination that makes desolate is when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies and is brought to desolation. The bright side is that everyone will know Bruton was wrong by the end of 2010--just 2 1/2 years away.
*IF we were to know when the tribulation starts BEFORE the abomination of desolation, would it not make sense that those Christians in Judea would get out of dodge AHEAD of time, rather than wait until Jerusalem is surrounded by armies? (Or in the case of believing it is some sacrifice, then when the abominable sacrifice takes place.) But, no...Jesus said WHEN you shall SEE the abomination of desolation, THEN you will know to get out! If the wise are to know the dates ahead of time, there was certainly no need for this warning. People would be wise to at least plan to get out of there a few weeks beforehand, if his theology was correct. And besides, this also brings out another error. Armies surrounding the whole city can be seen by everyone. But, some sacrifice on an altar (especially if in a temple) is not going to be seen by everyone, so how would all Christians know they needed to bail out and not bother going back to their houses for something, if they’re out in the field or at their place of work? (Until recently, I thought the abomination of desolation was an abominable sacrifice, too, but the TRUTH of the matter makes much more sense.)
*The “holy place” is Jerusalem. The abomination is the Gentile armies surrounding Jerusalem. The desolation is Jerusalem’s being desolated by the armies. See Luke 21:20-24.
*He ASSUMES that the tribulation will not start in the winter. I’m supposing he says this, because Christ instructed us to pray that our flight not be in the winter or on the sabbath. Well, I hope it’s not in the winter, but the bible never emphatically states that it will not be in the winter. BUT, I’ll go with his assumption just for the purpose of this comment and say that it’s not in the winter. He then pulls out the dates of March 21 and March 22, because spring starts then. If this isn’t grabbing at straws, I don’t know what is! He uses a ROMAN calendar date to make his teachings fit. After going on about God’s calendar and using it to fit his theology, he then switches to use a Roman calendar date in order to help finish the web he began spinning. Since when has God used Rome’s calendar?
*Bruton really goes out in left field when discussing the “flood” of Revelation 12. He goes on to say that he’s heard that it rains a lot in Jerusalem in the spring (again, he’s assuming the tribulation starts in the spring), and so there must be a huge flood that endangers the woman. First of all and more importantly, the woman whom the flood goes after is the Church, not just the small number of Christians in Jerusalem. The flood does not apply to only those small number of Christians in Jerusalem. Secondly, there is no guarantee that the “water as a flood” is a literal flood of water (especially considering we’re talking of the whole Church, spread out in many places). More likely, the water symbolizes people going after these Christians to arrest and/or kill them.
*He then uses astrology to further convince his audience that prophecy will be fulfilled on the dates he has predicted. He took the verses in Revelation 12:1-4 and applied the Virgo constellation with the woman and the Draco constellation to the dragon, and he said since they and the sun and moon all lined up in a certain manner at the time he predicted, that was further proof. The woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet and with a crown of twelve stars symbolizes the nation of Israel and further on spiritual Israel--the Church. Joseph, the son of Jacob (whom was renamed Israel), had a dream that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed to him (Genesis 37:9). The sun and the moon symbolized his parents, and the eleven stars symbolized his brothers. It’s clear that Israel’s reference in Revelation 12 has absolutely nothing to do with constellations in the sky.
*He claims that I Thessalonians 5:4 proves that there will be some who know the day the Lord returns. That verse states: “But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” Ha! He doesn’t dare mention the context. Verse 1-2 say: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” Now, we can see what verse 4 really says. Notice what it does NOT say. It does not say that we will know what day he comes back. It only says that that day will not OVERTAKE the faithful brethren “as a thief.” Verse 2 clearly says that Christ WILL come as a thief. That’s why Christ commanded us to WATCH. We need to ALWAYS be ready, for we do NOT know when exactly it will be. There will be SIGNS in the heavens, and the true faithful Christians will know when they see those signs that they should, “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” We should be still living every day as if it were our last and not to be carried away with cares of the world. THAT is what Christ and Paul were saying about that day taking us by surprise. IF we’re not being faithful, we’ll certainly be caught off guard. If we’re doing as we’re supposed to, it doesn’t matter exactly when He shows up. We’ll be READY. How ridiculous of a thought and what a waste of a lot of breath for Jesus to have repetitively warned that we must be watching. If we could know the day ahead of time, we could know ahead of time not to be acting a fool, now couldn’t we? (Of course, the true brethren will not be acting like a fool during any of those days, but that’s the point.)
*Now, he’s gone into all this detail concerning how people really should know the day of Christ’s return, and then he misapplies Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” He says that is just a saying referring to the feast of trumpets and doesn’t really mean what it says. But, now it gets even better. He now says that verse 36 refers to the previous verse 35, rather than verse 34. Verse 35 says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” This is perhaps the most unbelievable comment of all. Unbelievable! Bruton says that the “day and hour” that no one knows is the day when heaven and earth passes away. Well, for those who do not know the scriptures well or do not take the time to read the context, I can see how some may believe this. But, it’s clear when a person reads further, that the “day and hour” he’s speaking of is NOT the day heaven and earth passes away. It’s talking about Christ’s coming. That’s been the main idea since verse 23. Verse 42 REPEATS, “WATCH therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Then, it’s repeated again in 25:13: “WATCH therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” There should be NO doubt as to what the “day and hour knoweth no one” in verse 36 means. 24:44, 50 warn especially those who are NOT watching. These will be the ones who will be taken off guard, overtaken as a thief, because they did not remain FAITHFUL and did not watch--watch both their BEHAVIOR and the SIGNS.
*He kept going on about how the Feast of Tabernacles symbolized the wedding/marriage feast after Christ’s return. How he gets this idea is beyond me. If any feast is linked to the marriage feast, it’s Passover. Christ said during His last Passover, “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God...For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come” (Luke 22:16,18).
*Then, he claims that those “taken” in Matthew 24:40-41 are the wicked. Now, indeed, I must say that at a time I thought this, too. It does seem to say that, since the ones “taken” in the flood analogy were the wicked, and the “righteous shall never be removed,” and all that. But, here again, we must look at all the scriptures. This is the THIRD time in which Bruton should have looked to see what Luke had to say. Luke records the disciples, in reply to Jesus’ comment that some will be taken and others left, “Where Lord?” And continuing the scripture, “And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither the eagles (or vultures) be gathered together” (Luke 17:37). We see this same thing being said by Christ, recorded by Matthew, PRIOR to the “taken” and “left” verses. Verses 27-31 read: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” The “carcass” symbolizes Christ, and the “eagles” or “vultures” are the resurrected saints. We will meet Him in the air. So, we see that the ones TAKEN are the saints, and WHERE they are taken is in the air to meet Christ (I Thessalonians 4:17).
Jesus warned of people like Dewey Bruton. He said, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). Bruton is one of MANY false prophets that are devouring people in these latter days. There are many people who are “amazed” at the “discoveries” Bruton has shared. He has many hoodwinked, because so many of the things he put forth seem to fit together, too much to be a coincidence, it seems. But, the fact is, is that all those things that seem to fit together ARE just coincidence. If Jesus matched ALL the prophecies that foretold of the Messiah’s first coming, except for ONE, He would have been disqualified. So it is with every prophecy. There are many holes in Bruton’s timeline. And it IS his timeline. Daniel’s timeline had nothing to do with Christ’s second coming, and it certainly had nothing to do with 70 years, but rather 490 years (70x7), and it foretold of Christ’s FIRST coming.
A friend gave me the “Daniel’s Timeline” dvd. But, I looked at Bruton’s website, and he sells the dvd for $19.95. That is one more mark of a false prophet. They are in it for the money. True prophets do not charge for prophetic truth. They give it away freely. At the very worst, a person would only charge for shipping of a product (which is perfectly understandable, if a person cannot afford to ship free of charge), but Bruton charges $4.05 for shipping in addition to the 20 bucks for the product. Why would a true “prophet” want to “profit” money from the truth? He would NOT.
He found something that sells. And finally, another major problem is that he also believes that God is a trinity--a heathen false doctrine.